Gemma Hayes

After having it on my Amazon wishlist for over a year (and no one buying it for me), I finally bought Gemma Hayes 2011 album Let It Break. It is terrific and honestly is filling a hole in my music listening.

I discovered Gemma Hayes in 2008 and her previous album Hollow of Morning I ranked my #5 album of the year. Despite loving that album, I never did complete background research on her, and I inexplicably did not buy her newest album the day it was released. I'll never make that mistake again.

If you read about her online you'll often see her described as an "Irish folk singer". While true, that pigeonholes her and doesn't give her credit for the diversity and breadth of her songwriting. Not to mention sometimes her songs are almost shoegaze and feature lots of rock and electronic elements. Most of the time her music is pretty quiet, but it is not just her and an acoustic guitar as "Irish folk singer" would imply.

I am embedding two videos below. The first is the lead single off Let it Break. While a strong video, it is one of the weaker songs on the album in my opinion and not a good showcase of her talents. The second video (ironically a weak one), is my favorite Gemma Hayes song from the Hollow of Morning. While these two songs are an incomplete and imperfect picture of what you can expect to hear on her albums, it is a good start.

Her music is currently providing the perfect soundtrack to my life in this cold month.

Tegan & Sara debut new songs of upcoming album

Tegan and Sara are set to release their sixth studio album on January 29, titled Heartthrob. My wife and I have big been fans ever since seeing them open for Cake in Nashville in 2004, and saw them play again at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta a few years later. They are hilarious entertainers and outstanding musicians. Stream three of their new songs below.

Roy Ira album out today!

If you'll remember last Spring Nashville indie/folk/country band Roy Ira had a Kickstarter campaign to fund their first full-length album. Well, that has come to fruition and today is the official release day for Still Be My Love. Stream the whole album for free below, buy a digital copy for $6, or the best option get it for $15 on vinyl.

 

mewithoutYou new, unique live video

New Mindy Smith & Matthew Perryman Jones duet

Best of 2012

For anyone that reads my blog you know that making and publishing lists is my favorite part of blogging. However this year a detailed, complete, best-of 2012 list just isn't possible. 2012 brought our third child and expanded work duties; a thorough list will have to wait. My goal is one sentence per album.

Someday I will flesh out this list, and complete the other lists I have in progress. I started publishing year-end lists on this blog in 2003, so this marks the 10th anniversary of Turn Off The Radio. I started writing detailed lists in 2006, and then I have also been working my way up through my teenage years, and have completed detailed lists for 1991-1997. 1998 has been in the works for over a year and still not published. Stick with me for a couple decades and I'll have a detailed year-end list for every year of my life!

Top 20 Albums of 2012:
1. mewithoutYou- Ten Stories* They almost lost me with their last album, but this one is terrific. Even the band agreed that this was the proper follow-up to the amazing Brother, Sister. The biggest change to their unique style is the addition of lots of female background vocals, which honestly change the whole feel of the band's music. The album starts more aggressive than the band has been in 5 years, and then settles in to the mellowest the band has ever been. The bonus tracks are essential and the best songs on the album (so make sure you listen to the 13-track version).

2. Cat Power- Sun* It's been a long time since The Greatest, and this is Chan Marshall at her creative peak.

3. Smashing Pumpkins- Oceania Never thought the Pumpkins would make a top-20 list again, much less top-3. Zeitgeist was forced, and the Teargarden by Kaleidoscope songs up until this point were average at best. This album is Corgan at his best, and as if the band had never stopped more than a decade ago. He is letting his "new" band members collaborate more and more and the results are fantastic.

4. Of Monsters and Men- My Head is an Animal I probably listened to this album more than any other this year, because my 3- and 4-year-old kids both love it. Who can't help but sing along to "Little Talks?"

5. Hammock- Departure Songs I have been a fan of Marc Byrd since his first band Common Children in the late 90's. While appreciating Hammock over the last 5 years, I never truly got that into them because of the lack of song structure in their ambient songs. This double-album brings more full instrumentation and a lot of vocals; some for texture and some as actual lead.

6. Pinback- Information Retrieved* I was actually able to see Pinback live this year, and it gave me a new appreciation for the band that I discovered in 2004. The driving, melodic bass lines have never been better. I actually thought their last album, 2007's Autumn of the Seraphs, was their least interesting; and this one picks up right where 2004's outstanding Summer in Abaddon left off.

7. Metric- Synthetica I only discovered this band a couple of years ago, but I think this is the best album they have ever released.

8. Sleigh Bells- Reign of Terror* Not as unique or interesting as their debut, but still fun and powerful. My son really digs about half this album, and whenever he and I were in the car by ourselves over the summer he would ask to listen to it, because, in his words, "Mama doesn't like Sleigh Bells".

9. Rosie Thomas- With Love* I prefer Rosie with less instrumentation and less production, but she has never sounded better.

10. The Shins- Port of Morrow* Arguably the best album the Shins have ever released. "Simple Song" could be my favorite track of the year.

11. Lana Del Rey- Born to Die Pretty amazing album vocally, highlighted by my personal favorite track "Off to the Races". The only thing preventing this album from being ranked higher is the lyrics.

12. Norah Jones- Little Broken Hearts Forget the Norah Jones you have heard before, she reached new heights with this album. Four key words: Produced by Danger Mouse.

13. Mindy Smith- Mindy Smith Probably the album on this list that I have unfortunately and inexplicably listened to the least. Mindy at her best on her first indie release.

14. Nada Surf- The Stars are Indifferent to Astronomy* Nada Surf keeps churning out great albums. None including this approach 2003's Let Go, but that is unnecessary.

15. Fiona Apple- The Idler Wheel...* Most reviews seem to love this album, and I have seen it ranked #1 on a couple of year-end lists. A disappointment for me really. I love Apple, but I don't think this comes close to Extraordinary Machine. Much more simple and stripped down, and the songs just don't stick with me.

16. Roy Ira- Still Be My Love After a few low-fi EPs, this band finally released its first LP in 2012 and it impresses. The production is excellent and highlights the vocals. Stylistically all over the map, and their self-label of "indie-folk-country" could not be more accurate. Stream the full album here and buy the vinyl that releases in January.

17. Forget Cassettes- O Cursa Forget Cassettes released two amazing albums in 2003 and 2006, and had been on hiatus ever since. They (or "she", as Forget Cassettes is Beth Cameron) are back, and this album is spectacular. Lead single/video for the album is below and one of the greatest "angry" songs I have ever heard...

18. Sixpence None the Richer- Lost in Transition Probably here only because of their past work. It is a fine pop album, but pales in comparison to all their other albums. If it was the first time I was hearing the band I would probably appreciate the album more, but after being a fan for 20 years it is very disappointing.

19. POD- Murdered Love Never thought POD would be relevant again, and they are probably not (except in my car), but this is the first album of theirs I have enjoyed since Satellite. Title track is brutally heavy.

20. Benjamin Gibbard- Former Lives I had pretty low expectations for this and waited a long time after its release to even listen to it. Actually, if not for a $2.99 temporary price tag on Amazon I probably wouldn't have purchased it. That said, it impressed me greatly. More diverse than the recent Death Cab albums, and with thoughtful and honest songwriting.

2013 albums already available that are top-20 worthy:
Starflyer 59- IAMACEO Jason Martin's 13th studio LP, this time sans-label and funded by Kickstarter.

Sandra McCracken- Desire Like Dynamite Her first proper solo album in a few years, and she has never sounded better. I was very impressed by her voice when seeing her in concert earlier this year, and made the comment that I didn't think her vocals had ever been recorded properly. This might be the first album where she actually sounds like her impressive self.

Albums I got for Christmas that might break into my top-20 with some spins:
Hospitality- Hospitality Two spins in I am really digging it. Sunny, energetic indie rock.

Sucre- A Minor Bird Solo album from Stacy Dupree King of Eisley. Quite a departure musically, most of the instrumentation is strings and unique percussion. Arguably much more interesting than what her band has been recording lately.

Stars- The North My opinion of Stars for the last decade has been, "they write good songs, but not good albums." That opinion changed with Five Ghosts, which blew me away. Well, they are back to their lesser, old form. Half the songs are terrific, half are boring or worse.

Albums I got for Christmas that are fun, but will not break into the top-20:
Demon Hunter- True Defiance* Got on vinyl, and I haven't been home to use my turntable. And frustratingly, it is the only vinyl record I got this year that did not come with an MP3 download. What's up with that Tooth & Nail?!

Taylor Swift- Red I enjoy Taylor Swift far more than 99% of the pop music in the world, but I look forward to her aging and recording more folk-type songs.

No Doubt- Push and Shove OK, so it's not fun, it's TERRIBLE. Not that I was ever a huge No Doubt fan, but man they should have just called it quits.

Most disappointing album of 2012:
Sarah Jaffe- The Body Wins Not disappointing because its not good, but disappointing because it is such a drastic departure from the Sarah Jaffe I loved. If you are hearing her for the first time, you might love it. I prefer the quiet, folk of her old work to the electronica/rock of her new stuff.

Best 2011 album I bought a year late:
Haley Bonar- Golder Have been aware of her for a decade, but just never dove that far into her work. Her 2012 single Bad Reputation stunned me, and I am now exploring her back catalog.

Looking forward to...
CUSH- A new EP for sure and maybe 1 or 2 LP's!? Pretty incredible after almost nothing in a decade.
Appleseed Cast- Illumination Ritual out soon. And just this week they released a new song that appears on a 7":

CUSH: The Gift of Hope and Fear

Email recieved from cush@cushkuxh.org at 3:16 EST:


It's midnight in California.  Maybe you're awake, too.  If so, you can watch the video for "The Gift Of Hope And Fear" now on YouTube.

This is song 01 on the upcoming SP3 album.  It is also the beginning of the Story.  Each of the album's 07 songs is set in the context of 07 main arguing points of/for/against Christianity, based on 07 identified 'moments' or movements in the life of Christ.  It should be clear which one this song addresses.  The lyrics of each song are written from the perspective of someone who was 'there', a witness, characters in the Story, rather than someone who has lived with the result of 2000 years of various forms of propagandic, cultural, and financial influence on the Story.  At least that is the attempt.  To see in something you've seen many times what new can be seen by looking at it as if it were for the first time.

Please enjoy whilst you Celebrate the Mass of Christ.

Email recieved from cush@cushkuxh.org on December 19:


Tidings.  Thank you for registering at cushkuxh.org.  If you haven't yet, you can hear a preview sample from the upcoming SP3 album by going to this link:

http://cushkuxh.org/2012/12/18/hope-and-fear/

If that doesn't work, you can try this link:

https://soundcloud.com/cushkuxh/hope-and-fear/s-bJz1r

Either way, thank you for your patience and understanding.  While Facebook is the current best way to interact with people near and far, nobody knows what the future of Facebook will be.  Conversely, our website has a determinable future, and enables us to more directly communicate and interact with you.  So, again, thank you for subscribing.

The release of the SP3 album will be non-traditional.  The first song will be released on December 25th, 2012, in video form only.  The rest of the songs will also be released in video form as well, one at a time, spread out over the next few months.  The release of the digital and packaged album (which will include a great deal of artwork and supplemental material) will be on May 7th, 2013.  As it all unfolds, it will make sense why this release schedule was chosen.  Previews and early releases will arrive to Subscribers first.

As a Subscriber, you will also receive access to download (if you so choose) the song "Always Disappear," which has been up on the Bandcamp site for quite some time.  It will most likely 'reappear' on the record that will be released next year, in a modified form.  So this current version will be unique.

Other scheduled items: live, in-studio performance videos, of old and new songs, the KUXH Super G album, and new material by CUSH 'proper', as we refer to it. 

Thank you for listening.

CeeLo & The Muppets Christmas song

In attempt to find the original Chipmunks Christmas song video (found it), I watched a variety of silly Christmas YouTube videos with my 3 kids this morning. This one was by far the highlight. Make sure to watch through the end of the credits, and pay special attention to the "Cfood" part.

Foo Fighters and RGIII

New Poor Old Lu song (!!!!!) and t-shirt available NOW

If you have never heard of Poor Old Lu, they formed in Seattle and were active the at the same time as the likes of Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and Sunny Day Real Estate. And I like them better than all of those bands. They released 3 LPs from 1993-1996, broke up for awhile, reformed in 2002 for another LP, and then have been on indefinite hiatus.

As of a couple of hours ago, you can "purchase" a new single from Poor Old Lu along with a new shirt. This is the first new song the band has released in a decade. I can't really explain how exciting this is for me. Unlike most (?) bands, Poor Old Lu has only recorded with the four original members, and this song is no different- Scott Hunter (vocals), Aaron Sprinkle (guitar), Nick Barber (bass), and Jesse Sprinkle (drums).

Aaron Sprinkle is probably most widely known as a producer, but also has 3 solo albums and is the lead singer/songwriter for the bands Fair and Rose Blossom Punch. His brother Jesse is probably best known as the drummer of Demon Hunter and Dead Poetic, but is also a prolific songwriter with more solo albums (some under the moniker "The World Inside") than one can count. Nick Barber has also played bass in all of Aaron's bands, and has played with Jeremy Enigk. The band is unlikely to ever be truly active again, as Jesse lives in NY, Aaron in Nashville, and Scott and Nick still in Seattle.

Never heard the band? Not too late to start. Numerous free downloads at PoorOldLu.com
Here is one of my favorites, from 1994's Sin:

Where Where All of You (mp3)

While I have tried to draw you in with the interest in hearing/buying the Poor Old Lu song, this isn't really about the band. It is about a project Jesse has with a friend to help children in Uganda.


The short of it is that Jesse and friend Kurt Johnson are hoping to travel to Uganda and record and album with street kids there. Jesse has been to Uganda many times, only through the help of others.

"The Luser" perk through the Indiegogo campaign is $50 for the Poor Old Lu song, shirt, and the new Paradise Uganda album. While if you were just buying those things, $50 would obviously seem like a lot of money and not a good value.

But don't think about it that way. Pretend you are just giving $50 to someone in need, and that you will get nothing in return.

It is called a perk because it is just that. You are not actually buying these items, you are supporting a cause you believe in, and then you are fortunate enough to get some small items for your own enjoyment.

Unlike Kickstarter, they don't have to reach their goal to get the money. If you read the details, you are making a donation to a cause, and no matter how much they raise, they will continue with their plans. Donate now!