What is there to like about
Aaron Schroeder you ask? (besides that pimp-tacular leopard print bathrobe) I'll answer with a question of my own: what
ISN'T there to like about
Aaron Schroeder?
Aaron's first album,
Southern Heart In Western Skin, is short (weighing in at a little under 30 minutes), and sweet; every last note of it. You won't find any guest performances by big name musicians here, and that's part of its attraction. It's clearly a low-budget album, with songs recorded in Washington, Massachusetts, and California, which makes you just want to cheer for the underdog when the underdog puts together such a finely crafted album on his own. And when I say on his own, I mean Aaron doesn't have a record company to back him up. It's Aaron, Aaron, and Aaron who's responsible for writing, performing, and packaging. And speaking of packaging, props to Aaron for including lyrics for us.
The music. What can I say? Aaron's song run the gamut from twangy harmonic humming songs (
The Real World), to meloncholy love songs (
Devil's Lake), to irish jiggy punk rock (
Santa Ana: my favorite song on the album),. Not to say that he's trying to please everyone to meet a wider market. Aaron's musical versatility feels entirely genuine with no pretensions or pop gimmicks. His roots are in some classic musicians such as
Johnny Cash and
Leadbelly, but he also enjoys some modern marvels like
Belle & Sebastian and
The Mountain Goats. He doesn't stop there, though: being an avid reader, Aaron cites authors such as
Fydor Dostoevsky, Henry Miller, Haruki Murakami, Knut Hamsun as influences. "Often time my lyrics are adaptations of things I've read, including various Yiddish, Arabic, and American folk tales." And although there are no big name guitarists backing him up, Aaron has a skilled group supporting him with a variety of traditional instruments (including lap steel, cello, piano, and others).
So I'll ask the question again: What
ISN'T there to like about Aaron Schroeder?
Aaron Schroeder - The Real World :
Southern Heart In Western SkinAaron Schroeder - Santa Ana :
Southern Heart In Western SkinAaron Schroeder - Sky Ain't Blue (Demo)
I haven't been posting much lately for a few reasons, but I've still been getting various folks sending me music to listen to. Unfortunately, for many of the same reasons I haven't been posting, I haven't been listening to this music either, so it's been piling up in my e-mail box.
Can Joann
Brett Dennan
"The name started somewhere on a European tour I did with Elliott Smith. I can't remember," Sullivan says, thinking about how he earned the nickname that would quickly become his band's name. "Elliott said a little joke thing like, 'Hey Goldenboy.' Then (Smith's drummer) Scott McPherson's sister, Lisa, was booking a show in L.A. and they needed another band. Scott remembered me and told Lisa I was Goldenboy. Ever since then I've been Goldenboy." -Shon Sullivan
Start with Bjork - Strip away some of the instrumentation + Keep some danceability - Smooth out some of the vocal quirkiness = Lisa Papineau
Lisa Papineau - Shucking, Jiving : Night Moves
That's right, Seattle produces other music besides what can easily be filed under grunge, and The Purrs are a perfect example. Although The Purrs have been around for a few years and have put out a few efforts on their own (the EP No Particular Bar, No Particular Town in 2004 and the LP The Dreams Our Stuff Is Made Of in 2005), today marks the release of their record-label debut: a self titled album which in a way is what the band members cheekily refer to as a "greatest hits" compilation of songs from their previous self produced works (some remastered and some re-mixed).
The Purrs - She's Gone : The Purrs
When I first read Saturna's name, I of course thought of the planet...why wouldn't I? Saturn still is a planet, isn't it? You never know, they knocked Pluto off the list for no particular reason. Now, after 12 years of public education with 9 planets being drilled into me, I have to remember that there are only 8 planets.
The music scene is a rat race for most bands, but Silversun Pickups' entry into it was a little different than many. The L.A. band formed amongst a group of friends who just wanted to play music while hanging with some real friends. Brian Aubert (guitarist/singer) says “In the beginning, we were just trying to figure out what we wanted to do, didn’t even know if this was what we wanted to do. But we were playing clubs while we were learning – and I was learning to be a frontman all of a sudden.” This birth-by-concert beginning might be why the group has been getting such rave reviews for their live performances. Check them out on their current tour with Viva Voce. Here are some upcoming dates. For more, check out the band's website.
Silversun Pickups - Sci Fi Lullaby : Pikul
What is there to like about Aaron Schroeder you ask? (besides that pimp-tacular leopard print bathrobe) I'll answer with a question of my own: what ISN'T there to like about Aaron Schroeder?
I find it a little odd that most people (with the exception of retail) don't work on Labor Day. As Alanis Morissette would say, isn't that ironic? The name doesn't really represent the holiday as far as I'm concerned. Based on the title, one would think it's a day to celebrate working. Why would you ever want to party over the idea of working? It just doesn't make sense. And although Labor Day doesn't hold much meaning to most Americans, it's actually a holiday that's celebrated all over the world (but on May 1st in most places). Regardless, whoever you are, and in whatever country you live, enjoy the long weekend if you can.
