Top Five Stellar Albums of 2009

Last week I blogged a list of 25 Stellar Albums of 2009 (and purposefully left out the last five). I saved the remaining five because they deserve the respect of a more focused blog post.

For this mix, I included 2 songs from each album. Enjoy!

5. "Reservoir" by Fanfarlo. In October of last year I traveled to New York for some job searching/networking. The week I went just so happened to be during the CMJ Festival. The College Media Journal week-long event is for college radio where "indie" bands (large and small) play showcases hosted by blogs, labels, promotion companies, etc. I saw Fanfarlo at a pre-CMJ party, and they blew my mind somewhere between the well organized songs and passionate singing. I swiftly went to find a copy of their debut album "Reservoir." It did not let me down. Some "indie" bands have this very egotistical "we're so much better than you and we're just in it for the money and the fame and the Pitchfork street cred." I didn't get that vibe from Fanfarlo's live show or from their album. The album sounds like the members put forth a passionate effort to make music they believe in, and the result is an album that sounds like they didn't have to try hard to make quality music. Fanfarlo can best be described as a more soothing, less chaotic, European Arcade Fire.

4. "Broken" by Soulsavers. Soulsavers first caught my ears with "It's not how far you fall, it's how you land" which included the beautiful single "Revival." "Broken," Soulsavers' third album and second to feature Mark Lanegan on vocals, was created in an attempt to create the live sound the band discovered when touring with Lanegan to promote "It's not how far..." The album continues the same dark path in the previous albums with even deeper journeys into folk, rock, gospel, trip-hop, and soul. Mark Lanegan is featured on most of the songs, but the album also features contributions from Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Jason Pierce, Mike Patton, Richard Hawley, Gibby Haynes, and a few songs featuring the beautiful voice of a young Australian singer who goes by the name "Red Ghost." The Soulsavers duo keeps the music tight, lush and incredibly well mixed with beautiful instrument production while Lanegan maintains a nice balance by adding his raspy, dark disposition.

3. "200 Years of Bad Luck" by Crippled Black Phoenix. CBP is composed of members of Mogwai and Electric Wixard. While the members come from a post-rock background and CBP is considered post-rock, the album has a few progressive rock elements thrown in. The songs range from sort of short to really long, and all are top quality. Songs like "Burnt Reynolds" and "Rise Up and Fight" have an epic, soulful rock sound while other songs like "Time of Yer Life / Born for Nothing / Paranoid Arm of Narcoleptic Empire" and "Wendigo" reflect the post-rock background with slow, icy strings and swirling guitar. In between songs there are also occasional Monty Python-esque circusy songs to balance out some of the darker tones.

2. "Cheer Me, Perverts!" by Flat Earth Society. I stumbled upon FES while looking for modern groups that reflect Frank Zappa-like personalities. Flat Earth Society is a jazz orchestra from Belgium. Unlike a lot of avant-garde jazz, Flat Earth Society is highly listenable, and nowhere as freaky as Sun Ra or John Zorn. The pieces are well arranged, making chaos sound like clockwork with the tight relationships between all of the instruments. It's an instrumental album, but you can tell that there is a sense of humor involved with the songwriting. The music is lighthearted yet incredibly cerebral. While this album may not be appreciated on the first listen by those unaccustomed to this style of jazz, it is definitely something that can grow on the active listener and very deserving of the #2 slot.

And finally... drumroll please...

1. "Troubadour" by K'naan. Somalian rapper K'naan blew me away with his incredibly raw and angry debut "The Dusty Foot Philosopher." "Troubadour" finds K'naan covering the same topics of the troubles of Somalia and mainstream rappers who act like gangsters but don't know shit. The difference between the two (fantastic) albums is that "Troubadour" has a much softer, more-produced sound. Now, there is a difference between a more-produced sound and an over-produced sound (cue anything T-Pain or the like). The difference with the two K'naan albums is that "Troubadour" reflects a more optimistic light than "Dusty Foot." It's a much happier sounding album, yet it is still addressing the issues K'naan is passionate about (like the Somalian pirates, growing up in a violent place as a kid, leaving his family behind, etc). I don't like one album over the other, but "Troubadour" definitely stands out as 2009's top album. K'naan sings beautifully and many different styles are explored along with other featured musicians such as Mos Def, Damian Marley and Kirk Hammett (Metallica's guitarist with a stunning solo featured in the re-working of "If Rap Gets Jealous" from K'naan's first album). The thing I probably love the most about "Troubadour" is that it sounds like a fantastic mainstream hip-hop album, yet it is socially, politically and culturally aware. It's real. Proving that music can be mainstream and can have some sort of fiber unlike 99% of music currently on the pop/rap charts.

I hope you get a chance to sample the 25 albums I've posted, and I hope I provided you with some new music to fall in love with.

25 Stellar Albums of 2009:

Greetings! I know it has been a while since the last time I posted, and for this I sincerely apologize. My blogging efforts found themselves in political angst.

Anyways, you may be asking yourself "why the hell is he writing a 2009 list? that was so one month ago." Well, in answer to your question, I absolutely hate the rush of lists that come out (sometimes even before the year ends).

These lists are typically generic across the board and I suppose are just for one blog or magazine to compete with another. I wanted to take my time to find some incredibly solid albums that may not have received the attention and recognition deserved. Good albums need time to sink in, and usually I discover awesome albums a year after they're out. I'm glad I waited because I didn't listen to the #1 and #2 albums until January of this year.

Disclaimer: If you're expecting Animal Collective's M.P.P. to be on this list, stop reading.

Oh, and before I start, there are absolutely NO local albums on this list. There were so many fantastic releases, and I didn't want to order them into a list. You can see a far-from-complete, yet still incredibly long list (and mix, yay!) on the dotmatrix project's blog.

This post will focus on 20 albums (with small blurbs) and later this week I'll post the final 5 with more detailed reviews.

Below, for your listening pleasure is a mix of the first 20.




25. Pure Reason Revolution - Amor Vincit Omina: PRR's sophomore album is an evolution from their debut "The Dark Third," an astral folk/new prog concept album with a continuous flow, brilliant layering of three guitars and some incredibly dynamic vocal harmonies. "A.V.O." examines a harder, more techno/electronica driven sound. The band had label problems and several member changes, but the intricate vocal harmonies are still present as you can hear on "Deus Ex Machina."

24. These days it's pretty hard to find good rock & roll. Well, The Discipline's "Smoking Kills" hits the nail on the head. Just listen to "Yours for the Taking" and you'll see what I mean.

23. Remember the 90's alternative band Toad the Wet Sprocket? Ever wonder what happened to lead singer Glen Phillips? No? Well, you should probably start wondering now. In his new folk-rock band, Works Progress Administration, Glen works with members of Nickle Creek, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Elvis Costello & The Impostors, and Fiction Family.

22. John Vanderslice is one of those people in "indie" rock who lurks in the shadows. He's one of the nicest people I've ever met, he is involved with many other band's projects and he's well known in many music circles, yet his albums never really get the attention they deserve for their innovation and careful production. Vanderslice is in love with analog recording and his albums are well produced, lyrically sad and musically upbeat. "Romanian Names" is a fantastic pop rock record that demands multiple careful listens.

21. Music in foreign languages can bother some people. You spend more time trying to figure out what they're saying and not enough on the music. I have no idea what Kent is saying, but the way the lyrics blend with the dance beats and swirling keys. I have no problem understanding the message.

20. Remember how I mentioned good rock is hard to find? Well, really fun, smart rock is harder to find. The Rifles' sophomore album "the Great Escape" is straight up fun, and everything we loved about British rock from the 90's.

19. Like John Vanderslice, Andrew Bird has a tendency to release fantastic albums, yet is overshadowed by Pitchfork's Animal Collective wet dreams. There is no doubt that Bird is one of the most talented, versatile violin players (and one of the best professional whistlers around). "Noble Beast" is full of feel-good songs laced with quality musicianship.

18. Punk is one of those genres that started with purpose and then turned into immature, middle school level crap with absolutely nothing to say. The Riverboat Gamblers take their sound where punk should be: intelligent and to the point. "Underneath the Owl" is a solid album and it will make you want to jump up and rock out.

17. The Protomen are known for their rock operas about Megaman. And since I am completely uncultured in the video game world, I really had no interest. This is until I heard "Breaking Out" off of "Act II: The Father of Death." I still don't know anything about Megaman, but the passion and careful production echo what Bruce Springsteen would be like if he really loved video games.

16. I say Wasilla, Alaska and immediately Sarah Palin comes to mind. Now (depending on your politics) your opinion of Wasilla might change when you hear Portugal. The Man's new album "The Satanic Satanist." PtM dabbles in progressive rock with poppy-hooks and political intelligence. "People Say" hooked me on the band, and for good reason. I hope it does the same for you.

15. Aviv Geffen is loved and hated in Israel. He has the bi-sexual stage attitude of David Bowie and a political spirit that we saw in American protest singers in the 70's. "Aviv Geffen" is his first album in English. It's sad, passionate and beautiful. "Cloudy Now"-a song previously written in English for Blackfield, a project with Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson, and reworked for this album-is a fantastic representation of Geffen's work.

14. I admire instrumental bands who can create captivating music. Today our attention spans tend to require lyrics or else we'll get bored. Album Leaf's "A Chorus of Storytellers" will not leave you bored. It's especially good music to put on as you lay down and relax.

13. Bomb the Music Industry! likes to release their albums for free. And no, they don't suck. They're raw, but the production isn't lacking. They're sarcastic and they're angry and "Scrambles" is a solid album. Get it, it's free!

12. I'm a sucker for really good folk-rock that takes a soulful direction. Canada's The Wooden Sky released a beautiful album last year entitled "If I don't Come Home You'll Know I'm Gone." It's in the same musical vein as The Snake The Cross The Crown and you will want to listen to it on repeat.

11. William Elliot Whitmore makes you want to drink whiskey. "Animals In the Dark" is a more than just a man-and-guitar folk album. Whitmore's voice has so much to say and you can tell he's putting his soul into these songs.

10. When I heard that the Black Keys were doing a hip-hop album (entitled Blackroc) with some well known rappers, I became very excited. The album is exactly what I expected, except for the tracks featuring Nicole Wray. Her voice is gold and it fits perfectly on her two featured tracks. The rest of the album is solid, but Wray is what takes this album to another level. Honestly, I hope the Keys and Wray write an album together.

9. Metric has an ability to make fantastic synth and guitar hooks that support the dark mind of singer Emily Haines. "Fantasies" is no exception, and is a top-quality pop-rock album.

8. Lucero is one of those bands that you might not know of, but probably should. "1372" Overton Park" is one of the few really talented bands keeping alternative country alive and well.
It rocks and it has soul and it's an album you want to throw on when you're going for a drive.

7. "Kingdom of Rust," is the latest album from UK band Doves. Overshadowed by bands like Radiohead and Muse, Doves are lost in the spotlight. Their latest is absolutely beautiful, which was expected since it took them forever to release it.

6. Porcupine Tree is starting to build a strong reputation for fantastic, evolving song-craft. The Incident is a continuously flowing album (with the exception of 4 bonus tracks on a separate disk) that looks at various different "incidents" in life, good and bad. There are elements of PT's softer-poppy elements, industrial creepiness, and hard-driving metal in "The Incident." It's an overall solid album, but it still has nothing on the likes of "In Absentia" and "Signify." Side note: I included 2 songs from the album because they're short and fit together seamlessly.

5. You'll have to wait and see!!

Free Show Tonight

FREE SHOW TONIGHT!

Matt Douglas of Raleigh band the Proclivities and The Small Pods (with Whiskeytown co-founder Caitlin Cary) will be playing a free solo show at the Lighthouse tonight at 9pm. It's free so you have no excuse to miss it!

The Proclivities
The Small Ponds

Feature Friday: Troika Music Festival!!

So, it's been a while since I've updated the music section here at Brick Style. There has been a lot going on in North Carolina's music scene. The Beast released a new album along with Ryan Gustafson, I Was Totally Destroying It, Birds & Arrows and Luego. In addition, a handful of NC bands had the opportunity to play CMJ this week (a big music festival in NYC for college radio).

There is more excitement in the distance. November 5-7 marks this year's Troika Music Festival. A huge music festival in Durham, NC featuring over 65 bands (most of them from NC and a few out-of-towners).

For the next two weeks, up until the festival, I will have mini-features of bands playing at Troika. So make sure you stay tuned!

$8 gets you into all of the venues each night, or you can pay $20 for a 3-day pass.

Name another festival where $20 bucks will get you 65+ quality bands. I don't think one exists.

You can stay informed on the Bullbot Troika blog and follow them on Twitter. Also, check out their website for the schedule of bands.

There is a promo video on its way!

So keep checking back here on Brick Style. In addition to featuring the bands, I might also feature the Triangle Brewing Company. Their beer is awesome.

Do. Not. Miss. This. Show.

I probably say this a lot. But hell, why shouldn't I?
Four fantastic bands will be playing Lighthouse on Friday the 25th (that's this Friday for those of you who are deathly afraid of calendars)... and a Magician.

The show starts at 9pm and it costs $3 to get in if you are over 21 and $5 to get in if you're under.

Five dollars. That is ONE dollar per act (if you are under 21). Deals like this don't come around that often.

So let us get to the meat of this post.

My Name is John Michael comes from New Orleans. When a band comes from New Orleans, you know they will be good. And they are. I can't describe them, they have their own full, happy sound. Just listen!


Shine River brings the rock. Think Black Keys and White Stripes. It's melt your face blues-rock. How can you go wrong with that? You can't.

The Tipsy Bacchanals are Elon's favorite student band. Bringing you best classic rock, grunge and original heavy metal tunes. "Medicine Woman," that's rock.

Red Collar. I have said all that I needed about Red Collar. Truly one of the most rocking, energy-filled live shows. Here, at Elon.

Finally, this brings me to Magician Michael Casey. Magic Mike is pretty much the resident local music magician here in North Carolina. You can catch him rocking out at shows and you can catch him making shit disappear at shows. Now, he does not get on stage since he is a close-up magician (as opposed to one of those showy, egomaniac, look at me I can freeze myself, magicians), so you need to look for the circle of people crowding around while bands switch and set up. Mike does things with cards that you have never seen before. He will blow minds.

So you're not doing anything Friday night except coming out to The Lighthouse. Got it? Good. You'll thank me later.

Feature...Thursday?: The Pneurotics

Band: The Pneurotics
Style: Alternative Rock
Albums: "Forty" and "Second Skin"
From: Chapel Hill, NC
For Fans Of: The Replacements, Pavement, Soul Asylum

The Pneurotics will be releasing their second album "Second Skin" tomorrow at the Local 506 with Rat Jackson and the Travesties (Hence the advance notice of a feature Thursday instead of Friday).

"Second Skin" is an appropriate follow up to "Forty." The trio has come into their own and the sound is more together. Rich Mclaughlin's vocals and guitar style really define the band's raw and real sound. There are elments of punk, alt-country, and garage rock throughout the album offering a decent amount of variety.

If this album was released in 1992, I would not be surprised. It has that 90's alternative/grungy feel.

So if you want to go see some live local music, check out the Pneurotics tomorrow at the Local 506. $8 gets you in and Rat Jackson (another must see band) will hit the stage at 9:30pm.

Air from Second Skin

Feature Friday: The Beast

Band: The Beast
Style: Jazz based Hip-Hop
Albums: "Belly EP," "Catalyst EP," and "Silence Fiction"
From: Durham, NC
For Fans Of: A Tribe Called Quest, Mos Def, Nas, Earth Wind & Fire, Jamie Cullum

Believe it or not, Durham is a mini oasis for underground Hip-Hop. The home of Little Brother (Phonte, Big Pooh and 9th Wonder) is also the home to a lot of emerging artists. One of these hip-hop groups is about to release their first full length album "Silence Fiction."

The Beast is composed of Pierce Freelon, MC; Eric Hirsh, keys; Pete Kimosh, bass; Stephen Coffman, drums. Pierce is the son of Grammy nominated jazz vocalist Nnenna Freelon (also appearing on at least one track in every Beast release) whose vocal tallent definitely did not skip a generation. Hirsh, Kimosh and Coffman are all jazz majors from UNC-CH and their education shows.

I recently sat down with Pierce for a WSOE interview (which will be broadcast sometime next week). As I have said in every (or almost every) post, it is hard to pigeonhole bands from North Carolina. The Beast is no exception as it was verified in the interview.

To argue that The Beast is more jazz than Hip-Hop could actually be a valid statement, especially when the band plays live. Jazz is all about improvisation, something Hirsh, Kimosh and Coffman are well versed in, and so is The Beast. By this I mean that Pierce Freelon can freestyle. About anything.

When not free styling on audience suggested topics, the lyrics cover topics from social change and racism as well as songs about love for women, love for people, love for music and love for life. If you're listening to The Beast for "I popped a cap in that po-po's ass like a motherf***er" or "slap that b*tch round and round" or "get crunk and grind on my d*ck", you won't find it. Sorry.

A Tribe Called Quest comes to mind with the jazz beats, yet there is a newer and more refreshing jazz sound. Instead of just jazz beats and three MCs, it's the real thing with beautiful jazz complexities.

Beyond playing music, the group also leads workshops on African-American music culture, free styling, etc.
If you're going to Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival (which you should), you'll be able to see The Beast before their CD release party at the Duke Coffee House on October 16th. Stay tuned to WSOE 89.3 FM The Only Alternative for The Beast and my interview with Pierce.

Also, go to their website and download the Catalyst Ep for free! The guitar on "come up, come down" might blow your mind.

Below are some of the new tracks you'll hear on "Silence Fiction."

Translation from Silence Fiction

Get Gone from Silence Fiction

Feature Friday: Midtown Dickens

Band: Midtown Dickens
Style: Anti-Folk, Punk, Bluegrass
Albums: "Oh, Yell!" and "Lanterns"
From: Durham, NC
For Fans Of: Kimya Dawson (from the Juno soundtrack), Bon Iver, The Mountain Goats

Once again we find Feature Friday featuring another impossible-to-pigeonhole Durham band. Midtown Dickens started out as Kym and Katherine, growing since their inception and the release of their first full length "Oh, Yell!" the band has grown to a quintet upon the release of "Lanterns."

Midtown Dickens falls into a unique category called "anti-folk." Anti-folk takes folk traditions and twirls them around with a mocking, punkish attitude. The instrumentation is a bit more elaborate (with saw, horns, accordions, banjos and other instruments the members taught themselves to play) and the lyrics seem more innocent as they range from topics like Tetris and "The Best Summer Ever." While the lyrics may sound like something from an innocent child, there is so much more depth to the writing as simple metaphors become complex analogies for more major life issues and observations.



Their second album "Lanterns" was recorded by Scott Solter (The Mountain Goats, Pattern is Movement, John Vanderslice, Bombadil) and features a more "together" production. The album flows incredibly well and the band members come together to really add depth to the songs.


"Lanterns" will not be officially released until September 15th (as a CD, mp3 download and vinyl package), however they will be playing an album release party at Duke Coffeehouse next Friday (August 28th). The event is free and you can get a copy of the new album early. Opening for Midtown is Mount Moriah and Des Ark (solo).

Old Dogs from the album Lanterns

What a Bore from Oh, Yell!

WSOE Wednesday: A (Free) Show You Must See

There will be a free, local show in Chapel Hill tomorrow. The show features The Love Language and Lost in the Trees with local music scene's Magic Mike opening with an awesome can't-miss magic show.



The thing you need to understand about this show: Two fantastic bands. For Free. These bands are pretty big deals. The show is: Free.


Also, local restaurants will be selling food. So, yay local food! Yay local music!

Click here for times, directions and more info.

You should not miss this show. It's free. You will not regret it.

Feature Friday: Hammer No More The Fingers

Band: Hammer No More The Fingers
Style: "indie" rock
Albums: "Hammer No More The Fingers" and "Looking For Bruce"
From: Durham, NC
For Fans Of: Weezer, Pavement, The Pixies and Superchunk

Following the release of their self-titled EP, Hammer No More The Fingers was featured as a "Band To Watch" on the music blog Stereogum. HNMTF is still a band to watch with the brand new full-length"Looking For Bruce," they released last spring.

Just like the other bands on Feature Friday, Hammer can't really be pigeonholed. A lot of comparisons have been drawn between classic alternative 90's bands Weezer and Pavement. But, by pigeonholing, that makes them sound like their music is not fresh. Hammer quite possibly has one of the freshest sounds in the scene. It has an attitude, it's fun, catchy, smart and you can dance to it.



While they have only been Hammer for a little over two and a half years, the three members have been playing music together since their childhood. Their early years consisted mostly of Pavement and Archers of Loaf (an old-school NC band) covers. Duncan went to school in New York where he formed a band with the daughter of proto-punk legend Patty Smith (and wrote "Shutterbug," a track that appears in a new form on "Looking for Bruce").

If you have a spare 7 minutes, watch this clip:


Upon returning from college, Duncan and the trio formed Hammer. Two and half years have passed with an EP and a full-length between them. The band now packs the house at local shows and has been building up quite a following in the D.C. area.

Hammer is another one of those N.C. bands you must see. Their live show is very high energy, and so is the audience. In fact, there are rumors that Viking Storm will become an annual event. Viking Storm was the name of their "Bruce" CD release party. At the show, the bands and fans were encouraged to dress up as Vikings. Triangle Brewery made a special "viking" ale for the show (they did this for Red Collar's release as well with "Pilgrim" ale) and there were Viking decorations all over the place (including a huge wooden viking ship Duncan's parents made).


The following is the theme for Viking Storm co-written by Hammer and heavy-metal band Tooth (both on Churchkey Records):


The members of the band are serious musicians, but they don't take themselves too seriously. They allow themselves to have fun and you can definitely tell they achieve that. Not if, but when, you go to a show you'll find Duncan, Joe and Jeff walking amongst the crowd catching up with as many people as they can.

Black Harmony from their EP

Nobody Knows from Looking For Bruce

Mix Monday: Songs That Make You Want to Dance

You can listen to the latest Lil Wayne song and grind up on someone, or you can actually dance. Meaning, the music (instead of primal lust) inspires you to move your body.

This Mix Monday is composed of well written songs from North Carolina musicians that will make you want to move and shake. The last song is for those who want a something to bump & grind to.




The Playlist:

1. "Getting Over Your Love" - Holy Ghost Tent Revival
2. "I Am A Train" - Hotel Lights
3. "Sparxxx" - The Love Language
4. "I Found A New Baby" - The Firecracker Jazz Band
5. "Vibe So Hot" - Benji Hughes
6. "Papers in Order" - The Old Ceremony
7. "Now I Know" - Max Indian
8. "Dancing Daze" - The Avett Brothers
9. "Hell" - Squirrel Nut Zippers
10. "Black Harmony" - Hammer No More the Fingers
11. "Incest" - Juan Huevos

Feature Friday: Red Collar

Band: Red Collar
Style: Classic Punk/Working Man's Punk
Albums: "Hands Up EP", "Pilgrim"
From: Durham, NC
For Fans Of: The Clash, Bruce Springsteen, Fugazi, Against Me!, The Hold Steady, and Jawbreaker.


If you want a band that really defines today's music scene in North Carolina, it's Red Collar.

I hate saying the typical comparison of "Red Collar is like Fugazi fronted by Springsteen" for two reasons. 1) It makes them seem like they are one of the many bands jumping on the "lets sound like Springsteen" bandwagon and 2) Red Collar does what Fugazi nor Springsteen could do; which is creating consistently well rounded sound and attitude.

Fugazi is rough and edgy and Springsteen has (had) the working man's voice. Red Collar not only has something to say, but when they say it through their music it is incredibly well rounded. So, to avoid throwing Red Collar in specific categories that very few NC bands seem to be able to fit in, I'm going to say that Red Collar is the perfect soundtrack to a 9-5 job.

When you go to a Red Collar show (and you need to, more on that down the line) you can see that these people love what they are doing. They feel called to play music, for them, it is a release from the rat race.

Their debut album released this year, titled "Pilgrim," flows like a 9-5 job and an entire life. "Commuter" opens with a sound resonating early excitement and passion with an eagerness to tackle what is ahead. It continues throughout the album flowing towards restlessness by the time it gets to the title track in the middle. Finally, the album flows towards frustration and defeat.

While the lyrics about hardships endured in a blue-collar world may seem depressing, there is an incredibly optimistic cheer in the songs. The general feeling is "this job (or lack of) may be getting me down, but at least I'll get through it through the help of music." And that's what Red Collar does.

Moving beyond "Pilgrim" (produced by Brian Paulson - Wilco, Beck, Superchunk, etc) and the fact the band is releasing it on vinyl, I must focus on the live show.



I have had many conversations with Jason Kutchma (guitar & lead vocals) where he talked about how, for them, the album is the musical promotion for a show. The band wants you to come out to a show and become a contributor. Beyond the fact they put on a constantly energetic (even for three people in the audience) show, the band values its audience members.

As one of the most notoriously kind bands in the Triangle, Red Collar wants to share what they have to say. They want to help you relieve that 9-5 stress with a fantastic rock show so anthemic it can give you an euphoric out-of-body experience similar to that of a tribal seance.

In addition, they don't pack up their stuff and leave as soon as they get off stage. The band hangs around to chat before and after the show in order to get to know those around them.

Even if your preferred music is silence, I can guarantee you will have a fantastic experience at a Red Collar show.

Below you can download "Pilgrim" and "Used Guitars" for your listening pleasure. Just be sure to catch them at a show when they come around!!

Pilgrim

Used Guitars

Mix Monday: Tracks for Traveling

Yes, it is Tuesday. However, poor internet has prevented quick mp3 uploads for this week's mix!

August consists of driving for that final trip before school, and finally the trip back to school. Thus, this week's mix is to serve as a soundtrack for this restless time of year.



1. "Some are Love" - Des Ark
2. "Blue Ridge Cowboy Church" - Aminal
3. "Game" - Bull City
4. "Canterbury Road" - Down By Avalon
5. "Summertime" - Lonnie Walker
6. "Headlights" - Mingus Young
7. "The Show is On the Road" - Paleface
8. "Pilgrim" - Red Collar
9. "Laurinburg" - Rat Jackson
10. "All Dressed Up" - Joe Romeo & the Orange County Volunteers
11. "Pennsylvania" - The Old Ceremony

Feature Friday: Bombadil

Band: Bombadil
Style: International Folk / Pop Rock
Albums: "Bombadil Ep", "A Buzz, A Buzz" and "Tarpits and Canyonlands
From: Durham, NC
For Fans Of: The Beatles, The Shins, Paul Simon, and happiness

Bombadil is one of those bands that is easy to fall in love with (yes, their name does come from Tom Bombadil, the poetic character they left out of the movies). Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on who you are) their lyrics are not about LotR but rather the songs deal with topics such as the relationship of innocence and maturity ("Jellybean Wine"), the realities of marriage, as well as other dark topics disguised as really happy songs (i.e. "Johnny" a very happy sounding song about about a cutter).

Bombadil will make you smile and keep you smiling long after you've listened. The quartet of Duke grads uses a variety of instruments and all four members have main vocal parts. Their first full-length, "a buzz, a buzz," has a strong international folk element as well as down home NC mountain style folk and blues.

This Durham band is our Feature Friday this week because of their new album "Tarpits and Canyonlands." "Tarpits" is a strong follow-up to "a buzz" as it focuses on beautiful vocal harmonies, fantastic layered production (produced by Scott Solter who has also produced The Mountain Goats, John Vanderslice, and St. Vincent) and experimentation ("25 Daniels" uses 25 layers of saxophones to immitate the sound of bagpipes).

Bombadil In the WSOE Studio

I don't want to risk sounding too bold with this statement, but "Tarpits" is the "Sgt. Peppers" of North Carolina, in it's own special Bombadil way.

Since there is really no easy way to explain the band, here are some songs to listen
to:

"Honymoon" from "Tarpits and Canyonlands"

"Johnny" From "A Buzz, A Buzz"

Peace, Love and Choose Local Music!
-Ryan

Music: Introduction and Mix Monday

Greetings!

I will kick this blog off with an introduction to the music section of Brick Style. Our music posts are going to focus heavily on the North Carolina music scene surrounding Elon in the Triangle (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill) and Triad (Greensboro, High Point, Winston-Salem).

At one of the (many) local music festivals I attended this summer, I encountered an individual who recently moved from Los Angeles. He and I talked about local music here and how, apparently, the music scene in LA is not thriving the way it is here.

North Carolina is home to some of the most talented, original musicians. I'm sure your mom and dad used to play James Taylor all the time when you were growing up (he attended UNC Chapel Hill just as Ben Folds did).

Beyond acoustic ballads and piano rock comes a lush music scene with every genre you could imagine (or combine!). There is something for everyone in the NC local music scene. Of course there are original, talented musicians everywhere. However, it seems that NC is a place where musicians play music because they love it and want to share it. Egos (amongst fans and musicians alike) are limited and everyone is welcome. At a local music show, you are not just a fan or audience member; you become a collaborator.

With such a rich musical landscape no more than 40 minutes away, there is no reason to ignore it. Of course, we will also have features and reviews on popular music and music venues in the area.

With that lengthy introduction out of the way, I would like to start the first in our "Mix Monday" series. Each Monday we will compile a themed mix on 8tracks.com for your listening pleasure.

Today's mix will serve as an introduction to the variety of music North Carolina offers. Click "read more" for a description of the play list.






The NC Music Intro Mix (*means they have played at Elon)

1. Till My Voice Gave - The Old Ceremony: A soulful track from this solid Chapel Hill band's new album "Walk on Thin Air." The Old Ceremony is very melodic and they make use of a variety of instruments in order to develop a full sound. For fans of: The Beatles, Beck, Led Zeppelin, Sinatra, Tom Waits, Nick Cave and the like.

2. Tellin' A Lie - American Aquarium: Yes, their name came from that Wilco song. AA have two sides, their rockin' alt-country side (also known as country for people who hate country) and their slower, introspective ballad side. This is a rockin' track. For fans of: Dylan, Wilco, Uncle Tupelo, Springsteen, Ryan Adams/Whiskeytown.

3. Honeymoon - Bombadil: Bombadil is a fun, intelligent band with a happy sound disguising darker, thoughtful lyrics. They play a variety of instruments and cover a variety of folk traditions. For fans of: the Beatles, They Might Be Giants, and "The Lord of the Rings"

4. Osk - Sunfold: Influenced by Queen, ELO, Miles Davis, The Smashing Pumpkins and the Beatles, Sunfold plays a balanced mix of progressive jazz and pop-rock. For fans of: Jack Johnson, Pico vs. Island Trees, Jason Mraz and Jamie Cullum.

5*. Nobody Knows - Hammer No More The Fingers: Hammer is a trio that has been playing together for years. Establishing themselves as a "legit" band two years ago, they bring a big crowd in the Triangle. Their sound is indie from the 90's with a danceable fresh twist. For fans of: Weezer, Pavement and Nirvana.

6. Come Up, Come Down - The Beast: An incredibly intelligent, positive Durham Hip Hop group featuring 3 UNC jazz trained musicians and an MC who is the son of a Grammy nominated jazz singer. Their lyrics are positive (and the free styling at shows is very well done) and the music is well executed. This track features guitar from Raleigh band The Proclivities' guitarist. For fans of: A Tribe Called Quest, The Roots, The Fugees (I haven't asked, but I'm assuming they got their name from The Score) and De La Soul.

7*. Walk Around The Lake - Lost in the Trees: It's hard to fit this folk orchestra on stage, or describe it for that matter. For fans of: Folk with epic classical string compositions.

8. Nice Fox - The Rosebuds: You might have heard of this duo. They're an indie-pop/indie-folk group from Raleigh (signed to Merge). For fans of: The Shins, Metric, She & Him and (once again) The Beatles.

9. One More Road - Roman Candle: Interesting fact - our new basketball coach is the band's cousin. Roman Candle is like Bob Dylan and The Band without the years of smoking. For fans of: Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Wilco and Uncle Tupelo.

10*. 10 Simple Murders - The Future Kings of Nowhere: FKoN is a pop-punk/folk group with a ska flare. For fans of: Against Me!, Reel Big Fish and Greenday.

11*. Pilgrim - Red Collar: Red Collar is the band that many view as "the local music band." They have become one of the most popular groups to go see in the Triangle and their fans are very loyal. Many bands look up to them as the definition of local music success. Red Collar is real punk for the working man. For fans of: The Clash, Fugazi, Springsteen, and The Hold Steady.

12*. Falling Out - The Sammies: If Bombadil are "The Beatles" of North Carolina, the Sammies are probably The Who. They have an energetic, semi-serious attitude and they love what they do. Hailing from Charlotte, the Sammies bring the garage rock and add a bit of twang when necessary. For fans of: The Who, The Whigs, American Princes and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

13*. Getting Over Your Love - Holy Ghost Tent Revival: HGTR blends ragtime, folk, punk, ska, and God knows what else. One of the more original bands coming out of Greensboro, these guys bring a ton of energy to their shows and recordings. For fans of: fun.

14. This Year - The Mountain Goats: You may have heard of The Mountain Goats. Writing Dylan-esque folk with occasional string arrangements, John Darnielle is one of Durham's most appreciated musicians (he's also good friends with John Vanderslice). For fans of: Dylan, Aesop Rock (he appears in the song "coffee"), Neutral Milk Hotel, John Vanderslice and Destroyer.

15. Hell - Squirrel Nut Zippers: I thought I'd throw this little treat on the end. The Zippers play swing, and they play it well. For fans of: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Andrew Bird & His Bowl of Fire (in fact Andrew Bird played with them for a bit), and the Cherry Poppin' Daddies (a.k.a. the group that does "Zuit Suit Riot").

I hope you enjoy this introduction. All of these groups (and MANY more!) will be featured sometime or another in the future of this blog.

Peace, love and Choose Local Music!
-Ryan