If It's Too Loud...

I'm going to age myself here, but the first (and last) time I saw Tracy Bonham live was at the album release show for The Burdens of Being Upright way back in 1996. It was at The Middle East, and you could get a free ticket if you purchased the CD at Newbury Comics. I'm not sure why I never saw her again after that show, but I've been on a bit of a Tracy Bonham kick lately. The Burdens of Being Upright might be the most underappreciated songs of that era. We all know and remember the big megahit "Mother Mother," but "Navy Bean," "Tell It to the Sky," "Kisses," and "The One" are all far better than you remember. Once I saw that she was starting a residency at The Burren to mark the album's thirtieth anniversary, I immediately acquired a ticket to the February show. Sunday night's show was moved an hour earlier due to the huge snow storm still happening, but instead of weighing on everyone like a cloud, the impending s...

A slower week, but an abbreviated post given my schedule blowing up again. The Plan - Nervous Energy : This is a different one, for sure. The Plan is absolutely going the strange, stilted indie rock route with this, and the returns are interesting in and of themselves. I can’t say for sure whether I liked it, but this is an album of odd song structures and challenging listens. I didn’t love it on first listen, but this is absolutely an album I want to revisit. I recommend giving it a shot, especially in a slower week. Various Artists - Tegan and Sara Present The Con X : A tribute/covers record of Tegan and Sara’s The Con . It’s not my favorite T&S record at all, and my familiarity with the songs has deteriorated with time. The versions here? As with any album like this, it’s hit-or-miss. Some interesting takes, other ones that just don’t work. Take what you like and leave the rest, I think. Dori Freeman - Letters Never Read : We enjoyed Dori Freeman’s previous record,...

Two favorites around here have free music up at Noisetrade! Get on it! * Kelly McRae's great 2016 album The Wayside is free for two weeks * Boston institution Tracy Bonham has a handful of live tracks Get to downloadin'!

Another quicker-than-normal week as I'm coming off of another trip. Album of the Week : Artist : Gardens & Villa Album : Music for Dogs Quick Description : Strange, compelling synth rock/art pop. Why You Should Listen : You reminisce about some of the weirder pieces of the Elephant Six Collective; you commonly say "this album would be great with more keyboard." Overall Thoughts : I listened to this and thought it was a little weird, but not long afterward I realized how much of it stuck with me and how ambitious the entire listen was. Taken as a whole, it's a great piece. Some of the individual parts are strange, and I wouldn't recommend putting this on shuffle, but for those who enjoy the Full Album Experience, this is really solid and interesting. Recommendation : As album of the week, it's definitely worth a listen in what's a strange week overall, but it may not be for everyone. Artist : Drinks Album : Hermits on Holiday Quick Descr...