Music Update

My apologies for not posting anything substantive in a while, but we just don't have much to report around here. Most folks in our realm are posting about pregnancy, new babies, or making babies. Since we don't have anything to report on that end, I confess that I haven't shared any of my random musings due to the looming feeling of being trite in the face of the miracle of life.

So, in the spirit of worthless information, I give you:

Neisha's Ten New Album Recommendations:

*Note: This is not in order of favorites.

*Additional Note: Erik does not always share my views in music. However, there's only 1 album he's not a fan of on this list. Can you guess which one?

#10 - "Sea Sew" by Lisa Hannigan
If you've heard Damien Rice, then you've probably heard Lisa Hannigan. She's the female vocalist that sings alongside Rice on both his albums and his live shows.

Hannigan has a great voice and a great sound. I'm not sure what to compare her to, because she's very unique. Check her out on iTunes. You'll appreciate it.


#9 - "You Are My Sunshine" by Copeland

I'm a little late to hop on the Copeland bandwagon, but I'm a big fan of this new album. It reminds me a lot of Death Cab for Cutie (their old stuff) and a little bit of catchy Modest Mouse. The instrumentation is interesting and the tunes are easy to listen to.
If you like reasonably mellow alt-rock, I recommend this one. It's a good one to coax you into a new realm of music that is quickly on the rise, with the likes of Death Cab, Arcade Fire, Keane, and Emery.


#8 - "The Sparrow and the Crow" by William Fitzsimmons

I've been a big fan of this guy since his last album, "Goodnight." He's very reminiscent of Iron & Wine, but with a bit of a synth twist to it. If you want to curl up with a good book, or mellow out with a glass of wine, this is the ultimate companion. It immediately relaxes you and makes you start thinking about the world.



#7 - "Gossip in the Grain" by Ray LaMontagne

For those of you in the business of making babies, this is the music for you. It's soulful, relaxing and sexy! Just listen to the first track on the album if you don't believe me. It's called "You Are The Best Thing."

Anyway, if you have the cash, buy this album. You'll get a great night of lovin' if you do. I see you laughing like I'm kidding... go buy this album and then we'll see who's laughing!


#6 - "Simple Times" by Joshua Radin

This album is thoughtful, catchy, dark and light all in one. The first track on the album "One of Those Days" is probably his best song to date.

He has a soothing voice, a great skill on the acoustic guitar and a sincerity in his lyrics. He's clever and honest in his songwriting and speaks to a generation very in-touch with their inner thought processes.


#5 - "Fleet Foxes" by Fleet Foxes

Okay, I know. This album isn't "new," but I have to share my love for this album here. I've never heard a band sound so much like 60's folk. This band is like Simon & Garfunkel made babies with the Mama's and the Papa's.

"White Winter Hymnal" is a particularly good track to get a feel for them. They're really impressive and they are supposed to put on a great live show! We missed them when they came through Portland, so if you get the chance to see them before I do, let me know how it goes.

#4 - "Med sud i eyrum vid spilum endaluast" by Sigur Ros

Don't give up on these guys because they have tragically hard-to- pronounce names on everything. They're from Iceland, and have made up their own language for their lyrics. Yes, they are the Tolkien's of modern day music. Their music is supposed to reflect the beauty of the landscape of their home country, and it definitely does that. The melodies are challenging and the way the music is pieced together is genius. I had the great privilege of seeing them live for the first time in October and it completely changed my entire perspective and thoughts on music. I'm not exaggerating. They are fascinating and brilliant. This album is their latest. It's not new, it was released in June. But I'm still listening to it like I just bought it.

#3 - "Limbs and Branches" by Jon Foreman

Jon Foreman of Switchfoot fame has created a real masterpiece. Throughout the last year, he released a series of 4 EP's, one for each season and each named appropriately: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer. "Limbs and Branches" is a compilation of arguably the best songs off of those albums, along with a couple of new ones.

I think Foreman has found his niche with this kind of music. It reminds me of the old, slow Switchfoot. He shines in this genre, and stays true to Christian music, without getting too cheesy.

#2 - "Above the Golden State" by Above the Golden State

Huge shoutout to our buddy Mike Watson (the one on the red shirt on the cover)! Erik and Mike have been really close friends since middle school, and Mike has finally made it big in the industry. He's currently on a national tour with Starfield.

This is the debut album for Mike and his band. The band name is a tribute to our beloved Portland, where we all live, love and play Settlers. He got signed to Sparrow Records and made a great album! If you want some high-energy, good message, quality tunes from the Christian realm of music, check out these guys. Support our buddy!

#1 - "Live at The Fillmore" by Sara Bareilles

Yes, I even listen to pop music. And I'm a huge fan of Sara Bareilles. This is one of those artists that I can genuinely say I've known about long before she made the big time. Erik introduced me to her music after he saw her open for Guster in London. I talked to him after the concert and said "You have to check out this girl, she's really, really good." And good, she is. At a young 28 years old, her depth and raw emotion shine clearly through her melodies and lyrics. You can check out her debut album, "Little Voice" to get the studio version of these songs, but her live album really showcases just how talented she is. The song "Gravity" will blow your socks off.