Dinosaur Jr. - Beyond (Fat Possum, 2007)

As far as my current appreciation of music is concerned, Dinosaur Jr. are 'the' band that started it all for me. That is not to say that I wasn't aware of great music prior to discovering Dinosaur, because I definitely was, however, there was something about their music, something about J Mascis' amazing guitar sound and his world-weary drawl, that opened my ears to a whole new world.
I remember listening to Where You Been (Dinosaur Jr.'s awesome 5 th album released in 1993) through a walkman while on a road-trip with my family in 1994. As J ripped into another epic guitar solo, I remember looking out the window at the great expanse that is the Australian countryside, feeling a sense of contentment and well-being that I had never felt before. What I felt was better than sex and drugs combined, though as I had had neither sex, nor drugs, at that tender young age, I could only guess.
Now, with the original line-up of Mascis, Lou Barlow, and Murph in place, Dinosaur Jr. have released their first new album since 1997, and the first that this seminal line-up has released since 1988's Bug - and it is awesome.
From the opening crunch of Almost Ready, through to the euphoric punchiness of Been There All The Time, and the more mellow moments of We're Not Alone, this is an album for fans of all of Dinosaur Jr.'s incarnations, and for anyone who loves great rock'n'roll and some damn fine guitar playing.
I have not been as excited by a new album as I have this one for a long time, and have listened to it at least twenty times in the past week or so. I will be heading out to the Troubaour in L.A. on Saturday night to see the band for only the second time ever. The first I saw them was in Melbourne when I was sixteen. I was so amped to see them on that first occasion that I was giddy with excitement, and I would be lying if I said that I wasn't feeling that same giddiness right now. It is nice to know that some things never change.

Check Out: www.myspace.com/dinosaurjr - where you can listen to the album in its entirety.

Shearwater - Palo Santo (Matador, 2007 Reissue)

A little background: Palo Santo was originally released in 2006 on Misra Records, then repackaged and reissued in 2007 when the band switched labels to Matador Records. A number of the songs on the reissue have been re-recorded, in order to sound more similar to what the band originally heard in their heads, plus an 8-song bonus disc consisting of demos, bonus tracks and covers has been added. I have not heard the original version of the album, so I can't make any comparison, however, I can say that Palo Santo (the reissued and, henceforth, definitive version) is an excellent album.
Palo Santo is Shearwater's fourth album. The band was formed in Austin, Texas, in 2001 when Will Sheff and Jonathan Meiburg - both of Okkervil River - required an outlet for their softer songs. Those looking for a sound similar to Okkervil River may be somewhat disappointed, as on this album Sheff has played a lesser role, leaving the songwriting duties - as well as lead vocal duties - in the safe hands of Meiburg. That being said, it is not difficult to spot the similar aesthetic shared by the two groups, be they with regard to the sound or just the general mood of the album.
A lazy person may classify Shearwater's music as Americana. I prefer the hyphenate friendly: Texan-Gothic-Folk-Rock. The NME would be proud of that sort of creative genre invention! Shearwater's sound is expansive; it is delicate and, in parts, haunting, though it also has moments of bar brawl swagger, evident on one of my favorite tracks, White Waves.
It took me at least two or three listens before Palo Santo began to fully reveal itself to me, though now that it has, I discover something new - a lyric, a melody, a sound - every time I press play.

Check Out: http://www.myspace.com/shearwater / www.shearwatermusic.com

Nick Drake - Pink Moon (Island, 1972)

For many years, I have heard people speak of Nick Drake in hushed, reverential tones. It is rare to find a Drake fan who isn't completely and utterly enamoured with him. I had heard his music sporadically up until a month or so ago - a song on the radio here, a song at a friend's house there - however, I had never explored his music deeply. I am a firm believer in the idea that the music we love most has a way of finding us when we need it most, and I must say that I am extremely grateful that Nick Drake has finally chosen to find me.
Pink Moon is a stark, beautiful album that Drake recorded in two days with only an acoustic guitar, and occasional piano accompaniement. His lyrics speak of sadness, loss, and despair. Drake, no stranger to depression, would eventually die from an accidental overdose of anti-depressants two years after recording Pink Moon, at the tender young age of twenty-six. While the subject matter of the album may seem gloomy, Drake's tremendous acoustic guitar playing and finger picking, along with his soft, plaintive vocal delivery, transcend the gloominess and transform the album into something simultaneously dark and enchanting.
Listening to the album's opening track, Pink Moon, the piano line that kicks in 61 seconds into the song never fails to send a shivers up my spine, and the shivers recur throughout the remainder of the album, be they caused by a certain guitar note, or a softly sung lyric that speaks directly to the heart.

Check Out: www.brytermusic.com

James Figurine - Mistake Mistake Mistake Mistake (Plug Research, 2006)

How do you like your electronica? I like mine any number of ways, although perhaps my favourite type is Warm Electronica. Never heard of Warm Electronica? Don't worry, I just invented the term. I often find that a lot of electronica is just far too, well, electronic. It is too cold and inhuman, which makes it difficult for me to establish any sort of connection with it. This album does not suffer from that problem. James Figurine is perhaps more widely known by his real name, Jimmy Tamborello, whose is perhaps more widely known as one half of The Postal Service. He, being, of course, the half responsible for the music - as opposed to the lyrics and singing - of said group.
Warm Electronica is a more human form of electronica; it can be like your favourite blanket: warm, cozy and inviting. Its squeeks, beeps and beats are electronic, though it somehow manages to sound as though it has the warmth of an analogue recording.
The opening track of Mistake Mistake Mistake Mistake, 55566688833, is a tongue-in-cheek lament of cell/mobile phone politics (55566688833 being the numbers necessary to spell 'love' when text messaging), while Pretend It's A Race And I'm On Your Side, is playful and oddly poignant at the same time, with a layered, sprightly melody built around the refrain "When I say, don't walk away, pretend its a lie." Another highlight is the track Apologies, which offers the sage advice that apologies are in fact gifts, that should be accepted with a smile on your face.
All-in-all Mistake Mistake Mistake Mistake is a very cool album that has been receiving repeated plays in my stereo. If you are a fan of the electronic side of The Postal Service, this is definitely an album worth checking out. It also features some fine guest vocalists, including Jenny Lewis and King's Of Convenience's Erlend Oye.

Check Out: www.myspace.com/jamesfigurine