Dan Deacon - Spiderman Of The Rings (Carpark Records, 2007)

George Clinton once said: "Free your mind... and your ass will follow." Wise words, indeed, but of what relevance are they to Dan Deacon and his strange, brilliant, ridiculous album, Spiderman Of The Rings? Firstly, George Clinton is a weird guy - he'd have to be to write the sort of music he has with Parliament and Funkadelic - and, from what I've seen, Dan Deacon seems like a pretty weird guy, and I mean that in the best way possible. I remember a time when I wanted nothing but to be considered weird. I wanted to wear it as a badge of honor. However, I think I've always been too normal to be weird in any cool way.
Sometimes I use music to quiet the voices in my head. The voices in my head are friendly for the most part, however, at times, when everyone is trying to speak at once, it can be difficult to make any sense of anything. So, I'll put something in the stereo, we all turn our attention to the music, and life comes back into focus.
You should have seen it the first time I put Dan Deacon in the stereo. As a crazed Woody Woodpecker spilled from the speakers, and a slow building electronic pulse took hold, none of us knew quite what to expect. Sounds, sounds, everywhere! Just when it looked like the whole thing might be about to devolve into a horrible train wreck, it came to a sudden stop. Only to immediately jump into the spazz-eletro-rave-up that is The Crystal Cat (check out the video). All of a sudden, my mind was free... and my ass was following. This is the music to which the voices in my head dance. Well, sometimes they dance, sometimes they laugh; it is a 50/50 split that I imagine anyone who calls their album Spiderman Of The Rings, would be happy to elicit.
Don't be fooled, Dan Deacon may be a mad-genius, however, his music is not for everyone. In fact, I have had those near and dear to me politely ask me to turn him off, as they are unable to hear anything but shrill, piercing, electronic vibrations. Joy.

Check Out: www.myspace.com/dandeacon

Sounds Like: A crazy, good time, electro-spazz

On Tour: Dan Deacon is touring Europe in December 2007; he'll be in the U.S. in January (see you at the LA show) 2008; and Australia in February 2008.

Okkervil River - Golden Opportunities Mixtape (2007)

Regular readers will be more than familiar with the high esteem in which I hold Okkervil River. Following the release of their excellent 2007 album, The Stage Names, which has been making its way on to many "Best Of 2007" lists, the band have released the Golden Opportunities Mixtape as a free download from their website: www.okkervilriver.com.
The Golden Opportunities Mixtape is a collection of nine songs that the band recorded, mostly on the road, over the course of a couple of years. Eight of the songs see Okkervil River covering artists as diverse as Randy Newman, John Cale, Joni Mitchell, and Serge Gainsbourg. The one original Okkervil River track is a fantastic live recording of Listening To Ottis Redding At Home During Christmas, which originally appeared on the band's debut full-length album Don't Fall In Love With Everyone You See.

Check Out: www.okkervilriver.com

The Cave Singers - Invitation Songs (Matador Records, 2007)

The Cave Singers do not seem to be of this time, and yet they are just as much a part of the here and now as you or I. Their music - a melange of sounds rooted in the folk and blues of early 20th century America - flows forth from the speakers in waves of warm, acoustic guitar; a steady, brushed drum-beat keeping time; and a voice at once idiosyncratic, vaguely familiar, and completely original.
Seeds Of Night, the opening track on Invitation Songs, is also one of its finest. An understated gem featuring all of the elements that makes this band such a joy to listen to. One of the first things you notice is the vocals of singer Pete Quirk, who - given his vocal delivery - has a particularly apt surname. His is a voice that is sure to divide the opinion of listeners, in much the way a young Bob Dylan's voice still does to this day.
Invitation Songs is a wonderful album that moves seemlessly from the slow burning numbers such as Helen and Elephant Cloud, through to the chugging, bluesy stomp of Dancing On Our Graves, and the darker blues of New Monuments - in which Quirk sings of "a house of disrepute where I lost my mind." Far from doom and gloom, though, Oh Christine - perhaps the albums most upbeat moment, and certainly one of its finest - immediately follows New Monument, and brings with it a fresh dose of the warmth that Invitation Songs seems bathed in. This album is one of 2007's hidden gems, and one that you should definitely add to your collection.

Check Out: www.myspace.com/thecavesingers

Sounds A Bit Like: Excerpts from Alan Lomax's collection of recordings.

Band Of Horses - Cease To Exist (Sub Pop, 2007)

With just fourteen words and a stadium-ready guitar riff, Ben Bridwell (leadsinger of Band Of Horses) has written one of the year's stand-out tracks, with the opening number of Cease To Exist: Is There A Ghost. Having established themselves as one of the better bands on the planet with their first album - 2006's Everything All The Time - Band Of Horses have built a devout following trhough steady touring and excellent songs. One needn't look any further than tracks such as The Funeral or the beautiful St. Augustine from their debut album, to realize that Bridwell is a songwriter with immense talent.
With Cease To Exist, Band Of Horses - who had relocated from Seattle to back their home in South Carolina after touring for Everything All The Time - have delivered an album that pays homage to their southern roots, without sounding in any way dated. Along with the aforementioned opening track, Ode To LRC and Cigarettes, Wedding Bands keep the rock quotient high, while slower numbers such as Marry Song and the countrified-stomp of The General Specific, exemplify the band's ability to slow things down without losing any momentum.
In recent interviews, Bridwell has spoken of the happiness he has found in to his hometown, the joy that has come from the love of a good woman, and his affection for good melodies. All three of these elements are reflected keenly on Cease To Exist, and as Bridwell comes across as an extremely likeable southern gentleman, you can hope for nothing but success for his Band Of Horses.

Check Out: www.myspace.com/bandofhorses

Sounds A Bit Like: Neil Young; Dinosaur Jr strumming away outside on a warm summer evening, watching the light slowly fade.