sleepy jack

4. Carissa's Wierd "Songs About Leaving"


Carissa's Wierd (weird was intentionally misspelled) was formed by songwriters Mat Brooke and Jean Ghetto. They were influenced by bands like Joy Division and the Smiths but sounded nothing like them, however they held the same mood. There sound was unlike any other band, melancholic with gentle strings and sad keys coupled with somber male/female vocals often duetting and singing lyrics that were always as honest as they were painful. By the time they'd release Songs About Leaving they'd fully come into their sound and proven to be as creative as they were unique but beautiful things never seem to last. In 2003, a year after the release of Songs About Leaving, they'd announced their break up and went their separate ways to form such acts as Band of Horses, Grand Archives, S, Crictor and Sera Cahoone.

This is probably the most recent favorite album in the top 10, in fact it really only started meaning a lot to me in September. When going through a break up (or really any emotional time) this album gains such a soundtrack like quality that it's scary and you truly begin to appreciate just how emotive and beautiful it is. The album seemed to traverse every emotion and it's stunning how expressive the music itself is. The echoy duets and guitar lines, everything about it just seems to reflect the mood that the lyrics bring to it.

Songs About Leaving really does mean a lot to me and I can't really write that well today because I am feeling odd. But I do think everyone should give it a chance. I probably made it sound really "emo" but if you go in with an open-mind and shove aside your prior prejudices it really is a beautiful album. I've been listening to this album more than any other album lately and if my heart wrote songs they'd sound like these.

Favorite Songs: Low Budget Slow Motion Soundtrack Song for the Leaving Scene, So You Wanna Be a Superhero, Ignorant Piece of Shit, Sofisticated Fuck Princess Please Leave Me Alone, A New Holiday (November 16th)



MySpace.com - Carissa's Wierd - SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - Folk / Indie / Indie - www.myspace.com/carissaswierd

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jackhammer

Songs About Leaving is an immense album and deserves to be heard by a bigger audience. A great choice Ethan.

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sleepy jack

I think I may go ahead and post album number 3 already since I think you're the only one who has that album and I doubt anyone else is going to check it out.

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The Dave

That is a marvelous album, I can't thank you enough for introducing them, to me.

sleepy jack

3. Patrick Wolf "Wind in the Wires"


It was very hard for me to pick my favorite Patrick Wolf album because he's an extremely consistent artist. I had to be slightly shallow about it and think less about what was most creative and what is the best as an album and pick whichever one had most of my favorite songs on it. So Wind in the Wires has won but if you were to honestly ask me what was the best Patrick Wolf album i'd tell you there was no such thing. Whatever he's doing he puts himself entirely into and as a result of this every single one of his albums is a quality release. His influences are all over the place, from Nick Drake to David Bowie. Throughout his discography hes managed to incorporate a variety of these influences to create a unique blend of electronica, folk and other things. It's really hard to figure out just where his influences really come from and it isn't really surprising considering his eclectic tastes in music. Patrick often suggests you should go into the record store pick what has the most attractive cover and listening to it because that's how he got into a lot of his favorite artists. So the fact his first album is all over the place, his second is a focused folktronica release and the third is a pop album really isn't all that surprising.

One thing I want to note before jumping into this review is Patrick Wolf did everything on this album except two things. The clarinet on Wind in the Wires and the female choir in Teignmouth, he even produced it. When I found this out I was extremely impressed. I mean we're not talking your typical singer/songwriter album consisting of an acoustic guitar with some drums and bass sprinkled in to give it a more full sound. We're talking violins, ukuleles, pianos, accordions, drums, electronics and a variety of zithers.

Onto the material of the album, like English singer/songwriter before Vashti Bunyan, Patrick Wolf is obsessed with geography, constantly naming places in his song he creates a map of the places he's been through sound. Wind in the Wires kind of serves as a musical document of his tours and various travels lyrically, for once Patrick Wolf is an artist who's lyrics aren't the fascination with me so I won't spend too much time talking about them. What really attracts me hear is just the sound of it. I don't know much about violinists so I won't comment on him being one of the greatest but I think his string arrangements are beautiful and well done and I think I've heard enough to comment on that. His musical approach is interesting because he tries to be as creative and original as it as possible he tries to not listen to much music when writing as to avoid it sounding similar to anything else or being too influenced by something, though certain influences often shine through. I just love everything about it, Patrick Wolf's deep baritone voice over his circus of instruments all deeply rooted in British folk is beautiful sounding.

I should wrap this up i've gone on more about this album than I meant to. Wind in the Wires was one of the first indie albums I got into. Imonlydancing got me into it, I think it was around the time of its release actually either way she knew I liked Bright Eyes and thought I should give him ago and I did like it a lot. It's one of the few albums I got into in 2005 that I still like today and he's one of the few artists I got into around that time that I still like today. Patrick Wolf is in my top three favorite artists ever and Wind in the Wires is probably the best album of his to start with because it sort of touches on some of the stuff in the Magic Position and sort of touches on the stuff in Lycanthropy too so it allows you to hop to either album pretty well. I think Patrick Wolf is easily one of the most creative, talented and under appreciated artists of the past decade and his music combines a variety of styles and sounds to create a beautifully orchestrated sound and Wind in the Wires stands as a testament to his genius.

Favorite Songs: The Gypsy King, Tristan, The Libertine, The Railway House, Teignmouth, Wind in the Wires, Eulogy



MySpace.com - patrick wolf - UK - Pop - www.myspace.com/officialpatrickwolf

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cocaine white

this album is wonderful.
it's my favorite.
patrick has a beautiful voiceee.

pretty much the same favorite songs, too.
mhm.

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take a chance.

sleepy jack

2. The Smiths "The Queen is Dead"


The Smiths are considered to be one of the most important band of the 80s and Joy Division aside I consider them to be the greatest. Hailing from Manchester they were refreshing sound amidst all the electronic based acts that were around at the time. Formed by Johnny Marr knocking on Morrissey's door one day they were an odd pair. Johnny Marr was already an accomplished local guitarist and Morrissey was the shy writer who idolized James Dean and Oscar Wilde that walked around in the rain and was always sitting quiet in the back of the shows.

Morrissey wrote about a variety of topics from love and loss to the Moors Murder and England. His lyrics have always been full of wit, political controversy and sad tales. You either love him or hate him but you know who he is, he managed to piss over authority without resorting to riots or anything, all he to do was sing about Thatcher on the guillotine and the police was at his door. In addition to Morrissey there was obviously Johnny Marr who has since the Smiths break up has gone onto work with bands The The and Modest Mouse. He's one of alternative rocks finest guitar, his tone is defining, refreshing and unique and there really is no guitarist like him. Other than Morrissey and Marr there was the underrated Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce. Rourke is now in Freebass with Manni (Stone Roses, Primal Scream) and Pete Hook (Joy Division, New Order). I don't think he gets anywhere near the credit he deserves, his basslines were upbeat and spunky, I think my favorite is his line in Girlfriend in a Coma. Mike Joyce won't ever be on anyones favorite drummer list but he did what he was supposed to do and did it well.

Now picking a favorite Smiths album was rather difficult because at first it was close between The Smiths and The Queen is Dead but lately I've been listening to a lot of Meat is Murder too, so that just added to the confusion. But when I really thought about it I decided on this one because it had all my favorite songs and I think it is kind of the defining Smiths album.

They prove to be on top of their game from the very start of this album kicking in with some chanting and then you hear the Joyce pounding away on the drums (I think this is my favorite thing I've heard him do because it's such a fierce intro and a great way to kick off an album.) You hear Marr's signature sound come in and eventually you're entirely into the song already which steadily slides through to the rest of the album. Morrissey is writes some of his greatest lyrics ever on this album from the poignant "I Know It's Over" to the beautiful and romantic "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" and this albums stands as a testament to what can happen when musicians click together creativity. Everything they do here just compliments eachother and it shows that The Queen is Dead is easily one of the greatest albums not just of the 80s but of all time.

The Smiths over the past year have been a growing favorite I really just can't get enough of them. They are my favorite band ever, Morrissey's beautiful and unique voice coupled with Johnny Marrs excellent guitar working is probably one of the greatest songwriting matches ever. Tons of bands have tried to imitate the Smiths but none have ever or will ever come close.

Favorite Songs: The Boy With The Thorn In His Side, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, Cemetry Gates, I Know It's Over, Frankly Mr. Shankly, Bigmouth Strikes Again



MySpace.com - The Smiths - ONTARIO, California - Punk / Death Metal / Jungle - www.myspace.com/mannygimmecandy

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anticipation

That was the first Smiths album I ever listened to, I can't believe we agree on how good it is. It's also one of the few albums I actually went out and bought.

One of the few albums that I truly love all the songs on, very nice choice for #3.

jackhammer

The Queen Is Dead still resonates 20 years after it's release. I am surprised but mightily happy at your choice Ethan.

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sleepy jack

Thanks for the comments guyss. I think I'm going to start a Crowquill 1000 after this like Urban did seeing as their tons of albums I've heard during the making of this that deserve mention and I wish could be put in the top 100.

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