Music of the Month

September 22nd, 2005 | Comments (3) | Trackbacks (0) |

At the end of the summer, I posted an annotated list of the music that I had listened to all summer. I thought it might be a cool idea to do the same thing near the end of every month. If nothing else, it will be fun to go back and see which albums I listened to in certain months. Here are September’s lucky winners.

The Fray, How to Save A Life: This album is amazing. It’s one of those rare “perfect” albums where there is not a single song that isn’t good. I’ve listened to it straight through probably twenty times by now and it continues to blow my mind. The music is beautiful piano-based melodic rock. If I mentioned earlier that they are going to be huge, this album only makes me believe that even more. Do yourself a favor and buy this CD. Favorite tracks: Over My Head (Cable Car), How to Save A Life, Hundred, Vienna

Josh Rouse, Nashville: There are certain albums that will always be associated with a season for me. John Mayer’s Room for Squares will always remind me of autumn, and I believe Nashville will, too. Rouse has a very chill songwriting style reminiscent of Ryan Adams. My brother likes him, too. Favorite tracks: It’s the Nighttime, Carolina, Saturday

David Gray, Slow Motion: I think I’ve always been a David Gray fan at heart, but I never really knew it until this summer, when my friend Megan bought me White Ladder. Gray is best known in the states for his song “Babylon”. He is huge in the UK, and this album debuted at #1 on the UK charts. For good reason, too. I love White Ladder, so when I heard that this new album was coming out, I had to hear it. The music is gorgeous, ethereal, and heartbreaking at times. Favorite tracks: Alibi, Slow Motion, Ain’t No Love

Death Cab for Cutie, Plans: I hadn’t heard much DCFC before this last month, except for some brief clips while I was hanging around B. Mick’s cubicle. He told me I should check them out. So… I did. I listened to Transatlanticism and thought it was pretty good and so I picked up a copy of Plans. I like Plans way better than Transatlanticism. It took me a while to get used to the lead singer’s voice, which I originally didn’t like, but it has grown on me. It’s a total rainy day album, which probably has something to do with the fact that my brother and I listened to it twice through on the way to Minneapolis in the middle of the night during a huge thunderstorm. Favorite tracks: Summer Skin, Soul Meets Body, Brothers on a Hotel Bed

Sigur Rós, Takk…: Sigur Rós is so good. If you don’t know them, it’s probably because they have never had any top 40 radio airplay, nor will they ever. They are from Iceland, and they make music by using a synthesizer, a bass, an electric guitar played with a cello bow, and a dude who sings like a soprano in either Icelandic or a language he just made up.¹ The music is very emotion-evoking. At times the music makes me feel like I could fly and at other times like I should apologize to someone for something. I can’t even explain their music. It’s good. This album is way “happier” than their past albums have been, and I really like it. I like the old stuff a lot, too. Favorite tracks: Glósóli, Sæglópur

Switchfoot, Nothing is Sound: I’ve been a Switchfoot fan since I bought the A Walk to Remember soundtrack. Yes, I bought the A Walk to Remember soundtrack.² Shortly after that, Switchfoot hit it big, crossover-style, with the album Beautiful Letdown, which is easily my favorite album of theirs. I heard a bunch of the new stuff this summer when they played at the Iowa State Fair and I was super excited for the new CD to come out. I remember when they played “Happy is a Yuppie Word” and I loved it. This album equals, if not betters, Beatiful Letdown. Although they have made it big in the mainstream, Switchfoot hasn’t lost the spirit that has made their music so powerful. Favorite tracks: Lonely Nation, Happy Is A Yuppie Word, Golden

The Click Five, Greetings from Imrie House: I’ll admit, I’m a little embarassed to have this album on the list. I like to think that I have a very sophisticated music taste, but The Click Five’s self-described “new school power pop” is just so, well, catchy. One can’t help but bob their head to the first single, “Just the Girl.” I guess I am a sucker. While I am admitting things, I should probably say that “Just the Girl” is also the ringtone on my cell phone. Yeah, I know… lame. Favorite tracks: Good Day, Just the Girl, Say Goodnight

1. Seriously. ↩
2. Let’s be honest. I also own the movie and the book. See footnote #1. ↩