YouTube Video of the Week-"They're Taking The Hobbits To Isengard"

I am a sucker for Lord of the Rings parodies and I haven't seen any good ones in awhile. Being in New Zealand at the moment just makes it even funnier. Enjoy!

Top 30 Songs of 2007

Note: I apologize for the lack of updates, but I've been buzzing here in New Zealand. Alas, I haven't forgotten about all my beloved readers and this will be the first in a series of best of lists. Cheers!




I firmly believe in doing “Best of” lists after the year has completely ended because so much great stuff comes out in December and I don’t want to short-change those albums or films.

For the first installment of Foggy Ruins Of Time’s Best of 2007 lists I will be listing my top thirty songs of 2007. What I wanted for this list was a series of songs that to me, stuck in my head and found as much plays as possible. Also songs that truly felt right on every level. Without further ado I present to you:

(Note: this is in alphabetical order according to song title)

Cave Babies-“Asparagus Green”
Helmed by 5…4…3…2…1 radio host and Watercolor Paintings band mate Josh ‘Hoshwa’ Redman, Cave Babies is a sensitive project and “Asparagus Green” is the perfect song in describing feelings of adoration and longing. A simple chord organ riff with splashes of trumpet makes lines like, “My heart is on fire cuz you are so pretty,” even more tender and beautiful.

SXEZSKOZ-“Balloon Ride (Ghostwalking)”
Alfredo Barraza’s electronica project SXEZSKOZ provided the score behind one of UCSB’s best films, The Titan Sting, and “Balloon Ride (Ghostwalking)” is one of the most memorable songs off of that film. Containing layers upon layers of sound but relying on a smile haunting melody, I cannot even come up with the words for how pure and perfect this song is to me. I wish I could have it looped in my brain forever.

Paul Baribeau-“Better Than Anything Ever”
In the lo-fi world, the wait for his second album Grand Ledge seemed like eons, but with songs like “Better Than Anything Ever” it was well worth the wait. This song is adoration at its purest and honest. I know in my life I’ve felt this way about someone.

Marc With A C-“Classic Country Wasn’t Multitracked In ‘61”
Florida’s own Marc With A C released his best album yet in 2007, Normal Bias, and this first track hits hard and delicious. Containing one of the strangest hooks in a long time, there is something so utterly infectious about it. It’s the kind of song that’ll be sung around campfires someday.

Maria Taylor-“Clean Getaway”
She has only begun her reign of glory as former Azure Ray band member released her second album last year, Lynn Teeter Flower. This song echoes with a quiet longing that straddles the line between fragile confidence and sad irony. What does, “I finally made it/I made a clean getaway,” really mean? What does it mean for you?

A Lime Tree-“Cup of Love”
John Collector may be young, but under his moniker A Lime Tree he has started making music that clearly shows he has talent in every sense of the word. The song is startlingly amazing and the lyrics show so much wisdom and so much poetry. And to top it all off it’s incredibly catchy.

Dave Matthews-“Eh Hee”
One of the greatest physical representations of how the world feels to me right now. As I said in my original post, this song is a breathe of fresh air, not just for Dave Matthews fans, but for pop music in general.

The Darlings-“Emily”
Wow wow wow is all I can say; I can’t stop listening to this song. The Darlings are just getting started and “Emily” is quite an anthem to begin with; quite a sweet snarl if you ask me.

Angels & Airwaves-“Everything’s Magic”
The lead single off their second CD I-Empire, “Everything’s Magic” is a great song that proves through all the romantic angst of Tom Delonge, he can still channel some great poetry that packs an emotional punch.

Bright Eyes-“Four Winds”
When I first heard this song I felt like I could conquer the world. The first single off Cassadaga, this song shows Conor Oberst finally being able to grapple heroically over the senselessness of the world we live in. “Four Winds” is pure country at its core, one of the finest hooks in years, killer violin solos and my favorite Bright Eyes song.

Jonny Greenwood-“Future Markets”
Taken off of Jonny Greenwood’s revolutionary score for PT Anderson’s There Will Be Blood, “Future Markets” is representing a man on the prowl, or the kill. The wild staccatos by the violins remind you of a horror film, but with a sugary edge. It’s about a man who sweetly decides to take advantage of you and even if you see it coming you comply anyways.

Jim James & Calexico-“Goin’ To Acapulco”
One of the starring songs in Todd Haynes’s great deconstructive biopic I’m Not There, “Goin’ To Acapulco” reminded us all in the power of Dylan’s words, but it also showed even the uninitiated what a great fucking singer Jim James of My Morning Jacket is. Don’t forget those beautifully nostalgic trumpets by Calexico. One of the greatest Bob Dylan covers ever I’m sure.

Kanye West-“Good Life (Feat. T-Pain)”
One of the greatest summer anthems in ages, Kanye West mixed the right amount of flash and style with a huge splash of nostalgia, hopes and dreams. We all don’t have the same aspirations as Kanye, but I think this song really taps into a core part of all us that wishes for a grand life before any really world cynicism sets in.

Eddie Vedder-“Hard Sun”
This is pure bliss. From the Sean Penn directed Into The Wild, “Hard Sun” is a song that represents a feeling that is almost always escapable and never lasts too long. It only happens when we look down from mountains (all kinds) and see our entire life stretching back. Eddie Vedder tapped into the moment when we realize how great the view is all around us.

Flight of the Conchords-“ Hiphopapotamus Vs. Rhymenocerous”
The song has existed in some form for a few years, but when it came time to adapt it for their HBO show they took it in a great new direction. Featuring cheap hip hop beats from the late 80s/early 90s it only highlights their actually somewhat fantastic rapping skills. Did you read that right? Just listen to the song and you’ll understand.

Fragile Fawn-“Indian Giver”
This is an epic self-probing lo-fi song by one of my newest favorite duos Fragile Fawn. Labeled “demo” on their myspace I can’t even fathom what else they could do with it. It’s brimming with sounds and surprises, but has a wild melody that’ll have you beaming considering the subject matter.

Mike XVX-“ Inner City Blues”
“This song is about graffiti and how great it is,” says Mike and with that he jumps into a fast declaration of political dissent. It’s simple, honest, eye opening and so much fun to sing along to. It’s the pure spirit of DIY and true anarchy.

The Lonesome Architects-“Julie Vignon”
I don’t want to be her that’s all I know. Off of The Lonesome Architects second record The Ocean at Night, “Julie Vignon” probably exemplifies their brand of “folktronica” best, but it really doesn’t matter, the hook is biting and the beats even more so. Who knew folk music could be this visceral?

John C. Reilly-“A Life Without You (Is No Life At All)”
This song represents the kind of bombastic love songs that we all wish someone would sing about us. John C. Reilly’s voice shines here and the songs melodrama is perfect. By the time lines like, “I want to cry rivers of blood” come along you are so sold by the song you sing along without batting an eye.

A Drum And An Open Window-“Make Things”
I was so moved by this song when I first heard them sing it at Muddy Waters in SB. It legitimizes everything us artists do beyond a shadow of a doubt. It’s a call to arms for everyone to be creative and an assured hand that what we do really does mean something.

Rambling Nicholas Heron-“Only This And Nothing More”
This song is smooth, warm and comforting. I love this song with a passion and I feel like it’s all going to be all right when I listen to it. There is something about Rambling Nicholas’s voice that really grabs you and has a confidence that appears tender. This song is one for the ages.

Regina Spektor-“Real Love”
With all the Dylan covers going around this year it’s easy to forget that there was a Lennon cover album released too. I can’t speak for the rest of the songs off Instant Karma, but all I can say is Lennon’s “Real Love” was a perfect match for Regina Spektor. Her quirky voice brings out the uniqueness of this song like never before, and feels even more earnest. It is quite an accomplishment; its beyond that even.

Tinyfolk-“Really, Really Blue: A Tale Of Unrequited (Perhaps) Romance and Lizardry”
Released on Tinyfolk’s epic lo-fi album Bill and the Wee Pop! Records release Pizza Under The Sea, “Really, Really Blue” drips with nostalgia and longing. It is a new level of poetic mastery by Russ Woods and musically his most accomplished. It’s a sensory trip that brings up too many feelings to comprehend at one time, but Russ manages to channel it all quite beautifully.

Radiohead-“Reckoner”
This is the Radiohead song we’ve all been waiting for. Released on In Rainbows, the level of emotional outpouring is shocking, almost frightening. It is the song that is perfectly harmonious with Thom Yorke’s voice and uses it to its fullest advantage. “Reckoner” is the summation of everything Radiohead has ever done before this, and shows supremely one the greatest bands of all time at the top of the world.

Adam Faucett-“Salton Sea”
I was lucky enough to play a show with this fine fellow from Arkansas and this song really capitalizes on what makes Adam quite unique. The intricate plucking of acoustic guitar with a touch of organ highlights his soulful country voice. Even though he’s never been there you won’t be able to escape this song anytime soon.

Rilo Kiley-“Silver Lining”
The opener to Rilo Kiley’s much debated Under The Blacklight, “Silver Lining” is simple, pretty and a great gospel number. It’s cleansing because it marks a new direction for Rilo Kiley lyrically, communicating a lot with very little words, “I never felt so wicked/As when I willed our love to die.” Did I mention the handclaps, Jenny Lewis’s prime voice, and Blake Sennett’s harmonious and warm guitar licks?

Beirut-“Sunday Smile”
I’m not that qualified to talk about Beirut (like some people I know), but this song’s waltz is quite beautiful and with the shower of voices and the accompanying trumpet there is something special going on here. Off of their second album The Flying Club Cup, “Sunday Smile,” is an example of a song where no individual part outshines the other, the elements work in harmony.

Shleby Sifers-“Try To Understand”
Shelby Sifers seems quiet, but this song hits hard. “Try To Understand” literally took my breath away when I first heard it. There is so much wisdom in it for how fragile Shelby’s voice sounds. It’s her way of trying to deal with life and living itself. We are all tender creatures, but we can make it if we try.

Isaac Arms-“Us Vs. Stuff”
This isn’t just the best song of 2007, but quite possibly my favorite song of all time. The second song off of Old Artificer, “Us Vs. Stuff” is everything I want in a song and more. I can’t even begin to describe how it makes me feel, but I well up every time. It’s a manifesto to the world that the love between two people will prevail no matter what.

Desmond Reed-“When I Met Michelle”
Desmond Reed is a pop genius. All he needs his acoustic guitar to tell cute, dorky stories with great choruses and smart lyrics. “When I Met Michelle” is his best song yet about how he fell in love with a girl Michelle. It makes me happy that those feelings were reciprocated because I felt exactly like he did when I first had a girlfriend.

So that’s my list for the thirty best songs of 2007. Stay tuned for the best albums, films and more!

Existential Hero Releases Three New Albums

Since I'm moving to New Zealand and won't be sure what my musical output will be, as a gift to all of you I will be releasing a covers album, a covers EP and a collection of b-sides for all of you. You can order them all for 3 bucks each if you like the hard copies or you will be able to download them for free in a few days at



But without further ado here they are (with an mp3 to give you a taste!):




This is the real meat here, or seitan or tofu. Part self-indulgent and part love song to the lo-fi community I'm obsessed with, Barely
Covered is my ode to the songs and artists that inspire me.

"Dear Apollo (Tinyfolk cover)"




I was basically learning way too many Bob Dylan covers, but this EP is an homage to early
early Bob Dylan when he was an upstart folkie just barely coming to into his own.

"Corrina, Corrina (Bob Dylan cover)"




All songs recorded between May of 2006 and December 2007. Most are outtakes from the
first two albums, an uncompleted EP, former secret tracks, alternate versions and a
recent demo. Most of it's good and there is one or two you'll love because it's so bad
it's good. =D

"If I Was President (Classical Version)"

Links:
Existential Hero myspace to order hard copies

Bob Dylan Worth Mentioning That You Might Not Know

Taken During the Rolling Thuder Revue Tour in 1975

The “youth” like myself go through a pretty typical evolution while discovering Bob Dylan. We all start with the early folk years that by now are blended with the “going electric” years (kind of funny if you think about it). Usually The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan or Blonde On Blonde are the stock favorites. Then most people go from there into either John Wesley Harding (if you are a hardcore folkie) or Blood On The Tracks (if you’re of the introspective persuasion). Where do the “youth” go after that? Well unless you got into the recent release Modern Times, most casual fans stop there. Now I am very aware of the pitchfork factor going on here (am I pretentious for making pitchfork a stand-in for pretentiousness?), but regardless the point of this post is to make people aware of other parts of Bob Dylan’s catalogue you won’t find on your nearest hipster’s iPod.

Oh Mercy:
Released in 1989 and the first album produced for Dylan by Daniel Lanois, Oh Mercy is one of Dylan’s greatest albums. The songs shimmer with a kind of energy not seen since Slow Train Coming. It kicks off quite insidiously with “Political World” a fun, romping protest update that is anything but positive. “Ring Them Bells” is a great spiritual song where the words themselves weave together poetically. “Most Of The Time” is a beautifully written song about crumbling self-denial. The whole album is sonically delicious and is layered quite intricately; definitely check it out.

“When The Ship Comes In”:
Released on 1963’s The Times They Are A-Changin’, this song was written in frustration of a refused entry into a hotel, yet it is became so much more. This is one of the great Dylan anthems and deserves so much more attention than it is given. It’s moving and empowering and refuses to quit.

“Corrina, Corrina,” and “Honey, Just Allow Me One More Chance”:
Both based on “traditional” songs, Dylan took the originals really made them all his own. Both taken off of The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, this one-two punch couplet is very complimentary to each other. Both are songs of longing, “Corrina, Corrina” is quiet and sad while “Honey, Just Allow Me One More Chance” is an energetic stomp of hopeful desperation. Two underrated gems on one of Dylan’s most famous albums, really take a second listen to these two.

The Bootleg Series Volume 1:
Were most of these songs really rejects from Dylan’s first three albums and if so damn, anyone would beg to have b-sides this fucking good. “Hard Times In New York Town,” “Let Me Die In My Footsteps,” “Rambling Gambling Willie,” “Quit Your Low Down Ways,” “Walkin’ Down The Line,” “Talkin’ John Birch Paranoid Blues,” and of course “Who Killed Davey Moore?” are all amazing songs that could easily be an album unto itself. These are b-sides? Really?

“If You Gotta Go, Go Now (Or Else You Got To Stay All Night) (Live 1964 Version)”:
The electric version was released as a b-side in Europe during the release of Highway 61 Revisited, but it’s the version played at the famous Halloween show in 1964 (released as The Bootleg Series Vol. 6, Live 1964) that I really dig. Sort of a relief between “Gates of Eden” and “It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding),” this is a hilarious and clever song about hooking up; it ain’t just a modern phenomenon.

“Cocaine (Live At The Gaslight Café)”:
I talked about this before as an Mp3 of the Week and I still think it’s a beautifully fragile rendition of a crazy state to be in.

“Baby, Let Me Follow You Down” and “One Two Many Mornings” (Live 1966):
In the historic “Albert Hall” concert of 1966 (Released as The Bootleg Series, Vol. 4) Bob Dylan only played three pre-electric songs and these two songs are reworked quite beautifully, one more dramatically than the other. “Baby, Let Me Follow You Down” is certifiably blues and rocks fast and furious. “One Two Many Mornings” was one of the only none political songs off of The Times They Are A-Changin’ and here is transformed into a booming, slow burner with an equally cool reworked chorus. Both demonstrated Dylan’s dedication to pissing off the old guard, but how could you argue with such majesty?

“I Threw It All Away”:
Released off of the magnificent country album Nashville Skyline, this is one sad country song. I play it at my shows often and it’s because anyone can so terribly relate to this message of love we often let go of foolishly. The croon used on this entire album is used most effectively here and will have you welling up guaranteed.

Dylan Playing The Piano:
Nowadays he often plays piano more than guitar, but earlier in his career he used the piano in quite interesting and bizarre ways. Never played live ever, “Black Crow Blues (off of Another Side of Bob Dylan" is light and springy and sounds like it could be played in a saloon. “Day of The Locusts” off of New Morning takes on a gospel, organ-laden lilt about being at a university. “If Dogs Run Free” and “Father of Night” off of New Morning are funny, strange jazz numbers that really entangle the dynamic between vocals and piano. “When He Returns” is the closer to Slow Train Coming, Dylan’s first Christian album in 1979 (And a fantastic one at that). This song focuses solely on a lone piano and Dylan’s more affected vocals. The passion is immense and makes for a very moving experience. Messy and only a shadow of what it was to become, “Like A Rolling Stone” was first written on the piano. This demo (On The Bootleg Series, Vol. 3) carries a waltz-like quality and is fascinating for no reason other than the fact that it’s played so whimsically at first. Even he had no idea what it would turn into. Dylan rarely released himself playing piano during the majority of his career (until New Morning), but even at the beginning he could see its endless possibilities.

“Shelter From The Storm”:
One of my favorite Dylan songs out of his entire catalogue, this number from 1975’s classic Blood On The Tracks is certainly one of my favorites. I feel safe and at home when I listen to this, nothing that real life could guarantee. This song will never let me down.

So again to reiterate, this selection was mostly meant for me to tell you all some of my favorite Dylan moments, songs and albums that aren’t necessarily being played in every college dorm room. Some might contest me on this, but really, just take a listen and you’ll discover something cool and maybe new from the greatest songwriter of the last century.

Link:
BobDylan.com

There Will Be Blood Will Swallow You Whole (2007)

Simply put, Paul Thomas Anderson’s new film There Will Be Blood is a masterpiece. Not in a personal favorite sense or a critically acclaimed sense (even though it is), There Will Be Blood transcends all immediate accolades and is a film that will still be known when filmmaking is as old as painting.

Based loosely on Upton Sinclair’s novel Oil! the film follows the path of Daniel Plainview (in a beyond perfect performance by Daniel Day-Lewis) on his quest for total domination of life itself. He has a son H.W. (played by Dillon Fraiser) who is merely a tool for Daniel to gain people’s good graces. Daniel constantly clashes with a young self-proclaimed prophet Eli Sunday (in a jaw-dropping performance by Paul Dano). These are the most important characters, but don’t get me wrong, every small part is pivotal in shaping the three main characters’ goals, feelings and movements.

There has never been a film as brutally absorbing as this one. I feel equally spent and revitalized while watching and Johnny Greenwood’s score follows the very terrible essence of our hearts.

I find it frightening that I want to be just like Daniel Plainview. He has so much power over all those around them and why shouldn’t he? “These people,” he proclaims, are just fools, ripe for the picking. If these people get some water and shelter what does it matter if he gets something out of it too? And that’s where There Will Be Blood’s truth reveals itself.

In this interesting character study and somewhat allegorical tirade on organized religion and capitalism we see so many terrible qualities that aren’t brought about by larger unseen forces, but the very tools we all operate on. It’s like Apocalypse Now on acid, a surreal and terrifying look at what makes us human. It’s an extreme vision we might not like, but we all secretly want.



Links:
There Will Be Blood on IMDB

Rambling Nicholas Heron: Here In Dreamland (2007)

I was really excited for this release. Mailed quick by the lovely folks at Valiant Death Records, Rambling Nicholas Heron’s new record Here In Dreamland arrived in my mailbox just before Christmas. And what a lovely gift this album is. Rambling Nicholas Heron and his band hail from Sweden and make confident, smart and tender music. I feel like he could be an old friend of mine and whenever I listen I get flashes of my time spent in mainland Europe. Not the museums or the big cities, but the rolling green hills with snow-capped mountains in the back with embedded castles are what I imagine while listening to this amazing folk-pop album.

“Pillow Book” immediately struck me and is somewhat unlike my previous signifiers. Driven by a samba-esque rhythm this song takes an attitude like “Like A Rolling Stone,” only appears more subversive. Lines like, “Since that morning I’ve been yearning to live/In that moment forever/Julie and sleepy/In truth that’s the way that I am/Only you wouldn’t know/And never have guessed it,” fall back and forth deceptively from biting to beautiful.

“As If I Didn’t Know It” is a song that is right on the edge of falling apart. The vocals are almost above their range, a pan flute sounds half broken and the beat is almost just a bit off, but it fits the theme of the song very well. Rambling Nicholas recalls very relatable experiences of when we choose ignorance because we just do. “I turned to writing on my walls/Pretending I was a master poet/William Blake I wasn’t/But I acted as if I didn’t know it/As if I didn’t know it,” are probably my favorite lines on the record and really capture one aspect of Rambling Nicholas Heron very well. So does the song fall apart in the end? Yes, but in a bed of laughter and a bit of call and response that’ll make you smile.

This album is chock full of great instrumentals, but the two intermezzos “Passing Time” and “Precious Things” are sublime bits of old-timey European comfort.

Being in the midst of my Carpenters obsession, hearing “Only Yesterday” on Here In Dreamland was a wonderful surprise. I spoke with him on the difficulties of singing their songs (Karen’s voice is something to behold) and Rambling Nicholas manages to pull it off well...Much better than I can that’s for sure.

“Born to Sleep in the Sun” is the sound of pure ukulele bliss and that’s all there is to it.

Here In Dreamland ebbs and flows quite wonderfully and when I listen to it I became more serene during those fifteen tracks. It might be because of Rambling Nicholas Heron’s soothing vocals or the abundance of instrumentals or the confidence in the lyrics; either way Here In Dreamland is a pleasant, warm and rewarding experience many many times over.

Mp3:
Rambling Nicholas Heron-“As If I Didn’t Know It”

Links:
Rambling Nicholas Heron on myspace
Order the album from Valiant Death Records

Tinyfolk: Little Mice And Other Things That Go Skitter Skitter (2007)

Released in early 2007, Tinyfolk’s Little Mice And Other Things That Go Skitter Skitter is an album caught in transition. Containing qualities of his earlier twee pop glee with the grander production and themes of his more recent releases, Little Mice And Other Things That Go Skitter Skitter has a striking intimacy brought to fore so beautifully due to it’s presentation.

Let me just tell you now, the first four songs are flawless. Starting off things familiar and joyful, “Love Is A Thing,” lulls you in with its adorable chorus and delicate verses (When its played live they are usually improvised!).

A cover of The Field Mice’s “Emma’s House” really shatters me and if you had only heard early-Tinyfolk up to this point, this song will change everything. Its melancholy (the accordion extenuates this mood well) and when I listen to it I remember everything I’ve ever lost in my life.

“To Answer Your Question, Yes,” is probably Russ’s most personal song ever written (or at least self-aware/self-referential). I think everyone at 001Collective can relate to this song if not every artist out there.

“Trees” is brilliant in every way conceivable. About a man named Harold, “Who’s lonely and he doesn’t know why,” This song is the precursor for many Tinyfolk songs about melancholy characters trying to escape from their socially constructed surroundings. And In some ways I feel like this song is the prequel to Paul Simon’s “You Can Call Me Al (Which Tinyfolk covered funnily enough).” The song is broken up into several parts including a haunting whistle-sounding breakdown and then a slow shower of piano keys with the baritone ukulele remaining as a constant. Its more than just sad, but we so desperately want things to get better for Harold that we would do anything for him (in some ways we all are Harold).

Little Mice And Other Things That Go Skitter Skitter is a rewarding album in many ways and although the second half lacks some cohesion, not many artists could pull of the “transition stage album” as gracefully as Tinyfolk does.

Mp3:
Tinyfolk-"Trees"

Links:
tinyfolk.com
Tinyfolk on myspace
Pop Monster Collective
Little Mice And Other Things That Go Skitter Skitter on 001Collective
My Pizza Under The Sea EP review
My Bill review