In the summer rain

My good friend Matt Stokes has a good write up on Sufjan Stevens' album "Illinoise." Click the link and go read about it.

I do agree that Stevens had one of the (if not THE) best album of the year. At each listen I find something new and fresh. This album certainly deserves top honors of '05

Other albums that fall into the category of best of '05 are as follows. (sorry for repeating myself)

Sigur Ros - "Takk"
Mew - "And the glass handed kites"
My Morning Jacket - "Z"
Norma Jean - "O' God the Aftermath" (yes really!)
Discover America - "Psychology"
The White Stripes - "Get Behind Me Satan"

Ok so let me touch on two of these records. First Norma Jean. Their music, however chaotic, is perfectly planned. Not only is it a beautiful mess, but the recording and production on the record is flawless. Their new vocalist, Corey, was an amazing addition to the band coming from his former band Eso Charis. The vocals a perfect and his raw singing is unmatched in hard music today. And the drumming on this record is beyond great. It's unpredictable, timed perfectly, and is appropriate to every bit of music on the record.

Second, The White Stripes released "Get Behind me Satan." I have never been a white stripes fan. I've never been a skeptic, but I really feel that their first two records were too easy to put together and Jack White's potential as a songwriter was wasted on short, silly, choppy songs. This new record, however, show White at his songwriting best. The songs are extremely unique, well though, well put-together and just more fun to listen to than any of their earlier stuff. So don't think I'm jumping on the White Stripes bandwagon with this one, because, trust me...I've never liked them before and it takes a mighty good record to make me like someone I haven't previously liked.

Well it's been a crazy '06 so far. Hopefully some fun stuff will come up that I can praise, make fun of, or just report in general.