New Buffalo, Stay With Us

Just trying to catch up on some music while working, and on comes New Buffalo’s Stay With Us.  Great mellow song.

Cajun Dance Party, Colourful Life

Just surfing Stereogum the other day, saw that their ‘Heavy Rotation’ included Cajun Dance Party. Intrigued, I picked up a copy.

I’m not sure I agree with the sentiment- while I did hear influences, it was that of early Robert Smith, and the Arctic Monkeys. I’m amazed they are only teenagers- their sound seems almost fully-formed, and I would like to continue hearing what they release- but I wouldn’t term it ‘particularly impressive‘.

Good, not great.

The Jayhawks, Hollywood Town Hall and Tomorrow the Green Grass

Jayhawks.
I’m not sure why some people sleep on this- it seems there was a time when everything George Drakakoulis (I’m sure I just butchered his name) produced sounded great. Two bands that immediately come to mind are the Jayhawks and Black Crowes… and I’m sure I’m missing out on a ton of other stuff he touched.
Back to the Jayhawks- while they didn’t put the ‘twang’ in No Depression music, I think you should include at least two of their albums (Tomorrow the Green Grass and Hollywood Town Hall) in any alt-country-rock Top 10 all time albums list. I’m not sure who or what else would make that list- Ryan Adams solo/band, Wilco/Son Volt/Uncle Tupelo, Gram Parsons & Emmylou Harris, Grateful Dead’s Workingman’s Dead & American Beauty, Lucinda’s Car Wheels, Neko Case’s Blacklisted? Just some things off the top of my head, and I would also probably include the Gram Parsons tribute from a few years ago- that album didn’t get enough credit for great songs being rediscovered by great artists.

Jayhawks, sorry. Back to you.
At its core, the best Jayhawks albums boiled down to Gary Louris and Mark Olson each writing different types of songs, then coming together to sing wonderful melodies and harmonies over them. Gary is always noted as being the more ‘rock’, while Mark written as the more ‘country/folk’ one.
There aren’t enough harmonies in rock- the Black Crowes recently lamented this on a taped special for Warpaint- and I agree.
I find it difficult to separate Hollywood and Tomorrow, both are stocked with great songs from beginning to end- most people remember either Waiting for the Sun or Blue, but each song is worth hearing.
Once Mark left the band, the Jayhawks weren’t the same- the Sound of Lies is a good album, but it just wasn’t the same. (the closest the Jayhawks came after that was their alternate version of Tampa to Tulsa, from the 2nd cd of Rainy Day Music).
I was fortunate enough to see Gary and Mark on their recent ‘reunion’ tour- those voices never sounded better together.

Heatmiser, Mic City Sons

I was never too interested in listening to “Elliott Smith’s band before he was Elliott Smith” (with all apologies to those hailing from Quasi and No. 2). One day, I came across the album, and decided to finally give a listen.
On first listen, good stuff- not a full classic-type album, but definitely worth adding & rating to your collection. If I had to choose a way to listen/learn/love Elliott, here’s how I would proceed:

• XO (the casual fan can stop here- if you don’t love this album, don’t bother continuing- something is wrong with you)
• Good Will Hunting soundtrack or Figure 8 (GWH helps to summarize his early work, while Figure 8 was good in showing Elliott’s love of the Beatles, imo)
• Mic City Sons, Recent 2cd of unfinished work
• self titled
• Etcetera (not to say his other work is weak, it just doesn’t resonate for me as much)