Tumescence

Hello friends,

Thomas Bailey, Alicia Peterson, many of our friends, and myself are all in preproduction for TUMESCENCE, a film that will be independently produced by Hand Sown Films.

Please support by following our websites:

http://www.nomagichere.tumblr.com

http://www.twitter.com/tumescencefilm

and please make a small pledge at

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tumescence/tumescence

Please spread the word!!! Thanks!

#1- Dntel- Life is Full of Possibilities

2001

This album was very important in my impressionable teen years. While I was bent on exclusively listening to music with two guitars, a bass, and drums, LiFoP called to me from a different direction. The digital down tempo album was scattered and calming. Built on subtle drones, soft glitches, and guest singers, Jimmy Tamborello created one of the most intimate albums I have ever heard.

The album opens with a quiet and distorted voice over rain, giving a sense of tranquil disassociation. Building with a simple organ and a digital shuffle of a snare and kick, the song blossoms into a 21st century glitchy LA nights anthem.

"Anywhere Anyone" is the next track, sung by Los Angeles' very own Mia Doi Todd. Her voice is classic and soothing and pairs perfectly with the slow tempo of the song. The simple lyrics seem to hit home with anybody that has ever been in a failing relationship, "How can you love me if you don't love yourself? How can I love you if I don't love myself?" Simple as they are, they speak volumes coming out of her mouth over Tamborello's music.

The next few songs are very subtle and almost vacant even. "Suddenly is Sooner Than You Think" was the song that first proved to me that a good song did not have to have a cluttered pop song structure. A slow few whimsical bass notes hold together scattered train sounds, distant voices, and samples reminiscent of sirens. Meridith Figurine's soft-spoken narrating vocals are more like intimate pillow-whispers than a sung song. The song moves into a swell of distortion that sounds like an ocean, glitches of soft boops and beeps, and a calming mechanical beat as Meredith continues to whisper her melody. This song is what taught me "Less is More."

The single off the album is one of the greatest songs ever. "(This is) The Dream of Evan and Chan" features the vocals of Death Cab For Cutie's Ben Gibbard. Generally, I don't like Death Cab, however, on "Evan and Chan", Gibbard's vocals and nostalgic lyrics strike a chord in my heart when laid next to Tamborello's soft static and samples. The song resonated so well in the indie music community that not only did numerous remixes surface, a top Billboard band did as well. Gibbard and Tamborello decided to further collaborate and created The Postal Service.

I obsessed over this album in high school and in college. I started emailing Tamborello as a weird 14 year old fan would, but surprisingly, he would respond. This developed a loyalty to a musician that I had never really experienced before. One of my teenage musical heroes was making good music AND was willing to discuss it with me. When I studied in France, his new album wasn't selling in France, so he mailed it and stuffed the envelope with stickers and a burned CD that had a weird b-side. I even asked him for advice when I had my little heart broken once (which sort of sucked because his advice was just about as hopeful as his music...). I even ran into him a couple of times at LA Dublab events. He makes great music and is a REAL person living on the Eastside.

I could really geek out over this album for a week, but I'll save myself the humiliation. Most of you have probably come across this album before. It might take a patient listen, but give it a shot. Put the album on when you are getting ready for bed- better yet- fall asleep to it. Drive in the rain to it. Cuddle to it. Whatever you choose, make this album yours somehow. It's truly sentimental, intimate, and groundbreaking. This album is the most important to me in my formative years because it steered my musical tastes into a whole new direction.

#2- The Good Life- Album of the Year

2004

Tim Kasher is awesome. I knew that he would make it onto this list either in Cursive or The Good Life. Though I am a bigger Cursive fan, I felt that Album of the Year was his masterpiece. AotY is one of the best concept albums I've ever heard. It's a simple yet very relatable concept.

The album spans over the time of a year in a relationship, rise and fall of, with each of the twelve songs standing for a month of the year. Beginning in April, the protagonist (Kasher probs) meets his girl, who happens to be a bartender. The story progresses as the two fall into a comfortable and codependent relationship until suspicions of adultery arise ("Notes in His Pocket"). The girl confronts him and asks "Are you cheating on me?" at the end of "October Leaves". Kasher defends himself in "Lovers need Lawyers". She gets fed up and leaves him declaring that she "won't be [his] prisoner" ("Inmates"). The story wraps up in the aftermath of the relationship after she has found "A New Friend" and moved on, while Kasher is probably still boozing at home.

The album has folk influences and rings out that Saddle Creek sound. This can be credited to being produced by Saddle Creek Records' heavy-hitting producer, Mike Mogis. The songs blend perfectly into the next as far as theme and sound goes. A nice ensemble of acoustic guitars, mandolins, and percussive instruments hints at an appalachian folk album early on, but then stirs into dreamy accordion waltz numbers like "Night and Day". Some songs develop a wily and cluttered sound (not bad at all) and then blend back into quiet more moody numbers. "You're Not You" taps into a feeling we've all felt before. The song deals with the harsh realization that a loved one changes over time to suit his or her company. The sweet cadence and soft strummed guitars really pave the road for the point to get across here.

"Inmates" is one of the most epic songs I have ever heard in my life.The song is around 9 minutes long and somehow manages to never get boring. With female guest singer Jiha Lee taking the vocal helm, the song expresses the girlfriend's frustrations and boiling point when deciding to leave Kasher. Starting with just a softly picked acoustic guitar, the song develops into a duet with soft-spoken Lee and harsh-sounding Kasher over an ensemble of instruments. The end of the song reaches an incredibly cathartic climax of violins, guitars, drums, mandolins, and vocalists (including Jenny Lewis) crying out "I won't be your prisoner". This song has had the hairs on my neck on point for years now.

While many Saddle Creek records have been a big part of my younger years, AotY is the best piece of work to come out of Omaha. Listen to it from start to finish. Truly an inspiring album musically and lyrically.

#3- M83- Before the Dawn Heals Us

2005

I remember when I would spend the money I saved on a CD and obsess over it. Even in college, I would buy a CD and listen to it from start to finish several times. It would be the only thing I would listen to. I wanted to know an album inside and out. These days are dying. The album as a medium is on its last breath. EPs are released more frequently. People download songs at ease. I'll even buy a song on my phone when I'm driving. It's now considered "old-fashioned" to buy an album as a whole and digest the 12 songs.

Before the Dawn Heals Us is one of the best albums ever. Each song perfectly evolves into the next. Using influence from various 1980s-1990s rock and roll genres, Anthony Gonzalez created a dynamic set of songs that stand stronger together then they do alone (though, I think each track is great enough on its own). M83 is best described as an electronic shoegaze/dream-pop band. They take ambient noise and repetitive thrash elements from shoegazing greats like My Bloody Valentine, dream-pop textures from the likes of Brian Eno, melodramatic brooding catches from 1980's bands, and electronic glitch samples reminiscent of Squarepusher to create the unique and epic M83 sound.

BtDHU opens with "Moonchild", made of epic synths and Andrewlloydweberesque drums pounding over a whimsical female story teller and progresses into an emotional swell of guitars, drums, static, choruses, and sustained distortion. Songs that follow such as "Don't Save Us From the Flames" and "Teen Angst" are catchy melodramatic songs that provide the perfect balance of feel good relief and heart-pumping anxiety. The duet "Farewell/Goodbye" tells the story of a lover passing away and extending care from the afterlife. Even before I knew what the lyrics were about, the song was bittersweet and painful. I think this is the only album that I felt nostalgic about on my first listen (i dont think that's possible, being that nostalgia technically tugs at memory...).

The album wraps up with a song that perfectly expresses the M83 sentiment. "Lower Your Eyelids to Die With the Sun" is quite the finale. It even has the ability to make a skate video seem deeper than oceans.

I feel like this album tells a story. Not in words... but in sheer gut feeling. There are parts where you feel hopeful, angered, in love, heartbroken, anxious, etc. This album is epic and bittersweet with a timelessness that will leave you wanting more for years to come. Late night car drives, cigarettes, le metro in Paris, or in the iPod earbuds when stargazing... I've associated many of my most vibrant and personal memories with this album because it demands a nostalgic bond. Just last month, my copy of the cd was scratched in my car. Sad moment.

If you are brave/stupid enough, put your guard down and take this album for a Teen Angst test drive.

#4- Radiohead- In Rainbows

2007

First of all, I know many radioheads will give me flak for not choosing Kid A. So, in Kid A's honor, this first paragraph is an iceberg tip of a hat. Kid A is an incredible album. It perfectly ushered in the new decade of internet and digital dependence. It was still rock and roll, but it was built on what the internet and binary would produce. I felt like it was melodic rock and roll that my new cable internet would sound like if it made great music. Kid A had a perfect blend of songs that brought out a distinct Radiohead feel. I personally refer to this feeling as the "holy shit" sentiment: "holy shit, how did someone write that song? holy shit, why do I feel like this?" Songs like "Everything in it's Right Place" or "Idioteque" utilized the strange glitch sounds to create layered new millennium hits. The title track is still to this very day, one of the most overwhelming songs I've heard. It's not cluttered or hectic, but it's just... complete. It was difficult not to choose Kid A, but I had my reasons.

In Rainbows was the straw that broke the physical format's back. After finishing up their record contract with EMI, Radiohead took things into their own hands. In the fall of 2007, Radiohead released 10 songs on their website available for download for any price the consumer desired. I paid two pounds. Once a band like Radiohead made an audacious move against the dying record companies, the label and cd were deemed irrelevant. DIY was the new big break.

In Rainbows took over two years to make. Since Radiohead didn't have the pressure of a record label or deadlines behind them, there wasn't a sense of urgency. Between tours and years since a prior release (and Yorke's solo album), Yorke and company felt a bit tired. However, their genius held up, tried and true. The album had a perfect mix of Radiohead songs. Distorted guitar rock and roll songs like "Bodysnatchers", sampled 5/4 glitch beats in "15 Step", and an ethereal heaven in "Nude" (this song still gets my blood pumpin). "Weird Fishes" is an anxious song that truly puts the listener in a submerged and impatient state. It gives you the desperate tremble that one would have when snorkeling in an unfriendly current. Next time you go to a car wash where you drive your car through the line of soapy flaps, put this song on loudly and think of fish. (Nerd much?) After a few more perfect songs, the album wraps up with a bareboned and vulnerably mortal "Videotape".

To further explain why I chose IR over KA, I need to be straight with you. I am a relatively fresh Radiohead fan. In the early 2000's I consciously resisted drinking the Yorke juice as a passive aggressive protest against my younger sister who had been a 'head for a long while. Regrettably, I missed a lot of the Kid A culture while it was happening (but better late than never, right?!). In Rainbows, however, was delivered when my mind was rich and hungry for anything Radiohead. More importantly, I fell in love with Scotch_mist and the radiohead.tv shorts. Radiohead had a series of homemade music videos, performances, poems, and shorts available for fans. They became an interactive band. It felt like Radiohead had transcended from musicians, into simply Radiohead.

I know I sound like any other Radioheadaholic, geekin out here and all, but seriously...

Holy Shit.

A Christmas EP

Here are a handful of Christmas songs brought to you by Sundays.

JC Del Barco II

Sebastian Pardo

Michael Burrows

Jared Parsons

Jenni Westbrook

Track listing:

1) I didn't know what to buy my sister for christmas so i wrote her this song (It's Christmas Time)

2) Baby, It's Cold Outside

3) Rudolph

BONUS TRACKS JUST ADDED:
4) Baby, It's Cold Outside (SBP Alternate Vocals)
5) Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (By Jared Parsons)

SUPER BONUS TRACK:

6) O, Mac n' Cheese

Download for free and share the holiday cheer. Merry Christmas.

More to follow...

#5- Sigur Rós- ( )

2002

For any of you that know me, I've got a strong knack for Icelandic music, film, and art. This album alone was the snowball that created the avalanche. While the prior album, Ágætis byrjun and touring with Radiohead put Sigur Rós on the map, I feel that the parenthesis album was their best (*Note that even if Ágætis byrjun was released this decade, I would have still chosen parenthesis).

This album solidified the distinct Sigur Rós sound of Jónsi Þór Birgisson's haunting falcetto over his reverb-heavy guitar being strummed by an old cello bow. One thing that I think is inconsistent with ( ) from Sigur Rós' other albums is tempo. This album has a really slow bpm. A simple 2/2 beat can seem much longer. While some may say that it is simply "boring", I fell in love with ( ) for this reason exactly. There is time to absorb, dwell, and digest each sound. While the album is far from cluttered, Sigur Rós manages to paint landscapes of sentiments in their notes and kicks.

The album consists of two halves, four untitled songs each. The halves are separated by 36 seconds of silence (maybe two segments of "18 sekúndur fyrir sólarupprás" for any of you diehards out there?). The former are not necessarily happy songs, but they have a soothing and hopeful sound. The latter are melancholy and gloomy. The two halves perfectly juxtapose each other, like two parenthesis. ( ) is also sung in a made up language referred to as "Vonlenska", or "Hopelandic". Built on very few sylables (You si lo no fi lo you so), the gibberish still seems to communicate sentiments and even stories at times. Personally, I think this was key in their international success; they made something transcendent of tongue.

Untitled #8 is the most distinct song on the album. While at first a feelgood pretty song with a catchy guitar riff leads the listener thinking that there is optimistic redemption at the end of the second half of the album, the song takes a dark turn. Past the six minute mark, the song shatters into a hopeless requiem of agressive drums unique from the rest of the album, distorted guitars and bass, and a howling Jónsi. Hopeless and exhilarating.

A live recording of Untitled #4 was also debuted in Cameron Crowe's 2001 release, Vanilla Sky. This was what first wet my feet into the Sigur Rós world. Also, this film captivated me and established what was to be an undying love for Penelope Cruz, Sigur Rós, and dvd menus (if you're anything like me, fall asleep to this one and wake up romantically disillusioned). The rest of the decade would see Sigur Rós' music all over film and television. They became an international phenomenon built on a sound that is completely original.

Sigur Rós was my gateway drug into many other great Icelandic artists. This album was a big part of high school for me. Also, I always wanted to get the sleepwalker image from the back of the album tattooed on me but stupid Ryan Schumaker got it done last year and I hate him. Sleepyface will have to do.

#6- Elliott Smith- Figure 8

2000

I have one framed photo on my living room wall. Though small and colorless against the wall, the black and white matted portrait of Elliott Smith fills the space adequately.

Figure 8 was the last album that was released during his lifetime. It opens with a powerful punch, "Son of Sam" is a rock and roll tune with some great olde bar piany pounding the keys. By the end of the song, a listener has to wonder if he can follow up that song with the rest of the album. He does. Every song on this album is perfect. Smith made a perfect cocktail out of folky acoustic guitars, blues-grunge hybrid electric guitars, ragtime piano, and classical string arrangements. Figure 8 sounds like a divine blend made of every American rock and roll influence in the past century, country to grunge. The blues guitar on "Can't Make a Sound" just rips my heart out every time I hear it (which is often). Though his voice is soft and often nothing more than a melodic whimper, the vocal layers and harmonies create a distinct Smith sound that will sing to the back of the room and into the deepest well of your gut and heart.

His music was somberly perfect.

It's truly tragic that Smith has passed away. Having battled with years of depression, alcoholism, and a severe addiction to heroin, Smith embodied everything any solid person would never hope to be. While touring around 2000, Smith's performances were tragic at best. Audiences would often have to help him remember words, as the ungroomed and sickly Smith would space out on stage. While working on the next album, co-producer Jon Brion, confronted Smith about his addiction which resulted in an end to their brilliant friendship (seriously, two of my musical heroes here. Sad I missed this one).

2002 was a better year for smith. He began to get clean and started making music again. This light after a storm was short lived.

"Elliott Smith died on October 21, 2003, at age 34 from two stab wounds to the chest. According to girlfriend Jennifer Chiba—with whom he was living at the time—the two were arguing, and she locked herself in the bathroom to take a shower. Chiba heard him scream, and upon opening the door, saw Smith standing with a knife in his chest. She pulled the knife out, after which he collapsed and she called 9-1-1. Smith died in the hospital with the time of death listed as 1:36 p.m. While Smith's death was originally reported as a suicide, the official autopsy report released in December 2003 left open the question of possible homicide. A possible suicide note, written on a Post-it read, 'I'm so sorry—love, Elliott. God forgive me.'" (Taken from the wiki)

Smith was a hero for the angst-ridden and stifled spirits many have faced in youth. His music was brilliant and potent. Elliott Smith made the saddest music I've ever heard... and I love him for it.

Rest in Peace.

(If it means anything to you, share something you cherish/remember/etc about Elliott Smith and his music on comments. Thanks!)