It was the year that I began my constant search for music. I am always on the prowl, but this year especially, my tastes have adapted and changed more ever. I began 2006 with Bright Eyes, Broken Social Scene, Stars, Sufjan Stevens, Cursive, Damien Rice and now I have a whole new taste, or flavor thereof.

I find I am enjoying instrumentals much more than earlier in the year. Things like Ratatat, The Album Leaf, Explosions in the Sky, Architecture in Helsinki, have found their way onto my iPod. I still enjoy much of what I began the year with, but it seems these new artists simply have added themselves to an ever growing list.

As the year closes, so many of us tend to reflect on the past year. I have been no different. As I reflect, I have been reading and hearing so much about Artist of the Year and Album of the Year. However, many of the buzz artists surrounding Album of the Year talk are nowhere in my top musicians of 2006.

Cat Power, for example, nowhere. I enjoy her, but I have had a great trouble listening to her for very long. Maybe somewhere around # 65 or 70.

The Holdsteady, nowhere on my list. I don’t believe I listened to their album all the way through.

Joanna Newsome, nowhere. I will admit after essentially having it forced into my ears, I am beginning to enjoy it more, but she is not one of my artists of the year. I actually, think Newsome has made better music before this. Maybe around # 30 or 32.

All in all, these indie-popular artists are somehow eluding me, I don’t know if it was my hiatus of 6 months or not, but I simply don’t enjoy these artists as much as so many others.

So I am listening to NPR’s All Songs Considered - Best of 2006. Listeners voted M. Ward as the #1 of the year, and I realize I have never listened to M. Ward. Not one song. Nada. I check my iPod; 30 some songs. Uh oh.

I then realized I couldn’t have the audacity to make such a list. So what can I do? I’ll give you this: the music I enjoyed most from the music I found and listened to*.

*I missed a lot. It’s not comprehensive.

Hip-hopness:
Lady Sovereign

Indieness:
Thom Yorke
Regina Spektor
Of Montreal
The Album Leaf
Imogen Heap
Sia
Sufjan Stevens
TV on the Radio
Bishop Allen
Decemberists
Andrew Bird

Liveness:
Fiest and Bright Eyes

Regretfulness:
Missing Of Montreal and Broken Social Scene live

Overall newness:
Fionn Regan (“Put a penny in the slot”)

Surprises:
The Early November
I expected it to be borderline terrible, but I actually really enjoyed their three disk album.

I keep hearing talk about the old timers getting things together, people to the likes of Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Beck (is 36 really that old?), Tom Petty and others, but I must just automatically ignore such music because I had no idea these old timers hadn’t bought the farm just yet. I admit Bob Dylan’s album wasn’t bad. It was, in fact, the only from much of this old timer talk I had heard and enjoyed.

Oldtimieness:
Bob Dylan

This is real easy. I have stuff, I want to give it to you. 5 chances to win free music.

I have diggles:

• The Clock Work Army - A Catalyst for Change EP
• The Antiques - Nicknames and Natives
• Memphis - A little place in the wilderness
• The Curtains - Calamity
• Rafter - 10 songs
• a rotten (and stolen) cafeteria apple (JAY KAY, JAY KAY)

How to get this stuff:
Post in the comments, one song that should be included in the Winter Mix 2006. You may enter up to 5 times. One for each album. There will be 5 winners, one for each album - they will be chosen randomly. Don't forget to include an e-mail address, or something, so I know who you is.


PS. if anybody who is in a band or works for a label, etc. wants go give more stuff to pass on to my readers, it is the season for giving. Hit me up guys/gals.

PPS. holla-holla to GuilCo fools.

I'm sitting here watching the Screech sex tape. I have no idea why, but it just seemed like a good idea, until about 3 minutes ago. One of my flatmates knocked on my door wanting to know why I'm watching Saved by the Bell and porn simultaneously. I guess Screech's voice never changed... too bad. That was a tough one to explain which didn't get any better by explaining that it is really a porn featuring the lovable guy, all while Screech accepts the two girls' offer to place a candy cock ring around.... anyway, it wasn't easy to explain even to this macho-porn-loving fellow.

Word on the street has it that you might be able to download it here and here. That is, if you want to see such things. (beware)

Anyway, so Screech keeps talking about "the Beast" (his wittle bittie penis) and making corny jokes about vaginas, etc. The jokes are so bad I can't believe the hos haven't left yet, even though I am sure they were well paid. Even hos can respect a sense of humor. I don't mean to spoil the ending, but I will say this... one ho leaves after Screech gives a dirty sanchez to Nasty ho #1 following an intensive inspection of her nasty ho ass. Yeah. So, enough about Screech and his nasty hos.

In other news, I laughed hysterically for about 7 minutes after reading that in West Point, Mississippi (or Missouri, I never figured out which state Miss. is) there exists a trend to throw large animals at people. Several animals, including a 60 pound pig, have been tossed around the West Point area. (Read more here.) It is completely ridiculous, ignorant and well... funny. I looked for a good flying pig photo to add here, but just couldn't find one to convey what the hell I'm talking about.

Now up until now, this post has been entirely unproductive in music relativity. You see, there is something else here, something more important. I mentioned the other day that I have been working pretty hard on something, but what? Well, I have some vague news on this subject. No details, but many bloggers have been discussing a little contest going on with Asthmatic Kitty Records. Something about camcorders, chickens and a Rafter. Sorry I don't have details, but um, they are a little on the confidential side.

Okay, enough bullshit - I have fallen prey to Asthmatic Kitty's uber-capitalist plot to market astoundingly interesting music to the masses. Some enjoy Rafter; others don't understand. A friend asked me what was the inspiration for the music was and then answered himself by saying he thought it likely involved acid, a la c.1960's America. Its hard music to get, but if you do get it, the stuff is amazing. I find myself wanting something as each song goes along. I have the same sensation as my salivating tongue over a tasty treat, but Rafter always gives my ears what they want right as I realize its what they desire. Its like Rafter is a beautiful Reece's Cup, or well, whatever your Reece's Cup might be.

So I guess your wondering, "What song didja pick Jim Bob?"

This one: Hope.mp3


And the video is going to basically rock the wax out your ears foo'... if I can just get my thoughts out and into the film. I will keep you all updated, with photos from the set, etc. etc. and as soon as the video is ready, or even close, I will post it here first. As soon as I get some of this into the computer, edited a little, I will go through the basics of the film, and it will be a film. We don't play no games, bish.

Also...
I will post my Winter Mix 2006 before Sunday. I have already worked on it! Just to tease you, it has 23 songs and features Owen, Memphis, Feist, Dana Falconberry... and some others you can't handle just yet. So get your ass ready.

Rafter - Hope
Rafter - Monsters
Rafter - Encouragement
Rafter - Gentle Men

I am about to go to rehearsal for something that - at this point - is a secret to the entire world. Yes, I am making something. What do you ask? Oh, nothing...


I really wanted to make a post today, I have been in such a good mood. Classes ended today, so tomorrow I should be able to make a more well thought out post. Basically, here are some songs I like, and stuff.

Jack Penate
[mp3] Second, Minute and Hour
[mp3] Torn on the Platform
[mp3] Spit at Stars

The Meeting Places
[mp3] Hall of Fame
[mp3] Until It's Gone

Matt and Kim
[mp3] Yea Yeah
[mp3] No More Long Years

Takako Minekawa
[mp3] Fantastic Cat

This Friday night Guilford College will be putting on a holiday benefit concert for local children featuring a couple pretty outstanding Americana get-ups. I was raised in a family who thought "country music" was the only kinda music you ought listen to. I guess somewhere deep inside of me, I still know country isn't half bad. I plan to attend, get some photos maybe, and certainly enjoy a couple of my favorite instruments, the mandolin and the steel lap guitar, with Little Country Giants and The Everybodyfields.

(UPDATE: I didn't make it, I decided to study for exams instead! Are you proud? Hmm. Well, you should be...)


Little Country Giants hail from my favorite city, Athens, and include an upright bass, mandolin, guitar, a couple guys and a couple girls, making down home music. Now on their third album titled Sing Pretty for the People, Little Country Giants have their set perfected and I can't wait to see them as they play alongside The Everybodyfields. It sounds like folk music of the 70's played a pretty big role at some point in these musicians lives and the folkieness of that time comes through at unexpected moments.

The Everybodyfields seem to have a more classic country sound about them; Sam Quinn's voice distinctly reminds me of some country artist I listened to with my family years ago, but I just cannot place it. Quinn, however, is not the only voice popping up here, much of their sound is created by a harmonizing threesome, in the styling of traditional Appalachian music makers. The steel guitar in the tracks I've heard provides a backbone from which the voices are supported, standing strong and proud, like any Americana artist should.

Both artists are on tour as of recent weeks. Little Country Giants only have a few more stops, 3 more in North Carolina. The Everybodyfields still have quite a few events on their calender, however they stretch far into 2007, with weeks without a show. Keep an eye on these artists, you can expect to hear much more from them.


Little Country Giants
MySpace
[mp3] Gone for Awhile
[mp3] Something to be Proud Of
[mp3] Breaking Hearts and Living Free

The Everybodyfields
MySpace
[mp3] T.V.A.
[mp3] His Pontiac

As some of you may have noticed, CollectiveMusic took a long hiatus during 2006. We worked from around January into April but didn't write again until about October. I was thinking about how I missed so much of the year, many of the "Album of the Year" contestants I see floating around, I don't know. I feel I should share what was stopping me from writing between April and October.

Firstly, I began studying in school. Oops, that was a lie. I was taking about 47 classes, (sorry Laura) but that wasn't really what was stopping me. I was working on my photography, I began to take it seriously for the first time. As many of you might know, classes also end for summer around that time, as well. With the free time I began to work on my photography, studying a lot more with it, and also I was working to get some financial aid for the next (this) year. I was transferring to a private school (Guilford College!), but my "college fund" had only enough for about two years at this new and much more expensive school. Unless I wanted to only go for 2 years, I was going to have to devise a plan for getting some financial aid. Those forms, essays, etc. were killing me, I had little time left between that and my photography studies.

So there I was, in the heat of summer, with my camera shooting pictures of anything that didn't shoot back. I should also say I got lazy around this time as well, no way to suger coat it. Lying on the couch in the air conditioning, "working" on the computer, I should have been writing. But I wasn't. I had other things in mind, like how to pay for school this year, etc.

Along with such thoughts come business ventures, ideas on ways to capitalize from bored elderly women and from things like those little pieces of soap, too small to wash anything. I couldn't come up with anything to do besides "let" old people make miniature soap sculptures, so I decided I would give music publicity and promotion a go.

Bad move. I knew a lot about media, I did work at some pretty important places even before I became an infamous blogger; such as my high school, etc. I figured I knew enough. It worked alright, did a little work with some people, nobody you know, but some people. Sent a few mass e-mails until many bloggers began threatening to burn my house and never really earned any coverage for anyone. Maybe I should have let them burn the house, then the reporters would have had their story. Either way, that didn't work out so well. I made enough to pay for college this year from it and nothing more.

One would assume, that if you are working to do publicity for musicians, you would for sure be in the loop. One would think I'd know as well, if not better, than fellow bloggers what was hot, what was not, and what was real hot. Nope. Somehow, being on the other side of the fence blocked all signs of true talent (that damned fancy publicist/press fence), I found myself listening to stuff like Jack Johnson and Dave Matthews - not that there is anything fundamentally wrong with either of those artists, but who doesn't know these guys?

I was supposed to be the one who knew what was coming out in Paste Magazine before Paste Magazine knew. Instead, my friends were reading Paste and telling me about what I should be listening to. I then remembered why I started blogging in the first place - I love to share music with my friends. I love to tell someone about "this awesome new band, you have to listen to" and then weeks later hear them listening to it, having forgotten it was me who showed them the way.

I felt I owed some sort of an explanation to each of you reading this (and even a little more to the blog writer world) if I were to be trusted ever again. Be sure, I am not capitalistically motivated in any way by anyone, other than maybe Google AdSense, because I gotta earn my $.11 each day, how else is a brotha to eat?

Also...
Because of my six-month hiatus, I will not be putting together any sort of "Best of 06" type stories, because frankly, I've only heard what the first quarter and the second quarter of the year offered us all. I am sorry if you were looking forward to such a story. I will, however, be posting my Favorite album of the Year and Favorite Artist of the Year sometime this week.

I'll make a more interesting and well thought out post later today. I just felt the need to share this song, I don't know why, but I love it.



Check out the Nea by Lelo at Tickle.

As winter rolls around, it seems to me, love becomes more alive, or the lack thereof becomes ever more apparent with the days. Maybe it is just me, or maybe my senses are sharper in the crisp winter air. Either way, I always find the cold makes me feel like love has been watered down and frozen in the ice. That is a pretty depressing image, but the stark winters can cause quite emotional swings.

In these sort of situations, I have always turned to music as a way of realizing the world is bigger; that I am but a small part of the universe playing a minute role in the scope of a broad existence, no matter how seemingly devastated I am at the time. There is always so much more to life: so much beauty, emotion, and even a little love.
This is a complilation of songs I have listened to and realized how they could really help to warm my soul if something were to happen to cause me to feel bitter and cold. I'd slide the song over to a playlist in iTunes, and hope for the better, knowing I had something to fall back on if things didn't go as planned. I hope you will do the same - make a playlist and just hope you don't need it. The songs are individually beautiful themselves, almost so much to realize there is still hope - everyday.

You may no longer download each track individually, please use the link at the bottom, in a cute little folder. I stopped paying the server bill.

1. Pitter Patter Goes My Heart [mp3] - Broken Social Scene
I always like to start a mix off with an instrumental, like a warm up exercise for the ears. This song evokes great emotion, to help you realize where you are and what is going on, which is really the first step in moving on.

2. My oh My [mp4] - David Gray
A song about being "cold as stone" and not feeling pain unless it is very deeply driven might suffice. Its about not understanding, about being confused, but gradually realizing the world will warm up again. The voice of David Gray is chilly but the words he speaks are somewhat inspiring. He is like a close friend, there to help you through.

3. Breathe Me [mp3] - Sia
I really included this one because when I am in a relationship, I feel this way the entire time. I want to be absorbed by the person I am with, to become one. Even if I am going through a cold, deep valley knowing at the top of the next peak there is someone waiting for me to wrap them up, to keep them warm, to need me, to want me; I have the drive to continue climbing.

4. I'll Do Whatever You Want [mp3] - Memphis
This was the latest track I added to the list and part of me wanted to take it off. The song is a little too upbeat, but I thought that while the last tracks had been slow, I thought the content would drive home. Love sicken, we all would likely be willing to do anything someone asked us to just make things okay and make the skies blue again. Now, I am glad I didn't take it out. "Tell me something true..."

5. Paper Sailboats [mp3] - Dana Falconberry
Likely the "sappiest" song on the mix, Dana Falconberry's voice could almost bring a tear to my eye on the warmest day; her voice captures my heart.

6. Am I Not Yours? [mp3] - Cursive
Jealousy takes us over. No matter our strength, it does.

7. Life is all about taking things in and putting things out [mp4] - Telefon Tel Aviv
I take a little break here, letting your mind relax. Letting your eyes close and your heart open for the world is really expressing nothing but compassion for you. Okay, so really they might not be, but lets assume here, work with me.

8. Karma Police [mp3] - Radiohead
One of my all time favorite Radiohead tracks. This song has been important at so many different points of my life. There is nothing I can say about it that hasn't already been said.

9. Delicate [mp3] - Damien Rice
Damien Rice is a master of emotion. He leads the heart through a roller coaster of emotion with the support of beautiful strings. "We might live like never before/theres nothing to give/so how can we ask for more?"

10. When I sleep [mp3] - The Changes
Another pretty upbeat song, but this one has a much different message. This is the song you listen to when she/he's done you wrong, and it doesn't even matter any more.

11. Samson [mp3] - Regina Spektor
A beautiful song about reflection which I believe is based on the heroic Samson of the Hebrew Tanach, who had Herculean strength. (read more about Samson)

12. Lonesome Tears [mp4] - Beck
I had originally ended the mixtape with this song, but I felt Imogen Heap's song made for a much better ending. This epic Beck classic demonstrates his amazing ability to use music to complement verse, where many fail to do so.
12. Let Go [mp3] - Imogen Heap
I felt like this beautiful song made for a beautiful ending. We sometimes do have to let go. It is really the last step. Imogen Heap's emotive voice delivers her message well.

I hope these songs help you all as much as they have helped me. Do any of you have songs you would like to add? If you do, I will be more than happy to add as many as you suggest. We are welcoming around here.

Labels: Mixtape

I plan to post a play list sometime soon, likely over this weekend. I only have about 7 tracks together so far, but it is really a compilation of what I have recently posted about. Artists who I am sure to include are Memphis, My Brightest Diamond, Architecture in Helsinki, Explosions in the Sky, Sufjan Stevens, Bishop Allen.