What We’re Listening To: February Edition

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27 February 2008, 2:10 pm No Comments

Music: What We’re Listening To: February Edition

Well, I’d hoped to make this a weekly feature. Sadly, I’ve been too busy with work, being sick and other life-like things to keep at it. So, monthly it is. Here’s our February installment of “What We’re Listening To”, featuring Alice Smith, Tab Benoit, Alamo Race Track and Vampire Weekend.

Alice Smith’s — For Lovers, Dreamers & Me

I’ve been listening to her song “Dream” for a few months, and it’s appeared in episodes of “Entourage” and “The L Word.” Smith has a rich voice and the whole album is soulful, sexy, beautiful, and bluesy. It’s an album that I can listen to straight through in its entirety — not something I often do. -Amy

Tab Benoit — Sea Saint Sessions

Named after the famous New Orleans recording studio, Tab Benoit’s 3rd album is my favorite. The music has an appealing “live” quality, and his brand of cajun R&B swings from soulful and poigniant to hard rockin’ and fun. The entire album is worth downloading, but my favorite track is the intense “Darkness.” If you like this one, you will probably like the entire album. -Ben

Alamo Race Track — Black Cat John Brown
I got this album via eMusic shortly after hearing the title track on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic. I gave it a few listens and then put it aside, not really grabbed by it. For some reason, though, about two weeks ago I put it back on and now I can’t stop. Supposedly a video of the title track is widely popular on YouTube, though the album version is vastly better. Their music is hard to describe: at times Beatles-esque, at times folksy. Most of their songs start off with standard instrumentation, but then a chorus will introduce something different, like synth strings, an electronic fuzz box, a cascade of melodic piano, etc. Other stand-out tracks include “Kiss Me Club”, “Northern Territory” and “Stanley vs. Hannah”. Great hooks, great harmonies, great album. -Michael

Vampire Weekend — Vampire Weekend

The *other* blogs I kill time on wouldn’t shut up about this album, so I check it out and its actually pretty good. Beyond the “oh wow” factor that a bunch of recent Columbia grads can sound use the West African drum sound to sound like Graceland-era Paul Simon, songs like “Oxford Comma” are just pretty darn good. -Zack

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smergio said:

vampire weekend. i dont care about they hype. loves it.

27 February 2008 at 5:03 pm

adam isn't here said: