The Lovers' Album of the Week

Eluvium Talk Amongst the Trees

I got a new pair of headphones today. In my line of work, headphones get banged around a lot. This is my third pair in a year's time. I only mention this because now that I have the new set I can truly appreciate the beauty that Matthew Cooper has created with his latest release "Talk Amongst the Trees". For his third album, Cooper (or Eluvium, if you prefer) steps away from the piano this time (as heard on the 2004 "Accidental Memory in the Case of Death") and returns to using Enoesque drones to construct landscapes of cinematic proportions. The ten minute opener "New Animals from the Air" sets the tone for the rest of the album with its repetitive build up of an array of sounds (if you want another reference point other than the apparent Eno, think Sigur Ros or even an ambient version of Godspeed You Black Emperor! without all those explosive outbursts) that never seem to really peak but rather gently float like an astronaut taking in the scenery after being accidently ejected into space. Of course, if you take a listen you'll come up with a completely different visual. And that's what is so great about "Talk Amongst the Trees". It is open for interpretation. Just make sure you got a good pair of cans to really take it all in.

The Music Lovers playlist for 3/03/05

1. Suspect Device - Ted Leo + Pharmacists from Sharkbite Sessions 2. Pair Back Up Mass With - The Howling Hex from All-Night Fox 3. Tribulations - LCD Soundsystem from LCD Soundsystem 4. Papillon - Radar Bros. from Fallen Leaf Pages 5. So Begins Our Alabee - Of Montreal from The Sunlandic Twins 6. Some Cities - Doves from Some Cities 7. Your Ex-Lover Is Dead - Stars from Set Yourself On Fire 8. Dance With Me - Compute from Dance With Me EP 9. The Night I Lost My Head - Maximo Park from Apply Some Pressure 10. The Adjustor - The Octopus Project from One Ten Hundred Thousand Million 11. In All the Wrong Places - Ulrich Schnauss from A Strangely Isolated Place 12. Paris Hilton - Mu from Out of Breach 13. God Answers Back - Clem Snide from End of Love 14. At the Hop - Devendra Banhart from Nino Rojo 15. Grandma Airplane - Black Lipstick from Sincerely, Black Lipstick 16. Fake Palindromes - Andrew Bird from The Mysterious Production of Eggs 17. Into the Dark - Ben Lee from Awake Is the New Sleep 18. When the Party Ends - Saturday Looks Good To Me from Every Night 19. This Time It Will - Jeff Hanson from Jeff Hanson 20. One Life Away - M. Ward from Transistor Radio 21. BAD CARTRIDGE (E-Pro)(Remix) - Beck from Hell Yes - EP 22. Homeless Club Kids (Phofo Remix #2) - My Favorite from Hell Yes - EP 23. 84 Brightness - The Metric Mile from How to Beat the SAT 24. It's Gonna Be a Long Walk - Apparat from Silizium 25. BaBa - Bunky from Born To Be A Motorcycle 26. Sfearion - Emperor X from Central Hug/Friendarmy/Fractaldunes [And The Dreams That Resulted] 27. New Animals from the Air - Eluvium from Talk Amongst the Trees 28. It Hasn't Happened Yet (live) - William Shatner from It Hasn't Happened Yet (live) - Single

The Lovers' Album of the Week

M. Ward Transistor Radio

The latest release from M. Ward doesn't shy too far away from his 2003 album "Transfiguration of Vincent," but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I first became a fan of M. Ward after hearing his song "Vincent O'Brien." "Vincent" is one of those tunes that is so instantly catchy that you feel sorry for everyone who hasn't heard it and envy of all those who will soon stumble across it. So, of course, I was thrilled to find out that the rest of the songs on "Transfiguration of Vincent" were just as impressing. Ward likes to follow a certain structure with his records: nostalgic, folky songs that are spaced between lo-fi ditties, soothing instrumentals and unexpected covers. This is true for "Transfiguration," and it is also true for "Radio." If anything, "Transistor Radio" is even catchier (though in a quieter fashion) than "Transfiguration" or even his 2001 release "End of Amnesia." Songs such as "Sweethearts on Parade," "Hi-Fi," and "Paul" rank among his best. Another joy about this record is the list of guests including Jim James from My Morning Jacket, Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley, and Howe Gelb from Giant Sand, who incidentally was one of Ward's earliest fans after hearing the self-released "Duet for Guitars #2" (worth searching for). If you aren't convinced, check out the album stream on Merge Records.