Friday, May 13, 2005

The Lovers' Album of the Week


Headphones Headphones

David Bazan is one Christian artist that you won't be seeing on the CCM Awards any time soon. His band Pedro the Lion has always dealt with sensitive subject matter that would scare off the typical Christian music listener. Which is a shame because Bazan is one of the more interesting Christian artists out there (Sufjan Stevens notwithstanding, of course). His new side project, Headphones, will no doubt disturb the same conservative critics with its foul language, particularly the song "The S**t Talker" (hey, that's how iTunes spells it). I understand from a more liberal point of view this is no big deal. I only mention it because while Bazan may not win Christian of the Year, he is a deeply spiritual man who is not afraid to show his faults. And with the Headphones' sound being that of cheap keyboards and synthesizers (as oppose to the typical Pedro the Lion guitar rock), Bazan's confessions are really allowed to be the focus. Actually the Headphones sound is not their sound at all. Let me be blunt. David Bazan has been listening to a lot of Magnetic Fields. Really, it must be the only thing loaded on his iPod these days. Particularly Charm of the Highway Strip-era Magnetic Fields. I haven't heard such a blatant rip-off/homage of Stephin Merritt since the last time Jens Lekman stepped into a studio (Look at me! I just made an indie rock joke!). Okay, I know this is starting to sound rather negative and you might be asking yourself why this is even my album of the week, but stick with me here. What's so amazing about the Headphones new album is that despite a "borrowed" sound, the music appears fresh because the songs are so structurally strong. I would guess that these songs were all constructed the same way any Pedro the Lion song would have been only then recorded with different instruments (It should be noted that PTL drummer T.W. Walsh makes up the other half of the Headphones). From all my past albums of the week selections, the Headphones' album has gotten the most car play and I think that is because the songs are just so easy to get into and claim your own. Expect multiple plays from "Pink and Brown," "Major Cities," "Hot Girls," and "Natural Disaster". So if imitation really is the greatest form of flattery well than Bazan is all out of butter. Still, the result is what counts and I have another album to consider for my Top Albums of the Year list (and for the record, Jens Lekman can sure make a meaningful imitation too!)

Thursday, May 12, 2005

The Music Lovers playlist for 5/12/05

1. This Is Such A Pity - Weezer from Make Believe 2. Love In A Trashcan - The Raveonettes from Pretty In Black 3. Spit It Out - Brendan Benson from The Alternative To Love 4. Sister Jack - Spoon from Gimmie Fiction 5. Entertain - Sleater-Kinney from The Woods 6. Today - The Ponys from Celebration Castle 7. Dance Music - The Mountain Goats from The Sunset Tree 8. Try To Make It - Sloan from A Sides Win: Singles 1992-2005 9. Hurtin' 4 Certain - The Russian Futurists from Our Thickness 10. We Should Have Never Lived Like We Were Skycrapers - Chin Up Chin Up from We Should Have Never Lived Like We Were Skycrapers 11. I Want To Live In A Dream (Remix) - Clearlake from Wonder If The Snow Will Settle EP 12. Fool's Life - Dr. Dog from Easy Beat 13. Exact Copy Of This In The Basement - Single Frame from Body/End\Basement 14. Everybody Sings - Supersystem from Always Never Again 15. Make Love - Daft Punk from Human After All 16. In, Flux - DJ Shadow from In Tune And On Time 17. My Friend Dario - Vitalic from OK Cowboy 18. Bad Feelings - The Robot Ate Me from Carousel Waltz 19. Come on! Feel the Illinoise! - Sufjan Stevens from Illinois 20. An Animated Description of Mr. Maps - The Books from Lost and Found 21. Broken Drum (Remix) - Boards of Canada (Beck) from Guero (Deluxe) 22. I Have Forgiven Jesus - Morrissey from Live from Earls Court 23. Relax - Scout Niblett from Kidnapped By Neptune 24. Barcelona - Will Oldham from The Isota Records Singles Club: A Short Tale of Beauty/Madness/Greed 25. The Shift Change Splits the Streets - Kevin Devine from The Shift Change Splits the Streets 26. Sharks - Picastro from Metal Cares 27. The Well - Smog from A River Ain't Too Much To Love 28. Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me - Low from Live In Brussels

Tuesday, May 10, 2005

Upcoming Guests on the Lovers

In the upcoming weeks, the Music Lovers will be having some very special guests stopping by the WEVL Studios to chat it up and perform a few songs.


Andrew Bryant is scheduled to make an apperance on the Lovers on May 19th. You can check out a free mp3 from his excellent new album The Story Never Told here.


Andrew Bird is also scheduled to appear on The Lovers on June 2nd. His latest album The Mysterious Production of Eggs is a magnificent achievement that will sure to top many critics Best of 2005 lists. You can check out the single "A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left" here.

Check back for further updates.