I am gonna make it through this year if it kills me.

Albums of the year /making twenty-oh-nine palatable

Brother's Blood, by Kevin Devine

Poetic literary aural perfection. Looking for communion.

"A flaming ferris wheel spun where the sun used to be"

"All those foxhole prayers full of fear you shared with a bored and distant sun"

"You're burnt sky, the fever moon that makes the sun jealous at night"

"The hungover sun sneaks back in the sky"

"Stubborn sun spites the hallways, paint chips blink yellow, white"

"Every morning the sun comes - to shuttle you back to your man"

[those were just the sun lyrics, see: "the entire album"]

From Sumi to Japan, by Brian Bonz & The Dot Hongs

Ambient wonder. Makes me happy. Growing up.
"The pattern of dependence has got me down"
"And you're pushing three decades with that bottle now"

Mean Everything to Nothing, by Manchester Orchestra

Emotional. Spiritual. Whilst entirely rock and roll.
I may or may not have listened to The River my entire 13 hour trip back from Lollapalooza.
"I guess it's true you never knew the passive power of the truth so cut me loose"
"So I prayed for what I thought were angels, ended up being ambulances"
"I'm gonna leave you the first chance I get"

Curse Your Branches, by David Bazan

Just gorgeous. Questions, theology, faith.
"And it's hard to be, hard to be a decent human being"
"Causing the doubt to begin to spread like original sin"

The Hazards of Love, by The Decemberists

Mutton chops and suspenders.
I think the songs work on their own but it was nice to see the entire album performed as well.
"And the wanting comes in waves"
"And I'd wager all, for the hazards of love"
"Tell me now, tell me this, a forest's son, a river's daughter/So let's be married here today, these rushing waves to bear our witness/And these hazards of love, nevermore will trouble us"

The Life of the World to Come, by The Mountain Goats

Thematically sound. Retrospective. Love my nasal singers.
"I used to live here"
"In the burning fuselage of my days"

When The Devil's Loose, by A A Bondy

Haunting. Ocean. Harmonicas.
"This is the light that shines, and I can see the pines are dancing, this is the leaving of another love..."
"And when I come, I will come on like a dream, with the crimson moon shining down upon my devil's ring"


Just released, and/or just started listening:

Height, by John Nolan

"Well I'm a born disciple, but I'm inherently suspicious"
"I keep trying to think of clever ways to say: that I don't believe you. But nothing comes to mind so I'll just make it plain: I don't believe you."

Daisy, by Brand New

It's a trip so far.

Interesting how we compare: I've never heard #3 and #7 but otherwise similar (and wasn't sure what year Mini Ts came out and forgot about Koufax since I didn't see them live- but they are lovely and Czech!)

commander-in-chief