Sigur Ros: Saeglopur

Sigur Ros fits nicely into any day, and any of their epics convey as much emotion as any great symphonic movement. Their music is nearly ubiquitous and proves that great art can convey a specific sentiment despite a lack of shared language . . . that's power. Unless you speak Icelandic.

Saeglopur is off their 2005 album Takk and encompasses all of the enigmatic and beautiful aspects that exemplify the sound that sets them so far apart and into their own musical stratosphere. The lofty resonance of this song shows their quality of meaningful emotional conveyance at its most visceral. It achieves the creation of an atmosphere almost changing your setting if you allow it. That's just how Sigur Ros rolls.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time for Listen

PH: During a run when it starts to rain.

PS: Sitting in the shade of the pier watching surfers and sailboarders.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Sir Winston Churchill - I mean, can't you just here this song scoring his famous speech to the embattled British:

"... we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender."

Saeglópur - Sigur Ros

Shangrala: Time

It takes some heavy mettle to name your band Shangrala, but the ambitious sound of their album This Is How We Communicate stands up. Ok, maybe not quintessential, idyllic beauty or auditory bliss at every turn, but it's certainly not afraid to try. Shangrala takes natural extensions of math rock sensibility pulling from the intertwining architecture of bands like Sunny Day Real Estate and Minus the Bear and saturates them with big, anthemic sounds and hooks in the mold of U2 and The Cure.

"Time" is not all that representative of the heavier sound that effectively incorporates the stop - start and quiet - loud dynamic throughout the rest of the album. Nevertheless, it shows the great flexibility that Shangrala can muster at will. It's an acoustic track that efficaciously displays the songwriting depth and range that this band has: an ability to appeal to everyone from the most discerning, sub-genre critics to the kids that want something to raise their arm about at local live music venues.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time for Listen:

A spacious, but cozy porch with a handful of your closest friends. One of those gatherings where countless hours go by and you don't notice.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Natalie Portman, but at the Beautiful Girls stage.

Visit Shangrala at one of their Web homes http://www.theshanggang.com/ or myspace.com/shangrala to find out about merchandise, get show dates and find out more about their upcoming new album.

11 Time.wma - Shangrala

Luna: Ride Into the Sun

If ever there were a Sunday morning cover, it's Luna's stab at the Velvet Underground's "Ride Into the Sun." While Luna took much of their sound from Lou Reed and company, this cover is simply divine. So cooly paced, it's nearly quiescent. And hell, it's a beautiful Sunday morning, so we should just proceed to the breakdown.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time for Listen:

A quiet, verdant spot that has an unimpeded view of the sky.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

The most even keeled NBA player of them all, double zero, The Chief, Robert Parish.

I'm just sayin'. And I think I'm liking Sunday to be set aside exclusively for covers.

Ride Into The Sun (EP Version) - Luna

Amadou & Mariam: Sabali

This band's makeup is almost as interesting as their music . . . almost. Amadou & Mariam are a blind, African husband and wife duo that has made music together for nearly 30 years to fan and critical claim alike. Sabali is a sort of anomaly for them, but a song that produced multiple visceral reactions: moving, confusing and fantastic. It was one of those experiences where I didn't exactly know what to make of it, but only that I needed to listen to it again.

I'm not exactly sure what the message of Sabali off the album Welcome to Mali, but it's sound produces true wonderment and excitement about cross-cultural implications when interesting music is the prevailing mogality. This song alone was produced by Damon Alburn of Blur and Gorillaz fame.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time for Listen:

Anywhere with a good pair of headphones.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Don Cheadle - The I can be funny, socially conscience, dramatic and whatever you want me to be Don Cheadle. You want Boogie Nights, sure, you want Hotel Rwanda, I can bring it, you want Oceans Thirteen, no, nobody wanted that.

Sabali - Amadou & Mariam

SUNBEARS!: Little Baby Pines

The sun is back out and how suitable that the SUNBEARS! are scoring the day with the convivial sounding Little Baby Pines. I could easily hear this monster synth hook being saturated in myriad movie trailers, commercials, etc. And that's because it is so damn infectious.

SUNBEARS! achieve an incredibly full and impressively layered sound, showing the evolution of what 2 piece bands could be. At it's most stripped down, Little Baby Pines possesses the earnest, introspective songwriting sensibility of a Death Cab for Cutie song. At it's sound apex, it could easily fit into the big soundscape wonders on The Flaming Lips album, The Soft Bulletin.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time for Listen:

You can feel confident cranking Little Baby Pines at your next house party. That's right, people still have house parties. This song has so much cross section appeal that you'll have everyone taking their musical cues from you, finally upstaging the guy that DJs at that sh*tty club once a week and plays the same twenty-year old music over and over.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Kate Winslet from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Just like this song, jubilant on the surface, but possibly possessing some neurotic inclinations with the repeated refrain of "And it's more than I can take."

A New Category: Word Association with My Cohort

These are the idioms that my office neighbor produced upon hearing Little Baby Pines:

• technocandy
• a rainbow of fruit-flavored sound
• shiny first-day-of-school shoes
• going headfirst down a waterslide
• ghostly but not creepy

Check out SUNBEARS! on their website for further information and to see their current tour dates with Mates of State.

Little Baby Pines - SUNBEARS!

The Magnetic Fields - I Don't Believe in the Sun

Nope, with our continued deluge of rain and gray skies, I would have to agree with The Magnetic Fields and their disbelief in the sun. Stephin Merritt is as prolific a songwriter as there has ever been, possibly the Irving Berlin of our time, but unfortunately not as widely known or celebrated. Built on a simple arrangement, I Don't Believe in the Sun conveys the loss of a loved one (relationship gone bad or death, you be the judge) to no longer believing in the great ball of fire and gas in the sky. Well, the analogies flow forth about this person and the sun, I'm guessing because of the illumination that the both brought to the now sad singer's life.

So, Stephin Merritt's pain, our gain. Croon your sorrow Stephin!

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time for Listen:

Anywhere in a contemplative state, but would be uber fashionable while sitting in something retro modern.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

An introspective Philip Seymour Hoffman or PSH or the Hoff.

Self-inflicted mullygrubs await. And don't believe the hype, how could the sun possibly shine down on everyone?

I Dont Believe In The Sun - The Magnetic Fields

When Tides Collide: Some Speak Softer

If ever there was a track made for gazing through the window at an overcast, raindrop filled panorama, it's "Some Speak Softer" by When Tides Collide. The song is off their EP Welcome Home and may be the most accessible track off the album. The EP ranges from minimalist soundscape to lushly arranged songs written with a true appreciation for terraced dynamics. The only nagging aspect about the entire effort, would be the vocals that sometimes come across as an afterthought and can be vaporous in spots.

"Some Speak Softer" shows Tide's ability to arrange with the best in the genre without smothering. Guitar and keyboard effectively cavort throughout the track providing a somewhat cheerful refrain from the near ascetic vocals. The lofty arrangement and ability begs the vocals, although the doubled vocals work well, for the same confidence shown in arrangement, musicianship and songwriting. When Tides Collide have the chops and promise to deliver Sufjan Stevens profundity, Owen introspection and Arcade Fire arrangement.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time for Listen:

Prafessa Hotsawze: Right where I am. In my low lit office looking at the rain.

Pink Streaker: Doing yoga on the beach if I was brave enough to do yoga on the beach.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Tim Robbins as Andy Dufresne in The Shawshank Redemption.

This song is more endearing with each lesson and I suggest that you purchase a copy for yourself at the When Tides Collide website.

Some Speak Softer - When Tides Collide