Last Orders

I was introduced to Jon Allen as I was riding home after a long day of work. My buddy told me he had found a great song ("Last Orders") from a guy named Jon Allen, that I had to hear. There are very few songs that have the ability to not necessarily make time stop, but rather, take you outside of it. Though it does feel like it stops, instead of it disappearing... you become quite conscious of time in general, sitting outside of yourself on a warm perch, gazing down at either what once was, what is, or what may come... lost in introspection; a daydream of sorts. As soon as the track started playing... everything dimmed around me and quieted, except for a soft glow that seemed to start to stretch... longing for something. For what exactly, I'm not completely certain. It may have been the rest, the quietness the song brought, or maybe the simplicity and carelessness the past always seems to harbor and horde. It could've been the simple longing to love and be loved in return. 

Whatever the case, I really like how this guy sang with such honesty. He lets the song breathe, taking his time before singing the first words through a scotch coated voice. Though he follows a pretty standard folk progression, he throws in quite a few curveballs which'll make you smile. You can buy his new sophomore album Sweet Defeat on iTunes. The lyrics almost risk being cliché, but I think his childish honesty seem to be the saving grace. You see, as grown-ups we tend to think too seriously about things and overcomplicate life. This whole song is him simply saying 'i love you, forever' in as many ways as he can think. Remember when we were kids? Thats how we loved people. Our imaginations would exaggerate life to shadow what was in our hearts. Galaxies wouldn't be fit to house our love. Nor would our love multiplied by a billion be enough. So we'd make up numbers and even multiply them by multiple infinities. Colors seemed more rich and more vibrant back then. Summers lasted ages. Its not till we started to learn of heartache, to become guarded, to set up walls, to look both ways before crossing the street, that we started losing our wonder, started aging and becoming busy, serious, closed and "protected". Life started losing its glow. This is one reason I absolutely love music. It keeps the wonder alive. Gives life that glow. 

Make sure the first time you listen to this song is at night.

This song made me stop. Made me smile... and long for that which is timeless.

I hope it does the same for you. 

-Frey

  Last Orders by Jon Allen

Frosted Window Panes...

First off, major props to my brother Joel for the amazing job he's done on the covers for these albums! 

This next volume in our Christmas series is a collection mostly of originals along with a couple covers. When it comes to Christmas music, I'm not the biggest fan of originals (mainly because most are weak and don't come near the classics). However, over the past few years, some artists have been releasing and putting together some really great stuff. As timeless as the classics are, it is nice having some new songs. And even better... how great is it discovering new music? I hope these songs will keep you company this Christmas as you're baking cookies, hanging stockings, reminiscing through  'days of yore', and while creating new memories with friends and family. 

So, in the spirit of entering into new seasons, new chapters, new beginnings...

Happy Holidays...

-Frey

1.   The Christmas Waltz She & Him

2.   Christmas Don't Be Late Catwalk

3.   Christmas Isn't Christmas The Boy Least Likely To

4.   I Wish It Was Christmas Today Julian Casablancas

5.   Last Christmas Jimmy Eat World

6.   Silver Bells Bright Eyes

7.   In This Home On Ice Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

8.   Sleigh Ride The Late Greats

9.   Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home) Slow Club

10. We Wish You A Merry Christmas Weezer

11.  Got Something For You Best Coast & Waves

12.  Frosty The Snowman Banjo or Freakout

13.  Get Down For the Holidays Jenny O.

14.  Christmas Tree Bewitched Hands

15.  Lo, How A Rose E're Blooming Feist

16.  The Christmas Song Owl City

17.  Christmas In The Room Sufjan Stevens

18.  Snow Sleeping At Last

19.  Mary And Joseph Dave Barnes

20. We Come Back Local Natives

21.  Blue Christmas First Aid Kit

22.  It's Christmas So We'll Stop Frightened Rabbit

23.  God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen Bright Eyes

24.  Maybe Next Christmas Matthew Mayfield

25.  Christmas Lights Coldplay

26.  The First Song Band of Horses

27.  White Winter Hymnal Fleet Foxes

28.  Silent Night Meaghan Smith

29.  O Come O Come Emmanuel The Civil Wars

30. Angels We Have Heard On High Omaha Collective

31.  It's Christmas, I Love You Daniel Ellsworth with Alva Leigh

32.  My Dear Acquaintance (A Happy New Year) Regina Spektor

|DOWNLOAD| (.zip)

[PS. This album is a bit bigger than the last... so you might want to have a fresh cup of hot chocolate or a pumpkin spice latte handy when downloading.]

Annabel Lee

The first time I heard their song "Hardly There" it quieted everything in me... much like when you were a kid and your mom tucked you into bed and told you everything was going to be okay. Not just your body, but your soul would relax. Passing the burdens onto shoulders much stronger than yours. The business of your day.. week.. all the deadlines and worries just dissipate as soon as she starts singing.  The melancholic chords from their guitars, soothing voices, and the perfectly blended harmonies (very reminiscent of the ones from back in the 50's... at the dinners shows that had a full big band, everyone was dressed up, cigarettes in hand, women adorned with sparkly dresses, and a dance floor surrounded by tables with white-linen cloth, candle light and penguin waiters) all act as a big warm quilt.

Annabel Lee (Website // Bandcamp // Facebook // ReverbNation) is folk-trio (from Seattle) made up of sisters Caroline & Katrina and friend Lena (who the met while attending Cornish College of the Arts). They're in final stages of the recording process and will soon release their debut (12 track) album. Here's a preview:

-Frey

All We Grow

I've been listening to this album almost non-stop since one of my buddies [David Andrew.. who also is an author/co-founder of this blog/musical genius] sent it my way a couple weeks back... and thank God he did. I can't believe it took as long as it did to get into my hands [it was released in Aug last year]. Most of us know Sean as the drummer and supporting vocalist from Bon Iver. This is his first solo venture and isn't your typical "album" - a couple great songs and a bunch of useless ones. Every song is dripping of brilliance. His voice possesses the power to quiet and still any storm that might be raging in you. You can hear that each song has been carefully crafted and that his blood, sweat, & tears coat each note, each layer of instrumentation, and have been woven into each harmony. Oh the harmonies... this is probably one of my favorite elements of this album. Its a lot like getting into a nice warm bath after a long and hard day... you slowly sink in and slide down, letting the water cover you from head to toe and swallow you whole. His melody and harmonies don't follow the norm of what we hear every day on the radio, but at the same time they aren't so 'out there' that they lose their relevancy. They are so smooth... so warm... seem so familiar, but at the same time are quite unfamiliar and create dissonance. Its the same kind of paradoxical familiarity that bewitches us when we first meet certain kinds of people. It doesn't happen often, but when it does... time seems to blur, your heart pounds, stomach drops... and even though you've just met her... she feels so familiar, so comfortable... like home. 

So... do yourself a favor and get this album right away [click here]... then make yourself a cup of coffee, put on an old sweater, find a rainy day, and press play. 


-Frey


   "Move"

  "In the Stream"

   "All We Grow"

Aphrodite

Local Natives | Who Knows Who Cares | A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.


My brother just sent me the latest Take-Away-Show from La Blogotheque, shot in Paris... and it was of the band I introduced you to earlier... The Local Natives. These guys are picking up a lot of momentum. They sound phenomenal live. Everything around you just stops as their harmonies hit you. Its like that one person who makes your heart pound and stomach drop... you see them heading towards you down the hall, and as soon as you do, everything goes into slow motion and becomes hazy. You can hardly breathe and your heart starts to burn and pounds so hard it feels like its going to burst through your chest. They casually walk by (as though being kin to Aphrodite were no big deal) leaving a trail of intoxicating perfume... which lingers and haunts... leaving you dizzy... yearning for more. This is exactly what The Local Natives do to you with their music.

-Frey