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

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"