Jim James - Regions of light and sound of God

I have written previously about music that triggers emotions or memories (in this post about Trip Hop), but I find myself revisiting this theme again as I ponder why I love Jim James' voice so much.

For those who aren't familiar with Jim James by name he is a songwriter and lead singer for the band My Morning Jacket. The library had recently acquired his solo album Regions of Light and Sound of God, an album which revisits a sound similar to My Morning Jacket's earlier albums. It is calm and methodical, focusing mainly on vocalization rather than intricate instrumentation. In my opinion, this album is more akin to the classic rock contemporaries like Eric Clapton and Van Morrison than to My Morning Jacket's dynamic sound, although Jim James' influence is clear in both.

Brother, sister, author, musician

Since I'm always on the lookout for a book-related post to put up here (what can I say, working at the library, books are always part of my hidden agenda), I was delighted to discover a new book and music connection: did you know that Colin Meloy of The Decemberists has a sister, Maile Meloy (pronounced like Miley Cyrus's name), who writes literary fiction? (For that matter, as you can see if you search our catalog for his name, he's written some books of his own.)

If You Like The Shins, Try...

Remember that scene in Garden State, where Natalie Portman's character promises Zack Braff's that if he listens to a song, it'll change his life? That song was "New Slang" by The Shins, and although I wouldn't say listening to the Shins changed my life, it certainly has brightened it. I love the contrast of their dark lyrics and catchy, upbeat pop music. And I was so sad to miss their recent sold-out concert at the Rialto! So, to console myself, I've been listening to a lot of stuff that sounds like vintage Shins.

For bands with physical CDs in the library for you to check out, I highlighted their names in bold. For bands with tracks available on Freegal (three free downloads a week, with your library card!), I italicized them. Some are available both ways!

First up: Broken Bells. This is really the perfect band to get into if you like the Shins, because guess what...they share a singer. It's his side project with Danger Mouse (also known as half of Gnarls Barkley and Sparklehorse, as well as the genius behind the Grey Album, the epic mashup of Jay-Z's Black Album and the Beatles' White Album.) Broken Bells is just as catchy as The Shins, although a little less guitar-driven and twee (which, in my humble opinion, is a good thing!). Try listening to "The High Road" and you'll be hooked. Read on for more sound-alikes!

Heroes for Just One Day

Fun fact I learned in library school: researchers at one large public library discovered that about most of the items people check out are ones that they found through browsing (as opposed to ones on a list, or ones they'd put on hold). The library is all about serendipity, like finding that hidden treasure on a shelf, or grabbing a choice item that's on display. This is just as true for music as it is for books. My favorite impulse checkout CD so far is War Child Presents: Heroes.

Suffer for Fashion: Of Montreal Live

Back in March, I caught Of Montreal at the Rialto Theater, one of my favorite local venues. They played to a very diverse crowd: it was fun to see young ravers be-glowsticked and covered in sequins navigating a less-hip and more-jaded, almost-sold-out space.

Realmente lo mejor/Simply the best

A strong mainstay in the Latin alternative music scene, Julieta Venegas has been making music since the release of her debut album, Aquí, in 1997. A wonderful vocalist and songwriter, she is originally from Long Beach, CA but raised in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. Her music is a mixture of Latin alternative, pop, rock en Español, with generous additions of traditional regional Mexican music found throughout. She's also an accomplished instrumentalist and well-known for her amazing accordion playing, an instrument not traditionally played by women within the Latin music scene. She is a breaker of barriers in her music on all levels. Julieta has won five Latin Grammys and one Grammy award for her album, Limón y Sal. She has collaborated widely with other Latino artists through her career. A great example of this is her 2008 album MTV Unplugged, where she recorded with Mexican pop singer Natalia Lafourcade, Spanish rap artist La Mala Rodriguez, and Brazilian pop star Marisa Monte.

If you're looking for a great intro to Julieta's music check out her album, Sí, full of pop love ballads, available for check out at your local branch and on Freegal. For a more comprehensive view of all her best hits, download songs from her album, Realmente Lo Mejor, also available on Freegal.

-Marissa

La Grande

If you are into the folksy rock sound staight out from the Portland scene, check out this new addition to PCLP's music catalog: La Grande by Laura Gibson. La Grande is a small town in the Pacific Northwest where native Oregonian Gibson found inspiration for her third album. Gibson is now with Barsuk Records, the independent Seattle label that includes such bands as Nada Surf and Death Cab for Cutie but don't be misled; she is far from alternative rock. Her sound is closer to folk and blues. Gibson cites singer/guitarist Mississippi John Hurt and Elizabeth Cotten as her influences. Closer to our time, she sometimes reminds me of Eleni Mandell.

Play with The Polyphonic Spree

If you've never heard the upbeat, choral, layered sounds of The Polyphonic Spree, you're in for a treat if you check out their show, coming up soon on March 30th at the Rialto! Read on to learn more about this fun band...