A Treat for the Holidays - Jim James

Jim James - Eternally Even 

So there are many "end of year lists" and I usually spend much time listening to stuff that I have backed up from the past year or two that I don't have time to listen to the new stuff.

This CD however was on many "best of 2016" lists and so I told myself that I'd listen to it to see just what people are talking about and let me tell you, this is a really nice cd. It's got this vocal mellow chill thing going on about it, Jim James has a really good voice for this type of music, I don't know if his other CD's are of this style or as good as this but I will most probably give them a shot in the upcoming weeks.

It's nice that there are actually quite a few bands that are still making music that is as good as music that was made between the 50's and the 90's before mainstream went to shit. So this CD is on repeat for me while I am chilling or working at the moment, it has many nice moments, it doesn't get "sad" per se, and it can definitely be called cool at places.

Merry Christmas and Happy Hannukah people.

Review:
Ray LaMontagne - Ouroboros (2016)


Have you ever heard the song "Forever My Friend" by this man, Ray LaMontagne?

A live performance of the song on Letterman

I for one, think it's really good. I like the voice, the style, the guitar.... I've listened to this song many times, as I have to the entire album it stems from - Trouble.
Trouble is a great cd that is very consistent in its quality and flow. Almost all songs on it are really good.


Even the cover looked great when I bought this at an Urban Outfitters many years ago. Wonderful purchase.

Such is NOT the case with the new cd "Ouroboros", in which the acoustic guitar does not feature, only to be replaced by a repetitive style of dreamy-drone stuff that I couldn't quite grasp. Why would he go in this direction? His voice is naturally gruff and strong, and it just kind of gets lost on this cd, in which there is nothing special that will stay in your head after you finish listening to it for the third time.
Here's a link to show you how his style has changed:

New song - "Hey, No Pressure"

It's not that bad, but I just don't know why artists feel they have to stray so far from what their original talent brought them to create. There are so many examples of this. The most vile example being Radiohead of course, but not only them.
When you're good at something why change? The type of music on Trouble is special, it suits that voice, it carries that strength. What is this LaMontagne attempt at giving us a cd by Pink Floyd? The first few songs dissapointed me and were very samey. The rest were pretty good and original yes, but nothing that will stand the test of time, I'm afraid.
Hopefully Ray will get back on track for his next outing.

Hello, This is my problem with Pitchfork (also: Beck & Fennesz)

ON this site I'm going to write a bunch of reviews about music (albums, tracks, movies... maybe a book or two here and there)
The thing is... there is this site that I really hate called Pitchfork, Many of you know it. It reviews music, but does so in such an elitist way, it's unfathomingly disgusting.
Have you ever heard Beck's "Sea Change" for example?


This is a really good CD that came out a long time ago, towards the end of 2002. It's a cd that is filled with beautiful heartbreaking music after Beck and his girlfriend of 7 years broke up. Honestly, I must have listened to this cd a hundred times at least. You can tell that it was written from very personal places in this man's mind and that it came from being unhappy and from solitude.
Thom York once said that the most beautiful music comes from solitude. I think that I agree with this.
Here is a link the entire album that a guy calling himself CakeZone uploaded and no one has taken down yet (14/3/16):

Beck - Sea Change (Full Album)

Anyway, Pitchfork (well, their idiot reviewer Will Bryant) gave this CD a 5.0 rating, and later on changed it to a 6.9, where it currently resides.

THEN, there is this loser called Fennez. He had this cd called "Black Sea". Here's a link to a "track" (if you can call it that) on Youtube:

Fennesz - First track from "Black Sea "

And here is the review from those LOSERS at Pitchfork:

Pitchfork - Review of Fennesz - Black Sea
the "reviewer" called it this:
"It's reminiscent of classical pieces-- sweeping and symphonic and patiently unfolding."


You see what I'm dealing with? They give a masterpiece 6.9 (after it used to be 5.0) and then they give this asswipe Fennesz an 8.4. And the world is silent.

So this is why I started writing about what I think. Because the fact that Pitchfork is so successful hurts me on a deep, personal and meaningful level.
End of first post. Have a great day.