Four CDs to Buy Without Thinking
November 8th 2005
Because life is better with music.
![Four Albums [Cover Art]](/wp-content/fouralbumsdecember2005.jpg)
1. José Gonzalez – Veneer: A silky mix of deftly picked guitar and a perfect low-key voice. I heard the track “Heartbeats” (a cover of a song by The Knife) on this Sony commercial and had to pick up the hard-to-find CD. The whole album lives up to it, and I’m surprised it hasn’t gathered more attention.
2. Tristan Prettyman – t w e n t y t h r e e: Yes, her name is Tristan, and yes the spaces are supposed to be in the title. This album is a perfect set of folk-pop love songs from a songwriter and a voice you could easily call a female Jason Mraz (and I mean that as a compliment). He even sings on one track, and it’s pretty good. Plus her name is Tristan, so how could I resist?
3. Matt Pond PA - Several Arrows Later: I’m not sure what the PA stands for, but this album is all around good. Reminds me a little of Josh Rouse’s older albums, or Keane with a guitar but different. It’s energetic and calming and comfortable at the same time, with great lyrics to boot.
4. Rogue Wave – Descended Like Vultures: Okay, where is all the hype for this amazing album? Let me start it if there is none. Sort of like Arcade Fire’s “Funeral,” but with just the good tracks, and with better lyrics and music. Seriously, I’m a musician—some of the chordal structures (especially in “Bird on a Wire”) are stunning; I mean, when was the last time you heard a major 9 in a rock song? I love it! I was about to list my other favorite tracks before I realized it was 8 of 11 total. This whole album has great energy, but at the same time it’s not overdone or artsy; it’s easy to listen to, catchy at times, thoughtful, musical, etc. etc. Just go listen to it already.
I too think the rogue wave album is brilliant! Although I have to admit I’m not good at writing about music. Was it Elvis Costello who said ‘writing about music is like dancing about architecture’? At any rate, it’s really great and I hope a lot of people go out and buy it so there will be much more coming from them in the future.
Yeah, I know. The best I can do is compare it to something else people might know and tell them to go listen to it!
Love the album though, still can’t stop listening to it.
1: Yes! I’ve got it and it’s absolutely terrific.