William Elliott Whitmore - Field Songs (2011)

Field Songs unfolds like the musical score to a film on agricultural life. I can't help but think of digging my hands in the dirt, hammering cracked barn siding and tilling long stretches of soil on a rusted-out tractor. With this album as my soundtrack, such a life almost sounds appealing. The vivid imagery speaks to Whitmore's ability to channel so much soul, old-timey grit and emotion with just his unique voice, banjo or acoustic guitar and crickets, birds and frogs as backup singers. Field Songs is even more simplistic than Animals In The Dark, Whitmore's fantastic 2009 release, which is fine from my perspective. It also helps that Whitmore seems like a genuinely likable and humble guy—someone I'd really enjoy sharing a Black Star sixer with on a front porch somewhere where the stars glow like floodlights. The title track (below) is probably my favorite, but in truth, I could listen to the whole album over and over without interruption. For additional individual highlights, check out: "Everything Gets Gone" and "Not Feeling Any Pain."

The man will be playing Slim's in San Francisco on September 23rd with James Vincent McMorrow. Should be an amazing show.

David Byrne & Brian Eno - Everything That Happens Will...

So it's not hot off the presses but I am forever on the late freight so whatevs.. David Byrne has always been a hero of mine and I've celebrated Brian Eno's music and production for days. Since I judge books by covers I was excited about this album immediately due to Stefan Sagmeister's awesome album artwork.

Musically this album felt like an old friend. Sometimes the best reaction to an album is when you can put it on and go about doing what you were doing and then be surprised when the album ends. To me that means "wow this album is already so comforting that I can space out to it"..

I am a huge fan of the Talking Heads movie and soundtrack "True Stories" and keep being reminded of that when I listen to this record. There is a good chunk of electronic to this album but it isn't over bearing like I feared it might be. I guess they wrote it by e-mailing things back and forth to one another.. I think the IT dude at my work would be super bummed if I started e-mailing huge music files at work so I guess there goes my music career.

Do yourself a favor and if nothing else listen to the song "Strange Overtones".. it is simply amazing and you can get it free here. Also listen to "Life Is Long".. Music you can believe in. Real talk!