I can't stop listening to this.

If you're in Rexburg, ID between the hours of 3 and 7 p.m. check out the the Paul Bunyan Music Festival. I won't be there because I live thousands of miles away. The lineup is full of amazing bands local to the SE Idaho area.

I usually ignore those "you listened to _____, so try ____" recommendations on Spotify because they are usually pretty off-base. However, I clicked on Chelsea Wolfe today after listening to Waxahatchee and seeing her name somewhere in a magazine, and I was pleasantly surprised. The first song is a powerhouse-- albeit, a slow powerhouse. It reminds me a lot of Bjork but with an acoustic guitar.

The song is off the record Unknown Rooms: A Collection of Acoustic Songs and is called "Flatlands."

I never imagined I'd be able to see Blake Schwarzenbach perform live other than that grainy footage you can find on youtube. By the time I'd purchased one of (yes, he has a few under his belt) his masterpieces Orange Rhyming Dictionary while visiting my Mom in Idaho Falls a few months before my Italian hiatus, Jets to Brazil had already been laid to rest. I only discovered Jawbreaker classics 24 Hour Revenge Therapy and Dear You nearly a decade after that powerhouse of a band had broken up.

I was crushed when he formed The Thorns of Life only to have them break up after a few short months of house shows in Brooklyn. The advent of his lastest band forgetters lifted my spirits but also discouraged me to see their tour dates revolve around the tri-state area.

Last week I wanted to jump for joy when out of boredom I checked the upcoming shows in Des Moines. I thought it could only be a misprint when forgetters was listed for a show at Vaudeville Mews on 6/21. I checked the venue's website and received a second witness of the truthfulness of this miracle.

Beyond that, my beautiful wife made babysitting arrangements for that night and agreed to accompany me. We arrived to find the majority of the people maybe totaling 20 were there for local opening band The Seed of Something, who I happen to now endorse as my favorite local band. Although I was enjoying their slacker rock jams I began to get upset they were taking up so much time as this was an all-ages show and Des Moines has some weird law that all-ages shows in venues that serve alcohol must end by 9 p.m. After almost an hour of playing one of the members of the band asked how much more time they needed to fill and someone replied forgetters had not yet arrived. My heart sank and I realized Shakespeare couldn't write a tragedy this well.

The band continued playing until almost 8 and began removing their gear off the stage. Amy and I found a table near the door and after a few minutes Blake walked in the door. I think that was the closest to starstruck I've been my whole life. He must have seen me staring at him and nodded at me as he walked to the stage. I couldn't believe it. He was notified just how little time they had to set up and play and scampered back outside for his gear. I followed a few sound guys out the front door to see Blake and the woman he's touring with grabbing gear and heading for the stage. I held the door as they carried all the gear inside and Blake thanked me and we exchanged small talk. I asked him how the drive was and he said he needed a beer. I watched as he parallel parked his minivan, yes a minivan! Then we walked in together and they finished starting up.

The show was great for various reasons including but not ending with the performance of several forgetters tunes, a Fear cover and a cover of another song from an album I hold dear to my heart, Third Eye Blind's How's it Gonna Be. Blake's new day job is teaching English and anthropology at Hunter College in NYC and the set felt like he was the absent-minded professor instructing us, the students. He even had a tattered folder full of ragged sheets of lyrics on a music stand in front of him. By the end of the set half the sheets of lyrics were strewn about the stage. He confessed he'd made them late because he had to stop in Madison County for some "Indiana Jones archaeology digs" (assuming he meant the covered bridges) and a tour of the John Wayne birthplace museum.

He even attempted an impression of "The Duke" and made several degrading remarks about the hipster culture of his home in Brooklyn. Self-deprecation sneaked in the back door when he told us how the worst thing that had happened to him as a musician was the need to wear glasses on-stage as he's no longer the young emo-kid he once was. He quipped that nobody should buy Warby Parker products as he had as they were "more evil than Walmart." Yes, the banter between songs was worth the admission itself.

After the show I shook his hand and thanked him for coming and he did the same. He was probably relieved I didn't stick around to ask him when Jawbreaker would finally do a reunion tour or if he needed a TA for his classes at Hunter College. I was already fully satisfied with the experience. This was probably the second best show I've attended. Blake didn't let me down.

Zach got me into Neko Case a couple years ago. I've really liked her since then, but her new song is good on a different level. But don't take my word for it; listen for yourself.

"Man"- Neko Case

Somehow I missed out on Frank Ocean last year. Sometimes there's too much music to listen to. Channel Orange is a beautiful album. "Pyramids" is my song of the day. The video below is from his SNL performance last year. Enjoy.

I've listened to Yeezus twice and I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. I honestly have no idea how I feel. Is it good? Is it bad? Do I want to like it because Pitchfork (or as Max Bemis calls it, Satan) likes it? Do I want to like it because Kanye West is one of the most polarizing egotistical scum bags that has ever walked the earth? Do I want to hate it for the same reason? I'm really not sure. I'm not even sure I'm going to listen to it again. I'm not even sure I'm telling the truth when I write that. Am I mad about this album? Damn straight I'm mad, but am I mad because I like it so much or because I don't want to like it?

There are some shining moments of honesty on Yeezus, moments where Kanye raps about the exploitation of his race("New Slaves) and his own shortcomings (haha, that was a joke. Kanye doesn't have faults). There are also flashes of humor so funny that you want to play the lines over and over (croissants, croissants, croissant), but in contrast there are moments so dark and vulgar that make you want to crawl under the largest mountain and hide in shame for having heard something so twisted (i.e."On Sight" and "New Slaves"*)

"Blood On The Leaves" has the best sample on the album. I even like the auto tune, but there is something very wrong sampling a song about lynching in the South while trashing your lying, cheating girlfriend. It's basically "Gold Digger" part II(I love "Gold Digger", by the way). When I first heard the sample I thought to myself, "he's really going somewhere with this", but I think he really does "Strange Fruit" a huge injustice. Try sampling Ray Charles again, Yeezy.

The best song on Yeezus is "Bound 2", a College Dropout throwback that samples Brenda Lee of all people (singer of the 60s classic "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree"), but it works. It's a great song. I would have loved the album if it sounded more like this. Most of the samples and music on the album are great. It's just Kanye's lyrics that I can't stand.

I don't understand the fascination with Kanye. Why do we worship and praise such a bad person? I'm not saying I'm perfect, but I really believe Kanye thinks he is perfect. There's something wrong with that. I'm more excited for big brother Jay-Z's album, Magna Carta Holy Grail. 

Rating: 7.1/10

*"New Slaves" could be the best song on the record, but some of the lyrics in the middle destroy it for me. 

I don't have time to write much about this song, just know that it's good. It's called "The Waiting" and it's by Angel Olsen. Enjoy.

When I was 17, Brand New played a secret show put on by Myspace. If I remember correctly, they announced it that morning or the night before. I already had tickets to see them the next night, but this show was at Bottom of the Hill, which is a much smaller venue. They only let the first 100 people in, so we got there around noon or so. The show didn't start until seven or eight, so a bunch of friends and I just sat on a blanket outside the venue and hung out.
Enough about that.The show was mind blowing. Brand New was really secretive about the album, and it felt like ages since they released the previous album Deja Entendu. Brand New really bonded us all together, so it was amazing to see them with my friends in such an intimate setting. I have been to a lot of shows in my short little life, but this was definitely one of the best.

I don't do this as much anymore, but I used to put on my favorite albums in middle school and high school and lie on the floor in the dark while listening to them. It comforted me and helped me feel peaceful when I was dealing with too many strong emotions. (Now that I can drive, I do this in the car. Don't worry, I don't close my eyes.)

One of my favorite albums to listen to on the floor of my bedroom was Brand New's Deja Entendu. It is a good mixture of anger, heartbreak, and calm. It was one of the albums that shaped my musical tastes (and my personality, consequently).

Today is the 10th anniversary of this album, so happy birthday.

Matt Berninger, lead singer of The National, recently did an interview with Audie Cornish of NPR to promote their new album, Trouble Will Find Me. The interview is really great. I feel like it gives you a wonderful glance into the mind of one of the most talented song writers in indie rock. During the interview Berninger said something brilliant.

"...we never put a song on a record that doesn't move us emotionally, no matter how catchy or academically interesting the song is. If it doesn't do something to that pit in your stomach, your heart, it won't make it onto our record. Over the years, that has become our only guiding sort of principle"

This is one of the most potent explanations of song writing and which songs bands choose to put on an album that I've ever heard. That emotion is what has drawn (and will continue to draw) me to the National. Their new album, Trouble Will Find Me is out now. Listen to it. Even if you don't like it after the first listen, listen to it again. Listen until you feel it. 

You can read and listen to the interview in its entirety by clicking on the link below.  

http://www.npr.org/2013/06/12/190978705/the-national-weve-earned-our-stripes

My song of the day is "Farther Reaches" by Fog Lake. It is a sweet and soft song, good for relaxing or driving or sitting inside to avoid the heat while your husband takes a nap. You know. I found this band through Extreme Nonchalance and I am very thankful because I am now in love. I know, I know; I'm always falling in love with music and books all over the place.

This guy kind of reminds me of Youth Lagoon, another band that we have been really into around our house lately. He refers to his music as "downer pop," which I really like. You can buy the Farther Reaches on the band's Bandcamp at your own price....so go buy it.

That time has come. It's half way through the year and most everyone is making their best music (so far) lists. This was actually my first ever post on the Wires & Waves blog. I feel like this, like most years, has been a really strong year for music.


Favorite Album 
Modern Vampires of The City - Vampire Weekend

This is not only my favorite album of this year so far, but one of the best albums I've heard in a very long time  (click HERE to read my review of the album). It's been over a month since this record was released, and it hasn't lost any of its luster. Today I was mowing my grandma's lawn and got really emotional listening to "Hannah Hunt". This album is great. It might be too early to say but I don't think this one will leave my top spot for the entire year.

Favorite Song
"Sex" - The 1975

Aside from every song from the Vampire Weekend album, this has been my go to song of the year (so far). It's a catchy pop rock song. There's not too much to it, but something about it keeps me coming back to it over and over and over again. Whether I'm working out or driving in the car, this song is enjoyable where ever I am.

Favorite New Band
Night Beds

The first time I heard "Even If We Try" I nearly melted to the floor. Winston Yellen, lead singer of Night Beds, swoons with one of the coolest falsettos since Justin Vernon. The album, Country Sleep, is very reminiscent of early Ryan Adams records. There's a heavy country influence infused with dream like melodies. It's an album I keep coming back to.

Best Comeback 
Justin Timberlake

I don't think I've been more excited for an album release than I was for The 20/20 Experience and it didn't disappoint at all. It had been six years since J.T. had released an album and following up Future, Sex, Love Sounds was no easy task.  The 20/20 Experience, musically, is all over the map. There's the psychedelic "Spaceship Coupe", and the soulful, "That Girl". "Mirrors" is the standout track. It's an ode to his wife and to his grandparents' relationship. It's the most boy bandish song on the album, but don't worry you can listen to it and not feel guilty for liking it. Like it should, this album makes me want to dance and I don't even like to dance. That's saying something.

Biggest Surprise 
The Shouting Matches - Grownass Man

Who knew that Justin Vernon was going to release an album this year, besides Justin Vernon himself? I don't think anyone did. One day out of the blue it just appeared. The Shouting Matches are the blues rock side project of Vernon and other Eau Claire, Wisconsin musicians. It's nothing like Bon Iver. There's no cryptic lyrics. It's straight forward and fun to listen to. By far my biggest surprise of the year so far.

Here's a playlist of the bands and songs mentioned above, plus a few others I really like this year (so far).

Portugal. The Man have just released their eighth studio album. That's right, eighth. Most bands are lucky to put out two or three.
One of us will review the album soon, but until then enjoy one of my favorite songs from their new album, Evil Friends.