What I'm Listening to These Days

I definitely don't get around to listening to as much music as I used to, but I did go on a CD buying binge this past week, so I thought I'd mention it.

First of all, I finally got around to watching the movie Once on Sunday night. In fact, we were probably watching it the very moment that Glen and Marketa were accepting their Oscar for Best Song from that movie. We don't have TV reception, so I wasn't watching the Oscars, and since we haven't seen any movies in the theater this past year except for one kids flick, we had no interest in the Oscars and had no idea that these guys were up for an award.

So of course, the very next day, I ordered both the soundtrack to the movie Once, Glen and Marketa's album as The Swell Season, plus For the Birds by The Frames, the band that Glen fronts. I tend to be a completist, so I can see myself ordering some more albums by The Frames. I highly recommend them.

Second, I found out this week that my favorite kids musicmaker Elizabeth Mitchell and Daniel Littleton recently released a new album for their grown-up band Ida. I immediately went to their label Polyvinyl's website and ordered Lover's Prayer. It is lush, it is beautiful, it is haunting, it is most excellent. I highly recommend it.

Third, because I can't just order one CD at a time, I also ordered a couple albums by various incarnations of Mike Kinsella. That is to say, I ordered the latest (latest as in from November of 2006--I told you I'm behind) full-length from Owen (which is basically Mike Kinsella's current solo outfit) and the one full-length from American Football (which Mike fronted back in the late 90's). I haven't listened to the latter album yet, but I did listen to the Owen album (titled At Home With Owen) twice back-to-back tonight. I've been a fan since I saw him live at Schubas back in the latter part of 2002.

I have to admit that my affinity for the music of Owen is a guilty pleasure. Honestly? His songs are kind of whiny and cynical, lyrically. He obviously has spent a lot of time thinking about his life. But damnit, the boy makes beautiful music, and I can't help getting sucked into the melancholy. I know some folks can't stand emo of any sort (punk, folk, indie, whatever), so if that's you, you probably won't like this stuff. Me, on the other hand, I LIVE for that emo rubbish.