Every so often, an album will come out that creates an audible landscape: blending from song to song in such a dynamic yet flawless fashion that upon listening to it in its entirety, the listener feels as if have taken in a panoramic view of sorts.
I love listening to these albums, closing my eyes, and letting the music paint the vast visualizations in my mind.
Coincidentally, the Decemberists released their eighth studio album, "Hazards of Love" on Capitol Records two days ago. Listening to it gave me the sensation I was observing a portion of a romantic Steinbeck novel from on high: watching the ebb and flow of open countryside, love won and love lost, majestic forest, motorcars,roaring twenties regalia, and the ability to make one feel as if they have been painted on the canvas along with everything else.
The band's nostalgic appearance, musical structuring, and album concepts makes me feel as if I have picked up a Walt Whitman original or a Robert Frost manuscript when listening, thinking to myself as it blends from song to song, "They just don't make these anymore."
"Hazards" will leave you stunned wondering where such a roller coaster ride came from, be it from the gritty, twangy blues riffs such as the one in "Won't Want For Love," or the soft crinkle of lo-fi piano keys in "The Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid."
The band has launched a tour to accompany the new album, and I am pleased to know that I will be seeing them at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee this June. The tour covers the U.S. from coast to coast, and wraps up in Late July.
Typically, when someone has not listened to a band before, I will not reccommend them listen to the band's latest work, but in the case of the Decemberists, I would encourage anyone to sit down with "Hazards," relax, and enjoy the picture that is being painted beautifully before you.
You can find tour dates, tracks from the new album, and plenty of other things on their website.
"The Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid:"
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Goodnight Rose: reflections on Ryan Adams' last tour
Ryan Adams, one of the most prolific songwriters of the past twenty years, recently married pop princess Mandy Moore, and in turn, has been rumored to be settling down and taking a break from music.
Ryan Adams has been one of my favorite artists since I was going into high school, and I was lucky enough to get two tickets and see him at the beautiful Fox Theater in Atlanta on March the 20th for his last show of the tour.
The eclectic crowd waiting outside looked like children about to open Christmas presents before the gates opened. The venue was breathtaking, and its pristine layout only added to the anticipation that the show that lay before everyone was about to be of historic proportions. One could literally feel the energy coming from all of these things culminating, leading to a electric atomosphere.
My expectations for this show were extremely high, and on the drive to Atlanta, I began to build up an anxiety that my hopes were in vain, that Ryan Adams was going to "go through the motions," and that I would leave the theater disappointed.
I could not have been more incorrect.
Ryan Adams is notorious for his brash, almost confrontational stage presence, yet when he spoke to the audience he seemed cheery and that helped spread a very positive vibration through the crowd.
The setlist was colossal, and spanned every era of his time spent with the band he has worked with for the past several years, The Cardinals as well as his years as a solo artist.
Here is the setlist:
Set 1:
I also thought I would add a Youtube video of one my most memorable moments during the show, "When the Stars Go Blue":
Ryan Adams has been one of my favorite artists since I was going into high school, and I was lucky enough to get two tickets and see him at the beautiful Fox Theater in Atlanta on March the 20th for his last show of the tour.
The eclectic crowd waiting outside looked like children about to open Christmas presents before the gates opened. The venue was breathtaking, and its pristine layout only added to the anticipation that the show that lay before everyone was about to be of historic proportions. One could literally feel the energy coming from all of these things culminating, leading to a electric atomosphere.
My expectations for this show were extremely high, and on the drive to Atlanta, I began to build up an anxiety that my hopes were in vain, that Ryan Adams was going to "go through the motions," and that I would leave the theater disappointed.
I could not have been more incorrect.
Ryan Adams is notorious for his brash, almost confrontational stage presence, yet when he spoke to the audience he seemed cheery and that helped spread a very positive vibration through the crowd.
The setlist was colossal, and spanned every era of his time spent with the band he has worked with for the past several years, The Cardinals as well as his years as a solo artist.
Here is the setlist:
Set 1:
- Magick
- Let it Ride
- Two
- Everybody Knows
- Beautiful Sorta
- Mockingbird
- Dear Chicago
- Blue Hotel
- Cold Roses
- Natural Ghost
- Easy Plateau
- Bartering Lines
- Fix It
- Magnolia Mountain
- Please, Do Not Let Me Go
- Peaceful Valley
- Freeway to the Canyon
Set 2:
- When the Stars go Blue
- Sink Ships
- Oh My Sweet Carolina
- Grand Island
- I See Monsters
- Come Pick Me Up
- Rescue Blues
- Wonderwall
- Goodnight Rose
I also thought I would add a Youtube video of one my most memorable moments during the show, "When the Stars Go Blue":
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