Curious Notions

It’s been awhile since I talked about music, so this qualifies as overdue. Some thoughts on albums/artists I’ve discovered or rediscovered recently:

dEUS - Pocket Revolution (2005)

Where has this album been hiding? It’s pretty rare for me to try a completely new album/artist and like it from the start, but that was pretty much the reaction I had to Pocket Revolution. dEUS are a Belgian band, and, like many of the groups I listen to these days, I knew of them through the Frames. One of the songs that the Frames frequently segue into after “Star Star**” is “Hotellounge”, an earlier dEUS effort. While the original of that song failed to captivate me, Pocket Revolution hooks me with every song. As yesterday was Valentine’s Day, I gave “What We Talk About (When We Talk About Love)” special attention. Few songs make me want to immediately get up and dance, but this is one that does. I considered putting together a Valentine’s Day playlist like Roswitha, but my work prevented me from doing so. But had I done so, “What We Talk About” would have topped it.

The album as a whole has been described as eclectic, which is certainly valid. But this is the good sort of eclectic–the kind where every song is new surprise and adventure. I have nothing but praise for this. Check your preferred music retailer for their album.

Sufjan Stevens - Illinoise (2005)

I think I first heard about Sufjan Stevens and his 50 States effort in an article in my university newspaper. That’s not typically a good way of getting me to pick up an album or artist given that my interests tend to be rather… foreign to my fellow students. But his name kept popping up, always with nothing but praise, so, when I had some leftover downloads at eMusic, I downloaded some of Illinoise, his album about Illinois. His goal, for those who haven’t heard, is to make an album about each of the states in the U.S.A. So far he’s covered Michigan, his home state, and Illinois. So he’s got a long way to go. (Fingers crossed on him getting to Arkansas!)

I have difficulty actually describing music in general, and Stevens’ music in particular. To an extent, it defies categorization. It’s not really rock, not quite folk, and only alternative in the sense that it’s not all that mainstream (or is it?). He uses a wide variety of instruments in creating his sound, which is part of what makes his music different from what one typically finds catalogued outside the classical section in Borders. Like Pocket Revolution, his was an album I immediately liked–not for the lyrics or the subject matter, but for the sound of it. It’s definitely worth a listen if you come across it.

Mark Geary - 33 1/3 Grand Street (2002) and Ghosts (2005)

Mark Geary is not really a discovery. Back when I was using Napster-To-Go regularly, I had copies of both of these albums that I listened to regularly. However, once my licenses expired, I was pretty much Geary-less for months and months. Today I finally got around to buying both albums from Napster’s store so that I can listen to them anytime I want. And, in doing just that, I’m realizing just how much I missed listening to him. Simple, unassuming, and enjoyable. And “Morphine” is just so addictively good.

So what are you listening to?