The only bloggers not at SXSW

Maybe if I cloned myself like 85 times I could see 1,302 bands at SXSW. Or you know, actually go to SXSW. I swear one of these days I'll get my butt down to Austin. But until that day comes I'm quite enjoying The Morning News' succinct, yet helpful write ups of, get this 1,302 songs by SXSW artists.

Some choice excerpts:

AIDS Wolf "Tied-Up In Paper": The cats just got freaked out.
Human Highway "The Sound": Toxic bubblegum. Terrible whining. But improves.
Ra Ra Riot "Dying Is Fine": Lots of little touches and swirls.
We Were Lovers "Birds of a Feather": THE HANDCLAPS BURN THEY BURN THEY.

Read the rest here

The Sound - Human Highway

Top Albums of 2008, #15-26

Apologies this is coming in so late. Blame the weather.

Last year sucked. Thankfully, the music didn't. Our picks were all over the map for the most part, but are winners are clear. Here's what we liked, graded with a weighted system of points. We're breaking our picks into two posts. This post is the second half of our list. the top half will be posted later.

Album names are buy links. Please support the artists you like by purchasing their music. We do!

Silver Jews - Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea
By the most casual and freewheeling of the all the Jews’ albums, Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea still retains David Berman’s trademark caustic witticisms. He’s just a little more relaxed this time around.
Suffering Jukebox.mp3

Coldplay - Viva La Vida
"This is just simply amazing pop, everything you ever loved about Coldplay, but with the trademark Brian Eno twist. There are dancing strings, powerful vocals and a piano line that keeps building and building." - Cameron Adams
Strawberry Swing.m4a

Rook – Shearwater
A gothic yet baroque tapestry woven together with an eclectic array of horns, woodwinds, and dulcimer, not to mention Jonathon Meiburg’s sexy vocal prowess.

Rooks.mp3

Dr. Dog – Fate
"Strict modernists may chafe at the band's unapologetically backward-glancing aesthetic, but the rest should happily succumb to the shaggy charm of Fate's easy-like-Sunday-morning ramblings." - Leah Grenblatt
The Rabbit, The Bat, and The Reindeer.mp3

Flight of the Conchords (s/t)
Leggy Blonde.m4a

Human Highway - Moody Motorcycle
"Opening with a swatch of lo-fi backwoods guitar, the duo merely jests with the antiquated before smoothing everything over with a sheen of crisp production. A spring in its step, “The Sound” bops along, oblivious to the lack of substance in its lyric." - Josh Constine
The Sound.mp3

Death Cab for Cutie- Narrow Stairs
"While Narrow Stairs may scale down the melody-assaults of previous efforts, with their fresh groove and whiff of rebellion, Death Cab announce themselves as genuine rock stars." -The Guardian (UK)
Your New Twin-Sized Bed.m4a

Los Campesinos! -Hold on Now, Youngster...
A cheeky British romp that’s equal parts snark and sincerity, it’s a whirlwind of rocking, glockenspiel, pun-laden fun.
You! Me! Dancing!.mp3

Conor Oberst (s/t)
"It's no surprise that Oberst is able to pull off this style exceptionally well, but what impresses most about the record is how its relaxed vibe--the album was recorded with the specially assembled Mystic Valley Band in just two months at a private house in Mexico--carries over into Oberst's songwriting." --Jonathan Keefe
Cape Canaveral.mp3

Jukebox the Ghost - Let Live & Let Ghosts

"Sounds like a sort of amped-up Ben Folds record, with bouncier piano and more liberal doses of electric jubilation. Serving as an excellent introduction to an incredibly fun new group, this debut rekindles the joy of sing-along pop without sounding dorky or forced." - Jordan Richardson
Under My Skin.m4a

Department of Eagles - In Ear Park
I didn’t even know Dan Rossen was in another band besides Grizzly Bear. But apparently he is and apparently his side project is nearly as good. In Ear Park abounds with enough eerie harmonies and codeine-coated melodies to keep you satisfied well until the follow-up to Yellow House is released.
No One Does It Like You.mp3

The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
"Stay Positive is a true testament that good music will always prevail. One can only hope that a band like this will continue to make music for years and years to come because we desperately need it." - Adequacy
Sequestered In Memphis.mp3

I'm Tired, I'm Bitter, I'm Hungry

Do we here at Volume Knob dig Islands? Why yes, yes we do. So it's hardly surprising that we (well, one fifth of us at the very least) dig 'Moody Motorcycle,' the debut album of Nick Thorbun (currently of Islands) and Jim Guthrie's (formally of Islands) band 'Human Highway.'

The sound is, hmmm, well, I guess you could say it's like a very stripped back, folky Of Montreal. The whimsy and quirkiness is there, both in lyric and melody, but the overall sound is somewhat more Simon and Garfunkel-y. And there is a hint of lo-fi there that my lo-fi loving heart warms to.

The album has not hit me as immediately as the recent Islands' release did, but it's very good. I suspect it's going to be a grower, and I look forward to letting it grow.

So, you should be buy it when it gets released on August 19, (I will be!)

Human Highway - The Sound.mp3
Human Highway - Ode to Abner.mp3