This Mornin' I Am Born AgainListen. Get Re-Born

There were only two debut albums that made my Best of 2007 list, but both of them placed very high. The Kooks‘ Inside In/Inside Out was my 2nd best album for that year, while Deer Tick’s War Elephant took the 3rd spot. The reason I bring this up is that breaking onto the scene with a knockout album can often be a blessing and a curse for a new band. With every subsequent release, critics will continue to use that stellar introduction disc as a barometer of sorts – at least until they outdo themselves. While some never do, I have faith that both The Kooks and Deer Tick will someday surpass the success of their first albums – though neither quite have with their second.

Leading up to the release of The Kooks’ follow-up, I anticipated that they may have a tough time matching the effect of their debut. Konk, alone, from the British rockers didn’t even come close to the greatness that was Inside In. If it hadn’t been for the inclusion of the Rak Bonus Disc, I may have completely forgotten about the album, but this set of extra songs served as a little precursor to what the band has in store in the future – and I’m excited for it. Check out an old post on that bonus disc here.

I didn’t have any of the same reservations before Born On Flag Day dropped (today, officially). I never doubted that John McCauley, now with a tight-knit band behind him, would pull off another superb set and blow the doors open. I can’t say that Deer Tick has done exactly that, but first, let’s explore this new wax.

As Far as making an entrance goes, ‘Easy‘ does its job and grabs your attention. Loud, driving, angry… all while still very much under control. The biting lyrics and la bamba-esque riff in the chorus make the song stay with you. In fact, this track was the only pre-release preview we got, so I’ve been spinning for about a month and find myself singing it all the time. But by the time the album hit my doorstep, the track was old-news and this makes for slightly less excitement when it happens now. The same can be said for some of the other tracks. ‘Little White Lies‘ and ‘The Ghost’ were displayed at their Daytrotter Session as well as a live show I have. About the same time I picked up War Elephant, I found an early recording of ‘Hell On Earth.’ While all of these songs were vastly improved in the studio for this record (The Ghost, especially with the addition of a whining harmonica), much of the freshness has been used up.

But that, folks, is where my disappointment ends. The ‘new’ tracks are just about all I could have asked for. Well-written, well-structured laments full of bare-faced emotion and building tempos. One of the most impressive aspects of War Elephant was the wide range of influence present in the song styling. Born On Flag Day lengthens this range with hints of John Prine (‘Song About A Man’), Chuck Berry (‘Straight Into A Storm’), and even some classic 50’s-style melodies and vocals (‘Stung’).

A fresh voice enters the mix on ‘Friday XIII’ when Liz Isenberg, another Providence native, joins John in a duet she co-wrote. She goes from simple harmony addition to taking on a verse herself, and they finish with some fast paced call-and-answer vocals.

The album is capped of with a live sing-along (hidden track) of the classic bar-closer ‘Goodnight Irene’ sure to give new Deer Tick fans a glimpse into the Deer Tick live experience and drink-loving demeanor.

My favorite line on the disc comes in the aforementioned ‘The Ghost’ as an irrelevant Surgeon General’s warning doesn’t phase John, simply for the fact that he is neither pregnant, nor a woman:

“There’s a label on the bottle that I read
But it don’t have a thing to do with me
I ain’t carrying no child; it’s only dreams I got inside
And tonight they’re getting drunk with me”

All that said, I can’t put this new one above Deer Tick’s debut. As is often the case, you can never duplicate your first experience with a new band, so maybe I’m just spoiled. Thanks guys.

Song About A Man
Straight Into A Storm

Pick up Born On Flag Day today.
CD: [Direct/Amazon]
Vinyl: [Direct/Amazon]
Digital: [iTunes/Amazon]

For a limited time, grab a download of War Elephant for $5 at Amazon.

Think I was lying about NBC Newscaster Brian Williams’ fanhood of Deer Tick??

Pre-Order Born On Flag Day (6/23/09): Vinyl/CD.

Things are falling into place for John McCauley and his cohorts. With the band’s nonchalant attitude toward fame and success, I can quite tell you things are falling into the exact place that they had planned – or even imagined. Deer Tick, the Providence, Rhode Island grunge-country band, has seen a dramatic ascension in notoriety since John’s first recorded guitar strum.

Deer Tick’s debut War Elephant was originally released on the small Houston label Feow Records back in 2007. By the time I first heard of the band, the small label had been sold out of the record for some time. Luckily, iTunes held a digital copy. War Elephant was immediately impressive – in fact, I named it my #3 album of 2007 in my first post ever here at This Mornin’…

That small feat is just a grain of sand on the beach that has been made out of notable accomplishments for Deer Tick. A simple google search will yield countless press snippets of praise for War Elephant and their live show, many from much more reputable sources than this (check this and this out for even more).

Recently, the attention focused on Deer Tick has become harder to ignore. I learned that in the latest issue of Rolling Stone, Deer Tick was named the #1 Breaking band at SXSW 2009. If that didn’t impact you enough, let me try to put it in perspective. SXSW is THE largest gathering of unsigned, new artists in one place IN THE WORLD. So, according to Rolling Stone – a fairly well-regarded music voice – Deer Tick was the best out of 1900 new-ish bands from 46 different countries. Yeah.

Just a few days after that news broke, I found this:

Watch Brian Williams talk about his favorite new bar band.

Also, John sent us a link to a video of Keith Morris (Black Flag/Circle Jerks) buying a copy of War Elephant. Pretty cool.

I have a strong suspicion that before the end of 2009, Dave Letterman and SNL will be making a few calls to the band. Especially after this drops in June:

The hip new label Partisan Records had the great idea to not only sign Deer Tick, but to re-release War Elephant late last year. The first effort with the band, Born on Flag Day, will hit shelves and ears on June 23rd, 2009.

Pre-order: Vinyl/CD.

1. Easy
2. Little White Lies
3. Smith Hill
4. Song About A Man
5. Houston, TX
6. Straight Into A Storm
7. Friday XIII
8. The Ghost
9. Hell On Earth
10. Stung

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More Deer Tick at This Mornin…

• A Little Kum-Ba-Yah with Deer Tick

• War Elephant Re-Release/Review

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Caught Deer Tick on St. Patty’s Day at an in-store performance at Cactus Music in Houston. The early evening gig took place upon the band’s arrival town before their night show at Rudyard’s. Nevermind their tour-van-worn appearance, foggy eyes, and slightly late arrival – these guys are good. And their party-first, obligation-later attitude only helps them make what they do look so easy.

John McCauley took the stage alone, beginning with a nimbly-picked ‘Ashamed.’ One by one, John invited the other band members up to the stage; each song adding one more layer of silky-smooth harmony. The parade of friends culminated with a five-part rendition of ‘Dirty Dishes’ done with a campfire sing-along feel.

Going solo once again, McCauley showed us a witty song, ‘Cake & Eggs’ co-written with a member of folk trio Those Darlins and admittedly ripped off from a John Prine Song. He also introduced us to the first taste of Born On Flag Day, his next album, due out sometime later this year.

The showcase was capped off with a somewhat darker version of Hank’s ‘Never Get Out of this World Alive.’ I’ve always felt a strong presence of ol’ Hank in John’s stage swagger and country drawl (see ‘Spend The Night’), but it was nice to hear him put his own flare on one of the legend’s best songs.

More Pictures:

Here are some miscellaneous DT tunes I found in my library:

Deer Tick – Hobo’s Lullaby
courtesey SpliceToday.com’s The Old Lonesome Sound Mix
Deer Tick – Still Crazy After All These Years
Paul Simon cover courtesy Aquarium Drunkard
Deer Tick – Hell On Earth
unreleased Deer Tick track

Check out my War Elephant re-release post

i started This Mornin’ I Am Born Again early this year after discovering the music blogosphere and the various ‘Best Albums of 2007′ posts that flooded it. My first posts consisted of my own lists of Top 10 Albums as well as Top 10 Songs. It seems only fitting to review your previous year’s ‘best of’ list prior to making the next year’s. Aside from improving the writing and aesthetic quality of the posts, i can’t say i would make many adjustments. But a year’s worth of additional listening is almost certain to change one’s opinions of the music ingested.

One album from my ‘07 list that has remained very near my CD player at all times is my #3 pick, War Elephant. Deer Tick (John McCauley III and band) has recently been signed to Partisan Records and they are re-releasing his superb debut. By the time i first became aware of Deer Tick, the label that originally released the album, Feow Records, was already sold out of the original (on only) pressing. But i picked it up on iTunes and was immediately impressed.

The overall sound of War Elephant can be described as grunge-country with its topped out electric guitars and rough drum beats providing a backdrop for honest, earthy lyrics. John McCauley’s growl is surprisingly welcoming in a modern John Prine sort-of way. He occasionally reaches for notes out of his range, but the authenticity in his emotion remains.

The songs that make up the disc are well written, especially for such a young musician (he was 20 at recording), but the most impressive part of the effort are the arrangements. The lead off track Ashamed, for example, begins with a simple verse-chorus-verse-chorus structure; an upbeat drum enters making the listener believe the song is beginning anew – only to come to an abrupt end after another short verse. Following, Art Isn’t Real uses a climbing melody mixed with flamenco-style picking and a conservative fiddle riff to create a deceptively hopeful song. John sings “there’s gotta be some old recipe. I gotta get drunk, I gotta forget about some things.”

Dirty Dishes is an plodding look back at a failed relationship: “And you cried all night/ ’til you created a stream and it flows forever/ and it’s made of dreams that didn’t come true/ and I’m sorry there’s nothing more /that I can do.” John seems hopeless, noting that he killed all the flowers, until he finishes “things could be so much worse.” Another look back at love-gone, Diamond Rings 2007, incidentally took the #7 spot on my ‘best of’ list. Baltimore Blues No. 1 exhibits an expertly picked acoustic intro, augmented with simple electric accompaniments.

On the surface, Townes and Dylan-esque qualities are evident, but somewhere deeper, you’ll find a hint of Hank Williams influence, most obvious in the barn-stomping Spend The Night. To round out John’s varied sound, the final track has a cabaret-ballad feel a la Frank Sinatra. The organic, meshing sound of the album on the whole is explained by one simple fact: John McCauley played every instrument on it.

Ashamed
Dirty Dishes

The reissue is available for pre-order now and will be shipped for receipt by November 11th.

Pre-order the Limited Edition Vinyl ~ $26.99
“very limited edition of 300 double LP pressings on 140G RED vinyl with expanded LP jacket printing on 20pt board stock. Fourth side laser etching and insert w/ full lyrics.”

Pre-order the Basic Vinyl ~ $19.99

Pre-order the Re-issued CD ~ $11.99

Although i’m very excited for War Elephant to receive vinyl immortality, i was hoping the next Deer Tick news on the wire would be that of a follow-up album. We’re not completely out of luck, however. Partisan Records says they plan on releasing another disc of “early original Deer Tick songs” in the near future.

Bands have been reaching outside of their influence bag to find those not-so-normal cover songs for quite a while. In the 90’s The Gourds covered Snoop’s Gin & Juice, Alien Ant Farm went MJ on us with Smooth Criminal, and and Dynamite Hack paid tribute the original gangsta Eazy E with their mellow version of Boyz In The Hood.

Here’s a semi-new batch of obscure covers – originals are not included this time since pop music is evil and contagious.

Deer Tick – Beautiful Girls (Sean Kingston)
i love that John noticed the Doo-Wop undertones in this song an expanded on them – even breaking into Stand By Me at the end.

The Kooks – All That She Wants (Ace of Base)
buy Radio 1 Established 1967 (2007)
A perfect fit for these guys.

Nickel Creek – Toxic (Britney Spears)
Simply amazing musicianship/showmanship.
Forgive the quality – it’s a youtube rip. Check it out.

i know it’s only Tuesday, and i’m supposed to be workin’ on my online class. But i got a fever, and the only perscription is……. New Digs.

Ordered my Cap & Gown for Graduation today – just another step on my journey to no more school.

Today, i ran by what they call a ‘record store’ here in College Station. It doesn’t quite qualify, but they did have The Black Keys’ Attack & Release, and suprisingly Justin Townes Earle’s The Good Life. Couldn’t find Loaded from The Wood Brothers, but i plan on being in Austin sometime soon, so i’ll head over to Waterloo. i haven’t gotten a chance to really hear ‘em both yet, but first impressions:

• Attack & Release is just what i thought it would be – The Black Keys with their edges sanded down (thanks to Danger Mouse). They did surprise me with a toned down, more acoustic opening track (at least the beginning). i dig it.
• After just one quick listen through The Good Life, i think JTE may have had me fooled with the early released tracks. i can’t tell if it’s necessarily a good thing yet, but all the other tracks have a very traditional, even swing country sound to it, while everything else of his i heard had a more contemporary Americana feel. i’ll get back to you on this one.

- by the way, check TBK’s site and play their laser game

But Big News – i got ‘This Mornin’… added to The Hype Machine

Here is the second post from my myspace blog.
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originally posted on January 13th, 2008 @ 3:42pm

Top 10 Songs of 2007

we will continue without too much rambling…..
you’ll notice a lot of these songs of the year come from my albums of the year, but i planned it so i wouldn’t duplicate any of the songs……..you’re welcome for the free music – but do yourself (and the artists) a favor and go out and pick em up.

10. The Kooks – She Moves in Her Own Way
Inside In/Inside Out – Astralwerks

This was the first song i heard off of Inside In/Inside Out, and i coulnd’t get enough of Luke Pritchard’s super British accent. Once i figured out what he was even saying, it made it all that much better.

9. The Everybodyfields – Aeroplane
Nothing is Okay – Ramseur Records

From the time i first popped Nothing is Okay in the cd player and that fiddle came screamin’ in on the track 1, i was sold The Everybodyfields.

8. Ryan Adams – Goodnight Rose
Easy Tiger – Lost Highway

What a way to kick off an album. No foreplay – just straight into what Ryan does best: a rockin’, memorable guitar riff and powerful lyrics delivered like only he can.

7. Deer Tick – Diamond Rings 2007
War Elephant – Feow Records

Don’t know why he put that 2007 on the end of the title, but it kinda makes sense now doesn’t it? John McCauley gives a jangly, tamborine filled song with enough echoey reverb to make Jack White happy.

6. Feist – 1234
The Reminder – Interscope Records

Most of us first heard this on the iPod nano commercial, and (consequently or not) i soon after starting getting into more indie rock like this. This song starts pretty simply – a little acoustic guitar and Feist’s voice – but turns into one huge party as her vocals soar. Horn sections, dozens of backup vocals, jazzy piano, and lays back down with just a plunky banjo. The video’s pretty cool, too.

5.Spoon – The Underdog
Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga – Merge Records

i consider myself to like pretty tradtional music and always enjoy stripped down acoustic stuff, but the crazy amount of shit goin’ on in The Underdog is what drew me in. There’s a horn section, a booming bass drum, and about a dozen different noise makers (maracas, shakers, tambourines, hand claps, some sort of stick bangin’ on a bottle, and probably much more) that all culminate into a crash landing at the end. And not one bit is unnecesary.

4. The Kooks – Naive
Inside In/Inside Out – Astralwerks

The second gem i came across from the album is a little more rockin’ than She Moves…. but again it’s that accent that makes the song. Somehow i don’t think anyone without a British accent could cover this and do it justice.

3. Josh Ritter – The Temptation of Adam
The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter – Sony USA

Normally a song that mentions the inevitability of WWIII would immediately get skipped on my playlist, but Josh does this futuristic look at Adam and Eve controlling the fate of the world too cleverly not to enjoy.

2. The Avett Brothers – Paranoia in Bb Major
Emotionalism – Ramseur Records

From the first ring of the Scott’s banjo, to Seth’s guttural “yeah’s”, to every single plunk of Bob Crawford’s bass, this song is pure energy manifested into one of the best folk-rock songs ever.

1.Bright Eyes – Four Winds
Cassadaga – Saddle Creek Records

Some the best fiddle solos i’ve ever heard mixed with Conor’s philosopher-like lyrics on top a driving rhythm combine to make my number one song of 2007. Just check out the lyrics:

Your class, your caste, your country, sect, your name or your tribe
There’s people always dying trying to keep them alive
There’s bodies decomposing in containers tonight
In an abandoned building where…

The squatters made a mural of a Mexican girl
With fifteen cans of spray paint in a chemical swirl
She’s standing in the ashes at the end of the world
Four Winds blowing through her hair

But when Great Satan’s gone…
the Whore of Babylon…
She just can’t sustain the pressure where it’s placed
She caves

The Bible’s blind. The Torah’s deaf. The Qu’ran is mute.
If you burned them all together you’d get close to the truth
Still they’re pouring over Sanskrit under Ivy League moons
While shadows lengthen the sun

Cast on a school and meditation built to soften the times
And hold us at the center while the spiral unwinds
It’s knocking over fences, crossing property lines
Four Winds cry until it comes

It’s the Sum of Man slouching towards Bethlehem
A heart just can’t contain all of that empty space
It breaks. It breaks. It breaks.

Well I went back by rented Cadillac and company jet
Like a newly orphaned refugee retracing my steps
All the way to Cassadaga to commune with the dead
They said, “You’d better look alive”
And now it’s off to old Dakota where a genocide sleeps
In the Black Hills, the Badlands, the calloused East
I buried my ballast. I made my peace.
Heard Four Winds leveling the pines

But when Great Satan’s gone
The Whore of Babylon
She just can’t remain with all that outer space
She breaks. She breaks. She caves. She caves.

Ok, so first post…….

i started blogging on my myspace page to try it out. i made a couple of ‘Best Of 2007′ posts and really enjoyed it, so i decided to move it over to this site. Here are the original posts.
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-originally posted on January 12th, 2008 @ 11:57pm

so i’ve been thinkin a lot lately about starting a music blog since i spend about 90 percent of my time on the internet reading them. for those that may not know these are blogs where people post best of/worst of lists of music, highlight artists they like, or simply talk about music. the best part however, is that these bloggers post links to mp3’s of songs mentioned. as far as i know this is legal music sharing, as there is always a link to buy the albums/songs, a disclaimer saying the songs are for sampling purposes only, and artists/labels can request that their music be removed. also, the links normally expire within a few months, so you gotta move fast.
if you’re interested in this, try starting out at hypem.com. The Hype Machine tracks a variety of MP3 blogs. If a post contains MP3 links, it adds those links to its database and displays them on the front page.
2007 was a big year for me musically:
- i bought a fiddle; two actually (still workin on that tho)
- i finally took off my ‘texas music’ blinders and have since found some of the best artists around and redefined what i think good music is (i won’t even try to explain what that is).
- i gave in and starting using iTunes as my music library program, and consequently…
- i bought a 160gb iPod to store all this newfound musical goodness (plus, i outgrew my 20gb iRiver).
Because 2007 was good to me, i’ll return the favor my starting my blogging career with some best of 2007 lists.
stay tuned for those…….
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-originally posted on January 13th, 2008 @ 8:28pm (**these mp3’s are linked to other blogs that i found through hypem.com**)

so, as i said, i will commence my music blogging with a look back at the best of 2007.
but first, i’m gonna attempt to explain the music i like:
you can read my interests in music on my page to see a loooong list of artists i like, but i’ll try to explain it a little more.
almost everything i listen to is rooted in country in some way. Texas/Red Dirt is still a huge part of what i like, although removing the aforementioned blinders made me realize that some of the artists in this so-called genre that i used to dig on basically blow. i won’t give any specific names, but i will say that the mention of things like… uh, beer, bait, and maybe ammo in front of a steel guitar used to do it for me. not so much anymore. but i’m glad for all the music i’ve gone through on my way to what i now like. (i’ll probably look back at these lists in five years and think i was an idiot for listening to this music. right now, i find that nearly impossible, but then again, i would’ve said the same thing in my rebel-flag flying, mudding high school days). ok back to the task at hand….
so, over the last year, i’ve gotten into bluegrass music. mainly due to Old Crow Medicine Show (which isn’t technically bluegrass, but that’s for another day). i dig the sound of a mandolin, a stand up bass, and of course a screamin’ fiddle.
i listen to a lot of folk music, which isn’t a very good description of genre, but simplified it means country-tinged, traditionally born music. by getting into folk, i, in a sense, rediscovered some artists that i had previously come across and took for granted: Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Ray Wylie Hubbard, etc.
through folk, i found some ‘indie folk’, artists such as Iron & Wine and The Everybodyfields, and blog-hunting led me to discover some artists that could be described as ‘indie rock’: The Kooks, Spoon, Band of Horses, etc.
i’ll stop wastin your time with words and show some results:

My Top 10 Albums of 2007

10. Band of Horses – Cease to Begin

This album, as well as number 9, i don’t actually own, but from the sampling of songs i’ve gotten my hands on, i’m sold (and i’ll pick them up as soon as possible **edit 1/14/08** i picked this one up today**). The sophomore effort from Band of Horses is killer indie rock highlighted with echoey guitars and sweet harmony.
Band of Horses – The General Specific [MySpace] [iTunes]

9. Patty Griffin – Children Running Through

Patty Griffin, in addition to sharing a name with a good buddy of mine, is the current queen of folk. She’s been covered more than waffle house hash browns and her voice sends chills through me (so does waffle house – both in a good way).
Patty Griffin – Heavenly Day [MySpace] [iTunes]

8. Josh Ritter – The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter

There is way too much music out there for me to check it all out, so i try to at least remember the names of artists i come across. If i see the same name show up numerous times across different blogs, i’ll check them out. Earlier last year, i saw Josh Ritter’s name just about everywhere, including the cover of No Depression Magazine. Wow. What this guy can do with words is kinda like pringles does with chips: there’s a bunch in there and they’re all good.
Josh Ritter – To The Dogs or Whoever [MySpace] [iTunes]

7. The Everybodyfields – Nothing Is Okay

You know how it seems weird to mix thick, black, licorice-flavored Jagermeister with bright, bubbly Red Bull, but where you do, it’s oh-so-glorious? That’s kinda like what you get when mix the voices of Sam Quinn and Jill Andrews to form the Everybodyfields. This folk duo (with a fiddle and dobro thrown in for good measure) from Johnson City, TN sings powerful tunes so sad you’ll want to forget the Red Bull and just take a pull (or fifteen).
The Everybodyfields – Lonely Anywhere [MySpace] [iTunes]

6. Spoon – Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

I visited my sister in NYC last summer before i had really gotten into the whole ‘indie rock’ thing. i remember seeing this damn album cover on every light pole, subway station, and covered walkway in the city. Then i kept seeing it on all kinda music blogs. Okay, Spoon, you win. Checked it out and here we are. Theses guys from Austin rock hard with more random percussion than a dishwasher. **edit 1/14/08** so, today, i was movin some cd’s around and a bonus cd fell out of the back on the Ga Ga Ga… case. how sweet is that? and not just like a 2 track cd, but 12 friggin’ songs! i’ll report back on what i think of them later**
Spoon – Eddie’s Ragga [MySpace] [iTunes]

ok, i’m tired – top 5 tomorrow……

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-originally posted on January 13th, 2008 @ 11:32am

5. Ryan Adams – Easy Tiger

Ryan Adams released an album in 2007. It’s gonna be on my list.
Ryan Adams – Halloweenhead [MySpace] [iTunes]

4. Bright Eyes – Cassadaga

Conor Oberst, or Bright Eyes, is only like 27 and has almost 20 releases (including EP’s) since ‘98. Some of them are a little obscure for me, but Cassadaga is pure lyrical and musical goodness. Plus, he gets a little help from Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings (kind of a recurring theme in my favorite artists).
Bright Eyes – Classic Cars [MySpace] [iTunes]

3. Deer Tick – War Elephant

John McCauley is only 21 and is the mastermind behind Deer Tick. He sings lyrics as real as Townes or Dylan with groovy guitar licks behind them and unusual arrangements. Hell, i even hear a little Hank in there. i’m anxious to see if his debut effort breaks Deer Tick into popularity, but the fact that his own record label (Feow Records) is sold of of the album and you can only download it on iTunes is a positve sign.
Deer Tick – Art Isn’t Real (City of Sin) [MySpace] [iTunes]

2. The Kooks – Inside In/Inside Out

This is my first real taste of the so-called ‘Brit Pop’, but if it were all like this i think i would’ve found it a long time ago. The Kooks are huge overseas and fastly getting that way here. The only reason this album isn’t 1, is that i just got it at Christmas, but this is one of the best peices of music i’ve heard. Hook writing masters, the Kooks bring just enough acoustic riffs out in the middle of hardcore reggae rock. Yeah that’s right. (Thanks, Ashley, for turning me on to them)
The Kooks – Ooh La [MySpace] [iTunes]

p.s. i know this album was released in late ‘06, but you can lick me, it’s that good.

1. The Avett Brothers – Emotionalism

Scott(banjo) and Seth(guitar) Avett, along with Bob Crawford(stand-up bass) form the Avett Brothers and they are probably the most talented group of guys around. Everyone knows when brothers get together to sing harmony, amazing things happen, but add to that harmony – unique instrumentation (try Seth stomping on a high-hat pedal and Scott stomping on a bass drum pedal all while rockin’ hard on their respective instruments) – profound and flowing lyrics (“when you run, make sure you run – to something and not away from – ’cause lies don’t need and aeroplane – to chase you down”) – mix in a little punk rock (the brothers were previously in a hard rock band, and have retatined a little of their screamo attitude) – and you get my favorite album of 2007. Emotionalism. (By the way, both brothers play the drums and Scott is a painter)
The Avett Brothers – Die Die Die [MySpace] [iTunes]

fin.
stay tuned for my Top 10 Songs of 2007……