November's Music

Well, October brought us some snow that is slowly melting and we'll see how much remains by the end of the week. It has definitely stopped my two-wheeled pursuits on the trails of the Sandilands unfortunately. I hate this time of year as it is always tough to transition exercise-wise in the winter...I'm looking forward to XC skiing but it will be awhile before that happens. So while I wait through this I'll share some of the music I've been enjoying as of late. I should note that while I write this I'm listening to a band my friend Jer encouraged me to check out - The Silversun Pickups. Absolutely brilliant - my personal favorite is the song "Lazy Eye" and it very much reminds me of the Smashing Pumpkins - thanks again J! I can hardly wait for whatever the Pumpkins come up with as their new album...fingers crossed.

What else are my ears digesting? Courtesy of relevantmagazine.com I was exposed to Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton - great folky female angst in the vein of Sarah Harmer, Jewel, etc. Copeland's latest offering Eat, Sleep & Repeat is also quite inspiring - great mellotron intro to the album complete with great drums, winding lyrical bliss, and a good touch of Radiohead-esque whining.

I first heard Evanescence before they ever hit the charts after having an online discussion with their first indy producer via Napster chat. He predicted their success and that his guidance was only temporary - wow was he right! In their latest album - The Open Door, their lead singer continues to sing through the octaves which such power & control that it simply draws listeners in. Great edge & contrast throughout the album, perhaps a touch over-produced but still very powerful! Oh and their website is pretty swanky.

I'm still listening to Keane's Under The Iron Sea, Mat Kearney's Nothing Left To Lose (Chris Martin-like vocals), The Afters' I Wish We All Could Win, The Fray's How To Save A Life, Thirteen Senses' The Invitation, Tom Petty's Highway Companion, Jars of Clay's Good Monsters, and believe it or not the heavy & edgy Pillar's The Reckoning.

Probably the most obscure stuff I'm listening to right now is Sting's Songs From The Labyrinth which has been described as 16th Century Pop. In the atmospheric ambient category - I'm absolutely loving The Album Leaf's Into The Blue Again & of course Sigur Ros' EP Saeglopur is simply entrancing!