From My Ears To Your Eyes
By brandon, on February 25th, 2008
Hi! It’s been a minute, but I’ve returned with a new batch of music reviews for you crazy kids. Let’s not waste any more time… 
Nels Andrews – ‘Off Track Betting’
Reveal Records
Released Feb 26, 2008
Forgive me for not knowing much about this one, but I literally just downloaded it 10 minutes ago..wait..should I use the d word? Will the RIAA come after me? Ah well. Anyway, here’s what little I’ve been able to gather about this guy. He’s from the US of A, he quit college to hitchhike to Alaska and work in the fisheries and then went to South Dakota to plant trees in the Black Hills. He then moved to New Mexico, apprenticed as a woodworker and started writing songs. Hippie. It’s these songs that have garnered him a bunch of critical acclaim from the US, UK, and apparently Dutch folk/songwriting communities. So, cool. The reason I chose to write about this so quickly is that well, it seems REALLY good. It’s got that whole folk/americana/singer-songwriter vibe happening with great songwriting and all the pianos and harps and banjos and steel guitars you could hope for. There’s an obvious Ryan Adams comparison here, with maybe the slightest twinge of a not-as-gruff Ray LaMontagne or a Tom Waits who hasn’t swallowed sandpaper. Plus, it was recorded in Brooklyn, so that makes it a good 5x hipper. I’ve gotta tell ya, I’m really loving this record so far. No no, I mean..I’m REALLLLLY loving this record right now. So much so that it’s about to get the very FIRST 5/5 rating in the history of this website. Yay Nels!
Year End List Potential: 5/5
July Skies – The Weather Clock
Make Mine Music
Released Feb 26, 2008 I think I’ve decided this is what Explosions in the Sky would sound like if they expanded their sound repertoire, did more with acoustic things, made shorter songs, and added some vocals to the mix. This record never really allows you to a firm grasp on what it is classificationally (haha) speaking. Sometimes it sounds like post-rock record, sometimes it’s just a nice little mellow, ambient thing, sometimes it sounds like British acoustic indie stuff..it’s as all over the place as a record whose songs basically all have the same feel can be. The best way to describe this music is dreamlike and peaceful. Airy. Wistful. Relaxing. Ya know how sometimes you’re watching a movie and there’s a really cute or dramatic or peaceful scene and you’re all like ‘dude what is this song? it’s great!’ WELLLLL, this is where that song came from. It’s the perfect soundtrack for watching the sunset over a big lake or whilst romping through a meadow at dusk with a youth-like innocence.
Year End List Potential: 4.8/5
Mychildren Mybride – ‘Unbreakable’
Solid State Records
Released Feb 26, 2008Guys! Guess what!! FINALLY there is a Christain metalcore..ohoh wait..maybe..deathcore… band with growly vocals and breakdowns and gang vocals and stop me if you’ve heard this before. I’ll give this band a little credit, the first few songs aren’t that bad, I mean, I didn’t turn it off after one song or anything, so that’s a plus. It’s heavy, it’s..okay I guess. But this shit is so played out and MCMB doesn’t bring anything new to the table AT ALL. It’s like having a Thanksgiving dinner where everyone who comes brings mashed potatoes. You like the potatoes and really want some of them on your plate, but now you’re stuck JUST eating potatoes and you’re kinda pissed off about it. Interesting tidbit about this band though, the singer is none other than xmatthewx of myspace fame, he was the king of friends before those hussies like Tila Tequila came along and stole his thunder. That douche. I’m glad his record sucks.
Year End List Potential: 1.1/5
Man, I might have to check out the this July Skies group… sounds like it’ll be “Air’y
Oh and just a slight be of obvious observation… do you think it’s “Mychildren Mybride” because he’s popular from “Myspace”? or I’m am looking to much into it? Because if so… thats kinda weak.
Ha, I hated xmathewx, don’t get me wrong, I was jealous as hell, but he waaas a douche. And yeah, I turned Mychildren Mybride off after one listen, that was like a week ago.
ya know matt, i never thought about it like that, but i wouldnt be all that shocked. xmatthewfaggot!!