Yeah, I'm cheating this week - but I totally agree with these reviewers, if that means anything.
Joe Henry Civilians
"Mr. Henry has been almost as artistically diverse and sophisticatedly ragged as Elvis Costello or Tom Waits, and Civilians is as populated with beautiful losers as his previous works. But it strives for straightforward clarity with deliberately understated musicianship. With help from players such as jazz guitarist Bill Frisell and pianist Van Dyke Parks, Mr. Henry gives the lounge-bar ballad 'I Will Write My Book,' the postmodern blues 'Time Is a Lion' and the polished anti-anthem 'Our Song' the honesty of a man whose heart and mind have finally negotiated a truce, however unsteady. A softly gorgeous disc that makes the name Joe Henry one to remember." - Dallas Morning News
Joe Henry - "Civilians" [mp3]
Joe Henry - "Time is a Lion" [mp3]
Joe Henry - "Our Song" [mp3]
The Go! Team Proof of Youth
"Proof of Youth not only picks up where their storied debut left off, it stocks even more happy-faced enthusiasm and body-moving exuberance than a dozen first-graders riding a serious sugar high. If tunes like 'Titanic Vandalism' and 'Universal Speech' don’t have you doing back-flips off of the top bunk, you might want to check your pulse." - Chicago Tribune
[Full album stream at AOL this week.]
This week's list:
- JOSH RITTER The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter
- JULIE DOIRON Woke Myself Up
- JOE HENRY Civilians
- SPOON Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
- WILCO Sky Blue Sky
- THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS Challengers
- RILO KILEY Under the Blacklight
- JOSH ROUSE Country Mouse City House
- TEGAN AND SARA The Con
- THE GO! TEAM Proof of Youth
- THE NATIONAL Boxer
- FEIST The Reminder
- GOLDRUSH The Heart is the Place
- ROSIE THOMAS These Friends of Mine
- RYAN ADAMS Easy Tiger
- KELLY WILLIS Translated from Love
- GREAT LAKE SWIMMERS Ongiara
- THE SHINS Wincing the Night Away
- MICHELLE SHOCKED To Heaven U Ride
- GREG BROWN Yellow Dog
- LINDA THOMPSON Versatile Heart
- NICK LOWE At My Age
- BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN Live in Dublin
- TEDDY THOMPSON Up Front and Down Low
- KIM RICHEY Chinese Boxes
- PETER BJORN AND JOHN Writer's Block
- THE POLYPHONIC SPREE The Fragile Army
- TRAVIS The Boy With No Name
- THE WHITE STRIPES Icky Thump
- MY MORNING JACKET Okonokos
Dropping off the list this week:
- AU REVOIR SIMONE The Bird of Music
- THE CLIENTELE God Save the Clientele
RIYL for the week beginning September 10, 2007. Backstory here.
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