Album of the 00s

Since everyone else is doing it..

I'm not going to make a list but I should say what my album of the decade is. I've known what it would be for some time, barring some sort of miracle. It is 'Befriended' by The Innocence Mission. This is maybe the most beautiful set of songs I have ever listened to, barely a week has gone by since 2003 without me returning to it at some stage. I have written extensively about it on here before, but if there is anyone out there who hasn't heard it, I strongly recommend that you check it out.

Thank you to Karen and Don Peris for making such a wonderful album, a record that will always stay with me.

10 for the 00s

Since everyone else is doing it, I've been considering my favourite records of the 2000s. Over the coming weeks I will be writing about each one before coming up with a final list, so here in no particular order, are my favourite ten records of the 2000s....and believe me, even getting to this stage wasn't easy and I should say that Songs:Ohia's 'Magnolia Electric Co', Arcade Fire's 'Funeral' and Tindersticks' 'Waiting For The Moon' were about as close as it is possible to get to making the final ten. I may even expand the list to 20 at some point.

American Music Club' Love Songs For Patriots'
The Innocence Mission 'Befriended'
The Innocence Mission 'We Walked In Song'
Joanna Newson 'Ys
Low 'Trust'
Radiohead 'In Rainbows'
Sun Kil Moon 'Ghosts of the Great Highway'
Tindersticks 'Can Our Love'
Tindersticks 'The Hungry Saw'
Wilco 'A Ghost Is Born'

treasure

Still we wait for the new LP from the incomparable Innocence Mission. It is due sometime soon it would seem and last year's 'Steet Map' was a wonderful taster. Since The Innocence Mission are undoubtably a Spring or Winter band, they should hurry and get it released as soon as possible.

This morning, leaving the house early to go swimming I selected 'We Walked In Song' (their last LP..from 2007) on my ipod and it was perfect. Sitting on the train, watching the sun rise and listening to the most gentle, serene and moving music. The really great albums, the ones you would call favourites are the ones that you play without thinking about it, the ones you find yourself turning to automatically.

Its hard to believe we are already a third of the way through the year. We've had some pretty good releases already this year. When I think about which ones may be beyond good...albums that I will be playing for years to come, I think of M Ward's 'Hold Time' and Bill Callahan's 'Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle'. Callahan's LP especially, still sounds wonderful. Its one of the best sounding records I've heard in a long time. There's been some amusing discussions and differing opinions on the Smog mailing list, but for me it is one of his best albums. Other records have come and gone this year, sounded great at times, but those two are my favourites thus far.

I'll be reviewing Morrissey's re-issued, re-packaged, re-presented, re-sequenced 'Southpaw Grammar' in a few days time. For me, unlike the similarly re-done 'Maladjusted', SG was always a very good album, unfairly derided. Its easy to forget that it was released in the middle of Britpop, when lengthy, wordy, dirge style songs were the least fashionable thing going. Morrissey never did care too much for trends.

Also will be writing about the Handsome Family and Art Brut albums in the days to come.

and I have heard a whisper of some very exciting news for UK people who are fans of a T&G favourite. But I'm not allowed to say anything yet.....

The Innocence Mission 'Street Map'

I wrote about this EP when it was released back in December, but I wanted to leave it a while before reviewing it 'properly' as Innocence Mission records generally take a bit of time to sink in. As it turned out, this was no exception.

On their last two, incredibly beautiful, albums grief was the predominant emotion. Karen Peris sang about the death of her Mother ('Befriended') and then her Father ('We Walked In Song') and while these records contained joy through memories and the feeling that her Mother and Father were still with her in some way, there was of course much sadness in the songs. On 'Street Map' Peris observes the world around her and this makes for a beautifully crafted EP.

As always with the Innocence Mission, the music is gentle and pretty. Don Peris' guitar-picking is as expressive as ever and there is plenty of beautiful piano. Karen Peris' voice and words make this record though. She starts the opening song with "Let's not be restless my darlings/ let's be glad at home my dears" and immediately the world is less noisy and rushed, its a peaceful, beautiful opening.

The eight songs here fit together well, including the instrumental interludes. There are undoubted highlights though. 'A Thousand Miles', upbeat and joyous, is a bike ride through an unknown town, taking in sights and noticing small details. 'You Draw The Streets Of Rome' is realising how big the world is and how small we are("the map you draw in blue chalk/ includes us") and 'Pioneering' with its lead piano is the commentary of a tour through a city ("oh drive on/ drive on").

Peris sings all these songs beautifully. She guides us through her World and teaches us to notice and look for things more. This will be the perfect record to play when Spring arrives...except by then there will be a whole new Innocence Mission album to enjoy. This is just gorgeous, heart warming music.

9.3

['Street Map' is out now through www.theinnocencemission.com ]

what's playing on the T&G stereo this week...

With virtually nothing new released yet this year, T&G have been listening to some (recent) old favourites this year:

- Everything Fleet Foxes! Still stunned by the brilliance of this band. The LP has had several plays along with the under-rated 'Sun Giant' EP and their superb Daytrotter session.

- Innocence Mission 'Street Map'. Their beautiful new EP has had several plays, especially 'A Thousand Miles', which sees them at their most upbeat and life-affirming.

- Various Broken Records 7" singles.

- Pavement's absolutely superb 'Live Europaturnen 1997' live LP, given away free with pre-orders of the 'Brighten The Corners' reissue and essential listening, not least for the extra verse about Kula Shaker in 'Range Life'.

- Animal Collective 'Merriweather Post Pavillion' - only arrived yesterday, so more on this soon.

Come on record company people...let's have some new releases...

The Innocence Mission 'Street Map'

Well, this is a nice early Christmas present. I didn't even know about this EP until a week ago (see last wednesday's post), ordered it straight away and received it incredibly quickly considering it was coming from the States.

The Innocence Mission have never given the slightest hint that they are even capable of making a bad record and their last two albums ('We Walked In Song' and 'Befriended') have been utterly beautiful, sad but at the same time full of hope and joy, so I had high hopes for this EP, which contains tracks from their forthcoming new album and other exclusive tracks.

There is nothing new here at all, The Innocence Mission are hardly likely to make a drastic change of direction now. Karen Peris sings beautiful lyrics, always sounding as if she is smiling as she sings and Don Peris still plays with his distinctive, expressive guitar sound. Their songs always sound so fresh and wide eyed. In particular, 'You Draw the Streets of Rome'is gorgeous, layers of guitar, piano and harmony vocals over a simple melody and a lyric about seeing the world anew and "being braver than I am here".

Elsewhere 'From A Homeland' is a classic comforting Innocence Mission song, sounding like it could have been on 'Befriended', with Karen Peris opening it by singing "let's not be restless my darlings". 'A Thousand Miles' is a reworking of an old song and the drums and fast pace make it sound like it would have fitted well on 'Small Planes'. 'Pioneering' is probably my favourite though, piano led and featuring really visual lyrics which seem to provide commentary on a tour of a city; "Oh drive on, drive on".

There are eight tracks in all, three of which are really pretty instrumentals. Sounds like the new album, due next Spring, will be something special again.
As ever, impossibly beautiful.

*****

['Street Map' is out now on cd direct from www.theinnocencemission.com ]

new Innocence Mission EP

TracksandGigs couldn't be more excited if we had just been told we'd won the lottery. A new Innocence Mission EP is out....NOW!

Titled 'Street Map' it is their first self-released record since 2000's 'Christ Is My Hope' and contains songs from their new album, due in the Spring, as well as some songs that didn't make it onto the album.

You can order it now from www.theinnocencemission.com and unless you are completely crazy, that is what you will be doing as soon as you finish reading this. You can also listen to a couple of the songs on their site, but as of 2.21pm on 3/12/08, I am trying to resist doing this until the cd arrives.

Track listing? Here you are...

1. From a Homeland
2. Sunshine Roof
3. Pioneering
4. We Wake Up in the Earliest Blue of All
5. A Thousand Miles
6. Fair Hill
7. You Draw the Streets of Rome
8. Suitcase Waltz

five years ago...

Laura Barton's mention of The Innocence Mission in the Guardian today reminded me that it is five years since the release of their 'Befriended' LP.

The first few times I played this album, I wondered if it was one of the best records I had ever heard. Five years on, I think it is. I never get tired of it. It is one of those albums that I ended up buying copies of for friends in the hope that they would love it as much as I did. Some did, some didn't.

Written and recorded after the death of Karen Peris' Mother, 'Befriended' was made pretty much exclusively with guitar, bass, piano and tambourine and of course Karen's amazing voice. The lyrics are of course poignant, sometimes sentimental but the music is joyful and on 'Beautiful Change' you can hear Peris smiling as she sings. I have often thought that this record is pretty much perfect. It can make you feel sad but in some ways is the most uplifting album, the writing is simple yet stunning- the first verse of 'When Mac Was Swimming' is...

"When Mac Was Swimming I was running late
Walking around New Orleans looking for a birthday cake
It was a great surprise to him so many people came
Nobody knows darling
Nobody knows how they are loved"

There is so much I could say about this record but if you don't own it, just buy it and find out for yourself. You won't be disappointed and this record will carry you through the Autumn turning to Winter and then when Spring is on the way, you can listen to Karen sing..

"Flower forth,
all you branches of Easter
Why won't the spring come?
Sweep down early, Tomorrow, come.
Tell me that I can just start over again.
Sweep down early, my friend."

And then you can buy the follow up 'We Walked In Song' which is almost as beautiful and then start on their back catalogue, prepare to be blown away by 'Birds Of My Neighbourhood'.

The Innocence Mission don't get the attention they deserve and this is one of the most beautiful records you will ever hear.

[Every Innocence Mission album is available now from www.theinnocencemission.com they are all brilliant. A new one will arrive in the Spring]

more on Conor Oberst album

apologies for the lack of updates but there's not much new out there and I have been listening to old Innocence Mission albums (albums that I never, ever tire of) and the Conor Oberst album.

Regarding the latter, I may have under-rated it even with the 8.4 mark I gave it (incidentally, after letting albums 'sink in' after reviewing them, I think I also under-rated the Fleet Foxes LP and over-rated the Mountain Goats LP this year...everything else I pretty much stand by). It is a superb record and the song 'Moab', not a track I noticed much in the first few plays, is a favourite at the moment. A song about moving on and then coming home...about finding peace...it is all kinds of wonderful and Conor sings the lines "see those headlines coming towards us/ that's someone going back/ to a town they'd said they'd never/ yeah they swore it on their lives", like he totally believes in what he is singing and the music he is making. Good to hear. If you haven't already bought this album, do so now.

There is more stuff coming up soon though. Including a review of the new Mark Kozelek live EP and live reports from Sun Kil Moon in London and Tindersticks in Brighton.

and if you think there's something else I should be listening to, let me know...

Denison Witmer

Denison Witmer is a TracksandGigs favourite. In the league of 'American acoustic guitar singer-songwriters' he is probably currently number one.

2005's 'Are You A Dreamer' was a superb album, deserving of far more recognition than it received. A set of songs inspired by dreams, memories and old photographs, it was a lovely, warm album to listen to and in particular the song 'Castles and Cathedrals' is just a brilliantly written ballad that everyone should hear.

He has taken his time over a follow-up, but then that album also took a while to come after the equally excellent 'Philadelphia Songs'. It seems that a new record is not far off anyway, it has been recorded and if you go to Denison's Myspace (link below) you can hear a new song called 'Carry The Weight'. Sung with Rosie Thomas, this indicates that Denison's work with Don Peris has led him to be even more influenced by the Innocence Mission than he was already. This can only be a good thing. Can't wait for the LP.

http://www.myspace.com/denisonwitmer

The Innocence Mission 'We Walked In Song'

Clearly, my profession of choice would be a record reviewer. However, even if I had the talent to perform this duty, I am starting to wonder if I would find it possible to work to the guidelines required. I have read a review of The Innocence Mission's new album in Uncut, it can't be much more than 100 words, it is a 'safe' three star review and sticks to Wikipedia type facts about the band and offers the insight that as the record is largely about Karen Peris' Father who died while the record was being written, it is sombre. If someone asked me to give them 100 words on the new Innocence Mission LP, I think I would find it impossible.

I first became a fan of The Innocence Mission in 2001 after a recommendation from a friend. They are husband and wife Don and Karen Peris with assistance from bassist Mike Bitts. Karen sings and plays guitars and piano, while Don plays most of the guitars, drums and occasionally sings backing vocals. Their music is a kind of dreamy, light, folky sound, with mainly acoustic guitars and Karen's beautiful, childlike vocal over the top. The songs often focus on themes such as childhood, religion and friendship.

2003's 'Befriended' was written shortly after the death of Karen's Mother and it is partly a tribute to her life and partly an album about coping with her death. It remains one of my favourite albums of all time and will inevitably, at some point, make you cry.

This year the follow up album finally arrived. Released in January 2007 in the USA and out in the UK next January, 'We Walked In Song' is, in many ways, a companion album to 'Befriended'. I have lived with this album for most of this year and there haven't been many weeks when I haven't listened to it at least once.

Karen's Father died during the writing of this album and if you listen to the album just once and read the lyric sheet through, you might get the impression that this is a sad, sombre album. You'd be wrong. Instead of dwelling on sadness and loss, the lyrics look for hope, joy and happiness in the things that remain. So there are songs about members of Karen's family as well as several songs about the kindness of strangers and the way that moments like these can light up the day.

Opener 'The Brotherhood of Man' sets the scene with lyrics such as:

"Waiting at the airport on my suitcase,
a girl traveling from Spain became my sudden friend,
though I did not learn her name.
And when the subway dimmed
a stranger lit my way.
This is the brotherhood of man."

Elsewhere on the same song, the sadness shines through...

"We meet an older man who seems to know
I miss my dad.
And he smiles through the limbs.
We talk easily with him
until the rain begins."     

Karen sings this song beautifully, complemented by intricate guitar pickings from Don. 'Happy Birthday' and 'Love That Boy' are tributes to members of Karen's family but it is after these two tracks that the album really hits it's stride.

'Into Brooklyn...' is the most upbeat, catchy song on the album and the first to contain anything so loud as a drum! Its a song, you'll be humming for days after you first hear it. 'Lake Shore Drive' has more of an alt.folk sound than anything else here, it is a joyous song too, as Karen decides to leave regret and grief behind whilst never letting memories fade

"It seems the right time
to let go of the steep incline
of this day and to know you’re mine
forever and I will be fine.
In me will you shine,
shine, shine, will you shine"

Later on, 'Since I Still Tell You My Everyday' is an impossibly sad and lonely song, performed with a very sparse acoustic arrangement and 'Over The Moon' and 'A Wave is Rolling' focus on optimism for the future with some very nice imagery.

As has become something of a tradition on Innocence Mission records the final track features harmonies between Karen and Don. They sound great singing together, as Don's voice compliments Karen's very well. 'My Sisters Return from Ireland' is a great closer with Karen's lyrics hoping that she too can show kindness to others in the same way as it has been offered to her.

There is not a huge variation in sound or themes on this record so don't expect that. But, if you want to hear gentle, emotional songs performed by great musicians and singers than you won't go far wrong with 'We Walked In Song' and you'll probably find yourself gradually purchasing all of The Innocence Mission's superb back catalogue. There is a lot more to them than meets the eye.

9.8

a song for today

I haven't listened to 'Ys' by Joanna Newsom much this year. I listened to it virtually non-stop at the end of last year but I just haven't felt like listening to it much recently.

This makes me think that it may be an 'Autumn album'. It wouldn't be alone, I listen to the Innocence Mission almost exclusively in Autumn and Winter, they just don't make so much sense in the Summer. I remember walking to work in the snow last February listening to 'Birds of my Neighbourhood' and at that moment it felt like the greatest album ever.

Anyway, this morning something made me want to listen to 'Emily' on the aforementioned 'Ys'. Its funny how songs can sometimes just pop into your head like that.

So, I'm sitting here at work with one ear of my headphones in and listening to the most amazing music, which has nothing to do with my today or the place where I am but is raising my spirits all the same.

I think I'll be listening to this a lot for the rest of the year.