Thursday, April 30, 2009

Eagle

I don't listen to music like I used to. I still spend WAY too much money on my music collection, but I definitely don't obsess over music like I did a few years ago. Don't know why exactly. I used to always have music on around the house, or in the car, or while working. Everywhere. Not so much now.

Maybe it's because I make more money now and getting new music is much easier than it was a couple of years ago. Back then, I really had to plan out how to buy new music. I wouldn't be able to get every new album right away

Now, however, I can just go get whatever whenever I want. When I was always broke, I had an instant emotional attachment to any new music I bought because I had to work for it. Now, not so much.

There's that, or maybe it's just as simple as a lack of great music over the last couple of years. It's true that the one album I really obsessed over last year ended up as my favorite. That's been the trend over the last two years. But again, there has been a lack of truly great music over the last two years. Who knows?

What I do know is that I've desperately been waiting for a new album to really obsess over. The new Animal Collective is really great, but I haven't been listening to it ad nauseum. I keep waiting and searching, but I think I may have something here...

Bill Callahan - Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle

I have been a fan of Bill Callahan/Smog for years, but I can't think of anything as good as his latest, Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle. What I love is how Callahan can make his music so effortlessly. He never sounds like he's trying too hard, but his music is always intense and disturbing and beautiful. I've never heard that method work as well as on this album. The music just swirls around his thoughless voice. He just sounds natural, all the time. It's not like he makes this sound easy, it just sounds like this is how he is.

This album is tremendous. It's the year's first truly required listen for everybody. I hope there are more albums like this for 2009, but combine this with the new Animal Collective and so far everything looks pretty good.
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