From: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org (ecto-digest) To: ecto-digest@smoe.org Subject: ecto-digest V14 #240 Reply-To: ecto@smoe.org Sender: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk ecto-digest Sunday, August 30 2009 Volume 14 : Number 240 To unsubscribe: e-mail ecto-digest-request@smoe.org and put the word unsubscribe in the message body. Today's Subjects: ----------------- A few recent obsessions.. [Paul Jensen ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 18:17:28 -0500 From: Paul Jensen Subject: A few recent obsessions.. Looking for a strong front-runner for #1 Album of the Year? I'd like to recommend the band Fight Like Apes. Their first full-length is called (ready for this?) "Fight Like Apes and the Mystery of the Golden Medallion". iTunes is currently selling the entire album for the ridiculous price of just $5.99! Anyway, I took a chance on this album since a fellow music nut classified them as "art-rock". Hmm, okay, I was intrigued. This album has been in HEAVY rotation for me all summer long. The songs are fierce little pieces of pop/rock genius. Lots of synths and keyboards. Lead singer May Kay has a sweet voice, but isn't afraid to get ugly on the more intense tracks (you simply have to hear her meltdown on the track "Battlestations", it's something else!) The band doesn't take themselves too seriously, either, which makes this a really fun album. It's also a bit on the vulgar side, which just adds to the joy of the album because it's always so unexpected.. in one track she's singing about enjoying toast with cheese, and then suddenly screaming "Did you fuck her?!" - they seem to enjoy catching the listener off-guard. You never know what's coming next. This album is an intense, fun ride. Here is a sample: http://www.mtvu.com/music/ahead-of-the-curve/fight-like-apes/ Another strong competitor for Album of the Year has to be Owl City's excellent "Ocean Eyes". I am a total fanboy for Owl City, so I'm a bit biased. His songs just exude innocence and happiness. I don't think the boy is capable of writing a sad song. Totally infectious melodies. Smart and poetic lyrics.. the whole album bursts sunshine and love. :-) I'd also like to give my highest recommendation to an album called "The Healing Voice" by an artist named, simply, Cecilia. Her crystalline voice reminds me of a combination of Enya and Sarah Brightman. The album has a spiritual mood to it, for sure, but she succeeds in making this accessible and palatable even to those (like me) who are not religious at all. Whenever I need something calming and soothing, I go straight to this album. I think a lot of ectophiles might appreciate her work on this album. Paul - -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "This is the time. And this is the record of the time." -Laurie Anderson ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ------------------------------ End of ecto-digest V14 #240 ***************************