Elmer and the Ceramic Trees - SaturdayNight Satellite (2014)

My coworker recently turned eighteen. He's a bright kid, someone with a lot of potential. Someone who should do more than drunkenly type up musing about songs on a blog and work a series of retail jobs like yours truly. I remember what it was like to be eighteen, wishing someone give me even the slightest of pointers in what is worth learning about and what culture will expand my horizons. I feel by default into plumping the depths of the internet for music and only later by happenstance of becoming a bookseller did I gain a love of literature. I gave him copies of The Stranger by Camus and a collection of Rimbaud's poetry hoping I wasn't dooming him to the depressive existential bouts I sometimes experience. Gotta learn that too though, I suppose. Nothing better to work through them than a musician expressing their gloomy mood in a most beautiful way.

The Wisconsin songwriter Robbie Haas, going by the lovely moniker Elmer and the Ceramic Trees, is just such a musician. I'm not gonna beat around the bush here. SaturdayNight Satellite is a magnificently composed album. It doesn't hold too tight to one genre, and the amount of production on the tracks varies considerably from stripped down folk-type songs to multifarious post-punk. Bears many of the features of sadcore bands like Great Lake Swimmers, Fred Thomas's Flashpapr and the more dejected tracks of The National. Though I can get why one might the sadcore tag, sounds silly. Add to that some gothic country twang, liberal use of a piano and deft application of the wall-of-sound, you'll end up with a better idea of Haas's astute approach. SaturdayNight Satellite's title track is fine place to begin as it's a long, melodic and varied exemplar of the interwoven aspects with which he's working. Outstanding songs are the noisy "Winterlong," the guitar-driven "Evening Prayer" and the comparatively pop-like  "The Way We Fall." Nevertheless, the morose "Take Me Drain Me" and "Gentle Hand" are more poetic, reminding me of the aforementioned sad literature I'm so fond of sharing.

To be had here:
Elmer and the Ceramic Trees - SaturdayNight Satellite

Fred Thomas - Everything Is Pretty Entirely Fucked Up (2002)

I won't lie, I still like this album, but it is blasted depressing to hear. I suppose that is because Fred Thomas has skills. Of course this can be seen by his epic presence in Michigan music with his groups Saturday Looks Good To Me, Flashpapr, and Lovesick. This was his first solo release and it is most in line with Flashpapr in mood, mainly that it is sad(core), but does feel like SLGTM at moments. However, I feel it is better than Flashpapr, but perhaps that's just me. Extremely lo-fi in its recording, it feels like he made this shit after his cat got eaten by his recent estranged ex-girlfriend while he is being evicted, as the title might allude to. Take it for what it is, my friends, don't listen to this if your girl or boy just ran off leaving you a case of beer and/or a fifth of vodka though.

To be had here:
Fred Thomas - Everything Is Pretty Entirely Fucked Up [192 kbps]

Mayday

Besides being an important day of recognition of labor struggles, a holiday based in pagan traditions and the international distress call, Mayday is a Nebraskan band. If you haven't heard of them, and didn't guess from their being from Nebraska, Mayday is indeed belongs Omaha's Saddle Creek. I won't lie, I had an affection for Saddle Creek that is almost unnerving in retrospect. However, I shan't deny some of the music from this ever-expanding label is tiptop. Ted Stevens, also of Cursive and of the now defunct Lullaby For The Working Class, heads up Mayday. Having more in common with the earlier Lullaby For The Working Class than the other material he's worked on, including his contributions to several Bright Eyes releases. Thusly, its alternative country mixed with the rock he also partakes in. The brooding lyrics and soberness of much of the songs has lead to it being branded as sadcore, which is really whatever you make of it. Personally, I find a sense of liveliness and realism to much of it. Three albums have been released by the band so far. Old Blood being the first, and in my opinion the weakest but fairly well made, especially the tracks "Captain" and "Confession" which has vocals by Saddle Creeks' most famed son, Conor Oberst. If listeners stuck it through to the second attempt, I Know Your Troubles Been Long, they get a well-composed album. It has an appropriate unvarnished sounding recording and catchy songs that are terrificly sung. The latest LP, Bushido Karaoke, is again more polished, but has considerable songwriting and excellently executed instrumentation, probably the best release Stevens has managed with Mayday. The bittersweet ballad "Rock & Roll Can't Save Your Life" is charmingly done. "Booze & Pills" has got country swagger to spare. Although not one of my favorite tracks, "Old World New World" is a cover of Australian new wavers INXS. I'd suggest this as a good intro into a brand alternative country, within which there are numerous great artists.

To be had here (192 kbps):




Old Blood (2001)














I Know Your Troubles Been Long (2003)
















Bushido Karaoke (2005)