Damien Jurado's Saint Bartlett

Comes out in May on Secretly Canadian (his ninth album) produced by label mate Richard Swift.  The first single Arkansas is highly recommended.  Download the free mp3 at Stereogum below.  I'm loving the sock-hop vibe and the fact we get to hear another stirring first person narrative from one of America's most talented, prolific and consistent songwriters.

Honestly, I recommend every single record he's put out without hesitation.  Each contains amazing songs and a cohesive aesthetic.  Sure you could collect his very best tracks on a long playlist, but I prefer to hear his albums from beginning to end the old fashioned way.  Often on vinyl.

ARKANSAS by DAMIEN JURADO

If you haven't seen my short film Wow and Flutter, please download a hi-res QT of it at the link below.  Damien's wonderful song Saturday plays during the last scene and credits.

WOW AND FLUTTER

New Music 2010

A great year ahead -- so many new records to look forward to!
FRIGHTENED RABBIT Winter of Mixed Drinks

GORILLAZ Plastic Beach

TITUS ANDRONICUS The Monitor

LOVE IS ALL Two Thousand and Ten Injuries

BLACK FRANCIS NonStopErotik

MGMT Congratulations

NEW PORNOGRAPHERS Together

THE STREETS Computers and Blues

BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE  Forgivness Rock Record 

THE HOLD STEADY Heaven Is Whenever

CALVIN MARSHALL Official Soundtrack

LCD SOUNDSYSTEM

THE FALL Our Future, Your Clutter

INTERPOL

THE NATIONAL

THE CHOIR 

DEVO Fresh

SALEM (1st Official Longplayer??)

THE WALKMEN

THE WRENS

ARCADE FIRE

Favorite Albums of 2009

It's been a good year for music and these are the records I played the most.  They lived with me through the ups and downs of writing screenplays and finishing the film.  (Our Calvin Marshall soundtrack should be #1 but it's a 2010 release!)

1. The Antlers - Hospice

2. Justin Townes Earle - Midnight at the Movies

3. Dark Was The Night (Red Hot Compilation)

4. The Flaming Lips - Embryonic

5. Fever Ray - Fever Ray

6. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz

7. XX - XX

8. Jason Lytle - Yours Truly, the Commuter

9. Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca

10. The Veils - Sun Gangs

11. The Mountain Goats - The Life of the World to Come

12. The Avett Brothers - I and Love and You

13. Bill Callahan - Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle

14. Petracovich - Crepusculo

15. Moby - Wait For Me

16. Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse - Dark Night of the Soul

17. Eels - Hombre Lobo

18. Grand Duchy - Petits Four

19. Loney Dear - Dear John

20. AC Newman - Get Guilty

21. The Church - Untitled #23

22. Where the Wild Things Are OST

23. Steve Earle - Townes

24. (Reissue) The Beatles: Remastered

25. (Reissue) Big Star - Keep an Eye On the Sky

Hospice is a mesmerizing, emotional record. While you could call it conceptual, the story-line is personal and subtle enough so the listening experience stays magnetic and fresh. There is a cast of characters, a cancer ward. There are ghosts and haunting grief.  Here's the video for "Two":