Craving - February

Label: ??? (Self-Released)
Year: 2006
Genre: Indie Rock
Recommending Person: Sarah "Effing" Sherry

The first band I have not found any sort of information on. They are not the German metal band currently traveling all across Europe. They are the a Band that seems to only have one album and can easily be found in iTunes or Google Play but is impossible to find anything on the internet with a ten minute google search.

This reminds me, I went to high school during the peak of downloading all the music with out paying a single cent from it. It was before iTunes made it easy to buy music, and before anyone in the music industry really understood that people are willing to pay they just need to be able to get the music easily. Anyways, there was an emo band called Finding Westerly with a song I believe to be called "The Ballad of Brodie and Renee", I can't be sure because titles and bands were often incorrect. The most famous example of that Country version of Gin & Juice was attributed to about 6-10 different bands. All I am now convinced are incorrect.

The songs are melodic, the musicianship is solid, the general catchiness is palpable, but it doesn't quite grab and pull me all the way in. "Marie Laveau" is a solid song that I could see many bands covering successfully.

Margot and the Nuclear So and So's - The Dust of Retreat

Label: Artemis Records/ Standard
Year: 2006
Genre: Indie Folk
Recommending Person: Leslie Kramer's cool Niece Mollie

This is another band where when people would bring them up I would just nod my head and agree they were good. I had only heard a handful of their songs previously, but not enough to form a real opinion outside the generic cool people crowd.

All the songs are enjoyable on their own. For me it is missing on big song to really bring the album together as a whole. It has a bit of a malaise going through the album all at once. It's a 2006 album, which means it was during a time people were still pretending having a cogent album was important. Another time in my life I'm sure I would have loved a record like this, but it's just a bit to lower energy without raw emotion that I would need as a replacement. 

The worst part, is that I think the music itself does have a tempo to keep the energy up, probably leading to a better live show experience than one on headphones, but the voice of Richard Edwards is a bit lower key and can get lost in the song. "Talking in Code", "Quiet As A Mouse", and "Skeleton Key" are definitely songs I would come back for a listen.

The Killers - Sam's Town

Label: Island - Vertigo
Year: 2006
Genre: Indie Rock
Recommending Person: The Jarock's! (Mark and Melissa Jarotkiewicz)

The Killers are family favorites of my sisters growing family. I went on a trip to Oregon with them from the State of Washington where it was very Killers heavy. 

Not to mention they also had a concert DVR'd that was played at least twice during my extended stay. That actually is not an issue at all. The Killers are a perfect pop rock group that families can easily play without worrying about offending any young ears that may be listening. 

I learned the most about Killers from retired Radio Personality Elektra on the now defunct Q101, she taught me of the roots of the Band in Las Vegas and the fact that one member was able to see a large Sam's Town sign through his window. The album's goal was to chronicle the big moments in front man Brandon Flowers's life, and now my Niece and Nephew can use the album Sam's Town as a big musical influence in their life!