Glad to hear the Delta Spirit album is good. They caught me off guard with how good they were when I saw them opening for Cold War Kids. Turned out to be a great show overall as it was Delta Spirit, Tokyo Police Club & Cold War Kids.

5* for Sun Kil Moon. Thanks for sending that my way. I know you just got Young Knives too but is it too soon to say if it'll be worth the time or do you think you'll come off it soon?

I was only clued into Ray Lamontagne last year, so I haven't caught him live like the hip kids :( But it seems (if I'm understanding you correctly) only natural that Lamontagne would be much more powerful in some songs. His voice is rich, raspy and a helluva lot deeper than Bon Iver, who almost seems like he has to go out of his way to project (Skinny Love chorus, for instance). Doesn't seem like a fair way to measure the two.

thanks foeweel - Nice write up of Bon Iver on that blog.

I find it interesting that in your rave of Bon Iver, you mentioned Ray Lamontagne. (It's actually the reason I picked up the album..) But while there are similarities, Ray being another adman/PR artist dream, I think Lamontagne is much more powerful in some songs than Bon Iver ever gets. Seeing Ray Lamontagne live is also a great experience. He has absolutely no stage presence/audience interaction skills but his voice and songwriting are so great that, as long as there are no stupid drunken idiots yelling "wooooo", you really feel like you're sitting in a log cabin with Ray and his guitar.

Ok, enough hijacking this discussion with gushing about Ray Lamontagne. The Bon Iver album is really very very good. Sparse and beautiful. If you want to check out a track that's similar by Ray Lamontagne, listen to Can I Stay. (Dammit I did it again.)

Bon Iver Live Tracks

http://somuchsilence.com/?p=1063

http://todiebyyourside.blogspot.com/2008/04/bon-iver-for-emma-forever-ago.html

I was ready to call it quits around track #2 of my first listen. But I kept it in the rotation and it's growing on me. It's not revolutionary or anything. The album is just a solid, enjoyable listen. There's something about Trillian's voice that's just very calming. I don't know what it is (which is a little frustrating :)) but I tend to listen to it when I'm laying about. I dunno how long this will stay in the moment for me but it's been a nice go thus far.

The She & Him album, how do you like it? I gave it a listen, especially since the lovely/urber hot Zooey Deschanel was in the band, but didn't capture me. It's an okay album but not worth all the rave i've been hearing.

I haven't. I don't have much BOC stuff - no albums, just a few songs. But I'll check out the remix - thanks!

Have you heard the Boards of Canada remix of "Good Friday" from Why?. It's a good one that doesn't overwhelm the song. BOC doesn't do too many remixes and they have a hardcore IDM following. I think you would dig Hanne Hukkelberg.

When The Stage Names was released, there were about 3 months where I forgot Black Sheep Boy even existed. But once I worked TSN through the system, it became much easier to fit BSB back into the picture. Though both beautiful in their own ways, the two albums are so different in sound and feel that you can pick the one that fits your mood.
Anyway, it'll hit your top 10 eventually. I have faith.

Black Sheep Boy for me suffers from the same thing as Band of Horses' Cease to Begin. My first introduction to Okkervil River was The Stage Names. (as Everything All The Time was for BOH) Every time I am in the mood for OR, I end up listening to A Girl In Port and The Stage Names.

From what I've heard of Black Sheep Boy, I really dig it. I just never reach for it enough to add it to my top 10 yet.

Yeah I was a little surprised to look around and see that it was only me. I guess Stephin Merritt isn't the draw he once was. Oh well. Truth be told, I didn't care for Distortion on first listen but I kept it spinning for a couple weeks and it's grown on me.

Isn't it crazy that you're the only one w/Mag Fields in their list right now? I seriously would have exptected more.