Best of the Rest Volume: You're A Volume
With a long list of tracks, this February CD is packed with rock goodness. The largest contributor to this month's compilation is the fablous collection, Dark Was the Night, of indie artists collaborating and raising money for HIV and AIDS awareness. About a third of I'm Gonna Make Out With Your Boyfriend is comprised of tracks from Dark Was the Night, simply because the collection is just that good. The CD is in stores and available for download. Another exciting addition to the compilation is Say Hi to Your Mom and the Heartless Bastards. Say Hi to Your Mom, or just Say Hi, have come out with another fabulous album filled with low voiced lead lyrics and just catchy enough beats. Heartless Bastards are a brand new find for ChipperDemon, yet she's been around for a while apparently and even a common tourer of Greenville, SC.
Tracklist as follows:
1. All This Time - Heartless Bastards (lyrics)
It's a true shame the Heartless Bastard weren't found till now. "All This Time" is a ChipperDemon favorite by lightyears. The song has an energy and sound that fits the formula for a decent rock song, however, the lyrics/message launch the song into a greatness. The beginning is just so fantastic, "My emotions wrapped in vines are reaching for the sun that shines, oh, I must say I adore you... since you took my breath again, would you share your oxygen, so I can breathe one breath of air, intoxicated by your stare." |
2. No Longer - The Kooks (lyrics)
The Kooks are another band that ChipperDemon just hadn't devoted a lot of time too appreciate till recently. "No Longer" lacks a little something, but over all the song carries itself with its simplistic nature and and heartfelt sung lyrics. |
3. Maurine - Say Hi (lyrics)
 One of the best Say Hi to Your Mom songs as of yet. It's one of those short and sweet songs that one cannot get enough of. The song is so endearing oozing of innocence with so much to connect to that don't be surprised if you listen to it more than once, in a row. |
4. Train Song (Feist and Ben Gibbard) - Feist & Ben Gibbard (lyrics)
 The first song to appear from the Dark Was the Night collection, "Train Song," is a beautiful mix of Feist and Ben Gibbard's lyrical talents. Originally done by Vashti Bunyan, "Train Song" is a song story leaving one, at the end, wondering what happens. Does the couple reunite in a passionate love affair founding the notion of true love? Or do they arrive and their fears are reality, true love does have bounds. |
5. The King - Ivana XL (lyrics)
 Ivana XL has been added to ChipperDemon's favorite female artists (there are a lot). The song has a beautiful voice ringing out such raw truth, "It’s much harder than just watching you leave Who cares? It’s easy. It was so easy." The rawness of breaking up and dealing with the anger is so effortlessly sung and plucked out for the listener. "I'm the king." |
6. Brackett, WI - Bon Iver (lyrics)
Bon Iver is doing something right. His use of vocals and guitar patterns overbear the sometimes convoluted and heavy lyrics. Even when the lyrics aren't clear or even identifiable, the chorus tightens one throat and tears feel brewing. |
7. Lay It Down - Peter Bjorn and John (lyrics)
 When "Nothing to Worry About" popped onto Kanya West's blog with his proclamation of being the first to get the download from Peter Bjorn and John, ChipperDemon did a little head scratching, then an indepth search through West's blog and twitter account. "Lay It Down" is simply good, accented with unusual clacks and sounds with a, "shut the fuck up," indeed a favorite out of their new works. |
8. Blood Pt 2 - Buck 65 Ft. Sufjan Stevens & Serengeti
As a song that is featured from Dark Was the Night that is a remix of another Dark Was the Night song, Blood Pt. 2 is by far better than "You Are the Blood" done by Sufjan Stevens, covering the Castanets. The song is just one giant picture description that feels so touchable. Featuring Sufjan's voice, the song doesn't quite leave it's unique sound and indie credit yet melds into a rap indie Sufjan masterpiece. "Bite me like fire ants, touch me like an old stamp." |
9. Tightrope - Yeasayer (lyrics)
"Yeasayer" is another song that has really profound lyrics that carry the song. "So I think I can solve our problems by myself.." Perhaps the voice pleading so deeply also adds to the shared feeling of helplessness. |
10. Sway - Heartless Bastards (lyrics)
 As a second Heartless Bastards song, "Sway" is a splendid combination of beat driven moments with slow melodic riffs all supporting a song message of searching. "I' stumble and I sway into the room, and I fade, and I hope my darkest days are behind me." The song never breaks over a certain slowness keeping it in tune with the theme of just swaying and stumbling. |
11. Feeling Good - My Brightest Diamond (lyrics)
Simply a lovely cover of a lovely song. "And I'm feeling good." If you're not belting this song in your car like your in a speakeasy standing on a hot stage next to Jack on the piano with a glass of scoth on the bench waiting for you, you should think about it. |
12. Never Gonna Happen - Lily Allen (lyrics)
 Lily Allen's It's Not Me, It's You album is probably her best effort yet. She's really developed a sense of taking her great lyrics and combining them with music that's well, more musical. The album maintains its theme and "Never Gonna Happen" is a great example of her ruthless, just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I don't kiss without heart. |
13. Never Had Nobody Like You - M. Ward featuring Zooey Decshanel (lyrics)
 M. Ward is great with a classical sound. Not sure if he's ever going to break out of it but as long as he's asking Zooey Deschanel to throw her voice into the song, there's no need for complaining. This song may not break from the M. Ward music sound but the lyrics are really something to behold. It's sweet and solid. "Honey, I ain't never had nobody like you." |
14. Consolation Prize - Julie Doiron
 Julie Doiron is a long time doted female artist in the ChipperDemon archives. With the announcement of a new album comming out, "Consolation Prize" was never in doubt of being included in the February compilation. While I Can Wonder What You Did With Your Day takes a slight turn from I Woke Myself Up, it is still an album filled Jullie Doiron goodness. This month's bonus track, "Nice to Come Home," is so far the most loved song from the new album. |
15. The Stars Just Blink For Us - Say Hi (lyrics)
The second Say Hi song to appear on the CD and not the last. Upon first listen, "The Stars Just Blink For Us" did not appear as one of Say Hi's best works but the song has a tendency to linger in the ear drum and surface itself throughout one's day making it a song hard to ignore. |
16. My Night with the Prostitute from Marsaille - Beirut (lyrics)
Beirut's latest album creation was not as impressive as expected, however, "My Night with the Prostitute from Marsaille" is a fairly strong track in comparison to the rest of Beirut's good song collection. |
17. Service Bell - Grizzly Bear + Feist
The last of the Dark Was the Night songs, "Service Bell" found its way onto music blogs fairly early. The song escaped the ChipperDemon ears a couple times before it was embraced and now fully appreciated. The simplicity of the song gives it its strength and the combination of vocals just ring sweetly. |
18. Searching for the Ghost (Acoustic) - Heartless Bastards (lyrics)
A close second favorite of the Heartless Bastards' songs, "Searching for the Ghost" is simply just another great rock ballad. The song feels somewhat more down to reality, and connectable than "Sway" maintaining a slow and sweet pace. The singing in "Searching for the Ghost" is also the hardest sounding. It's not as melodic and soft as the others making it feel just that much more raw of a listen. |
19. My Catharsis - Dan Bull
 Not quite sure why this song is on the CD. After the CD was compiled it's been pretty easy to skip this song. Perhaps it's the placement of the song, or perhaps "My Catharsis," in comparison to its neighboring songs, just doesn't seem to stand up and feel worthy of a listen. |
20. Appaloosa! Whiplash - Snowblink
 Snowblink, an older addition to this compilation, seems to lose itself within the compilation especially amidst Ivana XL, however, "Appaloosa! Whiplash" is a lovely song to listen to. The vocals are sweet and tender while the lyrics lose themselves in the melody and the joy of just hearing lovely sounds. |
21. Sweetie Pie - Ivana XL (lyrics)
 "Sweetie Pie" in addition to the previous Ivana XL tracks makes up the best songs by Ivana XL thus far. Her lyrics are tender and poignant they make breaking up sound so sweet. Lyrically, it's one of the best. |
22. November Was White, December Was Grey - Say Hi (lyrics)
This is another Say Hi song that took some working into. When word was out that Say Hi was coming out with a new CD, "November Was White, December Was Grey" was the single posted. At first the song felt week, but in the end it really became a loved track. Say Hi must have a way of charming listeners. Or perhaps the image of November and December is just too hard to not connect with. Either way, a great song to finish out the CD. |
