Big Name

I was thinking of writing something about the new Black Mountain album (s/t), but couldn't think of anything insightful to say (just go read the Pitchfork review, they're always full of usefull information and hot air). Then, when I went to find out who put out the album, I realized that Black Mountain is on Jagjaguwar, which is such a good label that I might as well just post about the label.

Besides putting out Black Mountain, they've also handled all of Julie Doiron's albums. Doiron was the bassist for Eric's Trip (I strongly suggest picking up their live album, The Eric's Trip Show) before starting to put out solo records full of the beautiful, heart-wrenching singer-songwriter music I've ever heard. Pretty much every track off of Heart and Crime could make a person cry - sometimes in a sad way, sometimes in a happy way (Pulitzer Prize, here I come).

The album she put out with The Wooden Stars is also great - it has a really distincitive, quirky poppish sound. And if you're a total fuckin' America-hating traitor terrorist then you should be sure to pick up Desormais, an album almost entirely in French.

Jagjaguwar also put out Oh Fantastica by Aspera. Not to bring out the old chestnut about how one band sounds like another band if they were taking this or that drug, but... Aspera makes the kind of music that I expect you'd get from David Gahan if you slipped him some ecstacy and a bunch of Aphex Twin albums. Have a listen to the "Mountains Will Give" MP3 off the Jagjagwar site.

Finally, you have Minus Story, which is a good ol' fashioned sensitive indie band with some seriously tight hooks. You can also find some MP3s for them I'm sure.

In conclusion, Jagjaguwar is good. They have good music. They are good people. They one saved my dog from getting hit by a car and invented the emotion known now as "wistful".