It’s funny how sometimes I just ignore bands. I’ve heard of Sparklehorse before, but never bothered to listen to the music behind the name.
My first interaction with Mark Linkous‘ music was last year’s In the Fishtank experiment with Fennesz. I really liked it, so a couple of days ago, when I ran into Sparklehorse’s It’s a Wonderful Life album, I thought of giving it a try.

It was one hell of a decision, given the fact that it’s a wonderful album. Unpretentious and calm, beautiful voice and some amazing collaborations. This is one of the best albums I’ve came across lately.
As a big plus, the artwork is breathtaking.

(Piano Fire by Sparklehorse feat. PJ Harvey)

This is one of the simplest and most underrated albums. Thanks for getting me into it
Also, one of the best face-covers I’ve seen.

As your world is turning you’re holding on
Give it away, give it away
Holding onto right and wrong won’t serve you

(Give It Away by James)

I’m liking this girl more and more each day, and the following video only adds to this liking.
Here she is, at the Black Cab Sessions, Holly Miranda, doing a cover of an all-time favourite song of mine, Lauryn Hill’s Ex-Factor. I’m completely surprised how good it sounds.

Amazing job!

(Radio Ballet by Eluvium)

photo by Chelsea

Each shade of blue
Is kept in our eyes
Keep blowing and lightning
Because we own the sky

(We Own the Sky by M83)

photo by Jen Skelley

There was a beautiful vision that night
All shades were bright
With hope to catch the sight
Of northern lights
And touch a cooling star

(Treasure by The Gathering)

photo by Samuel Cheng

God, I love Isaac Brock’s annoying voice. And it’s a revelation I have each time I listen to these guys

The remainders of a shooting star
Landed directly on our broke-down little car
Before then we had made a wish
That we would be missed
If one or another just did not exist

(Little Motel by Modest Mouse)

photo by Alicja

January means a brand new year for Romania on the MAP. And we’re starting it with something from Aievea’s brand new album.
See the whole thing here.

Also, we gathered all the 12 songs we presented last year, and made an all Romanian compilation. See it here.

Enjoy!

You’re gonna walk on home
You’re gonna walk alone
You’re gonna walk so far
You’re gonna wonder who you are

(Shame by The Smashing Pumpkins)

photo by Dorota

I’ve got three hearts, and one’s all mine.
In it, I can loose all sense of time.
It’s filled with paper dolls, and parasols,
and notes in crumpled balls I left behind
for you to find.
Keep out, it says upon the wooden sign.

(Octopus by 2 Foot Yard)

big thanks for this musical discovery to lanternativa

photo by Frederika

I remember I was a little girl when my father showed me some weird flowers made in pen. They were so pretty and symmetrical. I wondered who was able to draw them so perfect. Then he showed me the mechanism that actually made them. A kind of a plastic square and a plastic circle that somehow, together, drew those perfect little things. Me and/or my brother lost that mechanism back then and I completely forgot about it.
That till a few days ago, when I saw the cover of New Century Classics‘ Natural Process. After listening to the music, I’ve realized I came across this really good Polish post-rock/experimental band. The whole album is available for download here.

(click the photo for the big digipack version with lots more pretty flowers)

(Post-Cards by New Century Classics)

A few days ago I was browsing through my music folder and came across this band I haven’t listened to in about a year, but I could vividly recall I liked.
They’re called Eksi Ekso, and I haven’t been able to take their album – I Am Your Bastard Wings – out of my playlist ever since.
Post-rock/experimental at its best. With a really nice artwork

(Mavri by Eksi Ekso)

The schoolyard ghosts, the playtime fears,
You take your pills, they disappear -
The people that you’ve known.
All sweet things,
All sweet things will come again.
When the heartbeat slows.
When the silence grows.

(All Sweet Things by No-Man)

photo by Sacha Brown

After a few days of compiling and sorting, I did it. My top 50 albums of 2009. So if you’re curious, take a peak here (unfortunately for the non Romanian readers, the comments and the text is pretty useless)

Leave me dreaming on the bed
See you right back here tomorrow for the next round
Keep this scene inside your head
As the bruises turn to yellow
The swelling goes down
And if you’re ever around
In the city or the suburbs of this town
Be sure to come around

(Pierrot the Clown by Placebo)

photo by Fabrizio Mingarelli

So I was listening to this album [Diciembre, 3 a.m. by Migala]… liking what I’m hearing, and suddenly something familiar hits me. An excellent Mazzy Star cover. I’m always happy when this happens, mostly because covers suck big time.

Thumbs up for the whole album.

(Fade Into You by Migala)

From the rolling hills of suicide
Everyone will run and hide
Screaming bloody murder
With their heads on fire

(Sweet Insanity by Dog Fashion Disco)

Green can only hold you in the garden
Too much red will go right to your head
But if it’s all the same to you
Give me back my blue
Other colors fade anyway

(Colorblind by Chroma Key)

photo by Lothar Adamczyk

Everything is covered with snow and more keeps falling by the minute. Seems like the flakes are getting bigger and bigger.
So it looks like it’s really winter :|

You climb out the chimney
And meet me in the middle
The middle of the town
And since there’s no one else around
We let our hair grow long
And forget all we used to know
Then our skin gets thicker
From living out in the snow

(Neighbourhood #1 (Tunnels) by Arcade Fire)

photo by Mirek Z

You are the last drink I never should’ve drunk.
You are the body hidden in the trunk.
You are the habit I can’t seem to kick.
You are my secrets on the front page every week.
You are the car I never should have bought.
You are the train I never should have caught.
You are the cut that makes me hide my face.
You are the party that makes me feel my age.

(Like a Friend by Pulp)

photo: Great Expectations screenshot

December 15 a new MAP post on Babylon Noise. This month, Byron from Romanian and lots more, here

Everyone else is secondary
Everyone else is temporary
and I read into the letter that is filled with beauty
the beauty of what was, what is, and what won’t be

(Blueberry Pancakes by Fink)

photo by Adam Sanderson

But through the window you reach for the cold.
But the door is so much closer,
and the sun has sold itself to the land
and all over my skin.

(December by Lydia)

photo by sleepingwithgiants

I’ve not seen you lately
on the street by the beach
or places we used to go
I’ve a picture of you
on our favorite day
by the seaside

(Bird Stealing Bread by Iron & Wine)

photo by Andrea Dingeldein

I have stood on the shore of a strange land
With my back to the wind on the black sand
I can feel you breathe

(The Black Meat by Bark Psychosis)

The more I listen to this band, the more I like it, so thanks fbc for introducing them to me
photo by Maciej Duczynski