Sound Track for the Road Trip

Categories: Entertainment , Local Interest , Staff Picks

Whenever my son Charlie takes a road trip, he organizes a sound track. I had the pleasure of experiencing one of these sound tracks with him recently on a trip back from Nashville. I have a new appreciation for indie rock and some new favorite music.

Bright Eyes with Conor Oberst is a wonderful band from Omaha. 2007's Cassadaga has great music and wins for Best Album Cover (a nifty little tool reveals words and pictures all over it). 

Arcade Fire's Neon Bible was overall the best one. Charlie saw this Canadian band in concert in Chicago a couple of weeks ago and said it was sublime.

Dragonforce...and now for something completely different! This is speed metal from England, hearkening back to the 80's but with 2000's sophistication. I loved it. Described as a "power metal band", I think their concerts should be at Stonehenge, or in front of dramatically lit castles with laser light shows.

Saddle Creek 50 is a label out of Omaha, Nebraska, and we listened to a sample disk from them. The best cut by far was Rilo Kiley's "Jenny You're Barely Alive". Also on the disk, among others, are recordings by Cursive, Now It's Overhead, The Faint, Son Ambulance, Desaparecidos, The Good Life, Azure Ray, Sorry About Dresden, Mayday, and Bright Eyes.

Other notable and noteworthy selections:

• Interpol out of New York City , Turn On The Bright Lights, is just so good with angular guitars and interesting vocals; watch for new CD soon, Our Love To Admire.
• Battles, Mirrored is a fascinating cd, described best as Math Rock, with pitch-bent vocals and a beat that won't quit. "Atlas" will be stuck in my head forever.
• Elliott Smith, New Moon, recent release of some older recordings. He passed away in 2003, but left behind these mellow acoustic Beatleseque songs
• Wilco, Summer Teeth, not new at all but very enjoyable, and the brand new Sky Blue Sky
• Dance Music: electronic dance music from MSTRKRFT, The Looks, and dance rock from The Faint, Wet From Birth
• Bright Eyes again, with I'm Wide Awake It's Morning, and Lifted, or The Story is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground (2002) with wonderful lyrics.
• 500 Miles to Memphis, terrific country rock Cincinnati Band with a new album coming out soon