Max Engel: a Blog

The New Music in My Life

I know I have been intensely delinquent in posting a new rambling to the site. My personal and work lives have been crammed full of activity in an excellent but time-consuming way, and so the blog has fallen by the wayside. However, I have been on a bit of a music-buying tear, and wanted to share. Also, I should point out I still buy CD’s. Really. I like knowing I have the raw audio… So go ahead and get a glimpse of my audio leanings, and be sure to listen to the tracks below as well.

Tarkio - Omnibus: This is my favorite band to come out of Missoula, Montana. To be honest, they are the only band I know from Montana. However, if the voice sounds familiar, it is because Tarkio features Colin Meloy, of Decemberists fame. The songs have the same whimsical air, but with a decidedly more country flair, and it is fun to hear the sound that would later evolve into the Decemberists. Tarkio - “Tristen and Iseult”

Death Cab for Cutie - Forbidden Love EP: I can’t even call Death Cab an indulgence, because I don’t think I have any sense of shame in loving their sound, despite that when I show up to shows the crowd typically consists of me and a bunch of high schoolers who probably keep poetry journals. The song “405” acoustically performed is definitely the standout. Death Cab for Cutie - “405” (acoustic)

The Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs: Yes, yes, I know that it is a travesty that it took me this long to buy this box set. In all honesty, it wasn’t until I moved in on my own that I found myself without these sounds, because I could always count on a roommate to provide my fix. The Magnetic Fields - “I Think I Need a New Heart”

The High Dials - A New Devotion: My brother started getting me progressively more into British psychedelic and garage rock. While the High Dials might actually be a Canadian band, their Montreal sound is certainly inspired by that power-pop flair of the 60’s. The High Dials - “Diamonds in the Dark”

Matt & Kim - Grand: I always say that Matt & Kim may best acoustically represent the essence of Max. The pure joy and revelry that comes across in their songs, and it is hard not to listen to a song like “Daylight” and have a smile on your face. Their sophomore album is definitely worth picking up. Matt and Kim - “Daylight”

Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion: Maybe I was attracted to this album because I saw my first concert at the venue that gave this album its name (it was the Allman Brothers), but I think it was because this album rocks. This was my first foray into the band, and I’m glad I gave it a go. Animal Collective - “Brother Sport”

Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes UK Import: I first had this band come across my radar when a friend twittered how someone described Fleet Foxes to him as “the Shins at a Renaissance Fair”.  Sure enough, my mother brought this album with him when the Engel family convened in Vermont, and I appreciated why my first descriptive impression was quite representative in a most excellent.  I picked up the import, which includes a second disc with five extra tracks.  In college I would have called this a “studying album”; now I tend to think of this as a “Mitch album”.  This moniker comes from Dazed and Confused, when, at the end of the movie, Mitch finally makes it home, throws on his cans, rocks out in a very personal way, and smiles. Fleet Foxes - “White Winter Hymnal”

Well, there you have it.  These albums have been keeping me company while I’ve been off the blogging grid, and I definitely recommend you give these all a listen.