getting to the end of the playlist year!!

iMix 11/28/05:
1. Mornings Eleven - The Magic Numbers
2. Empty - Metric
3. Leaders of the Free World - Elbow
4. Sugarless - Autolux
5. A Pain That I'm Used To - Depeche Mode
6. Suffer Well - Depeche Mode
7. Please Please Please - Shout Out Louds
8. String Quartet No. 14 in D Minor D. 810 'Death and the Maiden' - Andante con motto - Schubert

So this batch of goods is nothing too unfamiliar I don't think. The Magic numbers are an interesting brother/sister fronted band relishing in the boppy happy pop that I love so well. I would almost call it chirpy. Metric chime in with their own version of a picky guitar hook/bombastic guitar chorus pairing that I also am a sucker for. Did I mention that I love their girl singer? Elbow provide us with a grand album. In an effort to pick the best song I could only grab my fave of the past month. It's a crunchy fuzzed out bass song about our sorry excuses for World Leaders. I say cheers to Elbow!

The Depeche entries off the new album are wonderous synth pop gems. Martin gives us his rendition of a car wreck set to the full baritone on Dave Gahan that we've all loved from the get go. Dave Gahan actually gets a couple of songwriting credits, which is a shock, but i'll have to give his offering a big thumbs up. Somehow he managed to get them in the proper "depeche mode" sound that sits perfectly on this record. My fave part is still the Martin Gore backing vocal that adds that night time vibe that makes me want to go for a drive.... or as Dane Cook so aptly put it, it makes me want to go out and "express myself through the art of dance"... ;)

Lastly, I thought a little Schubert would round this whole thing out nicely. I of course picked my favorite movement from my favorite quartet "Death and the Maiden". It took me a while to find the right version.. that delicate balance between tempo and proper phrasing that is the completely subjective "right" that I need... but I found it. Enjoy the treats!