The weather has taken a turn for the "grey and nasty" this morning... March has arrived and its hard to enjoy Spring in central Texas because we're possibly 20 days away from temperatures reaching the 90's.

Grey mornings like today remind me a lot of Detroit. When I lived in the motor city, you could pretty much count on 120 days of 'sunny and nice'. Sometimes its "sunny" out and it happens to be 10 degrees outside. The sun is clearly fucking outside and its beaming rays onto the Motor City, but it's not warming a thing around you.

Actively trying to date english major chicks who look like this  has led to me receiving a lot of headaches & really well-written-letters about how I'm an asshole.   My advice to you, is to date Math majors... — Actively trying to date english major chicks who look like this has led to me receiving a lot of headaches & really well-written-letters about how I'm an asshole. My advice to you, is to date Math majors...

Instead... you go about your morning commute wondering "why does everything seem different around me?" When in actuality, its nothing in particular. It just happens to be a little more colorful on account of the sun being out.

This is a very long introduction into an album I selected because I wanted to listen to something that fit my mood in the morning. Camera Obscura's - Underachievers Please Try Harder - is the perfect thing to listen to on "headache grey" days. The kinda days where it's cold enough to merit wearing a jacket and you kinda thought you put that fucking thing away for the Winter.

I discovered this band thru Belle & Sebastian... Stuart Murdoch had produced their first album and at the time, I was all about collecting music that fell into the "quiet core" genre. While I'm not one to exactly judge a book by its cover... it's kinda hard to look at the artwork of this album and not pass judgement on what you think its going to sound like.

It sounds just like the kinda record that the girls on the cover likely listen to at home. Bookish gals who have an overseas accent I can't place but that doesn't matter because I've convinced myself that I want that from a better half.

That's not entirely true... it's not entirely false either tho'.

Anyhoo, the album is filled with a number of incredible songs. Most of which are tender and penned by girls who provided me a glimpse into what its like to feel devastating heartache from their side of the fence.

Example: I Don't Want to See You

Stand Out Tracks:

Artists: Camera Obscura
Album: Underachievers Please Try Harder
Producer: Geoff Allen, Camera Obscura
Label: Merge Records
Recorded: Cava Studios

Currently aboard a flight to Denver, Colorado with my attention divided into 2 separate things:

1.) The new Hospitality album - TROUBLE
2.) My co-worker Patrick H. who I just learned is paralyzed with the fear of flying...

The latter in many ways is becoming a little distracting because it's hard to sit next to someone who is visibly disturbed when the plane experiences any form of turbulence.

I'm genuinely concerned about his fear... but he could not have picked a person who is more ill-equip to comfort him on our voyage.

Prior to take off, I leaned over and asked if it was only the take off and landings that upset him. He nodded and mumbled "I'm on a beach... I'm on a beach..."

I lean over and try to make conversation in hopes of distracting him before take off.
"Pat. Is there anything else that you're deathly afraid of, like Snakes?"
Pat's eyes opened in mid "I'm in a beach" prayer and says "I'm fucking terrified of snakes!"
I sank into my chair and forced myself to look forward...

I literally had to bite down on my own tongue to not burst out laughing as he gripped the arm rests in his chairs...

The plane steadied and he calmed down a little bit. We both laughed about the take off and I told him that I would video tape him during sustained moments of turbulence...

The fear immediately returned to his eyes. Pat looked directly at me and ask "You don't think there's going to be turbulence on the way to Denver do you?"

I thought the right thing to do was to tell the truth when put in a situation like this... I informed Pat that there is always a chance for turbulence, but we would just have to climb above the clouds. Pat sank into his chair and said "fuck that"...

He's calmed down considerably... his phone is apparently loaded with songs from the Dropkick Murphy's, Rancid and Social Distortion. Music I wouldn't normally associate with easing tension, but I'm trying my best to be supportive.

Now that he's calmed down a bit - my attention has returned to Hospitality.

I fucking love this record. I've listened to it three times today and can safely say that it's the front runner for best album of the month.

The first thing that really took a liking to was the attention spent on producing and capturing a beautiful sound on the record. On the song "Going Out"... the vocals tracks have just enough to room to breath over the beats. The instruments in juxtaposition feel appropriately contained - giving it a "Stones" kinda feeling.

I've really taking a liking to the song in the middle of the album called "Rockets & Jets". It's one of those tracks that starts with the entire band on all cylinders, then slowly unravels to allow every band member to showcase their contributions evenly. Kinda like the Cure, but without taking 8 minutes to do it.

The second half of the album has a really tender track called "It's not serious". I believe (lyrically) that it addresses the ups and downs of modern love... again, the production of this track leaves me wanting to hear this played live.

Another deep track worth checking out is the song "Sunship", a simple track with a horn tracking that kinda reminded me of American Football. The song doesn't sound anything like American Football, it just reminded me of The One with the Wurlitzer...

I truly can't recommend this album enough. If you find yourself hoping to avoid the late January weather conditions outside, stay under the blankets and listen to this record.

Stand Out Tracks:

Artist: Hospitality
Album: Trouble
Producer: ?
Label: Merge Records
Recorded: ?

Camera Obscura - Underachivers Please Try Harder

Hospitality - Trouble

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