strangers almanac Archives - Page 2 of 4

Volume 28: Jason Karaban

Jason Gonulsen July 16, 2009 No Comments

Even in today’s era of downloading individual songs, I still somehow obsess over the fine art of album sequencing. A recent example of its effectiveness can be found on Wilco’s latest, where the Chicago band pairs the insane ending of “Bull Black Nova” with the immediate acoustic relief of “You and I.” It’s like the two Excedrin that you down after the quick onset of a headache has taken over your body and thoughts—there is still rage, but you know the end is near. Singer-songwriter Jason Karaban’s newest project, a three-song EP titled Mayfly, is a lot like those two Excedrin—it comforts and kills the pain of the past with a perfect and promising dose of simplicity.

Volume 27: Regina Spektor

Katie Cook July 1, 2009 No Comments

At first listen, Regina Spektor’s music sounds fantastical, with her buoyant voice, backed by piano runs, escaping far, far away from reality. However, the listening experience is a lot like opening a little girl’s music box. The spinning, red-haired ballerina at center stage pirouettes in time with the twinkling melody, and at first the dance feels inviting and at last, eerily affecting. The music box’s whimsy masks its ability to actually influence an audience, but then its power takes hold. It’s not just fun anymore…it’s something more.

Volume 25: Samantha Crain

Jason Gonulsen May 21, 2009 No Comments

“Whenever I am not touring, I’m back in Oklahoma,” says 22-year-old singer-songwriter Samantha Crain, who, along with her band, The Midnight Shivers, just released her first full-length, Songs in the Night. When you hear Crain’s voice for the first time, it’s easy to imagine her sitting on a front porch in Shawnee, Oklahoma—not New York or L.A. —just living the good life. Because that’s what Crain’s music does—it takes you to a special place where you just want to let everything slide.

Volume 24: A.C. Newman

Katie Cook May 6, 2009 No Comments

You know how it is when you get a song lyric stuck in your head? It turns your skull into a mental pinball machine, with the lyric violently bouncing from flipper to ramp to bumper and back again. It racks up points as it targets your ability to concentrate and beats your focus to a pulp. Personally, I’ve had Ashford & Simpson’s “Solid” and Robbie Nevil’s “Wot’s It to Ya” in my head on and off since the early ‘80s.

Volume 23: Neko Case

Jason Gonulsen April 20, 2009 No Comments

I’ve never had the opportunity to formally interview Neko Case, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have a story that involves her. About six years ago, before one of her shows in St. Louis, I sat next to and talked with Ms. Case for a good two hours.

Volume 22: Jenny Lewis

Katie Cook March 17, 2009 No Comments

What can I tell you about Jenny Lewis that you don’t already know? Let’s see. She was first a child actress prominently starring in the 1989 cult fave, Troop Beverly Hills. Duh. Years later, she went a different direction and was crowned Indie Rock Princess after forming the band Rilo Kiley with fellow child star, Blake Sennett (of Salute Your Shorts fame).

Volume 21: Bon Iver

Jason Gonulsen March 3, 2009 No Comments

There is a scene in The Shawshank Redemption where Red, played by Morgan Freeman, and his fellow prisoners are treated to a piece of music, courtesy of fellow inmate Andy Dufresne. Red, who is the narrator in the film, confesses that he had no idea what the two Italian ladies were singing about that afternoon, and he didn’t want to know. “Some things are better left unsaid,” Red tells us. There are times when I feel the same way about Justin Vernon of Bon Iver.

Volume 20: Serena Ryder

Katie Cook February 3, 2009 No Comments

I hate the radio. I’m impatient; I don’t want to hear vacuum repair commercials or the crappy, overproduced pop du jour. However, there are a few songs that, when they fill my rinky-dink, factory speakers, allow me to sink back in total driving pleasure for at least three whole minutes. Janis Joplin’s “Me and Bobby McGee” is one of those songs.

Volume 19: Andrew Bird

Jason Gonulsen January 19, 2009 No Comments

In 2001, when I was overly busy following Ryan Adams and Cowboy Junkies around the Midwest, I was first introduced to a guy and his violin. This particular person could also whistle clear enough to give you chills, create imposing fractured patterns on guitar, and draw you into his music because it changed in similar ways your feelings do when you’re first in love. Of course, the guy I’m referring to is Andrew Bird.

Strangers Almanac: Best of 2008

Jason Gonulsen December 19, 2008 No Comments

Last February, we began our first collaboration with Strangers’ Almanac, a bi-monthly tribute to our much loved singer-songwriters, including both veteran artists and newcomers to the music scene. Slowly, we’ve been building a thoroughly subjective reference section to help you navigate your way through the best lyrical poets making music today.

strangers almanac

View posts by year

Recent Posts

New to Glide

Keep up-to-date with Glide

Twitter