It's difficult to write a review for this album, as I'm still recovering from the initial shock of my first listen (I’m now on approximately my tenth or so). I suggest closing yourself up in a dark room with headphones for a first listen—this is how mine was yesterday morning, and I remember gasping for breath at a few points, and then desperately needing an afterglow-cigarette once the last wail of The Mountain had finished.

The album is a horse of a very different color for Polly Harvey–where I think many of her albums (Rid Of Me, To Bring You…

I first got into BR a couple years ago around the time "Misery is a Butterfly" came out–it was lush, it was brooding and darkly romantic. I enjoyed a good half of "Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons," but I didn't really connect with it as much as I did with "Misery." Anyhow, I wasn't expecting the new one to live up to my expectations; fortunately, I was very very wrong. I've spent the past three days straight with this album (I must have listened to it a good 15 times through now) and I'm absolutely in love with it. First…

Well, as is readily apparent, Joanna Newsom has captured my heart. I'm not sure how or why, as I despised her only a week ago (like, literally, her voice made me want to die)…but it's happened. I read an oddly articulate and intriguing interview with her in which she discusses the ties between her new album–Ys–and the mythical land of the same name. Downloaded the album, took a day or so with it…then suddenly COULD NOT STOP LISTENING. I honestly can't figure out how the fuck I've listened to a seventeen-minute-long song 15 times in the past 3 days! That's…

How in the fuck did I listen to Fleetwood Mac's "Planets of the Universe" twenty times today? I am a sick, sick individual.

Fleetwood Mac
Planets of the Universe (outtake)

It's choirgirl time again. It's getting cold, I'm dreary and knitting scarves, and dealing with relationship/insecurity issues, among other things. choirgirl is yet again going to play comfort blanket to my Wintery persona. Wee.

from the choirgirl hotel

This setlist isn't all that accurate–I think I'm missing a few and it's definitely out of order–but I tried…:)

Sex Changes
Gravity
Missed Me
Two-Headed Boy
Modern Moonlight
Backstabber
Coin Operated Boy
Mrs. O
Mandy Goes to Med School
Lonesome Organist
Amsterdam
Dirty Business (fucked up)
Mein Herr
Dirty Business
My Alchoholic Friends
Sing
Jeep Song
First Orgasm
Delilah
Mad World (with the Red Paintings lead singer on guitar/vocals, Amanda did backup)
Half-Jack/Girl Anachronism

Seriously. One of THE BEST SHOWS I have EVAR been to. Their live dynamic is breathtaking, and the energy was just flying through the club. Even…

Saw Regina Spektor at the 9:30 Club earlier this week, and she was stunning. Her voice is even more breathtaking in person, she was extremely humble and cute (even if she wasn't all that talkative). Her band actually *enhanced* the experience, and I tend to be a solo kinda person when it comes to my female pianists, so that's a big compliment. Here's a rough setlist:

Pound of Flesh
Music Box
The Flowers
Poor Little Rich Boy
–ON GUITAR–
Bobbin' for Apples
That Time
–BAND ENTERS–
On the Radio
Ain't No Cover (I don't remember it, but apparently she played…

Polly Harvey and John Parish–Dance Hall at Louse Point. There were always a few songs I thought brilliant (Rope Bridge, Veil, Taut) and the rest left me relatively cold. Now I've finally come to the light; Parish's instrumentation is eerie and layered and infinitely interesting, and Polly's vocals are completely different than basically anything she tends to do (Taut, in particular, is violently creepy, but the high vocals throughout the album are so intense). The lyrics she pulled together for the album veer in two directions: simple, sweet, to the point and emotive, or very narrative and poetic. And I…

Anyone else binge on certain artists/songs apparently without reason? Yesterday, I couldn't stop listening to Cat Power. Like, all fucking day, I had something of hers on iTunes, or was downloading something new of hers. Meanwhile, today I listened to three songs: Beth Gibbons' "Show," Goldfrapp's "Horse Tears," and Nancy Sinatra's "Bang Bang." It's pretty sad, but I can't stop myself. LOVE IT. Share your stories, if you feel like it.