Dose 12...Silent in the Morning

I have a terrible problem with early rising. Long before my friends and neighbors rise from their slumber, I awaken with full alertness. Much like the solitary rooster at dawn, I sit forlorn and silent waiting to hear the stirring of other creatures. Luckily, these hours as a hermit afford me ample time to listen to the mollifying tones of some artists with whom I have the most intimate of relationships...

1)Chains, Chains, Chains by Elvis Perkins in Dearland

The prestigious Brown University has had its fair share of notable alumni who excelled in the preforming arts. Artists like Chubb Rock (of the Crooklyn Dodgers), Damian Kulash, and Lisa Loeb once graced the halls of this Providence, RI institution. The latest name to add to the list is Elvis Perkins. Son of actor Anthony Perkins and photographer Berry Berenson, it seems as though Elvis was destined to live an artist's life.

In stark contrast to Perkins' Ash Wednesday (2007), an album forged by tragedy, his most recent creation is boisterous and processional. Despite the difference in tone, Perkins remains devoted to a similar subject matter. He focuses on dark issues such as death and lonliness, but does so within the aesthetic of Americana.

"Chains, Chains, Chains" is a particularly poignant track on Elvis Perkins in Dearland (2009). Throughout the song, Perkins voices many of the existential questions which sporadicly arise from our own subconcious to plague us. Interestingly, he punctuates these dispiriting inquiries with intermitent horn, trombone, and string interludes which give the track an overall lightheartedness. Make sure to also check out "Doomsday" and "I'll Be Arriving" (as luck would have it all three are in order).

Here

2)That's When the Audience Died by Final Fantasy

In 2005, Canadian musician, Owen Pallett, released his debut album under the pseudonym, Final Fantasy. Has A Good Home (2005) was the classically trained violinist's first foray into the world of indie, wherein he would garner his most fame. Straying from his roots, Pallett creates a whimsical and cheerful string-concentrated indie-pop "fantasy" wrought with subtle allusions. On "That's When the Audience Died", he showcases his dexteral prowess. The imaginative lyricism, rising strings, minimalist aesthetic coalesce to produce a truly beautiful song.

Here