A couple things, music-wise

So, about a week ago I picked up what was, at that point, probably my favorite EP of the year, Crescent Moon is in Big Trouble. Crescent Moon of Kill the Vultures and Roma di Luna fame, and Big Trouble who are made up of a bunch of current and former members of Heiruspecs. It's kinda a more jazz-y version of what Heiruspecs do, but the whole thing just comes together really well between the vocals and the instrumentals. The first two songs are easily among my favorite first two songs on an album in recent memory.

And then today I got Stay Positive by The Hold Steady. You had to know it was coming. So I bought it, I went out to my car, rolled my windows down and put it on. And I kid you not, I got chills. "Constructive Summer" is really good. I've still only made it through about half the album so I can't say for sure how I'll feel about the whole thing, but it's off to a damn good start.

I think my favorite thing about them is their reverence for a lot of the same things I admire. Like, when they mention "Double whiskey coke no ice" I know it's a Dillinger Four thing. When they bring in Ben Nichols from Lucero for their song about Memphis, I'm like "Yeah, that makes sense". And when they talk about "Saint Joe Strummer" I can totally see where they're coming from. I get them. They get me, at least as much as they can without knowing they're doing so. Plus Tad's guitar solos are just wicked sweet. For serious.