Listening Assignments 5.7.07

1. The Cairo Gang - Warning - The smooth sounds of the gang remind me of a slightly more lo-fi American Analog Set, the soundtrack to the 1960 home movie your parents made while driving to California. Grainy film, top-down, an endless expanse of road. [from s/t|buy]

2. Jump, Little Children - Broken - I've been a big fan of JLC's pop stylings for a few years, but I'd never heard this tune until last week on Cable and Tweed. Now I can't find anything about it, the album it says it's from doesn't appear to exist, so the mystery prevails. [buy an album, any album]

3. Chris Merritt - Lay a Finger On Me - I half-swear this is my last Chris posting for awhile, but this gem was included on the hand-burned 23-song bonus CD that came with Hello, Little Captain on Friday. The album itself is very solid, the extra songs just cement his status as a performer poised to make some noise and opens a window into the songwriting process of a visionary. This one is armed with a stellar melody and beckons Bruce Hornsby comparisons. [from Hello, Little Captain|buy]

4. Jake Troth - Caroline - With more boldness, this could be a Chris Martin ballad, but as it stands, it's got a lot more of a longing sadness that really carries. Sounds like a crooner in the corner of an empty music hall, baby grand piano, drowning in memories. [from The Ups and Downs of Being at the Bottom|buy]