Sufjan Stevens - I Walked

Throughout time, I’ve really come to love this new sound that Sufjan Stevens created this past year. With the All Delighted People EP (the gorgeous vinyl I just got as an awesome present from someone really awesome) he stunned with a huge wall of sound that featured clashing guitars, soft-paced ballads and intensely crafted compositions. And The Age of Adz was just as equally striking and drastically massive; albeit two entirely different recordings, as compared to the soft, muffled production of Illinois, these new creations really blew my mind.

But even through listening to all of the music, it’s amazing just how tremendous his voice sounds, as compared to before as well. On the title track, he’s declaring that he’s “lost the will to fight” and on “Get Real Get Right” he sings about getting right with the Lord and his voice sounds a lot more confident, a lot more assured, a lot more willing to take risks and in the end, everything sounds just so much better because of it. “I Walked” is your ‘typical’ heartbreak song but Stevens’ turns it into a poetic, bitter, poignant new way of explaining the process of moving on. I’ve well documented my heart many times and it’s only been through the last year or so – I’d say 2010 firmly solidified it – that I could say it’s probably entirely healed. So in many ways, I’ve finally gotten to the point where certain pasts can be closed without ever having any kind of linger in the back of the mind.

Stevens sings about being forced to walk away from someone because he has no other choice and although he’s still madly in love with her, he’s now dead in her eyes. I love how he’s directly singing to her, calling her ‘lover’ and how he depicts details of being left on the floor where they made love the last time and just crying. Ha, so he doesn’t say crying on the floor but he says “the worst has arrived” and I love how he says “for at least I deserve the respect of a kiss goodbye.” The chorus is downright beautiful and it’s a strong kiss-off, good-bye kind of “it’s my fault that you’re gone, whatever, I wish I could be strong but I’ve got nothing left to love so…I’ll walk.” Part of the inspiration comes from the schizophrenic artist Stevens takes influence from, but I’m sure there has to be some kind of personal story inside it as well and if you’re able to make the personal connections then the song’s even more affecting. It’s deeply sad but entirely uplifting at the same time; in some kind of ridiculous, or gorgeous (depends on how you see it), way very depressing music can be somewhat joyful and “I Walked” is just that. This last paragraph is just one long rant so I’ll close it at that :) Bryan

A Funky Mix For Fun

mix numero UNO by nick alvarez
So I decided to throw a little mix together all last minute. No real method to my madness on this one. However I did realize 3 Roots tracks get love on this one (see pic above). Maybe I got some ?uestlove on the mind, since drummer extraordinaire for The Roots will be throwing down a Dj set here In Chuco on Tuesday, January 25 at the Reyn Theater. Mark your calendars, save the date, whatever it takes make sure your ass is there cause its a great venue as well as an assured funky set top to bottom from ?uesto himself. Until then enjoi some tunage

The Decemberists - The Crane Wife

So the story on this one is based around a Japanese myth, the crane wife. A gorgeous white crane appears at a man’s door with an arrow in its side. Nurturing it back to health, after a few days, he lets the bird go. A few days after that, a woman appears at his door, they soon fall in love and marry. Looking for means to make money, she promises to weave a gorgeous cloth that they can sell in the market as long as she can weave it in entire privacy. This continues and they get wealthy but eventually he peaks in on her one day and notices that she’s a crane who’s been pulling feathers from herself into the cloth, thus making it so beautiful. Upon seeing him, she turns into a crane and flies away…never to return. Take from that what you will, I have many countless interpretations but they’re pointless to share unless anyone actually cares; it’s a wonderful story really.

That’s what The Decemberists opted to conceptualize their 2006 album, The Crane Wife, around. The album’s filled with encompassing song suites that feature various shifts and moods. They’ve always been known as an intelligent band that weaves intricate stories around epic, progressive music that is always cycling through a myriad of waves. And while Picaresque is also stunning, The Crane Wife always hits home for me because of those aforementioned suites; here’s “The Island: Come and See/The Landlord's Daughter/You'll Not Feel…”



Though the entire album isn’t solely about the crane wife, the concept is felt all throughout. And the brilliant closure comes with “The Crane Wife, Pts. 1 & 2” and its soaring melody. It’s a heartfelt closer and a naturally illustrious depiction of the myth. I can definitely hear the picturesque sounds and even now, with their new album just out, The Crane Wife is still such a magnificent listen each time. – Bryan

Sufjan Stevens - Illinois

Before The Age of Adz I was always, mostly, in love with the way Sufjan Stevens’ music sounded. Someone great recently helped me in pointing out just how poetically visceral Stevens was and well deservedly, has always been. And sure, I immediately loved the way the title track sounded way before I could appreciate what he was singing about on “All for Myself,” but over the time, the words affected me and naturally, it’s been a well-publicized love that I gush over way too much.

So I was more recently listening to Illinois and it’s here that I developed my love for Sufjan’s magical compositions. “The Black Hawk War, Or, How to Demolish an Entire Civilization and ...” was simply jaw-dropping the first time I heard it and it remains, one of my all-time favorite instrumental works. It’s the kind of choice I would make if I ever got to make a video, win some kind of award, play it for someone special, etc… It’s amazing because to me, it’s a glorious fanfare that reigns in the charging piano and mallets of “Come on! Feel the Illinoise!: Pt. 1: The World's Columbian Exposition” and yet, that long-ass title is definitely meaning much much more than ‘fanfare.’


Illinois is an album devoted to the said state and it’s filled with lifting stories all over; it has continually won over more fans because of his purely impeccable songwriting. Again, it was stuff like “To the Workers of the Rock River Valley Region, I Have an Idea ...” that won my heart over, originally. The trumpet and how sad it sounds, almost yearning; the way the piano dangles over everything else, like a guiding light; the crashing percussion and how it’s calling but not reaching. I love whistling a lot and it’s got a personal bias too I’m sure, but it’s absolutely gorgeous, too. And still, these are two tiny sample of juice from an album of 22 massive pieces of life. – Bryan

2010 Songs

Various songs from my own batch of top songs of 2010, my lame edition. Haha, I finally made some kind of list and here are a few of my fave songs.

This one’s the opener off Booka Shade’s latest. Just a downright sexy song to get down to and jam out to in the morning, as you’re getting ready for work, as your driving to work, as your on your lunch break or whenever, it kicks ass.


A ridiculous, rambling, ridiculously good sample of Billy Joel’s “Movin’ Out (Antony’s Song)”, acts as the center piece to Das Racist’s “You Oughta Know.” Naturally, the original song is what has my interest slanted, but have a listen here to the old classic by Joel:


And then here is the sped-up, crazed, super smoked-out version that Das Racist tuned out. Both their mixtapes from this year (Shut Up, Dude & Sit Down, Man) are downright awesome. I read someone’s description of these two cats as “very intelligent people willing to not take themselves too seriously and actually, willing to be downright stupid.” Love it.


And I’ve gotta include this one here to at least throw in some kind of sentimental value…right? The Hold Steady’s newest wasn’t one of my absolute favorites but this song definitely hits the spot for me. It’s genuinely sweet and the chorus’ line about how heaven is getting together, listening to records with your favorite girl, sounds like such a fantastic idea. I’m guessing the theme is that heaven is whatever we make it out to be, as good as we want to be and entirely in our control (my interpretation of THS’ album, not my own point of view) and it’s a pretty great thought: the most simple, easy things can be the most enjoyable. – Bryan

MMXI !!!!!!!!

A New Year has officially arrived, and us at ODD GILA would like to wish everybody much prosperity in 2011. A special thanks to any regular followers we might have out there, we hope to keep you entertained in the new year. In this post I wanted to pair a song for the new year, maybe something that summed the year up... I really couldn't come up with anything, but I do know that last night the straight party rocker, dance floor crowding, almost panty dropping song the DJ played was Miss Lauryn Hill, "Doo Wop"! And it's like, somethings are just straight classic. I'd love to chat about all the reasons why this jam is dope on every level..but I got places to go, people to see and things to do in 2011!!! So enjoy Miss Hill for now Feliz Ano Nuevo!! -Nick

Tin Man

- Bryan