Bitter Drink, Bitter Moon by Murder by Death (2012)

Kind of Like: Fleet Foxes, Johnny Cash

Genres: Indie, Folk

Buy: Now

Preview:

It's funny that I would rediscover my love for In Bocca Al Lupo, and then days later find out Murder by Death had just released a new album literally...today!  I already know I like this album, but I am not really sure how much.  While Bocca had a old western feel with tales of sin and punishment, this album seems more modern.  There is still the low Johnny Cash-esque voice, but the music is less folky and more indie rock than Bocca.  I can already tell that these songs are just as sing alongable as ever.  I would like to marinate with this album some more, but due to time constraints, I am forcing you to take this journey with me.

ALSO, it seems they did a kickstarter to do a special vinyl release.  I was wondering why a band that already seems so well-established would need donations for a vinyl release, but after seeing the scope and effort put into the release, I am just in awe.  As someone who is striving to tap into the potential of physical releases besides a jacket and a colored record, the concept and extras included in this are inspiring.  They ended up getting nearly $200,000 dollars from Kickstarter donations.  Insane.  These guys went all out with this record, the music sounds great, the physical release is unprecedented, and the prizes for pledging donations are unique (Go on a Bourbon Whiskey Tour with the band, plane ticket to Cedar Point to ride rollercoasters all day with the band, choosing a tattoo design for members of the band etc etc).  The special edition vinyl includes: 180 gram moon colored vinyl in a die cut jacket with vellum interior sleeves. You can shine a light through it and it looks all pretty! Comes with a reversible zoetrope (which is an old fashioned animation you can set up on your record player) and an MBD Japanese-style globe light.  The zoetrope idea that you put on your record player is something that I wish I had thought of.  UGH.

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(Classic) In Bocca Al Luppo by Murder by Death (2006)

Kind of Like: Seasick Steve, The Snake the Cross the Crown, O'Death
Genres: Folk, Indie, Rock, Punk
Preview:

When I mentioned these guys in the last post, I realized I never really shared them on here.  It may not be something you all will like, but hopefully some of you will.  It was hard pinning a genre on them because they have been in so many forms since they began.

I was first exposed to them in a trailer/showcase for Michigan's Scrambled Visual, a group that used to record different artists including The Suicide Machines, Snoop Dogg, Murder By Death, Anti-Flag, and fordirelifesake.  I have no idea what happened to them, I always liked their videos.  Here is the song I heard on that showcase/trailer that first got me into this band like 8 years ago.

This is one of their earlier albums and it kind of electronic/folk/post-rock going on.  I never shared this, but I became so obsessed with the chord progression in this song, I used it in a song I wrote for a ska band at the time.  Listen to the trombone part after the dumb intro thing in the song Rethink and Regroup, then go back and listen to the above Murder by Death video, can't miss it.  And yes, I have a ska history.  So does Max from Signals Midwest.  We had a good time talking about being in ska bands.

Rethink and Regroup
Rethink and Regroup
(I also did the skramz in the chorus, how embarrassing.  Kenny is going to love this post.)

Anyways, I only liked a couple songs on that album besides "...Virginia Wolfe", and then In Bocca Al Luppo came out, and I was shocked with how much their sound had changed.  I didn't like it at first.  This album was a prime example of a grower for me.  They were much folkier, not electronic at all, and somewhat old-fashioned.  Eventually, I came to love the old-fashioned folk/western feel to it and I especially loved the narrative throughout the whole album.  Each story seems like a clip out of an old western movie, and even Adam has provided all the lyrics to the songs on their website along with an explanation of them.

The artwork to the album is awesome, I had the CD at one point and I remember it folded out into an elaborate insert that followed the tree's roots down through the bowels of the earth.  I wasn't into record collecting when I first heard this album, but I really would like this to be part of my collection now.

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