Trevor Montgomery is Lazarus

Have you ever listened to a band or artist for quite a few years and never realize just how few people actually listen to them? I guess I always just assumed Trevor Montgomery had a strong following. He's on an incredible label(Temporary Residence), has been a member of influential bands(Tarental, The Drift) and is immensely talented. Unfortunately, even if you have everything going for you, people don't always listen. I am going to try and change that.

Songs for an Unborn Sun is what started it all. With the help of fellow San Francisco musician Marty Anderson(Dilute, Okay, Jacques Kopstein), Trevor crafts an album that is agonizingly sad yet surprisingly hopeful. Marty's elderly bug-like voice accompanying most of the songs adds a fragile nature to each track. This creates a mood that makes you feel as if the entire structure is going to completely break down at any moment. This is an album about loss, suffering and overcoming burdens.

Like Trees We Grow Up to Be Satellites replaces Marty's vocals and the overall sadness of the album, with female backing vocals, uplifting piano hooks and an overall warmer sound. Cheerful, fast and infectious songs create an atmosphere that is polar opposite of his debut. This is an album about acceptance, forgiveness and hopefulness.

Both of these records are absolute masterpieces and deserve any praise and/or recognition that they receive. Listen, love and support this man.

Songs for an Unborn Sun

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Like Trees We Grow Up to Be Satellites

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Old Canes - Early Morning Hymns

One thing that has always fascinated me about musical taste is how quickly and drastically it can change over just a few short years. Back in 2004 when this album was released I remember enjoying a few songs from it, but for some reason I just completely shoved it aside and forgot about it. Luckily a few weeks ago as I was wading through my albums I decided to play Early Morning Hymns for the first time in years. Just expecting a decent album, I was shocked at how much I ended up enjoying it. Fast forward a week, a couple dozen spins and this album is quickly becoming a personal favourite.

Early Morning Hymns is the perfect mix of frantic acoustic guitars, horns, banjos and even the occasional harmonica. The result is a sound that drunkenly walks the border between the chaotic nature of Neutral Milk Hotel and the calmness of an Owen record.

From this overlooked gem to his criminally underrated band Appleseed Cast, Christopher Crisci just can't seem to catch a break. We can only hope that in the near future he will finally get the recognition he sorely deserves.

Early Morning Hymns

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