As any fellow music obsessive will point out, creating 'best of ' lists and arguing about them is impossibly subjective and unfinished; but it's also a lot of fun. I've had a great time geeking out over the lists that in people radio, music publications, and my favorite stops in the blogosphere have put out for 2008, and I'm silently churning my critical gears trying to finalize a year-end list of my own (on the way soon). However, in combing through all the records I've come across since last year, I keep noticing that many of my favorite discoveries wouldn't be found in the new releases section. Rather---as I hardly ever arrive at new music linearly---a majority of my 2008 was spent amongst records from last year, or five years ago, or even from years before I was born. So it goes, I guess.
One such example is a record I fell hard for earlier this spring: Tulsa's I Was Submerged, a dark and lovely album that despite its 2007 release has yet to take off in the way I think it should, especially considering this year's mainstream critical adoration of folksy, melodic, roots rock nostalgia sounds (Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver, Moondoggies, etc.). I would describe their sound as a darker It Still Moves-era My Morning Jacket meets the interlocking smooth-pop of the Sea and Cake, but pick up a copy and give it your own try.
At a mere seven songs, this record plays more like an EP, and I'm crossing my fingers in hopes of a longer release in the near future. Check out "Mass" below.
Tulsa's Myspace.
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