Music Must: St. Vincent - Actor

I have older brothers who are musicians. At the age of six, about the year I was born, Gian Carlo decided he wanted to play music. My oldest brother Tim was infatuated with the Beatles and the eight-year younger Gian Carlo couldn't help but follow suit. He wanted to play guitar like the Beatles and like his older brother. By seventh grade Gian would have his first 4-track recorder and the mixes and master tapes began to flow. Today my brothers live in a massive castle of sound in Bushwick, Brooklyn. The jam room has every instrument and obscure noise making device you could imagine. Pieces from all over the world only compliment my siblings awesome musicology and unbelievable creativity by this point. Guitars and sitars and street found keyboards and tweaked drum kits layer to make the sounds deep and intricate, the melodies complicated but catchy. In their one house are more LPs than I have ever seen in one place. Gian's collection has to be over 12,000 and Tim has a few thou of his own, and that's not even including Shellshag's collection on the third floor and the 78s downstairs. A taste of every genre from the folkiest pop to the roughest rhythm and blues there is always a record on the turntable, likely something you have never heard before. So you can imagine how I am spoiled by their developed ear and spot-on recommendations. Christmas comes and my eyes swell with excitement at the site of wrapped 12 1/2" squares concealing the grooved wax we love so much and CDs of their latest mixes and musical experiments. Hence, this post.

In May of last year St. Vincent released an album named "Actor". St. Vincent, who's real name is Annie Clark, has a beautiful, beautiful voice, a great guitar sound, and tons and tons of layers that make this album a major fave. I was realizing this morning I put it on a lot when I am home and projectizing alone so I figured I should mention it in case you have not heard of her. Treat yourself to some new tunes and pick up Actor, pronto. Your ears will thank you. I am going to go check out her first album.

Here is a little taste from the sea of Youtube - I hope St. Vincent doesn't mind. A bit wobbly but the sound is decent.