This article needs additional citations for verification .(May 2008) |
Album of the Year | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | August 10, 2004 | |||
Recorded | August 2003-February 2004 | |||
Genre | Indie rock | |||
Length | 53:22 | |||
Label | Saddle Creek Records | |||
Producer | Mike Mogis | |||
The Good Life chronology | ||||
|
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
Pitchfork Media | (8.0/10) [2] |
Prefix Magazine | (7/10) [3] |
Album of the Year is the third album by The Good Life. The limited edition release includes a second disc with an acoustic version of the album. The enhanced CD comes with footage of videos recorded February 3, 2004, at O'Leavers in Omaha, Nebraska.
This album is the 64th release of Saddle Creek Records.
The album is a concept record chronicling the end of a relationship and the emotions that come with it. The first track begins in April. The entire story is summarized in the first track, "Album of the Year." The main male character is dating a bartender, as referenced in the songs "Album of the Year" (She got a job at Jacob's/serving cocktails to the local drunks) and "Night and Day" (Night and day she tends to her bar/She pours the drinks, they pour out their hearts).
The first three songs talk mainly about the main character and his girlfriend, at the beginning of their relationship. "You're No Fool" is a glimpse into the ridicule the main character's girlfriend faces, as others speculate about her boyfriend's fidelity, and "Notes In His Pockets" lists several instances of his assumed unfaithfulness, as he cheats on her with ex-girlfriends and girls met in bars. These two songs do not explicitly say whether or not the infidelity actually occurred, leaving it to the listener to determine. "You're Not You" and "October Leaves" document the growing dissatisfaction with their relationship, from the point of view of the woman and the man, respectively. The relationship, at this point, is falling apart. At the end of "October Leaves", there is spoken word conversation between the man and woman, starting with the female's voice:
-Hey?
-Yes?
-Are you sleeping?
-No.
-Can I ask you something?
-Yes.
-Are you cheating on me?
-No.
-Are you lying?
"Lovers Need Lawyers" has the main character defending his actions, claiming that he did not cheat on his girlfriend, and drawing metaphors to feeling like he is 'on trial'. "Inmates" is primarily sung by the girlfriend character of the album, and constitutes the end of their relationship. (Well guess what? I'm leaving./I can't be your prisoner.). The last three tracks deal with the male protagonists's life, post-breakup. We learn that the female protagonist has moved on ("A New Friend") and that the main character hasn't spoken to his now ex-girlfriend in two years ("Two Years This Month").
Fevers and Mirrors is the third studio album by the Nebraska indie band Bright Eyes, recorded in 1999 and released on May 29, 2000. It was the 32nd release of the Omaha, Nebraska-based record label Saddle Creek Records. The album was released later in 2000 in the United Kingdom as the inaugural release from Wichita Recordings.
Every Day and Every Night is an EP by Nebraskan indie rock band Bright Eyes. It became the 30th release by Saddle Creek Records on November 1, 1999.
Letting Off the Happiness is the second studio album released by the indie rock band Bright Eyes. The album was released on November 2, 1998. It was the first release by Bright Eyes to feature and be produced by Mike Mogis, now a permanent member of the band. A vinyl re-release of the album was included in the Bright Eyes Vinyl Box Set in 2012. Guest musicians include members of Cursive, Tilly and the Wall, and Elephant 6 collective's Neutral Milk Hotel and of Montreal.
The Execution of All Things is the second full-length album released by Los Angeles-based indie pop band Rilo Kiley. Expanding on their previous musical sound that mostly incorporated guitars, vocals, percussion and pianos, the album contains heavy electronica sampling mixed into the songs in a rather unusual and displaced-sounding way. Also, unlike their previous tracks which were written in very traditional manners, the lyrics to the songs on Execution are very wordy and read like prose. Musically, the record has a very sunny disposition, with bouncing bass lines and simple melodies complemented by lead singer Jenny Lewis's vocal style, but the upbeat music is generally counterpointed by the often dark and morose subject matter that the lyrics reference. The album was released by Saddle Creek Records in Omaha, Nebraska, and the aforementioned features show the influence of that studio's associated Omaha Sound. It was recorded at Presto! in Lincoln, Nebraska.
The Good Life is an indie rock band on Saddle Creek Records.
"Take It Easy " is a single by Bright Eyes, released in October 2004. It, along with "Lua", took the top two spots on Billboard magazine's Hot Singles Sales chart, something that had not been accomplished by one artist since 1997. The title song appears on the 2005 album, Digital Ash in a Digital Urn.
Loup Garou is an album released in 1995 by Willy DeVille. First released in Europe in 1995 on the EastWest label, it was released the following year in the United States on the Discovery label. It was recorded in Los Angeles and produced by John Philip Shenale, who also produced DeVille’s Backstreets of Desire album.
Domestica, also styled as Cursive's Domestica, is the third studio album by the American indie rock band Cursive, released on June 20, 2000. This album was the 31st release by Saddle Creek Records, released on CD as well as both red and black vinyl.
One Jug of Wine, Two Vessels is a collaborative split EP by Bright Eyes and Neva Dinova. It was released in 2004 on Crank! Records. It was also reissued on CD/LP/Digital by Saddle Creek Records on March 23, 2010, with four newly recorded bonus tracks not included on the original release, which were written/recorded in late 2009.
Top of the World Tour: Live is the first live album by American country music band Dixie Chicks, released in November 2003.
The Coral Reefer Band is the touring and recording band of American singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett. The band's name alludes to both coral reefs and "reefer".
Otogibanashi (おとぎばなし) is the 30th studio album by Japanese singer-songwriter Miyuki Nakajima, released in October 2002. Like some efforts such as Jidai: Time Goes Around, it mainly consists of her compositions which had previously interpreted by other singers, or performed on the series of her musicals Yakai.
Dorothy At Forty was the first single taken from the album Happy Hollow by Cursive. It was released as a teaser for Happy Hollow on July 11, 2006. The album track "Dorothy At Forty" is backed with the exclusive non-album tracks "The Bitter End" and "The Censor". All horn arrangements were done by Nate Walcott.
Art in Manila was an American indie rock "supergroup" consisting primarily of musicians based in the Midwestern states of Nebraska and Kansas. After originally forming with the name Art Bell, the band later changed its name. Their album Set the Woods On Fire (2007) was recorded by Joel Petersen and mixed by Andy LeMaster. At the time the album was recorded, the band consisted of Steve Bartolomei, Corey Broman, Orenda Fink, Ryan Fox, Dan McCarthy, and Adrianne Verhoeven ; former members include Stefanie Drootin and Chris Senseney.
Key is the second full-length from Omaha, NE's Son, Ambulance.
How Lucky I Am is the fourth studio album released by American country music artist Bryan White. It was released in 1999 on Asylum Records. The album included two singles: "You're Still Beautiful to Me" which reached number 39 on the Country chart and "God Gave Me You" at number 40. Dann Huff produced tracks 1–3 and 6–8, and White co-produced the remainder of the album with Derek George.
Johnny's Blues: A Tribute To Johnny Cash is a 2003 compilation album, released by Northern Blues Music, of blues-oriented songs made popular by Johnny Cash, sung by various Canadian and American performers.
Tim Timebomb is a music project by Tim Armstrong, best known as a member of the punk rock band Rancid. Armstrong has recorded a large number of songs – a mixture of cover versions, including Rancid covers, and original songs, including some tracks from his musical film project RocknNRoll Theater – with a variety of supporting musicians.
Everybody's Coming Down is the fifth studio album by indie-rock band The Good Life, released on August 14, 2015 on Saddle Creek Records.