I like Michigan. My memories of the state are warm and fuzzy because they are connected to family vacationing there. An entire album about Michigan may seem odd until you hear Sufjan Stevens *Greetings From Michigan the Great Lake State.* This may be a weird way to describe music, but when I am listening to this album, I feel like I am flipping through a photo album of my childhood. The photos are faded and have that warm tint that comes from time on a shelf. Each image contains layers of memory and nostalgia that evoke forgotten emotions. You appreciate the highs and lows of your history because you recognize that these events shaped who you are. That is kind of like what is happening in this music. Sufjan was born in Michigan, and his songwriting is more than good enough to make 15 tracks about the state stand up to repeated listening. The tone is gentle and consistent throughout the album. Some listeners may get bored or label it as a novelty, but people who give it a chance will recognize Sufjan’s talent.

I like the cover artwork. It reminds me of a brochure from a rest stop, or a paint-by-number picture. For some reason it works for me.

Wow. Have you ever discovered something wonderful that you never knew you had? This album by Bright Eyes blew me away when the random on my iPod brought it to my attention. I remember not being very impressed with this album when I first listened to it. I don’t know why. I guess I passed them off due to the local hype they received being from Omaha. Or maybe it was just overshadowed by some other album at the time. Regardless, I was rewarded for giving it my full attention for a second chance.

The actual title of the album is Lifted or The Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground. The soul of Bright Eyes is Conor Oberst. I have heard people comparing him to Dylan, and although I don’t hear it, his songwriting skill is quite breathtaking. The arrangements and excellent production of this album is just an added bonus because Oberst is just as engaging when it is just him and his guitar. Now for the shallow part of the review where I compare their sound to bands that everyone has heard of. Ok. If Ben Kweller was Bob Dylan and he sang lead vocals for Wilco, and they did covers of Modest Mouse songs, it would sort of sound like Bright Eyes. That’s the best I can do.

Reviews of The Beta Band unanimously agree that “The 3 EP’s” is their best album. It is hard to imagine “Heroes to Zeros” being embraced more than their acclaimed first record. Knowing that ahead of time, I wasn’t disappointed at all when I picked up this album. The Beta Band makes some really interesting music. They work magic with samples, and layer their sound unlike anyone else. I have always thought that The Beta Band would be just as good if it didn’t have any vocals. I never really get much out of their lyrics, and weaker tracks suffer when they emphasize what they are singing about. They end up sounding like they are trying to be clever. The vocals work when they are adding a texture to the sound. That is why most of the vocals are delivered in a monotone/ambivalent tone. If you are a Beta Band fan, I would suggest getting this album. Otherwise pick it up used. It’s good, but I won’t be listening to it in my permanent rotation.

The album art on “Heroes to Zeros” is alright. The comic book cover doesn’t do anything for me. I think the reason I don’t like it is because it looks like it wants to be trendy. The inside reminds me a lot of Radiohead’s, and is pretty cool. It fails though because it doesn’t make any sense in the context of the comic art. The more abstract/ambiguous images seem to match their sound better and they should have used that on the cover.

It always seems like an eternity between album releases from your favorite artists. If you are lucky, side projects and EPs help fill the void. That is what is nice about The Bens EP. While touring in Australia, Ben Folds, Ben Kweller and Ben Lee became friends and decided to get together and record some songs under the name “The Bens.” Although there isn’t anything particularly groundbreaking about the album, it has good songs, and you can tell that they had a good time making it. I haven’t heard if they are going to record any more or if this is just a one time thing. You can buy it at amazon or on iTunes. If you buy it from iTunes, you can also pick up a track by the Bens called “Wicked Little Town” from an album called Wig in a Box .