Jim O'Rourke - Happy Days (1996)

A forty-seven minute drone piece, Happy Days, leaves the listener with variations on a single note without the feeling of dullness whatsoever. Jim begins with a simple acoustic guitar and builds sporadically from there. Released on Revenant Records, and recorded at the steam room in Chicago, this piece features the likes of avant-guitarist Henry Kaiser, David Grubbs of Gastr Del Sol, and multi-instrumentalist John McEntire of Tortoise.

Mixing drifting guitar parts like that of John Fahey, and modern classical and ambient music- the eclectic and experimental side of Jim shines brightly. Like the title, this piece leaves the listener with a happy feeling, and a bright outlook on whats next. Probably the happiest drone music you will hear for awhile.

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Codeine - The White Birch (1994)

Just about the heaviest slow tempos can get- The White Birch is a fucking great album. Fuzzed out bass lines, rip-roaring guitars, and cracking drums play loudly, but like everyone is on a bunch of downers.

Originally released on Sub Pop records in 1994, Codeine's second album is easily the high point of the band's short-lived career.

A lot of people find this album to be really depressing, or made to listen to in the dark with a candle or something wussy like that. For some reason though, this album has always seemed really empowering and uplifting to me.

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Jim O'Rourke - Insignificance (2001)

It goes like this- Jim O'Rourke is a multi-instrumentalist from Chicago, IL, and has put out more music than he is probably aware of. Known for countless spots as producer for Wilco, The Red Krayola, Stereolab, Superchunk, etc, etc, etc. He has also served as a member of Sonic Youth, Illusion Of Safety, and the wonderful Gastr Del Sol.

This album, Insignificance, is part of a series of experiments in pop music released in 2001 on Drag City Records. The album is full of blissful and andventerous songwriting. Fans of Jim's more fucked up noise and loops in his early career may be turned off by its accesability and straight forward style, but it is truly a landmark recording in his career.

"Memory Lame" a song that begins with a drifting guitar riff blossoms into a beautifully layered and orchestrated song that recalls themes of heartbreak, and feelings of isolation in a crowded place. Jim sings: "These things I say, may seem to offend/But not half as much/as I’d like to intend/listening to you/reminds of a motors endless drone/and how the deaf are so damn lucky".

Along with his playful, and sometimes heartbreaking lyrics, he is backed by two percussionists who drive the band through several fuzzed out rock and roll jams, but also makes way for the beautiful and humble folk songs of Jim on other tracks.

Let's put it this way, if you are somebody who has gone through every Smog and Wilco album, but have yet to hear this- you have seriously missed out.

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Brian Eno & John Cale - Wrong Way Up (1990)

Never mind the bogus sleeve art, this album fucking rips. For Cale, The Velvet Underground was a distant memory, and his stream of quality solo albums was running a bit thin. Eno, on the other hand, still had his share of production work, but was slowly seeing a new generation of electronic music fueled by nightclubs and strung out teenagers. So what do they go ahead and do? Release a fucking masterpiece.

It's almost impossible to classify or compare the music on this album to their other stuff, as its completely different than what they have done before. Traces of pop and progressive rock are found in this, but it explores all sides of music. When it comes down to it, Cale and Eno do what they do best - destroy and fucking rebuild.

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