Meet Nestor (Part II)

NESTOR is a collection intended for the winter-to-spring transition, one that brings hope of a new beginning for all of us - only to crush it with a fresh dose of wintry reality.

Last week, I left you with some tracks to serve as an appetizer. To recap, we had:

NESTOR (tracks 1 through 5):
01 >> Clap Your Hands Say Yeah |Emily Jean Stock
02 >> Voxtrot | Soft and Warm
03 >> Aqueduct | As You Wish
04 >> Arcade Fire | Keep the Car Running
05 >> Gianni Ferrio | For Whom the Bell Tolls

To start a mix with a track off their latest LP is probably a bit unexpected. You might already know that I've never been with the with-it crowd on CYHSY. But, to be fair, this is one of the most fun songs I've heard this year. From the driving acoustic guitar that seems to sink into your skin to the handclaps and bell chimes to the nearly unintelligible lyrics (this usually pisses me off about these guys) to the bass/drum explosion breaks, "Emily Jean Stock" screams urgency. And so does Nestor.

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Voxtrot has won me over time and time again, and "Soft and Warm" is yet another shred of evidence that this band has something Wilsonian in them. There's still many a jury out on whether this will hold up on the band's first full-length, due out later this spring, but for now I'm happy issuing a glowing recommendation.

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Aqueduct is not an artist known for its subtlety, and so it came as no surprise when David Terry set about issuing his ode to The Princess Bride, it came out something like this.

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"Keep the Car Running" gets Nestor closer to God.

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When I caved and bought the Curb Your Enthusiasm soundtrack, it took a few listens just to keep from chuckling at each track change. Gianni Ferrio's "For Whom the Bell Tolls," once you get the image of Larry David out of your head, is Nestor's throwdown. He's calmly saying, "I beg you to bring it."

NESTOR (tracks 6 through 10):
06 >> Of Montreal |A Sentence of Sorts in Kongsvinger
07 >> The Broken West | Down in the Valley
08 >> The Byrds | Jesus Is Just Alright
09 >> Dntel (feat. Jenny Lewis) | Roll On
10 >> The Long Winters | Ultimatum

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Now that Of Montreal is doing Outback Steakhouse commercials, legitimacy issues abound. I mean, all I see are blooming fucking onions when I listen to their music these days. Not that that's a bad thing. At least not for Nestor.

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The Broken West played a great show last week as a warm-up act for The Long Winters (below). Their take on California pop isn't completely unique, but it sounds effortless at times, especially on "Down in the Valley." A solid song for a solid guy.

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You know, I toyed with the idea of subtitling this mix "He's My Jesus," but then decided against it, as the mix was being issued on Good Friday and I didn't want to beg the question of whether this is a concept album. Even though Nestor equals devotion, it is not a devotion to a higher power - unless that higher power is wonderful Vitamin C! The Byrds' version of "Jesus Is Just Alright" shows how vague, perhaps tongue-in-cheek, references to Jesus should be done. And those guitar licks knocks me out.

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I don't expect much from Dntel, seeing as how I've already given all the Postal Service credit to Ben Gibbard. But teaming up with other letter carrier Jenny Lewis, Jimmy Tamborello reeled me in. I imagine it was more the fact that Jenny Lewis seems do no wrong in my heart and that damn melody would get stuck in my head for days on end. But the pressure that builds from the Dntel backing track provide a perfect complement for Lewis' songstyling and provide some depth to a song that would otherwise be a little repetitive.

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I've posted "Ultimatum" before, and I've already confessed my love for The Long Winters, but Nestor wanted his share. And now look at where we are.

Next week, The Toaster will feature the last six songs from Nestor: An Offer That You Can't Refuse. Stay tuned.