Daytrotter

There is a magical place, and no it's not high on a mountain or deep under the sea, where forces of creative expression come together and give extreme weight to the "greater than the sum of their parts" adage. That place is right where I'd want it to be: in the Midwest United States. Born a Michigander, and with no real impulsion to root myself anywhere else, I feel naturally at home in a land of changing seasons; of humble upbringings. Here we can appreciate the warmer weather for the fleeting freedom it grants us and take calm repose in the winter to center on ourselves while the cycle resets itself. Sure, this place is not for everyone, but for touring bands, we are at least a place to visit. When traveling through Illinois, Rock Island has become as important a stop as Chicago for many indie rockers, and site of the aforementioned magic. It's there that you'll find the Daytrotter studio, where bands stop for a short period of time to borrow instruments and record not intensley scrutinized and fine-tuned productions, but rather moments, captured onto analog tape. Daytrotter's website is a library of several year's sessions, all available for free download. Each is accompanied by a whimsical drawing of the band at the time of their performance, as well as incredibly well-composed observations of the sights, sounds and feelings of each recording's unique moment in time. Below are links to my favorite sessions, or should I say my favorites so far. Some are bands I've loved for a long time, and some I've only just discovered: examples of this site's ability to surprise.

Au Revoir Simone
Cut Off Your Hands
Death Cab For Cutie
Enon
Fake Problems
Foals
Halloween, Alaska
Holiday Shores
Javelins
Junior Boys
Laarks
The Little Ones
NOMO
Of Montreal
Oh No! Oh My!
Spoon
Tape
Vampire Weekend