The first time I listened to Common Prayer’s There Is A Mountain, I was driving home from an afternoon spent in Tappahannock, a lovely little hamlet on the banks of the Rappahannock River in Eastern Virginia. The sun was starting its slow descent into the countryside, and the car was covered by a blanket of tall trees along the roadways, peachy sunlight poking through and creating long shadows along the pavement. It was, without question, the perfect accompaniment for the first haunting taste of Common Prayer. Common Prayer is the brainchild of LET friend and favorite Jason Russo, pied piper of superior Brooklyn band Hopewell. Taking a break from his Hopewellian duties, Russo decided to pick up stakes and decamp in the United Kingdom for a spell and work his magic in the countryside. To make a potentially long story short(er), may I just say that There Is A Mountain is glorious, darling, magical, and almost as much fun as a barrel of monkeys. As much as I adore Hopewell, Common Prayer is quite a breath of fresh air. Don’t be surprised to see this here album perched on the Best of 2010 list, not just here, but all over the place. (SEE MORE)
Lest you forget, my darling little sugarplums, I'm rather enamored of Common Prayer. The solo-ish project of Hopewell's Jason Russo leads one into a tempting confection of out there, pie-in-the-sky prettiness. You can bet your bottom dollar There Is A Mountain will be rearing it's lovely head in my Best Of 2010 listage (whenever I get around to making said lists). In the meantime, you should just go and buy it so you can see for yourself what all the gushing is about.
To inspire you, I'd like to present the too cute Xmas treat from Common Prayer. Russo and his adorable partner in Common Prayer crime, Alexandra Marvar, put their own enchanting turn on one of my favorite Xmasy tunes, "Winter Wonderland". It's sweeter than your grandmama's fruitcake.
As music bloggers, Chris and I both have quite a few folks that come to us seeking musical guidance. Now, I can't speak for Chris, but whenever I get asked for recommendations, I tend to draw a blank. Naturally, I remember a whole host of bands I just know people would love hours after they've asked me. It's a gift to have such a horrible memory, I know. So then, it seemed somehow necessary to begin to offer up mixes for my friends, mixes for those who have both asked for my wisdom and those who need my help, whether they know it or not.
First up: my super awesome friend James, who actually inspired this whole concept. James is no stranger to good music, being in a band down there in Richmond himself (which you should probably check out). Over the years that we've known each other, James has often boosted my ego by coming to me for bands to listen to. Naturally, I'm always more than happy to oblige. However, now, instead of having to get back to him with erratic texts at random hours, I present him with a mix. So James, darlin', this one's for you.
Why I Decree it to Be So:
