Daily Jam - Now, We Just Slowly Circle the Draining Fish Bowl

Here's a real downer of a track from one of my all time favorite albums, The Paper Chase's 2004 opus "God Bless Your Black Heart."  Listen to "Now, We Just Slowly Circle the Draining Fish Bowl" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - One Day He Went Out for Milk and Never Came Home

A band i sure do miss every day is producer John Congleton's former Dallas based group The Paper Chase.  The band captured the dark and ugly underbelly of humanity with their creepy lyrics and discordant aesthetic.  I loved them.  Here's a cut from their 2004 album "God Bless Your Black Heart."  Listen to "One Day He Went Out for Milk and Never Came Home" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Neat; Manageable: Piles

Man, do i still miss The Paper Chase.  Sure, i appreciate John Congleton getting his hands on a plethora of different albums in an engineering or producing role, but something about his band's jarring, discordant, and macabre sound just spoke to my soul.  I'm not sure what that says about me.  Anyway, here's a track from the group's 2000 full-length debut.  Listen to "Neat; Manageable: Piles" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - If Nobody Moves Nobody Will Get Hurt (The Extinction)

I really miss The pAper chAse, their music just striking the a nerve with me with its mix of darkness and discord.  For now though, i'll just have to be content with John Congleton's stellar work as a producer/sound engineer.  Anyway, here's "If Nobody Moves Nobody Will Get Hurt (The Extinction)," our Texas Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - At the Other End of the Leash

Whenever you're in the mood for something sinister or a little unsettling, you can never go wrong with The Paper Chase.  The band has been on permanent hiatus for the last decade as John Congleton has become a producer and recording engineer extraordinaire, but i always find myself digging back into those old albums.  Check out the foreboding creepiness of "At the Other End of the Leash" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - We Know Where You Sleep

It's Friday the 13th, so i figured i go with something a little creepier or a little more menacing today.  So, here's a song that's both creepy and menacing from producer John Congleton's defunct but cherished experimental, noisy, emo-ish band The Paper Chase.  Check out "We Know Where You Sleep" below, our Daily Jam.

Angel Olsen - All Mirrors

I saw the wonderful news last night, whilst trying to ignore televised debates, that Angel Olsen has a new record entitled "All Mirrors" heading our way in October via Jagjaguwar.  Watch the video for the synth-laden and dramatic title track below and pre-order the album here.  It's excellent, and the sound is something that she's hinted at moving towards in the past.  Plus, the record's got some engineering/production work from the indispensable John Congleton which is always a good thing.

The Decemberists - Severed

I've never been the biggest fan of The Decemberists, their brand of Americana-drenched indie rock serving as so much background noise.  But you throw in super producer John Congleton and some synthesizers into the mix, and you've got my attention.  New single "Severed" sounds like the band spent some time listening to a bunch of New Order records and then decided to make one of their own, albeit with their Americana-drenched indie rock still intact.  It works way better than it probably should, and i feel it's only going to grow on me.  Watch the video below and look for new album "I'll Be Your Girl" in March from Capitol.

The Districts

Philly's The Districts are at work on a new record for Fat Possum.  The first taste of said album is "Ordinary Day," an anthemic rock track featuring an assist from John Congleton on the boards.  This jam stomps and wails.  Listen below.

John Congleton and The Nighty Nite - Your Temporary Custodian

Here's another track from the upcoming "Until the Horror Goes" LP from former Paper Chase front man John Congleton and The Nighty Nite.  "Your Temporary Custodian" is just as menacing as Congleton is known for, but maintains a real pop undercurrent to woo you close enough to get its claws into you.  Listen below and get the album in April on Fat Possum.

John Congleton and The Nighty Nite

One of my most favorite acts of the last 15 years or so was the excellent and now defunct The Paper Chase, the project of musician and producer John Congleton.  The band blended caterwaul and creepiness so perfectly as to induce goosebumps and scar eardrums.  I loved them.  But as most things do, the band eventually came to an end, and i found myself having to get my Congleton fix through his seemingly never ending list of producer credits.  Until now.  April will see the release of a new project called John Congleton and The Nighty Nite.  The sonic aesthetic is akin to what Congleton used to make with The Paper Chase, and i could not be more excited.  Look for "Until the Horror Goes" on Fat Possum on April 1st, and listen to "Until it Goes" below.

Swans - Oxygen

Here's another track from Swans' upcoming new album "To Be Kind."  "Oxygen" is frantic, noisy, and discordant, and shows off just how awesome the pairing of producer John Congleton (The Paper Chase) on the boards with Swans front man Michael Gira truly is.  This record is going to make my head explode.  Listen below and get the album on Young God next month.