Kodagain, The Nowhere Land’s Echoes
You must play this CD if you: a) like poetry b) like Morrissey or the Magnetic Fields c) are cool d) all of the above.
Brilliant musical versions of some really good poems (writers like Dorothy Parker, Gwendolyn Brooks, etc.). Musically speaking it’s mostly semi-theatrical indie rock/pop that brings to mind The Magnetic Fields, Morrissey, and Quasi. Most of the tracks are really short (less than two minutes), because they are pretty short poems. And they are great! Play them!
Recommended tracks: 3, 4, 9.

1. Short and sweet and goofy (both the poem and the track). [0:52]
2. Distorted, almost operatic vocals. A bit of a dark song/poem. [2:05]
3. Upbeat, catchy indie tune. Very Magnetic Fields. [1:33]
4. Moodier Yo La Tengo-ish track. A dreamy, bittersweet track about heartbreak. [1:23]
5. Theatrical Magnetic Fields-y here, and a fun poem about a red dress and daydreaming about love… [1:49]
6. Echo-y Morrissey feeling track. [1:44]
7. Indie-pop track, lots of repetition of the title. Original poem is about insomnia. [1:43]
8. Snippet of Poe in the beginning, then an indie power pop tune. [1:36]
9. Cover of a Wanda Jackson tune… fantastic and funky song about havin’ a party! [1:42]
10. Kind of a boring 80s-esque song, though it’s a cool and angsty poem by Edgar Allen Poe
11. Peter Paul and Mary meet the 1980s. Poor Edgar Allen Poe… [1:27]
12. Romantic and smooth Morrissey-esque version of this sweet 19th century love poem. [2:04]
13. Short and jangly love song. [1:22]
14. Kind of cheesy, sounds a bit like an 80s rendition of a hymn. [1:57]
15. Cover of an old Elvis Song, with sing-songy harmonizing that kind of sounds like Mitch and Mickey (from A Mighty Wind) with synths. [1:32]
16. More 19th century poetry, with echo-y vocals and dreamy guitar. [1:48]
17. Diluted Magnetic Fields, pretty catchy tune though. [2:11]
18. A little bit of The Smiths, a little bit of Alphaville (or another comparable 80s pop band), and apparently a lot of romantic regret. [2:53]