Crayon Beats recently asked me to list my top eight songs of the moment for their magazine. You can read the magazine in its entirety on Issuu, or embedded below. I've also dropped in the list here with the songs themselves, where they were available:

My music listening is kind of all over the place, but I have been finding myself listening to a lot heavier stuff lately. Really any song on the albums these songs are on is 100% a winner, these are just arbitrary picks that stood out to me when I wrote this.

Silver Mt. Zion - There's A River in the Valley Made of Melting Snow
Silver Mt. Zion, and also Godspeed are probably my favorite bands of all time. The songs are despondent, but within that bleakness there's a hope that's infectious and grows exponentially the more you listen. No matter how down I am about the current state of things, I can listen to these folks and feel that inspiration.

Propagandhi - Note To Self
There's a similar quality in this whole last Propagandhi record. It's really heavy stuff, both musically and the subject matter. They've always hit really hard but this last record is really dear to me. Nobody cuts through the bullshit and tells it like it is like Propagandhi. This last effort "Failed States" is absolute perfection. I never expected them to get quite this heavy and progressive, but they went there. Saw them live here in Portland a month or so ago and they pull it off verbatim live, it's just insane.

Sonny Sharrock - Who Does She Hope To Be?
Love everything about this, the energy I feel while listening to this record. It's really beautiful.

Floor - Return to Zero
I'm a serious late comer to Floor; I only found them randomly about six months ago, but they've been a huge staple ever since. I'm not sure where these guys have been my whole life but it's everything I ever wanted in a band. They're like if Quicksand got in a brawl with Helmet, while Hum and Black Sabbath cheer them on.

Jesu - Comforter
Beautiful melodies, electronic programming, and sludgy guitars. How could you go wrong? I was a big fan of Godflesh so it's been kind of amazing to see the trajectory the Jesu project has taken over the years. Some day I will attempt to do an electric guitar centric electronic project half as beautiful as this, and I'll feel damned good if I get that far.

John Coltrane - Infinity (With Alice Coltrane)
Purists be damned, I love this whole record. Alice went back in and added all the strings and harps and all that after John died, as a tribute to him. It's really powerful and one of the best records I know.

Ufomammut - Eve I
I love Neurosis, so when I found this album, band, I was instantly in love. All the sludge and severity of Neurosis, with a Godspeed like buildup, and a tiny bit of psych a-la Pink Floyd is just the ticket for me.

Sole - Civil War
Outstanding song Tim did with Ceschi and Sean Bonnette from Andrew Jackson Jihad. Hair standing on end, so powerful. I listen to this first thing when I wake in the morning sometimes, to start things off right.