Thursday, February 24, 2011
Land of Talk: Some Are Lakes
There are times when I come across an album because of a specific song, listen to said song and never give the rest of the album a chance. Well, that is the case for the is record. When I first heard the single "Some Are Lakes" I listened to it on repeat. I went through the record and thought it was really strong. There are tracks like "Give Me Back My Heart" and "Corner Phone" that are, simply, great rock songs that have a late 90's sound. Recently a good friend made me listen to another song on this record, "It's Okay", a slow moving track with beautiful lyrics sung by lead singer Elizabeth Powell. Powell's voice shines during the song and I kick myself for missing this song the first time around. I have listened to "It's Okay" several times on repeat today and with that said, maybe you should do the same.
YouTube Throwback: Notorious B.I.G.
At 17-year-old Christopher Wallace was holding down well before he had a record deal. It's a shame what happened to him. It is crazy to think how he would be 38-years-old if he was still around.
Girl Crisis
I was unaware of this Brooklyn-based group until I came across them on TwentyFourBit. I absolutely love their cover of Black Sabbath's "Paranoid".
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Louis CK vs. Hecklers
If you have not seen A Piece of Work, the documentary about Joan Rivers, I recommend you find the time to do so. There is a moment when Ms. Rivers is heckled on stage. The cameras are rolling so you watch the interaction go down. You cringe as if you are watching two parents fight with each other. Afterwards, Ms. Rivers discusses what it is like to be heckled and how your brain is in overdrive, thinking of what you want to say next while predicting what the person will come back with. I cannot begin to explain the anxiety that would run through me if someone gave me shit while on stage.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Hunter S. Thompson Leaves a Message
Hunter S. Thompson leaves a message for the man who sold him a DVD player.
Emancipator: Safe in the Steep Cliffs
With downtempo beats combined with organic samples from banjos, flutes, choirs and several other instruments, Safe in the Steep Cliffs is an album that is all around dreamy but does not come off as soft in anyway. This sophomore release from the Oregon-based musician is not a record where there are singles that stand out on their own but rather it is an album that is designed to be listened to in its entirety.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Phantogram: Eyelid Movies
I recently came across the first song on this record, Mouthful of Diamonds, and immediately wanted to hear more from the band. This duo hails from Saratoga Springs, NY via Greenwich, CT and makes music that consists of weaving thick, hip hop beats with wonderful, swirling sounds coming from synthesizers and guitars, topped off with dreamy lyrics. This is an album that is neither too soft and dreamy nor too abrasive and repetitive but it certainly straddles the line, creating a beautiful balance.
James Murphy & Stephen Colbert
On a side note, if you had not read the well-written letter by James Murphy regarding the terrible scalper situation surrounding their last show you can read it here.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Late!: Pocketwatch
To say it simply, I am a huge Nirvana fan. With that said, I was quite surprised when I came across this recording and had zero knowledge of it. This is a record that Dave Grohl made between 1990 and 1991 while he was playing drums for Nirvana. He went under the pseudonym Late! and It was only released on cassette. The story is quite interesting and If you'd like, you can read more about it here. It seems that Dave Grohl played every instrument on this record, like he did for the debut Foo Fighters record. Pocketwatch also has a great acoustic version of Marigold, a song that Grohl wrote in which Nirvana performed and released as a b-side. This is a great, fist pumping rock album. It moves with thick power chords and fast drumbeats but has the occasional acoustic song tossed in there. This record is nice on the ears, especially when you feel you've heard every Nirvana song released.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Tom Waits: Closing Time
I attempted to watch Down by Law the other night with no idea that Tom Waits was in it. With this surprise I asked my girlfriend if she had heard Closing Time. She had not. This got me thinking that there may be others in the same position. Recorded in 1973, this debut album from Waits is close to flawless. Recorded before Waits' voice started to sound like gravel, this album tackles themes of love, loss and ice cream men. All in all, this is a beautiful record that shows off the pure talent found in Waits. I just listened to this record again and it is still just as powerful as the first time I heard it.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Blue Valentine: OST
This film was great. I simply loved every bit of it and I believe the music help elevate the story. Consisting primarily of music from Grizzly Bear there are also some other musical gems to enjoy as well.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Prince: Loring Park Sessions
Recorded in 1977 in Minneapolis, Minnesota when Prince was only 19-years-old. This session consists of Prince, Andre Cymone and Bobby Z Rivkin coming together to throw down eight incredibly funky instrumental tracks. The sound quality is supreme with a groove that leans towards fusion that creates one funky session.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Thursday, February 3, 2011
The Fresh & Onlys: Play it Strange
This is a record I have been enjoying recently. The initial impression of this record is a nod to 60's rock. Hailing from San Francisco, The Fresh & Onlys have produced an album that combines the driving beat of classic 60's rock with elements of folk and the occasional musical freak out. The distorted pedals and catchy hooks, these guys make the type of rock n' roll I want in my ears. There are songs that sound like some guy got stoned and decided to play some punk songs while others have a complete country sound. This album is solid and certainly worth a listen if you had not had the chance yet. This album consists of 12 songs that all stand strong on their own but when put together create a collage of great rock music, tackling themes of love and the radio and beautiful weather. This album has been on heavy rotation recently and I feel it will be in yours when you give it a listen.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Tamaryn: The Waves
Falling into the category of shoegaze, this record is surrounded with echoing layers that create a dreamlike atmosphere. The overall feel of this record brings to mind Mazzy Star, My Bloody Valentine or even something that would be appropriate for Sophia Coppola if she put out another Lost in Translation soundtrack. This album swirls around you with sounds that are equal parts beauty and dismay. The duo that is Tamaryn has put out an album that works well listening in the darkness of your bedroom or driving down an empty highway with no headlights coming towards you.
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