here they are:
"It Takes a Lot to Know a Man" by Damien Rice: It sure does!! Wow! Didn't think Damien had it in him to do a song that surpasses the length of "Stairway to Heaven" by about a minute and a half, but this is exactly what he does in "It Takes a Lot to Know a Man". Damien's songs are typically sad, but this one takes the melodrama of his music to a whole other level! The ending lyrics of the song are when it reaches its zenith. The phrase "What are you so afraid to lose?" becomes a mantra, and leads into what is perhaps the most intense mood I've ever heard in a Damien Rice song, as his voice and the background vocals argue with each other about their innermost insecurities.
"Most In the Summertime" by Rhett Miller (featuring Black Prairie): Just in time for the coming season, this is probably one of the most upbeat songs in both Rhett Miller's catalog and Black Prairie's. It is a mellow but catchy country-rock ditty in which the lyrics concern themselves with the simple pleasures of life. Well, perhaps other kinds of "pleasures" as well, as the chorus indicates that Rhett and Jenny (Black Prairie's lead singer) have their "clothes off, hangin' on the line". But hey, that's what summer's for, isn't it?!
"Scared" by Delta Rae: "Scared", eh?! Well, perhaps the reason why is because this song is different from Delta Rae's other material in two ways. First of all, one of the men in the group sings lead vocals, unlike Elizabeth Hopkins, who usually does so, and second of all, its sound resembles the "neo-soul" of groups like Fitz and The Tantrums more than it does the folk sound of their typical material. The "scare" factor here is really the uncertainty of whether a romance is going to work out, and the song's combination of minor key and catchy beat are enough to keep you on the edge of your seat!
"Song For Someone" by U2: After the anthemic rock vibes of "The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)" and "Every Breaking Wave", U2's third single from "Songs of Innocence", "Song For Someone", has a more laid-back and poignant feel to it. Whoever "someone" is, they must have been incredibly important to U2 for them to make such a moving song in which the lyrics tug at the heartstrings as much as the music does. The chorus of the song pretty much defines it with its opening words, "If there is a light, you can always see, and if there is a world, we can always be. If there is a dark within and without, and there is a light, don't let it go out". For those who are in touch with their sensitive side, I highly recommend this song!
"The Stars Over Your House" by Bob Schneider: Ever since Bob Schneider's adult alt radio breakthrough with "40 Dogs (Like Romeo And Juliet)", a lot of his songs have had somewhat of a moody streak, albeit laden with sentimentality in most cases, with the exception of the surprisingly hard-rocking "Unpromised Land". "The Stars Over Your House" seems like a much needed feel-good song in his catalog that he had more in his early days than the later ones. The "oh-oo-woh"s and "yea-ee-yeah"s that punctuate the verses, along with the harmony of the backing vocals, and just the chipper feel of the song in general, are all aspects that make "The Stars Over Your House" the perfect equivalent of a pop chart hit for indie fans.
"True Affection" by Father John Misty: Or as I like to call it, Father John Misty...IN SPAAAACCCE!!! FJM hasn't really used synthesized instruments in his music until now, and boy, does he use them!! The beginning of the song doesn't sound that far off from what you might hear when someone is playing an arcade game! It kinda sounds like one of the trippier Radiohead songs, in particular, songs like "Lotus Flower" and "Staircase". The song basically has only one verse that's repeated twice (with the second verse having only a slight difference in lyrical content), and it doesn't veer from its A minor chord at all, which gives the song a bit of a "static" flavor. FJM, meet LSD!
"24 Frames" by Jason Isbell: Right from the beginning of the song, you can tell it's gonna be a sad one, since the opening lyrics are "This is how you make yourself vanish into nothing". Thankfully, it's not a bleak sadness, but a bittersweet one, and Jason Isbell does an excellent job of pouring his heart and soul into "24 Frames". Its sound is reminiscent of the songs from R.E.M.'s album, "Automatic for the People", and that sound is not just coincidence. It turns out that Jason's band, Drive-by Truckers, was based in Athens, Georgia, the same town R.E.M. hails from! As for the title of the song, it is taken from how many frames roll per second during a movie, which is how life itself is portrayed in "24 Frames". Jason has truly outdone himself this time!!
"Woman (Oh Mama)" by Joy Williams: One half of folk-rock duo, The Civil Wars, Joy Williams' debut solo song is basically like a Celtic version of Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus" in terms of how it sounds. As the title of the song implies, this is Joy's ode to the spirit of femininity. The one complaint I have about this song is that she seems to be expressing her thoughts as though she is stereotyping those who speak "broken" English, though I'm not sure if this is intentional. Each line of each verse starts with the word "woman" and is followed by a verb of some sort, which reminds me of how Cookie Monster speaks ("Me want cookie!"), or perhaps the Hulk ("Hulk smash!") Why she is choosing to speak this way, I have no idea, but I do appreciate the sentiment she has intended in the song, as well as the way it sounds.
Showing posts with label The Civil Wars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Civil Wars. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
New songs for June 19th, 2013
here they are:
"The One That Got Away" by The Civil Wars: The second album from The Civil Wars, a folk-rock duo comprised of one guy and one girl, is finally out. Its first single, "The One That Got Away", sticks to a lot of the bluegrass and folk influences that The Civil Wars have had for a while now, but it has a considerably "darker" sound. "The One That Got Away" could be considered the first Civil Wars song that is truly "folk-rock" for its use of both acoustic and electric guitars (and drums, another instrument previously unheard of in a lot of their material). The song's instrumentation, along with its rather brooding sound, remind me more of an acoustic Led Zeppelin song ("The Battle of Evermore" and "Gallows Pole" both come to mind here) than they do of The Civil Wars. Not a bad direction for the band to go in, though, and who knows, it must just set the template for the next Mumford & Sons or Lumineers album!!
"You Can't Be Told" by Valerie June: The typically folk-y Valerie June doesn't sound so folk-y here, which is ironic, considering that this is the first song that's gotten significant attention from her. There's a reason for "You Can't Be Told"'s blues-y snarl, though, and that is because of how The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach produced it. The particular blues-rock sound used on "You Can't Be Told" brings to mind a lot of bands from the '60s and early '70s who used that same sound, such as The Rolling Stones, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and The Allman Brothers Band (The Allmans' cover of "Trouble No More", especially, since it has the same rhythm and distortion as this song does). Though the song only lasts a little over three minutes, it still delivers a powerful, spicy sound. As with most blues-rock songs, "You Can't Be Told" is more about the instrumentation, rhythm, and raw vocal quality, than it is about the lyrics of the song, but that should be enough to get people to like it. It worked for me!
"The One That Got Away" by The Civil Wars: The second album from The Civil Wars, a folk-rock duo comprised of one guy and one girl, is finally out. Its first single, "The One That Got Away", sticks to a lot of the bluegrass and folk influences that The Civil Wars have had for a while now, but it has a considerably "darker" sound. "The One That Got Away" could be considered the first Civil Wars song that is truly "folk-rock" for its use of both acoustic and electric guitars (and drums, another instrument previously unheard of in a lot of their material). The song's instrumentation, along with its rather brooding sound, remind me more of an acoustic Led Zeppelin song ("The Battle of Evermore" and "Gallows Pole" both come to mind here) than they do of The Civil Wars. Not a bad direction for the band to go in, though, and who knows, it must just set the template for the next Mumford & Sons or Lumineers album!!
"You Can't Be Told" by Valerie June: The typically folk-y Valerie June doesn't sound so folk-y here, which is ironic, considering that this is the first song that's gotten significant attention from her. There's a reason for "You Can't Be Told"'s blues-y snarl, though, and that is because of how The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach produced it. The particular blues-rock sound used on "You Can't Be Told" brings to mind a lot of bands from the '60s and early '70s who used that same sound, such as The Rolling Stones, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and The Allman Brothers Band (The Allmans' cover of "Trouble No More", especially, since it has the same rhythm and distortion as this song does). Though the song only lasts a little over three minutes, it still delivers a powerful, spicy sound. As with most blues-rock songs, "You Can't Be Told" is more about the instrumentation, rhythm, and raw vocal quality, than it is about the lyrics of the song, but that should be enough to get people to like it. It worked for me!
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
New songs for February 20th, 2013
here they are:
"A Tattered Line of String" - by The Postal Service: It sounds like an unusually mellow brand of techno with the vocals of Ben Gibbard from Death Cab for Cutie. Hmmmm....sounds like the same guys who sung the chill 2004 techno-rocker "Such Great Heights". Have they come out of hibernation after 9 years?! Yes!! They have!! And those are Ben Gibbard's vocals, The Postal Service was (and is) his side project. I personally think Ben is better as a folk-rocker than as a new wave revivalist, but ever since the beginning of this year, I began hearing about how The Postal Service were going to reform, and I noticed that many people were eagerly anticipating their sophomore album, and now it's finally arrived! Not a bad effort for Mr. Gibbard, but I think he should stick with either Death Cab or his solo material for next time.
"Entertainment" by Phoenix: And now, here is yet another band who launched the new wave sound into a new age! Their songs "1901" and "Lisztomania" were both instant hits, probably because the synth side and the rock side of new wave never sounded so good together since Talking Heads had their last string of hits together! The latest song from the catchy French indie pop group Phoenix, "Entertainment", is a bit less focused on the guitar than their previous songs were. The sound of the song screams out "geek-rock", as it seems like it would be the perfect theme song to a video game or anime series, perhaps because it uses a scale during the chorus that is common to Japanese music. A different kind of "entertainment" than the typical Phoenix fan might be used to, but "Entertainment" is entertaining nonetheless.
"Gotta Get Over" by Eric Clapton: Initially a part of powerhouse psychedelic blues-rock groups like The Yardbirds and Cream, there are those who criticize Clapton of "softening" or "polishing" his sound ever since the mid 1970's. The criticism is certainly valid in some ways, and indeed, he seemed to hit a low point in his career around the mid '90s, in which his sound was closer to folk and country than it was to blues, but ever since the release of his 2010 rocker, "Run Back to Your Side", Clapton has beefed up his sound so that it sounds closer to "After Midnight" than it does to a sub-par version of "Tears In Heaven". "Gotta Get Over" is another rockin', bluesy number from Eric Clapton. Not a whole lot of lyrics on "Gotta Get Over", but since the focus here is more on the electric guitar sound, the lyrical content doesn't matter as much for this song. Keep rockin' on, E.C.!!
"Just to Make Me Feel Good" by Adam Green and Binki Shapiro: The Moldy Peaches' lead singer (the one who sings the male vocals on "Anyone Else But You" from "Juno"), and the female multi-instrumentalist from indie-pop group Little Joy joining forces together could spell trouble for Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward (known together as "She & Him"). It doesn't look like Adam and Binki are going to be anywhere near as well known as Zooey and Matt, but they still make an endearing (if odd) indie-pop duo. Unlike She & Him, in which Zooey has pretty much all the vocal duties, Adam and Binki trade off vocal sections on their songs. Their first major song, "Just to Make Me Feel Good", has the breezy, feel-good sound of a 1960's pop song. There is definitely a major difference between the charming, bubbly female vocals of Binki Shapiro and the low, deadpan male vocals of Adam Green, but somehow, they manage to make it work here, and to great effect as well!
"Long Time Gone" by The Civil Wars and T-Bone Burnett: Old folk meets new folk! The Civil Wars have had a couple hits now among indie and neo-folk fans, and T-Bone Burnett is known more for his production (like on the "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack) than his songs, but they both share a love for roots-y American folk music. Aside from The Wars' best known song, "Barton Hollow", "Long Time Gone" is probably the roots-iest, folk-iest song they've ever done! As always, Joy and John make their harmonies soar on "Long Time Gone", and T-Bone Burnett's accompaniment makes The Civil Wars sound like a band that came out of...well...the Civil War!
"Minute By Minute" by The James Hunter Six: Whoa! Did I just take a time machine to 1967 and end up in Stax Records Studios?! (The people known for producing Otis Redding's material and some of Wilson Pickett's) It sure seems like I did! It's R & B music, but definitely not what people would associate with contemporary R & B. This is the classic stuff, with raw, passionate vocals, steamy saxophones, and clean, slick organs. The most striking feature of Hunter's music? He's WHITE!! I'm not someone who considers ethnicity in music (or anything) to be a big deal, but Hunter has such close vocals to Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, etc., that I thought he was more African-American than Caucasian. I guess Hunter embraces both vintage sound and racial diversity, so I say, way to go, man!!
"Spotlight" by Leagues: A bit late in reviewing this song, I realize, since it's been out since late December, but it's only been within the last week that I've noticed an increase in the airplay of this song (perhaps because that's how recently it was featured in "Grey's Anatomy"). With its echoic guitar sound and catchy rhythm, I’m honestly surprised that “Spotlight” hasn’t been a hit in formats other than adult alternative yet! (Perhaps I’ve spoken too soon, though). Its chorus, consisting only of the phrases “I’m never gonna give you up” and “Spotlight, I’ve got a spotlight”, is short, but extremely effective in terms of getting stuck in one’s head. “Spotlight”’s pentatonic guitar solo in the middle of the song is like the cherry on top of this already delicious ice cream of a song!
“The Lightning Strike” by Snow Patrol: Snow Patrol seem to love updating their older material with new arrangements! It’s happened twice now, with the 2009 release of “An Olive Grove Facing the Sea” (originally from 2001) and the 2010 release of “Set the Fire to the Third Bar” (originally from 2006). Their third “re-release” song is “The Lightning Strike”, originally from 2008. The song adds yet another unique flavor of sound to the Irish indie pop group’s already eclectic catalog. The chord progression of the song seems more common to classical music than it is to rock and pop, and the instrumentation is incredibly orchestral for a Snow Patrol song. Another aspect that makes “The Lightning Strike” stand out among previous material from Gary Lightbody and co? It has THREE PARTS!! As far as rock music goes, I would expect a song with more than one part from, say, Rush, Pink Floyd, Yes, or Jethro Tull, but NOT Snow Patrol!! As adult alt radio stations don’t seem to typically play songs that are actually two (or more) songs in one, I think it’s safe to assume that only the first part of “The Lightning Strike” will be spun on such stations. The imagery of “perfect halos”, “silver forked skies”, and “peeling thunder” probably wouldn’t sound too out of place in a prog-rock album, actually. Who knew Snow Patrol were closet Pink Floyd fans?! I sure didn’t!!
"A Tattered Line of String" - by The Postal Service: It sounds like an unusually mellow brand of techno with the vocals of Ben Gibbard from Death Cab for Cutie. Hmmmm....sounds like the same guys who sung the chill 2004 techno-rocker "Such Great Heights". Have they come out of hibernation after 9 years?! Yes!! They have!! And those are Ben Gibbard's vocals, The Postal Service was (and is) his side project. I personally think Ben is better as a folk-rocker than as a new wave revivalist, but ever since the beginning of this year, I began hearing about how The Postal Service were going to reform, and I noticed that many people were eagerly anticipating their sophomore album, and now it's finally arrived! Not a bad effort for Mr. Gibbard, but I think he should stick with either Death Cab or his solo material for next time.
"Entertainment" by Phoenix: And now, here is yet another band who launched the new wave sound into a new age! Their songs "1901" and "Lisztomania" were both instant hits, probably because the synth side and the rock side of new wave never sounded so good together since Talking Heads had their last string of hits together! The latest song from the catchy French indie pop group Phoenix, "Entertainment", is a bit less focused on the guitar than their previous songs were. The sound of the song screams out "geek-rock", as it seems like it would be the perfect theme song to a video game or anime series, perhaps because it uses a scale during the chorus that is common to Japanese music. A different kind of "entertainment" than the typical Phoenix fan might be used to, but "Entertainment" is entertaining nonetheless.
"Gotta Get Over" by Eric Clapton: Initially a part of powerhouse psychedelic blues-rock groups like The Yardbirds and Cream, there are those who criticize Clapton of "softening" or "polishing" his sound ever since the mid 1970's. The criticism is certainly valid in some ways, and indeed, he seemed to hit a low point in his career around the mid '90s, in which his sound was closer to folk and country than it was to blues, but ever since the release of his 2010 rocker, "Run Back to Your Side", Clapton has beefed up his sound so that it sounds closer to "After Midnight" than it does to a sub-par version of "Tears In Heaven". "Gotta Get Over" is another rockin', bluesy number from Eric Clapton. Not a whole lot of lyrics on "Gotta Get Over", but since the focus here is more on the electric guitar sound, the lyrical content doesn't matter as much for this song. Keep rockin' on, E.C.!!
"Just to Make Me Feel Good" by Adam Green and Binki Shapiro: The Moldy Peaches' lead singer (the one who sings the male vocals on "Anyone Else But You" from "Juno"), and the female multi-instrumentalist from indie-pop group Little Joy joining forces together could spell trouble for Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward (known together as "She & Him"). It doesn't look like Adam and Binki are going to be anywhere near as well known as Zooey and Matt, but they still make an endearing (if odd) indie-pop duo. Unlike She & Him, in which Zooey has pretty much all the vocal duties, Adam and Binki trade off vocal sections on their songs. Their first major song, "Just to Make Me Feel Good", has the breezy, feel-good sound of a 1960's pop song. There is definitely a major difference between the charming, bubbly female vocals of Binki Shapiro and the low, deadpan male vocals of Adam Green, but somehow, they manage to make it work here, and to great effect as well!
"Long Time Gone" by The Civil Wars and T-Bone Burnett: Old folk meets new folk! The Civil Wars have had a couple hits now among indie and neo-folk fans, and T-Bone Burnett is known more for his production (like on the "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack) than his songs, but they both share a love for roots-y American folk music. Aside from The Wars' best known song, "Barton Hollow", "Long Time Gone" is probably the roots-iest, folk-iest song they've ever done! As always, Joy and John make their harmonies soar on "Long Time Gone", and T-Bone Burnett's accompaniment makes The Civil Wars sound like a band that came out of...well...the Civil War!
"Minute By Minute" by The James Hunter Six: Whoa! Did I just take a time machine to 1967 and end up in Stax Records Studios?! (The people known for producing Otis Redding's material and some of Wilson Pickett's) It sure seems like I did! It's R & B music, but definitely not what people would associate with contemporary R & B. This is the classic stuff, with raw, passionate vocals, steamy saxophones, and clean, slick organs. The most striking feature of Hunter's music? He's WHITE!! I'm not someone who considers ethnicity in music (or anything) to be a big deal, but Hunter has such close vocals to Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, etc., that I thought he was more African-American than Caucasian. I guess Hunter embraces both vintage sound and racial diversity, so I say, way to go, man!!
"Spotlight" by Leagues: A bit late in reviewing this song, I realize, since it's been out since late December, but it's only been within the last week that I've noticed an increase in the airplay of this song (perhaps because that's how recently it was featured in "Grey's Anatomy"). With its echoic guitar sound and catchy rhythm, I’m honestly surprised that “Spotlight” hasn’t been a hit in formats other than adult alternative yet! (Perhaps I’ve spoken too soon, though). Its chorus, consisting only of the phrases “I’m never gonna give you up” and “Spotlight, I’ve got a spotlight”, is short, but extremely effective in terms of getting stuck in one’s head. “Spotlight”’s pentatonic guitar solo in the middle of the song is like the cherry on top of this already delicious ice cream of a song!
“The Lightning Strike” by Snow Patrol: Snow Patrol seem to love updating their older material with new arrangements! It’s happened twice now, with the 2009 release of “An Olive Grove Facing the Sea” (originally from 2001) and the 2010 release of “Set the Fire to the Third Bar” (originally from 2006). Their third “re-release” song is “The Lightning Strike”, originally from 2008. The song adds yet another unique flavor of sound to the Irish indie pop group’s already eclectic catalog. The chord progression of the song seems more common to classical music than it is to rock and pop, and the instrumentation is incredibly orchestral for a Snow Patrol song. Another aspect that makes “The Lightning Strike” stand out among previous material from Gary Lightbody and co? It has THREE PARTS!! As far as rock music goes, I would expect a song with more than one part from, say, Rush, Pink Floyd, Yes, or Jethro Tull, but NOT Snow Patrol!! As adult alt radio stations don’t seem to typically play songs that are actually two (or more) songs in one, I think it’s safe to assume that only the first part of “The Lightning Strike” will be spun on such stations. The imagery of “perfect halos”, “silver forked skies”, and “peeling thunder” probably wouldn’t sound too out of place in a prog-rock album, actually. Who knew Snow Patrol were closet Pink Floyd fans?! I sure didn’t!!
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Have A Holly Jolly Hipster Christmas - special blog dedicated to "Holidays Rule"!!
I don't normally post on days other than Wednesday, but the new CD "Holidays Rule", showcasing mostly contemporary folk-rock and indie-pop, has soooo many good songs that would just be too much to blog about if I added them into another blog entry for non-Christmas/non-holiday related songs! There actually too many songs on this CD to be covering in one entry, so I'll be reviewing my personal faves from the CD today. So here goes! Hope you like it!!
"Auld Lang Syne" by Andrew Bird: Ever the quirky indie musician, Mr. Bird has decided not to choose a Christmas related song, and opt for a New Year's one instead! And his arrangement of it is...ummm...interesting!! Instead of being sung with reverence, it is treated more like a jaunty, honky-tonk song! No Andrew Bird song is complete without a string section instrument, but Bird continues to surprise his listeners by choosing a fiddle this time instead of a violin or cello like he usually does. It's also pretty impressive that Andrew Bird knows more than just the first verse of "Auld Lang Syne", since most people (including myself) only remember that verse!
"Baby It's Cold Outside" by Rufus Wainwright and Sharon Van Etten: The ultimate boy/girl duet Christmas song is performed this year by eclectic music extraordinaire Rufus Wainwright and angst-ridden folk-rocker Sharon Van Etten. Presented only with piano and vocals, Rufus and Sharon deliver an endearing duet (in which Rufus, as always, steals the show) that is bound to make one curl up inside with a cup of hot cocoa by the fireplace with his/her loved one. Van Etten's nearly deadpan vocal delivery provides an intriguing contrast with Wainwright's expressively operatic vocals, but they still manage to make it work! If only Zooey Deschanel didn't perform this song TWICE (once with Will Ferrell and another with M. Ward), I'd opt for her to sing the "girl" parts of this song, but otherwise, well worth the listen!
"Blue Christmas" by Heartless B*st*rds: A band whose name is both a curse word and an insult doesn't exactly seem like one that would be in the Christmas spirit, does it?! Surprise! Erika Wennerstrom is no Grinch! However, she did choose a more brokenhearted holiday song for "Holidays Rule", "Blue Christmas", a song that I initially thought had only been done by Elvis Presley, but has been covered by many others ever since. The HB's give "Blue Christmas" a melancholy country-rock treatment, complete with a sighing, twangy guitar solo in the middle. A big ol' heart melter, like most of the "Holidays Rule" songs, but that's why I like it!
"(Everybody's Waitin' For) The Man With the Bag" by Black Prairie: With a title that's a clear reference to Santa Claus, you'd think a song like this would be pretty energetic. And it is! But...not at first. The first 30 seconds or so of "Man With the Bag" build up suspense to a song that soon begins to sound like The Decemberists got taken over by Feist leading a band of jolly little elves! A surprisingly fun song for a band whose only known song so far is called "How Do You Ruin Me?" This could land Black Prairie a guest spot on "Yo Gabba Gabba" if they're not careful, heheh.
"Green Grows the Holly" by Calexico: Not one of the obvious Santa/Rudolph type Christmas songs, but it's songs like Calexico's "Green Grows the Holly" that adds a bit of diversity in subject matter to the "Holidays Rule" song collection. A very mournful holiday song, too, but not without a unique, Calexico-style horn solo in the middle of it to make it perk up, if only for a minute. Calexico are typically more lively than they are on this acoustic-guitar-and-horns-only track. Where I would normally envision a Calexico song taking place around the Mojave Desert in the middle of summer in the afternoon, this one seems more to take place around dusk, near winter, with holly and ivy growing in place of the cacti.
"I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day" by The Civil Wars: John and Joy turn a solemn Christmas song into a more charming one simply by using their signature harmonies to make the song complete, but the sentiments of requesting peace on Earth and good will to men in a world of cynical people are still there. Accompanied only by acoustic guitar, The Civil Wars show, once again, how their brand of quiet is the new loud, enough to make listeners stop and become entranced by both the mellifluous melodies and universally uplifting utterances of their take on an old Christmas fave.
"It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas" by Fruit Bats: The formerly cheery Christmas song, "It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas", gets a makeover from indie-folk-rockers Fruit Bats, with a sound that's halfway between a classic country song and Hawaiian music. Though The Bats have made this song lose some of the pep it once had, it is not completely without its bouncy beat. It's not as though Fruit Bats have added minor chords in place of the major ones, that's still a part of the song in this version. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, but more like the kind of Christmas you'd want to spend inside your house, and not outside in a mall.
"O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" by Punch Brothers: An interesting selection for "Holidays Rule", and an even more interesting version! Among the recent "bluegrass-rock" boom, Punch Brothers are probably one of the few (if not the only) band of the bunch that could be considered "progressive bluegrass", since their verses and choruses are often in completely different keys to one another. They continue to demonstrate this oddly amazing talent in their take on "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel", one of those songs that, "keeps the 'Christ' in 'Christmas'", so to speak, as its title and subject matter are both references to Jesus. Punch Brothers do not lose an ounce of reverence in their rendition of "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel", in terms of both vocal and instrumental quality. Perhaps this means that Punch Brothers are "brothers" in more ways than one might expect?!
"Sleigh Ride" by fun.: I have truly underestimated fun. With each song they release, their instrumental talents continue to impress me more and more. With the combination of "modern" instruments (like synths), and more "traditional" ones (like violins and flutes) all set to a giant indie-pop wall of sound, this version of "Sleigh Ride" could have been done by Arcade Fire with the exact same arrangement (but with different vocals, obviously)!! It even dips into psychedelic, echo-y territory a la "Tomorrow Never Knows" by The Beatles towards the end of it! I think fun. are gliding through more than just a wonderland of snow in their version of "Sleigh Ride". They are gliding through a wonderland of SOUND!! Now that's what I call "ear candy"!
"The Christmas Song" by Paul McCartney: Sir Paul must be quite overwhelmed that he is both performing a song AND having a song he originally did covered by someone else ("Wonderful Christmastime") on the same album!! Macca's arrangement of the time-honored Christmas tune that begins with descriptions of "chestnuts roasting on an open fire" and "Jack Frost nipping at your nose" is not a bad one, but a B effort, or perhaps even a C one, in comparison to the Nat King Cole version I'm used to hearing. It must also feel weird for Paul to be the only "classic rock" musician on a record of mostly indie-pop musicians of the '00s and 2010's. Perhaps that's why his efforts feel only so-so on "The Christmas Song", but this IS a song that seems to be good, regardless of who's singing it.
"What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" by The Head and The Heart: Aside from Andrew Bird's contribution to "Holidays Rule", this is the only post-Christmas December related song on the CD. I realize just now that this is The Head and The Heart's first major song with romantic sentiments attached to it. Their topics previously revolved around homesickness ("Lost In My Mind"), being a world weary traveler ("Down In the Valley"), and speculations about the paranormal ("Ghosts"). So how do The Head and The Heart fare at choosing more personal subject matter into their music?! Quite effectively, if I do say so myself. The song carries a sweet, but not sappy, message of hope to spend New Year's Eve with one's significant other, and is perfect for a cozy, warm, stay-at-home December.
"Wonderful Christmastime" by The Shins: And last, but not least, it's Paul McCartney! Ummm...I mean...The Shins COVERING Paul McCartney! Kind of. James Mercer's love of The Beach Boys is more obvious in this version of McCartney's signature Christmas tune than his love of The Beatles, what the "Good Vibrations"-ish organ to start off the song. The lyrics get either goofed up or added on to at certain parts, so it doesn't exactly feel like a sincere cover, but those who prefer have their holiday tunes sound more psychedelic than plain ol' happy might get a kick out of this version.
"Auld Lang Syne" by Andrew Bird: Ever the quirky indie musician, Mr. Bird has decided not to choose a Christmas related song, and opt for a New Year's one instead! And his arrangement of it is...ummm...interesting!! Instead of being sung with reverence, it is treated more like a jaunty, honky-tonk song! No Andrew Bird song is complete without a string section instrument, but Bird continues to surprise his listeners by choosing a fiddle this time instead of a violin or cello like he usually does. It's also pretty impressive that Andrew Bird knows more than just the first verse of "Auld Lang Syne", since most people (including myself) only remember that verse!
"Baby It's Cold Outside" by Rufus Wainwright and Sharon Van Etten: The ultimate boy/girl duet Christmas song is performed this year by eclectic music extraordinaire Rufus Wainwright and angst-ridden folk-rocker Sharon Van Etten. Presented only with piano and vocals, Rufus and Sharon deliver an endearing duet (in which Rufus, as always, steals the show) that is bound to make one curl up inside with a cup of hot cocoa by the fireplace with his/her loved one. Van Etten's nearly deadpan vocal delivery provides an intriguing contrast with Wainwright's expressively operatic vocals, but they still manage to make it work! If only Zooey Deschanel didn't perform this song TWICE (once with Will Ferrell and another with M. Ward), I'd opt for her to sing the "girl" parts of this song, but otherwise, well worth the listen!
"Blue Christmas" by Heartless B*st*rds: A band whose name is both a curse word and an insult doesn't exactly seem like one that would be in the Christmas spirit, does it?! Surprise! Erika Wennerstrom is no Grinch! However, she did choose a more brokenhearted holiday song for "Holidays Rule", "Blue Christmas", a song that I initially thought had only been done by Elvis Presley, but has been covered by many others ever since. The HB's give "Blue Christmas" a melancholy country-rock treatment, complete with a sighing, twangy guitar solo in the middle. A big ol' heart melter, like most of the "Holidays Rule" songs, but that's why I like it!
"(Everybody's Waitin' For) The Man With the Bag" by Black Prairie: With a title that's a clear reference to Santa Claus, you'd think a song like this would be pretty energetic. And it is! But...not at first. The first 30 seconds or so of "Man With the Bag" build up suspense to a song that soon begins to sound like The Decemberists got taken over by Feist leading a band of jolly little elves! A surprisingly fun song for a band whose only known song so far is called "How Do You Ruin Me?" This could land Black Prairie a guest spot on "Yo Gabba Gabba" if they're not careful, heheh.
"Green Grows the Holly" by Calexico: Not one of the obvious Santa/Rudolph type Christmas songs, but it's songs like Calexico's "Green Grows the Holly" that adds a bit of diversity in subject matter to the "Holidays Rule" song collection. A very mournful holiday song, too, but not without a unique, Calexico-style horn solo in the middle of it to make it perk up, if only for a minute. Calexico are typically more lively than they are on this acoustic-guitar-and-horns-only track. Where I would normally envision a Calexico song taking place around the Mojave Desert in the middle of summer in the afternoon, this one seems more to take place around dusk, near winter, with holly and ivy growing in place of the cacti.
"I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day" by The Civil Wars: John and Joy turn a solemn Christmas song into a more charming one simply by using their signature harmonies to make the song complete, but the sentiments of requesting peace on Earth and good will to men in a world of cynical people are still there. Accompanied only by acoustic guitar, The Civil Wars show, once again, how their brand of quiet is the new loud, enough to make listeners stop and become entranced by both the mellifluous melodies and universally uplifting utterances of their take on an old Christmas fave.
"It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas" by Fruit Bats: The formerly cheery Christmas song, "It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas", gets a makeover from indie-folk-rockers Fruit Bats, with a sound that's halfway between a classic country song and Hawaiian music. Though The Bats have made this song lose some of the pep it once had, it is not completely without its bouncy beat. It's not as though Fruit Bats have added minor chords in place of the major ones, that's still a part of the song in this version. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, but more like the kind of Christmas you'd want to spend inside your house, and not outside in a mall.
"O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" by Punch Brothers: An interesting selection for "Holidays Rule", and an even more interesting version! Among the recent "bluegrass-rock" boom, Punch Brothers are probably one of the few (if not the only) band of the bunch that could be considered "progressive bluegrass", since their verses and choruses are often in completely different keys to one another. They continue to demonstrate this oddly amazing talent in their take on "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel", one of those songs that, "keeps the 'Christ' in 'Christmas'", so to speak, as its title and subject matter are both references to Jesus. Punch Brothers do not lose an ounce of reverence in their rendition of "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel", in terms of both vocal and instrumental quality. Perhaps this means that Punch Brothers are "brothers" in more ways than one might expect?!
"Sleigh Ride" by fun.: I have truly underestimated fun. With each song they release, their instrumental talents continue to impress me more and more. With the combination of "modern" instruments (like synths), and more "traditional" ones (like violins and flutes) all set to a giant indie-pop wall of sound, this version of "Sleigh Ride" could have been done by Arcade Fire with the exact same arrangement (but with different vocals, obviously)!! It even dips into psychedelic, echo-y territory a la "Tomorrow Never Knows" by The Beatles towards the end of it! I think fun. are gliding through more than just a wonderland of snow in their version of "Sleigh Ride". They are gliding through a wonderland of SOUND!! Now that's what I call "ear candy"!
"The Christmas Song" by Paul McCartney: Sir Paul must be quite overwhelmed that he is both performing a song AND having a song he originally did covered by someone else ("Wonderful Christmastime") on the same album!! Macca's arrangement of the time-honored Christmas tune that begins with descriptions of "chestnuts roasting on an open fire" and "Jack Frost nipping at your nose" is not a bad one, but a B effort, or perhaps even a C one, in comparison to the Nat King Cole version I'm used to hearing. It must also feel weird for Paul to be the only "classic rock" musician on a record of mostly indie-pop musicians of the '00s and 2010's. Perhaps that's why his efforts feel only so-so on "The Christmas Song", but this IS a song that seems to be good, regardless of who's singing it.
"What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" by The Head and The Heart: Aside from Andrew Bird's contribution to "Holidays Rule", this is the only post-Christmas December related song on the CD. I realize just now that this is The Head and The Heart's first major song with romantic sentiments attached to it. Their topics previously revolved around homesickness ("Lost In My Mind"), being a world weary traveler ("Down In the Valley"), and speculations about the paranormal ("Ghosts"). So how do The Head and The Heart fare at choosing more personal subject matter into their music?! Quite effectively, if I do say so myself. The song carries a sweet, but not sappy, message of hope to spend New Year's Eve with one's significant other, and is perfect for a cozy, warm, stay-at-home December.
"Wonderful Christmastime" by The Shins: And last, but not least, it's Paul McCartney! Ummm...I mean...The Shins COVERING Paul McCartney! Kind of. James Mercer's love of The Beach Boys is more obvious in this version of McCartney's signature Christmas tune than his love of The Beatles, what the "Good Vibrations"-ish organ to start off the song. The lyrics get either goofed up or added on to at certain parts, so it doesn't exactly feel like a sincere cover, but those who prefer have their holiday tunes sound more psychedelic than plain ol' happy might get a kick out of this version.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
13 Songs On A Dead Man's Chest (A.K.A. Flood of Songs After the Drought)
THIRTEEN!? Most I've ever had so far!! So, without further ado, let's begin!!
"Carry On" by fun.: "If you're lost and alone, and sinking like a stone, carry o-o-o-o-on!!" So begins the chorus of the latest song from the somewhat aptly named band, fun. This is probably their most sensitive, most melodic song yet, and for that reason, I can't help but like it! Though the song itself is kinda dark in terms of its lyrics, it still has quite an uplifting, almost inspirational chorus, reminding its listeners to stay strong through the good times and the bad. Nate Ruess and co sure have come a long way since the far more pop-y "We Are Young", and I hope they will continue to strengthen their sound and their lyrics in the future!
"Encyclopedia of Classic Takedowns" by A.C. Newman: The New Pornographers were always a quirky band, in spite of how their name might sound (it was actually taken from something someone said about how music is the "new pornography"). That being said, it only makes sense that their lead singer would come up with a song where even the TITLE sounded quirky! I mean, how many songs do you know of have titles that even sound CLOSE to "Encyclopedia of Classic Takedowns" (try saying THAT five times fast!)?! I sure don't! (Then again, this IS the same guy who came up with even weirder song titles like "Sing Me Spanish Techno"). The song itself is quirky, power pop-y fun at its best! A happy song with bubbly harmonies and a weird title?! Only A.C. and The New Pornographers!!
"Good Times" by Matt Costa: Matt Costa doesn't seem to get enough credit for how eclectic (and clever) he truly is! He seemed to have been pegged as a singer/songwriter type based on how his debut song, "Cold December" sounded, but he has expanded his repertoire ever since to include Donovan-esque psychedelic pop ("Witchcraft") and "Pet Sounds"-ish orchestral beauties ("Drive"). His latest song, "Good Times", takes on a sound that illustrates a combination of folk-rock guitars and triumphant trumpets, a bit like Feist's "1234", as well as practically any song from Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros. Don't be fooled by how happy "Good Times" sounds, though, as even its chorus sings about how "Good times are comin' to an end". The dichotomy "Good Times" has between its fluffy sound and cynical lyrics only make me love the song more, though!
"Harder Before It Gets Easier" by The David Wax Museum: With the surprise success of records from people like Paul Simon and Robbie Robertson last year, it only makes sense that there would be someone this year that would carry on the rock-music-meets-world-music torch. It's not an older musician, though, or even a well-known one, at that. This year's ethnic rock experience comes from The David Wax Museum, a band that is, perhaps, unlike any other from 2012! Instead of relying on folk-rock or power pop, like most 2010's bands seem to do, The David Wax Museum create a lush musical soundscape based on African rhythms and mariachi instrumentation. To top it all off, at the center of the DWM's breakthrough song, "Harder Before It Gets Easier", is its chorus, which reminds people that sometimes you need to experience tougher times in your life in order to get to what you really want!
"Heartbeat" by The Kopecky Family Band: Of the many bands I'm reviewing this week, none of them seem to put the "pop" in "indie pop" quite like The Kopecky Family Band! Their debut song, "Heartbeat", has it all! Irresistibly bubblegum-y harmonies, handclaps at the beginning, a catchy, memorable chorus, purposely ridiculous lyrics (e.g. "you make my heartbeat beat a beat"), you name it! "Heartbeat" is the perfect song to dance around in your room to when no one's watching!
"How Do You Ruin Me?" by Black Prairie: And now we move from a goofy, lighthearted band to a more somber one. Even this song's title, "How Do You Ruin Me?" sounds melancholy, and the song itself is, too. With its sighing string section, G minor key, and world-weary vocals, "How Do You Ruin Me?" is one of those songs you'd want to put on during a rainy day to elicit emotions of both sadness and sympathy. It is a tale of unrequited love that expresses the pain and sorrow we probably all feel inside when going through such a phase. Call it a case of schadenfreude if you will, but what is "ruining" the singer brings me a sense of pleasure, but the pleasure derives from knowing that I'm not the only one who has felt cheated or let down in a relationship.
"I've Got This Friend" by The Civil Wars: It's been over a year since John Paul Williams and Joy White first became successful as folk-pop duo, The Civil Wars, yet there is still one song from their debut album that has JUST begun to receive airplay on adult alt radio stations, and that song is "I've Got This Friend". "I've Got This Friend" provides quite a contrast from the blues-y stomp of "Barton Hollow" and the bittersweet "Poison And Wine". There is nothing very bitter, or even bittersweet, about "I've Got This Friend", in fact it's kind of a cute song, if I dare say so! John and Joy take turns telling each other about these "friends" that they have during the song, though, upon listening to the lyrics, it becomes apparent that John and Joy are actually telling each other about...well...each other! However, they are doing so in a way that suggest a precious, almost naive sense of romance. Can I have another "d'awwww"?!
"Mojo Fix" by Martin Harley: A "review-come-lately" here, as this song has been around since late August of this year, but it doesn't seem like it's gotten decent airplay until around the past couple of weeks, so I thought maybe now would be a good time to review it instead. On with the song, though, doesn't even the title of the song "Mojo Fix" sound kinda blues-y?! Well, that's because it is, and a mighty fine blues song at that! With its chugging hook, raw vocals, and saucy slide guitar licks, "Mojo Fix" is enough to satisfy anyone's mojo!!
"Nancy From Now On" by Father John Misty: You probably wouldn't expect such a downhearted song from a guy with a quirky moniker, who put out esoteric songs like "I'm Writing A Novel", but keep in mind that "Father John Misty" is actually the alias of the ex-drummer of melancholy folk-rock kings, Fleet Foxes, and "Nancy From Now On" will probably make a little more sense. Even the opening lyrics, "Pour me another drink, and punch me in the face" are enough to depress a lot of Misty's listeners. "Nancy" is also not the name of a girl in this song, but rather, a derogatory name that Misty uses to refer to himself, perhaps suggesting that he is "weak" in some way. The chord changes and piano arrangement in this song remind me of people like Rufus Wainwright. Perhaps Rufus and Father John are pals?! Wouldn't surprise me. Also, I detect a huge Harry Nilsson influence in this song, so to describe Misty as the lovechild of Nilsson and Rufus Wainwright would be a great way of summing him up!
"River" by Civil Twilight: As I read the comments for this song on YouTube, many people seem to think that this sounds like a Radiohead song, and it does (it lifts pretty heavily from "Jigsaw Falling Into Place", in particular). Though "River" will never hold a candle to Radiohead, it's still a good song in its own right! It is probably Civil Twilight's best song, actually, given how it centers mostly around acoustic guitar instead of keyboards, the latter of which is a more typical instrument for Civil Twilight. The lead singer of Civil Twilight tends to nail Thom Yorke's vocal intonations, and the swooning backing vocals wouldn't sound too out of place in a Radiohead song either. However, this is Civil Twilight, not Radiohead. Still, it wouldn't hurt Civil Twilight to continue going in a neo-folk-rock direction!
"So Beautiful" by The Dunwells: Along with the Martin Harley song, "Mojo Fix", this song is another "review-come-lately" for me, I guess partly because this song pales in comparison quite significantly to The Dunwells' Mumford-esque song, "I Could Be A King", from earlier this year. However, I decided to give "So Beautiful" another chance, and I'm glad I did, because, although it isn't nearly as good as "I Could Be A King", it is still a good song, and it stuck in my head after the second time I heard it, so I knew it was a good one. It still has a somewhat Mumford-and-Sons-ish sound, but it sounds more like M & S being backed by the '70s soft rock group, America (the solos in the song sound like they were performed in a similar distortion to America's "Sister Golden Hair"). Still worth listening to, though.
"Time to Run" by Lord Huron: And last, but certainly not least, is the hypnotically folk-rock-y "Time to Run", from Lord Huron, a band who are slowly but surely getting more attention than I thought they would! This song is like a dream to me, and I don't mean that in a corny, metaphorical way. I mean that it's literally like a dream! It starts off with an orchestra of echoing wind chime type percussion that goes on for about a minute, before settling into its mellow, entrancing groove that takes hold of the rest of the song, as though one is falling asleep, and then settling into his/her dream for the rest of the night. This song is one dream I don't want to wake up from!!
"Carry On" by fun.: "If you're lost and alone, and sinking like a stone, carry o-o-o-o-on!!" So begins the chorus of the latest song from the somewhat aptly named band, fun. This is probably their most sensitive, most melodic song yet, and for that reason, I can't help but like it! Though the song itself is kinda dark in terms of its lyrics, it still has quite an uplifting, almost inspirational chorus, reminding its listeners to stay strong through the good times and the bad. Nate Ruess and co sure have come a long way since the far more pop-y "We Are Young", and I hope they will continue to strengthen their sound and their lyrics in the future!
"Encyclopedia of Classic Takedowns" by A.C. Newman: The New Pornographers were always a quirky band, in spite of how their name might sound (it was actually taken from something someone said about how music is the "new pornography"). That being said, it only makes sense that their lead singer would come up with a song where even the TITLE sounded quirky! I mean, how many songs do you know of have titles that even sound CLOSE to "Encyclopedia of Classic Takedowns" (try saying THAT five times fast!)?! I sure don't! (Then again, this IS the same guy who came up with even weirder song titles like "Sing Me Spanish Techno"). The song itself is quirky, power pop-y fun at its best! A happy song with bubbly harmonies and a weird title?! Only A.C. and The New Pornographers!!
"Good Times" by Matt Costa: Matt Costa doesn't seem to get enough credit for how eclectic (and clever) he truly is! He seemed to have been pegged as a singer/songwriter type based on how his debut song, "Cold December" sounded, but he has expanded his repertoire ever since to include Donovan-esque psychedelic pop ("Witchcraft") and "Pet Sounds"-ish orchestral beauties ("Drive"). His latest song, "Good Times", takes on a sound that illustrates a combination of folk-rock guitars and triumphant trumpets, a bit like Feist's "1234", as well as practically any song from Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros. Don't be fooled by how happy "Good Times" sounds, though, as even its chorus sings about how "Good times are comin' to an end". The dichotomy "Good Times" has between its fluffy sound and cynical lyrics only make me love the song more, though!
"Harder Before It Gets Easier" by The David Wax Museum: With the surprise success of records from people like Paul Simon and Robbie Robertson last year, it only makes sense that there would be someone this year that would carry on the rock-music-meets-world-music torch. It's not an older musician, though, or even a well-known one, at that. This year's ethnic rock experience comes from The David Wax Museum, a band that is, perhaps, unlike any other from 2012! Instead of relying on folk-rock or power pop, like most 2010's bands seem to do, The David Wax Museum create a lush musical soundscape based on African rhythms and mariachi instrumentation. To top it all off, at the center of the DWM's breakthrough song, "Harder Before It Gets Easier", is its chorus, which reminds people that sometimes you need to experience tougher times in your life in order to get to what you really want!
"Heartbeat" by The Kopecky Family Band: Of the many bands I'm reviewing this week, none of them seem to put the "pop" in "indie pop" quite like The Kopecky Family Band! Their debut song, "Heartbeat", has it all! Irresistibly bubblegum-y harmonies, handclaps at the beginning, a catchy, memorable chorus, purposely ridiculous lyrics (e.g. "you make my heartbeat beat a beat"), you name it! "Heartbeat" is the perfect song to dance around in your room to when no one's watching!
"How Do You Ruin Me?" by Black Prairie: And now we move from a goofy, lighthearted band to a more somber one. Even this song's title, "How Do You Ruin Me?" sounds melancholy, and the song itself is, too. With its sighing string section, G minor key, and world-weary vocals, "How Do You Ruin Me?" is one of those songs you'd want to put on during a rainy day to elicit emotions of both sadness and sympathy. It is a tale of unrequited love that expresses the pain and sorrow we probably all feel inside when going through such a phase. Call it a case of schadenfreude if you will, but what is "ruining" the singer brings me a sense of pleasure, but the pleasure derives from knowing that I'm not the only one who has felt cheated or let down in a relationship.
"I've Got This Friend" by The Civil Wars: It's been over a year since John Paul Williams and Joy White first became successful as folk-pop duo, The Civil Wars, yet there is still one song from their debut album that has JUST begun to receive airplay on adult alt radio stations, and that song is "I've Got This Friend". "I've Got This Friend" provides quite a contrast from the blues-y stomp of "Barton Hollow" and the bittersweet "Poison And Wine". There is nothing very bitter, or even bittersweet, about "I've Got This Friend", in fact it's kind of a cute song, if I dare say so! John and Joy take turns telling each other about these "friends" that they have during the song, though, upon listening to the lyrics, it becomes apparent that John and Joy are actually telling each other about...well...each other! However, they are doing so in a way that suggest a precious, almost naive sense of romance. Can I have another "d'awwww"?!
"Mojo Fix" by Martin Harley: A "review-come-lately" here, as this song has been around since late August of this year, but it doesn't seem like it's gotten decent airplay until around the past couple of weeks, so I thought maybe now would be a good time to review it instead. On with the song, though, doesn't even the title of the song "Mojo Fix" sound kinda blues-y?! Well, that's because it is, and a mighty fine blues song at that! With its chugging hook, raw vocals, and saucy slide guitar licks, "Mojo Fix" is enough to satisfy anyone's mojo!!
"Nancy From Now On" by Father John Misty: You probably wouldn't expect such a downhearted song from a guy with a quirky moniker, who put out esoteric songs like "I'm Writing A Novel", but keep in mind that "Father John Misty" is actually the alias of the ex-drummer of melancholy folk-rock kings, Fleet Foxes, and "Nancy From Now On" will probably make a little more sense. Even the opening lyrics, "Pour me another drink, and punch me in the face" are enough to depress a lot of Misty's listeners. "Nancy" is also not the name of a girl in this song, but rather, a derogatory name that Misty uses to refer to himself, perhaps suggesting that he is "weak" in some way. The chord changes and piano arrangement in this song remind me of people like Rufus Wainwright. Perhaps Rufus and Father John are pals?! Wouldn't surprise me. Also, I detect a huge Harry Nilsson influence in this song, so to describe Misty as the lovechild of Nilsson and Rufus Wainwright would be a great way of summing him up!
"River" by Civil Twilight: As I read the comments for this song on YouTube, many people seem to think that this sounds like a Radiohead song, and it does (it lifts pretty heavily from "Jigsaw Falling Into Place", in particular). Though "River" will never hold a candle to Radiohead, it's still a good song in its own right! It is probably Civil Twilight's best song, actually, given how it centers mostly around acoustic guitar instead of keyboards, the latter of which is a more typical instrument for Civil Twilight. The lead singer of Civil Twilight tends to nail Thom Yorke's vocal intonations, and the swooning backing vocals wouldn't sound too out of place in a Radiohead song either. However, this is Civil Twilight, not Radiohead. Still, it wouldn't hurt Civil Twilight to continue going in a neo-folk-rock direction!
"So Beautiful" by The Dunwells: Along with the Martin Harley song, "Mojo Fix", this song is another "review-come-lately" for me, I guess partly because this song pales in comparison quite significantly to The Dunwells' Mumford-esque song, "I Could Be A King", from earlier this year. However, I decided to give "So Beautiful" another chance, and I'm glad I did, because, although it isn't nearly as good as "I Could Be A King", it is still a good song, and it stuck in my head after the second time I heard it, so I knew it was a good one. It still has a somewhat Mumford-and-Sons-ish sound, but it sounds more like M & S being backed by the '70s soft rock group, America (the solos in the song sound like they were performed in a similar distortion to America's "Sister Golden Hair"). Still worth listening to, though.
"Time to Run" by Lord Huron: And last, but certainly not least, is the hypnotically folk-rock-y "Time to Run", from Lord Huron, a band who are slowly but surely getting more attention than I thought they would! This song is like a dream to me, and I don't mean that in a corny, metaphorical way. I mean that it's literally like a dream! It starts off with an orchestra of echoing wind chime type percussion that goes on for about a minute, before settling into its mellow, entrancing groove that takes hold of the rest of the song, as though one is falling asleep, and then settling into his/her dream for the rest of the night. This song is one dream I don't want to wake up from!!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
New songs for May 4th 2011
here they are:
"Barton Hollow" by The Civil Wars: For those expecting a melancholy, sentimental tune from these guys, like "Poison and Wine" was, please don't! "Barton Hollow" is a bluegrass-y song like most of The Civil Wars' material, but it's also a very gritty, juicy sort of tune. Its drop D tuning seems to somehow suit it perfectly, as do the blues-y sounding lyrics (i.e. "I'm a dead man walking", and "Can't no preacher man save my soul?") Acoustic blues are alive and well thanks to The Civil Wars, and quite rightfully so!
"Grown Ocean" by Fleet Foxes: Not quite the straight up folk-rock of the exquisite, poignant title track to "Helplessness Blues", but like pretty much every Fleet Foxes track I've had the pleasure of hearing so far, it's still a great song! Think of what it would be like if Simon and Garfunkel attempted to do a song from "Pet Sounds". One of the absolute best things about Fleet Foxes' songs is that they always manage to get me in a nostalgic, reflective sort of mood! "Grown Ocean" is no exception to this, in fact upon hearing the song initially, I felt like I was in a really pleasant dream! I would LOVE for Robin Peckold and co to release more material like this, it would really make me happy!!
"Holdin' On to Black Metal" by My Morning Jacket: It appears as though this song is both the most popular AND the most bizarre of all the songs I'm reviewing this week!! For a band who started out doing Neil Young-esque folk-rock material like "Golden", MMJ have sure come a long way, diversifying their musical pallet into reggae-tinged rock ("Off the Record"), barn-burnin' Stones-y hard rock ("I'm Amazed"), '70s soul influenced music ("Thank You Too!"), and progressive rock (both parts of "Touch Me I'm Going to Scream"). "Holdin' On to Black Metal" puts MMJ right up there with best eclectic, quirky indie groups and musicians like The White Stripes, Wilco, and Beck! I wouldn't know how to describe what "genre" it's trying to go after, as it seems to be a combination of many (I have jokingly described it as "psychedelic-folk-gospel-punk-soul", and other silly sounding, but somewhat accurate descriptions). It starts with a vaguely "psychedelic" guitar, but then horns that sound like they'd be more at home in an Otis Redding song start to kick in, and a chorus of CHILDREN (of all things) echo the words "black metal" after lead singer Jim James sings it in the chorus! The "black metal" in question (mentioned in the title and chorus) is a musical genre (also known as "death metal"), and not ACTUAL dark metallic material, which only makes the song even MORE bizarre than it already is! This is by far the weirdest song I've heard so far from MMJ...and I couldn't be happier!!!
"Time Spent In Los Angeles" by Dawes: SoCal's roots-y indie rockers, perhaps best known for their late 2009/early 2010 adult alt radio hit, "When My Time Comes", are back for more! Nothing says "I love L.A." like both singing about it AND being praised by L.A.'s own '70s rock musician Jackson Browne! For a city that spawned 1000 "soft rock" musicians (among them Browne, as well as The Eagles), "Time Spent In Los Angeles" has an aptly laid back kind of mood, evoking something between the organ driven folk-rock approach of The Wallflowers and the "alt-country" vibe of groups like The Avett Brothers. Having grown up in L.A. myself, it's actually a rather frantic, fast-paced city from what I've come to know, but musically, this song does a great job of capturing the more mellow side of L.A.!
"Two Against One" by Danger Mouse (featuring Jack White from The White Stripes): The title of this song couldn't be more apt! Well the "two" part, anyway, as Danger Mouse and Jack White are both masters of creating eclectic musical catalogs for themselves! The "against one"...the media perhaps?! Well, who cares! This is still a great song! I especially dig how the acoustic guitar in the lead mingles with the syncopation of the electric guitar in the background, and how the minor key used throughout the song seems to build up to something suspenseful instead of something melancholy. Danger Mouse and Jack White have truly come up with a masterpiece here. Here's to hoping Jack and Meg will get back together soon and reconsider the "break-up" of their band!!
"Barton Hollow" by The Civil Wars: For those expecting a melancholy, sentimental tune from these guys, like "Poison and Wine" was, please don't! "Barton Hollow" is a bluegrass-y song like most of The Civil Wars' material, but it's also a very gritty, juicy sort of tune. Its drop D tuning seems to somehow suit it perfectly, as do the blues-y sounding lyrics (i.e. "I'm a dead man walking", and "Can't no preacher man save my soul?") Acoustic blues are alive and well thanks to The Civil Wars, and quite rightfully so!
"Grown Ocean" by Fleet Foxes: Not quite the straight up folk-rock of the exquisite, poignant title track to "Helplessness Blues", but like pretty much every Fleet Foxes track I've had the pleasure of hearing so far, it's still a great song! Think of what it would be like if Simon and Garfunkel attempted to do a song from "Pet Sounds". One of the absolute best things about Fleet Foxes' songs is that they always manage to get me in a nostalgic, reflective sort of mood! "Grown Ocean" is no exception to this, in fact upon hearing the song initially, I felt like I was in a really pleasant dream! I would LOVE for Robin Peckold and co to release more material like this, it would really make me happy!!
"Holdin' On to Black Metal" by My Morning Jacket: It appears as though this song is both the most popular AND the most bizarre of all the songs I'm reviewing this week!! For a band who started out doing Neil Young-esque folk-rock material like "Golden", MMJ have sure come a long way, diversifying their musical pallet into reggae-tinged rock ("Off the Record"), barn-burnin' Stones-y hard rock ("I'm Amazed"), '70s soul influenced music ("Thank You Too!"), and progressive rock (both parts of "Touch Me I'm Going to Scream"). "Holdin' On to Black Metal" puts MMJ right up there with best eclectic, quirky indie groups and musicians like The White Stripes, Wilco, and Beck! I wouldn't know how to describe what "genre" it's trying to go after, as it seems to be a combination of many (I have jokingly described it as "psychedelic-folk-gospel-punk-soul", and other silly sounding, but somewhat accurate descriptions). It starts with a vaguely "psychedelic" guitar, but then horns that sound like they'd be more at home in an Otis Redding song start to kick in, and a chorus of CHILDREN (of all things) echo the words "black metal" after lead singer Jim James sings it in the chorus! The "black metal" in question (mentioned in the title and chorus) is a musical genre (also known as "death metal"), and not ACTUAL dark metallic material, which only makes the song even MORE bizarre than it already is! This is by far the weirdest song I've heard so far from MMJ...and I couldn't be happier!!!
"Time Spent In Los Angeles" by Dawes: SoCal's roots-y indie rockers, perhaps best known for their late 2009/early 2010 adult alt radio hit, "When My Time Comes", are back for more! Nothing says "I love L.A." like both singing about it AND being praised by L.A.'s own '70s rock musician Jackson Browne! For a city that spawned 1000 "soft rock" musicians (among them Browne, as well as The Eagles), "Time Spent In Los Angeles" has an aptly laid back kind of mood, evoking something between the organ driven folk-rock approach of The Wallflowers and the "alt-country" vibe of groups like The Avett Brothers. Having grown up in L.A. myself, it's actually a rather frantic, fast-paced city from what I've come to know, but musically, this song does a great job of capturing the more mellow side of L.A.!
"Two Against One" by Danger Mouse (featuring Jack White from The White Stripes): The title of this song couldn't be more apt! Well the "two" part, anyway, as Danger Mouse and Jack White are both masters of creating eclectic musical catalogs for themselves! The "against one"...the media perhaps?! Well, who cares! This is still a great song! I especially dig how the acoustic guitar in the lead mingles with the syncopation of the electric guitar in the background, and how the minor key used throughout the song seems to build up to something suspenseful instead of something melancholy. Danger Mouse and Jack White have truly come up with a masterpiece here. Here's to hoping Jack and Meg will get back together soon and reconsider the "break-up" of their band!!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
It's my first Blog-i-versary!!! (kind of)
I first started this blog on February 11th of last year (but that's not a Wednesday), so today I'm celebrating my first blog-i-versary!!! With 8 cool new tracks to review, too! So here they are:
"Helplessness Blues" by Fleet Foxes: I love how nostalgic and simply beautiful Fleet Foxes' music sounds. "White Winter Hymnal" has a very dreamy sound, and "Mykonos" has remarkably similar chord structure to The Mamas and Papas' "California Dreamin'", another personal fave of mine. That being said, I was pretty excited to hear Fleet Foxes released a new track this year!! "Helplessness Blues", once again, evokes the same dreamy, nostalgic qualities that most of their songs tend to. It almost sounds like it uses the same tuning as Joni Mitchell's "You Turn Me On I'm A Radio", and the mood of the song even seems somewhat Joni-like (and Dylanesque). Fleet Foxes have once again managed to win my heart over, and I hope they continue to do so!!
"Let the Light In" by Bob Schneider: Bob Schneider has been around for longer on the music scene than most people probably think he has been (since around 2003). It wasn't until 2009, though, that he started getting attention with songs like the marvelous, enchanting indie-pop/adult alt fave "40 Dogs (Like Romeo and Juliet)" and the more subdued, somewhat Dave Matthews-ish "The Bringdown". I guess adult alt radio liked Schneider enough that they've decided to give him another chance. "Let the Light In", amazingly, lives up to its title. It's not bittersweet like "40 Dogs" or melancholy like "The Bringdown", but instead is a rather happy song, with sunny synths and exciting xylophones to set the mood! I wasn't sure whether to expect indie-pop or folk-pop with "Let the Light In", as Schneider has been known to do both, but this song meets somewhere in between, and I think I like that!
"Me Me Me" by Middle Brother: Imagine what it would be like if alumni from three somewhat roots-y indie rock groups (Delta Spirit, Deer Tick, and Dawes) formed into one supergroup and somehow landed a guest spot on "Happy Days". What would that be like?!? Well, wonder no more, for Middle Brother is a supergroup comprised of members of all three of the bands I just mentioned, and their first big hit (among the indie/adult alt crowds), "Me Me Me", sounds more like a song you'd expect to hear from Elvis Presley or Jerry Lee Lewis (albeit with a "fuzz" guitar solo in the middle) than you would from three bands who typically bear more similarity to acts like Bright Eyes, Wilco, and My Morning Jacket. It's a darn catchy tune that I would definitely like to hear more of for at least the late winter/Spring season!! Between the rockin' boogie vibe of this song and the Joni Mitchell-esque folk-rock of "Helplessness Blues" I can't decide which is my fave pick of the week!!
"Poison And Wine" by The Civil Wars: A bit of a late review here, but please bear with me. This song could easily be called "Falling Slowly - redux". It's a melancholy folk-rock tune that features a duet between a guy and a girl (though unlike Glen and Marketa, of "Falling Slowly" fame, I don't think The Civil Wars are Irish). "Poison and Wine" definitely seems like it was intended to be a tearjerker, yet I only get that emotion from the song about halfway. I guess "Falling Slowly" had such an authentically emotional grip on me that I didn't expect any song or band to try and copy it, yet lo and behold, The Civil Wars' "Poison and Wine" shows up about four years later! Perhaps I shouldn't care too much if one song is copying (intentionally or not) another, as I do typically love songs like "Poison and Wine"!
"The Roller" by Beady Eye: Hmmmm....who's "Beady Eye"?!? This sounds more like an Oasis tune. That's because, technically, this IS an Oasis tune. Beady Eye is the side project of one of the Gallagher brothers (though I forget which one at the moment), and "The Roller" really doesn't sound too different at all from the typical Oasis song. Oasis are one of my fave bands, though, so no problem here! The jaunty, toe-tapping feel of "The Roller" also helps to give it a little bit of flavor and distinction from most Oasis tunes (besides "Lyla" which had practically the same rhythm).
"Too Dramatic" by Ra Ra Riot: Ra Ra Riot's follow-up to "Boy" sounds like...well..."Boy". But it's still worth reviewing because it's a tune that's been catchy enough to get stuck in my head! And plus you gotta love a band who combines the reggae-tinged new wave sound of The Police with the "orchestral rock" vibes of groups like Arcade Fire! Perhaps one advantage "Too Dramatic" has over "Boy" is that the guitar seems to be used throughout the song (though "Boy" had a much more distinct guitar solo), and, since I play guitar, this does make a difference for me.
"When I'm Alone" by Lissie: Between this song and Lissie's previous hit, "In Sleep", I'm pretty convinced that Lissie is on her way to becoming the indie world's answer to Alanis Morissette! Both songs manage to combine a pop-y melody with minor key chords and world-weary, frustrated lyrics. "When I'm Alone" is a bit more of an intense tune than "In Sleep", though, I think, not only because of its more frenzied rhythm, but also because of the rushed way she delivers the lyrics in the verses, almost as though out of desperation. "When I'm Alone" uses a rhythmic technique that isn't really that common in pop/rock music these days, and the way Lissie manages to keep steady vocal patterns in the chorus over its frenetic instrumentation makes it all the more worth listening to!
"World Gone Crazy" by The Doobie Brothers: Back in the summer of last year, an updated version of The Doobies' 1972 song "Nobody" started (surprisingly) hitting the adult alt airwaves and (even MORE surprisingly) hit the Top 20 of the adult alt charts somewhere around mid-fall of last year. What made "Nobody" such a cool song was that it sounded like a vintage Doobie Brothers tune (the kind you'd be likely to hear on a classic rock station, not the Michael McDonald era Doobies). "World Gone Crazy" doesn't quite have the same vibe. It sounds a bit more like an updated version of an Eagles song (only more sax heavy). It does have two saving graces, though. First off, it's a catchy tune (I can't say that about too many of the Michael McDonald songs, save for possibly "Takin' It to the Streets"), but the best part is that the lead vocalist was the one who sang on all the pre-McDonald tracks (I forget his name, but I like him MUCH better than McDonald).
"Helplessness Blues" by Fleet Foxes: I love how nostalgic and simply beautiful Fleet Foxes' music sounds. "White Winter Hymnal" has a very dreamy sound, and "Mykonos" has remarkably similar chord structure to The Mamas and Papas' "California Dreamin'", another personal fave of mine. That being said, I was pretty excited to hear Fleet Foxes released a new track this year!! "Helplessness Blues", once again, evokes the same dreamy, nostalgic qualities that most of their songs tend to. It almost sounds like it uses the same tuning as Joni Mitchell's "You Turn Me On I'm A Radio", and the mood of the song even seems somewhat Joni-like (and Dylanesque). Fleet Foxes have once again managed to win my heart over, and I hope they continue to do so!!
"Let the Light In" by Bob Schneider: Bob Schneider has been around for longer on the music scene than most people probably think he has been (since around 2003). It wasn't until 2009, though, that he started getting attention with songs like the marvelous, enchanting indie-pop/adult alt fave "40 Dogs (Like Romeo and Juliet)" and the more subdued, somewhat Dave Matthews-ish "The Bringdown". I guess adult alt radio liked Schneider enough that they've decided to give him another chance. "Let the Light In", amazingly, lives up to its title. It's not bittersweet like "40 Dogs" or melancholy like "The Bringdown", but instead is a rather happy song, with sunny synths and exciting xylophones to set the mood! I wasn't sure whether to expect indie-pop or folk-pop with "Let the Light In", as Schneider has been known to do both, but this song meets somewhere in between, and I think I like that!
"Me Me Me" by Middle Brother: Imagine what it would be like if alumni from three somewhat roots-y indie rock groups (Delta Spirit, Deer Tick, and Dawes) formed into one supergroup and somehow landed a guest spot on "Happy Days". What would that be like?!? Well, wonder no more, for Middle Brother is a supergroup comprised of members of all three of the bands I just mentioned, and their first big hit (among the indie/adult alt crowds), "Me Me Me", sounds more like a song you'd expect to hear from Elvis Presley or Jerry Lee Lewis (albeit with a "fuzz" guitar solo in the middle) than you would from three bands who typically bear more similarity to acts like Bright Eyes, Wilco, and My Morning Jacket. It's a darn catchy tune that I would definitely like to hear more of for at least the late winter/Spring season!! Between the rockin' boogie vibe of this song and the Joni Mitchell-esque folk-rock of "Helplessness Blues" I can't decide which is my fave pick of the week!!
"Poison And Wine" by The Civil Wars: A bit of a late review here, but please bear with me. This song could easily be called "Falling Slowly - redux". It's a melancholy folk-rock tune that features a duet between a guy and a girl (though unlike Glen and Marketa, of "Falling Slowly" fame, I don't think The Civil Wars are Irish). "Poison and Wine" definitely seems like it was intended to be a tearjerker, yet I only get that emotion from the song about halfway. I guess "Falling Slowly" had such an authentically emotional grip on me that I didn't expect any song or band to try and copy it, yet lo and behold, The Civil Wars' "Poison and Wine" shows up about four years later! Perhaps I shouldn't care too much if one song is copying (intentionally or not) another, as I do typically love songs like "Poison and Wine"!
"The Roller" by Beady Eye: Hmmmm....who's "Beady Eye"?!? This sounds more like an Oasis tune. That's because, technically, this IS an Oasis tune. Beady Eye is the side project of one of the Gallagher brothers (though I forget which one at the moment), and "The Roller" really doesn't sound too different at all from the typical Oasis song. Oasis are one of my fave bands, though, so no problem here! The jaunty, toe-tapping feel of "The Roller" also helps to give it a little bit of flavor and distinction from most Oasis tunes (besides "Lyla" which had practically the same rhythm).
"Too Dramatic" by Ra Ra Riot: Ra Ra Riot's follow-up to "Boy" sounds like...well..."Boy". But it's still worth reviewing because it's a tune that's been catchy enough to get stuck in my head! And plus you gotta love a band who combines the reggae-tinged new wave sound of The Police with the "orchestral rock" vibes of groups like Arcade Fire! Perhaps one advantage "Too Dramatic" has over "Boy" is that the guitar seems to be used throughout the song (though "Boy" had a much more distinct guitar solo), and, since I play guitar, this does make a difference for me.
"When I'm Alone" by Lissie: Between this song and Lissie's previous hit, "In Sleep", I'm pretty convinced that Lissie is on her way to becoming the indie world's answer to Alanis Morissette! Both songs manage to combine a pop-y melody with minor key chords and world-weary, frustrated lyrics. "When I'm Alone" is a bit more of an intense tune than "In Sleep", though, I think, not only because of its more frenzied rhythm, but also because of the rushed way she delivers the lyrics in the verses, almost as though out of desperation. "When I'm Alone" uses a rhythmic technique that isn't really that common in pop/rock music these days, and the way Lissie manages to keep steady vocal patterns in the chorus over its frenetic instrumentation makes it all the more worth listening to!
"World Gone Crazy" by The Doobie Brothers: Back in the summer of last year, an updated version of The Doobies' 1972 song "Nobody" started (surprisingly) hitting the adult alt airwaves and (even MORE surprisingly) hit the Top 20 of the adult alt charts somewhere around mid-fall of last year. What made "Nobody" such a cool song was that it sounded like a vintage Doobie Brothers tune (the kind you'd be likely to hear on a classic rock station, not the Michael McDonald era Doobies). "World Gone Crazy" doesn't quite have the same vibe. It sounds a bit more like an updated version of an Eagles song (only more sax heavy). It does have two saving graces, though. First off, it's a catchy tune (I can't say that about too many of the Michael McDonald songs, save for possibly "Takin' It to the Streets"), but the best part is that the lead vocalist was the one who sang on all the pre-McDonald tracks (I forget his name, but I like him MUCH better than McDonald).
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