The Lost Revolution

Music From Chime

2010-10-26T06:42:00.000-07:00

Things to know about Chime

1) It's a videogame
2) Kinda like Tetris and Lumines combined
3) It has a strong musical component
4) It's for Charity!
5) Set List

Philip Glass- Brazil

Markus Schulz – Spilled Cranberries

Moby – Ooh Yeah

Paul Hartnoll (Orbital) – For Silence

Fred Deakin (Lemon Jelly) – Disco Ghosts

John Coulton - Still Alive

Triple Tuesday

2010-04-26T19:52:00.000-07:00

Three albums today. One, Two, Three ah, ah, ah *thunderclap*

First Up

Beth Rowley's - Little Dreamer.

Soul singer from the UK, featured in this movie called 'An Education', maybe you've heard of it. Sounds like Eva Cassidy, that's a good thing. While still relatively new, Rowley could possibly last a long time if she makes more adventurous albums down the line. Looking forward to it.

Beach House - Teen Dream

Traces of Pink Floyd, indie pop, atmospheric keyboards and strings. Deep and dark lyrics disguised as perfect easy listening music. Beach House has their own sound down to pat. Victoria Legrand holds your attention with her smokey warbles.

Surfer's Blood - Astro Coast

Great guitar work, catchy riffs make this album a joy to listen to. "Swim to Reach the End" is so fantastic that the rest of the songs aren't even necessary anymore. Endless reverb and feedback meld into an unspeakable melody wrapped in a pretty package. Plus, the cover art's awesome too.

Cat Power Concert

2010-01-13T08:34:00.000-08:00

I saw Cat Power 'live' tonight, it was awesome, she also waved at me.

A 4 piece band, Cool Keyboard guy, Long Sleeved Guitarist, Huge Hair Drummer and Tall Bassist.

Chan was wearing her usual outfit, green long sleeved shirt unbuttoned at the top, jeans, white loafers and a thin black tie.

Started out with a cover of The Animals 'House of the Rising Sun'. Went on to do a couple including 'Lord, Help the Poor and Needy' segued into 'Metal Heart' and an indescribable rendition of Billie Holiday's "Don't Explain" after a low key break with 'Lost Someone' (James Brown) and 'Rambling (Wo)man'

'Sea of Love' the crowd favorite followed one Jukebox's 'Woman Left Lonely'

After that they straight away went into 3 hits with 'The Greatest', 'Lived in Bars' and 'Where is My Love'.

'Dark End of the Street' came next. Followed by an Italian "Angelitos Negros" The

Can't remember what ended the set, but the band started improvising while Marshall took a bouquet of carnations and started flinging flora into the crowd. No encore was given despite the standing ovation, but she did start looking for things to feed the hungry mob including two of the set lists.

Note - Pic is not from the same night and not the same hair drummer, but she looks like that though. Also I didn't have a notepad, so this is all from memory of course.

It was a pretty decent gig, would have of course liked more of her tunes like 'Maybe Not', 'Colors and the Kids' or 'Cross Bones Style'. An encore would have been nice too if she had gone back to the abandoned piano/guitar. No 'Space Oddity' here, but I will get my Bowie some day Miss Marshall.

PS- On the waving story, it's true and I have a friend who can verify it. She asked for the lights to be turned up and the first friendly face/wave was yours truly. Ha!

Albums this year

2009-11-15T03:45:00.001-08:00

Sorry about the lack of updates, getting a new job has made my time management a little harder.

On another note, there hasn't been anything that has caught my attention so far. Aside from the new stash of Camera Obscura, 2009 has been a little quiet on the music side.

On Metacritic's top list of the year, the top 2 are live albums from old legends, Leonard Cohen in London and Nirvana, back from the dead.

A slew of techno, electronica and heavy rock are on the list as well, not too comfy for my easy listening ears. Super Furry Animals, The Animal Collective, Grizzly Bear (So many creatures!)

What are you listening to? Anything to recommend?

Musician takes revenge by writing a song

2009-07-08T09:51:00.000-07:00

United Airlines broke his guitar and he wrote a song about it

Good-night, sweet Prince

2009-06-26T10:49:00.000-07:00

As most of you have heard, Michael Jackson, one of the last remaining icons of mainstream music from the last decade has passed away yesterday.

MJ was an inspiration to many of the artists we see today, his performances were electrifying, his music ubiquitous. While his eccentric actions in personal life has tainted his image some what, it is without a doubt that Michael Jackson has and will leave a lasting legacy in pop music forever.

The Crying Light

2009-04-01T03:28:00.000-07:00

The Crying Light
by Antony & the Johnsons

I have to say that this is probably one of the hardest reviews that I have had the pleasure to write. The layers and depth of the themes in Art and Music are so intertwined that one would not be able to do justice to it with mere words.

The Crying Light is the third studio album from Antony Hegarty and his band, there are a couple of things here, first, his voice, which is probably one of the most unique and easily recognized of this generation. The second are the lyrics and music in the record. While seemingly sparse and minimalistic, the orchestral backings and piano are really subtle or perhaps overshadowed by Antony's rich tones. But they are intricate nonetheless, in 'One Dove' the singing stops for almost a minute as strings and the woodwind take over. Conversely, 'Dust and Water' has almost no music at all, just a few notes stretched over 2:50, while Hegarty murmurs the lyrics tenderly over the expanse, like a seagull flying over a calm sea endlessly.

The songs are often sad ballads,the lyrics themselves are nearly mournful yet hauntingly beautiful, from 'Epilepsy is Dancing' - "Then I cried in the kitchen/How I'd seen your ghost witching/As a soldering Blue Line/Between my eyes" or just simply obscure "Fire kisses the floor/of the lakes and makes shadows" from 'Daylight and the Sun' . Classical composer Nico Muhly co-arranged the final track 'Everglade', the most dramatic piece of the album. Here the orchestra finally gets let loose, with crescendos of horns and strings seemingly taken from a lost symphony or soundtrack to a art film.

No Line On The Horizon

2009-03-31T03:38:00.000-07:00

No Line on the Horizon
by U2

U2 has always been the one band who never fails to inspire me aurally, and their latest album, “No Line On The Horizon”, does not fail to disappoint. Although it seems like their music has taken off on a whole new direction upon first listening, it gradually becomes the U2 we all know and love after repeated hearings.

Having gotten back with "Joshua Tree" producer, Brian Eno, Bono and gang starts off with the album’s title track. Soaring along, 'No Line', along with 'Magnificent' and 'Moment of Surrender', are my favorite tracks of the album. I do have some gripes with the first single “Get On Your Boots” though. It feels like they’re trying to hard to impress and it’s not something I would expect from the greatest band in the world today.

Also, the first half of the album moves along nicely whereas the second half does get a little draggy, especially for non-converts to U2’s particular brand of music. Those accustomed to today’s popular rock/pop nonsense will find it tough to maneuver along U2’s stream of consciousness, lyrics and aural imagination. The record ends off with the 'Cedars of Lebanon' named after the near mythical trees, a reflective, slow piece. While I do not profess to read their minds, it feels like Bono is commenting on the trials and tribulations a being foreign correspondent, a subject close to my heart.

As Bono sings, “Child drinking dirty water from the river bank/Soldier brings oranges he got out from a tank/I’m waiting on the waiter, he’s taking a while to come/Watching the sun go down on Lebanon,” I remember my own times in other lands and think: This album is all that you can’t leave behind.

-This weeks Guest Review was brought to you by Alex

How did this happen?

2009-03-21T09:03:00.000-07:00

How did I get from this?

Ah the morning has come, what a wonderful day

to this having trouble sleeping at night.

Youtube is a wonderful place is it not?

Peer Gynt Suites was written by Edvard Grieg for "Peer Gynt" a Norweigen Play

> Incidentally, In Hall of the Mountain King was also one of the movements.

> Apocalyptica is a Finnish cello-metal band, featuring 3 classically trained cellists and a drummer, they covered a metal version for In the Hall of the Mountain King for one of their concerts

> Their debut album was a cello only cover version of Metallica's songs entitled Plays Metallica by Four Cellos

Debussy - Clair De Lune

2009-03-16T06:53:00.000-07:00

The Suite bergamasque (IPA: /'bɛʀgamask/) is one of the most famous piano suites by Claude Debussy. It was likely named after Paul Verlaine's poem "Clair de lune", which possibly alludes to a bergamask. It is also commonly believed that the Suite Bergamasque is derived from Fêtes Gallantes, a poem by Paul Verlaine. The suite was composed in 1888 but published in 1903, and consists of four parts, or movements.

Prélude
Menuet
Clair de lune
Passepied

Clair de lune is the third movement and the most famous, it means 'Moonlight' in French.

Yes it's also that song from Twilight and Ocean's 11. But please, please don't tell your children that. (Note: I have not watched Twilight)

Noise Pop Indie Fest

2009-03-01T07:57:00.000-08:00

Noise Pop 2009 is now happening in San Fransisco, so if you're around there go check it out.

2009 headliners include: Bob Mould, Stephen Malkmus, Josh Ritter, the Mountain Goats (solo), A.C. Newman, Sleepy Sun, French Kicks, Thao Nguyen, Goblin Cock, From Monument to Masses, Thee Oh Sees, Kool Keith, Mike Relm, St Vincent, The Morning Benders, The Submarines, Ra Ra Riot, Dear And The Headlights, Port O'Brien, Themselves, Portugal. The Man, Clues, Sholi, Flosstradamus, N.A.S.A., No Age and Les Savy Fav.

It is now available on youtube here

31 Songs named after girls

2009-02-20T04:45:00.000-08:00

Family Guy has quite a history with musical numbers and spoofs of songs and popular music in general. In the spirit of useless lists, here is Brian the Dog naming 31 songs names based on girls. Let's see if you know them all.

Hand Built By Robots

2009-02-15T07:18:00.000-08:00

Hand Built by Robots
by Newton Faulkner

I can't decide if I hate or love talented people. On one hand they are living proof that life is unfair and that no matter how hard you try, you can only be this mediocre. On the other hand, some of them write songs like "Dream Catch Me".

Released last year, Hand Built by Robots is the Debut album of 24 year old Newton Faulkner, a scraggy looking, dreadlocks-wearing acoustic guitar-playing, singer-songwriter from Surrey, England. Comparisons to Jack Johnson are inevitable (the acoustic-guitar singer-song writer, not the dreadlocks), however, while Faulkner plays cheerful campfire songs with a definite virtuosity, he thankfully doesn't evoke images of the surf culture that Johnson does. His songs while simple, are pretty intense as shown by a stripped down cover of Massive Attack's 'Teardrops' and first single 'I Need Something'.

The album has 17 tracks, while it's hard to defend that many songs, "Robot" somehow pulls it off, I can't point out any specific songs to cut just on the fact that the bite sized pop ditties fit together rather nicely. Some of the songs could have had an extended timing, but he doesn't cheapen it by repeating a verse and chorus to hit the 3 min mark. Faulkner does experiment on a couple of tracks like pseudo-Indian 'Sitar-Y Thing' and Crowded House-Y 'Straight Towards the Sun'.

While guitar virtuosos seem to pop out like mushrooms after a rain nowadays, Faulkner manages to bring something different to the table, a touching, cheerful album definitely worth taking a listen to.

Are the Grammys still Relevant?

2009-02-09T07:47:00.000-08:00

So, the Grammy's came and went, and some people cared while some didn't. The question people have been asking for a few years now, "Are the Grammy's still relevant?" Well, here are a few links to answer that.

This guy at Pitchfork thinks it is, or maybe he is being sarcastic, I can't really tell.

Some thoughtful questions about the Grammys at about.com

Pro/Cons at courier-journal

A more in depth look at the Grammys through the eyes of stars.

On a brighter note, some metalhead somewhere will be happy that "Slayer is still relevant", according to the Grammys

Meanwhile, U2 opens the show with their new single "Get Your Boots On" (album out in March). Robert Plant and Alison Krauss win big for one of my favorite albums of last year, 'Raising Sand', Coldplay having the benefit of not competing against any Indie artist wins several awards including Best Rock Album with 'Viva La Vida'. Elsewhere, Lil' Wayne, Jennifer Hudson, Ne-Yo and Mary J Blige all grab a statue each...

Brighten the Corners: Nicene Creedence Edition

2009-02-01T01:22:00.000-08:00

Brighten the Corners: Nicene Creedence Edition
by Pavement

Back in the 90's, Pavement released "Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain", critically acclaimed and widely loved, it instantly crowned them the kings indie rock. Pavement responded with "Wowee Zombie", brilliant yet inaccessible, described by many as 'a glorious mess', the message was clear, they didn't give a rat's bottom to what the public thought, they were in this to make music for themselves.The ensuing lukewarm response gave them what they wanted. In the aftermath, their penultimate album Brighten the Corners brought a more conventional and accessible, or at least the illusion of accessibility, back to their music.

12 years later "Brighten the Corners: Nicene Creedence Edition", is the re-release with 32 extra tracks, a gold mine of undiscovered hits, such as irresistibly catchy "Harness Your Hopes" as well as the whole shebang of radio sessions and live recordings. Alternate versions of songs allow the original sounds to expand without subjugating the rest of album to nostalgia. The re-imagining lets "Brighten the Corners" shine apart from it's more acknowledged siblings. Giving the most underrated album a more fulfilling end. While not all the tracks are gold, there are enough tracks here to please even the most nit-picky of Pavement completists. As time goes by, this release might slowly make its way into music's consciousness as a classic indie record.

36 songs with the same four chords

2009-01-21T05:37:00.000-08:00

Ever thought that this song sounded exactly the same as the other?
Check out the Axis of Awesome as they take on 36 mainstream songs.

Become a Punk Rock Star.

2009-01-18T03:08:00.000-08:00

So number 24 on your New Year's Resolution: "Become a Punk Rock Star"

Welcome to the first part of a mini series where we will explore what it takes to become a rock musician and how to get there. So let's start off with one of the more popular and easier to get started of the Rock trades, the Punk Rocker.

1) Philosophy: Punk rock is about attitude, about Anarchy, about being different from the rest. In terms of fashion, ideals, rebelling against the norm. This is what being a Punk Rocker is about. Punk rock dressing simply means you wear what you want, make your own clothes, however, if you try dressing up as one of the guys from Green Day or The Ramones, it defeats the purpose. Make your own style, have your own ideas.

2) Influences: Here are a list of bands or people who have defined the genre and a must-listen for Punk Rock wannabes. The Ramones, The Clash, Sex Pistols, Patti Smith, Green Day, Sonic Youth, The Velvet Underground.

3) History: Punk rock came out from the excesses of rock music in the 70s with all the fancy lights and 20 minute guitar solos. Punk Rock allowed people who were not musically inclined to express themselves too. This also let them sing about social and political issues of the day while having an authentic sound.

4) The Band: So, now you need a Electric guitarist, a bassist and a drummer to complete the triumvirate of a Punk rock band. Power Chords are the key here, usually simple chord progressions using the top 3 strings for a heavy sound. Basslines are uncomplicated, needed for repetitive rhythms to accompany while the Drummer tends to go as fast as possible.

5) The Music: So now go write some songs, the melody need not be complicated usually 3 chords are enough for a song, but 4 usually makes a song more complete. Write about the social injustices in your country, about political idiots, about wanting to sniff some glue. Anything that makes you angry or appeals to your baser instinct is fair game. Writing about bunny rabbits and rainbows are a big no-no, unless you are writing about the time you were high and tripping.

So, that's all folks. Go start your band.

Welcome to Mali

2009-01-10T21:56:00.000-08:00

Amadou & Mariam - Welcome to Mali

It's been quite awhile since I last listened to any 'world music', but the latest release by Amadou and Mariam, "Welcome to Mali" definitely lives up to the hype surrounding it.

Amadou Bagayoko and Mariam Doumbia are a husband and wife team who have been working hard at it for the past 17 years, superstars in their own country and recently breaking through to the mainstream with 2005's "Dimanche a Bamako" a massive commercial success.

The album starts of with a Damon Albarn co-written/performed 'Sabali' the most pointedly electronic track of the record. Keyboards and bass riffs fill in the background while Mariam casually sings in a falsetto, the track strangely reminiscent of retro French ballads. Other tracks range from ballads to garage rock tunes with some hip hop/electronica thrown in the mix.

While "Mali" may be labeled as world music, there is nothing esoteric or irrelevant about it. Regular rock melodies are as par for the course as a hip hop and well crafted pop music. With a gamut of European guest stars. Amadou and Mariam are steadily edging their way into global mainstream pop. "Welcome to Mali" is well produced and quite suitable for any occasion.

Top 10 albums of 2008

2009-01-03T23:41:00.000-08:00

10: The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
Craig Finn may not be the best singer and The Hold Steady might not have the most original tunes in the business. But Stay Positive remains a rousing and exciting experience nonetheless. Earnest lyrics and classic themes make this one album rock music fans should not miss.

9: Deerhunter - Microcastle
Deerhunter takes a big step towards the mainstream without relenting on their adventurousness and experimentation. One moment you might feel like Alice stepping through the rabbit hole, but find yourself at home immediately with safe and recognizable melodies. Almost like a Radiohead Lite.

8: Frightened Rabbits - The Midnight Organ Flight
The beauty of The Midnight Organ Flight lies in it's simplicity. This Glasgow trio make it with just a guitarist/singer, a drummer and a keyboardist. This record just has a wailing Scotsman, catchy lyrics and damn good music.

7: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Dig!!!Lazurus Dig!!!
If I only had one word to describe this record, it would be 'Explosive!!!'. Everything from the garage rock intensity to what Nick Cave describes as "a hemorrhaging of words and ideas'. Dig!!! delivers the lyrics and punk influences straight up into your brain. Like snorting music cocaine.

6: R.E.M. - Accelerate
After a relatively mellow phase ("Up" and "Reveal") R.E.M. are back and this time, they are finally ready to let out their inner rock stars. Mike Mills' machine gun guitar riffs return with Stipes 'End of the World' spitfire delivery. The songs make you want to sing along and bob your head. It's a return to form that has been so eagerly awaited.

5: Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid
Winner of the Mercury prize, comparisons to Police, though plenty, would seem rather unfair and disparaging of Elbow's abilities. The album manages to stand on it's own merits with several tracks well on their way to becoming instant classics. Uplifting and beautiful music from a great band.

4: Okkervil River - The Stand Ins
Possibly one of the most underrated indie bands right now, Okkervil River shows enormous potential supported by the massive talent and showmanship of lead singer Will Sheff. "The Stand Ins" brings an amazing thematic finale to "The Stage Names". This is one band to look out for.

3: Blitzen Trapper - Furr
Furr feels and sounds like a tribute to some of the best British bands in rock music, each track exhibits a different style reminiscent of Queen or Bowie and most noticeably The Beatles. Blitzen Trapper borrows heavily from each but manages to keep their sound original. A late entry into the 2008, Furr remains in my mind, undoubtedly deserving of a spot in the top 10 of 2008 and your rotation list.

2:Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
Written in a isolated cabin, Justin Veron's solitude allowed him to distill his truest emotions into melodies and words. The 9 tracks are bleak, quiet and intensely intimate. Every chord and word carries incredible weight. One wonders if Coldplay could have written this album had they not encountered success the first time round.

1:Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
Our number one for 2008 happens to also be a debut, and what an amazing debut it was. Fleet Foxes has manages to amaze, astound and pull at your heartstrings with their resplendent melodies. The five piece band from Seattle manage to show how diversified and flexible they can be. Lead singer Robin Pecknold charms us with his writing, and manages to capture the melancholy, the ethereal all within an unforgettable rustic soundscape. Fleet Foxes also happens to be one of the most original and unforgettable record to appear in years.

Well that's it for 2008, looking forward to what 2009 might bring us. As usual click on the album covers to check out samples at Amazon. Cheers.

Caught in Trees

2008-12-03T05:42:00.000-08:00

Damien Jurado
Caught in Trees (2008)

I was listening to this album recently while sitting in a cafe, it was raining and the Christmas lights had all come out, I had a drink with me and a Haruki Murakami novel. It was a rare moment where things seem to fit perfectly.

Caught in trees is a fairly pleasant listen, Jurado brings about a softer more intimate quality to his alt folk/indie effort this time. For those new to Jurado, his voice reminds me of a softer Dave Grohl in the style of a uncertain Glen Hansard. While his
voice is fragile, it is never weak. Jurado has a knack for expressing an aching sorrow as demonstrated in "Paper Kites"

The album has a pretty even mix of folkish tunes with singer songwriter pieces. Some of the songs would not be out of place in a Wong Kar Wai movie, they are quiet yet powerful and while it starts off darkly comic, it eventually turns into dark and dreary paths you are not sure you want to follow. The album starts with single and radio friendly sounding "Gillian was a Horse" which curiously sounds like a song the Wallflowers would write, but there the similarities end. The lyrics are far more brutal "It's midnight and I give up/I'm tired of lying for you/I will not hold your hands and pretend I'm your lover". Jurado manages to extract the bleakness from every word while he sings about love lost and broken relationships.

The harmonization and chemistry with band mate vocalist/cellist Jenna Conrad is remarkable, especially on mid-album "Last Rights". She also has to be credited for holding up at least half of the tracks.

Adding a cello and piano seem to be on par for any record made these days, but here the instrumentation threatens to overwhelm the lyrics, but thankfully it never does. Still the tracks with acoustic guitar like "Sheets" work the best in a way reminiscent of a folkish Neil Young.

'Caught in Trees' is a bit hard to take to at first, but give it time and it will grow on you.

Listen to: "Gillian was a Horse", "Sheets", "Last Rights"

Chinese Democracy release date

2008-10-24T21:56:00.000-07:00

Nov 23rd, that's the official date people. Yes for the release of Chinese Democracy. Is it real this time? According to the internets, it is. Who knows, but we'll find out soon enough.

Be sure to tune in for a review.

Bored? Watch a video or a hundred...

2008-10-20T06:57:00.000-07:00

Lists, don't you love them, here's one, Stylus Magazine's Top 100 music videos. Half the videos have either been taken or shifted on youtube, but this being the 21st century, you'll figure it out. Awesome picks from the usual pop suspects, a whole bunch of radiohead videos and the classics.

More Cat Power, what am I doing?

2008-10-20T06:37:00.000-07:00

Alright, I have officially given up on the whole 'music' business and just turning this into a Cat Power fansite. (no, I'm joking...)
But, here's a really young looking Cat Power (she was 26) and it's way better than 'Lucky Star'.

Band Alert - De Boutique

2008-09-30T23:15:00.000-07:00

So, a friend of mine told me about this pretty cool band. They play pretty good jazz/blues cover.

They'll be play at EM Studio beside the Gallery Hotel Singapore at 1 Nanson road on Wednesdays from 730-930.

Thats right people, go watch, now.

Once (film)

2008-09-29T06:16:00.000-07:00

It's the late evening in Dublin and there's a Guy playing a guitar and singing on the street, the Guy is bearded, his guitar has a gaping hole in it and he is singing with near religious fervor. The only person watching him is a teenage Girl who happens to be selling magazines nearby, she drops him a coin and asks him "Is that your own song?". She is shy yet spunky, turns out she's also a talented musician and this is how the story starts out.

'Once' is one of those films that suddenly appears out of nowhere and charms the socks off you. An indie production made with a budget of less than $160,000, 'Once' is one of the most refreshing, honest and weird-in-a-good-way films that I've seen in a long time.

The story isn't much of a story, but the pacing follows 'Before Sunset'. The difference here, is that instead of talking for one day, there is singing instead. It's kinda like a series of interconnected music videos, where the music actually is relevant and makes sense. Unlike over the top and high budget movies like 'Dreamgirls' or 'Chicago', the characters actually have reasons to sing, the film cleverly takes us to locations and situations where it feels extremely natural for someone to be making music. The film also has a quirky sense of humor that works well, the Girl drags a broken blue vacuum cleaner around like a pet dog (there's a reason) and later as she goes to the store to get some batteries in her PJs, the camera zooms out to show her walking down the street in bunny slippers.

Fans of the Irish band The Frames will probably recognize singer Glen Hansard in the main role. The actors are untrained, but the long lens and the naturalistic settings help make their performances touching. Shot on location with mostly friends and family in the parts, most of the cast speak with authentic Irish accents, Markéta Irglová (17 at the time) plays the part of a single mother and an Czech immigrant remarkably well. It also helps to know that the chemistry developed by the two leads spill over to real life, Glen and Markéta became an item after the film was completed.

Part of what makes Once so great are the songs, original compositions written mostly by Hansard. The songs have a theme of love, loss and longing, fitting perfectly into the plots and subplots as a myriad of human relationships are examined. Some of the scenes do complement the film along with the hauntingly beautiful sights of a city at night and the irish countryside.

The film obviously wants to send a message here, you only need good songs and the will to perform to make good music. The Girl has to play on pianos in music store during lunch time because she can't afford one. And they recruit their band from the street, another group of buskers. Yet the earnestness that emanates from these two will put most professional musicians to shame. 'Falling Slowly' won the Oscar for best song, and they deserved it.

Once is a great movie, and I highly recommend anyone who hasn't watched it to catch it now.

As usual, click on the poster to check it out on Amazon.com. Also check out the OST here

The Stage Names / The Stand In's

2008-09-14T08:40:00.000-07:00

Okkervil River - The Stage Names/The Stand In's

In case you haven't heard of Okkervil River by now, they are Will Sheff, John Meiburg(ex), Zach Thomas and Seth Warren. They are an Indie rock band hailing from Austin, Texas and they make great music. Alright, time for a double album review.

The Stage Names

The Stage Names is part one of a concept double album, released in 2007, it was on my top 10 list for that year and with the release of The Stand In's, I can now introduce you to the amazing Okkervil River. Lead singer Will Sheff is probably one of the most brilliant, but also one of the more pessimistic songwriters now. The Stage Names is thematic, a bunch of songs tied together by the threads of life in music and art.

The album starts off fittingly enough, Sheff proclaims 'Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe'. When the daily nuances of life are given drama, there are no cuts, no fade ins and no background music and also 'it's just a life story/so there's no climax'. The track itself follows the dramatic tension of a film, as the instruments ultimately cresendo into the climatic end.

There are fantastic arrangements on the album. The violins, mandolins and organs all come together well to carry Sheff's exceptionally honest vocals, he sings with utter conviction, bringing across sadness and apathy equally well. Listen out for the introspective 'A Girl in Port' and the fatalistic tale in the final track 'John Allyn Smith Sails'.

Sheff is apparently a musical geek as well, referencing several songs with numerically based titles in the cheekily named 'Plus Ones'. Along the way Okkervil River tackles rock N roll, porn stars, life on the road and a suicidal poet. The Stage Names was an exciting release in 2007 and will still astound people who have yet to discover Okkervil River.

The Stand Ins

While The Stage Names might have been a soundtrack to a tragic biopic, The Stand In's is instead a rock musical, this time about the cruel fates of musicians. Kinda like a musical, orchestral interludes are placed between the tracks.

The first real track 'Lost Coastlines' starts off brilliantly and sets the tone for the rest of the album, Sheff duets with Jonathon Meiburg here. He uses sailing metaphors for life as a rock and roll band well, as he seeks direction for the band when Meiburg gets set to leave (to focus on his other band Shearwater).

The themes of loss, hero worship and ultimate futility holds up well within the metaphors of musicians lives, "The Stand In's" also manages to complement "The Stage Names", play the albums back to back and you can see it fit seamlessly.

Elsewhere, a pop singer lies, a groupie gets dejected and a wealthy 'Singer Songwriter' can't change the world. Okkervil River still enjoy using a plethora of instruments here as well, such as the swing band behind 'Starry Stairs'. The Stand In's is also more accessible while still providing fans with enough references and subtle touches, tracks like 'Blue Tulips' and 'Calling and Not Calling My Ex' are more than satisfying. Sheff still questions the folly of the human condition, but the songs are alot more fun this time.

There is obviously brilliant songwriting involved here and great thought along that goes with everything else. The album covers (stack them atop of each other to get a full picture), the musical elements and the themes. There are layers of meaning behind it all if you look hard enough. And here it becomes hard not to think of this as rock and roll Art.

As part of the marketing, tracks for The Stand In's are covered by different bands they met on the road, you can watch them on Youtube.

Click on the album covers to check them out at Amazon.com

Men's Needs

2008-09-08T06:25:00.000-07:00

Slightly nsfw, but it's rock and roll baby. Nudity and decapitations are part of the job scope.

The Cribs, 'Men's Needs'

The Rhumb Line

2008-09-07T06:30:00.000-07:00

The Rhumb Line
Ra Ra Riot

What happens when you add half a string quartet and an indie rock band? OK, that isn't really funny, Ra Ra Riot is a indie rock quintet from New York, originally formed by schoolmates in Syracuse University. Having heard RRR's exciting EP last year, I expected a pretty good record here, and 'The Rhumb Line' does not disappoint. For a band that has only been playing for a couple of years, RRR has managed to keep a tight sound from relentless touring both in the US and UK.

While I used to find lead vocalist Wes Miles' voice a bit raw for my taste, everything sounds more polished in the final tracks. RRR's music can be described as the middle ground between anthem making Arcade Fire and the more pop sensible Vampire Weekend. The music is buoyant, and the influences count, the cellist and violinist both have strong classical leanings. The band also obviously adores Kate Bush, having covered a remarkable version of 'Hounds of Love' and 'Suspended in Gaffa', the latter included in the album.

One of the finest tracks 'Dying is Fine' is borrowed partly from the e.e. cummings' poem of the same name. Ironically, it was co-written by John Pike, their original drummer who drowned under mysterious circumstances while the band was on tour. Besides the uniqueness the strings bring to their sound, RRR also has a rather inspired approach to lyric writing, 'Ghost in the Rocks' is full of metaphors, figurative and literal motifs, they abandon prose, attempting poetry instead.

And although it sounds like one, the album isn't an elegy. It's a bittersweet tribute, the mournful cellos, the melancholic violins coupled with the punk guitar beats, it's really an album about friendships and those who stick together through those dark times.

Album Covers

2008-09-06T07:38:00.000-07:00

Time to look at some pretty pictures.

vs

U2's 'Boy' & 'War', using the same kid (Peter Rowan, a brother of Bono's friend), the cover was a metaphor itself for U2's music, from the raw adolescent energy of their debut to the seething emotions in 'War'.

vs

Both amazing albums, Bruce Springsteen's 'Born in the USA' had a money shot of his rear, the real controversy though was whether it was indicative of him doing a No. 1 on the American flag. His right hand looks suspicious though. Ryan Adam's 'Gold' had him facing the camera, but the flag appears to be upside down this time, taken months before, the album was coincidentally released two weeks after 9/11.

vs

Why bother making your own album cover when you can just borrow from the greatest artists of our time. Coldplay's 'Viva La Vida' uses the fairly popular 'Liberty Leading the People', the elements in the painting do mean something, though I won't be explaining it. Fleet Foxes eponymous debut uses a painting by Pieter Brugel the Elder, 'Netherlandish Proverbs', look closely and you can see proverbs acted out literally. My favourite? "Tossing feathers into the wind."

vs

About the most famous of all album covers, Frank Zappa didn't like it though, recreating a spoof for his own album.

vs

Two iconic singers, two iconic albums, two iconic album covers. 'Horses' was Patti Smith's debut album and set her up as the progenitor of punk rock. The portrait was taken by good friend Robert Mappelthorpe, he was famous for black and white photos of naked men and women. 'Born to Run' was Springsteen's ticket to the big time, taken by Eric Meola, not yet posing, Bruce leans casually against the big man Clemons. Conversely, Meola is famous for his color nature shots.

vsvs

I think I read somewhere before, that if you get famous enough, all you have to do is put the band member's faces on the cover. The Beatles 'Let it Be', Blur's 'Greatest Hits' and U2's 'Pop'

-Ed

Musical Biopics

2008-09-03T07:47:00.000-07:00

I really enjoy watching biopics, especially those about musicians. Firstly, most musical geniuses or rock stars inevitably lead pretty interesting lifestyles and secondly, the soundtrack is invariably good and introduces newcomers to the musicians. There are epics like 3-hour long 'Amadeus' and more fictional dramas like 'The Buddy Holly Story'. Here's my pick for the best musical biopics in recent memory.

Ray (2004)

Released the same year that Ray Charles passed away, The film focuses mainly on the earlier years of his life. Facing blindness and racism, Ray Charles manages to fight against racial segregation, guilt over his brother's death and drug addiction to come up as a brilliant blues player and singer, known to many as 'The Genius'.

Jamie Foxx's performance was staggeringly good, earning him an Oscar win. Foxx manages to imitate not only Ray's slack jawed appearance and speech mannerisms, classically trained in piano, he also plays in the show after getting an 'OK' from Charles himself.

The film features most of Charles' hits such as 'What I'd Do' and the touching 'Georgia on My Mind'. His final album 'Genius Loves Company' was released two months after his death.

Walk The Line (2005)

Love plays a big part in this film, while Johnny Cash was one of the most recognizable voices in America, the trials and tribulations he faced to finally marry June Carter makes for very good storytelling. Strikingly similar to 'Ray', Walk the Line also has a deceased brother and drug addiction problems. While racism was a key point there, The Man in Black must conquer his own demons to be with the one he loves. Watch out for parts by other legends like Jerry Lee Lewis and the King himself.

Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon put up top notch performances. They do their own singing in the movie, faithfully recreating country music's tones and nuances. Roger Ebert was amazed to discover that it was Phoenix singing in the movie instead of Cash. Witherspoon's performance finally cemented her status as a serious actress, she manages brings about a certain fragility and strength to her character at the same time.

A pivotal scene recreates Cash performing in Folsom Prison resulting in the live album 'Johnny Cash in Folsom Prison'

I'm Not There(2007)

For someone who had such influence and such a diverse career as Bob Dylan, it becomes hard to define his life with a single actor, so director Todd Haynes decided to use six. The actors range from an African American kid who sets out to seek his hero Woody Guthrie, to Cate Blanchett as the Dylan who turned 'electric' and shocked the world. The film depicts his life in six distinct parts with different names for each character.

Regarded as one of the greatest songwriters in the world today, Dylan's folk beginnings has since brought him to the other turnpoints of rock history, Dylan writes about politics, social unrest, becoming a reluctant figurehead for the masses.

The film is shot in different ways to identify the separate sections, some are in color others black and white. For example, Christian Bale's portrayal of a folk Dylan and a born again Christian is shot as a documentary. Most surprisingly though, is that Cate Blanchett's performance is the best depiction of Dylan. She manages to somehow convey every quirk or twitch and the unique way Dylan speaks with uncanny precision.

The film comes with an accompanying 2 Disc OST with a multitude of performers from Jeff Tweedy to Cat Power.

You can check out the Dvd's on Amazon.com by clicking on the posters.
-Ed

First Aid Kit cover Fleet Foxes

2008-09-01T06:11:00.000-07:00

First Aid Kit is a pair of teenage Swedish sisters signed up with Rabid Records, apparently their cover of Fleet Foxes 'Tiger Mountain Peasant Song' has been causing a stir in the blogosphere since it was loaded up a couple of weeks ago, check out their other songs at myspace.

'Chinese Democracy' leaker arrested

2008-08-30T05:40:00.000-07:00

Well, a couple of days ago, it finally happened, a blogger was arrested by the FBI for releasing Gun's N Roses 'Chinese Democracy' on his site. "Kevin Cogill, who uses "Skwerl" as an Internet name, is charged with violating copyright laws by putting nine of the band's unreleased songs on his www.antiquiet.com website for visitors to hear." Read more about it here.

This also raises some interesting questions about the future of online music sharing. While the RIAA has been cracking down on peer to peer networks and universities, the arrest of an individual blogger could have serious repercussions for the rest of the blogging world. Currently, the RIAA has been mainly focused on P2P networks like Kazaa. However, MP3 blogs are generally ignored for a couple of reasons. Firstly, they usually don't cover mainstream music as much, the content ranges from niches like indie to folk to urban hip hop. While recording companies spend millions on marketing for their biggest artistes, indie labels often depend on word of mouth or other methods to get by and they are not part of the RIAA. Secondly, MP3 blogs usually release a couple of songs by the artiste and although some are visited by thousands of visitors a day, the impact is not as wide as downloading from P2P networks. As a precaution, most blogs that feature downloadable MP3s post a notice saying that the songs are for evaluation purposes only, most tracks are also taken down after a certain period of time. Make no mistake here though, MP3 bloggers are very different from the torrent downloaders. Most blogs are works of love, set up to support great music from more obscure bands, its a community of people sharing their thoughts and feelings on exciting new music without succumbing to the marketing blitz of the record companies.

Slash also speaks out against the 'piracy' claiming that "It’s going to affect the sales of the record and it’s not fair. The internet is what it is, and you have to deal with it accordingly, but I think if someone goes and steals something, it's theft."

While it's true that the RIAA have been making much less money since 1999. The idea that downloads affect sales is highly debatable, lets look at Radiohead's release of 'In Rainbows' in '07. Radiohead set up inrainbows.com for two months in October, people could download the album from the site as a Zip file with DRM free mp3s and they would decide how much to pay starting from $0.00. While reports of the digital sales were not released by the band (they reportedly made $10mil for that duration), the interesting thing is what happened when they did release the CD version. 'In Rainbows' hit no.1 on the Billboard charts in their 2nd week, with 122,000 albums sold. Apparently, the fans weren't content with just their digital downloads. While I am not saying that every band could be this successful, it does make an interesting case, any band famous enough could still sell many albums without the middleman. We've established that music fans in general will support their bands and artistes, but does downloading cause a person not to buy an album or does sampling the music turn them into consumers? While the RIAA attempts to litigate against the downloaders in America, it faces a never ending tidal wave of piracy across the globe, especially in Communist China.
-Ed

Read also a collection of quotes about the legality of Mp3 blogging and a Harvard Law blog
While Chinese Democracy reportedly costs $13 million and has yet to be released after 13 years, it is not alone, here's a list of other projects in limbo.

Have you managed your itunes recently?

2008-08-28T06:06:00.001-07:00

Stumbled upon this while bored at work. From the funny guys at collegehumor.com

I must confess to having some tunes that I'm not too proud of, what can I say, I was young and misguided.

Any songs from your past still haunting you on itunes?

Stay Positive

2008-08-27T08:24:00.000-07:00

The Hold Steady
Stay Positive

Stay Positive is the fourth album from The Hold Steady, a classic rock outfit. Unlike the shortlived Darkness, The Hold Steady has managed to survive in the 21st century by churning out exciting live performances and generate enough fanbase, part of the reason is due to the formulaic nature of their records. While not changing much, Stay Positive feels like a mellower and more experimental record for the band.

Lead vocals Craig Finn has the classic rock growl, though sometimes he almost sounds like he is talking instead of singing, but the guitar solos and keyboard flourishes make up for that. The themes haven't changed, there are still drugs, sex and religion as the down and out try to make it in the world. However, the band manages to inject humor and dry wit in every song.

The album starts off well, with both 'Constructive Summer' and 'Sequestered in Memphis' getting you into the fist pumping mood. While the rock staples are here and there are the usual sing along choruses, the experimental tracks do shine, like the harpsichord lead in 'One for the Cutters'. And you would have gone through the banjo and the talk tracks by the time 'Slapped Actress' brings you to the climatic end.

The Limited Edition also releases 3 other songs, but as a single track.

Listen to: "Lord, I'm Discouraged", "Sequestered in Memphis"

Some website I found

2008-08-24T05:21:00.000-07:00

While down with the flu over the past weekend, I stumbled upon VBS.tv which provides rather good content in terms of current events and music. They have several channels with documentaries and interviews.

Here's some stuff I picked up while poking around.

Music World has documentaries about music in different places. Follow heavy metal band the Birthday Boyz as they attempt guerilla rock and roll, see how they tour China without any work visas.

Soft Focus
Weird War's Ian Svenonius interviews various musicians, like Kevin Shields, Will Oldman and Chan Marshall. Ian is well-informed, has pretty interesting opinions and a natural camaraderie with the guests.

Practice Space
Watch bands like The Walkmen, Grizzly Bear and Regina Spektor as they rehearse and jam out in the studios.

Bangs are short films or documentaries about music. Film Director Lance Bangs interviews bands who had their equipment stolen on tour, apparently it's quite common.
He also covers Arcade Fire performing 'Wake Up'

So anyone has interesting sites to share?

5 Totally Random Bands

2008-08-22T07:35:00.001-07:00

Fleet Foxes - The Seattle based band's debut album is critically acclaimed, with swirling pop melodies, it's folkish in a Neil Youngesque sort of manner. Fleet Foxes sings of unspoiled landscapes and then takes you there.
Album - Fleet Foxes
Listen to - 'He Doesn't Know Why'

Modest Mouse - Harder and a little more crunchy then the typical indie band, watch out for lead singer Isaac Brock's near feral screaming and gritty guitar playing, the songs are dark humor condensed.
Album - Good news for People who love Bad News
Listen to - 'Float on'

Panda Bear* - A couple of 12 min songs in, PB paints a colorful acoustical soundscape
reminiscent of 'Pet Sounds', just like the Beach Boys with more electronica and psychedelia.

*note not really a band, Noah Lennox is also part of Animal Collective.
Album - Person Pitch
Listen to - 'Bros'

Arctic Monkeys - Hailing from Sheffield, lead vocals Tuner sings with a aloof Yorkshire accent, while regaling tales of the working class and 'the Streets'. Chirpy riffs and fun songs.
Album - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
Listen to - 'A Certain Romance'

Wolf Parade - The melodies are tight, the energy is contained. Their sophomore album shows that they have what it takes to be innovative. There are synthersizers galore, but the Bowie influences are undeniable.
Album- At Mount Zoomer
Listen to - 'Bang Your Drum'

And now for something completely different
-Ed

Jukebox

2008-08-22T05:37:00.000-07:00

Cat Power
Jukebox
Well, I have to admit, I find it very hard to review this album objectively. Possibly because I have a crush on Charlyn 'Chan' Marshall. It might be because of my incorrigible weakness for bangs, or it could be because Marshall has an amazingly unique voice and happens to be exceptionally talented.

Anyway, Jukebox is another cover album from CP, I use the term covers very loosely here, the original songs and tunes are little more than extremely vague and blurry guideposts seen in the dark. The first track 'New York' (yes, the Frank Sinatra one) starts out so differently that it took me awhile to recognize. Marshall covers her idols Mitchell, Joplin and Dylan among others and she does a wonderful impersonation of Dylan here in 'I Believe in You' and original 'Song to Bobby'. Not surprisingly, she also holds a contribution on the OST of Dylan biopic "I'm Not There" with 'Stuck in Of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again'.

With 2006's The Greatest, Marshall had found her voice and Jukebox feels like a audio diary for future retrospection. Whatever the case Jukebox is perfect for a lazy rainy afternoon or chilling out in the evening for some easy listening. This is one musician worth looking out for.
-Ed

Listen to: Blue, Lost Someone

The Coral Sea

2008-08-19T06:38:00.000-07:00

After photographer Robert Mappelthorn passed away from AIDs in 1989, good friend and punk poetess Patti Smith wrote The Coral Sea later in 1996, a book of poems in prose form dedicated to his memory. Patti Smith recorded two sessions of the readings in 2005/2006, accompanied by improvisational guitar from My Bloody Valentine frontman, Kevin Shields. The sessions are now available as a double album.

Smith as a reader is compelling and exceedingly passionate while Shields supplies sweeping acoustics and mellow textures. In the second disc the guitar becomes more energetic at parts halting to silence at times leaving you only with mesmerizing metaphors.

This two hour long spoken word album isn't an easy listen by any means, it's not supposed to be. But if you manage to sit through it in one sitting, it will be an uniquely awe inspiring experience.

-Ed
Listen to samples and buy it from here

The Beatles Essentials

2008-08-16T08:04:00.000-07:00

Hi all, this will be the start of an ongoing series in which I’ll introduce 3 essential albums of some of the best bands and artistes in the world, so it would be appropriate to start with one of THE greatest bands of all time (you all know them) - The Beatles.

Talking more about The Beatles would be akin to rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, so if you have never heard of The Beatles (gasp!) or would like to learn more a good place to start is here

Now on to the good stuff.

(In chronological order)

1) Revolver

As any Rock Historian will tell you, The Beatles were famous not only because their songs were accessible to the mainstream but also because they experimented with new sounds and techniques that influenced practically all the other bands that came after them. 'Eleanor Rigby' was quirky and funny, backed by an instantly recognizable string melody. Sitars feature in 'Love You To', George Harrison's attempt at classical Indian music while under the tutelage of sitar master Ravi Shankar. 'Tommorrow Never Knows' was a one of the first pieces of psychedelic rock, an experimental track. The lyrics were inspired by the Tibetan Book of the Dead, while the Beatles played around with studio effects such as processed vocals, reverse guitar and looped tape effects. This album was also a breakthrough for Harrison who contributed three fabulous songs to the album as a songwriter.

2) Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Regarded by many as The Beatle's magnum opus, critics compared it to art and Rolling Stones named it "One of The Most Important Albums Ever Made". It was a time when the Lennon/McCartney team was at its best, both lyrically and musically. 'A Day In The Life' combines two separately written songs with orchestral dubs. There is brilliance under 'Lucy in The Sky with Diamonds', the song itself has a simple melody, the underlying arrangement though grows increasingly complex with each verse, musical keys and time shift in different sections and several instruments featured. Almost like watching the fictional Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, the songs transition smoothly between each track, from strings to electric guitars to sitars, The Beatles showed the world what a real rock album could be.

3) Abbey Road

Abbey Road was the last recorded Beatles album; it came at a time when the relationships between the band members were strained, agreeing to set aside their differences to work together for one last time. Split into two parts, the album features a visit to all the familiar sounds that they had conquered as a band, from the rock heavy Lennon anthem 'Come Together' to the lightweight pop tunes in 'Maxwell's Silver Hammer' and 'Octopus's Garden'.

The beauty of the lingering moment before the end comes in an eight track medley, with several fragmentary songs. The music is a flits from mood to mood, from the pensive 'Because' to the humorous 'She Came In Through The Bathroom Window' and to the melancholic 'Golden Slumbers' before ending it in rock and roll finality on 'The End'

Also Recommended: The White Album (The Beatles)

Known more commonly as the White Album for its cover as it was never really named, the album was recorded in a turbulent time for the Beatles, this was the beginning of the end. However, the atmosphere meant that the members were often alone and writing individually, turning out great work and foreshadowing of the solo careers of the Beatles.

Recommended Tracks: While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Julia, Helter Skelter.

So that’s all for the first edition of Essentials, if all else fails and you have no idea which album to start your Beatles journey on, go with their Greatest Hits. The Beatles Anthology or No 1s will give you an idea of the music that spawned a new generation of rock and makes a great gift for your friends and family.

-Ed (With contributions by Alex)

The Arcade Fire

2008-08-16T06:25:00.000-07:00

Once in a while, a band like The Arcade Fire comes and destroys everyone's expectations of what it means to be a rock band.

Hailing from Montreal, The Arcade Fire is possibly one of the best acts to emerge in this decade. Both of their albums, Funeral and Neon Bible, are in the top 10 of Metacritic's yearly list based on ratings in both 2004 and 2007. The band is comprised of husband and wife duo of Win Butler and Régine Chassagne, who are accompanied by five other amazing musicians. Their unique sound comes from employing several instruments such as the piano, violin, viola, French horn, xylophones and harps among varied others to create an immensely layered 'wall of sound'. The songwriting is real. The emotions are epic and intimate at the same time. This is The Arcade Fire.

Funeral

Funeral introduces themes of death and rebirth into the songs, starting with a four-part act, Neighborhood, the tracks eventually go on to cover every aspect of the human condition. There is love, loss, disillusionment and finally hope. And that is the message this album brings, despite the deaths we face, there is also be joy and hope. The title comes from the fact that several of the band members lost their relatives during the making of the album. Funeral represents what the human experience is meant to be - the agony of losing your loved ones permanently intertwined with the ecstasy of being alive.

For an album with death prevalent in every song, the mood is always positive. In 'Neighborhood #3', Butler screams out for Man to take action now, to fight out against being repressed, being mediocre. The beats are frantic, the guitar unrelenting, "What’s the plan?" he asks. While 'Crown of Love' starts off as a ballad about the difficulty of letting go of a lost loves, the song perpetually crescendos until it implodes into a frantic rush of violins, dance beats and wailing.

A fan favorite and possibly the most epic of the songs here is 'Wake Up', it starts with a single guitar riff, joined individually by various instruments until the vocals kick in, all fifteen musicians chanting. Butler takes over here, his voice tired yet pleading, like his soul has been tortured by the crimes of humankind. "Children/Wake Up/Hold your mistake up/Before they turn the summer into dust". The music segues, each instrument representing a different emotion, the electric guitar, the violin, the piano and the xylophone. They interweave and disappear, Butler screams out a desperate warning at the end, almost like a threat "You better look out below!"

Neon Bible

While Funeral is about life and death, Neon Bible has themes on war, madness, spirituality and religion. Recorded in a refurbished church, a point is being made here. There are motifs of water, the color black and cars in the songs repeated for thematic value. The album is cleaner here and perhaps more mellow and the music takes its time to build up, but it never fails to reach epic proportions.

The first track 'Black Mirrors' almost leads you to believe that the old Arcade Fire is gone, replaced by a mainstream band, but then the lyrics tells you "No more lies!". The music instantly obliges and explodes into the sweeping soundscape you remember. It is a lament for the loss of truth in this world, "I know when the time is coming/All the words will lose their meaning".

In the titular track, the images of cheap yet charismatic evangelists are brought to mind. The track is stark and Butler whispers through the chorus as in despair. This though is nothing more than a preliminary though for the next track 'Intervention'. Set amid pipe organ and bells; there are metaphors of holy wars and world politics, though a careful listener would find subtle irony mixed with soaring music.

There are a couple of other good tracks here, like 'Black Waves/Bad Vibrations', which splits the layered sound into two thematically opposite tracks. 'No Cars Go' is preppy and effervescent and 'Ocean of Noise' describes the song itself best. The album ends with a chillingly wrought 'My Body is a Cage'. The pipe organ makes its triumphant return here, haunting and emotionally wrought with the poignant lyrics, "My body is a cage/that keeps me from dancing with the one I love.” The rest of the instruments rip open into a climax and Butler wails "Set my spirit free" over and over again until it ends in the softest of murmurs.

-Ed (with contributions from Alex)

Chopin's Étude Op. 10, No. 3

2008-08-12T07:32:00.000-07:00

Performed by Freddy Kempf, Beautiful no?

Read about Chopin's Etudes here
Read about this piece here

The Shepherd's Dog

2008-08-12T06:38:00.000-07:00

Iron & Wine
The Shepherd's Dog

Iron & Wine aka Samuel Beams is an American folk rock singer songwriter, and The Shepherd's Dog is his third album.

While I do listen to folk rock on an irregular basis, Shepherd's Dog is one album that most people would easily be able to find enjoyable. The album is deeply layered in both music and lyrics, and Beams here delivers a poignant voice over the instruments, his voice is soft and gentle, becoming unclear sometimes, lost in the beautiful maze of strings and basslines.

The album starts off with 'Pagan Angel & a Broken Car' and it gives you a taste of things to come, the rhythmic drum beats are set against violins in the background, and yet as you decipher the lyrics you find that it is also politically charged, "When they caught the king beneath the borrowed car/Righteous, drunk, and fumbling for the royal keys" Halfway through, 'Innocent Bones' presents a harsh criticism against the organized religion of today with biblical motifs set upon the decadence of the 21st century, yet the acoustic guitar sounds cheerful and upbeat, hiding the chills you feel inside.

There are many moments like that in this record, where the songs are intimate yet encompassing at the same time. ' Resurrection Fern' is one of the best examples in this case, with just an acoustic guitar, a shaker and a gentle bassline, the song gets his message across within perfect southern imagery. "In our days we will live/Like our ghosts will live/Pitching glass at the cornfield crows/And folding clothes." Interpretations aside, this unassuming tune is incredibly moving and my favorite track on this album.

The songs vary widely from track to track in terms of the soundscape, West African influenced drumbeats are joined by steel stringed guitars and pianos to introduce the bluesy sound in 'The House by the Sea', while 'Flightless Bird, American Mouth' goes back to the roots with a simple and beautiful melody.

These are love letters written, musings on a summer lived and after you finish the album, you will feel like have you just woken up from a dream.

Until you press play again.
-Ed

Eva Cassidy - Lost Voice Found

2008-08-09T06:48:00.000-07:00

Hi Ladies and Gentlemen, not to start off on sounding too morose but this is one of the saddest stories that I have ever heard and I want to share it with you.

I will be introducing one of my favorite singers, Eva Cassidy, today. Miss Cassidy was mostly known in her native Washington as an amazing voice being able to handle interpretations of almost anything from folk, rock, blues to vocal jazz. She started out as a session singer and went on to release a couple of albums, working with several different bands and people, even working with Chuck Brown.

However, she later developed melanoma and sought out treatment, but by August 1996, the disease had spread to her lungs and bones. In her final performance in September she closed her set with 'What a Wonderful World' and was subsequently admitted into hospital. Eva eventually succumbed to the disease and passed away. She was 33.

Although popular in Washington, she was an relative unknown outside. However, Four years later in 2000, one of her live performances was shown on TV in the UK. People were touched by her voice and by her story and requests for the video topped the charts. Subsequently, her posthumous compilation album sold more than 100,000 copies in the following months and later reached quadruple platinum status in the UK. Since then, her albums have sold worldwide reaching new heights, her life story also spawned a book, a musical and a Broadway act.

-Extracted from Wikipedia
Read it here

Here's a video of Eva singing one of my favorite versions of 'Over the Rainbow'.

Life is strange isn't it, but at least here some proof that good music can't stay hidden for too long. Though Eva never did get to enjoy the fruits of her labor, the rest of us still here get to listen to her wonderful voice, so lets be grateful.

A couple of her albums here.

Someone To Drive You Home

2008-08-08T03:55:00.000-07:00

The Long Blondes
Someone To Drive You Home

The Long Blondes are a quintet consisting of two dudes and three gals from out of Sheffield, England, home to acts like the Arctic Monkeys and Pulp, it must be something they put in the water there.

SDYH is one of those albums that feel like a breath of fresh air, after a long trudge in the murky wasteland of 'Today's Music' and I must say it is abso-freakin-lutley fun with a capital F.

First of all lead singer Kate Jackson has that type of voice and attitude that is likely to catapult her into the Pantheons of Rock somewhere in the future. One of the more exciting female rock vocalists to appear since Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Jackson's voice is sultry, sexy and sweet at the same time.

SYDH is full of catchy guitar riffs, rapid drum beats and snappy lyrics. Jackson sings about love/lust, desire, sex and the movies all with a imperturbable yet adventurous attitude towards it all. On 'Once and Never Again' she berates a young female with an abusive other half, You're only nineteen/You're only nineteen for God's sake/Oh,You don't need a boyfriend and in the next verse exclaims how she'd love to feel 'a girl your age'. Wicked.

She absconds with another lonely girl in a viciously fun track and gets 'Separated by Motorways', the A14 and the A1 to be precise. Jackson also shows her range with a languid ballad 'Heaven Help the New Girl' evincing pity and whimsical longing in the same line. An odd addition, though no less witty is the vocal track duet claimed to have been inspired by listening to Saint Scott Walker. On Headphones. On The Bus.

Here The Long Blondes seem to have been influenced by the likes of Franz Ferdinand, The Smiths, Debbie Harry and Pulp. A couple of tracks will feel like fillers in the 12 track album, but catchy tunes and clever lyrics make this album this definitely worth a listen. An explosive Debut.

Now I gotta get me some of that Sheffield Water.

-Ed

Recommended Tracks: Weekend without Makeup, Giddy Stratospheres, Once and Never Again, Heaven Help the New Girl

Broken Boy Soldiers

2008-08-06T05:18:00.000-07:00

The Raconteurs
Broken Boy Soldiers

Hey why not start with a Superband, kinda... Broken Boy Soldiers was one of my favorite albums of 2007, (it was released in 06, but I'm slow)

The Raconteurs are otherwise known as Jack White's Other Band, consisting of Brendan Benson and a couple of other dudes from the Greenhornes (heard of them? me neither)

Apparently,it all started when Jack and Brendan were jamming in a basement somewhere and decided, well, their sound rocked. So they formed a band and wrote even more songs, voila! Broken Boy Soldiers was created.

Now, the album runs at a short 33 mins, but that isn't a handicap by any means. There is a good mix of songs here, from the self indulgent to hummable rock pop tunes. Anyone who has listened to the White Stripes can have an idea of the genius/madness of Jack White's guitar shredding and unrestrained use of distortion.
Here however, the brilliance shines through much more subtly, such as the weaving of complex guitar threads through 'Steady As She Goes'. Jack and Brendan manage to harmonize rather well here, on both vocals and instruments.

Another track I like is 'Yellow Sun', an cheery acoustic type of song that obviously has influences from the Beatles. Heck half the album sounds like it had some sort of influence from Revolver or Abbey Road. From rock-lite 'Hands' to the bluesy Lennonesque 'Blue Veins' and 'Together'

However, the only thing I have an issue with in this album is that the track listing is a bit iffy, the flow from one track to another doesn't feel as smooth as it could be, perhaps that has something to do with the new band getting used to itself and its sound.

Other than that, this album is a fun listen all the way through, give it a try if you like the White Stripes, or maybe even if you don't.

Cool Tracks - Steady as She Goes, Level, Intimate Secretary, Yellow Sun

The Raconteurs also has a second album Consolers of The Lonely (2008), which I will review as soon as possible.

Cheerios

- Ed

The Lost Revolution

2008-08-04T04:13:00.001-07:00

The Lost Revolution is a blog about music, it is a reach out to friends and music lovers who like to discover new and old things together.

Remember Jack Black from the show Hi-Fidelity? Those days when a music store clerk actually cared about real music, about people doing new things with sounds, trying to be different, trying to be well... revolutionary.

These days you have incessant advertising for barely legal, barely dressed starlets and 'talent shows' churning out exactly the same kinds of pop singers over and over again while the really good music lies hidden, appreciated only by people who actively seek out and support good musicians. And they are getting increasingly harder to find.

Lucky they invented the internet eh.

But hey, I'm no guru, you might even get turned off by my taste in the esoteric or the almost mainstream. Well, I am tired of people giving me a blank look when I mention The Arcade Fire, or when Roxanne and Space Oddity come on the radio no one recognizes it. And no, Clapton isn't famous for being on My Best Friends Wedding OST.

There will be indie rock here, as well as classic rock, classic jazz and maybe even some classical music. Records of old and new, that everyone will give a try and hopefully find it as exciting as I did and start their own journey to look for great music.

Thats all for now, keep your ears fresh.
-Ed