Yet another artist that came into my spheres thanks to mi hermano. Fantastic little ditty about being antisocial and just a bit awkward at parties... or maybe it's a metaphor...? At any rate, this Swede just might rival another one we've discussed previously on this blog... There are several versions floating around the intarwebs, but here's the first one I heard, which is a little bit stripped down compared to the second version:
"I get the creeps from all the people in here I cannot breathe, it's too crowded in here don't look at me, I don't wanna be seen
Friends, I'm incredibly excited. One of my favorite bands (OF ALL TIME), Said The Whale, are coming back to Pittsburgh tomorrow! As in Wednesday, November 14, at Howler's. You should probably be there, unless you have a really good excuse, because it's going to be a blast. My pals over at Draw Us Lines were kind enough to post my big wet sloppy kiss of an article raving about the band; have a read if you like. It's always tough to pick just one song to feature when I like a band this much, but since it seems I've gone with STW's more folksy / sentimental tunes (like such as The Light Is You, Black Day In December, and False Creek Change) in the past, and they've released a brand new album this year that I've yet to mention here, I'd go with one of the pop/rock leaning new tunes, and the leadoff from April's "Little Mountain" fits the bill:
(by the way, the band made music videos - and not weak, lame ones - for all 15 tracks from the album. You can find them on saidthewhale.com) Methinks you'll find some intriguing and thought-provoking social commentary here...
"We’ve got Mandarax and loveless sex
And information passing right through our skin and bones..."
You guys. I've been a terrible blogger. It's been a crazy summer. You probably forgot this page even existed. But I'm going to try and make it up to you. Might mean posts with very little of my ramblings, maybe even just song links. But here's to a fresh start.
You guys. I've missed you. Probably more than you've missed me. I haven't posted much because I've been too busy going to awesome shows n'at, ya dig?
Anyway, it's high time I introduced you to There There. These PGH rockers brought the noise and the funk to Brillobox on Wednesday night. I was pretty well mesmerized by this bass-tastic glowing rig:
I got some grainy videos, but the audio isn't too shabby (all things considered). While the band blends elements of hip hop and reggae on some tracks, this particular tune is pretty straight up rock. Check out "Everything":
And here's the album version, resplendent in its plastic flamingo glory:
You can totally get this track (and the rest of the EP) for free on Bandcamp or Noisetrade. I recommend you do so, if you like what you're hearing. And if you still like it after spinning it on your iPod for a few weeks, go back and tip the band - we here at ASOD are staunch believers in exploring music, but also in taking care of the artists we love so they can continue to make music.
"Is it me, or is it you tell me whatever, what do I have to lose to find this piece and keep it close to my chest I feel inside me for all of my unrest..."
You guys. David Wax Museum are back in Pittsburgh tomorrow night for a show at Club Cafe. Yes, the Boston-based band with the donkey jawbone will be playing at everyone's favorite PGH venue. Here's a track which epitomizes their Mexo-Americana stylings with an English-language version of a traditional Mexican folk song:
Be sure to check this track and others in their Daytrotter session. Be sure to check some other sweet performances which are floating around the interwebs, like this NPR Tiny Desk Concert which opens with this tune:
And most of all, be sure to be at Club Cafe tomorrow night at 8 (7 Central).
"...your careless heart invites me in, just to see me go..."
Just a note - for anyone living in or near Pittsburgh with similarities in musical taste to the stuff you see on this blog, I've added a concert calendar tab. I'll try to add as many interesting shows as I can, but it won't be comprehensive, just a sampling of shows on my radar.
Please feel free to alert me to any shows in which you're interested, and I can add them to help raise awareness.
Regina Spektor probably doesn't need the hype from my little blog, and I've already discussed a few of her tracks. But this one, from her new album that drops next week, is just spectacular and I felt like telling you why I feel that way, so here goes.
The first several times I listened were at work with the volume low, unfortunately not the best way to fully appreciate music. However, even in that setting, the musicianship and composition struck me. When I got around to giving the song its proper due and absorbing the lyrics, it only deepened my enjoyment. On the surface, the song is a lament for masterworks of various art forms as they are neglected by today's reality TV society. If you like, you can likely find several layers of deeper meaning as well.
The most poignant metaphor, for me, is the violin. A Stradivarius is in itself a masterpiece, but it only becomes a true wonder when in the hands of a brilliant musician. If it's sitting in a display case, the beauty of its sound is lost... "They've forgotten, forgotten how to sing..."
Here's the track on Soundcloud:
A Letterman performance from last week, complete with a Steinway & Sons grand piano and Regina's trademarked oddball vocalizations - this time in the form of laser sound effects:
A few weeks ago, my job had me travel to Nashville to work on a prototype system we have set up with a customer. Same prototype that had my in Tennessee twice last year, but this time I was there all week and had a bit more time to enjoy the city. Plus, it was spring instead of winter, so the city was coming out of its shell a bit and more lively this time around.
Last year, I stumbled across a girl with some pipes in one of the honky tonk / bar establishments on Broadway (downtown Nashville). When I found out I'd be back in town, I checked her website, and sure enough, she was playing at a different venue right down the street. As is the nature of bar entertainment, she and her band were playing a bunch of covers, from Beatles to Bon Jovi. I put in a request for her original song, "Arizona", which I'd heard her play last year. Since I already posted that song back then, here's an introspective ballad where Rachael Johnson reflects on the trials of her musical journey and trying to make a living in one of the musical meccas of the world:
Tonight's special: a flash mob on a train. Copenhagen Philharmonic playing Grieg's "Morning Mood" from "Peer Gynt" (you'll recognize the tune from countless movies / cartoons / commercials). Flash mobs are so 2011, in a way. But still, this is a pretty good concept - bringing classical music to commuters to brighten up their morning. Interesting note: in the original play "Peer Gynt", the scene for which this was written has something to do with fending off a swarm of apes...
I honestly thought this mashup was my own idea, and I pitched it to my buddy Mike last weekend, who burst my bubble by mentioning the Weezer cover. Perhaps I'd heard this before but blocked it from my consciousness, perhaps I legitimately came up with the same idea as Rivers Cuomo & Co. Let it be known, however, that in my head, the "can't read my, can't read my, no he can't read my poker face..." part was directly over the hook from Kids; whereas Weezer just segues from one song into the other. Let it be known that it's unlikely I'll ever post Gaga other than this cover - just not really what I'm into these days. Let it also be known, however, that she's a musical genius, but also a savvy businesswoman who figured out that she could achieve much greater fame and fortune by going the extravagant pop diva route than playing classical music or just being a girl with a piano. While we're on covers, who can forget this gem?
Just watched the movie "Happy Thankyou More Please" with Hermano. (Arrested Development fans will appreciate the reference, especially given that a Bluth is in this film...)
While the film is far from perfect - you'll have to accept a few far-fetched plot devices and some perhaps trite & overused rom-com cliches - I found it quite enjoyable. Maybe that can be chalked up to having a crush on Kate Mara (spoiler alert: she can sing, which exponentially magnifies any crush for an audiophile.)
One of the main themes is that we are all worthy of love. Yes, we all have flaws, sometimes fatal ones. We all make mistakes, sometimes major ones. But, if we're willing to look, and willing to demonstrate love to others, we might just find that there are people willing to accept our shortcomings and love us despite them. And heck, that might just be the inspiration we need to overcome some of those shortcomings and better ourselves.
Anyway, I've spoken before about the impact a soundtrackcanhave on a movie, which holds true for this track (and others from Jaymay) and its use in the film. I'll leave it to you to decide whether to watch the film and discern for yourself the profundity of the song's usage, but the song stands alone just fine:
Don't let fear and doubt hold you back. Don't give up on your dreams because they haven't come true just yet; don't give up on people just because they've disappointed you; don't give up on yourself even if you've screwed up colossally. Take a chance, make a move, live your life. You only get one, and it's beautiful despite the rough spots - make it more so by living to the fullest.
You guys. Fun. Is. Spectacular. A combination of, dare I say, fun melodies with upbeat and catchy instrumentation, topped off with (at least on tracks like this) powerful and introspective lyrics. They're exploding across the airwaves, on both the indie and popular stations (and fortunately, "We Are Young" hasn't been mutilated for the Top 40 stations like Gotye's "Somebody That I Used To Know".)
This one (especially the acoustic performance) captures the power of Nate's vocals and the emotion he conveys. The song's message is one of hope and perseverance.
Sick acoustic version recorded for Record Store Day (4/21/2012):
I stumbled upon Be Honest, Ruth Bryan! through The Ballard Sessions, which are Seattle's version of Pittsburgh blog Draw Us Lines' Echo Chambers. The trio of ladies from the Northwest bring some haunting harmonies and exquisite instrumentation, and in a bipartisan spirit, let a couple of dudes play along as well.
This track is pretty self-explanatory, but I'll give you a few brief thoughts nonetheless. The point of view makes for quite the intriguing take on the story. Dads don't like it when married men fool around with their daughters. Heck, dads don't like it when any men fool around with their daughters. And arpeggios in minor keys are a double-edged sword, but when done well, they can really hit the spot:
Tonight is one of those rare nights when I post a cover. Generally, while I do believe some covers are worthwhile, I try to go with the original version (or at least post both). But in this case, odds are you're familiar with the original, and the cover just has that ethereal quality which merits attention.
Interesting to note that this song may have the most comments of any song I've ever viewed on songmeanings.net. Also that the band had to fight pretty hard to get past this one track from their first album, and Thom Yorke apparently pretty much hates the song now.
Carrie Manolakos cut her teeth on Broadway, and now she has released an album of original tunes. If this performance is any indication, she's got the pipes to make for some quality songs.
Here's an excerpt from an article that has been making the rounds on the social media sites:
"This Cover of Radiohead's "Creep" Will Make Your Ears Orgasm. If you're in a hurry, skip to 2:25 for the crescendo, but you should really listen to the whole thing. It's upsettingly good."
~ Neetzan Zimmerman, Gawker
Seriously, listen to the whole thing; the emotion conveyed in the quieter parts of the song is just as good as the payoff. The high note, the harmony, the control through it all... just wow. And the instruments are spot on, as well.
And here's the original, just so the Radiohead fans don't lambaste me:
Well, to get the ball rolling, I'm going to take a page from my buddy Jordan, who posted this track earlier today. I've caught Grouplove on WYEP before, and they definitely put out some fun tunes with interesting lyrics and videos that have perhaps a darker edge than the music itself might imply. This one seems pretty lighthearted, in the vein of enjoying an all night party with a cute girl (or, guy, if that's more your style). But then you have these menacing luchadores in suits... well, I don't really know what that's about, but art is in the eye of the beholder, so you tell me:
Update 1-9-13 Howsabout a live version, courtesy of the Hay Bale Sessions:
(Also check out the Hay Bale Sessions performance of "Colours"!) "marmalade, we're making out..."
Wow, you guys. I miss a few days, and all of a sudden, I've missed two months. I hope you loyal readers have found other ways to enjoy music in my absence... after a few weeks, I decided I was "giving it up for Lent", but then obviously I didn't get back on board after Easter. It's been a crazy time with work, life, etc. and I just have failed to carve out time to post each night. I'm bad enough at going to bed at a reasonable hour, and I've had to sacrifice posting for the sake of being at least quasi-functional at work.
The good news is, I've had some legitimately amazing musical experiences over this time, and I'm hopefully going to share bits and pieces with you in the coming days. Here we go...
Pittsburgh rockers The Long Time Darlings have been on the fringe of my consciousness for a while now, though I've yet to catch a show. I picked up a freebie track ("Baby Doll") a while back and it comes up on the ol' iPod from time to time, and I enjoy it every time. Then, I found out from my boss that guitarist Brian Sproul and his folks are long time* family friends of he and his wife. Said boss forwarded me the link to this video, and you know what? It's a pretty great song and a pretty great video.
* - totally unintentional, I swear.
You have to love a band whose info page on facebook includes such gems as "Record Label: Ha-ha! That's hilarious!" and "Band Interests: Beer, vinyl, hockey, whiskey, sex." Rock bands just wanna have fun, you know. And hockey is just plain awesome, eh?
And you can get both Downtown Sugar and Baby Doll on Bandcamp for FREE. So yeah, do that. And if you like these two tracks, then go buy their album, so they can afford to record more rockin' rock songs. (Okay, that one was intentional, and I apologize.)
Here's one my little brother got me hooked on. This duo met in college, started playing music together, fell in love, got married, and are living the dream of every hopeless romantic hipster musician.
The song starts out minimally, but builds and builds into a beautifully orchestrated arrangement with rich harmonies and deeply sincere lyrics. There's not a lot of digging to be done to interpret this track, so just bask in the glow of the love expressed and the joy of the tune, and the sweet music video filmed in Seattle + Silverdale, WA:
Some good live performance videos out there, too. Here are two good ones:
Also, they have a ton of freebies on their website, for the price of an e-mail address. Ten songs (okay, two are duplicated, so eight songs) just like that; two more if you go to briterevolution (just now found this site; seems cool) and sign up. Download and give it a listen, but if you like it, be sure to go back and support the artist financially (always the best policy for facilitating that good music continues to be made!)
(Aside: can I just say that I very much appreciate artists who post lyrics on their own sites? songmeanings.net is great, but people mishear things a lot even on a site like that. I just like to know that what I'm hearing is what they're saying, ya know?)
EDIT 2-26-12: oh look,MORE free tunes! This time on noisetrade.com.
So this one is somewhat tongue-in-cheek (I mean, late '90s pop, amirite?) But despite the cheesiness of the song, it still has one of my favorite lyrics of all time, and on Fat Tuesday, I thought it was appropriate.
Ponder, if you would, the depth of this statement in light of today's first world societies and the shallowness of the religious "sacrifices" made during the upcoming season:
Heard this tune on WYEP en route out of Pittsburgh to WV for work this morning. It's quite good; has a little bit of an Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros vibe (specifically the song "Home", with the female/male vocal tradeoff, and the female leads have some similar qualities...), and some solid lyrics.
The six-member outfit blends accordion and trumpet with acoustic guitars and keys, for a sound that's not quite unique (there's nothing new under the sun, after all) but quite enjoyable, and distinctive from the majority of stuff that's out there these days.
Oh yeah, and they're Icelandic... how about that?
Here's a live performance captured by Seattle's KEXP radio:
Here's a pretty sweet song I heard on a rerun of How I Met Your Mother. I'm not too snobbish to discover tunes through TV shows, so if you're that kind of hipster, deal with it.
A.C. (Carl) Newman may or may not be a familiar name to you (he wasn't to me, but that's just because I hadn't done my research until tonight). This guy is a founding member of The New Pornographers (hmm, I can tell from listening to this song, now that I know...) and what's more, he's CANADIAN. Just like Robin in the show, eh?
Anyway, I like the song. It's catchy, but not too catchy; has pretty solid / motivational lyrics, and anchors a poignant scene in the show (but definitely stands up without the show... just sayin', it's one of those songs... like how "Rivers and Roads" was used in the final scene of the show Chuck.)
"I was a silent partner, I know the part of the forest where you shouldn't go..."
I found this band on thesixtyone the other day (a site worth checking out - fun way to discover new tunes). They're an instrumental outfit from Texas, named after a small town quite a ways away from the bigger cities. Their sound, however, is much larger than their namesake.
Balmorhea (pronounced Bal-moor-ay) bring lush orchestration and soaring melodies, reminiscent of carefree summer days. This track features a backbone of piano with strings along for the ride. A subtle guitar breakdown laced with ethereal vocal harmonies gives you a breather before the climax, when the pace picks up and claps join the strings and vocals in a manner reminiscent of The David Wax Museum. This type of tune could easily be part of a movie soundtrack, but stands alone as well:
Great movie, great soundtrack, great composer, great singer. That's all I have to say about that.
Wait, I lied... I have a bit more to say. In investigating the lyrics(?) of this song, I read that it's not an actual language, but rather, glossolalia (sometimes known as "speaking in tongues"...) Interesting, no? We learned a new word today!
Yet another ridiculously fun music video from OK Go. This one takes a different approach on the Rube Goldberg theme of the This Too Shall Pass video - now it's an electric car and some pretty good timing on a piano-laced desert stunt track:
Oh yeah, and here's the album version, where the visuals aren't nearly as impressive but the audio is a little clearer... well actually it's pretty distorted guitar, but.... yeah.
"So I been sitting around, wasting my time
wondering what you been doing
aw, and it ain't real forgiving, it ain't real forgiving
sitting here picturing someone else living..."
PS - you can download the "video version" (car version) of the song on the band's facebook page.
Just found this band thanks to 1,2,3's facebook post regarding upcoming shared tour dates. This song is delectable and transcendental, with ambiguous yet intriguing lyrics. A slow vibe that just draws you in.
Album version:
And of course, if there's a sweet acoustic rendition on youtube, I'm obliged to include it as well:
"When the tide is low we’re digging through the loam..."
This one has caught my ear on 91.3 WYEP a few times lately. For some reason, it reminds me of Florence + The Machine, but that may just be me. The song is a driving folk rock tune about snakes, and who doesn't love that?
But seriously, the serpents are a metaphor for the poisonous thoughts left over from a traumatic relationship. Van Etten's lyrics are a maelstrom of resentment and conciliatory efforts as she tries to come to grips with these emotions. The harmonies dance a tightrope on the edge of catastrophe, evoking the mental turmoil and dragging the listener along for the ride.
Here's a sweet new track from a sweet new band. A band comprised of Scott Simons, an expatriate of West Virginia who's been living in LA, and Dani Buncher, a Pittsburgher who you might know from my ramblings about Big Hurry and Big Snow Big Thaw (the other two bands for which she is the drummer) I'm not gonna lie, I'm a bit disappointed this band isn't called "Big TeamMate" or something to that effect...
Oh yeah, and the duo used to date for, like, ten years, so that adds an interesting dynamic. This is their debut single, just dropped last night. It deals with their breakup and some of their story, some pretty rough relationship stuff set to infectious upbeat pop sounds. If this is any indication, they'll be quite a fun show at Brillobox next weekend...
Oh by the way, free download of this track on their facebook page. Bangarang.
"Sometimes all you've got is too much sometimes nothing's ever enough..."
Every time I post a song that involves an Echo Chamber session from the Draw Us Lines crew, I'm reminded of a line in The Rescuers Down Under (you know you loved that movie as a kid)... "We're gonna have to make connections with a bigger bird." (said by Wilbur of Albatross Air, when asked whether it's a non-stop flight to Australia...) They do such a good job over there at DUL, and capture some truly amazing songs stripped down to the roots in the EC sessions. Not to mention, some of the songs are as yet unreleased (this one is from Good Night, States' upcoming "Country / Static" release - due 4.5.12), and the EC videos are the only versions available for me to post.
Good Night, States are yet another gem formed in the coal valleys of the Steel City... but they throw in some Jersey attitude for good measure. Given their long-distance relationship, they're more than slightly elusive as far as live concert performances go, and I've yet to see them. But I can guarantee I'll be at their next PGH gig, good Lord willin' and the creek don't rise.
This song will blow you away. At least, it blew me away; I'll try not to oversell it since not everyone's musical tastes are identical. But if you like the folksy feel and lush harmonies of The Head And The Heart or Fleet Foxes; or haunting, love/heartbreak songs like "Liar" or "Poison and Wine", I'll wager you'll like this song too:
PS - props to percussionist Dan Harding for the awesome Where The Wild Things Are t-shirt (and the ridiculous glockenspiel breakdown), and to the venue for this EC session, which is a gorgeous local church - Eastminster Presbyterian.
