6-10-12 - "Everything" ~ There There

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..."

5-8-12 - "Kids+Poker Face" ~ Weezer

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?

At any rate, the original MGMT song rocks, but this does as well:

"No time to think of consequences..."

2-24-12 - "Song For You" ~ Jenny & Tyler

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.

"Hear my song for you

I will not hold my tongue…"

1-27-12 - "January Wedding" ~ The Avett Brothers

With a few performances on TV lately and word that their new album is fast approaching, I've been getting excited about The Avett Brothers again lately.  I've waxed eloquent on several previous occasions about the boys, and even posted a song with a month in the title before.  So I'll spare you the rehash of all that, and present you with this sweet, simple love song:


(live)

(album)

"And I was sick with heartache

And she was sick like Audrey Hepburn when I met her...

…no longer does it matter what circumstances we were born in

She knows which birds are singin' 

And the names of the trees where they're performin' in the mornin'…"

1-22-12 - "Love And Doubt" ~ Slow Runner

Here's a catchy little tune from a band I saw at Brillobox last year, Slow Runner.  Perhaps the lyrical content isn't quite as upbeat as the music, but we've talked before about juxtaposition, and it's great stuff.  


Is it a love song?  I doubt it... (sometimes I crack myself up...)  


Here's a live performance:

And here's a link to the recorded version on Grooveshark.


"I prefer the tension and the slow relief

a little dirt in your teeth..."

1-15-12 - "Ice Age" ~ Big Snow Big Thaw

So like I said late (really late) Friday night, both artists at the early show at Club Cafe were pretty okay.  Pittsburgh band Big Snow Big Thaw set the stage for troubadour Jeffrey Foucault (see how I used a French-type word to describe a guy with a French last name?!?!), and this was their closing tune.


I really enjoy the dissonance and resolution, maybe it's just me.  But the lyrics are pretty intriguing, and maybe you'll enjoy pondering them even if you're not quite as enthralled by the unusual chord structure as I.


Here's a concert video I filmed at Friday's show:

And here's another one that someone got at Thunderbird early last year - the track isn't part of their Winter/Spring dual EP, but hopefully it'll be on the new album (due for release quite soon, rumor has it...)

"how the hell'd I get here,

hangin' in the lurch?

can't reckon if I done myself

or you done done me worse..."

PS - check out another sweet song from Friday's show on my YouTube channel - new one "Homestead Grays".  Might make it a post of its own someday...

1-13-12 - "Mesa, Arizona" ~ Jeffrey Foucault

(juuuuust under the wire on Pacific Standard Time, thanks to midnight (EST) hockey and uber slow YouTube uploading before I had to leave...)


It's a rare and beautiful thing when you go to a show to see one artist, and another artist on the bill blows you away.  Not to take anything away from local bluegrass-core outfit Big Snow Big Thaw, because they were the reason I was there and their set was great, but Jeffrey Foucault just floored us.  (Well, except for a few folks loudly talking in the back of Club Cafe... jags.)  Just a man, a sweet guitar, and a ridiculous beard (oh, and a legit hat), but what a show he put on tonight.


Something about Arizona makes for good songwriting... here's a taste of what went down:

And here's a "live in studio" performance (with slightly better audio than my video above):

"And the sun gone down
In the pale thin pink
There's no one to talk to
All I can think
Is your eyes are full of train smoke
And your mouth tastes like rain
And I know when I know nothing
I will always know your name..."

1-8-12 - "Innocents Abroad" ~ Meeting Of Important People

If you live in Pittsburgh and missed last night's Brillobox lineup, you should be ashamed.  Or at least saddened.  My first time seeing Whiskey Holler, a fun little outfit with some steel guitar, mini organ, and a hint of banjo.  1,2,3 closed out the night with a bang.  But I was most stoked for Meeting Of Important People's set, and they delivered as usual.


I snagged a couple of concert videos, including I Know Every Street (from their eponymous debut LP), a brand new track extolling the virtues of getting up and dancing (on the proverbial "floor"), and this one - a nod to Mark Twain, and according to the band, their "Pitchfork song."  


Here's my video from last night:

And here's the Draw Us Lines Echo Chamber video - you may recall (but likely don't) that last July, I typed out my internal debate as to whether to post this track or "Oh, Will You Finally Go?" Guess it worked out that I can now post my own concert vid plus this gem:

EDIT (3-2-12):  Here's a link to a video of Josh performing the song solo, which I filmed at the AIR gallery show on 2-18-12:

"and now I'm - I'm runnin' scared
my kitchen cabinets are bare..."

1-3-12 - "Snow" ~ The Zolas

I have several good reasons (at least in my own mind) to post this song tonight:


1)  Today was the first day with a legitimate snowfall in Pittsburgh since last winter.  Just my luck it was the morning I had to go to work... I swear, people in this city forget how to drive in inclement weather every summer.  But I love snow even when it means extra traffic headaches and waking up earlier to shovel.  It's better though when you can go sledding and whatnot, so who wants to quit our jobs and just enjoy the best part of the year, eh?


2)  One year ago today, I posted a song by The Zolas, and I love symmetry.


3)  There's an awesome video of Zach Gray playing the song with a children's choir singing along (the St. James Music Academy in Vancouver):


"Snow" ~ The Zolas featuring the St. James Music Academy Choir (on vimeo.com)


Along with the acoustic+kids video, here's the recorded version:

And a concert video, if that's more your thing:

"and it's hard not to call you
when it starts to cover the road
...'cause we kissed in the snow..."


PS - I found a sweet stripped down version of "Green Light" by Leisure (originally posted 8-26-11).  Check it out!

New Year, New Ideas

Time flies when you're having fun!  I had a blast this past year posting a song every day (ok, fine, I only managed to post 362 songs in 365 days - sue me!)  Many of the posts stemmed from surreal and amazing concert experiences, or time spent with close friends listening to and discussing the latest songs/artists/albums to blow our minds.  It became clear, however, that my writing method could sometimes eat up a lot of time, listening to a track repeatedly while dissecting the lyrics and whatnot.


As part of an effort to dedicate a bit more time to other endeavors this year (like working on some of my own music), I have decided that I'm going to back off a bit here.  I'll still try to post a song every day, or most days anyway; but you may get less exposition and insight.  It may be I post a link or video with little to no comment more frequently, and leave it to you to listen, decide if you like it, and do some research if you do enjoy the artist.


Conversely, I think there's something to be said for quality over quantity as well.  There are tons of great songs and artists out there, and I love discovering as many of them as possible and passing along the good word.  However, sometimes in the past year when I had a busy day, and it's late at night, and I haven't had a particular song catch my ear, I found myself throwing up a song that might not have been quite up to snuff.  Then again, since musical value is in the ear of the beholder (Willow Smith has a lot of fans, I hear), maybe it's not so bad if I post some songs that I personally only kind of like - maybe those songs will turn out to be some of your favorites.  Bottom line, I'm not going to worry about it too much if I miss a day here or there and only post when a song actually inspires me to do so.


At any rate, if you have enjoyed at least a few songs I posted in 2011, you should definitely put my blog in your Google Reader or whatever you use and check it out from time to time, but don't get heartbroken if a day or two goes by without a post.  If I let you down in that regard, check out sites like DrawUsLines (PGH music blog gurus), HughShows (PGH concert photos and more), or Tympanogram (Rochester, NY counterparts of the DUL crew).  All of these sites put more time and effort into providing quality AND quantity content on their sites than I am able to dedicate right now.


Even better, go exploring yourself and turn up some sweet new tunes, then pass them my way and yell at me to blog about them!


May 2012 be full of joy and love and awesome songs for all of us.


~ Matt

12-26-11 - "The Way I Will" ~ The Elms

Here's a little ditty by one of my all-time favorite bands, The Elms.  These guys rocked hard for the last decade, and this one was one of my favorites from their 2006 release, The Chess Hotel. It's just a little love song, with the slight twist that it's to a girl who's apparently...eh... otherwise engaged... but I'm sure she'll come around after hearing this:

From the band's final performance in their home state of Indiana:

Album version: The Way I Will (grooveshark)

"No, he won't bring you summer like the way I will
And he won't make you shiver like the way I will
And he won't love your mother like the way I will
And he won't last forever like the way I will..."

12-25-11 - "O Holy Night" ~ Josh Groban / Il Divo

This Christmas tune is a pretty tough one to pull off properly, but Josh Groban is not half bad at it.  My little brother insisted I consider Il Divo's version as well - the quartet definitely have pipes to pull this off, as does Groban.  Both artists treat the song with respect - not showboating, just hitting the melody smoothly and sweetly, as it was intended (I have the same complaints when people embellish too much on the Star Spangled Banner).  Il Divo does have the benefit of harmonic ability, which Groban of course lacks as a solo artist... but ultimately, both versions pass my rigorous critiquing.  Enjoy, and Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Joyful Festivus, and all that jazz!

12-06-11 - "Time" ~ Hans Zimmer

So I know I'm a little late on this, but tonight I watched "Inception."  It was a pretty wild ride, and lived up to the hype in my opinion.  I love a movie that works on the surface levels (action, drama, misdirection) while also requiring the viewer to think.  Christopher Nolan has proven to be adept at creating such films - from Memento to The Prestige to Inception.  The cast is pretty great; a list of actors such as Michael Caine, Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Leonardo DiCaprio - all names whose films I can't recall not enjoying, at least the ones I've seen.


Without giving away any spoilers, let me just comment that for someone musically inclined as I am, the soundtrack can be a crucial element in the satisfaction taken from a film.  Just as with the director and cast, Hans Zimmer has never let me down as a composer.  The scores comprising his body of work are numerous, including such great films as Cool Runnings, The Lion King, Muppet Treasure Island (I know, right?), Gladiator, The Last Samurai, the Pirates / Batman series... ok, you get the point, a lot of movies with great soundtracks.


So here's a live performance by Zimmer himself, and below is the recorded version:

I imagine it must be great fun to be privy to the deepest secrets of a movie script like this one, and to get paid to imagine the sounds that should accompany such events as are depicted therein...

12-04-11 - "My December" ~ Linkin Park

We've all gone through that phase where we were into rap metal, but for most of us it was quite a while ago that we got over it.  OK, so I say that tongue-in-cheek, because who ever really gets over it?  But seriously, maybe we haven't all done that, but we all experience changes in our musical tastes as we grow up and find ourselves at different stages in life.


All that to say, I haven't really kept up with Linkin Park, but apparently they have spent the last several years trying some different things stylistically, which I always appreciate in bands (as opposed to those who have one hit and spend decades writing more songs that sound exactly like that one.)  I'm not sure how well LP's first few albums have held up as I progressed out of my teen/college years, but I can still enjoy some of those tracks from time to time.  This particular song always did strike a chord for me, it's much more mellow and less intense musically than most of their stuff, but the simple lyrics pack a punch.  There's another side to the band besides the angsty, angry vibes of "Numb" and the Ecclesiastic nihilism of "In The End".


This song is about reflection, regret, and reconciliation.  The singer has made some major mistakes, which tore apart relationships.  He's realizing what he threw away and trying to make amends.  Hopefully most of you haven't had things fall apart quite that badly, but we've all said or done things which hurt family, friends, or lovers... 


Here's an acoustic / piano only version they've been doing in concert in recent years:

And here's the original version:

And while we're at it, Josh Groban (possibly the best male vocalist alive) covered the song, so you know it's legit:

(And yes, I posted this song in part to be cute and "oh snap it's a song about the current month!", like last night.  Also in part because my friend Josh tweeted some lyrics the other day.)


"This is my December

these are my snow covered dreams

this is me pretending

this is all I need..."

11-22-11 - "Paradise" ~ Coldplay

It's unlikely that tonight's post will be groundbreaking to you; most people have at least heard of Coldplay by now.  But their latest radio hit caught my ear today, so there you go.  I still feel like Parachutes and A Rush Of Blood To The Head are my fave albums by these guys, but they're consistently solid.


This track deals with the loss of youthful innocence and idealism; the realization as we move into our adult years that we're not all going to be pro athletes, astronauts, princesses, models, rock stars, the president, or whatever else we dreamed of in our youth.  Most of us end up shifting our paradigm and creating new dreams for which to strive.  Most of us endure hard times, but often we emerge stronger and discover a life that is better than the one we'd been imagining.  The truth is, life is what you make of it, and paradise is enjoying your life for what it is, not some far-off mystical perfection.


Live at Austin City Limits:

And here's an... interesting... music video.  I think you'll be able to see the correlation between the protagonist's plight and journey and the song's meaning.  Also, elephants on unicycles are arguably as awesome as hiphopopotamuses and rhymenoceroses.  Although I could do without the holding up of cardboard signs with song lyrics - that part is like some bad truck commercial.

PS - I love the dissonant chords at the end...

"So lying underneath those stormy skies

She'd say, 'oh…

I know the sun must set to rise'..."

11-17-11 - "Barton Hollow" ~ The Civil Wars

A while back, I blogged about a track by The Civil Wars which featured reticent instrumentation and somber, emotive vocals.  This track showcases their more rambunctious side, evoking the spirit of Cash with a tale of a man running from his past.


Like their slower songs, this tune features intricate harmonies.  It also makes use of dramatic dynamic shifts to great effect.  Check out the music video and a live performance (one of many you can enjoy via the internet - also look for the live SXSW, Jools Holland, and Leno versions):

"Miles and miles in my bare feet
still can't lay me down to sleep
if I die before I wake
I know the Lord my soul won't take..."

11-12-11 - "Sequestered In Memphis" ~ The Hold Steady

In honor of a show I didn't attend in Pittsburgh tonight, here's a track about, well, falling in with the wrong kind of girl, getting picked up by the cops for questioning, and... you'll catch on pretty quick, I'd imagine.  Some of my friends really love The Hold Steady, and I went to see them a while back last time they were in town, and they're not bad, but not my personal favorite style of music either.  Enjoyable performance, just not quite in my wheelhouse.  This one was my favorite song they performed.  Catchy rock tune with humorous lyrics and a nice background piano riff.  Check it:

"In bar light she looked all right

In daylight she looked desperate

That's all right, I was desperate too

I'm getting pretty sick of this interview…"

11-8-11 - "Machine" ~ Regina Spektor

Been a while since I posted some Regina Spektor.  This one falls somewhere near the middle of the Spektor Weirdness Scale - it has some odd vocal utterances and disturbing imagery, but isn't nearly as strange as certain other tracks ("Oedipus", "Aching to Pupate", I'm looking at you.)  I think my favorite thing about Spektor is she's absolutely unafraid to try new things, be herself, and just have fun with her songs.


The song starts with a driving piano rhythm, explodes with mechanical sounds, and features a sick string breakdown for the bridge.  The subject matter here is pretty heavy; I'll leave the details for you to work out on your own but the gist seems to be an homage to / railing against the technological age, or maybe some kind of futuristic dystopian world...

Several clutch live performances are online; here's one from House of Blues (Boston) to start you off:

(look for "Live in London", "Live Paris Bataclan", and "Bonnaroo 2010" for some other sweet ones - better video than this version but this one has that intimate venue feel)

And here's the album version, coupled with one of the most fitting fan videos I've ever seen.  The scenes are from Joss Whedon's "Firefly" and "Dollhouse" shows, and although I haven't watched Dollhouse, Firefly was great.

"I collect my moments

into a correspondence

with a mightier power

who just lacks my perspective

and who lacks my organics

and who covets my defects

and I'm downloaded daily

I am part of a composite..."

11-4-11 - "You Guys Are Gonna Wake Up My Mom" ~ Field Mouse

A few months ago, I saw a pretty swell show at Thunderbird.  I already told you a bit about it, as it featured local Pittsburgh favorites Big Hurry and new to me but quickly growing on me These Animals.  However, I hadn't gotten around to posting about the third band... until now.


Field Mouse, like These Animals, hail from NYC... Brooklyn, to be precise.  Field Mouse, like Big Hurry*, are a four-piece group with two dudes and two chicks.  Unlike Big Hurry, the chicks are lead vox and bass, rather than vox and drums.  Unlike These Animals, Field Mouse are a single specific species.  Their tunes could be classified as "dreampop", and in fact have been so classified.  This one's a new one, quite engaging, with lyrics worth pondering, and lo and behold, you can get it FREE on Bandcamp:





"all the fires I start
I'll put out on my own..."


* - more correctly, Big Hurry was a four piece outfit half comprised of ladies and half comprised of dudes.  But then Andy moved deep in the heart of Texas, and now the ratio is 2 / 1.  But hey, I was going based on the way things were in August, and trying for literary effect!
___________________________________________


EDIT 11-10-11:


OH SWEET, there's a music video all of a sudden!

10-23-11 - "A Ghost You've Known" ~ These Animals

This summer, I went to a show to see a favorite local band, and was introduced to some great music from New York City in the process.  These Animals came back to Pittsburgh to again share the stage with Big Hurry on Friday, and they were even better than before (maybe because I know the songs now).  Here's one of their songs, filmed at the show at Brillobox:

If you want to hear the song with less of the fuzzy concert reverb, check this studio session video:

And now for the album version:

A Ghost You've Known by theseanimals



"Drop me on a dime, count down from three
When I hit the ground, I'm running..."
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A quick word for lead singer Greg:  The 'stache makes the man.