"Elias" ~ Dispatch

Given my recent track record, and in the interest of more music and less of my ramblings, I'm going to try and post at least every other day, even if it means limited to no commentary.  As such, here's a track off of Dispatch's first release, "Silent Steeples".  The song has powerful roots, which you can learn about in the video below; if it interests you, you can also check out the band's charity, The Elias Fund, which was started to help a man in Zimbabwe provide education for his sons.

"Distance is short when your hand carries what your eye found..."

"All Sense Of Time" ~ David Wax Museum

David Wax Museum are coming back to Pittsburgh to play Club Cafe on Feb 2., a show for which I'm pretty excited.  This might be my favorite track from last year's release, "Knock Knock Get Up"... but it's a fantastic album, so that's a tough call.

I love that David sings most of the song in the low end of his register.  It's a dynamic you don't hear often, and it sets the track apart while drawing focus to the lyrics.

There isn't a lot of web presence for the song, but you can listen through the band's site, and/or check out this concert recording from last fall:

I find the lyrics to be quite powerful, so here they are in their entirety, taken straight from the band's website:

"How beautiful when it rains

You can hear the nighttime sing

It’s eight and then it’s nine o’clock

But I’m still somewhere in between 

Remember half the world

Sets out while half returns

It’s eight and then it’s nine o’clock

The sun has set but still it burns 

Look and see how everything

Dissolves and becomes one

It’s eight and then it’s nine o’clock

The whole night moves in unison 

May we lose all sense of time

May we be patient as a stone

All the time we’re given

Is given to us on loan"

5-7-12 - "Never Be Daunted" ~ Jaymay

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...)  

(source: collider.com)

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.

(source: scriptshadow.blogspot.com)

(cute kid, no?)

Anyway, I've spoken before about the impact a soundtrack can have 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.

"what are you so afraid of?

why are you feeling scared?

what's the worst that's gonna happen?..."

5-3-12 - "Carry On" ~ Fun.

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):

Fun. - The Ghost That You Are To Me from Record Store Day on Vimeo.


Another sweet acoustic version (marred slightly by a "watermark", unfortunately...)

Album version:

"And it's nice to know
when I was left for dead

I was found and now I don't roam these streets..."

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…"

2-11-12 - "Now We Are Free" ~ Hans Zimmer / Lisa Gerrard

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!

2-7-12 - "Glowing Mouth" ~ Milagres

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..."

PS - free download of the track on bandcamp! (and at least one more freebie if you poke around there...)


PS2 - check out the whole session on biguglyyellowcouch (including downloads of 3 tracks).  


PS3 - holy crap there's a Daytrotter session (also with free downloads!)  It's like freakin' Christmas in February!

2-1-12 - "Fog In The Valley" ~ Good Night, States

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:

"Fog In The Valley" ~ Good Night, States (from Vimeo.com, Draw Us Lines Echo Chamber Session)

"what i want more than silver

what i know i'm gonna wish i had

what i'd die and i'd kill for

some intimation that i make you glad..."

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.

1-11-12 - "We Are Young" ~ fun.

Like 1,2,3, these guys have a nigh un-googleable name: fun.  But man, they play some catchy tunes.  This one's been around for a bit, but I have not posted it yet, and it turns out the video is a free download on iTunes right now, so I was reminded of the awesomeness of the tune.


Regular:

Acoustic (this. is. legit.):

And, for anyone who's an intermediate pianist, here's a 2-minute tutorial from the band's keyboard dude, Andrew Dost:

"The moon is on the fly

I have no reason to run

So will someone come and carry me home...?"

1-7-12 - "Live Forever" ~ Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors

Sometimes a song just strikes you as genuine and sincere.  There's nothing particularly amazing about this song musically, but I'm drawn to it nonetheless.  Simple chords, simple lyrics, simple and heartfelt message - it works here.  Not every song has to be groundbreaking.  And you know any artists who have toured with The Avett Brothers have some musical chops, because Seth and Scott have impeccable taste.  Anyway, check it out, I think you'll enjoy:

"Sing me a song, sing me a melody

Sing out loud, you’re a symphony..."

1-4-12 - "Into The Sun" ~ The Parlor Mob

I'm going to admit that I found out about this band/song from a commercial.  But in my defense, it's a Pittsburgh Penguins commercial, and they're pretty awesome, so I feel like whatever hipster cred I may have had remains intact.  They're not an obscure indie band, anyway... they're a quickly-becoming-less-obscure rock band.


The Parlor Mob is named after a New York City gang which was one of many famous gangs in the late 19th and early 20th centuries - I give them points for a sweet historical nod there.  The song itself is blistering rock and speaks of clawing and fighting to make one's way in a challenging world.  

"Out of the darkness

and into the light of love

though for now it seems this struggle has only begun

I'm still believing

our day is gonna come

when we step out of the shadows and into the sun…"

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!

12-28-11 - "Sprawl II" ~ Arcade Fire

If you've been paying attention, you'll know that I love juxtaposition.  First, the word itself is something special.  Second, the contrast between joyful music and depressing / somber / provocative lyrics or imagery, or maybe satirical commentary on modern civilization, or just plain self-destructive tendencies.  This song is just that - if you listen to the tune without paying attention to the lyrics, it is inconceivable that you won't be dancing, or at least tapping your toes; but if you pay close attention, the song is about the never ending consumerism, drudgery, and mediocrity that is suburbia... not quite as cheerful as the sonic array would lead you to believe.  I choose to view the music as giving a hopeful edge to the lyrical bleakness, and lines like "dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains" do indicate the expanse of the blight, but "mountains beyond mountains" also rings of hope.  The phrase is partially a tribute to a book by the same name, by a doctor who has spent significant time in Haiti working with disaster relief efforts.  To quote the description: "At the heart of this book is the example of a life based on hope and on an understanding of the truth of the Haitian proverb 'Beyond mountains there are mountains' – as you solve one problem, another problem presents itself, and so you go on and try to solve that one too."  I have yet to read it, but it's high on my list for the new year.


If you want to dig deeper into the lyrics and their meaning, this one's a good one to pull up on songmeanings.net - complete with a plethora of comments discussing things.


Now for some fun.  Arcade Fire recently released an intense and awesome and epic (further superlatives escape me) website / interactive music video.  If you have a webcam, I highly recommend using it - and if you don't have a webcam, you can still experience (some of) the fun by clicking around during the song:

 Sprawl2.com 

(If you are lacking confidence in your dance skills and need inspiration, watch this and this first.  And if you're totally lame, you can watch the "traditional" version of the music video on the site instead of the interactive version...)


And just for you audiophiles or lovers of Arcade Fire, here are some live performances to further sate your appetite:


 (live studio acoustic session)

(New Orleans Jazz Festival 2011, with special guest Cyndi Lauper - yes, that Cyndi Lauper)

(different song, but had to include - the prelude to the above, in which Arcade Fire's encore began with a cover of Lauper's "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun"... featuring the original artist herself.  If you're clever, you'll watch this one *before* the above...)

(plain ol' music video, for you lame folks)

"They heard me singing and they told me to stop

quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock

sometimes I wonder if the world's so small

can we ever get away from the sprawl...?"

12-24-11 - "White Christmas" ~ Bing Crosby / The Drifters

This one likely doesn't need much explanation, but here's a bit of it anyway.  My family just watched "White Christmas" with Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and that other girl (the one with the brown eyes...)  It's a pretty entertaining old flick, which involves an unseasonably warm December in Vermont.  And no, a white Christmas is not looking promising here in PA this year... we'll just have to make do.  But the film features some snappy song and dance routines along with some witty one-liners:

"Well, now, isn't this cozy? Boy, girl, boy, girl..."

"You're not exactly Superman, but you are awfully available..."

"In some ways, you're far superior to my cocker spaniel." 

And of course, the finale is the titular song.  Here's Bing Crosby's famous / classic version (don't believe me?  The Guinness Book of World Records cites it as the best selling single of all time):

And here's a spiffy version by The Drifters, which you may recognize from Home Alone:

"...and may all your Christmases be white..."

12-22-11 - "Jerusalem" ~ Matisyahu

How do you blend strong convictions and awesome music?  How do you find a broad audience without watering down your message?  I'd say Matisyahu is a good example.

Matisyahu is a great example of an artist who has a polarizing worldview and unabashedly shares it in his lyrics, but his musical prowess is such that folks will listen even if they may not agree with his strong opinions.  Contrast this with some of the "Christian music industry", which are blatant rip-offs of whatever is popular at the moment, but aren't really very talented (let alone original).  I'm not condemning that, because there are certainly enough examples of riding the wave of pop (Britney beget Christina beget Jessica beget Mandy and so on... blonde bubble gum pop must have been selling, eh?  And for the record, despite her awful start with "I'm missing you like candy", Mandy Moore turned out to be IMHO the best of them all.  I mean, she dated JD on Scrubs and Andy Roddick, not to mention the gem of a cover of Rihanna's "Umbrella", which reminds me that her cover of Switchfoot's "Only Hope" is also legit...)

But we're here to talk about Matisyahu.  I love his style.  It draws from many influences without taking too much from any one source, it's upbeat and danceable, and it stimulates positive reflection and actions. Here's a jam which is both a call to action and a reflection on Jewish history:

And while I'm not quite as big on this version, here's a somewhat reworked (I won't quite say remixed) version:

"If I forget the truth then my words won't penetrate
Babylon burning in the place, can't see through the haze..."

12-17-11 - "Go Outside" ~ Cults

I suppose it shouldn't be shocking that a band by this name would put out a video based on one of the most chilling events in recent history - a mass suicide/murder by a group of people following a fanatical and charismatic leader.  The video's production is impressive, seamlessly inserting the band members into footage from the cult.  You can read a bit about the making of the video here.

Despite the depressing nature of the video's subject matter, I find the song itself encouraging.  The ultimate message is to live life to the fullest, not to "hole up" or "stay inside and sleep the light away..."  Take advantage of opportunities to see the world, spend time with loved ones, and don't take the little things for granted.  And especially, don't let negative or slothful people get in the way of your own enjoyment of this beautiful world.  At least, that's what I'm getting out of the tune...  

Just the song, without the NBC News commentary and whatnot:

Bonus:  The band is featured in a new holiday episode of Yo Gabba Gabba!, which apparently airs on Nick Jr. tomorrow evening.  So if you enjoy this song, be sure to tune in for that and trip out whilst watching a children's program... you know, if you're into that sort of thing.

"Yeah I know what's good 

Exactly those things night cannot behold..."

12-16-11 - "Coal War" ~ Joshua James

Presented with limited commentary:


Old-timey, folksy music is trendy in indie circles lately, but that doesn't mean it isn't great music (well, some of it).  I postulate that this is an example of the good kind of trendy old-timey folksy music.

Download the track for the price of an e-mail address on Joshua James' website! (and at least one more freebie if you click through to the site and poke around)

"I ain't cutting' my hair 'til the good Lord comes…"

12-14-11 - "Cathedrals" ~ Jump, Little Children

Here's a beautiful track from a group who are no longer together.  The subdued string section is woven together with the guitar for a tapestry to backdrop the powerful lyrics. The intensity of the longing to find meaning in life, and find "home", is staggering.  Probably you've had times when you felt that way; I know I have.  There's a lot about the world that is depressing, and even the masterpieces (man-made, like cathedrals, or natural) are prone to decay into entropy.  Yet, the beauty of these things gives us hope, and a desire to preserve the existing wonders of the world, and perhaps to create some new ones.


There are probably ties to human relationships here as well - home doesn't have to be a a physical location; sometimes it's finding the right group of people who make you feel comfortable and loved.


This unofficial fan-made video has some starkly contrasting visuals:

"In the shadows of tall buildings

Of open arches endlessly kneeling

Sonic landscapes echoing vistas

Someone is listening from a safe distance..."

12-05-11 - "Spider's Web" ~ Katie Melua

This one may require your thinking cap; the lyrics are weighty.  Or, you can just enjoy the somber melody over arpeggiated guitar and piano - it's quite lovely musically.


Katie Melua was born in Soviet Georgia, lived through the collapse of the Soviet Union, and immigrated to the UK at a young age in the aftermath of the Georgian Civil War in 1993.  Can't say as my childhood was quite that interesting, although we did move from Pennsylvania to Virginia when I was 6.  Like I said, not quite the same as experiencing a communist government and a civil war by 9 years old...


Melua has gone on to be one of the most popular recording artists in Europe, and songs like this show you why.  The subject matter is controversial, and at first listen you may find yourself questioning the message of the first verse, but Melua brings it together if you continue listening.  Hate begets more hate, as has been evidenced in countless situations throughout history.  It takes someone rising above the hatred to bring about a change in attitude, for love also begets love.  


Racism is pretty clear-cut in most cases, but in today's world there are a lot of gray areas on other moral, political, and personal issues - or at least there are a lot of things we convince ourselves are gray areas.  I don't want to get political, but I'm sure you know what I mean.


The ultimate message of the song is hopeful - yes, sometimes the difference between right and wrong is a hair, and sometimes it's difficult to know what is the correct path, but if we each seek to do right by each other, we can do our part to make the world a better place.  In so doing, we can better enjoy the "million colours" - both the literal, visual ones and the beauty of music.

"The piano keys are black and white

but they sound like a million colours in your mind..."

11-24-11 - "Wagon Wheel" ~ Old Crow Medicine Show

Holiday Quickie.  Here's a track that was cobbled together from the strains of a chorus composed by Bob Dylan.  Nostalgic and regretful, but with a hopeful attitude toward the future, the protagonist seeks redemption and rebirth as his journey to his hometown acts as a metaphor for his turning from evil, self-sabotaging ways and returning to his roots...

"North country winters keep a'gettin me

lost my money playin' poker so I had to up and leave

but I ain't goin' back to livin' that old life no more..."

"...and if I die in Raleigh, at least I will die free..."