Favorites From 2007

I hope that everyone had an amazing Christmas vacation for the past week or so. Mine was filled with brewery tours, townie bars, pizza, grilling out, and insane amounts of snow. So, it's getting towards that time of year where Alec and I have to pick our top albums of the year. However, just like last year there are some songs that I really liked on albums released in 2007 that just won't quite make the cut. Pick a few out, listen, and enjoy!

Mark Ronson - Valerie feat. Amy Winehouse

Super-producer Mark Ronson got it exactly right when he asked Amy Winehouse to sing this bouncy, soul-ish tune for his 2007 album Version. Backing strings, light piano comp-rhythms, and horn arrangements flesh the tune out, and the driving beat makes it perfect for almost any party.

Saves the Day - Get Fucked Up

After I couldn't handle singer Chris Conley's whine that was more nasally that usual on their last album, their 2007 follow-up Under the Boards was a pleasant surprise. They must be pissed about something throughout this whole disc, but you can't argue with the catchiness or sheer fun-factor of the tunes.

Alberta Cross - The Thief and the Heartbreaker

With only one EP to their name, this is a band that I hope to see much more of in the future. Playing a jangly style of rock, this song starts slow for about a minute, but give it time. It opens itself a bit with a long guitar chord and then breaks out with harmonized choruses and almost psychadelic-style guitars.

T-Pain - Bartender

This is my guilty pleasure song of 2007. Off his new release Epiphany, this was the one song I would consistently hear at bars and clubs that would make me want to get on the floor. It's not epic, it has a simple beat, and it uses synthesized voice (which I don't normally care for), but something about it makes me want to jump in the middle of all the grinding couples and get dirty myself.

The Avett Brothers - The Weight of Lies

This was the most interesting band of 2007 for me. Using primarily an acoustic guitar, a banjo, and an upright bass, this trio has incredible song-writing ability. Now the whole album isn't exactly my thing, but there are some great songs as this one with uplifting harmonies, some moments that make you daydream, and others that make you tap your feet under your desk.

Armor For Sleep - Smile for the Camera

AFS has one of my favorite albums ever with their 2003 release Dream to Make Believe. 2007 marks the year of their third album Smile For Them, and they really have yet to reclaim the magic they used to have. This tune is a straight-forward pop-rock tune that is a pretty fun one to play in the car. Nothing special, but I've had it spinning quite a bit as of late.

Enjoy!

-Kyle

Christmas time is here

It's hard to believe that its already Dec 21st. Granted the 60 degree temps here don't exactly go with the typical Holiday weather I'm used to. But regardless of where you are, it's still the Holiday season. And of course that means Christmas music. It's not my favorite type of music, but it does get me into the spirit for a couple weeks each December. Last year I posted on a couple of my favorite Christmas cds from Nat King Cole and posted a soul compilation of Christmas music as well. I would link those posts to tell you to go check them out if you're new, but let's face it we probably don't have any new readers. And also we switched file servers and those links are long since dead. I still recommend those artists though if you're looking for some quality Christmas music.

My post this year for Christmas music probably won't earn me a lot of music critic credit, but since I already posted on Ricky Martin this year, I say screw it. My music rec for the holiday season this year is a little Harry Connick Jr. That's right I said it.

Harry has fashioned himself in the style of some of the greatest singers of the early twentieth century, Sinatra, Crosby, Martin and all the rest. But Harry isn't anywhere near the singer that any of the original crooners were, and lucky for us he realizes that. Where the other old guys put out their Christmas albums chocked full of ballads that really just capitalized on their ridiculously smooth and full toned voices, Harry has to be a little broader, and he does that with one of my favorite musical additions; a horn section. He throws in a smoking big band horn section with some New Orleans stylings and suddenly his songs are reborn. There's a holiday fire in these big band style Christmas songs that just pumps energy. Sure, the songs are still kind of corny, but thats kind of inevitable with Christmas music.

Now of course there are some ballads, and really those are just tolerable. Harry doesn't have the tone to compete with the old boys, and he sings in a kinda goofy way a lot of the time. But I just skip past those songs, and between his two Christmas albums there's enough upbeat stuff to put together a decent holiday mix. So here's a couple of the songs from these two albums that I really like. This is holiday party music. It's Christmas music that's impossible not to tap your toe to. There's just too much swing, too many horn lines, too much damn Christmas cheer.

Harry Connick Jr - Sleigh Ride

Harry Connick Jr - Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

Harry Connick Jr - Frosty The Snowman

Harry Connick Jr - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

Harry Connick Jr - Santa Claus


Merry Christmas,
Alec

Saturday Afternoon Jazz

I've really been getting back into jazz over the past few months after being mostly soul and blues oriented for about a year now. Maybe it's because it's getting cold again, and I like the chilled out sound. Specifically I have been listening to an album called Just one of Those Things: Lionel Hampton featuring Oscar Peterson.

Oscar Peterson is my personal favorite jazz artist. I just love how he can play the piano in so many different ways. Sometimes he bombards you with note after swinging note, however never feeling overdone. Sometimes he lets the notes hang in the air allowing you to take a deep breath before he hits the next. And often times he provides the smooth and never overpowering backing to other jazz greats. He has an unmistakable style that sets him apart from all other jazz pianists, pushing those he plays with to swing harder, pull the sound out gentler, or just hop in and glide along with him.

Lionel Hampton is one of the world's most renowned vibraphonists (perhaps only after Johnny Lytle or Milt Jackson). His genius comes in the fact that he can turn 4 or 5 keys on the vibraphone into the most stunning solo. He's got rhythm, and he can voice so many things with so few notes in ways that nobody else with mallets can. I love listening to him because I used to play the vibes a little bit, and really appreciate how difficult it is to get the kind of reverbs and sounds he can draw from the instrument.

Here are a few tunes that I'm sure you will enjoy. Not only are they good introductions to jazz and fun to throw on at a classy dinner party, but they showcase two of the all-time greats.

Lionel Hampton and Oscar Peterson - Just One of those Things
This song starts out swinging with Oscar taking the lead. You can even hear his muted grunting and singing right behind his quick keys showing the passion that he has for playing. He then hands the song off to Lionel who begins with his signature 3 note rhythm solo. Breaking out of that, he takes you for a journey up and down the vibraphone that leaves you tapping your foot furiously as you try and keep up with his swing. You'll hear him groaning in the background as well as he just keeps pushing and pushing.

Lionel Hampton and Oscar Peterson - This Can't Be Love
They slow it down here as they play right along with each other. The vibraphone taking the melody, and the piano at first hanging out in back. Soon enough Oscar takes the forefront and showcases that he can not only swing it, but use dynamics to mold a song into his own.

Enjoy!

-Kyle

Calvin Harris

I've never been a huge techno/electronica fan, which probably has been pretty evident over the course of this blog. However, my post today on Calvin Harris somewhat falls under that category, and I'm writing about him for two reasons. 1) Plain and simple I like his music, he combines electronic and funk music into an infectious sound that is really just fun to listen to. 2) In order to somewhat make this a respectable music blog, its important to try and hit upon some artists who are quickly becoming something big, and I think Calvin Harris' popularity is only going to grow, and so its important to share his music now.

So who is Calvin Harris? He's a skinny white kid from Scotland who has a knack for creating energetic, fun electronica songs that have a heavy influence of funk style in them. These elements combined make for a unique music style that is already big in Europe and is beginning to make a name for itself over here. I first learned of Calvin Harris through random facebook wall postings, and only a couple weeks later heard a report from some friends in Europe that his stuff was playing in European clubs and that it was pretty popular over there.

I've really been drawn to his stuff because I think it offers a different perspective on electronic music, something that I've never really been in love with before. His addition of funk styles, as I've mentioned, plus influences of disco make for a sound thats more rhythmic and grooves better. In a way it kind of reminds me of a european version of Head Automatica, but instead of combining funk and disco with pop rock he's mixed in electronica.

Oh and if you need any more convincing, the album title is I Created Disco, just to give you an idea where he's going with the album.

Calvin Harris - Merrymaking At My Place
this is the money song right now, and if you are making a party playlist anytime in the near future this song should be on it

Calvin Harris - Neon Rocks

Calvin Harris - The Girls


-Alec

Big D and the Kids Table

Last night I was able to catch my favorite live band, Big D and the Kids Table, here in Pittsburgh. Big D comes from Boston, MA, always plays an incredible show with tons of energy, and always manages to injure something of Alec or mine whether it be a cellphone or three of Alec's, a few ribs, or a jaw.

Big D's live show normally thrives on raw energy from the band, and chaos in the crowd. The lead singer is constantly bouncing around the stage or on top of the crowd, the bass player is head banging with priceless facial expressions, and the lead guitarist has plenty of solos that make the crowd wiggle many fingers his way. And that doesn't even include the horns, which is what really separates this band from most other garage punk bands. They have style. Parts ska, parts rock, parts punk, and partially insane is what makes this band so much fun. And this last time I saw them, they seemed more polished than ever. Here is a cross-section of their work, which I hope you really enjoy.

Big D and the Kids Table - Wailing Paddle
I'll begin with 'Wailing Paddle' which starts with a lumbering bass line that is sped up by the introduction of a backbeat guitar line. It builds into a mosh-inducing pre-chorus that crashes into the chorus with everybody jumping up and down 'playing the rolls away'.

Big D and the Kids Table - Can't Be Caught
If that little taste of fun didn't quite do it for you, we go on to level 2 with a more traditional ska tune in 'Can't Be Caught'. Opening with horns and ska guitar, containing a sing-a-long chorus, and bouncing the whole way, this song is mad fun.

Big D and The Kids Table - L.A.X.
On to the absolute, hands-down crowd favorite, 'L.A.X.'. If you have ever heard more F-bombs in a song, please let me know. The lyrics are great. Apparently they don't like L.A. that much. And last night, right around 2:06 into the song I timed a jump in the middle of the pit right when he yells 'bleeding'. I may or may not have pretty much crushed an 18 year old boy that ran right under me.

Big D and The Kids Table - Chicago
Lastly, a chill tune if you hated the first three. The horn line was lifted from an old Coltrane tune, and it is named after a city quite dear to me.

-Kyle

Couple Things

Happy belated Thanksgiving to everyone. Today's post is a bit thrown together but I have just a couple songs I'd rather share than featuring a particular artist.

To start, here are a couple tracks that have leaked from Lupe Fiasco's upcoming album Lupe Fiasco's The Cool. I got a hold of these a couple weeks ago but never got around to post them. The first track is the first single from the album titled "Superstar" and features Matt Santos on backing vocals. The second track I thought was going on the album, but right now it's not listed on the tracklist on Wiki (you know, the ultimate source for music information). Either way I really like the song, its titled "Can You Let me Know?" and has a catchy but unique beat that has become representative of his style. Lupe has really risen in my eyes as an mc and my expectations for this album are pretty high, so hopefully he doesn't disappoint. His ability to add depth musically and lyrically to his songs is amazing and while his sound might not be radio friendly enough to put him with the other mega rapper stars, I think he has the talent to belong.

Lupe Fiasco - Superstar

Lupe Fiasco - Can You Let Me Know?

And if you liked Kanye West's remix of Daft Punk's "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" then you should really like this track which combines another popular French techno song reworked with American hip hop artists. This time it's Justice's "D.A.N.C.E." featuring Mos Def and Spank Rock. Its a catchy track that will get the people dancing in no time, just as the title might suggest.

D.A.N.C.E. feat Mos Def and Spank Rock


- Alec


Oh an finally there's this band, which musically didn't impress me at all, but I gotta admit that I love their band name

At the Foot of My Rival

I call the New Amsterdams my favorite band to anyone who asks me. Here is my reasoning. Do you know that feeling when you feel like you are sick of every cd you own and just want to hear something, anything new? Well, I get it every now and then, and when it happens I always seem to go back to a New Amsterdams CD. It doesn't matter how sick I am of my other music, I never seem to get sick of them.

A few months ago, they released their newest album At the Foot of My Rival without any fanfare behind it at all. The way in which it was released actually fits the album quite well. 'Revenge' starts the album off very subtly with a guitar line that sounds like it was recorded on a laptop computer, accompanied by a muted singing enhanced by harmonies during single words throughout. 'Wait' quickly breaks in with a full-sounding guitar and backing bass, like somebody just turned the lights on. Matt Pryor's voice is still a touch subdued, but you can really get a feel here of what they are going for throughout the album. It feels like a bunch of friends are sitting in your room and singing stories about their past experiences. It means a lot to them as evidenced by the wailed harmonies, but yet there's still a familiar and comforting vibe.

'Hughes', my favorite track off the CD has a similar feel to the album opener with the simple guitar. Here, a slide guitar sweeps over the top, and a sweet-sounding chorus brings some subtle banjo pickings in as well. My other favorite 'Fortunate Fool' rekindles the fuller sound and warmth of most of the other tracks, while keeping the mood nice and soft. When you are sick of your music, give this one a shot.

The New Amsterdams - Wait

The New Amsterdams - Hughes

The New Amsterdams - Fortunate Fool

-Kyle

Blue Scholars

I should probably be letting Kyle write about this group since this was his discovery, but I'll be honest and admit that a lot of the stuff we write about here is first discovered by him; he has more patience to sift though shitty to find good groups than I do. My role is more of a filter, a second opinion to see if a group really has a good sound. That being said, this post is about a very interesting and unique group out of Seattle.

Blue Scholars is a conscious hip hop group out of Seattle, Washington. When I say a unique group, I mean just that. Besides coming out of the pacific northwest, a region known much more for its grunge and alt rock scene than hip hop gives them a unique perspective. But its the two members of Blue Scholars that truly define who they are. The mc of the group Geologic is of Filipino descent and the dj, Sabzi, is of Iranian descent and adheres to the Baha'i faith.

Take their background and throw in a laid back west coast style and some socially conscious lyrics about the grind of the life of the common man and you've got Blue Scholars. All these factors came together in their 2007 release Bayani, which interestingly enough is titled after a Baha'i prayer. Its a very strong album that touches on a range of topics as Geologic rhymes over the well crafted beats of Sabzi. Their style in general is very laid back, and features several songs that have slower tempos and a relaxed feel to them. This creates an interesting canvas for Geologic who often features very charged lyrics that flow over these chill beats which works well in that it forces the listener to focus more on what is being said.

Here are a couple tracks to check out from Bayani. These guys have a great sound and even though I wasn't immediately drawn to them, after a couple listens I really found myself being pulled in by their powerful heartfelt sound. My particular favorite is "Still Got Love", whose jazz trombone solo (as weird as that sounds) at the end was really the first thing that got me to listen to them more. Its a nice reference to the early jazz influences in hip hop.

Blue Scholars - Ordinary Guys

Blue Scholars - Still Got Love

Blue Scholars - North By Northwest


-Alec

Defending a Genre

Last week Say Anything released its follow up to 2004's ...Is A Real Boy, the beautifully constructed indie rock opera that catapulted the LA band onto the national stage. Their latest release, In Defense of the Genre is an album sculpted along many of the same lines, but as a 27 song double disk there's even more to the show this time.

I had absolutely no expectations for this album, which was my own doing as I refused to think or read about it until I had a chance to listen. I did this because its just impossible to really know what makes the band tick and where their drive and inspiration for this album would come. The main reason for this lies with frontman Max Bemis, who is bipolar, which is a medical term for bat shiat crazy. Listening to ...Is A Real Boy you really get an understanding of just how out there his mind is, but what's refreshing is the openness with which he writes. Say Anything's songs are arguably some of the most honest out there, as Bemis hides nothing and shys away from no topics or points.

So where does In Defense of the Genre fall? That's a tough question, and honestly I don't think I can answer that yet. It takes me awhile to really digest their songs, more than most other bands for me, and coupled with the length of the album its gonna take a while to get a real opinion on the album. There are songs that I have really started to enjoy, and some which I think aren't as strong, but that's about all I can say right now. This album could end up in my top 5 for the year, or it might not even come close.

I know my description is pretty lame, but I just wanted to post on this album while it's fresh and post a couple of the tracks that have stood out for me so far, especially since I'm not really in love with the first single they've chosen. So here are a couple of the tracks I've started to really dig and hopefully you will too, and then check out In Defense of the Genre.

Say Anything - No Soul
Feels like a continuation of "Admit It" but with the added bonus of a Notorious BIG sample, or James Mtune if you wanna get technical

Say Anything - That is Why
'50s era tune that sounds like it should be in the movie Grease, except for with a modern twist

Say Anything - Spores
" You know I still know how, how much your love costs.
You know when I peel back your layered lip gloss.
You know I still know how to fuck your eyes crossed.
It's your loss.
It's your loss."

Say Anything - Church Channel
Interesting song dealing with Max's mental health problems and the compassion of a girl


There, I did my best. Really all I can say is check out the album for yourself, because there's a lot to it. Old Say Anything fans should find a band that has expanded its horizens, but not lost sight of its roots, and I think people who are new to Say Anything will find a very unique band that meshes a range of styles into a sound that mixes well with the eclectic and interesting lyrics written by Bemis.

-Alec

Sharon Jones and Neo-Soul

The Neo-soul movement has been making some real headway lately, and at the forefront has been Amy Winehouse, and her smash album Back to Black. Now Ms. Winehouse is a great singer and I love her album, but my favorite artist in this whole movement is Ms. Sharon Jones. She tours and releases albums under her name along with her backing band...Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings. In fact, the Dap-Kings were the same band that was hired to record Back to Black for Amy Winehouse (produced by Track Nine fav Mark Ronson). That was a nice one-time thing, but Sharon Jones gets to take advantage of their soul all of the time.

100 Days, 100 Nights is the new album that was just released by Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings just a few weeks ago. Get it. Now. If you are not bobbing your head and tapping your foot by the time you are 20 seconds in...you have negative soul. Her previous album, Naturally, is real solid as well, and either are a great introduction not only to Sharon Jones, but neo-soul if you haven't heard it, and hell, maybe it will get you into the old-school soul music that influences so much of what we listen to today.

'How Long Do I Have To Wait For You' is a track off of Naturally that begins with a drum break, then the horns kick in with a muted guitar rhythm that complements very well. From the first note you can tell that Sharon's voice hearkens back to the old soul singers that were so popular (see Inez Foxx, Clea Bradford perhaps...). Nobody's Baby' is a track off of the new album 100 Days, 100 Nights. It's a little more sultry than the first, as Sharon sings with a bit more sass, which suits her quite well. Just as catchy, just as good. The last track is called 'Be Easy' which has an off-beat feel to it. A bit more subdued than the first two, this is one to stroll along with on your iPod.

Hope you enjoy the soul!

-Kyle

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings - How Long Do I Have To Wait For You

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings - Nobody's Baby

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings - Be Easy

In or out?

I'm kind in a bit of tight spot with regards to things to post about right now. I just got a bunch of new albums from bands that I like but haven't had enough time to really listen to them enough yet to the point where I want to post on them yet. But at the same time I've been striking out with new music lately and haven't found anything thats really grabbed my attention. So instead I'm just gonna present several of the groups that are in my "maybe" spot right now where I just can't tell how good they are yet. These are just gonna be links cause I don't have anything downloaded from these groups yet.

The Guggenheim Grotto - These guys are probably the best group out of the ones in this post. An alternative/indie group with influences of folk and touches of pop that craft come pretty cool tunes. And their Irish, which is sweet. If they wrote a song about Guinness then they'd definitely be in.
Be sure to listen to - Told You So

Edison Glass - This Long Island group has a nice sound that fits in that indie/pop region that I tend to like. Their sound is nothing revolutionary, but they manage to be unique in a way.
Be sure listen to - Let Go

State and Madison - These guys just make me think of Gatsby's American Dream, one of my all time favorite bands and crafters of 2005's runaway number one album Volcano. SAM is still pretty unpolished and are in need of some better producing, but they have some talent. If they make it big there's a decent chance they'll sign to a label that will push their sound to a more generic poppy side, which was what Gatsby's always managed to avoid. But for now they're still pretty raw.
Be sure to listen to -A Waltz

Peter Adams - "violin-soaked punk folk rock" is how Mr. Adams bills himself. I guess if his music career doesn't pan out he can just be a publicist for some other band. He's got all the tools needed to create music that college students eat up, but does he do enough with them?
Be sure to listen to - Cementalisque


Should these groups be in or out? That's what I'm trying to decide right now, and I guess its for you to decide as well. Feel free to post comments if you particularly like/dislike any of them.

-Alec

My Favorite Canadian Artist: Neil Young

I just spent the past weekend with our neighbors to the North at Queens University in Kingston, Ontario. Here are a few things to note about Canada. 1) They do say 'eh' as much as you think they do, I was laughing at their speech all the time. 2) They seem to do the same amount of stupid shit that American college kids do aka flipping over boats, a game that involves slapping each other in the face with an OJ jug, and lighting fireworks in the middle of an insanely crowded street. 3) They may have the best drunk food ever, and it's called Poutine. Take fries, intersperse melty cheese curds throughout, and top with warm gravy. Delicious. 4) It is really cold. And last but not least 5) They produced one of the greatest songwriters of our parents' and our generations...Neil Young.

Young began with Buffalo Springfield, then hooked up with CSNY, and all the while developing his own solo career. I'm sure that you can read more about Neil Young, and hear more from people much more knowledgeable about him than I...so I'll let most of his history slide to your own research. Young released my personal favorite album of his, Harvest, just after CSNY broke up in 1970.

Harvest, which is probably one of my top 5 albums of all time, opens with a great track called 'Out on the Weekend' which brings in a lazy harmonica, and a line that makes you want to start a new life with a pickup as well. Some people get turned off by Young's higher-pitched voice, but after a few listens you'll realize how striking and solid it really is. After the first track brings you into Neil Young, check out his biggest hit 'Heart of Gold.' From the first 3 chords, every dad in America will know this tune. The harmonica then kicks in, and you will realize that it's an instant classic. It's a good song to listen to as the leaves turn colors and fall off the trees...or harvest-time...hey, how about that. The third song here is called 'Old Man', which tells a little story from the perspective of a 24 year old who has so much more to see. The banjo adds quite a nice effect before the soaring harmonies in the chorus. So learn some lessons, listen to some of the best music ever, enjoy autumn, and take a trip to Canada.

Neil Young - Out on the Weekend

Neil Young - Heart of Gold

Neil Young - Old Man

-Kyle

The Evolution of a Band Part IV: Rory Allen Phillips

It was really too bad when Slowreader disappeared into nothing....kind of like it arrived. But out of it came Rory's thirst to still make music. Now, Rory (the brainchild behind the whole evolution) had been gaining momentum as a producer over the years that he had some downtime.

So, what did he do? Rory decided to re-release a few b-sides (totally revamped and reproduced) and new songs from his earlier years in a free downloadable CD. He did all of the instrumentation and production himself, and released it as kind of a 'demo cd'. However, it's pretty damn good. Rory reverts back to a more rock-oriented feel with perhaps a few disco-ish touches on his new demos. A few are posted below.

'Invisible' begins with an electronic feel accompanied by Rory's soothing voice. It bounces along until the chorus where he really begins to let loose and show a grittier, rock side. And just as soon as it explodes, it's back to a smooth, bouncy rhythm. That is, until the next chorus. 'Hope' is pretty much a straight up pop tune where the chorus will have a hard time leaving your head. 'Love Won't Be Enough' is probably my personal favorite, with interesting drumming, and vocals that fade in and out quite nicely. Rory now has a full band that tours with these songs and others....so if you can catch the last remnants of the Impossibles....do it. Hope you enjoyed the evolution!

-Kyle

Rory Allen Phillips - Invisible

Rory Allen Phillips - Hope

Rory Allen Phillips - Love Won't Be Enough

Flight of the Conchords

You know starting life over in a new city with hardly any real possessions is more of a challenge than I was expecting. Not to say its been difficult, but man it takes a long time to get everything set up, which is a shame cause that's time I could be using to listen to music. Anyways, since I haven't really listened to much lately as I've only now got a desk (thank you IKEA) and my speakers set up, I'm doing another half-assed post. This one still will rec some music, but in a different form.

Flight of the Conchords, billed as New Zealand's 4th most popular folk parody duo, made their television debut this year with the premiere of their series on HBO. I know this is old news, but now that the season is over I thought it would be good to go back and look at some of their songs and why I think they're not only talented musicians, but also great comedians who put on a hilarious show.

The basic premise of the show follows the struggles of the band Flight of the Conchords, comprised of Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie, as they try to make it big in New York. The show is pretty similar to a British comedy with clever dry wit and awkward situations, but also adds a musical touch as the guys often break into song during the episode; singing about the situations they encounter. Though they bill themselves as more of a folk band in the show, the songs they actually perform span a wide range of musical genres, and I think its a big show of their talent to be able to write in so many different formats.

I initially was not a fan of the show, and especially the songs. But after going back and watching a couple more episodes I found the humor in it and really began to love the show. The combination of songs they perform along with the themes and situations they develop make for a pretty funny show, and I think it will continue to grow in popularity. So for this post I'm just putting up the links for a couple youtube videos that I think show some of their best work.

Like I said the show's first season has ended, but you can catch the episodes OnDemand on HBO, or if you don't have access to HBO, the Season 1 DVD comes out November 6th. So check out the show if you haven't seen it yet, and I'll try to actually get to some real music sometime soon now that I'm getting settled in.

Flight of the Conchords - Business Time

Flight of the Conchords - If You're Into It

Flight of the Conchords - Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros

Flight of the Conchods - The Humans are Dead
from a live conert

Flight of the Conchords - Sello Tape



-Alec

The Evolution of a Band Part III: Slowreader

Tensions between the drummer and the rest of the Impossibles hit a breaking point. Pat was kicked out of the band, a replacement drummer was brought in for what the Impossible called their last tour ever. The Impossibles as we know them ended with a show in Austin, TX in June of 2002. However Rory and Gabe, the brainchildren behind the Impossibles, still had the itch to make music. Soon after the breakup, they began writing demos in their tiny apartment in Austin for a new concept called Slowreader and released in late 2002 a self-titled album.

Slowreader seemed to complete the transformation and maturation of Rory and Gabe. Their new take on music was much more atmospheric, with light guitar strumming, breath-y vocals, and sparse key arrangments floating in, out, and around the basic melodies. Gabe takes over all singing duties this time, and really softens his voice to fit the new style. Sometimes it feels like he is quietly crooning in the corner of your room, and other times like his voice is cascading down from the ceiling as you lay in bed.

Honestly, I really didn't like this CD when I first listened to it. I wanted more Impossibles, more rocking, more to dance to. About 2 years after this CD was dropped, I came back to give it another shot. And I will say without question that it is one of my top 10 or 15 favorite albums of all time. Lay back and take it in, breathe with it, close your eyes, and perhaps fall asleep to it. Here are a few songs.

The first is 'Every Part of Nothing', which is the most upbeat on the album. It kicks of with some light strumming, while an easy drum beat kicks in during the first verse. Gabe lets his voice sail smoothly on it's own until Rory adds some harmonies in the choruses. The production has some nice electronic stylings that keep the song pushing ever so slightly. 'Anesthetic for the Amputee' is a personal favorite of mine. I'm not really sure why I like it so much. Maybe the emo-ish lyrics, maybe the catchy chorus, maybe because it's well done. The last track is 'Fallen on the World'. This track is one I was talking about earlier that falls down from the ceiling. Lay in bed and listen, and enjoy. Also, compare with old Impossibles and new Impossibles...interesting, eh?

Slowreader - Every Part of Nothing

Slowreader - Anesthetic for the Amputee

Slowreader - Fallen on the World

Concert Review: The Format, Limbeck, Steel Train

Time to backtrack a little here to a concert tour that rolled through the midwest earlier this month. I'm surprised we forgot to write a review on this, but somehow it slipped through the cracks even though Kyle and I both saw it in different cities.

The tour featured The Format as a headliner backed by Limbeck, Steel Train, Piebald, and Reuben's Accomplice. The core lineup of Format, Steel Train, and Limbeck is one of my favorite to see, and I think a great example of bands with similar styles getting together to put on a great show. The show opened with Reuben's Accomplice who played a decent set but nothing spectacular.

Steel Train, who we wrote about earlier this winter, has finished their style change and have completely shed their jam band roots now. We've already covered this before, but I just wanted to point out that their old style is now officially dead, and if you never got a chance to see it you missed out cause it was a hell of an experience.

Limbeck played another great set. I love how simple these guys' approach to music is, and really their only goal with their sound is to make songs that you love to listen to. I've written about them before, but since then I've picked up their third release, Limbeck, and it's a really good album. It's better I think than their last release Let Me Come Home, so I'm gonna post a couple new songs from them.

Limbeck - Big Drag

Limbeck - Sunset Limited


And finally there was The Format. As the headliners they did everything expected; they just got up there and played the music they play so well. Lead singer Nate Ruess's voice soared over the crowd, which was difficult where I saw them, a very small venue filled with people who knew every word to every song. I was somewhat surprised to see how many people knew their second album Dog Problems so well. While its a good album, I don't think it compares to Interventions and Lullabies. Their show has expanded now as well to include a larger touring band and even a horn player. This helps give them a fuller and broader sound, which is something more evident on Dog Problems. I wouldn't say that this detracts from their sound at all, but honestly I don't think its necessary either, the strength of their song writing abilities is enough to propel their music.

Even though I saw them in a small venue, most of the tour was in much larger venues, and I think this is evidence of Format's growing popularity and their leap to the next level. I don't know if they'll ever be Top 40 material, but they've got the sound that transfers well to mainstream so I wouldn't count them out. And just in case you're not a Format fan, here's a couple songs to get you started.

The Format - The First Single (Cause a scene)

The Format - Time Bomb


-Alec

ps - never saw Piebald, $3 pitchers at the downstairs bar were just too tempting

The Evolution of a Band Part II: Post-breakup Impossibles

As The Impossibles parted ways in 1998, the members all went in their own directions. Rory, the real brainchild behind the band continued to play for bands such as Animal Chin and The Stereo, while Gabe Hascall continued to write music on his own. In 2000, both had hit a bit of a roadblock and reunited in Austin, TX (the birthplace of the Impossibles). They decided to 'get the band back together' with a few new demos that Rory and Gabe collaborated on. Craig, the bass player, left his band Cruiserweight to rejoin, and drummer Pat came back as well.

The new style of the Impossibles was a more in-your-face style of rock and roll. With their new record, Return, gone were the ska-influences (much to the chagrin of old-school fans), and here were crunchy guitars, feedback, and some yelling at the mics. Listening to the tunes from their earlier years and comparing them to what they were now shows how a band can mature. More poignant lyrics, not singing along with the guitar lines, fun breaks, and room for the members to really showcase their style of rock are what The Impossibles now brought to the table. I really enjoy Return as an album. It's very obvious to feel what they were trying to get at and how they were trying to reinvent themselves. The loyal fanbase accepted the album after they spun it a few times, and the Impossibles seemed to be more popular than they ever were before the break-up.

Now, Gabe and Rory really didn't care for their drummer come 2002, so they decided to get a fill in drummer for what they called their final tour which ended in Austin, TX. Here was the end of the Impossibles as a band. Before they broke up, they did release one more 4 song EP called Brick Bomb that many critics called their best work. I have posted 3 songs below. The first two, 'Never Say Goodbye' and 'Hey You Kids' are from Return, and they really display the rocking out that the Impossibles began to emphasize. Guitar solos mixed in with harmonies during the choruses dominate, while strong guitar lines provide an always-strong background. The last tune is from Brick Bomb, and it is a bit more subdued, yet still holds the quiet intensity that songs on Return really had going for them.

Compare with their old stuff, and enjoy! Which do you prefer? Did they get back together a third time? Hmm...

The Impossibles - Never Say Goodbye

The Impossibles - Hey You Kids

The Impossibles - Disintegrationisthebestalbumever

Kanye West Graduates

When we first started writing this we did a couple album reviews, but never really got back to them, I think partially because that it seems unnecessary to write about music everyone has already heard of. However, I want to write about Kanye's newest release Graduation for a couple reasons. 1) I'm in the process of moving and haven't really developed any other posts to write about. And more importantly 2) Kanye has been key in expanding the audience of hip hop to new areas and I think what he creates (good or bad) is very important in the world of music.

Graduation is Kanye's third release, and he is working under high expectations, both from critics and himself alike. Kanye has been very influential on me and was really one of the reasons I started listening to a lot more hip hop and rap. What I have always loved about him is his ability to draw from so many influences into his music. He creates rap songs that use sped up soul samples, string arrangements, and drum beats all blended together, and I think really pushed the ideas of production in the hip hop community to a new level back in the beginning of the decade. Lyrically he also has a knack for creating unique songs which often touch upon topics that are ignored by most other rappers.

So how does his new album fit in with these ideas? In short, I think Kanye has put together another great album. Despite some people who had told me that it wasn't very good, I tried to listen with an open mind and found that there are some damn good tracks. No there aren't the evocative, powerful songs from his previous albums such as "Jesus Walks" and "Diamonds", but there are still some great tracks.

I like to look at this album in two ways, one with Kanye as a producer and the other with him as a rapper. As a producer I think he has kept up his game, and the beats he has created are still up to his usual standards. Where the album lacks a little is in the lyrics and rapping. Kanye has never been the greatest MC, but has made up for this with creative lyrics. I was less impressed by the lyrics of the album and rhyming of this album compared to his previous efforts.

I think this album will go down as acclaimed by critics, do well in sales, but be pretty well ignored by the college crowd that first brought him to prominence years ago and who believe he has become over hyped and lost his touch.

To sum it all up, I think there's a great album here, not as good as College Dropout but comparable to Late Registration (Not top 10 rap album all time like Kanye said either). There are a couple pretty weak tracks which is unusual for Kanye's standards, but nothing too bad. I'm posting some of my favorite tracks thus far, and I definitely encourage you to give them a listen, especially since I think some of the singles released so far are not the best representation of the album.

Kanye West - Champion

Kanye West - The Glory

Kanye West - Bittersweet Poetry

The evolution of a band: Part I - Early Impossibles

It has always fascinated me how bands and songwriters constantly evolve and reinvent themselves. Some fans love how a band evolves, 'matures', and keeps them on their toes. Other fans accuse bands of 'selling out', 'losing their identity', or 'just sucking' with their later albums. Well, for my next couple of posts I will take you on a journey that will chronicle mostly one guy, Rory Phillips.

To be honest, the Impossibles were the first independent band I ever got into. Max played them one day while we were fixing some speakers in 'theater' at school. And I was like 'holy shit, these guys are cool.' Max and I ended up going to their last show in Milwaukee, which was actually my first real concert. We went in the pit, got sweaty, belted out the lyrics, and left with ringing in our ears. From then on I was hooked to constantly listening to new music, going to shows, and talking about it with buddies. Now I'm a big dork and write about it too.

The Impossibles had been a band from '94-'98 and then broke up. When I first heard them, I wanted to go to their show, but Max sadly told me that they had broken up. I was stuck with their only real CD...Anthology. So what was better as an adolescent high school kid than cheezy lyrics about things like teddy bears and magic eight balls, ska guitar riffs, and sing-a-long choruses. Nothing. Well, the Impossibles had it.

The first posted track is the one that started it all....and it is about that said magic eight ball. My English teacher in high school asked me to bring in a song to analyze how people can use music as well as poetry to convey important feelings. I brought in this one, and the lesson pretty much flopped because there is only so much one can say about dice in a plastic ball. The second track, 'So Much', showcases their early ska sensibilities. The ska guitar riff, simple drumming, and languid singing lead into a bangin chorus that gets the mosh pit going. Just imagine losing your pre-pubescent voice shouting the chorus while getting smashed between a 300 pound dude and a punk chick. Can't ask for much more. The last tune displays the rockish-side that made us 16 year olds feel pretty badass. 'The Week of August First' was one to jump on your bed and sing in your room with a broken drumstick as your mic.

So, pretend you are still in High School....dumb down your music sensibilities, and love the early Impossibles for what they were. Enjoy!

The Impossibles - Eightball

The Impossibles - So Much

The Impossibles - The Week of August First

The Best Band That Never Was

That was the title Kyle and I bestowed upon a little known Buffalo, New York rock band called Silhouette. Kyle first found these guys on the internet back freshman year and quickly turned me onto their infectious style of rock. Their songs are extremely catchy and well crafted in a style that I think can just simply be described as rock. They have heavy guitar riffs with soaring melodies and hooks in their songs that blend together to create great songs. Really, they have two of the things that I look most for in rock music and that is lots of energy and also memorable and catchy songs. Plain and simple they make songs that you can rock out to and sing along to at the same time.

Now back to the story. So we picked up the couple songs they had one purevolume and listened to them continuously while waiting for Silhouette to get signed and put out an album. The year came and passed and Silhouette put out a couple more songs on the internet, but yet no record deal. Then tragedy struck and the band decided to call it quits, sometime sophomore year I think. Anyways they broke up, never to be heard from again. Here we are a couple years later now and all that we're left with is the 7 demo songs we were able to get off the internet and wonders about what could have been. Hence, the best band that never was.

I'll never quite know why these guys couldn't get signed. They had the musical talents, the song writing abilities, the marketability, and most importantly amazing energy. I just get energized every time I listen to their songs, and the thought of being in the pit for one of their shows just gives me chills, too bad it'll never happen.

Normally we just post a few highlight tracks in order to show off the abilities of the bands we're writing about. But since Silhouette is no more, I'm just gonna go ahead and post all 7 of the songs I have. This was kind of a rainy day post, because I've been busy moving and such and haven't really listened to too much new stuff, so I wanted to go back and feature an older (and extinct) band. So check them out, and if you like them then please enjoy these 7 songs, cause that's all you're ever gonna get.

Silhouette - House of 1000 Cobras

Silhouette - Smokescreen

Silhouette - Part Of Life

Silhouette - Cosa Nostra

Silhouette - Speaking In Vowels

Silhouette - The Fuse

Silhouette - Rock, Paper, Beartrap

I think my personal favorites would be Speaking in Vowels, House of 1000 Cobras, and maybe Part Of Life, but in truth I really love them all.


-Alec

What is Mae

Alec and Mike just dropped by Pittsburgh this past weekend, which was really awesome. We drank Miller Lite from dixie cups, watched a 55 year old lady take a hit of ganja at a Wailers concert, bar-hopped around Carson Street, and caught a Pirates game in which there were 10 runs before there were 7 outs. What does this have to do with music? We also saw a pretty cool show put on by Dear and the Headlights, As Tall As Lions, and Mae.

Dear and the Headlights was my personal favorite, putting together a nice mix of their songs and really coming together as the show went on. They seemed a bit loose at the start, but were really feeling it by the end. As Tall As Lions was nothing too special in my opinion as songs seemed to flow in and out of one another with no real distinction. And then Mae. Mae is one of those bands that I have missed every time they come to town for the past 4 or 5 years. It's too bad that I caught them so late, because they are currently on tour for their hideous new album, Singularity. This album took everything that made them so unique and special, crushed it, and ejected a hollow shell of what was Mae.

Well...what was Mae then? To really understand that I like to go back to their debut album, Destination: Beautiful. From the opening track Embers and Envelopes, Mae begins to glide along and take you for a ride. The higher-pitched vocals then slice in, as an almost ethereal keyboard line is floated in the background. From here, it continues into a driving chorus that will get you straining yourself to hit the high notes. The rest of the CD continues to take you on a journey with ambient bass lines, distant keyboards, mathy guitar lines, and long notes that will make your car vibrate ever so slightly. Sun is my favorite track on the album, and it opens with a verse that is just waiting to break out. It finally does in the chorus with a sliding guitar line and simplistic drums before sinking back into the next verse. At the end of the track is a beautiful piano solo that you may find yourself playing over and over again. The last track that I am posting is called Skyline Drive. This song begins like nighttime and slowly builds until you find yourself moving incredibly quickly under the moonlight. I don't really know how else to describe it. In fact, I think that this CD is the best CD for Nighttime Driving (hence the photo up top). Give it a shot, buy it, and you won't regret it.

Mae - Embers and Envelopes

Mae - Sun

Mae - Skyline Drive

The Dear Hunter

Today I want to focus on the other "Dear" band making noise this year. Kyle recently covered the progress of Dear In The Headlights, a great indie band from Phoenix (where I will be moving in a month), and now I present The Dear Hunter. Actually, we already did a short piece on them as the opener for the Say Anything/Saves The Day show back in the spring. However, that was short and in the past, and since then The Dear Hunter have dropped their sophomore album Act II: The Meaning Of & All Things Regarding Ms. Leading.

Yes you're correct in guessing that their albums tell a story; a sort of play/musical if you will. This is nothing new, but its an idea that I sort of like in the way that it really brings more out of the lyrics of the music, especially when done by prog rockers Coheed & Cambria, but they deserve a separate post of their own.

The story in the work of The Dear Hunter involves the tragic birth, life, and death of a boy known as the Dear Hunter. The story itself is interesting to follow if you like to really just sit down and study the lyrics and music, but words aside I think the songwriting itself can stand on its own. The concept for the band was born entirely out of the mind of former The Receiving End Of Sirens band member Casey Crescenzo. In fact in the beginning The Dear Hunter was nothing more than Crescenzo himself. What started as a side project for Crescenzo wanting to branch out musically from the post-hardcore box of TREOS has evolved into a fully functioning band now. The original EP Dear Ms. Leading was recorded entirely by Crescenzo, and the debut CD; Act I: The Lake South, The River North was all recorded by Crescenzo plus his mother for backing vocals and brother for the drum parts. However, the latest release features a full backing band, including his brother now signed on as the full time drummer.

Musically, Act II is an eclectic piece of work, and really demonstrates Casey's song-writing abilities. The album features pieces of posthardcore, prog rock and indie mixed with influences of folk and orchestral sounds. Crescenzo does all the main vocals and is a talented singer as well, with an ability to both sing soft and melodically but also belt out and really let the emotion into his voice when needed.

Here are a couple highlight tracks from the album to get an idea of their sound. But I really recommend checking out the whole thing, because there's a lot of variety in the tracks and its hard to get a good feel for the sound of the band without listening to the entire album.

The Dear Hunter - The Procession

The Dear Hunter - Smiling Swine

The Dear Hunter - Blood Of The Rose


-Alec

Ryan Adams: Discography Part 1 --> Easy Tiger

This post has been a long time coming. Alec knew it would happen eventually, but I have to slob on my favorite singer/songwriter's nuts for a bit. Now with Ryan Adams, where does one begin. He just ended an extended period where he would not talk to the media. He 'just recovered' from heroine and cocaine addictions. He's kind of an asshole to his fans, and kicks some out of his shows who jokingly request for 'Summer of '69' by Bryan Adams. And he is in general an overall douchebag.

However, all this aside, he has been one of the most prolific writers in all of music during the past 5 years releasing a total of 8 albums (most of which are real good). He is my favorite singer/songwriter since Neil Young. He infuses gentle pop songs and ballads with the perfect amount of alt-country twang. His recorded live performances of him alone on an acoustic often equal or better his recorded CD material. He is really an all around great musician, performer, and writer.

His newest album Easy Tiger just dropped in June, which was perfect timing for my European vacation. After the first listen, I have to say I was immediately hooked once again. Easy Tiger feels like all of his older albums rolled into one cohesive unit. The songs posted below show some of the styles evident on the album. 'Two' is the single that he released, which I may have listened to over 80 times already. It opens with acoustic and slide guitars, Adams's smooth crooning, and then breaks into a chorus with some real soothing harmonies. As the weather is just beginning to ever-so-slightly turn, this song should hold a prime spot on your Ipods. 'The Sun Also Sets' brings a sparser arrangement to the table, but the keyboard and Adams's strained voice really bring you in. By the end of the song you want to know 'how it all works out' as well. 'These Girls' is the final song that I put up, and it showcases his ability to craft great songs with essentially just himself and an acoustic. Enjoy!

I'm sure there will be more Ryan Adams to come (hence part 1), but if this leaves you wanting more...check out my favorite Ryan Adams album, Cold Roses.


Ryan Adams - Two

Ryan Adams - The Sun Also Sets

Ryan Adams - These Girls

The Annuals

This weekend was the most important musical event of the year in Chicago, and one of the biggest in the country. Yes Lollapalooza dropped upon the city for the past 3 days with tons of bands both big and small performing for the crowds. I did not make it out to Lolla, even though I had good intentions of going today, but decided to pass after drinking too much last night and not wanting to part with $100 for one day of music. Personally I don't like music festivals that much, I prefer smaller venues and shorter shows that you can really focus on. Also when I found out that the brilliant people running the thing decided to schedule Lupe Fiasco and Amy Winehouse at the same time it was the deciding factor. However in honor of the festival I am going to write about one of the groups that I could have seen today had I actually gotten off my lazy ass.

The group is the Annuals (much different from the previously mentioned Band of Annuals), an indie band out of North Carolina. Now I'm not that big of an indie person, especially with regards to posting about it because the two things the world does not need more of are lawyers and people who write about indie music. But my personal beefs aside, the Annuals have really gotten to me with their blend of indie-pop that maintains a nice balance between the quirky styles of indie and the more conventional melodies arrangements of mainstream music. The band's 2006 release Be He Me really showcases the bands great song writing abilities and the various styles they incorporate into their songs. They do a great job of mixing things up with slower more somber songs and upbeat higher-energy songs as well.

The first song Bleary Eyed shows the band's pop side a little more and is a catchy song that allows vocalist Adam Baker and percussionists Zach Oden and Nick Radford to shine.

Bleary Eyed

The next song is a personal favorite of mine, a great upbeat song with addictive rhythms with a little soul influence in them.

The Bull, And The Goat


Finally a song to showcase the range of their talents. The last one, Dry Clothes, shows their creativity in song arrangements and distinctive style.

Dry Clothes

So give the Annuals a listen, they've got a lot of good songs to offer, and maybe if I wasn't so lazy I could tell you that they put on a great live show too. But I can't.

-Alec

Pittsburgh and John Fogerty

So Pittsburgh and John Fogerty really have nothing to do with each other, except for the fact that I have seen both in the past 5 days. For those of you who know and those who don't, I just moved to Pittsburgh yesterday. It's actually a pretty cool city, with a decent skyline, some cool parts, and really nice people (I already got two free beers in one day). So come on and visit me on the Southside if you so desire.

And for the music, if you don't know who John Fogerty is, you actually do. He was the lead singer/guitar player for the very famous Creedence Clearwater Revival. Fogerty left the band in the early 70's after some buisness disputes (and by most accounts, he is kind of an asshole). He now tours solo with a backing band and plays lots of old Creedence tunes along with new ones that he has written. He still hops around the stage like a 30 year old, and his voice hasn't lost too much, which made for a great show a few days ago in Milwaukee. I would highly recommend catching this legend in concert while you still can, I'm sure you'll be able to sing along to more songs than you think.

As many of you probably already have the 'Revival' album by Creedence, I'm going to post a few of my favorite 'covers' of Fogerty tunes below. The first is a cover of 'Proud Mary' by soul singer Solomon Burke. It is quite smooth with an acoustic guitar accented by an electric, and Solomon Burke keeping everything nice and velvety. The second is a cover of 'Bad Moon Rising' by Steel Train. We've done a previous post on Steel Train, so check that out...but here is another silky-smooth rendition of a Fogerty tune. A good late summertime tune, so I feel that it's pretty topical. The last tune, 'I Heard it Through the Grapevine' was actually written by songwriter Norman Whitfield, who had Marvin Gaye sing it. It became a number one hit, and has obviously been covered itself many times (and once by Fogerty and CCR). Enjoy the tunes!

Solomon Burke - Proud Mary

Steel Train - Bad Moon Rising

Marvin Gaye - I Heard It Through the Grapevine

Another side to Ricky Martin

This is going to be kind of a quick post because I am getting ready to leave town and ran out of time, but I wanted to share a little gem that I stumbled on the other day. I was flipping channels when I came across "Ricky Martin Unplugged" on MTV Tr3s. Now before you rush to judgment, hear me out on this. I know Ricky Martin has infiltrated the US airwaves with his Latin-infused style of pop music, but there's another side of him.

The MTV series showcased a less poppy Martin performing songs of his Spanish albums; songs which have a much stronger Latin influence in their style and rhythm. The songs were full of the infectious rhythms and horn lines that make Latin and Salsa music so irresistible. I was never a Ricky Martin fan before, and still am not entirely, but I did discover a newfound respect for his musical abilities. I downloaded the cd later to give it a second listen, and he truly has some good songs that probably land somewhere between Latin American pop and Salsa.

Here's a couple of the better songs off the album. In particular I like the songs that are more upbeat and based heavily upon Latin rhythms. Some of the other songs on the album are more just straight pop songs and really aren't that good. I think I would really like Ricky Martin if he would cut the cheesy pop stuff, but still he can make some pretty good music. And even if you don't want to give Ricky credit, at least listen to the backing band, because they are pretty impressive. I think of these four my favorite is Pegate, its pretty much impossible to listen to this song just once, the chorus is just too addictive.

Ricky Martin - Maria

Ricky Martin - Pegate

Ricky Martin - Lola Lola

Ricky Martin - La Bomba

Hope you enjoy, and please don't hate me for writing about Ricky Martin.

- Alec

Back in the States

So I just got back from a whirlwind trip of Europe, which was quite an experience. I ate lots of strange yet delicious food, did some sauna, slept in an airport, threw up once, drank copious amounts of strange and familiar beers, and saw lots of old friends from my year abroad. What does this have to do with music? Well, I had to travel to all of these places, and my favorite CD to listen to on the plane rides/in the airport was this one.

The band is Dear and the Headlights, the CD is Small Steps Heavy Hooves. They play a brand of music that is hard to be classified as pop or indie or rock really. It has the voice that is a bit strong and difficult to get used to for some (indie-esque), it has some verse-chorus-verse-chorus-break-chorus tunes (pop-esque), and you get some guitar solos and rockin out (rock-esque). I think that they blend it together pretty well, and put forth quite a few compelling songs and a very solid album. It's one that as I listened to it for the first time, I had my finger on the 'next track' button after the first 10 seconds of pretty much every song, but never pressed it because all of the songs somehow got interesting to me in the next 5 seconds.

Here are a few that I didn't even lay my finger on the 'next track' button for. The first, called 'Sweet Talk', opens up showcasing their rock-ish side. It switches between emotional and strained rock segments, with indie breaks throughout the song which provide a nice contrast the whole way. Then in the end they are combined in a real nice break, where he holds his notes much longer and ends the tune. The second is called 'I'm Bored, You're Amourous.' This one will get your leg bouncing right from the start. When you hear the first chorus you may be a bit turned off...but give it a shot, it's an addicting tune. The last is "Run in the Front', which is a Third Eye Blind-esque pop tune. It's probably the easiest one to get into, and a fun one to cruise along to in the car (most preferably in autumn).

Dear and the Headlights - Sweet Talk

Dear and the Headlights - I'm Bored, You're Amorous

Dear and the Headlights - Run In the Front

Saved you from Alec at last.

-Kyle

T.I. vs T.I.P.

I'm back from a break at home where my computer refused to connect to our wireless, so I can now resume posts. I admit I haven't been listening to a ton of new stuff over the past month or so, but I did get my hands on the latest release from southern rap star T.I. The album is titled T.I. vs T.I.P., which chronicles the rapper's internal battle between his cultured, intelligent personality T.I. and his streetwise, rebellious personality T.I.P (the moniker he formerly used before dropping the P in respect to fellow rapper Q-Tip).

I really felt this album was quite similar to his last release King, in many ways, both good and bad. For the most part T.I. brings back the same style and southern swagger that brought him to the spotlight in the beginning. The cocksure young rapper has a knack for combining hooks with great beats. My problem with this album is that some of his ideas seem to be recycled from time to time. There are many parts that sound similar, and often times I was reminded of stuff from King as well. This is related to the album's other problem, and that's too much filler. Just like King, this one comes in at 18 tracks, about 6 more than needed. A few of the weaker tracks could have easily been removed without drawing from the album as a whole.

The one other thing I didn't like was the lack of the slower songs. While T.I. is well known for his rapid style delivery, his slower songs in which his southern drawl is really brought out are powerful as well, such as What You Know. I felt this style of song was lacking here.

Here are a couple of my favorite tracks so far, including the single Big S**T Poppin' (Do It), the first single.

T.I. - Big S**T Poppin' (Do It)

T.I. - My Swag (feat. Wyclef Jean)

T.I. - Show It To Me (feat. Nelly)


Also I think I'm just going to post the links for downloading now. Embedding the links for streaming was more time consuming and I don't think it adds that much.

- Alec

Sunday Jazz - Enrico Rava

We haven't done an installment of Sunday jazz in awhile, so I think its about time once again. Today I'd like to feature Italian trumpeter Enrico Rava. While Enrico has had a very distinguished career and really helped open the eyes of Americans to the world of Italian jazz, I want to focus on one of releases that has really become one of my favorite jazz cds of all time.

Rava's 1996 release Italian Ballads is a wonderful album that combines elements of jazz with traditional Italian music. The work is heavily influenced by the traditional Italian songs, operas, and also music from Fellini's movies. It is not a traditional jazz album by any means, but rather a mix of styles into a unique album that combines the melodic traditions of Italian music with the musicianship and creativity of American jazz. He even incorporates traditional Italian instruments by using an accordion on the album played by Richard Galliano, who does an amazing job.

The first song, Il Cielo In Una Stanza, is by far my favorite on the album, and is I feel the best example of the combination of elements that I mentioned earlier. I find the song to be beautiful and even entrancing, and I usually just space out and listen whenever it comes on.
-click on the link to download or click play to stream-
Enrico Rava - Il Cielo In Una Stanza


And for your listening pleasure, a couple more tracks including the closing track titled O Mi Babbino Caro, a moving close to the album as Enrico plays his version of the famous Italian aria. All in all just a great album that has a unique sound to it and I think even those who don't traditionally listen to much jazz can enjoy.
Enrico Rava - More



Enrico Rava - O Mio Babbino Caro



-Alec