Ears Like a Hawke
Let's Connect!! --->>>
  • Home
  • Song of the Day
  • Album Reviews
  • Artist Studies
    • Steely Dan
  • Industry Happenings
  • Friends of the Hawke

Jack Bruce - Jack Bruce & His Big Blues Band: Live 2012

5/19/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
Spotify Listen Link: Jack Bruce – Jack Bruce & His Big Blues Band - Live 2012


I won't spend a lot of time on the intro because, quite frankly, I dove into listening to this without researching anything appropriately.

Yeah, read on down and realize what an idiot I am.


"Can You Follow" include Jack's intro to us, seemingly as he enters on stage. Oh live albums, how your banter is lost on those of us who can't see the artist. So the song finally starts, and I would swear we've got some Randy Newman in here - a flat voice (not pitch-wise - that's just the only way I can think to describe it) with a piano behind it. There's some effort at emotion, but it's difficult as this artist has clearly been entertaining us for many years now.

A piano leads in very naturally, only accompanied by a brushed cymbal and slight bass, for "Morning Story." This is like... a really tough listening of Mick Jagger. Or almost anyone that was around before 1970 on the Concert for New York album. I'm not take any credit away from the artist - I feel bad even criticizing the current sound. It's just not great. This happens. Time is rough on us all. I just wish the accompanying music made up for it, is all. It gets better as the horns come in and jazz it up just a little bit more

"You Burned the Tables On Me' seems to show some growing strength in the show, like the band is finally really feeling the groove. Things really get funky with a guitar solo that I believe must have been curtesy of Mr. Bruce himself. Center stage is finally taken on, and it finally becomes more than a background album for me as I clean through my email. Ahhh finally.

He sure is a polite sucker. He thanks the audience a ton, and also the band for making time to even come play tonight. As he launches into the nest song, "Neighbor Neighbor" it really seems like a push to give it, but he does give his all. There's fun riffs in there, and he does these cool staccato things with his voice that give the whole song this other sound. A sax takes on the solo portion of this song, then a trumpet sings on out. This SNL band if you need a reference.

"Child Song" is a struggle, possibly both for Jack's voice as well as for my ears. I would be totally fine with this whole thing if it were an instrumental performance, but the accompanying voice is just so rough. There are these moments where he gets way too close to the mic, unnecessarily, and then backs off awkwardly where we lose the entire sentence. Whoever's playing piano (I'm guessing him?) and sax (not him) is doing a tremendous job at some great lounge music though so... that's something.

Sometimes I pause albums when I leave a room so that I don't miss anything. I didn't feel the need to do that with this one, and came back in during an instrumental break during "Weird of Hermiston." I came back still completely fine with my anti-pause decision, as I could not understand a damn thing being said when the vocals did come back in. Ugh. Aggravating.

"Folk Song" slows the moment down a bit, with a much more solemn tone than before, just showing some slight emotion in a hardened voice. I just yawned, but I feel like I may have been doing that at this actual show as well. Bah, I hate being negative about any music, and this is definitely music, but it's just failing to strike any kind of chord at all. I know that happens from time to time, but on a 16-track album it's a little difficult to deal with.

Hopefully I spoke too soon, because the band seems to bring it right off the bat with the ten-minute long "Spoonful." I was able to turn this down enough while talking to my roommate where it was really just sort of on in the background and I didn't have to give it much thought, and found my foot tapping along. See, there had to been some goodness somewhere in this album. You can't possibly record 16 un-enjoyable tracks. Yay for redemption (and if Steph reads this - I still don't believe there will be any for the Red Sox tonight!).

"Theme from an Imaginary Western" is hardly audible in the words department, but the music is very nice and has some sort of emotion of realization behind it - like the end of a "good" 80's movie (I use that term loosely). I'm disregarding the painful sound of the voice here - and God, I'm so sorry to put that down Jack. Otherwise, nice pop-blues number.

Something just slightly salsa-influenced is happening for "Tickets to Waterfalls," even if only for a minute. The way the beat is kept so heavily on the hi-hat and the rhythm of the horns just seems to bring it toward that line. It doesn't really remain there, with more of a steady blues guitar taking up a larger portion of the lead, but it's sort of a cool mod-podge of sound (I really just wanted to use that phrase... I'm not sure I used the right one.).

"Never tell your mother she's out of tune" just strikes me as funny, mostly because my mother can't carry a tune for her life. That, and the tune being carried here is obviously not what it used to be either. The words are lost, completely, though the band keeps up a pretty nice beat throughout. They're at least in a partying mood, even behind the vocals.

Things slow just slightly into this more smokey sound from the guitar for "Bad Sign." I'd venture to call the singing portion of this scat, but it's not - it's just a non-understandable string of words that were actually supposed to mean something. Can you tell I'm getting a little tired of this whole lost lyrics situation?


"We're Going Wrong" has a guitar singing out at the get-go, just loudly enugh to evoke the blues emotion. It could be a pretty fantastic solemn track if left to its own instrumental devices. Granted, the tone of the singing is right - soulful, and in pain - it matches what the guitar plays. This is sort of a sit-in-a-dark-room-alone number, but a decent one. At least there's something a little more there than before, emotionally, instead of just a vocal struggle. THe intensity that picks up as it gets farther in is something. There's a slight darkness to the track and that gives it so much more body and strength.

The pace picks up into more of a party/movement mode with "Deserted Cities." The vocals are just barely there, but the band is on a roll here. They are throwing their full effort behind what's going on and not quitting for a second. It's still, no matter how often I hear it, very cool to hear an entire band come together to make a great sound like that.

"White Room" is next, and by the immediate sounds, it's exactly that "White Room" that you probably already know. And Jack's got it going just right this time. We don't hear it, but if that crowd didn't go crazy right at the start of this one, they are pretty damn lame. As I'm ending this out, I'm finally doing a little research, and feel pretty awful about dissing his voice - this is the voice of Cream after all. But the rest as been very, very hard to listen to! This one sort of makes up for a lot, where the blends of sounds most definitely work in every which way possible. On one hand, I feel entirely educated and better about things, on the other, I feel like a jackass. *sigh* All right, I'm just going to finish these last 3 minutes and appreciate the kickin' drum solo that never ends...

So now that we've properly identified one of the greatest bass players of all time, I'm much more apt to like the rest of the album, which is actually only one song - "Sunshine." Oh of COURSE this is the classic one, come on. It's only ever appropriate that I be proved a fool by the end of an album that was so hard to like. Man... okay, you get it. This is good. And sounds 100x better when you know the song at hand. Oi. Enjoy.


Added to My Playlist:
  • "You Burned the Tables On Me"
  • "Deserted Cities"
  • "White Room"
  • "Sunshine"


What bugs the hell out of me right now is that I probably would have liked this whole thing a lot more if I'd just done a tiny bit of research beforehand. Somehow, knowing who it is always helps you enjoy what's happening that much more. But, I guess in a way, it's good to have an un-inhibited prospective sometimes. But yeah, this was Jack Bruce - no wonder the damn instrumentals were so good!


0 Comments

The Black Lips - Arabia Mountains

4/4/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
Bonnaroo special!


Ah, The Black Lips, a name I know well, and am sad I cannot name a single song by them. Please don't hate me for that fact - there are simply not enough hours in the day to hear everything in the world!

While I'm not as familiar as I'd like with their previous music to know the different, Arabia Mountain is said to come to us with a tighter, cleaner sound than before. The songs are all extremely brief, with only two outlasting the three minute mark. In the words of the iTunes summary, "the whole album surges by in a blurred rush of hook-filled adrenaline on first listen." Oh boy, this one should be interesting then.

No, seriously, I'm actually thrilled to have made it to this point along my list!


"Family Tree" starts things off and hits us hard almost immediately! Damn, we're in for a treat if the pace and energy is going to be kept this high throughout the whole thing. The vocals are haunting in a really cool and different way, with a dark sound I can only attribute to the tone of "True Blood" (June, please get here faster). The guitar lends itself for the same thing, even with the top layer sounding just a little more pop. The sound isn't entirely clean, but I think it's the recording style chosen. 

Warning... this kick-off video? Not for the weak-stomached. Or religious.

So, not the best first impression. That might be because I don't feel good right now, but still...

Track two is "Modern Art," full of much more old-rock sound, with a twist of fun that the style was meant to have. We're not hearing a ton of voices together this time - there's a clear lead, instead of a group like the first song. Interestingly enough, and fantastically enough, the band keeps their own sound from one track to another, without sounding so boringly the same that we zone out. Please keep this up.

So... statement?

"Spidey's Curse" has a very 60's sound to it, and almost does sound like it belongs on a tribute to the Spider-Man himself. This came unexpectedly, given the first two track, but it's kind of just a cool, cute, fun track. Oh, wait, there's "Peter Parker" in the lyrics - heh, okay, cool, it is about what it should be. I don't know, there's just something cute about it, while maintaining their cool rock band edge.

The horns come into full play with "Mad Dog," largely in the form of a saxophone. It makes for  a funky little track that modernizes a slight big-band sound mixed with garage punk rock. Lot's of tones of anger in the voice, but a track with listenable qualities throughout. I hate only streaming through iTunes - I'm missing out on about 3/4 of this track which otherwise sounds like it has potential.

"Mr. Driver" has a very loud sound to it. The track isn't like, screaming at us, but it's reminiscent of the old punk songs of the 80's, where things are harsher and almost want to hurt your ears. At least here, there is some backing off in the slight instrumental breaks, making it more of a dance track than something to thrash about to. There's a definite rawness to the track, which is probably where I'm getting those old punk vibes from.

Again, a cool old 60's feel to the guitar for "Bicentennial Man," but with the raw sound that the whole album is made up of. I'd say surf feel, but I'm going to avoid that description until the last possible second, because I just don't think that's where they were trying to go. In reality, even if Gidget would make up a great beach party dance to this track, they remain this odd little punk band that seems to just play to have fun and get some adrenaline out.

"Go Out and Get It" takes that same sound from the last track, but adds some grit into the recording and harmonies to create something I don't believe I've ever heard before. There's just too many places it could fit in - beach/coastal music, punk, garage, etc. What is striking me is that someone on iTunes didn't know what they were talking about with their review. This is not a clean, crisp sounding album. Again, I've never heard the older music, but if that had a dirtier sound than this, we probably weren't actually able to understand anything. This is tough enough - definitely not clean.

HA! BEACH! HA! I KNEW IT! And you may have no idea what I mean until you finish reading this entire entry. Mhmm. But trust me, I was totally right.

More whistles added, but generally the same sound is going for "Raw Meat." I'm disapointed for the first time, because it sounds almost exactly the same as a few previous tracks, and I was so excited that they took different approached with each song. The songs are short though, so maybe the band just felt they didn't quite get their point across in the last song, and carried on into this one. Let's blame Spotify's lack of streaming ability for this one for why I'm not loving every second.

Ok, I have to admit, that one was a lot of fun. The whole thing sounds like it's in French (it might be), but the concept is fun, and a lot gets done in a two minutes for a minute and a half song.

"Bone Marrow" (under the meat) breaks the habit, a little. The high-pitched odd, metallic sounds are still there, but the guitar has chosen a new direction. Percussion is just a bass drum and clapping for a while, and the song itself sounds incredibly stripped down, even for an original version. It's pretty damn cool, actually. If the echo was backed off just a little, it's might be perfect, but I'll take this!

They weren't kidding about the pace though - we haven't slowed down yet, and it doesn't like that'll be happening anytime soon. Poor drummer. "The Lie" does have a more dense tone to it though, bringing in some much more minor sounds throughout. The vocals are full of gravel in a much angrier way. The lyrics for the chorus are pretty simple, pointing out "that's what you told me," just to make their point. 

Here's the thing about "Time." The instrumentals sound almost exactly the same as "The Lie" (aside from the occasional little guitar riff to separate parts of the song), but the vocals are at a different pitch, giving a slight different tone to the song as a whole. Again, I think these sort of 'sections' of the album are meant to be heard in a steady stream, so that we can better appreciate the differences between tracks while knowing they're meant to compliment each other.

I don't usually resort to this quality of video for posts, but trust me, it doesn't differ much from the album. Here's a live performance of the song from Atlanta.
"Dumpster Dive" has the same dirty sound I pointed out earlier. Who gets off calling this a clean album? At least in this snippet, I did get to hear a sweet little guitar solo, and the instruments are really good together. Not much else to say hear other than I want to hear how they work together for more than 30 seconds.

More beach theme coming on with "New Direction," but the happiness that comes from the vocal tone compliments it in a more traditional way. It's also incredibly optimistic sounding, which is a new thing for this particular collection of songs. This could be a great morning song to enjoy in the comfort of a room with the hairbrush microphone.

Read the description in this next video.
Oh. Flower punk. Right, that's what this is.

"Noc-a-Homa" knocks off the beach sound in favor for the more punk side of things. There's a louder voice with some effect on it that sounds like a slight buzz at the end of each word. If you've seen old videos of the original punk bands of the 70's/80's, you'll probably understand what I'm talking about here. It's a little annoying, but acceptable given the situation and style chosen to go with. Still though, not clean.

 
Echo, echo, echo, and all at the beach. Listen to "Don't Mess Up My Baby" and tell me you don't hear it, and I'll smack some sense into you. It's all there - from the voices full of echo on the mics, to the Beach Boys-esq guitar backing, to the habaloo drum beat. You heard me. It's also the lightest song on the entire album. The only reason it ties in is because of those earlier tracks that had a similar backing/sound. Maybe that was all to lead up to this complete beach party take over so that the album still had a semblance of unity?

Final track - "You Keep On Running." Here's something completely different - slowed down, drawn out playing. Harmonies with multiple voices hitting notes that are a little inappropriate for their natural middle range. And overall, a creepy tone that would make for an entirely different concert than anything we've heard thus far. It's just plain weird.


Added to My Playlist (if the album were on Spotify... damn it):
  • "Modern Art"
  • "Spidey's Curse"
  • "Go Out and Get It"
  • "Bone Marrow"
  • "New Direction"
So clearly, I didn't hate the album. it was a little strange, as half of the songs took on such a different sound. Some of the songs had the proper impact though, as they provided entertainment o depth or whatever might be needed to "like" a song. Partially, I went into this with a positive opinion on the band just due to knowing the name. Maybe I should go in to every review situation (save Nicki Minaj) with that kind of attitude, because it certainly lowered my bar as to what could make it into my continuous listening list.
0 Comments

SOJA - Strength To Survive

3/29/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
Soldiers of Jah Army (SOJA) are a feel-good reggae band (wiki's words, not mine) that I plan on lounging out during to enjoy at Bonnaroo this year. This latest album fits right into their since-1997 repitoire, and was released on my birthday this year! (I love Tuesday birthday years - I feel so much more important when I see the records released that day.)


Check them out on Spotify and let's start hearing this thing.

And as an extra get-prepped and get-to-know-the-band treat, here's the extended EPK released by the band for this album!

"Mentality"kicks things off with a reggae beat that drags just enough to get your body moving to it. Horns, funky little piano rhythms, and then your great light man voice. The horns are probably playing the primary role here, driving the whole song between vocals. And either the band is censoring themselves, or Spotify has the censored version of this album up (that's a first in the time I've been using the program). I am a sucker for those little fading rhythms guitars provide - listen about three minutes in to know what I actually mean.

So the second track is "Strength to Survive."My biggest issue in this genre is when songs all sound the same, and I'm afraid we're about to fall into that same trap here. The backbeat is about the exact same tempo, even if the vocals are layered for a little bit of a different sound. The horns are still the primary use between verses, then we loose them during the singing.

Yay! I love when I've spoken too soon. "Everything Changes"employs an electric guitar for most of the carry-through and the sound is welcomely different. The message lyrically is pretty good too, being a little more about the world we're in and how we react to it. I mean, I'm being pretty vague here, but the song's got a cool attitude to it and lots of great lines about the world and the things we've heard and should or should not believe. Songs that can employ that much without sounding preachy are pretty rare and good.

"Don't Worry"has an entirely mellow mood to it, but in that understanding, take-it-as-you-go way. It's easy and willing to be what you need to it be. Is that weird? Eh, okay, the song's a little weird. Not in a bad way. It just faded into the background for be personally, making it hard to really write up and anything viable here.

Unfortunately, we're back to the drag beat again that's becoming to familiar. At least "Tell Me"has a different lyrical theme, and the chorus shows off a different rhythm. Actually, okay, it because really enjoyable as the song goes farther in. It's nice to hear a little love song amongst the political or world messages. Yeah, I'm being a girl here, but even he is admitting this is not a usual M.O. for his songwriting and calls for us to sing along (ah, already planning for that live performance).

"It's Not Too Late" sings like a ska band more than any reggae group I've ever heard, at least for the intro. It's another one about the world, claiming we're all here for a reason, and there's no use in fighting with each other about it. Working for the earth is the major theme - great song for a green festival, so Bonnaroo's in for a perfect little theme throughout.

I really do appreciate the horn usage throughout this album. "Gone Today"kicks off with a nice sound given by them, and the piano plays the slight light little notes that give the song its cute feel. Being thankful seems to ring best throughout, as far as I can tell. A celebration over a speech is a welcome track any day.

"Let You Go" is interesting if for nothing else than the big band feel this group as taken on for a minute in the intro. The vocals come in with more echo than I'll ever deem appropriate for the rest of the feel of the album. It's a cute relationship song in the end, missing someone you did let go and you miss. I guess that's some sort of reason for the reminiscent echo, but I still don't love it. Even if the song is good all around otherwise. Sigh - sacrifices will have to be made.

Again though, the band brings in that electric guitar that makes some of these songs sing so differently, and perfectly. Such is the case for "Not Done Yet." The lead actually does have quite a pop feel to this one, which is unexpected, but somehow works. Anddd I'm lost at the scratching on the voice in the chorus. It's appropriate from time to time, but this one just jaunts you out of the entire mood of the song. It's unnecessary and pretty damn annoying.

"Slow Down"is another that manages to fade into the background for me. It's not that I don't care, but the song's got the same sound as so much of the rest of the album. There's a lack of originality, which is fine for  alive show where you're meant to just kick back and enjoy the groove. In this case, it makes for a difficult album listen.

There's a definite sadness to "Be With Me Now." It's slow in a different way than the others have been, with a down-ness to the voice. Even the horns are ending on low notes at the tails of their phrases, no matter how bright some of it seems to play out. The instrumental portion in the middle of this is brilliant and could be its own piece completely. It's very impressive.

"When We Were Younger" is a pretty cool little breakdown. It's lighter than the rest, literally, because so many instruments are stripped away. This actually seems to bring a message home, literally, a little but more because the words are so prominent. It's beautiful. The entire album could have been like this and been 10x more enjoyable. However, this does give a nice enough little treat to appreciate the work relaxed just at the end.

"Gone Today - Acoustic 2010" is a sped up acoustic number, and I can't place if it sounded better the first way or like this. It's cute like this, as in it could work for a radio interview extra video. For a rare occurrence, I think the original worked better because of the work input for it to deliver what he wanted to say. This doesn't feel like anything as special as that first encounter was.

Our last number with SOJA today is "Prison Blues - Acoustic 2011."It's a weak ending to my ears. His voice sounds given out and annoyingly sad. There's also the buzzing from something that is not acoustic throughout, and it's just plain annoying. It doesn't let up. And there. That's the weak ending to an otherwise not awful album.


Added To My Playlist:
  • "Everything Changes"
  • "Tell Me"
  • "Gone Today"
  • "Let You Go"
  • "Be With Me Now"
  • "When We Were Younger"
I like reggae, I really do. It might not be my first choice on what I listen to in my spare time, but I never mind it when it's on. Unfortunately, so much of it sounds the same to me, so it takes a lot of effort to listen, whereas so much other music is effortless. SOJA has a great sound, and they do break the mold here and there, making things easier and far more enjoyable. I look forward to spreading out a blanket and relaxing during this one at Bonnaroo in a could of months.
0 Comments

Flogging Molly - Speed of Darkness

3/25/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
I can't believe this band is only five albums into their career. I feel like I've known Flogging Molly my entire life - they've just always been a band that's there. Never a prominent figure in my life, but always great the moments they appeared.

I listened through this last night actually, typing my thoughts without videos of intros. The music is incredible, and there are very few songs that fall into 'typical' celtic punk. Almost everything on here is amazing both musically and lyrically.

Check it out on Spotify - lets rock.


"Speed of Darkness" is the first track, and obviously the title track. It starts up with this epic tone that I wouldn't have expected, then launches into the main track, full of all the wonderful Irishness you need for this band, with this slight dark twist that  makes it all the better. God, everything is so good with this band when it's dead on - I seem to have forgotten that over the years. They speak to the oddballs while maintaining this rock/folk sound unlike anything you could imagine. I'm listening through headphones right now, and it's just so damn good.

Oh memories of Warped Tour of yester-year. God my punk days were oddly fun. Aside from being tossed around by my hair. "Revolution"has a nice little political comment going on for America, which is a little different now than then. But the music itself is so upbeat and fun, it's hard to imagine there's any complaining on our officials going on. Oddly enough, a call to arms actually still makes for a great sounding song. The horns in here give such cool support to an otherwise still rockin' song. I remember the point of these concerts being the pit dancing, and here we go, it continues.


That's not an official video, but it was a finalist in an amateur competition that I stumbled upon, so I thought I'd share. Not bad work at all.

"The Heart of the Sea" almost seems slowed down, though the beat is still on the upswing. "Don't fornicate with the one you hate" kind of is a laughable line, but truly not awful advice. Whatever the case may be - story or life lessons or a combo - this song moves in a good way, complimenting the vocal intensity throughout. The only off thing is the pipes that seem too soft to support the message, but the song carries nonetheless.

If you were going to label the song of Flogging Molly as more Rock or more Irish, I'd put "Don't Shut 'Em Down" in the Rock column. There's that drum beat hitting throughout the chorus alone that keeps the head banging going. Again, some modern life commentary, but it makes for a song you can get behind subject-wise. You feel empowered to do something, or at least get up and party the hell out of that pit. Ah. I miss concerts so bad.

So there was the official video for the song, form the band. The only one I could tell had come from this album - the rest are live. Kind of a cool look into their thoughts throughout this - like I said, some commentary for sure happening. And, side note, the lead singer looks kind of like the Road Dogg.

"The Power's Out" is probably more on the Irish side of things, but I'll stop classifying them as one way or another... maybe. It's such a cool treatment though. The guitar is the main support, in place of where you could probably hear bagpipes instead. As it moves on, more of the band comes on board in support, both instrumentally and a little vocally. Those main beats that hit make for perfect marching and protesting.

And now for the old one in the midst of the bar, with a man playing to a crowd who needs the music almost as much as he does. "So Sail On" is this beautifully light song in tribute to his life in this wonderfully classic Irish method. It's gentle enough to rock you in a way only such a song could, but provoking enough to relate to throughout the course of its melodies. This one's an unexpected gem from a band that is best known for something with far more BPM and harder-hitting sounds.

While that song could have made for a great closer, we do pick up the pace once again for "Saints & Sinners." This is just a classic FM sound, rocking for the dancers in the crowd, commenting on our humanity. Personally, nothing entirely special is happening here, but it does still make for a fitting part of the band's album. However, it bears mentioning that there's some banjo happening, and that's just admirable, always.

Yayyy Acoustic!!

"This Present State of Grace" is upbeat, but keeps things in that lighter tone, despite the obvious commentary on the world. There's lots in there - lines on the military, robbers, and even history that we've come from. It's an incredibly well-written song as a whole, as you can get lost in concentration on the lyrics as they move and tell us what's on the man's mind. There's something incredibly unique about this song in the best way possible, as though we can all relate to at least a line lyrically, but to the whole musically.

Whoa, hell piano for "The Cradle of Humankind." Y'all know I'm about halfway to hooked, if not more, just based on that. And probably now the rest of the way there between lyrics and string section now coming in. And... an accordion? I mean, this is just beautiful on the instrumental side. Yes, you're getting more on an opinion of the world we're surrounded by, as well as an introspective on life to come - but what more do you want from a song? I think this one does a helluva job at getting us near to writing perfection. From the light lead in half, to the heavy pick up of intensity to drive it all home, there's really something special here.

"Oliver Boy (All of Our Boys)." Eh? See what they did there? Anywhos. The recording technique on here is really clever - sort of like an old cylinder for the opening, then flashing into the more modern devices. It's like a tribute to old Irish sound and then edging into something we want today. It's a toe-tapper beyond that, but again, typical. If that's what you want, yes, it's another good FM song. But I'm spoiled by beauty in so many other songs now and can't help but want more.


I think maybe my love of the soundtrack for Once has provided a soft spot in my heart for the classic Irish sound amongst some of these track. The duet in "A Prayer for Me in Silence" definitely does give some semblance of those wonderful songs. Here, it's not necessarily a love song, but the voices provide a compliment that's just lovely. The whole song moves so well and everyone is just perfect together. This is a quick number that goes by fast, but should not be missed.

Finally, we get "Rise Up," so elegantly (yeah, I'm surprised I used that particular word for this album, but bear with me) led into - then hits hard with exactly what you were expecting. "Rise up, stand and be counted." It's a great song for its purposes, and seems to ban everyone together for the final stand amongst the music throughout. 


Added To My Playlist:
  • "Speed of Darkness"
  • "Revolution"
  • "Don't Shut 'Em Down"
  • "So Sail On"
  • "The Present State of Grace"
  • "The Cradle of Humankind"
  • "A Prayer for Me In Silence"
  • "Rise Up"
All right, well, I'm incredibly happy with this one. Seriously, a fine job done by all, with almost every song being a winner. This was awesome. Oh, and btw, they're and Bonnaroo this year - hell yeah.
0 Comments

Danny Brown - The Hybrid (Deluxe Edition)

3/21/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
Here we've got yet another artist on the list for Bonnaroo this year!

Based on the small snippets I've heard just from grabbing videos for today, I can't say I'm terribly excited. It's a lot of hardcore rap that just isn't my style when it's assembled in a 19-track album.

After four free mixtapes for Detroit State of Mind, this album was released as his debut. Apparently, he's one of the best and most unique young rappers to emerge in recent years, so let's see what he has to offer.

As always, follow on Spotify if you're interested.


Well, at least the beats are pretty familiar. We start with "Greatest Rapper Ever." All about bitches and smoking. Joy. Would anyone mind if I make this a quick one? Because otherwise, I'm just not going to have entirely nice things to say. "Need Another Drink" is more of the same. Lots of angry yelling into the mix, with a lack-luster beat that is hard to even bob your head to. At least there's an attempt at a chorus for this one.

I'd like to say "New Era" is different, but it isn't. Damn it, even El DeBarge had something to say from time to time, even if it was all sex-related. This is just the N-word over and over, and the damn one-toned vocals (if you can even call them that) is just horrible. It hurts. Then there's some weird megaphone-sounding phrase in-between that hurt even more. Thank god it's late and I have to keep the volume down.

"Exotic" takes a turn for talking about girls, I think? It's hard to keep up with exact lyrical themes here. Oh, wait. There it is. Yup... like wheat thins. This is about getting girls. Now... wait... "I'm Out." Does that mean this is over? No... no, sadly, it's not. But there's this cut little chorus sort-of jingle that you can at least wave yourself back and forth for. I mean, an attempt at song composition instead of just freestyling (which doesn't work for a pre-recorded album, by the way) is kind of nice. Ugh... just trying to find the good here.

"Re-Up" brings on our first video, and maybe after this my headache will make more sense.

And every freaking song ends so abruptly!

"Nowhere 2 Go" at least seems a little more connected with the streets than anything we've heard so far. This one seems to actually come from somewhere, not just a mixture of spit out words about girls and drugs and whatever else he happens to see around the room. I mean, the elements are still there, but... ugh, yeah.

Aww, he attempts to vary up his 'notes' a little here by at least heading up a scale in pitch... sort of. Here's 
Went away from "The Nana Song" and only caught some horrible line about Oprah. Yeah, shut up guy.

"Guitar Solo" has a little development, at least with the backing track. Here's a video. We're at track 10 of 19, by the way. And yes, there is an actual guitar solo in this.
"White Stripes" has this harder beat behind it, maybe just to give a little variety. A lot of the backing beats have been just that - background. This one at least takes charge. It goes right in to "Juno" which seems absolutely no different, except for maybe a hi-top hitting on the beats as well. Maybe not. Oh, but no worries - the friends are helping him move and eat shrimp in "Thank God." I mean, this one's actually got a little something to it. He's appreciating what's there I guess.

"You ain't got a man, but you gotta baby-daddy." "Drinks On Me" yeah, let's go party and not worry. Just drink. I don't know I would make this an anthem, but at least this one's relatable in subject, if not throughout the whole thing. And there's some interesting use of Asian themes. And the next one's at least got an interesting title: "Generation Rx." I mean, come on, even I'll admit that one's snappy. The song's kind of strange sounding, but hey, I guess this is the album where you just throw whatever back beats you feel like on!

I'm using videos as an excuse to zone out. Here's "S.O.S."
Oh, sorry they don't make a crown big enough for your head, Danny.

"Cartier." Three to go. Okay. Whew. Deep breath. This one's got one of those epic feels that only Kanye seems to be able to pull off properly. There's are strings and then some weird overlay bells. Yes, I've resorted to describing details of the back music just to have something to write about.

Nope, not an endearing sweet song - "Great Granddad." Just sick and demeaning. If any girl allows herself to be the subject of this, you don't deserve to be called a woman. And then we're finally at the last song, "Lincoln Continental," thank god. And there's no redeeming qualities. I'm done.

I think it's safe to say I won't be attending this concert in June.
0 Comments

Fitz and The Tantrums - Pickin' Up The Pieces

3/17/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
Set 'em up and knock 'em down - this one was a request from a little bit ago, as well as a Bonnaroo artist this yeah!

So Fitz is an American Soul group, and this is their debut album. There was a home-recorded EP beforehand, which got them onto an indi label to start with. 

The group came together after Michael Fitzpatrick's rough breakup and his need to release creatively and just as a general distraction. Piece built on over time in weird ways, such as inheriting a church organ from a neighbor. Apparently they melded so well together, they could have played a show right after their first rehearsal. This whole album wound up being recorded in a non-sound-proofed living room.

Check it out on Spotify, or watch the videos provided - because there's a pretty decent quality one for each!


And here's we go back to the 60's y'all! "Breakin' The Chains of Love" opens up the album I can't say I love it all around, but the sound is fantastic. There's a slight echo used on the main vocal to give a really interesting ambiance sound. The horns really do round out the band really well entertainment-wise. And, finally, the female backing voice gives this just-right funk and soul touch that makes the song's overall sound great. There's a little turn-off because of the older sound, but it's not necessarily a bad thing as you get into it.

"Dear Mr. President" continues on this sound that I only vaguely remember when learning about reverb in Rech Tech class in college. It almost does sound like a 60's protest song, maybe 70's. Bonnaroo could be interesting, given this Woodstock-esq sound they've got going on. It's got a call to action sound though, keeping it raw and relatable overall.
Title track time! "Pickin' Up The Pieces" starts using the flute in a much more prominent way, and now the hippie within me is in love. Flower children, unite in the field for a good dance about. The voices mesh together so well, remaining totally light and pretty enough to drift away to. And we now get the female voice with some solo work, which brings an element of back-and-forth to the song we didn't have. Sure, it's a song based in heartbreak, but it's about at least trying to move on as a person after it all.
"MoneyGrabber" hits with that harshness you have post-breakup, and I guess is what I would consider a darker 60's song. Oh, it's just a good kiss-off song. The reverb's getting to a little much, but you all know by now how i feel about vocal effects through machines. This one's probably one of the lesser-enjoyed Motown songs (and you know they existed). It's good to input onto an album, but not something you'd want to sing around all the time.
Anyone ever seen the movie Sweetwater, about the band? The one Amy Jo Johnson (who played the Pink Power Ranger in the original series) starred in? Sorry, this music's just taking me back to that feeling. "L.O.V." has so many elements that scream that era. Fitzpatrick said he wanted to make a Motown album, but this is a hippie one if I've ever heard it. The organ in there just makes you want to skip around in the fields. And the whole song is an anthem for love and kindness amongst each other. Throw up those peace signs!!
"News 4 U" has a very haunting sound, and I mean that because of the ghost-like sounds coming through my speakers right now. It's not a bad song, just a little over-done in some ways because of those recording effects. On one hand, it's a little too much. On the other hand, at least everything has a similar sound so it melds together a little more naturally. There's also this oddly cool live element given to the recording, probably because of that setup.
There's something completely familiar about "Don't Gotta Work it Out." I think it's in the chorus, where the singing out happens so significantly. I like it. This is one of those instances that the old-school charm of the music makes the most sense and is the most enjoyable. Their use of what I can only assume it today's technology to make a newer sound is wonderfully fun. The combo of horns and organ and maybe even some bells is just a really cool thing that I doubt you hear much now regularly played.
"Rich Girls" will hurt you, and poor girls will take your money. Or something like that. This is like a less-polished version of a Cee Lo song. Not that that's a bad thing, but it's just how it is. Apparently, you can't win with any of these girls. Let's keep in mind that this group was formed, and I'm sure the songs were written, in a time of heartache. 
In a more light-hearted manner, but with a very real message, we get "Winds of Change." It's one of those songs that maybe you need to hear at just the right moment, as life is throwing it all at you at once. The song's lighter, but just so much more relatable than the rest in this bizarre way. I don't even know if it's the musical treatment to it, or maybe (much more likely) the lyrical content and mood - and need for that. Whatever it may be, the song's a good one.
The final song is "Tighter." It's probably got the most psychedelic feel to it out of any of the tracks. It's also a little more slowed down, providing a funkier mood in that softer kind of way. It's also probably the saddest song on the album of all, lamenting on what he probably did wrong throughout the relationship. Ah, poor guy.
Added to My Playlist:
  • "Breakin' The Chains of Love"
  • "Pickin' Up The Pieces"
  • "L.O.V."
  • "Don't Gotta Work It Out"
  • "Winds of Change"

What's funny is that I added almost every even-numbered track, with exception of the last pairing. It was a really cool album though, unlike anything I've heard outside of those 60's tracks. It felt like we had additional soundtrack songs for movies on the 60's and Woodstock, honestly. But this has been a lost form for a while now, and seeing a bad take a leap and do this the way they see fit is really cool.
0 Comments
    Google
    Custom Search

    Author

    My name's Janelle. I'm a fan of music.

    Archives

    January 2017
    January 2016
    December 2014
    July 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011

    Categories

    All
    10000 Reasons
    18 Months
    1968
    1978
    1982
    1984
    1995
    1996
    2003
    2007
    2008
    2009
    2010
    2011
    2012
    2012 Grammy Special
    2012 Grammys Special
    2013
    2013 Grammys Special
    2014
    2015
    2015 Grammys Special
    2016
    2016 Grammys Special
    2017 Grammys Special
    21
    2478fcc7c85e9
    2 Chainz
    33 1/3
    4
    4x4129e74cfccd9
    6b17225b62
    80s
    Acoustic
    Adele
    A Different Kind Of Truth
    A Different Ship
    A Dramatic Turn Of Events
    Adult Alternative
    Afro Cuban
    Ahmad Jamal
    A Holiday Carole
    Aimee Mann
    Alabama Shakes
    Album Review
    Album Reviews
    Album Title Goes Here239d00844a
    Alexander Glazunov
    Alex Storer
    Al Jarreau
    All Rebel Rockers
    Alternative
    Alternative Folk
    Alternative Hip Hop
    Alternative Rock
    Al Walser
    Ambiant
    Americana
    Amy Winehouse
    Anakin
    And If Our God Is For Us44b8fff38b
    Andrae Crouch
    Andrew Davis
    Anthrax
    Arabia Mountain
    Area 52
    Arrow
    Art Rock
    Artuno Sandoval
    Arun Shenoy
    Astral Weeks
    Avicii
    Bach
    Bad Jokes
    Bangarang
    Barbara Streisand
    Barbra Streisand
    Baroque Pop
    Barton Hallow
    Based On A T.r.u. Story
    Bbc Philharmonic
    Belmont
    Benny Benassi
    Best Of
    Best Song Written For Visual Media
    Beyonce
    Big Beat
    Big Krit
    Biophilia
    Bjork
    Black And White
    Black Taxi
    Blake Shelton
    Blind Pilot
    Blood Bank
    Blood Pressures
    Blueeyed Soul05b96abb11
    Bluegrass
    Blue Moon
    Blues
    Blues Rock
    Blunderbuss
    Body And Soul
    Body Talk Pt 3
    Bond The Paris Sessions40ce2eefdd
    Bon Iver
    Bonnaroo
    Bonnaroo Special
    Bonnie Raitt
    Booker T Jones9ee767620b
    Born Free
    Born This Way
    Bowen
    Boys & Girls
    Bozza Nova
    Brahms
    Break The Spell
    Brian Setzer
    Bring It On Home
    Britt Nicole
    Broadway
    Brothers Osborne
    Bruce Springsteen
    Bruno Mars
    California 37
    Calvin Harris
    Camp
    Canton Jones
    Carly Rae Jepsen
    Carole King
    Ccm
    Cee Lo Green
    Celtic Punk
    Ceremonials
    Chaal Baby
    Channel Orange
    Charlie Wilson
    Cheif
    Cherub
    Chicago Symphony Orchestra Brass Section
    Childish Gambino
    Choral
    Chris Botti
    Christian Pop
    Christian Pop Rock
    Christmas
    Chris Tomlin
    Cinema
    Circles Around Me
    City And Colour
    Classic
    Classical
    Cloud Maintenance
    Coheed And Cambria
    Coldplay
    Cole World: The Sideline Story
    Come Around Sundown
    Comeback
    Comedy
    Comedy Rock
    Cool Jazz
    Cosmogramma
    Country
    Cso Resound - Chicago Symphony Orchestra Brass Live
    Cuban
    Cut/Copy
    Daft Punk
    Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr
    Dance
    Dance Pop
    Dance-pop
    D'angelo And The Vanguard
    Danger Mouse
    Daniele Luppi
    Danny Brown
    Darondo
    Das Racist
    Daughtry
    Dave Koz
    Davenport Cabinet
    David Guetta
    Dawes
    Deadmau5
    Dean Taylor
    Dear Diz (every Day I Think Of You)
    Delta Spirit
    Derek And The Dominos
    Diddy-Dirty Money
    Dispatch
    Dispatch Ep
    Dj
    Dominionaire
    Donald Lawrence And The Company
    Don't Think
    Doo-wop
    Doo-Wops & Hooligans
    Dream Theater
    Dr John
    Dubstep
    Duck Sauce
    Duets Ii
    Duets With The Dames
    Dylan Connor
    Ed Sheeran
    El Camino
    El Debarge
    Electric Blues
    Electro House
    Electronic
    Electronica
    Electronic Dance Music
    Electronic Music
    Electronic Rock
    Electropop
    Elephant
    Elvis Costello
    Ema
    Eminem
    Eric Benet
    Eric Church
    Erin Mclendon
    Eurodance
    Experimental
    Experimental Rock
    Feist
    Female
    Film Soundtrack
    Fire & Ice
    Fitz And The Tantrums
    Flogging Molly
    Florence + The Machine
    Flower Punk
    Flying Lotus
    Folk
    Folk Blues
    Folk-Noise
    Folk Rock
    Follow Me Down
    Foo Fighters
    For The Good Times
    Foster The People
    Four Hands & A Heart
    Frank Ocean
    Frank Sinatra
    Fruit Bats
    Fun
    Funk
    Funk Rock
    Fusion
    Future Worlds
    Futuristic Soul
    Gaia
    Garage
    Garage Punk
    Gerald Albright
    Gerald Clayton
    Gillian Welch
    Glee Cast
    Glee The Music The Christmas Album Value 2
    Glossary
    Gold
    Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band
    Gorillaz
    Gospel
    Gotye
    Greatest Hits... So Far!
    Hands All Over
    Hard Rock
    Harry Connick Jr.
    Heartless Bastards
    Heavy Metal
    Hello Fear
    Hello Tomorrow
    Here We Go Magic
    Heroes
    Hip Hop
    Hip-hop
    Holiday
    Home Again
    Horse Power Ep
    House
    Hugh Laurie
    Hunter Hayes
    I Can't Live Without You
    Impressions
    I'm With You
    In Concert On Broadway
    Indie
    Indie Folk
    Indie Pop
    Indie Rock
    Industrial Metal
    Instrumental
    Instrumental Rock
    Irish Pop
    Jack Bruce
    Jack Bruce & His Big Blues Band: Live 2012
    Jack White
    James Durbin
    Jamie Grace
    Jay-Z And Kanye West
    Jazz
    Jazz Fusion
    Jazz Pop
    J. Cole
    Jeff Beck
    Joan Osborne
    Joe Jackson
    ... Just A Matter Of Time
    Just Charlie
    Kaleidoscope Dream
    Kanye West
    Karen Elson
    Kaskade
    Kathleen Edwards
    Katy Perry
    Kelly Clarkson
    Kevin Hearn
    K Flay
    Khaira Arby
    Kid Rock
    Kim Burrell
    Kings Of Leon
    Kirk Franklin
    Kirtan
    Kiss
    Kisses On The Bottom
    Krishna Das
    Kristjan
    Lady Gaga
    Larry Carlton
    Lasers
    Last Train To Paris
    Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs
    Leaving Richmond
    Leonard Cohen
    Let Them Talk
    Levels
    Lioness: Hidden Treasures
    Listen To My Song: The Music City Sessions
    Little Broken Hearts
    Little Hell
    Live
    Live Anada
    Live At Cecil Sharp House Ep
    Live At The Blue Note Tokyo
    Live At The Royal Albert Hall
    Live From Beyond Hell Above Heaven
    Live From The Underground
    Lmfao
    Locked Down
    Long Live All Of Us
    Lost In Time
    Loud
    Lounge
    Love Letter
    Lupe Fiasco
    Making Mirrors
    Man In Motion
    Marie Naffah
    Mark Ronson
    Maroon 5
    Mastodon
    Matt Redman
    Megadeth
    Melody Gardot
    Memories Of A Beautiful Disaster
    Metal
    Metals
    Michael Brandt Demaria
    Michael Buble
    Michael Franti & Spearhead
    Michael Kiwanuka
    Middle Eastern
    Midnight Boom
    Miguel
    Mistaken Identity
    Mom Dad0e99b45cc3
    More Monsters And Sprites Ep
    Mto Plays Sly
    Mumford And Sons
    Muse
    Music Is Better Than Words
    My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
    Mylo Xyloto
    Neo-prog
    Neo Soul
    N.E.R.D.
    Nero
    New Age
    New Music Friday
    New Music Tuesday
    New Prog
    New Wave
    New York City
    Nicki Minaj
    Nico Osborne
    Night And Day
    Nightmare Revisited
    Nine Types Of Light
    No
    Norah Jones
    Norman Brown
    Nothing
    Nothing But The Beat
    Nothing Is Wrong
    Old Ideas
    Once: A New Musical
    One Song At A Time
    Original Broadway Cast Recording
    Our Machine
    Outlaw Country
    Overexposed
    Parody
    Past Life Martyred Saints
    Pat Metheny
    Paul Mccartney
    Peter Kater
    Piano
    Pickin' Up The Pieces
    Pink Friday
    Pitbull
    Planet Pit
    P!nk
    P!nk
    Pop
    Pop Instrumental
    Pop Punk
    Pop Rock
    Pop Vocal
    Port Of Morrow
    Post-Britpop
    Post-grunge
    Post-hymnal Anthematic
    Post-Punk
    Post-punk Revival
    Power Metal
    Power Pop
    Primal Fear
    Progressive Bluegrass
    Progressive House
    Progressive Metal
    Protest
    Psychedelic Rock
    Pub Rock
    Punk Rock
    Rachel Platten
    Radioactive
    Radiohead
    Random Accessed Memories
    Random Discoveries
    Rap
    Rare Groove
    Rave On Buddy Holly
    R&B
    R&b
    Recommendations
    Red Baraat
    Red Hot Chili Peppers
    Red River Blue
    Reggae
    Reggaefusion
    Relax
    Remixes
    Requests
    Richard King
    Rihanna
    Ringo 2012
    Ringo Starr
    Rize Of The Fenix
    R. Kelly
    Robyn
    Rock
    Rock And Roll
    Rock 'N' Roll Party Honoring Les Paul
    Rock Opera
    Rodrigo Y Gabriela & C.U.B.A.
    Rolling Papers
    Romantic
    Rome
    Roses
    Royal Tailor
    Rumbadoodle
    Russian National Orchestra
    Sam Bush
    Sarah Jarosz
    Save The World
    Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites
    Second Chance
    Seraphic Fire
    Seth Macfarlane
    Setzer Goes Intru-Mental!
    Shamrocks
    Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
    Shemekia Copeland
    Short Of The Sun
    Showtunes
    Sia
    Sigh No More
    Singer Songwriter
    Singer-songwriter
    Sixx:A.M.
    Ska
    Skrillex
    Slipstream
    Sludge Metal
    Smashing Pumpkins
    Smooth Jazz
    So Far
    Soja
    Solo Albums
    Some Nights
    Sorry For Party Rocking
    Soul
    Soul Time!
    Soundtrack
    Southern Hip Hop
    Southern Rock
    Special Edition Post
    Speed Of Darkness
    Standards
    Steampunk
    Steve Aoki
    Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra
    Stomp And Smash
    Stoner Rock
    Storm Corrosion
    Strange Mercy
    Stranger
    Strength To Survive
    Stronger
    St Vincent
    Sunshine Pop
    Susan Boyle
    Swedish House Mafia
    Synthpop
    Talk That Talk
    Techno
    Teenage Dream
    Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection
    Tenacious D
    Th1rt3en
    That's How We Roll
    That's Why God Made The Radio
    The 2nd Law
    The Absence
    The Antlers
    The Band Perry
    The Beach Boys
    The Bird And The Submarine
    The Black Keys
    The Black Lips
    The Bristol Sessions
    The Cars
    The Chemical Brothers
    The Chieftains
    The Civil Wars
    The Clare Fischer Latin Jazz Big Band
    The Cranberries
    The Credins
    The Decemberists
    The Devil Makes Three
    The Edges Of Twilight
    The Fall
    The Ghost Who Walks
    The Gift
    The Harrow & The Harvest
    The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack
    The Hunter
    The Hybrid
    The Journey
    The Kills
    The King Is Dead
    The King Of Limbs
    The Lady Killer
    The Light Dreams
    The Little Willies
    The Lonely Island
    The Love Album
    The Lumineers
    The Metropole Orkest
    The Music City Story
    The Road To Memphis
    The Shins
    The Staves
    The Tea Party
    The Truth About Love
    The White Stripes
    Thrash Metal
    Together
    Tony Bennett And Various Artists
    Top 10
    Torches
    Traditional Pop
    Traditional Vocal
    Train
    Trance
    Tribute
    Trip-hop
    Tripper
    Tron: Legacy Reconfigured
    Turtleneck & Chain
    Tv On The Radio
    Tv Soundtrack
    Unbreakable
    Unique
    Until Now
    Valient Thorr
    Van Halen
    Van Morrison
    Various Artists
    Vernon Reid
    Voice Of Ages
    Volbeat
    Volume One
    Voyageur
    Wakey!wakey!
    Warren Haynes
    Wasting Light
    Watch The Throne
    We Are The Tide
    We Don't Know Any Better
    Weird Al
    Welcome Reality
    Weloveyoursongs.com Artists
    What It's All About
    What Matters Most
    When You're Through Thinking Say Yes
    White Denim
    Wild And Free
    Willie Nelson
    Wind Rock Sea And Flame
    Winner Selections
    Wiz Khalifa
    Wonderland
    World
    Worship Music
    Wrecking Ball
    Ya Rassoul
    Yelawolf
    Yellowcard
    Young The Giant
    YRM (Your Righteous Mind)
    Ziggy Marley
    Zonoscope

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.