Truthfully, this list is distinctly lacking in the metal department. I guess most of the metal I listen to is from my high school years, when I got pretty into the Norway goth scene. Quite cheesy, I know.
T is for Theatre of Tragedy. Originally a doom metal band, these guys set a pretty dark, gothic mood, complete with some rad piano pieces and orchestral melodies.
Not to mention the old movie samples. I know it's cheesy as hell, but I think they did a fucking great job with that one.
They struck a fine balance, contrasting deep male vocals with female soprano vocals. This mesh of vocals has remained the same through their significant change in musical style.
With the release of the album Musique, it was quite clear that Theatre of Tragedy would never be the same.
At this point most diehard fans were about ready to cry. The new synthpop/industrial style was pretty much the opposite of what they were looking forward to, and a lot of people saw it as "selling out."
Me? If there's anything this month of blog posts has demonstrated, it's that I'm a total sucker for electronic music. I thought it was so fucking cool.
Then the record Assembly came out, and the electronic style was even more refined. Everything was so tight, and the combination of heavy guitar and sweet ass boops and beeps just seemed so badass to me! Like, fuckin'... Universal Race. That's all I know how to say right now, and that pretty much says it all for me.
Since then, Theatre of Tragedy have released a few more albums, but I've had a hard time getting into them. Gone is the Electro pop sound, and long gone is the doom metal sound. I have a hard time viewing their newer albums as much more than generic overproduced metal. Pretty disappointing, though I am glad they didn't overdo either of their prior musical styles. Even so, I think I'd rather see a band break up than actively choose to suck ass. This is the point where I'm ready to hop on the "sellouts" bandwagon, sad but true.
Also, honorable mention goes to another norwegian gothic metal band, Tristania.
I've only heard the album Widow's Weeds, but it looks like they've been quite prolific since.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Entry 11: Fortune
Nothing too spectacular, but I did promise art. I drew this a few weeks back, and while I don't have a scanner, I do have a camera, and that will just have to suffice.
I've been pretentiously referring to it as "a study of my right hand and my left ventricle."
Don't think too hard about it, you might end up like me.
Don't think too hard about it, you might end up like me.
Something I've been waiting for.
Seriously, all month I've been waiting for this one, and I'm probably the only person that's actually stoked about these guys too. A sad fact of life.
S is for Starship Amazing. While not technically chiptunes artists, these guys draw a lot of inspiration from video game music, and the result is something I couldn't possibly be happier with. I mean, goddamn!
(Everybody's Got) A Case Of The Glitches by Starship Amazing
8-BIT BONER!
I could listen to that song on loop for probably the better part of a week.
Over the past two years or so I've been listening to a lot of these guys. I'm not going to say it's for everyone, or even most people. It's all electronics, no vocals, and quite goofy at times. Nevertheless, they're one of my favorite bands to just throw on while I'm walking or whatever. Obviously it appeals to the gargantuan gamer nerd in me, and beyond that, there are some things you can get out of the electronic music medium that are otherwise impossible.
You've Got the Cash Reserves of a Tortilla by Starship Amazing
Also, clever titles are clever.
So who is Starship Amazing and where do they come from?
Starship Amazing are Derek and Calvin, and they come from Anchorage, Alaska. My first exposure to their music was via Derek's video project, The Happy Video Game Nerd.
HVGN all started as a single video, playing off the style of the Angry Video Game Nerd, but praising a great and underrated game instead of admonishing a shitty one. I don't think it was intended as a series, but it was solid, and people liked it.
After seeing some of his reviews, the musical influences become more apparent. Starship Amazing has a whole album that reminds me of Earthbound, and some of their dark, moodier songs would not be at all out of place in a survival horror game.
In case it's not yet apparent, this is just going to be some decent sized text blocks of me gushing, punctuated by soundcloud players until I run out of favorite songs to show you.
I Can Do the Math, I've Done the Calculations by Starship Amazing
To reiterate, I know not everybody's going to want to add this stuff to their collection. I don't know what to say on the subject... I mean, it's obvious why I like it, but that's not going to help somebody who's never learned the Konami code.
Yes, a significant degree of the appeal is in the nostalgia that the plethora of beautiful beeps provides, but I'm just so inured... I fail to see how beeps are not superior in all ways to any conventional instrument.
Guitar? Cello? Who cares? Give me Beeps!
Ya Burnt by Starship Amazing
I'm sure most of you have lost interest by now... I mean, if geeky electronic music isn't your thing, why read about it, right? It's kind of like if I were to start reading the sports section. I'd probably die.
Well, if you are still with me, check this one out too.
A Vile Climate by Starship Amazing
Well, thank you for bearing with me through that. I'm so stoked to be finally doing this one, so I hope somebody enjoyed it. If you like what you heard, check out their site. The albums for sale are super cheap, and there are a bunch of free ones too, including a rather entertaining but none too serious rap album. Enjoy!
S is for Starship Amazing. While not technically chiptunes artists, these guys draw a lot of inspiration from video game music, and the result is something I couldn't possibly be happier with. I mean, goddamn!
(Everybody's Got) A Case Of The Glitches by Starship Amazing
8-BIT BONER!
I could listen to that song on loop for probably the better part of a week.
Over the past two years or so I've been listening to a lot of these guys. I'm not going to say it's for everyone, or even most people. It's all electronics, no vocals, and quite goofy at times. Nevertheless, they're one of my favorite bands to just throw on while I'm walking or whatever. Obviously it appeals to the gargantuan gamer nerd in me, and beyond that, there are some things you can get out of the electronic music medium that are otherwise impossible.
You've Got the Cash Reserves of a Tortilla by Starship Amazing
Also, clever titles are clever.
So who is Starship Amazing and where do they come from?
Starship Amazing are Derek and Calvin, and they come from Anchorage, Alaska. My first exposure to their music was via Derek's video project, The Happy Video Game Nerd.
HVGN all started as a single video, playing off the style of the Angry Video Game Nerd, but praising a great and underrated game instead of admonishing a shitty one. I don't think it was intended as a series, but it was solid, and people liked it.
After seeing some of his reviews, the musical influences become more apparent. Starship Amazing has a whole album that reminds me of Earthbound, and some of their dark, moodier songs would not be at all out of place in a survival horror game.
In case it's not yet apparent, this is just going to be some decent sized text blocks of me gushing, punctuated by soundcloud players until I run out of favorite songs to show you.
I Can Do the Math, I've Done the Calculations by Starship Amazing
To reiterate, I know not everybody's going to want to add this stuff to their collection. I don't know what to say on the subject... I mean, it's obvious why I like it, but that's not going to help somebody who's never learned the Konami code.
Yes, a significant degree of the appeal is in the nostalgia that the plethora of beautiful beeps provides, but I'm just so inured... I fail to see how beeps are not superior in all ways to any conventional instrument.
Guitar? Cello? Who cares? Give me Beeps!
Ya Burnt by Starship Amazing
I'm sure most of you have lost interest by now... I mean, if geeky electronic music isn't your thing, why read about it, right? It's kind of like if I were to start reading the sports section. I'd probably die.
Well, if you are still with me, check this one out too.
A Vile Climate by Starship Amazing
Well, thank you for bearing with me through that. I'm so stoked to be finally doing this one, so I hope somebody enjoyed it. If you like what you heard, check out their site. The albums for sale are super cheap, and there are a bunch of free ones too, including a rather entertaining but none too serious rap album. Enjoy!
Quite succinct.
Questioning whether I should bother with this one. I'm not certain anything I say will do them justice.
Q is for Queen. If you don't know who Queen is, you're probably six, so I'll spare any introduction. I suppose it's worth noting that they wrote Bohemian Rhapsody.
A great song, and pretty much everything they've ever put out has been just as spectacular. I think my favorite queen songs are the more quirky ones that sound like show tunes. Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon and Seaside Rendezvous spring to mind.
That is all.
Q is for Queen. If you don't know who Queen is, you're probably six, so I'll spare any introduction. I suppose it's worth noting that they wrote Bohemian Rhapsody.
A great song, and pretty much everything they've ever put out has been just as spectacular. I think my favorite queen songs are the more quirky ones that sound like show tunes. Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon and Seaside Rendezvous spring to mind.
That is all.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Proclivity
Part of me would like to review one of the many great band options that I can come up with off the top of my head, but lately, I've been digging this album all too much to ignore it.
P is for Pablo Honey, by Radiohead. Some people may say that their debut album doesn't stack up to much of their later works, but I still regard it as one of my favorite records. Pablo Honey is probably most recognized for the song Creep. Hell, considering the volume of radio play, it's probably still the most recognized Radiohead song.
The band has definitely written more interesting, more technical, and altogether more moving pieces since, but Creep was an anthem for pretty much anybody who ever felt awkward and not good enough.
In my opinion, not the high point of the album, though it definitely has it's place.
The record starts off with You, and that usually amps me up for the whole experience. Another favorite is Ripcord, especially lately... it just keeps getting into my head.
If I keep going like this, I'm just going to end up linking every song, so I'll just wrap it up here and say the album closes with another fantastic song, Blowout.
In summation, if you aren't much into Radiohead because they're too weird and electronic now, Pablo Honey might be right for you. For those of you that do listen to Radiohead, but haven't given their older stuff a chance, I say spin that shit!
P is for Pablo Honey, by Radiohead. Some people may say that their debut album doesn't stack up to much of their later works, but I still regard it as one of my favorite records. Pablo Honey is probably most recognized for the song Creep. Hell, considering the volume of radio play, it's probably still the most recognized Radiohead song.
The band has definitely written more interesting, more technical, and altogether more moving pieces since, but Creep was an anthem for pretty much anybody who ever felt awkward and not good enough.
In my opinion, not the high point of the album, though it definitely has it's place.
The record starts off with You, and that usually amps me up for the whole experience. Another favorite is Ripcord, especially lately... it just keeps getting into my head.
If I keep going like this, I'm just going to end up linking every song, so I'll just wrap it up here and say the album closes with another fantastic song, Blowout.
In summation, if you aren't much into Radiohead because they're too weird and electronic now, Pablo Honey might be right for you. For those of you that do listen to Radiohead, but haven't given their older stuff a chance, I say spin that shit!
One time I saw a ghost.
Off topic, I know... If you don't get the reference (though I'm not sure you want to) check out "My Year With the Dragon" on Sick Animation. Incidentally, this post does relate to flash animation though.
O is for Of Montreal, a very cool band that I discovered whilst checking out Kangaroo Alliance. They did a particularly fantastic music video for Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games. Listening to it now, the vocals make me think of Phoenix a whole lot.
But after hearing more of their music, Of Montreal strikes me somewhat differently. They've done some pretty interesting and unexpected things. I've found myself especially enjoying their 2010 record, False Priest.
That's not to say it's perfect, there are some songs that I just don't get. Such is the case for a lot of their albums, too. While that sort of inconsistency is hard to overlook in a band (at least for me it is) I keep coming back, because the stuff I do like, is remarkable. Like my new favorite song, Our Riotous Defects.
To be fair, after a few more listens, I'll probably get into all of it a lot more. I tend to veer towards more depressive music, and the problem may be that some of their stuff is really upbeat. I could probably use more of that anyway.
Here's another great song from False Priest.
Some of the lyrics are pretty great, like "I don't want to catch you with some other guy's face under your eyelids."
False Priests definitely strikes me as the most interesting, though Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? is also fucking monumental. Of Montreal has been pumping out albums forever like crazy though, so there's probably more that I'm overlooking. You should definitely check them out for yourself.
O is for Of Montreal, a very cool band that I discovered whilst checking out Kangaroo Alliance. They did a particularly fantastic music video for Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games. Listening to it now, the vocals make me think of Phoenix a whole lot.
But after hearing more of their music, Of Montreal strikes me somewhat differently. They've done some pretty interesting and unexpected things. I've found myself especially enjoying their 2010 record, False Priest.
That's not to say it's perfect, there are some songs that I just don't get. Such is the case for a lot of their albums, too. While that sort of inconsistency is hard to overlook in a band (at least for me it is) I keep coming back, because the stuff I do like, is remarkable. Like my new favorite song, Our Riotous Defects.
To be fair, after a few more listens, I'll probably get into all of it a lot more. I tend to veer towards more depressive music, and the problem may be that some of their stuff is really upbeat. I could probably use more of that anyway.
Here's another great song from False Priest.
Some of the lyrics are pretty great, like "I don't want to catch you with some other guy's face under your eyelids."
False Priests definitely strikes me as the most interesting, though Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? is also fucking monumental. Of Montreal has been pumping out albums forever like crazy though, so there's probably more that I'm overlooking. You should definitely check them out for yourself.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Not new, but new to you.
Now then, this should be an interesting one... There are a lot of very well known artists starting with the letter N, and I've made it pretty clear that I'm trying to review something fresh, instead of just telling you about bands you already listen to. Well, this is about to get pretty contradictory.
N is for Neil Young. Yeah, there's no way you've heard of Neil Young before, right? Well, we're going to be focusing on Neil Young's relatively underrated and unknown 1982 release, the electronic album, Trans.
That's right, Neil Young made an electronic album, and it's really no surprise that an audience who loved him for is folk rock music would be put off by such a drastic change of direction. The thing is though, there is something for everybody on this album. It does have a couple really good songs that aren't overly synth-laden, but I guess most people weren't too focused on those. I for one think it's a really interesting blend of styles, and I don't know if we'll ever see anything else like it. Obviously that's a pretty biased statement, since I'm a huge geek for electronic music in general, but I'm confident there's a great deal of merit to it nonetheless. So the songs that conventional Young fans took issue with were the ones that belong on Optimus Prime's iPod.
I am a fan of Neil Young's standard fare, but Trans was just a complete anomaly to me, and it definitely stands out as the most compelling in my mind. I hope you all enjoyed this, or at the very least, went "Holy Crap! Neil Young made what?"
I'd like to point out that I added another half to my Liam Lynch review, and put another song on my Headphones review. Check 'em out if you haven't.
N is for Neil Young. Yeah, there's no way you've heard of Neil Young before, right? Well, we're going to be focusing on Neil Young's relatively underrated and unknown 1982 release, the electronic album, Trans.
I am a fan of Neil Young's standard fare, but Trans was just a complete anomaly to me, and it definitely stands out as the most compelling in my mind. I hope you all enjoyed this, or at the very least, went "Holy Crap! Neil Young made what?"
I'd like to point out that I added another half to my Liam Lynch review, and put another song on my Headphones review. Check 'em out if you haven't.
Mere days behind.
Maybe by next week I'll be consistently on schedule. I'm running out of weeks in april though. I might be adding another review to this one at a later date.
M is for Mouse on Mars. Mouse on Mars is an electronic duo from Germany. They started making music in 1993, and I'm pretty sure their last studio release was in 2006.
My first exposure to Mouse on Mars was this song, and soon after hearing it, I picked up one of their newer albums, Niun Niggung.
Some of their music is a little goofy.
And some is... completely phrenetic.
But in a good way.
Niun Niggung is a very strange album, I'll admit that... some of it is too weird to listen to at times, and the whole album included a lot more trumpet than I was expecting. lol
But then there are songs that just seem to get everything right... to me anyway.
There's a lot more of Mouse on Mars that I haven't heard yet, and I'll be trying to remedy that shortly. If you liked anything you heard, I recommend you do the same.
M is for Mouse on Mars. Mouse on Mars is an electronic duo from Germany. They started making music in 1993, and I'm pretty sure their last studio release was in 2006.
My first exposure to Mouse on Mars was this song, and soon after hearing it, I picked up one of their newer albums, Niun Niggung.
Some of their music is a little goofy.
And some is... completely phrenetic.
But in a good way.
Niun Niggung is a very strange album, I'll admit that... some of it is too weird to listen to at times, and the whole album included a lot more trumpet than I was expecting. lol
But then there are songs that just seem to get everything right... to me anyway.
There's a lot more of Mouse on Mars that I haven't heard yet, and I'll be trying to remedy that shortly. If you liked anything you heard, I recommend you do the same.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Let's do this.
Like it's any surprise, I'm gonna geek out at length about something nerdy again.
L is for Liam Lynch! Probably best known for MTV's Sifl and Olly Show, as well as his album Fake Songs, featuring the track United States of Whatever. We're clearly here to talk about the latter, but I think more introduction is in order. So those are the things you probably know him for, but Liam Lynch has had his part to play in a ton of stuff, and it's possible you may have missed his involvement. For starters, he did some directing work for the music video for Tribute, by Tenacious D. Plus further involvement with Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny. Yeah.
Then there's that theme song for Clone High he wrote. No big deal.
Here's the extended version, because it actually is a big deal.
Also worth mentioning, the song was written by Lynch, but performed by the Abandoned Pools.
There's a ton more, too! He directed the UK music video for Times Like These by The Foo Fighters, co-wrote a song for the movie School of Rock, and directed Sarah Silverman: Jesus is Magic.
So now that I'm done being a fanboy, let's get back to his music. As the name suggests, Fake Songs is a collection of songs done in the style of other musicians. I especially enjoy Fake David Bowie Song, Fake Depeche Mode Song, and Fake Björk Song. Aside from the "Fake ___ Song" titles, there's a decent selection of original works. There's a song featuring guest vocals by Jack Black, andone two featuring guest drums by Ringo Motherfucking Starr!
Liam Lynch is all about DIY, and I think that's what makes this album so great; it wasn't made to move units. The guy pretty much put the album together for fun instead of worrying about how it would be received. Incidentally, United States of Whatever charted top 10 in the UK.
Here's a quotation from the liner notes of Fake Songs:
"Everything on Fake Songs was made at home on my computer. For me, it's those late night (and into the morning) hours that fuel the most creative fun. I'm a little slap-happy and sleep deprived... alone in my house and free to make something silly or weird or just interesting. I can put down any artistic ego and not try to be cooler or smarter or better than anyone. It's freedom. No rules. It's like pretending and playing when you were a kid... there is no wrong way to do it... it's whatever you want.
The sound alike songs on this album are out of respect. Obviously, to try to capture the musical and lyrical style of an artist, you have to listen to that artist a great deal. I see them as charicature songs, and they are meant as compliments.
I hope you all like this stuff and that something makes you laugh. That's the point of all this. I just hope to make you smile."
On the topic of fake songs, I found a pretty rad Fake White Stripes Song that didn't appear on the album.
So Liam's still writing music and making amusing videos, and you can check out his website for more info.
L is for Liam Lynch! Probably best known for MTV's Sifl and Olly Show, as well as his album Fake Songs, featuring the track United States of Whatever. We're clearly here to talk about the latter, but I think more introduction is in order. So those are the things you probably know him for, but Liam Lynch has had his part to play in a ton of stuff, and it's possible you may have missed his involvement. For starters, he did some directing work for the music video for Tribute, by Tenacious D. Plus further involvement with Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny. Yeah.
Then there's that theme song for Clone High he wrote. No big deal.
Here's the extended version, because it actually is a big deal.
Also worth mentioning, the song was written by Lynch, but performed by the Abandoned Pools.
There's a ton more, too! He directed the UK music video for Times Like These by The Foo Fighters, co-wrote a song for the movie School of Rock, and directed Sarah Silverman: Jesus is Magic.
So now that I'm done being a fanboy, let's get back to his music. As the name suggests, Fake Songs is a collection of songs done in the style of other musicians. I especially enjoy Fake David Bowie Song, Fake Depeche Mode Song, and Fake Björk Song. Aside from the "Fake ___ Song" titles, there's a decent selection of original works. There's a song featuring guest vocals by Jack Black, and
Liam Lynch is all about DIY, and I think that's what makes this album so great; it wasn't made to move units. The guy pretty much put the album together for fun instead of worrying about how it would be received. Incidentally, United States of Whatever charted top 10 in the UK.
Here's a quotation from the liner notes of Fake Songs:
"Everything on Fake Songs was made at home on my computer. For me, it's those late night (and into the morning) hours that fuel the most creative fun. I'm a little slap-happy and sleep deprived... alone in my house and free to make something silly or weird or just interesting. I can put down any artistic ego and not try to be cooler or smarter or better than anyone. It's freedom. No rules. It's like pretending and playing when you were a kid... there is no wrong way to do it... it's whatever you want.
The sound alike songs on this album are out of respect. Obviously, to try to capture the musical and lyrical style of an artist, you have to listen to that artist a great deal. I see them as charicature songs, and they are meant as compliments.
I hope you all like this stuff and that something makes you laugh. That's the point of all this. I just hope to make you smile."
On the topic of fake songs, I found a pretty rad Fake White Stripes Song that didn't appear on the album.
So Liam's still writing music and making amusing videos, and you can check out his website for more info.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Kind of a cop-out.
Ka-blamo!
I'm having some trouble with this one, because I've got it down to either Kanye West or Keane, but they're both pretty well known. I don't know if anybody else actually listens to Keane though... I think they're great.
I'm having some trouble with this one, because I've got it down to either Kanye West or Keane, but they're both pretty well known. I don't know if anybody else actually listens to Keane though... I think they're great.
Just like clockwork...
Jesus, that's one shitty clock.
J is for Joey Chaos! Joey is pretty much my brother in law, and I've been around to listen to his music since he first started the project in high school. I thought his music was awesome then, and it's only gotten better since. It started out with some pretty heavy industrial influences, but it's grown into it's own electronic rock sound. Between Joey's keyboards and sequencing, and Walker's guitar and bass, they're a pretty badass duo. Joey recorded an album a few years back, but was unhappy with the result, and has been working on a re-release.
Here's a new and improved track from Beyond the Shadows of Autumn.
Look At You Now by Joey Chaos
On top of that, there's a whole new album on the go!
Here are a couple of the new demos:
Maybe I Miss You by Joey Chaos
Joey Chaos - Glitch (2011 Demo) by Joey Chaos
Glitch is one of my favorite Joey Chaos songs, and it's gone through a couple incarnations since I first heard it. I don't know if this is the final cut, but it's definitely pretty badass in my opinion.
The recordings are one thing, but there's also something to be said for the Joey Chaos live experience. I'll try to keep everybody posted when the next show comes up. Also, check out the website for more info and songs!
That's all for now.
J is for Joey Chaos! Joey is pretty much my brother in law, and I've been around to listen to his music since he first started the project in high school. I thought his music was awesome then, and it's only gotten better since. It started out with some pretty heavy industrial influences, but it's grown into it's own electronic rock sound. Between Joey's keyboards and sequencing, and Walker's guitar and bass, they're a pretty badass duo. Joey recorded an album a few years back, but was unhappy with the result, and has been working on a re-release.
Here's a new and improved track from Beyond the Shadows of Autumn.
Look At You Now by Joey Chaos
On top of that, there's a whole new album on the go!
Here are a couple of the new demos:
Maybe I Miss You by Joey Chaos
Joey Chaos - Glitch (2011 Demo) by Joey Chaos
Glitch is one of my favorite Joey Chaos songs, and it's gone through a couple incarnations since I first heard it. I don't know if this is the final cut, but it's definitely pretty badass in my opinion.
The recordings are one thing, but there's also something to be said for the Joey Chaos live experience. I'll try to keep everybody posted when the next show comes up. Also, check out the website for more info and songs!
That's all for now.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Inconcievable!
I never realized it, but there aren't too many bands that start with I. On top of that, I'm sure everybody's already heard plenty of Incubus and Interpol. I considered reviewing Inspiral Carpets, but beyond "This is How it Feels" is pretty good, I don't have a lot to say. We're switching it up this time, and I'm going to talk about a record.
I is for I, by The Magnetic Fields. It's always hard to describe The Magnetic Fields... bizarre as it may sound, the best I've been able to come up with is "Beat Happening meets Morrissey!" What the fuck, right? Right. You may think that 69 songs about love would be a pretty exemplary repertoire, but not Stephin Merritt! I swear to god, a good 80% of everything this guy's put out has love as it's theme. Make no mistake, I am not complaining. It's pretty great, in my opinion.
I is a fantastic album, and is no exception to this love theme. The concept's pretty simple: every song starts with the letter I. It may come as a surprise, but this record has no synths to speak of. It says right in the liner notes! I have the feeling that might be slightly erroneous, but for the most part, it is legit instrumentation. That's actually pretty cool, considering all the strings and such. Stephin Merritt has a devilish wit to him, and it shows in "I Wish I Had an Evil Twin" and "I Don't Really Love You Anymore." This record is worth listening to for it's lyrics alone. Unfortunately, a lot of my favorite songs from this album are pretty difficult to find streamable copies of. If of the songs I've linked so far have piqued your interest, I implore you to pick up a copy of this album! If you're on the fence, come over and listen to it.
I is for I, by The Magnetic Fields. It's always hard to describe The Magnetic Fields... bizarre as it may sound, the best I've been able to come up with is "Beat Happening meets Morrissey!" What the fuck, right? Right. You may think that 69 songs about love would be a pretty exemplary repertoire, but not Stephin Merritt! I swear to god, a good 80% of everything this guy's put out has love as it's theme. Make no mistake, I am not complaining. It's pretty great, in my opinion.
I is a fantastic album, and is no exception to this love theme. The concept's pretty simple: every song starts with the letter I. It may come as a surprise, but this record has no synths to speak of. It says right in the liner notes! I have the feeling that might be slightly erroneous, but for the most part, it is legit instrumentation. That's actually pretty cool, considering all the strings and such. Stephin Merritt has a devilish wit to him, and it shows in "I Wish I Had an Evil Twin" and "I Don't Really Love You Anymore." This record is worth listening to for it's lyrics alone. Unfortunately, a lot of my favorite songs from this album are pretty difficult to find streamable copies of. If of the songs I've linked so far have piqued your interest, I implore you to pick up a copy of this album! If you're on the fence, come over and listen to it.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
How Jou Like Me Naoh!?!
Hell you guys, this is a lot harder than I thought. It's really hard to find the time, between work and hanging out with all my awesome friends. Motherfuckers.
H is for Headphones! Headphones is David Bazan and Tim William Walsh of Pedro the Lion, and Frank Lenz of Starflyer 59. While this trio wouldn't be recognized by anyone else as a Superband, that's the way I look at it. I followed the projects of David Bazan and TW Walsh for a long time, and couldn't get enough! And Starflyer 59 is pretty exceptional as well. Both Pedro the Lion and Starflyer 59 tend towards guitar and drums rock. Headphones however is nothing but electronics, drums, and vocals. So right there, I was fucking sold.
Also, songs like this sure don't hurt.
I Never Wanted You by David Bazan
It's not your conventional electronic act either. Some of the melodies are fucking pheonomenal, but it might take a bit for most to get into it, because it is pretty minimalist. Bazan's lyrics and delivery pull it all together though. I can't get enough of this guy. Listen to Gas and Matches. Okay look, you and I both know what's coming next: "It reminds me of video game music."
It shouldn't be that surprising, I'm a classic gamer, and up until around the Playstation era, any music found in a video game was likely 100% synthesized. That's just how it worked, and half the reason I'm more into the old school games anyway.
Listen to Natural Disaster, too. It's pretty great. Ignore the Disneyland video. I don't know what the deal with that is.
Edit:
I don't know how I managed to review Headphones without linking this song. Pretty dark subject matter, and I'd like to say I can't relate. But I'm pretty sure it's common knowledge that I've been stepped on before... a lot. When faced with such flagrant disregard for your feelings, it's hard not to be fucking livid.
Unfortunately, Headphones seems to have been a one time deal, and on top of that, Pedro the Lion split up, and while David Bazan is still touring, I don't think he's put out any new records in a couple years. Starflyer 59 put out an album last year though, and here's proof!
Well, I'm all caught up for now... time to go do something with my Saturday.
H is for Headphones! Headphones is David Bazan and Tim William Walsh of Pedro the Lion, and Frank Lenz of Starflyer 59. While this trio wouldn't be recognized by anyone else as a Superband, that's the way I look at it. I followed the projects of David Bazan and TW Walsh for a long time, and couldn't get enough! And Starflyer 59 is pretty exceptional as well. Both Pedro the Lion and Starflyer 59 tend towards guitar and drums rock. Headphones however is nothing but electronics, drums, and vocals. So right there, I was fucking sold.
Also, songs like this sure don't hurt.
I Never Wanted You by David Bazan
It's not your conventional electronic act either. Some of the melodies are fucking pheonomenal, but it might take a bit for most to get into it, because it is pretty minimalist. Bazan's lyrics and delivery pull it all together though. I can't get enough of this guy. Listen to Gas and Matches. Okay look, you and I both know what's coming next: "It reminds me of video game music."
It shouldn't be that surprising, I'm a classic gamer, and up until around the Playstation era, any music found in a video game was likely 100% synthesized. That's just how it worked, and half the reason I'm more into the old school games anyway.
Listen to Natural Disaster, too. It's pretty great. Ignore the Disneyland video. I don't know what the deal with that is.
Edit:
I don't know how I managed to review Headphones without linking this song. Pretty dark subject matter, and I'd like to say I can't relate. But I'm pretty sure it's common knowledge that I've been stepped on before... a lot. When faced with such flagrant disregard for your feelings, it's hard not to be fucking livid.
Unfortunately, Headphones seems to have been a one time deal, and on top of that, Pedro the Lion split up, and while David Bazan is still touring, I don't think he's put out any new records in a couple years. Starflyer 59 put out an album last year though, and here's proof!
Well, I'm all caught up for now... time to go do something with my Saturday.
Gonna run out of steam at this rate.
Going easy on myself this time... just gonna flap my lips about a band that I'm gay for.
G is for Grandaddy. The first thing I noticed about Grandaddy was how expansive their songs tend to be. More often than not, a song will have a pretty extensive interlude with no vocals, just focusing on the melodies and chord progressions. Also, I can't say it enough; I love synth. Grandaddy is pretty much 100% rock with keyboards, and the interludes often remind me of some cross between a symphony and a Super Nintendo game. I'll throw out a few examples so you can get a picture of what I'm getting at.
At my Post from "Excerpts from the Diary of Todd Zilla"
The Final Push to the Sum from "Sumday"
These guys are great. A lot of the songs are a little on the depressing side, and I'll be honest, that's actually what I look for in an artist. If a song can evoke an emotion from me, then all the better. It's not all sad shit though. They have some pretty upbeat songs, and truthfully, they're some of my favorites too! Take a listen to Now it's On.
I enjoy the hell out of that song... and the orchestral hits remind me of Starfox. Lol
Also, check out this sweet fan vid for Pull the Curtains!
I'd like to emphasize again how much this stuff reminds me of video game music. Listen to Florida, too. That song makes me lol.
Grandaddy songs tend to have a recurring theme of disregarding the machinations of modern society and appreciating nature.
Have a listen to The Group Who Couldn't Say.
You should also hear The Warming Sun.
The Warming Sun reminds me of me, because I suck at girls.
In summary, go buy all their records. Right now.
G is for Grandaddy. The first thing I noticed about Grandaddy was how expansive their songs tend to be. More often than not, a song will have a pretty extensive interlude with no vocals, just focusing on the melodies and chord progressions. Also, I can't say it enough; I love synth. Grandaddy is pretty much 100% rock with keyboards, and the interludes often remind me of some cross between a symphony and a Super Nintendo game. I'll throw out a few examples so you can get a picture of what I'm getting at.
At my Post from "Excerpts from the Diary of Todd Zilla"
The Final Push to the Sum from "Sumday"
These guys are great. A lot of the songs are a little on the depressing side, and I'll be honest, that's actually what I look for in an artist. If a song can evoke an emotion from me, then all the better. It's not all sad shit though. They have some pretty upbeat songs, and truthfully, they're some of my favorites too! Take a listen to Now it's On.
I enjoy the hell out of that song... and the orchestral hits remind me of Starfox. Lol
Also, check out this sweet fan vid for Pull the Curtains!
I'd like to emphasize again how much this stuff reminds me of video game music. Listen to Florida, too. That song makes me lol.
Grandaddy songs tend to have a recurring theme of disregarding the machinations of modern society and appreciating nature.
Have a listen to The Group Who Couldn't Say.
You should also hear The Warming Sun.
The Warming Sun reminds me of me, because I suck at girls.
In summary, go buy all their records. Right now.
Far Behind
First things first, I'd like to point out that I had a pretty tough time picking a band this time, so I'll list off a couple artists you should hear if you haven't already.
Fischerspooner, The Flaming Lips, and The Format. Now that that's out of the way, on to the main attraction.
F is for Fake Problems. This is a weird one, because they took a while to grow on me. I do like some good rock now and again, but it has to be pretty unique for me to get really into it, and I found Fake Problems somewhat run of the mill the first time through. That said, they really pull through lyrically. I know not everybody's gonna agree with that, but I for one find them marvelously clever and I think I can relate to much of the subject matter. I've only listened to Real Ghosts Caught on Tape, but I do intend on checking out their older albums.
Here's a video of the lead singer playing Songs for Teenagers in a public washroom.
Definitely talented musicians and solid songwriters... I think the issue I have is that they're not what I typically listen to. I'm definitely a huge fan now though, and if you haven't given Real Ghosts Caught on Tape a listen yet, you really should. Here's another song I really like, and here's a pretty sweet music video.
Later, HV Penetrator!
Fischerspooner, The Flaming Lips, and The Format. Now that that's out of the way, on to the main attraction.
F is for Fake Problems. This is a weird one, because they took a while to grow on me. I do like some good rock now and again, but it has to be pretty unique for me to get really into it, and I found Fake Problems somewhat run of the mill the first time through. That said, they really pull through lyrically. I know not everybody's gonna agree with that, but I for one find them marvelously clever and I think I can relate to much of the subject matter. I've only listened to Real Ghosts Caught on Tape, but I do intend on checking out their older albums.
Here's a video of the lead singer playing Songs for Teenagers in a public washroom.
Definitely talented musicians and solid songwriters... I think the issue I have is that they're not what I typically listen to. I'm definitely a huge fan now though, and if you haven't given Real Ghosts Caught on Tape a listen yet, you really should. Here's another song I really like, and here's a pretty sweet music video.
Later, HV Penetrator!
Everybody knows I'm a mother fucking procrastinator.
Egads! It's saturday and here I am plugging away at Wednesday's post. Get used to it, I guess.
E is for Erasure, a group that I've been listening to for most of my goddamn life. For those of you that don't know, I'm a big fan of Pet Shop Boys, Erasure, and gay dance music in general. That all started with my Mom. While my family was strictly pentecostal in my earlier years, it definitely mellowed out when we moved away from our congregation in Sherwood Park, Alberta. I don't know exactly when my mom started listening to Erasure, but she loved them! Of course, Andy Bell is gay, and I think that's something that got my mom questioning how "wrong" that really is, and looking at our religion with more scrutiny. I remember when I was around 14, my mom telling me that whether I came home with a girlfriend, or a boyfriend, she would always love me just the same. I wish more people were so lucky.
So back to the music! I suspect that a lot of you will recognize this tune, whether you have heard of Erasure or not:
That's right! It's the song from Robot Unicorn Attack! Admittedly, that's half the reason I was so stoked about this game.
I guess the fandom is kind of ingrained... when I was a kid, we had two cats named Always, and Sometimes. That aside, it's synth pop, and it's Vince Clarke's synth pop! Dude worked with Depeche Mode, among his other projects. I don't expect everybody to like it, but I hope you'll give them a chance.
Next time, Gadget!
E is for Erasure, a group that I've been listening to for most of my goddamn life. For those of you that don't know, I'm a big fan of Pet Shop Boys, Erasure, and gay dance music in general. That all started with my Mom. While my family was strictly pentecostal in my earlier years, it definitely mellowed out when we moved away from our congregation in Sherwood Park, Alberta. I don't know exactly when my mom started listening to Erasure, but she loved them! Of course, Andy Bell is gay, and I think that's something that got my mom questioning how "wrong" that really is, and looking at our religion with more scrutiny. I remember when I was around 14, my mom telling me that whether I came home with a girlfriend, or a boyfriend, she would always love me just the same. I wish more people were so lucky.
So back to the music! I suspect that a lot of you will recognize this tune, whether you have heard of Erasure or not:
That's right! It's the song from Robot Unicorn Attack! Admittedly, that's half the reason I was so stoked about this game.
I guess the fandom is kind of ingrained... when I was a kid, we had two cats named Always, and Sometimes. That aside, it's synth pop, and it's Vince Clarke's synth pop! Dude worked with Depeche Mode, among his other projects. I don't expect everybody to like it, but I hope you'll give them a chance.
Next time, Gadget!
Friday, April 8, 2011
Damn damn damn damn I suck at this.
Does anybody mind that this is like, 3 days late? I'll have you know I'm very easily distracted.
Now D could be for Depeche Mode, or Daft Punk, or Death Cab for Cutie, or Deftones, but I'm sure everybody's heard that. D could be for DIO, or Dimmu Borgir, or Dark Tranquillity, but everybody who is metal has heard that. D could be for Dir En Grey(nsfw), but everybody who is japanese (or a Japanophile) and metal has heard that. So no, I'm gonna talk about Doctor Octoroc.
Doctor Octoroc is a chiptune artist. I know not everyone who reads this is a hopeless geek like I am, so I'll explain. Chiptunes are songs made using the sound processors from old gaming systems. The artists are thusly working with the limitations of the hardware to create some pretty sweet retro gaming style beatz. Wikipedia is a lot more in-depth, if this concept intrigues you. Anyway, Doctor Octoroc is probably best known for his Christmas collection, 8-Bit Jesus. I'm gonna focus on 8-Bit Jesus, 'cause it's really all I know, and I'm already running way too late to do any research.
So each song is a classic christmas carol done in the style of a classic video game, usually with a pun-laden monicker such as "Carol of the Belmonts."
Mirth!
If you pay close attention, and have a pretty good background in NES gaming, you'll appreciate how closely all of these songs resemble classic tunes from childhood games! Nerd glee! That's my take on that!
If you find this music at all interesting, check out Doctor Octoroc's site! He's got a couple more releases out, including a St. Patrick's Day themed album!
Additionally, here's a great site for chip music in general.
Well, that's that. Be sure to take another look at Saturday's post. I've added the other review I promised.
Originally I'd planned on catching up on all my posts tonight, but no such luck. Try not to be too angry, the failure is punishment enough.
Later, smooth operator.
Now D could be for Depeche Mode, or Daft Punk, or Death Cab for Cutie, or Deftones, but I'm sure everybody's heard that. D could be for DIO, or Dimmu Borgir, or Dark Tranquillity, but everybody who is metal has heard that. D could be for Dir En Grey(nsfw), but everybody who is japanese (or a Japanophile) and metal has heard that. So no, I'm gonna talk about Doctor Octoroc.
Doctor Octoroc is a chiptune artist. I know not everyone who reads this is a hopeless geek like I am, so I'll explain. Chiptunes are songs made using the sound processors from old gaming systems. The artists are thusly working with the limitations of the hardware to create some pretty sweet retro gaming style beatz. Wikipedia is a lot more in-depth, if this concept intrigues you. Anyway, Doctor Octoroc is probably best known for his Christmas collection, 8-Bit Jesus. I'm gonna focus on 8-Bit Jesus, 'cause it's really all I know, and I'm already running way too late to do any research.
So each song is a classic christmas carol done in the style of a classic video game, usually with a pun-laden monicker such as "Carol of the Belmonts."
Mirth!
If you pay close attention, and have a pretty good background in NES gaming, you'll appreciate how closely all of these songs resemble classic tunes from childhood games! Nerd glee! That's my take on that!
If you find this music at all interesting, check out Doctor Octoroc's site! He's got a couple more releases out, including a St. Patrick's Day themed album!
Additionally, here's a great site for chip music in general.
Well, that's that. Be sure to take another look at Saturday's post. I've added the other review I promised.
Originally I'd planned on catching up on all my posts tonight, but no such luck. Try not to be too angry, the failure is punishment enough.
Later, smooth operator.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Close. So close.
Crap. Here I am starting my monday blog post at 12:01, tuesday morning.
C is for Cut Copy! I'm not even sure I need to say much here. They're getting pretty popular.
We'll start of with some of their older stuff though. I found Bright Like Neon Love pretty solid, though nowhere near as polished as their newer records. I find it necessary to point out a certain song though. Time Stands Still is stellar, and easily one of my favorite Cut Copy songs to date. The synth melodies just make my brain smile.
Then, there's In Ghost Colours. In my opinion, it's a perfect balance of electronic and rock. My favorite Cut Copy album. Sweet Video.
Their latest release, Zonoscope, is pretty good. Definitely moving away from the rock thing, which I'm a little disappointed about. It's still a great album, but I thought they had a really good thing going on. Maybe it's better that they didn't play it to death though. As always, sweet random videos. Lulz
Ooh, here's an interesting one:
C is for Cut Copy! I'm not even sure I need to say much here. They're getting pretty popular.
We'll start of with some of their older stuff though. I found Bright Like Neon Love pretty solid, though nowhere near as polished as their newer records. I find it necessary to point out a certain song though. Time Stands Still is stellar, and easily one of my favorite Cut Copy songs to date. The synth melodies just make my brain smile.
Then, there's In Ghost Colours. In my opinion, it's a perfect balance of electronic and rock. My favorite Cut Copy album. Sweet Video.
Their latest release, Zonoscope, is pretty good. Definitely moving away from the rock thing, which I'm a little disappointed about. It's still a great album, but I thought they had a really good thing going on. Maybe it's better that they didn't play it to death though. As always, sweet random videos. Lulz
Ooh, here's an interesting one:
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Better Late Than Never
Back with the letter B. Pardon my tardiness, I've got a couple reviews for today's post.
B is for Boards of Canada. Incidentally a Scottish duo, Boards of Canada draw their name and some inspiration from The National Film Board of Canada. Their music has a lot of warm analog sounds and synth melodies, similar to 70's and 80's NFB documentaries. [example]
I don't know how well suited I am to reviewing artists, since my first instinct is to just say "go listen to this and this and this!" but I'm giving it a go.
My first exposure to Boards of Canada was the album Geogaddi, and it's still one of my favorite records. Boards of Canada is great to throw on, whether you're doing something and need a good background sound, driving, or just chilling. I for one like to sit down and examine some truly interesting music once in a while.
I found that The Campfire Headphase incorporated a lot more rock-style instrumentation than earlier works. A welcome addition to be sure, and also an interesting departure for them. [example]
Boards of Canada will probably leave you feeling a little nostalgic if, like me, you grew up watching astronomy, biology, and history documentaries by the National Film Board of Canada, and don't think that's a coincidence.
Clearly that's what they were going for, and they've pulled it off flawlessly.
B is also for Buyproduct. This artist is actually somebody I know, but I'll try to remain unbiased. His album Enwirement is pretty heavy on the electronic, which I always enjoy. Everything is really well produced, and the lyrics are outstanding, in my opinion.
I especially liked the lines "Grinding the gears to take us apart, some of our brain, all of our heart, leave us intact, with modified cells, looking the same but just a shell of ourselves."
There's a lot of industrial/dance style music on the record, but some of the songs change it up a fair bit.
Now as much as I'd love to, I'm not going to embed the whole damn album on here, but I'd just like to throw down some other tracks you should check out. I recommend A Tonne of Misticking, Riding Whales, and Soft Bones. Also worthy of mention is Lost in Thought, which has some fucking sweet sound bytes from David After Dentist. Hell yeah!
That's a fair bit to start with. If you like what you hear, listen to the whole album on Soundcloud. That page includes some lyrics too, which is handy. I would've gone into the lyrical content of this album, but I'd rather let you hear it for yourself.
Alright, that's that. I'll just tack a quick personal update on here. I've started drawing again, and as soon as I can get my hands on a scanner, I'll probably do some uploading.
Also, my brother just submitted a t-shirt design to Threadless. It's still pending approval, but you guys should all check it out and maybe give it a thumbs up.
Later, John the Revelator.
B is for Boards of Canada. Incidentally a Scottish duo, Boards of Canada draw their name and some inspiration from The National Film Board of Canada. Their music has a lot of warm analog sounds and synth melodies, similar to 70's and 80's NFB documentaries. [example]
I don't know how well suited I am to reviewing artists, since my first instinct is to just say "go listen to this and this and this!" but I'm giving it a go.
My first exposure to Boards of Canada was the album Geogaddi, and it's still one of my favorite records. Boards of Canada is great to throw on, whether you're doing something and need a good background sound, driving, or just chilling. I for one like to sit down and examine some truly interesting music once in a while.
I found that The Campfire Headphase incorporated a lot more rock-style instrumentation than earlier works. A welcome addition to be sure, and also an interesting departure for them. [example]
Boards of Canada will probably leave you feeling a little nostalgic if, like me, you grew up watching astronomy, biology, and history documentaries by the National Film Board of Canada, and don't think that's a coincidence.
Clearly that's what they were going for, and they've pulled it off flawlessly.
B is also for Buyproduct. This artist is actually somebody I know, but I'll try to remain unbiased. His album Enwirement is pretty heavy on the electronic, which I always enjoy. Everything is really well produced, and the lyrics are outstanding, in my opinion.
I especially liked the lines "Grinding the gears to take us apart, some of our brain, all of our heart, leave us intact, with modified cells, looking the same but just a shell of ourselves."
There's a lot of industrial/dance style music on the record, but some of the songs change it up a fair bit.
Now as much as I'd love to, I'm not going to embed the whole damn album on here, but I'd just like to throw down some other tracks you should check out. I recommend A Tonne of Misticking, Riding Whales, and Soft Bones. Also worthy of mention is Lost in Thought, which has some fucking sweet sound bytes from David After Dentist. Hell yeah!
That's a fair bit to start with. If you like what you hear, listen to the whole album on Soundcloud. That page includes some lyrics too, which is handy. I would've gone into the lyrical content of this album, but I'd rather let you hear it for yourself.
Alright, that's that. I'll just tack a quick personal update on here. I've started drawing again, and as soon as I can get my hands on a scanner, I'll probably do some uploading.
Also, my brother just submitted a t-shirt design to Threadless. It's still pending approval, but you guys should all check it out and maybe give it a thumbs up.
Later, John the Revelator.
Friday, April 1, 2011
April 1
So I've decided I'm going to attempt this Blogging from A to Z thing. It's going to be difficult because I'm a lazy guy.
Anyways, I've elected to do a band review a day. I know this isn't ordinarily a music blog, but I do love music, so it is this month.
Posts will probably be shorter than normal, but you'll be getting 600% more of them, so suck it up, princess!
For the letter A, I'm going to go with Anathema. I'll start off with a disclaimer now, I am not at all familiar with Anathema's older stuff. As it stands, I've only heard their 3 most recent albums. A Fine Day to Exit, A Natural Disaster, and We're Here Because We're Here.
I find their work reminiscent of Radiohead and Pink Floyd. There's a lot of melodic songs and the occasional bit of synth, which I always enjoy. They can be a bit heavier and more angsty at times, but still, a very talented and inspiring group. I especially recommend listening to A Natural Disaster, as it has the broadest range of musical styles, and some of my favorite songs.
Here's Anathema's "Pulled Under at 2,000 Metres a Second" next to Pink Floyd's "Sheep."
Also here's a couple tracks from A Natural Disaster that I find particularly awesome. Balance / Closer. I don't know why they aren't just one song, because neither seems as great without the other. At any rate, they fade into eachother a bit, and unfortunately it comes across really choppy on a youtube playlist. Hope you enjoy anyways.
Anyways, I've elected to do a band review a day. I know this isn't ordinarily a music blog, but I do love music, so it is this month.
Posts will probably be shorter than normal, but you'll be getting 600% more of them, so suck it up, princess!
For the letter A, I'm going to go with Anathema. I'll start off with a disclaimer now, I am not at all familiar with Anathema's older stuff. As it stands, I've only heard their 3 most recent albums. A Fine Day to Exit, A Natural Disaster, and We're Here Because We're Here.
I find their work reminiscent of Radiohead and Pink Floyd. There's a lot of melodic songs and the occasional bit of synth, which I always enjoy. They can be a bit heavier and more angsty at times, but still, a very talented and inspiring group. I especially recommend listening to A Natural Disaster, as it has the broadest range of musical styles, and some of my favorite songs.
Here's Anathema's "Pulled Under at 2,000 Metres a Second" next to Pink Floyd's "Sheep."
Also here's a couple tracks from A Natural Disaster that I find particularly awesome. Balance / Closer. I don't know why they aren't just one song, because neither seems as great without the other. At any rate, they fade into eachother a bit, and unfortunately it comes across really choppy on a youtube playlist. Hope you enjoy anyways.
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