As a teenager, and a guitar player, I clung to Jimi Hendrix like a god…. ok fine, I still do! It was something to do with his expression, his release, his distortion, his control of his instrument, and the era that he lived in that I think captured my imagination. I know, that’s a pretty far out list. Continue Reading →
Bob Dylan‘s Self Portrait
When I wake up I’m in either one of two moods. One: I don’t want to be up, just sit here and numb for a while. Or two: Alright, today is a great day, lets get this train rollin. Today was a train rollin kind of day. What did I put on? Portishead of course. Continue Reading →
Ben Harper is one of the most inspirational people I follow on a regular basis. His discography spans back to 1992, with Pleasure and Pain (one hell of a record I must add). In 2006 he came out with Both Sides of the Gun
Samuel Beam, from South Carolina, I guess Texas now, is the genius behind Iron & Wine. His work is strong yet not abusive. It’s a mix of big band sound, and soulful introspective.
The album is Kiss Each Other Clean, and its his 2011 release. I enjoy this album.
Iron & Wine is a band that you listen to when your in-laws are over for dinner. It’s smooth, yet a bit risky; it’s not like some wild indy stuff that’s out there, It’s an easy thing to listen to.
Monkeys Uptown has a funky keyboard in there like some Stevie Winwood, reminiscent of the funky disco days.
Then Half Moon takes you on a delightful waltz through time and space. It’s a walk with a lover through the park, butterflies flying lazily around.
Rabbit Will Run is another much more upbeat song, that sounds like its infused with some Jethro Tull, flute included. It’s great.
Godless Brother In Love is another great song. It’s very emotional and soft. It sounds like mostly just a guitar and piano, with harmony singers. So beautiful.
I would really enjoy to sit through a concert of Iron & Wine’s. Maybe it’s just me becoming more peaceful with life, but this stuff is beautiful. I enjoy songs where it’s just the singer up there with a guitar, real raw and really from the heart.
Wikipedia says that Iron & Wine tours with a full band sometimes, which is needed for most of the songs on this album. I’ve read countless articles on bands that are 2 or 3 piece bands, and they express interest in trying things out with a larger band. I can see how only a 3 piece band could be fairly restrictive, but also it could create a really interesting scenario for some amazing stuff to be created. Sometimes its easy to get taken away by all the gizmos and forget about where your roots are, but that is also creation… What do you think?
I enjoy this album, and I sure hope you let me know how you enjoy it too!?
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros are a very tasteful band. Their creativity makes me feel like I’m flowing through some sort of magical mystery, with only floral patterns, old tea cups, and phonographs. To be short, I like the album Up From Below
The Black Keys are for real, and they will for real you. To be korney, they attack and release, and oh so much more. Yes, it’s all true: you must listen to them. Continue Reading →
I have been fascinated with Slayer for a very long time. When I was in grade 6 or 7 I had asked my older neighbor (who happened to be a metal head) to make me a mix tape of the heaviest, metalist stuff that he had.
Slayer was on the tape. This is obvious right?
I spent a few years, ever night listening to that tape. For a while I had a ghetto blaster above my head that I would turn on as I went to sleep. Then soon I got a walkman and had headphones on every night. It was for a very large part that tape that I listened to. It was a great tape. The funny thing is that the tape had no song list, so I didn’t know I was listening to Megadeth, or Slayer, or Anthrax, or Prong until much later in life. I’m still finding a few of the bands on there. Light bulbs go off.
So, the album for today I have chosen to review is Slayer’s South of Heaven
The title track is a staple to any metal fans diet. If you do not know this song, then you are not a metal fan. Seriously. It’s that staple.
The fury that rocks through your veins when you listen to this album is real. Fast drum beats from Dave Lombardo, the fascinatingly hard and fast riffs from Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, and Tom Araya belting out lyrics blows the lid off of many pots (and mothers) regularly.I laugh at this old photo.
I love the track Mandatory Suicide. Not particularity for the name, but everything together makes sense.
On angry days, I like to scare innocent people with Slayer. You know they’re wanting to stare and wonder and gawk, but you know they’re to afraid to do it. This is what goes through my mind.
I think the thing I like about this album is that every single song makes me think about dancing around in a circle throwing a few elbows. Have you ever been there? I’ve had the chance to see Slayer rock a few times; yes, its epic. Kerry King’s goatee is getting pretty intense. I read an article on him where he explained the reason for braiding it now is because it would get stuck in his guitar. Badass.
Cleanse The Soul? Seriously? Is this possible to be such a crazy insane bits of solo mixed with the clearly searching lyrics of preparation of Tom? Badass, I’m not joking!
Whose with me on this? Which one of y’all have days where you need to be angry? It pushes me further. Does it help you? Get South of Heaven
Under Feet Like Ours
Its a very strong, acoustic rhythm album that plays with vocal and guitar arrangements in such a way that it makes me feel like I’m enjoying the good times, sitting in the back of an old Cadillac convertible, the kind with the big wings, sailing down the highway on a nice sunny day with my sunglasses on and great company.
Its not the singular talent of one specific instrument in the band, but the girls singing is what moves me. Of course they do have great rhythm and chord progressions, but its the way they pack it into a song that I love.
I love Freedom, the one part where who ever is singing, I can never tell, does that drop. If you’ve heard the song, you know. And Proud just fits in perfectly after it.
Seriously, I listen to This is Everything, song 8, and I immediately feel an immense longing and sorrow and desire to be the everything I can be, and it brings tears to my eyes. Maybe I’m just emotional right now, but the chord progression will forever be in my mind. Heavy also gives me the same emotion. Just speaks so much emotion that I don’t know how to express sometimes, except with silence of my mouth, and open ears.
Today is their birthday, they’re 30. Wikipedia says Tegan lives in Vancouver, Sara in Montreal, when they’re not on tour, and are originally from Calgary. They sell out tours, internationally, and totally kick ass. Just like to say if you read this Tegan or Sara, I’m in Vancouver.. gimme a shout and we’ll play guitar.
I’m definitely proud to say that I’ve been a fan of these girls since around 2002 when I first heard of them going to college at SAIT in Calgary, reading the local culture paper.
I need to see them more. I need to hear them more. I hope you all like them as much as I do, I’d be interested if its just me that likes Under Feet Like Ours
They have a new album thats out, Sainthood
I got the word on the street that Arcade Fire’s much anticipated album, The Suburbs
Win Butler’s voice is unmistakable, lovely, and eerie all at the same time; fitting in perfectly with the orchestra backing him. This band, which consists of Win Butler, Régine Chassagne, Richard Reed Parry, William Butler, Jeremy Gara, Sarah Neufeld, Tim Kingsbury just keeps getting better.
The opening title track I think was perfectly placed and sets the mood for the whole album. Not the best song on it, but oh, its a good one.
Modern Man is just stunning. The guitar riff in it is one of the ones where your dancing to it, but when you swoop, mid swoop you gotta swoop even further because thats where the song takes you. I like it!
Rococo is another good feeling song. The whole album is chalked full of songs that make you think you’ve heard them before. I just watched the movie Crazy Heart and a quote from it is: “Thats how you can tell its a good song, when you think that you’ve heard it before.”
City With No Children, Suburban War, Month of May, really, all the songs I enjoyed and like. Its just simply a great album, if you didn’t get my drift yet. Go get your hands on it any way you can. And enjoy it. And Arcade Fire, if you’re out there, I can’t wait to hear whats going to come next.
I’d love to hear what you think of The Suburbs