Mixtapes were replaced by Mix CD’s which are now being challenged by the Muxtape. It’s unfortunately as easy as creating a login, uploading 12 of your favorites, rearranging them into that blissful flow, and sending it out into the cyber-world for all ears to enjoy. No advertisements, no clutter, minimal settings… I think I’m in love. Feel free to check out my first humble attempt at a muxtape. And if you send your own mux out into the cyber-world, post it in the comments and share the love!
The sound of Dexys Midnight Runners before “Come on Eileen” was more ska, less hobo, but still has the alot of the catchiness and strange British affectations about its vocals. “Geno” captures the bouncy flavor that made Dexys so popular, without the political messages that flood many of their other tunes. There are a couple other songs that you can find on the youtubes from their debut album, but listen to this one first, it’ll make you happy (or you’ll just make fun of me for saying something positive about ska)
So…grad school makes it hard to post (especially during finals) but I have found some spare time to inform you of songs you should know, but haven’t yet had the opportunity. This tune by the Kinks is especially tasty. Most know them for “you really got me,” but there is a plethora of wonderful Kinks material to saturate your “ear buds” with. This will hopefully be another thing that anyone with an Elitist attitude (I’m looking at you Barack Obama) can add stuff to.
If you are in search of that great little summer album, Kate Nash’s Made of Bricks is probably it. A nice mashup of the quirkiness of Regina Spektor and Britishness of Lily Allen would be my closest comparison, so if you like both of those artists, Kate Nash is right up your alley. Not every song beckons to be single, but all are quite honest, interesting, and fun.
Upon listening to “Merry Happy”, I had this feeling that I just heard it. Then it hit me that the verses sounded just like Helena Carter’s rendition of “Worst Pies in London” from Sweeney Todd that I just watched this weekend! Maybe it was the British accent, or the talk-sing thing, or I’m just weird. Either way, this is a fun song, and it’s just one of the many on Made of Bricks. And stick around to the end of this song when she does a little casual improv singing that really lets you enjoy the casualness of her voice.
If you’re still trying to wrap your head around the topic of that last post, here’s a little happy news:
Outkast’s Big Boi has been collaborating with classical ballet choreographer Lauri Stallings to produce a hybrid performance like nothing that has been seen before. The show, called simply “Big,” opens tonight at Atlanta’s Fox Theater, where Stallings has worked with the Atlanta Ballet for many years. While this is Big Boi’s and Stalling’s first real exposure to each other’s genres of art, they both hope to bring both media to new audiences in a creative way.
Love this idea. Love the musical/creative open-mindedness it promotes. I hope it’s as good as it’s hyped up to be! (Bring the show to Cincinnati!)
Favorite quote: “For me [Big Boi's music] sounds like Shostakovich, Stravinsky a little … just today’s Stravinsky,” Stallings said. (from CNN.com)
I was not expecting to be so taken by Bon Iver and his debut album For Emma, Forever Ago, but now I can’t imagine my car stereo without it. To set the stage, Bon Iver also known as Justin Vernon set out for a remote cabin in Wisconsin for four months with some simple recording equipment and a record in mind. Not surprising is the album’s perfect reflection of the atmosphere in which it was recorded. It exudes remoteness and often loneliness in the voice of this one man. Though he layers his vocals as much as eight times creating a grand choir of one, it doesn’t disguise the loneliness, but that might have all been part of the ploy. In a most simplistic description, imagine Sam Beam going “Into the Wild”, and you have Bon Iver. In my opinion, this album reaches its most magical peak when listened to alone while driving in the rain. I had the most difficulty with deciding upon my favorite song of this album. Each song was its own gem. Eventually my heart was touched by the distinctive and uncharacteristic energy found in “Creature Fear”. It starts off very characteristically with soft reverent hums that trail into a first verse. Suddenly with the chorus comes a burst of energy almost spurred on by a fervency of the message, and afterwards it whittles down again into the gentle guitar strums and yearning falsetto. His lyrics are interestingly cryptic, and when sung can be taken one way, and when read can be seen in another.
I was full by your count
I was lost but your fool
Was a long visit wrong?
Say you are the only
The songs ends in simple soothing acoustics and whistles as if attempting to give the listener some time to just think. Needless to say, this album is beautiful.
Ok, so this one might be stretching it a bit when it comes to it’s “Greatness”, but what the hell. Being a dumb-ass american, I could easily put anything from the hispanic hip-hop genre up here, but this tune is truly challenged when it comes to the spoken word. It may not be great, but it is catchy, in a mumbling sort of way. And if that wasn’t enough, it did of course inspire this. (and yeah, I did link to the same video twice in a row. I’m going for a record.)
“you know uh….was wonderin…if..if you could keep on…cause the force…has alot of power… and…you…you make me feel like…you make me feel like…WOOOOO”
I’ve listened to this song for years, and I honestly love it. But damn that spoken opening section still kinda creeps me out. The force has alot power? Is MJ a fucking Jedi? Who is he talking to? Anyway, besides the opening, I can’t really tell what’s going on in this tune. The chorus sounds like “Keep on..when the pump stuff” and as for the rest of the song I just guess while singing in a strong falsetto. Just use a lot of vowels and occasionally say “WOOOO” or “OOOOOH” and you will appear to be making an admirable sing-through.
I have often pondered why there are so many songs in the popular vernacular that are simultaneously hard to understand. Many of them have a singable tune about them, for which I attempt to sing along. Upon such encounters, I realize that I have no fucking idea what i’m trying to sing, just a jumble of syllables and an occasional “Baaaaby!” at the end of a phrase. This realization has inspired me to create a new series of posts that honor these instances in popular confusion.
The first honoree is not a very well known song by a band who is very well known for their one-hit-wonder “Come On Eileen”. ”What She’s Like” by Dexys Midnight Runners was on the follow up album to Too-Rye-Ay, the album known for their one hit. The new album flopped, the band dissipated, etc., but what most people don’t know is how fucking sweet the album actually is. ”What She’s Like” is one of the shining gems from the band’s last album and has a video that is almost as confusing as the lyrics (see Dexys frontman literally floating down the streets of Manhattan). As you have probably figured out, the song is damn hard to understand without the help of lyrics by your side. And I honestly fucking challenge you to try and listen to the songs with the lyrics, you’ll still be grasping for realization of whatever he’s trying to say.
Mixtapes were replaced by Mix CD’s which are now being challenged by the Muxtape. It’s unfortunately as easy as creating a login, uploading 12 of your favorites, rearranging them into that blissful flow, and sending it out into the cyber-world for all ears to enjoy. No advertisements, no clutter, minimal settings… I think I’m in love. Feel free to check out my first humble attempt at a muxtape. And if you send your own mux out into the cyber-world, post it in the comments and share the love!
If you are in search of that great little summer album, Kate Nash’s Made of Bricks is probably it. A nice mashup of the quirkiness of Regina Spektor and Britishness of Lily Allen would be my closest comparison, so if you like both of those artists, Kate Nash is right up your alley. Not every song beckons to be single, but all are quite honest, interesting, and fun.
I was not expecting to be so taken by Bon Iver and his debut album For Emma, Forever Ago, but now I can’t imagine my car stereo without it. To set the stage, Bon Iver also known as Justin Vernon set out for a remote cabin in Wisconsin for four months with some simple recording equipment and a record in mind. Not surprising is the album’s perfect reflection of the atmosphere in which it was recorded. It exudes remoteness and often loneliness in the voice of this one man. Though he layers his vocals as much as eight times creating a grand choir of one, it doesn’t disguise the loneliness, but that might have all been part of the ploy. In a most simplistic description, imagine Sam Beam going “Into the Wild”, and you have Bon Iver. In my opinion, this album reaches its most magical peak when listened to alone while driving in the rain. I had the most difficulty with deciding upon my favorite song of this album. Each song was its own gem. Eventually my heart was touched by the distinctive and uncharacteristic energy found in “Creature Fear”. It starts off very characteristically with soft reverent hums that trail into a first verse. Suddenly with the chorus comes a burst of energy almost spurred on by a fervency of the message, and afterwards it whittles down again into the gentle guitar strums and yearning falsetto. His lyrics are interestingly cryptic, and when sung can be taken one way, and when 