Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Mainstream Mumbo Jumbo

You know what's really wonderful about music today? Hearing the mainstream pop stars' hit songs blowing up the radio, playing at every rubbish bar I go to, and spreading like wildfire among the untrained ears of people everywhere. And by the way, my use of 'wonderful' in the previous sentence is based on its other defnition. The one where it means dreadfully awful and perpetually disappointing. But not to worry, at least these pop stars are great role models for teens across America, right? Ohhh wait a second, so...

 dancing on stripper poles,
                                          
wearing candy as clothes,


 Exclusively singing about partying,

and randomly throwing water into the mix

arent' dead giveaways for true Artists? Well bollocks! Turns out many mainstream "musicians" use their fame to make money, not art. And in today's music, this is becoming more and more common. Many are simply puppets of the music industry, tools to gain fame and money. They are contracted into an image that becomes them. They transform into the industry's idea of a star, and from here, the honesty and soul of the music slowly dies and is replaced by dollar signs and lip synced performances.

But there is hope. You can simply learn to shun the musical shit that is being hurled in your face day after day. Don't give in to the hype. Just because something is popular doesn't mean it deserves your respect. There are so many real artists out there who write their own songs, perform every show for the fans, and stay true to the music because it is their true home. So, go on, give them your love.



Friday, June 24, 2011

Flashback: First Love

When it comes to music, everyone experiences their first love. It's always pure, exciting, and best part is, an album will never get jealous, clingy, or break your heart once it's time to move on. For me, one of the first albums that hit *love* status was No Shame by Pepper.


I would say that it was a gateway album for me. Before then, I hadn't really listened to albums in their entirety. But after No Shame, I started to understand that paying attention to every track allowed me to appreciate the flow of the album and feel the continuity the artist was looking to get across.




The Album. Listen away!








Pepper has an airy, positive, reggae-rock-ska sound that is both refreshing and unique. Perfect for a summer day with laughable tracks like "Point and Shoot" and velvety smooth tracks like "Green Hell". The band website allows you to listen to all their albums, so take advantage!


Wednesday, June 22, 2011

3 Days of Peace and Music


Man, if only I could have been alive and in my 20s for the most epic three day music festival in America's history. I'm talking about the Woodstock Music and Art Fair in Bethel, NY 1969. Three days of peace, music, and free love. And have you seen the line up they had for it? Ridiculous.

  • Richie Havens
  • Sweetwater
  • Bert Sommer
  • Tim Hardin
  • Ravi Shankar
  • Melanie Safka
  • Arlo Guthrie
  • Joan Baez
  • Quill
  • Country Joe McDonald
  • John Sebastian
  • Keef Hartley Band
  • Santana
  • The Incredible String Band
  • Canned Heat
  • Mountain
  • Grateful Dead
  • Creedence Clearwater Revival
  • Janis Joplin with The Kozmic Blues Band
  • Sly & the Family Stone
  • The Who
  • Jefferson Airplane
  • Joe Cocker
  • Country Joe and the Fish
  • Ten Years After
  • The Band
  • Johnny Winter
  • Blood, Sweat & Tears
  • Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
  • Paul Butterfield Blues Band
  • Sha-Na-Na
  • Jimi Hendrix



Jefferson Airplane- "Volunteers"


Over half a million people gathered in upstate New York to celebrate music and love and peace in spite of all the turmoil the nation was going through. People in America were divided in their opposing opinions on the Vietnam war, and at the same time, searching for the type of culture America would transcend into. In the film Taking Woodstock, the concept of perspective is chastised by saying that "perspective shuts out the universe, it keeps the love out". The people that went to Woodstock weren't all seperate people, they became one. One sea of people alive with music in their soul. The counterculure ignited the spark of revolution in American life in those three days, but above all, they kept the love in. The music told the story of a generation and the stories and memories of Woodstock will live on forever.





Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Songs in Cinema

When it comes to movies, sometimes the soundtrack is what makes you love it so much. So I've put together a list of great oldies songs from some of my favorite movies (which happen to have amazing soundtracks... go figure!). Listen, watch, make a playlist! Perfect for lazy summer days.... 

"Why can’t we be friends"- War- Dazed and Confused

"You make my dreams come true"- Hall and Oates- (500) days of summer


"Free Bird"- Lynyrd Skynyrd- Outside Providence


"Lollipop"- The Chordettes- Stand by Me


"Sparks"- The Who- Almost Famous


"Fortunate Son"- John Fogerty- Forrest Gump


"The Red Telephone"- Love- Taking Woodstock


"Somebody’s Baby"- Jackson Browne- Fast Times at Ridgmont High


"Ring Me Up"- The Divinyls- Sixteen Candles


"Don’t You"- Simple Minds- The Breakfast Club


"Twist and Shout"- The Beatles- Ferris Bueller’s Day Off


"This Magic Moment"- Ben E. King and the Drifters- Sandlot


"Burning Down the House"- The Talking Heads- Revenge of the Nerds


"All Right Now"- Free- Now and Then


Hey Baby- Bruce Channel- Dirty Dancing


Monday, June 20, 2011

Mr. Jeff Buckley



I don't have the words to explain how I feel when I listen to Jeff Buckley sing. His voice is so pure and complex and honest, it evokes an incredibly intense emotion that seems to be injected directly into the listener just by hearing the song. He takes you to another world, where music is life, and his poetry is all you need to know. You feel everything he feels when you listen to him sing, and that's a beautiful thing.

Lover, You Should've Come Over 




And the lyrics, oh my the lyrics. Just poetry on the most fantastic drugs I could ever imagine. I often sit perplexed how he makes his songs in transform from words into imagery, like the song is coming to life even if your're just reading the lyrics. Just think how amazing it will be when actually sings the poetry... Yes, just as expected. Mind-blowing.  

"All Flowers In Time"
all flowers in time bend towards the sun
i know you say that there's no-one for you
but here is one,
all flowers in time bend towards the sun
i know you say that there's no-one for you
but here is one, here is one... here is one

"Grace"
there's the moon asking to stay
long enough for the clouds to fly me away
well it's my time coming, i'm not afraid to die
my fading voice sings of love,
but she cries to the clicking of time
oh, time
wait in the fire...
and she weeps on my arm
walking to the bright lights in sorrow
oh drink a bit of wine we both might go tomorrow
oh my love
and the rain is falling and i believe
my time has come
it reminds me of the pain
i might leave
leave behind
wait in the fire...
and i feel them drown my name
so easy to know and forget with this kiss
i'm not afraid to go but it goes so slow


But, as you may know, Jeff Buckley's life was short lived.  At the ripe age of 30, he died in an accidental drowning incident in the Mississippi River. What a tragedy to lose such a beautiful musician and man. A friend once told me that even though it was a heartbreaking loss that he died at such a young age, we will always remember him at this pinnacle. He had gained great recognition and respect, and he left the perfect legacy in his soulful music. For all you've written and performed, Mr. Buckley, the world owes you appreciation. You died a legend and your music will live on forever.


Thursday, June 16, 2011

Almost Famous

Almost Famous. My favorite movie of all time. I mean Patrick Fugit, Kate Hudson, Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Jason Lee, Zooey Deshanel, Anna Paquin, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jimmy Fallon and many others... Is that even fair? Yes, it definitely is. Because it's the most rad movie ever. With rock and roll as its core, its reason for existance, Almost Famous changed the way I think about and listen to music forever.



In the words of Jeff Bebe (Jason Lee) "Some people have a hard time explaining rock 'n' roll. I don't think anyone can really explain rock 'n' roll. Rock 'n' roll is a lifestyle and a way of thinking... and it's not about money and popularity. Although, some money would be nice. But it's a voice that says, "Here I am... and fuck you if you can't understand me." And one of these people is gonna save the world. And that means that rock 'n' roll can save the world... all of us together. And the chicks are great. But what it all comes down to is that thing. The indefinable thing when people catch something in your music".


 


Needless to say, the best rock movie of all time has a KILLER soundtrack. Tracks from the movie's Stillwater, plus hard rock classic hits make it just as powerful as the movie itself. Listening to the soundtrack brings me right back to the exact moment in the movie when that song played. And that's a beautiful thing.

Track Listing
1. America - Simon and Garfunkel
2. Sparks - The Who
3. It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference - Todd Rundgren
4. I've Seen All Good People: Your Move - Yes
5. Feel Flows - The Beach Boys
6. Fever Dog - Stillwater
7. Every Picture Tells A Story - Rod Stewart
8. Mr. Farmer - The Seeds
9. One Way Out - The Allman Brothers Band
10. Simple Man - Lynyrd Skynyrd
11. That's The Way - Led Zeppelin
12. Tiny Dancer - Elton John
13. Lucky Trumble - Nancy Wilson
14. I'm Waiting For The Man - David Bowie
15. The Wind - Cat Stevens
16. Slip Away - Clarence Carter
17. Something In The Air - Thunderclap Newman






*Stillwater 


Music... The poetry of our generation... Almost Famous makes music and love cool again... This movie is all about the music and that's what makes it so great and honest and life-altering. 



Wednesday, June 15, 2011

The Black Keys



Two guys. One with a beard,  Ray Ban shades, and a guitar, the other tall, thick black frames, and a drum set. Put them together and what do we have? A band with a crazy cool, old rock sound that just makes you feel like dancing like an idiot. I could listen to their album "Brothers" all day. Easily. Every track is just so interesting and cool- It's a must buy for old rock enthusiasts, someone who needs to be inspired, or anyone who's looking for a new listen.



Two of their popular songs, Tighten Up and Howlin' For You have AWESOME music videos, proving that their creative spark goes further than the music.


"Tighten Up"




"Howlin' For You"



I would consider their songs to be easy listens with a deeper and more intriguing sound if you pay attention to it. The Black Keys are one of those bands that truly everyone would like- something that definitely cannot be said about many bands today. For me, I've always believed that I was born in the wrong decade. About 30-40 years later than my soul wants to be. I would've loooved 60s and 70s rock, so the fact that a cool rock band like The Black Keys is so popular today and available for my listening pleasure in a more mainstream way than oldies rock is pretty groovy baby!





And some day... I will see The Black Keys live. I count the days until then.