Archive for November, 2009

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Apocalyptica – "Nothing Else Matters" (1998)

2009/11/30

G, a couple friends, and I did some impromptu jamming yesterday. I was prompted to pull out my cello. I was hesitant for a moment, and then I remembered this song played by Apocalyptica. It was awesome playing my cello along with the electric guitar, bass guitar, and drum set. There is certainly not enough cello in rock and roll, but then again I am partial.

I totally drooled over Apocalyptica's album "Inquisition Symphony" when it came out. You may recognize "Nothing Else Matters" as classic of Metallica's. I thought the idea of playing heavy metal with classical instruments, and especially a quartet of cellos, was so cool! (We never did this kind of song in my high school or college orchestra!) Over 10 years later I am still geeking out about it.

The cover is SO different than the original and yet, pays tribute to it, and compliments it beautifully. AND I love that the lines between classical music and heavy metal are blurred. Why choose between one and the other when you can have both? It really blew my mind at the time and I have been convinced ever since that the barriers between musical genres are entirely artificial, and those that tear them down are to be commended for their bravery and creativity.

Song Recommendations

If you like this song, I also suggest:

I also suggest the music genre:

Click here for more info on Apocalyptica – Inquisition Symphony – "Nothing Else Matters".

The MP3 may be purchased here…

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Röyksopp – "Happy Up Here" (2009)

2009/11/29

You know I really like it.

I can't help but look for new music all the time. The stuff I know is good, but experienced. Done. I have ridden that ride. I want to hear something new. Perhaps familiar, but different in some way.

I find it shocking when I talk to most people about music and they are still listening to the same 10 albums they've had for the past 10 years. They cannot even remember the last time they got a new one. These people do not actually like music. Or they are the kind of people who eat the exact same thing for breakfast every day. Boring! And disappointing too. Break out of your rut! Today, I have a different flavor for you to try.

Make sure to watch the video too. It is awesome. You Space Invaders out there will love it!

Whatever you do
Whatever you say
Nothing could push the feeling away
It's here in my heart and it's here in my head
I feel like I'm part of a book I've read

And every page and every paper
Seems to be part of human nature
Sending me back down on memory lane
My favorite record is playing again

Song Recommendations

If you like this song, I also suggest:

I also suggest the music genre:

Click here for more info on Röyksopp – Junior – "Happy Up Here".

The MP3 may be purchased here…

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Bob Dylan – "The Times They Are a-Changin'" (1964)

2009/11/28

I know the times have been "a-changin'" my whole life, but for the past few years it seemed more noticeable. Perhaps it is because my life is not changing so much lately. G and I have settled down a bit in our house and our town, but the rest of the world is truckin' on with the changin'. It is an odd sensation though. Sometimes I feel a bit stuck in time.

The cultural changes are tough to keep up on. They always have been. You stop paying attention too long and poof you realize you're wearing something that is so out of date you look bad (and not in a good way). Or you say something that is no longer politically correct or deemed inappropriate. Or you hear about something that everyone else knows about but you have no clue. Getting older sucks, yet I can't say I was ever on top of it all anyway.

Then to make "the changin'" worse, I see a lot of global trends that are changing in the wrong directions. e.g. pollution, population, over consumption (of energy especially), etc. I've felt that way this entire decade. Humanity generally has its head stuck up its ass and there will be a dramatic wake up call eventually. I'm sure of it. Bigger than 9-11. Bigger than Katrina. Bigger than the recession. Bigger than all of that.

I'll keep watching the changing the best I can, but I'm definitely going to take a break from time to time to listen to some classics. If there is one thing that is certain, it is change.

Song Recommendations

If you like this song, I also suggest:

I also suggest the music genre:

Click here for more info on Bob Dylan – The Times They Are A-Changin' – "The Times They Are A-Changin'".

The MP3 may be purchased here…

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Goldfrapp – "Fly Me Away" (2005)

2009/11/27

I hate the idea of "Black Friday"… a day when hoards of people seem to suddenly realize they only have a month to do their Christmas shopping and thus feel driven to wait in lines to get into stores, let alone the lines to get any service or through the checkout. The retail stores in response encourage this behavior with only slightly better prices than they will give for the next month, and only on certain items. Ultimately they hope to sell out fast of the "loss leaders" and tempt desperate shoppers to buy the more expensive model or version which may not even be on sale at all. Sure you might get a better price on this or that but ultimately they are not trying to help you out. The stores are helping themselves out and unless you know the game on Black Friday you will probably lose (See "10 Black Friday Secrets Retailers Don't Want You to Know").

I refuse to shop in the stores on Black Friday. I do however enjoy a little Christmas shopping during the weeks that follow in December. Perhaps it is the memories of going to the mall and department stores with my family when I was young, more to see all the decorations than to actually do any shopping. The decorations are certainly less impressive now that I am older and can see through the wasteful marketing, yet there is still a magic to it. There is still that perfect world picture in the back of my head while I am shopping, thinking I am picking out the ideal gift for those I love. It is like clean crisp snow coating the world in a blanket of perfection.

This song reminds me of that feeling. After being featured in several Target commercials a couple years ago, I hear it play in my head sometimes when I am out shopping and it makes me happy. Euphoria sets in as I make my selections of hopes and dreams, some of which are not presents, but are actually for me. It has occurred to me months before or after the holidays while shopping for items I probably do not need, yet I am compelled to buy.

It is inexplicable, and I do feel at odds with myself at times because I am generally opposed to the acquisition of stuff and the over consumption we are guilty of in the USA. However, I am a sucker for these ads, and although Walmart is dead to me, I don't feel the same animosity towards Target. The brainwashing has worked in this case, and the catchy tune certainly helped.

Here are four of the Target advertisements that featured Goldfrapp's "Fly Me Away", though there may be more.

1.

2.

3.

4.

Song Recommendations

If you like this song, I also suggest:

I also suggest the music genre:

Click here for more info on Goldfrapp – Supernature – "Fly Me Away".

The MP3 may be purchased here…

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The Shins – "New Slang" (2001)

2009/11/26

"You gotta hear this one song — it'll change your life; I swear." – Garden State

Seriously.

While most of you were probably still resisting waking up or working on the turkey, on this Thanksgiving Day, I was out doing my yearly 7 mile run. I usually run about 3.5 miles, but on Thanksgiving, for some insane reason, I like to double it. It takes me just over an hour and I usually get to the point where I feel like I could just run forever, but I know I shouldn't. Plus it can get a bit boring after an hour and I'd rather do something else. Marathon runners are just plain crazy in my book.

Just after I stopped running and proceeded to walk (because after 7 miles of running your legs will refuse to stop moving for a while), this song came on on my iPod and it gave me chills. I had the sensation of being content and accepting of the way things are. The mellow tone and words truly sank in. Things are not "perfect". I will never achieve all my hopes and dreams. But that is ok. I did successfully complete 7 miles of running. What more do I need at this moment?

PS: See "Garden State" if you haven't already. It one of my favorite movies for sure. It'll change your life too!

Song Recommendations

If you like this song, I also suggest:

I also suggest the music genre:

Click here for more info on The Shins – Oh, Inverted World – "New Slang".

The MP3 may be purchased here…

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Midge Ure – "Breathe" (1996)

2009/11/25

A fellow blogger and friend remarked…

I hate it when this happens. I hear a GREAT "new tune" and it's by this really cool artist. Sometimes I post it as a NEW tune. But usually, I catch the actual date and see the song I'm promoting is ten years old already! How can such good music not have found my ears in all that time? Do I live under a rock? The opportunity lost clangs to the floor with a thud.

Case in point: Midge Ure's Breathe came out in 1996. The video looks like it was produced yesterday.

There are usually around 30,000 albums released each year. I think it was a little lower in the 1990s, but regardless there are only 365 days in a year and how could anyone listen to 100 albums a day? Some music is bound to fall through the cracks because music has channels for dispersal, and most people only listen to certain channels, be it particular radio stations, blogs, or whatever. You're more likely to hear some stuff you do not like over and over than you are to find everything you would like. Great opportunities are thus lost with no good solution to prevent this. The most you can do is keep your ears open to new songs, and build on what you like… if you like X and Y is being suggested to you because you like X, then go listen to Y!

This is a cool song. It is a bit new age-y or soft rock-y, and both new age and soft rock have a bad rap. New Age and Soft Rock are just not cool with the punk, rock or pop crowds in general (AKA most of North America) so the song probably was not widely dispersed. It does appear he hit the charts several times in the UK (he is Scottish by the way), including with this song in 1996. His earlier work is more New Wave-y and Glam Rock-y, and so by this, his 4th album (I think), he just didn't have the same audience. I never heard of him or that song before, and you are so right about it looking like it was just produced. The imagery is not time specific which helps. I would not have guessed it is 13 years old. We could totally just tell people it came out last year and pretend we're up on the latest trends! (Fortunately we are already so we don't need to lie. We know we're that cool. *snort laugh*)

Song Recommendations

If you like this song, I also suggest:

I also suggest the music genre:

Click here for more info on Midge Ure – Breathe – "Breathe" .

The MP3 may be purchased here…

Duran Duran?

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Album of the Week: The Strokes – "Room On Fire" (2003)

2009/11/24

Track 2: Reptilia:

Don't let The Strokes fool you. Their songs may seem to all kind of blend together the first few times you hear them. The melody may not be the kind of tune you find yourself humming in the shower… at least not at first. They may seem to be a little "one note". However, once you are sucked in, you will love them and love them all. In fact I have been holding off on adding The Strokes to my "Must Own Albums" list because I was having a tough time picking which album. I have finally decided that "Room On Fire" is the one most likely to hook you with songs like Reptilia, Automatic Stop and 12:51 as the shiny bait.

Once you are hooked, listening to and loving the other two albums, "Is This It" and "First Impressions of Earth" will just be second nature, like opening another bag of your favorite favorite comfort food. Your ears will feel at home and never tire of each and every song.

…that is of course only true if you like any of their songs. Like one and I am convinced you must hear the rest. I'm not saying they have only one song, but I would say they have a sound and if you don't like it, then I pity you. If you do, then you have hit musical gold!

Oh and as a beginner drummer, they have really been great to play along with. The beats are steady, repeated, energetic, and generally not so difficult you cannot play along with some if not all of each song. G likes to play along with the bass parts too! Like The White Stripes, great music need not be impossible to play.

Here are my 5 favorites from the album, with "Reptilia" being my favorite.

Track 2: Reptilia
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2i94j

Track 3: Automatic Stop
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gwbXjHNcwA

Track 4: 12:51
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xueu1

Track 7: Meet Me In The Bathroom
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5u1or

Track 11: The End Has No End
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1epxb

Click here for other album suggestions!

Click here for more info on The Strokes – "Room On Fire".

The MP3 album may be purchased here…

2 Comments | Posted in Album of the Week, The Illustrious G | Tagged , , , , , , ,

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