'Strange Hellos' by Torres could possibly be summed up as "angsty noir."
The beginning of the tune seems to materialize straight out of the bar prominently featured in the second season of True Detective, before building up to a full-frontal sonic assault. There is a hint of Jefferson Airplane's 'White Rabbit' as well.
The hip/hop artist took the rap world by storm in 1994 with the release of his monumental single, "Juicy" - a personalized rags-to-riches tale that went on to sell more than a half million copies and secured his status as one of the biggest rap stars in history. It's been called one of the greatest hip hop songs of all time by critics from Rolling Stone to The Source.
Biggie was, as his name implied, a large man. And he was a man with big dreams, who details his struggle and aspirations in "Juicy". The song discusses his childhood ambition to become a famous rapper, and to escape from his impoverished Brooklyn upbringing. In "Juicy", Biggie name-drops many of the artists who inspired him as a youth, including Heavy D - one of the first overweight rappers to find mainstream success.
In his early teens, Biggie started dealing drugs and found himself in and out of a jail cell, but his sights were always set on music stardom.
The opening of the song openly declares it's dedication, "...to all the teachers who said I'd never amount to nothin'". Sure, many of the lyrics read like a laundry list of his lavish possessions, but for every boast he makes, he juxtaposes it with a hardship it took to get there.
The deepest message of the song lies within the chorus -- "You know very well who you are, don't let 'em hold you down, reach for the stars..."
It's one of the most uplifting choruses in hip/hop, speaking to all of those other kids who grow up with nothing more than a dream.
The Notorious B.I.G.'s life was cut tragically short when he was killed in a 1997 drive-by shooting, but his music - and his dream - proudly lives on.
__________________________
But let it be known that the musical sample for "Juicy" dates back more than a decade earlier...
In 1983, the funk/soul group Mtume - named after founder James Mtume - released a track called "Juicy Fruit".
Mtume, an accomplished percussionist who'd previously toured with Miles Davis, formed his namesake group in the late '70s. The band reached their height of popularity with "Juicy Fruit" - a midtempo track that proved immensely successful on R&B stations and dance clubs. While the single never quite reached the Top 40, it still sold more than a million copies.
The popularity of "Juicy Fruit" established it as a staple in the hip/hop sampling community and has lived on successfully in various incarnations in the 30+ years since its release. For a full list of artists who've sampled it, visit the song's Wikipedia entry.
"Cuz if ya don't know, now ya know..."
You can watch the videos to The Notorious B.I.G.'s "Juicy" and Mtume's "Juicy Fruit" below:
Toadies came in like a lion and went out like a lamb during the mid-nineties. Dominating alt-fm radio play in 1995, the Texas band's marquee single, 'Possum Kingdom,' proved to be its Tour de Force. The band never replicated the commercial success it enjoyed as a result of that track, even though the song's iconic call-to-action--"SO HELP ME JESUS"--remains embedded in the minds of even the most casual listener of rock radio today.
Despite the epic reach of 'Possum Kingdom,' Rubberneck nevertheless featured several other really solid punk and grunge laced anthems. Of course 'Tyler' comes to mind, an absolutely great song which slowly builds as it relays a story set in Tyler, Texas. And 'Backslider' was one of Rubberneck's more punk-based of tunes.
But there is a track which is one of the band's more overlooked deep cuts: 'Away.' Similar to 'Possum Kingdom,' 'Away' liberally borrows from the Pixies, implementing a loud-quiet-loud-quiet song structure that drives toward the ultimate pleading choral hook: WHEN I'M AWAY , I KNOW IN MY HEART THERE IS A HEAVEEENNNN!!
Relive the greatness of this track by watching 'Away' by Toadies in the video player below:
I never expected Grunge kingpin Chris Cornell to join forces with a country band. But the pairing of Cornell with the Zac Brown Band is surprisingly decent. Indeed, the match-up results in a solid Southern Rock jam. And Cornell's unique vibrato enhances Brown's otherwise chicken-fried vocals (yes, that pun WAS intended).
Watch Zac Brown Band perform 'Heavy is the Head' with Chris Cornell live on SNL in the video player below:
'Long Way Down' by Robert DeLong is a clever amalgam of electronica, hip hop, rock, and pop. It oscillates between both wooden and balladeering vocals, with some auto-tune sprinkled inbetween. A very chilled cadence serves as a reassuring beat all-throughout. The end result is irresistible.
Stream the audio to 'Long Way Down' in the player below:
Probably one of the more visceral singles currently on alt-rock rotation, 'Desire' is the brilliant siren from Tennessee-born Meg Myers.
Why is the song so great?
First, it blends just the right amount of industrial beats with focused, intense lyrical stylings.
Second, the melody is--plain and simple--sensual and seductive; indeed, the narrator exclaims, very plaintively, 'I want to f*** you.'
Third, the track's tenor and attitude serve as the very embodiment of its title: desire. The meter of the lyrics and arrangement is one of concentration and fixation all throughout the entire production.
Watch the video for 'Desire' in the music player below:
Capturing the Zeitgeist of current indie rock, St. Lucia's 'Elevate' is heavy on the synth rhythms and light on the pop hooks. In fact, just a few bars of the beginning may lead you to believe you are watching a classic John Hughes film.
There are other bands that also implement the sound: Bear Hands and Future Islands are just a couple. Nevertheless, 'Elevate' is still a quality single. It even has a sound reminiscent of Miami Sound Machine at the end. (Yes, that's a good thing).
Stream the video to 'Elevate' in the player below:
British sensation Sam Smith made
incredible inroads with American audiences in 2014 with his epic ‘Stay with Me.’
In fact, it was near impossible not to
walk in public without hearing the song blasted someplace, whether it be the
local mall, aquatic center, park, or public square.
There is no doubt that ‘Stay with
Me’ is one of the most soulful pop productions of the last decade. Yet, ‘I’m Not the Only One’ strikes a
different, but just as powerful chord, with Yours Truly.
Maybe it’s the subject matter featuring a narrator who is deeply hurt?
Maybe it’s the wonderful instrumental accompaniments? Or
maybe it’s just the sheer fact that Sam Smith is a damned good vocalist??
In any event, ‘I’m Not the Only One’
resonates in an equally valuable, but very different, way as ‘Stay with Me’
did.
You can watch the video to ‘I’m Not
the Only One’ in the player below:
Hozier—born
Andrew Hozier-Byrne—presents a modern day Gospel with his contemporary
masterpiece, ‘Take Me to Church.’
The
Irishman recently performed ‘Take Me to Church’ on SNL, and he brought down the
house.The song effortlessly brings
together blues, Gospel, soul, and rock.Indeed,
it is refreshing to hear an electric guitar-driven alternative track in an era
dominated lately by synth, computers, acoustic instruments, and light
percussion.
Beyond
the music, the lyrics are deeply powerful and moving. One choral stanza reads:
"Take
me to Church;I’ll
worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies; I’ll
tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife; Offer
me that deathless death; Good
God, let me give you my life."
And when Hozier sings these words, he
belts them out with passion and heart.
It may take a few spins for the words to connect to the listener, but once they do, you’ll
feel you’ve, in fact, been taken to church.
Watch the SNL performance of ‘Take Me to
Church’ in the player below. (If you
want to watch the official video instead, click here):
Limp Bizkit is often minimized
as self-indulgent: making music for the mere sake of mentioning their own name
in their recordings. Sure, they do utter
the words “Limp Bizkit” in several of their songs. And Fred Durst seemed pretty into himself
during the band’s heyday. Nevertheless,
the band produced some iconic songs and videos emblematic of the late-nineties.
Of course, everyone had ‘Nookie’
burned into their brains in 1999. But Significant Other contained some other
great gems. Among them was ‘Rearranged,’
a seemingly mellow rap-rock track with an arc that travels from chill to raucous
in the span of about four minutes.
The video for ‘Rearranged’
follows the band’s faux arrest, referred to in the video for ‘Nookie.' Interestingly, it featured Matt Pinfield,
the former MTV VeeJay and Farmclub.com host.
He plays a judge who sentences the band to death. Subsequent to that, the band rocks out with
their cocks out in the death chamber, playing to the death as the room floods with
milk and drowns them.
The final scene shows the group
in what is presumed to be Heaven, having been drowned, when Fred Durst says, “If
this were Heaven, I’d be kicking it with Method Man.” The video cuts to a “To be continued” title
screen, setting the stage for the band’s following single, ‘N 2 Gether Now,’
which featured Method Man prominently.
'Rearranged' was reportedly one of guitarist Wes Borland's favorite tunes of the band's to play. Indeed, it is one of the undersigned's cherished tracks from the band as well.
Watch the video to ‘Rearranged’
in the video player below:
In 1998, Godsmack was panned as
a bunch of Alice in Chains rip-off artists.
Notably, the debut album’s ‘Someone in London’ could have served as
sequel to AIC’s ‘Sludge Factory.’ (It
also didn’t help that the band shared its name, sans space, with a track from Dirt). But,
for the most part, the Boston band survived off of its own unique energy, as
its sound was just hard enough to remove it from the neo-grunge criticisms
prevalent of the day.
Led by Track 2’s ‘Whatever,’ Godsmack shoved its way unto rock and
alternative radio with a vengeance.
Angry, pounding, thrashing—yet melodic and slightly poppy—‘Whatever’
served as an anthem for alienated Millennials coming of age in the
late-nineties. Indeed the song’s
oft-repeated lyric, “better fuckin’ go away!’ spoke directly to the cohort’s misanthropic
attitudes and overall angst.
‘Moon Baby’ served as an interesting
first track; it features a clip of Neil Armstrong’s famous quote just before
the band launches into a driving cut sprinkled with exoticism and
mysticism.
‘Time Bomb’ harmlessly begins like
a typical Depeche Mode synth-rock melody before vocalist Sully Erna screams, “I
am in living hell; makes me wonder if I’m alive.” His vocals, of course, are accented by robust
guitar and drum work.
Many of the remaining tracks on
the album fit within a similar framework:
Sully Erna projects guttural vocals whilst the rest of the band presents
thrashing guitars and thumping drums and bass.
The final track, however, departs sharply from this paradigm.
Godsmack’s
final offering, ‘Voodoo,’ is a stripped down tribal chant that, not surprisingly,
shares a similar structure with AIC’s ‘Angry Chair.’ But what separates ‘Voodoo’
from ‘Angry Chair’ is an earnest vocal, layered upon sobering acoustic drums and
a steady, yet stripped down, bass guitar.
It also contains the same mysticism and exoticism ‘Moon Baby’ serves up—only
tenfold.
As a whole, Godsmack’s debut was
a solid premiere, offering true rock fans a great alternative to the emo and
pop-punk offerings prevalent of the day.
And 16 years later, it’s still a great album to pop into the ole CD
player when you need just a little extra motivation to make it through the
day.
Steve's rating: 4 out of 5 stars.
Watch Godsmack's live performance of 'Time Bomb' from 2000's Ozzfest in the player below:
Granted, that song came out a whole year before I was born, but I grew up feeling like it was an "ode to being cool" that was really just pretty corny.
It's the type of song that's reserved for Harley Davidson rallies... no, not a Hell's Angels gathering, but more like an aging gang of American flag bandana-wearing financial planners who take a weekend to ride to Sturgis and drink one Michelob Ultra, because it has fewer calories and is still rather refreshing.
I even had a pair of boxer shorts as a kid that my mom bought from Pamida (anyone still with me?) that was covered in cartoonish skeletons and had a waistband that read, "Bad to the Bone".
You get my point. But apparently I didn't get my own point recently when I found myself completely and utterly sucked in by one of G.T. and the Destroyers' other singles, "I Drink Alone".
There I was, cruising down a stretch of rural highway, when I quite randomly decided to switch to some classic FM rock radio.
I'd heard the song before, but I'd forgotten just how cool it actually was. The dirty, blues-rock vibe of the song is undeniable. Thorogood's voice has that distinctive grit and wail that really nails it on this song. The lyrics are simple, but witty and funny and delivered to perfection. And then there's that saxophone solo. Seriously, what else do you need? By the end of the song, I felt like I was Patrick Swayze doing flying kicks in Roadhouse. It was invigorating.
The moral of this story is that much of what surrounds us deserves a fresh lease on life. Take something old and look at it in a new way. You might be surprised how much you enjoy it.
Here's the video for "I Drink Alone" by George Thorogood and the Destroyers:
I'm certainly a fan of London-based record label 4AD.
Artists such as Bon Iver, Iron & Wine and The National are some of the label's biggest acts to-date, but it's also been credited for breaking out lesser-known indie and electronic artists.
4AD started as a side-label to Beggars Banquet Records in 1979, and was popularized for releasing breakout albums by Bauhaus, Cocteau Twins and the Pixies in the 1980s.
But in recent years, the label has really hit a stride, signing some of independent music's brightest and most creative artists.
One artist on the label that deserves mention is SOHN.
An English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer, SOHN relocated to Vienna, Austria in 2010 to join the growing electronic music scene. By 2012, he was signed to Aesop records, and a year later, to 4AD.
His debut album, Tremors, was released in April 2014 and features the lead single, "Artifice".
"Artifice" is a deeply atmospheric chillout session, played at dance-club pace.
It's layered with vibrant jungle rhythms, a haunting backdrop of electronic blips and keys and soulful vocals.
Paul Sprawl is an artist I learned about through another musical connection about a year-and-a-half ago, and his sound caught my attention right away.
Growing up listening to my father's Michael Hedges records, I've long felt a kinship to fingerstyle guitar. The harmonic tapping of two hands on the neck of the guitar, drumming against the wood body of a hollow acoustic - there's a strange power I've always felt calming and beautiful.
Years later, I became a big fan of Minnesota guitarist Billy McLaughlin and his fingerstyle approach. I've been fortunate to see him play in intimate settings on several occasions and have been continually inspired by the magnetic quality of his live performances.
So, when I learned of Sprawl - another Minnesota-based musician with an incredible talent for fusing fingerstyle, experimental acoustic and bottleneck blues - I jumped at the opportunity to see him perform live.
Paul Sprawl is a California native, who's lived all over the U.S. and most recently settled in the Twin Cities. He's been performing and writing music since the late '60s, but finally quit his temp job to pursue music full-time in the late '90s. Choosing the life of a troubadour, Sprawl tours cross-country and internationally, with a staggering work ethic and commitment to his art.
The name "Sprawl" is somewhat perfect for a guitar style which blends technical accuracy with loose jams and unexpected twists. Occasionally, his songs can start to spin outward and grow abstract, but then he'll suddenly bring them back inward. His baritone vocals and bluesy harmonica reach through pockets and bring a distinctly American sound to the listener, like a campfire song held in an art gallery.
Sprawl has released nine independent albums, including 2011's stellar Dream Zoo - an album that finds his sprawling guitar technique tightened into more concise pop songwriting structures. There's a sense of darkness sweeping down echoed halls, like the lyric, "Dreams are kept in cages, People buy tickets, They come to look and listen" from the title track, "Dream Zoo". It's an album that's set perfectly for an introspective late-night drive down a forgotten highway.
I've met Sprawl on two occasions now and his conversations are well in tune with his songwriting sensibilities. Both times, I've felt drawn in to his performances in the same meditative way as he seems to be playing - as if the music is light pouring out from some dark place within.
For more information on this artist, please visit: PaulSprawl.com
Dandelion emerged with 'Weird-Out' just as grunge was beginning to die off. In many ways, the tune comes across as a blatant Nirvana rip-off. (Maybe it's the double tracking of the vox track?) Yet, there is something just a little bit different about the arrangement that distinguishes the song from the Cobain led troupe.
Dandelion never really went anywhere after the modest success of 'Weird-Out' wore itself out. Indeed, the band found themselves the subject of ridicule in a Beavis and Butthead episode. Nevertheless, Dandelion is surely a band that epitomizes the 1990s alternative music scene, especially when you consider the band's other singles: 'Under My Skin' and 'Waiting for a Ride'. The video for 'Weird-Out,' for instance, features Gen-X slackers, dressed in t-shirts and jeans, vocalizing in shoe-gaze style whilst jamming out hard on the guitars. The music is Pixies-inspired, the exuberance muted, and a slowed down Punk beat serves as backdrop--characteristics most grunge music shared with each other in that time.
Watch the video for 'Weird-Out' in the player below:
This one is an oldie, but a goodie. 'The Sea' was featured on Morcheeba's 1998 release, Big Calm. It's trip-hop all chilled out, and is--once again--another song well suited for a lazy Sunday.
Industrial rock sprinkled among nineties shoegaze, Jagwar Ma presents a clamorous single with 'Uncertainty.' Slightly detached, yet surprisingly focused, the recording is quite compelling.
Watch the video to 'Uncertainty' in the player below:
If Fine Young Cannibals had recorded a single in 2014, 'Seasons (Waiting on You)' would have been it. The track is defined by synth, driving drum and bass, and a soothing vocal.
Watch the video for 'Seasons' by Future Islands in the player below:
Bear Hands sets forth a catchy electronica-infused drum and bass single with 'Giant.' The track has gained greater airplay on regional indie stations as of late. Of course, that's mostly due to its infectious chorus.
Watch the video for 'Giant' by Bear Hands in the player below:
'Me and My Broken Heart' is infectious, to say the least. Part Bruno Mars, part Maroon 5, Rixton sets forth a stylish summer crossover hit with the single that seems to be blowing up everywhere.
Watch the video for 'Me and My Broken Heart' below:
'Sing' is a pleasing blend of folk and hip-hop by UK redhead Ed Sheeran. Pharrell Williams lends his Midas-Touch to the bridge, joining Sheeran's soulful chops in near perfect unison. Sheeran does a great job rapping some of his lyrics as well.
Jesse McCartney reinvents his boyish image in the new video epic, 'Superbad.' Smokin' stogies and sippin' down scotch, the Leo-lookalike's babyface doesn't entirely sell the new Don Draper playboy image. But it's nevertheless an okay start to a potentially new dynamic career.
On the other hand, the vocals and underlying audio are great. Jesse's voice has matured, and the end product is one worthy of JT or Michael Jackson.
If you liked it when Amerie belted "It's the One Thing That Got Me Trippin!," then you'll really like 'Problem' by Ariana Grande.
The tune has been climbing the charts lately, but despite its popularity, it's thankfully not pure saccharine like the rest of the Top 40. Instead, 'Problem' is an amalgam of thumpin' bass, Jay-Z-inspired lyrics in the bridge, careless whispers, and some catchy hot sax (see Late Night with Jimmy Fallon).
'Dangerous' requires some patience, but the wait is well worth it. Steady bass and drum slowly lead the song toward a metaphorical head butt at around the 2:10 mark (see video below). From there, the track seduces its listener into a raucous crossover dance party that they don't ever want to end.
If you like the neo disco of LCD Soundsystem and the indie vocals of Of Montreal, then 'Dangerous,' by Big Data, is right up your alley. Watch the official video in the player below:
'Waking Light' is a soothing ode that caps Morning Phase, Beck's first studio album in six years. It features beautiful orchestrals and luscious space-inspired vibes.
All in all it's a very well put together song. In fact, I've been playing the tune several times a day since Morning Phase was released last week.
Despite his amazing showing, he neglected to perform one of my favorite B-Mars tunes: 'Gorilla.' This is not to take away from his near-perfect performance tonight, but is merely a lament.
'Everything's Bigger' is phenomenal female fuzz. The song's bridge is amazing, containing double-tracked vocals that march up and down the sharp chords. It's lively, yet refined--loud, but graceful.
Stream 'Everything's Bigger' by Speedy Ortiz in the SoundCloud player below:
Jake Bugg is a 19 year old from Nottingham. Similar to his fore-bearers of fifty years ago, Bugg reintroduces to American audiences stripped down and back-to-basic versions of their own music.
'Lightning Bolt' is a folk-rock sensation that is sneaking its way up the charts of various American radio stations. Upon first listen, it's easy to confuse the tune with a Greenwich Beatnik tune from 1960. The song makes no apologies for its retro stylings and is a testament to the enduring quality of the basic components of rock and roll: driving beats, simple chords, and a catchy chorus.
Stream 'Lightning Bolt' in the SoundCloud player below:
Not since I first heard Mad Season's album have I felt affected in quite the same way.
'What's in my Head' is the new sludgy single from Fuzz, Ty Segall's latest project. (Side projects seem to be par for the course for Mr. Segall). The tune presents a potent mix of psychedelia and grunge, delivering a visceral anthem of a chorus just before the one minute mark.
Is it 1968 or 1991 or today? Who cares! Stream this brilliant track in the video player below:
I've been a fan of Sun Kil Moon, aka Mark Kozelek, since I first heard "Carry Me Ohio" in about 2003. That feeling was only reinforced for me when his LP of heartachingly understated Modest Mouse covers, called Tiny Cities, was released in 2005.
Kozelek just released a new track off his forthcoming 2014 album, Benji. It's called "Richard Ramirez Died Today of Natural Causes" and, boy... it. is. raw.
The lyrics and title refer to Richard Ramirez, the infamous serial killer, who incidentally died from cancer in June of this year, while awaiting execution on death row.
The song starts with Kozelek's haunting guitar and leads into a nearly stream of conscious-like paranoid reflection on the scariest parts of growing up and growing old. Soon, Kozelek's vocals start to pile on top of one other in staggered, unnerving layers. By the time the drum finally kicks in during the last third of the song, it feels like a wave of relief crashing against the rocks.
"Time cast a spell on you / you won't forget me; I know I could've loved you; but you would not let me."
The signature line from Fleetwood Mac's 'Silver Springs' encapsulates the legendary divide that developed between Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham. The two had dated and performed together in the band for years, before breaking off the relationship. They nevertheless remained band mates following the split.
Stevie penned 'Silver Springs,' and she intended it for inclusion on the band's seminal album, Rumours. But, due to the varying tensions between she and Buckingham, the track didn't make the cut. It was instead released as the B-Side to 'Go Your Own Way,' another song that memorialized the pain and hurt between the two.
'Silver Springs' starts off slow. But at about the 2:30 mark, the single builds into one of the most memorable choruses performed by Fleetwood Mac. Further, it showcases the delicate grace of Stevie Nicks' vocals.
Dent May's 'Born Too Late' features sentimental lyrics set to a campy back beat. But don't let the Hipster jade fool you; this single is quite rich, despite all its irony.
Blue-eyed soul at its smoothest, Mayer Hawthorne delivers restrained sensuality with his single 'Her Favorite Song.' If you like Pharrell, Robin Thicke, and Daft Punk's latest album, you'll really dig this melody.
Summer is winding down, and before we know it, another year will soon be in the books. It's sad, but it's true.
In terms of pop culture, Summer is the defining era of each year. Whether it's the Summer blockbuster, or the Summer beach read, Summer--for whatever reason--is the season that each year's cultural worth is judged by. The kids are out of school. And the business types who go on vacation are a little more relaxed. When one thinks back to the good times in their life, summers undoubtedly rush to the front of the line.
The one mandatory pop culture discussion point is the Song of the Summer (hereinafter referred to as "The Song"). The Song is indelibly associated with carefree feelings, and it provides the soundtrack to the warm weather atmospheres of the year. For example, the Summer between my freshman and sophomore year of college was defined by Eminem's The Eminem Show. Indeed, I still remember 'Without Me' blaring in the background in the sticky evenings as all of us cooked steaks on the grill.
In honor of The Song, I'm proud to present my favorite Songs of the Summer 2013:
Daft Punk - 'Get Lucky'
This tune hit the beginning of Summer 2013 like a gauntlet. Taking no prisoners with its discotheque sounds, 'Get Lucky' was Daft Punk's first non-soundtrack album since 2007. With throwback bass beats and the smoldering smoothness of Pharell Williams, 'Get Lucky' saved even the very worst of dance parties in Summer 2013.
Vampire Weekend - 'Diane Young'
When Vampire Weekend first hit it big a few years ago, I was never much of a fan. Their associations with J-Crew and the Ivy League never really inspired me. But when the band released 'Diane Young' this summer, I found myself hooked. The foursome had finally found the sound us Midwest kids could relate to. With the Peter Frampton flavored modulated-chorus of "Bay-bee, bay-bee, bay-bee, ..." the band struck a special chord with me. And the undersigned was a huge fan of the band's performance of the single on SNL, which you can watch below. (FYI - 'Ya Hey' is another excellent song from Modern Vampires of the City):
'Tell me that you want me, tell me that you want me." The seminal lyric from 'Trying to Be Cool' serves as one of the most memorable hooks from Summer 2013. Combine that hook with the all-too-tasty keyboard distortions that buttress the song, and you have yourself a bonafide French Invasion (not to be confused with the British Invasion). 'Trying to Be Cool' was also performed on SNL in 2013, which is the version featured below.
'Sonsick' busts the mold of the traditional Summer song in many respects. It's not breezy. It's not the happiest. But it has an infectious chorus that affects you vicerally. It also features a nice array of horns. During the Summer of 2013 I tended to hear this song on satellite radio at times I least expected to, and it hit the spot EVERY time.
Television emerged out of the New York post-punk scene in the late seventies. It released the ground breaking Marquee Moon in 1977. Although not commercially successful at the time, the album was decades ahead of its peers and was widely influential. Indeed, Marquee Moon could be released on Matador Records today and sound just as relevant as anything else being released.
The title track, coming in at over ten minutes, is nevertheless tight and well crafted. And the climax at the 8:23 mark is well worth the wait
Stream 'Marquee Moon' by Television in the video player below:
'Gasoline' is a seductive and ethereal single from Australian group Alpine. Addictive looping and dreamy vocals add to this tune's charm offensive, as well.
'Hello It's Me' was popularized by Rundgren, the solo artist. But Rundgren had authored the song years prior, and The Nazz recorded it, reaching No. 71 on the Billboard charts. (The solo version, on the other hand, reached No. 5 in 1973).
Stream both The Nazz version and the Rundgren solo version of 'Hello It's Me' in the respective players below:
If you like Daft Punk, and you like auto-tuned Julian Casablancas dropping catchy hooks, then you are in luck. Stream the collaboration, entitled 'Instant Crush,' between these two artists in the video player below:
'Song for Zula' is one of those epic songs that only get better with time. Indeed, I think each time I spin this track, I find myself a little more touched. Be prepared for this song to begin pervading the scores of hip indie flicks and the background music of foreign car commercials--badges of honor for the alternative bands of today.
Stream the wonderful 'Song for Zula' in the SoundCloud player below:
Art popsters Django Django hit indie radio pretty hard in 2012 with their goofy, but infectious, ''Default.' Now, they've dropped 'Hail Bop,' a much more serious -- and more focused-- foray into driving electro pop.
Stream the robust 'Hail Bop' in the SoundCloud player below:
Rural Iowa might not be the first place you'd expect to find intelligent, electronic-based dance music. Then again, it probably isn't the first place you'd expect to find unique ethnic cuisine, sustainable living and a school for transcendental meditation. But there it is: Fairfield - nestled in the cornfields of southern Iowa. It's a small town of less than 10,000 with a diverse and rich arts and cultural scene and home to the Maharishi University of Management (a school started by the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the famed guru of The Beatles). Director David Lynch has held annual "Weekends for World Peace and Meditation" at the campus since 2005, featuring world-renowned musicians and speakers. Last spring, Lynch's foundation website heralded a new music video from a Fairfield duo called Trouble Lights, and since then, the band has burst onto the local music scene. The video, for the song "Safe With Me" (directed by Geoff Boothby), was heads above other videos I'd seen for local artists. In fact, the professionalism and appeal of the song and video had me do a double take as to why I'd never heard of this group before. Trouble Lights is the project of vocalist Adrien Daller and musician Philip Rabalais. It's highly-charged electronic pop music with powerhouse diva vocal melodies from Daller, who studied musical theatre in the UK before returning home. The resulting sound falls somewhere between the classic pop of The Eurythmics and the dark theatricality of Lady Gaga. The group recently released their debut album, The Endless Prom, on Maximum Ames Records (home to Leslie Hall, The Poison Control Center, Christopher the Conquered and more) Below is the music video for Trouble Lights' latest single, "Ready". It's a steam-powered, head-on-collision of dance grooves. Once the chorus hits with the "Whoa-oh-oh"s, the party is full speed ahead. Watch it here:
'Shuggie' by Foxygen reminds me of some of the quirky--yet brilliant--singles that gained radio traction in the mid-1990s. Songs like 'Girl Like You' by Edwyn Collins, and even 'Whoever You Are' by Geggy Tah spring to mind. Perhaps it's because 'Shuggie' borrows heavily from the prevailing musical themes of the sixties while managing to shapeshift halfway throughout the tune?
In any event, watch the video the intriguing 'Shuggie' below:
'Sinful Nature' is some fine chilled-out synth rock. The seductive introduction pulls one in, while the subsequent chords and verses hypnotize its listener.
You can stream 'Sinful Nature' by Bear in Heaven in the SoundCloud player below:
Taking a page from the Elephant 6 recording collective, Ty Segall revives lo-fi garage rock in his recent single, 'Thank God for Sinners.' It's half slow burner; half fuzzed out space jam. The guitar work inspires, and the melody is tasty.
Stream 'Thank God for Sinners' in the SoundCloud player below:
Anyone who knows me knows I have a major soft spot for Sade. Sade's ultra-chill, smoothed-out R&B struck a chord with me very early in life. Back in 1985, I would bob and sing along to "Smooth Operator" from the child booster seat in my parents' van. So, when I heard that indie-rock act, The Rosebuds had covered her 1992 album, Love Deluxe, in its entirety - and released it for free - I was delightfully curious to say the least. One listen to the opening track, "No Ordinary Love", and I realized what a beautiful tribute this is. To cover an entire album so effortlessly, and with the depth of emotion found here must truly be an act of love and respect from the artists. According to The Rosebuds' bandcamp page, they covered the album to commemorate its 20th anniversary:
"To say this album is a constant influence to The Rosebuds and the records we've made over the years would be an understatement. We’ve always been fans. Ivan’s been covering Sade songs since I’ve known him--he sings them in the house, he sings them while driving, he sings them with or without a guitar in hand, he sings them when he doesn’t even realize he’s singing aloud. It’s the language he hears music in."
Eighties college radio lives on in Wild Nothing's 'Paradise.' Atmospheric stoicism rules the day on this track, with colorful synth effects interacting quite wonderfully with Jack Tatum's vocal production. Listen to this one on headphones if you want to catch all the sonic nuances.
Dub-popsters Alt-J have produced a dynamically raucous tune of a song in 'Fitzpleasure.' This is one of those singles you just can't quite put your finger on, as it spans many different genres in a short four minutes. Nevertheless, the final product is rich and inspiring.
Dirge rockers Pinback are back with a solid single, 'Proceed to Memory.' This is one of those songs that builds up kind of slow but smoothly morphs into a likeable head-nodder.
Stream 'Proceed to Memory' in the SoundCloud player below:
Maybe it's just me, but is Taylor Dayne's "Tell It To My Heart" a dance club reincarnation of Glenn Frey's "The One You Love"?
I know that sounds like the most absurd hypothesis ever, but humor me for a second...
Several years back, I was on a caffeine-fueled roadtrip in the middle of the night and heard "The One You Love" on a schmaltzy soft-rock FM station. I remembered the song from my childhood, but couldn't remember the name of the song or the artist. The melody rang tinny in the back of my conscious for nearly two years before I realized it was by former Eagles songsmith, Glenn Frey (say it with me now: The "H" is "O").
The only reason I held onto this smoother-than-smooth, yacht-rockin' heartbreaker for so long was because it reminded me eerily of Dayne's dancefloor megahit from the early '90s.
Even if you don't buy into my crackpot theory, give the videos a watch, because they are both pretty spectacular relics of their respective times.
Tame Impala maintains 'I Am the Walrus' aesthetics on its newest single from most recent album, Lonerism. 'Elephant' has crunch, distant vocals, and perhaps most importantly, a driving beat that never drops.
Grizzly Bear has returned with a new album and a very solid single. 'Yet Again' is textured and atmospheric. It's a tightly wound studio production that carries very well over to radio.
Stream 'Yet Again' in the SoundCloud player below:
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti is known for the quirky, but 'Only In My Dreams' is a lovely tune of a song. The recording lacks none of the psychedelia inherent in most of the Ariel-led collective's previous offerings, but it is probably one of the more palatable singles they've produced thus far. So tasty!
In keeping the 90s Britpop hit parade alive, today we present the video to Blur's 'There's No Other Way.'
'There's No Other Way' was Blur's second radio single, was released in 1990, and reached Number 5 on the U.S. Modern Rock charts. (The single reached the overall Number 8 slot in the band's native Britain). Contrary to the band's later work, 'There's No Other Way' was emblematic of the Manchester-based "Baggy" or "Madchester" subgenre of raucous dance-influenced music popularized by other Britpop bands such as The Happy Mondays and The Stone Roses.
The video to the single is entertaining, showing an angry Gen-Xer (Damon Albarn) sitting at the family dinner table, brooding and scowling the entire time. Juxtaposed with the peppy melody, the video's visuals sharply depart from the happy-go-lucky feel of the immediate musical surface.
Blur, of course, went on to record a number of mega hits in the next two decades following the release of 'There's No Other Way,' and they went on to rival Oasis for the crown of European Kings of Rock in the 1990s. And following the dawn of the new millennium lead vocalist Damon Albarn established Gorillaz, and the rest, as they say, is history.
You can watch the video to 'There's No Other Way' in the video player below:
'Help the Aged' is a tender slow burner featured on Track Four of Hardcore that oscillates between benevolence and stark truths. "You can dye your hair, but it's the one thing you can't change," sings Cocker, in reference to the one constant none of us can escape: our own mortality.
Structually, 'Help the Aged' slyly begins as the usual ballad, but steadily marches toward a bombastic melody with a stunning hook. It doesn't hurt that the lyrics are stirring and poetic.
Watch the video to 'Help the Aged' below, and while you do remember, "Help the aged. Because one day you'll be older too."
Electronic dance music has become a dominant force in the pop and rock music scenes as of late. The cult followings of Deadmau5 and Skrillex by today's youth are a partial testament to that.
'Spectrum' by Zedd is another electronic dance tune that balances house beats and catchy hooks with a likable vocal.
Check out the video to 'Spectrum' below:
