All of john Mayer's past work has been nothing but horrible music to my ears so unsurprisingly when his new release came out it was of no huge thought to me. But last Monday for some reason "Queen of California" off of "Born And Raised" came on one of my Pandora stations and I was shocked to find it was John Mayer.
As I said before all of his past work has not been my thing and his try at a blues trio was so bad its hard to describe in words but on his new album John has really seamed to have outdone himself. Its a total 360 from anything he has done in the past and its done very well! Hes changed his vibe you could say to this more singer/songwriter acoustic sort of thing. I really really dig it. He has simplified his work very much and has created an album for every listener and something that really sets a mood.
The new album titled "Born And Raised" is a delight to listen to. His music has taken a lot of depth with this record and there is much more of a mood for this album. Over all it feels much more "real". "Shadow Days" was the first single off this record and its a good song but by far not the best on the album. My favorite song is "Queen of California" but "Born and Raised" and "Love is a verb" are also fantastic songs. The flow of this album is second to none and mix and production are flawless. This record is laid back and easy to relax to but if you listen to the lyrics they have a lot of meaning and are very deep. This is new for him. His past albums have never been this soft or deep. Some songs needed more work and songs like "Age of Worry" should not have even been on the record.
Over all this is a fantastic record and is my favorite album this year by far. It's just great. No question about it. I would suggest this for any one. this album is very different than any of his other work and he really went above and beyond any of his past works with this album.
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Thursday, July 5, 2012
PHISH: The after live experience
I saw one of my favorite if not my favorite bands a few weeks back. PHISH!!! and what a show it was! they where great. I have wanted to see them and finally thanks to m step dad we got tickets and saw them at Riverbend. The show was beyond anything I have ever seen and hard to put in to words. There are only two types of phish people it seams. Those who love and those who hate. If you love phish you know what i'm talking about. But this post is not about the show, no this is about the interesting followings after the show......
If you have never attended a phish show you where much like me prior to two weeks ago. You also like me did not know about this little golden secret.
When you see a phish show your ticket comes with a number that you can enter in even as soon as an hour after the show and get a free digital download of the show you just saw! Now I know what your thinking, "SO WHAT?" or "I bet its no good" but let me tell you that you are wrong. For starters the recording is of an amazing quality. Like really... its crazy! the mixing is top notch and it sounds like a very planed out live recording and they do it for every show! One thing that made this so cool for me was the fact that I was at that show. That's very cool. But also with a band like phish that jam and do all sorts of different renditions you can have ten different cds and have ten different versions of one song!
So yeah, just something cool to share. That's all I got these days. I'm headed out west on Saturday and i'm sure my dad is going to get mad at all the phish we are going to put behind us. hahaha.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
tUnE-yArDs
This past Monday I hiked myself over to the wexner center to see a band I found out about almost a year ago today. tUnE-yArDs is in a nutshell a band like no other around today. The band has only two official members but in this tour they brought along a sax section.
tUnE-yArDs is less of a band and more of a "music project" of singer/songwriter Merrill Garbus. She produces an aura of sounds by looping multiple vocal and drum tracks. She then sings over these loops with her ingenious use of guitar pedals to make all sorts of sounds for her voice. With the help of Nate Brenner (Who plays Bass Guitar and Keyboards) they build a wide range of some what controversial sounds. The group is a bit odd and lots of people bang on them for having no musical talent. This view is growing now that the group is becoming more known for their song "Bizness". I would agree to some extent that this group is to experimental for my taste at times but over all I really really like them.
One big thing that should be known is that this group live is a whole different animal then the groups recordings. I went in some what skeptical but for only twenty dollars and the fact that I also liked the opening band "Delicate Steve" I went. And boy was I glad! This was by far the best concert I have been to yet this year. tUnE-yArDs was an experience live. Something so beyond what their records capture. The mix between beautiful vocal harmonies and dance beat drum tracks made the place more like a dace party than a rock show and in between the large glow stick wars made this concert not only enjoyable but memorable.
tUnE-yArDs is less of a band and more of a "music project" of singer/songwriter Merrill Garbus. She produces an aura of sounds by looping multiple vocal and drum tracks. She then sings over these loops with her ingenious use of guitar pedals to make all sorts of sounds for her voice. With the help of Nate Brenner (Who plays Bass Guitar and Keyboards) they build a wide range of some what controversial sounds. The group is a bit odd and lots of people bang on them for having no musical talent. This view is growing now that the group is becoming more known for their song "Bizness". I would agree to some extent that this group is to experimental for my taste at times but over all I really really like them.
One big thing that should be known is that this group live is a whole different animal then the groups recordings. I went in some what skeptical but for only twenty dollars and the fact that I also liked the opening band "Delicate Steve" I went. And boy was I glad! This was by far the best concert I have been to yet this year. tUnE-yArDs was an experience live. Something so beyond what their records capture. The mix between beautiful vocal harmonies and dance beat drum tracks made the place more like a dace party than a rock show and in between the large glow stick wars made this concert not only enjoyable but memorable.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
The Twerps
Great band I just found!!
The other night when going to see Real Estate (who were great!) I discovered a great new band the Twerps who opened for them. These guys are somewhat unknown but really are very good! They have one album out as of now but after going on tour with Real Estate and picking up some more fans we can guess that they will have some more material coming soon. These guys I found to have a really good and unique sound and really sounds like the sound track to some movie shot in Australia and that makes sense because that's where they are from! They also put on a fantastic live show.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3keEeKTpgk&feature=related
Here is a link one one of there songs. Enjoy!!
The other night when going to see Real Estate (who were great!) I discovered a great new band the Twerps who opened for them. These guys are somewhat unknown but really are very good! They have one album out as of now but after going on tour with Real Estate and picking up some more fans we can guess that they will have some more material coming soon. These guys I found to have a really good and unique sound and really sounds like the sound track to some movie shot in Australia and that makes sense because that's where they are from! They also put on a fantastic live show.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3keEeKTpgk&feature=related
Here is a link one one of there songs. Enjoy!!
Sunday, April 22, 2012
New Thievery Corporation Album
The group Thievery Corporation is back with a new album!
If you don't know of these guys you not only need to check them out but this would be the album to do so. Thievery Corporation is a Acid Jazz group with lots of elements from other types of music mixed in. They are a some what new group formed in D.C. in the mid 90's but have already put out quite a few albums.
I was in the book store yesterday and picked up this new and interesting "Best of" album. "It Takes A Thief" Is the new album that takes selections from the groups past albums and puts them all in one CD. Lots of groups have albums like this but I was surprised to see a group so young have one and one that is so good! This album not only has good taste in picking the best of the best of Thievery Corporation but also has great flow even though all from different records. The record has 16 of the best songs by these guys and really does a great job of song placement.
If you have never heard of these guys you should really check them out. With all the mixing of musical styles there is really something for everyone. I have been fond of this group for about half a year but did not really start listening to them until my recent trip to New York where my cousin is all about these guys. This is also a great album to start with because there are no real bad tracks on this record. Go check it out for yourself!!
If you don't know of these guys you not only need to check them out but this would be the album to do so. Thievery Corporation is a Acid Jazz group with lots of elements from other types of music mixed in. They are a some what new group formed in D.C. in the mid 90's but have already put out quite a few albums.
I was in the book store yesterday and picked up this new and interesting "Best of" album. "It Takes A Thief" Is the new album that takes selections from the groups past albums and puts them all in one CD. Lots of groups have albums like this but I was surprised to see a group so young have one and one that is so good! This album not only has good taste in picking the best of the best of Thievery Corporation but also has great flow even though all from different records. The record has 16 of the best songs by these guys and really does a great job of song placement.
If you have never heard of these guys you should really check them out. With all the mixing of musical styles there is really something for everyone. I have been fond of this group for about half a year but did not really start listening to them until my recent trip to New York where my cousin is all about these guys. This is also a great album to start with because there are no real bad tracks on this record. Go check it out for yourself!!
Friday, April 6, 2012
The Morning Benders?
In most recent music news the well known indie rock band "The Morning Benders" have made a name change. The group is now going under the name "POP ETC." The bands official statement on the change was "Because the band was getting bigger after the release of the new album and through tours of Europe found out that the word "Bender" was used as a term for Homosexuals." The group also promised that the overall sound would not change because of the name but it already has. The release of a new single on Facebook has shown that the band is taking a more modern pop style of music now. There has also been talk of a few of the members leaving the band. This is very saddening to me. I have seen the morning benders and really enjoyed their music and they are fantastic live and I was looking forward to more music from them but that now looks bleak.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
The Radio Dept.
Today I want to talk about a group I just recently got in to. They are called "The Radio Dept." and are gaining some popularity from the recent release of their third album "Clinging to a Scheme". If you have never heard of them they are a very interesting sounding indie/Dance pop group from Sweden. The instrumentation revolves heavy on keyboards and loops but also has some cool guitar hooks. This album is the reason I found myself listening to them but as I said before they do have lots more material.
I found myself liking this album very much. Its soft enough to listen to and work or do other things but interesting enough to stand on its own. It has lots of really great keyboard lines and loops that really stand out. The guitar focus of this album is small but tasteful. Most songs will find you listening to drum machine sorts of tracks but on a few tracks and all live shows a real drum kit is used. Almost all the songs found on this record are good and few are great. This ends up being the albums downfall in a way. All the songs feel the same. The same sorts of sounds worked in different ways. This is good because the sound is good but on the other hand the album feels kinda tedious. Some tracks off this album do stand out though. Tracks like "David" and "Memory Loss" really stand out from the rest. The only track off this record that I cant stand is "Heavens on Fire". This song just rubs me the wrong way overall.
This album as a whole is really good. The songs are all interesting and fun even if they all sound almost the same. The album has a very interesting and unique feel. Being a foreign band this album sounds very un american. Overall a very interesting album. If you have not checked it out yet you should do so. I personally think this album by them is the only one worth your time and I would give this album a solid 6.5 to 7 out of 10.
I found myself liking this album very much. Its soft enough to listen to and work or do other things but interesting enough to stand on its own. It has lots of really great keyboard lines and loops that really stand out. The guitar focus of this album is small but tasteful. Most songs will find you listening to drum machine sorts of tracks but on a few tracks and all live shows a real drum kit is used. Almost all the songs found on this record are good and few are great. This ends up being the albums downfall in a way. All the songs feel the same. The same sorts of sounds worked in different ways. This is good because the sound is good but on the other hand the album feels kinda tedious. Some tracks off this album do stand out though. Tracks like "David" and "Memory Loss" really stand out from the rest. The only track off this record that I cant stand is "Heavens on Fire". This song just rubs me the wrong way overall.
This album as a whole is really good. The songs are all interesting and fun even if they all sound almost the same. The album has a very interesting and unique feel. Being a foreign band this album sounds very un american. Overall a very interesting album. If you have not checked it out yet you should do so. I personally think this album by them is the only one worth your time and I would give this album a solid 6.5 to 7 out of 10.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Freelance Whales
This is an album that I listened to a while back but have recently rediscovered. If you have not yet checked this out you need to!
"Weathervanes" the first and only full album from "Freelance Whales", a band started in 2008 and very heavily connected with the hipster movement in Williamsburg New York. The album hit stores in April of 2010. The album produced a few singles and had a fair amount of success.
Now.. with all that said I had listened to this album via friend request when it first came out and I liked it but I have in the last week found myself drawn back to this great album. This album is kind of your basic "Indie Rock" album. It features a lot of interesting keyboard sound, lots of generic but interesting vocals, and some very complex Radiohead like drum parts. This album also makes a very interesting use of a banjo as well. I enjoyed this bit very much. I would say that for sure some tracks on this album are better than others but as a whole there are no real "Bad Tracks" found on this record. Tracks that really stuck out to me were "Broken Horse", "Ghosting", and "Generator second floor". But I do like all the songs found on this album. The record as a whole creates a few different moods really well. There are times of the record when true sense of sadness comes out but there are also points of happiness. This is the only problem I have with this record. The flow of it as a whole feels a bit wacky. The placement of songs could have been better thought out. Songs showing a happy mood are found next to songs pushing the sadder mood of the album. This really makes the record as a whole somewhat weird to listen to all the way through.
I love this record very, very much and look forward to more from freelance whales in the future. If you find this album not you the first time through give it a second listen. I would give it a strong 8/10.
"Weathervanes" the first and only full album from "Freelance Whales", a band started in 2008 and very heavily connected with the hipster movement in Williamsburg New York. The album hit stores in April of 2010. The album produced a few singles and had a fair amount of success.
Now.. with all that said I had listened to this album via friend request when it first came out and I liked it but I have in the last week found myself drawn back to this great album. This album is kind of your basic "Indie Rock" album. It features a lot of interesting keyboard sound, lots of generic but interesting vocals, and some very complex Radiohead like drum parts. This album also makes a very interesting use of a banjo as well. I enjoyed this bit very much. I would say that for sure some tracks on this album are better than others but as a whole there are no real "Bad Tracks" found on this record. Tracks that really stuck out to me were "Broken Horse", "Ghosting", and "Generator second floor". But I do like all the songs found on this album. The record as a whole creates a few different moods really well. There are times of the record when true sense of sadness comes out but there are also points of happiness. This is the only problem I have with this record. The flow of it as a whole feels a bit wacky. The placement of songs could have been better thought out. Songs showing a happy mood are found next to songs pushing the sadder mood of the album. This really makes the record as a whole somewhat weird to listen to all the way through.
I love this record very, very much and look forward to more from freelance whales in the future. If you find this album not you the first time through give it a second listen. I would give it a strong 8/10.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)