Archive | February, 2011

Don’t Think Twice – Nine Inch Oscar – Vinyl is hot hot hot

28 Feb

Suze Rotolo, Bob Dylan muse, dead at 67

When Bob Dylan wrote lines like:

“I’m walkin’ down that long, lonesome road, babe
Where I’m bound, I can’t tell
But goodbye’s too good a word, gal
So I’ll just say fare thee well”

and

“I got a letter on a lonesome day
It was from her ship a-sailin’
Saying I don’t know when I’ll be comin’ back again
It depends on how I’m a-feelin’.”

he was thinking about

her

Many do not know who Suze Rotolo was. I will enlighten you. She was Bob Dylan’s girlfriend and muse for two years after Dylan moved to New York. Dylan was absolutely infatuated with Suze Rotolo. She was 17 when Dylan first met her. He was 20. They were young lovebirds and the relationship did not last long. Dylan began gaining fame and there was questions of his fidelity (Joan Baez). But, for the two years that is lasted, Dylan was positively impacted by Rotolo.

Not only did he write these famous love songs, but also Rotolo was partially responsible for perhaps the most famous album cover of all time (The Freehweelin’ Bob Dylan). Also, she exposed Dylan to CORE (The Congress of Racial Equality) and took him to meetings and marches. This is where Dylan’s first civil rights song came from. “The Death of Emmett Till” was written in part to impress his young girlfriend.

Rotolo died four days ago after a long illness. Dylan fans should give thanks to her for inspiring the greatest lyricist of all time.

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Reznor is an Oscar Winner

After Trent Reznor, of Nine Inch Nails fame, and co-writer Atticus Ross, won the Oscar for best movie score last night he shared these words with his twitter fanbase, “HOLY SH*T doesn’t seem enough.” I think he was happy.

Reznor and Ross won for their Social Network score which was both creative and helped create the movies flow.

The Oscar’s are not a place I ever thought I would see Trent Reznor. Just never seemed to be his scene. But, hey, he is a multi-talented musician and the credit is well deserved. Kudos to Reznor.

Here they are accepting the award:

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Records Back in Business (Yes 12″ LP)

Article: http://www.azcentral.com/business/consumer/articles/2011/02/25/20110225Vinyl-records-spin-back-into-vogue.html

Yeah, not as archaic is you thought

Records are making a comeback?

Brian Passey of USA Today writes, “According to recent Nielsen SoundScan numbers, vinyl was the fastest-growing musical format in 2010, with 2.8 million units sold, the format’s best year since SoundScan began tracking sales in 1991.”

Yes, CD sales are dropping and vinyl records are finding their way back in stores. Am I surprised? No. Here’s why.

If I know one thing about people, it is that they love novelties. Why do you think zany restaurants like Mars 2112 stay in business. The food isn’t that good and it is overpriced, but the elevator that takes you to the dining room is a spaceship simulator. I know, it’s freaking awesome. Records, similarly, have fallen out of practical use, but as a novelty they work quite well. Instead of pressing play, you need to life the arm and place the needle on one of the round solid lines marking each track. It is a classic feel. It was inevitable. Old baseball cards are more popular than new ones. It is just how it is. I am also not complaining. I have a mini record collection. I have one, though, because I just loved the classic music and the original product is sometimes necessary.

Toro Y Moi – Underneath the Pine

27 Feb

As I drove home in the early hours of the morning it was already getting bright outside. I immediately began feeling extreme nostalgia for irresponsible summers of past. But this time I was not under the influence of any magic, simply arriving home from a tiring shift delivering food. But that feeling… maybe I was just tired… but I felt like I was under some sort of influence, my thoughts highly irresponsible in an animated fashion, yet that of a Buddhist-monk in caliber. Maybe it was a warm-flashback?

But it also was around 6am, the time when the human body ‘resets’. Whether it is due to our own internal mind clocks or some cosmic energy playing around with us, this time of the day is hands down the most psychedelic. It’s most noticeable if you haven’t gone to bed, which could explain some things, but I like to think that it’s the time when human thoughts or souls are synced up to destiny or reality, sort of like an ipod syncing to its itunes library. Basically, it’s the time when everything falls back onto track after a weekend night of debauchery. As I lay to fall asleep, my contact-less eyes were seeing strange fuzzy orbs of light. Although they weren’t as brilliant as geometric shapes I’d seen before, it made me realize that things like this are all around us and how much, as a people, we still don’t know about.

So basically today was the first time I woke up at 4pm in a long time. Definitely now considering a career change… or fewer hours anyway.

I’m not sure if the Radiohead hype has died down yet… I hope it has… because today I’ve got a real psychedelic treat for all of you. Shortly after listening to The King of Limbs, I heard Toro Y Moi’s Underneath the Pine, and let me tell you that I was thoroughly impressed, to the point where I can call it my favorite of the year so far.

Toro Y Moi is the stage name of Chazwick Bundick, a super chill fellow from North Carolina. He was one of the original driving forces behind the chill wave of summer ’10. I’ve already described chillwave thoroughly with my Washed Out review, and while Toro Y Moi’s older music was verbatim that, apparently his newer stuff has already departed that.

Talks on the internet have it that ‘Chillwave’ is already dying. That effing internet hipster who invented the damn term, Carles, is speculating that this might be so based on Pitchfork’s review of the album and their refusal to use the term.

I personally do not want chillwave to die. I think it’s a really chill and appropriate title for such music. Although it’s a sort of a half-bastard internet spawn, I feel like it has the potential of becoming the next psychedelic genre. It’s all about slow, vibacious, synth-saturated, chill-out tunes that make you feel like nothing matters in the world. 60’s psychedelia anyone? I honestly feel like this newest Toro Y Moi album is all of that, but it also adds a layer of rock, which in my mind simply completes the genre. I really see it going places in this current state.

The song above Still Sound is the single off the album, and isn’t it groovy? The bassline just tells you to grab a seat and relax, while the layered and echoed vocals coax you to sing along, despite the fact that they are unintelligible. The quiet synths flow and ebb like a pretty tide and that one tambourine or something just completes the beat for me. About halfway through a chill breakdown lets your spirit leave your body, albeit temporarily, before the beat snaps back and the song finishes. This song will grow on you quickly.

And the rest of the songs on this album are on the same level. I personally really like the song Go with you.

This song is much more relaxed than the previous, but similar in many ways as well. I really like the crunchy keyboard in the background and the tape delay on his voice during the refrain. It’s a very strange song but it makes sense in some sort of chill manner. I also really like the ending, the perfect groove, probably why I like this song so much.

I give this album a 7.08/7.25

A perfect album for just hanging out and enjoying the times.

I am also very anxious to see what the rest of this year will harbor for chillwave. The possibilities are endless! Talks of new Washed Out and Neon Indian are turning the rumor wheels. Maybe even my solo LP will be finished. lol

And going back to this whole morning business, (I am on the verge of passing our right now, too much chillwave) I will leave you with a challenge of sorts. About a year ago my Uncle told me that if at the moment of sunrise you are looking north and that there is a mirror placed at the corner of your eye you will see crazy things in your peripherals. I haven’t tried it yet because it sounds scary and peripheral hallucinations are a proven thing (and i have them them often enough as it is). But one day I will try this and most likely I will be listening to chillwave to calm my anxiety.

zzzzzZZZZZZZzzzzzzzZZZZZZ

-oko

-.-

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Goats Spotted on Letterman – RS Fact Check – Happy Birthday Studio God

24 Feb

Mountain Goats Perform on Letterman

The Mountain Goats will release their new album All Eternals Deck on March 29. Yesterday, they performed “Birth of Serpents,” a song from the album, on Letterman. John Darnielle had his full band behind him and the harmony was spot on. The song is faster and more rock than their last album, but Darnielle has proven that he is a jack of all trades when it comes to musical styles. Check out the performance. Can’t wait for the new album.

http://static.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid401.photobucket.com/albums/pp94/theaudiopervjr/mountaingoatsletterman_Segment100-00-05-00-03-40.mp4

Rolling Stones Fact Check

Link: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/photos/rolling-stone-fact-checks-famous-rock-songs-20110223

There are many songs out there that feature incorrect information. Generally, they go unheeded because people just unconsciously sing along. Rolling Stone magazine did some of their own fact-checking and have called out 11 musicians who just did not get their information right. My favorite one on the list is Chuck Berry’s “Brown Eyed Handsome Man. “Berry sings “Two, three count with nobody on. He hit a high fly into the stand.” As RS points out, the batter would already be back on the bench after striking out. I know, it sucks, but the song doesn’t go 1-2-3-4 strikes your out.

Happy Birthday Nicky Hopkins


You have probably not heard of pianist Nicky Hopkins, but, chances are you have heard his work. The consummate studio musician was born today in 1944. He died at 50 from complications because of surgery. Over the course of his career he performed on albums by The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Beatles and Jefferson Airplane, who he performed with during Woodstock. So, here is Jefferson Airplane performing “Somebody to Love” and “White Rabbit” at Woodstock.

“Spirit in the Sky” – Best Guitar Riffs

23 Feb

“Spirit in the Sky” is an odd song. It’s not so much that its progenitor, Norman Greenbaum, grew up in a semi-Orthodox Jewish home and, as most know, the lyrics of the song mention how the singer has a “friend in Jesus.” The song is odd because of its fuzzy guitar riff that is about as infectious as the common cold. The riff is spectacular. It is classic rock ‘n roll (as John Lennon said) and it’s inventive.

The song came into thought when Norman Greenbaum, after the break-up of his psychedelic jug band Dr. West’s Medicine Show and Junk Band (perhaps best known for their song “The Eggplant that Ate Chicago), was watching Porter Wagoner singing a gospel song on TV. He thought that he could do it and wrote the piece in 15 minutes. The eminent guitar riff came later.

Tell me you don’t naturally play air guitar and make guttural guitar noises when you heard this opening riff. The fuzz comes from Greenbaum’s Fender Telecaster with a fuzz box built into its body. The song’s arrangement came together in a San Francisco studio. Lead guitarist Russell DaShiell, who plays the riff in the song, describes how he created “beeps” in the fills:

“I actually played the lead guitar parts on Spirit, using a 61-62 SG Les Paul, a 68 Marshall Plexi 100w half stack and a home-made overdrive box in front of the Marshall. Regarding the ‘beep beeps’ as I call them, when the producer asked me to play some fills in between the verses, as a joke I said how about something spacey like this and I did the pickup switch/string bending thing. I saw him stand up in the control booth and he said “that’s it! let’s record that!” so we did.”

The song is an excellent example of how to make an original guitar riff that will make you money for the rest of your lives. Yes, Greenbaum has made his living on this one song, cashing checks of up to $10,000 when his song is used in a movie or commercial (it’s used a lot). Pretty awesome!

Radiohead – Ahead of the Music Business?

22 Feb

The Beatles sent their fans into frenzied conspiracy when the propagation of the “Paul Is Dead” rumor began in 1966. Well, I presume I too am falling into the trap of theorizing because the Beatles never came out and said the entire thing was a hoax created by them. But, come on, we are not dumb. Fans destroyed Beatles’ records by playing songs backwards searching for clues. Nuggets were found at the end of “Strawberry Fields Forever” (I Buried Paul) and on the cover of Abbey Road (Paul is not wearing shoes or socks, barefoot, like a corpse). It took the Beatles’ fan populace by storm. But it was all a planned prank, executed as a clever marketing ploy. If you destroy a record searching for clues, you have to go out and buy another one. Plus, people would go out of their way to buy and listen to Beatles’ albums excessively. The Beatles knew how to make money and sell records. They were ahead of their time.

On the heels of Radiohead‘s new release King of Limbs, I am tempted to believe that they too are way ahead of the current musical climate. It is a simple truth that the music business has suffered mightily at the hands of free digital downloading and sharing, illegal but widespread. As I posted several days ago, charts are showing this economic slump. There are no signs that it will get better. Album sales are putting up a defeated fight. If you want to make money today as a non-mainstream musician, there seem to be two options. Either tour wildly or do what Radiohead is doing. But it seems that Radiohead’s pioneering strategy is going unheeded.

Radiohead is living in the future. Thom Yorke and company are intelligent marketers, well-versed in the convoluted wasteland of album sales. When Radiohead released In Rainbows in 2007 they decided to allow fans to purchase the album at whatever cost they saw fit. Radiohead, not being affiliated with a record label, saw most of the profits.

I know, most right now are probably saying, people paid close to nothing for the album. This is completely untrue. Most people paid around four euros for the album, according to a poll by Gigwise.com. That’s around $5.50. Yes, it is a couple of dollars less than what they would have received from an album sale at an online store…but, no, go through iTunes and Radiohead could have seen only around 25 percent of their profits. In Rainbows made nearly $10 million dollars in less than a week, according to an article on ultimate-guitar.com. People paid because they felt bad. Despite what you hear about downloading and sharing, most still believe that this is stealing. So, Radiohead’s “stupid” strategy made the band millions of dollars in a poor album climate. I’d say that is pretty solid.

For King of Limbs, Radiohead announced the album’s release on Feb. 14, 2011. They released the album on Feb. 18 through their website. It was like a shock to Radiohead fan’s systems. The band got everyone excited. People needed this album. So, King of Limbs, created a stir. This album has a set price, but fans can also receive a physical package including “two clear 10-inch vinyl records, a CD and an elaborate package including several large sheets of artwork, 625 small pieces of artwork and a plastic sleeve,” according to Rollingstone.com for $48. The digital album has already been released, but the physical CD will not be shipped until March 28 and the package, May 9. Why the delay?

Is there really any question of what Radiohead is doing? The last song on their new album is called “separator” and the last line of that song is “If you think this is over, you’re wrong,” as Okocim pointed out in his review of the album. I smell Beatles’ intelligence. Some fans have created a theory that the album has a part two version that will be released. The CD is not being shipped until March 28 and the huge package with TWO vinyl records is not being shipped until May 9. I’m not saying that part two does exist and will certainly be in these physical releases, but it is not hard to reach a conclusion that this may be the case. People love feeling like they are getting something that others are not. Watch the $48 package sales increase over the next few months, all awaiting the shipment in May, which will have two LPs, one that may hold a surprise to those who paid more money. Yeah, Radiohead knows what they are doing.

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