Archive | March, 2010

Two Completely Different Pieces of Music News: Ben Folds vs. Singing Fishermen

22 Mar

I do not believe that I have ever posted two pieces of music news so far apart from each other on the music spectrum. But, there is a first for everything. So, without further ado, I present Ben Folds and the Fisherman’s Friends (that would actually be an awesome combination).

Ben Folds vs. Merlon the piano guy

There is a new Internet fad that has spread across cyberspace like a virus. It is called Chatroulette, and it enables any person throughout the world to randomly video chat with others. It is the perfect place to meet odd strangers. Some of these strangers decide to show a little too much of themselves on the video screen. And, when you get bored – or disgusted – you can simply disconnect and be brought to the next video conversation. A pianist known only as “Merlon” decided it would be a funny idea to melodically narrate the random people he encountered on Chatroulette. The video became viral and it is now well-known throughout the Internet community.

“Merlon’s Song”:

He looks a lot like Ben Folds. So much so that many people thought it actually was Folds in disguise. Heck, it is something the eccentric musician would do. On March 20, Folds performed his original version of Merlon’s idea at a concert in Charlotte, North Carolina. The end result was hilarious. Folds’ random serenading people was just great. Like usual, Folds was able to entertain a crowd in an unconventional manner. Here is his video below.

Article: http://www.spinner.com/2010/03/22/ben-folds-pays-tribute-to-chatroulette-improv-at-gig/

Folds’ Video:

Well, I am moving to England and joining a band of Fishermen who sing sea shanties. This is my new career goal. The Fisherman’s Friends, a group of sailors from Cornwall, have signed with Universal Music for around one million pounds ($1.53 million dollars). A music executive, Rupert Christie, was listening to the group of 10 sailors perform at a local bar when he decided that they were worth the deal. The mariners, who have been performing for more than 15 years, are surprised about the deal. “We don’t really know what to expect, to be honest — we’re just making it up as we go along,” said fisherman Baritone Brown (great name).

This is the classic success story and I am so happy for these guys. Their music is great and they definitely deserve the deal. Take a listen to one of their songs:

The Album: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Port-Isaacs-Fishermans-Friends/dp/B003AVMSEM

The Article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100318/od_afp/entertainmentbritainmusicfishermenoffbeat_20100318162048

The Best Album Name of All Time Response: “American Beauty”

20 Mar

After letting the poll for Best Album Name of All Time sit for over a week, the winner was the aptly titled Woke Up This Morning and Found Myself Dead by Jimi Hendrix. I am not surprised this particular album title won, because, well, it’s a pretty awesome album title. But, it’s not my choice. There were a lot of albums to choose from; some complex and other’s remarkably simple. My favorite two albums of all time Dark Side of the Moon and In The Court of the Crimson King were potential choices. Yet, they could not beat one album title that has always struck a chord with me (and no, not because it is the predecessor of a movie where Mena Suvari does a provocative dance).

Do you want a few cool facts about American Beauty by the Grateful Dead? And, this is only about the album name (no music here). It has a working ambigram right on the cover. The title can also be read as “American Reality.” Also, apparently if you look at the album upside down and through a mirror it reads “Devils Kingdom .” So, yes, the Dead’s use of ambigrams is impressive, but it is just one reason why I think it is the best album name of all time.

I am a fan of simplicity; in music, in album names and in life. American Beauty is just that: simple. It does not attempt to do too much in its name. It may seem like a possibly overused album name, but, at the time it was quite original. The Dead are able to present a feeling of a contradictory America at the time of the album’s release. American Beauty can easily transform into American Reality. The Dead create a juxtaposition between an idealistic America with rolling fields and freedom and a real America right down to the bare bones of the drugged cities and fighting inhabitants. Are we America the Beautiful or The Devil’s Kingdom.

Let’s let the Dead decide that.

Kesha and Rihanna: The Debate Continues

19 Mar

Hey everyone,

Happy friggin’ Friday! Couldn’t have come sooner, I think.

Any who, I’d like to tip my hat to Rihanna this week…her latest single Rude Boy topped the Billboard chart at #1, making her the first female in the US to have six singles landing the top spot since 2000. Overall, I really dig Ri’s newest album, Rated R. I think it’s a great improvement and departure from her previous body of work, which was mostly generic sounding stuff straight out of the pop factory.

Ah yes, but between the Chris Brown fiasco and legal troubles with her personal trainer,  Rihanna is well acquainted with controversy. The last question being over the originality of the music video  for Rude Boy.

Rude Boy is a stand out amongst Ri’s others, complete with colorful collages of eye-popping graphics and animal prints. Also, the men she seems to be wooing look like they were cast straight from the shuffleboard deck of a cruise ship. If you somehow get bored just watch the singer frantically pretend to know how to play the drums; it’s a joy for all of the senses.

Nonetheless, there have been murmurings that Rihanna’s video may have borrowed a bit too much from MIA, an artist known for her gritty and over the top graphic art.

Here’s MIA’s video for the single Boyz…

No matter the similarities, last time I checked there was no set trademark on a style of expression… but I’ll leave it up to you to decide.

The second order of business came to me during midterms week.  You know, midterms week? That time of year when I sit rigidly in my little booth at the library, drooling at the wall and listening to blatantly bad music to stay conscious? And I’m talking really bad music folks, old school too. Backstreet Boys, Spice Girls, N’sync and many others I’m too embarrassed to mention.

Most recently the artist Ke$ha joined the ranks on my delightfully bad music play list. Her album Animal was all the buzz this year, as her single Tik Tok penetrated clubs and mini-malls everywhere.

As I engaged in my self-deprecation of cramming and musical enjoyment, I managed to shed some of my Ke$ha related shame. Sure, lyrics such as “I dont really care where you live at, just turn around boy and let me hit that” probably don’t make much of a contribution to the greater culture.

But what I like about Ke$ha is that she’s honest about who she is, and what kind of music she puts out. She isn’t trying to be something she’s not and she puts forth no false advertising over the dubious quality of her work.  The equivalent of sugary junk food, her songs are meant for pure, albeit trashy, fun. Nevertheless, too much junk food can be bad for your diet, so Maybe Ke$ha should be just played at the club or gym–not on the car radio when my mother is present.

So is Ke$ha all in good fun, or a real step down for the music industry?

Heres Ke$ha’s latest single, Blah Blah Blah

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Let the Cinderella’s Rise and the Phish Swim

18 Mar

The annual March Madness tournament begins today at 12 p.m. Do you know what that   means? Some lucky team is going to fit into Cinderella’s slippers and march their way out of the first round and into surprise territory. Personally, I believe Cornell may make an appearance in upset city. But, if you want to be safe, pick the team with long hair and tight, white pants. The glam metal band from Philadelphia, PA would agree with your selection. So, to get the NCAA Tournament started off right, here is Cinderella’s, “Don’t Know What You Got (Till It’s Gone). The anthem for overzealous Cinderella basketball teams.

How can you not love Rolling Stone magazine covers? They are just very odd. It is funny because at first I did not realize they were wearing ice skates. Maybe they are all going ice-phishing. Do you like what I did there? I crack myself up an unhealthy amount of times. Anyway, Phish, the jam-band that is portrayed on ice in this picture, will be hitting the road this summer for a monster 29-date tour, according to Rolling Stone magazine. The tour will begin with a show on June 11 at Toyota Park in Chicago. Phish will end their tour with a two-night stay in Wantagh, NY at the Nikon Theater at Jones Beach. The Jones Beach Theater is close to my house and I have seen numerous concerts there. It is a wonderful venue when the weather is agreeable. The open theater is on the water and the light ocean wind that swirls around the theater is comforting and refreshing. So, Phans of Phish, rev up the environmentally responsible buses and gather some brews because it’s going to be a long trip with Phish this summer.

Article: http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2010/03/17/phish-return-to-the-road-summer-2010-with-monster-tour/

Full Set-List Courtesy of Rollingstone.com

June 11 – Chicago, IL @ Toyota Park
June 12 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH @ Blossom Music Center
June 13 – Hershey, PA @ Hersheypark Stadium
June 15 – Portsmouth, VA @ Telos Pavilion at Harbor Center
June 17 – Hartford, CT @ Comcast Theatre
June 18 – Hartford, CT @ Comcast Theatre
June 19 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center
June 20 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center
June 22 – Mansfield, MA @ Comcast Center
June 24 – Camden, NJ @ Susquehanna Bank Center
June 25 – Camden, NJ @ Susquehanna Bank Center
June 26 – Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
June 27 – Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
June 29 – Canandaigua, NY @ CMAC
July 1 – Raleigh, NC @ Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion
July 2 – Charlotte, NC @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
July 3 – Alpharetta, GA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre @ Encore Park
July 4 – Alpharetta, GA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre @ Encore Park
August 5 – Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre
August 6 – Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre
August 7 – Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre
August 9 – Telluride, CO @ Telluride Town Park
August 10 – Telluride, CO @ Telluride Town Park
August 12 – Noblesville, IN @ Verizon Wireless Music Center
August 13 – Noblesville, IN @ Verizon Wireless Music Center
August 14 – East Troy, WI @ Alpine Valley Music Theatre
August 15 – East Troy, WI @Alpine Valley Music Theatre
August 17 – Wantagh, NY @ Nikon Theater at Jones Beach
August 18 – Wantagh, NY @ Nikon Theater at Jones Beach

Video of Phish Performing:

Lyric of the Day #76: Top 100 Lyricists #71 – Keith Reid (Procul Harum)

17 Mar
It should be lyrics and music!

It should be Lyrics and Music!

What do you call a musician who cannot sing or play an instrument? Give up? The correct answer is a lyricist. Yes, a lyricist; the most under-appreciated band member next to the drummer and the hard-working roadies. When you think about Elton John do you also think of Bernie Taupin. When you’re singing “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” understand that those words came from the mind of Bernie Taupin. Elton John put the beautiful music and voice to it, but,without Bernie Taupin there would be no yellow brick road immortalized in song.

Keith Reid concentrates only on words. His craft is language. He may not sing or tickle the keys of a piano, but he certainly knows how to create lyrical poetry with the best of them. His words are somewhat unconventional but that is what makes them great. Reid left school at 15 with hopes of becoming a lyricist. He was inspired by Bob Dylan (who has not made a rash decision because of Bob Dylan?). Luckily, through Island Records chief Chris Blackwell, Reid was introduced to Guy Stevens (producer of The Clash’s London Calling) who then introduced him to vocalist/composer Gary Brooker. Yes, the meeting seems convoluted but it was a match made in heaven.

Another quasi-cliche cemented Reid and Brooker’s relationship. Reid set surreal lyrics to a song named “A Whiter Shade of Pale,” while Brooker and the rest of Procul Harum set a melody to the lyrics. Six million copies later, “A White Shade of Pale” is still considered one of the best progressive rock songs of all time. Rolling Stone agrees. It is #57 on their list of the Top 500 Rock N’ Roll Songs of All Time. So, let us explore the lyrics of Keith Reid.

Keith Reid wrote all of Procul Harum’s songs; some by himself and some collaborating with other band members. He is known for his terrific imagery and excellent sense of poetic rhythm (and he is not a musician? I think so, just in a different, more written fashion). Reid is also a master storyteller and this ability is displayed well in his songs. “A Whiter Shade of Pale” proves this. Take a listen before you read the comments.

Great song, right? My favorite lyrics in this song have always been:

“She said, “There is no reason
And the truth is plain to see.”
But I wandered through my playing cards
And they would not let her be
One of sixteen vestal virgins
Who were leaving for the coast
And although my eyes were open wide
They might have just as well been closed

And so it was that later
As the miller told his tale
That her face, at first just ghostly,
Turned a whiter shade of pale”

Set to a magnificent piano part and Brooker’s heavenly voice, these lyrics are highlighted well. The lyrics of this widely misunderstood song are about a boy/girl relationship and the somewhat nautical journey through sex and love. Reid explains a somewhat drunken exchange delicately and this helps the song remain rather cryptic to some, but clear to others. I just love the water imagery. We see this again in “A Salty Dog,” my second favorite Reid lyric.

Beautiful, right? I do not steer you wrong. My favorite lyrics:

“We sailed for parts unknown to man, where ships come home to die
No lofty peak, nor fortress bold, could match our captain’s eye
Upon the seventh seasick day we made our port of call
A sand so white, and sea so blue, no mortal place at all”

First, understand that a “salty dog” is one who has travelled much and witnessed a lot of the world. This song is a classic sea story and is written quite well. Reid enjoys sea stories and symbolism and I enjoy his lyrics a lot. He is the classic example of a lyricist who should get more credit.

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