Archive | September, 2011

M83 – Midnight City

11 Sep

Early Thursday afternoon, a group of friends and I took a walk around town to take a look at the flooding in our area (Binghamton, New York). We weren’t the only ones taking pictures of and observing the homes by the Susquehanna River which were now mostly underwater. A few people resisted evacuation and rode on, using make shift bridges to move valuables away. The river was to swell at 2pm, and I was surprised when I saw an older lady crawling out of the 1st floor window of one of the houses. The water had risen right up to that window, and she claimed with a tired voice that her house only had an inch of water in it. We couldn’t possibly help her in any way other than conversation, and even that had to end as the police along with the national guard were evacuating the street. Earlier I witnessed probably the most memorable sight of that entire ordeal. A lone news reporter snuck onto a closed off bridge with his camera and marched towards the flooding despite the yells from guards.

As an out of town college student, I took in all of this in with a sort of disconnect, no different than as if I was watching it on the news. I was lucky enough that my house was on a hill and I got two days off from school. I know some people who were evacuated from the flooded downtown, and for them it was really just an inconvenient excuse to party more. Flooded underground bars resumed activity in less than 24 hours and they now just had a new theme. Sure there are dozens of students volunteering at the events center on campus, but when did a little water ever stop the party? The volunteering is  just to make it more guilt-free!

I had an idea to write about a rain-themed song today, but then I thought that it would be slightly inappropriate. Today I have for you what can only be described as chillwave fused with 80’s dance music. M83, named after the galaxy, is a French band which describes themselves as electronic/ dream pop, is releasing their newest album in October, and the single which they released has blown away everyone who has had the pleasure of hearing it.

Midnight City opens with bizarre instrumentation and a quick yet dreamy build. That fantastic loop which plays throughout the entire song, I’ve come to the conclusion is simply someone saying “Dat do ‘n Dat” with heavy amounts of audio effects. The bass line and the drums are something which sound like they were ripped straight out of the 80’s. The lyrics are soft and slow during the quick verses. Each progressive one builds on the lyrics with awesome harmonies. It ironically makes me think of rainy city nights.

The song itself is slightly repetitive, but it most definitely in the best way as the band seems to have uncovered some sort of fail proof song structure and sounds. This is the perfect song to listen to on the way home from some crazy party fun. The sax solo at the end is beyond appropriate. Like a perfect finish to the night, it ends the song with a wave of reflection, something incredibly hard to talk through, mainly because it is so blissfully sweet.

This song is available as a free download and is the single off their upcoming album, Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, being released October 18th. Based on Midnight City, its gearing up to be amazing. I certainly can’t wait. Hopefully it doesn’t rain for forty days. We’d need a longer sax solo in that case.

-oko

P.S. Worst part by far is having to boil my water to wash dishes or brush my teeth. I’d rather have my house float away.

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9/11 – A Remembrance

9 Sep

When 9/11 is broached in conversation a constant question asked is what you remember from the day. As human beings, we are linked by our rich memories and bonded by the emotions that can forever be emitted by these mental images. The stories are telling because most of them luckily don’t involve the initial direct contact that some were unfortunate enough to observe. No, most stories involve work or school, where first notice of the traumatic events was shared by a co-worker, peer, loved one, or, in some cases, random individuals whom you will always remember because they shared with you an item of news that still gives you a knot in your  stomach today.

When the first and second plane penetrated the leviathan New York City towers, I was sitting in technology class, a 12-year-old in seventh grade. A student broke the news to the class. We were then transferred to another technology class across the hall where we sat and discussed the interruption to the normal Tuesday school day. I don’t believe our superiors knew how to handle the situation. Throughout the day, more and more classes were like this until the day ended and we were bussed home. My parents and I then sat in front of the television in their room and watched the planes hit the trade centers over and over and over again, like a movie scene on terrible repeat. And, to be honest, that is all I remember.

It seems rather peculiar that such a fateful day did not store more images in my mind. I was 12, immature and fallow. I was certainly not mature enough to fully understand the gravity of the situation. I knew that it was terrible and I felt awful, but my pre-pubescent mind did not emotionally grasp the day’s events. I was too young then. I am not, now.

As I voraciously read the remarkable 10-year-anniversary coverage completed by the New York Times, New Yorker, Newsday, among several other New York media outlets, I put myself in the mind of a 21-year-old man, just out of college, commuting to his first job at the World Trade Center, the same monstrous building that his grandparents took him to when he was a little boy – the buildings he attempted to cover with his thumb at long distances and touched with the same thumb when he was outside them looking up, up, up trying unsuccessfully to see the top. I think of a cloudless, almost relaxed Tuesday morning, where a sharp blue sky and bright sun reflected off of glass buildings and the irrepressible chatter of early-morning New Yorkers. That 21-year-old gets to work early, striped blue button down, black slacks, combed light brown hair that would darken as the sunny summer passed, a black briefcase – his entire wardrobe picked out with the help of his proud parents. He takes the elevator up and up and up, until he can see the top of the building. He sits at his desk, exchanges pleasantries with his co-workers who are already making their plans for the weekend, turns on his computer and…

We are ten years removed from 9/11 and I have become my created character, a bright-eyed 21-year-old working at his first job in the city. My quotidian routine has formed and the circadian rhythm of weekdays has been bolstered by repetition. But, you see, that 21-year-old in September of 2001 did not come home that Tuesday and he will never come home as a 31-year-old with kids of his own, and I can’t shake the fact that on Sept. 11, 2001, a date that will forever be implanted in the structure of New York City like an ineffaceable tattoo, men and women got up, went on the train, settled in at work, and died. I can’t conceive it, I can’t comprehend it, and I don’t think any one will ever be able to.

As I was reading through a variety of stories about the day, I came across a quotation from an individual who had escaped the buildings prior to their collapse. As he was evacuating the buildings, he noticed a tall, slender man, in black dress shoes plummeting to the ground outside of the window. He shook his head and the first thought to pop in his head was, ‘the firefighters have already set up nets on the bottom.’ And then he shook the thought and realized that no one could survive a fall of that many stories at the velocity they were traveling. But the irrational thought was the first to cross his mind, because when you are presented with an obscene and absurd reality, it is only human to think that everything is going to be okay. The images of those falling still seem unreal today. I have trouble even typing these words. And those who remained trapped in conference rooms or offices who called loved ones for the last time to assure them that they were trying to get out. And the emergency personnel who sacrificed their lives and climbed the burning building to try to rescue everyone they could. That’s who we should remember today. Because, when many think of 9/11 they think of the after effects. They think of how improved radio technology could have helped firefighters escape and how the events sparked two ongoing costly wars. Conspiracy theories are propagated because of the human necessity to question everything, especially something so unexplainable. But at least on Sunday, let’s please all remember those who do not have the luxury to ponder such things because they died in the towers, the pentagon, or the planes.

Let’s remember them, and let’s remember the sincere brotherhood and kindness that temporarily washed over the country. Let’s remember the refreshing quiet that let everyone mourn the events and the timely patriotism that, at least for a few days, was not vitiated. Try to remember such human emotions and, maybe, attempt to implement these strong feelings again. We are capable. We are human. We have flaws, but, at such a volatile time in our country, it is not appropriate to spew vitriol and vituperate. It’s time to work together to solve the troubles facing our nation and I think that this anniversary provides a great starting point.

Now, while this was not much of a music post, I still want to provide a peaceful song for Sunday.

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Tangled Up in Blue: The Bands

8 Sep

The Beatles were the most popular rock band throughout the 60s, and many believed their reign of supreme rock band could not be challenged. Well, I’m going to give you two bands that definitely could put up a legitimate fight.

Led Zeppelin wasn’t just a band of musicians, but a conduit to the dark side.  They didn’t have to tune down to ungodly low notes or play loud or fast for their music to be bad ass because they weren’t mere mortals.  Jimmy Page wasn’t a guitar god, Robert Plant didn’t sing like an angel, John Bonham didn’t play drums like a sissy and John Paul Jones’ bass lines weren’t stairways to heaven.  Page was a demon, Plant howled like a Viking warrior, Bonham played like he was at war with his drum set and Jones’ bass lines were chutes to hell.  Check out How the West Was Won for 10 minute drum and guitar solos from some of the most talented musicians who ever lived!

The Rolling Stones are one of the few bands that could compete with Zeppelin and the Beatles for popularity.  In fact, the World’s Greatest Rock and Roll band was formed as an anti-Beatles (despite singing Lennon/McCartney songs on their first few albums). They contrasted the Beatles’ finely tailored suits and mop-tops with rugged and dirty looks.  Their image, however, wasn’t just a front.  Their music was the blues with attitude and I don’t mean Tony Robbins keep a positive outlook on life attitude.  It was at times mean (check out “Bitch” on Sticky Fingers) and at times tender (check out “Angie” on Goat’s Head Soup) but they always played with Attitude with a capital A.  The Stones are recognized for their sustained popularity, but I want to bring up a band that was just as good.

Faces played a similar Honky Tonk blues style and they played it exceptionally well, albeit for lesser years.  Check out pre-pop Rod Stewart on vocals and Ronnie Wood (future member of the Stones) on guitar as they play a no-nonsense song about a one night stand.

The Stones and Zeppelin sold millions of studio records in their rise to popularity, but it was a live album that skyrocketed the Allman Brothers Band to stardom.  Unlike the previous bands, the Allman Brothers’ blend of blues was purely Southern and helped to create a Southern Rock sound emulated by many.  That album, Live at the Fillmore East, features two of the greats in the line of talented Allman Brothers Band guitarists.  Duane Allman’s slide guitar is unmatched and the interplay with Dickey Betts defines early Allman Brothers’ sound.  Current guitarists Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks are no slouches either.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Hey guys, Matt here. I just wanted to give Aaron Shipper, the author of this post, a full Music Court welcome. Aaron, a blues aficionado and lover of good music, has joined the small editorial staff at the Music Court and will be bringing you music posts in his “A Different Drummer” category two days a week. So, everyone please make Aaron feel at home!

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The Rock Island Line Is the Road To Ride

7 Sep

Well, here’s the story about the Rock Island Line. You see, the Rock Island Line is a good road, but you need to pay a toll unless you have certain goods, like livestock. So, if you can just trick the man at the toll gate that you have livestock, you can go on through without paying a cent.

That’s the premise of a timeless set of lyrics that have adapted, evolved and survived for over 80 years. Yes, the Rock Island Line is a mighty good road. The Rock Island Line is the road to ride. The Rock Island Line is a mighty good road so da da da da da da da da da da da gosh this lyric is fast.

If you are a fan of American blues/folk music you definitely know “Rock Island Line,” a traditional piece recorded by the likes of Johnny Cash, Pete Seeger and the blues man himself, Huddie Ledbetter (more famously known as Lead Belly). And, like is the case for most traditional songs, people often attribute song credits to the artist they first heard perform it. For the longest time, I thought Johnny Cash created the famous ditty. But I was educated. “Rock Island Line” has a history rooted in the prison gangs of Arkansas. Journey with me to find the first known versions of the song about the mighty good road.

Lead Belly’s 12-string guitar and extensive list of folk songs have made him one of the most revered early 20th century blues performers. He is also one of the first people to ever record “Rock Island Line.” There is controversy over the true foundations of this classic. What we do know is that folk/blues historians and preservers Alan and John Lomax heard the song at an Arkansas prison and recorded it. One version of the story has Alan and John Lomax hearing the song performed by convict composer Kelly Pace in 1934 at Cumins State Prison farm, Gould, Arkansas. It then states that Lead Belly heard and rearranged the piece and released his own version in 1937.

But while that version is cited in Alan Lomax‘s book The Penguin Book of American Folk Songs, published in 1964, an analysis of Lomax’s old recordings at the Library of Congress proves that the song was actually recorded earlier at another prison in Little Rock, Arkansas. This time, Lead Belly is actually with the Lomax’s when they hear the song being sung a cappella by a prison work gang. Lead Belly wrote down the lyrics, rearranged it and recorded this:

Do note the laid-back folk style of the recording. Keep in mind the initial narration also (because this changes). First off, Lead Belly gives an explanation of how the train stops and says that the man does not want to stop the train.  This does not appear elsewhere. Lead Belly also describes more animals than other versions. Also, notice how Lead Belly makes no mention of the train speeding up prior to the song speeding up. But we do get the trickery of pig iron and this stays consistent. For those who have listened to newer versions, the lyric is certainly a bit different. The part that does stay constant is the hook:

The Rock Island Line is a mighty good road – The Rock Island Line is the road to ride – The Rock Island Line is a mighty good road – If you want to ride, you gotta ride it like you find it – Get your ticket at the station of the Rock Island Line.

Before every chorus repetition, Lead Belly sings something religious. For example, in this version he says, Jesus died to save our sins Glory to God I’m gonna see Him again. This is important, because it changes. Let’s move now to perhaps the most famous recording of the song (no not Johnny Cash).

Lonnie Donegan pretty much started the mid-late 50’s British skiffle craze with his sped-up, slightly changed recording of Lead Belly’s version of the  “Rock Island Line.” Skiffle, a blend of blues, jazz, folk music usually played with homemade instruments like washboards and tea-chest bass, became incredibly popular in this span of time. The Beatles emerged out of John Lennon’s skiffle band The Quarrymen. Mick Jagger, Van Morrison, Alexis Korner, Roger Daltrey, Robin Trower, David Gilmour all played skiffle music before forming rock bands and creating some of the greatest music ever in the 60s. Yes, skiffle had quite the influence despite its humorous name. Anyway, back to Donegan.

I have one problem with Donegan. He received considerable music publishing royalties from “Rock Island Line” by claiming the British copyright on the unregistered song which was considered to be in the public domain. I understand that this was obviously a “good” move, but he did nothing to credit Lead Belly and, come on, give some credit to the guy! But besides that, Donegan’s version did inspire most of the other versions of the song because he really sped it up and gave it the fun swing we all know.

Donegan actually tells it like a story. He reads it like it was from a book. His narration is a little different from Lead Belly’s, but it keeps the same concept. And, like in Lead Belly’s song, we are in New Orleans. Donegan lists off less livestock than Lead Belly and he spells out the story a little more. He then speeds the train up, unlike Lead Belly. Then we are all tricked again because he has pig iron. You know, I have to stop trusting people who say they have livestock when they clearly have pig iron.

In the recording you can hear the washboard and tea-chest bass and this just adds to the song’s awesomeness. Also, quite importantly, the hint of religion that Lead Belly put in the song was shifted slightly by Donegan. He does mention the Lord seeing him again, but instead of two other pre-chorus religious statements, Donegan has one and he says, “ABC WXYZ, The cats on the cover but he don’t see me.”

All the religion is out of the song when Cash gets his hand on it.

Johnny Cash recorded “Rock Island Line” in 1957, probably because the Rock Island Line is really a mighty good road. Cash tells a similar story. And, guess what, he fooled you. He had pig iron. All pig iron. Damn, three times!

Here’s where things change. After the usual chorus Cash sings two pre-chorus’ that are completely different than the other versions. They are:

Looked cloudy in the west and it looked like rain
Round the curve came a passenger train
North bound train on the southbound track
he’s alright a leavin’ but he won’t be back

Oh I may be right and I may be wrong
But you gonna miss me when I’m gone
Well the engineer said before he died
There were two more drinks that he’d like to try
The conductor said what could they be
A hot cup of coffee and a cold glass of tea

Pretty cool touch if you ask me. So, that’s the story of the Rock Island Line. And to think, if the toll gate man wasn’t so gullible, the song would have never existed…and our sly conductor would be out some money for the toll.

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Albums after Labor Day – A Fall 2011 Preview

6 Sep

It’s almost time to reap Fall’s musical harvest and hunker down for winter. Okay, not really. We are still in early September and summer hasn’t even officially ended. But the coolness of Fall is beginning to wash over NYC and I thought this would be a good time to provide the seasonal album preview post. There are several albums that will be released to the public during the Fall, including high-profile releases from band’s like Coldplay and Florence & The Machine. Below is a short list of album’s you should look out for this Fall, 2011.

 

The Beach Boys
The SMiLE Sessions –  November 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For those unfamiliar with the story of Smile let me quickly review the tale of this gigantic release that never was. Intended as the follow-up to the massively succesful Pet Sounds, Smile fell apart because of Brian Wilson’s increasingly fragile mental state and erratic behavior, as well as impending business and legal issues for the entire family band. And, despite various attempts to release the album, the project was abandoned and Wilson fell deeper and deeper into the wormhole of drug-induced psychoticism. A dark, dark time.

But we are in the new century now and efforts to release the album have resulted in success, creating now one of the most exciting releases of the Fall and, hell, the last 50 years. While Brian Wilson did release elements of Smile as a solo album in 2004 (which ended up winning him some Grammy Awards), it was not the original recordings of the songs.

Well, come November 1, the recordings will finally be available for the world to hear. The album is scheduled to be released in a 2-CD package under the title The Smile Sessions. A limited edition box set will comprise 5 CDs, 2 LPs, 2 45rpm singles and a 60 page booklet; there will also be a digital download version. Going to be A-W-E-S-O-M-E.

Blink-182
Neighborhoods – September 27

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is something I don’t think many people thought they would see in the year 2011. A new Blink 182 CD? Their first album of new material in eight years. And, in between those years there has been a band hiatus, drummer Travis Barker’s near-death experience in a plane accident, and Jerry Finn’s death. Finn was a staple on  Blink 182 albums as a constant producer. But after the three-piece band got back together in 2009, they all came in with song ideas and they immediately began recording new material. The album, self produced because of Finn’s death, is sure to have a massive amount of emotion in its tracks, and, according to the band, it is weird and expansive, covering the music tastes of each individual member. Consider this. Mark Hoppus is almost 40. They have come a long way since “All the Small Things.”

 

Coldplay
Mylo Xyloto – October 25

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The album name is gibberish and we are still waiting for the band to tell us what the hell it means. Or, perhaps, the name has no meaning, but is just a string of letters picked out of a scrabble pouch. Who knows? It is Coldplay we are talking about. Coldplay is well on their way to releasing this album in October. They released the first single, “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall” on May 31 and will release #2, “Paradise” on Sept. 12. Prepare yourself for a more intimate album than Viva La Vida.

 

Florence and the Machine
tbd November – November 7

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just to clarify for any literalists, the name of the album is not TBD. But it is Florence and the Machine’s new project and it will be released in early November. This much anticipated release will be more soul-influenced than Lungs. The band has revealed that one track is called “Strangeness and Charm”, which Florence Welch describes as “about seven minutes long and pretty relentless.” And, the first single, “What the Water Gave Me” was released in June. What’s with all the Fall water motifs? Will The Machine, well mainly Florence, fall into the Sophomore release trap, or will they succeed. I have faith in them. But Lungs set the bar high, so we will see.

 

Other Interesting Releases:

Metallica & Lou Reed | TBD
Date: Nov. 1 Twitter: @Metallica,

SuperHeavy | “SuperHeavy”
Date: Sept. 20 Twitter: @SuperHeavy

Evanescence
Evanescence October 11

Feist
Metals October 4

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