Tag Archives: Rock

The Revivalists Can Revive Any Music Lover

7 Jul

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On The Revivalists About page on the band’s website, the first line proclaims that it is a surprise that the entire planet cannot hear the band playing when it takes the stage. Well, soon enough it might. With the music that the New Orleans horn/rock septet is churning out, I would be surprised if the band were not on the playlists of a plethora of music lovers across the globe. Why am I so confident? When a band so clearly presents a panoply of excellent musical attributes, it is hard not to be giddy.

So, what should you know about the Revivalists? The band’s latest album, Men Amongst Mountains, will be released on July 17 and will combine power and quality while maintaining a “distinctly raw, old-world feel.” The band has been able to cut a great following in the known musical hot spot New Orleans – if you can make it there as an Indie/Rock horn band, you can make it anywhere. The band is made up of a collection of tremendous musicians (David Shaw – vocals, Zack Feinberg – guitar, Andrew Campanelli – drums, Ed Williams – pedal steel guitar, George Gekas – bass, Rob Ingraham – saxophone, and Michael Girardot – keyboards & trumpet) who fastidiously plan a live show experience, which means the band is totally worth seeing – lucky for you there are many live dates this summer.  Oh, how can I forget the most important piece of information – the band’s sound is electric and massive! Let’s have ourselves a listen, why don’t we.

There are so many good things to say about “Keep Going” I don’t know where to start. David Shaw’s vocals are funky and mature, invoking an amalgamation of Bruce Springsteen and Brittany Howard. The instrumentation is killer – combining toe-tapping percussion with hard-line rock guitar, which form a chorus of horns and potent repetition. The chorus smooths out into a relaxed echo – horn and vocal – followed by those horns riffing in the background of the second verse. The song is magic. It’s a soulful anthem, an advice track that swoons with Shaw’s awesome vocal. I listen to this song and just imagine it performed live, and that’s always a good thing.

“Wish I Knew You” is even funkier, featuring a modern Mark Ronson guitar riff that hangs behind some airy, ethereal noises. That is where the Indie comes into play – the track combines a St. Motel-like 70s spice with a more modern electronic sound. The song has that cool sound that is just enjoyable to listen.

You can find out more about the Revivalists by visiting the band’s website, Facebook, or Twitter.

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The Greatest Love Song – “Wonderful Tonight” by Eric Clapton

17 Jun
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That stache is endearing

Oh, Eric Clapton, how much I adore this song. What a perfect time for a seemingly random musical interlude from your faithful jester. You see, this blog has seen me meet many milestones, and this weekend another one will pass, one that is certainly more geared towards the message of Clapton’s song. I am getting married this weekend. Our first dance is “Wonderful Tonight” – my choice, of course.

So this blog post is my defense of Clapton’s masterpiece, which was written for Pattie Boyd. She provided inspiration to both George Harrison and Eric Clapton alike; we do have her to thank for some awesome music. Clapton wrote it in 1976 as he waited for her to get ready. Yes, that simple. And that is my first argument in favor of using Clapton’s song for my first dance. It is almost minimalistic in its sincere simplicity. The song’s ultimate message is that “you were wonderful tonight” and that night can be extrapolated out – even though things didn’t exactly work out for Clapton and Boyd. The song is a microcosm for a loving relationship, and its lyric is a testament to that fact; the song just always stuck to me because it is lovey without relying on mawkishness.

Argument 2 is the melody. The concise guitar whine that sits over a delicate rhythm, as if he wrote the melody with Boyd in mind as well. The song is sensuous without any lasciviousness, and that is not easy to do. The song drives forward methodically and is overwhelmingly enjoyable.

Argument 3 is sentimentality. I’ve been with my current fiance for many years, and it has always been out song – yes, this was entirely my doing, but I’ve always connected her to it and that is another reason I love it. All in all, “Wonderful Tonight” the perfect choice for the first dance, and I can’t wait to hear it as we take the dance floor this weekend.

Look out for more consistent posting over the summer!

 

 

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Bhi Bhiman has both Rhythm and Reason

21 May

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Back in April of 2012 I came across a magical cover of Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” done by a Sri Lankan-American folk-rock singer/songwriter named Bhi Bhiman. To say I was hooked is an understatement. Bhiman’s powerful vocals blew me away, and I spread the word about Bhiman to whoever was listening. It is now 3 years later – somehow; gosh, time moves by quickly – and Bhiman just released his new album Rhythm & Reason, which is a continued testament to how amazingly talented he is. Thus, on the heels of this release, I will make an impassioned plea to many wonderful people who read this blog consistently. Spread the word of Bhi Bhiman. Simply put, more people need to know about this voice.

Bhiman released a self-titled album to much critical fan-fare in 2012, and it featured several tracks that accentuated his deep croon and acoustic stylings. His new album is similar in its intentions: blow you away with well-written folk rock tunes that are sung with ardor and boldness. The tracks move gracefully, blues-tinged and melody-soaked; each featuring Bhiman’s unique stylings. One such song is “Moving to Brussels,” which, while itself is a classic Bhiman track, was recently provided with a humorous video with a cameo from Key & Peele star Keegan-Michael Key.

Key plays a good J.K. Simmons impression with his volatile music lesson for Bhiman. The “Whiplash”-inspired video is hilarious. It does speak for itself, so I will let it do so … play the video now! It doesn’t hurt that “Moving to Brussels” is an energetic folk hit that moves with an infectious effervescence that draws you in. Key doesn’t hurt.

And, if you need some more Bhiman convincing, here is my favorite track by the musician. It is called “Crime of Passion” and while it is not from the new album it is still worth a listen, or two, or three!

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Violent Femmes Want Love

8 Apr

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When one hears Indie Rock, he/she immediately thinks of the plethora of eclectic music that crowds the airwaves today. Violent Femmes has a lot to do about that sound you hear; the band served as a major forerunner to Indie music that bent genres and refused to give into mainstream sounds. Violent Femmes, who has developed a tremendous fan-base that can’t really be termed cult, is on the comeback train, releasing its first new music in 15 years – a 4-track EP – on April 18. The EP, HAPPY NEW YEAR, was recorded this past New Year’s Eve in Hobart, Tasmania, after the band performed a sold-out concert at the Sydney Opera House.

The EP is highlighted by a cover of Jake Brebes track entitled “Love Love Love Love Love,” a gritty track that highlights one of the Femmes’ greatest strengths – creative eccentricity. The Femmes, who returned to action in 2013 with a renowned Coachella performance, will now tour the new EP (as well as all the old stuff) as a guest on The Barenaked Ladies’ “Last Summer On Earth 2015” tour. That’s a killer show.

The track has a neat edginess, which is amplified by the eery percussion and jazzy, deep horns. Gordon Gano’s voice has always been something special, and it is in full force with this track, which feels like it might be out of a quirky HBO crime drama. It is exactly what I would expect from the Femmes first release in years – different and infectiously unsettling. For a song about “love all around me,” there is definitely a little malicious intent hidden beneath the surface, and this, magnified by the dirty sax solo at the end, is excellent!

Great new release. Keep tabs on the Femmes on the website or on Facebook or Twitter.

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In The Jester’s Ear – Say It Mowgli

19 Jan

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Rudyard Kipling, the author of the Jungle Book series and creator of Mowgli, the feral child protagonist of the novel and namesake for the California-based alt/rock band, once said, “I always prefer to believe the best of everybody, it saves so much trouble.” Before I even get to the song that is currently in my ear, I want to focus on Kipling’s quotation and the purpose of me placing it in the post. The 7-member Mowgli’s pair their wall-of-sound blend of Indie/Pop with a campaign to “Be a Mowgli” and do good deeds for other individuals – a social network of kindness. The Mowgli’s truly believe the best of everybody. The band also creates some tremendous tunes.

A few years old and only growing in popularity, The Mowgli’s employ a Grouplove-like Los Angeles sound that combines melodies and vocals together into incredible amalgamations of sound. “Say It, Just Say It” is a quintessential example of the band’s draw. The song begins with a chorus of voices – much in the same vein of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros – over a smiling guitar riff. The band plays an infectious type of power indie/pop that bands like American Authors and Young Rising Sons has found recent success with. The Mowgli’s, though, just have so much people power, and it has developed such tremendous unity, almost like Polyphonic Spree. It’s like a family band. And the music is awesome. I love listening to it, and it is currently in my ear (and will be for a while).

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