Ratatat

Normally I'm not huge into remixing music.  I used to believe that if someone remixed a classic, or used a riff in their rap song from something wonderful like the Rolling Stones or something, that the original song was losing it's initial power.  I still that way a lot, but the more I hear remixes done well, the more I can appreciate them.  I'm not talking about the same chorus playing over and over and over again in one song that has a no name rapper and then gun shots in the background, I'm talking about the use of one aspect of a song that is taken and morphed into something else.  I had a very interesting experience with this type of music this past weekend.  Clearly, I feel the need to share.

One song really stood out to me, more than any other that I had heard all weekend; Sleep Head-Passion Pit.  The amazing thing: it was not Passion Pit.  For those of you who have no clue who Passion Pit is, they are electronic/pop/alternative with some pretty high pitched lyrics.  Their song Sleepy Head just so happens to be a personal favorite of mine, so when I heard the opening beat I immediately tuned in.  Run Toto Run was the group who changed the way I listen to electronic music...mainly because they are not electronic.  They use a synthesizer for some of the harder sounds, but mainly a xylophone, a fiddle, and an acoustic guitar.  The breakdown is incredible.  It took me only a second to realize that instead of the high pitched sounds of Michael Angelakos I was listening to a woman singing, and an added bonus was that I understood what she was saying!

I would also like to take a second and acknowledge the amazing amount of folk music that is currently being created.  I talk about music and I say that I love a lot of things, folk is where my heart is.  I love the harmonies and the way they tell stories.  I love the use of a band, and not just a lead singer, but a collective group where everyone has a job.  Folk music has always been around, but it was pretty uncool for a while there.  I'm just happy that the world is finally coming to its senses again and seeing that folk music actually makes the world go round.

Caught in the crossfire

Oh Brandon Flowers, thank you for helping the Killers become awesome and thank you for making your solo efforts awesome.  I appreciate your lyrics and your music mixing abilities.  Thank you.

On to music picks for the week.  A long time ago I had the idea of listening to old albums that I never really paid any attention to anymore, so I've slowly been working my way through the mine field that is my itunes and also my cd collection.  I had completely forgotten how much I LOVE the Killers, and also, the Sex Pistols.  Many people don't realize that I am a huge fan of classic punk music.  Give me some Patti Smith, Sex Pistols, Velvet Underground, Ramones...I'm like a kid in a candy shop with that stuff.  It's powerful and raw, these people were singing about there generation, no sugar coating.  They weren't just outcasts from society, they were outcasts from the music scene too.  They fought for what they knew would change the way music was listened to for decades! Punk still influences us! Music amazes me.

Solid favorites of the week  that keep making it's way up the playlists:

Mumford and Sons
Florence and the Machine
Marina and the Diamonds
White Rabbits

as always, blogotheque.net for more!

Shake it up, baby!

I'm in the mood for some excellent rock music.  I've been really digging the Black Keys and The Beatles lately.  I can't say that I hate it, actually, I love when I get into this mood.  It usually means that I am sick of the current situation that I am in, it usually means that I am ready for something new and that I need my music to reflect that feeling.  That is probably one of my favorite things about music, is that there is something for every mood that I have; pop, blues, jazz, rock, indie, you name it, i love it.  I have even started to listen to some old country, more bluegrass than anything, but country none the less!

I gotta move!

I'm terrible at keeping things up to date...

Lots of things have changed since last post. For instance, my sister is now married and has a new last name, I now have bangs, and yet again...winter time approaches. However! With winter also comes dreary sounding music, but dreary it is not! I love me some Bon Iver on the days when the sun just doesn't want to come out. Call me creepy, but I love the way it sounds and the way it is different than when you hear Justin Vernon sing on a sunny day.  He sounds better on gray sky days.

My love for The Tallest Man on Earth grows stronger every day.  There's just something about Kristian's swedish twang that really gets me goin'.  In newer music, however, I'm really feeling the sounds of John & Jehn.  Ahh french people...how i love you. You just get how I feel musically, and you usually get it everytime.  John and Jehn are like a Phoenix of sorts, but with girls and deeper sounding lyrics and sound.  Almost like Phoenix + The National = John and Jehn. Check them out!!

It's been a while

Let me just begin by saying that although I was not overly impressed with their performance, the Dum Dum Girls (opener to Vampire Weekend), were actually a pretty okay chick band to listen to. They seemed to have a wierd etherial vibe to them, almost like listening to Camera Obscura, or a chick version of Fleet Foxes. To look at, they seemed to not be having fun at all. If you are so blessed as to having rocking out and performing be your job, at least act like you enjoy the instrument that you play. The bassist, Bambi, looked like she was about to fall asleep, even on some pretty good songs, nothing impressed her. I would listen to their albums, absolutely, but I would never see them again in concert.

Beach House, another story completely. They had their own light shows and everything. Not that a light show can make or break a performance, but it definitely adds a bit of flare, especially if tickets were purchased. The band was good, but honestly, not overly memorable. I was alright with the lead singer, but I could understand anything she was saying. I deem them excellent background music.

Vampire Weekend. Along with Ezra's witty banter and a whole lot of fist pumping encouragement, the band was on fo their entire performance. Playing to their audience, VW managed to get the Bank of America Pavillion in Boston absolutely crazy when singing such songs as Ladies of Cambidge and Walcott. The sing a'longs were heartily encouraged during these songs as well as other favorites such as One, and Horchata. It was my first time ever seeing them live and I recommend seeing them to any. They gave an excellent performance and played at least 15-20 songs (which basically covers most of them)!

on to other news, my computer had a deadly virus and I am still trying to recover some lost files and folders...and lots of lost music! If you have any new group suggestions let me know!

DONE

I am officially DONE with undergraduate classes!!! Crazy sauce, I know, but now it's time to get a little nuts! This only happens once, so why not live it up!?

Okay, here are the week's must listens:

Florence + The Machine
Noah and the Whale
Beirut
Ben Kweller
She & Him

we're havin' a drink wave! a tropical drink wave!

phoenix phoenix phoenix. love love love.

i've been trying to start listening to the music that i usually just push to the side. i'm constantly on new music watch so i'm constantly getting new music and listening to it all as it comes, i lose track of the older stuff!! so i am now trying to make a more concerted effort to listen to my older stuff.

one album that i found, the proclaimers, was one of my first albums i owned and thought was great in 4th grade, but seriously not that great! haha, it was quite painful actually,haha!! i've been listening to my mom's fave, meat loaf, and some other things like the cranberries, barenaked ladies, and random other things like rufus wainwright and fionna apple.

i'm still always on the watch for new music so if you have any suggestions, please toss them my way!