VIVA!! Viva Voce!

Every night before I go to sleep I take a few moments to tool around listening to music. Some nights it leads me back to old favorites, other times it takes me to new discoveries. I had not heard much from the band VIVA Voce other than they are releasing a new record in the next couple of weeks and have a very loyal fan base. So when I heard the first track off their new record entitled "Rose City" I was amazed and floored by the potential this band has. "Devotion" starts with a slow guitar slide then leaps out of the speakers with a fierce burst of drums and a killer bass line. It keeps a great groove alive over the top of the song's chorus. It has a nice male/female vocal interplay and a simple signature line that will definitely get stuck in your head immediately. I haven't yet digested the rest of the record that is out there but if it is half as good as this one song, it is worth your time...

(mp3) Viva Voce -- Devotion

Hitting Shuffle (Episode 3)

There are those songs that just strike a chord. You can't really put your finger on it. They just have a way of making us feel better. It can be the lyrical content or the melody of the chorus that we respond to. Often it is a feeling or a moment that we associate the song with that gives us that good sense. I have always found that "Always The Sun" by THE STRANGLERS has that effect on me. It is a song about hope and contentment in times of trouble but it has such a sparkling quality to it that it has long been a favorite on the old iPod. Whenever I feel a little stressed or overwhelmed it's song that make me just a little sunnier. I am always looking for others so if you have any suggestions let me know.

(mp3) The Stranglers -- Always The Sun

Buy This Band's Record NOW!!!!

I love when I find a small band that I can champion (to be fair I found this one on a couple of other blogs but I want to do my part). The wife wrote a piece on her blog and God bless them the band wrote back to thank her. That is just awesome!!

I AM NOT LEFTHANDED is an Irish band that plays simple, beautiful songs with melodies that will break your heart. They are everything I love about music; unassuming, passionate and thought provoking. They are a band that deserves your attention and your support. You need to go to their site and buy their record like today. It's not fair to make any comparisons to other bands because it wouldn't do them justice. I have probably played "Long Goodbyes" 50 times in the past two weeks. It's the kind of song that creeps into your brain and you spend the rest of the day humming the chorus to the point where your co-workers start to wonder if you are okay. If you like this song you will enjoy the rest of the record.

(mp3) I Am Not Lefthanded -- Long Goodbyes

Cleaning out the InBox

I have been inundated with bands lately (which for a small time blog like this is very neat to have people actually care what I think.) As is always the case whether it is positive or negative I will always listen and give it a review. So here we go;

ACIDIC are an LA band that have the hint of punk and a hint of old fashioned rock to go with their emo angst. Would this be something I would listen to, probably not. But if you are a fan of early GREEN DAY or BLINK 182 you might enjoy this.

DIALTONE are a slight upgrade in the sound quality and have a little more hipster attitude to the lyrics on songs such as "Do You Love Your Cell Phone" or "Emo T Shirt". You can hear elements of REM in the bass lines and the guitar work. The voice of the lead singer is a bit off putting at first but it gets better the more you listen. I was very ready to dismiss this but the more I take it in the more I think they might have something. With some more time they will eventually find their own sound that will suit them.

ADAM BALBO is a singer songwriter from San Francisco who has the ARLO GUTHRIE/BOB DYLAN vibe about his stuff. Singing alone with just an acoustic guitar means that the lyrics better be good since they will stand out. Most of the songs check in at under 2 minutes. One gets the impression that if he couldn't release these songs on the net he would be singing in some bohemian coffee house where people sip lattes and read Kerouac. It's decent folk music but not really my cup of low fat vanilla chai.

A recommendation from The Wife

I mock my wife for her taste in music. Her love of Country music and Jimmy Buffett can be somewhat perplexing at times. I rarely understand why she has five singers on her iPod all named Kate (or some version thereof) and they all have the same mopey, chick folk sound. There are times when her sense of the sheer cheesiness of a song can be a bit overwhelming. For a self appointed musical snob such as I the mere fact that she and I have co-existed (and flourished) for the past five years of marriage (as celebrated TODAY!!) is a testament to whatever higher being you believe in.

So every once and awhile she will shock me. Something will come across her iPod (which is always the musical delivery device of choice in the car) that simply floors me. How is it that you can like that and all the other stuff that clutters your iPod? How can you reconcile this band which is extraordinary with the flotsam that normally comes out of the speakers? She simply smiles, tolerating my boorish behavior as she is often forced to do, and says, "because I have more evolved musical tastes than you."

So here is the latest jaw dropping, knee bending discovery from my wife (who also counts MOGWAI, IRON AND WINE, and CASSETTES WON'T LISTEN among her favorites). Minneapolis has brought many great acts throughout American Rock History but nothing that sounds like CLOUD CULT. At times they sound like ARCADE FIRE mixed with THE FLAMING LIPS at then there are times when they sound like nothing out now. They employ odd sounds and unusual instrumentation to project stories of flaw, pain and despair. On other songs from their latest, "Feel Good Ghosts", they reach astronomical heights with sing along choruses and stomping bass and drum lines. For a record that is about loss (the lead singer lost his four year old child recently) it has a subdued yet celebratory feel to it.

I hate to admit when she is right (which is usually all the time), but she is right. In this case her tastes are better than mine. And as is the case for the past five years, her guidance has made me a better person (and not just in a musical sense.)

(mp3) Cloud Cult -- No One Said It Would Be Easy

(mp3) Cloud Cult -- Hurricane and Fire Survival Guide

New Phoenix!!

Phoenix is a french band responsible for one of the catchiest songs of all time, "If I Ever Feel Better", from the debut record back in 2000. Since then I haven't paid them much mind. Singles acts often disappear quickly leaving only the slightest of footprints. So imagine my shock when I started listening to their latest, "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix", on how mature and detailed the songs have become and yet have not lost any of their signature dance rock sound. The only strike against the record is that it was leaked around the same time as the YEAH YEAH YEAHS and U2 so it gotten little press. This should change with the official release in May.

The first couple of songs, "Lisztomania" and "1901" fall close to the sound from their previous records with a little crunchier guitar on the second track. Things take a more orchestral approach with the seven minute "Love Like A Sunset" which takes a slow building synth line that sounds like a lost ORBITAL song before hitting it's stride. The second half of the record allows the band to start tinkering with their sound, adding overdub effects to the vocals and a nice guitar pick effect on the gorgeous "Rome".

The more you listen the more you fall in love with each song. "Countdown" originally had a throwaway feel to it but after several listens it has slowly crept into my subconscious. Which is the whole feel of the record; slight at first listen but with each pass there is more going on that leads to greater involvement by the listener. I have no doubt this will be in my top records for the year.

(mp3) Phoenix -- Rome

(mp3) Phoenix -- 1901

p.s. for sheer absurdity check out the lead singer's one off band with members of Daft Punk called DARLIN'. Fuzzed out Beach Boys is not what I would have expected...

OPENING DAY!!!

There is nothing better than Opening Day of the baseball season. Writer George Will once said that the year can be split into two seasons, baseball season and "the long, dark void." As an avid sports fan, something my wife refers to as an addiction, I watch all types of events. I spent a good portion of Saturday afternoon watching the Men's basketball FINAL FOUR even though I had absolutely no rooting interest. I have watched college football games between schools that not only have I not attended but I couldn't find on a map with a compass.

But with baseball it's a whole other level. There is a certain rhythm to a baseball game. It has a pace to it that lends itself to conversation. I can sit and watch a game and carry on a dialogue with another person and still know what is going on. I can also watch a game with focused intensity, emotions rising and falling with every at bat. It helps to have a rooting interest in a given team. Long time readers already know of my allegiance to THE LOS ANGELES ANGELS, who have had a good few years in a row and are poised for another playoff run (which, knowing the team as well as I do, will surely end with a loss to the BOSTON RED SOX in the playoffs).

So another season is upon us. Another chance to soak in the summer sun, a hot dog and the ballpark. Another opportunity to lose sleepless nights over a heartbreaking ninth inning defeat. Another set of memories of game winning hits and three run home runs. Another collection of thoughts on the state of the middle relief and the role of the fifth outfielder.

Another Opening Day to enjoy.

San Diego was once a cool place

In the late 90's, while I was running a dinky college radio station, we kept hearing how the San Diego music scene was about to explode right beneath us. San Diego is about four hours from where I lived at the time so it made sense for us to at least pay a little attention. It helped that at the time we could get the local alternative station, 91X, better than we could the radio behemoth out of LA that was KROQ. It is important to understand the impact of radio at the time. In an era prior to MP3 and blogs, radio was really the only avenue new bands could get music out to the masses. Also, alternative radio hadn't been co-opted by the large commercial conglomerates like it is today so Music and Programming directors had a lot more freedom to take chances on relatively unheard of bands. So when 91x started playing ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT, it was a shot of adrenaline that I was looking for.

Rocket had a sound that was tailor made for the radio. Enough of a pop edge to catch you with a hooky chorus but enough bite to make them hip for the indie kids. Kind of a cross between the REVEREND HORTON HEAT and SUPERCHUNK, with some surf guitar and horns thrown in for good measure, Rocket led the San Diego scene charge out into the mainstream. The band hit it big with the "Circa:Now!" record and got signed to a major label soon after. The next album, "Scream Dracula, Scream", had a major label shine to it that was good but lost some of the urgency of the previous albums.

Needless to say, the San Diego Scene never really broke out. Most of the acts that were finding some love locally never translated nationally and even Rocket From The Crypt fell about by the early 2000's. San Diego is still a beautiful city with a nice laid back attitude so I imagine no one really cared that their scene never got the same publicity as Seattle, Manchester or Detroit and 91x lost some of it's cache (it has since adopted a playlist that mirrors KROQ, which is sad). But after all these years, the sound is still the sound of summer for me.

(mp3) Rocket From The Crypt -- Hippy Dippy Do (from Circa:Now!)

(mp3) Rocket From The Crypt -- Sturdy Wrists (from Circa:Now!)

(mp3) Rocket From The Crypt -- On A Rope (from Scream Dracula, Scream)

The State of Education In California

WARNING: Non musical assessment ahead. If you want my pithy takes on pop music tune in later this week.

I just got back from a lobbying trip to Sacramento (the state capitol for those outside the US), where I sat with various assemblymen and senators trying to convince them that cutting 60% of the state's commitment to education is a preposterous and potentially catostrophic decision. There is no doubt that California has gotten it's fair share of the pain from the Bush Depression (my own label, but darn catchy if I do say so myself), but when it was time to tighten the collective belt, education got hit the hardest. Even though Public Ed. is 40% of the budget, it took 60% of the hit. No ill will toward police, fire or mental health but expecting to get ourselves of the greatest economic crisis since the 1930's by not educating the next generation of leaders is the equivalent of sending my three year old into the ring with Mike Tyson after he has had a bit too much to drink. But hey, we are bright, well educated men and women (wonder where we got all the smarts from?) we will figure something out. That was the overriding message that came from Congress. Come up with a plan and get back to us.

First off, I actually had a senior state senator suggest that the recent deluge of pink slips were a political ploy put forth to make it seem worse than it was. Seriously, because messing with people's lives by potentially dooming them to unemployment is something I enjoy doing. Every teacher that loses a job means larger class sizes, less time to spend per student and less manpower to deal with the needs of students before and after school. Additionally, cuts to secondary counseling staffs mean fewer people to get students into college and through high school. Imagine where you would be if your counselor didn't pick the right classes or get you a sholarship packet or a college application in time? That is the prospectus for our current students. But hey, layoffs are just a political ploy after all, right?

So off we went to meet with others. One said we as educators should have seen this coming and had a plan to deal with the massive cuts. Isn't that the job of the leaders of the state? One suggested we should become more efficient at what we do. A fellow administrator shot back, "I already empty my own trash as well as run the Human Resouces department, what else can I do to be more efficient in your mind?"

Here in a nutshell is the problem. The Congress is so entrenched that each side can take a radical stance like "no tax increases" or "no more cuts" with little or no fallout. So nothing gets done. The two sides just stare at each other as student's lives fall apart (not overly dramatic if you have ever spent 5 minutes in a CA public school). Those that do cross party lines for idealogical reasons, like Anthony Adams, get instant recall notices and become a pariah to their own party (too bad because he's a really nice guy). Congress can't even agree on how to get relief money to those that need it. Education is promised a large chunk of the Obama Stimulus package. This money can be used to fill in some of the cuts and maybe even save some jobs. But will we get it in time? No one knows when it's coming or how it will be dispersed. Here's a novel thought, have the guy who used to be THE TERMINATOR to ask the guy in THE WHITE HOUSE when he can expect a check...

So what can you do? If you live in California you can start by voting on MAY 19TH for Props 1A-1E. These props will allow the government to take revenues and send them to education so that instead of 14 billion in cuts over the next 1 1/2 years it will only be 8 billion. That's a lot of jobs people!! Second, send an e-mail to your local congressman urging them to pass the stimulus package through to schools immediately. Holding the money doesn't help those it was intended to help. If the schools don't get the money by May 1 those pink slips become permanent. If you live in anotehr state or country, stay there. The beuacratic system is probably better and the schools aren't in danger of being bankrupt in the next 18 months. Other than that, a prayer for those of us with California education ties would be nice.

Fighting till the bitter end...

Irish Eyes are Smiling (Part Five)

It'll probably be gone by the morning but I thought I would put this up anyway.



HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!! Here's a mini set list from my favorite Irish Band. They may be prententious at times but there is no doubt they make music that moves the soul...

Zoo Station
Native Son
Magnificent
Miracle Drug
Where The Streets...
Sunday Bloody...

Irish Eyes are Smiling (Part Four)

While in college around 1993 or so a a couple of friends and I hitched a plane to Ireland to see U2 play a couple of shows in support of "Zooropa". With St. Patrick's Day tomorrow I will most likely dedicate a post the them later but while in Ireland we tried to see another band we had come to enjoy called THE DEVLINS. Here is where music is funny. Come to find out that most Irish music lovers absolutely HATE THIS BAND!! Sure their music sounds like COLDPLAY before they cam along but it can't be that bad, can it?

So here we are in Dublin standing in line at some random club to see what someone had told us was the it band of the moment when we start to chat up a couple of young ladies. Everything is going well until I mention, through some prodding from one of my friends, about how much I enjoy The Devlins. I might as well killed the girl's puppy while she watched. Any cool points I had being a blond from Southern California who could pass himself off as a radio personality went away in a second. I had a better chance of becoming President then I did of continuing this conversation. So I have mixed feelings about these guys. I still like them but they did ruin my one chance to get better acquainted with an Irish lass...oh well.

(mp3) The Devlins -- Everything Comes Around

p.s. This is not the record I wanted to post but I couldn't find their first record in the garage and it's late. SORRY!!!

Is it Pandering or Artistic Expression?

Taking a break from my exploration of Irish rock for a bit. Mostly because I felt this song and the subsequent album needed my attention, and not for a good reason. I have enjoyed CHRIS CORNELL's work for a long time. I bought into his vocal wail early on in the SOUNDGARDEN days and was truly disappointed when they broke up. I enjoyed his interplay with EDDIE VEDDER on the TEMPLE OF THE DOG album. I indulged his early solo work as an artist searching for his place in a the post band world (a hard transition for most front men to make...and most do not). When he joined AUDIOSLAVE I thought that maybe he had found a happy medium between the metal side of Soundgarden and solo work, but alas it did not last.

And now we have his collaboration with TIMBALAND on "Scream". Here's where I have my issues. Let's ignore for a minute that the record is very, very bad. The question is simple; is this a creative release for a wandering artist or an attempt to pander to a pop artist to sell records by selling out your "sound" for a contemporary flavor of the week. I have, in the past, enjoyed Timbaland's work and when I heard the lead single and title track I was intrigued (and it is a decent song), but listening to the whole record it is apparent that this is subpar work on both artists' accounts. The beats are lazy, the synths are tepid and Cornell spends most of the record restraining his vocals. What exactly is the point of this whole exercise? Was Cornell so unhappy with his prior work that he feels no allegiance to it? The record only serves to frustrate fans who, I do not believe, are going to accept this as a genuine artifact of his talent.

So ignore this album and go get "Badmotorfinger" instead.

(mp3) Chris Cornell -- Redemption Song (courtesy of in ALL Caps)

Irish Eyes are Smiling (Part Three)

There are a hundred ways I could have gone with this episode of this series focusing on Irish music. I had intended to talk about DAMIEN RICE (who was once in a band with the members of Bell x1 called JUNIPER) but as I researched around for interesting tidbits I came across a site that featured the heartbreaking work of MARK DIGNAM. First off a huge shout out to the blog 2U I BESTOW, which is about the best source of Irish singer songwriters I have ever seen. I pale in comparison to his knowledge, so I implore you, stop by his site and check it out.

Now, on to Mark Dignam. In many ways, Dignam is representative of the wave of Irish folk singers that includes Rice, GLEN HANSARD and PADDY CASEY who keep it simple using only their voice and an acoustic guitar. The power comes in the poetry. Young men with pain, joy, love and loss to express through their music. These are songs that will break your heart and can lift you up to places that make you sing loud in your car as you trudge off to work. You can hear the exhaustion in his voice as he sings in "Glide", "I realise how small my perspective has been....". His music doesn't vary much but it has such passion that you overlook the sometimes repetitious nature. It gets better with every listen...

(mp3) Mark Dignam -- Glide (courtesy of 2U I Bestow)

Mark Dignam Myspace page

Irish Eyes are Smiling (Part Two)

A lot of Irish music is a study in contradictions. Many times the music is uplifting and joyful. Other times it can be somber and reflective in a way that most American artists can't grasp. Given the political issues that have plagued the Irish over time (both in their native land those that traveled to America in the 1800's). So it only makes sense that often the music that comes from Ireland can be something on a dichotomy. Today's example highlight the more soulful side of things.

BELL x1 have had almost no impact on the US market. No one I have ever talked to has ever heard of them or any of their music. This is a crying shame because they make music that can break your heart. It has much in common with U2 but with a less uplifting take on life as we know it. Their latest album, "Blue Lights on The Runway", takes a mixture of Postal Service's bleeps and adds to their standard mix of straightforward rock. There are also hints of the instrumentation and vocal cadences found in the last FRIGHTENED RABBIT CD, which I adored.

(mp3) Bell X1 -- The Ribs of a Broken Umbrella

(mp3) Bell X1 -- Heartlands (bonus points for this brilliant take on the U2 song from "Rattle and Hum")

Irish Eyes are Smiling (Part One)

In honor of the month of March (which houses St. Patrick's Day as well as the release of the latest U2 CD) I plan to embark on a short series on some of my favorite Irish bands/artists. I know it might be a might disingenuous for someone of no Irish decent from Southern California to celebrate the music of the Emerald Isle but I realized just how many Irish musicians I admired and the ideas seemed to start flying.

First up is THE POGUES. Irish style music of all kinds (both traditional and of the rock variety) tends to be associated with copious consumption of alcohol. No more so is this in effect then when speaking of Shane MacGowan, lead singer of this Irish pub rock outfit. Their music is a combination of tin whistles, mandolins and punk rock ethos that made them, in some peoples minds, the most dangerous band around. Their live shows were legendary more for the potential for disaster as the music they played. But through all the rabble rousing and debauchery came pure passion and brilliant music. The highlight of their work, in my opinion, is "Thousands are Sailing" from the record "If I Should Fall From Grace With God". The story of Irish immigration to the US, the song aches with a longing for the homeland and a sense of wonder at the new adventure that lies ahead. There is hope in the lyrics and the music swells to a fever pitch over a rolling bass line. It is a quintessential Irish song about the Irish experience.

(mp3) The Pogues -- Thousands are Sailing

Nervous Anticipation

I don't get anxious about new music very much anymore. Perhaps it's the countless records and songs that I have purchased over the years in all shapes and sizes. I have waited in line for only a couple of records in my life. Now, concert tickets is another story entirely. With concerts, my friend Scott and I had what we thought was a full proof plan. If we didn't get a spot in line close enough to the front we would race back to my house and speed dial TICKETMASTER till we got in. Once, to get tickets to a show we actually drove to his employer's office and used their multiple phones to get through. We even resorted to bribing the ticket dispenser with a promise of a ticket of his own once to get a peak at the line-up numbers in advance to gauge our chances.

But records are not that immediate. Sure I want to hear what the band has been working on for, in some cases, up to three years. But I can usually wait a day or two after it's released. In high school, I did sneak out of class to go to the record store to get a new copy of DEPECHE MODE'S "Violater" because I very much wanted to be the first to have it. I will never forget the sense of victory I had walking into the yearbook with the CD, like a Roman Emperor showing off the spoils of war. So I cannot for the life of me explain why I have such nervous anticipation when it comes to the new U2 record, "No Line on the Horizon".

I have been a U2 fan for quite a spell. I have traveled to Ireland just to follow the band. I have seen them live at least 12 times. I have purchased almost every album, single, soundtrack, and demo that they have. I have purchased the PASSENGERS record and own a copy of AUTOMATIC BABY on cassette. For the last album, I went on my conference period to pick up two copies of the CD (one for my friend Holly who has an similar addiction to the Irish Lads). What I'm saying is I am a fan.

But shouldn't I be beyond the nervous anticipation. I have heard half of the record leaked through various blogs for two weeks now. I actually know the words to the tongue twisting tale of "Breathe". And yet, here I am giggling like a teenager at a Jonas Brothers concert listening to it for the first time (thanks to a little know quirk in iTunes that makes a record available on EST time for the whole US).

Now, many early critics have been split on the album, but the fan in me cannot be objective. U2 is probably the only band that I cannot be passive about. Over time I have lost some of the fanboy when it comes to REM and Depeche Mode (BTW, is the new DM single the worst thing they have ever recorded...). Will this record stand the test of time like the rest? All I can say is that in many ways it is vintage U2 and yet different, which is probably a good thing. Songs I did not like the first time through have grown on me. There will be time for an in depth analysis...for one night and one day I am a fan. And I wouldn't want it any other way.

p.s. in the interest of not losing this post to the censors I cannot post anything relating the new record. But maybe you will find what you are looking for...

(mp3) Voxtrot -- Your Biggest Fan (courtesy of MFR)

The Sham of Award Shows

We are officially into awards season, which brings out a special kind of ire in my view of the arts. First off, since all art is subjective, how can one thing be better than another? Who says one person's best song is better than another? I personally, have little or no knowledge of ADELE, LADY GAGA, or LEONA LEWIS but apparently they are all very important artists of our time. For the past two weeks all I have seen is the vapid, meaningless "musicians", prance around accepting various forms of statues for their contribution to the music world. Seriously, they may be truly great at what they do, but how can you award art? Isn't the reward to the artist that their music is appreciated by fans who find meaning in what they have created?

Secondly, it seems that these pre-taped shows have merely become long form infomercials for artists latest product (whether its a new record or a new perfume it apparently doesn't matter). No more so is this apparent then in the honoring of a certain artist for "lifetime achievement". The genesis of this particular rant came from a segment of this year's Brit Awards that I stumbled across. It seems that THE PET SHOP BOYS, were honored with a special medley of their hits as an homage to their longevity. Now, I have loved the Pet Shop Boys for a long time. I own several of their records and even sat through the self indulgent film they made years ago. What angered me was the inclusion of the what I found out later was their latest single, "Love, etc." into this mix. Now it is a decent song, but to include it alongside "West End Girls", "Suburbia" and "Domino Dancing" is just wrong. It sounded out of place and turned me against the whole notion of what they were there for. Instead of giving them credit for their place in pop music, it was merely a marketing ploy to promote their new record.

So these shows are shams. Why even bother giving out awards anymore if they are arbitrary and apparently can only be given to those artists with records either just released or about to come out? Why must we have winners and losers in music? Why can't we just like what we like without mainstream media throwing things down out throats? Why does this bother me when it's not a new thing? Maybe, I should just sit back and listen to what I like and ignore the rest...

For your own review

(mp3) Pet Shop Boys -- Love, etc. (courtesy of Amix Music)

(mp3) Pet Shop Boys -- Domino Dancing

New Music: White Lies

WHITE LIES have been starting to get some publicity here in the US (I understand that they are already quite big in the UK nut we Americans can be a bit slow on the uptake...must be too much American Idol). Anyway, this band has several things going for it. First, they are signed to Fiction records (home of THE CURE) so they come with a built in sense of cool. Second, their music is full of great guitar hooks and big, anthemic choruses. This is the kind of thing that will translate well live which means that they might have some staying power (musically, they have a similarity to THE EDITORS).

Finally, they write depressing songs. Now you might ask, why is this a good thing. Well, given the current climate of the US and how everyone is losing work and money, you would think that people would gravitate to music that is poppy and escapist.But I beg to differ. I think when times are tough, people look for music that is real and filled with genuine emotion. The last major economic crisis in America gave us NIRVANA, PEARL JAM and the other Seattle bands. Now we search the landscape for music that reflects our reality, which dark and gloomy. Here is where White Lies will come in. Now I'm saying these guys will sell a million records or become international pop stars, but I do think they represent a trend in music that will drift to the more depressing side of emotion.

So now that I have thoroughly saddened you, go listen to their music. If you are a fan of THE CURE or JOY DIVISION you will like these guys. Just don't drink and listen to their record.

(mp3) White Lies -- To Lose My Life

**If you like this you will like the whole album. It is very representative of their sound.

(mp3) White Lies -- From The Stars

**You don't here to many songs written in the second person. Kind of a neat trick.

Hitting Shuffle (Episode 2)

When I get a little more time this long weekend I will try to post something a little more exciting but in the meantime:

(mp3) Fugazi -- Instrument (from In On The Kill Taker)

Fugazi are the ultimate DIY band. Their records are slices of hardcore punk ethos with all the warts and bumps of a band recording on their own. I dipped my toes into their music briefly while in college and, while most of it was a bit to abrasive for my tastes (this song included), there are some of the tracks that have a certain draw when one is in a particularly angry mood. I have always admired them for not selling their soul and becoming homogenized by the music business (even though they could have made a lot of money augmenting their sound like Bad Religion did in the 90's).

Hitting Shuffle (Episode 1)

This will be a new feature here on Your Moment of Zen. Essentially, its a way to increase my productivity in the event I don't have a long time to think about a post. Often when I sit down in front of the computer to do other things, I will simply open my iTunes library and let it shuffle from song to song. Since I share the computer with my wife's music and, now, much of my kids' stuff, it can be a bit disjointed. All in all it provides the appropriate backdrop to what I am doing. So for this new concept, here are the rules:

1) The song selected must be the song that is playing when I open up a new post window.***

2) It cannot be a children's song (I won't make you suffer through "She'll Be Coming Round The Mountain...I do have a heart you know)

3) If a song appears that is from my wife's collection I cannot skip it (I do not want to end up sleeping on the couch). However, I do not have to be positive in my review of the song.

***denotes the seldom used Madden Bump rule. If a song is so abhorrent that it should have been removed from the library and just hasn't, I reserve the right to reset the shuffle once (similar to "accidentally" hitting the reset button when losing on Madden Football for the playstation) I do however, in the interest of honesty, have to tell you when I have used this rule.

So here we go, (opening iTunes now and hitting shuffle)

(mp3) Working for A Nuclear Free City -- Kingdom

Bands that make double albums are pretentious bastards. Seriously, one out of every 10 double albums make you say, "yeah, that was a good idea releasing all of those songs at once." Most of the time, there is one good record full of material and a lot of artistic noodling that could have been left in the studio and developed into better material later on. This song comes from a huge collection of 29 songs entitled "Businessmen and Ghosts". The song is a nice little shoegazer style number that I got for a podcast I did awhile back (back when I did those sorts of things). The rest of the record is a mish mash of styles that never really coalesces into a coherent sound. Intriguing but not overwhelming. But this song is a pretty good indicator of what you are getting.

Enjoy!

Random Peter Murphy Post

I admit that I never got the whole GOTH thing. I had no affinity for dressing in all black (although my wife will sometimes chastise me for the fact that I wear black slacks to work every day), the mascara and the wild hair. Outside of a love for THE CURE, the rest of the goth crowd was just a bit to extreme. For the most part I missed the boat on SISTERS OF MERCY, SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES and BAUHAUS. I opted for the poppier side of alternative which was probably best for my overall social life. So when I eventually ran into Mr. Murphy it was with little knowledge of his prior band affiliation.

His 1989 album, "Deep", was merely another intriguing product of my musical investigation. Obviously the first thing that hits you is his voice. It has an otherwordly quality that can dive into a deep baritone one minute and a half falsetto the next. Hearing it for the first time takes some getting used to. Then come the lyrics. For someone in his late teens, early twenties, this sort of existential poetry full of images of love and death can be a bit much for someone who was a relatively happy guy at the time. But I just couldn't shake the sound. I came back again and again to hear the tortured tale of "Marlene Dietrich's Favorite Poem" or the soul bearing honesty of "Cuts You Up". It just had this depth to it that was missing in a lot of music at the time.

The odd thing is that for a record that I was so obviously entranced with, I never moved beyond it into the rest of his catalogue. I tried some of the Bauhaus stuff, but it wasn't the same. His next record, "Holy Smoke", felt forced and overproduced to the point where I lost interest very quickly. Some artists are like that; just flashes in our musical journey. But in this case, a flash of needed oddity to shake me out of a stale part of my life.

(mp3) Peter Murphy -- Cuts You Up

(mp3) Peter Murphy -- Marlene Dietrich's Favorite Poem

Not Sure What To Make Of This

So I was flipping around TV and ran across MTV2 and saw something that intrigued me. First off, the channel was playing a music video, which in and of itself is mind boggling. But what was interesting was the song, a trippy little dance number from a band called FLOSSTRADAMUS, was sponsored by Mountain Dew's Record Label. That's right, the green, sugar filled soda has a record imprint. Now corporate synergy with music has long been in place here in America, with songs popping up in commercials, movies, TV Shows and other cross promotional opportunities. Many record companies are just parts of the larger conduit of commercialism that fuels American consumerism. How many soundtracks have you bought to films you never intended on seeing because of an artist on the record you liked? How many times have you downloaded a song heard on a commercial?

I'm not here to write about the evils of big business exploiting our collective love of music for their own profit. I can't really tell you if I would have been more inclined to purchase an iPod after U2 made a commercial endorsing the product. But the fact that products are now posing as purveyors of music that is cool is of a concern to me. I just don't know what to make of all this. Am I supposed to drink more Mountain Dew because I liked this song? Do I think less of the band who got in bed with an obvious advertising ploy in an effort to get their music heard? Would MTV have played their song if they had been on another label that wasn't attached to a soft drink?

Maybe I should just enjoy this slice of retro 80's pop and get over it. After all, it's the new millennium and apparently, everything is for sale.

(mp3) Flosstradumus featuring Caroline Polachek - Big Bills

Seriously I am not making this title up. It's as if the band knew they were selling out and decided to make it into a joke.

Lost Bands of Britpop (Part Eight)

During college I experimented with leftist politics and hip hop during my Sophomore year in college. For a brief period of time I was a political science major studying middle east politics. This led to many deep conversations with other like minded individuals about the ills of society and how it really is the government's fault (we will ignore for a moment that these talks took place at a state university that provided a low cost alternative education that was essential to my formation of these thoughts). So when the 25TH OF MAY put out what turned out to be their only album "Lenin and McCarthy" needless to say I was drawn in. "White, English boys rapping over pop hooks about the injustices of the poor and disenfranchised! Where do I sign up?"

Okay, so the rapping is a bit hilarious in hindsight. Especially compared to PUBLIC ENEMY, NWA and ICE-T. But the songs had hooks and it was so radically different from what I had been into that it just came along at the right time. It took awhile to track the record down and after much searching I found a used copy at a local record store. Seriously, who would sell this back? More importantly, was I selling out by buying a used copy and not searching for it brand new? The answer of course is no, after all they were on a major label so they had already sold out for me.

I must have played "What's Going On" about 15 times in the first two weeks I had the record. My radio partner at the time got so sick of it that he threatened to sneak into my house and destroy it so he could get some respite. (Scott, I'm sorry, I was blind at the time...) Over time, my politics have mellowed and my music taste has mellowed. I am no longer the leftist hell raiser I was in my youth (paying taxes will do that to you), but listening to the 25th of May again makes me nostalgic for a time when I may have just stood up for something I believed in...even if it was for lower prices at the bookstore.

(mp3) 25th of May -- What's Going On

(mp3) 25th of May -- Things Are Getting Better (sic)

(ed. note: the pic is actually some of the members of the band in their new band MANBREAK, which was pretty much the same sound only harder rocking. Personally, I preferred the first incarnation of the band to the one in the pic but I couldn't find a photo so this will do.)

New music from old guys

Here's the fundamental problem with getting older as it relates to music. What was once a fresh and exciting sound over time dulls as more and more music is released. It becomes harder to get excited about records by older artists because A) it's easier to listen to the songs I liked by them in the first place and B) new material tends to sound derivative of their more popular work. This is why bands break up and change line ups and record with oddball producers on far flung locations. They, like us, get bored with their sound and need to change. But that change is not always met with open arms which then causes the artist to retreat into their familiar cushion of the familiar sound they cultivated in the first place.

Which brings me to two immensely influential and talented artists releasing new singles; U2 and MORRISSEY. Let's deal with the Irish lads first. Their new single, "Get On Your Boots" has been met with some guarded praise from many popular media outlets. I will admit I was left unimpressed the first time I heard it, but as I digest further I find it has a unique appeal unlike other lead singles from the band's most recent work. Where "Beautiful Day" announced the sonic return of Classic U2 and "Vertigo" gave us punk rock U2, "Boots" has no real natural tie to their other work. It's a cross between blues, rockabilly and industrial music that still sounds like the biggest stadium band in the universe. If the rest of the record holds true to form, it would seem the natural progression from ACHTUNG BABY and ZOOROPA that should have happened instead of POP (which was just a misguided project altogether...but that's for another time)

Where U2 seems to be trying out some new musical muscles, Morrissey is firmly grounded in what he knows. "I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris" could be an outtake of the VAUXHALL AND I sessions. It certainly is mellower than anything on his last record (clearly Morrissey was very angry when he recorded RINGLEADER OF THE TORMENTORS) and has that happy/sad dynamic that he has patented since leaving The Smiths. There is always one good song on a Moz release and this is probably it. At that seems to be the problem. Lately it feels as if his albums are just placeholders for his poetry rather than coherent pop songs. Maybe he should just write a book instead of record an album. But I will certainly entertain him for one more go around. I guess old habits die hard.

(mp3) Morrissey -- I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris

I would post the other track but I have a sneaky suspicion it would lead to a deleted post, but I'm sure a quick search will secure you a copy to listen to. Ah, the joys of the blog police.

Say Hi to Say Hi

SAY HI would have been one of those bands that, back in college, I would have played every week on my show. I would have kept a cassette of their songs on me at all times to shove in my friend's faces to immediately make them listen to. I would have brought their name up every chance I got to try to convince others that they were the single most F***in brilliant band I had ever heard. This is how I would of felt then and its how I feel now. So here it goes.

If you do not give them a listen you are an idiot. Stop reading this right now, scroll back to the top click on the link to their myspace page and listen to the first song. Go ahead, I'll be here when you get back...

(patiently waiting for you)

See what I mean! Try to tell me the bass line doesn't get under your skin. Convince me that the sound isn't some blissful cross between early Beta Band, the best of 90's American Indie Rock and the wonders of the low fi aesthetic of Seattle after grunge left town. Everything is there; the hushed vocals that appear to make little or no sense, the spacey keyboards, the clean guitar lines that pop up at just the right time. It is the perfect indie kid band. They are now part of the BARSUK universe, which once was the home of Death Cab for Cutie, so obviously they get extra cool points. They are set to release their next record in March but have put a ton of mp3's on their site for download. This is a band worth listening to and worth telling others about. So go Say Hi!!

(mp3) Say Hi -- Northwestern Girls

(mp3) Say Hi -- Let's Talk About Spaceships

(mp3) Say Hi -- These Fangs

Lost Bands of Britpop (Part Seven)

One of the strange things about living in the LA is that there are pockets of people into every conceivable type of music. LA's scene is the absence of a scene. During my formative musical years (High School and College) there were people who were the leftover metal heads, the indie kids, the ravers, the hip hop crowd and the britpop kids. Being that I was kinda into all of these styles it made it weird to go to shows and know exactly who I would see without question. Take the Brit kids for example. Here was this collection of boys and girls who dressed like Morrissey or Damon Albarn, attended every show by a band from the other side of the pond and in many cases spoke with fake English Accents. It was kinda sad actually but also they were so rabid and so passionate about these bands that it gave the shows a real energy that was lacking in a lot of American acts when they played LA. Which brings me to the INSPIRAL CARPETS.

The Carpets were a really good band. My first exposure to them came as part of a record label compilation that had a remixed version of "Commercial Rain" that was almost a dub reggae song. What struck me was lead singer Tom Hingley's voice. More baritone then the other Manchester acts, it gave the band's sound a distinctive feel. That along with the prominence of a Hammond Organ in most of their songs (and everything is cooler with an organ accompaniment)

When the Carpets hit LA to support what turned out the be their biggest record (Revenge of the Goldfish) I trekked down THE PALACE in LA to see them. The place was a sea of the Brit Kids which made the venue some sort of weird tribute to the British life style. I can only think the band was backstage laughing. But the show was great, the band was great and the crowd lifted the event to a new level (a similar thing happened when I saw JAMES right around the same time, which might be the best small venue show I have ever been to)

By the time they came back to tour for their next record, the band was being looked at for an opening slot for DEPECHE MODE on their US tour later that year. So we went back down to see them again. I cannot honestly tell you if it was a good show or not because I was far more interested in who was at the bar at the show. My friend Tom and I had a bet that someone famous would be there. It just had that type of feel to it. So when he came back from the bathroom practically hyperventilating I could tell something was up. He dragged me out of the show to the bar where MARTIN GORE and The other dude who doesn't really play but manages the band secretly were drinking. I sheepishly approached Martin with the intent of merely saying hi and asking for an autograph. He was actually looking for a reason to leave the bar and his band mate (who was very interested in the blond next to him) so he walked back into the show with us and we chatted while the band played. It was very surreal.

So what does this have to do with the band. Every time I hear the Carpets I think of that night. I think of the kids who were so into them the first time I saw them and the way Martin Gore spoke of them in such glowing terms (US record label politics did not make the bill materialize). The band broke up after that record and has only been together sporadically since then. Which seems to be a common theme amongst the britpop bands. But I still have a warm spot in my heart for them for giving me two great concert moments.

(mp3) Inspiral Carpets -- Two Worlds Collide

(mp3) Inspiral Carpets -- She Comes In The Fall

A really good cause

Saw this post from a couple of other blogs and had to share it. As someone who has had family members touched by cancer (in my case my grandmother battled breast cancer twice), I found it to be moving and will certainly donate my part in the fight against all forms of cancer (and you get some great music out of it as well.)

Bootleg legend Soundhog has prepared an exclusive dance mix for ACID TED. This is not available in the shops or anywhere else. Get it now whilst stocks last. But I am asking for something from you in return.
For those of you who haven't come across Soundhog (or Ben); he is respected for his consistently fantastic bootlegs, his engaging remixes and his ability to rock the dancefloor. He's an essential part of modern bootleg history, but has been noteably quiet of late. Read an interview with GYBO's McSleazy for more details here.

This mix is one done specially for ACID TED readers. You really won't find it anywhere else. It is an astonishing mix of tracks. Not just the tracks themselves but they way that they have been chopped up and reassembled in Soundhog's inimitable style. The tracklist is:

Finitribe - 101

Bassomatic - Fascinating Rhythm

Sub Sub - Jaggernath

The Prodigy - Poison

Bomb The Bass - Beat Dis (Freestyle Scratch Mix)

DJ Mink - Hey, Hey, Can You Relate?

Renegade Soundwave - Biting My Nails

The 25th Of May - It's Alright

MANIC - I'm Coming Hardcore

Joey Beltram - Energy Flash

Chemical Brothers - Chemical Beats

N-Joi - Malfunction

Digital Orgasm - Running Out Of Time

Mental Cube - Q

Carl Cox - I Want You

2 Bad Mice - Bombscare

Altern-8 - Hypnotic St-8

Fatboy Slim - Song For Lindy

E-Lustrious - Dance No More

...plus odd little bits of other things in there.

But I'd like others to benefit from the time that Ben has put in. In particular, to raise money for research on brain tumours in children. If you want a copy of the mix, there are a couple of ways to donate:1. Use the donate button on the sidebar (via PayPal). And I will use your email details to send you the link.

2. Give directly to the Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust (UK) by donating here or Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation (USA) here or to a children's cancer charity in your own country. Once you have done so, you will get an emailed reply from them. Forward that email to me (see side bar) and I will send you a link to the mix.
Please, please donate. How much you donate is up to you (£5 = US$7 / EUR5). Brain tumours are the commonest solid tumours in children in the UK and USA. More children now die from a brain tumour than any other childhood cancer.

So donate and support what he is doing.

I Have Arrived

Today I received a badge of honor among music bloggers. I had a post removed with no notification for what I can assume was unproper posting of music. This despite my notification that I will gladly remove anything that is unwanted for public consumption. As JC from THE VINYL VILLIAN commented on the aforementioned lost Top Records of 2008, my Top 11 was an over the top commercial love fest, so most of these bands have sold in excess of 500,000 records or so. But of course we are speaking more of a philosophical protection of artistic integrity rather than the deisre to spread positive support for a much beloved record or artist.

This is what I don't quite understand about removal of posts. It's not like I was bashing someone as crap, in fact it was the exact opposite. These were the records I enjoyed the most. But hey, I guess it means I have been noticied by the powers that be. Maybe it will lead to an increase in readership...

For review my Top of 2008

11. Kings of Leon -- Only By The Night

10. The Charlatans -- You Crossed My Path (a record the band made available for free on their own)

9. Tokyo Police Club -- Elephant Shell (single available via the record label site.

8. Beck -- Modern Guilt

7. Death Cab For Cutie (Songs available for free on the old record label Barsuk)

6. Counting Crows -- Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings

5. Chris Walla -- Field Manual (Single available for download via his label)

4. Bloc Party -- Intimacy (Several of their remixes are available for free on their site)

3. REM -- Accelerate

2. Frightened Rabbit -- The Midnight Organ Fight (a band with a lot of live and rare stuff out in the world for download)

1. Coldplay -- Viva La Vida (a band who has given away songs on it's own site for free

(If I were a betting man I think the REM track is what got me in trouble, but the other two culprits (Counting Crows and Beck) are on the same US label so they are certainly possibilities. In any case it kinda breaks my heart a little)

And now for something completely different...

I do not, as a rule, like musicals. I tend to laugh when people spontaneously break into song and have found that often I lose track of the plot as I try to listen to the lyrics. So when the wife stated unequivocally that we were to attend a showing of WICKED before it left LA, I found myself trapped without an excuse. Again, this is not my normal sort of musical interest and I went in to the whole thing a bit skeptical, but if millions of people have enjoyed it then who was I to be a stick in the mud.

Of course, since I am writing about it it must mean I either really liked it or really hated it. So I was very surprised at just how much I did like it. The music is not at all operatic (one of my major complaints with some musical theatre is the need of the singers to over dramatize because they are acting) and had enough hooks to keep you humming. The staging was magnificent and the story was very inventive (for those that don't know it's the story of the Wizard of Oz told from the witches' perspective). But the real test was would I listen to the music after the images died down in my head.

So, I went a got the soundtrack of the Broadway show and put it on the ole' iPod to see if I would click to it at a later date. Sure enough, yesterday I found myself scrolling to what I think is the best song of the collection, a soaring ballad called "Defying Gravity" which is the central song of the play and has a melody that is as infectious as any pop song. While I have not necessarily replayed the whole thing yet, this one song has transcended the genre to be just another song in my collection, which is quite a feat in and of itself.

(m3) Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenowith -- Defying Gravity

Things I Have Done Since My Last Post

1) Finished my Christmas Shopping (God bless on-line stores. I hate the mall at Christmas time)

2) Finished unpacking from my move into the new house. (oh, who am I kidding, I still have boxes in almost every room)

3) Put together about a thousand toys for my boys for Christmas (Daddy, why did Santa paint all the toys with Red dots?)

4) Watched a lot of football (which the wife hates but 'tis the bowl season in college so it had to be done)

5) Worked. And worked. And worked (anyone who said middle management is easy has never been in the middle of those in power and those who are not...let's face it you can't please anyone let alone everyone)

6) Hung Christmas lights...in the dark. Because I like a challenge.

7) Watched a lot of TV (Hey honey we have almost 34 hours free on the TIVO!!)

8) Hung about 30 shelves (why do houses not come with shelves? Do people not feel the need to display dust inducing chochkees in their houses like we do?)

9) Put together a bunch of storage units and pre-fab furniture (again, more red dots)

10) Procrastinated. Kinda like I'm doing right now.

Coming soon...Your Moment of Zen's Top albums of 2008. Maybe.

Happy Holidays.

Something that got stuck in my head...

I was driving home tonight when I flicked across a cover of U2's "Seconds" by Rogue Wave and I thought, "Wow, I haven't listened to WAR in forever!" My U2 consumption lately seems to be mostly the last two records and THE JOSHUA TREE (because that is all that is currently on my iPod). So when I sat down to re-ignite the blog with posts I dug out WAR and popped it in and was instantly reminded why this was my favorite record of theirs for a long time.

WAR has the mark of a band making the leap. In sports, the leap is when a good player ascends to greatness right in front of our eyes. I remember when I saw Kobe Bryant of the Lakers make the leap. It happened with my beloved LA Angels in 2002 (when they won the World Series) and WAR was when U2 made their leap. The songs had more bite and polish than BOY or OCTOBER. The lyrics now encompassed a more direct marriage of the spiritual and the political and The Edge found his signature guitar sound here. Most critics say that THE UNFORGETTABLE FIRE is the leap record because of the presence of Brian Eno but I argue that the images that came from WAR (The band in the snow for "New Year's Day", Bono and his white flag at Red Rocks on "Sunday, Bloody Sunday) are what most people remember from that era of the band.

The real secret of this record though are the album cuts. Unlike other 80's bands, U2 took their time crafting a whole album. Sure the singles are brilliant but "Like a Song..." and "The Refugee" hit the mark for their power and musicianship better than many other bands hits. Re-listening to the record as a whole it strikes me how each song seems to flow into the next, as if part of a larger plan all along. In essence, a band moving away from their established style into something new. In fact, WAR departure in sound from the first two records set the tone for the bands experimental nature (another thing most critics credit to FIRE, when in fact FIRE is more along the lines of OCTOBER than WAR ever was).

So, what does all this mean. It means it's a damn good record (although you probably already knew that) and one that should be included on your iPod just in case you need something that still kicks ass...

(mp3) U2 - Like A Song...

(mp3) U2 - The Refugee