Put This on Repeat

Today I decided to find new music...
What I ended up with was the Black Ghosts, a band that barely has a Wikipedia article (a fairly good indicator of their status as a relative unknown). I had heard almost nothing from or about this band, yet I was pleasantly pleased with what I found. The Black Ghost's debut album (simply titled Black Ghosts)is so far a very enjoyable listen, but I have only managed to listen to a few tracks at this point. The reason for my lack of exploration of the CD is because I can't stop listening to the lead single, "Repetition Kills You". To be honest this track is the main reason I got Black Ghosts, because I saw that it featured Damon Albarn. Albarn, the lead singer for THREE bands that I like (Blur, Gorillaz, and The Good, The Bad, and the Queen), is one of my favorite musical masterminds. So, when I saw that he was on this track, I was immediately interested...it did not disappoint.

"Repetition Kills You" starts off quickly with a very strong infusion of bass and percussion that is a consistent force throughout the track. Damon Albarn's thick, laid-back vocals jump in shortly inquiring as to whether or not the listener feels lonely. At the chorus Albarn is joined by the two Black Ghosts, Theo Keating and Simon Lord, whose vocals accelerate the tempo of the song and create an excellent, coherent, whole with each other and with Albarn. The track is laced with frequent interjections of synth parts that sound like they were ripped directly off of one of the old video games I played as a kid, enforcing my idea that this song is FUN. "Repetition Kills You" may not be a lyrical masterpiece, but it is conscious of this; it IS repetitive but its fun to listen to and it makes the listener want to dance. The track ends with the simple truth behind so much music:

"This is a repetition of words,
Dancing needs a repetition to work"

With these closing lines the song is perfectly summed up, and with its ending it begs that you press 'repeat' and let it play again.

Listen, Dance, Repeat...you shouldn't miss it.

Click HERE to listen to/watch the music video for "Repetition Kills You".

You can visit the Black Ghost's website HERE.

Bringing the Puppets Out of the Shadows

The Arctic Monkeys are one of my favorite bands in the world...this post is not about them. However it IS about the side project of lead singer Alex Turner, who has teamed up with Miles Kane (lead singer of the Rascals, a band about which I know nothing) and James Ford (who I don't count as part of the group but technically does some work composing and producing...just no real instruments or singing) to create something quite brilliant.

The Last Shadow Puppets are the aforementioned brilliance. This band is a bit of a step down from the amazing indie rock that is Arctic Monkeys. However, it is something quite different, while still maintaining the brilliant sound Turner brings to Arctic Monkeys. The Last Shadow Puppets have some slower songs, compared to Arctic Monkeys, though the majority of their songs are up-tempo numbers that blend the very complimentary vocals of Turner and Kane with driving guitar runs. The Puppets' lyrics are smart, sharp, and snappy, painting everything from stories of sweet romance to bitter portraits of resentment. Perhaps the best thing about the Puppets is that they are accompanied by an ORCHESTRA! That's right, as in a whole lotta professional musicians playing the instruments that you have to be wearing a tux to play. It's beautifully oxymoronic to have a symphony added to British rock music, but it works PERFECTLY.

The Last Shadow Puppets currently only have one album out (2008's The Age of the Understatement (it receives a grade of A from me)), yet they also have an abundance of b-sides that can be found on youtube, and probably in other nooks and crannies. Their album is amazing, go buy five copies of it now.

I cannot say enough good about the Last Shadow Puppets to be honest, they're one of the better bands I have discovered during the last year...yet I don't know a single person that listens to them apart from myself.
You shouldn't miss it.

A few favorites:
My Mistakes Were Made For You
Age of the Understatement
The Meeting Place
Paris Summer
(their cover of Rihanna's S.O.S. makes me laugh)

Visit their official page HERE.

Music VIDEO of the day: 3/20/09

This video is just cool...I didn't want to go thru the trouble of adding videos to the blog, but this one is just too good to pass on.
Here is the music video for "Challengers" by the New Pornographers:

Cry While Dancing

Ok, so spring break is over and the school week has slowed down enough for me to actually write something that will not be graded (at least not by anyone who controlls my GPA, haha). I'm sure I will find a time that works for me to get 'into a groove' with this blog. When it has some more demand I will be more motivated, haha.

Anyways, on to the good stuff: MUSIC

Megan Feniak, known artistically as Fen, is a friend of a friend...as a result I have some excellent tunes dancing through my headphones that most have not yet had the pleasure of hearing. I don't like to categorize music (it's too much a restraint) so instead I will describe Fen's music thus: it makes me want to cry and smile at the same time...all while dancing. Her songs (some of which I am experiencing for the first time at the time of this writing) weave an exceedingly pleasant pattern through the listener's ears that is both familiar and unpredictable. Her vocals are beautifully sweet whispers. The guitar work is different from what I am accustomed to, melding strumming with chains of picking. It's rather unique, and it works. I don't mind listening to the songs over and over, they're pretty every time.

Sadly I cannot yet guide you to an album, yet her song's are available for listening on her PureVolume site HERE
Leave a comment, say something nice!

As a head's up, while the quality of the songs themselves is excellent, the quality of the sound files is not up to par. This doesn't really detract from the listening except for a few cases where the vocals are overshadowed by the guitar work. Still, completely worth listening to.

You shouldn't miss it.

My faves:
Fen (the popular lament)
Sleeves
Kids in '95

Song of the Day 3/03/09

So I have been ridiculously busy with school lately, so I won't be writing full album reviews on my new favorite band (and by that I mean the new band I was introduced to that is AMAZING). BUT one of their songs is Song of the Day, so I will write about that.

The band: The New Pornographers
I can't say that I like their name at all...but I love the band. Apparently someone famous (yet not famous enough for me to care who they are) once referred to rock and roll as 'the new pornography'...so there is the name explained. Ironically, in spite of the band's name they are probably one of the cleanest bands I have heard recently (no language or suggestiveness or anything).

Regardless of what this band chooses to call themselves, they are soooo good. But more on them later...

The song: Loose Translation (from the album Electric Version)
Electric guitar kicks this song off to a great start while the chords are joined by a synthesizer that is very reminiscent of a heart monitor one would expect from a hospital but not a piece of music...it fits perfectly. The constant beeping of the synths pushes the song along while the sounds of what may be a fuzz bass (excellent) and the brilliant harmonies of the vocalists dance around each other. The lead vocals are fainter than usual, starting out the song with line upon line until it seems the singer must be out of breath. The added harmonics makes you focus on the beautiful lyrics they sing. The lyrics themselves are quite clever.

This song is brilliant, and I can't stop listening to it. You can listen to it here.

You shouldn't miss it.

P.S. I think my most favorite song by them is "The Bones of an Idol", but I cannot find any links to it. If you can find it, LISTEN TO IT!

Visit the band's website HERE.