I am proud to announce a new feature on "Play Your Stereo Loud" aptly called "Bookmarked Songs." It seems a simple name, seeing as that's what it says at the top of the feature, but it describes it well. It's located just to the left, under the profile.
What the feature does is list 10 of my bookmarked songs from Pandora.com, the Music Genome Project that takes music that you like and suggests new music you've perhaps never heard of that share qualities of the music you named. This innovation is amazing. It's introduced me several new artists who have made their way into my favorites radar (like Editors). So, thus by sharing my favorites with you, perhaps you will listen and find favorites of your own. And don't forget to set up your own Pandora account! I promise you won't be disappointed.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Monday, January 22, 2007
Dear Yusuf (formerly Cat Stevens),
I eat my last words from that last entry. I kinda dig your new song "Maybe There's a World." It starts out with a nice acoustic strum, and your voice is solid and deep. It has this rough feel to it, and I love it. Vibrations, right? Haha. The beat of the song is nice too. Almost like a walking beat. Parts of the song seem a little confusing as there are voices on off-beats, but actually, when you stop to think about it, it's pretty darn cool sounding. I caught myself bobbing my head along to the music. And I didn't even know that it was your song (you're lucky I'm listening to Paste Sampler 27 - the free CD inside the new issue of Paste Magazine). And then when I found out it was you, I was surprised that I kinda dug it, haha. I guess I gotta admit. Your song is pretty good.
So I'm sorry I said I would never listen to your music. That was perhaps a little hasty. I dig that one song at least. We'll see if I feel like getting your whole album ;)
Love,
Christina
So I'm sorry I said I would never listen to your music. That was perhaps a little hasty. I dig that one song at least. We'll see if I feel like getting your whole album ;)
Love,
Christina
Monday, January 15, 2007
Good Vibrations
By Christina R.
I was just reading Paste, a cool new magazine that I discovered back in November. On the cover of every issue, it says: “Signs of Life in Music, Film & Culture.” Now, this is my kind of magazine! I’m thinking of getting a subscription. But anyway, in the process of reading it cover to cover – as I am occasionally wont to do – I turned to an article about the recently socially reintegrated artist formally known at Cat Stevens.
Now known as Yusuf, he has just come out with a new album that seeks to bring Muslims understanding of the West, and the West understanding of Islam. This wasn’t necessarily surprising, as I already knew that this was the kind of person Cat Stevens/Yusuf is. But then he said something that blew my mind.
“The closest you can get to a person, I think, is listening to the vibrations of their voice.”
In and of itself, it is not all that astonishing a comment. And it didn’t strike me as such the first time I read it either. I nodded and said “hmm” to myself. Like “good point, Yusuf. Well done.” But then I read it again. “Wow,” I thought this time, “I agree. Those words are exactly what I’ve been thinking for the past few years.”
I always liked music; listening to cassettes and CDs was always one of my favorite pastimes. But a few years ago, my obsession began. Listening became my therapy for whatever was wrong. Depression? I have an album or song for that. Feeling anxious? I have some good calming music for that too. Over the past five or so years, Music has become my cure-all.
But trying to describe what I love about music often just brings me odd looks. I am in love with voices. Good music and good lyrics are wonderful. You can’t have a good album or song or whatever without them. But a good voice is like the end-all be-all for me. A good voice can send me to my happy place and make me forget about everything that’s wrong with my life and the world.
Emotion in a voice makes the muscles in my neck weak. The timbre of a singer’s voice can send me over the edge. Just listening to a song, the voice streaming through the air, emoting over the singer’s own laments or joys makes me almost sick to my stomach. You can kind of get the gist of what someone is feeling by the words that they write, and the music can typically add to it, but you don’t understand until you can hear their voice straining to make them understood. If you can hear the pain, you can feel it too. And there is nothing sexier than a voice ripping across lyrics, raw and honest.
So well done, Yusuf. In passing, you said something that I have been trying to put into words for years. Finally someone else gets it! And that’s awesome.
(It probably won't get me to start listening to your music though. Sorry.)
I was just reading Paste, a cool new magazine that I discovered back in November. On the cover of every issue, it says: “Signs of Life in Music, Film & Culture.” Now, this is my kind of magazine! I’m thinking of getting a subscription. But anyway, in the process of reading it cover to cover – as I am occasionally wont to do – I turned to an article about the recently socially reintegrated artist formally known at Cat Stevens.
Now known as Yusuf, he has just come out with a new album that seeks to bring Muslims understanding of the West, and the West understanding of Islam. This wasn’t necessarily surprising, as I already knew that this was the kind of person Cat Stevens/Yusuf is. But then he said something that blew my mind.
“The closest you can get to a person, I think, is listening to the vibrations of their voice.”
In and of itself, it is not all that astonishing a comment. And it didn’t strike me as such the first time I read it either. I nodded and said “hmm” to myself. Like “good point, Yusuf. Well done.” But then I read it again. “Wow,” I thought this time, “I agree. Those words are exactly what I’ve been thinking for the past few years.”
I always liked music; listening to cassettes and CDs was always one of my favorite pastimes. But a few years ago, my obsession began. Listening became my therapy for whatever was wrong. Depression? I have an album or song for that. Feeling anxious? I have some good calming music for that too. Over the past five or so years, Music has become my cure-all.
But trying to describe what I love about music often just brings me odd looks. I am in love with voices. Good music and good lyrics are wonderful. You can’t have a good album or song or whatever without them. But a good voice is like the end-all be-all for me. A good voice can send me to my happy place and make me forget about everything that’s wrong with my life and the world.
Emotion in a voice makes the muscles in my neck weak. The timbre of a singer’s voice can send me over the edge. Just listening to a song, the voice streaming through the air, emoting over the singer’s own laments or joys makes me almost sick to my stomach. You can kind of get the gist of what someone is feeling by the words that they write, and the music can typically add to it, but you don’t understand until you can hear their voice straining to make them understood. If you can hear the pain, you can feel it too. And there is nothing sexier than a voice ripping across lyrics, raw and honest.
So well done, Yusuf. In passing, you said something that I have been trying to put into words for years. Finally someone else gets it! And that’s awesome.
(It probably won't get me to start listening to your music though. Sorry.)
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
50 CENT EXPANDS HIS MERCH EMPIRE TO INCLUDE JIMMY HATS
Just days after announcing a G-UNIT book line, 50 CENT has added condoms to his growing line of gangsta rap tie-ins. What's next for Fiddy? We've got our money on a line of feminine hygiene products with the tagline "Get fresh or die trying."
I didn't know how to word that any other way (the last line especially. Hilarious!). That was in a Rock Daily email from Rolling Stone sometime last week. At first I couldn't figure out what they were talking about. But then I realized, and oh my God. That's hilarious. How ridiculous. How stupid.
How genius. Because you know people are going to buy them. People have to ensure, after all, that their g-units are hip too.
And the fact that Fiddy came up with this idea astonishes me (if he, in fact, was the one who came up with it). This is incredible. I don't even know what to say. Fiddy, I salute you. The fact that he can play on his pseudo-macho bullshit image (then again, he was shot 9 times... and lived) to get people to spend (probably) more money than necessary, amazes me. But at least he's promoting safe sex, right? We don't need any more Fiddy in this world. Incredible idea, really. This... this is why I <3 Rock Stars (and rap ones too, I guess).
Just days after announcing a G-UNIT book line, 50 CENT has added condoms to his growing line of gangsta rap tie-ins. What's next for Fiddy? We've got our money on a line of feminine hygiene products with the tagline "Get fresh or die trying."
I didn't know how to word that any other way (the last line especially. Hilarious!). That was in a Rock Daily email from Rolling Stone sometime last week. At first I couldn't figure out what they were talking about. But then I realized, and oh my God. That's hilarious. How ridiculous. How stupid.
How genius. Because you know people are going to buy them. People have to ensure, after all, that their g-units are hip too.
And the fact that Fiddy came up with this idea astonishes me (if he, in fact, was the one who came up with it). This is incredible. I don't even know what to say. Fiddy, I salute you. The fact that he can play on his pseudo-macho bullshit image (then again, he was shot 9 times... and lived) to get people to spend (probably) more money than necessary, amazes me. But at least he's promoting safe sex, right? We don't need any more Fiddy in this world. Incredible idea, really. This... this is why I <3 Rock Stars (and rap ones too, I guess).
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Top 10 (Purchased or Otherwise Acquired) Albums of 2006
It's time once again for my (un)famous Top 10 list. Started last year, it compiles the Top 10 albums I purchased or otherwise acquired during the year. I don't always buy a lot of newly released albums, and somehow find myself behind the curve buying old ones. So, I have a good mix of old and new for the whole year. Because, as I always say, if I haven't heard it, it's new to me.
This year I purchased or otherwise acqured about 37 albums. Trying to narrow down the list was hard, but I think I finally managed. Admittedly, three of the albums on the list are by the same artist, but sometimes that happens, and I apologize for the, perhaps, lack of variety. But, just a thought, the albums do offer variety. It's why they're on the list. So without further ado, I give you the
Top 10 (Purchased or Otherwise Acquired) Albums of 2006
10. Augustana, All the Stars and Boulevards, (Sony 2005) – This album was added to my collection a few days before the end of 2006, and I’ve only given it a few listens, but I can tell that it’s actually a very decent album. It’s kind of pop-y but still maintains some semblance of rock (something that seemed to be lacking this year). Actually, they sort of sound like the Fray. Or the Fray sounds like them. They actually both came out around the same time. Decent lyrics, decent guitars, fun plinky pianos. It’s good. Better than a lot of what I found this year. Recommended Tracks: #4 Boston; #5 Stars and Boulevards; #9 Sunday Best.
9. Under the Influence of Giants, Under the Influence of Giants, (Island 2006) – This little gem was sort of found by accident. I won a Best Week Ever CD from Old Navy over the summer featuring UTIOG’s first single “Mama’s Room.” It was… different. It was rock, but it had this funky disco feel. It was great, refreshing. And when I purchased the album, I found out that all of their songs are the same way. The tracks on this album are new and fun. The lyrics are, at times, a little irking (like talking about having sex in your mother’s room, and enjoying the effects of the morning-after pill), but looking beyond that, you have a pretty kick-ass record. They’re also pretty cool guys (the bassist especially, haha). Recommended Tracks: #1 Ah Ha; # 2 Got Nothing; #5 Mama’s Room.
8. Radiohead, The Bends, (Capitol 1995) – Okay, I remember some of these songs. Nostalgia always plays a part in liking something. But that’s not the whole case with this album. Having always been a so-so fan of Radiohead, this album actually showed me what I was missing. The sound really does embody what I remember of the 90s, heh. The mellow but rock sound mixed with the always intriguing lyrics of Mr. Thom Yorke create an enjoyable musical experience. Great for just hanging out or driving around town. Recommended Tracks: #3 High And Dry; #4 Fake Plastic Trees; #8 My Iron Lung.
7. Travis, 12 Memories, (Sony 2003) – Another album found by accident. Browsing through the depressingly small rock collection at the local library, I came across an album by a band whom I had heard of but had never heard. Listening to it on the way home, I was reminded of the words of Chuck Klosterman (an intriguing music and pop-culture writer) when he said that Travis was just a mediocre copy of Radiohead. And that Coldplay was a mediocre copy of Travis. Well, he may be correct, but being a fan of both other bands already, Travis was a good find. The guitars are almost haunting, as are the vocals, throughout the entire album. The music provides for an almost enlightening experience. Every subsequent track seems to fit like a puzzle piece. Recommended Tracks: #1 Quicksand; # 4 Peace The Fuck Out; #10 Happy Hang Around; #11 Walking Down the Hill/Some Sad Song.
6. Editors, The Back Room, (Kitchenware 2005) – A few words come to mind when trying to describe the sound of this album. Taunting and haunting are two. Rhyming aside, these two words only begin to paint the picture that is The Back Room, the band’s debut album. And for a first effort, it is not at all disappointing. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, it’s rock the way rock should be. The music is hard and fast, loud and fervent. And the lyrics are the same. Their sound is similar to that of Doves, and perhaps even the Killers (maybe), and maybe even Radiohead (and the likes), but Editors are somehow refreshingly rock. It’s definitely an album I was glad to find (listen to the first few lines of “Munich.” My sentiments exactly). Recommended Tracks: #2 Munich; #3 Blood; #4 Fall; #7 Fingers in the Factories; #8 Bullets.
5. Josh Rouse, Subtitulo (Nettwerk Records 2006) – This is another album that barely made the cut-off. Though I had heard of Rouse in years previous, and I had heard and liked one song (not on this album), I was not too familiar with him when this album was released. After listening to a few other records, I finally decided that I was ready for the most recent, post-Rouse-moves-to-Spain album. I wasn’t really sure what I was expecting, but this wasn’t it. This is so much better. The sound is more like 2003’s 1972 than 2005’s Nashville, which makes sense seeing as Rouse now lives in Spain, where soul is in the water. The music is funky and moving, and the words are, as always, delightfully simple but incredibly insightful. Even the instrumental track gets you humming along. Recommended Tracks: #1 Quiet Town; #3 It Looks Like Love; #4 La Costa Blanca; #6 His Majesty Rides; #9 The Man Who…
4. Josh Rouse, 1972 (Rykodisc 2003) – This album was actually semi-recommended by my favorite Manifest employee. After discussing Rouse a bit and listening to some of his songs, (and being the only used Rouse CD in the joint at the time) I decided to purchase it. An outstanding mix of rock and soul, this album instantly become one of my favorites. It’s perfect for that afternoon, or late night, of just relaxing. The music is funky and mellow all at the same time, while the lyrics suggest something deeper. Metaphors of love lost and detached loneliness are worded in ways that make you think “damn, I wish I thought of that.” Recommended Tracks: #4 James; #5 Slaveship; #6 Comeback (Light Therapy); #9 Sparrows Over Birmingham; #10 Rise.
3. Damien Rice, 9, (Heffa/Vector/Warner Bros. 2006) – This album was the brilliant follow-up to Rice’s 2003 album O (#1 on last year’s list). As expected, Rice delivered with his unique brand of heartwrenching melodies and lyrics. Rice’s vocals are perfectly complimented by Lisa Hannigan’s again on this album. Together their voices are too haunting to not leave an impression. Perfection in an album, is what this is. Though most of the songs are quiet and calm, mellow, like with O, there are a few songs featured on this album that provide just a little more life, with just as astonishingly sad lyrics. Depressing is too strong a word, but sometimes that feeling is needed. And this album gives it like no other (except maybe O). Recommended Tracks: #1 9 Crimes; #3 Elephant; #4 Rootless Tree; #5 Dogs; #7 Me, My Yoke, And I.
2. Chris Whitley, Dirt Floor, (Messenger Records 1998) – Another recommendation from the record store employee (so helpful!). He handed it to me and I headed over to the little listening station set up in the store. Now this album was different. The very first track on this album starts with a twang of strings that is way more country than anything I own. But surprisingly, it’s enjoyable. Whitley’s deep voice, mostly soft and smooth, with the ever so slight rough inflection seriously cascades over the melodies. And the liner notes actually include “foot stomp” with “vocals, guitar, banjo” as Whitley’s contributions to the album. How can you not like the foot stomp? Probably one of the most enlightening albums I’ve ever heard. The lyrics, the music. Overall, and enjoyable album. I can hardly find the words. Recommended Tracks: #1 Scrapyard Lullaby; #2 Indian Summer; #5 Ballpeen Hammer; #8 Dirt Floor.
1. Josh Rouse, Nashville, (Rykodisc 2005) – What can I say about this album? I purchased a lot of Rouse albums this year (four), but this has definitely got to be my favorite. I bought it sometime in August, and it’s January of 2007 now, and I still have not grown tired of it. iTunes labels it as country, and you can definitely hear sounds indicative of the album’s namesake, but the overall sound of the album strays away from that stigma. Rouse’s sweet, but slightly raspy voice floats over the upbeat melodies. It’s the last album he recorded as a resident of the United States (though released after he had moved), and those sort of end-but-beginning emotions can be felt throughout. Though more solidly rock (and country, I suppose) than the albums previous (1972) and after (Subititulo), Nashville is invigorating while still being able to maintain a tranquil tone. It’s great music that makes you happy you’re alive to hear it. Recommended Tracks: #1 It’s The Nighttime; #3 Streelights; #4 Carolina; #6 My Love Has Gone; #8 Sad Eyes.
Honorable mentions include both Cary Brothers EPs – All the Rage and Waiting for Your Letter; Built to Spill, You In Reverse; Snow Patrol, Eyes Open.
This year I purchased or otherwise acqured about 37 albums. Trying to narrow down the list was hard, but I think I finally managed. Admittedly, three of the albums on the list are by the same artist, but sometimes that happens, and I apologize for the, perhaps, lack of variety. But, just a thought, the albums do offer variety. It's why they're on the list. So without further ado, I give you the
Top 10 (Purchased or Otherwise Acquired) Albums of 2006
10. Augustana, All the Stars and Boulevards, (Sony 2005) – This album was added to my collection a few days before the end of 2006, and I’ve only given it a few listens, but I can tell that it’s actually a very decent album. It’s kind of pop-y but still maintains some semblance of rock (something that seemed to be lacking this year). Actually, they sort of sound like the Fray. Or the Fray sounds like them. They actually both came out around the same time. Decent lyrics, decent guitars, fun plinky pianos. It’s good. Better than a lot of what I found this year. Recommended Tracks: #4 Boston; #5 Stars and Boulevards; #9 Sunday Best.
9. Under the Influence of Giants, Under the Influence of Giants, (Island 2006) – This little gem was sort of found by accident. I won a Best Week Ever CD from Old Navy over the summer featuring UTIOG’s first single “Mama’s Room.” It was… different. It was rock, but it had this funky disco feel. It was great, refreshing. And when I purchased the album, I found out that all of their songs are the same way. The tracks on this album are new and fun. The lyrics are, at times, a little irking (like talking about having sex in your mother’s room, and enjoying the effects of the morning-after pill), but looking beyond that, you have a pretty kick-ass record. They’re also pretty cool guys (the bassist especially, haha). Recommended Tracks: #1 Ah Ha; # 2 Got Nothing; #5 Mama’s Room.
8. Radiohead, The Bends, (Capitol 1995) – Okay, I remember some of these songs. Nostalgia always plays a part in liking something. But that’s not the whole case with this album. Having always been a so-so fan of Radiohead, this album actually showed me what I was missing. The sound really does embody what I remember of the 90s, heh. The mellow but rock sound mixed with the always intriguing lyrics of Mr. Thom Yorke create an enjoyable musical experience. Great for just hanging out or driving around town. Recommended Tracks: #3 High And Dry; #4 Fake Plastic Trees; #8 My Iron Lung.
7. Travis, 12 Memories, (Sony 2003) – Another album found by accident. Browsing through the depressingly small rock collection at the local library, I came across an album by a band whom I had heard of but had never heard. Listening to it on the way home, I was reminded of the words of Chuck Klosterman (an intriguing music and pop-culture writer) when he said that Travis was just a mediocre copy of Radiohead. And that Coldplay was a mediocre copy of Travis. Well, he may be correct, but being a fan of both other bands already, Travis was a good find. The guitars are almost haunting, as are the vocals, throughout the entire album. The music provides for an almost enlightening experience. Every subsequent track seems to fit like a puzzle piece. Recommended Tracks: #1 Quicksand; # 4 Peace The Fuck Out; #10 Happy Hang Around; #11 Walking Down the Hill/Some Sad Song.
6. Editors, The Back Room, (Kitchenware 2005) – A few words come to mind when trying to describe the sound of this album. Taunting and haunting are two. Rhyming aside, these two words only begin to paint the picture that is The Back Room, the band’s debut album. And for a first effort, it is not at all disappointing. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, it’s rock the way rock should be. The music is hard and fast, loud and fervent. And the lyrics are the same. Their sound is similar to that of Doves, and perhaps even the Killers (maybe), and maybe even Radiohead (and the likes), but Editors are somehow refreshingly rock. It’s definitely an album I was glad to find (listen to the first few lines of “Munich.” My sentiments exactly). Recommended Tracks: #2 Munich; #3 Blood; #4 Fall; #7 Fingers in the Factories; #8 Bullets.
5. Josh Rouse, Subtitulo (Nettwerk Records 2006) – This is another album that barely made the cut-off. Though I had heard of Rouse in years previous, and I had heard and liked one song (not on this album), I was not too familiar with him when this album was released. After listening to a few other records, I finally decided that I was ready for the most recent, post-Rouse-moves-to-Spain album. I wasn’t really sure what I was expecting, but this wasn’t it. This is so much better. The sound is more like 2003’s 1972 than 2005’s Nashville, which makes sense seeing as Rouse now lives in Spain, where soul is in the water. The music is funky and moving, and the words are, as always, delightfully simple but incredibly insightful. Even the instrumental track gets you humming along. Recommended Tracks: #1 Quiet Town; #3 It Looks Like Love; #4 La Costa Blanca; #6 His Majesty Rides; #9 The Man Who…
4. Josh Rouse, 1972 (Rykodisc 2003) – This album was actually semi-recommended by my favorite Manifest employee. After discussing Rouse a bit and listening to some of his songs, (and being the only used Rouse CD in the joint at the time) I decided to purchase it. An outstanding mix of rock and soul, this album instantly become one of my favorites. It’s perfect for that afternoon, or late night, of just relaxing. The music is funky and mellow all at the same time, while the lyrics suggest something deeper. Metaphors of love lost and detached loneliness are worded in ways that make you think “damn, I wish I thought of that.” Recommended Tracks: #4 James; #5 Slaveship; #6 Comeback (Light Therapy); #9 Sparrows Over Birmingham; #10 Rise.
3. Damien Rice, 9, (Heffa/Vector/Warner Bros. 2006) – This album was the brilliant follow-up to Rice’s 2003 album O (#1 on last year’s list). As expected, Rice delivered with his unique brand of heartwrenching melodies and lyrics. Rice’s vocals are perfectly complimented by Lisa Hannigan’s again on this album. Together their voices are too haunting to not leave an impression. Perfection in an album, is what this is. Though most of the songs are quiet and calm, mellow, like with O, there are a few songs featured on this album that provide just a little more life, with just as astonishingly sad lyrics. Depressing is too strong a word, but sometimes that feeling is needed. And this album gives it like no other (except maybe O). Recommended Tracks: #1 9 Crimes; #3 Elephant; #4 Rootless Tree; #5 Dogs; #7 Me, My Yoke, And I.
2. Chris Whitley, Dirt Floor, (Messenger Records 1998) – Another recommendation from the record store employee (so helpful!). He handed it to me and I headed over to the little listening station set up in the store. Now this album was different. The very first track on this album starts with a twang of strings that is way more country than anything I own. But surprisingly, it’s enjoyable. Whitley’s deep voice, mostly soft and smooth, with the ever so slight rough inflection seriously cascades over the melodies. And the liner notes actually include “foot stomp” with “vocals, guitar, banjo” as Whitley’s contributions to the album. How can you not like the foot stomp? Probably one of the most enlightening albums I’ve ever heard. The lyrics, the music. Overall, and enjoyable album. I can hardly find the words. Recommended Tracks: #1 Scrapyard Lullaby; #2 Indian Summer; #5 Ballpeen Hammer; #8 Dirt Floor.
1. Josh Rouse, Nashville, (Rykodisc 2005) – What can I say about this album? I purchased a lot of Rouse albums this year (four), but this has definitely got to be my favorite. I bought it sometime in August, and it’s January of 2007 now, and I still have not grown tired of it. iTunes labels it as country, and you can definitely hear sounds indicative of the album’s namesake, but the overall sound of the album strays away from that stigma. Rouse’s sweet, but slightly raspy voice floats over the upbeat melodies. It’s the last album he recorded as a resident of the United States (though released after he had moved), and those sort of end-but-beginning emotions can be felt throughout. Though more solidly rock (and country, I suppose) than the albums previous (1972) and after (Subititulo), Nashville is invigorating while still being able to maintain a tranquil tone. It’s great music that makes you happy you’re alive to hear it. Recommended Tracks: #1 It’s The Nighttime; #3 Streelights; #4 Carolina; #6 My Love Has Gone; #8 Sad Eyes.
Honorable mentions include both Cary Brothers EPs – All the Rage and Waiting for Your Letter; Built to Spill, You In Reverse; Snow Patrol, Eyes Open.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)