Warning: This post contains incredibly non-masculine music, but there is no doubt it is beautiful work....
Ok... so now that we have that out of the way.... For some reason, I am a big fan of female vocals laid over some form of house/trance/electronic whatever, and I think you can best describe the root of that coming from Imogen Heap. It is just something that has always been able to send a chill down my spine.. I am of course completely aware that this music does not coincide with my incredible manliness which I display with my each and every action on a daily basis... BUT I am going to go ahead and bite the bullet on this one, and throw some tracks out there for some folks that MIGHT also like this type of music. I would go so far as to say that only a man who is comfortable in his manliness can afford to admit his fondness for such music. haha
Well start with John O'Callaghan. I am pretty sure this track was handed to me by someone else, who I won't name in order to preserve their manliness as well. I have heard some of the other mixes of this tune, and they are... not good. Why send an amateur when you can send Marcus Schossow. The guy is a remix genius. So naturally he put together a remix of John O'Callaghan's track Take it all Away. You will have to of course excuse the first minute or so of it, because for some reason when you do a remix there is some unwritten law that you have to inject 10 minutes of some asinine repetitive drum beat. Lame. If you would like to skip through all that crap... might I suggest the 2:00 mark, where the song starts getting into the meat of it.
JOHN O'CALLAGHAN (MARCUS SCHOSSOW REMIX) - TAKE IT ALL AWAY
Speaking of Marcus Schossow, how could we forget his Progressia (Sommar) track. This thing has a truly incredible beat, and he does some really interesting things that I just love having come straight through my ear-buds. I remember spending quite a bit of time listening to this on the treadmill. For some reason it makes me want to go running?
MARCUS SCHOSSOW - PROGRESIA - SOMMAR
Nasty....
Luminary is another one of those female vocals groups that makes me want to turn up the volume. Their track Amsterdam is the only one I have heard of theirs, but it really is a beautiful piece of work. Of course you have to get passed the trance aspects of it, and pay attention to how smoothly it is produced. Some of the sonic combinations are really impressive. Again, the first two minutes are ALMOST a complete throw-away.
LUMINARY - AMSTERDAM
The Thrillseekers are a relatively well known group. They have done quite a few famous remixes, but nothing really compares to their work on Waiting Here for You. This is again a female vocals jam, and though this isn't one of the better ones I have ever heard, it was good enough for me to download it at one point in time. I am a big fan of the almost ghostly electric guitar layer they throw in there. When its coupled with the percussion-like baseline, it sounds pretty tight.
THE THRILLSEEKERS - WAITING HERE FOR YOU (FEAT. ARUNA)
So let's see here, what's next... Oh yes.. Kaskade and Deadmau5. You have probably heard of both, but you are more likely to have heard of Deadmau5. The guy is a genius, and I have heard his shows are bad... and by bad I mean bad ass, Michael Jackson BAD. He teamed up with Kaskade to bring a couple sweet female vocals remixes to the forefront. These are both pretty well known "club beats", but then again we don't really hear this kind of stuff in the states. And don't get me wrong ladies and gentlemen... I love me some Waka Flocka Flame.. Again, please pardon the first 2 minutes...
KASKADE & DEADMAU5 - I REMEMBER
KASKADE & DEADMAU5 - MOVE FOR ME
Video number two is very strange, but has some babes...
And here we have Hybrid. These guys are VERY well known in the trance world, and I think are responsible for my first entree into this type of music. They had a pretty neat little ditty in Blackout (Y4K Edit). That tune takes a very long time to take off, but when it finally does, it is worth hearing. Some of the harmonies and dark and dirty baselines are just too good to miss. Again, this music isn't for everyone, but this is a sick song in the classical trance sense. The 5:00 mark is the place to be on this tune, and you just catch the last half of it from there. It has incredible harmonies, and whoever is singing has a really beautiful voice. 7:15 is where it really shines.
HYBRID - BLACKOUT (Y4K Edit)
Last but not least we have iiO, who was best known for their release of Rapture. But in this case we are going to look at a little track called Runaway. This song just has a pretty interesting baseline, and for some reason I really like their lead singers voice. She has a really smooth quality to her. I like that it is kind of dark, and I love the overlays during the chorus. Pretty nice song if you ask me.
iiO - RUNAWAY (ORIGINAL SERENITY MIX)
Hope you enjoyed some of that. I don't know what it is that gets me about this type of stuff, but I can't help but seek it out with some regularity.
Now can I have my man-card back?.... Please???
Thanks for stopping in.
-CS
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Quick Hits - A couple soothing tunes for the people
I went searching back into the annals of my Pandora history to pick up a tune that I had long forgotten about. I was looking for a couple nice and easy links for all you good people out there (all seven of you). I remember hearing Emancipator
one day, and then trying desperately to find the song 'Wolf Drawn', luckily it showed up on the Youtubes, and for that reason I can bring it to you now. I was unable to find it anywhere else with the exception of purchasing the album.
Wolf Drawn
is this incredibly dreamy track with a really nice guitar riff layer that I grew quite fond of immediately. There aren't any vocals (shocker, I know), but there are a lot of cool and interesting sounds going on in there. I think of it as a sweet jam for when you are doing something that requires some concentration. I am currently writing this while listening to it... so there ya go.
Before I go on dragging this out too much, I haven't really heard that much of Emancipator, but my guess is that they have some really quality downtempo stuff. I will of course check back in with some more quality finds if I get a hold of them. For now, without further ado...
EMANCIPATOR - WOLF DRAWN
The other tune I wanted to throw up here was from the soundtrack of Solaris
, which was written and produced by Cliff Martinez. I am absolutely stunned by how beautiful this track is, especially around the 1:10 mark. If you have not seen the movie Solaris, I would of course suggest you do. I am captivated by the bell sound that he somehow created for this piece, and he creates some really interesting wind-chime-like sounds as well that compliment the bells. I think this is probably one of the most beautiful soundtrack pieces I have heard in a long time, and it really does an incredible job of capturing the emotional context of Solaris. I am also obsessed with the harmonies that are created between all the aforementioned sounds, the strings quartet and the bass track. I am actually going to be trying to "remix" this in some capacity, as I am... like I said... obsessed with it. Give it a listen!
CLIFF MARTINEZ - FIRST SLEEP
Just a quick couple pieces I wanted to throw your way. You never know where musical inspiration can come from. I have learned to try and hear as much stuff as I can to try and hone what I would like my sound to be. Of course the best way to find your sound, is to just do it.. and I hope to ramp that back up here and get some more work on Statefantry done.
Hope you liked.
-CS
one day, and then trying desperately to find the song 'Wolf Drawn', luckily it showed up on the Youtubes, and for that reason I can bring it to you now. I was unable to find it anywhere else with the exception of purchasing the album. Wolf Drawn
is this incredibly dreamy track with a really nice guitar riff layer that I grew quite fond of immediately. There aren't any vocals (shocker, I know), but there are a lot of cool and interesting sounds going on in there. I think of it as a sweet jam for when you are doing something that requires some concentration. I am currently writing this while listening to it... so there ya go. Before I go on dragging this out too much, I haven't really heard that much of Emancipator, but my guess is that they have some really quality downtempo stuff. I will of course check back in with some more quality finds if I get a hold of them. For now, without further ado...
EMANCIPATOR - WOLF DRAWN
The other tune I wanted to throw up here was from the soundtrack of Solaris
, which was written and produced by Cliff Martinez. I am absolutely stunned by how beautiful this track is, especially around the 1:10 mark. If you have not seen the movie Solaris, I would of course suggest you do. I am captivated by the bell sound that he somehow created for this piece, and he creates some really interesting wind-chime-like sounds as well that compliment the bells. I think this is probably one of the most beautiful soundtrack pieces I have heard in a long time, and it really does an incredible job of capturing the emotional context of Solaris. I am also obsessed with the harmonies that are created between all the aforementioned sounds, the strings quartet and the bass track. I am actually going to be trying to "remix" this in some capacity, as I am... like I said... obsessed with it. Give it a listen!CLIFF MARTINEZ - FIRST SLEEP
Just a quick couple pieces I wanted to throw your way. You never know where musical inspiration can come from. I have learned to try and hear as much stuff as I can to try and hone what I would like my sound to be. Of course the best way to find your sound, is to just do it.. and I hope to ramp that back up here and get some more work on Statefantry done.
Hope you liked.
-CS
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Massive Attack - Part 3 of the Trip Hop Series
This is part three of the "old" trip-hop series I had started doing a little while back. Massive Attack has been around since the beginning, and may even be credited as being the first big trip-hop act. They are responsible for some of the biggest successes the genre has ever seen, and they have many of their works in movies, of which I heard one just the other night.
MASSIVE ATTACK
Massive Attack started in 1988 in Bristol, England with Robert Del Naja and Grant Marshall; which once again highlights that the genre originated there. They obviously have a very heavy electronic influence, and their down-tempo and hip-hop like beats helped create a genre that was followed up by bands like Portishead and Sneaker Pimps. As a matter of fact Portishead was essentially formed as a result of Geoff Barrow being present at the Massive Attack recording of Blue Lines
, which is their most famous album. They were well known for having picked great vocalists to lay down tracks on their albums, and gained great acclaim for it. They have apparently been a fairly volatile band ever since their early success, and have had a few problems staying together. They have in more recent years worked separately on different projects.
I have been listening to these guys for years after hearing a song of theirs in a movie once. I then started exploring the genre a bit more when I heard Portishead, and that led me back to Massive attack for some more incredible tracks. Shall we check some of those out??
-Teardrop
-
Though it is hard to tell which of their works is most famous, this song has been used in soundtracks, and may potentially be the most familiar to those that hadn't heard of the group before! Try not to be creeped out by the video..
-What Your Soul Sings
-
This is a rather dark tune, but in being eerie it also has some very beautiful and deep qualities. I am very fond of this track, and it is one that I personally own.
-Angel
-
Again a very dark and deep track, and this track has been used in so many movies it is even hard to count at this point. I heard it just the other day on the movie "Antitrust", which is a rather silly flick, but Angel was on there!
-Future Proof
-
Dark and deep, I guess that is the name of the game isn't it? This is another tune I had heard before, and it has some pretty interesting and creative elements to it. I just love their sound.. not sure how they make it happen..
-Black Milk
-
Another one of their classics. This one just has an incredibly sick beat, and ethereal vocals. Love this little diddy.
If this has sparked your interest, be sure to check out their albums; Mezzanine, 100th Window
& Blue Lines. They aren't the only good ones, but they all have some really incredible work on them.
Hope you enjoyed the third and final trip-hop installment, and I am glad to finally get it all out there for those that have never heard of the genre! My hope is that if I put the originators out there for people who haven't heard it, they may have interest in checking it out even further!
Cheers!
-CS
MASSIVE ATTACK
Massive Attack started in 1988 in Bristol, England with Robert Del Naja and Grant Marshall; which once again highlights that the genre originated there. They obviously have a very heavy electronic influence, and their down-tempo and hip-hop like beats helped create a genre that was followed up by bands like Portishead and Sneaker Pimps. As a matter of fact Portishead was essentially formed as a result of Geoff Barrow being present at the Massive Attack recording of Blue Lines
, which is their most famous album. They were well known for having picked great vocalists to lay down tracks on their albums, and gained great acclaim for it. They have apparently been a fairly volatile band ever since their early success, and have had a few problems staying together. They have in more recent years worked separately on different projects.I have been listening to these guys for years after hearing a song of theirs in a movie once. I then started exploring the genre a bit more when I heard Portishead, and that led me back to Massive attack for some more incredible tracks. Shall we check some of those out??
-Teardrop
-Though it is hard to tell which of their works is most famous, this song has been used in soundtracks, and may potentially be the most familiar to those that hadn't heard of the group before! Try not to be creeped out by the video..
-What Your Soul Sings
-This is a rather dark tune, but in being eerie it also has some very beautiful and deep qualities. I am very fond of this track, and it is one that I personally own.
-Angel
-Again a very dark and deep track, and this track has been used in so many movies it is even hard to count at this point. I heard it just the other day on the movie "Antitrust", which is a rather silly flick, but Angel was on there!
-Future Proof
-Dark and deep, I guess that is the name of the game isn't it? This is another tune I had heard before, and it has some pretty interesting and creative elements to it. I just love their sound.. not sure how they make it happen..
-Black Milk
-Another one of their classics. This one just has an incredibly sick beat, and ethereal vocals. Love this little diddy.
If this has sparked your interest, be sure to check out their albums; Mezzanine
, 100th Window & Blue Lines. They aren't the only good ones, but they all have some really incredible work on them.Hope you enjoyed the third and final trip-hop installment, and I am glad to finally get it all out there for those that have never heard of the genre! My hope is that if I put the originators out there for people who haven't heard it, they may have interest in checking it out even further!
Cheers!
-CS
EOTO, STS9, Zilla, Kyle Hollingsworth - Memories of Denver
I wanted to throw a post up that in many ways recounted the vast majority of my musical experiences while living in Denver, CO for a year. I remember moving out to Denver shortly after I graduated college, and I was fortunate enough to rekindle some great friendships from my childhood. In doing so, I had the pleasure of accompanying said friends to a bunch of jam-band concerts at Red Rocks, The Ogden, The Fillmore, Boulder Theatre, The Fox, The Bluebird Theater & Cervantes! Yes indeed, we went to a lot of concerts, and it was an absolutely amazing time. We of course saw many different acts, but these were the ones that stood out in my memory as having the most lasting impression.
EOTO (Elephants Only Talk Occasionally)
This little duo is a spin-off from The String Cheese Incident, made up of Michael Travis and Jason Hann. It is on the illustrious SCI Fidelity Records, of which my good friend is a faithful employee. She was also the ticket-angel, and the one we were so often piggy-backing into shows with (thank you for all of that AH!). These guys are an electronic act that prides itself on improvisation, and they really let it fly... on the fly when they are on stage. I have seen it live three or four times, and it is really a unique show every single time. I am not even sure they play the same song the same way more than once, which is reminiscent of many jazz/blues ensembles you see playing the smokey lounges in major cities. They really do put on an incredible show.
-Mission-
This is probably my favorite song from the self-titled album EOTO. I love the swift guitar work, and then the haunting reverb that takes over in the middle really rounds it all out.
They have three recorded albums that are pretty interesting examples of their work, but they also do a fantastic job of getting around the touring scene. They are actually playing in Bellefontaine, OH here on 9/9/11 at a small festival. Not sure how far that is, but won't be able to go due to an awesome wedding coming up!
STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector Nine)
I think the night before I went to see these guys I kept having to ask my buddy what their name was. I kept thinking it was "Spaceballs" for some reason, and that became a running joke for a while. This five man band is one of the better known touring jam bands, and will be coming to Cincinnati on 10/14/11 at the Madison Theatre. I have seen them in concert at Red Rocks, and it was an absolutely phenomenal show. I actually remember seeing a fire twirler accidentally let go of one of his gas-filled ball-on-chain things, and it floated down 20 rows, hit a girl in the back, she turned and looked at it, and turned back around as if nothing had happened. I guess that is sort of a hint at the kind of super-laid-back (almost too much) people you may meet at an STS9 concert. I know I would have flipped a lid if I got hit with a fire ball, especially if I had hair down to my waist. But I digress... I have been really fond of STS9 since, and really enjoy recalling all the good times I had at their concerts when I throw a CD of theirs in. They don't have many recorded CDs, and are more known for handing out great recordings of their live shows.
-Be Nice
-
This is the song I always seem to go nuts for when I hear it live. I absolutely love the introduction, and the deep punishing baseline that continually hits the down-beat in different spots of the intro layer. I just think it is a really REALLY cool sounding song.
As I said, they are mostly known for their live work, and when they get in the studio it seems to change their sound in a way that I can't expressly say is for better or for worse. I got to know them live, and as a result have decided that is the way I would like to keep them.
ZILLA
This is another String Cheese Incident off-shoot with Michael Travis at the helm. This is a band that seems to focus pretty heavily on the dulcimer, which is an instrument that Joni Mitchell helped to make famous. They really do a nice job of centering their work around it, and it is such a unique sound, that it in turn gives Zilla a sound they can call their own. Once again this is a very improvisational band, and one that tends to focus on a bit more of an acoustic sound-scape.
-Spokes
-
Definitely my favorite of their songs. I really think this is just a beautiful song, and it really highlights the importance of the dulcimer. This is from their all iZ album which is really a pretty interesting album if you get a chance to check it out.
Couldn't find anything on youtube, so how about a MySpace embed?? lol...
KYLE HOLLINGSWORTH
This guy is just an incredible jazz pianist. There is no other way to say it. He has some influences from many different types of music, but I would say for the most part he focuses on jazz and some blues. He is also very improvisational like his other jam band buddies, and he puts on one hell of a show. I saw this guy at The Fox, and it was an absolutely wonderful show, and he is one to really connect with the crowd and involve them as well.
-The Arc
-
This is just a really cool song, and it is my favorite off of his Never Odd or Even album. It almost sounds like some theme song from a Bond movie, but nevertheless, its awesome. Again I had to MySpace it... doh..
Hope you all enjoyed a little taste of jam band heaven. If anyone is ever interested in going to a show, these guys all seem to make it around these parts a lot. You can track them on jambase.com!
Thanks for stopping through!
-CS
EOTO (Elephants Only Talk Occasionally)
This little duo is a spin-off from The String Cheese Incident, made up of Michael Travis and Jason Hann. It is on the illustrious SCI Fidelity Records, of which my good friend is a faithful employee. She was also the ticket-angel, and the one we were so often piggy-backing into shows with (thank you for all of that AH!). These guys are an electronic act that prides itself on improvisation, and they really let it fly... on the fly when they are on stage. I have seen it live three or four times, and it is really a unique show every single time. I am not even sure they play the same song the same way more than once, which is reminiscent of many jazz/blues ensembles you see playing the smokey lounges in major cities. They really do put on an incredible show.
-Mission-
This is probably my favorite song from the self-titled album EOTO. I love the swift guitar work, and then the haunting reverb that takes over in the middle really rounds it all out.
They have three recorded albums that are pretty interesting examples of their work, but they also do a fantastic job of getting around the touring scene. They are actually playing in Bellefontaine, OH here on 9/9/11 at a small festival. Not sure how far that is, but won't be able to go due to an awesome wedding coming up!
STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector Nine)
I think the night before I went to see these guys I kept having to ask my buddy what their name was. I kept thinking it was "Spaceballs" for some reason, and that became a running joke for a while. This five man band is one of the better known touring jam bands, and will be coming to Cincinnati on 10/14/11 at the Madison Theatre. I have seen them in concert at Red Rocks, and it was an absolutely phenomenal show. I actually remember seeing a fire twirler accidentally let go of one of his gas-filled ball-on-chain things, and it floated down 20 rows, hit a girl in the back, she turned and looked at it, and turned back around as if nothing had happened. I guess that is sort of a hint at the kind of super-laid-back (almost too much) people you may meet at an STS9 concert. I know I would have flipped a lid if I got hit with a fire ball, especially if I had hair down to my waist. But I digress... I have been really fond of STS9 since, and really enjoy recalling all the good times I had at their concerts when I throw a CD of theirs in. They don't have many recorded CDs, and are more known for handing out great recordings of their live shows.
-Be Nice
-This is the song I always seem to go nuts for when I hear it live. I absolutely love the introduction, and the deep punishing baseline that continually hits the down-beat in different spots of the intro layer. I just think it is a really REALLY cool sounding song.
As I said, they are mostly known for their live work, and when they get in the studio it seems to change their sound in a way that I can't expressly say is for better or for worse. I got to know them live, and as a result have decided that is the way I would like to keep them.
ZILLA
This is another String Cheese Incident off-shoot with Michael Travis at the helm. This is a band that seems to focus pretty heavily on the dulcimer, which is an instrument that Joni Mitchell helped to make famous. They really do a nice job of centering their work around it, and it is such a unique sound, that it in turn gives Zilla a sound they can call their own. Once again this is a very improvisational band, and one that tends to focus on a bit more of an acoustic sound-scape.
-Spokes
-Definitely my favorite of their songs. I really think this is just a beautiful song, and it really highlights the importance of the dulcimer. This is from their all iZ album which is really a pretty interesting album if you get a chance to check it out.
Couldn't find anything on youtube, so how about a MySpace embed?? lol...
KYLE HOLLINGSWORTH
This guy is just an incredible jazz pianist. There is no other way to say it. He has some influences from many different types of music, but I would say for the most part he focuses on jazz and some blues. He is also very improvisational like his other jam band buddies, and he puts on one hell of a show. I saw this guy at The Fox, and it was an absolutely wonderful show, and he is one to really connect with the crowd and involve them as well.
-The Arc
-This is just a really cool song, and it is my favorite off of his Never Odd or Even album. It almost sounds like some theme song from a Bond movie, but nevertheless, its awesome. Again I had to MySpace it... doh..
Hope you all enjoyed a little taste of jam band heaven. If anyone is ever interested in going to a show, these guys all seem to make it around these parts a lot. You can track them on jambase.com!
Thanks for stopping through!
-CS
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Gramatik - Funky Beats Son..
Ahh yes... the beauty of an open music forum... Another jammy gem from my good man (let's call him Mr. AK). I had been meaning to get this guy up here for quite a while because I was just blown away by one of his tracks I heard. It was such a SICK jam. No other way to say that... Will you get to hear it? Of course you will... don't ask silly questions.
This guy is tied in pretty closely to Pretty Lights who has been gaining a ton of popularity as of late, and has been around the scene for quite some time. Apparently he is from Slovenia, and has been jammin since the age of three, when his mother used to have to take the radio away from him. He is, much like Pretty Lights, an incredible sampler. They both can pull from so many different sonic sources, and really make it all meld together perfectly. Mixer magicians... I was caught by some of his hip-hop like grooves that he ended up putting a bluesy spin on. I had heard a few people who were able to pull it off, but Gramatik is just that much better than the rest in that respect. Have a listen!
-Orchestrated Incident-
I guess the question is... did he just hip-hopify classical music? Yes he did. When I first heard this, I was thinking, oh boy... this is about to get awesome. When the beat drops, you are just sitting there amazed at what just occurred.
-Stairway to Heaven-
Did he seriously just remix the Led Zeppelin classic? Correct. And he nailed it. This is a really incredible hip-hop rendition of one of the most well known songs ever recorded. Check it out.
Hope you liked, and as always, comments and other suggestions welcomed!
Thanks for stopping in!
-CS
GRAMATIK
This guy is tied in pretty closely to Pretty Lights who has been gaining a ton of popularity as of late, and has been around the scene for quite some time. Apparently he is from Slovenia, and has been jammin since the age of three, when his mother used to have to take the radio away from him. He is, much like Pretty Lights, an incredible sampler. They both can pull from so many different sonic sources, and really make it all meld together perfectly. Mixer magicians... I was caught by some of his hip-hop like grooves that he ended up putting a bluesy spin on. I had heard a few people who were able to pull it off, but Gramatik is just that much better than the rest in that respect. Have a listen!
-Just Jammin'-
This song is... awesome. You would have to be kidding yourself if you weren't groovin sitting there listening to this. Lush guitar riffs, catchy beats, and an overall wicked tune. I loved the bluesy/jammy elements over top of the hip-hop beats. It's like underground hip-hop without all the yelling... in my freakin' eardrum... Simple base piano line, but a lot of action on top of it.
-Orchestrated Incident-
I guess the question is... did he just hip-hopify classical music? Yes he did. When I first heard this, I was thinking, oh boy... this is about to get awesome. When the beat drops, you are just sitting there amazed at what just occurred.
-Stairway to Heaven-
Did he seriously just remix the Led Zeppelin classic? Correct. And he nailed it. This is a really incredible hip-hop rendition of one of the most well known songs ever recorded. Check it out.
Hope you liked, and as always, comments and other suggestions welcomed!
Thanks for stopping in!
-CS
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Fleet Foxes & Bon Iver - The Gift of Foxes From A Fox
Had a great band suggested to me a couple days ago. I had been told about these guys before by my cousin in D.C., but I guess in some ways the true credit goes to those who actually get me to listen to the band they suggest, sorry cuz! The band I am referring to is Fleet Foxes
, and it was passed onto me by my incredibly good looking "Windy City" music consultant. She labeled them a mix between Simon and Garfunkel and C.S.N.Y (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, for those of you in the slow lane). You can of course be the judge as to whether this is the case when you listen to these guys, but I would definitely say you won't be disappointed.
FLEET FOXES
They sort of look like a traveling Amish troupe of thespians, but these guys are no such thing. They are a folksy and almost blue-grass type group in their approach, but they don't have any of the country-like attributes. They have a very smooth and rich sound, something akin to Local Natives, but a little more lethargic... and I'm not saying these guys are lazy. They are really an incredible and refreshing sound, and something that I have only grown to like even more the more I listen to it. So enough jabbering, let's get to the music..
-Montezuma
-
This is a tantalizing tune. Lots of beautiful harmonization, and an interesting time signature. It is definitely one of my favorites from their Helplessness Blues album. Absolutely love the lead singer's voice, I am always amazed at people who can successfully sing without any vibrato.
-Bedouin Dress
-
This I think might be my favorite. This is just a really solid song, and something that I have been listening to a ton. I love how much depth these guys get from melding a whole host of acoustic instruments. It's a sort of 60's - 70's throwback that is so necessary in a time where everything is almost too perfect in it's electronic package. Which I know is funny coming from me.
-Mykonos
-
I love this little diddy as well. One of the comments on youtube is "I'm just gonna fill my mp3 player with Fleet Foxes music and go lay down in the middle of the forest looking up at the stars. In that moment, everything will be OK." Hahah, right on flower-child, right there with ya.
-Sim Sala Bim
-
Just a really beautiful track, and another one of my favorites so far.
If you want to check out some more Fleet Foxes, I would suggest doing so. These guys have some real staying power.
Now on to Bon Iver!
BON IVER
A native from Wisconsin, Justin Vernon is the man behind the Bon Iver
mask. Bon Iver of course translating to "good winter" from Fraunnnnch huh-huh-huh. His steely guitar work and wailing vocals are what really make him shine. This was another pick by my windy city correspondent, and another good one at that. Oddly enough Vernon has worked with the likes of Kanye West on a few tracks (odd, I know..). I think he really has some unique and inspiring work. He has this somewhat vinyl quality to a lot of his tracks, and he must filter his guitar work in some fashion, because it all sounds muffled a bit. No matter how you slice it, I was impressed.
-Skinny Love
-
I love the steely quality of the guitar, and it just sounds like a really sweet folk love song. Definitely worth a listen. I'm also a fan of the vocals multi-tracking.
-Perth
-
This is a really beautiful song, and the one that really caught me when I went to check this guy out. I feel like it should be on the soundtrack from Friday Night Lights or something. Explosions in the Sky eat your heart out.
Hope you all enjoyed, and of course comments and other suggestions welcome! Have a wonderful Thursday!
-CS
, and it was passed onto me by my incredibly good looking "Windy City" music consultant. She labeled them a mix between Simon and Garfunkel and C.S.N.Y (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, for those of you in the slow lane). You can of course be the judge as to whether this is the case when you listen to these guys, but I would definitely say you won't be disappointed.
FLEET FOXES
They sort of look like a traveling Amish troupe of thespians, but these guys are no such thing. They are a folksy and almost blue-grass type group in their approach, but they don't have any of the country-like attributes. They have a very smooth and rich sound, something akin to Local Natives, but a little more lethargic... and I'm not saying these guys are lazy. They are really an incredible and refreshing sound, and something that I have only grown to like even more the more I listen to it. So enough jabbering, let's get to the music..
-Montezuma
-This is a tantalizing tune. Lots of beautiful harmonization, and an interesting time signature. It is definitely one of my favorites from their Helplessness Blues
album. Absolutely love the lead singer's voice, I am always amazed at people who can successfully sing without any vibrato.-Bedouin Dress
-This I think might be my favorite. This is just a really solid song, and something that I have been listening to a ton. I love how much depth these guys get from melding a whole host of acoustic instruments. It's a sort of 60's - 70's throwback that is so necessary in a time where everything is almost too perfect in it's electronic package. Which I know is funny coming from me.
-Mykonos
-I love this little diddy as well. One of the comments on youtube is "I'm just gonna fill my mp3 player with Fleet Foxes music and go lay down in the middle of the forest looking up at the stars. In that moment, everything will be OK." Hahah, right on flower-child, right there with ya.
-Sim Sala Bim
-Just a really beautiful track, and another one of my favorites so far.
If you want to check out some more Fleet Foxes, I would suggest doing so. These guys have some real staying power.
Now on to Bon Iver!
BON IVER
A native from Wisconsin, Justin Vernon is the man behind the Bon Iver
mask. Bon Iver of course translating to "good winter" from Fraunnnnch huh-huh-huh. His steely guitar work and wailing vocals are what really make him shine. This was another pick by my windy city correspondent, and another good one at that. Oddly enough Vernon has worked with the likes of Kanye West on a few tracks (odd, I know..). I think he really has some unique and inspiring work. He has this somewhat vinyl quality to a lot of his tracks, and he must filter his guitar work in some fashion, because it all sounds muffled a bit. No matter how you slice it, I was impressed.-Skinny Love
-I love the steely quality of the guitar, and it just sounds like a really sweet folk love song. Definitely worth a listen. I'm also a fan of the vocals multi-tracking.
-Perth
-This is a really beautiful song, and the one that really caught me when I went to check this guy out. I feel like it should be on the soundtrack from Friday Night Lights or something. Explosions in the Sky eat your heart out.
Hope you all enjoyed, and of course comments and other suggestions welcome! Have a wonderful Thursday!
-CS
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)