Won't Get Fooled Again

After explaining to a friend, somewhat ashamed, that I barely knew any of The Who's stuff, (and after enduring the incredulous remarks that one gets when he admits he doesn't know much about The Who) I went on youtube and watched a clip of the legendary rock band playing live on a 60's talk show. My friend sent me the link to this infamous live performance, where overzealous pyrotechnics are rumored to have gone off in guitarist/crazy man Pete Townshend's ear, subsequently making him hear a constant ringing for 3 straight weeks. Now, I don't know if this is true, but I do know that their live performance captivated me more than the anthemic 'My Generation' (slap yourself if you thought of Limp Bizkit while reading that). They went nucking futs man! Pete completely obliterated his guitar, cabinet, amp, speakers the whole shebang, and I couldn't look away. It was then I realized for myself, why these guys are pretty special.

We give technology a lot of crap these days, but without the... general usefulness/uselessness (I can't decide) of being able to watch just about anything on youtube, I don't think I would've been so hard hit with the revelation of just how awesome The Who are. Notoriously famous for being a live act that was hard to top, it was only fitting that my first experience (where I actually wanted to sit through and listen to a whole song of theirs) was of them in their element - the stage in front of a live audience. I think it was fate that the next song I looked up was 'Won't Get Fooled Again'. Almost 10 minutes of sheer Rock n Roll, there's simply no other way to describe it. From vocalist Roger Daltrey's commanding stage presence and rugged vocals and ring leader-esque swinging of the microphone, to Pete Townshend's almost assuredly drug induced hippy hops across the stage, whilst not forgetting bassist John Entwistle's motionless grooving bass playing and Keith Moon's pounding and pulsing drums, watching any of The Who's live clips is bound to bring the viewer to a state of awestruck giddiness that is so rare these days. 

I'm off to listen/watch more of The Who. Check this video, if you haven't seen it, you'll be blown away, guaranteed. 

Won't Get Fooled Again

Who'd a thunk it?

I'm gonna say it here, because I need to get this off my chest. I am being 100% serious when I say that...thenewcoldplayalbumisactuallyreallycool! Phew. Had to let it out. It's true, the new Coldplay album, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends. Its currently streaming on their myspace ahead of its release in mid-June (you need to have a myspace account to access the stream). I've never owned any music by Coldplay before, and have often made jokes and equated listening to Coldplay with raging homosexuality (ala Seth Rogan and Paul Rudd in The 40 Year Old Virgin),  so believe me when I say I am completely and utterly shocked that I've really enjoyed the 2 or 3 plays through this album I've had today. 

I've already copped shit from all my friends ('Go listen to Creed while you're at it!' and just the oh-so-powerful head shake), but I won't budge on my position that it is a good record. As I'm typing this, I've come to the album closer 'Death and All His Friends' and am already looking forward to listening to it again in its entirety and dissecting what exactly it is that makes me like this album as much as I do. It might have something to do with Brian Eno being tapped in to help produce this one, or the fact that they are good musicians. Or maybe I'm getting soft, or more open minded. Whatever the reason, I'm glad I can appreciate this album. With tracks that are imbued with jagged rock guitar, epic and beautiful ambiance, the surprise use of eastern instrumentation and Chris Martin's distinguishable vocals, I'll definitely be picking this album up when it becomes available. Guilty pleasure? I feel no shame in liking and appreciating the work of a band unafraid to experiment outside the niche the public has carved for them.

Stream here!

(there will be a link there to listen to the new album, you have to be logged into a myspace account to stream the new album)

The tastes, they are a' changing

Lately, as in today and yesterday, I've been into the slick, laid back and percussive hip hop beats found in artists like CYNE and Jahbitat's music.

The former, a rap group from Gainesville, Florida (Against Me!'s home town) consists of two MC's and two producers (I believe), with thoughtful and *gasp* sometimes politically tinged lyrical content to compliment. To be honest, I haven't grasped the meaning of most of the 

lyrics/listened enough to tell you how well these two MC's spit, and if it really is intelligent subject matter, but that should be evidence of how engaging the actual music is. Not lame, rehashed samples from hit songs that were big 30 years ago (ahem KANYE, TIMBALAND), but noodling acoustic guitar and bongo break downs found on the excellent track 400 years, or the upbeat piano found on the cheerful song Maintain. To be fair, from the lines that do standout, one can be assured the subject matter is far from the 'Where my bitches at/HUWHAAAT/get crunk' drivel some MC's spit and have the audacity to claim as 'gangsta shit'; talking about

living life, shots at mainstream music and the like are just some topics CYNE touch on. CYNE, which appropriately stands for Cultivate Your New Experience, bring a fresh take on the stale genre hip hop has become (in the mainstream). Devoid of idiotic gimmicks, ridiculously stupid subject matter and unfortunately, the publics eye, they stand a head above other artists in the sputtering genre - for those who know about them. Spread the word!

Looking at Jahbitat's myspace, you can already tell this guy isn't...well...normal. A quick look at his interests will quickly affirm this, if the picture of shaggy Simon Williams-among-the-weeds didn't tip you off yet. If your music is influences are as diverse as his, from narwhals to mountain goats and tapirs, your music better be organic, earthy and soothing to reflect that. Which he does, quite effectively. I stumbled across Jahbitat's page through CYNE's myspace, and after letting the instrumental music play in the background while I looked up funny pictures on the interwebz, I realized I had found the perfect background music. Soothing, and not at all imposing itself on the listener, I believe Simon Williams (or rather Jahbitat, his real name doesn't seem to suit the stripped, down-to-earth nature of his music. Bad puns ahoy!) has created music that truly reflects the very essence of nature and how we see it in our modern, changing world - constantly soothing in the background and not imposing in the slightest, but upon further inspection, amazing and almost ethereal in its beauty. 

With all the wonders and creations in our world, we sometimes take for granted the scenery, in favor of the convenience of the streets and skyscrapers we frequent, but there are moments of pure bliss we get from truly appreciating nature, and this unique artists awakens and replicates this appreciation in us through his music. While some of his tracks muddle on, there are instances where you are taken aback - beautiful piano melodies, mixed with driving hip hop beats leaves the listener awestruck, which is an amazing feat for any artist. My initial impressions of this artist are just from the tracks on Jahbitat's myspace, but if I ever get a hold on an album of his, I'll write up my thoughts about it. I'm sure I won't be disappointed.

I think the lesson today, which many of you already know, is that if you dig deep enough, treasures underground surface and surprise you - and I know the work it takes to dig up and uncover the artists is paid back tenfold by the satisfaction of spreading the word about their music.