Cheap Thrills

Emotional memory, going through the paces, what my heart is used to telling me to do - the highs I've reached before come easy. Cheap thrills

We've All Been There

smelling of the night you so desparately try and lose yourself into, you try and escape into it, now your bed sheets are in on it, the smell, that smell, smelling like that smell that you dont wanna smell. the memories are laced with nicotine and tar, jack daniels and lager, jogging your memory harder and harder, and when you close your heads and lie on your bed, the best part of your night comes, the dream less sleep. and in this sleep of an ebony blanket we find peace through questionable means, illicit materials craft things more beautiful and pure than we ever 'thought' possible. 

the sweetest part is the dreamless sleep. shot after shot, drink after drink that push you towards the bathroom sink, hands on the porcelain, shaky foundation, questioning life and all its creations, the thoughts, the patterns, why were in the situation were in, then back out the doors, lumbering to indulge our next greatest sin. You're moving is slowed, your mind gets off the gas, and stops you from recounting that painful past - everyone's hardships go out the door and the easiest solution is to pour some more.

- spoken like an alcoholic, man

Braintoy - Sheep

(I'm having a hard time uploading pictures, sorry for the poor quality)

Braintoy, the progressive rock four piece, released their debut LP in April of this year. They also released this bomb cover of Pink Floyd's epic prog jam, Sheep (which is free to download in high quality mp3/mp4 format from this page). 

Let me just say that there's no bigger turn off with a band then watching them suck the big one in a live setting. I remember watching Mudvayne (in my defense, L.D. 50 had it's moments ok?) play live on the Conan O'Brien show. I turned it off 1 minute into their performance of 'Happy?' and have not touched a Mudvayne CD since. You want to know the musicians can actually play their instruments (or at least I do), otherwise, what's the point? Maybe its just a personal gripe I have, but its soured me on Mudvayne, probably unfairly, and probably for the rest of my life. 

Such is not the case with this tasty vid, recorded live in the Braintoy jam space. The moment Devin Gasteiger comes in with the ethereal keys, you know that its ON! These guys definitely have chops and other live videos are testament to this. Covering Pink Floyd is no easy task, with all the staunch purists of prog to wow, but with Tristans voice, sometimes haunting, always beautiful at the forefront of this more intense remake, its easy to convert even the most devout Floyd fan. Christian Anderson manipulates the sounds coming out of his guitar to great effect, creating an eery atmosphere to the piece, and doubling up on the bass lines, all the while pounding David Gilmour's original riff (and solo) in your face with added zeal and flair. And let's not forget the fancy skin work (provided by Riley O'Connor) that helps this rocking rendition barrel along. 

Check it: Braintoy - Sheep

Banner Pilot

If you guys know me, you'd laugh at the thought of me doing Jiu-Jistu. Even I think its ridiculous, especially when I'm deep in someone's guillotine choke hold, gasping for air, futilely trying to squirm my way out of my attackers rock hard death grip. That's usually what I think, when I'm 5 seconds away from black out or a hyper extended elbow, 'This is ridiculous! (substituted with ridonkulous, depending on how saucy I am feeling that day).' It truly is, considering I've got the killer instinct of a buddhist monk in deep meditation. 

....My long winded point, and there is one, is that normally, that's what runs through the anti-fighter's head (yours truly) bout after bout, submission after submission. But tonight was different. Hours before, after stumbling upon (because I am never graceful) Banner Pilot's 2008 release 'Resignation Day', all I could think about was getting back and listening to it some more. It was clearly all I talked about pre fight, and instead of picking up tips from my more experienced younger brother, I got lost in recapturing that feeling I first felt when hearing Banner Pilot. 

I was met with an in your face pop punk record that would not escape my head, just like I couldn't escape my brother's guard position. Infectious melodies and driving bass lines, hit hard (like a knee to the stomach) and coupled with the gruff vocals which make you wonder if the vocalist has any vocal chords left (or what they are made of) that we all know and love from our Minneapolis punk bands. Seriously, do all people sound like this in Minneapolis? The women would be intimidating to say the least (I probably would tap to them too)

I can't imagine how fun it would be to see a Banner Pilot show - the songs just make you want to get up and dance like only a white person could, grabbing unsuspecting neighbors who join in  with your uncoordinated 'dance', doing your best Jackson Pollock impression (inadvertently), the venue floor in a sticky coat of over priced beer. Ah...if only. Way better than getting your ass handed to you in Jiu-Jitsu! By your kid brother no less!

Banner Pilot myspace

Bon Iver Also Rules!

       (Yes, even Justin Vernon can't deal with how awesome he is)

...Even when they cover someone else's song. Here is Justin Vernon and Co. covering a Sarah Siskind song entitled "Lovin's For Fools". It may be old to some of you but it'll definitely be a treat if you haven't peeped this vid yet. There's also a clip of Justin Vernon getting on stage with Ms. Siskind in Nashville, where they perform the song together, which I'm sure is amazing as well, but in this video, Vernon is accompanied by the Bowerbirds, who are a nu-folk band from North Carolina. They released an album last year entitled Hymns For A Dark Horse and are apparently cool enough to share a stage with Justin 'the freakin man' Vernon (ok, I might be the only one in the world lame enough to call him that). Prepare to wipe the drool off your keyboard - Bon Iver: Lovin's For Fools.

Canada Rules!

It really does, and I think all the anti-canuck sentiments we have flying around are really just jealous attempts to counteract the awesomeness that is Northern America. Case in point - Braintoy (you thought I was going to say something cliched like Arcade Fire or maple syrup or Tim Hortons, weren't you?! Ha!)

Braintoy is not some new Nintendo DS game, but a 4 piece hailing from Toronto, Canada. Vehicles, a strong contender for a slot in my top 20 releases of 2008 is a great prog rock record - accessible due in part to its energetic and soaring vocals and solid instrumentation (which you would expect from any prog band worth their pretentious song titles and epic(ly long) songs. The title track is an excellent introduction to the band, one that is sure to keep you interested and get you excited to see what else these Canadians are capable of. 

Listing influences like Porcupine Tree and Tool, one can trace the bands idols to their brand of post rock - the atmospheric stylings of Steven Wilson and the simple yet effective guitar lines of Adam Jones seem to be channeled, but in a way that is uniquely Braintoy - there's no blatant plagiarism here, just a familiarity that will comfort listeners and solidify Braintoy's place among the contemporaries they so revere. 

Check out the title track, Vehicles, on their myspace and check out the next big Canadian export. (a whole post on a Canadian

 band without any jokes about the Canadian accent!) Sounds you'll hear: Tristan Green's awesome vocals, keyboards, some electronics, punchy distorted guitar, a calm number named Banyan Tree and just proggy goodness (but not in the 'Camel' sense mind you - I'd say its more along the lines of a Coheed and Cambria sans the mighty Claudio Sanchez's vocals and sci fi concept story.) Either way, I'm having a hard time describing them, so do me and yourself a favor and check them out!

I...

I've got a handle on the fiction, I'm losing my grip because I'm losing my fingers, I...

You better believe I am fro-banging to this track.

You Think You're Fucking John Lennon

Type in www.glassjaw.com into your browser. Did you do it? Spell it correctly? Ok, good. Now sit back, crank up the volume (not too loud in case you want a heart attack...you'll find out what I mean soon enough) and soak in the sounds of a brand new track from Glassjaw! 'You Think You're Fucking John Lennon',  which is the name of the new track, was first played live around two years ago, but I guess Daryl finally decided to put vocals down with the rest of his band in the studio (and I love him for it). The guitars come crashing in with Daryl's shrieks, almost reminiscent of Stephen Carpenter riffage (a la Engine No 9) and the chorus is just kick ass. Everything you loved about Glassjaw's blend of post hardcore is here, and the 6 year wait for new material is definitely worth it if the rest of the album follows suit. The new song definitely is akin to 'Worship and Tribute' era material, so if you dug that, chances are you'll dig the new song. Ya dig?

           (you'll be greeted by the Puerto Rican flag at the Glassjaw website...?)

If you got too excited reading the words 'new Glassjaw track' here's the recap - go to the official website and it streams automatically. Go!

Glassjaw Official Website

For Emma (A capella)

Big ups to my buddy Jimmy (mah booooiiii! haha) for this link. This is just amazing. Especially if it was a spur of the moment thing to drop an a capella version of 'For Emma' off of Bon Iver's 2008 debut 'For Emma, Forever Ago'. I would've killed to see this! I wanna be Bon Iver! 

Enjoy - the harmonies are nothing short of beautiful.

For Emma (A Capella)

Bon Iver - Blood Bank EP

The man responsible for my favorite album of 2008 is set to release a 4 track EP in January. Entitled 'Blood Bank', Justin Vernon is scheduled to drop his EP on the 20th of January, 2009 and I am beyond stoked. Bon Iver (a play on the french word bon(ne?) hiver, which means good winter) has been playing the title track at recent shows. I've been searching youtube for a quality video and I think I've found a decent one. Enjoy! 

Bon Iver - Blood Bank

(the end is cut off, but this is the best quality I could find!)

Aya Yuson: Angelsong

About 4 years ago, I decided I wanted to get guitar lessons. I finally realized I wasn't as good as I thought I was (mastering power chords does not make you Jimi Hendrix incarnate), and this humbling realization led me to ask my cousin about guitar tutors - if she knew any, how much they were and other questions you ask your cousin about guitar lessons and the people who give them. My extended family is very musically inclined - two out of three sisters are the front-women of their respective bands (or were at some point in their lives) as well as their mother who sings more songs than the radio plays. So naturally, these were the people to ask. My cousin had just recently started to get guitar instruction as well, and recommended I'd call her teacher, a family friend. His name was Aya Yuson, and while the name might ring a bell if you know anything at all about the underground Filipino jazz scene (I figure that's...none of you), I wrote down the name and had no clue I was indeed contacting a living Pinoy jazz legend.

I still remember calling him up, my body starting to tense and my legs automatically and frantically pacing around my living room (I'm still not good at confronting and talking to strangers) and finally! being greeted by a playful  man at the other end. I still remember being asked what I wanted to learn, and me subsequently regurgitating all the techniques and skills 'good guitarists should know', being content I remembered the fancy terms and all that jazz. 

I would pick Aya up a couple of blocks from my house for the guitar lessons my mom willingly paid for (I guess I was making more noise than music, and probably still do), and we would conduct class out on the lanai by our pool. The breeze always reached us best and Aya's trails of smoke exhaled from his cigarettes were free to explore the open air that surrounded us on light afternoons. Aya just made you comfortable by explaining things in his zany way, which was never pretentious considering his credentials (which was one helluva resume), and the lessons always seemed too short, the hours passing as swiftly as my teacher's cigarette smoke, from lips, to the aural atmosphere, to nothingness. 

I really did learn a lot from Aya, considering I only had a handful of lessons - 6 max. While learning major scales, their places on the fret board and the blues scale, the A minor pentatonic scale, as well as how to funkify Jimi Hendrix's 'Purple Haze', the real lesson I only learned today. I went to his CD launch, for his jazz record Angelsong, which features a full quartet and a bounty of tasteful jazz guitar solos. After the show, he approached my cousin (the same girl who introduced us) and looked at me sideways, scanning my face that was familiar, with my name on the tip of his tongue. My long, afro-centric that shouldn't adorn an asian man hair style threw him off at first, but we began talking once he recalled who I was and the short time we spent together. His first words?

"Ah its you! The naturally talented bastard"

And it came back to me, how he would call me this every sunny afternoon out on my lanai, my electric guitar positioned on my lap with unsure fingers, and I would blush and focus even harder on the notes I couldn't play. He would always explain how he would have to practice at least 5 hours a day to get to where he was, and he envied me. He also cautioned me that I, like other people of my type, were prone to laziness, and that I should practice even harder than he did. Of course, I did not. I thought he said that to all his students, gave all his students that 'nick name'. Maybe he does, but it still felt good coming from a professional jazz composer, and in my heart I knew there is some truth to that statement. 

Embarrassed, just like I was 4 years ago by the pool side, I mustered up the courage to ask for an autograph for his CD. In the CD jacket, he wrote "Keep the fire burning," which may sound cliched to you, but for me, it means a lot. I know I have been blessed with talent, that I should not be lazy and waste. It took me 4 years to realize his most rudimentary lesson. Now, if you'll excuse me, its time to stoke the fire, I still see an ember glowing strong amidst the haze.

We Are Not A Football Team

She was sitting on a swing

and dangling her feet

like the leaves of a tree

I think I heard her singing

We're still out at 10 in the evening.

I knew her in the way that

I knew not to speak.

Quietly took a seat

and thought I'd stay for a week.

-Minus the Bear

Meniscus and Lights Out Asia

I like listening to post rock when I go to sleep. The problem is, sometimes the guitars weaving sound scapes, coming to incredible and breath taking crescendos...well they fall on deaf (asleep) ears as I'm out like a light before the first track even finishes. The repetitive nature of post rock songs, combined with my super human ability to utterly pass out in less than 7 seconds (my brother is testament to this - while asking him a question, I fell asleep before he could even answer) has me waking up tangled in headphones and no recollection of the music I had listened to the previous night! 

There are some bands though that keep me awake, staring blankly out into the swarthy cloak placed over the room I knew so well in the daytime. Bands like Lights Out Asia and Meniscus have both had this eye opening power over me, with a brand of post rock that isn't tired and trite. Lights Out Asia, a trio from Milwaukee, Wisconsin released the striking Eyes Like Brontide in August have captured my interest with their blend of post rock that heavily incorporates electronic elements (not quite like 65daysofstatic though) with fresh guitar riffs. Their song writing abilities and sound they achieve just appeal to me and capture my interest, so hopefully you guys will dig em too.

Meniscus hail from Sydney, Australia and bring to the table tribal  and otherwise interesting drumming and heavy, almost metal guitar riffs that one could easily see becoming a song with soaring vocals. I like the way the songs flow on their album 'Absence of I'. The 4 track album is an easy listen and while some guitar riffs have the 'heard that before' stamp written all over them, most of the guitar work is an excellent display of how to use your stomp boxes - from beautifully dialed in delay to crushing distortion, its hard to imagine that all this aural mayhem comes from a 3 piece Down Under. 

Dustin Kensrue gets into the Holiday spirit

The release of his website as a platform for his new single "Christmas (Please Come Home Baby)" in early November is something I'm used to. In the Philippines people will start to deck the halls and their tropical driveways in string lights and capiz shell lanterns once 'the berrrrrr months' start (as my dad likes to call them). The Christmas music will start playing in over crowded shopping centers (Landmark) before Halloween! I think people should just put vampire fangs on Santa, some detachable horns on some reindeer and they'd be good to go for Christmas on November 1, like they want to be. It makes me laugh - I love the Philippines, especially when its so baduy. 

I have yet to find a person who doesn't like the spirit of Christmas and the festivities that come bundled in a big burlap sack, just like I have yet to find a song Dustin Kensrue has penned that I don't like, so in simple math this sounds genius. Dustin Kensrue + Christmas = instant eargasms to be had. Right? Well here's the link to his first single and website:

http://www.dustinkensrue.com

I've listened to the song and its quite good, but I just associate Christmas records as lame artists cashing in on the holiday spirit. So I'm anxious for this to be good...ah who am I kidding I'm gonna pick this up faster than a kid picks up his present on Christmas morning. I'm a sucker for Christmas songs anyway

Just One Bite

This might be the funniest Spongebob episode I have ever seen. His face is just classic!

Genius

Thanks to Ethan for the link. Excuse the poor quality, if anyone finds a better link or just a picture of Spongebob when he does 'the face' (you'll know it when you see it), let me know. 

Iiro Rantala New Trio

(pretend there's a picture here. Blogger was being lame)

Daaaaaaaaaamn. That's all I could say when I first watched these guys on youtube, in their video Shit Catapult. The first minute overwhelms you as each member introduces themselves with blazing solos which punctuate the frantic rhythm of the Finnish trio's conceived...demon child! When the mayhem finally alludes to a melodic break in the insanity, its so pleasing and beautiful that it captivates and eschews any doubts you may have had in your first 60 seconds of experiencing the technically (and creatively) insane three piece. 

What I think separates them from other bands that can jam the shit out of their instruments is the humor in the music. The expressions that canvas on guitarist Marzi Nyman's face show he's there to have a good time, leading us to do the same. He gets some beautiful sounds from his guitar, as well as some I didn't think were even possible. His outrageous guitar stances and gyrations make him an energetic and interesting performer to watch. I believe Iiro Rantala is the heavy weight out of the three, being a renowned Finnish pianist and his chops definitely show. While his obvious technical prowess is necessary to keep up, the pianist adds his own bluesy, romping touch amid a carousel of styles that he keeps coming throughout the song. 

Felix Zenger, the beatbox is amazing as well. My stomach dropped a little when I realized they had enlisted a human percussionist instead of a cool, swanky jazz drummer, but my fears were assuaged once he opened his mouth. He never once appeared gimmicky, and probably could 'outplay' many successful drummers out there today. Felix Zenger is not to be confused with a ragged white Eminem clone who beatboxes simple hiphop beats while humming Eye of the Tiger over the top of his sonic malady. They dropped an album entitled Elmo this year, go check em out!

Piano - Iiro Rantala

Guitar - Marzi Nyman

Beatbox - Felix Zenger

I'm Not Going To Pretend To Know About Politics, But...

I do know he is going to be the 44th President of the United States of America. This picture is so spot on, because it encapsulates all we have, and all we can have amidst the crises we all face. No matter what nation, race you belong to, or political party you are in favor of, Barack Obama will be the next U.S. President. Can we embrace this unprecedented moment, and expect great and ubiquitous change? Can we vest in something so intangible as hope? Yes we can.

- And that's all I'll probably ever say about that!

Dead To Me - Little Brother [EP]

The Golden Gate Bridge, Math Rock, Dave Eggers and his Staggering Work Of Heartbreaking Genius... I'm trying to get ideas about how to introduce The Bay Area punk rock band Dead To Me by listing the only thing I know about Northern California's hilliest...whoa did you know hilliness is a word? That's goofy. Back on track - It's a place I've never been, but have always wanted to visit. Instead of this whacked out semantic thinking, this picture exactly describes Dead to Me, to...um me. 

A night blurred from too many drunken sing a longs with your best friends in a night that is the precedent for every other drunken romp thereafter - almost impossible to top. 

The music is catchy, feeling like a best friend that you feel comfortable enough to put your arm around without hesitation, to look into their eyes and sing Bohemian Rhapsody all the way through without feeling the slightest bit subconscious of what other people think. A friend who you can text, without a plan and expect to have a good night just because of good company. Dead to Me, with this 13 minute EP, has created a work of genius in short - a snapshot of a night at the bar with too many shots! I love it and recommend it to anyone who wants to have a good time. Little Brother is a record you can put on at anytime and it'll put a smile on your face, guaranteed - as sure as one of your friends getting kicked out of the bar on a Thursday night for drunken tackling you, and you both laughing about it on the long walk home. 

The Bay Area punk rockers from the seminal Fat Wreck Chords produce another gruff gem with Little Brother. Clocking in at just 13 minutes, there's no excuse NOT to check out this 5 song from the guys that released Cuban Ballerina in 2006. 

Dead To Me's myspace

Emiliana Torrini

I didn't know much about her at all, so I did a quick wiki check and this is what I found:

"Emiliana Torrini Daviosdottir (but crazy icelandic symbols)  born May 16, 1977 is an Icelandic singer, best known for her 1999 album Love in the Time of Science and for performing "Gollum's Song" during the ending credits of Peter Jackson's film The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers..."

That sounds like the answer to some useless trivia question, but nevertheless I urge anyone who's into indie/acoustic/folk with warm female vocals to check out her latest album, the 2008 album, Me and Armini. I'm a bit over 1/2 way through the album on my first listen. What's stood out, besides Emiliana's almost breathy but beautiful voice, is the instrumentation. The bass especially has stood out with bouncy, pulsing with energy bass lines. Jungle Drum has just come on, which is an energetic, poppy number some might view as silly, but is simply good fun to listen to. Check her out with sounds ranging from slow moody burning rock tracks seeping with emotion to bouncy joyous tracks! Some linkage:

Jungle Drum

myspace

Tastycaster

Around 4 summers ago, I saved every little penny I had and told myself I'd upgrade my guitar. I was playing this 100 dollar Ibanez GAX 20 (?) which I loved, but knew had seen better days. Since I live overseas, I was on vacation in the US. 

When passing through Boston, I dropped by the Guitar Center and shyly asked the guy working the floor what kind of used Ibanez's they had. He brought this beat up RG in this tacky silver with the paint chipping off. After strumming barely audible chords from the few songs I knew at the time, the salesman suddenly rushed off and came back with this sleek guitar in a sunburst color. He said the necks were almost as thin as Ibanez's (which is what I told him I liked, since I have small hands) and people were really digging them. They were a relatively small brand at the time, and since they were made in Korea, the price tag was significantly lower than other guitars.

 I plugged in this Schecter, never having heard a word about them and was blown away! It just had that feeling, that all guitarists get when they pick up the guitar that's going to be their companion through the next 5-10 years of riffing and finger picking and rock star poses when no one's looking (in my case). It just feels right, and there's no doubt in your mind that this is THE ONE. Its like your hands fall in love, love at first touch and you can't put the damn thing down. You guys know what I'm talking about.

The only thing was that color. The Sunburst color just screamed old people's interior in dim houses and it marred what would've been a fateful meeting between this otherwise amazing 24 fretted piece of art and myself. I told myself 'they'll have these in California, most definitely' and put the guitar back on the rack.

Fast forward to two weeks later, and the day before I left back home, I had in my possession a brand new Schecter C-1 +, in a classy Black Cherry color way. I named her Audrey and after swapping out her electronics for some DiMarzio's, have played her faithfully and treated her with nothing but the utmost care. I couldn't even dream of another guitar. Until....

I don't know when it happened, but I began lusting after this guitar

I've played it, and its gorgeous. The 2008 American Standard Telecaster. I can't even begin to describe all the reasons why I love this guitar- it's just calling me. My musical heroes, Dustin and Teppei from Thrice play them, but its not just me trying to imitate my idols. The appeal for me, lies in the simplicity of the color way - a natural wood finish which is no frills. Also, the fact that you can beat these bad boys up and play them for years - I can't wait to have mine look like it was on the bad side of a knife fight. The craftsmanship was just impeccable to my untrained eye - I may not know everything but I know I was thoroughly impressed with Fender's attention to detail. The neck was so smooth and fast and the versatile sound is as great as everyone says. This will be $1000 I'd be more than willing to part with. Now, to get 1000 bucks...Sorry Audrey!

Emery - While Broken Hearts Prevail EP

Emery is a band I've often overlooked. I went through this period or phase where, I believe the scientific term is, I thought I was 'too cool for school'. I slapped a label on these guys, dismissing them as a run of the mill generic pop punk band. And maybe they are, or were, but their 2008 release, a 7 song EP is still a strong release. The subject matter may feel a bit exhausted, with the title of the EP aptly foreshadowing what's to come on the 25 minute long disc, and that might the the major downfall, which combined with cheesy lyrics (all IMO of course) have Emery looking like a dime a dozen in todays scene. Thoughtlife, with a piano romping thourghout the track newar the end of the EP has lyrics that just seem so lame and matter of fact, that you'll want to slap whoever thought them up.

"I would have offered my life! Taken you home! Made you my wife (eww barf) but hearing you now, filling your mouth with a cowards lines, you're just a disguise, of the girl of my dreams. But I know she's waiting for me." (laaame sauce man!)

Barf unducing cringe-worthy lameness aside,  the first half of the EP is quite strong and well worth hearing, especially if you are a fan. The vocals and for the most part strong song writing make Emery seem capable of bigger and better things in the future. Now if you'll excuse me..."I would  have offered my liiiiiife, taken you hoooooooome! made you my wiiiife. (yuck)

New Fear Before

shit's coo.

xoxo

Check These Guys Out!

Just some stuff I've been listening to lately. 

1) Kay Kay And His Weathered Underground

From Seattle, and listed as Alternative/Experimental/Lounge, I'm making my way through their self titled as I'm typing this up, and I still don't know what to make of the band, much less write something clever about them. Saying that members from Gatsby's American Dream were involved piqued my interest, but if you're expecting the catchy but non-conventional pop/punk stylings of GAD, you won't find it here. Except maybe the quirkiness of the aforementioned band, one easy way to describe these guys is fresh! A pleasant surprise. Strong vocals and song writing will keep you interested. Imagine if Panic At The Disco were successful at trying to do it is they do.

2) Demians

Nicholas Chapel just seems like a guy who's so sure of himself and what he's good at and I'm not the only one to notice. Steven Wilson, of Porcupine Tree fame seems to think so, and the one man machine that is the French outfit Demians succeeds in creating an amazing, emotional and just damn good debut in Building an Empire. Prog rock that isn't boring? Oui, s'il vous plait!

3) Anberlin

Looking at the past couple of entries, it's no secret I dig these guys. But check out the myspace if I haven't persuaded you to do so yet- you can peep their rerecording of their song Feel Good Drag, which features on the recently released New Surrender. A great way to sum up what's good about the band - besides being a  strong track, this track represent how the band utilize strong song writing and instrumentation to breathe life into an older song that could've sounded stale if just plucked from their back catalogue - just like they do to the pop punk genre they unfortunately are grouped into.

4) The Riot Before

It seems like there are a lot of soulful, impassioned white dudes around these days. But instead of losing its appeal with the whole 'folk-punk!?been there done that!' schpiel, The Riot Before squeak by and put a smile on my face. With the word on the street being they sound like Against Me! and The Gaslight Anthem (and I'm inclined to agree), I could see these guys blowing up. I can't believe they're not from Gainesville! 

5) Emarosa

Energetic, fast, with amazing vocals make this hard for me to pass up. With Jonny Craig and his godly pipes searing through walls of quick picked riffs and hard hitting chords. You may see it all over Hot Topic and in scene kids Ipods, but don't let that deter you from enjoying a great band.

6) Lisa Hannigan

I just picture the streets of Dublin teeming with red-haired, Guiness wielding musicians singing gaily, arm in arm. Sort of like a scene straight out of a Disney flick (don't pay attention to my warped mind, I don't understand it either). You may recognize Lisa Hannigan's name from another famous Irish musician, the ever-melancholy tear jerker Damien Rice. Up until his latest release, 9, she graced his songs and added a beautiful, haunting contrast to his sincere and pained voice. But enough about him, because Miss Hannigan's ethereal voice definitely holds its own on her debut release Sea Sew

7) Thursday/Envy

NJ and Japan may not have very much in common, but these two bands seem to be on the same page with this 7 track EP split. With equally strong showings from both sides of the world, the bands create atmospheric post rock with exciting, crushing vocals (especially Envy!) Lots of moments where you're mouth will hit the floor and stay there, which is saying a lot for an EP

Writing on here is never a regular thing!

...but I wish it was. Now that I'll have a lot of free time, I've been trawling the internet, and have amassed an impressive collection of new music that quiet frankly overwhelms me. Which isn't a bad thing by any means. New releases from TV On The Radio, Anberlin, Burst, Metallica (:o! yes, and I like it so far too!) Cynic, Kings of Leon, Amon Amarth, Underoath (...), and the Sound of Animals Fighting, Dillinger Four just to name the tip of the ice berg. I'll be writing up a lil bit about all the new music I've gotten, and maybe a few links for my friends (I just don't wanna get done in ala the Gunners leaker fiasco!).

Basically in short, free time = loads of new music = many smiles. I think I need to take a break in getting new music, because I need time to fully digest everything I've got! But the new Kings of Leon and Anberlin are both awesome. I'm not even the biggest fan of Anberlin and I reaaaaally am enjoying it. Solid is the only way to describe it, on first listen (listening to it now). See? In an earlier post I predicted at least a 4/5 and so far it's easily going to achieve that for me. Psychic! Holla

Vacation!

Hey doods,

I'm in Southern California at the moment, and am really enjoying it! Awesome weather and family make good times.  I've just been chilling, pretty much doing nothing but leaving the house to eat/hit the mall. I don't have my computer with me, so not being able to download music has been killing me. I've got some bands I really want to check out, and myspace streams can only quench your thirst so much. 

These bands are pretty awesome:

Ghostlimb - I read that both of the albums they released (the latest, Bearing & Distance is out now) clocked under 20 minutes. Yea, THIS is fast and furious hardcore for ya. (short description, short album. Just listen mofo)

pg.lost - With post-rock, most bands are pretty hit or miss for me. It's either the same old, same old, or they incite deep emotion and I sit with my mouth open listening to the crashing crescendos and beautiful harmonies. I can use that typical description when talking about the Swedish 4 piece, because they truly do exactly that. And I've only listened to a handful of their songs. I haven't even touched their latest LP, It's not Me, It's You! I've heard good things...

Anberlin - Ok, the last one is a bit of a wild card, but I'm ready to defend myself here. Maybe it's a nod to my pop-punk awkward early teen years (see awkward buffoon), but I've always had a soft spot for Anberlin since I first heard their stuff  off some mainstream medium (Guitar Hero or my friends or something or other. The back of a cereal box). Their last album Cities, was ooookay, with some strong energetic gems - these guys just write good, catchy rock/pop songs. Their latest song, Disappear, is no exception. I'm on like my ninth listen, and while it passes  quick and is easily accessible, it leaves me wanting more, and with high hopes for their upcoming release September 30. Watch this release, 4/5 stars. You heard it here first!

no pics for you! deal

I'm off to Alaska tomorrow, and while I don't know what you do in Alaska, some post rock like pg.lost would be pretty awesome. :( I miss my computer

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. 

Coheed and Cambria Live at UNSW Roundhouse, Sydney, NSW

Last night, at a small venue located at my University's bar, Coheed and Cambria played to a almost capacity crowd of eager Claudio Sanchez-ites (myself included). With the dedicated fans amassing a line that snaked from the main entrance to the Roundhouse bar towards deep into the heart of the University, excitement (and plenty of dreadlocked heads) were in the crisp, cold air. It was my first time experiencing Coheed live, as I've never seen them or any of their live material before (like Live at the Starland Ballroom DVD), but was expecting an amazingly tight show. My lofty expectations were far from let down, as this concert cemented Coheed and Cambria as one of my favorite bands of all time, and as one of the most dynamic and entertaining live acts I have witnessed.



After securing my ticket, and upon the advice of one of my friends, I listened to their debut record religiously for a week - it was an amazing feeling discovering this gem of a first record; the raw production, Claudio's still maturing vocals (which seemed to be more daring), and energetic sing along chorus peppered with intricate guitar riffs made me obsess over The Second Stage turbine Blade. Needless to say, I understand why everyone is eager to agree that this record holds some of their best work to date. With the preparation complete (in familiarising myself with all of their catalogue), I was more than anxious the whole day, dreaming up how Coheed would reproduce some of my favorite track in a live setting, and made lists in my head of what songs I was hoping to hear later that night.

The doors opened at 8pm and when me and a couple of friends finally made it though the door, we made a bee line to the bar. The merch stands' lack of selection (no mediums in some t-shirts at the start of the concert..?) was a bit disappointing but as soon as the openers cleared stage, all that left my mind.

Through a wall of smoke emerged the band, with Claudio being the easiest to spot with his mammoth hair do cutting through the obscuring smog. And with little hesitation they roared through the opening song 'No World for Tomorrow' - grabbing everyone's attention until the end of their set. Claudio's vocals were spot on the entire night, and you could feel the passion and energy he was pouring into each and every vocal lick he yelped out in his altitude climbing alto voice. His and lead guitarist Travis Sterner's guitar work was superb the whole night, as evidence of their improv jam of their finale 'The Final Cut'. They both used memorable tecchniques like a talk box (Travis) and screaming into their guitars' humbuckers to create a supersonic burst of noise (Claudio).

The set list was a tasteful mix of music from all of my favorite records of theirs (In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth 3 is probably my least favorite of their albums, and (I don't know if I should say fortunately?)had the least number of songs featured in the concert).

The set list was very similar to this (tried to get it in order but I can't remember it exactly)

• No World for Tomorrow


• Gravemakers & Gunslingers


• A Favor House Atlantic


• The Hound (of Blood and Rank)


• Feathers


• The Running Free


• Everything Evil


• The Trooper (Iron Maiden cover!!!)


• The Devil In Jersey City


• The Suffering


• Delirium Trigger

*Encore

• Welcome Home


• In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth


• The Final Cut (extended jam)

Highlights for me were The Suffering, which was so fun to sing along to, as was The Running Free. The rapid transitions of Everything Evil into the Trooper followed by the Devil In Jersey City might have been my favorite part of the concert. It went old school, to way old school back to more of their old material and it was such an awesome surprise. The Final Cut jam was incredible as well, with the two guitarists really displaying their chops, along with a cool and collected Chris Pennie who showed off his prowess at polyrhythmic beats and lightning fast rolls all over his set.

Last night, March 31st 2008 was definitely one of the best musical experiences I've ever had, and a night I won't soon forget. They are definitely masters of their craft and play so well and impassioned that they truly are an inspiration to me and (should be to) modern music.

Recent Digs

Like I said, it's been quite some time since I posted, so I'm going to remedy that with some double post action! Here's just a rundown of some new bands/albums I've been listening to a lot lately.

1. Thrice - Vheissu

It's pretty obvious Thrice have fast become 

one of my favorite bands, which is a worthy accomplishment for any artist, as I change my mind more than you're girlfriend changes clothes when getting ready for a date.  I may have liked Thrice upon first listen, but something about Dustin's voice grated on my nerves. Now, looking back, the affection has grown ten fold and I can't believe how long it took me to really get into the post-hardcore 4 piece from California. I love (...!) Dustin's voice and his always interesting vocal melodies, Teppei's tasteful and measured guitar playing (and keyboard as well, in this case), Riley's groovy flashes of brilliance and Eddie's driving rhythms. To me, Vheissu is Thrice's 'Morning View' - when compared to the other records in their catalogue, this record stands out with its underlying idea of the ocean as a prevalent theme, with more laid back and soothing instrumentation, and in general songs that imprint a soothing air on the listeners mind. One thing that I really enjoy about Thrice are Dustin's positive messages he hurls at the listeners ears; it's always refreshing to know that there is hope, no matter how bleak the situation may seem.

2.Thrice - The Artist in the Ambulance

I know I seem obsessive (I'll give you one guess to figure out what band is at #3) but this album is really good! With stand out tracks like Stare at the Sun and All That's Left, this high octane release from the quartet gets my blood going. At the moment 'Hoods on Peregrine'  is a track that I'm really digging at the moment (Teppei's riffing is tasty). A lot of people rank this as their favorite album, and while not personally my top Thrice album, I can easily see why. Appealing to fans of hardcore, melodic punk, rock and metal, The Artist in the Ambulance won me over with its aggressive riffing, soaring melodies and insanely catchy songs.

3. Thrice - The Illusion of Safety

I know, I know, enough drooling over Thrice. But I only recently started on my Thrice binge, and only really recently got into them. I also only recently got the album the boys released in 2002, The Illusion of Safety. Aggressive, in your face, and raw, this showcase of hardcore tinged with punk release has Teppei showcasing his chops on guitar. Songs are short and sweet, and listening to it doesn't make me look back and think, 'Wow, these guys have improved so much' (which arguably, they have) What I think I'm trying to say is that The Illusion of Safety isn't a record on which Thrice should look back on and be embarrassed. On the contrary, it should be seen as an important part of their past - a contextual gauge on how masterfully they have evolved and changed their sound over their duration as THE perennial genre-traipsing Californian band. 

* on a side note, it would be almost impossible for me to rank the Thrice albums, from what i think to be their best, to their worst. actually, that's a lie. as of now, Vheissu edges out The Alchemy Index, then it would be The Artist in the Ambulance and finally The Illusion of Safety. That was a lot easier then i thought it would be, but i doubt these rankings will stand (also, these are the only Thrice records i have) *

4. Have a Nice Life - Deathconsciousness

This album is a bit of a wild card for me; quoted on the band's website as the most depressing album of the year (or something along those lines :p), this record sounds like something I would not enjoy, as my personality is so contrasting to the records 'claim to fame'. I picked it up anyway, (and almost with some reluctance), put the album on while I turned off the lights and waited for sleep to take over. And I waited. And I listened. And I waited, and I listened, and I listened, and I listened...I listened to the album all the way through, a rare feat for someone who can fall asleep before the lights go out. After the ambient, spacey intro, the second track, with its grand, enormous sound (you'll understand), with the bass chugging away and the distorted guitar lacing its way through the bass's unshakeable groove; I was captivated. I kept thinking at the time, its so simple, but so beautiful! Looking back, I don't think thats correct as Have a Nice Life's music isn't complicated. It's powerful and... efficient? It has to be experienced to really appreciate it - no explanation would do it justice. The sound surrounds you when listening with (good) headphones and for me, made me experience what I like to call a musical epiphany - when the music feels so good it stirs a sense of euphoria, like it all makes sense, and leaves you in almost a heightened state of musical awareness. I know that sounds pretentious and down right stupid to some, but for those who have had music evoke such raw emotions in them will surely know what I'm talking about. I can't recommend this release enough. Give it a shot.

5. The National - Boxer

It seems that my musical tastes have shifted. Head-banging to down-tuned riffs that chug away and that Gothenburg brand of Scandinavian metal (they do it so well, those Scandinavians!) that I loved so much just sometimes can't keep my interest. Before getting The National's latest release, I had heard many good things, particularly from an awesome website called sputnik music (a site which I often frequent, and where I learn about great new music). At this website, there are a quite a bit of music enthusiasts that seem to really know their stuff, and normally when they rave over an album, it seems to be to overwhelming, and wouldn't be something I would normally like (ex. Have a Nice Life). I'd like to listen to all the releases they rave about, but sometimes I would get scared that if i don't like what they think is awesome,and that maybe I didn't have 'good taste' (which is a ridiculous notion, as all musical taste is subjective) Needless to say, now I always take other's peoples opinions on board regarding music, with an open mind, which has helped me broaden my taste. I always remember that I will like what I like, and I don't need to impress anyone by forcing myself to like this record or that artist. This album has secured it's way in my collection of favorites because it made me realize all of the above, as well as making me realize that I had been sorely missing out on great music before I encountered the Brooklyn based group from Cincinnati (not sure about that)!. Heart felt and well written lyrics adorn every The National song, and the instrumentation is awesome by an indie band's standards. The vocals are deep and almost gravelly, but compel you to keep listening, so as to unravel the character behind the crooning voice. Laid back and slick guitar work (like the riffs found on Green Gloves), and a slight hint of rock impressed me beyond my expectations. When I listen to this album it makes me repeat in my head, like a mantra "This is soooo good" (it's retarded, but I actually do think that).

I think I'll leave it at that. I'll try and keep the updates more regular from now on, but that's probably not likely. 

Much love

Thrice - Atlantic (Live AOL sessions)

It's been crazy long since I last wrote on here! Chalk it up to laziness. During that hiatus I've gotten really into Thrice (more so than before) and have really grown to like Vheissu, especially the song Atlantic. Dustin's vocal lines are so awesome and soothing and I love the watery texture of the keyboard part Teppei plays. This video might be old news to some of you, but I just really wanted to share it with you guys. Enjoy!

(Yea, I couldn't figure out how to embed the vid from youtube onto this post, but that link should work! Sorry!)