Remember?

I needed another guilty pleasure today, kids.

So, I kinda noticed that I have been staying away from hair bands. While reprehensible and irritating, sometimes a few of them would have good tunes, and good stories. When not applying for cosmetology degrees (some notables, such as Motley Crue all had these degrees), and whoring it up on Sunset Boulevard, that is.

I guess that is a fun story... but for another time.

In 1989, Skid Row put out a self-titled debut album that inexplicably went 5x platinum, yet only having 2 Top-Ten hits attributed to it. Such was the state of Rock in the 80s. In any case, the song "I Remember You" was a staple at many a function, except for dance clubs. One could year it at tailgate parties, beach bonfires and even wafting outside of open-air bars at dusk, bringing in the disaffected pseudo-yuppies yearning for acceptance.

The song, in actuality, is quite good. Framed with an acoustic guitar on the open and close, soft vocals typical of a rock ballad. Hard drums, wailing guitar licks, vocals reaching a higher pitch than many men should have ever sang (and trust me, watching men sing this is sad, but really funny -- dare someone if you have the opportunity). Really, most 80s rock ballads follow this same formula. Different lyrics, different melody, but same 4/4 rock beat, same plaintive vocal wail. Same is good.

I have included the video, but really the song is why we are here. Enjoy this guilty pleasure from the 80s.


Have a great Saturday everyone!
-om

Oldies but Goodies

Happy Double Friday to you all!

Well, I kinda justed phoned the last one in, but todays is something of a fun little treat. We are going back over 40 years and hitting some of the more fun songs in rock and roll. Back when groups travelled in large tours, akin to smaller Lollapaloozas, and people sat in seats at Rock-n-roll concerts. I'm not saying that it was the best of times, but it was a bit gentler.

So, it comes as no surprise that there were very few Bad Boys of Rock at this time, Elvis being pretty much the standard here. What people don't know that his direct opposite in this area was Ricky Nelson, second only to The King in hits.

Ricky's last #1 hit, "Travellin' Man," was recorded in 1961, a couple ears before his tumultuous marriage. Maybe he should have stayed at home.



Out of Centralia, Washington came The Fleetwoods. Thier acapella style and vocal harmonies was very popular due to the song "Come Softly to Me," recorded in 1959, which went to #1 that year. Sadly, it's one of the last #1 "Melodic" songs to grace the rock and roll charts, only to be eclipsed by "Unchained Melody" *shudder* years later.


Enjoy your Friday kids! Only two working days until Monday.
-om

He's Just a Kid

Going to mail it in today, boys and girls. This one is for my little brother. Happy Birthday. I'm surprised I let you live past puberty.


Simple Plan's "I'm Just a Kid," notably from the horribly amusing movie The New Guy. Gotta love the video.
-om

Gym Class Heroes

Awesome Wednesday...

Ok, so I'm not a big fan of samples... but in this day and age, what are you going to do? Most of the riffs have already been played, accept it. Unless we want to just meld into Synch-Pop or Electro, we have to get over that something new may sound like something old. Sometimes, it may be the better for it.

Gym Class Heroes put out an album in 2006 with an awesome title, As Cruel as School Children. From this awesome effort (labeled either Punk Funk or Indie Hip Hop... whatever) came the track "Cupid's Chokehold." In the opening measures of the song, one hears the famous Supertramp vocal "ba da da da" from "Breakfast In America." The stylings of the Supertramp song is featured frequently in the song.

The rap featured in the Party scene was from a previous album, The Papercut Chronicles. It somewhat broke the flow of the song and the video, but it was quite amusing to see old, white men dancing to a rap. The song is fun, and the video is pretty nicely directed. It follows the lyrics of the song well, with little deviated interpretation. The beat is smooth, a nice compliment to the vocals. Take a look for yourself.

Have a great Wednesday.
-om

Just a note, I hate the Katy Perry song, but I must admit she is cute in this video. -om

Down the Rabbit Hole

For those of you who do not know, today is Lewis Carroll's Birthday. We are going to do today's post a little differently.

It reminds me of a story.

There was once a girl in love with a boy, a story as all stories begin. He noticed her one spring day, she was walking a path in the woods, looking away. Their eyes met, she began to smile. His heart warmed at the sight, but he averted his eye.

He lost the girl at that instant. Spun around and she was gone, vanished into air. He called out for her, rooted at the spot. He ran, he searched, he ached, he cried.

Years pass, as they do. The boy is now a man, adrift and alone. Broken and old, he found himself at the same place. The same place he lost her so long ago. He sighed and set himself down by the path. Fell asleep, praying for a dream, a vision, a miracle.

He never woke up, she never came.

Today's song(s) are by Electric Light Orchestra. These are from the rock opera Eldorado, a story of a character that delves into fantasy via his dream. The album featured a full orchestra, with the heavy orchestration quite evident in the Overture. The songs today, "Eldorado Overture," and "I Can't Get it Out of My Head" set the stage for the story of the man who goes into the dream, never to wake.

It wasn't going to be a bad thing if the man didn't wake. I do these things for a reason.
Enjoy Eldorado. Search for your own, you'll be glad you did.
-om

Six(?) Months in a Leaky Boat

As most of you may have heard by now, Microsoft announced layoffs of 5000 individuals last Thursday. Strangely, they opted for 1400 now, then 3600 later, within an 18 month period. This strikes me as odd... so I opted for today's song.

Split Enz, in the early 80s, released True Colours, and Time and Tide, capturing a "New Wave" sound decidedly different from their previous musical efforts. Time and Tide, especially, had a nautical concept to the songs on it... most notably, "Six Months in a Leaky Boat." The song, however, encountered UK airplay difficulties due to the Falklands War, which started a month after the song was recorded. While the song does not actually refer to the war, prudency prevented this song from the needed airplay to launch it.

The music is a nice mix of guitars, expanded drum set, keyboards, flute and lute. The lyrics tell of a sailing-bent dreamer, exploring and conquering the tempests of the world; however, they tell of another story, one of love and loss, of a love gone by. Catching it is tricky, and invites repeated listening. The ending (sadly, not on the radio edit, but awesomely preserved in the video) takes the listener off into the surreal, relaxing nature of the ocean.


And to those at MSFT (and anywhere else in this crappy economy) who lost your jobs, or are fearing such as the Sword of Damocles dangles over your heads, all the best of luck.
-om

Who isn't a Victim?

Aaah, Erasure. This band was too good to me.

As a person whose identity really formulated in the 80s, the music of that time (sadly) had a profound effect on me. In 1987, Erasure released Circus, a follow up album to their widely successful debut, Wonderland. The song "Victim of Love" climbed up the charts in both the UK and US simultaneously, reaching #7 in the UK, and #1 on the US Dance charts.

The song is almost completely synthesized. Truly a pop song if there was ever one (actually, the true genre would be SynthPop), the simply danceable beat and the light melody hooked listeners quickly. In fact, I witnessed this song and their previous dance hit, "Oh L'Amour" lip synced on the dance floor so many times that it became infectious.

The song is all about a person not wanting to look like an idiot in a relationship. Still it's quite upbeat. Musically, this song is sugar. No Guitars. Electronic claps, drums, keyboards. In fact, one would be hard to pick out even what type of voices (organ, Electric piano, etc) the keyboards are replicating. Vince Clarke's engineering on the song (and indeed, on many of the albums to date from the band), along with Andy Bell's vocals mesh well with the overall mood of the song, almost eclipsing the lyrics.

Today's dance tunes, sadly, are beat driven, and not actually popular anthems or lyrical in nature. Not a lot of young people on the dance floor these days lip syncing songs. Watching old people do so is kinda pathetic. What am I to do? I hate to keep saying it, but the 80s were good for something.

Erasure's next album, Total Pop! -- The First 40 Hits, gets to stores on Feb 23rd. Please be kind to the old guy in too tight parachute pants waiting by the door.
-om

My Eyes

From Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog, comes today's entry.

During the writers strike of 2007-2008, Joss Whedon and other collaborators (including quite a bit of people from the Whedon clan), came up with a self-budgeted story about a fledgling supervillan. Bringing in Nathan Fillion, Felicia Day and Neil Patrick Harris together on their off hours (of which they had many, at that time), over an interesting shooting schedule, they composed one of the most interesting, viral pieces of professional composition that has hit the interewebs to date. In a three part saga, the tale of Dr. Horrible has reached millions of eyes, was #1 on iTunes and at Amazon.com, and had gained numerous awards and accolades.

The song "My Eyes," sung here at the beginning of Act II, is eloquently performed by Neil Patrick Harris and Felicia Day. The vocal harmonies are very well done, but the real piece of masterwork is the lyrics, and the juxtaposition of the two characters as they sing of their thoughts. Evil and Rapture, Love and Pain, Hope and Despair infuse them with emotive, lyrical questions that don't seem to have a resolution...
But maybe you should check out the Final Act.


In any case, you could check it out on YouTube, or even DL it from iTunes. It's not too hard, and probably the best $5 you could spend today.
Chill,
-om

Tricky Drumbeats for Double Friday

Double Song Friday! It's finally here! Huzzah! Time to let your hair down, or really, whatever you wish to do.

So, I really like to drive. Anyone who knows me, knows I love to drive, and drive fast. The best thing about driving, besides the speed, is doing so while cranking up the stereo. Some songs really just bring it out of you. You enter that special place where the music surrounds you, the car becomes you, and the world whips by.

Sometimes however, traffic happens. At that point, you are stuck in your tin can, and the music can become just annoying. You look over, and that lady has just picked her nose. That doesn't gross you out as much as the time she is taking to observe the gargantuan wonder the end of her finger.

Close your eyes, concentrate on tapping out the beat on your steering wheel. That's it. Let's play with these two songs, and the world can slip away.

In 1987, the Bangles covered Simon and Garfunkles' "Hazy Shade of Winter" for the movie Less than Zero. The tune is excellent, with this featuring the vocal harmonies of the complete band, layered with a really angry guitar. But really try to get down the drum beat (includuing the kick drum), which is loud, driving, and includes, awesomely so, a cowbell. It becomes an exercise in fun. If this song isn't on Rock Band or Guitar Hero World Tour, it would be a damn shame (it's not, which bites).

In 1981, Dire Straits released "Skateaway," from the album Making Moves. The corresponding video was done way back when bands actually made fun videos. Just about a girl with rollerskates and a walkman. It starts with the drumbeat, this time a little more complicated. Syncopated rhythm, 8th note beats on kickdrum, and the drummer actually used more of his skins and crash cymbals. For those of you who like to air-drum, this song has to be at the top of your list. The rest of the song is awesome and infectious. Keyboards, Rhythm and Bass Guitar... but this song is about the drums and that twangy lead guitar. Including the fade out. Awesome.


The Bangles -- "Hazy Shade of Winter"



Dire Straits -- Skateaway

Try it out. Give it a shot. What else are you going to do, watch her pick another winner?
-om

Oh, Johnny Lydon...

For those of you that may not be hip to the Punk scene, there was a group ages ago named "The Sex Pistols." They were widely heralded as the definitive punk rock band, even only having released one studio album before the demise of their Bassist, Sid Vicious. The whole saga of the band is incredible, a sordid tale of anarchy, chaos, debauchery, misery and betrayal. It was in 1978 that this band broke up and Johnny Rotten, who went back to his surname Lydon, created Public Image Limited.

Public Image Limited, better known as PiL, went on to become a successful post-punk band, experimenting with different sounds and different styles (when they weren't drunk or high, actually). Their 1990 studio album The Greatest Hits, so Far turned up a surprising hit with the song "Don't Ask Me." The song is a diatribe against the inanities and the ills of the world, from mass packaging, to politics to one's own feeble mindset.

The song is interesting, to say the least. Musically, it's pretty simple. Synthesized drum machine, poppy beat and high-pitched vocals. I can't listen to it too many times, but I have to come back to the song every once in a while. For the sobering realization that sometimes, bad music can be combined with good lyrics to make for an interesting song.


Cya tomorrow... double song Friday!
-om

The Fastest Slow Song

Wednesday... the theoretical "Hump Day." So what better to push on this Wednesday than a slow song? Since you know me, my dear reader(s?), I am not one for the traditional. Today, I present the fastest slow song I have. From the Slackers 2001 album Wasted Days, today's selection is "So This is the Night."

I heard of The Slackers one fun day driving into work via NPR. The sound really took me by surprise. Old school ska, classic beats, infused with tight horn arrangements, and a throaty vocal power. The surprise is, the band is much more than just ska. The live performances are a wild time, frenetic and loud. Not overpowering, since this type of music really needs engineering to differentiate it from "noise."

"So this is the Night" is different, as far as love songs go. It's about love gone askew, following the theme of the title song. Initially, I thought the whole album would have had this as a central theme, but I was mistaken (and thankfully so, that would have been uplifting and yet depressing). The song is fast, but not quick. The faster pace is interspersed with various musical queues and a large smattering of eclectic pieces. The resulting production is much like a quick, brilliant, quixotic, doomed romance.

So, for the eternal romantic in you, here is your song. For the ska lover in you, here is your song. For the music lover in you, here is your song.


If you don't meet any of the last three... I really feel for you. Here is a great song that may help you introspect on your hump day.

That's all I got.
-om

God Bless the Child

For those of you that don't know, my other close love outside of music is Comics. Most forms are appealing, Strip, Graphic, single-panel, etc. Cartoons are just the inimitable "talkie" form of the genre, and some of which have exceptional cross-boundary exposure. Such as today's discussion.

In 1990, the Simpsons (yes, The Simpsons) released their first "studio" album, which spawned the hit "Do The Bartman." No, we won't be hearing that crappy song today. I actually purchased the album (more attributable to an overabundance of discretionary income versus bad taste, I assure you), and was quite surprised to hear Lisa Simpson's (voiced by Yeardly Smith) rendition of Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child."

I love that she asked for "live musicians" instead of "synthetic sound." The piano sounds excellent, the sax is inviting. The soft guitar languidly played in accompaniment. Even the vocals are not terribly bad. The bridge of the song is telling, yet still holds well. Not even in Holiday's ballpark, but seriously, it's not meant to be. The tenor and Bari sax duet at the end of the piece ties it all together, in true Simpson's style. As only Lisa Simpson could class up the joint, and further, the actual album that this song came from.


...I will get my post out earlier tomorrow.
I will get my post out earlier tomorrow.
I will get my post out earli-
-om

Blue Monday

Statistically, this is the "grimmest and hopeless Day of the year." Blue Monday.

Do you know how many times I had to sing this stupid song at Tower Records? Do any of you remember Tower Records? It was a shining edifice of Musical nirvana, well before Nirvana. The Yellow and orange Roof, the stacks of cassettes, Vinyl, and later, CDs... most everything from every genre of music could be found. Alas, Tower went the way of most mom and pop stores, knuckled under by the deep discounters, and the all-in-one stores like Borders and Barnes & Nobles. Asking the retailers at these stores for a particular song is worse than pulling teeth with a Jeep.

Anyway, back to New Order's "Blue Monday." Nowhere in the song does it say, "Blue Monday." Quite irritating. Of course, once you knew that, many of the other song titles made sense. From the manufactured drum machine / clap track, to the synthesized backup chorale, this song was all about the 80s. And as I covered earlier, not all about the 80s was good.

This song was amazing to dance to, however. Every club I went to, this song would pack the dance floor. Never mind that no one knew the name of the song for about a year. Never mind that everything but the vocals was done off a MiniMoog, a Casio Drum Machine and a Roland Keyboard. never mind that no one had heard of the Band... it was a song, it had a great driving beat, and pretty much sounded like parts of every other song.


"...How does it feel when your heart grows cold?"

Interesting.
-om

Sweet, Sweet Apples

Energy is needed on a Sunday Morning. "Energy" is what we have here.

In 2007, The Apples in Stereo, a group out of Colorado (by Way of Athens, GA) released New Magnetic Wonder. The album is lead off with the 70's sounding "Energy," a song some critics attest to a pean to ELO's Jeff Lynne, an influencer on the Apple's singer, Robert Schneider.

The similarities abound, from the use of the guitar sound distorters, to the overengineered (but rightly so) track layers, to quite a few EOL albums (notably, ELO's Time, to be featured later). The whole effort of th album is quite special, as well have having some real music-geek treats (a special theoretical chord discussion is introduced on the album as a text file), and some inside music jokes and trivia bits.

The sound is kitchy and fun. Definitely saccharine-laced music, quite amenable to a sunday morning. I may need to get more sleep, but if I don't, I can easily wake up to this.

Enjoy your sunday!
-om

Work for Food

Well, my Group's jobs are in a bit of jeopardy, due to a few random people that can't seem to fix items that they create. It would not be so big of a deal, but I do care about the persons I work with. Hence, I picked the following song, due to the catchy title.

In 1993, Dramarama released the album Hi-Fi Sci-Fi. Great album. The second track off this album, "Work for Food" gained some airplay at your more underground stations, but really didn't garner a lot of traction with people. The subject was that of a mentally challenged, homeless person who lost all (mother, father, house, way), and was just living on the streets. Having worked with the homeless for a while, the plight was thrown into song form, which really spoke to me. I liked it.

Of course, the plight myself and my group faces today is nowhere near as complex, nor as sad, as what is depicted in the song or the album... but really, I'm pissed. I need a good song to wake up to.

So, the song opens up with a lot of background noise, to simulate an external environment. The music then overshadows the noise, telling the story of the unnamed person. While a truly poppy song (Guitar, Drums, Bass, Vox), the song is well layered, and tells an interesting story. It's not one of the songs that I can really qualitatively state that the music is superior to any other, but as far as relational stories go, this one speaks pretty well. Music doesn't always have to be about breaking the boundary of sound, sometimes its a conveyance of a story, a plight or a feeling... bringing about introspection in the listener.

Due to that, sometimes you create a really good song. Enjoy.

Gotta keep on rolling on, I guess. What may be, may be.
-om

Double Song Friday is Here!

Ok, the third mashup. Well, to be honest, it features two groups that have not been on here, the Beatles and the Beastie Boys. This mash pits two songs, "Lady Madonna" by the Beatles, and "So Whatcha' Want" by The Beastie Boys.

Aaand, I'm running late. Better to be late, than not there. In any case, enjoy the Friday, and the tunes. I'll have much better stuff this weekend.


And, From Mystery Science Theatre 3000 (MST3K), "The Canada Song." I needed a laugh, and it was either this or something from Family Guy.

For those of you whom have missed this, it is quite a treat.

Have a fun friday.
-om

Thursday Pickups

Initially, this blog was supposed to be about obscure bands... but looking back, I don't think I'm delivering. For the next few days, I'm going to change that and give you a bit more bands that are more fighting along the precipice of obscurity.

The song and video below is "Lazy Eye" from the Silversun Pickups album Carnavas. It's the second single off the album, and was a brief hit on MTV before fading out. The sound is akin to early Smashing Pumpkins, with soft beginnings, harder middles and bridges, and a harsh vocal line over the top. The makeup of the band has such similarities to the Pumpkins, that is rather hard not to make the comparison. Where the Pumpkins started to fall was the hubris of Corgan's "Message" over the song, and the Pickups don't seem to be doing that. They just seem to be singing, and enjoying what they are doing. During the video, while playing, they just seem to be lost in the moment.

That is a really fun feeling, as a musician. Sometimes, when you close your eyes and play, you acually feel the music through you. If you are playing a guitar, you can feel the vibration of the notes against your body. The piano, you can feel it respond under your fingertips, and through the seatbench. It's quite amazing. You can follow YouTube and catch some of the live performances of this band and witness it... which is where the Silversun Pickups differentiate from the Smashing Pumpkins.

So, enjoy "Lazy Eye."


Also, people under the age of 18 shouldn't be allowed in bars. That was the strangest part of the video. Just my thought.
-om

Wake Up Wednesday!

Three chords can create the perfect song.

Sometimes, you need a spark to get you up in the morning. Since I'm cutting back on the red bull, I'm turning more to the music that gets the blood flowing. Green Day can do that for me.

When Green Day released Dookie in 1994, it was lauded and panned by punk rock critics and aficionados alike. While decidedly raw and unabashed, it had serious overtones of pop to be taken solely "punk" for the hardcore punk crowd. Critics panned them for simplistic use of three chords, and also accusing them of "selling out."

Sadly, what the critics didn't get, was that this was the face of the new era of Punk. They weren't seeing it at the time. Green Day's Dookie brought it back. Punk used to be about quick songs. Angst. Railing against almost everyone and everything. And Girls.

Some punks would have have become so without the disaffection... but sometimes, punk rock music was about girls. "Sheena is a Punk Rocker, The Story of my Life," and "Whatshername," (by The Ramones, Social Distortion and Green Day, respectively) are a few of the female-influenced standouts. Green Day's earlier effort, "She," is along the same vein. Written about a woman, put on the album after she left. Angry, Cynical, yet somewhat heartfelt with the questioning, masochistic chorus.

When the song came out, I had a "She" at the time, but I didn't know it then. It's amusing to think back on it now, due to all the music associated with that period in life. We, at some point, should all have a "She (or a 'He,' for you women)" in our lives. The ranges of emotion, the staggering ups, to the dizzying lows. The joy, the pain, and the loss. Looking back, nothing was as profound, nothing made me so angry, nothing makes me smile more (well except for my daughter), than the loss.

If that exposition didn't make sense to you, you need a "She." Good luck with that.

Also, to all the critics, the chords were G, D, C. This song didn't need any more.

Later,
-om

A Second Wednesday Post...

Ed note: This post was originally completed at 8:50am, but it looked strange being above, as it is intended as a postscript to the original wednesday post.

Angsty sadness. I should have been an emo chick. Of course, if I were, we would only have tons of music from My Bloody Valentine, and exposition on the merits of the movie Twilight. Yeah, you deserve better than that.

Of course, dear reader (I think I may have three now), so do I. So, when I feel a bit sad, dejected, confused and (dare I say) unjustly maligned, I have no recourse. But I do have this blog, and a huge wealth of songs to pick from.

In 1990, Christian Slater starred in a movie, Pump Up the Volume, from which I pulled this song, by Aaron Neville. Heartfelt vocals over a slow beat that never lets you forget it's there... like a heartbeat. The languid wail of the organ. The counterpoint in the bass guitar, almost like a mocking voice. The bridge, with it's background harmonization and the harsh Fender, conveys a mixture of anger, pleading and confusion that is liberating... and ends softly, sadly.

It's songs like this that make it so nice to have 35yo scotch.
Enjoy the rest of your day folks. Apologies for the juvenile emo nature of the rant.
-om

Just Another Day

It's just another day...

Sometimes in life, there needs to be a day that you can look back on and say, "That was a perfect day." I have been very fortunate to have quite a few I can look back on. Every other day, however, has been just another day. Hence, today's song is quite apt.

In the 70s (the 70s!), the Mystic Knights of Oingo Boingo formed by Richard and Danny Elfman. Long story short, the group (renamed later to Oingo Boingo, then later, Boingo), went on to compile 16 albums over a 17 year span. The band influenced scores of young groups and artists, had incredible presence on both stage and screen, and enjoyed a nice musical life after the breakup in 1995.

"Just Another Day," the initial song off the album Dead Man's Party was featured on the live album Boingo Alive as well. I thoroughly enjoyed the original, but the live version (here, from the final "Farewell Concert") is quite good. Live, the song takes on a different quality due to Steve Bartek's intro. Bartek's guitar work is hard and persistent, Danny Elfman's vocals cut through the song like a knife. The rhythm and bass work are fun. The song works one up into a frenzy, and a terrible thing to listen to while driving. The ending fades away, dreamlike and ethereal (the live version cuts off a bit, which is unfortunate).

In any case, this band was a wonder, live. I saw them more times than I can remember, and nary a Halloween goes by that I don't longingly think of the fun, fun concerts.

Enjoy "Just Another Day." Try to leave a smile on your face for everyone.
-om

Pretty Enough

Monday Morning, most people are not pretty enough.

Country Western Music. A popular genre, due to the fact that there aren't as many splits in it as other genres (Rock for example, has Alt-, Punk-, Classic-, Nu-, Metal-, etc). For the most part, as a genre, CW remains somewhat true to its roots. mostly live musicians, guitars are a norm, singers sing about love and loss... but not necessarily.

The rise of alternative country has bridged the gap for those looking to find a more mellow sound that both Rock and Country cannot provide. While The Dixie Chicks are Queens of the heap in this school, a lot of really interesting artists, such as KT Tunstall and Kasey Chambers have arrived on the scene with minimal fanfare, and critical success.

Kasey Chambers is an Australian-hailed Alt-Country singer. Her album Barricades and Brickwalls went to #1 in her native land, with songs like "If I Were You," and "True Colours." Her hit, "Not Pretty Enough," however, went to #1, for it's wide appeal, simple lyrics, and softly provided melody. Her plaintive titular question starts off the piece, not necessarily sadly, but worn with introspection. The guitars are there, but unassuming. The drumbeat is pretty simplistic, cymbals in all the expected places. There is nothing extra special about this song, save her voice, and the sad longing within it. Had one had ever heard this song from a jaded, questioning waif during 100 lifetimes, each of those lifetimes I can envision, one would do anything to solve that question. This makes the song pretty powerful, haunting, and memorable.


Sometimes, you don't need to try that hard. Sometimes, simple is pretty enough.
-om

Cute Sunday with Pinocchio

Ok, I know I just posted a mashup a few days ago, but my daughter wanted me to post this one. As everyone knows, whatever your daughter asks you to do, within reason, you must do it.

This one is for her.

Classic brassy Disney start. Radiohead's signature "Creep" is mixed in when Pinocchio starts signing, then John Lennon seems to chime in as a duet partner. It's somewhat surreal, with the fade out of Radiohead adding a delightful, melancholy coda to a short, sweet song. Many mashups die due to length and overegineering. This is a perfect example of something that seems quick and simple, but comes out better than many more complex efforts.

A quick hit, if you will. Enjoy!

Getting ready for the next week, should be interesting... C&W, a live show and a diverse Double Friday!

Have a good Sunday.
-om

Magic Carpet Rides

The 80s. A magical time, for those that remember it. While a lot of people remember the bad clothes, the the incessant greed and Miami Vice, some of us look at it as one of the epochal states of music. Alternative music was coming to the fore, White Kids had broken the Rap Color barrier, and even instrumental pieces had their place outside of elevators.

Today's song is not one of those. In the 80s, the real rise of Bubblegum pop came to annoy music lovers , due to the proliferation of the crap on MTV. Tiffany, New Kids on the Block, and Debbie Gibson, to name a few, were graduates of this august push in music (to be noted, Debbie Gibson gets a pass for her notable work post-80s, but we will get to that some other time).

Today's song comes from a Dance Duo named Bardeux. Never heard of them? I don't blame you. If you weren't actively going out to nightclubs and dancing with a really thin tie whipping around (you were always safe, due to the linebacker-like shoulderpads in your jacket), you probably would not have heard of this song. In fact, I was really surprised YouTube had this one.

Bardeux's "Magic Carpet Ride" came off thier debut album Bold as Love. The video has it all. Big hair, break dancing (just popping), bad lip syncing (like they just didn't even care, or were all coked up), and that stupid hand-held keyboard that was "so totally cool" at the time. Yeech. Wow, there are even those ugly atrocious muscle pants on some tool at the end of the video.

The music, however, wasn't that bad, as far as dance tunes go. Catchy lyrics, electronic drum machine, bright. Probably not a live musician on the album. But, the voices of "Jaz" and "Acacia" are nice and pure, almost making you believe that this song could be attributed to you. That, when you are dancing, you are actually dancing to a fun song, with a girl of your dreams... at least until the AquaNet dissolves out of her hair.

So, enjoy a Guilty Pleasure. Bardeux's "Magic Carpet Ride."

Now, excuse me while I look for my muscle pants and mouse. It's been a while. Dude.
-om

Double Friday with Decadence

OK, first off, I am going to say that this post is not for kids. That being said, make with the yada!

College Acapella. A phrase almost as stigmatic as "Band Geek." Sadly, college Acapella really gets a bad rap, due the immature desire to "fit in" and "be accepted." Really, the persons who actually have the talent to perform college acapella are quite special. Getting to hear many college acapella bands perform, the love and passion they have for their craft is evident and infectious.

So, I'm here today to dispel the negative affectation with one of be more interesting performances that I have stumbled upon. Berkeley Decadence covered a Ben Folds arrangement of Dr Dre's "Bitches Aint Shit," and released it to You Tube. It was featured on CollegeHumor.com, garnering well over a million hits. The harmonics were very well done, and while not completely tight and over-engineered like some album-released tracks that some College Acapella Groups have been known to do, this was unedited, one take stationary camera type of effort. Commendable, and actually very well done.

The second song is actually Ben Folds' version of the song, as captured from his MySpace Gig. The Electric piano opening the song was striking, setting the mood for something decidedly non-gangsta. Of course, it's all dispelled at the first line. Additionally, the crowd playing guitar was a fun touch. The ending is somewhat peculiar, but, then again, that's Ben Folds.

Make your comparisons. Both are interesting.


Berkeley's Decadence


Ben Folds (the MySpace Gig)

Hope you enjoyed the second Double Friday! Have a great weekend.
-om

The Monkey Man

You better believe it.

In Reggae, there are some very influential cats. Black Uhuru. The Wailers. Steel Pulse. The venerable Bob Marley. While all were highly regarded and inspired many, none were quite as prolific and varied as Toots and the Maytals, with a career spanning over four decades. Artists like The Clash, Sublime, The Specials, among others cite The Maytals as a venerable influence in their inspiration.

"Monkey Man" was their first international hit in 1970, and it's only right that we have it today. However, this collaborative effort with No Doubt, off of The Maytals 2005 release True Love, is a fun, quirky track. The strong, bright, brassy start immediately kicks the song into gear. No Doubt's Gwen Stephani's vocals add a both a great blend and counterpoint at various points, making it a really fun song to sing in a car (or, if you are so inclined, in a shower). The beat is driving, the bass line is simplistic and infectious. It even has a good ending... almost like the song was recorded spontaneously at an impromptu jam session.

Sometimes magic happens. That's what this song sounds like. Frenetic, magical happiness. Have to smile when I hear this.



The late nights are getting to me. As I said, I'm old. Stay tuned for Double Friday, as well as a write up of the small show I went to last night.
-om

The High Priestess of Soul

Tough. Today's post is tough.

This woman, a multiple Grammy Award winner, inspired scores of artists today. From Lennon to Aretha to Buble, her voice, style and panache put a spell over whomever happened to be fortunate enough to hear. She studied Classical Piano at Julliard, settled in Europe after a divorce, and passed away mourned by thousands. The silencing of her voice was a small but poignant loss in a discordant world. Nina Simone's contribution to the world of music was both lush and expansive. Her life was as varied and eclectic as the genres she spanned. From Pop to Gospel to Jazz, Nina seemed to take the best of what was presented, and left those around her in wonderment.

Nina's songs, at the outset, were always wonderful. A vibrant voice atop melodies either classic (Gershwin's "I Loves you Porgy", for example), or more contemporary (she coupled with the likes of Ellington and Armstrong), Nina would overcome people with her vocal styling and stage presence. Subtly, however, one could detect a trace of pathos, resignation and regret with almost anything she sang... even in "Feeling Good," from her album I Put a Spell on You.

What we came for today, however, is Nina's rendition of "Here Comes the Sun" from the album of the same name. While more uptempo than the original, combined with a different musical arrangement, "Sun" was a wistful rendition of the Beatles ballad that evoked both longing and questioning within at least this listener. Is it "all right?" Does she really miss me after the winter? Is this the musical equivalent of a "Dear John" letter?

One thing is for sure, my words cannot do this song, nor this woman, Justice. Listen. Then, when you mature a little, listen again. This one is kinda amazing in this regard.



Thanks for the week.
-om

A Little Mashed

Mashups. Bastard Pop. SuperSampling. Some things are quite cool when changed, yet do not detract from the original.

Certain mashup efforts have been passable up until this point. DJ Dangermouse did wonderful things with his Grey Album effort, but the Sgt Petsounds Lonely Hearts Club Band effort showed how random mashups could turn out if done poorly. Mashup songs are numerous, with many good, but even more fraught with just echoes of such. Mashup albums, while ambitious, prove to be difficult, due to the nature of the overall nature of the project. To encompass a whole album, one must add and flow, not wildly differ, from production value in each mashup. Otherwise, one produces a random mess of good and bad, detracting from the overall effort. A superlative effort takes time to create a truly great work.

Dean Gray's American Edit is such an album that defines both great work, superlative effort, and marks of genius.

Released in 2005, American Edit was a mashup tribute to Green Day's American Idiot. In the classic veins of Rock Opera, Idiot followed the storybook structure, but in an updated rebellious nature congruent with the times. In Edit, Dean Gray (actually a group of individuals, Party Ben and team9) loosely kept the same themes, but interspersed different sounds and styles within the backdrop of Green Day's story. Such is evident in the Edit mashup Whatshername (modeled after the Idiot song Whatshername), where the Green Day tune is mashed with the lyrics of the Bangles' Manic Monday.

The song today, however, is one of the more popular ones off of American Edit: Boulevard of Broken Dreams. In Boulevard, Green Day is deftly mixed with Oasis' Wonderwall, with bits of Travis' Writing to Reach You, and even a smattering of Aerosmith thrown into the mix. On their own, all of these songs are great. Mixing them was a chance well taken, with a result well done.

Hey, if Billie Joe Armstrong liked it after listening to the mashup of his own song, it can't be all bad.



Bloody well rock on.
-om

The Monday Morning Wakeup

Again, no coffee. Must have something a bit more high energy.

So, in the late 90s, America was in an interesting state. DotComs. The supremacy of Microsoft. The Subaru JSpec 22B could be imported, to the annoyance of Porsche owners. Musically, swing was back in.

And so was it's lonely cousin, Ska-Punk, ushering in what has been referred to as the "Third wave of Ska."

Ska Punk had it's roots set in the late 70s, with Bands like The Specials, and The Beat (which reformed in the late 90s to be "Special Beat"), and of course, Madness. However, in the 90s, Southern California had spawned quite a few notable ska bands (Operation Ivy and Fishbone being two of the more popular bands at the time) which also had roots in the Punk scene. Bands like No Doubt, Sublime, Reel Big Fish and Less Than Jake started to grab mainstream attention.

Then the stage blew up with Save Ferris', Come on Eileen. A cover of a Dexy's Midnight Runners tune, Come on Eileen shot the obscure ska punk band into the national stage, garnered a lot of radio play, and opened the way for a lot of the bands above. Combined with No Doubt, ska punk was a formidable force of music on the airwaves.

Save Ferris released It Means Everything in 1997, which was their first full-length album. For a first album, it's pretty perfect. All songs stick to the genre, the production was tight and balanced, without any throwaway songs. While they had Come on Eileen on here (which was released previously on an EP), the best songs actually surrounded their hit tune, instead of following it. PitchforkMedia even gave it a 9.5 out of 10, which is pretty high praise for them.

Finally, the song. Superspy. The third song out of the block on the album. No official video was made of it, but thanks to YouTube, we have one. The video is cute, but the song is great. Catchy starting swing beat, the vocals of Monique Powell, and a horn section over them all. To be honest, there is nothing like a great horn section, and Save Ferris had one of the best.

A great song to wake up to on a Monday. Even if you had coffee.



I had the opportunity to see them in concert, and they rocked. Sadly, Save Ferris is no more (officially), but the music lives on. It's always good to catch a band like this, even if its just once.

Cya,
-om

When Good Music meets Bad Video

Early. No coffee or Red Bull in sight. Need a stimulant, but nothing too overboard.

In 1992, INXS released Welcome to Wherever You Are a follow up to previous successes Kick and X. One can feel a slight departure from the simple efforts of driving guitar riffs, decadent drumbeats and pogoing catchiness with Eastern-themed songs like Questions and Wishing Well, but the standout, enduring song that people seem to remember off this album is Beautiful Girl. This was a song that undoubtedly graced a million alty mixed tapes from guys wearing bad pompadours and creepers.

Sad.

However, the song actually stands up well. The chords are pretty repeatable, but don't overpower or get really in the way of the lyrics... which is what every great song on a mix tape should do (which I'm thinking why this song was so popular in them). I actually love the fact that really, what sticks in one's head (besides the fact that, if you were learning how to play via guitar or Piano, this could be perfected in a couple of days) is that the message is simple:

Beautiful Girl (stay with me)

The problem is, that if the intended mix-tape recipient actually listens to the lyrics (outside of the chorus), it's about a runaway, and how this person wants to take care of her. Aaah, the quandaries that one has to come up against while attempting to woo with music. So, in the end, one is either really beautifully vulnerable (for professing the need to be with someone), or really creepy (for professing the need to be with someone). Interesting.



The video was a melange of pseudo-subliminal imagery... not really one I would have picked (a lot of the idea could be seen in the Mediate video), but then again, I'm not a video director. The video immerses itself with something not even akin to the song or the lyrics. It's like listening to Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds while watching a video of exploding Whales. It's that bad.

In any case, this one is about the Music, not about the video. Enjoy.
-om

Saturday Daydreamin'

Good morning all. So, my taste toward Hip Hip and R&B isn't as deep as I would like, but every once in a while, I find something that really makes me sit up and take notice. In 2006, Lupe Fiasco pulled out a song on his debut Food & Liquor, titled Daydreamin (featuring Jill Scott).

In a word, transcendent. An R&B song hasn't gotten me to ponder this way since the Beastie Boys released Paul's Boutique (the closing B-Boy Bouillabaisse was awesome). Jill Scott's contribution is utilized with such giving soul, the background layer of Danse de Cygnes (Tchaikovsky... Tchaikovsky?!?, I had to listen a few times, then 2x checked to make sure), is incredible.

It starts of lyrically, with Jill Scott's voice inviting you into what may seem like a very complacent, lovely song.... then it hits. Lupe dives into an angsty flow about what he seems to see: sadness, pain, corruption, ambivalence. When you think it's going to go on again, Jill Scott seems to bring you back into a happy place.

It is a Daydream, yet possibly not the ones we all had, or all want. But this one was beautiful in it's imagery, poignant in it's message and sublime in the experience. Enjoy... I definitely did.



Note: normally, I will post the original video, but MTV and VH1 likes to censor. I can appreciate that, but I'm don't particularly agree with the process. I tend not to be as uptight as most, and music, for the most part, should be left alone. Of course, I would not let my daughter listen to N.W.A. at this point, but I would not forbid it in the future (in fact, I would love to watch her lip sync to F%$k Tha Police, I think that would be a scream).

In any case, hope you enjoyed.

Later,
-om

Double Friday with NoFX

Wow, since it's the weekend already, I thought that I would send out a double treat. NoFX's The Decline. In the vein of The Who's Tommy and, more recently, Green Day's American Idiot, The Decline is not a "rock opera" as such, just a kick ass 18 minute song.

The song is angry, but not without its purpose. While the vitriol against overall society is seen in various NoFX albums (again in the later The War on Errorism), this song bespeaks toward them all in a continuous stream. In fact, one is usually a few bars into the next section of the song before one realizes the change.

Do we need all the pills? Do we need the shallowness of our culture? Do we need what we are told from Television or the Internet? Can't we all just look out the window? Could we learn from history, or are we doomed to repeat?

So folks, whomever is listening, I'd like to proudly present to you: The Decline. Enjoy, then do something different. Apparently, we do not all need to march in a straight line.



and part 2...



Through the whole thing? Awesome. See ya tomorrow.
-om

The Resolution

Music has always been a love and passion, but until now, I never really thought I would write about it. Of course, writing blogs at this point have become somewhat intellectually masturbatory, so I will endeavor not to devolve into such.

Be warned, however, that at times I will.

As I cannot seem to find a style yet, I am just going to type. Hopefully, in time, something akin to style will present itself and not just remain pedantic (and shallow... hey oh!) ramblings on a page. I'm not going highbrow, I hope not to get too lowbrow. I'm going to comment on something I found interesting, whether it be at a Music Show (hence the title), or online, gleaned off the series of tubes of the interweb.

... and of course, the first pick is something kinda random. ELO's Jungle.




Epic just re-released this album, Out of the Blue on CD, and did quite a good job at it. While I loved most of the songs on it, and remembered killing a few cassettes in my day listening to this over and over. I thought the best, under-appreciated song on it was Jungle.

Jungle with puppets, though? For the Win. The song was great. The tune, totally catchy. Tarzan yell? Check. Easy chorus? Check. Cowbell? Awesome Check. Heck, I'm smiling just listening to the darned song. For an old dude, this song is cool. To an 8 year old, this song is an excuse to jump around on the bed, giggling and grinning like a lunatic.

Chooka chooka hoo la ley (That's what they sang) Looka looka koo la ley (And the Jungle rang).

Listening to this takes be back to fun times. It takes years off my life and purview, at least for three minutes and fifty-two seconds. I am the kid with the towel around my neck, jumping off the couch. No drivers license, no mortage, no job, no worries.

No sign of Britney Spears, either. That alone is enough to keep me grinning a little longer.

Mahalo,
om