Bon Iver

I like the fact that he just bypasses the mispronunciations that would come from calling himself “Bon Hiver” in correct French.  I think he could have also called himself “Eau Claire” in tribute to his hometown, but Bon Iver is a better fit for this project, seeing how it turned a discontented dude inward to produce something that will be looked back upon as “Good Winter”.

I really like his vocals and laid-back mellow and melancholy tone.  It’s just got an emotional pull that I don’t always get from muzak nowadays.  He worked meticulously to get his vocals harmonized and smoothed out.  The result is a lot of depth and unpredictability in the songs.  Definitely not boring or formulaic. Go Wisconsin!

Good Rap

Enough politics……..

Just good stuff from ’91

band of horses

 

So, I’m like the last dude to find out about these guys, but they’re freaking great. I hear a ton of influences, or unconscious reminders other bands: early Neil Young, Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips, Jeff Buckley’s backup band, Interpol’s song structure, The Shins, amorphous “Southern Rock”, Poor Old Lu, Sunny Day Real Estate….

I like that the songs are unpredictable, the lyrics are interesting, and singer Ben Bridwell does cool stuff with his voice and his singing tempo. They don’t seem to be a parody of anything, although they remind me of tons of stuff I like in other bands. Something is oddly familiar about their sound, even though I’m hearing a lot of songs for the first time. I definitely want to keep up with them.

bob marley

Bob Marley is one of my all-time favorite singers. I love the layering and complexity of his music. Each instrument, singer, shaker, conga, drum — everything fits so well, but often theydo things unexpectedly or unconventionally. It’s great how reggae makes the bass play the melody and the guitar keep rhythm. I especially like how most of Bob Marley’s music was before everything became too electronic, so each instrument is a live instrument. Each performance was such an intense, communal, and unique experience.

His lyrics speak of poverty, God, love, brotherhood, and so much more. It’s really rare to have popular singers come from the third world and address the unique concerns of the poor in such an intimate way. Sure, U2 and others are great for bringing issues like this to the fore, but they can never see poverty from the bottom looking up. In this way, Bob Marley’s music fits in with the rich African American tradition of spirituals, gospel, jazz, and the blues. In all of these musical styles, there’s some kind of beauty or joy that comes out of the expression of one’s unique life struggles and experiences.

Too bad Bob died so young. He did a lot in 36 years……

har mar superstar

This is one Har Mar Superstar video that I can post without compromising my sense of decency……

This joker owes his career to Ron Jeremy. At least he can sing (and dance?), so he’s not a total joke.

budgie

So…..

Early heavy metal is one of the best kinds of music out there. It really rocks and it’s so freaking raw. I love how this group from Wales recognizably influenced bands like Guns N’ Roses, Metallica, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, and Soundgarden. I mean, maybe they won’t admit it, but they really sound similar.  At the time, I’m sure that this band from Wales didn’t know that they were doing anything that amazing. On the other hand, maybe they did think they were the best band in the world, like most garage bands do, but somehow the accidents of history made them actually stand out from the rest. Now bands that try to recreate the old heavy metal sound like Wolfmother, etc. really owe their careers to bands like Budgie.

Check out Breadfan. I don’t even know why it’s called “Breadfan”. I’m a fan of bread. Am I a breadfan?

Soundgarden’s Rusty Cage with an intro from Guns N’ Roses’ Welcome to the Jungle and some other stuff…. Even Led Zeppelin……

amplive remixez radiohead

Amplive, DJ from NorCal, made a free download of really great remixez of in rainbows.

Hip hop somehow mixes well with these guys…..

www.onesevensevensix.com/amplive/

 

blast from the past

No wonder I like Sly and the Family Stone.  What a bass line and time signature. Makes me proud to be born in the 70s………

radiohead podcasts

I’ve got a lot to say about Radiohead, which I’ll save for later. I just think this video really rocks. It’s such a cool perspective, and the bicycle helmets are genius. This podcast has some different takes on their new album, In Rainbows.