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Welcome to the second edition of Musician Monday! This week I want to highlight a band that I rediscovered in the past week or so by looking through My List. Now for those who don't know, My List is an almost complete list of artists I need to download/relisten to at some point. Protip: make one of these, and every once in a while listen to random bands from it that you don't recognize. Not only will you have a wider variety of artists to listen to, but you may make a rediscovery like I did for this Musician Monday. Anyway, on to the music: Crash Kings.
If Jack White and Cold War Kids had a baby, Crash Kings would be that baby. Singer Antonio Beliveau uses the same energetic, somewhat screamy vocals as featured in Cold War Kids while the band as a whole adds a slightly jazzier tone that is prominent in Jack White's works. Also, the piano is very Raconteurs-ish, which is awesome in its own right. This creates a unique but familiar sound that anyone who is a fan of either artist will be able to easily transition into Crash Kings. They've been around since 2009 and only have two full albums so they are still on the rise. I could easily see them rising to the popularity levels of Cold War Kids. Let's take a look at some of their songs.
Mountain Men (3:17)
This is their most popular jam. Beliveau even has a bit of Jack White in his voice in this song too. It's not groundbreaking, but it's a very well done and catchy track that also happens to be my favorite song by them.
Hot Fire (3:44)
The first single of their latest album is exactly how the title says it is; "Hot Fire". Featuring intense bass lines in the chorus and the ever-awesome vocals, Hot Fire definitely represents the new album well. If you listen carefully to this album, you can even hear some influences from more classic rock legends like Aerosmith.
It's Only Wednesday(3:04)
It's Only Wednesday features a great piano harmony that backs an even greater vocal melody. It's my second favorite song by them, and it's easily their catchiest track. It's even more remarkable that they executed this song so well because it takes their harsher more rocking side and softens it to make it much more alternative and jazzy.
What's even more awesome is that this is just the tip of the Crash Kings iceberg. Despite having only two albums, they are so densely packed with quality tracks that you should have plenty of good music to rock out to until next Musician Monday. So what'd you think? Let me know what your opinion on Crash Kings in the comments and if you have any suggestions on future Musicians for Musician Monday, send an email, leave a comment, or message me on Facebook.
Welcome to the first post of New Sightings, a weekly series where I show off an underground artist thats just starting out/is on the rise. How is this different from Musician Monday, Dan? Well my lovely reader, I can answer that question pretty easily if you'll just read the next sentence. Musician Monday highlights already established artists that have a large following anyway; they just aren't mainstream. New Sightings reveals artists that don't have a huge following yet but should be. They usually are pretty local bands to their start and they may have an EP or two, but they aren't established. Now that I've made this distinction pretty clear, lets get on to some real content.
I am so glad that I can be writing this blog post right now about the artist I'm highlighting today. I remember when one of my best childhood friends first started calling himself "Craft Monroe" freshman year of high school. We all thought he was ridiculous that Mike gave himself his own nickname, but this new identity was the beginning of something new, something big. Junior year rolls around, and Mike starts rapping under the name "Craft Monroe". he released his first mixtape with his good friend Kace Monroe called Known By Midterms. I got one of the first hard copies and immediately put it in my disc drive in the car to give it a listen. It was your classic white kid trying out rapping style with the lyrics written during math class rapped over his favorite instrumentals from other rap songs. The Monroes made one more mixtape with a similar style called Rich By Finals. Known By Midterms and Rich By Finals had a homegrown sound, but our high school loved it, me included. Even more impressive, it was nothing compared to what Mike is up to now, but it was his first recorded stuff. Everyone's gotta start somewhere.
Now Craft Monroe is flying solo and he has upped the game. While solo, he has dropped a mixtape called Lost in the Deku Tree that got 10K downloads in a week before being taken down by the music sharing website (shall not be named) for reasons I can only assume being that it was too damn awesome. Rumors are one can still find it online if one searches hard enough. Now Monroe is signed to Paradigm Records, which is a brand new partner to Universal Records. With Paradigm and Universal, he'll be releasing his first studio album called CRAFT this summer along with a mixtape called Junk Food & Cat Naps. Be excited for this guy; Craft Monroe is gonna make it big, and I'm not just saying that cause he's one of my best friends.
Here are my picks for songs you should listen to:
Roger That (3:28)
Mike says he cringes every time he hears this, but honestly it's the most important thing he's written in my eyes. This was his first song he has shown off to the world and it definitely gave him the boost to continue his passion for rapping. Like I said, everyone's gotta start somewhere.
Ferrari (4:18)
I don't have a link to this cause it's on Lost in the Deku Tree, but if you can find it, listen to it. Even though it has a more upbeat beat, don't be fooled; the lyrics are really heavy. It pretty much sums up how and why he got into rapping and how he's staying in. Probably my favorite song so far.
Horrorcore (4:08)
Craft's latest single from his upcoming album CRAFT definitely has an overall darker tone. It's got the classic rap themes and has a great beat. If this is what we are looking forward to for the rest of the album, I'll be very interested to see how he makes it.
Overall, Craft Monroe looks like your average white kid with an affinity for rap music. Deeper down, he's a lyrically blessed dude that has a good taste in music and is doing big things. What do you think? Let me know in the comments your opinion as well as anyone else you think deserves a spotlight on New Sightings.
To guarantee there's always a bit of content being generated for you, my lovely reader, I am going to begin a few smaller weekly series. The first of these is called Musician Monday. Every Monday for as long as I feel like doing it, I will be highlighting an already established artist, why you should listen to them, and a couple of my favorite songs by said artist. These posts are going to be pretty brief, but the true meaning of them isn't for you to read some words that I write about music (though it is awesome that you'd do that anyway, keep it up). Their purpose is the music and the sharing of that music so everyone can know more awesome music. With that in mind, let us begin.
Today, I want to highlight a very quality band that has definitely had some major success but has never reached the level of mainstream: Brian Jonestown Massacre. It seems that these unfortunate souls were born in the wrong generation. Had they been around with the Rolling Stones in the 70s or even gotten into the music scene early 80s, Brian Jonestown Massacre probably would have been a mainstay of classic rock now. Their "rock and roll" sounding melodies and harmonies definitely fit better in our parent's generation of music. Unfortunately for them, Brian Jonestown Massacre got their first start out at the tail end of the 80s, missing their prime era by a margin. Regardless of their mismatched sound to their age, Brian Jonestown is still a very talented band that effectively uses the minimalist-style vocals similar to the Smashing Pumpkins to create a nice little twist to the old classic rock style that transforms it into a hipster relic of the past. To give a general idea of my liking of them, Brian Jonestown Massacre would be pretty firm in my Top 50 list, a still prestigious feat if I do say so myself (which I do).
One thing that always baffled me is the feud between fans of BJM and fans of the Dandy Warhols over which band is better. Any time I would be looking at a youtube video of either band's songs there would always be pages and pages of comments arguing about one being superior and the other sucking. First off, its comparing indie apples and oranges. Their styles are slightly similar, but outside of the vocals, they diverge pretty quickly. Second, they are both fantastic artists. Personally, I prefer the Dandy Warhols, but that doesn't detract a single bit from Brian Jonestown Massacre's talent or personal style. Anyway, on to my 3 picks.
Wisdom (5:22)
This was the very first BJM song I ever listened to, and boy is this a doozie. Every time I listen to it, it takes me back to when I was first discovering lesser known gems like BJM.
Straight Up and Down (4:30)
My personal favorite song. It's just so chill and relaxing to listen to; it's as if the words don't even matter. They just melt into the framework of the song and it all becomes just one unified sound.
Anemone (5:34)
Close second song, and their most popular song out there. Pretty much a straight jammin' track with not much to it but the rhythm and soul of the music.
If you have heard of Brian Jonestown Massacre, let me know what you think of them. If not, glad I could show you; let me know what you think anyway. If you know of a specific artist you think I should highlight, comment here or message me on Facebook or Twitter. I hope you all enjoyed the music and hope to see you again next Monday when I show you another awesome Indie band.
Foster the People released their long awaited album earlier this week. Ever since I fully delved into their first studio album, Torches, I had been itching for more of their playful sound. It has always interested me how they contrast this more upbeat instrumentals with very dark, meaningful lyrics, which is showed most blatantly in their most well known song "Pumped Up Kicks". Well, their new album Supermodel definitely delivers. It is still seems written as a full album as opposed to individual songs put into one compilation of varying styles. The songs have a conscious flow between each track which allows for easy listening of the entire album in one sitting, which I thoroughly recommend. Posted below is a full recording of the album so you can do just that while you read the rest of the review as I go over each song individually.
Are You What You Want to Be? (4:31)
Supermodel starts off with bang with this very catchy track. While it is a bit darker in instrumentals than Torches was it continues the same tempo and rhythm, keeping its energy alive. The rhythm of the lyrics is also something to note. It follows the the rest of the music very well which keeps this flow and seamlessly transitions from the verses to chorus. The lyrics themselves are pretty heavy too. To me its basically saying that everyone has to make their own choices and the consequences are dire if you fuck up. So is what you are doing now what you really want? Let me know in the comments your thoughts on this or any other lyrics.
Ask Yourself (4:23)
Ask Yourself continues the similar theme of the previous song of upbeat tempo juxtaposed with serious lyrics. They charge their subject with the question: "Is this the life you've been waiting for?" telling them their life is screwed up by their decisions. Its almost sounding at this point like this album is written to a specific person in their life. I really like it though; it's a powerful theme and I hope the message gets across to their intended subject and to the full audience dealing with any of their own life problems.
Coming of Age (4:40)
This was the first song previewed for the new album and honestly, it got me so excited. My friend Paul burst in the room one day yelling, "Did you hear the new Foster the People album?!??" and ripped the computer from my hands to play it. It definitely captures their older album most similarly. In fact, if I had heard this played back to back with Warrant and I wasn't paying attention, I'd think it was an extended cut of the Torches conclusion. I fully understand why they previewed this first (since it has the closest style to their original hits) but I wish they had shown me something more different to fully prepare me for the awesomeness that is this album.
Nevermind (5:18)
Supermodel continues with a Bossa Nova styled track named "Nevermind". This is where Foster the People really takes their first musical risk in the album, and it pays off big time. "Nevermind" takes this new, jazzy Bossa to their tried and true musical method to make it less of a completely new style and more of a modified version of their original style. This keeps the song in track with the whole "written as an album" feeling of the album while showing their ability to branch out as a band. Keep looking for this kind of stuff from Foster the People, I'm sure more will come in the future.
Pseudologica Fantastica (5:31)
Foster continues the album with a dreamy, trippy feeling song that is still quite the enigma to me lyrics-wise. It seems that hes talking to a close friend that has made some of the sub-par choices mentioned in "Are You What You Want to Be?" and "Ask Yourself", but I'm still trying to figure them out. If anyone has any other insights, I'd love to hear in the comments. Regardless of the lyrics, the heavy use of synth contributes to the overall dreamy style that is what will draw most people into the song in the first place. Overall, its a good track to end the first half and so far I've been nothing but impressed.
The Angelic Welcome of Mr. Jones (0:33)
Honestly, this is my favorite part of the whole album. It splits the tracklist in half, making it a natural breakpoint between the two halves of the album. Not only is it a well-arranged break from the rest of the album, it is A Capella (extra points for that one) and it is well performed. I almost was disappointed that it was only a 30 second piece of the album because when the next song came on, I had to triple check my computer to see if the file was working properly. Going forward from this small sample, I'm hoping that Foster the People continues their trend with doing some of their songs A Capella.
Best Friend (4:28)
This track continues the Torches style almost point for point; I'd compare it style-wise to Houdini. It has the most positive message so far out of all of the songs on Supermodel, speaking words of reassurance to one's best friend that they'll be their for their friend through any trials or tribulations. Like I said earlier, the instrumentals and vocal style harken back to Foster's Torches in a good way, but unfortunately, that means that there isn't much else to say about Best Friend. Overall, I'd say it is an average song in the face of all of these other fantastic tracks.
A Beginner's Guide to Destroying the Moon (4:40)
Here we come to my least favorite song on the album. "A Beginner's Guide to Destroying the Moon" features a harsher vocal voice than present in the rest of Foster the People's works which clashes with the style they are trying to make their own, which is a lighter, more upbeat sound. I can see that they are trying to experiment with different attempts to branch out, but it just doesn't feel like Foster the People to me. While a still very good song in its own right, it doesn't mesh well the rest of the album. Fortunately, this is the low low of the album for me, because beside these few complaints its still a solid track.
Goats in Trees (5:10)
If I didn't know any better, I could have sworn this was the Shins, and I like the Shins a lot. This is a good following song to the previous track because it calms the album down and prepares the listener for the next two tracks. Its lyrics also take a turn from the more advising/judging tone in the earlier tracks and are more reflective on the writer's own actions and the mistakes he made. Also for the first time the calmer tones of the instrumentals match the slower, pensive theme of the lyrics. Overall, this song is a well planned and well executed track that helps tie the rest of the album together.
The Truth (4:30)
Here is my favorite song in the album. Foster's vocal range is showed in full force as he quickly and skillfully alternates between smooth falsetto and his deeper bass voice through the chorus. It continues the overarching story of the album with Foster talking to his friend and offering to help his friend pull through the tough times ahead. The falsetto riffs contribute to this reassuring tone by being overly energetic throughout the rest of the undertones of the song. Because of this great message and fantastic execution of the message on the track, "The Truth" secures itself as my new favorite "Foster the People" song and my standout pick for Supermodels.
Fire Escape (4:22)
"Fire Escape" does to me exactly what "Warrant" did on torches. It ends the album by resolving the story of the album by using a completely unique style compared to the rest of the album. This track uses a very low key acoustic line to support Foster's final plea to his friend to "Save Yourself, Save Yourself" and really wraps up the album well. What's really exciting about this song is what it means for the future. If Foster the People follow the same pattern with Torches, then "Fire Escape" could be an indicator of their next album, like Warrant did for Supermodel. It could also just be that they made the song to fit the story. Regardless, it left a good taste in my mouth as the music ended.
Overall, I really really enjoyed this album and writing about it. The lyrics show so much depth behind Foster and their willingness to branch out while keeping the same overall style shows that they are willing to experiment with their sound yet know very well their strengths in music. While the middle had two tracks that dipped on the awesomeness scale, I still would recommend everyone who has listened to Foster the People before and those who are interested in them to sit down and put everything else to the side and give the album a real listen once through. It's definitely worth the time and effort. On a 1-10 scale, I would rate Supermodel by Foster the People 9/10.
As always, let me know your thoughts in the comments, on Twitter, or on Facebook, and I'm always looking for ways to improve so let me know that too!
Welcome to my brand new blog! As this is the first post, I figure I might as well say a few words about myself and then follow up with something I've wanted to cement for a while now: My Top 10 Favorite Artists of All Time and Space!
I am a freshman Computer Science and Business major at Lehigh University. In my spare time (I have that?) I enjoy singing and more importantly for you, reader, listening to kick-ass music. My taste is pretty broad; there are only two genres I'd say I'm not a fan of: ska and country (I'll delve into that in another post though). I like to think I'm somewhat of a hipster, so tell me any songs I should be knowing before they are cool and I'll definitely. Next semester I am planning on starting a show on my local college radio station, WLVR. Check them out; there are some sick shows on the station. Obviously I have to bump two of my closer friends on the station, Tevin and David.
Anyway, enough about my backstory; thats not what this blog is about. It's about music and other words related to it. Time for...
My Top 10 Favorite Artists of All Time and Space!
Honorable Mentions: Yeasayer and Brad Sucks
It pains me that these didn't score higher. Yeasayer is such a fantastic band that it seems almost criminal to have it not make the cut. Brad Sucks also is very talented and also has a great model for how he shares his music (expect a blog post this in the future). Since they aren't in the top 10 I won't talk about them much, but make sure to check them out. My selected songs are "Blue Paper" on Fragrant World and "Making Me Nervous" from I Don't Know What I'm Doing.
10. Cake
Originally in my 1st Top 5 list of my life, but new discoveries kicked it all the way down here. Cake is a good example of a band that does more for the world than just write music. Cake is very environmentally conscious, and they constantly talk about world problems and try to address them head on. For example, they created their own recording company and by using solar technology run their studio entirely on solar energy. When not focusing on social and environmental concerns, Cake makes some very interesting and awesome music. Their lead singer John McCrea often just speaks the lyrics and has a great voice in it. Additionally the use of trumpet is fantastic. Their most well known song is "Short Skirt/Long Jacket" on Comfort eagle, but here's "Moustache Man from their latest album, Showroom of Compassion.
9. Eels
"Mr. E's Beautiful Blues" is fuckin right. Eels is a very talented band that has that late 90s alternative rock sound mixed with a bluesy, gravely voice of their lead singer, E. One thing that amazes me about Eels is that their studio recordings are almost identical to their live shows. Not only does this showcase how little they tamper with their original sound, but it also is a testament to how talented the entire group is. They have a wide range of styles that change each album. Featured on the soundtracks of Shrek, Scream 2, Holes, Road Trip, and many other big movies, you've probably heard of Eels whether or not you actually know it. Today I'll share one of my favorites, "If You See Natalie" from their album Blinking Lights and Other Revelations.
8. Broken Bells
The result of James Mercer and Danger Mouse (swoon) together in a room doing musical things is the project known as Broken Bells. Featuring Danger Mouse's classic instrumentals and Mercer's great voice and quality lyrics, Broken Bells is easily one of my favorite bands to show people. Their first self-titled album has so many good tracks that I can't think of one I don't like to listen to. It has the expected Indie style of the two musicians as well. It contains their most well known song, "The Ghost Inside" and the music video features Christina Hendricks (great choice). Their latest album which was released within the last month, After the Disco, brings a more poppish twist to their style and sounds rather similar to the Bee Gees (which is solid). From that album, here is "After the Disco".
7. The Strokes
The Strokes have composed some of my favorite songs of all time. Julian Casablancas has an amazing voice and their baselines are very catchy. While they have kept their same style through all of the albums, you can definitely see a positive growth from their first album to their last. While most people claim that their latest two albums, Angles and Comedown Machine are not as good as earlier works, they contain my two favorite Strokes songs, "Machu Picchu" and "Fast Animals" (I'm counting this one as being on Comedown Machine since its only a variation on the original song "Slow Animals"). The Strokes have cemented themselves as one of the most popular modern rock bands. Their most popular song is probably "Reptilia" from Room on Fire, but I'm sharing my favorite, which is "Fast Animals".
6. Red Hot Chili Peppers
Past me would have thought it's a crime for RHCP to be this low on the list. When I started really listening to music in middle school, Red Hot Chili Peppers were the first band I really picked up and went along with. They were number 1 in my mind until new number 1 came and bumped them down. Its been like that ever since, and hopefully RHCP stay up on this list high enough that past me wont kill me if he ever discovers time travel. Anyway, my choice for them is relatively self explanatory. They are so talented and they have shaped the way people view modern rock music. I was so excited that they finally got their time to come back for the latest super bowl, but Bruno Mars ruined that kinda. They have so many well known songs I couldn't name a specific one you must have heard of, so I'll share one you might not have: "Sir Psycho Sexy" from my favorite album of all time, Blood Sugar Sex Magic.
5. TV on the Radio
What happens when you cross some of the artsiest people in Brooklyn with my Top Ten list? You get TV on the Radio. These Brooklyn artsy types have a very jazzy and soulful style, and lead singer Tunde Adebimpe has a beautiful voice. I was showed this band by my fellow high school hipster Jess. One day she hands me a playlist, and the second track plays "I Was a Lover" from Return to Cookie Mountain. I'm instantly hooked. Their music videos are also something to be mentioned. Originally, many of the members worked on stop motion film in art school, so some videos are done in that fashion. The song I'll share displays that. "Second Song", the first song off of Nine Types of Light uses this technique.
4. Gorillaz
Gorillaz is an internationally known "virtual" band that combines great lyrics with amazing beats. Spearheaded by the main man of the 90s british band Blur, Damon Albarn and about ten others create the fictional story behind the band. They intertwine hip hop and rock and feature plenty of lesser known rappers like MF Doom and Deltron 3030 in their songs to create their unique Gorillaz style. They have two very popular songs, "Feel Good Inc" and "Clint Eastwood" from Demon Days and Gorillaz ablums respectively. Their songs are also great canvases for remixes. Im going to share my favorite; Kids With Guns remixed by Hot Chip.
3. The Dandy Warhols
The Dandy Warhols are so indie it almost hurts. These Portland natives epitomize what it really means to be hipster by their late 90s grungy style and their early 2000s indie rock transition. Their vocalist Courtney Taylor-Taylor (male singer by the way) utilizes his well developed falsetto and Bass 1ish normal range to have an impressive total range. The Dandy Warhols are also the composers of one of my favorite albums of all time, Thirteen Tales of Urban Bohemia. Every song on that album is a good one, and you can tell major planning went into the sequencing of the songs for maximum artistic effect. Their most well known song is probably "We Used to Be Friends" on Welcome to the Monkey House. The song I'll share about them is called "Plan A" from the same album.
2. Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens is one of the most talented musicians I've ever listened to. His albums are so varied, and he's skilled in playing so many instruments. His arrangements and lyrics are so powerful and evoke so many feelings that every song is an experience. His achievements include composing his own symphony, The BQE (which is fantastic by the way) and making the ever-wanted #2 spot on this list. His most well known song is probably Chicago from his album Illinoise, which was also the first song I heard by him back in high school. I was captivated by the orchestral backing and the great vocals. I will share my favorite movement from his symphony, Movement III: Linear Tableau with Intersecting Surprise!
1. Beck
Beck has firmly held the spot of my favorite artist since my sophomore year in high school. I first heard "E-Pro" while playing Rock Band and had to find more. His varied styles show his musical talent and he has a bad-ass, don't care about anything but the music attitude that a dedicated musician should have. His most recent album, Waking Light, is a good example of this change from his earlier album, The Information. Waking Light has a very folky tune that makes it a much softer, calmer sound, while the Information fits the Indie Groove/Experimental style better. Most people have heard his classic 90s anthem, "Loser" so I'll share my favorite, lesser known song "Nicotine and Gravy" from Midnite Vultures. The album is very 80s pop-ish, and talks about the inner workings behind the classic nightlife, party-hard scene.
That's it for my top 10 list. What's yours? The best way to discover new music is to share yours, so do so in the comments if you wish. Thanks for reading and commenting, I can't wait to get this blog off the ground and every view and comment helps.
