Moderat
III
Rating: Essential
I listened to this at least three times. Something would always come up and I would have to turn it down or off. Quite a few times, I let it play on through into the next albums (different versions of III) I found myself entangled. Huge tracks full of space. Animal Trails is characteristic of this "crashing silence". Discover this gem for yourself.
Thursday, June 9, 2016
Lukas Graham
Lukas Graham
Feature Track: 7 Years
Keep Listening: Better Than Yourself
The wikipedia for this artist reads like a artist-centric fantasy novel. It's impossible to believe anything on the internet. So this guy ordered an MPC from amazon, threw a track up on youtube and then sold 20,000 concert tickets. Magic record deal descends from heaven. 5 years later almost 500M plays on a few spotify tracks.
The harmonies on Mama Said are religious and highly original. They sound as if they were truly sung and not queued in. I feel like Joe Satriani/Cold Play are going to crash down on Lukas Graham's Happy Home. The vocals on this one are definitely tweaked. The sting is lessened by the smooth horns on Drunk in the Morning.
My complaint with Bruno Mars has always been that his songs are brilliant, but essentially without substance. Graham sits in a much more authentic pocket. I would say that Funk making a comeback, but did it ever really leave? From Bad Brains to Pearl Jam's Dirty Frank and into Daft Punk, funk has maintained a steady place in the peripheral awareness of any music worth listening to. Strip No More. o__o
Better Than Yourself opens up into Graham's self-confessional autobiography. This is an artist bringing everything he has, even though he doesn't understand what it is yet. He faces the fear of blossoming with a soliloquy of self-expression. Singing to a brother who is jail, literally, metaphorically opening up a bevy of avenues for the listener to reflect upon. Dude has a voice. It is easier to believe the Wikipedia history by the end of this album.
Lukas Graham
Feature Track: 7 Years
Keep Listening: Better Than Yourself
The wikipedia for this artist reads like a artist-centric fantasy novel. It's impossible to believe anything on the internet. So this guy ordered an MPC from amazon, threw a track up on youtube and then sold 20,000 concert tickets. Magic record deal descends from heaven. 5 years later almost 500M plays on a few spotify tracks.
The harmonies on Mama Said are religious and highly original. They sound as if they were truly sung and not queued in. I feel like Joe Satriani/Cold Play are going to crash down on Lukas Graham's Happy Home. The vocals on this one are definitely tweaked. The sting is lessened by the smooth horns on Drunk in the Morning.
My complaint with Bruno Mars has always been that his songs are brilliant, but essentially without substance. Graham sits in a much more authentic pocket. I would say that Funk making a comeback, but did it ever really leave? From Bad Brains to Pearl Jam's Dirty Frank and into Daft Punk, funk has maintained a steady place in the peripheral awareness of any music worth listening to. Strip No More. o__o
Better Than Yourself opens up into Graham's self-confessional autobiography. This is an artist bringing everything he has, even though he doesn't understand what it is yet. He faces the fear of blossoming with a soliloquy of self-expression. Singing to a brother who is jail, literally, metaphorically opening up a bevy of avenues for the listener to reflect upon. Dude has a voice. It is easier to believe the Wikipedia history by the end of this album.
Wednesday, June 8, 2016
Laura Gibson - Empire Builder
Laura Gibson - Empire Builder
Feature Track: The Cause
Keep Listening: Five and Thirty
Rating: 4
It helps if the first track is undeniably epic. But it is not required. Often, if the sonics are right, I find a few introduction tracks to be a nice 'wading in' experience to some albums. The Cause tip-toes into a barren creek bed. It starts to gently rain. Then with, seemingly, more force than that being applied by the surrounding precipitation, the river is running.
An effectiveness of pronunciation highlights the lilt of an accent and the words float through the air like the stories of Ulysses' bard. Not Harmless is a post-grunge folk masterpiece. Empire Builder was a roller coaster. I was unconvinced until the guitar faded in at the very end and the toms were uncovered. Five and Thirty is intentionally phased. The listener is required to complete the puzzle and verify the artist's intent. This is a vulnerable position for artist and listener. Simply entering this space, the listener has the power to examine qualities of their own sentience that are independent of genre or lyrical content.
Dark Lake provides a perfect segue from the broken back beat of Five and Thirty into the unapologetic pop of Two Kids. From here, I was tuned out while doing some work. But it finished strong with big horns behind a heavy fader.
Feature Track: The Cause
Keep Listening: Five and Thirty
Rating: 4
It helps if the first track is undeniably epic. But it is not required. Often, if the sonics are right, I find a few introduction tracks to be a nice 'wading in' experience to some albums. The Cause tip-toes into a barren creek bed. It starts to gently rain. Then with, seemingly, more force than that being applied by the surrounding precipitation, the river is running.
An effectiveness of pronunciation highlights the lilt of an accent and the words float through the air like the stories of Ulysses' bard. Not Harmless is a post-grunge folk masterpiece. Empire Builder was a roller coaster. I was unconvinced until the guitar faded in at the very end and the toms were uncovered. Five and Thirty is intentionally phased. The listener is required to complete the puzzle and verify the artist's intent. This is a vulnerable position for artist and listener. Simply entering this space, the listener has the power to examine qualities of their own sentience that are independent of genre or lyrical content.
Dark Lake provides a perfect segue from the broken back beat of Five and Thirty into the unapologetic pop of Two Kids. From here, I was tuned out while doing some work. But it finished strong with big horns behind a heavy fader.
Thursday, May 26, 2016
Does anyone remember Shellac?
Future of the Left
The Peace & Truce of Future Of The Left
Feature Track: 50 Days Before The Hun
Keep Listening: Proper Music
Rating: 4
Danielson, Nirvana/Shellac, Beck (Back when everybody loved him). A mix of nonsense and coherent political leanings outlined with a deep-hued mascara of flippant pageantry. Not for the casual music tourist. Venture into this area only if you know what you are doing.
The Peace & Truce of Future Of The Left
Feature Track: 50 Days Before The Hun
Keep Listening: Proper Music
Rating: 4
Danielson, Nirvana/Shellac, Beck (Back when everybody loved him). A mix of nonsense and coherent political leanings outlined with a deep-hued mascara of flippant pageantry. Not for the casual music tourist. Venture into this area only if you know what you are doing.
Sunday, May 22, 2016
Track 2 - Dirty Birds
Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds
Fowl Play
Rating: 5
They may use word play in their title and lyrics, but there is no slack in the opening track, Freight Train. Complete with punny and funky sax break. This record will require no introduction. Unless you hate backbeats out of principal, or have some other disdain for horn refrains, this will be an instant favorite.
Fowl Play
Rating: 5
They may use word play in their title and lyrics, but there is no slack in the opening track, Freight Train. Complete with punny and funky sax break. This record will require no introduction. Unless you hate backbeats out of principal, or have some other disdain for horn refrains, this will be an instant favorite.
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