PowerPopSquare

Review: Vegas with Randolph - Above The Blue

2012-02-06T12:21:00.000-08:00

Vegas with Randolph released their newest CD “Above The Blue” in August 2011. Both of the bands songwriters - John Ratts and Eric Kern - started in high school writing and performing songs. After a bunch of listens I can easily say: “Above The Blue” is a great album with perfect melodies.

Standout tracks are Above The Blue (reminds me a bit of Fountains Of Wayne, which is not a bad thing!), Some Time To Live (a powerpop track to love: upbeat, guitars, catchy chorus), Supergirl (it has Oh-la-la's! - and it would be a superb radio single), Marisa (a song that rocks out straight), The Tree Song (a beautiful little ballad)

The last third of the record is called Double Play. This is kind of a compilation or medley of short songs and song fragments. You find this for example also on The Beatles' Abbey Road. And this is really fun to listen. Even Though is a highlight of the whole record. It has strong Queen feeling in it.

Listen to the full record here:

&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://vegaswithrandolph.bandcamp.com/album/above-the-blue"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Above The Blue by Vegas With Randolph&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;

Shine - Judas & Mary

2012-01-27T21:54:00.000-08:00

The song and video of the new single Judas And Mary from the second Shine record is out.

If you don't know Shine, I highly recommend their first album The Common Station:

David Myhr - Soundshine (Update - with review!)

2012-01-17T11:03:00.000-08:00

Though still waiting for the full CD to arrive, I don't want to wait to present you the music of David Myhr.

The Stockholm-based former member of The Merrymakers released his first solo record in Japan already last year. A proper European release will follow in 2012.

David says: ”I love that tingling down the spine when I hear a great song – when superior craftmanship meets the magic. I constantly strive for that that with my own songs”.

Maybe that passion for great music reflects also in the title of the record - Soundshine. One of the best titles for a long time!

The songs I could listen so far (Looking For A Life, Loveblind, Got You Where He Wanted) are somewhere between Jellyfish, The Beatles, Mike Viola's Lurch and The Feeling. And they are very catchy, great songs.

Looking for a Life by davidmyhr

Got you where he wanted by davidmyhr

Update

Finally the Japanese pressing of Soundshine arrived at my CD-player. After listening to it several times, all I can say is: Thumbs up! This is a PowerPop gem - from start to finish.

Never Mine is a strong opener, leading to the catchy Looking For A Life and Got You Where He Wanted. I Love The Feeling has such a summer feeling, you have to play this in a convertible. Get it Right starts slowly and builds up to one of the best songs of the record (what a chorus!). Cut To The Case is a dangerous earworm (and also convertible friendly). With Don't Say No and Loveblind follow two more upbeat songs. The One is a beautiful ballad (there are some parts that remind me a lot of Billy Joel and Queen). Wanderlust and Icy Tracks are pure PowerPop. Ride Along has some Beatlesque parts. The last two tracks are Japan exclusive: Boom Boom Beat has a harder rock sound. The album ends with Record Collection, a song about how important it is to have a good taste in music...

Soundshine has not a single filler - and a lot of memorable songs. 2012 starts good!

So Mr. Myhr - how about Germany?

Official website: davidmyhr.com

Gotye - Making Mirrors

2012-01-03T12:12:00.000-08:00

Our German radio stations have recently a strange behavior. They play surprisingly good music. Besides Lana Del Rey (an unsusal and beautiful song for mainstream radio airplay: Video Games) there is Gotye.

Gotye is a Belgian-Australian multi-instrumental artist and singer-songwriter.

In August 2011 he released his third LP Making Mirrors.

Gotye connects very different genres like Pop, Disco, Rock, Dub, Motown Soul, Electro, Ambient and Folk into a strangely homogenous work.

There are some influences and similarities to Peter Gabriel and AIR. Because of the high variety of the songs there's much to discover, it's really a kind of journey through the musical world.

Gotye said about the new album: "It's more about reflection - the look at yourself that a mirror offers and also the way it gives you a different perspective on things around you. So I guess I feel a bit analogous to what these songs become to me - you know little ways for me to explore my record collection, explore the world of sound that I'm fascinated by, and also sometimes get a different perspective on memories and emotions I've been mulling over that they find voice in these songs"

There is a video for the current single Somebody that I used to know, which I highly recommend to watch:

On soundcloud you can stream the full record:

Gotye - Making Mirrors

Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears - Daffy's Elixir

2012-01-02T12:08:00.000-08:00

Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears where in my memories for their superb EP Mad Valentines from 2009.

If you don't know the EP, I highly recommend it to you, especially if you like Jellyfish!

I completely missed the kickstarter campaign for the new record Daffy's Elixir.

Fortunately the album will be released soon - on February 28 2012.

You can preorder a limited edition here:

Bryan Scary “Daffy’s Elixir” limited edition book + CD (pre-order)

Listen to the first song Ziegfield Station on soundcloud.

Discography:

The Shredding Tears (2006)
Flight of the Knife (2008)
Mad Valentines EP (2009)
Daffy's Elixir (2012)

Farrah

2012-01-02T11:24:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd start 2012 with some new stuff (at least new for me).

Farrah is a independent British band pending between indie rock and pure melodic pop. They released four records in the last ten years, toured in Europe and Japan.

Singer Jez Ashurst: “We’re confusing, I think, and hard to categorise – and a lot of people like to categorise bands. We’ve always recorded, produced and owned our records, plus we make our own videos as well, so we’re as ‘indie’ as you can get. Yet we try to create polished, ageless music you might think sounds like it couldn't have come from a punk or DIY aesthetic. People sometimes say we sound ‘too commercial’ – as though these two things are mutually exclusive. We just make the music we like.”

I recommend listening to their last self titled LP Farrah. All twelve songs are high class, melodic and beautiful pieces of a great record:

Official website: www.farrah.co.uk

PPSquare X-Mas Tape 2011

2011-12-21T12:28:00.000-08:00

So, only a few days til christmas eve, here is my Mixtape for Xmas 2011 - hope you like it:

01 - MikeViola - Give Me A Second Chance For Christmas

02 - RonSexsmith - Maybe This Christmas

03 - She& Him - The Christmas Waltz

04 - Bleu -Cold, Cold Christmas

05 - JimBoggia - Christmas Baby Please

06 - TheNines - It's Christmas

07 - ThePogues - Fairytale Of New York

08 - Travis- Alone On Christmas Day

09 - DavidMead - Christmas Is So Far Away

10 -Coldplay - Christmas Lights

11 - AimeeMann - Whatever Happened To Christmas

12 - BenFolds Five - Stumblin' Home Winter Blues

13 - Eels -Everything's Gonna Be Cool This Christmas

14 - She& Him - Baby, It's Cold Outside

15 - TheNines - Winter Song

16 - BillyMack - Christmas Is All Around

17 - TheDarkness - Christmas Time (Don't Let The Bells End)

Most of the songs are streamed here:

I made this tape not downloadable for copyright reasons and for protecting the artists. Some artists where already filtered by soundcloud. If there's still a problem with streaming the songs, I'll remove them immediately by request.

+ + + New Music for 2012 + + +

2011-12-17T11:52:00.000-08:00

Bleu - Besides

Seems to be delayed, probably it'll be out in early 2012. Besides is a collection of unreleased songs (a long time ago they would have been called B-Sides...). You only can buy it HERE.

Jellyfish -

Spilt Milk & Bellybutton (January 10)

The vinyl re-release from Omnivore Recordings. Preorder it HERE.

Nada Surf - The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy (January 23)

The first single "When I Was Young" for free download HERE

Goldfrapp - The Singles (February 6)

Well, it's a .. Singles collection. - with a great selection of tracks - and two new songs. More info's HERE.

AIR - Le Voyage Dans La Lune (February 7)

‘Le Voyage Dans La Lune’ (A Trip To The Moon) is a classic black & white silent short film by French director Georges Méliès from 1902. It is widely considered one of the most important works in film history, and the very first to use science fiction as its theme, incorporating special effects that were very state-of-the-art at the turn of the 19th century. Restored in 2010 the producers decided to ask AIR’s Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoit Dunckel, to compose an original modern soundtrack. AIR decided to develop the project into a full album inspired by the film.

There will be also a special edition including the short movie itself.

The Shins - Port of Morrow (March)

It's their first record since 2007′s Wincing The Night Away.

Ocean Grove (May)

Their debut album is crowd funded via kickstarter.com.

Ben Kweller - Go Fly A Kite (February 2)

It's the first record since Changing Horses (which I REALLY didn't like!). But the sound samples show its musical direction is more like the 2006 Ben Kweller LP (which I REALLY did like!).

Listen here:

Head & Tails by benkweller

Paul McCartney - My Valentine (February 7)

Macca says: “This will sound like the years between 1920-1940, the time when my father was 20. These are songs I heard. My family, my uncles, everybody sang.”

Brendan Benson - What Kind Of World (May)
Everytime a new Brendan Benson record is out I get a little excited. He's such a good songwriter. Read more HERE.

Aimee Mann

Aimee tweeted on December 2: Just finished my new record!!!! WOOO!!

Ben Folds Five

Ben confirmed it: there will be a new Ben Folds Five record

And then there are new records from Bleu, Keane, Travis and Phoenix in the pipeline for 2012 (no album name, no release date).

Mike Viola - Get You Back (Official video)

2011-12-09T02:53:00.001-08:00

Ben Lee - Deeper Into Dream - Review

2011-12-03T05:16:00.001-08:00

Yesterday Lojinx, an independent record company based in the UK (love them for bringing artists like Bleu and Fountains Of Wayne to Europe) posted a review of the new Ben Lee record Deeper Into Dream. It's in German, so I did a little translation:

A record about dreams is what Ben Lee wanted todo. It became an unusual mixture of a folk record, guitar pop a mini audiobook.

At certainpoints of the record songs are fractured by small stories or dialogues fromfriends of some experiences – in dreams or reality. They keep a recordthematically together which offers a broad range for a singer songwriter album.Other than on some of his so far eight other records, the Australian works witha complete band. He develops songs than remind more of Death Cab For Cutie orRyan Adams than a dreamy singer, which tilt into too much sweetness - wheneverhe tempts to do a song for format radio. He’s entitled to make money with hismusic, but these straightness offensives irritate because they form a direct contrastto his little, sometimes spaced-out meandering odes for which one holds him inhigh regard. Paired with his crystal clear voice he forms so many moments ofhigh intimacy. And it was a clever move to break up these stylistic contrastswith dialogues. So you could blame Lee for undecidedness – or you adjudge thathe shows the illimitability of our dreams with the greatest possible musical range.What counts in the end are the songs, and they fit. There’s not one that isneedless or ordinary, because he is a genuine master in writing songs.

Rating: 6/7 Sascha Krüger

Beatles Museum in Germany

2011-11-26T03:06:00.001-08:00

Now for some advertising for my hometown Halle an der Saale: The city has the privilege to present visitors The Beatles Museum, it's only some minutes to walk from the birthplace of Georg Friedrich Händel. The house itself was built in 1708 and restored in 1999.


The museum front

The museum offers more than 2500 exhibits including rarities, curiosities and known stuff of the Beatles era (until 1970) and solo stuff (1970 until now). The complete musical development of the band with words, sounds and pictures.

Almost every room has a sound station or movies.

Three floors which are fully packed (no exaggeration!) with everything you need to get back to these days: first gigs in Liverpool, photos and autographs from the Hamburg era, rare vinyl, posters and also a fully equipped Beatles Rock Band to play Beatles songs as a full band.

The founder of the museum has excellent relations to Beatles surroundings: Beatles-photographer Astrid Kirchherr contributed photos of her private archives and Heinz Edelmann - main designer of the movie Yellow Submarine - draw a littles sequel especially for the museum.

Here are some impressions of the exhibition:

Rock Band Beatles - Play as a whole band (drums, guitar, bass, vocals) - much fun,
especially in this environment

The Official Museum page and shop (sadly only in German - but I could help you there ;-) is HERE.

Top Ten Records Of 2011

2011-11-19T07:29:00.001-08:00

Maybe it's a bit early this year, but here they are - My Top Ten Records of 2011:

1. Mike Viola - Electro de Perfecto
The long awaited follow up to Lurch: 10 songs. No filler. Fab.
More info here.

2. Bleu - Besides
It's still not released, hopefully it will in 2011. Most of the songs are known to the fans - it's great compilation. More info here.

3. David Mead - Dudes
The kickstarter - crowd funded record from Mr. Mead. More info here and here.

4. Brandon Schott - 13 Satellites
Brandon Schott's new, indiegogo - crowd funded record, filled with beautiful songs! More info here.

5. Teitur - Let The Dog Drive Home
A strong album, breathtaking melodies and lyrics. More info here.

6. Jeremy Messersmith - The Reluctant Graveyard
Though the record was out in 2010, I discovered it not until this year. More info here.

7. Jay Clifford - Silver Tomb For The Kingfisher
More info here.

8. Feist - Metals
Darker tunes than on The Reminder. More info here.

9. Hotel Lights - Girl Graffiti
More info here.

10. Ivy - All Hours
Released 6 years after their last record - finally. More info here.

Special award: Ben Folds - Best Imitation Of Myself
It's a Best Of, so it doesn't really count. But the compilation has three new Ben Folds Five songs - and there's probably a whole new record coming in 2012! More info here.

Jeremy Messersmith

2011-11-19T06:30:00.000-08:00

Some days ago I stumbled upon the name Jeremy Messersmith. (Thank you Brandon!)

He is an indie pop musician from Minneapolis.

Messersmith released 3 LPs:

2006 The Alcatraz Kid
2008 The Silver City
2010 The Reluctant Graveyard

Let's see what the press says:

"It's hard to listen to The Silver City, the new CD from Minnesota chamber-pop artist Jeremy Messersmith, without thinking of Sufjan Stevens. Both artists have strikingly similar voices and a love of richly orchestrated story songs."-NPR Second Stage

"Imagine Elliott Smith driving in a convertible, the wind flying through his hair, singing about sadness and somehow creating joy enough to forget his troubles for a while."-The Onion

"His second album, The Silver City (...) is a breathtaking work of craftsmanship and heart. Picking up where his delicate and profound debut The Alcatraz Kid left off, The Silver City adds layers of instrumentation and harmonies to Messersmith's signature gentle croon. (...) Critics are calling the Dan Wilson-produced Silver City a "love letter to the Twin Cities" and "perhaps the best local album of the year." - Citypages

You can listen to all three records on Bandcamp - and also buy them (like I did instantly, and I don't do this very often).

&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://jeremymessersmith.bandcamp.com/album/the-reluctant-graveyard"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;The Reluctant Graveyard by Jeremy Messersmith&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;

The Silver City by Jeremy Messersmith

Official Site: http://www.jeremymessersmith.com

Mike Viola - Live in Brooklyn

2011-11-19T06:25:00.001-08:00

Here's a live stream of the Mike Viola concert in Brooklyn on November 4 2011 (feat. Todd Jasko) - thank you Yoshi:

theknitbrooklyn on livestream.com. Broadcast Live Free

There's also a download of this stream - just contact me as usual.

Poll - Which artists you would like to see performing together again? - Results

2011-11-10T02:54:00.000-08:00

A month ago I started a poll - "Which artists you would like to see performing together again?".

So here are the results:

1st place

Jason Falkner & Andy Sturmer & Roger Manning Jr

Jellyfish

80%

2nd place

Bleu & Mike Viola

28%

3rd place

Justin Currie & Ian Harvie & Andy Alston

Del Amitri

12%

So, a conciderable first place for Jellyfish - which is no surprise. It seems as if also a new Bleu/Viola project would be very welcome.

Well, Jellyfish and Del Amitri will be unlikely (but you CAN prove me wrong), but maybe Mike Viola with Bleu?

Ocean Grove - First Full Length Album @ kickstarter.com

2011-11-06T13:21:00.000-08:00

Ocean Grove is recording their first full length album. And they ask you for your support. At kickstarter.com you can pledge for this project. In return you can get amongst other:

the digital album
a tour poster
a t-shirt
white vinyl
a day in the studio
a photo shoot
a private concert

Ocean Grove - Music - More Music Videos

David Mead - 25 Days To "Dudes"

2011-11-06T01:39:00.000-07:00

Get this 25 song collection from David Mead for free - or any price you want:

David Mead - Live from Ivy League Studios (Video)

2011-10-27T11:27:00.000-07:00

Three wonderful songs, great performances and beautiful videos from David Mead - Live from Ivy League Studios:

Review: David Mead - Wherever You Are EP

2011-10-26T07:37:00.000-07:00

David Mead wrote Wherever You Are in 2002. Short after the recording David was dropped by RCA. It was cut to six songs and finally released by Eleven Thirty Records in 2005.

The Wherever You Are EP is just perfect. It became one of my top ten records ever. All six songs are extremely strong pieces.

Track list:

Wherever You Are
Hold On
Only a Dream
Astronaut
Make It Right
How Much

There are eleven songs that left off the EP. David offered some of these unreleased tracks at his site mineandyours.com as a Christmas gift. The tracks give you a hint how the full album would have sounded like. In short: it would have been awesome.

They are:

Wherever (a beautiful intro to the original album)
Attitude
Beauty (rerecorded for the Indiana album)
Growin’ Up
Subway
Little Sister
Patience
Oneplusone (rerecorded for the Indiana album)
All Is Forgiven (unreleased)
How Will The Kids Get High (unreleased)
NYC Girl (unreleased)

Does anyone of you, my fellow readers, know anything about the three unreleased tracks and the original track order?

By the way, if you're interested in these eight outtakes, please leave a comment with your email.

Review: Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto

2011-10-20T21:09:00.000-07:00

So here it is: the new record of Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto.

The more successful they got, the more skeptic I was regarding their new records. Viva La Vida was a little highlight after X & Y, which I never liked very much, while Parachutes is still one of my top five records.

When the Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall EP came out, I was disappointed. It was like they became the new U2. So when the full record came out yesterday I listened to it immediately.

01. Mylo Xyloto - The intro - leading to...
02. Hurts Like Heaven - I bet it's the third single. I hope so. It's a good, upbeat song. This has something of the Coldplay I liked.
03. Paradise - Obvious single number two. Better than the first single.
04. Charlie Brown - Still not sure if I like it.
05. Us Against The World - Still not sure if I like it, too.
06. M.M.I.X. - Kind of an interlude to...
07. Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall - The first single. It's okay.
08. Major Minus - It's nice to see a darker tune. The chorus reminds me of U2 a lot, though.
09. U.F.O. - A little ballad in the middle of this wall-of-sound-record.
10. Princess Of China - Is this really Coldplay? Really?
11. Up In Flames - Beautiful song.
12. A Hopeful Transmission - Again an interlude.
13. Don’t Let It Break Your Heart - It's okay. Not much more to say.
14. Up With The Birds - The closing song is again slightly great.

Closing comments:

For me Mylo Xyloto has some good songs, but sadly the "not so good" songs are on the majority. I asked myself if I'm too harsh with the band, so I played Don't Panic, Yellow, A Warning Sign and Amsterdam right after finishing Mylo Xyloto:

Altogether the reocrd has not the quality of the old songs (after the second or third listen).

How do you think of it?

Short Review: Feist - Metals

2011-10-19T12:02:00.001-07:00

Five years after The Reminder Leslie Feist is back with a new album. The Reminder was successful for a a surprisingly long time. Here in Germany it was in the Top 100 LP charts for longer than two years.

Metals, the new record, is darker and at the first listen partially not as catchy as its forerunner.

1. "The Bad In Each Other"
 2. "Graveyard"
 3. "Caught A Long Wind"
 4. "How Come You Never Go There"
 5. "A Commotion"
 6. "Bittersweet Melodies"
 7. "Anti Pioneer"
 8. "Undiscovered First"
 9. "Cicadas And Gulls"
 10. "Woe Be"
 11. "Comfort Me"
 12. "Get It Wrong, Get It Right"

Highlights: The Bad In Each Other, Graveyard, How Come You Never Go There, Anti Pioneer

Brandon Schott - 13 Satellites

2011-10-19T11:18:00.000-07:00

I was lucky to get a digital advance copy of Brandon Schott's new record 13 Satellites.

It's surely a very different album than his last one Dandelion. And here's a short review:

01 Annie - A beautiful intro.
02 Early Morning Light - Do I hear The Beatles here (in 1967 - 1970)? Great tune.
03 Full Circle Night - Could be a great radio single.
04 This Is Home - Beautiful balled and lyrics!
05 Flowers Fading - My favorite so far.
06 A Daydream (or A 2AM Serenade) - Nice chorus!
07 Building A Boat
08 Satellite - The song is out for some time already at soundcloud. And it's catchy. Good choice for a first single.
09 Exploding Angel - Again very beatlesque.
10 Louise St. - A short, mostly instrumental song. A little gem.
11 All The Way Down - What a chorus! Already after the first listen it's stuck right in my head!
12 My Love Won't Let Me Down - The last "proper" song on the album.Gorgeous.
13 Fading (Outro) -Well, is the 13th satellite. It's kind of an outro-medley. And a good way to finish the album.

The crowd funding campaign at indigogo.com was again a great way to promote the album release (see also David Mead - Dudes and Bleu - Four).

You can order it here. It's a nice bundle: you get the album 13 Satellites along with his record Golden State and (Is this all Brandon? No, you get also) ... a kazoo!

Poll - Which artists you would like to see performing together again?

2011-10-14T21:53:00.000-07:00

poll by twiigs.com

Mike Viola Returns To The Time Machine

2011-10-13T11:00:00.000-07:00

Here a new 2 hour interview of the The Time Machine's podcast with Mike Viola:

+ + + News October 2011 (Ben Folds, Bleu, Mike Viola, Ben Lee...) + + +

2011-10-08T04:44:00.000-07:00

Ben Folds - The Best Imitation Of Myself

Ben Folds brings you his three disc best of compilation (CD1 is the Best Of, CD2 is a live compilation and CD3 is rare stuff as well as new songs by Ben Folds Five!) - it's out October 11.

There is also his Fifty-Five-Vault - a selection of 56 (yes, fifty six ;-) rare songs from the early Ben Folds Five era until today. It's already available here. It's mainly demos, live and unreleased stuff.

Bleu - Besides

In November Bleu will release his B-side compilation Besides. It's only available on vinyl and digital download, and only on his website.

Ben Lee

The new album of Ben Lee is out October 11, it's called Deeper Into Dream.

Jellyfish

The two Jellyfish re-releases of Spilt Milk and Bellybutton only on vinyl are sadly delayed until January 12 2012.

Mike Viola

Electro de Perfecto - the new record of Mike Viola - is out on CD and digital download, the vinyl will be out November 8.

Mike put out a lot of songs on social network (facebook, tumblr, soundcloud etc.) in the last months, which you won't find on the new record.

Pop Fair created a wonderful collection of these songs called Chemical Night here.

Chemical Night

1. Find Somebody to Love (Bonus track from "Lurch")
2. Something Electric (Bonus track from "Lurch")
3. Chemical Night (Unreleased track from Mike's MySpace page)
4. This is Life, This is Love (Track from "The Right Track" compilation)
5. Unbroken (Non-album track released on EMI Music Publishing Site)
6. Water By the Bed (Track from "Peace" compilation and on the "Hang On Mike" re-release on vinyl)
7. Burn at Both Ends (Non-album track from SoundCloud)
8. Superkid (Acapella) (Unreleased track from Mike's MySpace page)
9. Time For Everything to Change (Unreleased track from Mike's Facebook page)
10. Bee Vee (Intro) (Unreleased track from Mike's Facebook page)
11. Happiest Day (Non-album track released on EMI Music Publishing Site)
12. Motel Mood (Bonus track from "Lurch")
13. Smile (Non-album track from SoundCloud)

With the other tracks that surfaced in this time, I created a second collection:

Start Of Something

01 Start Of Something (from Soundcloud)
02 Loving You Baby (with Kelly Jones) (from Soundcloud)

03 Be My Baby (from Soundcloud)
04 Burn at Both Ends ('Radio' Edit)

05 So Much Better (Demo)
06 Chemical Night (2nd version)
07 Virginia (The Nines cover) (from Youtube - sadly there is no better quality version, it's a great cover)
08 No Surprises (Live)
09 Soundtrack Of My Summer (Live)
10 That Thing You Do! (demo)
11 Let's Have a Baby (demo - writing in progress #1) (from the "Hang On Mike" re-release on vinyl)
12 Dollie and Jane (live) (from Youtube - a proper studio recording would be great)
13 Little One (a beautiful lullaby from Soundcloud, worked on my daughter very well)

Pop Geek Heaven online

Finally, the new website of Bruce Brodeen (Not Lame Recordings) is online, it's Pop Geek Heaven.

Bleu - Besides (B-Sides & rarities - on vinyl!)

2011-09-28T11:18:00.000-07:00

Bleu releases a B-sides & rarities record (songs from "A Watched Pot" and "Four") - and it's only on vinyl. Yay!

There are two editions, a blue or a black 150g vinyl (both stictly limited with 100 / 300 copies!). You get a digital download with this package, too.
As if that wasn't enough: For all "Four" kickstarter backers out there there's a special price!

Besides, many artists would kill for having songs like these on their records...

Tracklist:

Vinyl

SIDE - B
1. Take Cover
2. When The Other Shoe Falls
3. No Such Thing As Love [Original Version]
4. Can't Be That Bad (If It Feels This Good)
5. The Blame Game
6. How Blue [Acoustic Mix]
7. When The Dog Day Comes

SIDE - Be (sides)
1. If...
2. Blow Up The Radio
3. A Watched Pot
4. Mailman's Son
5. In Love With My Lover [Demo]
6. Save It For A Rainy Day

Digital download (with the vinyl package)

1. Take Cover
2. When The Other Shoe Falls
3. No Such Thing As Love [Original Version]
4. Can't Be That Bad (If It Feels This Good)
5. The Blame Game
6. Don't Take It Personally
7. How Blue [Acoustic Mix]
8. If...
9. When The Dog Day Comes
10. Blow Up The Radio
11. A Watched Pot
12. Mailman's Son
13. In Love With My Lover [Demo]
14. Save It For A Rainy Day

Buy it here: http://www.bleutopia.com/besides/

Review: Mike Viola - Electro de Perfecto

2011-09-23T21:59:00.000-07:00

So, there it is - the new record of Mike Viola: Electro De Perfecto. Ten tacks. And a quite new direction. It's not like Lurch at all, probably my more Hang On Mike, but still different.

1. Columbus Day Parade: A straight, fast and energetic opener.

2. Get You Back: I demand this to be a single, played by all radio stations. My daughter (18 months old) loves it, too.

3. El Mundo De Perfecto: For me it's the central song of the whole record. Wonderful.

4. Soundtrack Of My Summer: I listen to this song for a while now (it surfaced a while ago on soundcloud). It was the soundtrack of my summer!

5. Closet Cutter: For me it was a grower, just like ...

6. Field of Guns 'n' Roses:... this one ...

7. Me And My Drinking:... and this. I didn't like all three at first very much. Now I do.

8. Here's The Rub: Stuck in my head. Immediately. Be careful!

9. Inside Out: At the moment my least favorite song on the album (but this changes after every listen - in a positive way. How do you do this, Mike?)

10. When The Stars Are Against You: A strong closing of the album. I love the vibe.

It's out in digital form, the physical record (CD and vinyl) will be released on 4th of October. You can preorder it at

BestBuy (CD & vinyl) - US
CDUniverse (CD & vinyl) - US and
Amazon worldwide (US, UK, DE).

El Mundo De Perfecto by Mike Viola

Get You Back by Mike Viola

Two NEW Ben Folds Five songs!

2011-08-30T09:47:00.000-07:00

Ben Folds Five are back. There are two new songs streaming: "House" is HERE , "Tell Me What You Did" is HERE.

It's part of the compilation Ben Folds releases in October 2011. Also Ben said, they will start a new record in December 2011. Thumbs up!

Reminder - Brandon Schott - 13 Satellites at IndieGogo

2011-08-29T12:37:00.000-07:00

Only 36 hours left for the crowd funding campaign from Brandon Schott for his new record 13 Satellites. Go for it. Not much time left! Oh wait, it's only 35 hours. Hurry up!

Coldplay - MYLO XYLOTO

2011-08-13T13:36:00.000-07:00

Coldplay's new record will be out on October 24 2011. And it's called MYLO XYLOTO.
Well, that's a title to think about...

Tracklist:
01. Mylo Xyloto
02. Hurts Like Heaven
03. Paradise
04. Charlie Brown
05. Us Against The World
06. M.M.I.X.
07. Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall
08. Major Minus
09. U.F.O.
10. Princess Of China
11. Up In Flames
12. A Hopeful Transmission
13. Don’t Let It Break Your Heart
14. Up With The Birds

Official site

Ben Lee - Get Used To It

2011-08-13T13:18:00.000-07:00

A new song of Ben Lee from his forthcoming album Deeper Into Dream (in stores October 11 2011) is available for FREE download at his official website.

After a first listen I have to say: it's fab!

Ben Folds: The Best Imitation Of Myself - A Retrospective

2011-08-06T11:12:00.000-07:00

Ben Folds has compiled a collection from his archive called The Best Imitation Of Myself: A Retrospective (1995-2011):

CD 1: The Best Imitation of Myself

CD 2: Live (1997 – 2011)

CD 3: Rarities (1991 – 2011)

There will be a one disc edition (CD1) and a three disc set. If you preorder it on his website you'll get also a five song download code from the new “Ben Folds 55” online vault (a collection of songs only available online - more details coming soon).

By the way, the set includes three brand new tracks with Ben Folds Five!

Mike Viola - Electro de Perfecto

2011-08-06T10:40:00.000-07:00

Mike Viola has a new record - Electro de Perfecto. It will be released on September 13 2011 on CD and vinyl.

You can preorder it at

BestBuy (CD & vinyl) - US
CDUniverse (CD & vinyl) - US and
Amazon worldwide (US, UK, DE)

Surely it will be available soon also on his official website.

Jellyfish on vinyl!

2011-08-06T02:47:00.000-07:00

From Scott Travis via Facebook: "Pop quiz. What band released only 2 CDs with 22 original tunes... only to also have a 4-disc 80-song box set, 2 official best of CDs, countless bootlegs and an import EP, a 35-track tribute double-disc and now both original CDs on colored, remastered vinyl 20 years later?"

Both main records of Jellyfish will be on vinyl on September 27 2011 via Omnivore Recordings and amazon.com:

The first 1500 records of each album are on translucent vinyl (Bellybutton in blue and Spilt Milk in purple) with the original gatefold sleeve.

http://omnivorerecordings.com/artists/jellyfish/

Great news!

Brandon Schott - 13 Satellites

2011-08-02T11:00:00.000-07:00

The new record of Brandon Schott - 13 Satellites - can be preordered at IndieGoGo now.

IndieGoGo is a crowd funding website (similar to kickstarter.com).

You can watch a preview with sound samples - and you can preorder it HERE.

Wish you great success Brandon!

OK Go - All Is Not Lost (New Video)

2011-07-27T10:46:00.000-07:00

As all of their videos - very very great and creative!

Travis

2011-07-16T15:11:00.000-07:00

Back in the days when Coldplay were a new band and their first album started to be recognized by the British there was also Travis. Both were slightly similar though distinctive.

Coldplay became superstars around the world and - I'm sorry to say it - morphed into U2 (listen to their "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall EP" and tell me it's not like U2! And don't get me wrong, I like the boys, but I hope they find back to where they came from), while Travis followed their path in a good way.

Travis are Fran Healy (lead vocals, guitar, piano), Dougie Payne (bass guitar, backing vocals), Andy Dunlop (lead guitar, banjo, keyboards, backing vocals) and Neil Primrose (drums, percussion).

The origin of the band name is the Harry Dean Stanton character Travis Henderson (film: Paris, Texas).

The debut album Good Feeling entered the top ten in the UK, the second album The Man Who entered at number one and spent 104 weeks in the UK Top 100. All of the following records were nearly as successful as number two, except Ode To J. Smith in 2008 (with this record they left the Major Label and got independent with their own one).

After three very quiet years (except Franhealy's solo debut Wreckorder) Travis announced in June 2011 a world tour. No official words regarding a new album, but I would be surpised if this would not happen soon.

Songs for a lonely island: Sing, Driftwood, Eyes Wide Open, Chinese Blues, Side, Writing To Reach You, My Eyes, Colder, Selfish Jean, Turn, New Amsterdam, Don't Be Shy (cover version)

Main album discography:

Good Feeling (1997)
The Man Who (1999)
The Invisible Band (2001)
12 Memories (2003)
The Boy with No Name (2007)
Ode To J. Smith (2008)

So, because Travis acquiesced in sharing rare und unreleased songs (I followed the official forum for years), I decided to put a good Collection of B-Sides online. I hope you all like it (other artists would be happy to have these songs for an A-Side :-).
If there are any problems sharing these songs, I'll remove them instantly.

Collection of Travis B-Sides HERE

And for those who don't know Travis - here is the Best Of (called Singles):

A breeze of fresh AIR

2011-07-16T13:43:00.000-07:00

Air is the English translation for lug, luften, Luft, ilma, de l'air, udara, aria, aeris, hava.

Air is also French and can be translated as melody.

And AIR is finally also an acronym for Amour, Imagination, Rêve which translates to Love, Imagination, Dream, which is a French band founded by Nicolas Godin und Jean-Benoît Dunckel.

Since their first LP in 1997 seven records:

1997 Premiers Symptomes
1998 Moon Safari
2000 The Virgin Suicides
2001 10 000 Hz Legend
2004 Talkie Walkie
2007 Pocket Symphony
2009 Love 2

AIR is hard to sort by genre: it's ambient, electro, pop and trip hop.
The duo uses mainly analogue synthesizers (Korg, Moog), also Wurlitzer and Vocoder, which create
smooth, mellow and dreamy songs.

Listen to their best three records here:

Review: Charlotte Gainsbourg - 5:55

2011-07-16T13:42:00.000-07:00

The French actress Charlotte Gainsbourg (daughter of the famous French actor Serge Gainsbourg) announced her second record in early 2006 (her first album was from 1986). I was a bit curious about it, especially because of the people who worked with her on the songs: Air, Jarvis Cocker, Neil Hannon (from Divine Comedy) - and Nigel Godrich (producer of Radiohead, REM, Beck, Air, Travis, Jason Falkner or Zero 7). So I waited (still remember, it was a very very long time between announcement and the release date). And I wasn't disappointed!

The album is all about the time between sleep and awake. This very special time in the middle of the night you can't sleep: you look at the clock radio and discover it's too late to go to sleep again before sunrise.

Songs for a lonely island: 5:55, The Songs That We Sing, Morning Song (or better: the whole record from start to end)

The Great American Songbook (Series) - Dean Martin

2011-06-25T14:31:00.000-07:00

Finally, for the Great American Songbook Series: Dean Martin

Dino Paul Crocetti (1917 – 1995) - nicknamed the "King of Cool". He was one of the members of the "Rat Pack" and a major star on concert stage, recordings, movies and television.

As a singer Martin could not read music (like Frank Sinatra!), but recorded about 100 albums with 600 songs.

His "Everybody Loves Somebody", beated The Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night" at of the No. 1 spot in the US (1964).

I hope you all liked this little excursion in musical history. That's it for The Great Amercian Songbook for now.

The Great American Songbook (Series) - Today

2011-06-25T14:06:00.000-07:00

In the recent years there were a couple of artists that were inspired by The Great Amercian Songbook:

Robbie Williams

Mr. Williams was famous for his part in Take That and the following solo career. In 2001 he released a very different record. With "Swing When You're Winning" he paid tribute to the Great American Songbook.

The album was recorded at the Capitol Studios in Los Angeles and was released under the Capitol label. The album was certified as 7 times Platinum in the UK. Sadly there was no follow up. It's a beautiful record - if you like it, watch out for the Live At The Albert Hall DVD, too.

Harry Connick Jr.

Joseph Harry Fowler Connick, Jr. has sold more than 25 million records. This year he released a great live performance (In Concert On Broadway):

Michael Bublé

Michael Steven Bublé is a Canadian singer. If you don't know him, listen here:

Tom Gaebel

Tom Gaebel is a surprisingly good German singer and leader of a big band. In addition to singing and arranging music, Gaebel writes lyrics in English.

Jay Clifford - Crowd Funding for his new album

2011-06-25T13:53:00.000-07:00

Jay Clifford, also known from his band Jump Little Children started a crowd funding campaign for his new album. Within about 24h he reached 90% of his goal.
What's different to other crowd funding events? It's also for a good cause!
Jay: "(...) a portion of the proceeds will go to a charity close to my heart, The Children’s Center in my hometown of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The good people at this unique special needs school made a real difference in the life of my nephew Errol Milner Clifford. You can read more about his story at errolclifford.com."

If you want to take part, it's on pledgemusic.com.

I also recommend to listen to his first solo album Driving Blind at myspace.

The Great American Songbook (Series) - Frank Sinatra

2011-06-25T13:43:00.000-07:00

One of Frank Sinatra's (Francis Albert Sinatra, 1915 – 1998) first musical performances was in 1935: he had a job as singing waiter in New Jersey (he was paid $15 a week).

He became a successful in the early 1940s. Sinatra had several albums with Capitol Records (In the Wee Small Hours in 1955, Songs for Swingin' Lovers in 1956, Come Fly with Me in 1957) until he found his own record label, Reprise Records (September Of My Years in 1965). He also was a founding member of the Rat Pack.

Sinatra retired for the first time in 1971. In 1973 he already had a comeback and recorded several albums, including the hit "(Theme From) New York, New York" and Trilogy: Past Present Future in 1980.

In February 1995 Sinatra sang before a live audience for the very last time. His last song was "The Best is Yet to Come".

The Great American Songbook (Series) - Fred Astaire

2011-06-18T04:32:00.000-07:00

Fred Astaire

Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987) was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. His stage and following film career spanned a total of 76 years, and made 31 musical films in this time.

Astaire arrived New York City at age 24 in 1892. When his father suddenly lost his job, the family launch the show business career of their children. As a result of their father's salesmanship, Fred and his sister got a major contract very fast.

Fred Astaire first met George Gershwin in 1916. Fred had already been hunting for new music and dance ideas - their meeting deeply affected the careers of both men.

During the 1920s, Fred and his sister Adele appeared on Broadway and on the London stage in shows such as George and Ira Gershwin's Lady Be Good (1924) and Funny Face (1927), and The Band Wagon (1931), having popular acclaim in theaters on both sides of the Atlantic.

Astaire received a percentage of the films' profits, which was extremely rare at that time. So he had complete autonomy over how the dances, allowing him to revolutionize dance on film.
He played alongside Bing Crosby in Holiday Inn (1942) and later Blue Skies (1946), but in spite of the enormous financial success of both, was reportedly dissatisfied with roles where he lost the girl to Crosby.

Astaire, ever insecure and believing his career was beginning to falter surprised his audiences by announcing his retirement during the production of Blue Skies, nominating Puttin' on the Ritz as his farewell dance.

During 1952 Astaire recorded The Astaire Story, a four-volume album with a quintet (led by Oscar Peterson). The album gave a musical overview of his whole career. The Astaire Story later won the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1999, a special Grammy award to honor recordings that have qualitative or historical significance.

Astaire continued to act into the 1970s.

Extremely modest about his singing abilities (he often claimed that he couldn't sing), Astaire introduced some of the most celebrated songs from the Great American Songbook, in particular Night and Day, Isn't This a Lovely Day?, Cheek to Cheek, Top Hat, White Tie and Tails, Let's Face the Music and Dance, The Way You Look Tonight, They Can't Take That Away From Me, One for My Baby.

Listen to one of the best collections of Mr. Fred Astaire here:

The Great American Songbook (Series)

2011-06-18T04:12:00.000-07:00

For a change - let's do some musical history: In the 1920 to the 1960 many songs with enduring popularity were written by US songwriters and performed by several singers. The songs had their roots in theatre and Hollywood musicals. Years later this was defined as The Great American Songbook. The Songbook era ended about the time rock & roll arose. I wonder if there'll be sometimes also another - i.e. better - definition about the songs that are called PowerPop today.

Writers
There is a long list of writers and lyricists - following you'll find some of the most important artists and their songs:

Harold Arlen Over the Rainbow, Stormy Weather, I've Got the World on a String, Let's Fall in Love, That Old Black Magic, One for My Baby

Irving Berlin

Irving Berlin How Deep Is the Ocean, White Christmas, Cheek to Cheek, Puttin' on the Ritz, Let's Face the Music and Dance, There's No Business Like Show Business

Nacio Herb Brown Singin' in the Rain, Temptation

Hoagy Carmichael Stardust, Georgia on My Mind, Lazy River, The Nearness of You

Walter Donaldson My Baby Just Cares For Me, You're Driving Me Crazy

Vernon Duke April In Paris, Autumn In New York, I Can't Get Started

Duke Ellington

Duke Ellington In a Sentimental Mood, Sophisticated Lady, I'm Beginning to See the Light

Ray Henderson Bye Bye Blackbird, I'm Sitting On Top Of The World, The Best Things In Life Are Free

Herman Hupfeld As Time Goes By

Bart Howard Fly Me To the Moon

George and Ira Gershwin

George and Ira Gershwin Summertime, I Got Rhythm, They Can't Take That Away from Me

Isham Jones It Had to Be You

Jerome Kern The Way You Look Tonight, Ol' Man River

Frank Loesser Baby, It's Cold Outside, Luck Be A Lady

Johnny Mercer Moon River, Day In, Day Out

Cole Porter

Cole Porter Night and Day, I've Got You Under My Skin, Let's Fall in Love, All of You, I Get a Kick Out of You

Rodgers and Hart Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered, Have You Met Miss Jones?, My Funny Valentine, The Lady Is a Tramp

Jule Styne Time After Time, Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend

Jimmy Van Heusen Come Fly with Me, Love Is The Tender Trap, Ain't That a Kick in the Head

Performers
Since the 1930s, many singers have explicitly recorded or performed large parts of the Great American Songbook, as

Ella Fitzgerald, Fred Astaire, Shirley Bassey, Tony Bennett, Nat "King" Cole, Perry Como, Bing Crosby, Bobby Darin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Doris Day, Judy Garland, Billie Holiday, Dean Martin, Nina Simone, Frank Sinatra

Musical Legacy

Since the 1980s, a few singers from different genres were quite successful in treating the Songbook, as Robbie Williams (Swing When You're Winning), Harry Connick, Jr., Michael Bublé or Tom Gaebel (a German singer which is surprisingly very good!).

For some of these performers will I'll write separate postings in a little series in the next days.
I hope you like it - let me know what you think about it.

A Birthday Song

2011-06-14T12:50:00.000-07:00

Some months ago there was a crowd funding campaign by the website kickstarter.com from Bleu.
I decided to give some money for this great project - with the benefit of getting a birthday song for my then new born daughter.
By the time of her birth there was a song and video surrounding us in these exciting days: A song by Eduard Khil.
You don't know him? He is now 75. And has become a star - 30 years after his actual performance. The Russian sang a song without words (because of the soviet censorship).
Until today the video has been watched for more than 8 million times. There exist several remixes, an iPhone-App and much more.

Here is the original song:

So... and here is the b-day song from Bleu for Mara:

Bleu - Happy Birthday Mara by Bleutopia

Mara and her parents liked it a lot (she likes to dance to it :-)

I created a little collection of songs around this tune (it's a kind of mix tape or personal best of):

Mara LP:
01 Ya Catch More Flies With Honey Than Vinegar
02 No Such Thing as Love
03 Singin' In Tongues
04 We'll Do It All Again
05 How Blue
06 Watchin' You Sleep
07 I'll Know It When I See It
08 I Won't Go to Hollywood
09 Nothin' Will Ever Change
10 B.O.S.T.O.N.
11 Save Me
12 Dead In The Mornin'
13 Boy Meets Girl
14 Somebody Else
15 Sukaz Are Born Every Minute
16 Could Be Worse
17 Kiss Me
18 When The Shit Hits The Fan
19 Hummingbird
20 You Know, I Know, You Know
21 Everything Is Fine
22 Happy Birthday Mara

Ocean Grove - New EP

2011-06-14T12:43:00.000-07:00

The new EP of Ocean Grove can now be preordered on their website. It will be available on June 21st. And if you preorder (it includes CD and digital download), you'll get an unique personalized photo of the band taken anywhere across America. I like this.
If you still have not done this, I recommend to order also their first EP ("Little Record").

Aimee Mann

2011-06-11T14:04:00.000-07:00

My first contact with the music of Aimee Mann was the movie Magnolia in 1999. It was an outstanding film - with outstanding music. The score was created by Jon Brion, the songs were mostly from Aimee Mann. The soundtrack was nominated for an Oscar, a Golden Globe and 3 Grammys. I was completely flashed by these tunes.

While Jon Brion released his superb first (and I still hope not his last) record "Meaningless" about one year later and sadly stopped making records, Aimee Mann continued her successful solo career.

The following records sustained at this high standard: Bachelor No. 2 (Deathly, Red Vines, Save Me) in 2000, Lost in Space (This Is How It Goes, Humpty Dumpty, Lost In Space - the record has a wonderful 2CD special edition) in 2002, The Forgotten Arm (Going Through The Motions, That's how i knew this story would break my heart) in 2005 and @#%;*! Smilers (Freeway, 31 Today) in 2008.

There's one thing I still regret: in 2005 (maybe a year before or later) she was on tour here in Germany and there was a gig in Berlin - by that time I lived there. And ... I ... did not go to the concert. I still could kick myself for that.

PS: In 2011 Mann played a cleaning woman slightly based on herself (the music industry now being unprofitable) on the show Portlandia. It's hilarious (with a serious element of truth):

Main Discography:
1993 – Whatever
1995 – I'm with Stupid
1999 – Magnolia OST
2000 – Bachelor No. 2 or, the Last Remains of the Dodo
2002 – Lost in Space
2004 – Live at St. Ann's Warehouse
2005 – The Forgotten Arm
2006 – One More Drifter in the Snow (Christmas album)
2008 – @#%;*! Smilers

Songs for a lonely island: Save Me, That's How I Knew This Story Would Break My Heart, Deathly, Pavlov's Bell, Wise Up, Today's The Day

Ivy - Distant Lights

2011-06-09T14:21:00.000-07:00

Here is Distant Lights - the new song from Ivy. Well, that tune was worth the wait (for six long years):

DISTANT LIGHTS (New Single) by TheBandIVY

New Records Are On Their Way (Ivy, Hotel Lights, Ben Folds Five, Bleu ...)

2011-06-06T13:45:00.000-07:00

The next few weeks will have a bunch of exciting record releases:

The Nines - Polarities (unreleased songs and demos - out now!) - Homepage

Gomez - Whatever's On Your Mind (out now!) - Homepage

Ivy - Distant Lights (Single, out now!) - Listen To Distant Lights Here
Ivy - All Hours (September 20) - Homepage

Fountains of Wayne - Sky Full Of Holes (August 2) - Listen To The New Single Here

Hotel Lights - Girl Graffiti (August 16) - Homepage - Download The New Single Here

Ben Folds Five - Box Set
(probably 3 CDs: Best Of, Live and Rare - Ben even talked about a fourth Ben Folds Five record that was never finished! - November)

Bleu - Besides (B-Sides, on vinyl and digital - tba) - Homepage

Mike Viola - Electro De Perfecto (summer) - Homepage

The Shins - New Album (tba) - Homepage

Brandon Schott - ‎13 Songs (a collaboration with Billy Hawn) (summer) - Homepage

David Mead - Dudes (tba) - David's Blog

So, lots of new stuff! Being exited :-)

Kind of funny :-)

2011-06-04T05:15:00.001-07:00

The Death Of The Music Industry

2011-05-31T10:50:00.000-07:00

There's nothing more to say.

BTW, thanks for Ducky Carlisle @facebook for this link.

Review: Coldplay - Parachutes

2011-05-28T12:01:00.000-07:00

Eleven years ago many things were different. It was a time when MTV still played music videos, record companies had no problems with this internet thing, Chris Martin wasn't married with Gwyneth Paltrow - and Coldplay were not one of the most successful bands on earth.

The first thing I recall of Coldplay is seeing the video for "Yellow". Chris Martin is walking on a beach at night. At first I thought: good song, but a bit boring video. Until I recognized that this walk is from night to day - in 4:29 min.

I bought the record and listened to the first song - what a blast! Today "Don't Panic" is still one of my top songs of all time.

I don't think it's necessary to do a full review here. Most of the songs are very well known. Astonishingly I still like to listen to the record as a whole despite the constant radio airplay of them. And in my opinion it has one of the best cover arts of a records I own (especially on vinyl!).

Coldplay was a great new band. And I loved them. Sadly they could never reach the feeling of their first album again. Don't get me wrong, all of their following records have great songs and I like all of them very much. It's not their fault.

Songs for a lonely island: Don't Panic, Shiver, Trouble, High Speed, Parachutes

If you are the one person who has never heard of Coldplay before - listen to the album here:

The video for Don't Panic:

Review: Feist - The Reminder

2011-05-28T11:24:00.000-07:00

The Reminder, the third record of Feist is a kind of magic.
The album is sort of a grower in several ways: The first time I listened, I didn't like it very much. This changed very soon!
It's also a grower in the charts: In the Germany it stayed in the charts for a very very long time (I think it was at least one year).

It has an acoustic and mellow touch, there are less instruments and more vocals by Leslie Feist.
"1-2-3-4" is simply stunning and uplifting, "Brandy Alexander" is beautiful (later it was covered by a friend of Leslie - Ron Sexsmith), "The Park" and "The Water" are quiet but instant classics.

Songs for a lonely island: 1-2-3-4, I Feel It All, Brandy Alexander, The Park

Review: Goldfrapp - Seventh Tree

2011-05-28T10:57:00.000-07:00

Goldfrapp were famous for their disco sound, in 2008 this changed rapidly: With the record "Seventh Tree" they released an LP they described as a "sensual counterpoint to the glitterball glamour of Supernature", their last studio album from 2005.

The opener "Clowns" creates instantly goose bumps and is one of the highlights along with "A&E". Only two of the songs are kind of up-tempo("Happiness" and "Caravan Girl"), the other ones are laid-back.
The whole record is very homogenously, embedded with strings, bird's twitter and wonderful harmonies.

Also the video of A&E is a little masterpiece:

Songs for a lonely island: ALL of the ten songs, with no exception!

She & Him

2011-05-28T04:34:00.001-07:00

She & Him is a duo of Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward. The band released two records: Volume One and Volume Two (BTW, I like these titles!).

Deschanel and Ward first met on the set of the film The Go-Getter, in which she had a starring role. They sang a duet together.
Deschanel had done years' worth of home demos. After meeting M. Ward she decided to send them to him. Ward called her a short time later, telling her that he would like to record her songs properly, and the band She & Him was formed.
By the way, both LPs are available as as a very nice vinyl edition.

Songs for a lonely island
Volume One: Sentimental Heart, This Is Not a Test, Sweet Darlin'
Volume Two: Thieves, In the Sun, Lingering Still, Don't Look Back

Finally, a video for the song "Don't Look Back":

She & Him - Don't Look Back from Merge Records on Vimeo.

Mick Terry

2011-05-28T04:34:00.000-07:00

Mick's debut album was released with a little delay. About 30 years. "The Grown Ups" is a fresh compilation of songs inspired by The Beatles or the Beach Boys (at some point supported with Jim Boggia).
In the same way as a photographer uses light and shade to create a mood, these musical snapshots form a sort of audio palette colour generator for a process Terry likes to refer to as “painting with audio”. The lyrical themes of love, loss, faith and hope that run through the LP are those of a man looking back on his childhood and coming to terms with the man he has become.

Songs for a lonely island: Hoxton Song, Comets

&amp;lt;a href="http://music.mickterry.co.uk/album/the-grown-ups"&amp;gt;The Grown Ups by Mick Terry&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;

+++ News May 2011 +++

2011-05-26T05:43:00.000-07:00

Bleu
Bleu will soon release a B-Sides compilation ("Besides") - only on vinyl and digital download. There will be probably also a live CD/DVD this year (with strings).

Ocean Grove
Ocean Grove, a new band from L.A. have already released their first EP (Little Record EP). A second EP is coming soon. Please listen, it's a perfect record for summer. You can also download an acoustic EP for free here!

Scott Gagner
Scott's first record "Rhapsody in Blonde" will be released on June 1, 2011.
San Francisco songwriter Scott Gagner has created a great Rock/Power Pop feel, but also touches on Americana and Indie themes - which makes it all the more enjoyable.

Listen to: I Hate To Say and Take Two.

Coming Soon - New Records

Fountains Of Wayne ("Sky Full Of Holes", August)
FoW Homepage (with free download of a new song)
Gomez ("Whatever's On Your Mind, June)
Gomez Homepage
Death Cab For Cutie ("Codes and Keys", June)
DCfC Homepage

The Nines - Polarities

2011-05-20T10:48:00.001-07:00

News today (from Facebook): Just before the end of the world, it's the new Nines album, Polarities. The album features unreleased songs spanning 15 years, 4 full length albums, major (Universal, Polygram) and indie label releases. Now available on CD at www.cdbaby.com/nines6 .....It will be out on major download services/stores shortly as well.

If you don't know The Nines, I recommend "Calling All Stations" (the 3rd record) at CDBaby. I love it!

Today in history...

2011-05-20T10:48:00.000-07:00

Emil Berliner was born. You don't know him? You should:

Emil Berliner (1851 – 1929) was a German-born Jewish inventor. He developed the disc record gramophone (phonograph)and founded The Berliner Gramophone Company in 1895 and The Gramophone Company in London.

If you don't know, what how it looked like*:

* ;-)

Album Review: Jon Brion - Meaningless

2011-05-15T11:41:00.000-07:00

Jon Brion released his first solo album in 2001.
Initially to be released on Lava Records, the album was finally sold independently by Brion on his own "Straight to Cut-Out" label through his website & CD Baby.

The lyrics (e.g. "Ruin My Day" and "I Believe She's Lying") and the brilliance of the songs themselves are stunning. "Trouble" and "Walking Through Walls" are pop music at its best. This is a joy to listen to and I highly recommend it.

Tracklist:
1. Gotta Start Somewhere
2. I Believe She's Lying
3. Meaningless
4. Ruin My Day
5. Walking Through Walls
6. Trouble
7. Hook, Line, And Sinker
8. Dead To The World
9. Her Ghost
10. The Same Mistakes
11. Voices

Because this album was ridiculously overlooked, there is no preview on amazon as usual, but just listen (and as I suggest buy!) it on CDBaby here.
By the way, if you've never bought something at CDBaby - do it! The very shipping information email alone is it worth it (I won't spoil anything here ;-)

Ben Folds Five - Live in Concert with WASO

2011-05-15T11:00:00.000-07:00

Here's Mr. Ben Folds at the top of his game - with the whole WASO (West Australian Symphony) Orchestra in 2005. The concert sums up the best songs he has ever written - see the tracklist or buy the DVD on amazon.com. I hope he gets back to this - I didn't like "Way To Normal" and "Lonely Avenue" as much as everything before.

The Jon Brion Show

2011-05-14T11:08:00.000-07:00

Brion did this pilot for VH1 in 1999. The show never aired - what a shame. It includes performances from E (eels), Elliott Smith, Rickie Lee Jones, Grant Lee Phillips and Robyn Hitchcock (it's in 5 parts):

Ben Folds Five

2011-05-03T11:40:00.000-07:00

Ben Folds Five (1994 – 2000) was one of the first bands I discovered solely by the world wide web. Without it I would have missed a big impact in my musical taste.

The band members were Ben Folds (vocals, piano), Darren Jessee (drums) and Robert Sledge (bass). Yes That's three. Ben Folds once said they just named them FIVE because it sounds better than THREE.

Discography:

Ben Folds Five (1995)
Whatever and Ever Amen (1997)
Naked Baby Photos (1998, a collection of rare songs)
The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner (1999)

After the split Ben Folds started his successful solo career, so did Darren Jessee with Hotel Lights (commercially not as successful as Folds, but musically very nice!).

In 2008 Ben Folds Five made a one-off live show at the UNC Memorial Hall in Chapel Hill. The band played its final album, The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner, in its entirety.
Funny thing: When the Messner album was released, the band members had no idea who Reinhold Messner is, they just thought his name would sound nice for the album title.

Del Amitri

2011-05-03T11:09:00.000-07:00

Del Amitri were formed 1983 in Glasgow ... and went away in 2002 - because their record company dropped them.

In these 19 years they produced seven records and one Best Of LP.
The sound of Del Amitri is handmade, anywhere between rock, pop & folk, with great hooks and clever lyrics. Lead vocals were performed by Justin Currie.
Summed up, The Dels are a mix of Crowded House, The Beatles and a dash of Scottish folk.

After the band went separate ways there were two solo records by Justin Currie, the lead singer (What Is Love For and The Great War) and an interesting project called The Uncle Devil Show.

Discography:

Del Amitri (1985)
Waking Hours (1989)
Change Everything (1992)
Twisted (1995)
Some Other Sucker's Parade (1997)
Hatful of Rain: The Best Of Del Amitri (1998)
Lousy With Love: The B-Sides (1998)
Can You Do Me Good? (2002)

I strongly recommend the Best Of: A Hatful Of Rain (Driving With The Brakes On / Here And Now / Kiss This Thing Good-Bye / Roll To Me), Can You Do Me Good (Just Before You Leave / Cash & Prizes / Drunk In A Band / One More Last Hurrah) and The Uncle Devil Show.

You can listen to them below.

RECORD STORE DAY!

2011-04-14T12:10:00.000-07:00

It's this special time of the year again! It's Record Store Day!

On the 16th of April 2011 the independently owned record stores come together with artists to celebrate the art of music. On Record Store Day there are special releases on vinyl & CD and exclusive promotional products. It's more than 700 stores in the US and hundreds more worldwide.

There are two releases I especially like to mention:

Plasticsoul & Brandon Schott
Celebrating Big Star's Third (ltd edition vinyl) there will be a Plasticsoul & Brandon Schott collaboration - a cover of Thank You Friends. You can have it here - but it's limited to 200 (digital) copies!
Featuring Steven Wilson (of Plasticsoul) on lead vocals and acoustic guitar & Brandon Schott on background vocals, ukulale and toy piano. Recorded completely live to 4-track cassette in the living room of Brandon's then empty new house on May 10, 2010. So get it - fast!

Foo Fighters
The Foo Fighters release Medium Rare, a collection of cover songs, including very impressive versions of Band On The Run (Wings), Have A Cigar (Pink Floyd) and Baker Street (Gerry Rafferty). It's their second release within one week! Their "proper" new album Wasting Light is already available. And it's fab! (just listen to the first two songs Burning Bridges and Rope!)

www.recordstoreday.com

Ron Sexsmith - Retriever

2011-04-11T11:17:00.000-07:00

Ron Sexsmith has a kind of magic in his voice: I was introduced to him by his seventh record "Retriever". At first listen I thought "well, it's okay". I gave it a second listen and thought "not bad!", then there was a third turn ... To sum it up: now it's one of my top 10 records of all time.

Ron Sexsmith - Retriever
1. Hard Bargain
2. Imaginary Friends
3. Not About To Lose
4. Tomorrow In Her Eyes
5. From Now On
6. For The Driver
7. Wishing Wells
8. Whatever It Takes
9. Dandelion Wine
10. Happiness
11. How On Earth
12. I Know It Well

Highlights are Imaginary Friends, Whatever It Takes, Not About To Lose, How On Earth and Happiness (a perfect pop song for a sunny day)

Listen here:

Jim Boggia - Collection

2011-04-11T10:59:00.000-07:00

So here's a new thing: I made mix tapes (one for each artist). Not very innovative, no. But a good start to listen to them. Starting with...

The Jim Boggia Collection

01 - So Full
02 - Listening TO NRBQ
03 - Several Thousand
04 - Live The Proof
05 - 8track
06 - Annie Also Ran (live)
07 - Show My Face Around
08 - To And Fro
09 - Johnnies Going Down
10 - Shine
11 - (That's Not Why) I Hate New York (live)
12 - No Way Out
13 - Made Me So Happy
14 - Underground
15 - Once
16 - On Your Birthday
17 - Three Weeks Shy
18 - Somebody To love
19 - Penny Lane
20 - Annie Also Ran (4 Way Street Edit)
21 - Several Thousand (4 Way Street Edit)

Listen to the songs here (except the songs that only exist as live version):

Earworms (Stuck Song Syndrome)

2011-03-28T12:02:00.000-07:00

It's official - catchy songs are scientific matter. It's diagnosis: Stuck Song Syndrome.
Here is an abstract of the British journal of psychology from november 2009:

Abstract - Earworms ('stuck song syndrome'): Towards a natural history of intrusive thoughts:
Two studies examine the experience of 'earworms', unwanted catchy tunes that repeat. Survey data show that the experience is widespread but earworms are not generally considered problematic, although those who consider music to be important to them report earworms as longer, and harder to control, than those who consider music as less important. The tunes which produce these experiences vary considerably between individuals but are always familiar to those who experience them. A diary study confirms these findings and also indicates that, although earworm recurrence is relatively uncommon and unlikely to persist for longer than 24 h, the length of both the earworm and the earworm experience frequently exceed standard estimates of auditory memory capacity. Active attempts to block or eliminate the earworm are less successful than passive acceptance, consistent with Wegner's theory of ironic mental control.

Beaman CP, & Williams TI (2009). Earworms ('stuck song syndrome'): Towards a natural history of intrusive thoughts. British journal of psychology (London, England : 1953) PMID: 19948084

+++ News March 2011 +++

2011-03-28T11:02:00.000-07:00

Ron Sexsmith - Long Player Late Bloomer - out now!
Mr. Sexsmiths latest record (produced by Bob Rock) is available as CD, CD Deluxe (with Live DVD) and on vinyl (yeah!) here.
Listen to: The Reason Why ~ Believe It When I See It ~ Late Bloomer ~ Michael And His Dad ~ Love Shines

Mike Viola - Soundtrack Of My Summer - New Song
Mike Violas first song from his forthcoming record Electro De Perfecto is on soundcloud!

The Damnwells - The Great Unknown
It's the first single from their new album No One Listens To The Band Anymore (by the way: I like this album title ;-). It's a truly beautiful song.

Brandon Schott

2011-02-27T06:02:00.000-08:00

Most of my favorite musicians have already been mentioned on my blog - except one: Brandon Schott.
In 2009 Brandon did his homegrown recording series at www.toopoppy.com, and this is when I stumbled upon one of his songs first. Brandon is not just an exceptionally gifted singer/songwriter but also one of the kindest artists I know.

Brandon Schott discography (LPs):
2003 Release
2007 Golden State
2009 Dandelion

I strongly recommend to listen to them (reviews of his records will follow).

Dandelion:

Finally three videos of his songs:

Golden State

Fire Season

Seasons Turn (alternative mix)

Visit his all new website at www.brandonschott.com!
(lots of videos, music & reviews - and you can buy the music directly from Mr. Schott)

Bleu - How Blue - (Official Video)

2011-02-26T23:18:00.000-08:00

The new official video for How Blue from Bleu - featuring Justin Kirk (from Weeds):

it's one of the finest tracks from is newest record FOUR (well, they are all very fine tracks ;-)
Buy FOUR directly here, or from amazon.com or Notlame.

Teitur - Let The Dog Drive Home

2011-02-13T13:34:00.000-08:00

It's always a magic moment to discover an artist and recognize you have found something very special. Something that will stuck with you for months ... or years.
It happened to me some weeks ago with Teitur . His new record "Let The Dog Drive Home" is so intense and versatile. It's hard to put this away.

The opener "Feel Good" is starting slowly but raising to a beautiful ballad, followed with the bass driven "God, I Have So Many Things To Tell You" and "Waverly Place" both very melodic and catchy. "Freight Train" is something between David Mead and Aqualung.
Most records show their gems in the first half, Teitur starts exactly here with my three favorite songs from the album: "Betty Hedges", "You Never Leave L.A." and "Let The Dog Drive Home" are irresistible songs.
"Let The Dog Drive Home" finishes with "All I Remember From Last Night Is You", a love song to fell in love to.

Sadly you can't buy the album in the US yet (it's just available in Germany) - listen here:

Vinyl!

2011-01-30T10:57:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note: I discovered vinyl. And I LIKE it.

Having 2 or 3 vinyl LPs and no record player lead me to buy one some weeks ago. Now I find myself browsing flea markets and the internet for old LPs. What the heck? :-)

Already spinning on my record player:

Mike Viola - Hang On Mike / Lurch / Melon
Frank Sinatra - Live At The Sands / In The Wee Small Hours
Goldfrapp - Seventh Tree
Queen - The whole discography (my favorites: Innuendo / Queen II / Made In Heaven / News Of The World / A Day At The Races)
Miles Davis - Kind Of Blue
Robbie Williams - Swing When You're Winning (yes, I like this one!)
Johnny Cash - The Man Comes Around
The Beatles - 1
Elvis Presley - 30 # One Hits
Jim Boggia - Misadventures in Stereo (Mono Version!)

Coming soon:

Charlotte Gainsbourg - 5:55
Air - Moon Safari / Pocket Symphony
Freddie Mercury & Monserrat Caballe - Barcelona
Ron Sexsmith - Time Being

Any suggestions for LPs?

CD Review: Mike Viola - Lurch

2011-01-18T12:23:00.000-08:00

Being independent since 2005, Mike Viola's Lurch was a available first as limited CD with only 1000 copies. It was also downloadable for free directly from Mike for a short time to share it around the world.
The album combines wonderful harmonies and songwriting resulting in simply addictive songs.

A short song by song review:
The opening track is "Maybe, Maybe Not" - there's one line ("I put my heart into it") which is the key to the whole record.
"Girly Worm" - a love song for girly worm. Having myself a girly worm around, I love it and it's lyrics.
"All Bent Out of Shape" is very much Candy Butchers and leads straight to my first personal highlight, "The Strawberry Blonde". As soon as the intro starts I'm trapped in this song. Just perfect, it's a song you simply can't turn off or stop listening, and it just brightens up your mood. It's uptempo, with wonderful harmonies, multi-layered sound and chorus.
It's slowing it down with the heartfelt and nice ballad "Dangerously Close".
"279 East 10th Street". A song about moving. About an address. And a classic pop song.
"It Comes in Waves" has a heavy burden, though being another very good song, it's followed by "So Much Better". Listening to "Waves" I know what comes next. "So Much Better" is another or maybe THE killer tune. With a length of just 1:50 min, it's get stuck in your head (for me: it never left).
"Snowman in Tompkins Park" - a lovely ballad about hotel mood and yearning. I love the harmonies at "I can't wait to see you again".
"When I Hold You in My Arms" - oh, a song with clapping along. Like it!
"Good Ideas Grow On Trees" - the official album closes with this truly beautiful ballad (with a beautiful video, sadly it's not on youtube anymore).

And now for the bonus: Buying the japanese CD or the vinyl, you get three bonus songs. Often having a B-side touch, these are the exact opposite. Many artists would create a whole record with these as key tracks: "Find Somebody To Love", "Something Electric" and "Motel Mood". So sad only few people are able to listen to them.

Final comment: There is only one bad thing about this album: it's too short! The three vinyl bonus songs are at least as good as the other songs on the album. But even without these songs you can't resist to this CD. And you won't find even one filler song there. Definitely one of my top three records of the last ten years.

You can buy it as mp3, CD and vinyl (vinyl includes also mp3 download and the bonus disc) here.

Please listen here:

CD Review: Bleu - Redhead

2011-01-17T13:42:00.000-08:00

It's time for more album reviews, more of my favorites of the last years.
Now for Bleu with Redhead. His second long player hit the stores in 2003. I found it by chance. Listening to Owsley, Jellyfish and Ben Folds I stumbled upon his name several times. Then I listened. And immediately bought the CD. I also created this blog because of music exactly like this.

Now for the songs: Starting with "Get Up" - catchy, guitar driven, arousing interest in what comes next, which is ... "I Won't Go Hollywood". It's not just a rock song, it's an anthem.
"We'll Do It All Again" - a song that you may fell in love with.
For years and years.
"Searchin' For The Satellites" is a wonderful and powerful ballad.
"Could Be Worse" is again more upbeat. There are two things I connect with this song. First, I remember finding the video clip on youtube. My first thought was "What the f...k?!?" Still, it's ... interesting ;-) Second, my girlfriend askes me literally everytime she listens to the song "WTF does he sing there in the first line?". I told her it's "You had us all fooled for a little while". And some days later - she asked again (She still does! Help!).
But back to the songs:
"Watchin' You Sleep" - just gorgeous. Is there any other song in the world about stalking you call gorgeous?
"Somebody Else" - for many it was the first contact with Bleu's music. It was featured at the Spiderman Soundtrack. And it's great. Period.
"You Know, I Know, You Know" - bluesy, powerful, it grows up to the end of the song.
"3's A Charm" - the powerful closing song for one perfect album.
Not to forget the hidden tunes "Feet Don't Fail" and "Dance dance baby doll dance" (a collaboration with Andy Sturmer).

One last note: The first pressing of Redhead had two songs, "Sayonara" and "Ursula Major, Ursula Minor" which were dropped for new ones on the second release. My suggestion: buy both.

Closing comments: Okay, before you listen below a last warning - these songs get stuck in your head (and after that in your iPod or CD-Player). And they won't leave!
By the release of Redhead (and his following 2 albums) Bleu has gained a loyal fan in me.

Epilogue: After Redhead, Bleu recorded A Watched Pot in 2005. Just after the record was done, Bleu was dropped from the label along with many other artists (and employees) - Sony’s downsizing was responsible for that. For four long years the album remained unreleased. I couldn't believe it when A Watched Pot was finally released in 2009, but that's another story for another great album (probably my favorite one in the last years, and probably because of those four years that these great songs had no proper release).

CD Review: Badly Drawn Boy - The Hour Of Bewilderbeast

2011-01-17T10:38:00.000-08:00

The debut LP of Badly Drawn Boy is an exceptional piece of work.
It opens up with "The Shining", a beautiful melancholic intro with an even more beautiful song. Followed by "Everybody's Stalking", it's darker, heavy guitars. "Camping Next To Water", a song full of soul and melancholy. "Stone In The Water" leads you to "Another Pearl", which is less experimental, more radio friendly (as "Once Around The Block"). "Body Rap" shows a funky hip-hop part of the album, which is first strange, now I love it. "Magic In The Air" is again a melancholic, sweet song (perfect for a rainy autumn day). "Cause A Rockslide" is probably the most experimental song of the album, especially the instrumental at the end. It seems to end in chaos, suddenly leading straight to "Pissing In The Wind", a simply heartwarming song. "Disillusion" is a designated radio single, it has a kind of disco feeling. The record closes with "Epitaph", one of the best closing songs I ever heard.

Final comment: There are very few records that fit as good together as "The Hour Of Bewilderbeast". It's so hard to listen to one song of the album without thinking "Oh wait, now comes ...". And it's strangely disappointing if it doesn't follow. The only album with a similar feeling for me is "Queen II". It's just an classic record. Sadly Badly Drawn Boy changed his style after that a bit. Don't get me wrong - he still creates very beautiful songs, but not as coherent as "The Hour Of Bewilderbeast".

Highlights: "The Shining", "Everybody's Stalking", "Camping Next To Water" and "Disillusion"

Taylor Locke & The Roughs - Review "Marathon" & "Grain & Grape"

2011-01-15T15:38:00.000-08:00

Yes, Rooney. Again. Solo Record. Again. This time it's Taylor Locke. Seriously: The band members of Rooney seemed to be very productive in 2010. Rooney with their latest album "Eureka", Ned Brower with his solo record "Great To Say Hello" and finally Taylor Locke & The Roughs with "Grain & Grape" and "Marathon". Yes. Two records. In one year. Both are just great.

Taylor Locke & The Roughs - Grain & Grape:
The album opens with "Start Me Over" and "Jennifer" - two straight rock song (and i like them a lot!). "Joy" reminds me of ELO & Bleu, "Amnesia" is upbeat & catchy while "What Have I Done?" is my favorite of the whole album. And so we are at record no. 2:

Taylor Locke & The Roughs - Marathon:
The brilliant opener "The Honor Role" is minioperaesque* in tradition of "Bohemian Rhapsody" or "Band On The Run", while "Jenny" and "tarred, feathered & scarlet lettered" are straight rock songs. "Don't Forget" reminds me of Queen & ELO (or LEO ...) - I confess, I like the "wooo-hoo". "My Only Drug" along with "One More Time" are no less than perfect radio singles (which can still be a good thing these days).
"Sleeping with the enemy" is like listening to a good Def Leppard song (do I hear "Loud Lion" here?).

So thank you Rooney for 2010 - what a surprise! Just one thing: bring Bleu and/or Mike Viola with on your next tour to us in Germany (like the "Ménage A Tour 2011". The people here don't know what they are missing :-)

* checked Google: the word "minioperaesque" wasn't used before. I claim copyright for this :-)

Official website: Taylor Locke & The Roughs

CD Review: Ned Brower - Great To Say Hello

2011-01-15T14:32:00.000-08:00

"Are you high Ned? Drummers don't make solo records. Next you're going to tell me you've actually gone and written some songs. Say it isn't so."
It is - Ned Brower, the drummer of Rooney has a solo album called "Great To Say Hello" out for some weeks. The songs were produced by no other than Mike Viola and recorded in just 10 days. Ned says, the album "has been in my mental works for a couple of years". It's a mix of styles, yet it fits in the end.
Ned: "I think we made a record that blends my northwest indie roots, my southern R&B leanings, and my Californian pop sensibility into an eclectic yet cohesive album."

Here are some short notes to some standout tracks: "Underneath You Spell" is a great upbeat opener, "Love And Affection #3" has powerpop written all over it and "Hide Your Secrets Away" immediately got stuck in my head. "Mine And Mine Alone" is just groovy! "Father To Son" has a nice 1960s feeling. I instantly had to think of the 1955 "Back To The Future" while listening to it :-) I also enjoy "Together For All Time" and "The Alleyway" very much.

Final words: It's surely different from Rooney. It's upbeat, very catchy (no surprise with a producer like Mike Viola) and makes me listen to it again right away.

Ned Brower - Official website: nedbrower.com

Listen to samples of the whole album here.

Jon Brion

2011-01-11T14:10:00.000-08:00

What would you think of a producer writing soundtracks for some of the best movies in the last years (Magnolia, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or I ♥ Huckabees) and producing exceptional artists like Aimee Mann, Rufus Wainwright, Fiona Apple, Elliott Smith, Spoon, Keane, Dido or Of Montreal? A busy man, is he? But Jon Brion also has a solo career (okay, it's just one album: Meaningless from 2001 - sadly there was never a follow up).

In 2006 a tendonitis in Brion's right hand forced him to cancel his live shows.
Today he plays live again. But unfortunately there are very few news about him.

Jim Boggia

2011-01-11T13:21:00.000-08:00

To be influenced by the Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel or Brian Wilson isn't a bad thing for a songwriter, is it? Jim Boggia, a songwriter and performer from Philadelphia proves this can be actually a excellent mix: Jim has become a fixture in the pop scene in the last ten years: in 2001, Boggia released his first full-length studio album "Fidelity is the Enemy", following "Safe In Sound" in 2005 and "Misadventures in Stereo" in 2008.

Remembering Jim playing on the ukulele at The Borderline in London last year and performing "I hate New York" or "Listening to NRBQ" or "No Way Out" with Bleu and Tracy Bonham brings back memories of a tremendous concert.

Listen to three of his best songs here:

His official website: www.jimboggia.com

Still looking for christmas gifts? - On sale now:

2010-12-07T23:00:00.000-08:00

Brandon Schott - Holiday Sale
All of Brandon Schott's released output in one big package - autographed by the man himself:
1. "RELEASE" album (CD - 2003)
2. "GOLDEN STATE album (CD - 2007)
3. "DANDELION album (Digital Only Release - available this season in full-fidelity audio on a home-made CD-R w/ special limited edition packaging. Featuring new artwork by local LA artist, John Seymore)
4. Home-Made Bonus "MIX" CD-R - filled w/ Brandon's iTunes singles in full-fidelity audio as well as a couple of bonus tracks exclusive to this collection!
5. Special Bonus Surprise CD
6. AND a Special Bonus (Awesome) Gift!
PRICE: $33 including shipping and handling
NOTE: Please be sure to specify who you'd like your CDs signed to (if at all).
Buy it here.

Mike Viola - Hang On Mike & Melon
"Melon" is available on amazon and itunes now.
"Hang On Mike" on vinyl with 27 bonus tracks (mp3s) Will ship in time for Christmas (domestic). They are super deluxe editions... just gorgeous... the artist who did the CD artwork did the vinyl GATEFOLD edition... and it's remastered for vinyl. Sounds incredible. AND... there are 27 crazy bonus tracks. Songs in progress. Songs that didn't make the cut. Songs half finished. Weirdo studio Candy Butchers jamming.
You can buy it at Mike's site here.

Ned Brower (from Rooney) - Great To Say Hello
Ned's first solo CD is available directly on his website here as CD or at itunes. You can preview it there too. By the way: it's produced by Mike Viola.

Album Top 10 of 2010

2010-12-06T12:49:00.000-08:00

So, here are my fav records of the year 2010:

1. Bleu - FOUR (Highlight: Ya Catch More Flies With Honey Than Vinegar, How Blue)

2. Guster - Easy Wonderful (Highlight: Bad Bad World, Stay With Me Jesus)

3. Aqualung - Magnetic North (Highlight: Fingertip, Reel Me In)

4. Jeremy Fisher - Flood (Highlight: Shine A Little Light)

5. Justin Currie - The Great War (Highlight: The Way That It Falls)

6. Rooney - Eureka (Highlight: I Can't Get Enough)

7. OK Go - Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky (Highlight: End Love - also the video!)

8. Mark Bacino - Queens English (Highlight: Middle Town, Queens English)

9. Owsley - Changes (no offical release, but an excellent collection of unreleased stuff by Pop Fair - RIP Will. Highlight: Changes, When Lonely Comes Around)

10. Darwin Deez - Darwin Deez (Highlight: Radar detector, Up in the clouds)

Marvelous Mechanical Mouse

2010-11-26T01:11:00.000-08:00

Find more music like this on wohomusic

Jellyfish

2010-11-22T12:23:00.000-08:00

Jellyfish were never known by broad public and after only 4 years as a group, they went seperate ways. And Even though they only had two records, the group's critical acclaim and fanbase have made them icons in power-pop music. Singer Andy Sturmer and keyboardist Roger Manning, along with guitarist Jason Falkner, had their own solo careers later on.

In 1990's Bellybutton, Jellyfish released their debut album. Before finishing their second record, both Chris Manning and Jason Falkner quit the band. Producer Jon Brion and Lyle Workman worked for the band's 1993 record. On Spilt Milk they collected the influences of their idols - the Beatles, the Beach Boys, ELO & Queen and created this pop record.

Five years after disbanding - in 1999 - Greatest, a 14-song collection of Jellyfish material was released.

In 2002 an unexpected release of a Jellyfish box set named Fan Club released by Not Lame (R.I.P. Not Lame ....) surfaced. It was packed with dozens of unreleased tracks, rare material - just great stuff.

Discography
1990 Bellybutton
1993 Spilt Milk
1999 Greatest
2002 Fan Club (Boxset)

Adrian Bourgeois

2010-11-22T11:27:00.000-08:00

To let Adrian speak for himself: "My music at it’s most basic essence is pop if you had to pick a genre. Pop tends to be associated with shallowness by some but tell that to John Lennon, Brian Wilson or Elvis Costello. Some of the most ambitious, adventurous of the past 100 years has been pop music. The thing I like most about pop is that whatever dressing you put over the top of it, at it’s core is a song that just has this universal appeal to it that leaves no one out. It’s world peace in the form of a song!"

He will release his second record soon, his new single "Time Can’t Fly A Plane" was released just some days ago.

His first album:

And his new song "Time Can’t Fly A Plane" here:
http://soundcloud.com/adrianbourgeois/time-cant-fly-a-plane

Bleu - FOUR - album review

2010-10-20T10:03:00.000-07:00

Here's a short track-by-track review of the new album of Bleu, called FOUR:

1. Singin' In Tongues

An infectious opener - it shows what to expect from the album.

2. B.O.S.T.O.N.

Great upbeat song. And a perfect radio single.

3. How Blue

One of the most beautiful songs Bleu ever wrote. It's a grower. After the first listen I wasn't sure about it, now it's my favorite along with... (see song no. 9).

4. Dead in the Morning

After reading the song title - would you expect an upbeat, catchy song like this?

5. In Love With My Lover

Slow, intense, like it! It's probably the oldest song from the album - it's streaming on myspace (I think) since the release of "A Watched Pot".

6. When The Shit Hits The Fan

Can't say much about it beacause I just listened once, but it immediately gets stuck in your head.

7. I'll Know It When I See It

Another grower. To be honest I wasn't very impressed by the demo, but the final song is simply astonishing!

8. Evil Twin

Not my fav, but I enjoy it.

9. Ya Catch More Flies With Honey Than With Vinegar

.... this one. To make it clear: it's my absolute favorite song from the album. It's kind of epic. I can't exactly say why, but it reminds me A LOT of Queen (in their best years).

10. Everything Is Fine

It's a collaboration with Roger Joseph Manning Jr. (from Jellyfish). A good song to close a strong album that has not a single filler song.

If you are still not sure whether to buy FOUR or not - you have to. Don't believe me? Listen here:

Badly Drawn Boy

2010-09-26T14:39:00.000-07:00

A decade ago - in June 2000 "The Hour of the Bewilderbeast" announced the arrival of Badly Drawn Boy - or Damon Gough. His debut may be a perfect album. Every song is catchy and wonderfully crafted.

The official albums til today are:

* The Hour Of The Bewilderbeast (2000)
* About A Boy (2002)
* Have You Fed The Fish? (2002)
* One Plus One Is One (2004)
* Born In The U.K. (2006)
* Is There Nothing We Could Do? (2009)
* It's What I'm Thinking Pt.1 – Photographing Snowflakes (2010)

Guster

2010-09-26T14:18:00.000-07:00

This time I'll make it short: Guster. Three videos. Three songs. Just perfect.

You can preorder their new album Easy Wonderful (with Bad Bad Day and Stay With Me Jesus) here or here.