Category Archives: Music

My thoughts on music. There’s going to be some album reviews in here along with posts about songs. If you look hard enough you’ll find an mp3 or two in the mix.

Music: new Dirty Projectors and The Walkmen Albums Coming This Year

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I’m beyond words to describe my excitement right now.

Two of my favorite artists are putting out new albums this year.

Dirty Projectors is finally releasing the follow-up to their amazing “Bitte Orca”. They just posted a video for the upcoming single off the new album and it is awesome. Groovy drum beat, thumping bass line, and the always amazing vocals.

Watch and listen to the new single from the Dirty Projectors now.

Even more exciting than that…my all time favorite band The Walkmen are putting out a new album this year as well. Titled “Heaven” it’s due out later this year. From Pitchfork:

The followup to 2010′s Lisbon was recorded with noted indie rock producer Phil Ek (Fleet Foxes, the Shins, Modest Mouse) at his Seattle-area studio in the woods. Fleet Foxes frontman Robin Pecknold sings on the track “No One Ever Sleeps”.

So that was enough to make me start dancing. But what really threw me over the moon was the music playing in their newly released trailer for “Heaven”.

Watch the trailer for The Walkmen’s upcoming album “Heaven” now.

This is going to be an amazing year for music.

The Shins – “Bait And Switch” Music Video

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Did you know? The Shins are coming out with a new album Port of Morrow on March 20th.

Did you know? You can listen and watch their first music right now! Called “Simple Song” it’s wickedly catchy. There’s some joyfully upbeat rhythm guitars that kept my head bopping throughout the entire song.

Check out the embedded clip below.
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Trailer for Sleigh Bells Second Album Released

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I was a big fan of Sleigh Bells’ first album. The raw sounds and fast beats let the album become one of my summer favorites, a record I could put on and play from start to finish as I drove around with my windows down.

It just so happens that Sleigh Bells released a trailer for their second album today. It’s a short teaser of the tunes to come, overlaid with some fun footage of their tour and just plain goofing off.

Watch the video embedded below, and check out the original article at Stereogum.

Florence and the Machine’s Ceremonials

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I’ve been listening to Florence and the Machine’s new album Ceremonials album for the past week or so and I’ve been pretty disappointed. There are only a few songs on the record that immediately stand out as being catchy, hooky, and good. The rest kind of blend together, carrying the same tone and emotion as each other.

I couldn’t really put my finger on why I found the album to be such a disappointment (as I had such high hopes after the great Lungs) until I read Pitchfork’s review of the record:

The same can be said of Florence and the Machine’s second album, Ceremonials, which can feel like Welch simply holding out a single note at top volume for an hour.

And that’s what’s wrong with the record. Most of the songs feel like you’re being screamed at, and when a slow song comes on there are still explosions of voice interjected at some juncture.

The first three tracks are great and instant pop hits. The rest of them I’m working at liking. I hate working to like art.

Guitar Recordings On Soundcloud

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I find playing guitar to be hugely relaxing.

Every so often I’ll pick up my acoustic and begin strumming some chords. It soothes my mind and nerves and lets me creatively explore my musical impulses.

I first started playing guitar way back in 1999. Or it may have been 2000, I can’t get the exact year straight. Whatever the year, after only a couple of months I put down the guitar having lost my interest and drive to learn how to play.

It wasn’t until a few years later that I would pick up the guitar again. That would be around 2003 and the year I consider as the true start to my becoming a guitar player.
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Beirut – The Rip Tide

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Beirut is back with their third album. It’s short but remains true to form. Clocking in at 33 minutes and 11 seconds with just 9 tracks you can’t help but come away from the album wanting more despite how solid each of the tracks are. Coming off the seemingly gigantic 13-track sophomore album The Flying Club Cup, The Rip Tide seems much shorter despite actually being only 5 minutes shorter.
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MP3: New Songs From Tune-Yards, TV On The Radio, Fleet Foxes

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The weather nowadays has been downright bipolar: rainy one day, sunny the next, and right back to rain. So what’s the cure for this demonic dichotomy? New music!

I’m here with three brand new tracks, each off the new albums of Tune-Yards, TV On The Radio, and Fleet Foxes. All three of their albums has been rocking my socks off the past two weeks. They’ve all been vying for my listening attention and I’m doing the best I can to give it to them but unfortunately there’s only so many hours in a day to stew in harmonic bliss!

First off have a listen to Tune-Yards new track ‘Powa’. Comes equipped with some excellent guitar chords that haltingly punctuate along with Merrill Garbus’ vocal stylings. Definitely a mood rouser:

Tune-Yards – Powa

Second we’re turning our attention to TV On The Radio’s ‘You’ that sweeps back and forth while it carefully cradles your heart in its sonic embrace. I get a dopey grin on my face from listening to this song.

TV On The Radio – You

Last, but certainly not least! Fleet Foxes new album is rocking me the hardest right now. And by rocking I mean its tender lullabies are caressing me all over, putting me into grooves and places of peace that I simply love to visit. This song has the luxury of coming equipped as a music video. So please click play and enjoy the marvelously mellow moods of Fleet Foxes’ ‘Grown Ocean’.