Tuesday, September 24, 2013

A Personal Post

I don't post much personal stuff on here, I try to keep it for one of my all-time loves, music, but something happened to me recently and I need to write it all down.

I fell in love this summer. I met this guy and he seemed perfect and showed himself to be everything that I could want in a partner. He even made me think he felt the same. He told me he felt more for me than his last girlfriend after only a couple of weeks, told me that he saw a future with me, that he saw everything with me.

We started seeing each other in early July, but in August, he asked to take a step back. He stated he he still felt emotionally zapped from his last relationship and that we may have jumped into things too quickly. He wanted to build a good friendship and let things progress from there. Despite saying all that, he maintained what he felt about me, still told me he saw a future with me, even told me once he looked at me and saw someone that he was more than friends with, and that it was a good thing. In the past six weeks or so since then, we've talked more and he never wavered from that thought.

In the past few weeks however, we had chatted less, in general. I had him call me a week ago to see if there might have been anything up, to make sure we were still on the same page. He indicated that we were, that nothing has changed. I told him that I wanted things to be really good between us, wanted that future to happen and he said that he did too.

Jump forward a couple of days and I'm out with a mutual friend of ours. I mention something about this guy and our relationship and she tells me that, about a month earlier, another friend of ours, a female friend, had told her that she had been seeing this guy for a couple of weeks. I texted him to confirm this and he did. He had been seeing this girl almost the entire time he had been telling me that he needed to step back from our relationship to build the friendship.

The next day, this new couple came to my apartment to talk about things (I asked them to). I learned several things from this discussion:
  1. They're serious
  2. He loves her
  3. He new he was leading me on
  4. He "never promised" me anything
  5. He knew when we started dating that he didn't see a future with me
  6. He's sorry
  7. He wants to be friends
  8. She knew nothing about us
Needless to say, I'm in a bad state right now. I'm confused as to how someone could do that to another person. I feel empty because I thought that, for the first time in my life, someone loved me and wanted to be with me and it was all a lie. I'm angry at him for deceiving me like this. I have no idea what to do at this point.

It's hard to reconcile everything. Of course, I feel betrayed. I hate him for doing this but I still love who I thought he was. My mom had to come down and get me on Sunday morning because I told her that I wanted to kill myself, and I did. That feeling has passed somewhat, but of course it still hurts so much. I start seeing a therapist on Thursday, I hope that begins to help. I've already learned that I have some of the best friends in the world who have been helping me through so far.

I'm a fragile person, but I hope that somehow I get through this, that I can learn to trust others and to trust myself again. I hope to be able to find love and to find it in someone who will be honest with me at every step.

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

New Music Tuesday - 09/17/2013

New Full-Length Releases



Elvis Costello & The Roots - Wise Up Ghost

It looks like The Roots are becoming the latest kings of the collaborative album. Their first was 2010's Wake Up with John Legend. That album was somewhat expected, since soul and R&B was already an established part of their sound. This collaboration comes a bit more out of left field. In contrast to The Roots' hip-hop; Costello started out recording new wave music, but moved to alternative country later in his career. I like the idea of this collaboration and hope that the result is great!

Listen/Watch: "Walk Us Uptown"



Grouplove - Spreading Rumours

It's amazing the effect that Apple ads has on the effect of featured artists. After Grouplove's song "Tongue Tied" was featured in a commercial for the iPod Touch two years ago, the single shot to number 1 on the Billboard Alternative chart and their album hit 75 (not extremely high, but still respectable). It's easy to create one catchy song, the challenge is in creating memorable albums (or at least another good song). Grouplove certainly did that with their upbeat debut, I expect a continuation on the follow-up.

Listen/Watch: "Ways to Go"



MGMT - MGMT

MGMT made a big splash with their debut album, Oracular Spectacular, which featured two certified hit singles, "Electric Feel" and "Kids," both of which were insanely catchy songs. They followed it up however, with an album that didn't even seem to try to be memorable. I have a little more confidence that this album will be a better one from them. I already like the lead single, "Your Life Is a Lie;" while its sparse instrumentation is in sharp contrast to the singles that made them big, the melody is almost as immediate.

Listen/Watch: "Your Life Is a Lie"



Royal Bangs - Brass

Association is a powerful thing for me. If it weren't for the predilections of a member of one of my favorite bands, I probably wouldn't know of Royal Bangs. The band became a favorite of Black Keys drummer Pat Carney. Their first two albums were released on his Audio Eagle label. He also produced this latest album. His love of their music is easy to understand; they're able to produce experimental rock that is still listenable and, more importantly, rocking!

Listen/Watch: "Better Run"



Yoko Ono - Take Me to the Land of Hell

Yoko Ono is a very divisive musician. Many blame her for the end of The Beatles and many more struggle to understand her arrhythmic experimental music. I've come to dig it, though it took a while to get there. John Lennon's last album, Double Fantasy, was a double album recorded with Ono. Her half intrigued me, and I soon checked out more of her work. I discovered that she is a well-established, prolific and much respected artist, with work well worth a listen.

Listen: "Moonbeams"

Other New Releases



High Cotton: A Tribute to Alabama

I've never been a huge Alabama fan, though who doesn't know and love the song "Why Lady Why." What caught my eye about this tribute album was one of the artists chosen to cover one of their classic songs. Jessica Lea Mayfield (another Black Key favorite) was brought in to cover "I'm in a Hurry (And I Don't Know Why)."

Listen: "I’m in a Hurry (And I Don’t Why)"



Junip - Walking Lightly EP

Junip released an excellent self-titled sophomore album earlier this year. The record included some excellent tracks, though "Walking Lightly" was certainly one of the standouts. It's getting the single and remix treatment this week; this release includes several reworkings of the song.

Listen/Watch: "Walking Lightly"



Los Porcos - "Sunshine"/"Classically Feminine Woman"

I got into the band WU LYF a couple of years ago, intrigued by their harsh vocals and jangly guitar. As soon as I got into them, though, they were no more. Lead singer Ellery Roberts suddenly left the band and released a solo single in the same breath. The remaining members regrouped as Los Porcos and have released a number of singles this year.

Listen: "Sunshine"



Songs from Montague Terrace - A Tribute to Scott Walker

Another tribute album this week! This one is dedicated to Scott Walker, who's been a bigger name in England and among more adventurous listeners. This tribute includes tracks recorded by Coves, Nightlands and Sondre Lerche.

Listen: Sondre Lerche - "The Plague"



Toro Y Moi - "Campo"/"Outside with You"

Toro Y Moi started a tour on Saturday in Mexico City. This single is a tour-exclusive release from the artist. He's coming to Columbus in October, so hopefully I can get my hands on it then!

Listen: "Campo"

Saturday, September 14, 2013

R.I.P., Phil Ramone

On March 30 of this year, producer extraordinaire Phil Ramone passed away at the age of 79.

brooklynvegan.com

Ramone had a long career in the music business, starting in 1959, when he established the A&R Recording label. He went on to produce records for a number of prominent musicians almost right until the end of his life. He has produced recordings by Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin, among many others.

Goodbye, Mr. Griffiths!

Listen: Billy Joel - "You May Be Right"

Johnny Flynn - "The Lady Is Risen"

Johnny Flynn presents an interesting take on the lyric video concept. While it contains only words, it capitalizes on the fact that we only need the first and last letter of a word in place in order to be able to read it. Of course, he makes it harder by pushing all the words together!



Johnny's third album, Country Mile, will be released on October 1.

Star Trek: Into Darkness


Star Trek: Into Darkness is the second installment of J.J. Abram's reboot of the classic series. Kirk and company are now a full-fledged crew who have been sent on a mission to Kronos, the Klingon planet, to track down the fugitive John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch). After a tussle, they manage to capture Harrison, who turns out to be the genetically modified superhuman Khan. Khan's smart, though, and manages to trick the crew into letting him go. After pretending to help them, Khan fully escapes and launches a small-scale war against the Starfleet headquarters in San Francisco.

While it was great to see most of the actors back from the prior Star Trek film, some of the new faces in movie were the greater pleasures to watch. I especially enjoyed Benedict Cumberbatch; partly because I'm a little bit in love with him, but also because he is a really good actor. He made the movie an even better addition to the Star Trek anthology.



Mini soundtrack:

"Star Trek Theme"
Beastie Boys - "Body Movin'" (Fatboy Slim Remix)
Albert King - "Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven"

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

New Music Tuesday - September 10, 2013

New Full-Length Releases



2 Chainz - B.O.A.T.S. II: Me Time

I feel like I'm starting to become a bit of a hip hop connoisseur. Before this year, there were only a handful of artists that I really paid attention to, but I've been giving a lot more love to the genre lately. 2 Chainz is one of those artists I've been paying more attention to, especially after he was featured on the GOOD Music release Cruel Summer last year. I don't know what exactly it is about him that I like so much...maybe it's the way he says his name!

Listen/Watch: "Feds Watching"



Arctic Monkeys - AM

The Arctic Monkeys started off their career as teenagers sounding a lot like their early-2000s indie rock predecessors like Babyshambles or The Strokes. Over time, they have grown and strayed more and more from that sound. Now, their style is more reminiscent of stoner/psychedelic rock bands...think Queens of the Stone Age. While changes in style can often alienate fans, I love when bands switch things up. Of course, it helps that I truly love their current sound!

Listen/Watch: "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?"



Babyshambles - Sequel to the Prequel

One of the Arctic Monkeys indie rock predecessors is also releasing a new album this week! It's been a little while since we heard from Babyshambles, so long that I actually thought that they had broken up. Not so, six years after Shotter's Nation, and a solo album from front-man Peter Doherty, they are returning! Unlike the Arctic Monkeys, I haven't gotten much of an indication that their sound has changed greatly from their first two releases, but there's nothing wrong in sticking with what you do best.

Listen/Watch: "Nothing Comes to Nothing"



Body/Head - Coming Apart

Since the breakup of both her band, Sonic Youth, and her marriage to Thurston Moore, Kim Gordon has been fairly quiet. 2013 seems to be her re-entry year; she will be guest-starring on Girls, will release two books and has started a new band with Bill Nace. Body/Head released an EP earlier this year, but this is their first full-length together. The band has a similar punk/noise rock sound to Sonic Youth, but with a bit more experimentation going on.

Listen: "Actress"



Delorean - Apar

I started listening to Delorean about three years ago following the release of Subiza. I loved their interesting mix of indie rock and dance music. Also, what's not to love about an indie band out of Spain (really, we don't see too much of that). I always find the albums immediately following those which caught my attention from a band to be particularly exciting; I like to see what they've maintained of what I love and how their sound has progressed.

Listen/Watch: "Spirit"



Emiliana Torrini - Tookah

Emiliana Torrini is an Icelandic artist (family by way of Italy). Given such, much of her music shows the same quirkiness it seems we often get from artists from that country (Björk or Sigur Rós, for example). The 2009 single "Jungle Drum," from Me and Armini, was what first caught my attention of her. I've been a fairly avid fan since and was extremely excited when she announced the new album.

Listen: "Speed of Dark"



Goldfrapp - Tales of Us

So, there was a period during my sophomore or junior year of college where I really started to get downtempo electronic music (I think I credit Zero 7 with the discovery and love). I quickly tried to check out any band I could in the genre. Goldfrapp was one of the few who captured a bit more of my attention and became a fixture in my music library. I've loved her ever since. Tales of Us is her sixth studio album and I expect even more to love!

Listen/Watch: "Drew"



Holy Ghost! - Dynamics

After the end of LCD Soundsystem a couple of years ago, I pegged Holy Ghost! as a band that did nearly as masterful a job in the electronic genre. It must be something that James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem also saw, since the band is signed to his record label, DFA. Like LCD, this band uses electronic beats to develop music with otherwise typical song structures. Their sound seems to lean more towards pure electronic, though.

Listen/Watch: "Teenagers in Heat"



Janelle Monáe - The Electric Lady

It's not often that artists jump into concept albums at the start of their careers. Janelle, however, jump-started hers with the Metropolis concept, which centered around an android named Cindi Mayweather. Although she's carried this concept through two EPs and two albums, it's never come off as hokey or silly, it's resulted in some really excellent work. For her latest album, she's proving her worth even more, bringing in some R&B heavy-hitters like Prince and Erykah Badu as guests.

Listen/Watch: "Dance Apocalyptic"



Man Man - On Oni Pond

This is one of those artists I have randomly decided to check out after seeing their name dropped on several of my favorite blogs and magazines. Honestly, I know very little about them, except that they've been getting some good response on this latest album. Sometimes, it can be a good thing to just check something out for the sake of doing so, so I'm hoping this one pans out for me!

Listen/Watch: "Head On"



The Weeknd - Kiss Land

This is The Weeknd's debut album. Despite that, it seems like he's been around forever. In 2011, he released three mixtapes, which were compiled into Trilogy last year. The mixtapes and compilation have gotten him a lot of attention and a lot of hype. Reviews seem to be mixed on whether this album quite lives up to the hype, but it is exciting to see him releasing his first proper studio album!

Listen/Watch: "Belong to the World"



Willis Earl Beal - Nobody Knows

OK, so I guess I decided that this would be my week to check out music that I wasn't already too familiar with. Willis is another artist who I don't know much about, though I remember reading a lot of great things for his debut album, Acousmatic Sorcery. A big reason I'm checking this out, though, is that a singer who released of my favorite albums last year, Cat Power, is featured on one of the songs. As I've said before, work with someone whose music I love, I will definitely check out yours, as well!

Listen: "Coming Through"

Other New Releases



Frightened Rabbit - Late March, Death March EP

Frightened Rabbit released their excellent Pedestrian Verse album earlier this year. Typically, artists will release two or three song singles to further promote the album and songs, but FR has been releasing longer EPs in support of the album's tracks. They first did it with "State Hospital" last year and are doing it for another track from the album, "Late March, Death March," this week.

Listen: "Radio Silence"



The Road to Jajouka

The Road to Jajouka is a tribute album dedicated to paying tribute to the Master Musicians of Jajouka, Morocco. The album features recordings by Flea, Billy Martin and Lee Ranaldo.

Listen: Lee Ranaldo - "Boujeloudia Magic"

The Great Gatsby


The Great Gatsby is a story told through the eyes of Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire), the neighbor of the rich party boy Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio). He chronicles the lavish parties held at Gatsby's, as well as his obsession and affair with Daisy Buchanan (Carey Mulligan), Carraway's married cousin. The affair triggers a downfall in all of their lives, proving that wealth and status do not guarantee happiness.

The film is, of course, based on the iconic novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Although the film takes place in the Roaring '20, in typical style for the director, Baz Luhrmann, the time setting for the film has been turned on its head somewhat. In the case of this film, modern hip hop music (the soundtrack was produced by Jay Z) plays in sharp contrast to the time period. I felt that the use of anachronistic music worked really well with the film. The music, along with the colorful costumes and glitzy scenery made the film a lot of fun to watch!



Mini soundtrack:

Jay Z featuring Frank Ocean and The-Dream - "No Church in the Wild"
Florence + The Machine - "Over the Love"
Beyoncé & André 3000 - "Back to Black"

Sunday, September 8, 2013

FIDLAR - "Cocaine"

To say that this video is NSFW is one heck of an understatement! FIDLAR's latest video features a pissed-off Nick Offerman pissing all over town. For awhile, his stuff is censored, but halfway through the video, the censorship disappears, and you can see Nick in all his glory.



FIDLAR released their debut self-titled album in January of this year.

R.I.P., Richard Griffiths

On March 28 of this year, iconic British actor Richard Griffiths passed away at the age of 65.

flickeringmyth.com

Although he became best known playing Vernon Dursley in the Harry Potter films, Richard had a long career in British television, movies and theatre. His most acclaimed role, perhaps, came towards the end of his career, in the play and film The History Boys, for which he won a Tony and received a BAFTA nomination. He passed away after complications from a heart surgery.

Goodbye, Mr. Griffiths!

New Music Tuesday - 09/03/2013

New Full-Length Releases



Grooms - Infinity Caller

Grooms is one of those bands that I have no recollection of how I heard of them, just that, when I did, I loved their sound. That was two years ago and I immediately acquired the two albums that the post-punk band had released up to that point, Receiver and Proms. I haven't read much about them in music magazines and blogs, so while I'm excited for a new album from them, I'm also hoping it starts to get them some more well-deserved attention!

Listen/Watch: "I Think We're Alone Now"



John Legend - Love in the Future

I've loved John Legend for years and he is one of the few artists to survive the shift in my musical tastes after high school. This is the soul artist's forth album (fifth if you count the Wake Up! collaboration with The Roots). I find Mr. Legend to be a very consistent artist and I've loved everything he's put out so far in his career. I hope that this latest will continue the love.

Listen/Watch: "Who Do We Think We Are"



Jonathan Rado - Law and Order

It used to be the case (or at least it used to feel this way) that bands would be around for  a good while before individual members started to break out and release solo material. Foxygen has been together since 2005, but started gaining a lot of attention following the release of this year's We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic. Despite their recent acclaim, Jonathan Rado, the band's guitarist, is already putting out his solo debut. I wonder if it will be as easy to love as his band's work...

Listen: "Faces"



King Khan & The Shrines - Idle No More

There's nothing more fun than throwback music, especially when it takes on a slight dirty tone. King Khan has specialized in a sound that harkens back to the early days of rock and roll; at times he can sound like Little Richard or Chuck Berry. The Shrines is one of the many musical projects that he is a part of, he has also worked with Mark Sultan, GZA and the Black Lips. I expect even more dirty rock and roll from him here!

Listen/Watch: "Darkness"



Lonnie Holley - Keeping a Record of It

Lonnie Holley started his life as an "outsider" artist after crafting headstones for a family member (outsider meaning he did not receive formal training). He began producing pieces which were featured in art museums across the country. He made a transition to music in 2012 with the album Just Before Music. This time around, he gets some help from other prominent musicians, Bradford Cox and Cole Alexander.

Listen: "From the Other Side of the Pulpit"



Neko Case - The Worse Things Get, the Harder I Fight, the Harder I Fight, the More I Love You

This is possibly one of my favorite all-time artists. Neko Case has an amazing voice that is instantly recognizable, which is perhaps why she's had the opportunity to work with so many other artists. I've loved everything she's done, whether it's her solo work, The New Pornographers or her feature on The Dodo's last album. Getting new music from her is probably the greatest pleasure though (she's also an incredible song-writer, by the way). So, yeah, I'm pretty excited about this!

Listen/Watch: "Night Still Comes"



Okkervil River - The Silver Gymnasium

This is another much-loved artist for me. I didn't really start to get into Okkervil River until early late 2011, but when I did, I quickly acquired and loved just about everything that they had put out to that point. 2011's I Am Very Far easily made it onto my favorite albums list for that year. From early listens, I anticipate that this album will also be a favorite for me.

Listen/Watch: "It Was My Season"



Volcano Choir - Repave

Justin Vernon sure does a lot. He has his solo work in Bon Iver, the Shouting Matches and has been a favorite go-to when Kanye West needs a vocalist. All that (plus others) and this band. He recently said that this is where his heart is. Although it's been two years since the last Bon Iver release, he is focusing on this band and doesn't plan on returning to Bon Iver in the near future. I hope that it means that this album displays the same quality and attention to detail that his solo work has!

Listen/Watch: "Comrade"

Other New Releases



Pixies - EP-1

The Pixies were pretty big in the late 1980s and early 1990s and were an important precursor to the grunge and indie rock of the 90s. They seemed to come back out of nowhere this year, first with the single "Bagboy" and now with this EP. Their return has unfortunately heralded the loss of a member, Kim Deal, but it's still great to be getting some new music from them!

Listen/Watch: "Indie Cindy"

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

On Repeat: "Hot Knife"

Fiona Apple released her latest album, The Idler Wheel..., back in June of last year. It wasn't until a few weeks ago, when she released the video for "Hot Knife," that I really started to get into the last track on the album. The song is a lose jazz tune, utilizing just her voice, a piano and a drum. Perhaps the greatest pleasure in listening to the song is the way in which it builds upon itself.

Monday, September 2, 2013

New Music Tuesday - August 27, 2013

New Full-Length Releases



The Dodos - Carrier

One sure way to make sure I will check out a band is for them to have aligned themselves with an artist that I love. The Dodos did just that with their last album, No Color, which featured Neko Case on a few songs. I came to love that album and the band quickly became one of my favorites. As soon as they announced this new album, I pre-ordered it (which is always risky, but I am confident in their work)! I'm anticipating another much-loved album.

Listen: "Confidence"



Franz Ferdinand - Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action

Franz Ferdinand has one of my favorite bands since high school. Nine years and three albums later, they're still making some of my favorite music. Frontman Alex Kapranos recently told The Observer that he considered breaking the band up two years ago, feeling as though he had lost enthusiasm. We should all be happy that he decided to keep going since we get a brand new album with tinges of their first record and a continually evolving sound!

Listen/Watch: "Love Illumination"



Goodie Mob - Age Against the Machine

I first became familiar with Cee Lo Green in the Gnarls Barkley duo. After two albums in that project, he released his third solo album, The Lady Killer, which included the monster hit "F*** You." With those other projects, it's easy to forget where he started, with the hip hop group Goodie Mob. The group, which started in 1990 had been on a recording hiatus since 2004. This is their big return and something to sip on until Cee Lo's next solo release!

Listen/Watch: "Special Education"



King Krule - 6 Feet Beneath the Moon

I tried to get into King Krule a couple of years ago following the release of his self-titled debut EP, which garnered a lot of hype. For some reason, I couldn't really get into it. I decided to give him another try when it was announced that he would be releasing his first album. I listened to the single "Easy Easy" and absolutely loved it. It reminded me of another British musician, Jamie T (who's been off the radar for a few years). I'm glad I gave him a second chance!

Listen/Watch: "Easy Easy"



Naughty Boy - Hotel Cabana

Naughty Boy is a electronic producer and musician who's been working with some of Britain's top singers, including Tinie Tempah and Leona Lewis. This album features vocals from Emeli Sandé and Sam Smith. The Smith song is actually the big reason I'm checking this album out! I really started to enjoy his work after he was featured on another electronic producer's album, Disclosure's Settle. Looks like he's going to be my in for more British music!

Listen/Watch: "La La La"

Other New Releases



Andy Stott - "Anytime Soon"

The Adult Swim single series continues! The latest installment comes from electronic musician Andy Stott. By the way, if you're interested in downloading any of the Adult Swim singles, you can get them here.

Listen: "Anytime Soon"



Babyshambles - "Nothing Comes to Nothing"

About six years since their last record, British indie rock band Babyshambles will be releasing a new album next week! In anticipation, they are releasing a new single.

Listen/Watch: "Nothing Comes to Nothing"



The Beach Boys - Made in California

Although they've recently failed in their latest attempt to reconcile (though it did result in a live album, tour and album), The Beach Boys aren't done with new releases. The latest is a career-spanning box set featuring previously unreleased demos, alternative takes and outtakes.

Listen/Watch: "Surfin' USA"



Belle and Sebastian - The Third Eye Centre

This is another b-sides and rarities release, but from a band that's still together (and a bit shorter than a full box set). This is the second compilation album from the band, the first being 2005's Push Barman to Open Old Wounds.

Listen/Watch: "Your Cover's Blown" (Miaoux Miaoux Mix)



Bob Dylan - The Bootleg Series: Vol. 10

This is the 10th release in The Bootleg Series from Bob Dylan. This one comprises demos and outtakes from his Self Portrait and New Morning albums in 1970.

Listen/Watch: "Pretty Saro"



John Frusciante - Outsides EP

John Frusciante is continuing his extensive solo career with the release of his latest EP. Red Hot Chili Peppers may not be the same without him, but it's great to still be able to hear his work.

Listen: "Sol"



Zero 7 - "On My Own"/"Don't Call It Love"

It seems like it's been awhile since we heard from Zero 7. They were one of my favorite bands in college, but they haven't released an album since 2009. The delay makes this release pretty exciting, it's great to be getting something new from them!

Listen: "On My Own"