Guide to the Groove

This blog is for Words About Music, but as a fellow music enjoyer, I might post on my own. My tastes are varied and my opinions bad. Thanks for reading.

[guide-to-the-groove]

Livestreamer By Day, Rock Artist By Night: The Story of Vinesauce and Red Vox

People like watching other people play video games. It can be comforting when you don't have the time or patience to play a game, or maybe the personality playing the game makes it a more enjoyable experience. Either way, it is a favored pasttime of a great many of those who dwell in the virtual.

Livestreaming is a relatively recent invention of the contemporary internet, and being able to watch someone do something live on the computer has created communities and careers for the viewer and streamer alike. In the beginning, however, it was the wild west: people would simply hit 'record' and see what sticks. On websites like justin.tv (now Twitch.tv), random, faceless chat members rallied around these streamers, building them up to what they are today. And, squarely at the beginning of this phenomenon, was Vinesauce.

Vinesauce, hosted by Vinny (who has scarcely, if ever, told his last name to the internet--probably for the better) was created in February 2010, where Vinny uploaded amateur gaming videos and and personal recordings. Soon after, he took to livestreaming. Pre-dating Twitch, streaming was a new concept. Vinny took on the name Vine, and simply added "sauce" for fun. He recounts this in a Q&A session:

"It all started in a basement a number of years ago. A group of friends were gathered around a television playing one of the GameCube Mario Party games. The mini game in which vines grow out of the ground and into the sky appeared on screen. A random member of the committee was said to have uttered "Doesn't it look like those vines are growing out of an asshole?" Many jokes and laughs later, "Vinny" became "Vine." At least, that's how the rumor goes. Oh, and for the record, sauce is just a fun word.”

The following year, in 2011, Vinny launched the Vinesauce website. The stream was born, and other fledgling streamer were recruited to the Vinesauce banner, creating a network of streamers--gamers, friends, even people from across the world. From then on, Vinny has comfortably enjoyed a modest audience while he plays whatever game strikes his fancy. His streams could be considered "chill" in the highest capacity.

Vinesauce - Twitch

I'm Vinny of Vinesauce and I focus on variety streaming. I don't have a schedule and stream pretty infrequently, but you can expect full pla

Of course, we aren't here to talk video games and livestreamers. We want music, and who am I to deny? Vinny was not only proficient at playing video games: the man had a passion for the guitar. Mentioned various times throughout his streams and conversations with chat members, Vinny made clear his love of music, and the particular artists that influenced him. Thus, together with long time college friend "Jabroni" Mike, in 2015 the Staten Island indie rock band Red Vox was formed. The name came to Vinny in a dream, and the music certainly reflects that. Each album inherits its own genre, and while some call the music "psychedelic", and the influences are there, it is not exclusive to Red Vox's theme.

Prior to Vinesauce, Vinny had played in other bands with Mike and friends, and had some experience playing in a group setting. Working with Joe Pecora of "Happy Anarchy", the first feature length album was recorded. Calling upon the myriad musical influences of Radiohead, Pixies, Bowie, Pink Floyd, Tame Impala...you can see what kind of music this might be. In fact, Vinny cites Tame Impala as a major contributing factor to the starting of Red Vox, and for me personally, Vinny was what fully introduced me to Kevin Parker, who has become one of my favorite artists today.

The first album to be released under the Red Vox name, What Could Go Wrong was described as a "loose concept" and applied to the band as well as the music. Dropping in March of 2016, each song in the album is connected by a theme of something going wrong; this concept could have been sourced from a feeling of nervousness or anxiety in releasing a fully produced album for the first time. Despite this, only some minor amateur shortcomings appear. Vinny and Mike are naturally talented musicians, and What Could Go Wrong was simply them finding their voice as Red Vox. AltWire described the album as, "...excellent in concept and execution. The musical pieces fall together neatly in place on this album, heralded by the fantastic musicianship of Vinny and Mike, where each song is gifted with a lovely suite of cool guitar-and-drum tunes, accompanied with strong and earthly vocals from Vinny."

That same year Red Vox would release Blood Bagel, a parody album that was really not intended to be anything too provacative or even, really, good. Described by Red Vox themselves in their description of the album: "For our next album, we wanted to strive for more depth and experimentation. This is not that album. This is Blood Bagel. Fuck you."

On a more serious note, the following year would see the release of Another Light, and two years later, in 2019, Kerosene. Each album improved and builds upon the last, and their latest album, Realign, is certainly one of my favorites for this very reason. The music is superb, with heavy usage of synthesizers being the key to Realign. Inspiration is drawn from MGMT and Tame Impala, and each track carries a distinct groove. A following was created behind Red Vox at this point, and Realign was eagerly awaited. As Haley Kennis of Afterglow writes, "Fans have been waiting since 2017’s Another Light for more music from Red Vox...But much like everything else in the world, the album was delayed at the last minute due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, it was released on the evening of June 9 with a celebratory premiere of the album on the band’s Twitch page. But the question remained: Would Realign be everything we hoped it would? In short, Realign didn’t just live up to its high expectations — it blew them out of the water." Vinny is confident and his writing is on point, each song with a story to tell. Mike on drums carries the energy of the album and drives each beat home. Guest members Joe and Bill work the synths and everything blends together to create a smash hit.

The album art of Realign is notable in that it was based on an AI-generated image uncovered by Vinny in one of his streams. The art perfectly encapsulates a psychedelic sort of feeling of uncertainty, and illustrates the intersection of Vinny the streamer and Vinny the rock star.

Vinny Vinesauce and Vinny Red Vox are two sides of the same coin, and more than likely appeal to the same person. If you watch a Vinesauce stream, its like watching a close friend just chill and play some video games. If you've watched Vinesauce as long as I have (since around 2014), its comforting to hear Vinny's voice come through his music. If you listen to Red Vox first, the Vinesauce streams almost act as an inside look into the lifestyle of an indie rock guitarist. As you'll find, it is generally quite lax.

Today the band is working on their next album, with a single being dropped here and there. I eagerly await what next lies in store for Red Vox, as even aside from the Vinesauce brand, they have built a solid foundation for some of the most underrated indie music in the business.

Thanks for reading.

-G

Sources: https://www.highlandernews.org/37953/the-engrossing-sounds-of-red-voxs-ozymandias-and-a-discussion-with-the-bands-lead-vocalist/ https://youtube.fandom.com/wiki/Vinesauce https://vinesauce.fandom.com/wiki/Red_Vox https://www.afterglowatx.com/blog/2020/8/6/album-review-red-vox-soars-to-new-heights-on-realign https://www.altwire.net/2016/04/01/album-review-red-vox-go-wrong/

[guide-to-the-groove]

Kero One: In All the Wrong Places

The genres of rap and hip-hop are undeniably the creation of, and dominated by, African-American culture. Of course, when something created in a single community grows in popularity, it explodes into the mainstream. It is a form of expression, not limited by nationality or ethnicity, race or creed. It is music, which transcends these insignificant mortal barriers. Vibrations in the air. However, due to preconceived notions that rap and hip-hop are solely black owned, it can be hard for up-and coming artists, such as the Korean-American Kero One, to be recognized. The Asian side of rap and hip-hop is often times ignored or even laughed at. And yet, despite it all, Kero One brings something fresh to the scene.

Through a fusion of jazz and hip-hop elements, Kero creates a unique blend that stands out. Originally flourishing in Asian countries, where it was easier to get noticed, his transition to the Western scene was a rocky one. Indie artists were a lot harder to be heard in the US when Kero dropped his first EP, Check the Blueprint, in 2003, pre-mainstream internet. His career took off in Japan, but dived underground in the West. "I thought I could bring in a different element to the game, but I was still somewhat unsure because who was I in the world of Hip-Hop? An Asian kid without industry connections. I had a few obstacles to climb." The obstacles, though mountainous, were not insurmountable. When Kero began his career in the early 2000s, he was one of very few Korean producers in the US. After his 2003 EP, he released his first album Windmills of the Soul in 2006. This album cemented his role as a pioneer of jazz-hop, and the iconic track, "In All the Wrong Places" served as a good starting point.

Kero even details his life through his work. The track "My Story" details his life growing up on the West coast skateboarding and causing trouble. His passion for the art of writing music, against the grain of others dissuading him. It paints a perfect picture of his uphill battle: “For my generation, hip-hop was a secret art form.” Kero recalls in an interview. With the advent of the internet, and by extension, the flourishing of Asian culture in the West, Kero had a chance to really shine: "I think people float on trends, but I think the main difference is where the trend comes from. In some places that trend only comes from the mainstream outlets. In other places, such as Japan, the trends come from the underground communities and tastemakers. I think in the past America’s been more receptive to mainstream culture, but who knows what it’s like now with the internet and all." Kero went on to remark, "Times are different now, and the explosion in asian artists is quite amazing to see."

While you may have never heard of Kero by name before, he is as high-influence as he is low-key, which empowers him to navigate an album release strategy that is simultaneously global and no-frills. In addition to his iconic jazz-hop vibes, when Kero first started promoting shows in Little Tokyo, artists from Just Blaze (a producer boasting prolific credits with Jay Z, Beyoncé and Kanye West) to Mixed by Ali (Kendrick Lamar’s tour DJ and Top Dawg Entertainment’s in-house mixing engineer) came through his doors to perform; he later played live alongside Stevie Wonder and received a personalized, public video of praise from will.i.am. Yet, the rapper still has approximately 120,000 subscribers across Spotify, SoundCloud and YouTube, and over 113,000 followers across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram—a modest number by mainstream standards.

Kero can more than likely thank the mainstream popularity of Asian culture picking up in the United States for kickstarting his popularity in the West. While East Asian countries like Japan and Korea have strong underground scenes, as Kero said, American culture is often dominated by the mainstream. However, more Asian-Americans are adopting the genre, and through the internet, hip-hop is really expressing itself through many different avenues. The contemporary net has been a massive boon in spreading the jazz-hop influences that Kero was making in the before times. Even overseas the hip-hop scene is bumping: "Especially as hip-hop develops in Asian countries and a new generation of Asian-Americans starts adopting hip-hop culture, there will be more. Some of the illest hip-hop production to me is coming out of Korea and Japan right now." The tunes had been waiting the whole time, we just needed to look in all the wrong places.

Thanks for reading.

-G

Sources: https://www.rapreviews.com/2009/05/kero-one-interview/ https://thefindmag.com/features/hip-hop-interviews/interview-kero-one/ https://www.tunecore.com/blog/2015/12/interview-kero-one-discusses-diy-hip-hop-new-album.html https://www.forbes.com/sites/cheriehu/2017/07/21/inside-kero-azures-old-school-new-blueprint-trans-pacific-vision-of-indie-rap/?sh=51910372eed2 https://oishii-desu.com/2020/10/10/kero-one-from-underground-hip-hop-clubs-in-japan-to-25-million-viewed-videos/

[guide-to-the-groove]

Manufactured Nostalgia: A History of the Vaporwave Scene

If you don't know what Vaporwave is, I don't necessarily blame you. Although it has grown in popularity in the years since its inception, it remains pretty underground as far as music scenes go. If anything, you probably caught a couple memes in the 2012 era here and there, particularly this classic track:

If you listened to the whole thing, you'll probably notice something strange, especially if you have an ear for 80s music: the vocals appear to be a slowed down rendition of Diana Ross' song, "It's Your Move". It is here we find the core of vaporwave, and why this song, titled "リサフランク420 / 現代のコンピュー" (Lisa Frank 420/Modern Computing), or commonly referred to as "Macintosh Plus 420" (despite Macintosh Plus being the name of the artist), has become the quintessential hallmark of vaporwave. The album containing the tune, Floral Shoppe, is nothing short of iconic.

Often tied with vaporwave is the concept of "aesthetic". The genre is a unique blend of repetitive background tracks, almost something akin to elevator music, with slowed 80s music tracks, vocals and melodies both, and an aesthetic presentation. The album art elicits some sort of...imperceptible feeling. I like to call this feeling "fake" or "manufactured" nostalgia. It evokes a similar longing of traditional nostalgia, but for somewhere you've never been, a place you've never seen. This is entirely by design; the calling cards of vaporwave or rooted in the past: glitch art, 80s and 90s internet imagery, and Renaissance-era statues (such as the bust of Helios pictured above). Japanese characters, specifically katakana, are very common, as well as tropical plants such as ferns and palms, and the ever-classic combination of neon pink and turquoise or teal. The juxtaposition of the past with the surreal creates the manufactured nostalgia one may feel when imbibing the sweet nectar of vaporwave. As one author put it, "Vaporwave is ambient, unconventional and could only flourish in the present internet culture of memes and viral hits."

To best explain the concepts of "aesthetic" in the context of the vaporwave scene itself, I will present a few varied tracks, some more obscure than others, and even perhaps extending into micro-microgenres of music, but all nonetheless under the larger banner of vaporwave:

The surrealist elements of vaporwave are on full display in this track by bbrainz & casting: the song and album art alike exhibit a strange amalgam of the surreal and the past, and our favorite colors are, as expected, signature elements here.

This track falls into a more funky vibe instead of the slow, drawn out expressions of the previous song, "home design", but we can see the breadth of the genre explored a little bit through this piece. As with the previous tracks, the album art is as much a part of the genre as the music. This one evokes the fake nostalgia particularly effectively for me: driving down the sun-kissed coast, presumably in the favored timeframe of vaporwave: the 80s. Pink and blue make an appearance as well to come together and manufacture a comfy vibe.

VECTOR GRAPHICS - DESTINE. An absolute classic, and a banger at that. We see muddy, VHS-tape quality of an old school keyboard, another particularly important part of vaporwave imagery: the archaic technology of the era: massive computer monitors and thick, clunky peripherals. A hint of pink in the bottom right, but otherwise neon blue, perhaps from an old CRT computer monitor, overtakes the image. It feels late at night, tired, dream-like.

And finally, no vaporwave conversation is complete without Blank Banshee. A household name in the genre, Blank Banshee has provided numerous contributions to furthering this extreme fringe music. Is that "The Message" I hear? The 80s blend is really exacerbated in this song, and the classic slow, distorted vocals appear, pulling you in and out of a musically-induced trance.

These tracks are some of my personal favorites, but there exists so much more vaporwave content that one could conceivably listen to nothing else and still find new music. One of the downsides of a microgenre indie scene is that some music just....kinda sucks. It's just what happens, especially when vaporwave is easy to make and anyone can learn how. But that is also the beauty of the scene: you browse the obscure techno-alleyways of Soundcloud, Youtube, Spotify, /mu/ threads on 4chan, digging in virtual trash for something someone made that maybe got a few views, maybe a like or two. But you copy that mp3 file or that link and you share that and you spread it around to other boards and sites. That is where the best music is found, and the popular vaporwave songs of today were once the awkward first posts on some music sharing site. It is something that only exists online: spread through memes and threads, a culture that was born in the virtual, and remains in the virtual.

Vaporwave is found in subgenres of subgenres, perhaps one of the most obscure forms of music out there. On the surface it seems low effort; slowing and distorting effects mashing with existing tracks from the 80s and 90s, glorified elevator music thrown in for good measure. However, therein exists the purpose of vaporwave. It brings you to a time and place that never existed, with familiar vocals from songs you may have heard, coming to you from a dream. A time and place you've experienced, but also have not. It supplants the traditional with the surreal. It may not be the most pleasing on the ears for some, but simply explore around and you'll find what once seemed surface-level is actually quite deep. The artists and even the listeners contribute to the "idea" of vaporwave and aesthetic, and many are inspired by vaporwave to take up the mantle and make their own music. The genre itself transcends the established concepts of music AND art, and blends them together to form the sometimes incomprehensible, sometimes nostalgic, but always

A E S T H E T I C

Thanks for reading.

-G

Sources:

https://ontheaside.com/music/a-brief-history-of-vaporwave/ https://dailytargum.com/article/2019/10/the-history-of-vaporwave https://vapor95.com/blogs/darknet/the-evolution-of-vaporwave https://medium.com/@agoraroad/history-of-vaporwave-99f77ae12f8f https://soundcloud.com/d4rkxs0ul/sets/vaporwave-favorites?si=794a9beb002645d2b778fa75dfa426d9 (My own playlist) https://www.reddit.com/r/Vaporwave/comments/cf46v7/vaporwave_essentials_guide_10_year_anniversary/

[guide-to-the-groove]

Aerodynamic:The Power of the Synth

This is perhaps one of my favorite songs of all time, from an album that I grew up with. As the title may have revealed, it's a Daft Punk song from their album Discovery. Those who are familiar with Daft Punk, which should be pretty much everyone at this point, know that the duo is known for their heavy synth-laden tracks and vocoded lyrics. However, "Aerodynamic" drops the vocoder in favor of a straight up instrumental performance, pulling in beats and synths alongside a front-and-center guitar solo. If you have not heard "Aerodynamic", I encourage you to check it out:

The song, split up into three distinct parts, opens with an almost ominous clanging of bells, and to the uninitiated listener, this could betray the song about to play. After four clangs we are introduced to the "main theme" of the track, the oscillating synths and the steady beat in the background lay a foundation for the rest of the song. And then, the second act of the song begins and you hear it: the guitar solo. Sounding as if its been passed through a filter, it breaks up the same-y beat before the main sample returns to the backdrop, with some added, more aggressive beats tossed in for good measure, to signal the start of the third and final act, and create the sound of unabashed shredding. Being composed of mostly the synthesizer, I suppose it could be shredding-without-shredding, so to speak. The song, for how great it sounds, is incredibly short lived, clocking in at just over three minutes, and soon after the climax of the third section we hear the main sample that was introduced in the beginning, comfortably playing by its lonesome before ending with a single bell toll and fade out.

Interestingly, the main sample of the song, heard in the beginning following the bell tolling, actually finds its origins in the song IL Macquillage Lady by the group Sister Sledge. Specifically from 0:16 to 0:25, but check it out for yourself here:

I could also talk about the future funk vibes of this song in particular, but we get enough of that influence in Daft Punk already.

Unfortunately, my knowledge of synthesizer technology and digital audio production is quite limited, so I feel I cannot fully explain what makes "Aerodynamic" so great. However, even without this, one can experience and "feel" the song in their own way, and it can mean something different to everyone, despite the absence of vocals to latch on to.

However, the pacing of the entire album is wonderful, and where "Aerodynamic" falls into place (the second song, following hit "One More Time") creates a cohesive flow that gives the album, and the songs going forward, their identity. The tracks are simple in their construction and performance, but don't let this fool you; they were meticilously constructed, with great attention paid to even the smallest details to ultimately create something that is fun and easy to listen to. For all the sampling that is peppered throughout Discovery, a surprising amount of the music was played on live instruments, with De Homem-Christo estimating, "as much as fifty percent of it started out as recordings of live instruments..." Their own musical prowess served to broaden the available sounds to use in the album, and Aerodynamic is a wonderful example of the blending of synthesizer and instrumental.

Anyone could pop on "Aerodynamic", in addition to any other song on Discovery, and find themselves tapping a foot, nodding a head, or just simply, as the kids say, "vibing". Daft Punk, despite their break-up earlier this year (and I'm not gonna lie, I shed a tear or two or multiple at that video) were pioneers of electronic music, each and every one of their albums distinct in sound and identity, and Discovery is no different. In fact, in an often faceless genre, the Daft Punk duo, and their iconic helmets, are perhaps one of the most instantly recognizable artists in history. You can still hear and see the influence of Daft Punk today (Kanye, anybody?), and that is by no means a bad thing. Godspeed, fellas, wherever you may be heading.

Thanks for reading.

-G

Sources:

https://reverbmachine.com/blog/daft-punk-discovery-synth-sounds/

https://www.soundgym.co/blog/item?id=daft-punk-discovery

https://classicalbumsundays.com/album-of-the-month-daft-punk-discovery/

https://www.reddit.com/r/DaftPunk/comments/1zb2s4/discovering_aerodynamic_an_analysis/

[the-riley-review]

Visit Original Link

Tumblr made me upload it in this quality

[eaglesfan34]

Link to Podcast!!!!

https://soundcloud.com/user-970158137/words-about-music-podcast/s-JOYSBxoQjeQ?si=e67ace35859341bc96fe79789bd395e7

[legalvinyl]

Visit Original Link

If you’re interested in understanding your music choices better and how they may play into your mental states please check out my new podcast!  Links to all articles referenced in the podcast are provided below, and all the guitar parts were recorded by myself.

https://journals-sagepub-com.proxy.libraries.rutgers.edu/doi/10.1080/10398560701879589

https://academic-oup-com.proxy.libraries.rutgers.edu/jmt/article/46/4/339/1027035

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5500733/?report=classic

https://journals-sagepub-com.proxy.libraries.rutgers.edu/doi/10.1177/0305735615594489

[guide-to-the-groove]

Chaos Language: Words That Don't Exist

Here is my (extremely amateur) podcast featuring music from the videogame NieR. Enjoy, and thanks for listening.

Edit 10/15 16:22 - I've actually done some editing, so if you have already listened, please give it another shot; you'll find I've actually learned how to use Audacity.

[guide-to-the-groove]

Under the Influence

To preface this post: The songs presented herein are not intended to be listened to in any particular order, and despite the theme, can be comfortably enjoyed while sober. However, I recommend your vice of choice as an accompaniment to the following music.

The playlist itself.

The first song on the list is from a band almost synonymous with that sort of psychedelic groove one comes to expect from the music of the era (and the listeners of the era). Of course, I'm talking about Pink Floyd. The instrumental Marooned, from their 1994 album The Division Bell, is an excellent pairing to being in another state of mind. The wavy guitar coming in and out really evokes an emotional response, and leaning back, closing your eyes, you feel as if you are in another world, much like the rest of Pink Floyd's music. I discovered this song well after my initial introduction to Pink Floyd, and I feel it doesn't get the recognition it deserves, compared to their other, more instantly indentifiable songs like Comfortably Numb and Another Brick in The Wall.

The next song introduces some lyrics to the playlist, and is a personal favorite of mine (much like every song I've selected for this assignment), Althea by the Grateful Dead, from their album Go To Heaven. You can see a pattern in my tastes: I like the guitar, and the rhythmic twanging and jamming following hot off the heels of the lyrics blends together to make a transcendant song capable of eliciting that tried and true foot tapping and head nodding. Of course, all of this is enhanced with illicit substances, the music coursing through your very body, Jerry Garcia's voice reaching the depths of your soul.

Next up we ditch the lyrics again to return to yet another song laden with powerful guitar solos, Surfing with the Alien by Joe Satriani. This song was my first introduction to Satriani's work, and by far my favorite. The song starts off a little strange, but the guitar builds and builds until it explodes with speed, giving you little time to even process what you're hearing. But that's the beauty of the song, and when its over you'll be left wondering where the time went. This is the last of the guitar solos we'll be seeing in the playlist, and its certainly a good send off.

Now we are entering true psychedelic territory, and if you haven't at least had a drink or smoked something by now, I recommend doing so. We'll begin with Apocalypse Dreams by Tame Impala, off the album Lonerism. Not only one of my favorite artists, if not my favorite, but also on one of the best albums of all time (in my opinion, of course). Lonerism truly changed me growing up, and each song is a masterpiece with a certain story and feeling behind it that resonated with me. Apocalypse Dreams is not my favorite of the album, but when I'm under the influence and the drop hits, especially after the relatively chill and soft-spoken lyrics, the entire song reverberates throughout your body, Kevin Parker delivering you into a psycho-euphoric state. I know I used the word "transcendant" earlier, but it could genuinely be applied to this track. Highly recommend Lonerism as a whole.

Are you sick of instrumentals yet? If so, well, good news: the next song is an instrumental. However, unlike previous tracks we forego the guitar in favor of funky synths and waning beats to form Lake Zurich from the Gorillaz. While I'm not the biggest Gorillaz fan (that is not to say I don't like their music), this song was introduced to me on a whim during a late night car drive, and by god what a way to listen to it. I almost exclusively save it for such occasions, but in the theme of the playlist, sometimes this unspoken rule is broken for the times when I'm a little (a little?) inebriated and want to vibe, and the Gorillaz deliver with marked splendor. Excellent track for vibing.

Another Tame Impala track, and another instrumental. God, I'm obsessed or something, aren't I? Or perhaps, when listening to music while you're high, less is more. In fact, the absence of lyrics opens up the rest of the song to be more closely listened to, and the song Powerlines from the B-side of the album Currents, while far less popular than the other tracks on Currents, is an experience worth flipping the vinyl for (or just clicking the Spotify link below). The song starts low and builds high, never leaving its established melody, but expanding and transforming it and then falling back in. The synths work perfectly to embody psychedelic. Even the title evokes a specific feel that the song is aiming for, and it nails it perfectly.

I am willing to be you, dear reader, have never heard of Red Vox. Quite literally a garage band (or they used to be), the band was formed by twitch streamer Vinny of Vinesaue fame, and his friends. One may not expect much when listening to a band of a video game livestreamer, but just as Vinny is passionate about video games, he is passionate about music, and it shows. Red Vox means a lot to me because I have been watching Vinny play video games on his livestream since I was a young teen. To hear his voice come through his music so passionately, it feels like listening to a good friend's band. I almost feel a sense of pride as their first album, What Could Go Wrong, was quite honestly very amateur and garage-like, but their latest album, Realign, sounds and feels like a professionally produced album, and all the passion is still there. I could have picked any song from the album, but I truly vibe with Why Can't This Be Easy, not only as a song that means something to me, but one that is easily vibed to and enhanced under the influence. I heartily recommend Red Vox in their entirety, regardless of mental state, and if you're the sort that likes video game livestreamers, especially those with a sense of humor, check out Vinesauce on Twitch or Youtube. You're welcome for the plug, Vin.

I'm not going to dwell too long on this next song, but it is an absolute classic from Daft Punk, and quite possibly my favorite song of all time. Discovery was the first album I've ever owned, and I have listened to the French duo since my very young years. Something about Aerodynamic is just...otherworldly. I fucking love this song.

How could I end a playlist about being under the influence without a song about...being....under the influence....well. Quite on the nose, huh? Short and sweet, and honestly, pretty accurate, I feel this next piece is the perfect capstone. While not a mainstay to the "songs I listen to while high" list, I thought it was a fitting end. Enjoy, and thanks for re--listening.

-G

[legalvinyl]

An Electrifying Blues Performance by Rock Veterans The Black Crowes

After being delayed for well over a year following the heavily influential covid outbreak, last Saturday’s performance by the Black Crowes proved that live music is back and possibly even better than ever.  I arrived at the show more than two hours in advance and was surprised to see the main parking lot fully packed already, people happily throwing frisbees and sandbags for cornhole as the radiant sun gently settled down into the horizon on a beautiful late-summer night in Homdel, New Jersey.  Even the auxiliary parking lot was packed with most of the same tailgating affairs, this time with the sweet smell of barbecues cooking American favorites along a line in the back of the lot.  The energy was great; a fairly old crowd for a young 20-year-old to be around, but still a lot of positivity and appreciation for a show that, at one time at least, looked like it would never actually happen.

I could hear music already as I descended the stairs of the shuttle bus, which was merely a school bus with an outfitted stereo blasting classic 80’s jams, and it had that warm, saturated classic rock tone that reminded me of all the concerts from the 60’s that I’d never been able to see personally but adored watching in retrospect on YouTube.  PNC Arts Center was just getting warmed up however, and although I thought the opening act, Dirty Honey, did a great job setting the mood and getting the groove going, they were no match for the ‘Crowes, who really couldn’t be beat that night anyways.  

Dirty Honey’s setup was demarcated by a big banner proudly displaying their name, separating the stage into a smaller section with all the instruments near the front, but it was obvious that there was a lot more going on behind that screen.  I was especially interested, being a guitar player myself, at the interesting mix of amplifiers that peaked out around the sides.  Oranges, Voxes, a Magnatone stack-I’ll stop there before I geek out too much.  Dirty Honey’s guitar player had a classic Marshall stack, and I was right in the direction of his amp so I could hear all that glorious cranked up sound not just through the coloring PA monitors.  The rest of the band was tight, too, and played with a certain bravado and confidence that made them seem as if they’ve been performing effortlessly for years.  They had a very Aerosmith-meets-Guns N Roses sound, and it kept enough of the bluesy theme for the band to follow without becoming repetitive or too contrived.

The Black Crowe’s came out to an old-school, wild-west bar scene toward the back left-side of the stage.  Looking collected and totally in the zone, the band swung their prop drinks in the air and made out like they were having a grand old time.  Like old friends uniting at their favorite old bar spot after a day of motorcycling across the vast American west.  One member slinks off behind the bar and appears in the next moment with a guitar in his hand, strumming a proud opening guitar riff to the song Twice As Hard.  After a few phrases, the rest of the band appears at their positions having grabbed all their necessary tools from roadies obscured to the side of the stage, and they jump into the first track.  They immediately sound great as a band, with a tight rhythm section led primarily by the drummer’s commanding right foot, but the mix leaves something to be desired; luckily, all the sliders on the mixing board are sorted before the end of the first song, and the sound remains great throughout the rest of their performance allowing the talented musicians to really leave an individualistic impression on a classic, blues-based collage of tracks.  The band plays through the entirety of their hit album, Shake Your Money Maker, and no song goes without clapping and applause.  By the third track every band member is really in the groove, and you can tell that they were having a great time, as well, as they looked at each other during dynamics and solos in little nods of approval.  

The Black Crowe’s are led by two brothers, Chris and Rich Robinson, and as is often the case with brothers in a rock band, they’ve had their rough patches in the band’s history.  But absolutely no hint of animosity was present in the show.  In fact, Chris took a moment to celebrate his brother’s birthday which happened to be on the day of the concert, and Rich seemed like he was celebrating his birthday in his favorite fashion-rocking out and picking up good vibes from the audience.  I loved how the band managed to alter their tone throughout the show even though they played a majority of songs from only one record that has one particular sound.  The two guitarists switched amps and guitars throughout, but always managed to sound balanced and rich in texture.  Chris’s vocals sounded great, as well, and he barely relied on his two backup singers who spent a good portion of the show dancing rather than trying to fill in or take the burden off the vocal section.  Chris sounded lively and energetic, and he moved around the stage like a true classic rock singer who knows they must be as entertaining as they sound in order to convey the true spirit of a rock performance.  I would also be remiss without mentioning how great the lead guitarist, Isaiah Mitchell played all night long.  As a longtime fan of strong lead players like Mick Taylor, his sound and techniques, whether playing with a pick, using a slide or picking with his fingers celebrated the spirit of fantastic guitarists like Mick, and I felt that this was the closest I would ever get to hearing a true masterful lead player in person, something I was especially blown away by considering how little recognition Isaiah gets as a player in the guitar community.  He could’ve blown Clapton off the stage that night and trust me I would never say that about an amateur player.

With enough hit songs in the setlist to catch the ears of even the most casual fans in conjunction with some hand-picked favorites that only dedicated fans would know, The Black Crowes performed a fantastic show with plenty of tonal and rhythmic variety to keep things interesting despite the heavy blues focus.  Given their age, every band member brought considerable energy and vivacity to this performance, and I’d be shocked if they could perform better than this on another tour date that will bring them all the way from the American west coast to Europe later this fall.  If you’re lucky enough to catch them on a later tour date, I highly recommend going and even urge you to consider picking an upscale seat as it’ll allow you to appreciate the finer details of their cohesive and masterful mix of good-old, blues-based rock n’ roll.

[guide-to-the-groove]

James Brown at TAMI 1964

Writing this for the blog cause why not:

James Brown & the Famous Flames were playing in a time when black artists were unprecedented on the big stage. Their performance of "Please, Please, Please" was quite the spectacle for the introduction of funk-blues pioneer James Brown to a wider audience in America. The harsh vocals, a remnant of his early days as a gospel singer, meshing with the blues rhythm create a passionate, smooth sound that transcends time. The act was a part of it too, with Brown consistently feighing fatigue (perhaps some of that was real; his face in the recording is drenched in sweat), being helped up and draped with a towel by fellow band members, before ripping the towel off and returning to the microphone. It only added to the hype: and the vocals pair perfectly as an energetic, loud and emotional performance, and the reaction of the crowd alone tells the story perfectly.

[guide-to-the-groove]

Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young at Woodstock: Scared Shitless

Motherfuckin’ Woodstock 1969. What else is there to say? One of, if not the most iconic and legendary live rock and roll festivals of all time. You didn’t have to go to it to experience it, but oh, what I wouldn’t give to be back there, smoking joints with Jerry Garcia and the Dead, listening to Richie Havens open up the concert by crushing the acoustic guitar with Freedom. While I’m sure Woodstock has been done to death, I think one performance is worth honing in on, and perhaps my favorite of the event (well, aside from the Dead): Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. Playing their second ever gig at Woodstock, 3am to 4am on the third day of the festival, I think "scared shitless", quoted from Stephen Stills himself, might apply to the quartet, especially when standing up in front of nearly 400,000 people (perhaps not the full turnout at the early hours of the morning).

As I mentioned previously, a fun fact is that Woodstock is their second only gig. The band was formed by David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, and Neil Young, with Crosby coming in after leaving The Byrds, and Stills having worked previously in the band Buffalo Springfield. Nash left The Hollies, and Niel Young, who was already acquainted with Stills, joined later on to create CSNY.

The folk rock they produce on stage is quite different from their eponymous album released just four months before the festival. The sound is understandably more raw, and even some on-the-fly improvisation, such as half-way through Suite: Judy Blue Eyes when Stills quickly asks, "A little less bottom end on the guitar, please." The rest of the band quickly falls in and the song continues smoothly. Even at the start of Helplessly Hoping we can hear some warming up before Crosby, Stills, and Nash begin harmonizing. They took the moments as they came, clearly a little nervous, but the music is made better for it; passionate vocals and rhythmic guitar work perfectly in tandem.

The furthest departure from their studio album recording is perhaps Long Time Gone, played with a slower guitar and a funky keyboard beat (courtesy of Neil Young). The vocals are less drawn out, and more spoken. The entire vibe is completely different: Stephen Stills screams the lines, pulling up guttural, passionate shouts, in a sharp contrast to the harmonized, melodic and drawn out sing-song nature of the album release. This embodies the experience of a live performance, and I think CSNY knew this. They were playing a version of the song meant to be performed and heard once, giving it its own unique identity that was exclusively for the patrons of the show (of course, audio recording existed at the time, but let's just forget about that).

The following tracks take a different turn, specifically Wooden Ships, my favorite song on both the album, and of the set. The guitars open up with melodic twanging, instantly catching your ear. Something good is about to happen, and shortly after, the lyrics kick in. They suck you in like a trance, and before you know it they guitars return, and the audience is treated to a raw jam session, and perhaps the best of the show. The music permeates your entire body*, perhaps the most desired effect for any song played at Woodstock.

The band's legendary performance and smattering of musicians at Woodstock helped propel them and their next album, Deja Vu, to fame in 1970. While some members, such as Neil Young, would not necessarily play often with the band, the remaining members would still go on to produce music, both in CSN and in their solo careers. To say they overcame the feeling of being "scared shitless" would be an understatment, considering the band went on to play many a live show, though perhaps not of such massive proportions.

Woodstock itself will forever be recorded in the annals of our grandparent's memories, but we can still live vicariously through state of the art audio recording technology. And you know what? That isn't so bad.

Thanks for reading.

-G

*Disclaimer: Only occurs if observed in excess volume

Sources:

http://www.woodstockstory.com/crosbystillsnashandyoung.html

https://www.bethelwoodscenter.org/blog/crosby-stills-nash-young

https://www.history.com/topics/1960s/woodstock

https://www.jambase.com/article/happy-birthday-david-crosby-csny-woodstock

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5Y72DXp0R8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nS3l_TwPNRY

https://open.spotify.com/album/6vUWpE8qciYHOhf7mgaGny?si=SP0ebOYaTM6qTX9y3jYE-g&dl_branch=1

[the-riley-review]

a real blog post for once

writing this frm the notes app but ard first of all i get this assignment frm my professor nd he wanted us to review a live performance, like actually go to one. like i’ve been there b4 at performances in a nice little outfit and my feet hurt nd my knees hurt. i’ve crossed state and country lines to get to a show and i’ve been lost on trains with friends for it before. i’ve danced and flirted with strangers i’ll never meet again and smoked cigs nd oui’d with the band members after shows.

i miss all of tht, it makes me feel alive. but rn i wanna keep on sitting this one out. so i was thinking abt doing someone classic like the late Whitney Houston bc they have recordings of her concerts on youtube and she’s a New Jersey native. i’m writing this a little ahead of the review but i’ll probably put off and change subject matter later. 

alright so it’s later in the same day nd i think i’m gonna do something easier; Whitney is an incredible vocalist with a beautiful range and an incredible catalogue that really leaves you clinging onto every perfect note that’s recorded.

i rlly dnt have anything to add that hasn’t been said before and i don’t have anything critical to say abt her. i don’t believe i could do it justice so i’m gonna think of something else. i was looking into the npr tiny desk concerts bc those are shorter and saw they rebranded into “NPR: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert”. it seems like they’re the same length as the old ones idk why they added “(home)” bc i’ve always been at home watching these. maybe they’re making the artist stay home.

lately i’ve been feeling a shift in my music taste. music that makes you feel free has been reaching me more recently. not free as in the american indoctrination of freedom that’s parroted in pop country now but free like the gay black techno, house, and grunge that inspired the radical freedom of movement on the dance floors of their time.

really deep down i want to rage again.

this is gonna be taking a look at Rico Nasty, an artist that refuses to be constrained by one sound. However if there’s one thing that’s consistent, it’s that whatever she’s making that’s splitting your ears is gonna make you want to mosh.

any performance that can start a chaotic pit right off the bat will eventually just evolve into a riot later that night. this is a web performance though so it starts off having to set the mood for the viewer. there’s no smell of spilled alcohol that sticks to your feet as you push your way through the crowd, no opening acts that tour w/ the performer so it has to begin building energy from somewhere. To start off the with song “magic” is a loose, smooth song yet it makes you want to be swaying around after drinking a bit. something that’s appealing to start easing an audience into the performance.

Rico adds an all female band to back her for this performance and while it’s a new move lends a organic chemistry that bolsters the act. This is lends to a really bold experience because the energy hits you in the face with the song “Rage” immediately and stays there for the rest of the set. “Rage” backed by a live band is simply amazing. all the songs that are played can be moshed too despite some taking a slower, deeper approach and lending more to a grinding ambiance of rock like on “OHFR” or “Trust Issues”. before finally being capped off in an explosive fashion with Rico Nastys most popular song “Smack a Bitch”. I really enjoyed this but I think I would have enjoyed it more being there if covid wasnt a concern. I need to feel this performance in my bones

[michelle-miriam]

All About That Jazz

Everyone has a live show they remember whether it’s a concert or a live band at a restaurant. In my case, I went to a restaurant called Shanghai Jazz over the summer for a friend’s birthday on June 12 where they performed (you guessed it) jazz music. I mean it’s literally in the restaurant name. The most notable performers for that night were drummer Karl Latham, contemporary jazz pianist and composer Laurence Hobgood, and bassist James Robbins. While the trio itself creates soothing music together, “Karl Latham is an inventive powerhouse whose influences are many but whose ideas are his own” (allmusic.com). This goes to show that jazz is about making other music your own. 

Music is about being creative and adding your own spin on it. These jazz musicians were able to play their own creative content but also use a variety of music styles from other people they were inspired by. My favorite part was that before the start of each song, they would go up and say what the inspiration behind it was and the story behind it. They would describe whether the song was written recently or whether it was from long ago. The music itself was soothing and calm, perfect to go with dinner. Believe it or not, it made time go by fast that by the time it was over, I didn’t realize it had been that long. In fact, people were enjoying it so much that they would constantly shush our table so that they could continue listening to the music they were so enamored with.

Many artists also reimagine previous works, which allow for there to be a new spin on old versions of songs. For example, Hobgood is known for “his stylized re-imagining of both classic songbook repertoire and more recent artists’ work” (Wikipedia) such as Carole King; Earth, Wind & Fire; Paul Simon; Burt Bacharach; Sting; U2; etc. These three people are known in the jazz industry for working with others, and based on their performance its clear to see they have professional experience. Their work shows they are not just amateurs, but that they know the industry through and through. Robbins himself even uses his experience to teach others at the American School of Modern Music in Paris. These individuals use their experiences with other artists in order to create their own original spin on jazz classics. Essentially, they are adding their own spice to an already made dish.

All in all, this trio together makes it work. Their sound together fits perfectly like a puzzle. It is interesting that they incorporate popular sounds from the jazz world and make it their own. I find it amazing that they are able to make such an unpopular music style interesting for those of my generation. You usually would not find those my age listening to something other than artists like The Weeknd, Post Malone, etc. I myself do not personally like jazz, but I would give this group a solid 8/10 based on their performance, as they were the first group I thought of when given this assignment.

Sources (if you want to learn more about the artists or want to see when their next shows are):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurence_Hobgood#Awards_and_nominations

https://karllatham.com

https://www.smallslive.com/artists/2032-james-robbins/

[guide-to-the-groove]

Psychology: Stuck In Your Head

If you haven’t heard of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, I wouldn’t blame you. Silly name aside, they are a funk jam band that started in 2009, and they are known for their funky rhythms and catchy lyrics. Thier 2014 album Psychology has no shortage of either of these. The thirteen track release is a mesmerizing experience that will keep you listening throughout the whole thing; in fact, the only thing better than listening to these songs is realizing the band has produced four other studio albums, and two live albums. Truly a smattering of funk rock, and Psychology brings a lot to the table.

Released four years after their first album, Funk E P, Psychology aimed to capture an old-school style while still putting out an original sound. Their first track, “F.U.” is a perfect opening. The essence of funk is all here: with groovy basslines, catchy, flowing lyrics that weave in an out of the music itself, and a little bit of ska influence in their usage of horns. It all comes together in a great song, as if to say, “This is what we’re all about”. I mean, they say so right in the song: “All I wanna do is / F-U-N-K.” And funk they do. The album maintains this feel throughout the entire thing, and to great effect. Even songs devoid of lyrics, like the tracks “Schwanthem” and “Horizon” (This one has only a few lines, but may as well be an instrumental) encapusulate the concept of “stuck in your head”.

The raw jamming performed in each and every track is enough to give one the telltale goosebumps of a damn good song. Furthermore, it exemplifies the skill and talent put into the music by the musicians. My favorite song of the album, the previously mentioned “Horizon”, is laden with masterfully played guitar riffs that make you want to sing along to something that has no lyrics. Even in the presence of lyrics, like in the case of second track “Melting Lights”, you hardly notice the singing has faded out in lieu of the funk rock jam. It stimulates the brain, and the band knows this: each song crafted specifically to evoke that hypnotic feel. It is a beautiful blend of modern fuck rock and the hallmark roots of funk music.

Another note to make of this album is its track length(s). Nearly every track is over four minutes, save for one (”Schwanthem”). The musicians are dedicated to the jam, and completely unapolagetic in making you listen to even ten minutes of masterful fingerwork on the guitar (”Horizon”). Each track brings something new to the album as a whole, and with a run time of an hour and sixteen minutes, you can say goodbye to that hour: you will be lost in the album until the last track, Upfunk (Interestingly, the first track produced on the album) in which you will question why it ever ended.

I’m no professional music critic, so I’m just writing about an album I love. And Psychology is it. I listen to Horizon at least once per car ride, and I recommend you do as well. The music was made for it. Or, well, technically it was made for dance, as most funk music is, but you can dance in your head. It is called Psychology after all, and it would be false advertising to claim it didn’t get stuck in your head. While Pigeons Playing Ping Pong might not be your commonplace band playing on the radio, you will not be disappointed in this album: Psychedelic, catchy, and steady funk accompanied by the absolute destruction of the instruments make for an unforgettable release.

Thanks for reading.

-G

Sources: https://liveforlivemusic.com/news/pigeons-playing-ping-pong-psychology-review-stream/ https://glidemagazine.com/120485/pigeons-playing-ping-pong-psychology-album-review/ https://www.gratefulweb.com/articles/pigeons-playing-ping-pong-psychology-new-music-review

The album itself: https://open.spotify.com/album/27wYCoAJYIyymo5LIe6Jz8?si=Sa8oRj8WQ7KaLCCbzu1m4A&dl_branch=1

[guide-to-the-groove]

Following my previous post, just in case anyone didn’t wanna open a new tab/window to Youtube.

[guide-to-the-groove]

A Sublime Portent of the Future

Everyone has heard Sublime before: What I Got, Doin’ Time, and Garden Grove from their eponymous 1996 album are all timeless classics with a funky beat and some unsavoury lyrics. I mean, who doesn’t enjoy the occasional swear word in their music? A well placed “fuck“ can speak volumes, and the voice of the late Bradley Nowell is especially adept at delivering these expletives, and with great effect. Perhaps to the greatest effect in the song “April 29, 1992 (Miami)”, also from the album Sublime, which remains not only relevant today, but serves as a chilling prediction for the future, intentional or not.

If you haven’t heard the song, take a listen here.

It is no secret the members of Sublime are white, and that is important to note when examining this song and its subject matter, as some may feel the members of Sublime would be unfit to cover such a racially-charged topic. The title itself, while incorrect (Nowell opens with “April 26, 1992″, cited as being kept in because it sounded better) refers to the 1992 Los Angeles riots that occurred after four police officers viciously beat Rodney King, a 25 year old black man (albeit not to death, as one may unfortunately come to expect today). The community was outraged, but like any sensible folk, did not resort to abject destruction. Instead, faith was placed in the justice system to carry out its duty. As we now know, justice was not delivered, the police were acquitted, by a jury, of using excessive violence, despite video evidence. Following this outright slap in the face, riots explode across the United States. Does this sound familiar?

It is at this moment in time the riots begin, and while we hear reference to them in many a song, but we would not hear Sublime’s recount of the events until 1996, four years later. The song begins with some various police radio chatter, from Southern California, before Nowell cuts in, “April 26, 1992 / There were riots on the streets, tell me where were you? / You were sittin’ home on your TV / While I was participating in some anarchy” While not core to the song’s message, it is worth pointing out that while this line seems to be a diss towards folks merely observing the rioting from their home, but appears more apt as an observation toward the increasing presence of the media covering major social issues, almost 24/7, for the entire country and even the world to see.

Nowell continues to describe he and his crew’s escapades, taking advantage of the riots to partake in some good old fashioned looting, the tried and true counterpart to any major civil unrest. Looting only makes everyone involved look bad, especially doing so maliciously, but this is merely a pretext, and it goes without saying that the members of Sublime were not the only participants. Of course, this turns from looting to a more serious issue, with Nowell relenting, “’Cause everybody in the hood has had it up to here / It’s getting harder, and harder, and harder each and every year” An obvious fact, and the riots themselves a reference to this: the culmination of pent up aggression towards a heartless society. Even preceding this, we hear “Homicide, never doin’ no time”, a phrase that, when applied to police, rings true to this day. Nowell briefly describes a side of looting not often acknowledged, singing, “Some kids went in the store with their mother / I saw her when she came out she was gettin’ some Pampers” While protesting often becomes rioting and looting, usually at the hands of more unruly types seeking to exploit unrest, some people, driven to extremes, might take advantage of things for the sake of their family. Again, while not a core part of the song, it paints a broader picture of what was going on.

As much as I’ve mentioned the “core” of the song, we have yet to begin exploring it. So enough stalling: depressingly relevant lyrics, ho! Ahem. Anyway, Nowell continues with the final verses , “They said it was for the black man / They said it was for the Mexican, and not for the white man / But if you look at the streets, it wasn’t about Rodney King / It’s this fucked-up situation and these fucked-up police / It’s about comin’ up, and stayin’ on top / and screamin’ 1-8-7 on a motherfuckin’ cop” The song goes on for a few more verses before Nowell begins listing off cities where rioting took place--another hauntingly accurate prediction of the future--and the majority of the aforementioned swearing occurs in this part of the song. Saving them for these poignant lines sweetens the delivery, and leaves a powerful message when paired with the preceding scene laid out for us: The issue transcends Rodney King, as we have seen with Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and George Floyd. It transcends even them, as the inherent problem lies with the police and not only their abject aggression and tendency to violence, but a clear and disturbing racial bias against minorities. While the song appears as a brag by uninvolved white men to some, I believe the song is more pertinent not only as a vision of a future world Bradley Nowell would never come to know, but as a strong anthem against police brutality (despite the pro-looting intro). I truthfully think that the members of Sublime would still wholly support screaming 1-8-7 on a motherfuckin’ cop.

Oh, and by the way, 187 is California Penal Code for murder.

Thanks for reading.

-G

Sources:

https://www.culledculture.com/sublime-april-29-1992/

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/los-angeles-riots-quotes_n_1456782

https://thepolypost.com/arts-and-entertainment/2017/04/25/article_6b5b5bdc-29ee-11e7-ba86-2b08554a8e4a/

https://banana1015.com/april-29-1992-miami-why-the-sublime-songs-name-doesnt-match-the-lyrics/

https://www.sfweekly.com/music/twenty-years-later-sublimes-april-29-1992-miami-is-still-the-best-song-about-white-boys-piggy-backing-on-a-riot/