Matte Finish

Sunday reviews of vinyls from the record collection my dad passed down to me, as well as daily songs that deserve to be shared.

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Song of the Day || 8.23.2015 BoJack Horseman Ending Credits by Grouplove

I’ve been watching BoJack Horseman a lot this past week — and by a lot, I mean I’m halfway through Season 2 after starting it at the beginning of the week. This song plays at the end of every episode and I thought it was fitting for the show while also being super catchy.

This 43-second tune encompasses just how hilarious, absurd and sad this show can be all at once. 

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Song of the Day || 8.21.2015 “Mother” by Florence + The Machine

This is one of my favorite songs off of Florence’s most recent album, How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful. I think this album as a whole is a truly huge step for her as an artist because she experiments with more rock sounds than she has on previous albums. There’s a lot more guitar and less ethereal sounds. Her signature cathedral-like sounds are still present on this album, but are paired wi heavier beats and grittier guitar riffs. 

This song stands out to me because of how much she commands it. The chorus has sort of a chanting feel while she riffs like crazy over it. Her voice can do anything.

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Song of the Day || 8.20.2015 “Under Pressure” by Queen (Live at Wembley ’86)

It’s Thursday, so here’s a little throwback tune. I don’t think it can even be considered a “throwback song” as much as it is a classic song that has stood the test of time, but here it is nonetheless.

Could you imagine seeing Freddy Mercury live? The little vocal riffs he has the crowd repeat in the beginning of the video show seem so easy to him, but they show how much vocal control he has. He was born to perform and entertain.

I do miss Bowie in this performance, I have to say. This is one of my favorite songs of all time and I need Bowie’s high-pitched “wwhhhYYYYYY????” to really bring it home for me. Other than that, this song is perfect forever always and will never die the end.

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Song of the Day || 8.19.2015 “My Song 5” by HAIM, ft. A$AP Ferg

I wanted to post the original version of this song (sans A$AP Ferg), but I found this video and wanted to share it. I can’t quite tell how I feel about it. I do know that I prefer the song without Ferg’s verse — it didn’t stand out to me. He didn’t capture my attention with the way he performed it.

This video is also a little unsettling. I understand the premise, but I wish they would’ve picked either a serious or funny theme — I don’t think the song works with both. “My Song 5” is a badass tune by an all-female band that deserves to be taken seriously and this video distracted me from that. I usually feel empowered by the song because of the lines “Missing you never led to much of anything” and, “Honey, I’m not your honeypie.” However, during this video, I felt confused and less confident in the song.

I realize I have a lot of conflicting feelings about this song and video right now, but here’s the bottom line. The original version of this song is awesome. This version of the song is still awesome, but not as awesome. The feminist in me wishes they left the original song alone and kept the focus on the three incredible women of HAIM.

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Remember me?

No? I can’t blame you.

Clearly, I’ve fallen out of the habit of posting daily. I haven’t posted anything on this blog since March 18. And now, five months later (to the day), is when the guilt really set in. 

I’ve become a bit restless these past few days, not knowing how to keep myself busy during my free time. I’ve also been watching some unsettling movies and TV shows that have made me feel weird. Not exactly a bad weird — just weird. 

But I digress. I started writing a cover letter for one of my dream jobs yesterday and almost immediately realized that writing is what’s been missing from my daily routine. It brought me balance and peace, even if it was a professional cover letter that didn’t allow for much creativity.

I’m starting this blog back up because I need to exercise the creative parts of my mind that have been dormant for too long now. I’m starting it back up to share new music with people who are interested. I’m starting it back up to take recommendations from people who have discovered new artists and want to share them. 

Alllllll of that being said — here’s the song of the day.

Song of the Day || 8.18.2015 “Burning” by The War on Drugs

I’ve been listening to The War on Drugs all day, so it seemed appropriate that I gave them the honor of being the first song of the day in five months. 

“Burning” is a song off of their album “Lost in the Dream” from 2014. (Oddly enough, it was released on March 18th of that year. Weird coincidence that makes this a little more fitting.) 

I’m in the early stages of falling in love with this entire album, but this is my favorite song on it. This album was released just last year, but it gives me a feeling of nostalgia. Not like the nostalgia you feel when you hear that terrible Good Charlotte song you used to love in 7th grade (and totally still do) — the kind of nostalgia that makes you feel like you’ve heard this in a movie before. 

The entire song sounds like an echo. It’s so rich and full of sound at every moment, which drew me in. The little guitar lick (which is just four strokes of the same note) is so perfectly placed throughout the song. It doesn’t become repetitive or annoying — it’s comforting. The song builds to each quick riff and I feel a wave of relief each time it’s played (if that makes any sense at all). 

This is a song I want to drive to along a lake during a sunset on a clear night.

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Brian Kenney & The Tired Suburbs, by Brian Kenney & The Tired Suburbs

Album of the Week || 3.22.2015 “Brian Kenney & The Tired Suburbs” (self-titled debut album)

So yes, I know I like to review classic vinyls once a week (when I remember to...), but I cannot stop listening to this album. I had to share it.

Do you guys know the butt meme? You know, the one with the white kid in a target shirt who gets so mad at his Netflix account that he takes his clothes off? This is that guy. I know, who knew there was more to him than a butt that Demi Levato tweeted a pic of once?

Butt stuff aside, I am so proud of my good friend Brian Kenney (briankenneymusic / hummingintoawall) for releasing this incredibly intricate and layered album. I’ve known Brian for about four years and he’s been working on some of these songs since I’ve known him. It’s so great to see all of them finally mixed, mastered and performed in front of my face, as of last Thursday night.

I’d have to say that my favorite tracks are “Down With You,” “Single Life” “Congratulations” and “Walking Disaster” — all for entirely different reasons. That’s especially what I love about this album. There are no two songs that sound the same and you can truly get a sense for how diverse Brian’s writing style can be. Also, I found myself having a hard time not listing every track on this album as one of my favorites.

I’m an absolute sucker for harmonies (who isn’t?), so hearing super tight, three-part harmonies on every track made me feel lots of good things. “Miscommunication” stands out to me because of the “bums” around 1:30 (sorry, I don’t know the technical musical phrase for “bums”) — each vocal track is so articulated and perfectly matched with its harmonies that are continuously added as the song goes on.

I don’t know if anything I just said makes sense, but I love how thought-through every single track on this album is. Even parts in the backgrounds of songs that you don’t hear until the third time you listen through have their own three-part harmonies.

I could really go on about this album, but you have to listen to it for yourself. I’d describe Brian Kenney & The Tired Suburbs as a mixture between Ben Folds, The Frames, Weezer and a tiny tiny tiny bit of Foo Fighters. Honestly, it’s a mixture of everything and then some. With lyrics ranging from “I’d hang myself, if only I could find the rope” to “Can you even hear me with his tongue in your ear?” to “sweet mademoiselle, I think you’re pretty swell” — this album has an immeasurable range of emotions and sounds.

Bottom line: Brian has a ridiculous vocal range, so be sure to listen for that (on “Walking Disaster,” especially).

Congrats, bud.

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Song of the Day || 3.18.2015 “Favorite Song” by Chance The Rapper (ft. Childish Gambino)

I’m always late to getting into music. I know Kendrick’s new album just dropped, but I’m just starting to get into Chance. I listened to all of Acid Rap (2013) first thing this morning. I’ve heard the album before, but you know when you play an album and you hear it without really listening to it? I have a bad habit of doing that, but this morning was the first time I actually listened.

I really don’t want to repeat artists on this blog, but I’ll make an exception. My first post on this blog was Gambino’s “Sober,” but I think it’s okay since this is Chance’s song and Gambino’s featured. So there.

I find this to be one of the catchier songs on the album. Chance and Gambino sound great together and the tones of their voices are juxtaposed really well. Give it a listen*~

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Song of the Day || 3.17.2015 “Paper Cups” by Pepper Johnson

I love the sound of this song. It’s acoustic with a certain echoey ambiance that’s hard to pull off without sounding forced. Also, the lead vocalist has a tone that I adore. I’m drawn to vocalists that sound almost emotionally drained, yet you can tell the passion is there. 

Check this song out if you’re into psychedelic/stomping kind of music. It seems like an odd combination, but this song feels like home to me.

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Song of the Day || 3.16.2015 “Sirens” by Pearl Jam

It’s definitely been a while since I’ve posted anything to this blog. I apologize for not being on top of this and I apologize for having to keep apologizing BUT now that it’s the final stretch of my senior year, I’m going to make much more of an effort to keep up with this.

SO. Happy Monday. I just got back from a trip to Seattle, where I had a very special moment with this song. I paid a visit to the EMP Museum on my last day there — a museum featuring music, sci-fi and pop culture exhibits. It was the coolest place I’d ever been and I spent three and a half hours there by myself. 

I went into the Jimi Hendrix exhibit and admired one of the guitars he’d bashed up that he’d written the lyrics from “Love or Confusion” all over. He referred to it as his “Darling Guitar,” and I admit that I teared up a bit reading the description. I was in the room alone, half-whimpering and murmuring things about how much I wish I could’ve seen him perform. 

I walked out of the room right after this moment and was faced with a GIANT screen blasting “Sirens” by Pearl Jam at the height of the song. I stared up at the screen along with a few other viewers while my eyes watered. I hadn’t been in a state of happiness like that in a very long time. 

If you visit Seattle, please go to the EMP Museum. It’s incredible. 

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Song of the Day || 3.6.2015 "Who Knows Who Cares" by Local Natives

I woke up to sunlight today which is a rarity during Ithaca winters. I'm not a morning person at all (Plenty of people I've lived with can attest to that), but I woke up in the greatest mood today. It started off feeling like stress and anxiety, but I realized that I really don't have much to stress about today. It's the Friday before spring break, I've gotten all my work done, I booked a super impulsive trip to Seattle to visit a friend I haven't seen in almost a year and I'm surrounded by some incredible people that inspire me and motivate me without even trying.

This song makes me feel like I'm flying over mountains while watching the most glorious sunset known to man. That sounds really dumb, but I can't think of another way to describe how this song makes me feel. It's so freeing and the build-up is so powerful. Every time I listen to this song, I get chills and just feel things. So happy Friday, and if you'd like to improve your day, listen to this.

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Song of the Day || 3.3.2015 "Kids On The Run" by The Tallest Man on Earth

My favorite songs by Tallest Man are the ones in which he plays piano. I feel like the juxtaposition between the flow of the piano and the grittiness of his voice is perfectly contrasted and balanced. 

This song is gorgeous and heartfelt. When he half-whispers the lyrics "Yes, we're still kids on the run," I get chills every time. His voice is unlike anyone else's and it totally works for him. This is the perfect song to end this beautiful album, The Wild Hunt. 

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Song of the Day || 3.2.2015 "Heart It Races" by Dr. Dog

In light of Dr. Dog playing a show at Cornell this month, I thought I'd give them the great honor of being featured as today's Song of the Day on Matte Finish. This song is perfect for today, in my opinion, because it makes me feel all warm and cozy on this frigidly cold and windy day in Ithaca.

It's Dr. Dog's most well-known song, and I don't know many others by them, but this is a nice Monday song in general. It's a good tune to start the day to — catchy and subtle with a great positive connotation.

Edit: I have just been politely informed by hummingintoawall that this is actually a cover of an Architecture in Helsinki song. I should have known that. Carry on, and check out the original here.

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Song of the Day || 2.27.2015 "Saturday Night" by Misfits

I don't listen to enough Misfits. I was immediately drawn to this song when I first heard it. I'm not sure if a lot of their other stuff is like this, but I've heard that a lot of their songs are about killing their lovers <3 And I like that <3

This song is pretty reminiscent of the 50s, considering the drive-in setting and the swing-sound of the entire tune. I love Michale Graves' voice in this and the harmonies are fantastic. It's a great weekend jam — especially when you take NyQuil and sleep through three classes on a Friday. Which is what happened to me today. But this song made me feel comfy and okay with skipping those classes. 

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Song of the Day || 2.26.2015 "Knock 'Em Out" by Lily Allen

It's Throwback Thursday! This song might not be a gigantic throwback, but it reminds me of high school. Lily Allen is a bad bitch and this entire album (Alright, Still) from 2006 totally exemplifies that. 

I feel like this song was ahead of its time. It fits in with the modern feminist movement — just tryna get away from gross drunk dudes who won't stop hitting on you. U kno.

Lily Allen is a cool lady.

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Song of the Day || 2.25.15 "Gypsy" by Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga's most recent solo album, Artpop, took a little while to grow on me. This song, especially. This song didn't really hit me until today. Sure, it sounds like a lot of her other tunes ("Edge of Glory," "The Queen"), but I love that she keeps the 80s synth pop sound alive. 

She sounds fantastic on this song and the chorus is totally catchy. I also like that the lyrics are different from the others on Artpop — an album that's heavily focused on sex and...sex. 

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First thing's first (imtharealist), I need to issue out an apology for not posting anything on this for over a week. I've been crazy busy preparing for my a cappella group's performance, trying to film a documentary, getting articles handed in on time and seeing Bo Burnham perform. Not all at the same time, but I was incredibly lazy/forgetful when it came to Matte Finish posts. Again, my sincerest apologies and I will be trying much harder to keep up with this daily. ANYWAY, back to the real deal.

Song of the Day || 2.24.2015 "Time Machine" by Ingrid Michaelson

This song is super catchy and you cannot deny it. The chorus is fantastic and super powerful, and the stomp/clap breakdown is my favorite part. Her vocal control is always on-point, even when she performs it live. 

I had to post the video with it, too, because it was produced by SoulPancake — a media company created by Rainn Wilson (who appears in this video), Devon Gundry and Joshua Homnick. 

The only thing that I sometimes can't get past with this song is the lyrics. They're a little bit cheesy and not as strong as some of her other songs, but the tune is good enough to jam out to. 

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Song of the Day || 2.14.2015 "El Manana" by Gorillaz

Happy Valentine's Day! Here's a super sad love song for all you single folks. 

I really wanted to post the music video to this song, but Tumblr wouldn't let me for some reason. Check it out here, it's absolutely worth it. The animation style that's consistent across all Gorillaz videos is totally reflective of their music and it really adds to the experience of listening to their songs.

This song, specifically, is one of my favorites by them. It's incredibly mellow and something I find myself playing if I just need to take a moment to breathe. The heartbreaking lyrics, "Maybe in time, you'll want to be mine" seemed fitting for this Hallmark holiday, so bask in that. It's a good sad. A healthy sad. 

If you're in a happy and healthy relationship, this song might not be as easy to connect to. If you haven't had to experience an type of unrequited love in your life yet, you sure as fuck will someday.