Music II Live By

The second iteration of a personal music journey for the public!

[music2liveby]

DAY 220: Night Fever by Bee Gees

Album: Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack Release: November 15th, 1977 Genre: Disco

I don’t care what any damn music historians or critics have to say, disco is a dirty pleasure of mine and nobody can ever take that from me. I mean, it’s a genre that revolves around dancing and having a good time. What isn’t there to love? The 70′s were dominated by disco culture, a decade long party that came to an abrupt end after fierce resistance from metal heads and rock and rollers. No movement has taken America by storm quite like disco fever, although echoes of its influence can still be heard on occasion in today’s music. Disco’s popularity cannot be denied, and you don’t have to look any further than the list of best-selling albums of all time. Just underneath The Eagle’s Hotel California and above Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours resides the highest selling soundtrack of all time, Saturday Night Fever. This groundbreaking soundtrack to the cult classic movie is a whos-who of disco music, featuring songs written for the film by bands like Kool & the Gang and KC & the Sunshine Band. However, the overall curation was overseen by one of disco’s greatest acts, the Bee Gees. In fact, most of their well-known songs were made specifically for Saturday Night Fever, including their magnum opus Stayin’ Alive. But before we can talk about their crowning achievement, we can’t go without talking about the early days of the Bee Gees. Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibbs began their career in music in the late 60′s with a much different sound than what they are remembered for. Disco wasn’t even a thing when the Bee Gees began recording music, and took on a much more fitting sound for the time that more closely emulated bands like The Beatles who were dominating the charts at the time. Listening to their early library, you would never guess that the guys playing would end up being one of disco’s greatest acts. Where did the switch occur? Well, it began during a period of dormancy for the Bee Gees, who had broken up as a band at the end of the 60′s and soon after reformed with just the core trio of brothers. The three struggled to find a core sound and debated whether or not to deviate from their previous sound. The group moved to more dance-oriented music during their time in Miami, Florida in 1975 and began receiving recognition not long after. Part of this recognition came from David Shire, a composer who was in the midst of creating the score for a movie about disco culture entitled Saturday Night Fever. Initially, the soundtrack was set to include names like Stevie Wonder and Boz Scaggs, but Shire was denied usage rights by Columbia Records who owned the rights to the music. Shire was faced with a massive copyright problem in a film that was already in post-production. Lead actor for Saturday Night Fever John Travolta had never heard of the Bee Gees, the group his character would now be dancing to throughout the movie. The Bee Gees were skeptical to undertake the daunting task, but ended up contributing their part to the soundtrack in a recording session that lasted only about one weekend. In that weekend, the Bee Gees had created memorable hits like More Than A Woman and today’s featured track Night Fever which would become career staples. Just about every track from Saturday Night Fever of the Bee Gees contains the signature disco sound, but there is a certain element to Night Fever that has my toe tapping just a little harder. The tight harmonies of the Gibbs brothers are a hallmark of any disco-era Bee Gees song, and the trio shines bright in Night Fever. Barry Gibb’s silky smooth lead vocals set the tone for this funky little jam, backed by a standard disco beat that doesn’t try too hard to outshine the vocal talent. This careful balance between synthesized riffs and sultry chorus lines proved to be the X factor for the Bee Gees among their fellow artists on Saturday Night Fever, and they truly steal the show from not only their musical contemporaries, but the on-screen actors as well. Sure, everybody knows Stayin’ Alive, but how much else of the Bee Gees do you enjoy? Spoiler alert: the answer is probably most of their work. But you’ll never know unless you get your booty on the dance floor and shake it out to fully gain the immersive experience!

[music2liveby]

DAY 219: Mind Tricks by Bassnectar

Album: Unlimited Release: June 17th, 2016 Genre: Electronica

You’d be surprised by the similarities between two otherwise diverse genres of music in their song structure. One parallel that I have been fascinated with is that of a live setting between EDM shows and metal concerts. Admittedly, I haven’t attended a lot of raves or EDM festivals, but I’ve been to enough that I have a general understanding of the culture. The community and family dynamic of an EDM show is unlike any other, brought together by a love of the craft that is fed by the intensity characteristic of the genre. Meanwhile, I have been to more metal concerts than I can remember. The musical approach may be a little less palatable, but for those who resonate with the aggressive and intimidating nature of metal, they have found a home within the walls of the venues that house these metal bands. Between EDM and metal, both embrace intensity, energy, and comradery, which produce much of the same environment in action. It may be a stretch, but this segue is all I needed to introduce today’s featured artist Lorin Ashton, better known by his stage name Bassnectar. Ashton grew up in a time where EDM and dubstep were not household names and in a place where the electronic community is not known to flourish: San Francisco. However, Ashton’s artistic mind was exercised regularly within the metropolis behind the lens of his father’s camera. His musical talent was first featured in a much different setting: a death metal band called Pale Existence. While playing in the band, Ashton was introduced to rave culture and immediately found a following amongst the underground audience. Ashton absorbed the best of both words he had immersed himself in, further discovering his love for electronica as he began frequenting more shows. No longer content with being a participant, Ashton taught himself to DJ and began playing local house parties, where he began to garner an audience. His first big break came at the Burning Man festival, where he would often play several sets a night. This would be the first in a long list of festivals that Ashton would take the Bassnectar brand to, later playing at Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, and Coachella. His unique brand of in-your-face drops and heavy bass hearkened back to his days in the metal scene, creating the perfect stepping stone for those on the fringe of both genres. Bassnectar would soon become a frontrunner in the dubstep explosion of the 2010s, in good company among other popular recording artists like Skrillex and Flux Pavillion. I remember hearing his name all the time, but I just wasn’t that in to the dubstep scene in high school. I didn’t really explore Bassnectar’s catalog until well after graduation when I heard Mind Tricks in a club. I was immediately drawn to the space-like atmosphere established from the opening effects, and fell head over heels for its bass-filled verses. Little did I know after whipping out Shazam that this was who everybody was clamoring about a few years prior. When it comes to songs in EDM, typically you get what you see at face value. That’s just the nature of the genre. It’s those artists who are able to encapsulate their niche and hold onto it for dear life that prosper in the industry, and Bassnectar’s brand of headbanging beats bring a charm that I have not often experienced as a listener. Why not see what all the fuss is all about?

[music2liveby]

DAY 218: I’ll Be There by The Jackson 5

Album: Third Album Release: September 8th, 1970 Genre: Soul

The Jacksons are one of the first families in music to utilize their family bond as a successful marketing ploy. Now that I think of it, there aren’t a whole lot of families involved in music at all. Or at least none that live up to the iconic status that the Jacksons reached in their heyday. Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Michael were the brothers that comprised the legendary lineup of The Jackson 5, the darling boys of Motown Records who only helped to solidify the Motown sound during their time with the company. While the squeaky clean image the Jackson 5 exhibited on the outside was easy to fall for, the history of the band’s inception is a bit bleak for a bunch of children. A large part of the Jackson brothers’ interest in music came from the persuasion of the boys’ father, Joe Jackson. While Joe never had any musical background, he discovered his sons’ talents while they were still young and bolstered their interest into a full-time occupation. Joe would act as the standing manager for The Jackson 5, beginning their run in local talent competitions and small venues that even included strip clubs at the suggestion of Joe in order to expand their income. The group’s popularity began to grow from talent show winners to a legitimate act when Joe began booking the Jackson 5 at venues that include the Apollo Theater in NYC. The quintet would break a deal with Motown Records with the help of fellow label darling Diana Ross of the Supremes, who was first introduced to The Jackson 5 as an opening act for The Supremes. She was impressed by the group’s cover of The Isley Brother’s It’s Your Thing, and invited the boys to record their first single, I Want You Back. The Jackson 5 outsourced their songwriting credits to more prominent musicians, but their performance chops sealed the deal for television audiences of shows like The Ed Sullivan Show who fell in love with both the adorable stage presence of the boys and the impressive pipes that they possessed. I Want You Back would be the first in a series of number one singles for The Jackson 5, followed by ABC and The Love You Save from their second album and today’s featured track I’ll Be There on their third album aptly named Third Album. The Jackson 5 remain the only group in history to debut with four straight number one singles behind the unmistakable Motown sound highlighted by youngest member Michael’s prolific singing abilities. Michael and Jermaine would share the majority of lead vocal lines, but it was no secret who the shining star was out of the five. Michael’s career would be the obvious success story to come out of the Jackson 5 after their dissolution in the 80′s, but his membership in The Jackson 5 offered more than enough to impress. Michael’s prepubescent voice is special in its own right in comparison to his later work, and I think the best example of this is on I’ll Be There. This track is different than any of the group’s number one singles, implementing a ballad style rather than an upbeat pop song. This approach challenges Michael’s vocal talent, demanding intimacy from soft sections and power from high notes. However, Michael treats this song like child’s play, slaying his verses and maintaining pitch in the harmonies while his brother Jermaine takes the bridges. Ultimately, the harmonization of The Jackson 5 is one of their best qualities, and is put on full display in the outro to I’ll Be There. The Jacksons would eventually pursue their own musical journeys independently of their father and manager Joe, who only negotiated a 2.8% royalty payment for the brothers during their time in The Jackson 5. It’s a shame that the business side of the music industry played such a heavy role in dividing the Jacksons, but the records produced are timeless testaments to one of music’s finest families.

[music2liveby]

DAY 217: Ball and Biscuit by The White Stripes

Album: Elephant Release: April 1st, 2003 Genre: Blues Rock

Metropolitan area music scenes allow a great platform for musicians to cultivate hot spots of talent that reflect upon both the history and the culture of the respective area. Cities like Nashville, Tennessee and Austin, Texas have attempted to capitalize off their famous music scenes, going as far as accepting the title of the music city. Personally, if your city has a particularly special music scene, then you don’t need any title to back it up. For instance, the city of Detroit has been an epicenter across the history of music, home of Motown and rich in its blues roots. Detroit’s musical accolades are nothing to ignore, but they are not highly touted by the city itself. Among these prominent acts, one Detroit band that is often overlooked in much of the same way as they are in their respective genre are The White Stripes. I highly doubt I could pull someone from off the street, bring up the White Stripes, and be told, “They’re one of the all-time greats!”. If anything, I would bet most throw The White Stripes in the same category as other popular post-grunge alternative bands from the mid 90′s into the 2000′s. However, I would argue that The White Stripes deserve to not just be in the conversation of one of the greatest duos of all time, but be one of the first mentioned in that conversation. The first half of this duo, Meg White, worked at a local restaurant in Detroit called Memphis Smoke. She was a shy and reserved girl who decided to work instead of going to college, and eventually through her work met high school senior Jack Gillis. He would visit the Memphis Smoke during open mic nights and read his poetry, an early glimpse at Jack’s prolific songwriting abilities. The pair befriended and developed their relationship through to their marriage on September 21st, 1996, where Jack took Meg’s surname contrary to common practice. Jack was performing with numerous bands in the Detroit music scene, although none of these endeavors took off. It was when Meg began picking up the drums nearly a year after their marriage that Jack felt a spark of inspiration he’d not yet felt until then. He recalls of the instance, “When she started to play drums with me, just on a lark, it felt liberating and refreshing. There was something in it that opened me up." The two coined the band name The White Stripes with obvious nod to their shared surname, but also subtly to Meg’s obsession with peppermint candies. This obsession went as far as establishing a color aesthetic of black, white, and red that held constant throughout every studio release and single (except for a single Christmas release that included a splash of green). The two were very secretive about their relationship and reestablished their identity as brother and sister. According to Jack, this choice was made to keep the focus of The White Stripes on the music, not the musicians. He remarked, "When you see a band that is two pieces, husband and wife, boyfriend and girlfriend, you think, 'Oh, I see...' When they're brother and sister, you go, 'Oh, that's interesting.' You care more about the music, not the relationship—whether they're trying to save their relationship by being in a band." Ultimately, the pair would split romantically in March of 2000, but professionally pressed on in their musical endeavor. Sure enough, their divorce would come right before their rise to international fame with the release of their second album De Stijl. The composition of an average White Stripes album consists of Detroit-inspired blues in a garage rock style package with the occasional acoustic ballad thrown in for good measure, the former relying on the minimalism of Meg’s drumming combined with the gifted mind of Jack. Some critics consider her informal drum training a hindrance, but I prefer to view it as the maximum utilization of the tools you have to work with. That prospect very much embodied the sound of the duo’s smash hit release Elephant, which includes the anthem Seven Nation Army. However, Elephant has so much more to offer than its opening track, including today’s sludgy blues rock odyssey Ball and Biscuit. The longest track ever recorded by The White Stripes, this song lures the listener in with a steady blues riff that receives a boost from the gentle drumming of Meg White while Jack rambles on about the prospect of a drug-fueled relationship with the hypothetical female character in Ball and Biscuit. It soon after delivers the haymaker of clashing cymbals and a squealing guitar solo that peaks and falls multiple times throughout the seven minute spectacle. A large part of what works with The White Stripes as far as their simplicity is their choice in genre; blues music is not typically demanding of percussion. The talent of Jack White to build around a solid foundation and develop something enjoyable without being too musically complex is admirable and is a large part of the reason The White Stripes have only gotten more and more popular since the two called it quits in 2011. However, Jack White only continues to impress at only 44 years old with various musical projects including his own solo act. This post got a little longer than I anticipated, but my case for The White Stripes’ place towards the top of music’s greats is strong and can’t be held by the bounds of traditional formatting!

[music2liveby]

DAY 216: What Do I Get? by Buzzcocks

Album: Another Music in a Different Kitchen Release: March 10th, 1978 Genre: Punk

The evolution of certain genres over time always fascinates me. It’s like a family tree of music that descends generations and spawns different branches of subgenres that cultivate their own following and creates a niche all of its own. The interconnected web of influence and inspiration is mind numbingly intricate, and sources of ingenuity can be surprising to say the least. For Howard Trafford, a student at the Bolton Institute of Technology in England, his polarizing force to form what would become Brit-punk forefathers Buzzcocks was a song by the Velvet Underground. Trafford posted an ad around campus that called to rally musicians that shared similar fascination and interest in the Velvet Underground song Sister Ray, a fifteen minute epic that was par for the course with a band as strange as the Velvet Underground. Trafford met Peter McNeish through his ad, and the two developed a strong connection under their desire to emulate a sound like in Sister Ray.  Like I mentioned previously, it’s almost uncanny listening to Sister Ray and hearing the parallels to the Buzzcocks’ library of music. Buzzcocks came about in an English punk scene that was broken wide open by bands like Sex Pistols in an approach that relied less on edginess and more on disorganized simplicity. Trafford and McNeish would hop on the punk train officially in in February 1976, inspired by a review of the television series Rock Follies which proclaimed, “It’s the Buzz, Cock!” ‘Cock’ being the British slang for a friend, and ‘buzz’ referring to the high of performing on stage created the sexually implicit name Buzzcocks, which in turn created a new identity for the then-duo. Trafford would be known as Howard Devoto and McNeish as Peter Shelley, and together they took on the rising punk scene in England with open arms. However, Devoto would soon grow disinterested with the direction the band was taking, and left before any significant moves were made on the band’s part. Shelley now found himself as the primary leader of Buzzcocks as well as its vocalist, defined by the youthful and nasally voice that gave a cry of adolescence. Recruiting other musicians in the punk scene at the time, this new lineup soon signed to United Artists and released the controversial debut single Orgasm Addict which was met with calls for censorship by BBC. Shelley was not afraid to focus in extreme detail on taboo subjects such as rampant sexuality, and struck once again with the follow-up single What Do I Get? This track yearns for intimate affection and attention from another party, but instead of bliss Shelley receives...nothing at all. In the spirit of punk, What Do I Get? keeps it short and sweet and just under three minutes, but relies on the power chords of Steve Diggle to create the majority of the energy sustained in the song. In fact, What Do I Get? is one of the earliest examples of a pop-punk mashup that would later on find its footing as its own dedicated genre. So, just in case you’re following, The Velvet Underground gave us Buzzcocks, who very well could have inspired groups like Green Day. Quite a family tree, indeed. Unfortunately, Buzzcocks recently encountered a road block in their endeavors with the passing of Peter Shelley, leaving many to believe that the band’s best days are all but gone. It’s certainly one of the more unfair aspects of the music industry, but Buzzcocks definitely got the most out of their ride for what it was worth. If you’re not into the more hardcore aspects of punk, perhaps Buzzcocks is worth a listen!

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DAY 215: Gonna Fly Now by Bill Conti

Album: Rocky: Original Motion Picture Score Release: November 12th, 1976 Genre: Film Score

Music and film are two mediums of art that will forever go hand in hand. Cinema has provided us with some of the most iconic original compositions that many today don’t realize originated specifically for the release of a film. Off the top of my head, I can think of Kenny Loggin’s Danger Zone for Top Gun, Ennio Morricone’s Ecstasy of Gold from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, and of course Simon and Garfunkel’s classic from The Graduate, The Sound of Silence. There’s plenty more than that, I’d encourage looking up a list to see which of your favorite songs coincide with famous films! When it comes to famous film scores, there are fewer franchises that have seen the amount of critical acclaim that Bill Conti has. Up there with some of the greats like Hans Zimmer and the great John Williams, Bill Conti is most famously responsible for both the Karate Kid and Rocky film scores. These two franchises have some of the most devout cult followings, and all it takes is asking a fan of either series to determine what exactly helps these otherwise cheesy time pieces maintain relevancy in the present day. Many will be quick to point out the legendary film score of each franchise; a satisfying blend of symphonic instrumentals with pop tunes indicative of the time period. Bill Conti was a mastermind at comprising this perfect balance to fit a spirited film full of heart, and his talent would first be tested with the underdog story of a boxer named Rocky Balboa. I’ll admit, it’s been years since I have watched any movie from the Rocky franchise. I’ll watch 30 minutes of a movie rerun on IFC or something, but I think the premise of Rocky is pretty one-and-done as far as its rewatch value. Back in the 70′s when Rocky was first released, it was hailed as an instant classic and revolutionary piece of cinema in a budding film industry. Considered one of the finer sports films of all time, it helped make stars like Sylvester Stallone become a household name just as much as the theme for Rocky became the go-to for motivational montages. Bill Conti truly knocked it out of the park with the now beloved theme song Gonna Fly Now, encapsulating the fighting spirit of the underdog in his rise to prominence. A blaring horn line carries along the triumphant march as a chorus inspires the title phrase, further pushing the inspirational tone. If Gonna Fly Now doesn’t motivate you to get off your ass and start running down the nearest alleyway, then you’ve got all your priorities screwed up. There’s a reason that Rocky is so fondly remembered, and a large part of that is due to the vision of Bill Conti. Gonna Fly Now would end up topping the Billboard charts and see several award nominations, and still holds as one of the best musical sequences in film to date. I guess I have to rewatch Rocky now...

[music2liveby]

DAY 214: Jar of Hearts by Christina Perri

Album: lovestrong Release: May 10th, 2011 Genre: Pop

When tallying the subject matter of songs across all of history, I think no topic takes the cake quite like love and heartbreak. Across all genres, in all periods of music, you don’t have to look very far to find a song focused on the complex emotions surrounding a failed relationship. To call the market oversaturated with love songs is an understatement. Especially when it comes to modern pop, that’s a large portion of what relates to audiences and therefore gains traction with listeners. I’m not necessarily opposed to the idea of writing these types of songs, but you better bring something extra special to the table as an artist if one so chooses to take the easy way out. Upon her arrival to the music industry, many critics felt the same way about Christina Perri in her debut album lovestrong. As its name implies, much of the album is centered around Perri’s personal experience with heartbreak from her divorce while she lived in Los Angeles. However, her motivation drove her to compile an album that came straight from the heart and comes off less as filler. Motivation and momentum would carry Christina Perri through her early career, born within a musical family that includes her brother Nick who has played with bands like Shinedown. Christina was not initially set on the path her brother had followed, but began blazing her own trail at 16 by teaching herself guitar by watching Shannon Hoon of Blind Melon perform on VH1. Her dedication pushed her well out of her comfort zone as she came into adulthood, moving away from her home in Philadelphia to the glamour and glitz of Los Angeles at the age of 21. Perri faced a familiar challenge of up and coming artists that moved to the area: alone to fend for yourself in a city that takes no prisoners. According to Perri, the struggle was fierce and she cried nearly every night from the pressure of being on her own. Despite the odds being against her, she worked hard to establish her life in LA, working at the Melrose Cafe for a day job and getting married. After a divorce only 18 months later, the city proved too much for Perri at the time and she moved back to Philadelphia in 2009. It was during this period that she penned her first breakthrough song, Jar of Hearts, but she wouldn’t immediately reap the fruits of her labor. Perri later would move back to LA in hopes of achieving her dreams, and received a much needed boost by the TV show So You Think You Can Dance, who featured Jar of Hearts in a dance routine. Seemingly overnight, America wanted to know where this angelic voice came from, and shot Jar of Hearts up to number seven on the Billboard charts. It didn’t take long for labels to take notice either, as Atlantic Records signed Perri to a record deal that would produce her debut lovestrong. I can’t really put my finger on what leads me to hold Jar of Hearts so dearly to my heart, especially when Christina Perri has a slew of songs that match the raw emotion of her debut single. I think it’s the slight edge that Jar of Hearts has in its biting lyrics that are merciless towards Perri’s ex-husband; the words cut like razor blades in contrast to the beautifully composed symphonic section that develops a dissonance unlike any pop song I remember hearing in recent years. I’m always trying to steer the common listener towards some of the best in the business in the modern age, and I simply can’t say enough about Christina Perri. She just recently gave birth to a baby girl and announced four years of sobriety, so it seems as if she’s only going to higher places as time rolls on!

[music2liveby]

DAY 213: Jerk It Out by Caesars

Album: Love for the Streets Release: April 22nd, 2002 Genre: Indie Rock

It’s hard writing these articles for one-hit wonders. Most of the bands that I cover in this blog are big names and legendary acts, chock full of history and tidbits that could fill a book with information regarding their rise to prominence. Smaller bands don’t really have that luxury, especially when they had one song that got wildly popular out of nowhere and then faded back into obscurity. I have to take many more creative liberties with telling the story of the band so I’m not just rambling about how good a song is. So if that’s what this entry turns into, I apologize in advance. Caesars is a band you’re probably not familiar with, unless you live in Scandinavia where the group has seen most of their success. Even then, you haven’t heard of Caesars because the band is not called Caesars in their native Sweden; instead they’re called Twelve Caesars. Originally, the group started out naming their band after the famous Las Vegas hotel Caesar’s Palace, but changed their name to avoid any legal conflicts with the establishment. Upon their debut in 1998, Caesars didn’t have to worry much about their naming rights, as their notoriety was so low profile that no one would bother filing a lawsuit. There isn’t much special to Caesars as far as their composition; they’re like any other rock band from the late 90′s. In comparison, Caesars was above average, but there’s an overwhelming amount of above average bands out there in the music industry. The defining piece of Caesars’ lineup lies in their distinct synthesizer effect, which adds punctuation to the borderline punk rock style that would otherwise lump the band in the pile of other average rock bands. Whether they knew that or not, Caesars capitalized on the signature sound in their only international hit Jerk It Out. As soon as you hit play, that synth riff should sound all too familiar. It sounds like...the 2000′s. Seriously, Jerk It Out got its hands on just about everything. Airplay, video game soundtracks, advertisements...you name it. In fact, Apple chose to use the song to introduce their new iPod Shuffle with their famous silhouette advertising campaign. That’s how you know you’ve made it! As tends to be the case with a particular ear worm, I like to analyze what exactly made a song popular long after the time of its popularity has faded. Like I mentioned previously, Caesars very wisely chose to prominently feature the synth in Jerk It Out, which in this particular case is by and away the catchiest part of the song. I’d go as far as to say that the synth provides the backbone for the rest of the song, which without the aid of the iconic hook would just leave Jerk It Out as another indie rock song. Instead, the song enjoyed a concentrated period of commercial success for its flash of brilliance, but Caesars was unable to capitalize further on their fame. The music business has the memory of a goldfish and is merciless in shoving once popular artists under the rug, but something tells me the members of Caesars don’t really mind relevance in the industry. The group recently broke their five year hiatus and began performing at festivals across Europe, and are seemingly still enjoying the ride!

[music2liveby]

DAY 212: Dracula Mountain by Lightning Bolt

Album: Wonderful Rainbow Release: March 4th, 2003 Genre: Noise Rock

Music in and of itself is a complicated medium to define. Songs we hear on the radio are generally the first that come to mind when you typically think of music, but how far can you break down the definition of music until it toes the line of structured noise? Where is the threshold that divides the symphonic from the unintelligible? Well, I tend to look towards the Rhode Island based band Lightning Bolt as one of the finer examples of bands that push that line more often than not. Lightning Bolt is defined as noise rock, but I don’t feel that label accurately represents the type of music they play. Apparently, neither does founding member Brian Chippendale, who proclaimed, "I hate, hate, hate the category ‘noise rock’. I really don't like being labeled with two words that have so much baggage. It's gross." Instead, I like to think of Lightning Bolt as an assaulting cacophony of sound on the exterior that deep within its core reveals a radically musically complex composition which flexes the prowess of members Brian Chippendale and Brian Gibson. Oh yeah, by the way, Lightning Bolt is a duo. You heard that right. If you listen to one of their songs, the sensory overload that ensues makes it seem impossible that only two guys can be behind all of this. Let’s take a look at the lineup of Lightning Bolt, because its configuration is certainly unique. Brian Chippendale mans the throne at drum set, but inherited the vocal role shortly after the band’s inception when Lightning Bolt downsized from a trio to a duo. Hybrid drummers/vocalists are few and far between, but Chippendale ensures he squeezes the most out of his multitasking. Simultaneously, he delivers a relentless barrage of drum notes while screaming his indiscernible lyrics into a makeshift mic comprised of the microphone from a landline telephone held to his mouth through the aid of a mask that is then fed through a distortion device to further muddle the effect . It looks like this, and it’s terrifying. Meanwhile, the second Brian of the bunch Gibson rhythmically lays it down on his five string bass that utilizes a banjo string for his high string. To coincide with Chippendale, Brian’s bass guitar is distorted beyond belief to create a gritty, dismal effect. His musical style isn’t as eclectic as his counterpart, but that’s not saying his place in Lightning Bolt is no less dysfunctional. The intensity of their music is best experienced through live shows, where the band elects to play gigs guerrilla style: set up on the venue floor, surrounded by audience members. Talk about immersion. So, we’ve covered Lightning Bolt on the surface - but when does this music actually start sounding good? I present to you Lightning Bolt’s third album, Wonderful Rainbow, an album that changed my life upon listening to it. I’m into some pretty avant-garde shit, but I think Lightning Bolt may take the cake. Take a song like today’s featured track, Dracula Mountain, and you can dissect it ad nauseam like any song of Lightning Bolt’s. I like to break Dracula Mountain into three sections: first, the closest thing the song has to a chorus. Immediately, Chippendale’s off-the-wall vocal style compliments the frantic drum line to open the song, and reprises itself in the middle of the song to reestablish the original tempo for the third section, which is remarkably more palatable than the section before it. This second section...whew, it’s a lot. Lightning Bolt implements a style similar to their source of inspiration in classical composer Phillip Glass, who took a bar phrase of music and expended upon nearly every note restructuring that one bar phrase could make. The second section establishes a rickety time signature that moves around the accented snare hit and yelp of Chippendale across each progressing eighth note of the riff. It’s hard to follow at first, but once you’ve got the pattern down, it’s like cracking the code. After playing around with this structure, the second section closes with the same bumpy time signature, but this time with the interjection of a full-bar phrase dedicated to the madness of Chippendale. Got all that? If you didn’t, that’s half the fun of this kind of music for me. At first glance, there’s no way any normal person could construe the musical concepts conveyed in their songs. But when you realize that Lightning Bolt isn’t just an amalgamation of sound and instead surgically precise musical geniuses for their dedication to note placement, the possibilities are endless. I challenge you to decipher Dracula Mountain; perhaps then this will start making more sense!

[music2liveby]

DAY 211: Chug-A-Lug by Roger Miller

Album: Roger and Out Release: May 1964 Genre: Country

I’ve gone on record several times on this blog that country is by far my least listened to genre. It’s not that I don’t like it necessarily, but its transformation into the modern age seems more akin to top 40 radio than a hearkening back to the deep roots of country music. Gone are the days of country legends like George Strait, Hank Williams, and Johnny Cash where country music had a sinister edge that implied negligence of the law and a cowboy lifestyle on the fringe of society. Today, that image seems to be more of just that: an attempt to embody an image. And it’s a pretty lackluster attempt, if you ask me. Most of my country lexicon resides in that golden age I am so fond of. The songs have a vintage charm that come off as much more candid and soul bearing in their songwriting, and I have yet to find a modern country artist that nails this standard. If I’m missing out, please point me in the right direction! But until then, I will choose to share one of my favorite old-time country acts: Roger Miller. Classic country artists always seemed to value simplicity first and foremost, from their name to their appearance. Historically, the country genre has been pretty whitewashed due to its origins in the south, so the image of the clean cut, well-dressed white man was common if not expected of country stars. Roger Miller doesn’t tote the same accolades as legends that came after, but without a foundation, the house can’t be built. Miller helped pave the way for 60′s country to gain momentum and light the fuse for the massive country explosion in the 70′s. His songs were generally short ditties that were more novelty than anything else, a characteristic that was developed early on in his period of musical discovery. Roger Miller was an introverted child, relying on music to be his expression. Born to a poor farm family, Roger resorted to stealing his first guitar at 17 since he could not afford his own, but turned himself in the next day. In order to avoid jail time, Roger enlisted in the military and spent time serving in the Korean War, where he would further develop his musical talent in a group of Army musicians called the Circle A Ranglers. On the recommendation of one of his sergeants, Roger traveled to Nashville after his service in pursuit of his dream. The experience was humbling for the budding musician, who was rejected from line-ups and denied contracts on numerous occasions. However, executive for Starday Records George Jones was impressed by his playing and Roger shortly after relocated to Amarillo, Texas. Here, he would eventually sign to Dacca Records and release two singles that would launch Miller’s career into the limelight. The first, Dang Me, spent 25 weeks on the Billboard charts and topped out at number one. The second, today’s featured track Chug-A-Lug, didn’t see as much success as Dang Me, but it is the song that resonates closest to my heart from Roger Miller. The subject matter of Miller’s music was often a personal account of childhood memories, and Chug-A-Lug revisits the days of carefree underage drinking that was ever popular in an age that lacked supervision. No song ever takes itself too seriously, in fact most songs by Roger Miller are whimsical and comical in tone. The bubbly chord progression that changes key signatures twice between verses serves as perfect setting for the story driven lyrics that increasingly become more daring in their attempt to covet some delicious homemade liquor. Chug-A-Lug elicits childhood memories of getting into things you’re not supposed to combined with the payoff of getting away with it. Simplicity speaks volumes, in which case Roger Miller turns it up to 11!

[music2liveby]

DAY 210: Elephant by Tame Impala

Album: Lonerism Release: October 5th, 2012 Genre: Psychedelic Rock

International bands often times do not reach the level of critical acclaim to achieve the types of success they enjoy in their home country as they would in the US. Go figure, right? If you’re not from the US or the UK, good luck breaking into the mainstream. Out of all the developed nations that are represented in the industry, I’m very surprised more artists don’t make their way out of Australia. The most successful group I can think of to come from down under would be AC/DC...or maybe Men at Work. Beyond that, I had to look up this list of popular Australian bands: INXS, Jet, Wolfmother, and psychedelic one-man band Tame Impala. While Tame Impala embodies an alternative rock band skin with a splash of electronica and synthesizers, the mastermind behind the whole project is multi-instrumentalist Kevin Parker. Before his project took off, Parker was a heavy contributor to the Perth music scene, standing in for various bands in the area. On the side, Parker produced homemade recordings which he posted on his Myspace page (that alone should give you a decent time frame of when this occurred) that would serve as early prototypes for songs that would later be recorded under the Tame Impala brand. A handful of labels reached out to Parker about a record deal, and Modular Records emerged the victor to sign with Parker. Modular played a major role in expanding Parker’s notoriety around Australia, quickly releasing two EPs of Tame Impala’s that shot up the Aussie charts. Parker soon after took his act on the road, opening for alternative bands like MGMT and The Black Keys. However, a technical feast for the ears could not be recreated in singularity for a live format. Parker employed the talents of fellow psychedelic rock band Pond, who still continue to tour with Tame Impala to this day. Fans of Tame Impala may notice the larger instrumental focus of these early releases in comparison to the digitized, dream-like atmosphere of later albums. Even Tame Impala’s debut album InnerSpeaker sounds like the outlier from a band who is labeled as psychedelic. Personally, I don’t think that hinders Tame Impala’s act, but it served as the springboard that eventually evolved into the format we know it today. Tame Impala’s follow up to their debut, Lonerism, was lovingly created over the course of the InnerSpeaker tour circuit with the intent of recapturing childhood adolescence. Parker recorded a large part of his material on the road, while mastering and final recordings took place at his home studio back in Perth. Parker recalled of his studio residency during the making of Lonerism, "It was this amazing time of unhinged experimentation and exploration. I would record until 5:00 AM, I’d go to sleep and wake up and start again. I’d just be drinking red wine all night and smoking spliffs. It was this really, really amazing time. This period of discovery. I had found a new guitar sound which led to me finding a new way of writing chords. And these new chords were making me write music that was conjuring up emotions that I hadn’t felt in a long time. It reminded me of being a child again, basically." This experimentation led to a much more electronically produced album, and has since been the signature style for Tame Impala. Lonerism is a terrific experience from beginning to end, but the gem from this album I decided to feature today is Elephant. While Lonersim peaked at a modest 34 on the Billboard charts, Elephant received significant airplay from alternative radio stations for its playful, bouncing riff that carries throughout the tune. In fact, Elephant is more reminiscent of a blues song with its minimalism than anything else. No other song from Lonerism quite has the bite like Elephant does, but that’s exactly how Parker intended its appearance on Lonerism to be: different, but not out of place. Elephant’s structure is built upon Parker’s alt-rock roots which shine through in moments such as the final drum fill to conclude the song, rim clicks and all. It’s amazing to think that the entirety of the song was recorded at the hands of one person, but that is the name of the game for Tame Impala. Recently, Tame Impala has released a few singles that could signify their first album release since 2015. It’s a good time to be a Tame Impala fan!

[music2liveby]

DAY 209: I’m Your Baby Tonight by Whitney Houston

Album: I’m Your Baby Tonight Release: November 6th, 1990 Genre: R&B

Women in music still don’t seem to get the respect they deserve for the dominant history that female musicians in the industry possessed over time. That’s an unfortunate truth all too familiar for many women across several mediums. The reality is that female musicians are among some of the highest selling and most decorated acts in all of music, and no one woman was more successful at what she did than Whitney Houston. Technically speaking, she’s certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the winningest female artist of all time, totaling 415 personal achievement awards over her career. Not only was she celebrated for her work, Whitney Houston also opened the door for a massive amount of African-American women to break into the music industry. Whitney herself was inspired by African-American women like Roberta Flack and Gladys Knight as a young girl singing in her church choir. Like many legendary R&B artists, church was where Whitney began fostering her voice into something remarkable by soloing in her junior gospel choir at age 11. Her mother Cissy only encouraged her talent to further flourish by giving vocal lessons on top of Whitney’s school work. In fact, Cissy deserves a lot of credit for helping Whitney succeed in the period before her career took off. The pair began singing around New York at venues that included Carnegie Hall, where a photographer employed Whitney to her first big time job as a fashion model. Whitney broke down barriers as one of the first women of color to grace the cover of Seventeen magazine, while also making appearances in media powerhouses like Cosmopolitan and Glamour. She even appeared in an advertisement for Canada Dry ginger ale in 1983. It would be shortly after this period of time that an A&R rep from Arista Records would discover Whitney and Cissy in a New York nightclub and sign Whitney to a contract well tailored to the young starlet. Her self-titled debut was released in 1985, and almost immediately Whitney saw success roll in with a Grammy win for the album. Although Whitney did not write the songs herself, her label made sure that she had only the best in the business on the production end of things. Critics were skeptical to come out in praise of the budding singer even after the international success and follow-up to her debut album Whitney, citing a lack of maturity in her vocals that appeal more to the teenage crowd with anthems like I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me). Despite the criticism, the accolades continued to pour in, but I have to admit that I somewhat agree with this piece of advice. There’s nothing wrong with being a pop artist, but the soul in Whitney’s voice was far too golden to limit to pop. By the release of her third album, Whitney and her producers had the chemistry developed to create something a little more musically adventurous. Thus, we have the title track to her third album, I’m Your Baby Tonight. This track had a much heavier, bluesier cadence that flows right along with a 12/8 time signature. There is complex emotion conveyed behind the voice of Whitney Houston; that of lust and angst which matches the tone of I’m Your Baby Tonight. The bouncier composition allows for Whitney to break down the beat through various approaches, including all-out freestyles layered over the chorus. The synthesized instrumentation suits the song’s style well in what I consider a hesitance to ditch their 80′s aesthetic and sticking to what the producers know best. I’m Your Baby Tonight marked the eighth number one hit for Whitney Houston, and was the last studio album before her acting debut in a little film called The Bodyguard that just happens to have an album composed by Houston that remains the fifth best selling album of all time. Whitney’s career was full of lofty highs and crushing lows all the way up until her sudden death in 2012, but despite her flaws, she will be cherished as one of the greatest voices (male or female) ever to make music. Her contributions to both music and the African-American community are insurmountable even posthumously, although her presence is greatly missed. 

[music2liveby]

DAY 208: I’d Do Anything by Simple Plan

Album: No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls Release: March 19th, 2002 Genre: Pop Punk

Listening back to some of the music I enjoyed as a teenager, I forgot just how much shit everybody dwelled over. The worst days of my teen years were a cakewalk compared to the trials and tribulations I continue to face in adulthood. But how were we supposed to know that back then? The worst things we had to worry about was the girl that didn’t like us back, the embarrassing moments you had in front of your classmates, or getting bullied by the tough kid on the blacktop. Being a kid was tough, and it’s easy to feel misunderstood around adults who’ve got bigger things to worry about. Music once again was there to capitalize on that polarizing feeling of adolescent struggle, and I most closely associate pop punk with this kind of empathetic songwriting. The pop punk explosion saw its apex at the turn of the millennium, but its origins stem from the massive popularity of bands like blink-182 and Green Day in the late 90′s. These bands mastered the careful balance between possessing the songwriting chops to be taken seriously in the music industry, while also not taking themselves too seriously and allowing the whimsical juvenile immaturity of the band to shine through. Too much joking around and you risk jeopardizing your credibility, but the solution wasn’t an entirely straightforward approach. As a pop punk band, the group’s personality uniquely sets apart an act from a more generic pop punk artist. One band that I loved growing up that in retrospect toes the line between generic and groundbreaking was Simple Plan, a Canadian-based group that saw the bulk of their career success during their early years. The market for pop punk bands from the early to mid 2000′s started to get pretty oversaturated, blinded by the pursuit of success that more popular bands had followed. Just take a look at any of the lineups for Van’s Warped Tour during this era and you’ll see what I mean. Yet, there still remains a certain charm about Simple Plan that I haven’t been able to put my finger on. Perhaps it’s purely nostalgia fueled? Either way, I do remember a good deal of the mainstream success that Simple Plan enjoyed. My first introduction to the band was their second album, Still Not Getting Any..., which moved away from the punk side of pop punk to a more modern rock sound. It was a fun little album that I remember fondly, but I’m here for the full-on pop punk experience. Why not look at an example from their debut No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls that guest stars blink-182′s Mark Hoppus, I’d Do Anything? Now that’s what I’m talking about. Power chords, a brisk tempo, and delightfully cheesy lyrics from frontman Pierre Bouvier. It’s impossible not to crack at least the slightest smile when putting yourself back in the childhood mindset of innocent crushes. Pop punk is definitely a genre I would consider a guilty pleasure. Simple isn’t the right word for it, but it’s...minimal. It works with what it’s given and makes something great out of it. Simple Plan never received any Grammy nominations for their music, they don’t have any impressive accolades to tout, but what they do have is a catalog of music they can be proud of. Simple Plan recently embarked on a touring slate to promote the 15th anniversary of No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls, and have been working hard on an upcoming studio album! All the kids who loved this music back in the day are all grown up now, and we’re finally coming together in an attempt to capture that nostalgia!

[music2liveby]

DAY 207: Wrong Way by Sublime 

Album: Sublime Release: July 30th, 1996 Genre: Ska Punk

I don’t think in my lifetime that I’ve seen a prevalent period where reggae was popular in the mainstream. We’ve seen some flashes of reggae in popular radio, but nothing to the point where I would have called it a mainstay. No, for the last great age of ska and reggae, you have to dial it back to the 90′s with one of the decade’s most influential bands in Sublime. Before I tear into the band’s history, it’s time for a brief music history lesson: What is ska? And how is it different from reggae? Ska originated in Jamaica in the 1950′s and was a precursor to reggae entirely. Ska derives its name from the onomatopoeia of guitar and piano playing on beats 2 and 4 that is characteristic of both ska and reggae. Since its inception, ska has undergone a few evolutions to modernize its sound, but has always stayed close to its influences in reggae. Primarily in the 90′s, ska saw its popularity explode with the inclusion of rock and punk elements, broadening the availability of reproduction and encouraging several artists to jump on the train. These artists saw strong appeal with the college lifestyle, including The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Less Than Jake, Reel Big Fish, and of course Sublime. Sublime is a legendary three-piece consisting of Bud Gaugh on drums, Eric Wilson on bass, and frontman Bradley Nowell on guitar and vocals. When it comes to their ska catalog, Sublime were some of the best to lay down some funky licks with the help of Wilson’s prominent bass features and solos. It wasn’t necessarily anything new to ska, but they had perfected it. What set aside Sublime from the other acts was the other musical influences the band chose to throw into the blender with ska, especially those genres that could be considered more hardcore. Sublime’s strength was in their versatility; one minute they’re grooving to a signature island beat, the next they’re in a full rhythmic onslaught that sounds more like a hardcore punk song than anything. Give credit where credit is due to Bradley Nowell; his unique vocal style has the chops to nail the more melodic section, but Nowell’s personality provided the spark of madness that lit the fire of creative genius. That fire would become 40oz. to Freedom, the landmark debut for Sublime that surprisingly didn’t garner a lot of attention during its release. Today, the album is regarded as one of the most important to come out of the 90′s for its groundbreaking invention of reggae-fusion music. A listen through shows the untamed and at times unpolished raw energy that was oozing from these guys; it felt like a garage show, but the quality of the songs didn’t necessarily suffer from that fact. Sublime would come back at it two years later with their album Robbin’ the Hood, but much of the charm that was on 40oz. to Freedom isn’t found on this one. It was recorded across many different living rooms, and in my opinion sounds more like a demo tape than an actual production. Not to worry however; the sophomore slump gets the best of several artists. The third time would be the charm for Sublime with their first major label release, but tragedy would strike only months before its debut. Following a live show in Petaluma, California, Bradley Nowell rented a motel in San Francisco and was found the next morning dead of a heroin overdose only two months prior to the release of their next album. This would make Sublime a posthumous release, helping many of its singles to propel up the charts including today’s featured track Wrong Way. Posthumous releases are always bittersweet due to the nature of the situation, and this album is certainly no exception. It feels like the group was nearing the cusp of something really big, as Sublime has been their most polished album to date thanks to their label MCA. In particular, I chose Wrong Way as opposed to more popular songs from Sublime because this one is much more obvious in its ska roots. The lyrical narrative is simple: a young girl name Annie is forced into prostitution by her family and saved by the hypothetical protagonist, who in turn regrets mistreating her as a prostitute. Primarily, Wrong Way has my heart from the trombone solo mid-song, which only adds to the funky feel that ska provides. Sublime was far too short lived, a quality that has only added to their legacy over time and only seems to grow more and more as time wanes on. The remaining members of Sublime have attempted to revive the brand with a new singer as Sublime with Rome, but haven’t been able to match the magic of those 8 great years. As Sublime’s producer puts it, “It’s like Nirvana: Sublime died when Brad died.”

[music2liveby]

DAY 206: In Memory of Elizabeth Reed by The Allman Brothers Band

Album: Idlewild South Release: September 23rd, 1970 Genre: Jazz Rock

Inspiration for song names can come from some unlikely sources. For southern rockers The Allman Brothers Band, they took inspiration from the culmination of their unlikely experiences in both the creation and eventual naming of their songs. The namesake duo of brothers Gregg and Duane had plenty of musical endeavors together that would eventually fold in the late 60′s. Duane would accept a position as a session musician at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, where he met bassist Berry Oakley and drummer Jaimoe. Numerous jam sessions at the recording studio saw a regular rotation of musicians that included Dickie Betts and Butch Trucks. With the return of brother Gregg from contractual obligations in LA, Duane pushed him to provide the vocals for this new band. Intimidated by the skill of his fellow musicians at first, Gregg sang his heart out and was handed the frontman position, rounding out the six-piece group that soon became The Allman Brothers Band. The group quickly began establishing a brotherhood between each other, strengthened by taking psychedelic drugs communally and brainstorming song ideas in the lush environments of Rose Hill Cemetery in Macon, Alabama. Recording efforts got underway in 1969, but racial tensions in a newly integrated Macon proved difficult for an up-and-coming band of long-haired rockers that hung around with a black man in Jaimoe. Instead, the group packed up for New York City and had mixed their eponymous debut album in just two weeks. Commercial sales for The Allman Brothers Band proved underwhelming, but word of mouth from the band’s consistent and unending touring schedule caught like wildfire. Audiences began to grow, curious to hear the southern-style jams that were characteristic of The Allman Brothers Band. However, executives recommended to the band that they move to New York or LA in order to ‘acclimate’ their sound. Drummer Butch Trucks recalls of this proposition, "They wanted us to act 'like a rock band' and we just told them to fuck themselves." The Allman Brothers Band decided to embrace their southern roots by staying in Alabama, setting themselves apart from the image of rock and roll that surrounded the early 70′s. Gregg Allman recalls of their presence in the South, "Everyone told us we'd fall by the wayside down there, but the collaboration with Capricorn Records transformed Macon from this sleepy little town into a very hip, wild and crazy place filled with bikers and rockers". The increased activity reminded the group of the activity at Idlewild Airport (now JFK) in New York, and lovingly nicknamed their cabin in Macon ‘Idlewild South’. This cabin would be the birthplace of many of the songs from their next album which gave nod to their residence name Idlewild South. This album carries staples of the band’s lexicon, including the popular Midnight Rider and the mysterious jazz instrumental In Memory of Elizabeth Reed. Before you ask, Elizabeth Reed has no affiliation with any members of the Allman Brothers Band. The title was merely an inscription on a headstone in Rose Hill Cemetery that the band liked. The origins of In Memory of Elizabeth Reed stem from the girlfriend of performer Boz Scaggs, who guitarist Dickey Betts played with regularly. Betts wrote In Memory of Elizabeth Reed to model what kind of woman Boz’s girlfriend was like: “Hispanic and somewhat dark and mysterious—and she really used it to her advantage and played it to the hilt.” The track certainly takes the listener on a mystical journey, one that you hardly recognize is over with after seven minutes. Although I’m a big fan of Gregg Allman’s voice, these types of jams are what The Allman Brothers Band became famous for, and it allows for an entirely new kind of voice to shine through in the combination of musical voices. Sadly, the group would lose two of its most prominent voices to motorcycle accidents within a year of each other: group leader Duane Allman and bassist Berry Oakley. This did not stop The Allman Brothers Band from a career that was full of accomplishments even after the loss of its members, and its only fitting that after the passing of both Allman brothers and Oakley, they reside in Rose Hill Cemetery where it all began. Quite the appropriate ending for one wild ride.

[music2liveby]

DAY 205: Paranoid Android by Radiohead

Album: OK Computer Release: June 16th 1997 Genre: Alternative

The bulk of my musical discovery took place in the transition from middle school to high school. I can’t really say for sure if there was any major springboard that got me listening to all types of different music, but if there was any, it would be the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Originally meant to be a coffee table or bathroom book that you could flip through here and there, this book was my Bible in the summer of 2010 after I checked it out from my local library. Hours after hours of page after page with in-depth analysis to why each album was essential to the book title’s proposition, as well as background info on the artists behind the albums. Now that I think of it, my blog now definitely takes a page from the book’s execution (no pun intended). Maybe this book inspired me way more than I even know! Anyways, one of the suggestions that stuck with me the hardest was a page on 90′s alternative band Radiohead’s third album OK Computer. Word around the internet music forums I frequented at the time was that OK Computer was one of the most influential albums ever created in regards to its sound and lyrical content. After being further recommended this album by 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, I simply could not go on with my life without hearing this album. And lemme tell you...OK Computer was definitely the soundtrack to my angst-filled underclassman years in high school. I had never heard anything like it before, the fusion of gentle acoustic work with eclectic electronic editing that was capped off by the haunting echoes of frontman Thom Yorke’s vocal style. I was late to the party by about 15 years, but at that moment I knew what every single person in the 90′s knew about Radiohead: they’re the real deal. Launched into stardom with their debut single Creep from the album Pablo Honey, Radiohead were huge in their native UK, but struggled to find success outside of the country. The US would be more formally introduced to Radiohead with their following release The Bends, debuting at number 88 on the Billboard 100. The Bends is 90′s alternative at its finest, highlighting a period where Radiohead was considered a much more contemporary band. However, the band wanted to broaden their horizons after a boost of confidence from the success of The Bends. OK Computer was the highly anticipated follow up that would make Radiohead a household name, and opened the door for Radiohead’s later experimental work on albums like Kid A and In Rainbows. Interestingly enough, much of the inspiration for the eerie and off-putting nature of some songs from OK Computer were derived from jazz trumpeter Miles Davis’ wacky 1970 album Bitches Brew. Yorke spoke of the inspiration to Q Magazine in 1999, saying, “It was building something up and watching it fall apart, that's the beauty of it. It was at the core of what we were trying to do with OK Computer." This strategy of elaborate song set-up would be the driving force behind today’s featured track Paranoid Android, which originally started as a fourteen minute odyssey that included drawn out organ solos. Ultimately, the finish product would be halved to about six minutes, still the longest track on OK Computer. The song is broken into four different ‘sections’, the first being more reminiscent to Radiohead’s previous album The Bends with its soft acoustic approach and minimal electronic effects. As Paranoid Android progresses, the second section changes to a different acoustic riff from the opening verse with bursts of electric guitar chords that mimic the acoustic line that accent sharp inflections within the verse. Towards the end of the song, the tempo slows to a crawl in the third section which comes off as more of a ballad-type phrase. Thom Yorke’s chilling moans and wails provide a wonderful contrast to the dream-like scene the music paints, creating an environment that feels closer to a nightmare than a dream. The last line of the song ‘God loves his children’ marks the segue into the final section where the original tempo and riff from the second section are reprised and an all-out brigade from the rhythm section ensues, featuring a heavily distorted guitar solo from Johnny Greenwood. The themes explored musically on Paranoid Android lack a clear direction, which in my opinion makes for a much more enjoyable track that keeps the listener in question as to which direction the band will take next in the exact same song. Not every track from OK Computer carries this distinct trait, but the selection of songs offered has a taste for every palate that culminates to one delicious plate of hor d’oeuvres that remains fresh over 20 years after the fact. The hype for OK Computer may have died down since its initial run...but the hype is still real. I highly recommend this one!

[music2liveby]

DAY 204: Abstract Art by Born of Osiris

Album: The Eternal Reign Release: February 24th, 2017 Genre: Deathcore

Man, band names are hard. Have you ever tried coming up with one? What sticks among all the wacky names we have available across so many genres? Some bands go entire albums without even knowing what to call themselves. It’s not quite a moot point, because it’s the brand your band will go by for the rest of their careers. It’d be a little awkward to change your name during the height of your success. But when nobody knows who you are, it’s pretty much free reign. Born of Osiris went through three different names before deciding on their name inspired by Egyptian mythology. Their lineup in their early days was just as uncertain as their name, developing over the course of a few years. Starting out as Diminished, the only member that remained from the band’s inception to the present iteration of Born of Osiris was drummer Cameron Losch, who withstood the first changeover of the band from Diminished to Your Heart Engraved a year later. Your Heart Engraved would see the arrival of permanent members Joe Buras and Ronnie Canizaro on synthesizer and vocals respectively, but the changes did not stop there. After two EPs under their new band name, the band once again shifted to Rosecrance for a year before finally deciding on the name that would represent their band from there on out: Born of Osiris. With this permanent name came the addition of two more permanent members, Lee McKinney on guitar and David Da Rocha on bass. Approaching their final form, Born of Osiris released their first EP The New Reign under their new name. Metal music label Sumerian Records caught wind of the new kids on the block, and quickly signed the group to a record deal that has since amounted to five full-length album releases spanning a decade’s time. Their sound is dominated by a progressive metal feel with demonic growls from frontman Ronnie Canizaro and keyboardist Joe Buras who trade off between verses. Buras’ poppy synth adds a splash of color to the grey-scale block of metal that barrages the listener. I first heard this technically challenging group in the days of their first EP The New Reign, but was reintroduced right around the time Born of Osiris was celebrating their ten year anniversary of the EP with an entirely rerecorded version released as The Eternal Reign. It was odd to relive all the tracks that I was familiar with back in high school with a little wear-and-tear that ten years will do to a high energy metal band. However, the tightness of the instruments has only grown with the chemistry of the band’s members. In particular, the jam that kept Born of Osiris on replay for me was today’s featured song Abstract Art, a track true to its name. There are a variety of musical textures employed by the band within Abstract Art, from a disorganized start of sorts to the numerous changes in phrasing that affect the tempo. Of course, this leads up to the glorious breakdown that closes out the song...oh metal breakdowns, where would we be in society without you? The breakdown is a remarkably curated feast for the ears that dares you to keep up with its note placement. I think what draws me to this section as opposed to many other deathcore bands is the crystal clear coherence in unison between the rhythm section. It’s not impossible to decipher, but it’s a hefty challenge. Music that stimulates my musical mind is always at the top of my playlist, and metal is one of the best places to find masterpieces of composition that are often overlooked due to the intimidating fashion of the genre. Fuck dipping your toe in the water, why not dive headfirst into deathcore with what one of the best the genre has to offer?