I know there has not been a post in 2 months. School and other things have gotten the best of me, but I am wanting to get this site up and running again, so I decided to start making more posts of just random songs, thoughts and insights as much as possible.
Let’s open up this post by reviewing a few songs that majority of people have probably never heard of. It’s a shame that more people don’t try to explore different musical genres and discover new artists, but hopefully my little slice of the internet can serve as a guide for those trying to expand their musical minds.
“Grounds for Divorce” – Elbow
This song gives off a Moby meets The Black Keys meets Beck with a side of Gorillaz. The strong influence of distorted slide guitar as well as the deep tones and simple rhythms of the drums and base create a heavy beat that is complimented with clean vocals and scattered lyrics. The music itself resembles the Southern-Rock vibe of the Black Keys. The heavy beats and echoing vocals remind me of Moby and the unique rhythms of Beck. I threw in the Gorillaz reference due to the lead singer singing vocals that could be put on any Gorillaz track. Enjoy.
[audio http://download17.mediafire.com/0ktjnj1uf2kg/n0nbxk0g0jt/34+-+Elbow+-+Grounds+For+Divorce.mp3]
“F-ked Up Kids” – Kevin Drew
I really enjoy the subtlety of this song, from the vocals to the mellow and upbeat rhythm. The simple off-tempo beat resembles many of the Indie bands that are starting to get big today (especially those from the UK). Kevin’s vocals compliment the song perfectly, creating a sense of withholding of the full power of the song from the listener. By this, I mean how the song seems to progress and I could see a strong vocal movement (Bono-ish?) happening at various parts of the song, but Kevin keeps the vocals on the same level. This keeps me intrigued as a listener and provides an up-beat song that is mellow enough to relax to.
[audio http://download17.mediafire.com/jfvy3sxjzapg/nfwyi39ynbn/27+-+Kevin+Drew+-+F-ked+Up+Kids.mp3]
“Fuego!” – Murder By Death
From the very beginning, the strumming guitars teased me into thinking this might be another The Killers-esque type of song. The entrance of an older-sounding voice by lead singer Adam Turla create a sound similar to that of Johnny Cash back in his day. The simple tempo resembles The Killers in many ways, yet the difference vocals and lyrics of Murder By Death create a very different type of song. Although the song is somewhat dark in its nature, it is definitely one to check out.
[audio http://download17.mediafire.com/wvdnvwjw02vg/b3y3yzvfvit/29+-+Murder+By+Death+-+Fuego%21.mp3]
“Coat Check Dream Song” – Bright Eyes
Conor Oberst is hands-down one of the most progressive and creative musical icons of our time. It’s funny how even though that statement would be agreed upon by many people, majority of music listeners have never heard of Bright Eyes, nevertheless its lead singer Conor Oberst. Off of the newest album Cassadaga, Bright Eyes delivers an album full of influence from Country and Americana, and then comes through with this gem. The beat of this song is nothing I have ever really heard from Bright Eyes, having a off-tempo rhythm complimented with the mellow and flowing voices that can be found on every Bright Eyes album. Definitely a must-have for Bright Eyes fans, and especially for those trying to check out a completely new type of mellow alt-rock.
[audio http://download17.mediafire.com/dvebg3yhxvng/zpyzidomy4i/18+-+Bright+Eyes+-+Coat+Check+Dream+Song.mp3]
“Invisible” – Modest Mouse
Energy, emotion, and subtlety. These words may not completely work together in most musical descriptions, but for Modest Mouse I think they work great. For those who have heard Modest Mouse before, you know of their distinctive melodies back by empowering vocals. Isaac Brock and the boys delivered yet another great Modest Mouse album with We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank. The traditional catchy and distinct guitar melodies are present on this song, along with Brock’s unique vocals (some might get anoyed with the slight-screaming that comes out on some songs, but I love the uniqueness). Yet another great Modest Mouse song that gets you up off of your ass and makes you want to just rock out.
[audio http://download17.mediafire.com/jd9c5ze0gn9g/0cqdcqtqykn/52+-+Modest+Mouse+-+Invisible.mp3]
