Wed, 27 Jul 2005

I like Yasmine White; her songs all sound different, yet somehow all sound like her. Now if only someone would explain why the the iTMS claims that Listeners Also Bought the soundtrack to How The West Was Won...

Mon, 25 Jul 2005

The Return of the Clerkenwell Kid has some of that feel. The songs on here vary in style and influences. But within that randomness a set of common themes emerge, are explored and then go back into hiding. There's a method to the madness. And it's fun to listen to while you try to figure out what the method is, and whether it too is mad.

Mon, 11 Jul 2005

Fri, 08 Jul 2005

But about the band: Summer Lawns has a slow and languorous¹ sound; they do a cover of This Little Light of Mine that's so low key it threatens to blow that little light right out. I like it, not least for its audacity. Just the sort of thing for a night's wallow in melancholy.

As is the rest of the album. Funny that Piano Song, the first track and Choke, the last, are the most accessible and, if not exactly cheerful, the most relaxed and relaxing. It's as if the band wanted to ease us into a mood and then help us back out again. Considerate of them.

1. Which Merriam-Webster defines as "producing or tending to produce languor" or "full of or characterized by languor". Now that's a big help. I suppose I could go look up languor, but I just don't have the energy.

Mon, 27 Jun 2005

Wed, 22 Jun 2005

Wed, 25 May 2005

And so is surf music. It's not deeply meaningful. But it can certainly lift your spirits. And even better, there are no lyrics to interfere with your musical enjoyment. The only problem, if you believe there's one, is that after three or four tracks you're wishing for a little variety.

And that's what I like about Night in Old Town. Unlike their earlier tracks on the iTMS, which I sampled after discovering this album (and which for some reason are not linked correctly; do a search on "susan & surftones" to find them), the band has found a way to vary their style from song to song without leaving the realm of surf music.

I wonder if they too were getting bored with everything sounding the same.

Fri, 20 May 2005

"Alison Breitman, an adorable pixie of a New Yorker, has a voice that blows away most female singers I've heard in a long time. Combine the intelligence of Aimee Mann with the sultriness of Fiona Apple and the friskiness of Annie and you have a fantastic night of live music.

"Alison's appearance doesn't do her voice justice. It's amazing that so much power is packed in such a tiny person."

Wed, 18 May 2005

What's he babbling about, I hear you cry. When I first heard Fluffy the Pitbull, my immediate reaction was Klezmer. The track was Rat Race. And something about the tempo and the instrumental backing and maybe even the vocal reminded me of Jewish music. So when I did a quick search on the artist, whose name is actually Nicole Chaplain-Pearman, and read her claim to be (and I quote) "a total klezmaniac", I felt even smarter than I usually do. (I'm sorry you had to see that.)

Anyway, Fluffy has a sound all her own. In fact, I was surprised to discover that she's a she; hers is not what I would call a feminine voice. But the combination of Fluffy's vocals, instrumentation and witty and iconoclastic lyrics puts Gabardine Swine a cut above the usual iTMS offerings.

Mon, 21 Mar 2005

Fun stuff. And it's nice to contemplate what other gems are waiting for their chance to reemerge from the vaults.

Fri, 11 Mar 2005

But here's a first for this blog: a musician who emailed me about his new album. I gave it a listen and think it's worthy of your attention. Being the lazy sort, I'll let Jeff tell you what he told me:

Hank,

I'd like to introduce my CD, Bug Fights. It's newly available on iTunes. It's mostly chill Radiohead-esque melody music, but it has its rockin' moments too. I'm not going to hype it. It's just a CD--nothing for saving worlds, but it's a tight piece of work some people will love.

In 2000, I co-founded a NYC punk band called Stupid (www.stupidband.com), but now I'm on my own. Nothing like Stupid, Bug Fights is almost entirely my creation. I must however credit Charles "Chicky" Reeves for co-producing and mixing. He also recorded two tracks. Also Ryan White played sax on a track, and co-wrote one. Fine gentlemen they.

Thanks for the ears!

Jeff Byrd

Mon, 07 Mar 2005

It's a fun song, no question. And it's even more fun to see what other people do with it. Especially Mark Davis and Marilyn Whitelaw, who manage to turn it into an ode to I Dream of Jeannie. This'll sound great next to my album of Stairway to Heaven covers. And that Louie, Louie collection from Rhino; can't forget about that...

Mon, 21 Feb 2005

In any event, I found Miss Halfway to be tuneful and sweet, a nice addition to the selections in my iPod. It reminds me a bit of the interstitial music on Gilmore Girls.

Yes, I watch Gilmore Girls. Wanna make something of it?

Mon, 27 Dec 2004

Surf Cinema's a pretty awesome recreation of those moldy oldies. But not slavish duplication; there's a bit of winking going on. Like the little bit of Harlem Nocturne in Harlem By The Sea. And is that a bit of Secret Agent Man in Prague Rock?¹ Heck, it's worth listening to just to pick out the musical influences!

1. Apologies for using the Just Surf version of Secret Agent Man. I was shocked to discover that the iTMS doesn't carry Johnny Rivers' version. The Jingle Cats they have. But Johnny Rivers? No such luck.

Fri, 17 Dec 2004

If you're old enough, you might remember Nez for a bunch of reasons. The Monkees, of course; Nez was the tall one with the knitted cap. And there's the family legacy: the guy was heir to the Liquid Paper fortune. ( Seriously.) And then there's Elephant Parts; Nez was doing music videos before anybody'd ever heard of such a thing. With the most incoherently funny commentary track a DVD ever had. (At least the most intentionally incoherently funny; I can think of a few good candidates in the unintentional category.) I'd tell you more, but the iTMS doesn't carry it.¹ And this blog is only about the iTMS.

But through all the years, there's been a steady stream of music. Nez's songs sound sorta the same but sorta different. Cheerful, funny, wise, tuneful, energetic, with a kind of country twang. And lyrics you can understand; I like that. Listening to Nez makes me feel happy. And in today's world, who doesn't want more of that?

1. You can find Elephant Parts and Nez's other works at his web store. I know I said I couldn't tell you about it, but so what? Consistency is grossly overrated. Besides, if I can't break my own rules, what's the fun of having them?

Wed, 15 Dec 2004

Fri, 10 Dec 2004

Mon, 22 Nov 2004

I mention this only because it came back to me when I saw this album by a band called Monster Movie. And I had to give them a listen, if only because of that intriguing name. So I tried track 4, a sweet instrumental called From a Distance. And then went to track 7, Good Grief. Which was exactly my reaction; were these really from the same band? So I played #9, Out of Touch, a lovely vocal that was a little like the former and not at all like the latter. And by then I was hooked.

Sampling on iTMS can be frustrating. I'll try an album by some new artist and like the first track I hear. And then try a second. And I like that one too, but only because it sounds just like the first. And so on with a third, although if it sounds like the others I know I'd be bored long before the end. Three strikes is all you get.

But that's not a problem with these guys. To The Moon is the most diverse collection I've ever heard from a single band. And at least in this case, that's a good thing.

Mon, 15 Nov 2004

Okay, rant over. (At least until my next entry.) Because whether complete or not, I love this album. Shawn Colvin's minimalist approach does wonders for the songs she covers here. Especially Every Little Thing (He) Does Is Magic, which she gives a breathy, slightly rushed and sexy delivery that Sting never managed. I liked it so much, I used that track on my first mix CD, which I've partially recreated as my very first iMix.

But I digress. (Big surprise, if you've spent any time here.) The point is that this is an experiment and something of a risk. Where Colvin's other albums show off her skill both as songwriter and performer, here her singing stands alone. And it does so gloriously.

Tue, 09 Nov 2004