04/11/2008
Liner notes to my newest muxtape
Muxtape is a great service by a neat guy. When it launched, I created a muxtape called iliketheslowjams. It's a good mix, but as you may have guessed, it's a bit slow.
So recently, I created a regular muxtape at tedroden.muxtape.com. I really like this one. It's got a everything, a live track from a show that I attended, a guest vocal performance by Mandy Moore, it's not too indie or anything, it's pretty good. But after a couple of listens, I realized that it too was very slow. So I decided to create a muxtape for the rest of me. The liner notes follow.
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cockrock.muxtape.com: The liner notesThis is music so brutal, so carnal, so primal that when you see these bands live you don't even watch them. You stand in front of the monstrous convulsing speakers and let your body soak it in. This is as close to nature as you're going to get today. This mix tells you that you're going to be a better parent than your parents were. This is important, you're going to teach this stuff to your kids. Onto the songs.
This song starts everything on the right note. The short track starts with a little laugh, perhaps a giggle, that tells you that you've come to the right place. The laugh says, "this will be nice, you're in for a treat, now check out these monster guitars."
This song follows suit with a very similar tempo. It sounds like your first leather jacket. While that jacket was ill-fitting and somehow constantly smelled of dust, whiskey and early twenties body odor, both the jacket and this song remind you that guitars sound better on vinyl.
This isn't the first time you've heard a lot of these songs, and this one is no exception. Hearing it now feels like you're sitting through a history lesson you've heard a number of times. As if your stoner history teacher is totally phoning it in and the lecture is a rerun. But, you always liked this lesson and it helps you remember your roots. Also, you're not going to have to sit through the acoustic bits later in original album.
This song starts out with a woodblock. It doesn't let up. Most songs don't know how to rock with an entire drum set. The Queens could have done it here with only a hollowed out block of wood. But they don't stop there. The drums keep up, chanting starts and the simple guitar solo tempts you to break out your air guitar.
Brooklyn can rock. Federale will explain that to you. They immediately demand your attention, which you give, and you hang on every word they have to say. This song reminds you that guitars aren't best heard on vinyl, they're best heard through an open garage door behind a six pack of beer.
I'm not going to lie to you, this is a song for the ladies. Sure, you totally love it, because this song totally kicks ass, but at the end of the day it's a love song and that's not really your thing. Let your chick know that this song says everything that you can't, and ask if she wouldn't mind getting a couple of beers. It's a bit "hair metal," but sweet Jesus these guys rock! Listen to his voice, that shredding... magnificent.
For years and years the song name "Evil Ways" was taken by Santana, repurposed into something to buy groceries to. Not any longer. Black Mountain took that name and gave it an appropriate song. While you're certainly not going to, the drums make you want to play air drums, but you could.
Listen to this glorious mess. The whole sound moves as one. When the guitars, bass and drums all gang up on you about two minutes in, you're not ashamed to admit you're a bit scared. But you're pretty sure you hear Josh Homme in there, letting you know everything is going to be OK.
People suggest that this is a joke band and they laugh at them. I dare you to ask those people to name some bands that aren't a joke... you'll see, they're just confused. Also, this is the only acoustic addition. It rocks so hard, it's only acoustic because our pea brains couldn't handle an electric version of this song. Also, at one minute long, this is a perfect chance to smoke a cigarette. Amidst all this balls out rocking, it shouldn't take you much longer than a minute to smoke a cigarette.
Not only this mix, but the entire history of music has been leading up to this song. It starts strong, and he flat out declares that he owns "the right to be the king of kings." This song is an achievement on par with anything humanity has ever done. When it sounds like it's relenting about a minute and a half in, it sounds like a challenge from them: doubt this, let your guard down. I'd advise against it, close your eyes and get ready. |
03/24/2008
Hope that is okay
Today, while I was out having an interesting discussion, the lady texted me. The content follows:
Bought tickets for blitzen trapper + fleet foxes on Saturday. Hope that is okay.
If she thought my response to "Hope that is okay" would be "No." That is the opposite of what I'd say.
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| Blitzen Trapper |
I'd love to provide a link so that you could download the new Fleet Foxes album legally. I'd double love to give you a link to buy their CD or record. But I can't, it's not out yet. So go download it. It's the best album of the year.
03/10/2008
Eleventh Hour
The new Del The Funky Homosapien comes out tomorrow. However, since I pre-ordered from the label, they sent it early and it just arrived... autographed.
I'm pretty psyched and after listening to the first few songs, it sounds pretty good. Here's hoping a new Deltron 3030 is on the way.
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| Eleventh Hour |
02/19/2008
Meaningful Reviews
I went to download an album on eMusic. The album had pretty good pitchfork review and I had credits to burn, so I figured I had nothing to lose.
However, I was saved from spending my cash money by an eMusic user who seems to disagree with the pitchfork review. I was so moved by the well rounded and insightful critique of the album that I've posted it below. 1
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| Thanks for contributing. |
1. "Sorry" for the sarcasm.
02/16/2008
The Bluegrass Seekers
My brother lives in Germany. A while ago, he joined a bluegrass band with a bunch of germans. He plays the fiddle.
Check it out.
02/15/2008
Wedding DJ
Our wedding DJ showed up today. He will also play music for us in the kitchen before and after the big day. Not bad for $100 (after iPhone rebate).
Seriously though, this little box is the Altec Lansing T612, a speaker system specifically for the iPhone. It works any reasonably new iPod, but it also has shielded cables or something. Which means that the iPhone signal doesn't interfere with the speakers and cause that awful buzzing noise. It sounds good and works flawlessly (so far). I wish it looked a bit nicer, but it does the job.
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| A new addition to our kitchen |
02/03/2008
New soul
I'm sure you know that song from the Macbook Air commercial. Like all the songs from Apple commericials, it's catchy, kinda great and you generally have no idea who it is. Well, since it's an oldish commericial now, you've probably already tracked down the artist. If you haven't, it's Yael Naïm.
After hearing that song on the commericial, I immediately looked around the internet for the artist's name. However, after I found it, I never bothered to listen to the full version. I just did. It's really great.
It falls apart at the end with horns, backup singers, keyboard flourishes and general delightfulness. I recommend that you listen to it.
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| You've decided not to buy the product, now listen to the song. |
01/19/2008
I'll Never Be King
A while ago, in what seems to be another life, I made and recorded a lot of music. Done entirely in my apartment, I'd write songs and record them, but I was never terribly interested in playing them for other people. Now that I have some distance between myself and the songs, I don't really mind.
Whenever I would play the songs, or give someone a recording of them, I'd always do that under a pseudonym: Lewis Powell.
Anyways, here is a song called "I'll Never Be King." Hope you enjoy my off-key "singing" and bad production values. If not, just press stop.
01/02/2008
Apes & Androids Destroys Ticketmaster
I've only heard a few things from Apes & Androids, but I liked it all. And several of my friends are closely associated with them, so I figured it would be a good show. And it's on my birthday! Around the corner from my apartment!
However, ordering the tickets appears to have broke ticketmaster.com. Oh well, I'm sure it will work out. If you can't count on ticketmaster to deliever a reasonable service for a reasonable price, what can you count on?
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| Rails? |
01/01/2008
Shine a Light
Martin Scorsese made another concert film. I bought and saw his little film "The Last Waltz" last year and was blown away. The Band at that point was an amazing thing. Probably the only possible way to top it would be with The Rolling Stones, in NYC.
I can't wait!