Tag: music

The Neighbourhood

displacedlocalLeave a comment

I have recently begun listening to a new band called the Neighbourhood. I heard about them through a suggestion from my brother. He said they had “really cool sound.” As always I looked them up on youtube and found a few songs.

So far my favorite is “Sweater Weather” it is a beautiful song following a love story that takes place on the California beaches, but is unfit for one of them. It has a great drum and bass line.

The singers voice is hauntingly intriguing. It echoes throughout your head. The chorus has a way of planting itself in your head, in a good way.

Another song that caught my intrigue was afraid. It speaks on the fear of losing someone close. Chillingly enticing the song brings you in and never lets you go. It is incredibly well executed and provides one of the most pleasant listening experiences I have felt.

They work around a darkly beautiful aesthetic and I am excited to see what else they put out in the future.

Bon Jovi

Daphne PsaledakisLeave a comment

It’s the first day back from break, and it is clear that everyone’s thoughts still center around their week off. So I thought maybe I’d share with you guys a small part of mine.

A while back, in the beginning of December, I was stressing out. My dad’s 50th Birthday was coming up and I wasn’t quite sure what to get him. I looked at paddle-boards and passes, but I couldn’t find anything within my budget. Eventually I visited the Pepsi Center website to see if maybe I could buy him tickets to a few Colorado Avalanche games.

Advertised across the top of the screen was a banner for a Bon Jovi concert occurring on April 16th, at the Pepsi Center. We had just been to a Bruce Springsteen concert, at which my dad had said that they’re are certain people if given the chance you have to see, even if you don’t like their music. To me, Bon Jovi was one of those people.

I’m not a particular fan of his music, but one of my little brothers favorite songs has always been Livin’ on a Prayer. This prompted me to buy the tickets, and on Tuesday April 16th we packed up the truck and drove down to Denver.

As we arrived at the Pepsi Center, we noticed the six tour buses (one for each member), as well as what must have been about a dozen semi’s. The parking lot was fuller than we had ever seen it, even for Av’s games.

The concert was by far one of the better one’s I’ve been too. Not because I like his music, because I don’t really, or because he’s popular. He put on a show. He threw everything he had into what he was doing on stage.

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We soon figured out what the absurd amount of semi’s were for as huge columns rose and fell from the ceiling, rising up and down from the floor to meet in the middle. Animated graphics were projected onto the columns, matching the song Bon Jovi was belting out. At first we thought they were just fabric or styrofoam, something cheap. That was until the famous rocker started walking across them.

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He sang his hit songs, as well as songs from his new album. He danced his heart out on stage, and changed his outfit twice. The lights were insane, pulsing to the beat of the music. The concert was over-the-top. It was loud. And it was awesome.

Narduwar

displacedlocalLeave a comment

In the world of Hip-Hop you know you have made it when you get an interview from Narduwar the human serviette. He is a charismatic interviewer with a distinctive interview style.

He does extensive research on each person he interviews and finds out their musical influences.

Enough explaining this interview is fantastic, and really gives a look into the musical influences of these musicians.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Daphne Psaledakis1 Comment

This post is somewhat, if not very, overdue, seeing as the movie Perks of Being a Wallflower came out quite a while ago. I did however feel that a post on the film was necessary, as I truly enjoyed it. It made me laugh, it made me smile, it made me cry, and everything in between. It is the perfect movie, and for many different reasons.

The first reason is that it is relatable. The writers don’t try and hide the unattractive parts of being in high school. In fact, they embrace it, making it so the characters don’t seem like movie stars, but rather like someone you would pass in the hallways.

Which brings us to the second reason: The cast. Emma Watson was amazing. She fit her role perfectly, even more so than her major part in the Harry Potter series as Hermione Granger. In my opinion at least. Logan Lerman and Ezra Miller were fantastic as well.

The third reason is perhaps my favorite, but it could also very easily be my least. The roles played by the cast, and portrayed so well, made me want to be there standing in the back of the pick-up truck, cruising through a tunnel and listening to quality music. Wallflower made me want to try listening to new music, find a group of friends who accept me and push me to have more confidence, as well as deal with my emotional shortcomings in a safe way.

Perks of Being a Wallflower is a great movie, not just for teens but for adults as well, to really provide an accurate representation of what high-schoolers deal with on a daily basis. I wouldn’t particularly recommend it for the younger child, but to each his own. I loved this movie, and was incredible glad to have watched it. I would definitely say it’s high on my list, if not at the top.

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Timeflies

callmemaybe32Leave a comment

I recently came across a musical group called Timeflies.

I was drawn in by a rap that I found while studying for finals called “Adderall and Redbull,” that raps about staying up late studying for finals.

I thought that the vocalist Cal had extreme talent in his vocals and his ability to rap.

The song featured above was a freestyle on a track previously made by another artist.

To have the ability to freestyle is something I wish I had, but it is extremely difficult and takes great talent.

He shows his great freestyle ability in a cover of Ke$ha‘s “Die Young.”

In this song he has his friends write down random topics on which to rap about.

He gets the basket while in the booth and makes great music out of it.

Cal and Rez have only been around as Timeflies since 2010 but are growing in fame with the great music they are producing.

Most of the songs feature an electronic track with great vocals and raw raps.

The song “Turn it Up” features a more electric/dubstep ish style.

The groups ability to merge genres is something that they have been credited with since performing in high school and college bands.

His album “The Scotch Tape” can be found by clicking on the link.

Hope you enjoy the music

Rodriguez

Daphne PsaledakisLeave a comment

The majority of you have probably never heard of a man named Sixto Rodriguez. Neither had I until a couple days ago.

Sixto Rodriguez was born July 10, 1942, in Detroit, Michigan. His parents, immigrants from Mexico, named him Sixto because he was the sixth child in his family.

Little did he know, his upbringing as a part of the inner city poor would influence his life in more ways than he could imagine.

Rodriguez, who worked construction, was performing in a bar one night when he was discovered as an American folk singer. He signed with a small label named Impact, and produced the single “I’ll Slip Away.”

A couple years later, Rodriguez signed with Sussex Records, and produced both of his albums, “Cold Fact” and “Coming From Reality.” For some reason, most likely because of his Hispanic heritage, Rodriguez’ career in North America flopped.

Sussex Records dropped him, two weeks before Christmas, a premonition which came true from his song “Cause.”

Little did he know, Rodriguez was a super star in conservative South Africa. The story goes that an American girl came to South Africa to visit her boyfriend, with “Cold Facts” in tow. What proceeded from there was boot-legging and importing of copies.

When the copies ran dry, Australian record company Blue Goose Music bought the rights to his back catalogue, and released his two albums.

Rodriguez had become an icon of South African culture. Children ran around on the streets singing his songs. His music opened their eyes to something else, with songs like “I Wonder” helping along the realization that there was a way to fight the South African government: through music.

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Country!

smackyjackjackLeave a comment

You have to hand it to them, country music singers can say some pretty stupid stuff.

That right there is one of my favorite clips on youtube. When even the three stooges on Fox and Friends make weird faces at what you say, you know you’ve got some problems.

But other than the F-150-driving, ‘Murica-loving xenophobes like Hank Williams Jr. and Toby Keith country has some pretty awesome musicians. Hank Williams SENIOR, Jimmie Rodgers and even, to a point, Johnny Cash know how to carry a tune.  As far as the greatest songs of ALL TIME go, I’m so lonesome I could cry is up in the top three. TB Blues makes it up there too (just go listen to the slide on that song).

As far as “new” country goes (I put new in italics because it’s not really new), BR5-49 takes the cake as the best. This type of country can be enjoyed by every Prius driving, Cafe Late drinking xenophobe who likes good music. Just…forget about Hank Williams Jr. and listen to some good country.

Defeated by the Indians

callmemaybe32Leave a comment

 

While many of us were feeling hopeful going into our first night game under the lights, it did not turn out how we had hoped.

The team gathered in the locker room 5 hours before kick off to prepare for the close to 3 hour road trip over Highway 33 into Maricopa.

We all put on the lower half of our pads and so that when we walked off the bus we could get right into our pre game warm ups.

The bus ride was filled with many people sleeping, listening to music, and having a good time.

The team has not played a game under the lights for a while, so seeing lights on a field was pretty exciting.

While it was not a huge stadium, it was still a stadium none the less.

Seeing as we arrived about an hour early we spent some time running around on the field to get accustomed to the grass, and pass the ball around, having a good time, smiles could be seen on all of our faces.

At about 6 pm we all entered the final stage of game mode.

We quit the messing around, grabbed our bags, and walked over to a covered area to finish dressing and spend time thinking about our assignments, and what we wanted this game to be like.

It was almost completely silent as we all helped each other grab straps on our pads, and get pumped for the game.

After we were all ready we lined up in two lines, two men across, holding hands, and walking out in complete silence, as one well oiled machine.

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The New Realm of Music

callmemaybe32Leave a comment

As an enjoyer of many things musical, I have a very opinionated view of where the music scene is going. More recently the electronic/house/trance/dubstep/(or whatever you may call it) scene has been making its appearance.

This certain genre of music started off on the wrong foot in the eyes of the society it was breaking into. Underground raves were popping up all over the place, and kids were dying because of drug overdoses, kidney failure, liver failure, and all things linked to drinking and drugs. It is because of this rocky start that electronic dance music began to make a bad name for itself in the music world.

This music has just started to break the mold it was forced into because of stupid actions of crazy teens and young adults.

There are artists such as Skrillex, for example, who have completely changed their lives because of this music. Skrillex, or Sonny John Moore, was homeless just a year and half before accepting three grammies at the 2012 show. He is now one of the top recording dubstep, progressive, and electric artists that exist. The bad name that this music has been given is being erased with all of the success it has been bringing about.

Just as I am writing this post a song by Skrillex has come on through my headphones, and it gives me a certain feeling. A head bobbing that is uncontrollable, a foot tapping that is contagious, with my headphones in I am in my own world, but others around will know that I am enjoying what I am listening to.

Now, while this music created by artists like Skrillex, Bassnectar, Deadmau5, and many more, it is not created with the traditional drum, guitar, and bass. Rather, it is created with a computer to simulate these sounds, and also to give them a completely different sound. This is not to say that these electric songs can’t have real instruments in them.

In fact the very song that has inspired this is a new single released by Skrillex and the Doors, called “Breakn’ a Sweat.” This track features the traditional Skrillex sound created by computer software, mixing boards, turntables, and midis, with the sound that the Doors have created for years with keyboards, drums, guitar, and bass. The track also features vocals from Skrillex himself and the members of the Doors.

This video features a little bit of what went into making this track.

Somebody That I Used to Know

kirbyfullyloadedLeave a comment

“But you didn’t have to cut me off

Make it like it never happened and that we were nothing

I don’t even need your love, but you treat me like a stranger

And that feels so rough

No, you didn’t have to stoop so low

Have your friends collect your records

And then change your numberGuess that

I don’t need that though

Now you’re just somebody that I used to know.”

-“Somebody That I Used to Know“, Gotye

This song stuck in anyone else’s head?

Yeah.  I thought so.  For the longest time I could NOT figure out what this song was or who it was by.  But finally I did and I love it.

The music video is surprisingly good.  Very artistic and mellow, but not enough to be considered hipster.

And I suppose Wally de Backer is alright cute.

Gotta admit though… the reason I wrote this post was to show you this picture:

That shared, I’m done.