Fall Playlist (10/24/2010)

Good morning from Rochester!  I've been delaying writing this installment for two reasons:  1) This playlist keeps growing, and I don't want to miss something earth-shattering; and C) It's already ballooned over 80 tracks, which makes it impossible to post here in its entirety - so I've been debating exactly how to capture fall.  I think we'll go with pivotal tracks with shout-outs to complete albums and see where we land.  I've got most of Brand New "Deja Entendu," The Classic Crime "Albatross," and a large chunk of Escala's self-titled album, which is tremendously baller.  (If you haven't had the distinct pleasure, may I particularly recommend their cover of Led Zepplin's "Kashmir," re-recorded featuring Slash from Guns and Roses on guitar.  True story.)  I've also got a bunch of Audioslave from their self-titled and off "Out Of Exile" - but that's just because Chris Cornell and Tom Morello rock real hard.
UPDATE:  Wow.  This post is wayyy late!  Let's see if I can't hammer something out this morning. :-)

• Au Revoir Simone - Stay Golden [Verses of Comfort, Assurance & Salvation]: Simple and beautiful; "for times when Sigur Rós and only Sigur Rós will do."  (I realize that this is not, in fact, Sigur Rós.)
• Bush - Glycerine [Sixteen Stone]:  Recently the answer to a trivia question, this song captures the change of seasons for me; "don't let the days go by..."
• Dream Theater - Wither [Wither]:  Definitely one of my favorite Dream Theater tracks ever (though "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence" is pretty much amazing), I love this entire song.  Highlights?  Check out the bridge at 3:43 into a massive rock-ballad guitar solo at 4:00 into the final chorus at 4:16.  Beautiful.  "...like reflections on the page, the world's what you create..."
• Fuel - Hideaway [Sunburn]:  Fuel put out Sunburn back in 1998, but I still say it's one of their best albums (I've previously posted about Shimmer, off this same album).  Like Glycerine above, this song takes me back, which is good for a reflective season like autumn.
• Incubus - The Warmth [Make Yourself]:  My brother put me back on to this song recently.  Though I forget the exact circumstances, he and I both had the same response to this song:  the verses are ok, but check out the chorus!  (I won't spoil it additionally for you.)
• Jimmy Eat World - Blister [Clarity]:  Like most of us, I didn't really hear about Jimmy Eat World until Bleed American came out in 2001.  (Interesting piece of trivia, the album was released in the United States as a self-titled following the 9/11 attacks.)  Blister is definitely a little rough around the edges, but it undeniably shows promise.  (Additional tidbit:  Goodbye Sky Harbor, also off Clarity, is over sixteen minutes long, and includes an a cappella riff at the end of the song!)
• The Juliana Theory - Into The Dark [Emotion Is Dead]:  I believe The Juliana Theory is one of the most underrated bands of all time, especially in regards to song writing.  The song starts with a very cool organ sample on a loop which slowly fades into the texture as the verse unfolds.  Enter huge chorus, complete with harmony:  "In your eyes I see a darkness that torments you/and in your head where it dwells. / I'd give you my hand if you'd reach out and grab it. / Let's walk away from this hell..."
• Kate Havnevik - Nowhere Warm [Melankton]:  At the temperatures drop, I feel like I'm more attracted to music from the cold north.  Off the Norwegian singer's debut album, the track is simple but attractive (much like her album art), fitting perfectly with my bi-weekly drive across the frozen landscape via I-90.  (I will throw out the warning that every song on her album sounds like it's off a Grey's Anatomy soundtrack.)
• Linkin Park - Hands Held High [Minutes to Midnight]:  I'm not an overly-political guy, but I've always liked this song.  Mike Shinoda doesn't mince words (see Kenji off The Rising Tied) and his message comes through crystal-clear in this song:  "when the rich wage war it's the poor who die."  What surprised me most about this song though is the ending, after Mike stops rapping at 2:37.  "With hands held high into the sky so blue / As the ocean opens up to swallow you..."
• Matt Pond PA - Champagne Supernova [Music from the O.C. Mix 4]:  For some reason, it took me forever to find a copy of this song originally.  Very odd.  Originally by Oasis, Matt Pond PA brings a nice orchestral spin to the famous song (certainly owing it's fame partly due to the unknown meaning of the lyrics).  The body of the song is quite similar, so if you're in a rush, skip to 6:00 and listen to the end. :-)
• Meg & Dia - Here, Here and Here [Here, Here and Here]:  I'm including this mostly for irony:  I've already written about this track, and proclaimed that it would likely "not last much longer on my playlist..."  So much for that prediction!
• Ms. John Soda - A Nod On Hold [Notes and the Like]:  Another European artist, Ms. John Soda combines elements of several artists I like (Imogen Heap / Frou Frou, Goldfrapp, Azure Ray, Stars) without sounding like an imitator.  The production on this album is also superb.  
• Natalie Walker - Quicksand (Thievery Corporation Remix) [Quicksand - EP]:  I love Natalie Walker's voice - I think it's really stellar.  That having been said, the Thievery Corporation Remix of Quicksand is the perfect mind-clearing song:  In my opinion, it's actually got a little too much bass in it... but for me, that's what I find so soothing about this song.  The warm, tube-saturated bass just fills the car and empties my mind.  Very relaxing.  Also check out her cover of "Colorblind" (see my previous post).
• Nelly - Just a Dream [Just a Dream - Single]:  Standard infectious pop.  Funny side-note:  I recall having a conversation with someone about Nelly years ago, and they famously declared "I will buy a Nelly album when he puts out something that doesn't suck."  I couldn't agree more.
• Nine Inch Nails - Where Is Everybody [Things Falling Apart]:  Since I've not yet written about NIN, I'll take a moment on this one.  I went through a big NIN phase in high school (as many of us did at the time).  It was part of a teenage, rebellious, "what does it all mean" phase that naturally I grew out of.  That having been said, I still think Trent Reznor is a musical genius and was way ahead of his time with this album.  (People were blown away when Linkin Park released Reanimation in 2002, but Reznor had been releasing remix albums of NIN songs since 1995!  I also believe that Things Falling Apart was a strong influence in the production of Reanimation.)  Anyway, released in 2000 as a sister-album to The Fragile, Things Falling Apart included a variety of remixes, including a heavily industrial remix of "Where Is Everybody."  Even if you don't like the song, you kind of have to agree that Reznor is good at what he does...
• Porcupine Tree - Collapse The Light Into Earth [In Absentia]:  My brother would be proud of this entry.  "Collapse The Light Into Earth" is weighty, expansive, and beautiful.  If your drive is less than thirty minutes,  you probably don't have enough time to devote to this six-minute track.  That having been said, when you have a moment, just relax and take it all in.  You will be rewarded in kind.
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - I Could Die For You [By the Way]:  I've apparently never discussed a RHCP song.  Very odd.  Let me start by saying that By the Way is easily one of my favorite albums, even though it contains very few of my favorite songs (does that make sense?).  It's a nice quiet song, perfect for the setting sun on an early-autumn evening.

There are certainly other songs on this playlist, but I feel they will come up at other times.  For now, I will leave you all with wishes of joy this holiday season.  I hope you spend it with friends, family, and loved ones, and that your holiday travels are safe and expeditious.  PS - I finally finished the album.  "Say Goodbye to Rover" is officially complete.  Thanks to everyone who helped get me here - it's been a long road and a busy four weeks.  Already starting to think about the next project... ;-)

Warm fuzzies to you and yours this Christmas.

-JB

Infant Sorrow

This may be the most egregious musical guilty pleasure I've ever admitted, but we'll go with it.  Straight up:  I'm mildly obsessed with the fictional band "Infant Sorrow."  How could this happen, you ask?  Basically, Russell Brand plays the character "Aldous Snow" first in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and then more prominently in Get Him To The Greek.  In the latter of the two Judd Apatow productions, Snow plays a washed-up English rocker with the usual set of drug and alcohol issues.  The movie is so-so, and nowhere near as funny as it was billed.  The 16-track album Infant Sorrow released to coincide with the movie however, shows a faint shimmer of additional promise.  My favorite tracks, in semi-Top-5 order:

1. Going Up: I actually wish there was a "live" version of this song from the movie, because I think the more dramatic introduction worked well for the song.  Regardless, this is a high-energy, windows-down, thank-God-the-sun-is-shining rocker.  If you don't believe me, listen to the first minute.
2. Little Bird:  "Little bird, you have got to be eighteen, or a few years past your teens; or you are in my eyes..."  I would find this really offensive, but the next verse is "Little bird, if you were born 'fore '92..." which I think is really funny.  As my parents used to say: "That's not funny, that's sick."  Probably true.
3. Furry Walls:  I think I'm most amused by the memory of the closing scene from "Get Him to the Greek," which featured Infant Sorrow playing this song live.  The song doesn't make much sense (out of the context of the movie), but it is still catchy and offensive.
4. Bangers, Beans and Mash:  The first time I heard this song, I hated it because the lyrics are so idiotic.  But the songwriting grew on me as I heard it, until it actually became my favorite song on the album.  The song is mediocre until 1:38, where it really steps it up all the way to the end.  Hat's off Infant Sorrow:  you guys managed to write a real song; now if it was only about something other than traditional English fare.

In other news, this post is extraordinarily delayed.  Happy Thanksgiving to everyone who reads these posts.  I hope you're all with friends and family, enjoying all the trimmings.

Warmest (aural) regards,

-JB

End of Summer Rock

Summer has officially come to an end:  the pools are closed, I'm wearing layers, and we here in Syracuse have seen frost on the windows; Octoberfest and Pumpkin brews are now "seasonal," and its time to put away the power-pop sounds of May - August.
That having been said, it's been an interesting summer, and I'd like to put out a "Previously Obsessed" composite Top-8 listing of Brand New and Coheed & Cambria (both NY bands, I'd like to mention):

For Brand New, the songs all hail from Deja Entendu, released in 2003 and largely introduced to me by Mr. David Allen at some point during my matriculation at Bucknell University.  The songs are weighty, with pensive, reflective verses and power-rock choruses; the cold vs. the warm; fall vs. summer.  I'd start with "I Will Play My Game Beneath The Spin Light," which gets particular credit for the following lyrics:

• Opening line:  "The time has come for colds and overcoats..."
• Midway through verse 1:  "I need the smell of summer/ I need its noises in my ear."
• End of verse 2:  "Oh, I would kill for the Atlantic, / but I am paid to make girls panic while I sing."

(I find the last line amusing - nice mental image.)  Ok - ready?  Time to get serious:  Song #2 is "Okay I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don't."  If you're looking for a bit of trivia, KB Vidz (see previous post) has covered this video, and its wild.  Check it out here - my fraternity brother is the only guy in the video.  Anyway, the chorus in this song makes the 2:09 wait completely worth it, so don't give up hope prematurely.  Speaking of patience, the breakdown for the bridge at 4:23 is clutch (please overlook the brief, ill-advised bout of screaming at 4:47), and drives it home into the last chorus.  Finally, we conclude with the first single off the album:  "The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows."  Unlike, the previous two, this song wastes no time getting to the guitar-driven riff for the chorus (sans vocals, though).  Given the song's radio play and billboard standings (#37), I'll close with the chorus:

"So keep the blood in your head

And keep your feet on the ground"

Coheed & Cambria gets the remaining five spots on my list.  For those who are unfamiliar, allow me to provide a little background.  Coheed & Cambria has released a series of albums (of which I will pull from two), based on a set of graphic novels (comics), written by frontman Claudio Sanchez.  Having neither read nor seen this literature, I will refrain from any further comment (but know that the story is complex and sci-fi based).  I believe Coheed & Cambria has largely not been recognized by the mainstream due to the lyrics (which are story-based; instead of abstract and brainless, but catchy and easy-to-remember), the length of some of the songs (many in excess of seven minutes), and their blending of genres to achieve a truly unique sound (taken across the albums).
Before I launch into the songs I've selected, I will propose a convention (for ease of reading/writing) for short-handing the album titles (you'll see why in a moment):

• "III" = "In Keeping Secrets Of Silent Earth: 3"
• "IV" = "Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Vol. 1: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness"

Notably, this list does not include some of (what I consider to be) their most popular songs:

• Welcome Home [IV]:  Hit track and first single off the album, this song managed to make it on to the Rock Band video game, which I would postulate may be the first time many of these gamers had heard a Coheed & Cambria song they could later identify.
• A Favor House Atlantic & Blood Red Summer [III]:  Both released as singles, without significant radio play (but both excellent songs)
• The Suffering [IV]:  Second single off "IV," this again was under-appreciated by radio listeners.
• The Crowing [III]:  One of the best Coheed & Cambria songs ever, especially as performed by UPenn Off the Beat.

That all having been established, I will move chronologically through my seven, by track and album order.  (It is worth mentioning that this is not entirely fair, because I'm skipping tracks on these albums.  We will overlook this trespass for now...)

1. Three Evils (Embodied In Love and Shadow) [III]:  Upbeat with interesting chord changes - I love it.  As above, I wish we could do without the brief screaming incident starting at 2:16 - but it was a trend of the times.  I will also note the reoccurring theme that the lyrics in these songs are confusing, graphic, mind-bloggling, and likely require an intimate familiarity with "The Amory Wars" and a degree in psychology to fully digest. 
2. The Camper Velourium I: Faint of Hearts [III]:  I have no vested interest in anything The Beatles have ever done.  That having been said, I was amused when I heard the homage to "I Am The Walrus" in the first 10 seconds.  (If you listen carefully, someone laughs in the right channel immediately afterwards.)  Anyway, I dig this whole song, but 3:45 really does it for me:  "But I'm not quite sure what you've been told on Labor Day..."  Something about that chord progression into the chorus.  Good times.
3. The Light & the Glass [III]:  Ok - so, if you're unfamiliar with Coheed & Cambria, you're probably confused if you're listening to this song.  For the record, this happens at least once on each of these albums, and isn't that different from Jimmy Eat World writing a slow song... so get over it!  In all honesty, I don't even like the acoustic part of this song.  For me, the song starts at 4:11 when they start to rock a little harder.  The song becomes an avalanche:  building momentum until guitars mostly cut-out 1:30 from the end, at which point the song lingers, hanging in the air like the moments after a disaster.  Check it out.  (PS - The last 0:44 are nonsense, so just ignore that.)
4. Mother May I [IV]:  The more I hear this song, the more it gets into my head.  Ignoring the obvious weirdness associated with "So run little children, play/ I'll leave the light off to turn your mother on," the chorus just rocks too hard to be ignored:  "God only knows when your word isn't pure/ And the blood on your hands isn't yours... So give them the story they want/ You too, before you leave me" -- I couldn't agree more.
5. The Willing Well III: Apollo II: The Telling Truth [IV]:  This song likely reignited my fascination with Coheed & Cambria (first lit by seeing UPenn Off the Beat perform "The Crowing" live some years ago).  If you listen to [IV] cover-to-cover, you'll hit "Apollo I: The Writing Writer" at track 6, and think that it rocks hard and enjoyably.  "Apollo II," track 14, is the reprise to the former - a real tribute to good album-writing (which has fallen way to singles written by producers and marketed as one-off's on iTunes).  That all having been said, we haven't even gotten to the best part of the song!  At 4:46, after an extended bridge (full of excellent changes and song writing), a TOTALLY NEW chorus emerges and brings it all together, culminating in a REPRISE FROM THE ORIGINAL CHORUS.  Woah -- this is more closely aligned with classical, symphonic song writing than rock music.  Think about that.

Good times.  For the record, you'll enjoy "Apollo II" more if you listen to [IV] in its entirety, but I'll leave that to your personal discretion.  If you haven't already heard, the new mix is complete, and "Shawty's Like A Kid" is now officially on the intended 2010 release of SG2R.  In other news, I think I'm going to get back into arranging as a cathartic activity.  I'm thinking Dream Theater - "Wither" off [Black Clouds & Silver Linings].  Per my update yesterday - it's going to be epic.

Much love from the cold North.  I'm expecting snow by Halloween, though I doubt it will influence whatever asinine costume I'm roped into wearing.

-JB

Music Videos You Should Have Seen By Now

First off, I would like to take a moment to thank all of you for reading this nonsense.  It occurred to me earlier today, while overlooking a traffic jam and removing excess liquid from my body, that I'm not entirely sure of the reader-base for this publication (if one can ever call it such); but know that I love you all and would conjecture that some of you should switch to a decaffeinated brand in place of reading my musings. :-)
Gratitude expressed, we forge on:  If you haven't seen these videos, I'm not sure what you do with your life.  Far be it from me to say that this is the "10 Greatest Videos In The History of Forever" -- I'll leave that list for MTV.  Rather, this is a list of the videos I've found particularly memorable over the years, which I hope you will enjoy enjoying: (in no particular order)

1. Fuel - Shimmer [Sunburn]:  Easily one of my favorite songs of all time.  Ever.  The filming of the band is classic 90's; though at 1998 it is perhaps an homage to earlier yet.  I find three elements in the video particularly fascinating.  A)  Though you hear the strings very prevalently in the beginning of the song, there is never a clear shot of the cellist.  2)  I like that the light flickers throughout the video.  Any lighting effect that took "shimmer" more literally would have looked campy.  And D)  I'm perplexed by the choices for the video that is cut in between shots of the band.  Some of it I understand, and some of it I do not; but it really makes me think about what they were trying to convey.
2. K-OS - I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman [YES!]:  This one's a quickie.  Let me disabuse you: (SPOILER ALERT!)  Natalie Portman is nowhere in this video.  Not one frame (as best I can tell).  She is conspicuously absent, and I find this hysterical.  (And since you might be wondering by now, this song, less the title, lives in a Natlie Portman-less universe.)  There is however an awesome dance move at 0:48 -- so check that out.  I may or may not be attempting to learn that dance move. ;-)
3. The Smashing Pumpkins - Tonight, Tonight [Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness]:  This classic video is strange and wonderful.  Beyond noting that Billy Corgan is a strange and creepy dude, I feel like this video stands on its own.  Appropriate for children 5 and up. :-)
4. Jay-Z - On To The Next One (Featuring Swizz Beats) [The Blueprint 3]:  The first time I heard this song, I really wasn't impressed and dismissed it almost in its entirety.  It wasn't until Hotmess noted that "THIS VIDEO IS UNREAL" that I afforded this song its renaissance.  With my interests whetted, I attended the 3rd Annual Offensive People's Reunion where my good friend Joe keenly discerned that this song has a ridiculously hot beat.  With that brief litany established, let us commence with our discussion of the video proper.  Jay-Z is operating on a completely different plane from the reality that you and I experience in our daily lives.  Director Sam Brown is either a certified genius or an authentic wacko:  there are more fascinating/confusing/terrifying images in this video than any other single video I can recall.  For those who haven't seen it, may I recommend watching it at least 3 times - because you will likely continue to see new things during that period.  Your brain simply cannot process the amount of data in this video in a single pass. (I would love to include a more in-depth discussion of this video, including my Top-10 frames, but I don't want to spoil it for anyone who has not yet seen this masterpiece.)
5. Margot & the Nuclear So and So's - Quiet As A Mouse [The Dust of Retreat]:  I love this song.  The instrumentation is unique and driving, the song writing is top-notch, and there are some great images in the lyrics.  "When I woke I was alive in somebody's room / I felt life and love and hope infesting my bones. / Wake up you've got a lot of things to do / Wake up the sun is rising without you."  --  It's pretty much what we should all feel every morning.  I forget why I looked up this video the first time; probably because I liked the song so much.  I will say that I hated this video when I first saw it:  it didn't make sense to me, and it wasn't what I imagined when I heard the song.  But the more I think about it, the video is fascinating and powerful in the story it shows, just as the song is powerful in the lyrics and the notes.  I mean, how often do you see a full love story depicted through Impressionist art in a music video?
6. OK GO - Here It Goes Again [Oh No]:  All I have to say is:  4 guys, 8 treadmills, no camera cuts.  Amazing.
7. The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army [Elephant]:  Honestly not a huge fan of this song, but this video will give you a headache.  Pretty amazing considering its just a two-person gig; and their drummer is kind of hot. :-)
8. The Avalanches - Frontier Psychiatrist [Since I Left You]:  This video is ridiculous.  May I suggest the following:  Drink, Watch; Rinse, Repeat.  (Repeat a lot.)  I would have paid an absurd amount of money to be present during the filming of this video.  Ridiculous.
9. My Chemical Romance - Helena [Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge]:  A shout out to Puck, who told me to check out the dance routine in this video.  I actually ended up arranging this song for Beyond Unison way back in the day.  I do have to say:  the dancing is pretty baller... and the lead singer is way unsettling.
10. The Motorettes - You Gotta Look The Parts [You Gotta Look The Parts - EP] (as covered by KB Vidz):  Not entirely sure how I could have forgotten this!  The guy on the right in the shower (the "lead" in the song) is actually a fraternity brother of mine.  Per the comments on the video, these guys actually won Google Idol and got this video included on the band's enhanced CD.  Shout out to B Raves and the rest of the guys at KB Vidz:  you're all certifiable.

Hope you guys enjoyed the videos.  Stay tuned - new mix in the works. :-)

...and I'm back in the Studio (in Syracuse),
-JB

Strange Week of Covers

So, I somehow ended up with a bunch of covers on my "Mildly Obsessed" playlist this week.  Not sure how this sort of stuff happens, but it appears to have something to do with what I listen to on Pandora...?

1. Chiddy Bang - Opposite of Adults [Opposite of Adults - Single]:  Ok, so this song is moderately terrible, and these guys are basically devoid of any perceivable talent (and my advance apologies for anyone who actually has to watch the aforelinked video).  That disclaimer aside, this song has a ridiculously hot sample from MGMT - Kids (get it?); so much so that I'm actually upset that I didn't think of it first!  I've literally been walking around for two days with this sample stuck in my head.  And you will too - I can almost guarantee it.  Small shout-out to Asher Roth and my previous post per their slam in verse 2... that was actually mildly amusing.
2. Natalie Walker - Colorblind [Urban Angel]:  Anybody else think that she looks like Kate Beckinsale in Underworld? I'm just sayin'!  The first (and previously) only song I had heard off this album was actually Quicksand, which is also an excellent track.  But when I went to buy said song, I noticed "Colorblind" on the album and thought "Could it be...?"  Yes, ladies and gentlemen, you guessed it: a really dope, mysterious, hauntingly-beautiful cover of the Counting Crows, a song made famous by - among other things - the scene from Cruel Intentions.  I think her breathy, almost desperate tone really sells the lyrics, perhaps even better than Duritz ever could...
3. The Postal Service - Nothing Better (Styrofoam Remix) [We Will Become Silhouettes - EP]:  Honestly, I don't even like the original version of this song all that much; his backing parts are too 8-bit and her's are over-done.  The whole song sounds insincere and it never rubbed me right: like the lyrics and music were written in complete isolation.  The Styrofoam Remix starts similarly to the original, even with hints of Euro-dance House beats in the background.  The entrance of the harmony in the synth line marks the start of something more organic though.  Then, at 0:50, the entire texture changes, picking up the beat and opening up the orchestration.  When she starts singing, the synth motif continues - helping to tie the song more tightly together.  Only in this version does the line "Don't you feed me lines about some idealistic future / Your heart won't heal right if you keep tearing out the sutures" ring true.
4. UPDATE:  Bonus Track:  Frou Frou - Breathe In (Jason Bentley Remix) [American Teen]:  To be fair, this isn't actually on my playlist, but I heard it this morning in the car and figured it's so good, it warranted a shout-out.  Unfortunately, I can't find a playable copy on the Interwebs, but know that if you like the original, this is worth your 99 cents plus tax.  Bentley's remixes are heavily ambient and add incredible space to the original tracks without over-producing the resultant product.  Three thumbs, way up.  (FYI: For a quick shot at this guy's life, check out the Wikipedia stub, though I have to say it's a bit dodgy at best...)

In an unrelated, but similar vein, what may possibly be the last track included on "Say Goodbye to Rover" is officially complete.  It is affectionately titled "Evacuate Your Poker Face (Just Fist Pump)" and I would be happy to provide it upon request.

Put on your glasses and keep your ears waxless. :-)

So much hotness...

Wow.  It's been so long I barely know where to start... I think I'll attempt to recover some lost time with a few shorter posts, in an effort to spread music to the masses.
I ran into this a couple months ago or so.  "Can't Stop 99 Problems" is easily one of the hottest mashups I've heard in a long time.  I apologize for not posting an actual copy of this track, but it appears to have recently become more difficult to acquire.  Regardless, you should likely get directly up on top of that.

Songs that desperately need to be arranged!

UPDATE:  9/25/2010:  #7 has been displaced!

*** PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT ***

I apologize for my extremely extended hiatus from this publication.  I'm going to try to get back on the horse on this one.  I've had this post sitting around, 60% completed or so, for a long time now.  Figured I would brush it up and get it out there since it's been on my mind.  

Oh - and if you're getting married in the foreseeable future, may I personally recommend a live band that includes guitar, bass, keys, and a 3-piece horn section?  Recently saw that shit, and it was literally the best wedding reception music I've ever heard.  Possible upcoming post on popular songs that would lend themselves nicely to brass. :-) 

If money were no object, I would quit my job and just do musical stuff in my studio all day long.  I would spin vinyl at night, and sing a cappella music on the weekends and holidays.  And life would be glorious - and I would be poor.  That all having been said, for now this list will have to suffice (until I have enough time to arrange some of these fine songs):

1.  Muse - Butterflies and Hurricanes [Absolution]:  I just haven't figured out how to handle the bridge...  But this would be epic, rivaling UPenn Off The Beat's "The Crowing" (Coheed & Cambria)
2.  Counting Crows - Butterfly in Reverse [Hard Candy]:  I've always thought this would be beautiful and moving; it's just on the outer limit of what I'm capable of arranging, harmonically-speaking.
3.  We the Kings - This Is Our Town [We the Kings]:  Ultimate group / reunion song.  Hands down.
4.  Incubus - Stellar [Make Yourself]:  Ok, so I actually started this once, but it was too early in my arranging career and I bit off more than I could chew (at the time).
5.  A Perfect Circle - 3 Libras [Mer de Noms]:  This song is tough, because Maynard's stuff is complex and weighty, both instrumentally and lyrically.  If I couldn't sell this idea to someone, I would immediately move to The Used - Blue and Yellow [The Used], which is slightly more accessible (in all conceivable ways); but what "Blue and Yellow" gains in mass appeal it loses in the majesty of a truly challenging arrangement (like when Off the Beat did "Passive" by A Perfect Circle).  I saw that live several years ago, and it blew my hair back.  It still does to this day.
6.  Chris Cornell - When I'm Down [Euphoria Morning]: Speaking of the beauty intrinsic in instrumentally-complex arrangements, "When I'm Down" is easily my favorite song off any of Chris Cornell's solo albums.  His personal breadth in his music writing is really admirable, and this song uniquely highlights that diversity.  (For those of you who live on another planet or in some musical anechoic hole in the ground, Chris Cornell played in Soundgarden and Audioslave, and wrote the James Bond theme from Casino Royale.  Not the kind of guy you usually think of for power blues rock ballads.)
7.  Dream Theater - Wither [Black Clouds & Silver Linings]:  UPDATE - 9/25/2010:  I was just driving back from a day of climbing in Rochester when this came on my Fall playlist.  Wither would be the perfect post-rock ballad!  Special shout-outs go to the singer assigned the twenty-second guitar solo starting at 4:00 and the harmony during the choruses.  Mark my words:  this arrangement would be epic.
8.  Cartel - The Fortunate [Cartel]:  Best. Bass line.  Ever.  If only I had thought of this when the album was still fresh...  This one I'm legitimately disappointed I didn't think of until now.
9.  The Bravery - Time Won't Let Me Go [The Sun and the Moon]:  Simple and fun; low-key verses; good tenor solo; great chorus harmony; and infectiously catchy riffs.  Free bonus: includes "Breakfast at Tiffany's" style guitar licks (likely for the altos).  PS - if you don't absolutely love this song... I don't know... we likely have musical issues between us.  Nothing personal, I just might question your musical tastes... (just kidding... sort of.)
10. STATEPARK - Countless [Send to a Heart Convalescent]:  We'll close on a sentimental note:

"Numbered hellos and countless goodbyes

The story never changed
I can't help but miss that look in your eyes
When we say goodbye again

Goodbye..."

HONORABLE MENTION: Boys Like Girls - Two Is Better Than One [Love Drunk]:  Normally, I'm against any and all things even obliquely related to Taylor Swift.  However, for all their ultra-pop nonsense, Boys Like Girls are pretty damn catchy.  For anyone who remembers Beyond Unison's rendition of "Falling Slowly" - this could be the next big male/female heart-breaker duet.  It would have made the list if the band ever came in a-blazin' (for an example of this phenomenon, see The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus - Your Guardian Angel [Don't You Fake It], right at 2:29), but they only ever seem to put out at about 80%.  ...of course, an arranger could always correct that shortcoming. ;-)

Cheers all,

-JB

January's Top 10 List - 1/16/10

It's a new year.  For those who missed the DC101 NYE Party at the Hyatt, may I personally welcome you (on behalf of someone who may actually have the authority to do so) to 2010.  It's going to be a good year.

Track Listing
1.  The Airborne Toxic Event - Sometime Around Midnight [The Airborne Toxic Event]:  So I've actually owned this song for a long time, courtesy of AlternativeAddiction.com (if you don't visit this site regularly, you're missing out on some good preview tracks).  That having been said, the tracks at this site are demos, and can change when they are finally released as singles.  My copy did not have the string intro, which I (somewhat) recently discovered, and finally acquired.  This is the only song I can think of that's longer than 5 minutes, and never gets to a chorus.  It's got 5 or 6 verses, depending on how you divide it up - but no refrain!  Anyway - very cool track, especially if you have a habit of running into ex-girlfriends in bars. ;-) (Good link to the lyrics, if you're interested...)
2.  Asher Roth - I Love College [I Love College - Single]:  I will admit - this song is terrible.  That having been said, it reminds me of all the great times I had at college... and you have to give it to him, it's pretty funny.  Priceless advice from the song:

1. Don't pass out with your shoes on
2. Don't leave the house 'til the booze's gone
3. Don't have sex if she's too gone
4. When it comes to condoms:  put two on.*

* (Not recommended unless you're looking to father children in the immediate future...)

"Time isn't wasted, when you're getting wasted..."

3.  Chris Brown - I Can Transform Ya [I Can Transform Ya - Single]:  That's quite enough of the previous song on this list!  Ok -- having not yet seen Transformers 2, I only heard this song a couple of weeks ago, driving around the backroads of Wisconsin (long story).  The beat in this song is dope - I anticipate hearing this song well into 2010.  Ironic (though not unprecedented) that a mid-80's children's toy line has provided the basis for a trilogy of blockbuster movie hits.
4.  Dan Black - Symphonies [UN]:  The answer is yes:  This song does steal the drums from Travis Barker's remake of Rihanna - Umbrella.  Unfortunately, the chord changes are slightly different, so it would be difficult to mash them together. :-p  Just like they were when Travis Barker did them, the drums are sweet; the rest of the song is ok.  I doubt this will last another week on my list.
5.  Faith No More - Epic [The Real Thing]:  I am proud to say that when I heard this on popular radio, I said "That sounds like it's from the late 80's!" -- 1989 to be precise.  I have no idea what spurred the resurgence of this song; maybe it was a total fluke.  The song rocks hard though, and I highly recommend it as the weather warms and the light overtakes the darkness.
6.  Jay Sean - Down (feat. Little Wayne) [Down - Single]:  I am baffled as to how this is still on my playlist / bouncing around in my head.  I despised this song when Laura and Gui told me to download it at the Zanetti wedding, and now I can't bring myself to take it off the January list!  And Lil' Wayne is ridiculous.  "Baby are you down, down, down, down, down...?"
7.  Meg & Dia - Here, Here and Here [Here, Here and Here]:  This is the 2nd Meg & Dia song I've reviewed (link to the first one, song #5).  I doubt this song will last much longer on my playlist, not because it's not good, but because I'm not in a reflective mood right now.  I think the song shows growth and progress on their newest album, and I am interested to see what continues to come out of this duo.
"He said here, here, and here.  He pointed to his heart, and mind, and ears."
8.  Pain Of Salvation - Pluvius Aestivus [Be]:  Obvious review:  This is a beautiful piano piece.  Backstory:  My brother uses this song to EQ (equalize) large outdoor venues before performances.  As you might imagine after listening to this song, he is (as the story goes) often approached by unsuspecting mothers, who inevitably comment on the beauty of the song and inquire as to the artist.  To which my brother responds:
"It's by Pain of Salvation - an offensive Swedish metal band..."  I would pay to see the looks on some of their faces.
9.  Priapism - Let There Be Light [Down With The Ship]:  Speaking of my brother, he has released a proof of the first track off his upcoming (newly retitled) album "Down With The Ship."  If you have the Facebook, it's available on the Priapism page (FYI:  It's the page with the picture of the drum set; not the page that actually says "PRIAPISM").  I think the track is dead on, and I'm a big fan of the new album title.  Exciting things to come in this direction.  Check it out if you have not yet heard this.
10.  Taking Back Sunday - Makedamnsure [Louder Now]:  No real story here actually:  I just keep hearing this song at the bar, and I enjoy it - so it made the January list.  PS - I had never actually watched the video before... it's weird bordering on funny.  It's just so... overdone?  Yeah -- that's it.  Overdone.  Like they were paying their video producer by the effect and the hour.

Bonus Track:  30 Seconds To Mars - Kings And Queens [This Is War]:  I'm not sure how I came across this album... likely through my searching for such things on iTunes.  Regardless, this track is outrageously good.  I'm going to have to ration the listening of it so I don't wear it out prematurely.  This song actually came on while I was driving around a corner a couple days ago.  If you've never been to Syracuse, it's kind of dark and gray here for a lot of the winter, which matched the quiet, reflective intro perfectly.  But as I navigated this turn, the sun cut through the clouds and the song just opened up at 0:36.  Well I'll be damned if I didn't drop the car into sixth and lean back right then and there.  The song reminds me vaguely of Filter - Take A Picture, which I liked for the same reasons.  If I arrange anything in the near future (which I haven't done in a year), it may very well be this song.  We will see.

As Lexicon so succinctly put it:
But I'll describe one thing for your asses: put on your glasses and keep your ears waxless...

I couldn't agree more:  ear to the grindstone everyone.

PS - 3 new tracks on my album.  Not releasing them widely, but shoot me something if you'd like them and I'll gladly send them over.

Cheers,