Here's a clip of yours truly performing at an open mic =)
What I love best about the Fleet Foxes self titled album is the way they make it okay to vocally rock out to their smooth, harmonious tunes. Robin Pecknold has a knack for writing the singing equivalent to a catchy electric guitar riff. It’s feels a bit strange really, you’re listening to this folk inspired, Beach Boys-esq music and all of a sudden you can’t help but sing in loud outbursts “Lie to me if you will! At the top of Berringer hill! Tell me anything you want! Any old lie will do!” And I think it’s the charm of this juxtaposition of mellow, easy listening melodies and earth shattering emotional confessional vocals that really make Fleet Foxes special. It may not be following the current trend of DIY minimalism, but Fleet Foxes feels like the type of album that will be a reference point when one looks back through the musical context of the second half of this decade. Really, it has to be, it’s just that good.
A+
So I had been thinking about doing one of those chain letter type deals in Facebook where you list a bunch a stuff about yourself or your favorite things and thought why not combine the two. Music has always played an important part in my life and set the stage for the various moments. And it works in reverse now as when I hear certain songs it totally floods me with memories of a certain time and place. So I compiled a soundtrack of my life. Hopefully I can be good and update it when need be.
‘90-91 “Groove is in the Heart” by Deelite; in Jr High house music rules
’92 “Bizarre Ride to the Pharcyde” by The Pharcyde; hanging with the B Boys
’93 “The Third Album” by Camper Van Beethoven; eclectic tastes start to take form
’94 “Five Guys Named Moe” by the original London Cast; working at the Flipside and the begin of the swing era
’95 “Orange” by The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion; infatuation has its privileges
’96 “More Noise and Other Disturbances” by the Mighty Mighty Bosstones; boy did we love Ska
’98 “Viva La Woman” by Cibo Mato; party time all the time at 401 C
1st half ’99 “If You’re Feeling Sinister” by Belle and Sebastian; missing Lisa
2nd half ’99 “Things Fall Apart” by the Roots; my golden age of hip hop
1st half ’00 “Midnight Vultures” by Beck; there was this one time that I had a bit of a nervous breakdown, quit school (again) and bought a Dreamcast, NBA2k, House of the Dead and this album
2nd half ’00 “Transmissions from the Satellite Heart” by the Flaming Lips; endless quoting of the Big Lebowski with the P-towners
1st half ’01 “Pinkerton” by Weezer; There was this one time that I had a bit of a nervous
breakdown, quit school (again) and had my parents rescue me and bring me back home, seemed like the perfect time to listen to a great break-up album.
2nd half ’01 “Chatterbox” by Lazlow et al from Grand Theft Auto 3; brilliant social commentary and comedy
’02 “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot” by Wilco; my commute’s soundtrack heading over to BCI and back
’03 “Sea Change” by Beck; there was this one time that my dad had a bit of a nervous breakdown, I moved back home (again) then quit my job due to building stress and decided to go back to school (again)
‘04 “Medulla” by Bjork; community college and working at Go Write
‘05 “12 Songs” by Neil Diamond; delirious love
‘06 “The Who Sell Out” by the Who; finally discovering the Who, starting work at Starbuck’s
‘07 “Musicology” by Prince; Prince is back and so am I… kinda
‘08-present “Vampire Weekend” by Vampire Weekend; enter “all out Bruce”
Look I don’t want to get into an argument here. I think of “techno” when I think of Portishead. Really, I think “electronica” feels better rolling off my tongue, but in my punk/hip hop heavy narrow mind I just have one big bin for stuff like this and my brain chooses to label said bin “techno”.
Ok so yeah, please stop yelling at me. I’m conceding here that this isn’t my home territory. I’m not that big into this scene or this music as a whole. However, I’ve always liked Portishead. And I think this is so for because for the most part their music sounds like hip hop beats. Repetitive, drum heavy but not too drum heavy, stripped down (like a RZA beat or something more raw from The Roots) and still with some sort of conscious reference to jazz.
With “Third” all of these said trends continue. The hip hop types beats continue to groove me, I’m still digging Portishead and my brain still labels it techno. It has a great moodiness to it and some nice moments that force you to stop and give it your full attention. This being said it’s not as great as the previous two albums as it doesn’t really have any big moments or hooks that encapsulate the effort.
B
So keeping in line with my "write, record and mix one song per college break" mantra I give you my latest creation: Ain't it Penny?. I had been working on other things for weeks leading up to this but this came together in 5 days and was the best of what I had to offer. I think while sloppy and muddy it shows my taste for R&B and ambient, not enough rock in there yet but there's always time to rewrite later.
I got a nice big Bass off eBay and while I had hoped to have some new audio to show for it, finals haven't been cooperating. Still I am developing one hell of a new callous on my index finger to show for it.
A pop punk protest piece. It's playing on my myspace, so check it out!
I've been messing around with my Baritone Uke lately, here's what I come up with so far: alone and forsaken.
I dusted off my 4-track again over the weekend and digitized a few songs. I present you today with "Instrawesome" a previously unnamed ditty featuring Ben Ucherek on drums and yours truely on lead bass, not sure who laid that keyboard track down, but seems too good to have been me, prolly Ben or one of the other Jumpsuit Robbies. Hope you enjoy.
I dusted off my 4-track again over the weekend and digitized a few songs. I present you today with "Cowboy's Anguish" a 3.5 min surf loop featuring Joe Procop on guitar, Ben Ucherek on drums and yours truely on lead bass. I must take credit for both arangement of the 4 notes we play as well as all the sloppiness in the performance. We usually recorded these songs after only one or two run throughs before or after a JSR practice. Joe and Ben were amazingly adaptive while I had to practice my part for days. Sure it's a minute too long but I like the melody and feel.
| Copywrite 2003-2006 Lau my friend: Painter, Ivan Mikan |