The randomly generated list o'the week:
1. The Frames, Set List
2. Blur, 13
3. Joe Logic presents: We Run Philly
4. Gavin DeGraw, Chariot
5. The Bird and the Bee Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future
So, this is the late late late post, one that I hope to not repeat if I can help it! There are lots of crazy and exciting things going on at work, and it sucked me in with the load of things that are now on my plate. I'm hoping to never have to take a week hiatus like that again, at least not for work's sake! It was a well-needed rest for me, and I'm glad to be back again, listening to things that needed to be listened to. My batteries survived week 8, amazingly! Will the story change with week 9? We shall see!
Time for the music? YES, YES IT IS!
I first heard of The Frames in 2004. I saw them open for Damien Rice at the Tower Theater, and I was blown away by their performance. They have this way of crafting their live show so they can flow seamlessly from their songs into a a verse or verse and a chorus of a cover, then right back to their songs. It's not something they do for every song in a live show, of course--that would get gimmicky way too fast, but it does make for an enjoyable surprise here or there in their set. Set List was recorded at a live performance in Dublin in 2002, and it captures the quintessential Frames show: great music, songs interspersed with moments of covers, and some fantastic stories and talk sets. There are so many great tracks on the CD--if I had to pick three, I'd go with "Star Star', "Lay Me Down", and "Fitzcarraldo". The first I love for the brilliant break in of "Pure Imagination", the second for a couple reasons: the crowd is really into the song, which I think adds a lot to the performance, and secondly for the effortless way they transition in and out of "Ring of Fire". And, well, "Fitzcarraldo" is just a beautiful, beautiful song. Something I always loved about the band was that they incorporate the violin into their music with great success, and I think "Fitzcarraldo" is a prime example of that merger. Listening to this CD reminds me, once again, how much I love their live shows, and I'm practically kicking myself for missing them while they were in Philadelphia only a couple weeks ago. D'oh!
Blur's 13 is an album that I can say I may have not given enough credit to. Then again, after another listen, I'm still not sure exactly how much credit I can give. Some people say this is a masterpiece by Blur. I say, "I bought it because I really liked 'Tender' and 'Coffee & TV', which also had a really cool and adorable video." Does that make me a horrible person? I doubt it. Even as I listened to the CD, I couldn't quite get "into" it. Maybe I'm missing something. Maybe if I give it another listen and really take it in, I'll get it. What it is, who knows? I may try to give the album another spin. It was just so-so this time around, but I know that sometimes there are CDs that don't seem as awesome as they are on the first, second, or even third listen. Sometimes it takes a while to begin to get into the intricacies of the songs and how they're crafted. Then again, maybe the only thing I could come away with is the fact that I just don't get why other people love it so much. Time will tell.
Gavin DeGraw's Chariot is a finely-crafted album of 11 pop songs. I got this CD not long after I started interning at the studio, aka, "the time when I used a majority of my small disposable income on CDs". Listening to it again, I was reminded how much I remembered of most of the songs on the CD. They had good enough hooks, good enough sounds, and easy-enough to remember lyrics that I found myself singing along with most of the CD while I listened to it at work. I was trying to remember how many of the songs actually came out as singles. It feels like they all could have, although I'm sure that's not the case. I remember that many of the songs were showcased on various tv shows that either used them over a scene or with him playing the song as part of a scene. Whoever was handling his publicity for his first album did a pretty good job on getting him out there. Since then, he's floated into my "where are they now?" pile. Seems like in addition to putting out more music, he's gotten very much into philanthropy. Not too bad. If you're in need of a solid album of pop-rock songs to coast you through an afternoon, pop in Chariot and go along for the ride.
My good friend Joe Logic worked his butt off on the We Run Philly Project, and boy, does it show! The collection of songs he produced is incredibly danceable! Right from the get-go, the track with artist Aime comes out swinging with a great beat that samples from the Jackson 5--hard to go wrong there. The track that I can't stop listening to is "Get Down", the collaboration with Teff that really does make me want to get down. I heard the song while the album was being worked on (because, yeah, I also work with Joe), and I kept telling him I wanted to play it for my friends for when we're getting ready to go out dancing. Hell, I'd probably try to get it in the hand of some DJs too. The rest of the CD is stacked with tracks from Chill Moody, 5 Grand, and Schooly D, among others. The project was started to raise awareness for Students Run Philly Style, a mentoring program designed to help students in Philadelphia develop goals, discipline, and diligence through distance and marathon training. It's a great cause, and now it has a great soundtrack! For a full listen, check out the We Run Philly site yourself!
Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future by The Bird and the Bee is just an overall great pop album. While O and I were listening to this in the car over the weekend I realized that a great concert pairing would be The Bird and the Bee and The Cardigans. They have very similar brands of pop, and Inara George's vocals have a light airy quality to them, something that in my mind seems comparable to Nina Persson's singing. My favorite song on the album is the one that caused me to pick it up in the first place, "Love letter to Japan". I can thank Chuck for turning me on to them in the first place, although when I brought that up a while back he told me he forgot about that, and thought that I told him about them. Then I found out that they covered Hall & Oates for an entire album and had their own version of "How Deep Is Your Love" by the Bee Gees. That sealed the deal for me with this group--YES, in the good way! I just love what they do! Most of their songs are rather relaxing in tempo, but it's perfect to put on to enjoy some good pop music while you unwind. I picked this up sometime within the past year, making it one of the most recent CD purchases I've made, and I'm definitely satisfied with it.
That wraps up week 8! Due to everything being so late (again, a thousand apologies), I'm going to be working on getting week 9 up in the next two days. It's another good week of music, I swear! Until then, happy listening!
Battery tally: still 4 sets, but for how much longer?!?!?
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Executive Decision
I normally give myself a Tuesday night deadline to get my 5 CDs a Week project up for all to see. I won't go to bed until it's finished if it comes to it. Lately I've been okay--I still post it late in the evening, but before my normal bed time. However, my workload at my job just got a ton bigger this week, and while I sort it all out, I'm going to go easy on myself and post week 8 when I can. A sleep-deprived Pattae would not do well to get through everything that needs to be done in the coming week work-wise--I need my head on straight! Plus I want to make sure I put out a really solid assessment of my week of listening, and I don't want to make it feel rushed. Last week's post felt that way to me just a little bit, and I think I'd be doing myself a disservice to keep that trend going.
That said, I will still post week 8, and with luck post week 9 by my normal deadline. Procrastination will not be a regular thing, goshdarnit!
To tide you over until the post is up, have yourself a listen to some of the tracks on a CD on my list this week, courtesy of Joe Logic. Stay tuned!
That said, I will still post week 8, and with luck post week 9 by my normal deadline. Procrastination will not be a regular thing, goshdarnit!
To tide you over until the post is up, have yourself a listen to some of the tracks on a CD on my list this week, courtesy of Joe Logic. Stay tuned!
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
5 CDs a Week, week 7
The randomly-picked list of the week:
1. Beck, Midnite Vultures
2. Prince, Purple Rain
3. Beastie Boys, Hello Nasty
4. Radio 4, Stealing of a Nation
5. Aria Decline, Moving
Once again, another week goes by, and the batteries I have in the portable keep on kicking! I can't complain about that. I'm just surprised at this point. Go batteries, go! The other thing I've noticed is that if I put the headphones plug all the way into the jack, I only get one channel coming into the speakers. If I keep it part-way out, I get the stereo signal--very weird. I'll have to see if I can tool around with that to fix the problem.
It's music time!
Out of all the Beck albums I own, Midnite Vultures is definitely my favorite. There are so many fantastic songs on the album. There's "Sexx Laws", "Peaches & Cream", "Nicotine & Gravy", "Milk & Honey", and of course my favorite favorite track, "Debra". Most of these tracks got played often when Kathleen and I would have dance parties in our apartment--those were the days! There are a bunch of songs I associate with those fun nighttime impromptu dancing sessions, but the songs from Midnite Vultures feature prominently. These songs make me bounce and dance and just want to party. It's so feel-good you'd think it'd hurt, but it doesn't!
When I met Karl in the city one day a few years ago, the first thing he did was give me a copy of Purple Rain. I gave him a copy of an article I found on vintage amps--personally, I'm betting I got the better end of that exchange. Now, the reason he gave the CD to me was because I told him that, at the time, I didn't have anything by Prince. Apparently, that was musical blasphemy in his eyes. So, I took CD home after our afternoon traipsing around the city, and put it on shortly thereafter. Right away, I knew that I knew about half the songs on the album already, but after listening to it as a whole, I can safely say that this album rocks. For a few years I've thought of "Let's Go Crazy" as one of my theme songs, and anyone who knows me well knows that I can perform the spoken opening to the song with perfect inflection from memory. The first couple weeks after I got the CD, I was listening to it every day on my walks to and from work and practically jumping while I walked because I was so energized. It's got a great feel for putting some pep in my step when I need it, or even when I don't and I still want to continue the good vibe I'm already on. I think my favorite line in all the songs is from "Baby I'm a Star": "Hey, I ain't got no money, but honey I'm rich on personality!" All the happy, bouncy energy is brought to a close with the title track, powerful in itself but with a more subdued energy from the rest. So thanks for the gift, Karl.
Hello Nasty is the only Beastie Boys album I own. Maybe I misspoke; it's the only one I own on CD. It's another good CD for moving around. Hell, it's got a song called "Body Movin'", you'd hope at least that song would do it! It's been quite a while since I've listened to the CD, and I found as I listened to it that I remembered more songs than I thought I did. I started singing along wth "Super Disco Breakin'", "Just a Test", and of course "Intergalactic". It's always surprising to see how much information my head can hold, and how at any given point just one little trigger whips out all this information, be it song lyrics or a product jingle from some toy in the 80s. Sometimes it really does seem like it comes out of nowhere. I'm sure it can be explained--there are enough people studying neuro-science these days--but I think the self-realizations of what one's brain can do are, for a lack of better words, mind-blowing.
This must've been the week for good albums to dance to. I think Radio 4's Stealing of a Nation fits the bill quite nicely along with the others in this list. I think I like "Shake the Foundation" the best. Interestingly enough, the only lyrics included with the CD are the ones to the "Nation" (where the title of the album comes from), and reading them over just now, they feel very appropriate for the political climate of the past year, even though this came out in 2004. Then again, the political climate wasn't much different back then, aside from the guy who was heading up the Executive Branch. Funny how the more things change, the more they stay the same, huh?
I went to see Aria Decline play at some bar in Upper Darby with one (or more) of my sisters and other friends. I can't remember too much about the night, except for some reason it comes to my mind the the bar was awash in the color red. I don't remember any of the other bands that played that night, but I know it was a good time, and I enjoyed myself. We wound up talking to members of the band after their set, and I picked up a copy of their EP, Moving. I also picked up a number of stickers from them, which I found when I was going through and doing some cleaning a few weeks ago. I signed up for their mailing list too, because that's what I wind up doing at shows when I like a band, and then when the e-mails actually start rolling in, I decide whether or not it was worth it. Funnily enough, I think one of the first e-mails I got from them was one that said they were changing their name. I have no idea what it is now, or if the band is even playing together anymore. Those stickers I found could be considered collectors' items now, I guess--if something like band stickers held much of any value. Oh well--their poppy rock was enjoyed on a night out with some friends, and the EP was enjoyed tonight. It wasn't mind-blowingly great, but it was a good way to start winding down the evening.
That wraps up this week. I know it might be a little bit shorter than some of the others I've put up on this project. I'm a bit tired tonight, and I wanted to keep up with the consistency of the current formula I have going, so length was sacrificed. I hope you can understand, dear readers.
Until next week, happy listening! And if you're in the US, I hope you all have a very happy and filling Thanksgiving Day!
Battery tally: still 4 sets. Woohoo!
1. Beck, Midnite Vultures
2. Prince, Purple Rain
3. Beastie Boys, Hello Nasty
4. Radio 4, Stealing of a Nation
5. Aria Decline, Moving
Once again, another week goes by, and the batteries I have in the portable keep on kicking! I can't complain about that. I'm just surprised at this point. Go batteries, go! The other thing I've noticed is that if I put the headphones plug all the way into the jack, I only get one channel coming into the speakers. If I keep it part-way out, I get the stereo signal--very weird. I'll have to see if I can tool around with that to fix the problem.
It's music time!
Out of all the Beck albums I own, Midnite Vultures is definitely my favorite. There are so many fantastic songs on the album. There's "Sexx Laws", "Peaches & Cream", "Nicotine & Gravy", "Milk & Honey", and of course my favorite favorite track, "Debra". Most of these tracks got played often when Kathleen and I would have dance parties in our apartment--those were the days! There are a bunch of songs I associate with those fun nighttime impromptu dancing sessions, but the songs from Midnite Vultures feature prominently. These songs make me bounce and dance and just want to party. It's so feel-good you'd think it'd hurt, but it doesn't!
When I met Karl in the city one day a few years ago, the first thing he did was give me a copy of Purple Rain. I gave him a copy of an article I found on vintage amps--personally, I'm betting I got the better end of that exchange. Now, the reason he gave the CD to me was because I told him that, at the time, I didn't have anything by Prince. Apparently, that was musical blasphemy in his eyes. So, I took CD home after our afternoon traipsing around the city, and put it on shortly thereafter. Right away, I knew that I knew about half the songs on the album already, but after listening to it as a whole, I can safely say that this album rocks. For a few years I've thought of "Let's Go Crazy" as one of my theme songs, and anyone who knows me well knows that I can perform the spoken opening to the song with perfect inflection from memory. The first couple weeks after I got the CD, I was listening to it every day on my walks to and from work and practically jumping while I walked because I was so energized. It's got a great feel for putting some pep in my step when I need it, or even when I don't and I still want to continue the good vibe I'm already on. I think my favorite line in all the songs is from "Baby I'm a Star": "Hey, I ain't got no money, but honey I'm rich on personality!" All the happy, bouncy energy is brought to a close with the title track, powerful in itself but with a more subdued energy from the rest. So thanks for the gift, Karl.
Hello Nasty is the only Beastie Boys album I own. Maybe I misspoke; it's the only one I own on CD. It's another good CD for moving around. Hell, it's got a song called "Body Movin'", you'd hope at least that song would do it! It's been quite a while since I've listened to the CD, and I found as I listened to it that I remembered more songs than I thought I did. I started singing along wth "Super Disco Breakin'", "Just a Test", and of course "Intergalactic". It's always surprising to see how much information my head can hold, and how at any given point just one little trigger whips out all this information, be it song lyrics or a product jingle from some toy in the 80s. Sometimes it really does seem like it comes out of nowhere. I'm sure it can be explained--there are enough people studying neuro-science these days--but I think the self-realizations of what one's brain can do are, for a lack of better words, mind-blowing.
This must've been the week for good albums to dance to. I think Radio 4's Stealing of a Nation fits the bill quite nicely along with the others in this list. I think I like "Shake the Foundation" the best. Interestingly enough, the only lyrics included with the CD are the ones to the "Nation" (where the title of the album comes from), and reading them over just now, they feel very appropriate for the political climate of the past year, even though this came out in 2004. Then again, the political climate wasn't much different back then, aside from the guy who was heading up the Executive Branch. Funny how the more things change, the more they stay the same, huh?
I went to see Aria Decline play at some bar in Upper Darby with one (or more) of my sisters and other friends. I can't remember too much about the night, except for some reason it comes to my mind the the bar was awash in the color red. I don't remember any of the other bands that played that night, but I know it was a good time, and I enjoyed myself. We wound up talking to members of the band after their set, and I picked up a copy of their EP, Moving. I also picked up a number of stickers from them, which I found when I was going through and doing some cleaning a few weeks ago. I signed up for their mailing list too, because that's what I wind up doing at shows when I like a band, and then when the e-mails actually start rolling in, I decide whether or not it was worth it. Funnily enough, I think one of the first e-mails I got from them was one that said they were changing their name. I have no idea what it is now, or if the band is even playing together anymore. Those stickers I found could be considered collectors' items now, I guess--if something like band stickers held much of any value. Oh well--their poppy rock was enjoyed on a night out with some friends, and the EP was enjoyed tonight. It wasn't mind-blowingly great, but it was a good way to start winding down the evening.
That wraps up this week. I know it might be a little bit shorter than some of the others I've put up on this project. I'm a bit tired tonight, and I wanted to keep up with the consistency of the current formula I have going, so length was sacrificed. I hope you can understand, dear readers.
Until next week, happy listening! And if you're in the US, I hope you all have a very happy and filling Thanksgiving Day!
Battery tally: still 4 sets. Woohoo!
Monday, November 22, 2010
Something in the air?
There have been more than a few times in my life when I've thought about a person who I haven't seen in quite some time, and within roughly a week, I will hear from said person. While I'm always surprised that the turn of events actually happens, I'm usually not shocked. The person that pops into my head is usually a good friend, and because of things like work and general busy-ness in life, is someone I don't get to talk to as often as I would like.
Today, I was shocked.
Back when I worked at the bank, there was a women who frequented who also happened to work at a studio, and she and I chatted a bunch about working in a studio environment, and her words were very inspirational, making me believe that I could "make it" if I pushed myself enough and stuck it out. So far, so good.
I happened to think about her over the weekend and how I hadn't talked to her in years, and how it was sad that I lost that connection. I'd love to pick her brain about at least a dozen things if given the chance, and I didn't think I'd get one.
Until about 40 minutes ago. She just so happened to call the studio. When I told her who she was talking to, she screamed out, "YOU'RE STILL THERE!" It was a very awesome feeling. Of course, we had to talk some business, but I hope I'll get to talk to her again soon.
I know stranger things have happened in the world, but still, when these things keep happening, it makes me think again about how powerful thought can sometimes be. Maybe if we all focus on some positive thoughts, some great things can happen. At the very least, we could hope for some reconnections.
Today, I was shocked.
Back when I worked at the bank, there was a women who frequented who also happened to work at a studio, and she and I chatted a bunch about working in a studio environment, and her words were very inspirational, making me believe that I could "make it" if I pushed myself enough and stuck it out. So far, so good.
I happened to think about her over the weekend and how I hadn't talked to her in years, and how it was sad that I lost that connection. I'd love to pick her brain about at least a dozen things if given the chance, and I didn't think I'd get one.
Until about 40 minutes ago. She just so happened to call the studio. When I told her who she was talking to, she screamed out, "YOU'RE STILL THERE!" It was a very awesome feeling. Of course, we had to talk some business, but I hope I'll get to talk to her again soon.
I know stranger things have happened in the world, but still, when these things keep happening, it makes me think again about how powerful thought can sometimes be. Maybe if we all focus on some positive thoughts, some great things can happen. At the very least, we could hope for some reconnections.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
5 CDs a Week, week 6
This week's list, randomly as always:
1. Ben Fold Five, Whatever and Ever, Amen
2. Jamiroquai, Travelling Without Moving
3. DJ Shadow, Preemptive Strike
4. Filter, Title of Record
5. SGR, Atomic Pony
Disclosure for this week: When I pulled SGR's CD out of my pile, I already knew the disc was not in the case. I went into a panicked search this morning to try to find it, it no avail. HOWEVER, it just so happens that SGR recorded their album at the studio, so I did a little search and happened to find a copy on CD around that I could pop in and listen to. So, while the copy isn't mine, it is on CD, and hence, will be listened to! I hope I can find my copy, though!
Now, on to the musical stylings of the week!
The one song I really knew from Filter's Title of Record was "Take My Picture", which was likely the reason I got the CD in the first place. It's definitely my favorite track on the album. I think, in these days, I probably would've downloaded just that track and let the rest just be. Many of the other songs are a bit harder rock, which isn't a personal preference of mine. I'd probably give some of these tracks another go round, but I'd have to be in the mood for it.
Something I'm always in the mood for is Jamiroquai's Travelling Without Moving. That's right, another week, another Jamiroquai album (don't worry, this can only happen two more times!). Yes, it's the album that made them popular in the US because of "Virtual Insanity", aka, the song with the cool moving-couches video, but I think it's their best overall album. Stylistically, it runs the gamut--there's R&B, funk, soul, some cool rockin' didgeridoo. I don't know that I could pick a favorite track from the album. I think the whole album is my favorite.
This was my first Jamiroquai purchase. I was fifteen or sixteen when I got it, and it's one of the first 10 cds I owned. I know this because I got a CD case from my sister for my birthday one year that held 8 CDs, and I think I was able to put most, if not all, of my collection in it. I listened to this CD a lot in 1997--I remember putting it on while I was in the van on the way up to (and later coming back from) the Summer College program at Ithaca. Being that those two weeks were some of the most formative for me, listening to any of the music I associate from that time always brings a smile to my face, but this CD especially. It was a bit of a departure from what I had listened to before, and I think it helped me a lot in expanding the genres of music I'd be open to listening to. Plus, it's a great album to dance to, and anyone who knows me knows I love to dance!
Another CD in my early collection was Ben Folds Five's Whatever and Ever, Amen. I have really strong memories of sitting on my bed (the top bunk, no less!), listening to this CD and reading Agatha Christie plays from a book that I had to get for one play for English class. The album has the up, the down, the all around fun emotionally. There's the super-happy "Kate", and the all-too-crushing "Brick". The anger and need for revenge in "One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces" is counterbalanced by the mellow "Missing the War". The cooling relationship of "Selfless, Cold, and Composed" goes against the wild breakup of "Song For the Dumped". All in all, it was perfect for my mood for during my sophomore year of high school. I was up and down so much that year; for the second half, mostly down. I don't know exactly what caused it, but I was definitely depressed for the better part of the second semester, and I always turned to music in those times. It wasn't to quote every single line of every depressing song I heard--that's not my thing. Just listening to music and sort of being inside my thoughts, at the time, was what I thought I needed. Yeah, there was some poetry in there too, and not all of it good, but there was always music, and I know this album was definitely part of that time. I don't really feel the same feelings I felt when I listened to it back then, but I think that's a good thing. If I was still holding on to the same emotions I had thirteen years ago, there is something seriously holding up my progress in life.
SGR's EP, Atomic Pony was a project I actually got to see happen. It's a great little ska and rock record that has some fantastically fun tunes. Matt Skoufalos and friends came in to the studio looking to rework some songs they had, and they spent a fair amount of time there making them sound great. It's hard to pick a favorite song on this one; that may be because I got to know all the songs so well as they were being recorded and mixed. "Constellation", with the help of Freedie "DJ-3D" Weaver's additional vocals, is a perfectly danceable ska song, and it definitely gets me in the mood to jump around and, eventually, to catch my breath at the end. Every time I listen to "Potter's Field" I'm inclined to start belting it out. It may just be five songs long, but it's incredibly fun to listen to.
I first heard DJ Shadow in 2003, after I was given a mix (and yes, I'll write about that here, too) by someone who was great for expanding both my creativity and my musical knowledge, but not so great in nearly every other way for me. It's interesting how those people come into your life; with luck it's never a long stay. Regardless, every time I listen to Preemptive Strike, I'm taken back to the city, hanging around Temple. There's something about the CD that, to me, sounds like the city. I love all four parts of "What Does Your Soul Look Like", "High Noon", and "Organ Donor". This is a great album all around. I think there's a darkness to it that keeps me on edge and draws me in at the same time. It makes me think back to the writing I was doing at the time--experimental for me at the time, although now, when I do get around to writing some poetry, still greatly influences how I write today. Maybe I should put this album on more often, or put it on as I'm walking around the city, and see what I can come up with. I'll have to try this out sometime soon, maybe on a day when the weather is nice and I have a few hours to kill.
And another week is done. I love that every week I'm still pulling out CDs and getting really excited to listen to them. There's definitely something to be said for holding a CD in your hand, pouring through the liner notes, or just looking through the artwork. With an mp3, you can't hold it, unless it's on an iPod or similar device, and I don't think that feeling is the same. Just today, Apple announced that the Beatles catalog is being added to the iTunes library. That really wasn't the unforgettable announcement I was hoping for. Personally, if I'm going to buy a Beatles album, I'd prefer to get the CD version. This project is making me realize the impact having something tactile like a CD versus the data files of mp3's, AAC's and the like that I can't hold on to. I would put more value in a CD than I would in mp3 downloads any day. Every week is giving me a few more good reasons why.
Until next week, happy listening!
Battery Tally: Still 4 sets! Those rechargeables are MONSTERS...Actually, they literally are Monster Batteries. I highly recommend the brand.
1. Ben Fold Five, Whatever and Ever, Amen
2. Jamiroquai, Travelling Without Moving
3. DJ Shadow, Preemptive Strike
4. Filter, Title of Record
5. SGR, Atomic Pony
Disclosure for this week: When I pulled SGR's CD out of my pile, I already knew the disc was not in the case. I went into a panicked search this morning to try to find it, it no avail. HOWEVER, it just so happens that SGR recorded their album at the studio, so I did a little search and happened to find a copy on CD around that I could pop in and listen to. So, while the copy isn't mine, it is on CD, and hence, will be listened to! I hope I can find my copy, though!
Now, on to the musical stylings of the week!
The one song I really knew from Filter's Title of Record was "Take My Picture", which was likely the reason I got the CD in the first place. It's definitely my favorite track on the album. I think, in these days, I probably would've downloaded just that track and let the rest just be. Many of the other songs are a bit harder rock, which isn't a personal preference of mine. I'd probably give some of these tracks another go round, but I'd have to be in the mood for it.
Something I'm always in the mood for is Jamiroquai's Travelling Without Moving. That's right, another week, another Jamiroquai album (don't worry, this can only happen two more times!). Yes, it's the album that made them popular in the US because of "Virtual Insanity", aka, the song with the cool moving-couches video, but I think it's their best overall album. Stylistically, it runs the gamut--there's R&B, funk, soul, some cool rockin' didgeridoo. I don't know that I could pick a favorite track from the album. I think the whole album is my favorite.
This was my first Jamiroquai purchase. I was fifteen or sixteen when I got it, and it's one of the first 10 cds I owned. I know this because I got a CD case from my sister for my birthday one year that held 8 CDs, and I think I was able to put most, if not all, of my collection in it. I listened to this CD a lot in 1997--I remember putting it on while I was in the van on the way up to (and later coming back from) the Summer College program at Ithaca. Being that those two weeks were some of the most formative for me, listening to any of the music I associate from that time always brings a smile to my face, but this CD especially. It was a bit of a departure from what I had listened to before, and I think it helped me a lot in expanding the genres of music I'd be open to listening to. Plus, it's a great album to dance to, and anyone who knows me knows I love to dance!
Another CD in my early collection was Ben Folds Five's Whatever and Ever, Amen. I have really strong memories of sitting on my bed (the top bunk, no less!), listening to this CD and reading Agatha Christie plays from a book that I had to get for one play for English class. The album has the up, the down, the all around fun emotionally. There's the super-happy "Kate", and the all-too-crushing "Brick". The anger and need for revenge in "One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces" is counterbalanced by the mellow "Missing the War". The cooling relationship of "Selfless, Cold, and Composed" goes against the wild breakup of "Song For the Dumped". All in all, it was perfect for my mood for during my sophomore year of high school. I was up and down so much that year; for the second half, mostly down. I don't know exactly what caused it, but I was definitely depressed for the better part of the second semester, and I always turned to music in those times. It wasn't to quote every single line of every depressing song I heard--that's not my thing. Just listening to music and sort of being inside my thoughts, at the time, was what I thought I needed. Yeah, there was some poetry in there too, and not all of it good, but there was always music, and I know this album was definitely part of that time. I don't really feel the same feelings I felt when I listened to it back then, but I think that's a good thing. If I was still holding on to the same emotions I had thirteen years ago, there is something seriously holding up my progress in life.
SGR's EP, Atomic Pony was a project I actually got to see happen. It's a great little ska and rock record that has some fantastically fun tunes. Matt Skoufalos and friends came in to the studio looking to rework some songs they had, and they spent a fair amount of time there making them sound great. It's hard to pick a favorite song on this one; that may be because I got to know all the songs so well as they were being recorded and mixed. "Constellation", with the help of Freedie "DJ-3D" Weaver's additional vocals, is a perfectly danceable ska song, and it definitely gets me in the mood to jump around and, eventually, to catch my breath at the end. Every time I listen to "Potter's Field" I'm inclined to start belting it out. It may just be five songs long, but it's incredibly fun to listen to.
I first heard DJ Shadow in 2003, after I was given a mix (and yes, I'll write about that here, too) by someone who was great for expanding both my creativity and my musical knowledge, but not so great in nearly every other way for me. It's interesting how those people come into your life; with luck it's never a long stay. Regardless, every time I listen to Preemptive Strike, I'm taken back to the city, hanging around Temple. There's something about the CD that, to me, sounds like the city. I love all four parts of "What Does Your Soul Look Like", "High Noon", and "Organ Donor". This is a great album all around. I think there's a darkness to it that keeps me on edge and draws me in at the same time. It makes me think back to the writing I was doing at the time--experimental for me at the time, although now, when I do get around to writing some poetry, still greatly influences how I write today. Maybe I should put this album on more often, or put it on as I'm walking around the city, and see what I can come up with. I'll have to try this out sometime soon, maybe on a day when the weather is nice and I have a few hours to kill.
And another week is done. I love that every week I'm still pulling out CDs and getting really excited to listen to them. There's definitely something to be said for holding a CD in your hand, pouring through the liner notes, or just looking through the artwork. With an mp3, you can't hold it, unless it's on an iPod or similar device, and I don't think that feeling is the same. Just today, Apple announced that the Beatles catalog is being added to the iTunes library. That really wasn't the unforgettable announcement I was hoping for. Personally, if I'm going to buy a Beatles album, I'd prefer to get the CD version. This project is making me realize the impact having something tactile like a CD versus the data files of mp3's, AAC's and the like that I can't hold on to. I would put more value in a CD than I would in mp3 downloads any day. Every week is giving me a few more good reasons why.
Until next week, happy listening!
Battery Tally: Still 4 sets! Those rechargeables are MONSTERS...Actually, they literally are Monster Batteries. I highly recommend the brand.
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