Archive for the ‘Pop’ Category

Here We Go Magic

Monday, June 14th, 2010

Here We Go Magic’s new CD Pigeons many not be for everyone, but there is something here that I am really enjoying. The texture, the highs and lows. It just seems to fit the place that I am in today.

Here We Go Magic - Pigeons - Vegetable or Native

Another year and another decade of music

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

I decided to join the list of many trying to define the best music of the last 10 years aka the last decade.
So, without any future ado:

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Best CD for Air travel: Sigur Ros – Anything after () Sigur Rós - Med sud i eyrum vid spilum endalaust

Best song that brings me instantly back to Tanzania: Gaudi – Bethe Bethe Kese Kese Gaudi & Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - Dub Qawwali - Bethe Bethe Kese Kese

Best song that asked me a question that I wanted answered: Daniel Lanois – Where Will I Be Daniel Lanois - Here Is What Is - Where Will I Be

Best CD that I avoided for to long: Radiohead – In Rainbows Radiohead - In Rainbows

Best CD that I wish I wrote: Brian Eno – Another Day on Earth Brian Eno - Another Day On Earth

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Best CD with the craziest vocal manifestations: Zawose – Assembly Zawose & Brook - Assembly

Best time machine back to old europe: Beirut – Gulag Orkestar Beirut - Gulag Orkestar

Best frat boy sound: Vampire Weekend Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend

Best aleatoric music: The Books – Lost and Safe The Books - Lost and Safe

ColinHay

Best song most likely written about my good days: Colin Hay – Beautiful World Colin Hay - Man @ Work - Beautiful World (Alternate Mix)

Best song most likely written about my bad days: Chris Letcher – Harmonium Chris Letcher - Harmonium - EP - Harmonium

Most anticipated let down: Robert Fripp – Exposure (reissue)

Best historic rumor to come true: Brian Wilson – SMiLE Brian Wilson - SMiLE

Robyn-HitchcockBest singer song writer that used  Condoleezza in a song: Robyn Hitchcock – Spooked Robyn Hitchcock - Spooked

Best mass media music if someone knew who he was: Magnet – On Your Side Magnet - On Your Side

Best hidden anger management I just got divorced & we just went to war: Nine Horses – Snow Borne Sorrow Nine Horses - Snow Borne Sorrow

Best Resurgence of the 80’s sound of pop: The Postal Service – Give Up The Postal Service - Give Up

Most impact on opening the musical sound of Africa to popular culture: Amadou & Mariam – Dimanche a Bamako Amadou & Mariam - Dimanche a Bamako

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Master class: David Sylvian – Dead Bees On A Cake

The Brian Eno atmospheric music award: Fennesz – Venice Fennesz - Venice

Most missed guitarist under 100lb (RIP Chris): Chris Whitley & Jeff Lang – Dislocation Blues Chris Whitley & Jeff Lang - Dislocation Blues

Most missed guitarist over 100lb (RIP Joe): Joe Strummer – Global A Go-Go Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros

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Best CD of the Decade: The Arcade Fire – Funeral Arcade Fire - Funeral

What Now, What Next (anything is possible)

Sunday, September 27th, 2009

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Ah, It has been awhile my music friends. please expect my apologies for not posting more, I have been focused on larger projects of change.

I though wanted to pass on the summer mix (a little late) that was given to the Magnificent 7 this year. I hope you enjoy, best listened in this order.

What Now, What Next (anything is possible)

1. Chest Of Drawers / Daniel Lanois 0:24 Daniel Lanois - Here Is What Is - Chest of Drawers

2. Transit Lounge / Crowded House 4:26 Crowded House - Time On Earth - Transit Lounge

3. Good Morning Good Morning / Steel Pulse 2:50 Easy Star All-Stars - Easy Star's Lonely Hearts Dub Band (Bonus Track Version) - Good Morning Good Morning (feat. Steel Pulse)

4. Advent In Ives Garden / Sin Fang Bous 3:07 Sin Fang Bous - Clangour - Advent In Ives Garden

5. Daylight / Matt and Kim 2:51 Matt & Kim - Daylight - Single - Daylight

6. Reckoner / Radiohead 4:50 Radiohead - In Rainbows - Reckoner

7. St. Peter’s Day Festival / Ra Ra Riot 3:36 Ra Ra Riot - The Rhumb Line - St. Peter's Day Festival

8. Cello Song / The Books 3:54 The Books - Dark Was the Night - Cello Song (feat. Jose Gonzalez)

9. Dirt On Your New Shoes / Bishop Allen 2:45 Bishop Allen - Grrr... - Dirt On Your New Shoes

10. Talk About the Passion / R.E.M. 3:24 R.E.M. - Murmur - Talk About the Passion

11. Art / Tanya Davis 2:52 Tanya Davis - Gorgeous Morning - Art

12. The Concubine / Beirut 3:30 Beirut - March of the Zapotec & Realpeople - Holland - The Concubine

13. All the First Pages / Anathallo 5:18 Anathallo - Canopy Glow - All the First Pages

14. Supermellofied / Peter And The Wolf 3:06 Peter and the Wolf - Mellow Owl - Supermellofied

15. Drowning Man / U2 4:15 U2 - War (Remastered) - Drowning Man

16. Tunnelvision / Here We Go Magic 4:24 Here We Go Magic - Here We Go Magic - Tunnelvision

17. Ah…, I See / The Books 0:21 The Books & Various Artists - Music for a French Elevator EP - Ah..., I See

18. God Only Knows / Cornelius 4:57 Cornelius - Fantasma - God Only Knows

Great Music & Support Amnesty International

Wednesday, May 13th, 2009

David Byrne, is donating the proceeds of this live EP to Amnesty International. I never thought I would hear a live version of “Help Me Somebody”, it is a little different without the samples but still enjoyable. You can get all three, no four tracks for $4. Get the tracks

Taking the down beat on a rainy day

Thursday, May 7th, 2009

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Patrick Watson new CD Wooden Arm is a brilliant selection of well crafted songs. Now, I have to say this seems more like a fall collection of songs than spring, but the last few days of rain and fog it feels very much at home with nature right now.

Cello’s bello in and out, harmonized singing, textured sounds and a percussion selection that is not to far out, but walks on a very creative line of rhythms. I highly suggest this CD, if you are looking for a low key selection of songs for a raining day or to play in the background of a working day. Patrick Watson - Wooden Arms

Some music that went through my head

Wednesday, April 29th, 2009

Light

Two weeks ago a gave a talk about my trip and book about Tanzania. One of the subject that hit the cutting room floor for this talk was music or more importantly what was going through my head sonically.

There were many times that I heard a song from “Moonlight In Glory” from the the CD Life in a Bush of Ghosts. There is a speaking part toward the end of the song that I was reminded of almost daily. “Please Mama, Can we stay the night here, we are far from home…”Brian Eno & David Byrne - My Life In the Bush of Ghosts

Another song was Bethe Bethe Kese Kese from the CD Dub Qawwali, which is just that, remixed Qawwali lyrics by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan with a Jamaican dub sound. Yes, it sounds strange, but I have really enjoyed this track. Gaudi & Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - Dub Qawwali

Then I am left with The Marsh from the CD Whitewater, it is an amazing track acoustic guitar work, with the many highs and lows that take me on a ride of joy, happiness and reflection. California Guitar Trio - Whitewater - The Marsh

Dark was the Night

Sunday, March 8th, 2009

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The Books - Dark Was the Night

This is a collection of songs that 4AD has released with profits benefitting the Red Hot Organization – an international charity dedicated to raising funds and awareness for HIV and AIDS.
Dark was the night, has something for everyone. It really is a who’s who of alternative music. The first disc I am really enjoying the tracks Train Song, Cello Song and Knotty Pine, but I for see that it will be only a matter of time that the rest starts growing on me.

Book mark this band – Ra Ra Riot

Friday, October 3rd, 2008



Ra Ra Riot - The Rhumb Line

Yep, listen. There is something here that is about to break out into brilliance.
If you are from Cape Ann, you should download it, for all the cross references to our lives and the understanding of the underling stories.
Thought the stories were not what caught me, it was the Kate Bush cover of Suspended In Gaffa, it is brilliant. If you are a fan of Vampire Weekend, run, don’t walk and take a listen.

And I leave you with some of the lyrics of “St. Peter’s Day Festival”

If I go to Gloucester you know I will
wait there for you
The Rhumb Line is waiting there too
you know it’s worth the nights we wait there
it all falls apart, apart
come on
come on

Why am I smiling…Everything That Happens Will Happen Today

Wednesday, August 6th, 2008

Brian Eno and David Byrne are coming out with a new CD this month.
Byrne is going on tour with the new music and they have offered a free track for your e-mail address. Well worth the e-mails, it’s a great track.

Learn more and get the free track at their new website.

http://www.everythingthathappens.com/

Great news… 2/3rd’s more writers

Tuesday, July 1st, 2008

I am giddy, just by the thought of have more people on board to write on sounds and zounds. Steve and Eric have join me in writing about music and music reviews. They are both great musicians and collectors of music and I can’t wait to hear what types of new and old music that I will be exposed to.

Till then – let the beat go on.

Welcome guys!

-Eoin