Antonio's Music Dumping Ground

Antonio · 07-07-2010, 06:29 PM

Antonio’s Music Dumping Ground

(sh*tty picture provided by yours truly

)

Hey everybody, Antonio here. Lately, I've been thinking that while i do post here on the forums a good amount, i don't really talk about the music i like too much. So yeah, this is my first attempt at a Member Journal to basically talk about music that I'm interested in as well as the idea of music itself and it's applications. Really, i want to use this journal as a personal thing; alot of what i'll be posting will concern music that really catches my ears or music to which i hold a personal connection with.

So here I'll be posting about both well known and stuff you may have not heard of, but really just music and artists in general that catch my attention as well as some of the stuff that made me the music lover that i am today.

a few things that i'll be trying to post in here:

Songs I'm Diggin'- Formerly Song of the Week
Musical Reflections- aka random thoughts on music in general
Band/Artist Spotlight- Just showing off artists that I feel need more love and attention in the music world
Awesome Sountracks- a new thing I'm trying since I've been listening to a large number of soundtracks recently. May be mostly of games, but I will pull up some things for movies and television.
Album Reviews, mostly of stuff i recently got my hands on. i'll try to review stuff on a rating system from 1-10
1-Stay the HELL away, this album will HURT YOU in ways you never thought possible. if you see any copies in the vicinity, don't hesitate to KILL IT! KILL IT WITH FIRE!!
2-Just flat out bad, only worth the 1-2 songs on it, if at all.
3-Not very good, only really worth a few songs/the main hits.
4-Slightly below average. Not a terrible listen, but overall not a very satisfying musical experience.
5-Average. Not abysmal. Not amazing. Just average.
6-Slightly above average. Not a bad listen, but you probably won't miss much if you don't check it out.
7-Really good, worth checking out. Won't knock your socks off though.
8-Great, but not amazing. Has it's obvious flaws/weak tracks, but this is a real must hear for music fans.
9-Damn near perfection, an album where the artist can sit back and take in the satisfaction that they made a piece of music like this. Legendary status.
10-Flawless, it's pretty much an eargasming masterpiece. If you don't listen to this album at some point before you die, most preferably NOW, then you have WASTED YOUR LIFE.

and anything else that tickles my fancy, hehe

so, without further ado, i'll start off with my

SONGS I'M DIGGIN'
Danny!-I Want H.E.R.(She's So Heavy)

I found this artist off a website that had a weekly music showcase and I was hooked. This is some laid back Hip-Hop with a jazzy and layered feel to it that flows very well with the smooth delivery. The samples are in the right place at the right time and don‘t overpower the lyrics. Instead, it all works together in a solid blend of jazz, soul, and hip-hop. Dude has a bit of a Kanye West feel, so anyone who’s a fan of him will definitely want to pick up some of Danny!’s music, and anyone who just enjoys this song will want to do the same.

more to come soon!

Antonio · 07-07-2010, 10:14 PM

REVIEW: Owl City-Ocean Eyes

Owl City is a one man synthpop/electronica band from Minnesota who started in the basement of musician Adam Young in 2007. Ocean Eyes is the first major release.

I actually just got a hold of this CD a few minutes ago and now I’m reviewing it cause, well, I like it. You may have heard the song “Fireflies” on the radio at some point and quite frankly it‘s not unlike the rest of the CD. I’m not saying that as a bad thing though; the rest of this album is definitely a well produced and catchy as all hell. A fun little romp in Pop-Land that doesn't overstay its welcome or makes you regret liking it, albeit a little cheese here and there.

Now…this is some synthpop that’s HEAVY on the Pop. Enchanting, whimsical melodies using synthesizers in a dance club manner? Check. Happy-Go-Lucky lyrics delivered in a tone that says “I‘m gonna keep this smile on AAAAAAAAALLLLL DAY”? Check. Song titles like “Vanilla Twilight” and “If My Heart Was a House”, where you can feel the sap sticking to you from just how sickeningly sweet they are? Check.

But honestly, this is some really GOOD synthpop. The melodies are very well done and this is one of those rare times when voice enhancing is used not as a crutch for poor singing or as a patronizing club of over saturation being beaten over the heads of people who should know better than to listen to crap like that. Everything from the vocal dubs to the little nuances in the beats enhances the music and adds to your enjoyment, layering together in just the right spots and with enough hooks that are good enough that you can tell this wasn't just slapped together by some committee.

If you’re someone who is not a fan of this type of poppy electronic music, then this isn‘t too likely to turn you around. There’s no real deepness to the lyrics (even though the way they‘re done is very pretty) and it’s safe to say that this is the kind of stuff that’d be played on rotation at WalMart cause it’s the safest you could possibly get without becoming stupid or childish.

If you’re like me, though, and can appreciate a good bit of sugary and feel good pop from time to time, then you'll find this a very enjoyable and laid back album.

Best Songs-Cave In, The Bird and the Worm, Umbrella Beach, Fireflies, Vanilla Twilight

Worst Songs-Meteor Shower

Final Rating-7/10

a few songs if you'd like to give this a listen

YouTube - Cave In - Owl City
YouTube - ‪Hello Seattle - Owl City (NEW OCEAN EYES VERSION!!!)‬&lrm;
YouTube - ‪Umbrella Beach - Owl City‬&lrm;
YouTube - ‪The Bird and The Worm - Owl City‬&lrm;

Exeggcute :3 · 07-08-2010, 08:06 AM

Just spent some time listening to that "Owl City" stuff, it's very good. It reminds me of a band that I spent some time listening to called "The Postal Service," the singer sounds very similar, and the musical style isn't too different either, although Owl City's music is slightly more dancy and upbeat. I really like it though, struck me as soon as I listened to it, so thanks

Antonio · 07-08-2010, 12:23 PM

yeah, i read that the guy from Owl City cited TPS as a major influence. I've actually thought of getting into them before but i'm not too sure where to start. any suggestions?

Exeggcute :3 · 07-09-2010, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antonio

yeah, i read that the guy from Owl City cited TPS as a major influence. I've actually thought of getting into them before but i'm not too sure where to start. any suggestions?

Well, they've only ever done the one album, and that was "Give Up" which goes all the way back to 2003, I think. The best songs on the album are definitely "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight," "We Will Become Silhouettes" and "Such Great Heights," but there are a lot of other top quality songs on there apart from those. I quite like "Clark Gable" and "Nothing Better" too. Definitely worth checking out if you liked the Owl City stuff

Antonio · 07-09-2010, 01:11 PM

Thanks, i'll definitely give it a listen

Antonio · 07-13-2010, 12:47 AM

SPOTLIGHT-The Red Chord

Ever since I was fourteen and first heard System of a Down’s B.Y.O.B. and subsequently started tuning in to Headbanger‘s Ball on MTV, I‘ve always had a great love for heavier music. Listening to a lot of the groups at this time, it was unlike anything I have ever heard before. The crushing brutality and earsplitting sounds seemed to fill a gap in my being that was missing and gave me something to vent out all sorts of frustrations during those high school years. While I may not be as largely of a metal fan today, I still hold much of this music close to my heart. So I’m going to take this spotlight right now to talk about one of my favorite heavy bands, The Red Chord.

Hailing from Revere, Massachusetts in the late 90s, The Red Chord is a band that takes the technical, calculated, and heavy side of death metal and matches it up with the sheer tearing ferocity of grindcore. This style is more commonly referred to as "deathcore", and TRC are considered one of its pioneering groups of this genre. I find these guys to be one of the better groups of this movement, as a number of other bands seem to not sound as strong or fall back on tired, overused tropes like breakdowns. While TRC does use similar techniques, it just seems more genuine in my opinion. Much of their music is crafted in a way where you could tell that they really meant to have every piece in the exact spot it is without feeling tacked on or cheesy. This is a group that really does their own thing, and they do it well.

Now, what i love about this band is just how all over the place they sound. While not a band that constantly switches genres ala Between the Buried and Me, these guys have their own special charm for mixing it up while not breaking the flow or letting up on the heavy. The guitars of Mike “Gunface” McKenzie combines meticulous, technical bits with grindcore sensibilities, creating a tight, yet messy and fast paced sound. The vocals by Guy Kozowyk have an instantly recognizable sound of a cross between a death metal veteran and a decades long cigarette smoker, which adds to the pain and gives a good feel when he delivers his biting and tongue in cheek lyrics. The drums of Mike Justain are both all over the place and consistent in adding to the fury and Greg Weeks‘ bass is the much needed bridge and stability to counter the frantic drums and guitar. These guys do what a lot of their contemporaries can’t and deliver hard hitting and crushing blows while at the same time having a less serious, almost silly feel at certain points, as a result of either the crazy lyrics or unpredictable guitar.

Much of their lyrical content focuses on insanity and the human condition. Their second release, Clients, is a prime example of this, with much of the album based on a relative of Kozowyk‘s experiences working for an adult development center, with much of the songs referring to real people. It covers mental problems like schizophrenia, multiple personality disorder, OCD, and including the title track, suggests that we all, in our own way, are “Clients”, or people who are in some way messed up mentally.

In the end, this is a band that I grew up listening to and one that helped to broaden my horizon of both metal and music in general. Listening to these guys over the years has really shown me what can be done musically and that you can still be a great musician without having to make more “traditional” styled songs. While there’s plenty of people these days who are very open minded about music but still detest anything heavy or rough, I’m glad that I went through this phase my life and saw what some of the limits of sound can bring, and I‘m glad that I had this band to help me see that.

but hell, what's one to know until you've actually heard them, right? take a listen to some of these songs and tell me what you think.

Spoiler for The Red Chord:

Antonio · 07-13-2010, 08:03 PM

SONGS I'M DIGGIN'
Matisyahu-Jerusalem

Wow, I can't believe it's been a week already. The song for this week is from Matisyahu, who blends Reggae, Hip-Hop, and Rock with Jewish themes and ideals, as he is a Hassidic follower of the faith. This song is from the album Youth and is one of my favorites from him, not just because of the beats and the general catchiness of it, but also for the story it tells. The song covers several points in the history of the Jewish people, with the first part talking about their initial nomadic lifestyle, noting that even if you don't have a place to call home it can still be a place in your heart. The second part is about the Jewish internment in WWII, and here he also shows how some people at this time would forget their heritage and not show who they were out of fear. The last part tells you not to give in to lies or deception and be true to God.

I'm not Jewish, but the ideas talked about in this song are ones that I and many other people can relate to. Really, you shouldn't forget who you are or where you came from, and above all you need to stay true to yourself and what you believe in.

Antonio · 07-21-2010, 12:18 PM

SONGS I'M DIGGIN'
Allman Brothers Band-Blue Sky

sorry for the lateness this week, there's been a good number of developments in life that i had to attend to. But anywho...

this week is one of my favorite songs from the Allman Brothers Band, and a really great summer pick me up. from the album Eat A Peach, i love this song for the general feel good vibe it gives off. it's really a simple and well meaning tune, a nice way to kick back and not let the stresses of the day run you down. plus you just have to love the dual soloing from Dickey Betts and Duane Allman, not only are they very proficient with their respective instruments and keep the phrasing and feel of it interesting, but when they both harmonize near the end of it, it sends chills up my spine.

so sit back, relax, and enjoy the Blue Sky

Antonio · 07-21-2010, 06:04 PM

MUSICAL REFLECTION: Music as a Language

I recall a saying I heard years ago when I started learning guitar. It said

“When you end a solo on the main note, it's like putting the period at the end of a sentence. And the more you add on to a solo is like adding more to what you're trying to say”.

This got me to thinking, can playing or listening to music be the same as speaking or hearing a language?

I mean, musical notes are in a way like letters of the alphabet. There’s a set number of them to use and while they aren’t endless, the different combinations that you make with what there is can be. Now, I’m not talking about lyrics here; what I‘m saying is that maybe the actual sounds (whether it be guitar, trumpet, vocals, etc) and how they interact with each other may be able to tell their own story and make you see what’s trying to be said. Really, when you listen to an album or a song and say, "oh this is sad" or "this is a very uplifting song", it's like the music is communicating it's ideas and effecting you the same way that someone who'd be giving you a compliment or yelling at you angrily would.

Really, if it was one, I think that music would be a language of expression rather than a language that puts it all out there clear as day. You feel what's trying to be said more than just in a literal understanding of the lyrics or theory of the notes.

Take the video for the song Paranoid Android by Radiohead for example:

When coming up with an idea for the video, the artist Magnus Carlsson devised it when “he locked himself in his office for over 12 hours to stare out of the window, while listening to the song on repeat while jotting down visual ideas“. The end result is basically a journey through the song, that in my opinion explains it more than the lyrics ever could. He was letting the music speak to him and because of that you see the real essence of it more than if it was just a video of the band playing or something where the director followed the lyrics of the song without much attention to the actual music.

In cases when playing an instrument with another person, you could both communicate through what you play, like a conversation, and like any conversation, some could go on for hours where you both are sharing common ideas, like a jam session or when writing a song. And like other conversations, they could be clumsy and cut short due to not really having much to talk about or little interest from the start, like two people who play/listen to separate genres or musicians who are “one man shows“ so to speak. I know there have been times where I was playing with someone and I felt like I couldn’t get a word (or in this case, note) in edgewise because they weren’t really ones to share the spotlight or open up to other ideas. There have also been the times playing where I felt that I was in perfect sync with another person and felt my ideas heard and shared.

So just to close out, do you think music is able to be expressed to get the idea across without having to understand lyrics/without having lyrics at all? Is there any music that you think really speaks to you and makes you envision anything or various times where it would set the scene? What are some of your musical experiences (be it playing or listening) with others? Do they share the same feel for it or does different music effect them differently than you would?

I’m really just asking these as something to think about, but if anyone would like to share some of their thoughts on things like this, I‘d to hear what you have to say.

07-08-2010, 08:06 AM	#3 (permalink)
Exeggcute :3 Music Addict Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 80	Just spent some time listening to that "Owl City" stuff, it's very good. It reminds me of a band that I spent some time listening to called "The Postal Service," the singer sounds very similar, and the musical style isn't too different either, although Owl City's music is slightly more dancy and upbeat. I really like it though, struck me as soon as I listened to it, so thanks __________________ Hi :)