The Music Elitist

We’re gonna play a little game to start things off. First, close your eyes.

Now, you shouldn’t be able to read this if you’re following directions. If you’ve realized after just closing your eyes that you couldn’t read what was to come next, then you can move on. If you never closed your eyes to begin with…. “Good for you, doesn’t change a thing.” – Tyler Durden.

Now, think about how you feel when I say Beach House. Do you see that nice little beach front property from Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind? Do you think of running into the ocean at night just cause you can? Do you feel like there’s something majestic about those two words combined? Beach and House. No? Well, who cares what you think?

So, there’s a little band from Baltimore called “Beach House” and they are quite the dreamy teamy. With Victoria Legrand (the backing vocalist on “Two Weeks” by Grizzly Bear) on her trusty organ and floaty vocals, Alex Scally on Guitar and bgv’s, and a drum machine, Beach House make lite loveable ethereal music. There new album “Teen Dream” will be out January 26th. Make sure you pick it up. But until then, take a listen to their brand new song “Norway” Click here.

Source: re1000.wordpress.com

So I recently moved from Florida to Brooklyn, New York and I have been exposed to a bit of the local music around here. A lot of it were bands that I had already heard, but there’s been a few that were new to me.  I have for the most part enjoyed the music I have heard, but honestly, a lot of these bands (and their die-hard hipster fans) need to just get over themselves. I think I have less of a problem with their music than I do with how they act like it’s the greatest music ever created. It just seems like anything that isn’t neo-folk, lo-fi, electronic or psychadelic is considered to be inferior music by these people and it really pisses me off.

Don’t get me wrong, I like a lot of these “hipster bands”. Grizzly Bear’s record is great. I dug some of MGMT’s songs (though ANYONE can make songs in Garage Band on a Mac…it’s not that difficult). But I just can’t imagine listening to ONLY these types of bands. But if you ever mention a band that you like that is outside this little musical boundary these hipsters have created (or rather, websites like Pitchfork have created), you are instantly not cool anymore. Take Thrice for example. It’s not really considered cool to listen to a band like Thrice anymore. But those guys have consistently been putting out great music (especially their newest record Beggars) and most of their old fans have missed it because they have “moved on” so to speak. It’s not cool to listen to a band you may have liked 5 or 6 years ago. But that also has a lot to do with the music A.D.D. that the digital age has created (there’s a post on this coming soon).

I try to listen to all types of music (though country music has just never done anything for me), but my favorite kind of music is the kind  where you can hear the passion and/or emotion in the singers voice. Not necessarily emo, but just anthemic and powerful (Tim McIlrath from Rise Against, for example). While this hipster music is great for just chilling out and listening to in a bar or dancing to in a club, it is not inspiring to me at all. I like distorted guitars and a driving beat. That’s the kind of music that excites me. The only band like that right now that it’s considered “ok” to like is Them Crooked Vultures. And for good reason, they are amazing. But I honestly think most of these hipsters just give them lip service because if you ever talked badly about a band that a former Led Zeppelin member is in, you’d be ex-communicated from the musical community.

I guess the point I am getting at is, hipster music is a trend. Just like everything else that came and went before it. From the fact that all the music sounds generally the same right down to the fact a lot their names make animal references (Grizzly Bear, Bear in Heaven, Animal Collective…etc.), it’s all just a trend and its only a matter of time until it isn’t cool anymore. That usually happens right around the time they are widely popular and everyone in the mainstream is suddenly into it. It may already not be cool to like Animal Collective and I missed the memo. Bottom line is, I don’t care. I’ll continue listening to the bands/artists I like regardless of what some skinny jean, American Apparel hoodie wearing hipster has to say about it. You all just keep thinking you’re so elite and on the cutting edge and I’ll just stand back here and laugh at you like I always have.

At the turn of 2009 when the snow was falling, and all I could do was listen to music and read about music online, a band named “Animal Collective”, which I wasn’t really into, came out with a new record. It was called “Merriweather Post Pavillion” and it was hailed by all music publications and most online reviews to be the best album of 2009. This was in January, and it’s funny how almost true everyone was. With the exception of Grizzly Bear, I feel Animal Collective did come out with one of the best albums of 2009. I loved it.

Now flash forward 8 months, August we hear there may be another Animal Collective release. The bloggers exploded in a joyous praise, asking one question, “Could Animal Collective’s new release be better then the first and or be one of the first bands in a long time to release two great records in a year?”

Flash to September, we find out that the release is coming in November digitally, and then a hard pressing in December. It will be an EP and it’s title would be “Fall Be Kind.” With a statement that the album like most AC albums will have to do with the season it’s released.

Flash to November. “Fall Be Kind” leaked. And I have to say that it’s fantastic. A step forward in the right direction for a band that’s been stepping forward since day one. They’ve been doing this for the last decade, however it’s the best it’s ever sounded at this point. With trippy time signatures, swirling crystal-like sounds, and their unique use of vocal arrangements, this EP is definitely the best EP of the year.

In retrospect, Animal Collective have come out with two of the best releases this year. If you don’t own “Merriweather Post Pavillion” get it. And when this album get’s it’s official pressing in December, I’ll be encouraging everyone to go pick it up. But until then take a listen to my favorite song on the record. Click here

Alright everyone. There’s a little band from NJ called “Real Estate” and they just released a new record called “Real Estate.” Crazy right, I mean who names their album after their own band. But even with the same mundane self title that every band in the world does, this record is not at all mundane. Quite dreamy, reminds you of summers at the shore, or just rocking out with your friends in the suburbs. New Jersey being most of the subject matter on this album, Real Estate do everything they can to boast about how awesome Jersey is. Included with this album you hear about mini-malls, highways, suburbs, beach shores, and snow fall. If you’ve never lived in NJ, listen to this album and you will get the full spectrum of what the garden state really is. Check out some songs from the album  at http://www.myspace.com/letsrockthebeach

Keep talking.

So, after seeing As Tall As Lions and Mutemath on Friday I’ve come to the conclusion that if you can’t pull it off live, you shouldn’t be playing it.

As Tall As Lions, being one of my new favorites last year whom I hadn’t seen until now, opened for Mutemath at Nokia Theatre on Friday. I was looking forward to seeing them because of a live video I saw on YouTube. However, the lead singer was flat the entire performance, and the drummer did the same thing every song. It was terrible. It could have been an off night for them, but I feel that when you are performing at Nokia Theatre (a very nice venue) with a pretty popular band, you should work out all those kinks before you present yourself to an audience.

On to Mutemath. I’ve seen them once before and they “blew me away.” However, after seeing them a second time I realized that all the hype of their amazing stage show is bull. They are good musicians, and really talented, however it was boring. They did exactly the same thing Friday night as they did when I first saw them. Here is a Mutemath show in my words:

1. Intro noise
2. First song from new album
3. Second song from new album
4. Jam / Drummer picks up cymbal while playing
5. Old Song
6. Lead singer jumps on rhodes while playing the keytar
7. Lead singer feet in the air while playing rhodes
8. Jam
9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 Same song as the next, with musicians FREAKING OUT!!!

Fun, but no cigar

Just forget everything you know, and go see a real band. Like The Dead Weather.

Is that you choking?

If you haven’t heard the new Thom Yorke or Radiohead songs, you’re missing out. Here is a list of everything you should own:

TheHollowEarth
FeelingPulledApartByHorses
All For The Best
Hearing Damage
These Are My Twisted Words
Harry Patch (In Memory Of)

Watch this video, it’ll make your eyes fall out.

The Hollow Earth – Thom Yorke video

Also, MuteMath and As Tall As Lions played Friday night here in NYC, and I just so happen to have been there. Expect pictures soon. Listen to MuteMath’s new record “Armistice” …here

or As Tall As Lions new album “You Can’t Take It With You” …here

I like their self titled album better though. Well, until next time, keep talking.

What happens when you take a watermelon, a mario-esque hammer, a bald 70’s comedian with a mustache, and the music of Metallica. You get this…
METALLAGHER!!!

Ok, now for something to love. If you’ve been living in a cave on the moon with your eyes closed and your fingers in your ears you will have never heard of Bon Iver. Last winter’s newest folk obscurist. With an album that was never meant to be anything other than, a month in a cabin away from the world where one man would let out his true feelings, it’s a pretty amazing album. If you’re really one of those people on the moon, open your eyes, take your fingers out of your ears, hop on the first shuttle back to earth, and click on this link…Bon Iver

Now, it wasn’t Bon Iver I was trying to rave about, but it’s impossible for one to understand how much you’ll like this next band if you don’t like the first.  So, for Justin “Voice of Bon Iver” Vernon’s new adventure, he’s going away from the winter, and into the volcano. Volcano Choir is very up Vernon’s alley to say the least. With lush Harmonies, and minimalist electronica beats, it’s everything you’d ever want from logic pro. So, enjoy while the lava melts the sky away. Volcano Choir

Until next time. Keep talking.

A friend of mine made this statement today and I have to admit I kind of agree with him. His prediction being that 2 albums from now, they will have a huge hit (bigger than “Somebody Told Me”, “Mr. Brightside” and “Human”) and people will look back on songs like “A Dustland Fairytale” and pretend they were more popular at the time than they actually were, just like U2.

Now, TECHNICALLY this is not a complete rip-off because the melody is the same for less than 8 bars. But holy hell are the choruses of these songs similar.

I’M STILL ALIVE!!!! Sorry it’s been so long guys. This draft has literally been sitting here for 3 weeks waiting for me to finish it. I promise I am gonna try really hard to start posting more regularly.

Most songs on the radio suck. Even if those songs are being performed by great artists. The radio single typically has the stigma of being the worst song on the album. But, I find that it happens less often with the following bands.

Taking Back Sunday
Say what you want about these guys, but this will be the “emo band” that’s still alive and kicking in 10 years. They are probably one of the most consistent bands out there as far as releasing good music goes. They don’t usually get a ton of radio airplay past their first single, but that single is usually really catchy. Their latest single “Sink Into Me” was actually my inspiration for writing this post because I couldn’t get it out of my head for about 3 days after the first time I heard it. Their first single from Louder Now, “MakeDamn Sure” had a similar effect.

Foo Fighters
I don’t think I have ever heard someone actually say “I hate the Foo Fighters“. And there’s good reason for that. The most popular songs by these guys (i.e. the ones that have been on the radio) are all legitimately good songs: “Big Me”, “Everlong” “Learn to Fly”, “Times Like These”, “Best of You”, “The Pretender”…the list goes on and on.

Incubus
When this band first became popular, they were lumped into the nu metal movement with bands like KoRn and Limp Bizkit. If you listened to their last album Light Grenades, you would have no idea how that could have been possible. But no matter what their sound, they have always managed to write great songs and their radio singles were no exception (though I want to put a bullet in my head every time I hear “Drive”…overplayed).

The Killers
“Human” is definitely starting to wear on me, but otherwise I am usually delighted to hear a Killers radio single. Most of the indie dance nights I went to back in ‘04 managed to wear out the songs from Hot Fuss before they were even popular on the radio. But that album is still my favorite by them, so that says something.

Muse
So happy these guys are finally seeing a lot of mainstream success and I look forward to their next record. But I really honestly can’t think of a bad radio single from these guys. “Hysteria,” “Time is Running Out,” “Starlight”…all great songs.

Red Hot Chili Peppers
This one I feel I should clarify. I’m talking Red Hot Chili Peppers AFTER 1991. Mother’s Milk has a few good songs, but that’s about as far back as I go with RHCP. But the radio singles from Blood Sugar Sex Magik through Stadium Arcadium have all been pretty decent (though horribly overplayed).

Rise Against
Though I felt their breakout single (“Swing Life Away”) was not a very good representation of the band’s true sound, I still think it and every radio single they have released since are all pretty good songs. They are one of the few tolerable radio bands out there right now and I have actually had quite a few of their songs get stuck in my head.

Death Cab for Cutie
Obviously these guys are just a great band, but as I have said before, even great bands can release terrible radio singles. Not these guys though. I know there are probably some hardcore Death Cab fans out there that probably don’t care for “Soul Meets Body” and “Crooked Teeth,” but I like those songs a lot.

Jimmy Eat World
I can’t include these guys without a little disclaimer. Let me start by saying that when Bleed American came out in August 2001, I didn’t really have a huge problem with “The Middle.” It wasn’t by any means my favorite song on the record, but I had no issues with it. Fast forward to spring of 2002, it was quite a different story. That song turned out to be the song that introduced Jimmy Eat World…to the world. I personally feel, that was the worst possible song on that record to be their breakout single. “Sweetness” did pretty well on the radio which made me happy because that was by far my favorite song on that record and still is to this day. My point is every other radio single by this band has been better than “The Middle” (including the ones before it that were not successful: “Lucky Denver Mint” and “Bleed American”). Ok, I’m done.

AFI
There were a lot of hardcore AFI fans that were probably pretty pissed off around 2003 when Sing the Sorrow was released. But for some reason I have a feeling it was a very small group of them. I had a roommate my freshman year of college who was a HUGE AFI fan. I can’t tell you how many times I heard The Art of Drowning and Black Sails in the Sunset regularly being played from his room in our dorm. When Sing the Sorrow first came out I remember him being a tad skeptical before its release and even saying he wasn’t thrilled with it at first. But then he ended up liking it after a few listens. And then a couple years ago when Decemberunderground was released his Facebook status said something like “Trying to hate the new AFI, but it’s actually pretty good.” He’d still say to this day (and with good reason) that his favorite AFI stuff is pre-2003. But even their old fans can appreciate the music they have made since breaking into the  mainstream. That being said I’ve approved of pretty much every radio single they’ve released.