Just moved and started school as soon as I’m situated, probably by Tuesday, I’ll have probably a few interviews, and hell of alot more music, so sit chill folks. Piet Parra, artist, did the animation for this video by Le Le.

Le Le - Breakfast

I know I haven’t posted in a while.  What can I say?  Me and schedules don’t mix well.  With that said, I’ve decided that, when I do post, I’m going to do my absolute best to make sure I bring you guys the best that music, the art and the industry, has to offer.

This time I bring you Jack Conte.  He’s an unsigned artist out in San Fransisco and a real talent.  Initially, I wasn’t sure what it was that caught my attention.  At first I thought it was the clever video editing and the pleasingly raw VideoSong medium his music is presented through on YouTube, but even that, compliment that it is, is giving him too little credit.  

What is it, then?  His music doesn’t tap into that anxiety in the way that a lot of the stuff I listen to does.  I’ve seen the floor of his recording room and, while he’s got a few nice pedals, he doesn’t even begin to approach Omar Rodriguez-Lopez territory.  His distinctive mashup of acoustic and electronic influences managed even to bring to mind the better qualities of many artists/bands that I’m fond of (the humanness of The Postal Service, the “watching from outside” sort of stream of consciousness commentary of Radiohead, and all the energy of Muse) and package them with a sound that I didn’t feel quite so familiar with.

I still don’t quite know what to say about Jack except to tell you this: do yourself a favor and give him a listen.

Jack’s original “Yeah Yeah Yeah”

A brilliant mashup of Radiohead’s “Exit Music (For A Film)” and Chopin’s Préludes, Op.28

The Myspace

The YouTube Channel

Time for some spiritual meditation crap. If you feel the same way I do about hippie-indian-wannabe spiritual stuffs and have no love for it then we will get along very well. Thankfully, this is acceptable spiritual meditation crap, thanks to its tenor saxophone and that ever elusive jazzy harp. 

If you recognize the artist’s last name, it’s not because she’s biting (stealing) that it to gain credibility for her music. Coltrane is the last name of some tenor saxophone player named John. Alice Coltrane is John Coltrane’s wife and a talented pianist, organist, harpist and composer.

Skipping to the song, and not caring about interesting paragraph transitions. This song was released in the 1970’s; a time when LSD, San Franciscans, and hippie crap ruled American youth’s mind. It’s a pretty relaxing Jazz fusion song which I hope you’ll enjoi.

Alice Coltrane - Journey Into Satchidananda
 

Seagull Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her was a japanese band formed in 1992. Their sound is what we’d now days call indie. Existing during a time when Alternative rock and grunge ruled the airways, SSKHKH (haha) did not rise in popularity as much as they would nowadays in a time when indie rock music has developed solid fan base. SSKHKH was formed by two Japanese girls in Japan blah blah blah. Let’s get to the f*cking music. ahah

This song is solid and you’ll recognize elements from this song have been replicated by other bands *cough* Louis XIV *couuuugh.* enjoi.

Down To Mexico

[Animal Collective] combines a love of sonic free form electronic horror gospel hip hop soul pop madness and brings it all together into something that is (hopefully) at times totally pleasing and at others completely scary and confusing but most importantly is refreshing in this crazy crazy world. - Animal Collective

That summarizes their sound very well. At First listen their music is going to sound really fucking weird. You probably won’t make it through the first minute without going crazy. That is exactly what they were going for. The best part of AC is that you don’t normally hear anything as insane and orderly as their music. Try their latest alblum Strawberry Jam, it is a perfect 10. The songs are like puzzle pieces, clicking together very well without overlapping in strangeness or novelty, while adding more and more definition to an already crazy concept. Try them, but it’s not for everyone.

Eba eba eba eba eba eba eba get passed that near nuisance in Chores and enjoi.

Chores

For Reverend Green

No they do not make cheat notes, summaries or sell books. Cliff Nobles & Co. are a funk/soul group from the late 60’s. This song is wonderful, not only thanks to the energetic instrumentals, but also because of its realistic understanding of what love is.
It seems like a lot of music does such a great job at romanticizing love (sounds strange right?), turning it into a superhero which always arrives at the nick of time and saves everyone! Not so much in the real world. Love is Alright. Enjoi.

 Love is Alright - Cliff Nobles & Co.

Have you ever been cruising in a rocket ship past clouds and satellites only to reach a moon, that is in fact NOT COVERED IN CHEESE?? Of course it’s devastating, but so is realizing that you were daydream during an exam!

Daydreaming is how you save a mundane morning at school or work. Whether taking down pirate ships single-handedly or simply taking a walk with a lover down your favorite beach, daydreaming provides a safety net from insanity.

The Monkees are a very cool band that actually first existed as a cast in a popular 60’s TV show about a make-believe band (guess the name of that band!) That make-believe band was successful on the TV and thus was transformed into a real touring band by the members themselves. The Monkees had a bunch of hits including “I’m a Believer” (yes the song from Shrek) and even manage to sell more records in 1967 than The Beatles and The Rollingstone combined! Hopefully this song will remain as memorable as Shreks. Enjoi

*Talking donkey not included*

Monkees - Daydream Believer

Blue Scholars make music for the understated, the low class, the blue collar worker, meaning, the poor or the struggling. Blue Scholars are relevant to today, much in the same way Bon Jovi was relevant to middle America in the 80’s. From the other side of Jovi’s “American blue collar experience” comes Geologic’s (lyricist) and Sabzi’s (DJ) “American Blue Scholar’s experience.”

Sold for spare change while the broke hold on
Why they call themselves right, but then act so wrong
Dollar sign challenge why the unemployment line long
No call for the blue collar gettin’ low ball
It’s a long climb just to get to petty bourgeois

Don’t expect happy party music from Blue Scholars, expect a conscious realest rapping over soulful samples. Geologic, whose cadence could serve as a second drum, delivers lyrics on societal struggles and monetary impediments creating subtle allegories for today’s problems. With the recession going on, and people being laid off left and right, I find this song suitable. Simply stated, If Bon Jovi’s music was about working for the weekend, then Blue Scholar’s is about creating a better everyday.

Blue Scholars - Loyalty

Bonus: Blue Scholars - The Distance

Music Video Of the week here purely for entertainment. What do you get when you throw dogs in the air in front of a slow mo camera?
Vitalic - Poney

Alot of popular indie bands come from Portland, Oregon: The Shins, Menomena, The Dandy Warhols, naming a bunch of Oregon bands is a bad idea (and pretty pointless), there are WAY TOO MANY. Maybe it’s due to the lack of black people and rap music in Oregon that causes music genres like indie and folk to flourish lol. Why this happens? like Tootsie Pops, the world may never know..

The Helio Sequence is one of these Oregon band with kick -assability. Made up of Brandon Summers on guitar and vocals and Benjamin Weikel, who has also played for Modest Mouse, on keyboards and drums, The Helio Sequence has decently packaged sound for their small size. No homo intended, let’s move into their music, from Oregon.

Although their sound has changed a bit from their last album, Love and Distance, HS has still produced a similar sound in Keep Your Eyes Ahead. Though it is a bit calmer it still maintains the signature small bleeps and bloops found in their musics. These are two very different songs, not to be used to compare albums, just to enjoi them. 

The Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead

The Helio Sequence - The Echo Blomp - Love and Distance