Sunday, May 23, 2010
The Aggrolites, The Aggrolites
A nice, modern reggae album from an LA band... The kind of stuff you want to listen to while barbequeing outside on a chill summer evening. There's an edgy kick to the vocals blending some real heart into the Jamaica heavy mix of ska, reggae, punk with a hint of motown. Punchy grooves for a laid back day.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Agaetis Byrjun by Sigur Ros
This album must certifiably be on of the most beautiful albums I own.
I am transported to another world - one in which time hardly matters and things move much more slowly. I have infinite patience here. I imagine vast sun-stained grey skies. I recently saw a time-lapse video of Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland (this band's homeland) and can't help but pair that image with this music. A silent volcano gushing forth billows of rich, black smoke, sumptuous and deep while the world around it remains still and unmoving. This album proclaims that life is victorious and to be cherished no matter how bitter it may be at times. Agaetis Byrjun sounds so otherworldly ~ rife with atmosphere that I can scarcely relate to. The music, however, still speaks volumes to my soul. My ears and mind don't understand but my heart does; it cries out, longs, rests. This album is just about as close as I get to ecstacy these days.
I am transported to another world - one in which time hardly matters and things move much more slowly. I have infinite patience here. I imagine vast sun-stained grey skies. I recently saw a time-lapse video of Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland (this band's homeland) and can't help but pair that image with this music. A silent volcano gushing forth billows of rich, black smoke, sumptuous and deep while the world around it remains still and unmoving. This album proclaims that life is victorious and to be cherished no matter how bitter it may be at times. Agaetis Byrjun sounds so otherworldly ~ rife with atmosphere that I can scarcely relate to. The music, however, still speaks volumes to my soul. My ears and mind don't understand but my heart does; it cries out, longs, rests. This album is just about as close as I get to ecstacy these days.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Afrika Bambaataa
Afrika Bambaata, oh how I've been dreading you. Well, not you exactly but this album. What happened here? Well, unfortunately you lived up to my dread and let me say, listening to you all day today did not make my life easier, nor did it repair my piss poor mood. I actually think I'm going to remove a good portion of these songs.
.......
Okay, so I'm revisiting this and listened to the album a bit more carefully and in a much better mood. This double disc album wasn't quite as bad as I made it out to sound above.
The first disc is old skool, eighties and early nineties focused beat-box jams. This collection has got all the quintessential sampled and cut sounds and beats that have set the backdrop for hip hop in the years to come. I guess there's some classic stuff on here, but that being said most of it is awfully redundant and lacks much complexity. A lot of the lyrics lack texture or dimension... I mean no disrespect though, because I do respect the fact that the artists featured here helped build hip hop as we know it... There's some gems on here though and a few songs that got my head bobbing - some funky stuff with irresistible beats. A couple of winners such as 8th Wonder, If I Rule the World and Set a Drift on Memory Bliss were really enjoyed.
And on to the next album. This one was a lot easier to listen to. A heavy line up of hardhitters from the late nineties... A lot more fun and really gets your booty shaking. I listened to this one a lot less carefully just because I was so familiar with most of the tracks and by the time I got to this disc Ken was complaining about having to listen to MORE Afrika Bambaataa.
.......
Okay, so I'm revisiting this and listened to the album a bit more carefully and in a much better mood. This double disc album wasn't quite as bad as I made it out to sound above.
The first disc is old skool, eighties and early nineties focused beat-box jams. This collection has got all the quintessential sampled and cut sounds and beats that have set the backdrop for hip hop in the years to come. I guess there's some classic stuff on here, but that being said most of it is awfully redundant and lacks much complexity. A lot of the lyrics lack texture or dimension... I mean no disrespect though, because I do respect the fact that the artists featured here helped build hip hop as we know it... There's some gems on here though and a few songs that got my head bobbing - some funky stuff with irresistible beats. A couple of winners such as 8th Wonder, If I Rule the World and Set a Drift on Memory Bliss were really enjoyed.
And on to the next album. This one was a lot easier to listen to. A heavy line up of hardhitters from the late nineties... A lot more fun and really gets your booty shaking. I listened to this one a lot less carefully just because I was so familiar with most of the tracks and by the time I got to this disc Ken was complaining about having to listen to MORE Afrika Bambaataa.
Africa - the Essential
This truly is a wide scope of African music as far as my unprofessional ears are concerned. It spans the entire continent and is bursting with so many different flavours. I am reminded of how interwoven music is as I hear bits that remind me of Cuban, Brazilian, Spanish and Turkish music... I'm sure there's countless other ties and connections in there that I'm missing. Before today I was actually pretty unfamiliar with this album and I was surprised to hear so much on there that I already knew and recognized.
Africa Essential starts off on a killer note with Diogal's "Samba Alla." This song is like a peaceful, smooth night and his voice comes in like the warmth that is left after a hot summer day as cooled. His voice is the air that wraps you up, gaurding you from the chill. Light and comforting that all is right with the world.
The album unwinds into other songs hitting high notes and low, slow and celebratory, strong and majestic.. Hand pianos chime in like a sweet rain and amidst my work at school I am whisked away into a much needed trip into a dreamworld...grand Africa.
Africa Essential starts off on a killer note with Diogal's "Samba Alla." This song is like a peaceful, smooth night and his voice comes in like the warmth that is left after a hot summer day as cooled. His voice is the air that wraps you up, gaurding you from the chill. Light and comforting that all is right with the world.
The album unwinds into other songs hitting high notes and low, slow and celebratory, strong and majestic.. Hand pianos chime in like a sweet rain and amidst my work at school I am whisked away into a much needed trip into a dreamworld...grand Africa.
Add It Up, The Violent Femmes
This album was pretty fun also - it's kind of hillbilly meets punky geek with the confident weirdness of David Byrne. I was surprised at how many Jesus songs there were and I wonder what the band's relationship is with him? At times it's a little rough around the edges or too wandering as they ramble on with their horns and screeches in the more obscure sounding tracks. Once I got to the point (around Vancouver) where I had to struggle to adjust my tastes too get in to the right mood the atmosphere changes and eases you in to the last song on the album, "Johnny" nicely. It's like a rain cloud rolls over and washes away all the grime and urges you to bundle up and stay inside...
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Abbey Road
A wonderful album... I feel like whatever I might say about it will be an injustice. I just haven't had the focus or attention to listen to it as much as I would like, or write about it as thoughtfully as I wish. But that'll be the story for much of these I guess.
Two of the tracks on my iPod are incomplete which was severely disappointing, and I must say I got ancy to skip ahead past "She's So Heavy." But all in all the music is so theatrical and the songs unwind like stories I wish I had more time to hear. It made me want to start listening to song lyrics again. It's sunny, groovy, polished and tight. It's a great recording that sounds incredibly relevant still today.
Two of the tracks on my iPod are incomplete which was severely disappointing, and I must say I got ancy to skip ahead past "She's So Heavy." But all in all the music is so theatrical and the songs unwind like stories I wish I had more time to hear. It made me want to start listening to song lyrics again. It's sunny, groovy, polished and tight. It's a great recording that sounds incredibly relevant still today.
Friday, May 14, 2010
A.F.I., A.F.I.
Self titled album by A.F.I. has long held the top spot on my iPod A-Z. I know this album well now because if I'm not paying attention it is always the first thing to come on. Oftentimes I leave it on because it is so easy to lsiten to. It fits the mood I always want to be in.
It is a good album. It is almost too likeable and I have to be careful with this one, because I could easily over do it. It's upbeat, and loud. The lyrics are silly, not that I listen to them much. This is the kind of music that I can easily listen to while driving and get really pumped up, play it loud and feel real cool. It is a bit redundant though and at times, I get confused which song I'm listening to. So this one is definitely a keeper.
It is a good album. It is almost too likeable and I have to be careful with this one, because I could easily over do it. It's upbeat, and loud. The lyrics are silly, not that I listen to them much. This is the kind of music that I can easily listen to while driving and get really pumped up, play it loud and feel real cool. It is a bit redundant though and at times, I get confused which song I'm listening to. So this one is definitely a keeper.
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