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October 2009 Archives |
October 05, 2009
I have to admit that I am a little disappointed that the “Courtesy Wave (CW)” is dying off. There is really no better small act of “karma” than the CW. You can get a slight little nod from the karma gods by letting someone cross the street in front of you or maybe you got a CW because you held the door open for a lady. I am a firm believer in it. My theory is that the world would be a much better place to live if we all strived to achieve a few CW’s on a daily basis. I don’t think that is asking for too much, is it?
The new Avett Brothers disc I AND LOVE AND YOU feels like a CW to me. It is one of those musical varieties that lights up your day and puts a little bit of spring in your step. The two brothers (along with their upright bassist compadre) make up a band that has talent in abundance. They sound like a hodge-podge of so many different genres (bluegrass, rock, folk, country, pop). I would even use the faux-paus that they defy definition.
The defining instruments on the disc are guitar and banjo (along with the bass and a drum set) but the production is so dense that you get something out of each listen. Like a CW, it gives you hope that there are still bands that know how to make and structure songs that make you smile and just nod in acknowledgement.
A courtesy wave can turn a bad day into a good one. It can provide you with hope for society when you feel like there is none left. It is the small gesture that supplies a needed spark to light a fire. The Avett Brothers will be your CW for today.
Try: January Wedding; I and Love and You
http://www.theavettbrothers.com/
Bah, Humbug?
October 05, 2009
A lot has been said about the Arctic Monkeys hard driving sound. Their first two studio releases have seen a constant rotation on my IPOD for when I work out or when I am generally angry at the world. Alex Turner’s accent and lyrics are perfect for that mood when you just are PO’d at everything around you and you need a release. I believe that is the reason that many people were completely shocked when they released their 3rd studio disc and it was much darker, slower and complex than their previous works.
It is obvious that the band wanted to go into a completely different direction with this effort. Per the band, they listened to a lot of Hendrix and Cream prior to laying down the tracks. The 3rd effort is anywhere near as immediately accessible as their first two discs. I had to listen to it 5 or 6 times before I really started to understand the different sound that the band was looking to create.
As the band completely recorded HUMBUG in the USA, it is only fitting that out of the 10 tracks, 7 of them were produced by Queens of the Stone Age member, Josh Homme. A lot of fans have been upset about the influence he had on their sound and that they now sound like another US alternative band. I disagree. The music on HUMBUG still blatantly has their touch. Alex Turner has made HUGE strides as a songwriter and lyricist and it shows on this effort.
Even though the Arctic Monkeys are no where near as big in the USA as they are in the UK, they deserve a listen. I would recommend starting with some of their previous work (notably their debut WHATEVER PEOPLE SAY I AM, THAT’S WHAT I’M NOT). If you like what you hear, give HUMBUG a try and don’t discard it if you don’t enjoy it after 1 or 2 listens. As I stated, the disc is definitely a “grower” and you have to give it a few spins before it really hits home.
Try tracks: My Propeller; Fire and the Thud; Dance Little Liar
