Category Archives: music

I dropped the ball. Music this year managed to escape my ears. I look at the top whatever music lists for 2011 and I have heard of only a fraction of what is out there. I guess I am where the masses are. No… I know I’m better than that. I have heard some stuff this year through my old reliables: Slacker, Paste Magazine (with their new m-player) and radio. But from all I’ve heard, even through the new album streaming resource, Spotify, it is not enough to compile a top ten albums list.

Perhaps I need to preface, I really feel let down by music this year. Things that have been exciting most of my lovely music freaks, did not ring my bell this year. I’m not sure why. Have I narrowed my musical preferences? I surely hope not. Is this what happens when you get old? I know instinctively that can’t be true. I guess I have to chalk it up to a bad year for my ears, and that’s more true than told. I have been living with ringing in my ears for almost two months now. Tinnitus settling in. Sigh, best just to distract myself and  move on to the good stuff… the good music I did listen to this year. No list, some songs, some albums, all stuff I loved.

Rachael Yamagata: “Starlight”

I heard this song a few months back on Paste Magazine’s m-player. Her voice reminding me of Johnette Napalitano had me rushing out to by the CD and checking out when she played next. After listening to her album a few times, it didn’t catch me like I had hoped. When she came to the Casbah, I decided to pass and I’m still ok with that decision.

The Head and the Heart: “Lost in My Mind”

I really wish I took the time to see these guys when they were in town.  This song tugs at my own heart, reminding me of the hard work my grandfather did to get my family where it is today. Perfect song to truly get “Lost in your Mind.”

Maren Parusel: Artificial Gardens

I had the chance to catch Maren at several venues this year and was pleasantly surprised when I heard her album, as I always am when an album lives up to or surpasses a live performance. I feel her music is somewhere between The Sundays and Metric. She is local so go see her perform or hit up M-Theory for her record.

The Beach Boys: Smile Sessions

I’m a sucker for Brian Wilson. This is one more open door into his psyche. Comparing Brian Wilson’s Smile versus The Beach Boys’ Smile will now be one of those music geek convos similar to movie nerds’ comparing the various directors’ takes on Batman.  BTW… Love this animated video. Even though it was made recently, you could totally see it being made in 1967, when the Smile album was originally intended for release.

The Belle Brigade: “Losers”

This song is super catchy and made me by the album, but only last night so I haven’t given the album a good listen.  This music video doesn’t give me the same empowerment as I feel just listening the the song, but maybe it will for you… just imagine the dogs don’t stop running after the car and have a better life abandoned in the middle of nowhere. Sorry, still not doing it.

Foo Fighters: “The Rope”

I’m glad that this song was the radio hit. The drums hitting at off times and the song broken into distinct sections just rub me the right way every time. We have the album and I like most of what I hear, but this song feels miles above the rest. P.S. from this point on I will never, ever miss a Foo Fighter’s show. I have such a great time and endless energy when they hit the stage. Their live concerts are up there with The Rolling Stones and Rush: timeless and I can totally imagine David Grohl and Pat Smear in their 70′s rocking out.

After taking a recent listen to some of the Paste top 50, I have some listening to do in 2012.  I’m especially intrigued by Beirut, Seryn and Tom Waits new album (I just bought the Tom Waits and Beirut albums last night at M-Theory). Next up, tackling Pitchfork‘s top songs and albums released this week. There is hope for me yet finding the needles in the haystack of sound.

We had the chance to see Amanda Palmer at the North Park Birch Theatre a few weeks back. It was an awesome show overall but one of the opening acts who Amanda courted out of Australia surprised us with heart-felt, honest, touching music. Mainly other beautiful adjectives could apply to the duo known as The Jane Austen Argument. I walked away with a six-song EP which I only recently put in my car.

Upon reaching the final song on the CD,  I was treated with a short monologue by angel-winged, Tom Dickens that has since provided me with uplifted spirits and a new drive to take on the holidays and the new year. I provided two of my favorite quotes from the small speech, but I urge you to to take a listen to Plan Behind for yourself.

“I could fail spectacularly, but I’m’ a fan of spectacle.”

“Look for what whatever makes you happy. What couldn’t you live without doing? What do you do in your spare time that makes you smile and are you doing it enough? An if not, why?”

You might find inspiration in his words, adorable Australian accent or even in the song itself, sang by his partner in awesomeness, Jen Kingwell.

Voices are making themselves heard all over the country by taking to the streets representing the 99%. Some voices can be heard louder than others but the collective voice remains the loudest. One voice heard this weekend over a small, strained amplifier at Occupy SD, was that of local musician, Kevin Martin.

“I’m sorry, but I refuse to believe this is all we’re meant to be,” Kevin’s scratchy sounding voice sang out the purpose of the gathering through his newest solo song, “TV News.” Millions of Americans sit at home mesmerized by the illuminated screen every day, soaking the content presented to them, accepting it all as “the truth.” Kevin broke out of the screen’s grip and wrote with his heart.

After talking to Kevin, of local pop band Get Back Loretta, his ignited passion and involvement with the Occupy Wall Street movement may light a fire in you.

“Music has a great capacity to inspire people,” Kevin explains. “I really want to empower people to stand up for what they believe in and be fearless while doing so.” He shared one of his favorite quotes, by Albert Einstein, that prompted him to take action, “The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything.”

He continued by saying, “Protesting is great, but at the end of the day we need to get involved with our local government and vote. Our real power is going to come from exercising our democratic right to vote.”

Kevin sings about hope in “TV News,” but what sorts of hopes does he have for the current Occupy Wall Street movement and how does he think that will be manifested?

“I feel there is a great awakening happening right now. My hope is that in 2012 there will be a paradigm shift, meaning our old mold will be broken and we will embark in a new direction of consciousness, more unified and less driven by greed. This movement is a good example that we are headed in that direction.”

The Occupy Wall Street movement was the first cause Kevin has felt compelled to write about. The media disconnect from reality hit him hard, but the effects on his friends’ lives hit him harder.

“I never thought I’d write music for a cause or get involved in politics. I’m not sure if this is my purpose, but I do know that it feels really good to follow your instincts and intuition, and that’s what I’m doing right now. I want to keep a positive message out there, but also inspire people to get involved and make change in their communities.”

Kevin has hope, not only hope for a new direction in our country, but a positive outlook for the way he writes music. “Hopefully one day I won’t have to write songs like this, and I will be writing songs about how far the world has come and how much love and respect is in the world.”