Just another college kid who is going to attempt to describe to you what music is good and what music is bad. Trust me, I'm not as bad as that sounds. I'll also post some new tunes I personally like and the music news I find interesting.
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This band is great, and I can’t believe I’ve taken so long to listen to their self-titled.
After a busy weekend, I have a lot to share.
First of all, if you enjoy good music, and you live on the East Coast of the USA, you’re probably crying inside over the fact that you weren’t at Coachella. I had to soothe my case of the blues with the full Radiohead set recorded and uploaded to Youtube. Check it out!
On Saturday, I went into New York to see an upcoming act by the name of Mitchell Grey. A four piece including guitarist Joe Diaz (who I know personally), singer Ryan Bandong, bassist Napon Pintong, and drummer Matt Pana the band has been playing together for about 2 years. They had so much energy, this being their first performance since their album dropped last week. Their summery, bright-but-sophisticated sound is a breath of fresh air. You can listen to the whole album below, But I recommend supporting them through Itunes or Amazon. You can get more information from their Facebook page here.
I simply can’t finish this post before mentioning the amazing Tori Kelly, who opened for Mitchell Grey. If the name sounds familiar, she made it past auditions in Season 9 of American Idol, and for good reason; Her voice is breath-taking. I got the chills several times over the course of one song. Check out her single ‘Confetti’ and eagerly await the album release with me.
Deep Sea Arcade- Girls
Psychodelic guitar pop has seen a lot of revival in recent years, with bands like Tame Impala bringing a dreamy, almost Beatles-esque sound into indie rock. Deep Sea Arcade brings in another wave of that same sound, but with a slightly different tinge. Check it out.
Sigur Ros Announce Tour Dates
Icelandic Post-Rock group Sigur Rós have announced a North America tour to go along with their new album Valtari, which will be released on May 30th. For those of you who have never experienced Sigur Rós, you are missing out on an amazing group. The lead singer, who goes by the name of Jonsí, has an incredible powerful falsetto, and the instrumentation on many of their tracks is absolutely breathtaking. Their music has been featured on several different commercials, and this one is probably the most recognizable. Do yourself a favor and listen to Takk… all the way through.
For those of you familiar with the band, check out the new single.
Odd Future’s Frank Ocean over a remixed SBTRKT song. I can dig it.
Sleepy Sun- Spine Hits
Sleepy Sun is an apt name or this lazy California rock outfit, a fact that can be recognized from the first few seconds of their new release, Spine Hits. The guitar jams, the singers harmonize, and the drummer hammers along, each member adding to the overall calm, dreamy, summery feel that envelopes the album. Lead singer Bret Constantino channels both the Shins and Manchester Orchestra vibes, but the song structures varie from similarities to U2 to Soundgarden to a ‘Lucy in the Sky’ era Beatles. It’s an interesting mix, and not one to be passed off as another yawn-worthy indie band. For such a lazy band, they just can’t seem to stand still. In this case, that’s a very good thing.
Check out my pick Creatures. Note: All picks will now be linked to Spotify, a great free music streaming program available here.
A little late night N.E.R.D never hurt anyone.
(Source: youtube.com)
Alabama Shakes- Boys and Girls
For those of you that don’t know, Alabama Shakes is a band formed in, you guessed it, Athens, Alabama in 2009. Their throwback sound reminds me of a more modern Motown, and singer Brittany Howard could not fit anymore soul within her exquisite vocal melodies. Whether it be a slow waltz, or a southern rock jam session that strangely works within their instrumentation, Howards blues wails take center stage.
If you’re looking for energetic, classic southern blues with a a rock tinge and a Motown vibe, look no further than Alabama Shakes.
Check out my personal pick, I Found You.
Here’s a new Sigur Ros single to go along with an album announcement!
Port of Morrow- The Shins
The Shins’ most recent studio endeavor is very much an album from the Shins we know and love from Oh, Inverted World and Wincing the Night Away. However, some of the novelty that became so endearing in those albums has worn off, and despite a slightly more electric approach to songwriting, the album still lacks the pop that previous albums had. Despite the mild dryness of the album, the band still delivers the classic Shins sound with It’s Only Life, Bait and Switch, and hooks you in with the Fall of ‘82 and 40 Mark Strasse, my two person favorite tracks.
Overall, Port of Morrow is an enjoyable outing, but does not depart much from The Shins we’ve come to know and love. To some, myself included, this was a little too “safe”; to others, it’s perfect.
Check out Fall of ‘82 here.
