The Cranberries - Linger [rock]

Prolonged bouts of concentration have always been troublesome for me to maintain. I just keep recalling silly things I've done in the past and I can't help but cringe a little and rebuke that old self for its ignorance. Luckily, these inconvenient surfacings can be avoided by simply listening to music, which can be done pretty much everywhere. The one exception is when I'm trying to practice playing an instrument. This was a major problem back in the day when I (half-assedly) played the violin and it still seems to be a problem today when I play guitar.

Quite fittingly, I was trying to play "Linger" by The Cranberries from their 1993 album Everyone Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?. The chords aren't anything, it's just D->A->C->G, I just can't sing and play simultaneously for the life of me. But, no matter, I can't seem to do it right now anyway.

BELLE GHOUL - (Out Of) The Neighbourhood [rock]

"Half-Light" by Trembling Blue Stars came up on my iPod yesterday. So it got me thinking about something a little strange about that music video (there's a post about it a while back): the channel that had posted it is Elefant Records, a Spanish music label. What on earth is a UK band doing there? Well, I'm not too aware of what actually goes on in the music biz so this may actually be super standard.

Well, on the same day that I had made that post, I also perused over a bunch of the other uploads on that channel and I was really quite impressed with a lot of them. Here's one of them: "(Out Of) The Neighbourhood", a single released a couple months ago (I think..) by BELLE GHOUL. The duo itself consists of Christopher Tait, of numerous acts including Electric Six, and Jesse Smith, daughter of Patti Smith (!!), and cite their influences to include Scott Joplin, The Zombies, and Fleetwood Mac.

Ok, since these guys are obviously American (Tait from Detroit and Smith from New York), it may not be that out of the ordinary for bands to be registered with foreign record labels. And, oh, two Belle's in a row, how pretty (now that's witty)...

Belle and Sebastian - I Want the World to Stop [rock]

Well, after listening to Amy Macdonald, I felt compelled to look up more Scottish artists. The first one that came up with that tag on Last.fm was Belle and Sebastian and the first video on the page was the one below "I Want the World to Stop" from their 2010 album Write About Love.

Coincidentally, this is a song that I had heard on CBC Radio 2 during their Drive program (as I was driving, how witty). I had wanted to look more into this song/band but, for whatever reason, just never did. Well, glad to have made its acquaintance, then, once again.

The man stops talking at ~0:30.

Amy Macdonald - Slow It Down [rock]

The past couple of weeks have been pretty rough and it's really starting to put a strain the relationships I have with those around me. I'm very thankful that they are not petty people and that they've all been very accommodating to this (hopefully) transient state. One of the few things that are keeping me from bursting at the seams is, as cliché as it may sound, music, specifically, the ready wealth of music that the Internet has made assessible.

So, almost twenty years after its release, I finally checked out the debut album from The Cranberries, Everybody Is Doing It, So Can't We?, and I'm definitely going to file this album under the "should've gotten this years ago" category. But this post isn't about The Cranberries. It's about the musician that was listed under "Similar Artists", Amy MacDonald (albeit with "Lower Similarity").

Amy MacDonald is a Scottish singer/songwriter who cites her influences as Travis and The Killers. Her first album was released in 2007. This particular song is "Slow It Down" from her third album Life In A Beautiful Light, released earlier this year in June. According to her Last.fm entry, this song is about her being a petrolhead (car enthusiast). Thanks be to Last.fm for allowing this blessed encounter.

The Nightwatchman - Black Spartacus Heart Attack Machine [folk rock]

I think one of my earliest CDs was The Battle of Los Angeles by Rage Against The Machine (I don't think my mom quite realized what kind of music it was...). Although RATM itself dissolved about a year after I started getting into them, they nonetheless featured rather prominently in the stuff I listened to throughout high school.

Having taken a particular liking to the style of guitarist Tom Morello, you could imagine my excitement when I first heard about Audioslave (RATM members minus Zach with Chris Cornell). Of course I was disappointed when Audioslave too had called it quits. But, that is the inevitable fate of most (if not all) supergroups, I suppose.

Sometime later, as I was loitering in some store, I was inexplicably (well not that inexplicable) drawn to a magazine dawning the familiar face of Tom Morello that had an article about his folk-rock side-project The Nightwatchman. This was initially an outlet for his political views that couldn't, at the time, be channeled musically due the apolitical nature of Audioslave.

The Nightwatchman breaks away from Tom Morello's more signature electric guitar in favour of an acoustic, his voice (I don't think he had ever sung in any official capacity within RATM or Audioslave), and occasionally the harmonica. Well, four years after his first album, Tom Morello is still at with his third LP release World Wide Rebel Songs released in 2011. This is "Black Spartacus Heart Attack Machine", a song with great energy and a solid message.

To end off, in the great words of Nardwuar (well, Neil Young), keep on rockin' in the free world, Tom!

The Battle Of Land And Sea - You Are A Sailor [folk]

The Battle of Land and Sea is an acoustic folk duo consisting of Sarah O'Shura and Joshua Canny. This is "You Are A Sailor" from their eponymous release from 2008.

Personally, I do find water to exhibit a calming effect (not unlike this song's tone and lyrical content). Being the dedicated city slicker than I am, I rarely frequent significant bodies of water. Whenever I do, however, I'm reminded that the world is bigger and so big enough so that my first-world problems may not be as pressing as I may initially perceive them to be. 

Golden Gardens - Transparent Things [dream pop]

Golden Gardens is a Seattle duo that creates soothing dream pop with beautiful harmonies (vocals at times reminiscent of Cranes) as well as drums and bass that readily keep a steady rhythm. This is the fourth track, "Transparent Things", from their LP released back in November this year, How Brave The Hunted Wolves.

I'm still considering buying their album on their Bandcamp but the cautious part of me thinks maybe it'd be better if I wanted til I'm employed again. Luckily, the album's fully streamable so maybe that'll be sufficient for now.

This Will Destroy You - Happiness: We're All In It Together [post-rock]

I don't know if it's just me being biased because they were the songs that started getting me into post-rock in a big way, but I take particularly well to all the material on This Will Destroy You's 2006 EP Young Mountain. Even listening to it now two years later, the seemingly simple arrangement of these pieces help get me into a place that I wish I could stay for longer than the mere duration of the songs. But, alas, it seems our collective fates are to reside here, in this shared, well-defined reality, until some external agent finally calls out to us and we drown.

Anyway, this is "Happiness: We're All In It Together Now" from This Will Destroy You's Young Mountain EP released in 2006.

Trembling Blue Stars - Half-Light [rock]

I probably haven't been as zealous as I usually am in my voracious consumption of novel music in the past few weeks, undoubtedly in no small part due to the exhaustion of being (slightly) overworked. Not that that's particularly necessary. Since however long ago that I had begun making a conscious effort to find new music regularly, I've amassed a modest and comfortable collection that I can go to (and now with the netbook, that collection has become more accessible than ever ...better than that 8gig iPod, ugh).

The song is "Half-Light" by London-based Trembling Blue Stars from their 2011 album Fast Trains and Telephone Wires (there's another post with another song from this album somewhere in this blog's depths). I think it conveys very well that sense of lethargy that has begun clogging my mental machinery lately.

**EDIT** Just wanted to point out the oddity of this video by a UK band being put up by Spanish music label Elefant Records... that is all.

Pearl Jam - It's Okay [rock]

"Daughter" is definitely one of Pearl Jam's more recognizable songs and it has been a regular on my playlists almost since I began using playlists at all. Recently I learned of Pearl Jam's 2011 live album, which was a recording from a Toronto show, entitled 9.11.2011 Toronto, Canada, and gave it a listen promptly afterwards.

Apparently in live shows, for at least the past decade, Pearl Jam plays "It's Okay", originally by former punk band Dead Moon, following "Daughter". Having never been exposed to Pearl Jam live before, I had never heard this. The effect was immediately apparent: a story of domestic violence implied by "Daughter" juxtaposed with a message of explicit love and acceptance in "It's Okay". Combine that with the crowd interaction and the actual chord transition makes the whole ordeal a very uplifting one (the crowd definitely knows what's up when those initial chords are strung).

Anyway, here's fan-recording of the 2011 show with what I presume is the album recording dubbed on top. The video begins with the tail-end of "Daughter", which is rather ominous, actually.

Queen Elephantine - Kabir [psychedelic rock]

Queen Elephantine is a psychedelic rock band currently situated in New York (originally forming in Hong Kong). Heard this song from the "Prostitutes of God" documentary from Vice. The documentary explored the custom of devadasi, wherein girls are dedicated to deity Yellamma, whom will then serve as temple prostitutes upon reaching puberty. This documentary happens to feature various pieces by Queen Elephantine, whose gritty guitar paralleled the nature of the general affair.

This documentary, akin to other Vice stuff I've seen, doesn't provide a particularly high-level overview of the issue but rather focuses on the particular lives and impressions of a few select areas they end up visiting. I wouldn't say that I'm now particularly well educated on this issue but I'm, at the very least, cognizant of its existence. I think an apt description would be "messy as hell".

This song is "Kabir" from Queen Elephantine's 2007 release Surya.

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Universally Speaking [rock]

I didn't know that the Red Hot Chili Peppers had begun back in the 80s. Somehow, I just figured "Under The Bridge" was their first single since it was the oldest thing of theirs that was ever played on the Edge. Anyway, as briefly mentioned in the previous post, I've been revisiting bands of my youth lately and RHCP is one of them.

One of the more memorable songs that I hadn't heard before is "Universally Speaking" from their By The Way album from 2002. The music video features actor Dave Sheridan, who continues his role from the "By The Way" music video where he had played obsessed taxi driver/captor of Anthony Kiedis. I felt a little nostalgia while watching this, that there was actual some continuity to "By The Way" that I had watched a lot back in the day. The book at the end "Lexicon Devil" is also the book that Anthony Kiedis waves at the beginning of the "By The Way" video, which he had presumably left in the taxi after escaping from it.

Eddie Vedder - Without You [ukulele, rock]

Lately, I've been revisiting various bands I listened to in those seemingly carefree days of my youth (I was lucky enough to have a relatively carefree set of teenage years), both past albums as well as whatever those artists are doing nowadays, whether with the original bands or solo.

I didn't listen to Pearl Jam that much in the 90's. I was first familiarized with their more popular singles from the Edge and then after I had purchased their hit-compilation album Rearviewmirror (Greatest Hits 1991-2003). Now, over 20 years after their beginnings from Seattle, Pearl Jam is still active today, having released a couple of live albums (interestingly, one was released from their Toronto show last year on my birthday) since their last studio album, Backspacer, in 2009. On top of all this, vocalist, Eddie Vedder, has managed to begin releasing some solo work as well.

His first solo endeavour was for the soundtrack for the 2007 film Into The Wild, from which the single "Hard Sun" can be found. Following that, Vedder released Ukulele Songs in 2011, which appropriately features the ukulele. All in all, a very pleasant listen (the ukulele complements his voice very well). This is "Without You" (live version here)

Matthew Good - The Devil's In Your Details (live) [rock]

I have a bit of a soft spot when it comes to Canadian bands/artists, not sure if it's because of the music itself or some sort of suppressed national pride leaking out. One of the more prominent ones is Matt Good. Of course, having grown up during the time of Matthew Good Band, I'd say I'm a bigger fan of his pre-solo work.

Anyway, probably a year ago, I got his Live At Massey Hall album, which he released back in 2008. This is "The Devil's In Your Details", definitely one of my favourite songs on that album.

Damn Robot! - This Things I Believe (Can We Accept That?) [post-rock]

Among the many efforts aimed at raising awareness and financial support for the devastating tsunami that hit Japan back in 2011 as well as the ensuing nuclear woes that followed promptly at Fukushima, there was Hope For Japan, a 4-disc compilation album featuring music primarily of the post-rock and ambient varieties.

The apparent success of this effort led to a second compilation album released a few months later entitled More Hope For Japan, which was similar to its predecessor both in style and disc-length. Both these compilations are still available at their respective sites (here for Hope For Japan and here for More Hope For Japan) and I'd like to believe that funds are still going to relief efforts, though I haven't read anything to confirm this.

Here's one song from the second compilation that I've been listening quite a bit recently: "This Things I Believe (Can We Accept That?)" by Damn Robot! (label's Bandcamp here). The duo itself consists of brothers Rob and Tom Honey, who have been separately involved in other projects such as Oceanus and Good Weather For An Airstrike.  This song can also be found on Damn Robot!'s 2012 album Jasurp.

The Copernican Revolt - Dream Scene End [post-rock, synth]

Oftentimes, during my states of semi-lucid consciousness (like on a commute after a long day), I feel as though I am on the verge of awakening from a very long dream. And that, if I were to follow through with the action, I would return to reality and all those memories of people and places long-obscured would come rushing back and that indecipherable haze that so frequently seems to hang over me would be banished, never to intrude into my perceptions again.

And yet, I know that that recurring feeling is but a vapid illusion conjured by my mind as I tread between the conscious and semi-conscious states. Ugh, maybe my extended stay here in limbo is starting to get to me...

But, anyway, just a rant I guess. The Copernican Revolt is a Texan band/duo (Bandcamp link). So far they've only released 3 songs, hopefully they continue.

The Antlers - Corsicana [slowcore]

Preamble: The Antlers are a rock group currently based in Brooklyn, New York. Zzz, more info at their Last.fm here.

Body: When I look at song tags, I periodically chance upon genres ending with "core" (e.g. metalcore, nerdcore, beatcore, etc.). It never made sense to me and since none of the music that I listened to ever ended with "core", I just never bothered to look into it. But since the Last.fm entry for The Antlers listed "slowcore" as one of its first tags (after the wholly descriptive tags of "indie" and "indie rock"), I guess I had to finally look it up.

So it seems that the inclusion of "core" at the end of those genres doesn't signify any commonality between them nor does it necessarily describe anything about the genre itself. The only genre for which the inclusion of "core" in its name made any sense was "metalcore", apparently a combination of "extreme metal and hardcore punk" (wiki). Ok, that's fine. But for other genres, like "nerdcore" (nerdy hip-hop) and "beatcore" (doesn't even look like there's even a vague consensus on this one), "core" just seems to ... be there. Maybe there's more to the story but let's revisit that some other time.

Regarding "slowcore", the genre itself became popular in the 90's and developed out of opposition to the grunge genre that so-characterized that decade, well, for me anyway. Slowcore is marked by instrumental minimalism, a slower tempo, and generally somber lyrics. As grunge phased out of the limelight after the mid-90s, so, apparently, did slowcore. But it's not like the musical community as a whole all decided to completely abandon the characteristics of that genre for the rest of existence. Invariably, some music will incorporate aspects reminiscent of that style and I guess it'd still be a useful general descriptor in that sense.

Anyway, all that aside, just heard this song from /r/postrock that's helping me get back into my preferred mellow state and wanted to share it here.

Ghinzu - "Dragster Wave" & "Seaside Friends" [alternative rock]

Ok, I'll admit it, I'm really stressing out about the next two weeks, tight does not even begin to describe the schedule that I go through in my head (over and over again). The frustration had really been getting to me the past few days. But here I am, at the library, and even though prior to arriving I was still pretty disenthused (to put it mildly) about the entire prospect of studying for hours and hours on end, I've finally settled into a more placid and pleasant state of mind.

A very important juncture was settling down and just browsing through a few albums I haven't heard in a while. When it comes to stress, some of my friends work out while some others just eat. For me, my preferred therapy is music; I really don't have any other way of channeling negative emotions or allowing them to quietly dissolve away. And so, as I sit here, finally at peace with what I have to do, I guess I should share a couple of songs I've been listening to recently.

The first link may be familiar to those who have seen the "Taken" with Liam Neeson's famous "a very particular set of skills, skills that I have acquired over a very long career" quote. The song itself is featured at the beginning of the credit roll.

The alternative rock band Ghinzu from Belgium. Both these songs can ("Dragster Wave" and "Seaside Friends") be found on their 2004 album Blow. The album itself is a very nice mix of piano and rock instrumentals and Ghinzu do not hesitate at all about deviating from the standard verse and chorus structure, which definitely helps to minimize repetition in the whole affair.

"Dragster Wave"

"Seaside Friends"

Julia Holter - Marienbad [dream pop]

Well, I don't just listen to post-rock, I'm still oft to frequent the dream pop and shoegaze genres, though I guess post-rock has been the predominant genre lately. I heard this song a while back but couldn't think of a way to incorporate this song with a post that would have any semblance of substance. But, whatever yo... let's just throw that pretense to the wind...

Julia Holter is an American artist (classically-trained keytarist, apparently) hailing from Echo Park, Los Angeles. This is "Marienbad" from her 2012 album Ekstasis.

The Ills - Cold Wind's Riot [post-rock]

Post-rock is just great, I don't understand how only one other person I know listens to this stuff. It is quite the misfortune as I would want nothing more than to share all this wealth of music with other appreciators, but alas, that life is not for me...

Well anyway, typical melodrama aside, just heard this really great EP, We Love Silence, But Silence Is Awkward by The Ills released in 2009 (EP available for free here). The band itself is from Slovakia and, apparently, strives for a sound that goes beyond the stereotypical post-rock combine elements from other genres such as shoegaze (lucky me), math-rock, sludge, etc.

So, the shoegaze influence is undeniable as the characteristic fuzzy airy electric is present in most of the songs on this EP and it's definitely something I undeniably do appreciate. For whatever reason, there's just something about the noise that I find just a cut above clean guitars. Maybe it's a result from listening to all that grunge growing up? Who knows.

Gregor Samsa - Young and Old [post-rock]

I'm not sure why I keep hearing strings in the post-rock I've been listening to recently, maybe it's confirmation bias... Anyway this is "Young and Old" by the Virginian band Gregor Samsa from their 2006 album 55:12. The build-up is slow but determined and just beautiful.

Also, as far as trivia goes, Gregor Samsa is the protagonist in Franz Kafka's short story The Metamorphosis. To summarize this purportedly seminal work in a most flippant and unappreciative way, salesman Gregor Samsa wakes up and finds that he has become some monstrous vermin. His family gets freaked out and avoids him. Finally, Gregor gets the bad feels and dies. The end.

Grails - Future Primitive [post-rock]

It seems I'm listening to a lot more post-rock nowadays, I hadn't been looking too much into that genre since maybe mid-July. I wonder what prompted the change/resparked the interest. I tend to cycle between genres and it may be affected with long-term mood, maybe. Not to be emo or whatever.

Anyway, here's a very excellent post-rock song by Grails, hailing from Portland, Oregon. This "Future Primitive" from their 2011 album Deep Politics. The song features an interesting combination of electric guitars and strings and has a real dystopian feel to it (maybe the new RoboCop movie should consider adding this to their soundtrack, ha).

Fiona Apple - Werewolf [alternative rock]

Oh, did you hear the latest news about Fiona Apple? Apparently she was arrested in Texas after she was caught at a drug checkpoint carrying hash. This checkpoint has also caught other notable musicians such as Willie Nelson and Snoop Dogg (well, Lion now, I guess).

The only song I really liked by her was "Fast As You Can" from her When The Pawn... album back in 1999... which was 13 years ago... a little mind-boggling, though I suppose it'll only become all the more boggling from here on out. But, anyway, after looking up some more info on Apple, it seems she released an album earlier this year: The Idler Wheel... (this is the alternate name, the full title of the album is way longer). And, so, why not check it out, right?

The album is a good listen and generally features Fiona's vocals and the piano as well as a mix of percussion instruments and a cello (or a double-bass, I can't tell). This is "Werewolf".

Giranice - Sub Rosa [post-rock]

So, after what was probably a period of at least three years, I opened my violin case (well I opened both my cases as I had forgotten which one housed the significantly better violin) and tried my hand at that instrument that had once featured so prominently in my life. It turns out that I could still play most of the stuff I had left off with moderately in tune, though not in time.

I left the violin a while back because... well... I guess it lost its appeal. I was never a huge fan of monophony and it seemed with violin, that's all I could produce. Also, in the vast majority of music I listened to back then and even now, the violin didn't/doesn't feature much. And so, my repertoire then consisted only of monophonic pieces from literally hundreds of years ago.

But anyway, I'm making this post because I had just heard a really great post-rock tune that featured the violin. This definitely wouldn't be the first time that I've heard the violin featured in this genre, two immediate examples that come to mind would be "Starálfur" by Sigur Rós and "Alas! Alas! The Breath Of Life!" by Ascent Of Everest. So, for the topic of this particular post, the band is Giranice, hailing from Spain. The song is "Sub Rosa" from their recent release Enea (album available for free on their bandcamp).

**edit** I changed the song from "Banako Zen" to "Sub Rosa"

I wonder if how I would go about translating all that classical violin training into something like this... wouldn't that be something?

Sigur Rós - Varúð [post-rock]

This post is too long ... oh well.

Sigur Rós was my first exposure to the realm of post-rock. Two specific memories come to mind but I don't really remember which one came first.

The first of these happened when I was watching The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (one of my favourite movies, by the way). The song Starálfur came on during the film's climax and I have to say that both the music and the scene itself made it such a touching scene. I honestly would've cried if only I hadn't been such a macho man back then (I still am now but I also was back then). As an aside, given the pacing of the scene, I guess Starálfur's tempo was a little faster than optimal but one does not simply find suitable substitutes for Starálfur.

The second instance happened when I was channel surfing and happened to find something intriguing on MuchMusic: Untitled #1 (aka Vaka). The music was so fresh, so different from all that other stuff I had usually heard on MuchMusic (not to sound like a total hipster jackass, of course). The video was also a bit heart-wrenching (by all means examine for yourself via the link above). I think I tried to remember the name so I could look into their music more later but to no avail. It wasn't until very recently that I found out that video I saw all those years ago was by Sigur Rós at all. There was a sense of completion when I found out, at the very least it was a loose end that actually became resolved.

Well, anyway, both those events were at least a good eight years ago. Since that time, Sigur Rós has gone into and returned from an, at the time, "indefinite" hiatus. To quote their site when it happened, some members needed some time to "make some babies". As to their future, that doesn't seem as clear. I swear last month I read a magazine article saying that Valtari (released back in May this year) would probably be their last album. Today, I read that they have a European tour planned for 2013 and a potential new album. Well, regardless, they seem to be together right now and for at least next year so... why don't we just let good things be good things and leave it at that.

There's no real thing I wanted to share. I just went and watched that video for Vaka earlier today and wanted to put that part of my life down somewhere. But, here is "Varúð" from their latest album Valtari. There's another video on your YouTube page featuring Shia "The Beef" but not only was the video a little graphic but the song itself wasn't particularly my cup of tea.

ODESZA - Above The Middle [dream pop, proghouse]

Well, school restarts on Monday. Not going to lie, I'm not looking forward to it in the slightest, but c'est la vie, right? More importantly, this probably means the summer is pretty much over. Although, just outside my window, I see that the sun is still shining and that the leaves still boast a healthy green, there's no denying that the days no longer extend way beyond dinner time and that what was once sweltering heat has dulled down to more of a warmth reliant on direct sunlight.

But hey, soon enough the long sunny days (as well as the sun's sometimes intolerable heat) will be back once again and, presuming I play my cards right, I'll have many a summer left to bask within. In the meantime, as one does near the end of anything, I'm going to reminisce for a little while listening to this, a piece that captures so readily dat summer feel.

This is "Above The Middle" by ODESZA from their recent LP entitled Summer's Gone. The whole album is a stellar listen if you really like this vibe, available here.

Hammock - The House Where We Grew Up [post-rock]

What's in a name? Generally, a song's name will give some idea about the song's lyrical content or atmosphere. For many post-rock artists, the title serves as the only time when the idea(s) behind a song can be expressed with words.

For example, Japanese post-rock band te' have tended to use egregiously long titles such as "True eloquence 'exists' in silent expressions, leaving words purposeless". In the 2005 album At The Soundless Dawn by Red Sparowes, the titles together formed a poem that was a very good complement to the actual music. But, on the opposite side of the spectrum, one of the members of Mogwai allegedly said that the song titles, at least for one of their albums, were completely random. Generally, though, I tend to give the benefit of the doubt to musicians and say that the titles hold some significance.

So why this long diatribe? Well, to give context and partially to justify the rest of the content of this post. The song receiving such the long-winded introduction is "The House Where We Grew Up" by Hammock found on their 2006 album Raising Your Voice... Trying To Stop An Echo.

Looking at the song through its title really adds a layer of atmosphere to the song. The bass and the electric at the beginning give a warm and homely feel. It really takes me back to a simpler time, before all these complications and responsibilities, when the most upsetting thing would be getting home and missing my favourite TV show.

The effected guitar that comes in around midway forms the other half of the equation and adds a ghostly feel that reminds you it is, in fact, memory. That feeling when you remember your past in a vivid but fragmented sense, with a sort of distortion that blurs and fuses pieces together.

To be honest, I don't remember my childhood all that well but if I were to try, this song would be a more-or-less spot-on description.

Toploader - Dancin In The Midnight [britpop]

The story continues where the last entry, with “Dreams” by ohasiTrio, had ended. After sharing the song with a few other friends, one of them asked if I had listened to the “Dancin In The Moonlight” cover (originally by Toploader), which is in the same album as “Dreams”. I hadn’t heard it before and was glad my friend brought it up because it was a good listen.

As an aside, it seems I have a bit of a deficiency when it comes to more upbeat music. Granted, “Dancin In The Moonlight” wouldn’t be characterized as “exuberant” or “ecstatic” but it is at the very least cheerier than the vast majority of my current playlist.

Anyway, the next day, I’m with a few friends, enjoying a sunny late-summer afternoon with a circulating guitar. Eventually someone asks what to play next and someone asks, as one could guess based on the entry so far, “Do you know ‘Dancin In The Midnight’? You know, the one by Toploader”.

But, there is no moral to this story, no greater meaning to be derived, just a pleasantly strange, however transient, sense of cohesion in the backdrop of an otherwise mundane weekend.

Toploader themselves are an English band. "Dancin In The Moonlight" was on their 2000 release Onka's Big Moka. The band went on an extended hiatus following the release of their second album in 2002 due to the disbandment of their label S2. They reconvened to release their third album in 2011 Only Human and since then have continued to be active.

ohashiTrio (大橋トリオ) - Dreams [jazz, folk]

Covers aren't just about replicating a song that one likes, it's about infusing something you like with your own interpretation. I remember hearing Fergie covering "Sweet Child o' Mine" on Slash's solo album a few years ago. I don't really remember if Fergie sang it well but I do remember that she just completely replicated what Axel did on the original, down to the "Ohh"s and the "Yeahheh"s. And that's not a good cover. You can do that in karaoke. Heck, and this is not to disparage Fergie in particular, but you could definitely hear better renditions if you went to karaoke. Although, come to think of it, this probably wouldn't be the best comparison since ultimately it was the same original guitarist playing (i.e. Slash).

So anyway today I heard a cover of "Dreams" originally by The Cranberries, way back in the 90's. It was a mellow re-imagining of the song that still preserved the harmonic bits that made the original so memorable (to me anyway). Well anyway, after a search on YouTube that brought up a lot more covers than I thought existed, I think I found the right one.

The cover is by ohashiTrio (大橋トリオ) who is, I guess ironically, a solo Japanese artist whose musical influences span from jazz to soul to folk to rock. The "Dreams" cover can be found on his 2010 release Fake Book, a cover album. He has since, along with his non-cover work, released two other cover albums, conveniently named Fake Book II and Fake Book III.

Stella Luna - Stargazer [shoegaze, space-rock]

I guess after I do make the periodic entries, I always wonder why I even bother keeping this up. I'm pretty sure very few people visit this site and the majority of the music does very little for them. Still, part of me feels like I should have some record of my encounters with music, perhaps to document somehow the progression of my taste in music; certainly, it is much different than it was a year ago (well maybe not a year anymore because I'm pretty sure that was about when I started to really get into the shoegaze thing).

Anyway, here's the second shoegaze/space-rock entry with the airy/spacious song that you can lose yourlsef into (blah blah blah etc etc etc). Stella Luna is an American band from Florida. Their bio page doesn't say much beyond their focus on creating an atmospheric spacey sound, which is definitely apparent in this linked song. This is "Stargazer" from their Stargazer EP (2002). It doesn't seem that Stella Luna has released anything since then.

Guitaro - Ace Faded On The Scene [shoegaze]

Oops, I did that thing again. The thing where I don't post for almost a month. This seems to be a recurring pattern. Perhaps it's because I go through phases of finding a bunch of new music and allowing the songs to simmer for a while until I find the ones that I really like. I seem to have been posting in bulk more in the past few months.

Anyway, the next two entries will feature both a shoegaze and space-rock feel. I find both the tempo and the instrumentation produce a really airy and spacious atmosphere, one in which you can really lose yourself.

Guitaro is a Canadian shoegaze trio from Abbotsford, British Columbia. They formed back in 1997 and released their first full-length album Futura Black in 2002. Since then, they have released another album in 2010, JJ's Crystal Palace. This particular song is "Ace Faded On The Scene" from their 2002 album (apparently the version on their earlier EP was slightly different, though I've yet to hear it).

We Are Trees - I Don't Believe In Love [lo-fi, folk]

We Are Trees is a group from Virginia. This is "I Don't Believe In Love" from their 2011 EP Girlfriend. The song is simple and very enjoyable. The video is also a treat to watch. I came across this song over at /r/shoegaze and, though I wouldn't ever really associate the genre with this, I'm very glad this was posted up by whomever.

We Are Trees - I Don't Believe In Love from Illusive Media on Vimeo.

Scarling. - Hello London [noise pop, shoegaze]

Scarling. is an American noise pop band from Los Angeles. Since forming in 2002, they have released two albums Sweet Heart Dealer (2004) and So Long, Scarecrow (2005). Frontwoman Jessicka had hinted to a new album in 2012 but nothing has since been confirmed. The song below is "Hello London" from the latter 2005 album.

The style of this song and the rest of the album remind me of the Canadian band Joydrop, active in the late 90's, which combined grungy instrumentals with more clear, melodic female vocals, though Joydrop was admittedly post-grunge/alternative as opposed something within the realm of shoegaze or noise pop. Nevertheless, this sort of contrast between the distorted guitars and melodic (female) vocals seems to be a frequent motif particularly in shoegaze (just look at MBV and Slowdive for starters). It certainly adds to the musical layering and I definitely appreciate it.

Maybeshewill - Red Paper Lanterns [post-rock]

Maybeshewill is a post-rock band from the United Kingdom. While the label post-rock would definitely apply to their initial releases, the band itself has made an effort to break out of that box by incorporating both elements of electronica as well as heavier rock, the latter of which would probably explain the "post-hardcore" tag on some of their works.

This is "Red Paper Lanterns", a new single released back in March. Sick song, ha. Can't wait for the next album.

Cranes - Vanishing Point [dream pop]

Another back-logged post from back when it was still cold.

Cranes are a dream pop band from England; first forming in 1986, they went on hiatus in 1997 for three years before resuming in 2000. Other than the "dream pop" label, they have also been described as "gothic minimalism" (I won't even try to pretend to know what that is). The band is best known for the childlike vocals of lead singer Alison Shaw.

This is "Vanishing Point" from their 2004 album Particles & Waves.

Delta Spirit - Empty House [rock]

This is a bit of a backlogged entry. I got San Francisco rock group Delta Spirit's latest album, eponymously named Delta Spirit, when it was released back in March. I figure I might as well an entry on it.

Compared to their previous albums, Delta Spirit features much less of an acoustic presence. Instead they've focused on more rock pieces with occasional dreamy elements (but not that much, it still gives off a mostly rock vibe). Perhaps due to the shift towards more a heavier rock sound, the album, as a whole, exudes a bit more energy compared to their previous releases. Despite that shift in style, the comfortable Mid-Western feel that characterized their past albums for me can still be readily discerned (and appreciated).

This is the first track off their aforementioned 2012 album Delta Spirit: "Empty House". And, since we're on the topic, you might as well check out the single released off the album that has an actual music video: "California".

My Bloody Valentine - Swallow [shoegaze]

My Bloody Valentine, the pioneers of the distorted, vocally-subdued, and overall noisy shoegaze genre. The band started in Ireland in 1983. Following a 10-year hiatus starting, MBV ran a few reunion shows in 2007 and has very recently released remastered versions of their previous works.

Through all this time, MBV has only released a total of two studio albums, Isn't Anything in 1988 and Loveless in 1991 (though I guess there are a good number of EP's and mini-albums). Despite this scarcity of releases, MBV's music still seems relevant today and serves a dual role of being both a source of inspiration and a point of comparison for shoegaze acts today. Certainly that notoriety is a testament to their impact on the genre.

Anyway, being a huge shoegaze nerd, I just had to buy their remastered works. Originally I was only intending to buy the remastered Loveless, as I was pretty lukewarm to Isn't Anything. Well, that didn't really happen because I accidentally bought the remastered versions of their EP's from 1988-1991 (yeah, I don't know how that happened, maybe it was late). After listening to the double-album, I think that that was probably a great mistake to make. I still bought the remastered Loveless so look forward to another MBV entry when that comes in.

Anyway, here's something from their recently released EP's 1988-1991 album.

Mr. Children - Not Found [Japanese pop rock]

Mr. Children is a Japanese pop rock band which formed all the way back in 1988. Well anyway this is "Not Found" from their 2000 album Q. This is a re-recorded version of the song from a 2010 documentary/concert movie that maintains a sense of rawness not found on the album version. I don't know why the drummer keeps yawning though..

Also, if you liked this, you might as well check out this video of the song being performed by a MeowSynth, which was the video that initially led me to the original song.

Pacific UV - Static Waves [dream pop, shoegaze] & Pacific UV - God Is So Tired [shoegaze, post-rock]

Pacific UV is a band from Athens, Georgia. Their style has been said to incorporate features from dream pop, shoegaze, post-rock, and space rock, all with a homely Southern tinge. Their breadth of musical styles is definitely apparent if you give a listen to their eponymous first album from 2003.

Anyway, since I can't make up my mind as to which song to share, I'll link two. I mean since these two songs are slightly different stylistically, I guess it's justifiable... The first song is "Static Waves", which features more dream pop and shoegaze elements (and vocals). The second song is "God Is So Tired", which features more of a shoegaze (at least for the beginning anyway) and post-rock vibe. For the second song, I'd recommend you stay up until 3:00. Oh man, I'm glad I did.

Artist website @ http://www.pacificuv.com/

Pacific UV - Static Waves

Pacific UV - God Is So Tired (will add link later)

The Black Atlantic - Fragile Meadow [acoustic folk]

The Black Atlantic is a Norwegian folk band. They released their first album in 2009, Reverence For Fallen Trees, as a free digital download and have recently followed up that release with the EP Darkling, I Listen (2012). The song below, though, is from their first album and features ...someone dancing. Somehow, I think I could stand to appreciate that art form a little more...

Wanting (曲婉婷) - Admit (承認) [Chinese pop]

Oh hi, my my, it has been quite a while since I've posted. But I've definitely been listening to a lot of new sweet tunes. So, let's get a move on, shall we?

I went to HMV around a month ago just to kill some time and while I was browsing the Pop/Rock section, I bumped into this album with a Chinese girl on it. This was probably the first time I had seen something like this at HMV (other than maybe in the "World" section). Anyway, it was no other than the person in the title, Wanting (or 曲婉婷). Up until this post, I literally thought Wanting was her moniker but it's literally her name Qu Wan Ting. I guess it can still be a play on words...

Anyway, originally coming from China, she went to Canada in her teenage years to study and (from what I can tell, being unable to read any Chinese websites about this) has recently released a few singles and an album Everything In The World (the album cover says Wanting Everything In The World, so I guess that confirms the play on words part).

This is "Admit" (or "承認") from that 2012 album.

Auf der Maur - Out Of Our Minds [rock]

Having been in notable acts such as Hole and The Smashing Pumpkins, Montreal-native Melissa Auf der Maur is no newcomer to the rock scene. She released her first solo album, Auf der Maur, in 2004. Her second album was released back in 2010 entitled Out Of Our Minds. Overall, I found this album much more enjoyable than the first one. The musical breadth/variety (does that make sense?) is more expansive than its somewhat monotonous grunge-influenced predecessor.

This is the second single off the latter album, also entitled "Out Of Our Minds".

惘闻 - 污水塘 [post-rock]

惘闻 (Wang Wen) are a rock/post-rock band from China. Their bios on various sites say that the band began in 1999 with two guitarists with a particular fondness for The Smashing Pumpkins and a drummer, after whom the band was named. This is 污水塘, translated as "Sewage Pond" though idiomatically it's probably more along the lines of "Sewer" or something (perhaps I oughtta consider picking up my semi-mother tongue sometime later), which can be found on their 2008 album IV.

Having Chinese music being completely synonymous to pop music for the entirety of my life, I was very surprised when I first heard Wang Wen's stuff, though I suppose that it seems more of an inevitability with a country with over a billion people. I guess that's what happens when the only Chinese media that I follow comes from a single television channel and a couple of radio stations.

Ioseb - C/O Night [post-rock]

This is "C/O Night" by Ioseb, a Swedish post-rock band whom describe their music as "great ambient atmospheres and beautiful harmonies in which the thin vocals embrace you as warm hands on a frosty December morning". I think that description does a good job of conveying what I felt when I first heard this song. In the context of its album, this song is the calm before the storm: the song prior to this is entitled "The Declaration" and the songs following are titled after various images of war. This is also explains the ending of the song (which is not a glitch on the Youtube video) that consists of an abrupt, distorted ending transitioning immediately into some sort of radio call and sirens, quite frightening really. This song can be found on their 2009 album The Ghost Of Thirty-Three.

Giants - At Last Ashore [post-rock]

I bid welcome once again for I hath returneth from the nether! A great evil had stricken the lands and I had no choice but to do battle. And long was my struggle. But I have come out victorious! Now with Lord Diablo many times slain, the gods have deemed it appropriate that I return to my native realm so that I may continue my worldly affairs. I mean there are a bunch of other reasons for why I had simply abandoned this place in May but let's just keep it simple and blame my lack of self-control when it comes to gaming.

But I digress..

Since my last entry, the vast majority of the music I had been sampling was of the post-rock genre so at least a few of the next entries will be a smattering of that. This is "At Last Ashore" by Giants, an American post-rock band. This song consists of a hopeful cadenced melody set to a slower, laid back tempo. Listening to this song elicits images of a bittersweet victory march following a long, arduous struggle. A sort of victory that one would rather not experience should they have had a choice to avoid the conflict in the first place. The song ends with a fade, signifying a continued pushing forward. This song can be found on their 2008 album Old Stories.

In the past I tried my best not to post more than one song from albums but I think I'll do away with that little rule of mine. There's another good song on that album for which I'll write a post later.

Mint Julep - Aviary [dream pop]

Mint Julep is an indie duo consisting of Hollie and Keith Kenniff (they're married, if you were wondering, and they also release ambient music under the name "Hollie & Keith Kenniff"). This is "Aviary" from their 2011 album Save Your Season. This song itself was linked at /r/shoegaze in Reddit but it's not really shoegazey at all. But anyway, this song, and the rest of the album, were a good listen. Also, Mogwai apparently did a remix of this song (link).

Bloody Red Shoes - 7 Years [alternative, shoegaze]

Whew, it sure has been a while. There's a bit of a back-log of stuff I wanted to post up but I've been putting that off for various reasons. But anyway..

Bloody Red Shoes are an English alternative rock duo featuring Steve Ansell and Laura-Mary Carter. Since their inception in 2004, they have released three albums. This particularly song is "7 Years" from their latest album In Time to Voices (2012). As a shoegaze fan, I definitely enjoyed the distorted guitar and vocal layering of Laura-Mary in this song.

Asobi Seksu - Suzanne [dreamy acoustic]

Second post on a song by Asobi Seksu. From their 2009 album Rewolf, this is "Suzanne", a cover of a song done by Hope Sandoval from 2002. For this song, and the rest Rewolf album, Asobi Seksu seems to have scaled down their shoegazey/dream poppy bells and whistles and have produced songs with a very mellow and introspective atmosphere.

The album version can be found below but there's also a pleasant live version here.

Her Vanished Grace - Desire [alternative, shoegaze]

Her Vanished Grace is an American dream pop band from New York. They describe their music as a "modern mix of '80s post punk and '90s shoegaze with killer hooks and vivid colors" and it definitely sums up this song, "Desire" from their 2011 album See The Moon. Although there are definite hints of the shoegaze style in their instrumentals, that label cannot encapsulate their style, which incorporates strong vocals and upbeat melodies. The entire album was a real pleasure to listen to and can be found (for free!) on their Bandcamp.

Picnic - Woke Me Up Yesterday [dream pop]

Estonian band Picnic describes their music as "flowing guitars mingling with electronic beats" and trace their influences to nineties' shoegaze/dream pop acts like Cocteau Twins, Slowdive, and MBV (you can definitely hear the Cocteau Twins influence in this song). This is "Woke Me Up Yesterday" from their first LP Winter Honey (2012).

Can't wait til summer gets here..

Motorpsycho - Blindfolded [progressive rock]

Motorpsycho is a psychedelic/progressive rock band from Norway. Having formed in the late 80s, their music from then and through the 90s was characterized by a combination of harder rock elements. Beginning in their 2000 album, Let Them Eat Cake, Motorpsycho began producing music with a lighter and jazzier tone. This trend would continue through their next two albums, from one of which the featured song comes. Nevertheless, their much-anticipated double album from 2006, Black Hole/Blank Canvas, signified a return to their psychedelic rock roots.

This song is "Blindfolded" from their 2001 album Phanerothyme.

Plume Giant - Fool Hall [folk]

Plume Giant is a folk trio from New Haven, Connecticut. With their complement of able voices, guitars, and stringed instruments, these guys seem to effortlessly produce a full and round sound on all their tracks. This is "Fool Hall" from their 2010 self-titled EP (which is available for free on their bandcamp). They're currently working on an album, set to be released near the fall.

Harriet Jones - In The Basement [folk, blues]

This is "In The Basement" by English musician Harriet Jones. Although currently unsigned, given her performances at numerous festivals and alongside other more well-known artists, as well as having done some performances for the BBC, I'd hazard a guess to say that it's only a matter of time. This is one of her demos released back in 2010.

Jesse Ruins - Dream Analysis [dream pop]

This is "Dream Analysis" by Jesse Ruins, an ambient/dream-pop act from Tokyo, Japan, I think. I can't find any other information on the band but they've released several singles over the past year. No info on a full-length album yet but hopefully they decide to do it (I really like their sound). This song can be found on their Dream Analysis EP released back in February.

All The Luck In The World - Never [indie rock]

All The Luck In The World is an unsigned band hailing from Ireland. There are a few songs on their Myspace uploaded last year but they don't seem to have released anything official. This is "Never", a relaxing tune with a lo-fi feel.

Memoryhouse - Sleep Patterns [dream pop]

Memoryhouse is a Canadian dream pop group from Guleph. The group itself was not initially meant to be primarily a musical act but one that would combine music with visual mediums such as photography and short films. Their music clearly had potential and after a few tours over both North America and Europe, Memoryhouse signed with Seattle-based Sub Pop in 2010.

After releasing an EP in 2010 and re-releasing an updated version in 2011, they've recently released their first full length album The Slideshow Effect (2012). This is "Sleep Patterns" from their first release of The Years in 2010.

Sea Oleena - Cold White Sheets/Empty Bed [dream pop, electronic]

Sea Oleena is the moniker of Canadian artist Charlotte Oleena. This is "Cold White Sheets/Empty Bed" from her eponymous 2010 album Sea Oleena. I'd describe this song and the rest of this album as acoustic dream pop with a slight electronic twist. It's simply a gorgeous work.

(And here's a link to this album's page on her Bandcamp profile if you want to check out more of her work.)

Oso Closo - Anywhere You Want To [progressive rock]

Oso Closo is an American progressive rock group out of Texas. This is "Anywhere You Want To" from their 2009 album Today Is Beauty's Birthday. Adrian Hulet's soulful vocals alone make this well worth a listen. Many of Oso Closo's members are actually alumni from the University of North Texas' jazz program and so it wouldn't be surprising to hear that influence blended into their music.

Tokyo Shoegazer - Bright [shoegaze]

Tokyo Shoegazer is a Japanese shoegaze band (surprise surprise). Apparently they had originally only intended to perform for a single event. For whatever reason, they decided to stick together for a little to play a few more shows and release a demo. Eventually, after a few episodes of disbanding and reconvening as well as having their initial demo sell out, the members decided to release a full-length album.

This is "Bright" from their first full-length album crystallize (2011).

Moonlit Sailor - Hope [post-rock]

Moonlit Sailor is a Swedish post-rock band. This is "Hope" from their 2008 album So Close To Life.

I don't listen to too much post-rock nowadays so this song really brings me back to a few years ago when I was particularly enamoured with the genre and bands like This Will Destroy You, Red Sparowes, and Sigur Ros would be staples on my playlists. Who knows.. if I run into more songs like this, I might just get back into it.