Art is the music we make from the bewildered cry of being alive. ~Maria Popova
05 Jul 2012 Leave a comment
in Songs You May Have Missed Tags: as long as i survive tonight, sukilove
Sukilove: “As Long as I Survive Tonight” (2003)
Antwerp, Belgium’s Sukilove describes its sound as “technicolor pop/noise”. Their music seems to echo the bands that inhabited the psychedelic fringes of late 60’s pop (including the Beatles). It’s got a prickly side but also an appealing melodic sense. Like your typical John Lennon song.
05 Jul 2012 1 Comment
in Songs You May Have Missed Tags: blue merle, forever to reach, luke reynolds, pictures and sound
Pictures and Sound: “Forever to Reach” (2008)
As I mentioned in Songs You May Have Missed #12 (Blue Merle’s “Every Ship Must Sail Away”), some songs just have really tasty intros. I played the first 21 seconds of this song 3 or 4 times when I first heard it, just appreciating the tasteful way the artist raised the curtain on his song. It’s no coincidence that artist is Luke Reynolds again–the man I told you had moved on to other projects after Blue Merle’s only album. Pictures and Sound is Luke’s next project, and they bear a sonic kinship to his old band.
The third verse here always grabs me: Close your eyes right now and count to ten/You’re a different person than you were just then/And you’ll never get this chance again…It took forever to reach, and a moment to pass.
Indeed.
And it seems Pictures and Sound may not get this chance again either. This song has gotten fewer than one thousand views on YouTube, and nothing has been heard of the band since 2008. But if, like Blue Merle, their lifespan is only one album, I’ll be looking out for the next thing Reynolds does, as it’s sure to be quality stuff–with nice instrumental intros.
See also: https://edcyphers.com/2012/02/11/songs-you-may-have-missed-12/
04 Jul 2012 Leave a comment
(Reprinted from Paste magazine)
People do some crazy things while they’re in traffic; shaving, putting on makeup, reading a book, curling their hair — you get the idea. But a couple of Russians have taken what’s possible to do on the highway to an unprecedented new level with their mobile rock band.
Observe as the guy who took the video, driving down the Russian highway, comes up on a motorcycle with a rather large passenger pod attached to its side. As he moves to pass it, it turns out, lo and behold: There’s a guy playing a full drum set and a guy playing an amplified electric guitar on the platform, rocking out in hardcore fashion as they speed down the freeway.
They don’t sound all that incredible as far as technical chops go, but if what they’re doing isn’t rock ‘n’ roll, I don’t think anything is. (By the way, we’re not sure this is legal, so we don’t necessarily recommend trying it yourself.)
04 Jul 2012 Leave a comment
in Songs You May Have Missed Tags: joe jackson, kinda kute
Joe Jackson: “Kinda Kute” (1979)
“I’m the guy with the big feet but plenty of nerve” sings Joe as he tells the cutest girl in the room to go ahead and dance without him while he watches. Jackson’s first two albums, Look Sharp! and I’m the Man, both released in 1979, were full of seemingly effortless pop ditties like this. He’s explored a lot of other territory since, from Louis Jordan-style big band jazz to his latest release, a tribute to Duke Ellington. But for fans of pure pop, the early stuff is essential.
04 Jul 2012 Leave a comment
in Songs You May Have Missed Tags: carino, chris spheeris
Chris Spheeris: “Carino” (1997)
Greek-American producer and multi-instrumentalist Chris Spheeris can be categorized either as New Flamenco (if you think he’s good) or New Age (if you think he’s lame). While not a huge fan of his stuff in general, I find this song to be one of the most beautiful of its kind that I’ve come across. I think of it as New Flamenco…
Every Moment Has A Song 