IN RAINBOWS

IN / RAINBOWS

INRAIN / BOWS

INRAINBOW / S

INRAINBOWS /

INRAIN / BOWS

RA D IOHEA_D

_RAD IO HEA D

yes, it is as good as everyone says.

PANIC! AT THE DISCO – ! = NEW ALBUM!!!

The boys in Panic at the Disco have thrown away their makeup bags, corrected their punctuation errors, and are getting all pepped-up to come back with a new album! It is titled ‘Pretty Odd’, and set to hit the shelves March 25th. The single, “Nine in the Afternoon”, however, has already been released, and I am loving it. It is delightfully ridiculous and completely over-the-top celebratory. Brendon’s voice, unfortunately, shows little maturity, but it’s certainly not quite so choppy with the squealing vocal riffs, and moves the music along so much better than it did on the hyperactive ‘A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out’.

Anyway, here is the link to the video for “Nine in the Afternoon”: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCto3PCn8wo

watch it, if you care at all about popular music.

lazing on a (friday) afternoon

Alright……. I suppose that when nobody reads your blog, this is when it comes in handy. I am snowed inside my house, with only homework for company and no more Little Britain DVDs to watch (I took care of those in the forst 3 days of break). So I am going to write, aimlessly and obliviously, about Keith Jarrett.

I say “obliviously”, because I only just heard him yesterday, and I know nothing more about him beyond the fact that he was a jazz pianist who was popular in the 70’s and had a concert in Koln that was almost entirely improvised, and entirely preformed on the piano. It is astounding. He has such a knowledge of the piano, that there is no barrier between his mind and the music that comes out. It is endlessly engaging music to listen to – fresh, light and lovely scales tinker against one another like a windchime… only to fall into a dark, jagged series of chords above which he moans and gasps along with the notes (not kidding – he does the “gospel shout”). The skill and emotion of Keith Jarrett surpasses all pianists previously known to me. In this concert album (aptly titled “The Koln Concert”), he has created a timeless portal for all listeners of music…. into the most wonderous, and most intimate parts of his mind.

by the way…

I forgot to write about this when it actually happened, but Josiah Leming got voted off of American Idol (I watch devotedly, maybe I’ll do some entires on it in the future…). He was this emotionally haggard kid from a small town, who ran away from home to try and become a musical pioneer. I thought he was genuinely talented! In Hollywood week, he did an endearing, extra-poignant version of “Grace Kelly” on the piano, which won over even Simon. When he sings, he seems completely unaware of anyone around him, and what comes out is pure human emotion…all at once ugly and gourgeous sound.

Anyway, it’s sad he got voted off (I didn’t care about any of the other contestants making it, really). But he has a YouTube channel, and he’s put an EP out somewhere. Perhaps Josiah Leming is not stamped out of the music business yet.

I really hope he’s ok.

The sawdust of my mind

Eccentricity can be an very endearing quality to a band, if handled right. For The Killers, however, it is handled in the least pleasant possible way –  they have the gall to release a B-sides record (“Sawdust”) that skips between genres recklessly just months prior to the release of their weak glam-rock failure (“Sam’s Town”). Trying to keep an open mind about this, I think that there is a way to regard this album that can not only make it have instant sentimental value, but also earn a well-deserved place among your collection. Think of each song on its own (there are a few for which this won’t work because they’re not very good, but only a few), as if you found it on a CD left anonymously on your doorstep this morning and are listening to it with absolutely no pre-conceived notions about it. Almost every song is charming in its own way, and stands on its own.

Tranquilize – featuring Lou Reed (who just comes off as Brandon in a slightly lower register), what this song lacks in coherency, it makes up for in its mood; all at once hopeful and resigning, slightly edgy and radical. The thrilling guitars cycle off in the end to clear, perfectly coherent piano thuds, accompanying last words to be remembered: “We’re the ones who still believe and we’re looking for a page in that lifeless book of old where a dream might help you cope in the bushes and the bombs.”

Shadowplay – my dad heard this on the radio and thought it sounded a bit like the Cure. Such a flattering comparision is not entirely deserved, but still the soupy, abstract landscape hearkens back to the 80’s (not to mention the line: “In a room without a window in the corner I found truth”). It’s certainly trying for too much, but that’s where the appeal lies, and they get away with it.

Leave the Bourbon on the Shelf – swagger does not suit The Killers comfortably. Catchy and danceable as this may be, it is more than a little bit uncomfortable. It feels like there could be much more to this. It’s a good idea, just not one that has been developed fully, or has enough to develop. As he says in the last line, “Don’t you see….that I’m not satisfied”.

Under the Gun – an unhealthy, possibly violent romance, told over a whole mess of modern rock and pitch-controlled vocals (this is a song from their “Hot Fuss” days, where Brandon’s voice was run through computers). It is perfectly enjoyable, if you allow for the moments in which it is verging on obnoxious.

Where the White Boys Dance – great title included, this song is the strongest on the album next to Shadowplay. Controlled, brooding bass underlines the honest, slightly sacrastic vocal before an exhilerating punch of high guitar wails blares through and you can almost see the flashing lights of a dance club before your eyes. Just as easy to listen to at a party as it is alone in your room. Either way, you’ll probably end up looking foolish dancing like a white boy, glorified straight out of the song for all to see.

Show You How - the idea of recording music through someone’s answering machiene is so quirky and sentimental, this song is instantly likeable. On an album trying to be so many things, this song is absolutely individual and confident. Even if it isn’t, it certainly fooled me.

Move Away – this song seems like The Killers’ one genuine creative release on the album. They’re no longer trying to be too clever, or throw in an odd synthesized beat here and there – they sound like a really good rock band, thrashing around and yelling for you to “take off your skin when you listen”.

Glamorous Indie Rock and Roll – I’m not sure what I should say to make fun off the abysmally bad lyrics, but this song sounds great, is instantly fun to listen to and makes you want to sing out the title when it comes around for the 22nd time.

Romeo and Juliet – in a funny suburban setting, Romeo and Juliet emerge as two teenagers caught in their casual whirlwind romance. It’s an interesting note of closure to the album, admitting “the dice was loaded from the start”. If this is a swaggering farewell, for once, it works.

this flurry of snow between my ears

the headphone jack on my iPod is damaged – the sound only plays out of one ear.

i am plugged into my computer, hearing complete and perfect sound for the first time in weeks.

“Carol of the Bells” by George Winston

when i was a kid,

on long car trips,

i would listen to this album

feeling silly at first,

like i was trying to be too grown-up and calm,

but the music eventually took hold of me.

and i would emerge 45 minutes later, staring and

smiling vaguely off into the sky,

passing by….

Miss Murder

this absolutely made my day.

I was playing Guitar Hero with my brother, and “Miss Murder” by AFI came on. He got to the screaming part, and all he said was “Someone’s got a scratchy throat…”

I love AFI, but that was really quite funny.

anyway, goodnight. I’ll leave you alone.

(the above picture is Davey Havok of AFI, in case you didn’t deduce that much. And doesn’t he look just fabulous?)

12 hours of music

“Barracuda” is blasting in the other room….and I am here, on my bed, because my brother kicked me off Guitar Hero III. He just got it for Thanksgiving (this from the boy who says he “doesn’t like music”), and I have a feeling I’ll have a few different songs stuck in my head this week (“SCHOOOOOOOOL’S OUT! FOR! EVAAAAR!”).

Anyway, on the insanely long drive home from Virginia (went to see family for the Great Holiday of the Turkey), I spent my time exclusively reading, fidgeting, bothering the people in front of me and listening to music. So I can feel a bit better about indulging in that much music time, here are a series of brief reviews/thoughts:

Origin of Symmetry by Muse (album) - an absolute explosion of sound. Beautiful noises bouncing around a room, until they hit a burst of sputtering, fiery guitars and the whole thing blows up between your eyes. It’s fascinating, and frankly, kind-of impossible to describe. Preposterously grandiose, self-assuredly strange and thoroughly enjoyable. Personal Favorites: “Micro Cuts” and “Feeling Good”

Songs That Also Held My Ear Somewhere in New Jersey-Connecticut-Pittsburgh:

“Oh What A World” by Rufus Wainwright - I want to drive through Times Square blasting this on speakers strapped to the top of my car, and watch the businessmen drop their suitcases and start dancing a chorus line on the sidewalk.

“Break Anotha” by Blake Lewis – Think Robin Thicke meets Justin Timberlake, then pile about 36 different meoldies on top of it. You’ve got one confusing, hyperactive, yet entertaining American Idol effort.

“City of Delusion” by Muse – This is as absolutely over-the-top as Muse gets. With strings, a wailing trumpet solo, multiple climaxes and fat, bubbling bass….I adore it, but still can’t help feeling a bit silly listening to it.

“Time is Running Out” by Muse – It’s paranoid, it’s raw and melodic, it’s shockingly sexy…I am beginning to fall in love with these people.

“First of the Gang to Die” by Morrissey – Morrissey doing what Morrissey does best. Taking a sensitive, awkward subject by the hand and crooning with it through cheerful, bouncy riffs that are so trying to be Johnny Marr. Best line: “You have never been in love/Until you’ve seen the dawn rise/Behind the home for the blind”

“Roadhouse Blues” by The Doors – Probably one of the greatest beats in rock, and certainly the best to drive to. Gave me a bit of sustenance towards the end of the trip.

The Next Great American Band?

Well, Simon Fuller has added another American-Idol-esque show to his repertoire – it’s called The Next Great American Band, and the idea is to find the next great American band.

Yeah. Right.

This week, they took on the Rolling Stones catalouge. (no, no one did “Paint it Black”, or “Sympathy for the Devil” and certainly no “Satisfaction”) Now, I personally am not a fan of the Stones. I understand their significance in rock music and all that, yet I have always found them fairly boring and un-original. For this reason, I doubt I will ever be taken seriously in the business of music. That’s why I’m here, online.

But I digress.

The show is not so much a rip-off of American Idol, so much as a blatant replica. The judges are a nice guy, a middle-aged woman with too many bangles and Botox, and a British guy. The host is thin, bright and looks like he stepped out from between the pages of G.Q. As for the bands, the ones that were memorable enough for me to recall were:

Tres Bien!: about 5 mop-headed rockers, very traditional look, singer likes to dance around and make a but of a fool of himself. They did “Get Off of My Cloud”, with added riffage.

Light of Doom: this is a band whose members range from about ages 10-15. But don’t let that throw you off. They have a very devoted fanbase of teenage girls, and clearly have spent hours practicing…with hair-straighteners. They did “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”, and it could’ve just as easily been about 6 other Stones songs.

The Clark Brothers: three perfectly innocent-looking 21-year-olds who did a tense, dramatic “Gimme Shelter”. It built from thin, wavering chords to a screaming crescendo. The whole time the audience was clapping uncertainly, trying to find a beat when they should’ve just been listening. (personal favorite, or rather, one I could stand with the least difficulty)

Dot Dot Dot: seemed by far the most fun band (the bassist is a 40-year-old in fishnets). It’s about 6 lovable goths whose lead singer sneaks into Davey Havok’s room at night and steals his eyeshadow.

They did something like “Let’s Spend the Night Together”. The preformance was engaging, if a little hyperactive, but the vocals were trying to be something they were clearly, not.

I hear next week is Rod Stewart week.

Whoop dee doo. 

on Danish elf rock

Allo. Salut. The sounds that captured my ear today are the sweet ethereal strains of Mew. It is beautiful, blissful, fantasy-inducing and with lyrics just strange enough to hold your interest. A light, elfin voice floats over the tangle of instruments, fading in and out of notes smoothly just before the song collapses into a sweeping final note and fades off (almost apologetically) into silence. It really is extraordinary.

“Comforting Sounds” sounds like the end of the world

“Her Voice is Beyond Her Years” sounds like a moment of peace one might find in the back of a disco

“Symmetry” sounds like winter, in an endless field, under an endless white sky, and the world seems to have absolutely nothing in it except for a little girl singing in the snow.