Swing on over to Alternative Press to hear a new song, "I Was Sixteen 10 Years Ago" off of Joie De Vivre's We're All Better Than This. Weren't these guys supposed to be broken up? Couldn't even last a year. Oh my god, they are so in love now.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Listen to a new Joie De Vivre track!
Swing on over to Alternative Press to hear a new song, "I Was Sixteen 10 Years Ago" off of Joie De Vivre's We're All Better Than This. Weren't these guys supposed to be broken up? Couldn't even last a year. Oh my god, they are so in love now.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Poplar Street - Leave It All Behind (2011)
Genres: Alternative, Post-Rock, Progressive-Post Metal
Website: BANDCAMP Facebook
Poplar Street is an emerging band of young artists hailing from the lively city of Halifax, NS that came into formation in 2010. Poplar Street released their second album, Leave It All Behind in September 2011: both of their EPs may be downloaded at the link above. Emphatically ambitious and easily atmospheric are the two ways I enjoy describing this band and their live shows. The band describes their sound in a bio on Bandcamp as a combination of "musical elements of introspective post-rock and the intensely enjoyable energy of contemporary Canadian rock." Without disagreeing, I would posit the notion that greater emotion and beautiful harmony has hardly met with a more subtle song-smith than the great innovators in the Canadian music scene, Poplar Street. The talented Mr. Mike Fong has asked me on behalf of the band to extend their music and goodwill to the readers of SIGD, and the world as they have a big summer planned. So stay tuned with Poplar Street. as insider sources relay they are in the process of releasing two singles and recording a third album.in anticipation of previously unrecorded post-hardcore influences. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS BAND!
Sun Eater - Sun Eater [2012]
For Fans Of: Psychedelic stoner trios
Genres: See above
Preview:
Tacoma, WA, representttt! This debut EP is the product of six months of hard work down in the basement of their house. I've been yearning for some hard psychedelic/stoner rock as of late, and these guys pretty much hit the spot. Here's a recent interview with the band in which they discuss this EP, Slayer, and the idea that their music sounds like the soundtrack to the apocalypse...if you were getting drunk at the apocalypse.
Listen here:
Quiet Clouds - Demo [2012]
For Fans Of: The Appleseed Cast, Wavelets, Little League
Genres: Post-Rock, Math Rock, Indie
Preview:
666th post! \m/
Quiet Clouds are a group of guys from Tallahassee, Florida, featuring members of Wavelets and Little League. They remind me a lot of early Appleseed Cast, which is what drew me to this rough demo of theirs. According to their drummer, David, they are in the midst of recording a full-length, for which they will be touring in the next few months. Apparently these guys are great live, so I'll definitely be on the lookout for a Michigan date.
Listen here:
Hira Hira - We.Are.All.Xray.Pricks.No.Talent.Fuck.Off. [2008]
For Fans Of: I Am The Agent, The Cast of Cheers, Bare Arms
Genres: Punk, Post-Hardcore, Post-Punk
Preview:
Hira Hira is a hardcore/indie/punk band from Sydney, Australia, and just the title of the album should intrigue you enough to want to take a listen. They've been writing a new album for the last 12 months after a small line up change. They played some gigs, wrote 10 songs, then went out on an isolated property on the far south coast of New South Wales, where they spent a week recording and getting sucked on...by leeches.
Listen here:
P.S. Here's a preview of their upcoming album, Bugs:
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Tyrannosaurus Rules - Tyrannosaurus Rules EP [2012]
I saw this poster on Tumblr the other day. Not sure if it's for an actual movie or what, but this band's name made me think of it.
For Fans Of: Beach Fossils, Death Cab For Cutie, Brand New
Genres: Indie, Emo, Power Pop
Spotify: Facebook
Preview:
Tyrannosaurus Rules is a four-piece emo/indie band from Australia. After some indecision about their name ("Violet Smile" was the alternative name - I think the one they went with is much better), this EP is finally live. I would describe their sound as a mixture of early Death Cab For Cutie (We Have The Facts, You Can Play These Songs With Chords) and early Brand New, but a little more toned down. This is only a debut, but it's a solid one, and I'm looking forward to hearing more form them in the near future!
Streampad: Tyrannosaurus Rules - What You Hate About Me
Johnny Mox - We = Trouble [2012]
For Fans Of: Nurse! Nurse! Nurse!, Fonda Sisters, La Crisi
Genres: Punk, Blues, Gospel
Preview:
Let me start off by saying that I really like the new blogger interface. The old one drove me absolutely crazy; the window was too small to work in, the images didn't upload in order, and half the time it wouldn't save my work. The update is beyond welcomed.
Anyhoo, Johnny Mox is the project of the italian multi-instrumentalist Gianluca Taraborelli (awesome last name). In his own words:
"We = Trouble combines gospel, spirituals, blues, with a raw punk influence. Through the construction of real-time loop, Mox works overlapping choral harmonies, beatbox noises and creating an edgy and original sound. A castle of voices, pedals and beatboxes meticulously stacked one inside the other. The result is a sort of skeletal Gospel pierced by rusty noise and heated by electronic grafts. Ossessive spirituals for punks in search of redemption, nailed Soul, millions of growing voices trapped in the rib cage, ready to grow and devour wires and amplifiers."
Check out this record teaser:
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Fistfuls of Sand by The State Lottery 7" (2012)
Genres: Indie, Punk, Folk, Pop Punk, Rock
Buy: Salinas Records or Answer Key Records
Preview:
These two new songs from the State Lottery shows them trying their take at having "walls of sound". Instead of being mainly a punk/pop punk band, these songs have a ton of folk/indieness to them that I really enjoy. It makes me wonder if they are working on a full length/ep, and if so, is this the direction it will be going in? At reminds me a bit of Kite Party's Baseball Season, which is not bad at all seeing as how that was one of my favorite albums last year which I still spin quite a bit still.
This was recorded in Detroit at Roshambo Records, which is also where The Summer Pledge did some of their recording for their latest full length we featured on here a week or so ago.
This was featured on IfYouMakeIt.com, which is a great resource for finding new music and is also run by people from The State Lottery.
Listen Here:
StreamPad: The State Lottery - "Fistfuls of Sand"
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
The American Dollar - Awake in the City [2012]
For Fans Of: God is an Astronaut, Lights Out Asia, If These Trees Could Talk
Genres: Ambient, Post-rock, Electronic
Spotify: Yep
Preview:
I found these guys while blog-walking last night, and then fell asleep despite wanting to put them on the site right away. The American Dollar started with two good friends living in Queens, NY back in 2005. This means they have been cranking out solid tunes for seven years now, and this longstanding cohesion is evident in what is their most polished release to date, Awake in the City. The post-rock/ambient duo describe themselves as artists who "create pieces that wholly captivate and engage the listener. The duo fuses processed drums, spacious keyboards and powerful organ swells with electric guitar and bass, creating deep sonic textures while maintaining the passion and energy of a live band. The swirling soundscapes build and swell, punctuated by glitchy beats, breathing and expanding into crashing guitars and soaring leads: precisely constructed symphonies for a new era." - Lastfm.
Check out their recent session on Panopticon 360, featuring the track up in the preview, 'Faces in the Haze', as well as 'Friends of Friends':
I'm also a big fan of the Winter Compilation they created back in 2010, which is available to download for free.
Forget Shit and Move On by the Greek Favourites (2012)
Genres: Punk, Pop Punk, Fistfuck
Buy: Bigcartel (EP isn't for sale yet)
Preview:
The Greek Favourites/Glocca Morra split Songs in the Key of Ayyyyyyy, has been one of my favourite splits. Glocca Morra put out a new album last year, and it seems like Greek Favourites is poised to release more material this year including this gem. The songs are mixed/produced considerably better than songs on the split (at least on the version I have). I really hope you at least try to listen to the songs in full before dismissing them because there are some parts that are near the end of these songs that I am especially fond of (Especially "My Garage, My Rules") . But nothing is wrong with the beginning of the songs, so I shouldn't even worry about that.
Listen Here:
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| yummy. |
StreamPad: The Greek Favourites - "My Garage, My Rules"
...Compared to Giants by Ma Jolie (2012)
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| Pablo Picasso. "Ma Jolie" (Woman with a Zither or Guitar) Paris, winter 1911-1912. |
Genres: Pop Punk, Punk
Preview:
The demo that we featured of this band is now OBSOLETE. It has been removed from their bandcamp. Why? Because they released this full length that features all three songs that were on the demo except with different names and are recorded/mixed/mastered better than they were before! I guess you could say this full length is getting me to full length. HA!
Puns aside, these guys are criminally underrated and haven't been given the attention they deserve. We got some solid pop punk goodness right here, folks. They put on a great live set as well, which is good news for you Fest 11 future attendees because these guys will be playing there! Why did Fest need to start in 2001 instead of 2000? I keep wanting Fest 11 to be Fest 12 because it is in 2012, not 2011. Captain hindsight!
Listen Here:
StreamPad: Ma Jolie - "No, Pennsylvania is the Reason"
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Disembarked by Disembarked (2012)
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| I personally own a tele, but I really want a jaguar. I be droolin' when I see those. |
Genres: Screamo, Post-hardcore, Emo, Post-rock
Preview:
Hello Sweden! It seems our coverage of No Omega's Metropolis has gotten attention over there, and now I am apparently about to learn a bit about the bands that are going on over there. So, all you folks in the states that already visit here are about to get some more international flavor.
I almost hesitate to say international flavor because this band would fit in very well with the screamo music scene that is going on here in the states. They aren't as heavy as fellow Swedish group, No Omega; they opt more for higher and melodic tones and even the occasional post-rock/quieter sections. The result is a really dynamic album that is reminiscent of the bands mentioned in the introduction.
Speaking of post-rock, while I was searching around for information on these guys, I saw they are playing with Prawn and APE UP! on one of their European Tour dates. Now wouldn't that be a nifty show?
So, here is to the further celebration of Sweden. After all, we have a lot of great hockey players from Sweden currently playing in the NHL. What is hockey like over in Sweden? I have seen people from Sweden actually come to Red Wings games given that we have a couple Swedish all-stars on our team, and I even see people donning Swedish olympic jerseys for our players. Do you guys follow the NHL over there? Or is the focus mainly on Elitserien? Also, what are same names around there that are being brought up as being potentially drafted into the NHL? Who are you excited about? What was Zetterberg's Swedish super model wife like before they got married and moved over here? I had the chance to meet Zetterberg and his wife in the Detroit Airport and boy, what a hottie. His wife was pretty good looking too.
Listen :
StreamPad: Disembarked - "Pulled Apart"
Monday, April 16, 2012
Metropolis by No Omega (2012)
Kind of Like: Goodtime Boys, Converge, Birds in Row
Genres: Punk, Thrash, Screamo, Post-hardcore
Buy: Big Cartel
Preview:
Last year, I stumbled upon a little-known Swedish bands self-titled 7 inch. What pulled me in initially, like many albums I hate to admit, was the simple but visceral album art. What I was greeted with on the inside was some heavy unforgiving emotive hardcore/thrash that would eventually make it onto the best of 2011 list.
When I heard that these guys would be releasing their debut full-length Metropolis this year, I was beyond excited. I hesitated to envision it as one of the best albums of 2012, because every time I do that I tend to have to high of expectations going in.
The release date for Metropolis came and went, but I was unable to find a leak of the album anywhere. I saw that No Omega was posting reviews for the full-length, so I approached them about letting me do a leak, or at least letting me listen to it and do a review on it. They are cool guys, and they recognize some good stateside exposure when it comes along.
Aw shit, son. SIGD exclusive time.
So, I sit down today to get my first listen of this album. The part I was happiest about what that they kept the same tone/mixing/direction they used in their 7 inch. The guitars are heavy, the vocals are filled with power and emotion, the drums lumber very between straight up thrash/punk to lumbering and brooding.
I am glad to see these guys gaining exposure in Europe through touring with Bastions and doing shows with American screamo bands that are doing their rounds around the motherland(s). And it's no wonder why, their sound is taking that heavy/thrash Converge style that many UK/European bands are emulating, but they also throw in the emotion and churning that is noteable in many popular screamo bands in the states and abroad. That is also probably the reason why I am really into the UK's Goodtime Boys and Frances's Birds in Row lately. They use a similar formula, but they are more on the screamo side whereas No Omega is more on the thrash/heavy side. Speaking of which, apparently Goodtime Boys is also looking to be releasing a new album soon.
I am leaking this, but I strongly encourage you to buy merchandise from them (Big Cartel/bandcamp above). Unfortunately, they have yet to state plans for putting this on vinyl which is one of the main thing myself and people that visit this site are interested in.
Edit: GET THIS RIGHT RECORDS (US) & MONUMENT RECORDS (SWE) released Metropolis on CD on 2012-03-01. (500 pieces). THIRTY DAYS OF NIGHT RECORDS (UK), GET THIS RIGHT RECORDS & MONUMENT RECORDS is releasing Metropolis on 12" vinyl in May! (500 pieces).
For now, show these Swedes some love. They are really nice guys from the conversations I have had so far and they have a friendly demeanor. Also, they promote vegetarianism and veganism, and incorporate political ideas and civilization criticism into lyrics as well as spread ideas in a very open and relaxed way. I personally am not a vegetarian/vegan, but if that is your thing, that may make you like these guys that much more.
Listen Here:
StreamPad: No Omega - "Eight Year Dream"
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Loose Control by Git Some (2010)
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| Hairy is the new hotty |
Genres: Punk, Hardcore, Stoner Rock, Noise Rock
Preview: Spotify
Been meaning to post these guys after catching them a week or two ago. They played with Converge, Loma Prieta, and The Armed. I had no idea who these guys were walking into the show, but after seeing them I am very excited about them. They put on a great punk set and have a sound that not many people appreciate now of days. They play some blistering, fast, and heavy rock and roll. They just put out a 7" with Alternative Tentacles Records, that is nowhere to be found on the interwebs yet as a download. However, they have plans to put out another full length and you can check out their 2010 effort, Loose Control, below.
Listen Here:
StreamPad: Git Some - "Lick, Lick, Lick"
Bad Liar - Yours Truly [2012]
For Fans Of: Peace Be Still, Glocca Morra, You Blew It!
Genres: Emo, Post-Hardcore, Punk
Spotify: Facebook
Preview:
Bad Liar is an Emo band from Cali. This is their debut EP, and an impressive one at that. It will be available on vinyl this summer on Conditions Records. A lot of people seem to be really excited about this band, myself included, so I'm pretty excited to get my hands on it once it comes out. I can't seem to find any info on whether or not they are touring, but I'm hoping they'll stop by our neck of the woods at some point! Here's a link to their Twitter if you wanna keep up on news from them.
Watch At The Drive-In Live!
In case you haven't had a chance to visit the live Coachella stream on youtube, you missed a hell of a set by Radiohead last night. Don't fret though, you still have the chance to catch a bunch of great bands including At the Drive-In. I wasn't terribly satisfied with the cruddy videos of their show in Austin, so I am very excited to see them get the treatment that Radiohead and the other bands at Coachella are getting. Multiple angles, quality video and great audio as well. The only downside, they go on at 11:30 PM PST, which is like 2:30 AM EST for me.
Update: At The Drive-In has been moved up to 9:10 PM PST, unfortunately I will still be staying up to watch Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg take the stage at 10:35 PM PST. Apparently Tupac and Nate Dogg will be making posthumous appearances as fuckin' holograms. Eminem will also be there, but not as a hologram.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Duck Fight Goose - History 7" [2012]
For Fans Of: Shanghai-based supergroups
Genres: Indie, Experimental, Electronic
Spotify: Facebook
Preview:
Duck Fight Goose formed in 2009 out of the Miniless collective, and this is their newest release on tenzenmen. All members (Han Han, San San, Damen, and Panda) are active participants in important bands/projects of China's independent music scene. Han Han has even been described as "A leader of Shanghai's nascent alternative, experimental rock scene." Here's an interview where he discusses SXSW and first impressions of the U.S., and also gives advice to other bands looking to make the journey. This 7" is available on white vinyl for $9. Their full-length is coming soon!
Our Brother Atlas - Winter EP
For Fans Of: Music to go buckwild to
Genres: Post-hardcore, Punk
Spotify: Facebook
Preview:
These guys are from Harrisburg, Virginia, and this is their latest self-released album. Any fan of post-hardcore/punk will enjoy this for sure. You can find more of their music via YouTube. They just came out with some new merch as well. I also really like their tumblr; specifically, the picture of Darth Vader riding a unicycle while playing bagpipes and wearing a kilt.
Horse Thieves and Other Villains - Manifest Destiny [2012]
For Fans Of: Against Me!, Murder by Death, The Front Bottoms
Genres: Pop Punk, Acoustic, Folk
Spotify: Facebook
Preview:
If you've ever wondered what it would sound like if you mixed Murder by Death with Against Me!, Horse Thieves and Other Villains is the band for you. They're from Pennsylvania, and this is their newest album, and that's pretty much all I could find out about them. Oh and they like to get drunk sometimes too. [Haha]
Hint: Click "Buy Now" and enter "0" for the free download.
Skai Nine - Ember [2012]
For Fans Of: Southern Shores, Washed Out, Radioseven
Genres: Electronic, Chillwave, Experimental
Spotify: Facebook
Preview:
Here's something from an electro-based music artist based in Washington DC. A self-proclaimed music schizophrenic (but otherwise normal person...or so we're told), Skai Nine draws inspiration from hip-hop and synth-pop sounds of the 80s. The song up in the preview is the electro-distorted funk single that just dropped as part of a string of free singles that will be released this spring. An EP containing all the singles as well as some other new material is set to come out on DhARMA (indie electronic label founded in 2012) this summer, so stay tuned for that!
Monday, April 9, 2012
(Updated) Eunoia by Invalids (2012)
Kind of Like: Maps & Atlases (old), Bulletproof Tiger, This Town Needs Guns
Genres: Math Rock, Emo, Progressive
Spotify: Here
Preview:
I talked about Maps & Atlases on the radio show last night, and I brought up how I still enjoy their new sound. Their first EP was what initially blew me away, and it is still my favorite though.
When I heard this album by Invalids, I felt the same way I did when I heard Trees, Swallows, Houses. It's as if a band kept going with the sound that Maps did in Trees and maturing it more instead of diverging towards a more indie, arguably safer sound. Actually, it literally is exactly that.
It's even cooler that the two guys in this band met completely randomly and just decided to send music back and forth to each other. Kenny says that there is no excuse why you shouldn't record your own music if you play, and this is another reason why. With the amount of resources available for a fairly low cost, it is not really that hard to get an audio interface for a computer and a decent recording progran. Then you just go with that, with the kind of drum programs you can get, you no longer have to pay for really expensive recording without the drums sounding obviously synthetic.
I am foreseeing heavy, heavy rotation and hopefully these guys will eventually meet in real life to do shows or something.
I managed to find a link for this, but the digital album on their bandcamp is 8 bucks. I hope they keep making music and possibly put this on wax, so I hope you use this as a promotional tool only and then delete it and then buy their sheet.
StreamPad: Invalids - "And Was It Worth It In The End?"
Beware and Be Grateful by Maps & Atlases (2012)
Kind of Like: Radiohead, Minus the Bear, Look Mexico
Genres: Indie, Folk, Electronica, Math Rock
Buy: Insound
Spotify: Clitty clitty, bang bang
Preview: Paste Magazine
Warning. Fans of old Maps & Atlases that don't like the direction they are going, you might as well stop reading now. They haven't regressed back to their original EP. If you are looking for that kind of music, check this out.
Oh, you're still here? Well, that means you are open to where they were heading slowly but surely, or actually already are very into electronic/indie music.
I have to admit, when I first saw the teaser for this album and heard the music at the end of it, I was very skeptical. I felt like they had gone too far. The dancy, synthetic drum beats, the emphasis on airy, vocal layering. Had they done too far for me? I like to say that I liked Perch Patchwork, not nearly as much as I liked older material, but I still enjoyed it at certain points.
I am a sucker for dancy, indie music. If it comes on and it is catchy and makes me want to jig about (get jiggy wit it, rather), then I go for it. That's better than standing in a corner and judging it, right? This album is catchy. I like to throw around the word: "safe" a bit, and it could be argued that this album is "safe". But for them it isn't "safe", it is actually something foreign and new to them. Here is their own David Dave Davison with more (sorry if it is Erin, or Shiraz or someone else, Paste Magazine didn't specify really, tsk tsk [I just wanted to say Dave a bunch]).
"To us, the changes feel somewhat gradual. I guess there wasn’t a specific inspiration to change, but that the album itself took on a life of its own. One thing that we tried to do was challenge ourselves in new ways with every track, which is something that started with Perch Patchwork. With this album, it was much more deliberate, as a desire to make sure we were moving into new territories. Each track, I think, has something that is deliberately challenging on an artistic, personal level, so that’s one thing that made it different."
If you come here a bit, you may have noticed the longer my posts are, the more I am arguing with myself on if I genuinely like an album or not as I keep listening to it. If you weren't aware then I just outted myself. Well, let's just get to the part you want, your precious link. If you like where Maps was heading, enjoy the new textures, soundscapes, and journey in general. If you didn't get past the first couple sentences, why are you still here?
Listen Here:
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| LOOK, CUTE TOTES TO TOTS TOTE YER TOTES IN |
StreamPad: Maps & Atlases - "Remote & Dark Years"
Sunday, April 8, 2012
The Front Bottoms - The Front Bottoms [2011]
For Fans Of: Spraynard, Dowsing, The Weakerthans
Genres: Pop Punk, Acoustic-Punk, Folk
Spotify: Yes
Preview:
My sister saw these guys open for Say Anything the other night, and she's been bugging me to put them on the site ever since. The Front Bottoms are a two-piece band based out of New Jersey. First thing I said to her when she turned them on: "I hate that guy's voice". Yes, it's a bit hard to get used to, but sometimes what I initially thought to be "terrible" vocals actually turn out to be some of my favorite voices to listen to over and over again. That will probably be the case for this group as well; they're super catchy and you'll be singing along to this at top volume for sure. All the songs are basically about that trio we all know and love: hanging out, drinking, and girls. Who wouldn't wanna listen to that?
Nursing and Music
Sorry, no music leaks today. This is more of an open discussion about music and how it can be applied to older and critical care patients. I may have mentioned that I am going for a Bachelor's in Nursing. Being so into music and liberal arts, I never was quite sure if I was really going to like it. It wasn't until I had begun doing clinicals and actually caring for people that I knew it was something that I really really really enjoyed. I'm a firm believer of going outside your comfort zone and applying what you are good at towards other fields. The same applies towards being in a band. When you have a group of people of very different backgrounds and experiences, but are very good at what they do and mesh them together usually provides the best kind of music in my opinion.
So as my love for nursing grew, I began to think about how my love for music can be applied to this new interest. I haven't really talked much about my ideas on this until I saw this video, and I wanted to see what other people thought. I think the only other people I have talked about this to is Lori, a few nursing peers and one of the guys in Signals Midwest in Philadelphia talking around a keg. I have no idea how or why the conversation went there.
I began getting ideas once I started using Spotify frequently. Not only was I amazed with the library of new artists, but also the classic albums from the beginning of recorded music. Being a fan of many older genres/bands, I found this to be a great way to keep in touch with that side. However, I felt like it had potential for more. I felt like older generations could really benefit; I would find myself sitting at a table with middle aged people and older and I would ask what artists they liked. I would pull them up quickly on Spotify, and they would light up as their music came back to them. Furthermore, there are plenty of peer-reviewed studies that show music has a positive effect on people with chronic illnesses.
In the past, I could see implementing music in hospitals as quite a challenge. They have tried certain things, like the music channels on the hospital TVs, but with each persons tasted varying to such a capacity, these channels don't really invoke the sort of reaction of hearing one of your own favorite songs/artists. Installing computers, speakers, software would be a mess and very hard to convince hospitals to do such things. With the dawn of Spotify and TVs with internet, it seems so much easier now. The software is already free and soon enough there will most likely be a way to have that software directly on a hospital television. There wouldn't be a need for putting in speakers, but providing headphones could be considered. Having the music come out of the TV would deal with the whole "noise/volume" issue. Most of the time when I approach people about this idea, the first question/obstacle is that it would be too loud and distracting. Most hospitals have TVs, so if the music came from there, there would still be the same volume restriction as if the patient was watching the news or Steve Wilkos.
In the clinical setting, being a student nurse allows us a lot more one on one time with patients. This gives us a chance to get that therapeutic connection going, and one of the many tangents I go on is either movies/TV/music. Actually dogs. I talk about dogs a lot. Especially, if they have a dog. When we do get talking music, many times older patients would break into a song. It's amazing how detrimental dementia is on a person, but they still have those melodies floating around in there. I even began talking about old records I had and I feel like even a record player would be something that could be great to have in a rec room for an in-patient unit like a psych unit or rehab unit (getting up and flipping a record over is a good hand eye coordination exercise right?).
I guess my point of this post was to really just get the idea out there to more people. If music in a medical setting doesn't start progressing on it's own in the next couple years, I would like to start trying things myself, and the most important thing would be to get people behind it. I am not a religious person, but I would like to think I am somewhat of a spiritual person and mood person, especially after being humbled by people like Henry. Patients have chaplains and priests on site available for their religious/spiritual needs, but I think one of the great things missing are spiritual and non-pharmacology therapy that are friendly towards agnostics and atheists as well as religious people.
Happy Easter?
Visit Music & Memory, expect a release from SIGD Records that profits will go towards this charity very soon. They use the money to get iPods for people like Henry. I love people like Henry.
Visit Music & Memory, expect a release from SIGD Records that profits will go towards this charity very soon. They use the money to get iPods for people like Henry. I love people like Henry.
Saturday, April 7, 2012
BBNG2 by Badbadnotgood (2012)
Kind of Like: Modern jazz (NOT smooth jazz), awesomeness, The Beastie Boys, Danny Brown
Genres: Electronica, Experimental, Jazz, Hip-hop
Preview:
Genres: Electronica, Experimental, Jazz, Hip-hop
Preview:
I featured this great Toronto band's first album last year, and it is something I still listen to quite a bit. I just found out about this second album, so I am going through it right now. My testes dropped when I saw this had dropped. So far, it sounds even better than their first album. I feel like after the success of their first album they really came into their own for this one. I tend to throw around the "experimental" tag a big, but these guys are really it. They did this in true jazz fashion as well; letting the listeners get a look into the jamming/improv process (like the Office, ya know?).
All I can say is "Flashing Lights" cover. Fuckin' christ, so many good covers/jams on here. Are these guys touring? Goddamn, should've gone to Coachella. They also appear to be coming to the UK, ya damn brits.
Listen Here:
StreamPad: Badbadnotgod - "Flashing Lights"
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Vessels by the Summer Pledge (2012)
Kind of Like: Moving Mountains (circa Pneuma), The Appleseed Cast, Broken Social Scene
Genres: Indie, Emo, Post-rock, Math Rock, Experimental
Preview:
These Detroit natives were one of the first few bands I featured on this site with their previous 2010 effort, You Are You. The first time I saw them was a New Year's Party at the Trumbellplex with The State Lottery and others. They made a really good impression with me right off the bat, and I have been eager to hear their latest album since they announced they were working on it a few months ago. There aren't many Detroit bands that go for this sound, so it's always nice to see bands like this coming out of Detroit or Michigan in general.
These guys can really build up into songs, but with the first song, "Bloodclot", they get things started quickly so you dive right into it. You can also notice as more sounds and instruments start popping up in the first song that they put a lot of effort in the production of this one. They recorded at Drasik Studios in Chicago, and Roshambo Studios in Hazel Park, Michigan. Drasik has been known for their work with CSTVT, Koji, Fireworks, Into It. Over It., the Swellers and many others. And I can't find much about Roshambo...
Anyways, the boys keep going at full force until :40 into "Wonder", when things die down for a minute with a nice mathy Russian Circles-esque palm muting part. After that is "The Ledges (Outsider)", which is quickly becoming a favorite out of the songs on this album. Especially the guitar part at like 1:42.
There is a brief minute interlude thingy that lets you take a little break after the first 4 songs before going into "B's Teeth" which is probably the first song you will hear off of their bandcamp preview. The vocals get edgier at certain points in this song which is quite welcome.
"Suspended by Sunbeams" reminds me a lot of You Are You, it takes awhile to get where it's going but if you are patient and get to the end of it you get a really great song that is overall slower and flowing, but has it's moment where it picks up as well.
The album ends with a long'un, clocking in at a little over 9 minutes. The neat thing about this song is that it incorporates parts of "Bloodclot" in it, like certain melodies and vocal parts. I am a sucker for bands that take the beginning idea of a song or album, and break it down and incorporate it at the end as well.
Overall, I definitely feel this album is a step forward from You Are You, not that that album was bad. They seem to have made an effort to have more structure in their songs and not have parts that are dragged out too much. That being said, this band/album is more for people that are patient with their music. Their songs are generally longer, which can be a double-edged sword. You get great parts that are really memorable that you always look forward to, but there is also room for parts that may not rub you the right way. However, I would rather be a band like that instead of one that is short and sweet, but safe and unchallenging (not a word, but it should be).
This has not leaked yet, I got a few listens of it and it will be released digitally in a couple weeks, and then it will be available on wax as a double LP in about a month.
Listen Here:
StreamPad: The Summer Pledge - "The Ledges (Outsider)"
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