The Blurbs
Bon Iver – Bon Iver Album Review
Justin Vernon, the mastermind behind the nebulous “band” Bon Iver, faced the truly challenging task of writing a sophomore album that could live up to the sudden and completely unexpected fame he achieved, or rather had heaped upon him, after his quiet little gem of a debut album, For Emma, Forever Ago, demanded that we take notice.
This was more than just your ordinary sophomore slump-avoidance. For Emma was such a brilliant record because of its complete and unassuming honesty – just a lonely beardo alone with his thoughts out in the woods of Wisconsin, pouring his emotions out into a recorder. There was no pretense, and no expectation that it would ever blow up in the way that it did. Its brilliance was its preciousness.
What would a For Emma Part 2 have sounded like? Fans surely clamored for that, but it would have ultimately let them down. That original sound came from a very specific time and place, and having established himself on the musical map, it probably would have felt forced the second time around. Instead, Bon Iver sought out to fill in the spaces that defined the first album, maintaining the emotional honesty of the music whilst still seeking to expand sonically. Perhaps then, it is no mere coincidence or lack of imagination which led to this album being self-titled, but rather a bold declaration that this would be the sound which defines Bon Iver.
Got Gotye?
As I was driving home from work today, my ears perked up because the rock radio station that I listen to was actually playing something new! What a novel idea – play brand new songs instead of beating the same handful of hits into the ground so that they lose a part of the shimmer and shine that made them hits to begin with.
The freshness is what caught my attention, and the endearingly simple songwriting and sweetly simple lyrics are what reeled me in. I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s just hearing this song by Belgian/Australian artist Gotye, so if you’re like me, give “Somebody That I Used To Know” a spin, and then continue mourning the drab uniformity of rock radio.
Also, bands have wasted no time turning out covers of this track, but no one is as good as what the band Walk Off the Earth pulled off. Four guys, a girl, and a single guitar. Sweet!
-Sam
I simultaneously love and hate this video. Hate it because there’s no way this little girl is in on the satire she’s executing, which is kinda the point of satire. So in that way, it feels like she’s just way overacting at the behest of whoever thought up the idea.
But then the 37 second mark hits and everything about this video becomes glorious. “Let’s open up this pit!!!!”
-Sam
And who knows what that simple, good-spirited gesture could inspire in that slow little dude…
-Sam
Allow me to set the stage.
Korn hadn’t released a good, solid record since 2003′s Take a Look in the Mirror. That album was written with the express intent to bring the band back to its aggressive metal roots, which it successfully achieved. However, Korn lost its way once more after that album, and floated through the next seven years churning out uninspiring pablum. They were not without some measure of self-awareness as they experienced this decline in relevance since they once again tried to recapture their old magic with 2010′s blatantly titled, Remember Who You Are. Unfortunately for Korn fans, the band’s memory was shot.
Now a year later, and truly teetering on their career’s edge, the band has released The Path of Totality, which is striking for its declarative pronouncement that, at least for now, the rehashing is over. The band realized that if it wants to keep on trucking, it needed a wake up call or an intervention – anything really to inject some new life into a flagging sound.
Nah, I’m just joking. All kidding aside, this video is pretty cool (and Go Dolphins!):
-Sam
-Sam
Lana Del Rey has been slowly but surely establishing a name for herself over the past few months in anticipation of her debut album, Born to Die, which is scheduled to hit stores in a couple of weeks. Her unique blend of sedated, moody, sexy classically inspired crooning mixed with more modern musical flourishes really hits a sweet spot with me, and judging by how many hits she’s getting on YouTube, plenty of other people as well.
Last night, she took one of the first steps in bringing her online presence to the airwaves and a wider audience when she performed on Saturday Night Live.
And today, she’s being slaughtered for it across the web. Actress/musician Juliette Lewis seemingly led the charge of celebrities chiming in with their criticisms when she posted on Twitter, “Wow watching this ‘singer’ on SNL is like watching a 12 yearold [sic] in their bedroom when theyre pretending to sing and perform #signofourtimes.” Eliza Dushku added, “Who…..is…..this wack-a-doodle chick performing on #SNL..? Whaaaa?”
Now, if I’m being honest, her performance wasn’t perfect – far from it. She was visibly uneasy, lacking a natural stage presence and seemingly holding back at some points (particularly when the songs called for her to take on those sultry cooing voices). And her style of music isn’t suited for people who want everything fast, loud, and immediate. But is that really something to rip her apart for? As far as I know, this was one of, if not her first, live television performances in the U.S. It just so happened to be under the intense spotlight of SNL. Is that her fault? Is it SNL‘s fault for inviting her? No, neither! It’s refreshing to finally see SNL taking some risks with its musical choices, opting to go with an artist before they’ve truly established themselves instead of always opting for already star-level acts. Here’s a sampling of the musical acts who’ve already appeared this season – Radiohead, Lady Antebellum, Maroon 5, Coldplay, Michael Buble, Kelly Clarkson. If I really wanted to, I could see any of those artists in any number of formats whenever I please. That’s all old news. I’d rather see precocious new artists brimming with potential get their star shot.
And who cares if Del Rey was a little awkward under the bright lights? She’s only human, and her uneasiness was endearing to me. Besides, I’m more concerned with how she sings, and she sang pretty well. Was she better on Jools Holland? Sure, but the intensity was ratcheted up in this setting. Stage presence is something that will come with more practice, more opportunity. The important thing is that what’s important is what she has in spades – talent. I’ll be eagerly awaiting the album, and I’ll have a review of it here shortly after it comes out. Click the image below to watch her performance of “Video Games” on SNL and chime in in the comments.
-Sam
Evanescence is back, five years after the group’s last album, with a new self-titled record. Given the history of the band and the events leading up to this release, it was quite fair to wonder whether it would ever see the light of day.
You just kind of get the impression that Amy Lee can be a bit hard to work with, despite all the public outward displays of friendliness to the contrary. I mean, just look at how many lineups this band has been through (11 distinct combinations – thanks wiki!). Founding member Ben Moody packed up and hit the road way back in 2003, citing creative differences, and within the last four years, the entire rhythm section was churned up and overhauled. Halfway through the recording of this album, the producer Steve Lillywhite was ditched in favor of Nick Raskulinecz. It’s a little shocking for a young band with only three albums to its name to have already amassed enough former and studio-only members to field their own softball squad.
Of course, the one and only band member to be present in every lineup is Ms. Lee. Maybe that says something to you about the band’s personal dynamics, or maybe you just have to listen to the music to figure it out: The musicians backing up Amy Lee are insignificant. Evanescence has always been and will always be Amy Lee featuring a nondescript group of guys who are paid to simply play along and stay out of the way. On this third album, self-titled no less, why would things be any different?
One listen to the song “Monster” by Meg Myers and I was hooked. Lucky for all of us, she’s giving that track, as well as two others, away for free. Use the download links below.
My interest is very piqued for any upcoming material from Ms. Myers.
After the jump, I’ve also included a video of her performing “Monster” acoustically. Powerful stuff.
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