Category Archives: Music

Music defines my world.

The Sunday Funday Playlist – July 31, 2011

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I’ve had a tough week this week, and not a ton of time to hunt down new tunes.  So…there’s a little bit of old and a little bit of new here.  Hope it brings a kick to your week…

1.  Drive All Night – Needtobreathe

If Golden State’s Division hadn’t FINALLY come out on Thursday, this would have been my most played track of the week.  I was lucky enough to start seeing this band when they were on their way up, thanks to Annie and Brad who became fans early on and took me to my first Needtobreathe show five or six years ago. Been a fan since that first show at Amos’, and am super happy to see the guys getting the attention they deserve.  They’ve recently been on tour opening for Taylor Swift and I know that little girls’ will soon start getting tattoos of their lyrics.  Anyway, new album out in September, but this is the single they released this week….It’s got banjo.  How can you not love it?

2.  Grass Grows Green – Sequoyah (Prep School)

I’ve written before about Sequoyah (formerly/also known as Sequoyah Prep School).  These kids are the real freakin’ deal.  They played in town last night, and I was once again reminded of exactly why I fell in love with them – I have never seen a tighter group of musicians on stage.  Justin, West, Johnnie, Jordan and Harrison have an average age of about 23, but they’re writing and musicianship is that of a band that’s been playing together for twenty years.  As you’re listening to this one, listen to the lyrics and how adult and honest they are.  The imagery is downright sick, too. It’s hotter than Hades here in NC right now, and the line about paint peeling off the walls because of the heat is … well, on target.

3.  Slipping Away – The Aeroplanes

I love gravelly, raw male vocals.  C’mon – Springsteen, Kelly Jones from the ‘Phonics, Matthew Ryan…the list goes on, and on and on. I heard this song on “Royal Pains” on Wednesday and it immediately got my attention.  So, I googled the lyrics and … voila!  Apparently, this Brit band has been around for some time – since ’03. Their album, Broken Hearts & Maladies, was released in 2008. I have listened to all the track samples and it’s now in my queue to pick up…but I had to download this song.  Such a fun, summery little number.

4.  Stands to Reason – Dandelion Wine

See above, re: scratchy male vocals. A few years ago, I stumbled upon a band from NYC called Dandelion Wine and immediately fell in love with lead singer Danny Musengo’s voice.  He recently started a blog with the same name as Dandelion Wine’s first album, Fairy Tales for the Fatherless, and I am enraptured by his stream of consciousness writing style.  Last week, he posted this video of the band playing at a backyard picnic, a song “about his mother.  and everything.”  It’s absolutely stunning, and I’ve played the video about a dozen times this week.  I cannot wait for them to put out a new album.

5.  Let Somebody In – Son of a Bad Man

I spent the majority of this week pouting that I couldn’t go see Son of a Bad Man play a big gig in Orlando on Friday. SOABM has become one of my favorite bands over the past eighteen months, as much for the music as for the people in the band.  The lead singer, Shawn, celebrated his 23rd birthday yesterday, so I can’t think of a better way to say Happy Birthday than to put my favorite track from their EP on my Sunday Funday playlist.

Friday Awesomeness: Obey Your Guns

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There are so many levels on which this Friday Awesomeness is actually awesome, I’m not sure where to begin. This week’s awesomeness belongs to Charlotte’s own Matrimony, a really great little indie rock band, and their new single “Obey Your Guns.”

  1. It’s a kick ass song that I can’t stop playing.  And clapping!
  2. The new video for the song is re-donk-u-lous fun.  Seriously – dancing!
  3. The video is shot in some of my favorite places in Charlotte, like NoDa.
  4. And perhaps my favorite part is that it’s shot by my original bartender here in town, Alan Daly, who left bartending a few years ago to start his own film company, Crown Alley Films.  He shoots amazing wedding cinematography, and now…he’s branching out into music.  He’s a huge music fan, and you can tell by the effort in this video that his heart is totally in it.  I hope it brings him so much new business, because not only does he have incredible talent, but he’s one of the best people that you’ll ever meet.

So, enjoy the Friday awesomeness.  Dance your ass off in your work chair.  Go have an end of the long work week, much deserved drink.  Pick up the song for free here.  Obey your guns.

More Matrimony:  Web | Facebook |  Twitter  | Bandcamp

Easily the Best Show of the Year

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Saints of Valory at Crown Station. Forgive the sad little picture, but I was too mesmerized by this amazing show…I only took two!

I realize I’m given to excessive love for singers, bands, musicians in general.  But when talking about live shows, statements such as “It was the best show I’ve seen all year” are not comments that I make lightly.  I see a lot of live music; last year, I saw more than 80 live performances.  Having that many under your belt gives you a lot of options for “the best,” so it’s not easy for me to bestow that title.

But, I can say this without a doubt:  Hands down, Saints of Valory‘s performance at Crown Station last night was the best show I’ve seen all year.

This little quartet from Austin plays with such passion and heart – and it was evident to everyone in that room.  I watched people who didn’t know their music at all turn into fans last night.  Huge, soaring vocals.  Intricate guitar work.  Simple and beautiful keys.  Then there’s world’s most silent man, Gerard Bouvier, who plays drums like a lion – his quiet personality completely belies his skill. When you combine their talents with an intimate, micro-sized venue like Crown Station, you’ve got a recipe for a magical show.

When artists genuinely want to connect with their audience, there’s an electricity that’s created and just can’t be matched – and last night’s show was chock full of spark and ignition. They played nearly everything off of their Bright Lights album (they call it an EP, but I think they’re taking the very literal definition of EP), both “new” songs from the Neon Eyes EP, and even performed a few new songs, including “Million to None,” which could easily become a new favorite of mine.

I have a thing for bands where there are more vocals than just the lead singer, and SOV does not disappoint here.  Guitarist Godfrey Thomson and keyboardist Stephen Buckle lend their voices on a lot of songs to produce a veritable choir.  Then there was this small, almost imperceptible thing that I noticed.  If you study Gavin while he sings, he makes these little hand motions that might seem like they’re personal – reaching a hand out towards the audience ever so slightly, holding his hand to his chest, or touching his head like he’s thinking – but they’re really part of the performance, pulling you into the songs, making you feel the songs on his level.   The recorded CD couldn’t possibly capture these energies…you’ve got to just see it live.

When I ask my friends to come out to shows, they never let me down – and there’s always one or two out of a big group that walk away with a CD or saying they really like the band.  But last night, I watched my friends, along with other people that didn’t know their music, become fans. They were, like me, caught up in the magic of their show.   And that high that you can only get from seeing a truly great music performance, carried over into today, as I watched my friends tweet, blog, and tweet some more about the band and their own connections with the music.

To put icing on the evening, the band was just the nicest, most down-to-earth group of guys, who were content to hang out with us after the show for a few hours (yes, hours) telling stories, laughing at our crazy antics, and talking music.

The thing is…Saints of Valory is a band truly on the way up.  They’ve got so much passion for what they’re doing, and their music is already so good, but you can hear it getting even better.  From the CD, which was released in November, to now, they’ve made just small tweaks to songs – guitar bits here, a slight lyric shift there – and the songs are richer because of it.  The new songs they’re playing, some of them literally just written in the last few weeks, are incredible. I have no doubts that by the next time I see them these songs will be really developed and absolutely floor me.

Mark my words – these guys are going to continue to push their own envelope.  You want to be on this journey with them.  Buy their music, but more importantly, get your tush out to a show to see them. And prepare yourself, because you’re going to fall in love with Saints of Valory.

More Saints of Valory:  Web | Twitter | Facebook

The Sunday Funday Playlist – July 24, 2011

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Another Sunday, and this week’s playlist is a doozy!  I’ve been craving rock music lately, and that’s totally evident in this week’s selections.  Enjoy!

1.  It’s Time – Imagine Dragons

If you ever want to argue how successful iTunes is, I am THEE perfect example.  I will click on the “Other listeners who bought this also bought…” links EVERY time.  On a recent clicking adventure, I came across this band from Vegas.  Awesome melodic rock.  Love it.  And we know how I love the clapping songs.  This is my favorite track on their latest album, but I also adore the 80s sound of “America” (It reminds me of Neverending Story for some reason, and that movie will make me bawl like a baby every time).

2.  Perfect Day – The Constellations

Shelia loves The Constellations and has been kind enough to invite me to several shows with her.  This past Friday, we embraced our inner teenagers and ventured out to the hotter than Hades Tremont Music Hall with a big mess of our friends to see them with AWOL Nation. At first, I didn’t quite “get” their music, but they’ve started to grow on me… and their high energy show could win over anyone.  This song has become my favorite of theirs.  So, in tribute to my Gin Mill gang…thanks for a perfect day!

3.  The Bright Lights – Saints of Valory

If you follow me on Twitter, are friends with me on Facebook or follow this blog in any minor way, there’s no way you’ve missed me totally drooling over this Austin, TX-based band lately.   I am wildly in love with their music and am so excited because this week, I’ll get to see them live!  So flipping excited! This multi-cultural band (Brazilian, French, Canadian and American!) has a very unique writing style, yet their songs are completely worthy of sunroof open, windows down sing alongs.  It will be hard for them to shake comparisons to Coldplay because of Gavin’s plaintive tenor, but they are actually quite different.  This is probably my favorite song on their album by the same name.

4. World On Fire – Golden State
I spent most of this week checking iTunes, Amazon and every other potential music outlet two or three times a day for the new record, Division, from this California band.  Alas, Division has remained elusive, and the band posted that there were some issues with the distribution, so I’m guessing it will be out this Tuesday.  So, in the interim, I’ve been listening to their Problem, Reaction, Solution releases from last summer (if you really want to rock out, put on “Lightspeed” from Vol. 1 full blast), along with this single, which they released on their Standing on the Edge of It All EP last fall.  I fully expect this band to take off in the next twelve months…mark my words.

5. Talk to Me – Lovedrug

I was so super late on the train for this Ohio band.  They’ve been around for a decade, and I’ve really only just learned about them in the past year, thanks to my modern day music pen pal, Fred, out in Colorado.  Lead singer Michael Shepard has the most haunting voice – I love it.  As a result of their PledgeMuse campaign, the guys put out a cover album last month that includes songs like “Billie Jean,” Third Eye Blind’s “God of Wine,” and this amazing version of Stevie Nicks’ “Talk to Me.”  Pick up the Best of I Am Lovedrug for a host of silly great covers.

Friday Awesomeness: Golden State

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In 2008 while iTunes surfing, I downloaded a record called The Golden Rule by a rock band called Golden State.  I was instantly hooked, and they were on my 2008 Fall Mix with their song “The Static Between Us.”  Awesome writing, HUUUUUGE vocals, and serious musical chops.  Music crush born.

These songs are monster songs, guys.  Like the kind of anthemic, life-changing songs that you walk around singing all day long.  The soundtrack to your life kind of music. Think Queen epic.  U2 caliber.  Everyone in the car on the roadtrip knows the words and belts them out at the top of their lungs songs.  That good.

And here’s a hint to tell you when I really, really like a band.  They made a second Krissie mix.  Winter 2010.

So, aside from that stellar achievement (ha ha!), the band’s had a helluva twelve months.  Their songs have appeared on “Deadliest Catch” (in key, crucial moments, like saying goodbye to Captain Phil) and been used by the BBC as the theme song for William and Kate’s wedding.  Huge exposure for a little band…

Their new album, Division, is supposed to be released this week, although some sort of glitch has fans other than those in California who could attend the CD release waiting…And reading reviews like this one, which refer to them as having “The Bombastic-ness of Muse, the Cleverness of Catherine Wheel, & the Grace of U2” are making me so antsy to get my hands on it.

So…here’s the Friday awesome…check out their EPK for the new album.  I love this message…

“And the whole theme of this record is to pull you away from being just another number, another face, another name…to divide yourself from the mass….For everybody that has a voice, this record is for you.  When you’re stuck in that mass, in carbon copy routine, having the same ideas, the same thoughts, the same process…that’s why this record was made.  That’s why it’s called Division.”
– James Grundler, Golden State

Rock on, guys.  I can’t wait to hear it…and congratulations in advance.  I know I’m gonna love it.

More Golden State:   Web | Facebook | Twitter