Category: music

So yesterday I heard that Journey’s "Don’t Stop Believin’" is the most downloaded catalog song on iTunes. Sources speculate that the song has received added boots from a) Being the victory song of the 2005 World Champion Chicago White Sox and b) the music choice for the closing scene of the series finale of "The Sopranos."

My opinion? Because it is perhaps the greatest singalong rock song in history, that’s why. Its 27 years old and still as joyous, fun and triumphant as ever. And have you ever heard a piano opening that wonderful. No, you haven’t. There isn’t one.

Journey gets a lot of hate. They’re silly, they’re lame, they’ve got bad hair, they beat up my girlfriend, whatever. You don’t like DSB, the fault lies with you. The proof is in the numbers, haters. I say suck it.

And now we sing.

The Associated Press reports that a judge has sentenced a hip-hop fan, cited for paying said music too loudly, to a 150$ fine or 20 hours of listening to Bach and Beethoven.

Andrew Vactor, 24, lasted only about 15 minutes, a probation officer said.

It wasn’t the music, Vactor said, he just needed to be at practice with the rest of the Urbana University basketball team.

"I didn’t have the time to deal with that," he said. "I just decided to pay the fine."

So it probably wasn’t the music itself but being forced to sit and do anything against your will for 20 hours–even eat chocolate, pet kittens or deflower virgins–probably gets old fast.

It did compel me to ask however…

What would be my own sonic torture?

No one musical genre offends me enough that i couldn’t hack 20 hours of it (blues isn’t my favorite, say. But after a day’s worth, I’d probably don a somber expression and a twelve-bar scale my damn self). My issue is sound quality not sound type.  Even my favorites played at a screeching volume or through static would drive me batty after maybe 15 minutes.

What is the soundtrack to your musical nightmare? Lay it on me down below.

I can’t quite put my finger on why but I find this video indescribably moving. I wasn’t there. The lyrics hardly stirr my soul. Its as best a catchy dance number. Then why does it make me tear up?

Maybe it’s the unity of spirit, how everyone seems be giving and receiving, the band the music, the crowd their excitement and how the two compound each other. Maybe it’s as simple as the dorky way one of the member of Daft Punk claps his hands as the song opens (as if that’s necessary. The song is already 90% beat). Maybe there’s something quasi-revival tent about the proceedings, which the gaudy lighting and the arms thrust upward of the audience.

Or maybe I just have a week spot for "Let’s throw a worldwide party" songs (See Madonna’s "Holiday" or Kool and the Gang’s "Celebration"). That’s a muxtape in the making.

Not sure. But God, would I love to see this band live sometime. It looks better than chocolate.

Song: "Heydays"  (video)

Artist: Great Lakes Myth Society

Sound: Epically sad, college rock. Semisonic with backbone. 

Source: Heard at SXSW.com as part of prep for 2008 SXSW Music Festival. Band is from my hometown. Didn’t get to see them but this song, about nostalgia, longing and regret, couldn’t have arrived at a better time. 

Listened to: In my rental car, a lot, combing the dark streets of Austin in the days immediately before the festival and everyone’s arrival.

Important Lyrics:

"
Uncertain the future,
Nostalgic the past.
Unable to recognize,
Moments that pass.

But lift up a bottle,
And put back a glass.
Some years from tomorrow,
With your gut you’ll look back."

Actions: The aloud conclusion, parked one late night beside the Alamo Cinema and Drafthouse.

‘Some things we can hold onto forever. Most we can’t. And we rarely get to choose which."

Sigur Ros is a dreamlike mostly-instrumental band from Iceland. Several of their songs are on a playlist I listen to while writing. 

Last year, after a long time on the road, the band decided to play several free shows in their native land, concerts in parks, schools, mountainsides and public fairgrounds. They called the documentary they made of the short tour Heima, the Icelandic word for "home."

I think this is such a neat idea that it got me to wondering where I would stage concerts in my home town should I ever return as a giant rockstar. Probably at the Cube, Michigan Stadium, Gallup Park and my elementary school.

Where would you?

Heima is available for rental and purchase (via James McNally).

UPDATE: Mr. McNally’s review of Heima.

They don’t do demonic possession in music videos the way they used to. Just sayin’.

First day of SXSW 2008: Some guy in the hallway gives me a pin that says "Songza." When I go look, I’m met with a brilliantly simple concept. Search for a song. If its anywhere on the internets, Songza finds it. You can then listen to it or be sent somewhere to buy it.

Here’s what I happened when I searched for "Safety Dance"

And when I wanted to listen to it.

That little "share" link let’s you Twitter the song, email it to a friend or link to it in a blog post.

That’s just plain slick. Simple, effortless and slick. If only all software were this well designed.

Go Songza!

Sony BMG has become the fourth and final label to sell their music without DRM restrictions on Amazon’s Music Store. According to the NY Times, by the end of the month, most of the back catalogs of all four major labels will be available at Amazon for 89 cents a piece.

Apple ain’t running scared but they better change something. I sent all my MP3 shopping to Amazon when they launched DRM-free a few months ago. And I’m not going back to Apple unless DRM is dead and buried forever.

My main man Matt Nathanson has a new video out called "Car Crash" that is in contention for some contest over at MTVU.
I do not exaggerate when I say Matt is simply the best guy-with-a-guitar singer working in America today. Scott Andrew runs a close second. John Meyer can find a hot pepper jelly to go with that milquetoast action he’s working.

Don’t take my word for it. Watch the video then vote.

I just heard the Kevin Dubrow, lead singer of Quiet Riot died last week at ae 52. Cause of death has not yet been reported.
I haven’t thought about them in a minute but, man, could they work a glam rock cover like Cum On Feel the Noize (originally written by British band Slade). The entire Metal Health album, QR’s debut, was a good part of my childhood.

Sad (via Ed Champion).