Prancercise is the bane of my existence, but Mr. Mayer made it the subject of his lyric video for his new single — “Paper Doll” — and it works. Such a wonderful track to be wasted on by something so gimmicky.
1st Song of the Day: “Blood on the Leaves” by Kanye West (feat. Nina Simone)
18 Jun
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It’s out. Allowing me to finally talk about it. I’ve been reading & listening to comments, opinions, thoughts, complaints, since Friday afternoon and to say almost every music lover/fan has at one point were curious about the very simplified take on Mr. West’s new project is an understatement. Twitter or Tumblr have yet to cease the conversation. Biggest conversation in music. After I finish here, gonna find me reading each word of Pitchfork’s glowing 9.5 rated review.
I’ll be channeling all my thoughts in a very special Album of the Week session that will drop before Saturday. Not a big fan of album reviews because who am I tell you what is good music or not. You’ve been apart of my 1st Songs. Some of the worst songs ever conceived. Which I’m fine with. Just music. Right mood. But I do have my thoughts that have been building since Friday. Played it for friends & family and how I constructed my final opinion based off my 50+ run throughs. Still like water.
Blood on the Leaves, which samples & shatters Nina Simone’s “Strange Fruit“…which was a cover of a Billie Holiday track…that is about a lynching, is by far the best track on the record. Not my favorite track. Maybe second fav, but if you’re looking for the old Mr. West you’ll find him on this track. Every other track will test your patience.
Wish I had more time to write right now because I could go ‘college paper’ here, but for now gotta stay minimalist. If you hear any track from Yeezus (out now) it’s Blood on the Leaves. The rest you can choose for yourself. Enjoy, and I’ll be back with more thoughts later.
1st Song of the Day: “Wild Boy” by MGK (Feat. Waka Flocka Flame)
17 Jun
Call Me Steve-O too because I’m one hell of a wild boy. Were you following me on Instagram? The twitter? Trekked all over the Southland in the span of two days. I’m beat. Now I’m starting five days of work. Talk about a ‘buzz kill’. Could have kept raging to infinity & beyond. Now gotta deal with Kimye baby news. Bleh. Pop culture nonsense.
Was able to listen to Yeezus…couple 1000xs. Have my own thoughts that i’ll get to in a special post. Also, I added two more showcases to our flickr. Absolutely loved the 100 shots from our Getty Showcase with Robert DeLong. Gonna keep promoting the photos, but I’m nearing the time where I recap you all on my monthly adventures. This month has been equally crazy…in comparison to SXSW. Will there be a few more showcases before we conclude June? Most likely. But for right now. Gonna savor the quietness.
1st Song of the Day: “My Hands” by Leona Lewis
14 Jun
I’ve always considered ‘My Hands’ by Leona Lewis to be one of the most beautiful songs I’ve heard in my life. Wait? That can’t be right? This is a track for insecure girls? It isn’t about the content, but the ambiance in the backing beat in composition with her chilling vocals. Strip it all away and there will be something that moves me. The perfect pop formula hidden in a very sad shell. Plus, it was the official song for FFXIII. That helped it too.
To express my current exhausted well being would be cliche. You know I went late, saved rock and roll with Fob & New politics, and had trouble sleeping from all that soda consumed 24 hours ago. Got a handful of photo gems, which would’ve have been possible if my partner & crime didn’t sweet talked the security and Wiltern staff. No matter how charming I think I am, will always fold because I am a six foot giant with a very scary nick cage looking face. I lack female charms…aka: breasts. There was no chance in hell I would’ve made it in past the uncertain security guards. So, P&C you get my deepest heartfelt love & respect. This showcase would’ve have happened without you. Remember that.
When I say we go Guerrilla…we do. Our goal is to zoom past the battle line into enemy territory & capture the moments in it’s raw / purest form. Any means necessary. Saw the doubt in their eyes. Unlike the Troubadour where they don’t fight or take pity. No means no in that arena. Very interesting, but yeah…I’m no woman. That’s why my partners are always expert spies. They are what every soldier needs.
The show was fun. Way better than our SXSW mini-showcase. More words on this event in the coming days. The pictures will be live, hopefully, tonight. The one above is one of my favorites. Depends on how exhausted and if I go see a flick in the evening hours. Probably stay up late afterwards anyway, but got life waiting for me and crappy job fueling up for another long 10 hr day. That’s all for now. May the weekend be kind, YOLO, and enjoy yourself.
1st Song of the Day: “Catalyst” by Anna Nalick
13 Jun
The morning before a planned showcase is full of so many emotions: excitement, nervousness, prep, questions of doubt, joy. Yeah, lots of the later. For there is no bigger high in my life than standing in a crowded room with rude & drunk music lovers while I wait for the curtain to rises. The weird comments I hear, the awkward glances at that couple locked in a celebrated PDA, the feeling of having to pee but no ability to leave because you the best spot in the house are everything that drive me and my weird hobby that has collected 100+ photo albums. Impressive, but the sheer number for a non-professional is not to just have racked up a impressive list…my goal is to keep making imperfect art. For blurry pictures can be impressionistic. With all their flaws, there isn’t that makes them different than from what I see on ‘ishootshows.com’. The hi-rez, HD quality is way better due to equipment & technique, but really defines a concert photographer? A conversation I should roll back to without my 15 minute writing time limit. The most popular photos are coming from Instagram or Twitter from shaky, blurry, iPhones. Now, like most art, the line has been set between the snobbish professionals with all their hard earned photo access and the guerrilla.
Instead of taking on the brunt of the concert world should really go to social media and showcase the best Guerrilla Photographers in the media today. For their is a more swagger than what people are getting…and social media fiends boarder on ‘love thy self’. I’ll try it…when I have more time. Random thought.
For now, let me get back on track to my original thought which was way simple than all that…I’m excited. Fall out Boy! SXSW’s showcase wasn’t enough. Needed more. Plus ‘Save Rock And Roll’ is one of my top records of 2013. Listened to it on the way in, in fact. The New Politics are opening for them again. Crush Management bringing the ‘Hip-pop’ flavor once again. Wish it was Panic!. A boy can dream. Wasn’t too impressed by NP back in Austin., but really dig the new record. Harlem is popping up everywhere. Sounds great in the car. I’ll report if he break dances in the audience again wasting valuable rocking time.
So, yeah. A SXSW encore. Are you ready? I am. Can’t wait to get the fuck out of here. The only sad thing is Wing Night will be going on without me. Which probably means Wing Night is cancelled. Sad I know. The major players are all either out of town or busy. There is always next week.
Long day ahead with being grump already written onto my schedule for Friday. Here’s one of my favorite songs about LA from Anna Nalick. Imagine yourself listening to it at midnight in the car through the damp & dark shiny metropolis streets. Something I’ve actually done back in my college days. Such a wonderful feeling.
1st Song of the Day: “Wait For Me” by Theory of a Deadman
12 Jun
The day started out crazy on the way in, now…more of the same. Here’s a song. Chat later…
1st Song of the Day: “The One That Got Away” by The Civil Wars
11 Jun
Sorry, not a Katy Perry cover.
Waiting. Waiting is the only thing you can do when you have a song stuck in your head for days with no option to hear it again. First heard the track last week. (TY again K & K). Spellbound & mesmerized by the thunderous electric bluegrass echoing off the quiet room. Now, that feeling is expanded with each passing listening. Joy’s haunting vocals, John Paul’s whispers & weeping guitar, and the catchy chorus make the Civil Wars’ sophomore album lead single chilling as we all expected. There have been much waves on the road to this record, but happy to say that this record won’t be disappointing to the fans. This single speaks for itself. Like to imagine myself being lost in a desert, holding on to the sweetest easily corruptible memories. That is “The Civil Wars self-titled venture” in a nutshell.
Will this track break into the mainstream? That’s what I’m waiting to see. The chorus will get stuck in your head. Been humming it for awhile. However, dark tracks usually get passed by radio. The country fans will embrace it. But, I’m waiting to find out if what I think is sellable and what I personally love as a music lover will be grasped by the mainstream audience. Kind of like a test. Music Producers vs. The Mainstream Vs. The Super Fans. The embodiment of sellability. They have so many hurdles to jump over on this record. Only time will tell. I’ll be hitting repeating throughout the day. Praying it’s not the song that gets away.
You can buy it here, otherwise enjoy: “The One That Got Away” by The Civil Wars.
1st Song of the Day: “Missing Pieces” by Jack White
10 Jun
Recovering from a busy week & lazy weekend. More so because hiking took more of it’s share out of me, but it’s nice to feel & look like my old self again. Well, I’m getting there. Didn’t do much. Relaxed, worked on my car, bought a comic, uploaded some photos, and again…hiked a big ass mountain. I will be writing up my June concert highlights in parts for the rest of the month. Kind of want to wait until Saturday is in the books. Will be handling my reviews a bit differently for here on out. Seeing how the music is streaming more on our Tumblr than here. So stayed tuned. Revamp / upgrade coming. Woo.
TV was so good last night. Game of Thrones teased & left everything open…loved how ignorant thoughts on the social media thought season 3 was going to wrap up the entire book. It’s a two season arch phuckers. If you read the book, you should’ve read the boards. We get some fun stuff next season. Summer break.
Mad Men was amazing. Peggy & Roger Especially.
Obviously Roger didn’t watch the episode. Praying my future self reaches a breaking point & I become sterling. One of these days. It can happen, right? First off, I need a suit.
Another busy week. Let’s get it started. This a track from one of our favorite records of 2012. Enjoy Jack White’s “Missing Pieces”.
Album of the Week: “Evil Friends” by Portugal. The Man
9 Jun
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Been bumping this record album since Tuesday. Dark, chilling rock that needs to be listened to. No slump here. Danger Mouse, producer, made sure of that. Will probably rank high on our 2013 Best of List. Enjoy this record for the next seven days and get lost in yourself. You’ll be happy you did.
Spotlight Saturday: “Couple of Drinks” by Javier Dunn
9 Jun
Longtime Sara Bareilles collaborator & Guitarist, Javier Dunn, is on the heels of releasing his 2013 album — Trials (Out June 25th). A solo effort full of eclectic soul. Dunn’s style is something from the book of Timberlake & Bon Iver but this record is a huge departure from his normal style. Drawing from Kanye West, Mumford & Sons, and Dylan Interesting mash, but it works. You know, something to bop too or fuck to.
This is his new single — Couple of Drinks. Kind of wish it was more acoustic, but still really digging it. Big thanks to Sideways Media for the recommendation. Look forward to hearing more at the end of the month.
