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ladykissingfish · 3 years

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The Akatsuki as YOUR Boyfriend/Girlfriend (Modern Day) ((Part One))

Deidara -YOU end up asking HIM out first (he wanted to approach you but was scared you wouldn’t be interested) -Self esteem is a bit low; doesn’t even realize that you consider him your boyfriend until you introduce him to someone as such -Had zero experience with relationships before you; had to be taught practically everything ((but luckily for you he was a very fast learner)) -Introduces YOU to everyone with sappy smile and “Yeah that’s her/him/them” -Will literally cry if you praise his artwork -Addicted to having you brush/play with his hair -Favorite gesture of affection: Surprise hugs from behind -God help anybody who puts a frown on your face -Has made you a mixtape for literally every possible occasion -Museum and rock concert dates -Will eat/gush over your cooking even if it’s terrible -Greatest pride: when he sees you wearing his (weird band) hoodies -Your opinion is the only one that matters to him -Likes to make you laugh; you both have a LOT of inside jokes -His friends come up to you every time they see you and beg you not to ever leave him because “you keep him sane” Sasori -Reserved and quiet at first; but once he feels he can trust you, you’ll become his greatest confidante -Lost family at a young age, so once he gives his heart to you, YOU become his family and he’d do anything to keep you safe -Not very physically demonstrative, but the affection he DOES give is soft and tender -Dry, sarcastic sense of humor -Very intelligent; will help you with or teach you just about anything you want to learn -Is always on you about needing to eat healthier so that you live longer -Takes any injury you get (even a simple papercut) very seriously -The jealous type; doesn’t really like sharing you/your time with others -Reads a ton; has more books than you’ve ever seen in one person’s possession, and will often take you on “dates” to bookstores to get more -Hundreds of late-night conversations about life and the world in general -Respects your opinions on art and music but never stops trying to “convert” you to his tastes -Always remembers everything you tell him, even insignificant things -Watching tv or movies together is a pain because he over-analyzes every little detail, even with cartoons and comedies. -His friends think he’s too serious ((boring)) and wonder what it is you see in him Konan -Will defend you against the entire world, even when you’re in the wrong -Looks delicate but can kick ass when necessary -Loves when you give her hand-made gifts but will balk at expensive or store-bought ones -Favorite gesture of affection: cheek-kisses -Soft-spoken and reserved around others, bolder and more aggressive when alone with you -Oragami master; will teach you every fold known to man -Doesn’t like crowds, so dates will mostly be dinner and movies at each other’s houses -Likes body art; will show you ALL of her piercings and tattoos (most of which aren’t visible to the general public) -Experienced some trauma as a kid; uses sarcasm and dark humor as a coping mechanism -Will often fall asleep with entire body wrapped around yours, and stay that way the whole night Obito Uchiha -Extremely self-conscious over his looks, in particular the scarring on his face; takes a while for him to relax and let his guard down around you -Is a sucker for hand-holding and will seek out any and every excuse to hold yours -Cuddle monster -Trusts you enough to tell you things about his past that even his closest friends don’t know -Gets distracted easily, but when focused is a brilliant multi-tasker -ALWAYS shows up late for everything; but the excuses he gives are so creative that you actually look forward to hearing them -Has an eclectic extended family, all of whom love you and will tease him about when he’s going to make you a member of their “clan” -Has a phobia about losing people he loves, so will be aggressively protective over you, even in non-threatening situations -Sweet-tooth alert; this guy goes crazy over any and all forms of candies

or desserts, and will be ready to propose over a perfectly baked cake -Light-weight warning: this guy’s alcohol tolerance is ridiculously low; can only handle 1-2 shots or one beer at max before he hits the floor -Knows many forms of self-defense and will spend time teaching you different techniques Itachi Uchiha -Sweetheart level: 1000000+ -Tends to have very “down” moods; will need your patience and support to pull him through them -A better cook than anyone you’ve ever met; will make you your favorite dishes any time you request him to -Shy about giving or receiving physical affection; will mostly stick to forehead kisses or soft pats on the head -Always puts your wants and desires above his own, going out of his way to make you his number one priority -Remains impressively calm and collected no matter the situation -Has beautiful soft hair; gets really happy and relaxed when you play with it -Family means a great deal to him, so will introduce you to his fairly early-on (and be secretly thrilled when you introduce him to yours) -Always seems to know exactly what you’re thinking/feeling -Quiet and serious most of the time, but can be playful and goofy when alone with you -Not a people-person by any means but will make an effort to be sociable with your friends -When stressed, will call you and keep you talking for hours, because the sound of your voice soothes him Kakuzu -Grumpy but cute -Won’t admit/acknowledge that you’re in a relationship for a very long time -Acts annoyed with the things you do but secretly thinks EVERYTHING you do is adorable -Hyper concerned about finances; will spend copious amounts of time trying to teach you to better budget your money -Lots of “dates” to the grocery store on super-sale weekends -Stingy with affection while you’re awake, but will literally keep his arms around you and hold you the entire night while you sleep -Will always be honest and straightforward with you, even if what he says might hurt your feelings -Will freely tell his friends that you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to him (but not while you’re around, of course) -Addicted to tv shows like Pawn Stars and Storage Wars; you’ll end up having lots of watching-marathons with him -Unintentionally(?) blunt with the way he talks to others; you have to really work with him on filtering before you introduce him to your friends/family -Will ((VERY RARELY)) bring you your favorite flowers or candy, just to see your face light up in surprise when he gives them to you Zetsu -Nature lover and extremely environmentally conscious -Claims to be “mostly vegetarian” (but you’ve seen him occasionally sneak a burger) -Has two very distinctive personalities; one very goofy and one very serious, and you never quite know which you’re going to get -A master gardener and landscaper; his handiwork has actually been featured on local tv shows and in magazines -Always pops up to see you unexpectedly, and at the most random times -Is a little uncomfortable with showing affection, so will mostly stick with cute nicknames and frequent presents -Very curious nature and will ask you a lot of questions about yourself, but be hesitant to speak much about himself -The two of you don’t really go on “dates”; rather you just spend a lot of time together outdoors: picnics, long walks, etc

#the akatsuki #boyfriend scenarios #deidara #sasori #obito uchiha #itachi uchiha #sasuke uchiha #suigetsu #jugo #karin uzumaki #konan #pein #zetsu #hidan #kakuzu #kisame

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jamiefairfaxisntcool · 5 years

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/mu/core album review | Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

/mu/core album review #1

this week on /mu/core album review, we look at:

Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

Ah yes, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea. The album that’s mostly known as either, “that one weird album from the 90s,” or, “/mu/ basic bitch meme music.” If you’re anywhere past a casual music fan, you have most-likely heard some songs off this project, if not the whole thing, doubly so if you’re into 90s culture, Indie, or any sort of Art-Rock or Folk movements. As I type this, the most popular YouTube rip of the album has about 4.3 million views, a playlist separating each track stands at 500,000 views, and the title track has a remarkable 40,733,956 plays on Spotify. Holy shit, to put that into perspective: AV Club writes that, “In The Aeroplane Over The Sea was originally slated to sell about 7,000 copies,” that’s roughly 5,819 times the predicted sales numbers of the album on just that song. This also means that this song has been listened to for approximately 131,163,338 minutes, a total of around 131,163,299 more minutes than the actual album length. Humanity has spent a collective 249 years listening to In the Aeroplane Over the Sea. Oh, and that’s just the title track.

If I couldn’t spell it out so clearly there, this album is fucking outrageously popular.

Even if you haven’t heard any material off the LP, this album is memed pretty heavily in the music corners of the internet. I don’t think I can find a single music meme page or forum that hasn’t jumped upon the ITAOTS or NMH bandwagon.

At this current point in time, ITAOTS has became a permanent resident in the zeitgeist of internet music culture. NMH, and by extension, it’s creator, Jeff Mangum have been elevated to a cult of personality status. The band and this project are accompanied by a never-ending choir: 15-25 year old sad white boys who cry while sing-screeching about semen and Anne Frank and poorly play open chords on their detuned Ibanez acoustics.

It’s oddly beautiful.

The album is so deceptively simple, so creatively cryptic and has all the elements of a slog faux-folk fest filled with whining that would bore me to so many tears that they could rival the sad boy indie kids who lose their e-girls to their more socially active explore-page bait counterparts. To a person not familiar with it, ITAOTS could look like an over hyped, masturbatory depression tape. It looks boring. It looks like it should be boring.

If it should be boring, then why have I only listened to it and absolutely nothing else for the last two days?

This isn’t a joke, I revisited the album of course to refresh myself before sitting down and writing this review. I kept listening, over the course of a school day, in-between production and songwriting sets, while playing games, and as I write this, I just finished my eighth spin of the record. Before those last two days, I had only listened to the album probably twice.

I remember listening to it back in seventh grade and not particularly disliking it. I was really into Yes and a lot of other Prog and Psych bands, but I wasn’t particularly impressed with the almost yuppie voice that Jeff had used on the record compared to vocal beasts like Freddie Mercury, Bowie, and Jon Anderson. Later on, I listened in freshman year, and I appreciated it much more, and had a few songs come up in my shuffle play, but thought nothing much of it.

Now, war had changed.

part 1: i’m the fucking carrot king

As I plopped down in my computer chair, my window crackled and banged like a distant firecracker with the smack of heavy rains on a Summer afternoon. I placed my headphones firmly atop my ears, closed my eyes and leaned back in my chair. I heard the opening chords of The King of Carrot Flowers Pt. 1 and tried not just to hear the instrumentation, but also pay attention to the lyrical content of Mr. Mangum.

When you were young, you were the king of carrot flowers And how you built a tower tumbling through the trees In holy rattlesnakes that fell all around your feet

Okay, so what the fuck is actually happening here?

Upon my listens, I inferred that Jeff is speaking to another party here, most likely a female love interest, in what seemingly starts in a nostalgic tone. This sounds almost like a picturesque, coming-of-age, Americana film. Maybe one starring Molly Ringwald and River Phoenix, with a surprise cameo from someone famous back then like Jack Nicholson. Maybe John Candy, with a John Hughes script. Everything would have those faded out, classic colors, a hearkened back era. Quickly, by halfway through the first act, the tone shifts. A darker mood, a stark, grim reminder that life wasn’t always sunny and shinning in Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.

And your mom would stick a fork right into daddy's shoulder And dad would throw the garbage all across the floor As we would lay and learn what each other's bodies were for

The Mang informs us of a horrific family life, specifically about what seems to be his dad’s, stepmom’s, and stepsister’s interpersonal relationships. The lines are obvious and straightforward, the life of our protagonist was rife with unhealthy familial and sexual relationships, and a sense of love and sweetness was not found there. Keep that in mind when thinking about later songs such as Oh Comely.

After the somber intro of Carrot Flowers Pt. 1, we reach my personal least favorite track on the album: The King of Carrot Flowers Pt. 2 and 3.

Look, I know the meme. “I LOOOOOOOOOVE JESUUUS CHUHRIEEEIISSSSTT,” and all that shit. I’m not even worked up about that line in particular, I just dislike Pt. 3. It’s the weakest of the upbeat songs on the album, with the weird yodel-screech voice that Gumman performs with really takes me out of the experience, which sucks because the buildup and atmosphere of Pt. 2 felt pretty amazing. Luckily, Pt. 3 is fairly short, so we don’t have to worry about it too much.

part 2: earth angel’s thesis

The title track for this album is one of the best songs on this album, no fucking contest. In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, Oh Comely, The Fool, and Two-Headed Boy Pt. 2 are top contenders when discussing this album. If you like the faster, fuzzier, upbeat songs you could probably substitute The Fool for Holland, 1945.

The title track has a familiar sounding chord progression and we can hear Gum from Jet Set Radio’s saccharine but yelp-y voice belt out from atop the mountains his undying love and admiration for... Anne Frank?

What a beautiful face I have found in this place That is circling all round the sun What a beautiful dream That could flash on the screen In a blink of an eye and be gone from me

In the first verse, Geoff mentions meeting or viewing a beautiful person on this fleeting rock circling round the Sun. He also matches this with the idea that it’s truly futile for him to chase after this beauty, as it is only a dream that could escape him when he awakes. El Jefé has actually mentioned that some of his surrealist lyrics are derived from dreams. Perhaps these lines could imply a more literal dream fading? I don’t exactly know, all I know is what I interpreted.

The instrumentation of this piece is nothing straying from NMH’s usual repertoire: Mandrake on Guitar and Vocals, Scott Spillane on the Horns, Robert Schneider on Bass and Production, Julian Koster playing... something. What is he playing? Wait, give me a second.

He’s playing the Singing Saw? I thought it was like, a Theremin. What the fuck is a Singing Saw?

Oh.

Okay sure, you can play that, however the fuck you do that.

And finally we have Jeremy Barnes on Drums.

The personnel handle the music with a light, bouncy feeling, and the tone and timbre remind me of a faded, old, seaside town on the east coast. Another thing to mention is that the chord progression is G-Em-C-D; I-vi-IV-V. A funny thing I noticed is that this song shares a chord progression with tons of songs from the 50’s and early 60’s, which adds to the waning Americana feeling, but it more specifically shares that progression with Earth Angel by The Penguins. In the 80’s film, Back To The Future, Marvin Berry covers the song with his band for the Enchantment Under The Sea Dance where Marty’s dad and mom have to dance to ensure that the future stays intact. There’s no further real connection, but I thought that was kinda cool to mention.

After looking through the lyrics for In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, I will admit, as a brainlet Two-Headed Boy Pt. 1 eluded me. Patrolling through Genius and some other reviews, I guess the consensus about this track was that it was about Anne Frank again? Manta Jeff’s cryptic lyricism continues to fool me. Besides the lyrics, this track mostly remains a piece of really good filler.

part 3: stop the military occupation of my brainwaves

The Fool is amazing, anyone who says it’s filler is wrong. I know I might anger some people by literally implying that Two-Headed Boy Pt. 1 was filler, but seriously The Fool just makes me a feel a way. My brain creates a scene reminiscent of a depressing diesel-punk Les Misérables. Even though Scotch Spillage’s fantastic piece for horns is beautifully imperfect, it lacks lyrical content and is short and length. So, let’s instead talk about Holland, 1945.

This awesome, uptempo, almost punk-like piece of fuzzy brass is groovy son. It’s probably the song you could show someone not familiar with this project and they’d be like, “Oh, is this Cake? Why is the lead singer singing so high now?”

Holland, 1945 is a song that you can just listen for the instrumentation. Holland, 1945 is a song that promotes peace and love. There’s so many great things I can say about Holland, 1945. How it’s theme is so perfectly fitting for today’s political climate, how it manages to blend these psychedelic and bluesy timbres with a fast and loud sound and how well it continued the semi-conceptual narrative of Joff’s admiration and love for... Anne Frank.

Okay, fuck it, I have to say it. It’s bothered me ever since I discovered it.

Why Anne Frank? Like, I know why Anne Frank, but I mean like, why, y’know? I’ll say I admire Anne Frank, she was trying her best to live a normal life in a terrifying time to be alive, but I never wanted to fuck her. xxJeffxx’s mentions of Anne kind of make me raise an eyebrow. Especially because the album’s not just about her either. When he gets sexual, it’s difficult to determine whether he is mentioning a third party or Anne, which would be pretty weird, as she was 15 when she died and Heff was 28 when he wrote this. Maybe this is just some patrician music shit that I’m too plebeian to understand, like heated toilet seats or drinking for fun rather than to drown the pain. Maybe I haven’t sat down and watched enough flowery-squarespace-sponsored-lofi-hip-hop-muzak-using-pretentious video essayists to understand it, but what do I know.

part 4: the proletariat cries

To wrap on the second half of the album, this is the half that I cried in.

Communist Daughter is a good song, but with how short it is, it left me wanting more. This track is one of the few that actually features a soft-spoken Jeffen, and its open and dark but dreamy atmosphere left my jaw agape. The mountaintops weren’t the only thing stained.

Oh Comely, Oh Comely. Oh Comely is a song that deserves its own review. The lyrical chops of The Mangum Magnum are on full display as he belts somber, brutal verse after verse, with plenty of juxtaposition between sickening, sexual and vile situations alongside a description of a sweet, innocent young girl, just trying to survive with a guitar by her side. This beautiful, lovely girl gets taken advantage by someone, some people, perhaps even Yeff himself, only seen as an easy lay, a whore, like the ones her father visits often. He disgustingly describes semen in the garden, and her making miracles with her mouth, but I didn’t get a tone similar to so many songs about “sexual-empowerment.” The song is about self-deprecating depression leading to her being used, perhaps even abused. A situation all too real, too close to many of us. As I type this, I don’t know what to think. A woman should of course have individual sexual freedom, but this song doesn’t describe that. It describes trauma, emotional, psychological trauma. Meaningless sex, a rotten smell, staining the flower of a woman, all of this language that could be simply described as gross. This isn’t a happy song about fucking bitches. This song is about how a girl wanted to play music, pluck vines and was taken advantage of, reduced to her roots, and deflowered. Fuck. I wish I could save her. In some sort of time machine.

Two-Headed Boy could refer to a number of things. I have a head canon. This girl, Comely, is being used by the Two-Headed Boy for sexual favors. The Two-Headed Boy then “repays” her in friendship and music, playing their silly little songs. On the surface, Comely assumes the Two-Headed Boy trusts her and cares for her, but really all he wants is sex. Comely, living in a broken home and without a proper male figure in their life, is conned by the Two-Headed Boy, and just wants to live a normal life. Comely is trapped. She’s living in a place that is surrounded by the texture of scum and she knows it, she just can’t call upon the strength to leave. She’s trapped in a home, a ghetto, wanting to live a normal life, but she’s been placed here by the Two-Headed Boy, who knew her mother and father were broken, and she would be too. The Two-Headed Boy broke in, claimed to be her friend, and supports her, before defiling her. Comely was pretty, bright, and intelligent. She was just in a bad situation.

Comely was Anne Frank.

Not to say that they were literally one in the same, but I mean J. Mangum (private eye) is comparing two children, ripped from their lives by this awful world, and intertwining them, blurring the lines.

Who’s the Two-Headed Boy? As I said, it could be a number of people. Nazis, Peter van Pels, hell, even Jeff Manga himself could be the Two-Headed Boy. It doesn’t matter as long as we realize the relationship between oppressed and oppressor.

There is a glimmer of hope for Comely though. Read the closing words from Two-Headed Boy Pt. 2:

Two headed boy, she is all you could need She will feed you tomatoes and radio wires And retire to sheets safe and clean But don't hate her when she gets up to leave

Comely and the Two-Headed Boy split away from each other. Comely leaves the Two-Headed Boy, and the narrator says not to hate her when she leaves. On a deeper level, this could be an introspective Jeff Mangum relating on his past. I don’t really know.

outro

Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

9/10

What did you think? Was I way off the mark, or do you agree? What should I have covered? What did you like, what did you dislike, I’m all ears. Leave a follow and a like if you liked it and I’ll see you on Wednesday.

#neutral milk hotel #music #music review #james fairfax #mu #/mu/core #folk #fuzzfolk #rock #anne frank

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mp3juiceblog · 5 years

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mp3 juice

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hildagoold2411-blog · 5 years

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vkacerus · 5 years

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8 Easy Tips to Setup a Music Blog in 5 Mins On HostGator! 8 Easy Tips to Setup a Music Blog in 5 Mins On HostGator! (8 votes, average: 5.00) By Best, Coupon Code Offer Leave a Comment Hi Everyone, similar to my previous blog post on how to start a Fitness blog, here is another article on how to set up a Music blog on HostGator. Let’s begin! Started out as a hobby by famous music artists, music blogs have come a long way today. Verified 1 Hour(s) Ago 2132 Users Have Claimed This Offer! Editor's Choice [EXCLUSIVE OFFER] Flat 50% off on Shared, WordPress, Cloud, Reseller, and VPS hosting minimum 6-month purchase! WORDPRESS 06:22:26 Ending Soon. Hurry! Just Click to Visit, Coupon Will be Applied Automatically. Best Shared, Reseller, Cloud, VPS & WordPress Hosting. Limited Time Only! Up to 50% off on Shared & Wordpress Hosting. read more Originally, a music blog was created as a form of an online personal journal. Wherein, musicians would write about their personal experiences, gave tips or simply used it to enlighten people about music. And even though these blogs were successful, what it lacked was a “wholesome feature”, thereby limiting the participation of their audience. Similarly, when the trend of music blogging began, it was only musicians or famous artist who had a wide knowledge of music, wrote these blogs. But, in today’s world, anyone who is passionate about music – be it a single artist, a band or a record label or someone who knows a thing or two about a specific music genre, can start a music blog. Also, while earlier creating a music blog was a huge challenge, today, however, you can create one in under 5 minutes. And to accomplish this task, all you got to do is follow these 8 simple steps! #STEP 1: GET A HOSTING IN PLACE Having your own web host or web server for your blog is probably the best way to start-up a business venture. While there are many free blogging resources available, they do not allow you full access, to maintain or manage your content. And if by chance, these sites were to shut down without notice, it would result in total loss of all your work. Hence, to avoid these unforeseeable circumstances, it is essential that you create your blog on your own web host. Plus, from a readers perspective, when you have your own domain, it gives your blog a professional touch, thereby, establishing your brand in the online world. Besides, when you have your own web host, you can: Have your own Domain Name You have total control over the operations & features of your site. You can manage your own Content, that means no third-party interference. The risk of data getting lost is kept to a minimum. Moreover, getting good hosting services these days is fairly economical. For instance, hosting provider such as Hostgator.com has numerous hosting plans that cater to all type of budget. Read this HostGator review to know all about its web hosting plans and features. Plus, it offers various features like unlimited bandwidth & storage, SSL Certificate, user-friendly cPanel, great after-sale service a.k.a customer support, etc. Thus, for your Music blog to be successful, it is critical that you invest in a good and reliable hosting plan. Here are the hosting plans you can select for your music blog from HostGator: To save some cash on hosting, you can check out these HostGator coupons on our site! #STEP 2: SELECT A DOMAIN NAME THAT REFLECTS YOUR MUSIC If you follow through with step 1, that means you now get a chance to have your very own Domain. You may ask, why a Domain Name is so important? A Domain name is the URL of your blog, i.e. if your blog’s name is www.mydreamblog.com, then my dream blog is your Domain Name. A Domain Name is important because it works as an identity, which makes it easier for people to locate your blog or business online. Besides giving credibility to your blog, a Domain Name also helps to increase your brand value. Thus, having an appropriate Domain name for your blog is critical. Generally, the thumb rule while selecting a Domain name, is that to keep it simple, short and memorable. Hence, being creative with the name is alright, as far as the name is easy to recollect. Further, coming up with a name that reflects what your blog is about, is also important. For example, if your blog is about new age music, then a name such as ‘newage-music.com’ which is straightforward will work well. Then, a name like ‘modern-music.com’ which is vague and can mean many things. Also, with an apt name, you will be able to attract the right kind of readers to your blog. Now, here are some HostGator Domain Coupons that’ll help you purchase a domain for your blog at an affordable price. #STEP 3: CHOOSE A BLOGGING PLATFORM If you are a new blogger then it is going to be tough to decide on which blogging platform to choose from. But, if you need a blogging platform that is easy-to-use along with being credible, then WordPress is your best bet! One of the leading blogging platforms, WordPress is literally a bloggers paradise. Once you buy the domain name and hosting plan from HostGator, you can log in to the cPanel. In QuickInstall, you’ll see a WordPress icon. You can simply click on it to initiate the process of installing WordPress. Once the WordPress window is open, you need to fill all the details according to everything that’s required. Click on install, and if everything is as per their requirement, you’ll be greeted with the Congratulations page! Log In into your admin page, using your username and password. After you’re Logged In, you will see your dashboard (in the pic below). Here, under the header Posts, select Add New and fill in the required fields. That’s it your first post is ready to go live, click on Publish or Save it as a Draft. WordPress is also a responsive design, by which it means, that it allows you the freedom to create or read a blog through mobile apps. Lastly, it comes with a host of features that will help you to: Create a customized theme blog. It will help you with your SEO strategy. It will help you with content and media management. Since it is a multilingual platform, it gives you the flexibility to build a blog in a language you prefer. It has an extended list of WordPress plugins and quality community support. Also, since WordPress is used by many bloggers across the globe, it is a reliable platform to build your blog. Plus, it also integrates social media into your site, thereby connecting you with popular social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook, etc. Further, with most of the web provider such as HostGator, offering a quick one-click WordPress installation, installing WordPress is a hassle-free process #STEP 4: PERSONALIZE YOUR BLOG WITH ATTRACTIVE THEMES Once you have a blogging platform in place, it is time to customize your blog. Getting this step right is critical because the overall look of your blog depends upon the theme that you select. A theme is basically a style or a layout, that enhances the look of your blog, making it visually appealing. But, with thousands of themes available on WordPress, selecting one that is useful can be a challenge. Since “First Impression” of a blog is very important, it is essential that you put in a little effort to get the design right. And for this reason, it is important that you: Go through all the appropriate themes – check out the pros and cons. Check if it has a user-friendly interface, i.e. it allows users easy navigation. Check for readers usability, i.e. is it easy to read the content or a post. See if the theme as responsive design – a mobile-friendly theme is a must. Check if it allows personalization of each page. See if social media sharing and media management is allowed. It is important that you select a theme, that is not only beautiful but also one that hints at the type of music you’re trying to showcase. I would recommend ThemeForest for you to buy themes, as this is the place which not just has varieties but, some of the most amazing themes for WordPress! To make it, even more, easier for you, here are some themes you could use for your Music blogs: Musik Responsive Music WordPress Theme music – Music Band Event WordPress Theme Hugo – Music / Bands WordPress Theme SoundBoard – Music WordPress Theme Music – Musicians Theme and Facebook App Furthermore, here is a comprehensive list of best WordPress Themes for blogs that you can check out! Lastly, select a theme that will integrate well with your SEO strategies. A proper theme will not only increase your search engine ranking & help you to get noticed but also boost your credibility. So here it is, a simple 4 step procedure, that will help you to build an online blog. Further, once you have created a blog, there is a list of things you need to do, to make it successful. Listed below are 4 important tips that will help you to promote and manage your blog. #TIP 1: SELECT YOUR NICHE MUSIC GENRE Though thinking out-of-box, sounds cliched, this is exactly what you need to do, if you want to become the next trendsetter. Since, there are numerous music blogs, which are already dedicated to a wide range of music, making your blog different & creative is the key. One solution is to check out already existing music blogs for ideas. It will not only help you to get a clear idea, on what not to work on, but also help you to figure out, if there is anything that is missing or not covered by these blogs. Secondly, it is important that you first decide, what is it that you want to write about and then go about creating a blog about it. To help you make a well-researched decision, here are a few questions that you need to answer before you can proceed further: Who is your target audience? Who is it that you are writing for? Are you dedicating the blog to a single artist or a band? Is the blog about reviewing new songs? Or is it about critiquing music you don’t enjoy? Are you creating a blog to promote a musical event? Or do you want your blog to focus only on a particular music genre? Answering the above questions would give you a start, by directing your thoughts onto a specific path. However, once you have answered these questions, there are chances that you may come up with a few more follow-up questions, which again requires brainstorming. Hence, it is important that you first, hash out all these questions, form a blueprint for your blog and then start working on it. #TIP 2: ALIGN MUSIC WITH ENGAGING CONTENT Like with all online businesses, Content is an all-important factor that can make or break your music blog. Earlier music blogs were a replication of each other. There was no uniqueness or originality about them. Most of these blogs would just post a song or a video, along with a short review or a brief description and that was it. Today, however, using this technique would definitely not benefit you. Because, today when a reader visits a blog or decide to follow one, he or she is looking for much more than a few songs or a hastily written content. Therefore, creating intriguing & original content is very critical. It will not only give your readers, a reason to visit your blog more often but also, in turn, help you to stream in more traffic. Moreover, creative write-ups that are engaging as well as informative, leads to active participants and more interaction among the readers. And there are countless ways in which you can create engaging content such as: Interviewing bands, local artist or new musicians. Writing a short biography on new & upcoming music artist. Sharing interesting & quirky facts about musicians. Writing a brief history explaining a particular music genre. Telling a story behind a specific song. Like I said, there are numerous ways to create interesting and quality content. If you are passionate enough, discovering new ways to keep your readers engaged, shouldn’t be a problem. #TIP 3: CONSISTENCY OF POST AND UPDATES All your efforts, be it setting up your blog, getting the design right, creating quality content, all of these will go down the drain if you don’t post or update your blog on a timely basis. Consistency on your part is essential, as it shows the readers that you are committed towards your work. Similarly, when you start to think about blogging as a passion and not work, it will help you to become more creative. This kind of dedication will, in turn, reflect on your work, making you stand out from other bloggers. Thus, it is important, that you take updating your blog as a routine instead of a tedious task. Further, if your goal is to create a steady and loyal readers base, then it is critical that your blog regularly. Writing daily or on a weekly basis, will not only make you look more professional but will also generate more traffic. Also, when you’re actively blogging, you are up-to-date with the latest news and current trends, which in turn helps you to produce better content. And to help you become more consistent, all you need to do is: Set a goal for each day. Research for new & interesting topics. Work towards generating new, quality content. Space out your post – so that they are not irregular or too frequent. #TIP 4: NETWORKING & PROMOTING YOUR MUSIC BLOG Besides blogging, connecting with other bloggers, promoting your brand and sharing your content on social media, is also very important for the success of your blog. The more you interact with like-minded people, the better the chances for you to spread a word about your blog. And when I say networking, I don’t mean only online interaction with music bloggers. You need to be more active than that. Go to a live concert, interview artists, get others to write for you, attend conferences and events. In short, get to know more people from the music industry, online as well as offline. When this is done correctly, networking can be fun as well as rewarding. The fun part is that you get to interact & meet interesting people and many times get a chance to visit exotic places. Whereas, the rewards include free promotion by other bloggers, guest blogs, chance to interview famous musicians, etc. Further, sharing your content on other networking sites like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Reddit is also important. As these platforms are the best way, through which you can promote your blog, to a large number of people. Verified 1 Hour(s) Ago 2132 Users Have Claimed This Offer! Editor's Choice [EXCLUSIVE OFFER] Flat 50% off on Shared, WordPress, Cloud, Reseller, and VPS hosting minimum 6-month purchase! SUNSHINE 06:22:26 Ending Soon. Hurry! Just Click to Visit, Coupon Will be Applied Automatically. Best Shared, Reseller, Cloud, VPS & WordPress Hosting. Limited Time Only! Up to 50% off on Shared & Wordpress Hosting. read more CONCLUSION: The music industry is forever evolving, thus it is important that you keep your blog and yourself up-to-date. Since competition in this industry is aggressive, staying on top of your game at all time is very critical. Therefore, it is essential that you always lookout for new avenues and do things differently than the rest, because that’s what blogging is all about. Be creative to get noticed, be active and socialize, be attentive to the latest developments and finally be patient, because there is a lot for you to do before people even notice that your blog exist! FacebookTwittermailShare WEB HOSTING OFFERS WITH DISCOUNT COUPON OFFERS to click on the link below. https://ift.tt/2yPafPw

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happilydopeinfluencer-blog · 6 years

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(via Garageband for PC and Laptop Free Download for Windows 7, 8, 8.1, and 10)

Garageband FOR PC

Unless you're musically talented, you probably don't know what it feels like to just pick up a tool and be in a position to earn something that kind of sounds like music.

Let's be honest about it, that's not something many people can do but since pc became super smart we have had some additional options. From Guitar Hero to online pianos there have been a few diverse ways we could play being musical without really having to be especially skilled.

There's little doubt in my head that among the most powerful tools, one which altered the way we looked at music creation, was Garageband.

Garageband was an odd addition to the normal Mac software should you think about it. Everybody needs to send messages and connect together and the thought you would have to store your photographs was, again, pretty sensible but using Garageband and iMovie Apple really places their stake in the ground to put themselves as the computers to its creative industries.

What was interesting was that professional level Video editors or artists won't be creating their music onto this software but it made routine mortals just like you or I FEEL like we were pros.

The tools provided lifted us far above the kind of items available on a PC and Garageband in particular allowed one to view music as much more than simple loops, lined to make a tune. It was intuitive to use and you will genuinely make music very fast. For a brief moment in the early 00's I really thought I was likely to become a DJ.

Apparently, there is a little more to it

However, before we get carried away, we need to handle something fairly straightforward.

You aren't likely to get Garageband in your own PC. It is an iOS application and doesn't play nicely when being forced onto a PC. However, there are options but you have to do your homework.

First of all, do not believe any site which claims you may get Garageband in your PC using Bluestacks. Bluestacks is a wonderful piece of software (check out our review here) but it is designed to work as a Android Emulator and Garageband isn't an Android program.

However, you are not totally out of chance. IPadian is an interesting piece of software which lets you turn your laptop or desktop into an iPad. It's fairly robust and you are able to access apps like Garageband which isn't so heavily tied to the Apple infrastructure. This will let you play around with your heart's content and make some gorgeous music.

But, we're not convinced that this is the ideal way to experience Garageband too, like so much of Apple applications, it works well as it can collaborate with other Apple programs.

But let's just say you've got access to Garageband. You are going to get some fun.

The interface is really straightforward using the ubiquitous'deadline' used to offer you somewhere to place your own loops. However, now Garageband has become a slightly more serious event.

You are able to capture your own voice or even hook it up so that you may record your own instruments. This means that Garageband essentially becomes a very simple recording studio that, whilst easy, still has a lot more energy than anything you'd have the ability to get your hands on in the real world out of paying a serious sum of money.

It's possible to add lots of effects which aren't only novelties, they give you a great deal of control over the tone of anything you've listed and enabled you to make music that sounds the way you want it to. You may also play the pitch and record your voice with autotune, a characteristic which, when utilized correctly, will make you seem a whole great deal better than actually are.

Blend this with integration into iTunes and also you also may have a lot of fun with Garageband directly from the box.

Among our favorite feature however is the capability to sync with the video. This means that you can have a basic audio studio for scoring your epic phenomena.

I'd love to think Garageband gets the sort of learning curve which usually means you can begin right away but as you improve you're going to locate a whole host of new features that imply the program grows with you.

The catch is simple. If you want to get Garageband for PC you are likely to have a few difficulties. You cannot readily start it on your PC with a standard emulator however there is an iPad emulator, iPadian which may assist you.

The matter with Garageband is that it really is a powerful piece of software so Windows does not have something in precisely exactly the identical level, allowing newbies to utilize exactly the same array of controls as a more seasoned professional.

If you've ever fancied yourself as a aspiring artist then you need to either get hold of a Mac with Garageband or attempt working with software such as iPadian so it's possible to download Garageband for PC.

You are likely to discover that in minutes you'll be able to create songs that sound great enough that you wish to produce a couple more and that's where the real secret to Garagebands success lies.

You're able to make music within minutes but the songs takes a bit longer however the confidence you will definitely gain from the simplicity of use of the program will indicate you wish to keep persevering.

Garageband FOR PC is particularly great for creating music that is developed on an electronic beat and one vocal. Whilst you can important tools and utilize Garageband like a studio, most professional musicians will have studios for that. This is for the bedroom bands and rappers that are looking to have the ability to make a small magic any time they have an idea to get a beat or even a lyric.

And for that, Garageband is ideal.

GarageBand for PC This is an application for music generation which Apple Inc. released as an addendum to its iLife package. It made its debut appearance in the 6th of January, 2004 and expectedly, it was only meant to utilize iOS and MacOS operated apparatus. However, men have evolved ways of having this rich musical program working nicely in your Windows-operated PC. This package allows you to produce many musical paths with its pre-installed loops, backgrounds and other acoustic instruments. In addition, it allows you to record your voice too and for DJs, the instrument makes their blending work quite straightforward.

Characteristics Records and plays back audio of speeches and music with good quality capable of editing and importing MIDI that it may equally playback. Pre-loaded with comprehensive musical tools like keyboards, guitar and others. Mixes music mechanically Can interpret and play with musical notations comprises classes for beginners in piano and guitar playing. PC Requirements for GarageBand

Again, you need to keep in mind that this program is officially exclusive to apple solutions. But this article is going to show you how you can get it working perfectly on your PC. The software is essentially free but certain add-ons may come with a certain price. It is going to be your responsibility to choose if you will be choosing for them depending on what you require. Here are the conditions:

RAM: minimum of 2GB but 4GB is more preferable. Hard Drive Performance: At least 2GB has to be accessible. There are several procedures of doing this however, the underlying principle is to get an emulator that runs on windows and as well accommodate Apple's applications. Two approaches are discussed here and both are cool. The choice of which to embrace depends upon you.

Approach 1

It is possible to use Rare Software which is a distinctive downloader for MacOS and also iOS software for Windows. In other words, this downloader makes it feasible that you receive applications which are exclusive to Apple apparatus on Windows-Operated computers. But you have to be conscious that not all iOS and MacOS applications can be downloaded by Rare.

After you download and install Rare Software on your PC, then you can simply search for GarageBand onto it and install it to your own system. What it will be to mimic MacOS on your PC and hence, makes it installable. Another emulator you may use rather than Rare is iPadian. This computer program is available for downloading in profullcrack.com. When You have it, then the other steps are essentially the same as the ones given above

Strategy Two

This involves using an emulator for Android that is known from the name Bluestacks. Perhaps You're wondering just how possible it is for an emulator designed to function for Android can be used on PC, here are the steps to follow to allow it to happen:

Get the installer for the emulator at this website profullcrack Once saving the installer on the device, run it. Successful running means you finally have the Bluestacks icon on your desktop computer Double-click on this icon to launch it. For a first-time person, you would have to sign in with any of your Gmail accounts. If you don't have one, you could open even at that point the moment your sign in is fine, hunt for GarageBand computer via the search pub as soon as you find it, double click and install on your own system and you're all set! Please note that since GarageBand for computer is not native to Windows, every time you need to create use of it, you'll need to experience this Bluestacks emulator.

Experts

It can capture both at 16 and 24-Bits along with 44.1MHz fixed frequency. The interface is also simple enough for a newcomer. Records multiple monitors capable of importing and also editing MIDI files Displays music notation Consumes couple system tools Disadvantages

Not formally available on Windows there's latency when recording or importing MIDI MIDI tracks cannot be exported. Final Verdict

No doubt, there are a lot of music recording tools, some that are compatible with Windows but quite of these can provide exactly what GarageBand offers. When it comes to recording events and implementing applicable instruments, GarageBand makes it quite simple. You could be in your room and make your audio track with it.

Apple would need to still work on shooting up its features to make for the requirements of modern-day audio production. The GUI operation has been described as being slow and several mixing too appears not to be encouraged.

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101tarnations-blog · 7 years

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snubní prsten brno

Snubní prsten Traditionally discussing, without having a wedding diamond ring or music group to present when suggesting to the significant other is usually a apply that is certainly frowned when. For the majority of portion, the diamond engagement ring is only a symbol, which is certainly then swapped out from the true wedding band. A lot of couples prefer to keep your same diamond ring within scenarios, and so it is required to enjoy a wonderful wedding ring style and design. The simplest of wedding day rings features a small blossom of design and style nowadays, and that is what you need to decide. In recent times, there are particular wedding ring style and design concepts that have become the most famous. Leading they are the precious stone wedding rings and platinum wedding party bands. If you go to the pieces of jewelry retail store, you will discover many many these types of wedding rings in differing designs. 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Pop way of life, video recording video gaming and various other likes and dislikes have swayed the planning approach and a lot of jewellers give providers in designing the diamond ring into numerous forms and concepts. Certain bands can be made in a fashion that they appear not complete when worn separately so that as a full style and design when kept collectively. Nevertheless, in case you like that your particular wedding ring style and design be of your traditional kind, you want not worry since there numerous such engagement rings easily available. Deciding on a marriage band design also depends upon your finances. Selected layouts might cost an in excess of $5,000 to completely customise that will create besides the unique worth of the precious stone. To obtain a wonderfully made diamond ring using a substantially small budget is not very difficult, but it should take some efforts to acquire just what exactly you have been searching for without bargain. 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You may also attempt the 3-gemstone style and design, where there are a few gemstones added onto the marriage music band in a row and flanked by rare metal or platinum. In addition to this, there is the carved wedding ring which contains motifs throughout the group that are then filled up with semi-gemstones and gemstones. Do You Know The Ideal Diamond ring Patterns Males? Finding a wedding band for men is quite a bit less difficult than buying one for women. Most men should you prefer a very simple music group that fails to show off much. In this fashion, you will find considerably reduced selections however are all fairly exquisite and chic naturally. At this time, the marketplace is now being determined by wedding rings and rings made from platinum. The wedding ring design with platinum is usually fairly simple and will not appear extremely noisy. It is usually quickly engraved with lettering, something which satisfies the wedding party bands. Platinum is additionally hypo hypersensitive and may not lead to any allergies in the fingers as well. Modest gemstones placed in the platinum rings is gaining interest, having said that most of the layouts males will not function any important gems. Tungsten and titanium may also be being employed rather often these days, as they can withstand a lot of damage together with staying straightforward to carve and engrave. Based on the style of your man, there are various models apply for. Celtic and paisley designs made a recent recovery, which attribute designed crosses and knots simply being carved all over the wedding day ring. This sort of wedding ring design is classic searching and offers a wonderful sensation of classic-worldliness into the diamond ring.

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whatthefruk-blog · 7 years

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snubní prsteny damasteel

Snubní prsten Typically speaking, being without a wedding engagement ring or ring to give when suggesting for your mate is really a training which is frowned on. For some component, the diamond engagement ring is simply a icon, which happens to be then changed via the real wedding band. A lot of couples opt to keep the similar engagement ring in circumstances, and so it is required to experience a excellent wedding band design. The least complicated of wedding ceremony bands carries a tiny flourish of design today, and that is what you must decide. Over the years, there are some wedding ring style tips that have become the most common. Top rated these represent the diamond wedding rings and platinum wedding day groups. Whenever you visit a jewelry retailer, you will see several lots of these kinds of jewelry in diverse patterns. When selecting the excellent wedding band, there are two strategies to go. 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Tungsten and titanium are being used quite often currently, because they can tolerate a lot of damage along with becoming simple to carve and engrave. With respect to the persona within your boyfriend, there are various patterns you can go for. Celtic and paisley patterns have created a recent return, which attribute designed crosses and knots simply being carved all around the wedding music band. This sort of wedding band design and style is old-fashioned seeking and offers an excellent a feeling of aged-worldliness to the engagement ring.

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joyamidstdarkwaters · 8 years

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vintage interview with giant peach

originally conducted and published by the now defunct depressionchamber.tumblr.com in april 2013

So, who all is in this band?

M: Frances Chang and Mike Naideau both sing and play guitar. Dave Shotwell is on drums and Luke Holstein on bass.

When did the group form and what was everyone reasoning to play in the band? Or I suppose how did everything fall into place?

M: The group as it presently is formed relatively recently. Dave, Fran and I got together about 2 years ago and and played as a trio until about 6 months ago when Luke joined. We've let it evolve naturally and I am just happy to be playing music with some of my best friends.

D: I think we all have this soft spot in our hearts for music that's unabashedly loud and gritty and fuzzy and huge, even if that doesn't always come out in the recordings we make. We like making lots of noise.

There's no doubt that there is a noisy loud element, the guitars are very jangly and intense. They are magnificent in the portions of songs where you guys are just rocking out really hard. Next question will have to be, what inspired the initial sound of the band? If you guys can be more specific then that's great. I've been listening to you guys a lot and I hear a lot of Velocity Girl, but more as a post hardcore influenced band than an indie pop one. It's coming from the drums, which are very commanding. So I can just assume already that there's a whole array of different places you guys are coming from.

F: I think we definitely all bring our own influences to it. In terms of the initial blooming of musical interest we had separate experiences since we didn't really get together until the last couple of years. I'm prefacing because I think the band started as a pretty straightforward personal project, not with any concept of specifically and stylistically what we were going to be. For me, early on I'd say Elliott Smith, Built to Spill, The Cure. On the noisier more guitar - soundscape - side, Olivia Tremor Control, Broken Social Scene, My Bloody Valentine. I definitely started out with an appreciation for the overall sound, mix and mood of a song before I began obsessing over songs that were holistically and articulately thought out in terms of structure and lyrics. That became my new standard for "inspired." And now it's kind of drifting back again, splitting the difference. Some of the more recent songs could be considered narrowly channeled inspiration from: Liz Phair, Delay, The Replacements, PJ Harvey.

M: Major inspiration for me to start playing in a band came from seeing Long Island bands at house shows in the early 2000's. Maybe that's where some of the post-hardcore influence comes from, not sure. There were a lot of cool hardcore bands playing locally around the time, The Solidarity Pact being a good example. My brother introduced me to great bands and people doing really interesting stuff over the years. Aside from that I would say that Neil Young has been a great influence in terms of writing.

D: Cool, thanks! I'll have to admit ignorance as far as Velocity Girl goes, though. Before we had a bass player, I felt like I had a bunch of space to fill, so I was moving around a lot on "Callous and Strange" and the earlier stuff, borrowing a lot from older emo and punk shredder guys like Mike Kinsella from Cap'n Jazz/Owls and Tré Cool from Green Day. It was fun and chaotic, but Luke is a maniacal genius with a bass guitar and he holds the new stuff together so much better than I did when I was banging all over the place. I'm trying to do a lot less with the new stuff, more grooves and less chaos. I love the way the drummer in that band Hum plays. I've been learning (and stealing) a lot from him recently.

Okay so from what I can gather via your answers, you guys are all write your own parts to the songs and there is no primary song writer? Is this correct? How often do you guys feel it is necessary to practice in order to solidify songs, or is there some consensus to a song ever being finished? Is it done when it's played live or is it done when it's recorded?

M: It's definitely a collaborative process but yeah, usually either Fran or I will put a basic version of a song out on the table which becomes a foundation off of which the rest of us can write. We don't really have a consistent practicing schedule right now which has lead to a unique kind of final sound and approach. With a lot of the new material it's as if we're all writing the exact same song but separately, approaching it from our respective perspectives and instruments, and then getting together, practicing and filling in all the blanks at the same time. I think when a song is finished there is a consensus, but we're all intrigued by the idea that it can be revisited and become something else pretty easily if we want it to.

D: Mike and Fran are the real songwriters for the whole thing. They're like the industrial wet-dream dynamo; crazy frequent quantity without ever sacrificing quality. They come up with the progressions and lyrics that eventually become the songs, and as a band we try to develop the aesthetics and transitions within those structures until we get a final result that we're all stoked and giddy and happy with. Ultimately though, I think song's are never really finished. They change and jumble around for as long as they're relevant, or as long as everyone in the band wants to play them. We pretty much treat all of our songs that way, in a sense. We try to nail down a "final" version for the purposes of recording, but after that we always tweak and revisit stuff and change parts around.

F: I think we are all sorta loners, and that's reflected in our need for solitude to focus on writing at least in terms of the first skeleton of a song and everyone's initial conception of their individual parts. There are a lot of home recorded demos from me and mike flying around that are pretty complete structurally. Once we give it a whirl as a group, though, it undergoes a seriously rapid growth period where we just bounce ideas back and forth and it transforms dramatically in a hyper-accelerated way. We just work together really energetically. Figuring it out collectively is the most fun and stimulating part of being in this band.

It's kind of hard to pick who to respond to, but honestly it seems like the way you guys answer questions is the way you guys practice. There are kind of separate versions of the answer but each one seems to fill in the others. Do any of you have any past bands or solo projects? Also, if so, do you feel as though some of those past bands/solo projects seep into Giant Peach? Does Giant Peach seep into any of the projects any one of you is working on congruently?

L: Hi. Luke here. Used to be in a band called Bearface. I currently play bass for Giant Peach, Hot Shot, and FM Circuit, and play guitar in a band called The Shower Scene. Giant Peach has definitely influenced the way I play in other projects. The music that I write for my other bands has always tended to be rather straight forward. By this I mean that the songs are relatively simple in their structure and I rarely venture outside of what I consider to be "normal". Writing bass lines for Giant Peach songs can be challenging as they push me to play outside of my normal comfort zone. I find Peach songs to be more structurally complex than what I'm generally used to. Mike, Fran, and Dave each have a distinct style of playing and it's really exciting to see what comes out when the four of us are playing together. Quite frankly, I would love to be able to play like either Mike or Fran but they both play in what I think is a drop D so I have no idea what they are doing. Their fingers look like spiders. Being in Giant Peach has inspired me to experiment more with dissonant sounds in my other bands. Haven't quite gotten myself to learn play in drop D yet though.

Mike: We've all played in past other bands and work on solo projects on the side. It's nice to have that kind of supplementary outlet. I'm working on a tape of my own recordings right now as well as playing in a band called Outta Gas. It all seeps together. It's never clear exactly how or in what aspect, but it's inevitable, and I think a lot of it happens internally. The more you experiment, the more natural it all feels.

Hi Luke. Honestly it does sound like Mike and Fran have "spider" fingers when playing the guitar. It's legitimately complex.

I suppose this question(s) is more for Mike and Fran... what do you guys usually tend to write about lyrically? Some of the stuff seems to come from very direct slice of life experiences, but there's also this huge dark shadow of mystic and eeriness to the songs. One of the more eerie lyrics that I can remember off the top of my head is the part in "Big Trouble" about having a dream of being murdered by a neighbor.

F: I've actually been struggling lyrically a bit lately because the subject matter has become more and more about anxiety and other weird internal mental traps that don't really manifest outwardly that much, and so are hard to put into words. Nothing is too constructed, though - it's always been fairly stream of consciousness for me. If the music sounds dark or surreal it's because my strongest feelings are sometimes intertwined with fear or constriction. Or cause I can understand things in a series of subjective emotional and aesthetic impressions better than I can verbally. Or maybe the creepy dark shadow you are sensing might be reflective of... I think of life as pretty mystical I guess.

M: I tend to write lyrics to help myself remember an experience. Sometimes trying to capture a specific feeling or moment, but tend to do it by trying to take a step back and see what's going on from a larger, more removed perspective. I guess existential in a way, but still very personal. Hard to say where the line is drawn, but I am intrigued by the kind of duality and contrast you can unearth by bringing those two ideas together.

To be fair, there are a lot of things going on in the band both lyrically and musically. This might stem from the band letting itself go through many angles and letting members have input that most other bands usually tend to avoid/ignore. I think this has created a really solid dynamic within Giant Peach and truly gives you guys a very unique sound, although still etched in familiarity.

Where do you guys see the band heading? Any musical direction, fame, money, fortune? Touring more - Europe, South America, Asia? I personally think that even within a DIY frame all of those places are solid options of this band. But I am a fan.

M: We're planning on recording a lot of our new material for a full-length in the next month or so. I'd love to do a tour once that is out, visit some friends and bands we've met on the road and check out some new cities in the US. Any other country would be great too tough, but no plans yet. I think I'd be partial to South America. I don't think of the band in terms of expectations, so as long as we continue to make things we're proud of and excited about then I couldn't be happier.

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nihilhumani-blog · 7 years

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The one where they raise the red flag over the Reichstag (summer mix 2017)

LINK HERE

1. Jorge Ben, “Meus Filhos, Meus Tesouro”, África Brasil (1976). A pretty simple song. Jorge Ben has this knack for investing the quotidian with a kind of profundity, and I just love it. The gist of the song is an imagined conversation with his children in which he asks them what they want to be when they grow up. The most poignant, beautifully-sung line in this song translates literally to “I want to be a soccer player!”

2. Philip Cohran, “The Minstrel”, On The Beach (1967). Massive Afrofuturist groove from ex-Sun Ra sideman. According to Allmusic, some of the people playing on this went on to gigs as diverse as the Agharta band (Pete Cosey) and Earth, Wind and Fire (Don Myrick). The thumb piano that anchors the groove is a creation of Cohran’s that he calls the frankiphone.

3. Gene McDaniels, “Tower of Strength”, Tower of Strength (1961). Great performance of a classic Bacharach and Hilliard tune. That falsetto is to die for.

4. Broadcast, “Goodbye Girls”, Tender Buttons (2005). Never got into this band when they were more popular (even though I probably should have). Those goofy antique synths are so joyously raucous, just barely in time, and Trish Keenan’s vocals are as delicately celestial as they’re cracked up to be. This flows nicely from the McDaniels tune — it falls somewhere between a Northern soul stomper and Young Marble Giants.

5. Amps for Christ, “Colors”, Circuits (1999). Glorious rendition of an ancient Scottish folksong. I have a real special spot in my heart for AfC — they got a good deal of attention in the indie rock press in the mid-oughts but, fairly unique among bands that won Pitchfork’s heart, they came not ought of the basement of some Chicagoland suburb but from the late 80s/early 90s SoCal powerviolence scene, a heterogenous outgrowth of US hardcore punk that took inspiration from British grindcore, Bay Area thrash, Sabbathian sludge and injected a much needed dose of good politics into the scene at a time when hardcore’s leading lights were sporting Fred Perry and Freikorps haircuts. Main dude Henry Barnes handled circuits for Man is the Bastard, who are simply one of the greatest bands the United States has ever produced: a heady mix of prog rock, US hardcore, the burgeoning “noise scene” (which was more-or-less in its infancy), thrash metal and god knows what else. As Barnes got older, his music got mellower in some ways, more intense in others, and remained fiercely committed to a better world (with a sardonic sense of humor to boot). It’s hard to say enough good things about them.

6. The Roches, “Runs in the Family”, The Roches (1979). Turns out that that all-women, multipart-harmony-heavy, Dustbowl-folk revival thing started not with Mountain Man’s terrific Made The Harbor (2010) but about three decades earlier with the Roches. This is a weird little record, kind of a mixed bag (and produced, bizarrely, by Robert Fripp, whose unmistakable Frippertronics fit surprisingly well). But some of the tunes are just stunningly beautiful, and this is one of them. The harmonies are heartbreaking and just unconventional enough to keep from turning into saccharine mush. Also I’m a big fan of any folk song that can organically work in a line as tearjerking but nerdy as “I can’t change the law of averages”.

7. Roscoe Holcomb, “I’m a Free Little Bird”, The High Lonesome Sound (1965). Listen, I know we’ve all had enough of that “white working class” mythology so beloved of both wings of capital, Trumpers and liberal imperialists alike. Think of this not in terms of “authenticity” or as a paean halcyon days of (white) class collaboration in America but as a virtuosic and joyous celebration of life that draws its strength from the well of the multinational US working class.

8. The Vibrators, “Whips and Furs”, Pure Mania (1977). From that corner of early punk that was self-consciously retrograde, a mud-caked revival of rock’n’roll, comes this nugget. It opens by quoting a Sly and the Family Stone classic — at that point already a decade old — and hits the heights of harmony with a line about a lothario who “drives a black Cadillac [with] whips and furs in the back”. Real fun pulp mag vibe here. Those ambitious little bass runs top off an already perfect song.

9. Godley and Creme, “Sandwiches of You”, L (1978). Restless, complex, delicate, sophisti-pop from the weirder half of 10cc. I really don’t even know what to say about this: it’s so accessible, funny and bizarre but it also sounds like Gentle Giant playing the Looney Tunes soundtrack. Amazing record. This will forever remind me of driving to rural Kernersville, NC in the middle of the night for work at the massive FedEx warehouse there.

10. Todd Rundgren, “Long Flowing Robe”, Runt: The Ballad of Todd Rundgren (1971). For a guy who’s done some of the weirdest records in the pop music canon, his more straightforward tracks are remarkably approachable and familiar. Although even this song is, all things considered, pretty weird: it kicks off with a clavinet (more associated with Stevie Wonder than power pop), and it includes prominent bongos and cowbell, Rundgren’s infinitely-multitracked falsettos, and a strange combination of thudding proto-metal drumming and delicate fingerpicking. But it’s also simultaneously a perfect pop song about being lonely whose chorus you can memorize before you’ve heard the full song for the first time. My dad reports that this remained a huge jam at Southeast High in Wichita in the late 70s.

11. Jefferson Airplane, “Watch Her Ride”, After Bathing at Baxter’s (1967). The sound of the Summer of Love becoming heavy metal. A paranoid but tender freakout that clearly points ahead to NWBOHM-style metal while remaining somehow heavier than metal — there’s hardly any distortion on the guitars, but they’re so resonant, their jazzy chords seeming to linger in the air forever, that they end up sounding more powerful than the filthiest drop-tune. Spencer Dryden (nephew of antifascist film star Charlie Chaplin) turns in a great drum performance.

12. Squeeze, “Hard to Find”, Cool for Cats (1979). Underrated gem from Squeeze’s second record. There’s a marvelous contrast between the white-knuckle new wave of the verse and the brief intrusion of good vibes in the chorus with handclaps, lovelorn vox, Glenn Tillbrook’s throaty cry, and bluesy arpeggios that sound like nothing so much as King Crimson (!).

13. The dBs, “Love is for Lovers”, Like This (1984). Stellar, weird powerpop (from Winston-Salem!). This is from their third record, after one half of their great songwriting duo (Chris Stamey, who pops up later on the list) had left. Still, Peter Holsapple could write a mean tune on his own. His yelp in the chorus is magnificent, so full of boyish charm — even in recent live performances, he sounds exactly the same when he sings it. True story, he came into the restaurant that I used to be a cashier at (he still lives in the Triangle, if I’m not mistaken), and I immediately said “holy shit, you’re Peter Holsapple!”, and he goes “this literally never happens”. My dad has some good stories about seeing them live when he lived in Raleigh in the 80s.

14. Orange Juice, “Holiday Hymn”, The Glasgow School (compilation 2005, originally recorded live 1981). My favorite “indie-pop” group of all time. My listening diet when I was 15 was about 80 percent grindcore, 20 percent jazz and it became about 75 percent indie pop after my dad bought me this comp. on a whim. This isn’t actually a “signature OJ” song; it was unreleased for a long time (as far as I can tell), and it’s actually a cover of a Vic Godard song (member of the class of ‘77 punk group Subway Sect before he became a noted soul revivalist). But it’s a perfect song for them to cover; that needling soul bass and the angular Byrds-playing-funk guitars work so well. “Today all the girls / will see our fire begin to glow / today all the girls / will recite Jean-Jacques Rousseau” is a very pretty, if mysterious, little line.

15. Captain Beefheart, “My Head is my Only House Unless It Rains”, Clear Spot (1972). It’s a little unfair that Don van Vliet could be one of the most influential, pioneering rock musicians of all time (Trout Mask Replica 100 percent deserves its reputation) and also have penned a Van Morrison-style soul ballad so deep it makes Van Morrison look like the Bee Gees. This sounds like a slightly offbeat, if dark and powerful, ballad, until about a minute in, and then suddenly the tension that the verse and the pre-chorus bridge build...just goes awry, in the prettiest way. The chorus turns out to be not only not-a-chorus — it only occurs once! — but one of the most subtle, propulsive riffs ever crafted.

16. Kim Fowley, “Mom and Dad”, Automatic (1974). This guy is such a Hollywood sleazebag that his Wikipedia page literally lists his occupation as “impresario”. And yet, this gorgeous fingerpicked Lou Reed-ripoff is one of the most straightforwardly-affecting records I’ve heard in my life. I barely knew who this guy was when Jonathan Woollen announced his death via Facebook and posted this track, and I swear I could barely hold back the tears after the second playback. As much as I hated Lou Reed, I deeply loved Lou Reed, and this is maybe the most Lou Reed thing ever written by someone other than Lou Reed.

17 Kyu Sakamoto, “Sukiyaki” (single, 1961). According to Wikipedia, one of the few “non-Indo-European language songs” to ever crack the Billboard top 100. Even if you don’t speak a word of Japanese — I don’t — its virtues are manifest — an effervescent tune that apparently takes the generic form of a lovelorn pop song but was composed as an anti-fascist protest of the post-WWII US-Japan alliance.

18. Sneakers, “Like a Cuban Crisis”, Racket (1992, originally recorded mid-70s?). It’s hard to imagine something that appeals to me more in descriptive terms than an angular, punchy power-pop group from NC featuring Chris Stamey (dB’s, whom we heard earlier) and Mitch Easter (Let’s Active, feature on previous mixes). And they really live up to the description, from the sparkling twin guitars of the opening riff to the perfect (non-)chorus, and bonus for the genuinely funny satire.

19. Witchfynde, “Leaving Nadir”, Give ‘Em Hell (1980). A jammer from that brief period of the NWOBHM during which a gorgeously-arpeggiated, powerpop-ish intro like the one this cut sports and a pounding, palm-muted verse could comfortably co-exist.

20. Linda Ronstadt, “Heart Like a Wheel”, Heart Like a Wheel (1974). A classic country-rock record — the country-rock record?! — that was once immensely popular, even winning a grammy, but which has so fallen by the wayside amongst the cognoscenti that I don’t feel bad about putting it on a mixtape. It’s a subtly-weird track. After a vertiginous piano opening reminiscent of a solo Bill Evans date, Ronstadt begins the song by detailing, then abruptly disavowing, a simile for the human heart. The song never quite coheres….there’s a beautiful chorus, but one that’s cut short by an extended instrumental break featuring heart-rending cello (?) — but that makes it all the more addictive — how can you hear that (much-delayed) chorus just twice?! Another record that inexplicably reminds me of North Carolina, even though Ronstadt was the scion of a wealthy manufacturing family from Arizona who had, far as I can tell, no special connection to NC.

21. DJ Screw, “Every Day, All Day [South Circle]”, Chapter 226: Million Dollar Hands (1995). A change-of-pace superficially, but that melancholy melody line forms a natural transition from the Ronstadt track in my mind. Absolutely classic, unrelentingly-bleak mid-90s chopping and screwing. The South Circle track is a merciless g-funk cut to begin with, but the Screw remix is a monolithic thing of beauty.

22. The Brides of Funkenstein, “Disco to Go”, Funk or Walk (1978). Hilarious yet deadly-serious, powerful yet loose P-Funk spinoff. This reminds me of swimming at the apartment pool when my parents divorced dad moved to the heart of downtown Kansas City to be near his work; this record was one of the few that we could all agree on as a family to put on the boombox during afternooon swims. This was back when downtown was inhabited by the kind of straight-up phreaks who stuffed hardcore guy-on-guy pornography into their neighbor’s mailboxes apparently just for the hell of it (finding this sort of thing in the mail among the form responses from fan mail I’d sent to Vinny Testaverde is one of my first memories). E-I-O-diss-CO-to-GO!

23. Trinity and U-Brown, “Nice Up the Yard”, (single, 1982). My favorite riff on the “Boxing” rhythm ever released. Something about this just crackles with youthful energy and energy. Almost totally-unknown — this is off a comp I pulled off the internet called DUB HOT DUBS several years back, and I can’t find a single thing about either of the artists, but still, totally classic.

24. Linton Kwesi Johnson, “Fight Dem Back”, Forces of Victory (1979). Militantly progressive Black British reggae. One of the funniest and, yet, most deadly-serious songs ever recorded.

25. The Dils, “Sound of the Rain”, Made in Canada (1980). Marxist-Leninist powerpop — nuff said. Name a catchier tune whose chorus begins “I don’t listen to the cops / I wish they all were dead”.

26. Fairport Convention, “Cajun Woman”, Unhalfbricking (1969). One of the slighter — but catchier — tracks from a top-10 record for me. Fairport, at that point featuring two of my favorite artists of all time (Linda Thompson and her husband Richard), turned in a massive, spiritual brit-folk-revival LP that was also stuffed with oddities like this zydeco-jammer. Like many Fairport tunes, the rapturous boogie is cut with a surprising gravitas. That slightly discordant note in the chorus is perfect.

27. Magma, “Üdü Ẁüdü”, Üdü Ẁüdü (1976). There are some of those “underground canon” records that are fun to listen to, that tickle your brain, that are intellectually exciting. And then there are some that, even though they’re sung in a made-up language and performed by a French band 32 years before you first heard it, feel so familiar that it’s as if they were written by dear friends. That joyous background whoop at 1:51 is one of my favorite moments in recorded music. A pulsating, polyrhythmic, deliriously joyous mass of music that seems to prefigure “Brothersport” down to the details.

28. The Fans, “Giving Me That Look In Your Eyes”, Giving Me that Look In Your Eyes EP (1979). Feckless, extremely-active Bristol new-wave-cum-powerpop. This reminds me of Vampy Weekend a little bit, actually, just in terms of how dizzily sucrotic this is. Unfortunately they didn’t realize very much other stuff but most “throwaway bands” manage only one great lost single — the Fans had several. If you dig this, have a listen to the equally-great “You Don’t Live Here Anymore”.

29. Alice Coltrane, “Sivaya”, Transcendence (1977). How are hipsters not all over this? Immediately accessible, burning-with-soul, post-apocalyptic prayers to god from one of the most respected jazz musicians of all time. It’s really hard to express how simultaneously and simple and deep this is; there’s something especially beautiful about this ragged, loose beauty when you know exactly how complex and brutal her music could be.

30. DJ Screw, “It Was All a Dream [Shaq]”, Chapter 11: Headed 2 Da Classic (1996?). Mention of the original Shaq record is something of a snarky in-joke amongst people that know anything about basketball or music, but this cut — while manifestly unoriginal — is genuinely beautiful and the Screw mix accentuates the deep vibes. Shaq’s not a great rapper but there is some real solid production on this and the big-workin-class-dreams-come-true bit tugs at the heartstrings.

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sonicawareness · 14 years

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Phil Herring’s Best Albums of 2016

Phil Herring is a close friend of Sonic Awareness and a concert aficionado, regularly attending 100+ concerts per year. He has listened to a large number of albums throughout the 2016, and we’re happy to have him provide a guest column: his personal picks for the 40 Best Albums of 2016!

Browse the full list below and check out the key tracks on Spotify!

40) BRIAN FALLON – Painkillers

After relentless touring and five records with his main act (The Gaslight Anthem), Brian Fallon steps out on his own with a collection of lovely mid-tempo roots-rock that establishes him as the singer-songwriter we always knew he was. While not quite as personal as the previous Gaslight Anthem record, Fallon allows himself to expand his sound. Fans of The Gaslight Anthem will still find plenty to enjoy but Painkillers is able to retain its own identity.

KEY TRACK: “Steve McQueen”

39) THE NAKED AND FAMOUS – Simple Forms

These Aussie electro-poppers always tend to have a few banging singles and then a bunch of so-so album tracks so it was nice to hear them to put together their first all killer no filler collection. The hook on “Laid Low” alone will ring in your head for days while elsewhere they strip their sound down to focus on vocal interplay between the two leads

KEY TRACK: “Laid Low”

38) CHAIRLIFT – Moth

Sadly this Brooklyn art-pop duo will be coming to an end next year but they really went out with a bang on this one. Their previous records tended to collapse under the weight of their own pretension so it’s nice to hear Chairlift (formerly most well known for their track “Bruises” featured in an iPod commercial) lightening up a bit and indulging in their pop fetishes that were only hinted at before.

KEY TRACK: ”Cha-Ching”

37) GROUPLOVE – Big Mess

Parenthood hasn’t softened indie-poppers Grouplove. They still are able to bring the ruckus to your local festival’s 4pm time slot. Grouplove is one of the last bands standing which can still readily be played on alternative radio and keep a straight face when referring to themselves as “alternative”. The vocal connection between husband and wife duo Christian Zucconi and Hannah Hooper continues to be leading anchor to this band’s sound. Big Mess also plays well because it avoids getting slowed down by too many mid-tempo anonymous numbers, a trend that many bands in this category fall into. As we go into a very uncertain 2017, Big Mess is a nice joyful break.

KEY TRACK: “Cannonball”

36) BEAR HANDS – You’ll Pay For This

Not totally indie, not totally retro, not totally electro-pop, not totally rock, Bear Hands refuses to sit into any sort of comfort zone. Led by unique instrumentation and singer Dylan Rau’s slacker-influencer vocals, every record these guys do sounds fairly different. Sure, you could probably draw some sort of comparisons to the likes of Passion Pit, Foster The People, etc. but that wouldn’t be telling the whole story. These guys have made their own brand of Brooklyn indie rock that thankfully isn’t indebted to all the passing trends the genre (and city) sees every few years. 2016 gave them their biggest single to date (“2AM”) but the whole record shows each of the band members bringing their biggest strengths to the table which results in their best record yet.

KEY TRACK: “Winner’s Circle”

35) DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS – American Band

There are still American rock and roll lifers in this world and Drive-By Truckers are one of the few who continue to, er, truck on year after year logging endless miles on the road and putting together and incredibly consistent catalog. No Drive-By Truckers record has ever been light subject-matter wise but American Band is likely their most somber and reflective album to date. No doubt inspired by the political landscape and racial tensions in America over the past few years, American Band contemplates exactly what it means to be a southern rock band during this unstable time. Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley have always been excellent story tellers and this record continues to see them evolving in their craft while pleasing their core.

KEY TRACK: “Ever South”

34) SLEIGH BELLS – Jessica Rabbit

Nothing about Sleigh Bells is ever subtle. Like Beach House in their approach (not sound), they continue to tweak and make small changes while still sonically assaulting the listener with gritty guitars and hard dance beats. This time around, the “rock” in their formula is less pronounced which leaves room for more pronounced melodies, beats and overall rhythmic pleasures. It makes for an overall lighter affair but since the songs still stick with you, Jessica Rabbit now makes them 4 for 4.

KEY TRACK: “Rule Number One”

33) DAUGHTER – Not To Disappear

British mope-rock has provided us with plenty of gloomy soundtracks for rainy days. Daughter proved to be one of the stronger candidates with their successful release, If You Leave in 2003. Touring the world a few times over hasn’t softened lead singer/first class mope Elena Tonra. She even wonders if she should “get a dog or something” at one point. If anything, Daughter’s second full length release sounds even more brooding and morose than the first! Years of playing live will beef up anyone’s sound and Daughter doesn’t resist adding a bit more bombast and weight to their post-punk bitter neon-folk. There are still plenty of dark tones and delay pedals present to please fans of the first while giving this young band a whole new sheen. It might sound sad but there’s plenty of joy to be found when listening.

KEY TRACK: “Alone/With You”

32) THRICE – To Be Everywhere Is To Be Nowhere

After going on hiatus back in 2012, Thrice were never actually gone for that long. They bounced back in 2015 playing a slew of festivals while putting together ideas for their 9th proper studio album. The band members, now in their mid-30’s, have put together a fine collection of post-post-hardcore. No longer infatuated will fast tempos and rifts, To Be Everywhere Is to Be Nowhere is one of their most straightforward collection of songs. There’s a new sense of comfort in the music which, to some, might indicate the band is on auto-pilot but Thrice sounds perfectly comfortable streamlining their ambitions in an effort to make a record that pleases both them and their dedicated fan base.

KEY TRACK: “Wake Up”

31) THE HUNNA – 100

Rock and Roll’s true death happened about five years ago at this point but leave it to the UK to still export some excellent guitar-based pop year after year. The Hunna may never get to play a venue bigger than Irving Plaza but their adolescent charm still gets me every time. Here’s hoping that bands like this still continue to exist even after the idea of rock stardom is completely impossible

KEY TRACK: “You and Me”

30) WET – Don’t You

I have no idea why I was so turned off to R&B in the mid-90’s yet when there’s a bunch of pasty white folks from Brooklyn who make it I’m all ears in 2016. There’s a bigger discussion to be had about that topic but in the meantime, Wet’s debut record is a totally competent and fulfilling update to the indie/r&b fusion we’ve been hearing in the past few years. Somber, reflective yet also not excessively melancholy, this was one of my favorite new acts of the year.

KEY TRACK: “Don’t Want To Be Your Girl”

29) THE LAST SHADOW PUPPETS – Everything You’ve Come To Expect

On the previous Lash Shadow Puppets record it was really all about Alex Turner. Most people, myself included, forgot that Miles Kane was also a force to be reckoned with. The most likely reason for this, if you’re American, is that Miles Kane’s previous accomplishments were usually only recognized within England and nowhere else. On their second album, eight years after the first, Turner and Kane make it a more democratic practice while taking the R&B-infused rock blueprints from their day jobs. The end result is a sexy, smoky, hazy trip full of late nights out, late-night burnout accompanied by swelling strings in the right places. Both personality’s shine through and all the songs are keepers.

KEY TRACK: “Bad Habits”

28) BASTILLE – “Wild World”

Bastille is a band that is constantly working. In today’s age, you have to be creating constantly to not only get attention but remind your hardcore fans you’re still around. After the success of 2013’s Bad Blood, the band kept busy touring, releasing mix tapes, and more touring. During this time they tightened up their modern approach to pop music and crafted an ambitious 20-song (if you have the deluxe edition) collection of arena-level pop/rock. Their sonic approach remains consistently modern as front man Dan Smith demonstrates the level of influences one would expect from someone who likely grew up with all music available at the click of a button. Lead single “Good Grief” might not have captured the public’s conscious like “Pompeii” did a few years back but Bastille remains one of the most interesting and dynamic pop/rock acts out there.

KEY TRACK: “Good Grief”

27) TOVE LO – Lady Wood

Tove Lo tightens up on her second album of dark pop. This is the sort of thing that can easily sit alongside Katy Perry and Rihanna but there’s a certain darkness that Tove Lo brings to the mix. Added to the fact that the girl has songwriting chops writing hits for the likes of Icona Pop and Amelia Lily. Lady Wood is an overall darker affair than her previous release and a lot more concise. The beats are colder but that suits the bummed-out songs, even if you can still easily sing along to them.

KEY TRACK: “True Disaster”

26) AGAINST ME! – Shape Shift With Me

Laura Jane Grace (formerly known as Tom Gabel) coming out as transgender in 2012 gave Against Me a much needed publicity bump along with, at least somewhat, making the world a bit more tolerant place. What we didn’t know was, perhaps not surprisingly, her marriage was falling apart during this time period due to the recent transitioning. As such, Shape Shift with Me isn’t a traditional break-up record but explores love in broader terms. What is it we all look for and what is it we all need? The band’s snarling punk approach now coupled with a higher level of pop-punk hooks provides a relentless attack and proves this band is still a force to be reckoned with.

KEY TRACK: “Crash”

25) SANTIGOLD – 99 Cents

The usual M.O. after the “difficult follow-up” is to bounce bank with a brighter, more nimble and user-friendly record. Santigold started her career out as an A&R rep for a major label so she has first-hand experience of what artists should deliver in order to maximize return. As such, 99 Cents sounds exactly as its cover art implies. Bright, snappy, sharp and a blend of many genres. This is pop music by any means but its executed extremely well and with a nodding wink that lets the listener know the artist is well aware that it might seem like pandering, but this is pop music constructed by a master.

KEY TRACK: “Banshee”

24) JAGWAR MA – Every Now and Then

Jagwar Ma are one of those groups that gets classified as “electronic” strictly because they don’t normally use traditional rock instrumentation. To be fair, is there is a fair amount of loops and electronic beats but the way they blend both psychedelic melodies and deep house makes for an intoxicating listen. Guitars chime in now and again to add a light human touch but this record is an absolute dance-fueled blast from start to finish.

KEY TRACK: “Give Me A Reason”

23) DEFTONES – Gore

Now all in their 40’s, these nu metal survivors are elder statesmen which usually means diminishing returns for the listener. However, Deftones have aged rather gracefully from their skate metal origins to fully embracing their love of melodic atmospheres, ambient sounds all pushing back other boundaries the metal genre usually does not forgive bands for going past. It’s rare to see a band getting better and better as the years pass which makes Gore even more of a treat.

KEY TRACK: “Hearts/Wires”

22) TEGAN AND SARA – Love You To Death

Playing it safe after a big blockbuster is a common move, particularly for a veteran act like Tegan and Sara who spent years and years building their audience with their polite and charming indie folk. After going full on electro-pop on 2013’s Heartthrob they stuck to the same formula this year and, while it didn’t exactly allow for lightening to strike twice, it still allowed for plenty of replay value with its shiny hooks.

KEY TRACK: “U-Turn”

21) KINGS OF LEON – Walls

I never imagined I’d ever be including any Kings of Leon album ever on my year-ends lists. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have much against the band. I found their early releases and “Southern Strokes” press-boasting was completely off base as they basically just sounded like any bar band you’d find down south. They started to wear me down by injecting more U2 arena pomposity in their music throughout the years (even if their big hit “Use Somebody” was EXTREMELY hokey). Since then, they’ve settled comfortably on being a hooky mainstream rock band without excessive posturing and/or forced Southern rock throwbacks. Walls is their most consistent set of songs to date and I’m glad the band made it through their rough patch struggling with success.

KEY TRACK: “Reverend”

20) TAKING BACK SUNDAY – Tidal Wave

Like Kings Of Leon this is a debut for Taking Back Sunday on my list and, again, like Kings of Leon it is their 7th full length release. After going through a number of ups and downs in the 00’s with a rotating cast of band members, Taking Back Sunday sound fully comfortable moving into middle age while playing tribute to the acts that inspired them. Lead single and title track sounds like a straight up Ramones-tribute amongst 12 other tracks that find the band coming full circle. It may not please the MySpace-core users of the previous decade but this is a great example of an emo band aging gracefully and not letting their sound become dated.

KEY TRACK: “Tidal Wave”

19) FITZ & THE TANTRUMS – Fitz And The Tantrums

After the breakthrough success of their second record, Fitz & The Tantrums tighten up and aim to please even more on their third full release. Their self-titled album is almost like a how-to guide for how you get a late afternoon festival audience up and jumping after hours of dull jangly guitar rock. There’s no omnipresent theme here, other than wanting to make the listener dance, the hopes of love and also the disappointments. Throughout the whole endeavor, the band keeps the beats sharp and the hooks sticky which ensures listener fatigue is not an option.

KEY TRACK: “Fadeback”

18) PANIC! AT THE DISCO – Death Of A Bachelor

Of the mid-00’s emo boom there are very few survivors. Panic! At The Disco (now down to just one member, Brendan Urie) can count themselves among the few. Urie has taken time to slowly reinvent the project to be a post-emo Jock Jam delivery service. Previous records didn’t have much in the way of one consistent theme but Death Of A Bachelor isn’t subtle in that all the tracks throwback to the “glory “days of Urie’s bachelorhood. There’s plenty of camp and sometimes unnecessary pomp but Urie makes it all work through his likeable personality, sharp assisted hooks from various songwriting teams along with a modern production scene that keeps him sounding contemporary. The record is a total blast and who would have thought, in 2006, that the group would be headlining Madison Square Garden a decade later.

KEY TRACK: “LA Devotee”

17) GREEN DAY - Revolution Radio

Don’t listen to anyone telling you this is a “return to from”. Green Day already attempted to do that with the ill-fated trilogy which was immensely enjoyable to some (including me!) but to most, was a bit too much and in all fairness, some of those tracks should have been delegated to a rarities compilation. Using this as a lesson, Green Day comes full circle and finally embraces simply being Green Day without anything to prove. There’s a few melodic pop-punk bangers but also a heavy amount of acoustic balladry and leftover rock-opera theatrics from the 00’s. The band still sounds as confident as ever and it’s nice to see them finally accept their status as elder statesmen while still crafting quality records.

KEY TRACK: “Still Breathing”

16) JAMES BLAKE – The Colour In Anything

James Blake is essentially what Justin Vernon (a.k.a Bon Iver) is working towards (more on that in a little). The Colour In Anything is Blake’s third record and his most sonically ambitious by far. Previously, he was delegated to the less-douchey part of “dub-step”. Here he devotes all resources available to his craft, constructing a full-on adventure in sonic wilderness. There’s no vocal effect or digital nuance he won’t touch during this sprawling 76-minute adventure. All digital glitches aside, his songwriting hasn’t missed a beat since he first was heard from back in 2010 and, at this point, The Colour In Anything stands at his crowning achievement.

KEY TRACK: “Modern Soul”

15) GARBAGE – Strange Little Birds

Unlike many of the 90’s holdovers, Garbage has little interest in relevancy. That’s not to say they haven’t built upon their sound but they no longer have an interest in sounding youthful which makes sense as all band members are now post-50. Strange Little Birds functions as an adult break-up record. There’s a lingering melancholy unlike the usual break-up records because singer Shirley Manson has been around the block a few times and knows, as she reflects in several songs, that sometimes she’s to blame for her transgressions. The band’s dark modern pop still sounds thrilling as they update their sound here and there with a few new tricks but with Manson still leading the way, the band never stumbles.

KEY TRACK: “Even Though Our Love Is Doomed”

14) BILLY TALENT – Afraid Of Heights

While Billy Talent continues to play arenas in their native land of Canada, as soon as they cross the U.S. border they’re reduced to a club band. That’s a shame because these punchy Buzzcocks-style rockers continue to put out great records with snarly melodies, vicious guitar attacks and plenty of pit-ready rhythms. Of course, the band members are easing into middle age so there’s a lot of reflecting and more sensitivity here than previously but that doesn’t take away from the band’s passion. I’m tempted to dock them points for the silly anti-EDM “Louder Than The DJ” but part of growing old is finally succumbing to the fact that you no longer fully understand youth culture. Also, the song still rips so no hard feelings. Here’s to aging as gracefully as Billy Talent.

KEY TRACK: “Leave Them All Behind”

13) BUTCH WALKER – Stay Gold

Butch has noted this is his last full length release so Stay Gold functions as a welcome send-off. Throughout the record, Walker finds himself looking back on his several past lives and reinventions. His love of guitar pop via Tom Petty style never completely disappears but, since this guy has been on pop radio via songwriting in one form or another for nearly two decades, the songs never fail to disappoint. Bonus points for the heartbreaking ballad at the end which is able to be perfectly nostalgic while also, begrudgingly, accepting the future at the same time.

KEY TRACK: “Record Store”

12) SIA – This Is Acting

Hard to believe that so many of these songs were presented to various pop tarts and turned down. Most alarmingly, how did Rihanna turn down “Cheap Thrills”? Their loss is our gain as Sia has a different type of personality and seasoned passion which only comes with years of experience and false-starts. Fully embracing the sounds of today, she crafts her own world (with help) to deliver a stunning set of pop gems. Next time around, something tells me Rihanna will be more open-minded.

KEY TRACK: “Cheap Thrills”

11) ST. LUCIA – Matter

There’s always a lot written in the press about acts being an “80’s or “90’s throwback these days. The real reason for this is those two decades were the last ones where distinct sounds could be tied to them. St. Lucia, the project of Brooklyn via South Africa Jean-Philip Grobler made no secret of their love of 80’s campy synth-pop with their 2013 full length debut. Matter takes that same template and kicks it into overdrive, fully allowing Grobler to embrace his love of huge hooks, cheesy synth lines and 80’s dance beats. They might still function as a “rock” band but this lovely record will delight anyone who has missed when synths ruled the world in the 1980’s.

KEY TRACK: “Help Me Run Away”

10) WEEZER – Weezer (White Album)

In terms of redemption stories, Weezer might not be at the top of the list but they’re coming close. Once they re-engaged with popular culture in the early-mid 00’s they spent the rest of the decade tragically undoing all the good will they built up with old and new fans alike. 2014’s Everything Will Be All Right In The End put them back on track and allowed them to deliver the “White Album” (actually their 4th self-titled) which is a record they’ve been destined to make since their debut in 1994. A classic California beach guitar-pop record with modern flourishes, Rivers Cuomo dreams up his version of Southern California complete with soaring hooks, Beach Boys harmonies and crunching guitars. This isn’t a nostalgia trip by any means as producer Jake Sinclair, a Weezer fan growing up, steers the group to still sound modern and sleek without losing the nerdy and awkward charm that made us all fall in love with Weezer in the first place. Similar to Green Day’s record this year, Weezer finally sounds comfortable simply being Weezer.

KEY TRACK: “L.A. Girls”

09) MIIKE SNOW – iii

Swedes and note-perfect pop music go together extremely well. Miike Snow, the band (not a guy), took some time off after their synth-pop had fully penetrated the U.S. in 2012. Since then, they’ve come back with 10 more bangers stripping their music of pretension and focusing on the important stuff: beats, hooks, melodies and charisma. Some reviews focus on “style over substance” but style is one of the most, if not the most, important characteristic in pop music. It doesn’t always matter what is being sung about so long as there is swagger and personality which Miike Snow offers in spades.

KEY TRACK: “Genghis Khan”

08) THE STRUTS – Everybody Wants’

As I’ve mentioned several times, I’m glad the Brits won’t fully give up on glam-infused rock and roll. The Struts pick up where previous British burnouts The Darkness and Jet left off. Their US full length updates their previous UK debut with a welcome 5 new tracks as well as all the keepers from their first release. If you’re cynical, this is the typical “save rock and roll” album a lot of people turn to when feeling bummed about the genre but there really are plenty of treats here for even the most jaded listeners. Big riffs married with big hooks and big crescendos will never stop being exciting to me.

KEY TRACK: “Kiss This”

07) PHANTOGRAM – Three

Phantogram has been building up to this moment for a while. What started as a lo-fi electronic atmospheric pop project has now turned full-blown arena atmospheric pop. The duo has always been dark but there’s an even darker lingering theme throughout Three as the band had a number of people close to them pass away in the past year, most notably lead singer Sarah Barthel’s younger sister which is reflected in the devastating “Destroyer”. They turn pain into some wicked pleasures, all culminating in the excellent “You Don’t Get Me High Anymore” which will rattle around in your head for days.

KEY TRACK: “You Don’t Get Me High Anymore”

06) KALEO – A/B

If you didn’t do any research, you’d likely think Kaleo was another gang of Southern boys re-purposing the blues for modern times. I had that same impression until I learned they were actually from Iceland, a place far removed from American blues rock. For cynics, it’s easy to scoff at these foreigners doing their best impression of southern rock but Kaleo pull it off with great success. There’s everything on here from straight-up Black Keys rockers to Bon Iver tributes all while maintain the band’s own identity. For rock and roll purists, Kaleo was as good as it gets in 2016.

KEY TRACK: “All The Pretty Girls”

05) RADIOHEAD – A Moon Shaped Pool

Many were afraid to admit it, but with 2011’s The King Of Limbs Radiohead had painted themselves a little too much into a corner. Bouncing back with A Moon Shaped Pool, they learned to embrace the beautiful non-glitch elements of their sound including instruments played by actual humans while Thom Yorke’s melodies take on prettier pastures. Don’t be fooled, there’s still plenty of “end of the world” type executions here but, being Radiohead, they make it all sound so effortlessly easy and beautiful. Bonus points for finally giving us a recorded version of “True Love Waits”!

KEY TRACK: “Burn The Witch”

04) JIMMY EAT WORLD – Integrity Blues

While the mainstream fell off a long time ago, Jimmy Eat World has been remarkably consistent in their career post breakthrough in 2001-02. I’m realizing there’s a reoccurring theme in this list of addressing getting older (NO idea why that might be, of course) and Integrity Blues continues that trend. While they’ll forever be pegged an “emo” band in the eyes of most, Jimmy Eat World toss off earnest sincerity with such ease its’ second nature to them at this point. After putting out a “grown up break-up record” in 2013, they’ve come full circle with the incredibly well-rounded Integrity Blues. There may not be as much bite in their sound these days but that’s due to continued maturity and also a wider range of influences. They still wear their hearts no their sleeves and Jim Adkins, now in his 40’s, can still easily soundtrack any high school.

KEY TRACK: “Sure And Certain”

03) BON IVER – 22, A million

Justin Vernon is still portrayed as the sad bastard strumming solemn acoustic songs in the woods by the media. Any listen to this record, as well as his previous Grammy-winning self-titled release in 2011, should dispel that notion. 22, A Million is a strange, jarring but still extremely fulfilling listen that finds Vernon adopting a kitchen sink type approach to his music-making. There are still sad moments, yes, but they are spliced up between random glitches, beats and strange vocoder effects. It’s almost as if Vernon is still trying to shake off his success with a healthy dose of sonic confrontation. Underneath it all, the songs are still extremely pleasant and deliver in way listeners want Bon Iver too, even if you can’t fully figure out the odd song naming convention.

KEY TRACK: “7:15 (Creeks)”

02) LUKAS GRAHAM – Lukas Graham

Turning pain into pop songwriting is nothing new. Lead singer/songwriter Lukas Forchhammer grew up a child actor but also lost his father at a young age. He turns his autobiography into a charming theatrical musical-like record bringing you up to speed from his early childhood (“7 Years”) to even imagining his death being a huge party (“Funeral”). Even with the grim subject matter, Forchhammer never totally sounds bummed out, always keeping hope alive in his darkest moments. Perhaps the most honest and charming pop record of the year, I’m excited for what this band has to offer next.

KEY TRACK: “What Happened To Perfect”

01) THE 1975 – I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It

If this list were titled “the 40 most obnoxious album titles of 2016” this record will still be number one. The 1975 has a lot that can get on people’s nerves, most notably the pretentious presentation and unnecessary pomp that American audiences aren’t used to from acts that present themselves as “rock” bands. The 1975 may feature the usual combo of vocals, guitar, bass, drums and keyboards but they are a straight up pop band, through and throughout. Note pop band and not singer. It’s amazing that the band member, who were all born in the late 80’s and early 90’s, have such a fascination with all thing 80’s. If this were a collection of songs, it’d still be great, but their ability to balance the anthemic pop bangers with moody introspective instrumentals and sparse acoustic tracks makes them a fully competent album band. Judging by the band’s success of selling out Madison Square Garden this spring without a true HIT hit single (they’ve done well on the modern rock charts), they might be well on their way to becoming a stadium act in a few years. Plus, try getting “The Sound” out of your head once you’ve heard it.

KEY TRACK: “The Sound”

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