Fromalt2zen's Top 10

There's a reason I didn't post yesterday!  I'm a little trickier than you all think I am.  I purposely waited one more day so my 300th post fell on the same day as this blog's first anniversary!  I personally can't believe it's already been one year, and would like to thank each and every person who stops by to listen to my rants about music.  Let's raise our glasses (or mugs of coffee, it is 10 o'clock here) to one more year, or many more, of fromalt2zen.  Today's post will look at this blog's Top 10 posts as read by you.  That's right, you!  Let's get started, shall we?

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5. (lyrics post)


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2 and 1. (lyrics post and regular feature)

Beauty and the Beast - Nightwish

More Nightwish, because if you're anything like me, you never get tired of them.  Today's selection comes from the Tarja era, in particular, Nightwish's first album, Angels Fall First.  Having sampled the entire album, I've come to the general consensus that "Beauty and the Beast" is the best track, though faces serious competition from "The Carpenter."  But don't confuse it with their later "Beauty of the Beast."  This is the original, and even if you're an Annette-ophile like me, you'll be a fan of Tarja on this track.

"Beauty and the Beast" could perhaps be called the for-adults version of the classic fairy tale.  Instead of Mrs. Pots and her charming words, you have Tarja, an operatic powerhouse going head-to-head with Tuomas, back when he was on male vocal duties.  He's not very bad at all, though I can't say Marco should go anywhere now.  All in all, "Beauty and the Beast" is a solid track from a solid band.  It's Nightwish doing what they do best, even all the way back in 1997.  Case closed.

Drippin' - FKi

I'm still a big FKi fan, and still listening through Zoolanish and Transformers N The Hood, where today's featured song comes from.  The thing about this duo is that they can do anything with the rap genre and make it their own.  Doing it to near-perfection helps too.  Their "Drippin" is on the shorter side, but still packs the punch you want.  Yes, it's slower, but so what?

"Drippin" has one thing that I hate to admit I've become a fan of lately: some dubstep-like bass that echoes in the chorus.  It's just what "Drippin" needs to go from a slowed-down-stripped-down rap song to sheer brilliance.  They've created something special here in a place where you'd least expect it.  Giselle's vocals repeat I walked into the room drippin' (sampled from "Crave You" by Flight Facilities) but I started listening to Transformers N The Hood with my jaw droppin'.  Listen to it and let me know that I'm right.

Fiona Apple's Top 10

Ms. Apple has always been the aforementioned fruit of my eye.  She has a way with piano keys and her vocals have always been something that puts other jazz pop artists to shame.  There's no denying that this girl has talent, plain and simple.  With her new album, The Idler Wheel is wiser than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords will serve you more than Ropes will ever do comes out later this month, you can bet I'm going to be the first person to get it in my small town.  Until then, as always, there is a plethora of great Fiona Apple songs to bide my time.  Enjoy them all.

Valiant Ride - Ancient Bards

Now and again I like some good power metal, and I'm usually in the mood for symphonic metal, so why not combine the two?  Italy's Ancient Bards will always be that happy medium, even if I'm not allowed to comment on the "The Birth Of Evil" video...still.  They've got a slew of epics up their sleeves, and as I've gone through my cache of their music recently, my penchant returned.  You can blame Sara Squadrani's vocals and drums that just won't quit.  "Valiant Ride" is the almost-perfect march into battle song, as it turns out.  I think it's become a forever fave.

I'll let Ancient Bards have one too-literal-for-its-own-good verse of "Valiant Ride" (you'll know which one it is when you read the lyrics), as the rest of the song makes up for it.  There's the lyrics you expect but luckily still impress you, however (for as long as we know how to use our weapons, there's nothing that can destroy our force), and a bridge beginning at 2:25 that will put every other piece of power metal you know to shame.  Sara's got talent, and she knows how to put emotion into her words when she needs to.  Congratulations, Ancient Bards, you've redeemed yourself from the The Birth of Evil" video.

Zero Gravity - Kerli

After a busy morning of volunteer work and a rather busy afternoon, the only thing to get me out of a sugar crash-induced funk is some bass-thumping pop music.  I'm only human, even though I'm wearing all black right now.  But that won't stop me from enjoining my favourite Estonian artist, Kerli, and her latest single, "Zero Gravity" in between loads of laundry.  Don't compare her to Gaga, because she's no carbon copy.  Her flavor of music takes an entirely different route.

"Zero Gravity" is pop music, plain and simple, but it has something unexpected lurking in the shadows that gives it a bang!  What is it?  The dubsteppy electronic beats in the chorus and verses that surprisingly work with Kerli's airy vocals.  It makes "Zero Gravity" danceable, and gives it some great potential to be remixed (hint, hint).  If only the Canadian clubs would play this instead of that god-awful "Payphone" garbage...we'd all be a lot happier.  But the proof is in the pudding, and a listen is needed to truly appreciate what we've got here.  Thank you, Estonia.

Whatever Never - Drug Cabin

It's June, people!  You know, the month where it's hot but not too hot, the month where tornadoes usually rip through every town in North America and when high school kids finish up another wasted year.  Memories...well, today isn't one of those hot-but-not-too-hot days.  In fact, it's going to rain for the better part of it.  At least I have a plethora of breezy indie tunes to keep my spirits high and looking forward to running a quilt auction tomorrow.  The breeziest of the breezes?  "Whatever Never" from LA-based duo Drug Cabin.  This oozes summer.

I got a message from a new old friend, said "love will never end," said, "it can only land."

If "Whatever Never" is like the rest of the duo's EP, due out this month, then we are all in for a fabulous summer ahead.  The acoustic guitars here have that tropical feel, but the dash of electric strings in this gives it some character.  And the vocals?  Like I said, "Whatever Never" oozes summer from every open pore.  Though it only clocks in at two minutes, twenty-two seconds, Drug Cabin gets us to do exactly what they want us to do.  Want more.