Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine

Have you played Spyro: Year Of The Dragon?  If you vaguely remember a game that combined a purple dragon, eggs, and what I remember was a blue hippo, then you must have.  The background music of the levels reminds me of the music in Fiona Apple's "Extraordinary Machine."  It involves a strange combination of a flute, several keyboard instruments and some synth.  In the end, said combination (even though it sounds amazingly complicated) comes across as simple and well thought out.

Beginning with I certainly haven't been shopping for any new shoes, and I certainly haven't been spreading myself around, Fiona offers a ballad of empowerment.  Offering I'll make the most of it, I'm an extraordinary machine, it is perhaps toned down compared to Ms. Apple's usual work.  The album of the same name was her most recent at the time (and still is), and the first of hers that came into my possession.  It's full of power, a more fantastical musical accompaniment, and other amazing things that the other two lack.

Kanye West is the king of consistency.  Fiona Apple is his female counterpart.  I know, I said that her first two albums were lacking what the third had.  They were still quite good.  This girl knows what she's doing, though with "Extraordinary Machine", she takes that to a whole new level.  My advice?  Make the most of this, Fiona, and release your fourth album ASAP.

Once

Instead of bring you a song today, I bring you an 86-minute masterpiece of a movie titled "Once."  I've heard it referred to once as the best movie that no one's ever seen.  My thoughts exactly.  This week, I took it out from the library, not sure of what to expect.  I found a story interlaced with the singer-songwriter music that I've fallen in love with recently.  Who knew that a musical could be like this?  Gone are the chorus lines and showgirls.  Here is a group of misfits in a realistic setting, recording music for the love of music.

Starring Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, the duo produces several showstoppers.  Most notably, "Falling Slowly", the most well known track from the movie.  My personal favourite (so far, I'm still watching and there's about 20 minutes left for another great thing to happen) is current "When Your Mind's Made Up".  Recorded in a studio in the movie, it starts out slow and rises to a powerful crescendo, bringing "Once" to a climax that isn't the kind of climax you're used to seeing.

As I'm writing this, Irglova is preforming "The Hill' on piano, a song of heartbreak that ends in tears.  There is no low point here.  There is triumph in a genre that has seen one too many large-scale studio productions with actors who shouldn't be singing.  This movie is as real as a musical can get.  I'm determined to get the soundtrack into my hands as soon as I can, along with my own copy of the movie.  And some songs by the movie's stars. 

I've said it before, and I'll say it again.  The Irish can make music like no other.

Finbar Furey - Shannonside

Have I ever mentioned that the Irish know what they're doing when it comes to music?  They mix the perfect amount of vocals, instruments, and wonderful lyrics to produce art in its own rite.  I think that if Yeats had turned his poems in music, it would come out a bit like Finbar Furey and his breathtaking "Shannonside."

"Shannonside" is about realizing that home is right where you left it: sure, there's no place in this world I'd rather be.  The minstrel behind Mr. Furey offers a wonderful accompaniment.  It gives "Shannonside" the homey feel that it needs.  Sure, you may not be Irish, and even if you are, you may not know which part of Ireland you're from (ahem, ahem...my entire family).  But the song is something that we can all relate to.  Home is where the heart is, after all.

Finbar Furey is Flogging Molly or The Dropkick Murphys all grown up and toned down.  I'm currently in the process of acquiring his entire album, No Farewells, No Goodbyes from freegal.  Which reminds me, it's Tuesday, isn't it?

Times New Viking - No Room To Live

My new favourite genre of the second is lo-fi.  Times New Viking is the genre's king (and queen).  One of my first rcrdlbl finds, "No Room To Live" still reigns as one of my favourite songs.  Ever.  Currently battling its way back onto my Top 25 Most Played.

In two minutes and twenty-one seconds, vocalist Beth Murphy's indie sound mixed with a keyboard, the quiet tapping of a drum and the constant strumming of a guitar gives you something you've never heard before.  Yes, this is the epitome of lo-fi.  I recommend looking up the lyrics to follow along, my personal favourite being: I'm awake and you are tired, they were smoke and we were fire.

It's indie, but for those who listen to more mainstream indie, it's something new.  It comes from a strange world where people make music for the sake of making music, and where people still record their songs onto cassette tapes.  Before you know it, "No Room To Live" is over as quickly as it has begun, but you will want to listen to it again.  And again.  And if you're like me, another thirty times, but not all in a row.  Don't ruin lo-fi for yourself.  I'll be bringing you more.

Dance Gavin Dance - Surprise! I'm From Cuba, Everyone Has One Brain

Sometimes fate pulls you in one direction when you'd planned on going in another.  That can be said about Dance Gavin Dance's "Surprise...", which has a habit of coming on in itunes regularily when shuffle is turned on.  Even though there are currently 3258 other items that could be selected before it, it's not uncommon for me to hear the metalcore guitars mixed with hardcore vocals, and know that DGD has taken over.

The thing about Dance Gavin Dance is that they have flawlessly combined hardcore vocals, softer alternative vocals, and guitars that seem to have a life of their own.  Lead singer Jonny Craig doesn't belong in this band upon first listening, but his clean wails have found their place.  He is part of the high point of this song. the last half.  When you hear it, you'll know why.

Unlike other bands or singers, I'm not a dedicated fan of Dance Gavin Dance, only owning their second album, Downtown Battle Mountain.  However, what they do is fairly amazing, and I really should get caught up with them before the lineup changes and Jonny Craig disappears again.

Glee Cast - Rolling In The Deep

There is something about a capella that makes song that are already breathtaking a little more magical.  Case in point: Glee's Lea Michele and Jonathan Groff's interpretation of Adele's "Rolling in the Deep."

Stripped down the bare minimum, Lea Michele begins with a softer-than-her-average-introduction there's a fire starting in my heart, reaching a fever pitch and it's bringing me out the dark.  Then, in comes Glee's most devious and perhaps best character, played by Groff.  The two were almost meant to exclusively sing together, other notable powerhouse songs including "Total Eclipse of the Heart" and "Hello."  What sets apart "Rolling in the Deep" from their other duets?  The lack of theatrical background music, or the lack of any music at all.  All that accompanies them in the deep is the hum of a chorus.

I describe myself as a bit of a Gleek.  My sister and I have the series' entire discography in our possession, and know the show inside and out.  The cover of "Rolling in the Deep" stands out as one of the series' best.  No, it is the best.  There is no contest, though I'm more than anxious to see what they give me in season three.

Hollywood Undead - Bullet

I'm a proud Hollywood Undead fan.  They've mixed together rap, hip-hop and alternative into something unique, and something that's taken over my Top 25 Most Played playlist.  Their albums "Swan Songs" and "American Tragedy" are two of my absolute favourites, and the current standout of both comes from the latter.

Upon first listening to "Bullet", you wonder if this is really Hollywood Undead.  It doesn't start off as any of their songs, with an acoustic guitar, and is suspiciously upbeat.  It is a paradox of sorts, once you begin to notice that the lyrics are about the touchy subject of suicide.  Yet, it is sung and rapped with anything but sadness and melancholy.  Strange?  Yes, it's something I've never encountered before either.  It makes you think, and makes you reconsider the basis of music as you hear and if I survive, then I'll see you tomorrow.

"Bullet", despite its subject matter, is a beautiful song.  What Hollywood Undead does here probably shouldn't be done again, as it will either be labelled as a copycat or just not be as good. 

Bif Naked - Abandonment

Better late than never.

Bif's gem of an album, "Superbeautifulmonster", was another find at Value Village, though one of the more recent ones (the selection there has been sub-par as of late.  Too many boy bands and not enough boys who play acoustic guitar).  Bif is Canadian too, if you didn't know, or if you don't know a thing about her at all.  Though her heyday occurred years ago, I can sense a bit of a comeback on the horizon.  She is Canada's answer to Gwen Stefani, though she's more alternative than pop, and is significantly better than Gwen.

"Abandonment" is the highlight of the album, and fittingly, the first track.  It's full of anguish and sadness, though it's anything but slow and depressing.  It is an upbeat end to a horrid ending.  Bif belts out I feel like you left me to die, and in the chorus: where were you when I needed you, something's missing and I can't breathe.  Really, the title says it all.

Bif is a must-listen for anyone who loves alt-rock and doesn't mind that a strong woman can outdo a large number of the men who call themselves "vocalists in an alternative band."  Bif Naked is a powerhouse.

AWOLNATION - Sail

A good friend of mine suggested "Sail" for me to take a listen to, unsure if I would like it.  Little did she know, it combines my new favourite genre, electronic, with hints of alternative that fit seamlessly together.  With a fitting title, "Sail" transports you to a boat bobbing up and down on an otherworldly ocean.  I'm a fan of the noise-heavy chorus and the haunting hum of a chorus in the background, not to mention the growl of the song's title.

Project frontman Aaron Bruno offers a crossover of genres that proves to be both effective and catchy.  Upon listening to "Sail" for approximately thirty or so seconds, I became intrigued by what he was doing to change music, and was interested in hearing more.  So AWOLNATION, prepare to be sampled into oblivion by this blogger.

What does the suggestion of "Sail" prove?  Simply put, where would we be without suggestions?

Eminem - Cinderella Man

"Recovery" just might be Eminem's best piece of work yet.  Listening to his raps takes me back to the gangster phase I went through, when I put his songs on repeat on my CD player since my parents wouldn't buy me one of his albums.  Grammy Nominee compilations would have to suffice.  Of the many high notes of his new album, I chose to feature "Cinderella Man."

It begins with you know technically, I'm not really supposed to be here right now, so might as well make the most of it.  Eminem makes the most of it, there's no doubt, and then some.  His verses are reminiscent of the 8 Mile era, broken up by the title repeated by a chorus.  He does here what he does best, mixing together raw emotions and a good beat.

I used to doubt that Eminem could be what he used to, especially after listening to "Relapse" (recommendation, do not buy or listen to it.  it's as simple as that).  Tracks from "Recovery" like "Cinderella Man" give him redemption.  He's not going anywhere for a while, I hope.

Dam Mantle - Movement

Dam Mantle knows how I like my electronic music.  Minimal (as I've mentioned before...I think), nothing too insane, and it doesn't try to be a dance track just because there are no words and lots of beats.  I can recall a time that I was listening to my favourite of Dam Mantle's songs, "Movement" at the kitchen table, only to hear my dad pipe up from the den with, "what are you listening to?"

For those who like 90's-era Disney movies, "Movement" is the soundtrack to one scene of The Brave Little Toaster, in which the appliances stumble upon a pond and interact with the wildlife.  Everything that should be alive lives and thrives (along with a toaster, vacuum, electric blanket, radio and desk lamp).  Youtube it if you aren't familiar with one of the greatest animated movies of all time.  The scene fits the song to a tee.

Speaking of which, "Movement" was given a fitting title.  It's delicate sounds work their way into your brain and send you somewhere abstract, where movement is freedom.  As it climbs to an impressive ending, it evokes an emotion that I can't quite describe.  Somewhere between happiness and sadness lies what you feel listening to "Movement."  It could be contentedness, or acceptance.  Either way, it is a showstopper.  You'll want to move along with the music, but you will also want to sit back and think, and then wondering where the last (almost) six minutes have gone.

Tom Waits - Underground

Like "Not An Angel", "Underground" has been haunting me for years, ever since my aunt took me and my siblings to see Robots at the IMAX theatre.  I've heard a few Tom Waits fans complain that the song is only popular because it was in an animated movie, but that's one of the headlining reasons that things are popular these days.  As with "Not An Angel", I horded enough HMV points to purchase "Underground" online, and have been listening to it ever since.

There's something about Tom Waits' gravelly voice that makes his music so intriguing.  It adds to the industrial effect of "Underground", which I will always associate with the scene from Robots in which the "chop shop" is introduced.  You imagine rusty machines clinking and clanking together and sparks flying through the air.  Robots are slicing each other apart to the hum of a chainsaw.  It is a song that inspires great visuals, insisting that the listener never forget that there is a world going on underground.

Cocorosie - Lemonade

Cocorosie is a "band" unlike anything I've ever heard before.  They are two sisters who dress in drag and sing with hauntingly sad vocals about fantasy worlds and the surreal.  Weird?  You could use that word to describe them.  I would.  But whatever they are doing, they are doing it right.  "Lemonade" is easily my favorite song by them (also recommending "R.I.P Burn Face", if you're interested).

"Lemonade" has a slow sadness to the verses, sung over a few keystrokes on the piano. The chorus brings a little more cheer to the overall theme of melancholy, offering shot a rabbit from the backseat window, sat and watched the summer corn grow.  The Casady sisters compliment each other in nearly every song, "Lemonade" not excluded.  It is sad, and it is happy.  It is ugly, but it is beautiful.  Perhaps that is why they work so well together.

On a final note, I recommend watching the music video made for "Lemonade."  It may freak you out, but it may surprise you.  Now, whenever I listen to the song (like right now), I imagine the sisters dressed as old women with mustaches wandering around a dusty old house, with hot pink flashes in the sky.  It's an imagine that may disturb you at first, but you will watch the video more than once.  I bet.

a balladeer - When Dean Was The Man (And Monroe Always Smiled)

My first freegal find.  The short sample that I listened to before downloading did not serve it justice.  The Dutch a balladeer gives us a beautiful tribute to the 50's and a love song that isn't too repetitive.  A love song for people who hate love songs.  That's what I would call it.


The song starts out slow with a quiet acoustic guitar acting as the compliment to Marinus de Goederen's vocals that sound strangely familiar.  For the past few weeks I've been trying to compare him to someone without much luck.  Perhaps he is unique in his register, or I just haven't been following alternative music as closely as I used to.  As the tempo picks up and the strings are introduced, you know that you're hooked.  There's no denying that this should be playing on the radio somewhere, either adult contemporary or alternative, but it almost makes it better that barely anyone in North America has heard of a balladeer.


I've sampled the entire album "Where Are You, Bambi Woods?" and found that "When Dean Was The Man" is the highlight of the CD (no surprise).  Then again, samples rarely justify the piece, so I may have to give it another go.

The Cranberries - No Need To Argue

The bulk of my music comes from Value Village.  You can buy a CD there for three dollars that you might find down the street at Wal-Mart for the upwards of ten dollars.  I'm willing to take my chances with people's rejects, mostly boy bands and bands from the 90's, though once in a while I find a gem sitting on the shelf, waiting for me to take home.  One of the first CDs I ever got from VV was The Cranberries' No Need To Argue.  Aside form the obvious choice of song to feature, I choose the title track.

I love minimalism in music.  When done correctly, it is utterly amazing.  "No Need To Argue" offers the combination of Dolores O'Riordan's stunning voice, a few background vocals and the yawn of a few quiet instruments.  It's a quiet track, and doesn't stand out after one complete listen of the entire album, but it sits and festers in the back of your head, the idea of it growing larger each time.

It's simplicity at its best.  In less than three minutes, The Cranberries solidify why they will never be one of those 90's bands that consistently find themselves on the used CD shelf of Value Village.  I've only seen one more of their CDs there since, their third album, and it's in my tower now.  Plain and simple: the Irish know what they're doing when it comes to music.

City Sleeps - Not An Angel

"Not An Angel" has been haunting me for years.  Literally, years.  Sometimes in the late ninth grade (I'm assuming, though it's been quite a long time) I heard it on the radio once.  To my knowledge, it was never played on the local alternative station again.  But since I heard it one time, the chorus has been coming into my head every now and again reminding me that I should either find the song or find the City Sleeps CD, both of which didn't amount to much success. 

Then...almost two weeks ago I found out how many HMV points I've horded this last year, discovering I had enough to trade for a few song downloads from the store website.  Browsing around, the chorus of "Not An Angel" appeared one last time, and I was able to locate it and add it to my library a long time after it should have been there.  The end.

Well, the end of the background story.  The question is, what makes "Not An Angel" stand out from other alternative tracks in a world where bands of this genre come and go on a regular basis.  I say that it has something to do with the sadness in the lead singer's voice in the song's hook, never gonna belong, sung i a way that it has replaced the chorus in being stuck in my head all the time.  It's an example of beautiful sadness, and it is definitely a memorable song if it was stuck in my head for the excess of four years.  Though City Sleeps hasn't been terribly popular before or since this, the non-alternativeness of "Not An Angel" was enough for me to remember it after hearing it once.  That says something in my books.

Mika - Love Today

I thank my sister for this one.  I'd picked her up from school and she'd put one of her CDs on to listen to.  "Love Today" came on, and the rest is history.  It took me a while to admit to myself that I needed this song in my library.  I'd forget about it now and again, but some part of it would always worm its way back into my head.  At one point, it was in my head for three days straight (nearly a new record).  Eventually I got my hands on the CD and finally gave Mika a chance.

In as little as two days, I knew all of the words.

In my defense, "Love Today" is a song that you need to know all the words to, even the opening do dadadeedadee.  Still, whenever that CD comes on in the family van, and it reaches track 7 before someone can change it, my sister and I will sing along with Mika's enthusiasm.  This is exactly how pop should be done.  Pop for people who don't like pop.  "Love Today" is infectious, though it is an illness that you never want to be cured. 

Linkin Park - When They Come For Me

Linkin Park's latest effort, "A Thousand Suns" is no "Minutes To Midnight."  In fact, every time I see the title it reminds me of Iron Maiden's "Brighter Than A Thousand Suns."  I do give the band effort for trying something new, as the new album is quite a departure from their earlier work.  Such experimenting leads to a few standout tracks, most notably, "When They Come For Me."

The song brings you into some kind of urban jungle, where everything is made of concrete and music is made by pounding on oil drums.  This is a new world where a band rarely takes anyone; a world that is barely alternative.  That's the genre I have this song under, though it more or less belong sin a category of its own.  The song is rescued from repetitive territory by Chester's signature quiet vocals singing the title of the song.

This is not the Linkin Park you grew up with.  They will take some getting used to, but tracks like "When They Come For Me" (and the also noteworthy "The Messenger") leave me intrigued for the future of the band.  A new set of doing things is more than often met with some resistance, but if they keep it up, I see nothing but good things ahead.

Kanye West feat. Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Bon Iver & Nicki Minaj - Monster

If Kanye is anything, it is consistent.  Mr. West's latest effort, "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" is the best thing he's come out with since his debut in 2004, though he's never disappointed me with something he's put out.  "Monster" is quite possibly the standout track of the album, beginning with the mysterious croon of I shoot the lights out, hide 'til it's bright out, ohhhhh just another lonely night, are you willing to sacrifice your life? 

The first verse comes courtesy of Kanye, evoking the rawness that made "The College Dropout" an amazing album.  Explaining why he is the best of the best, Mr. West ingeniously explains why he is like a pharaoh, and once he concludes what he had set out to growl to the listener, Jay-Z is left to fill a pair of shoes that are two sizes too big.  Does he do a good job?  Yes, but his verse is forgettable.  However, it does not bring the song down in any way, probably because it barely takes up a minute.  I commend him for trying.  But who puts both him and Kanye to shame?

Nicki.  Her verse steals the song from Kanye and makes you wonder "Jay-Z who?"  She's a force to be reckoned with in "Monster," proving that anything you can do, I can do better.  I rarely admit that someone could outdo Mr. West.  As the song ends with the words of Bon Iver, you are left nearly speechless.  You have to listen to it more than once to truly understand all of the bits and pieces that make "Monster" what it is, but once you find yourself wondering "Jay-Z was in this song?" you will find that you keep coming back to it.

Blood Warrior - Snake Seer

As it turns out, gospel can extend beyond the setting of of a downtown church.  That is how Blood Warrior chooses to describe itself, a gospel outfit hailing from NY.  This is not your grandmother's music that she puts into a cassette deck on Sunday afternoons with a glass of sherry on the table.  This is art.

Listening to "Snake Seer," you can't help but picture it being sung in a church of the Deep South by a congregation of misfits and rednecks.  It is an image that is strange at best, but does not take away from the power of the song.  The gaggle of voices is complimented by the inhaling and exhaling of an organ.  Why is this not the gospel music we are familiar with (if familiar at all)?  It is not a song about the good lord or the Ascension.  It is about a great distance and the long journey home.  I'd like to come back home to you, the wind will carry me.
When "Snake Seer" first came into my possession, I was left confused.  It is not like anything I have ever listened to before.  It is raw, lit with feeling and emotion, and nothing close to what I  knew gospel as.  I liked it.  I really liked it.  Blood Warrior is something different and cannot be compared to anything else, which is just how they should remain.  I recommend they start their own church just to showcase their songs.  I would be in the congregation every Sunday.

Ingrid St. Pierre - Mercure Au Chrome Et P'tits Pansements

Every week, itunes offers two free songs to download.  One is in English.  The other is in French.  My knowledge of Canada's second language doesn't extend much past the ninth grade, and is marginal at best.  I've been told that my accent is laughable.  However, I chose to acquire this week's French song for the same reason that I collect other obscure music: curiousity.  Worst case scenerio?  It ends up in my electronic trash bin and is deleted from my hard drive whenever the bin is emptied.

"Mercure Au Chrome Et P'tits Pansements" translates to (according to the first online translator I found): "mercury in the chrome and small bandages."  Does that make any sense to me?  No.  But as I learned, you don't need to understand the mother tongue, or much else for that matter, to appreciate art.  Yes, Ingrid St. Pierre turns francophone music into an art form.

Her voice has a strange radio-pop familiarity to it, but luckily stays away from the overplayed pop song number 657 territory with the instrumental side of the song.  There is the strum of the guitar that is more indie than pop, a few keys of the piano working together harmoniously, and an occasional pluck of the strings of the harp.  Even for those of us with no knowledge of French other than a horrible mispronounced "bonjour," understanding the language is unnessecary.  Even if it would be nice to know what Ingrid is singing about.  She is a higher-register Fiona Apple that is more pop than jazz, allowing anglophones to get lost in the lyrics...in a good way.

Karen Page - Your Body Is Like A Wasteland

I've done my research on the Ohio "hardcore" outfit known as Karen Page.  What I found is that most music critics (and music listeners) have a slew of bad things to say about them, explaining that there is no sense of direction in their self-titled album and they are "just like every other band".  I sampled the entire CD on freegal and chose to use one of my three free weekly downloads (courtesy of a new feature at my library) on "Your Body Is Like A Wasteland."  I found that it stood out from the other tracks, which rely too much on the lead singer's throat and little substance.  Huh.  Guess the critics were right about something after all.

However, "Your Body Is Like A Wasteland" potentially saves the album, or tries to.  It's like the one child in a third grade class who doesn't get head lice.  Instead of thanking this miracle to tea tree oil shampoo, the song owes its salvation to a chorus sung with clean vocals and verses that aren't growled to oblivion.  Throat is used when needed, leaving the rest of the song to comprehensibly tell a story.  The guitars are reminiscent of Kezia-era Protest The Hero, which is probably why I enjoy listening to it.  The final twenty seconds bring the song to an astonishing close, in which the chorus is given a screaming cover.  It thankfully lets the song end on a high note.

Karen Page is what Dead & Divine would be if Rody Walker took over lead vocals upon creation.  The band has potential in "Your Body Is Like A Wasteland," and I'm curious to see what they will bring to the table next.  Will I get around to downloading the rest of the album?  No.  But I will keep an eye on Karen Page.  Take a listen to "Your Body Is Like A Wasteland."  Even the timid hardcore fan should like it.

RAMESH - The King

Here we are in the first post of what I hope to be many.  In a quick blurb: this is not an online diary where you'll be able to closely watch a deteriorating life.  This blog is strictly about music.  If you're like me, you love various genres of music, but have trouble finding new songs to add to a growing repretoire.  I find that a great source is http://www.rcrdlbl.com/, which is where I found the very first song I would like to share with the world.  "The King" by RAMESH.

The song begins with what you can expect at the end: your breath to be taken away.  The throbbing drum that continues through the song brings a sense of the somber, complimenting the lyrics: "And I'm asking you if you still love me, after all the hell that I've put you through."  It is a lover's apology set to a weeping violin and a shy guitar.  It is a sad song; terribly sad.  Undescribable beauty is reached almost three and a half minutes in with a climax of a violin solo, followed by an a cappella chorus.  This is the kind of song that takes a few listens to fully appreciate and understand, though once a sense of understanding is reached, you cannot help but press the repeat button, sit back, and take it in for the umpteenth time. 

I reluctantly drop this into the "indie" category on itunes, though it should have its own category altogether.  RAMESH proves that minimalism in music can be just as powerful as a big show of things.  Since acquiring it circa December/January (I would know for sure if I wasn't writing this from the family desktop), it has become one of my favourite songs of 2011.