I Love Music: 5 Years Time

I initially heard this song on Virgin a while back. Didn't think much of it. Then I heard a clip of it on a Saturn commercial and it got stuck in my head.



5 Years Time is a catchy little diddy by Noah and the Whale. It starts out a little slow, but quickly heats up with a variety of interesting instruments. It's well paced and just when you think it's getting a little repetitive and a little boring, they change it up a bit. It keeps this up for 4-ish minutes and instead of fading out (which the repetition would lead one to expect), it ends abruptly on a high note. In general I like my songs short and sweet, but these guys are pretty interesting and I wouldn't have minded a minute or two more.

I'm unable to embed the Youtube video as I normally would, because they've disabled that feature. I've linked the above image to the video, though. Also, you can get to it straight from here: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8YCSJpF4g4)

You know... I've always fancied myself an Alternative/Classic/Punk rock kind of guy. According to my imaginary genre score sheet, however, this newly discovered "Folk Rock" has overtaken my previous genres of choice. What's up with that?

Until next time

~~Ben

Resources:
Wikipedia: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noah_and_the_Whale)
Youtube Channel: (http://www.youtube.com/user/realnoahandthewhale)

I Love Music: Hey Driver

Okay... I'm in the middle of the first new Poonheads strip in forever and what do I do? I take a break from updating to bring you this latest earworm.

I've never heard of these guys before and actually didn't even know their name until this evening. I heard this song on Pandora today (on my Andrew WK station... what's up with that?) and it's been stuck in my head all day. It's really catchy with a nice hardcore aesthetic and a poppy hook that, together, create something rather pleasing to my ears.

I present to you, Hey Driver by Lucky Boys Confusion.

BTW: I'm still working on the comic. Just in case you were wondering. Though it may get put off for some time if I don't finish it before MGS4 comes out.

~~Ben


Resources:
LBC on Amazon:
(http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&tag=mozilla-20&index=blended&link%5Fcode=qs&field-keywords=Lucky%20Boys%20Confusion&sourceid=Mozilla-search)
LBC on Wikipedia:
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucky_Boys_Confusion)

I Love Music: Punk Rock Girl

There was a time in Poonheads history when The Dead Milkmen made up a large part of our daily soundtrack. You might say that those guys were just as important to our musical development as was Danzig. Or you might not. Depends on your point of view, I guess.

I still fuck up every time I try to quote Bitchin' Camaro.

Anyway, for some strange reason, "Punk Rock Girl" popped into my head today. And I'll be damned if it's not stuck there now. While we didn't listen to this song much in the old days, it's become pretty much my favorite Dead Milkmen song ever. There's a reason that it's there most well known song... Because it's awesome.

I present to you, now, Punk Rock Girl by The Dead Milkmen. The video quality is so-so, but the audio is what's important. Also: Best guitar solo in punk history.

Also, if you're in the mood, here's a relatively humorous video for Stuart (a Poonheads staple): (http://youtube.com/watch?v=VHFr6DgrF0w)

~Ben

Resources:
Dead Milkmen Website: (http://www.deadmilkmen.com/)
at Wikipedia: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Milkmen)
at Amazon: (http://www.amazon.com/s?field-keywords=dead%20milkmen)

I Love Music: From Across The Pond

As I've said many times before, I listen to Virgin Radio (a UK based radio station) at work, pretty much all day. This exposes me to a lot of music that many of my American compatriots are unaware of. And also, it makes me look cool cuz I can say, "I only like obscure British bands". That means a lot.

Anyway. In an effort to enlighten my fellow Americans, I present to you a small selection of artists currently airing on Virgin.

In no particular order:

Amy Macdonald - the first Virgin artist I really took a liking to. Soon after hearing her for the first time I was compelled to import her debut album, "This is the life". She's got a few singles out, but what follows is the song that really made me fall for this Scottish beauty.

Duffy - the non-crack addict's Amy Winehouse. Since Ms. Winehouse broke this style into the modern charts, there's been an influx of soulful British babes, singing their hearts out. Duffy has a rich voice backed by an upbeat poppy arrangement.

One Night Only - these guys are pretty new to my musical lexicon. They manage to use the same kitsch indie/britpop formula that has become bland and muddled in recent years and turn it into something above average and appealing to my ears.

The Kooks - are my current all-time favorite band. It's a good mix of that classic British-Invasion rock and modern sensibilities. But mostly that classic British-Invasion rock. I bought the first album and it was super bad-ass. I eagerly look forward to their next release.

And there you have it. Four of my favorite musical acts from across the pond. I hope you've enjoyed them as much as I have. I'll try to keep you posted on any new findings.

Until next time,

~Ben

Resources
Virgin Radio online: (http://www.virginradio.co.uk/)
Amy Macdonald on Wikipedia: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amy_Macdonald_%28singer%29)
Amy Macdonald on Amazon: (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_st?rs=5174&page=1&rh=n%3A5174%2Cp_32%3AAmy+MacDonald%2Cp_n_binding_browse-bin%3A387645011&sort=-releasedate)
Duffy on Wikipedia: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duffy_%28singer%29)
Duffy on Amazon: (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url?%5Fencoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=music&field-artist=Duffy)
One Night Only on Wikipedia: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Night_Only_%28band%29)
One Night Only on Amazon: (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url?%5Fencoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=music&field-artist=One%20Night%20Only)
The Kooks on Wikipedia: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kooks)
The Kooks on Amazon: (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url?%5Fencoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=music&field-artist=Kooks)

I Love Music: New Wave

I first heard Against Me! on Mitch Clem's compilation, Liquid Paper Vol. 4. In truth, that compilation really introduced me to a world of new music that would have otherwise gone missed. That was a few years ago. Lots of things transpired between then and now. My record collection has grown significantly, I've graduated college, and I've gotten a real job.

Also, Against Me! signed to a major record label.

Now, I know what you're thinking... "Ben, you're not punx enough to rip on these guys for selling out." That may be true. But I'm not going to rip on them for selling out. I'm going to praise them.

I don't own any other Against Me! albums besides their newest, New Wave. I also would not even own this one had it not been for their selling out. I listen to the radio on my way to work and that's where I heard Thrash Unreal for the first time.

As previously stated, I don't listen to these guys very much at all. When I first heard Thrash Unreal, I mistook the vocals Twisted Sister's Dee Snider. I thought, "Hmmm... This can't be Twisted Sister... Maybe Dee Snider has solo project or something... I had better check this out." I googled the lyrics and was stunned at what I found. Against Me!, the raunchy punk band I heard years before in passing on Liquid Paper vol 4, was getting air play.

So, I ended up getting the album on the strength of that one single alone. I must say, it's pretty bad ass. I think one of the things that confused me initially was the slow tempo. When I think "punk" I think "fast, up tempo". In that respect, it's hard for me to think of New Wave as punk. It's really slow. Really heavy. Which is awesome. It reminds of just some real, old-fashioned hard rock.

As I'm writing this, I'm listening through the album for the first time. I tend to subconsciously try to pull apart songs, singling out tracks, picking out the different instruments. A lot of music I hear, there's a lot of extra backing tracks stuck in there. It's very prominent in solo artist's work (because a single artist can't rightly play all the instruments himself...). On the other hand, I hear a lot of bands that sound kind of hollow because it's not mixed well. From what I can hear in New Wave, it's mixed perfectly. There's two guitars, vocals, a bass and a drum. I'm no expert, but in my opinion, the instruments have been mixed together very well, producing a full bodied sound without sounding over done.

The stand out track, for me, is track 6, Borne On The FM Waves Of The Heart. Simply because there's an extra female vocal track. It mixes things up pretty well. And I like that it's right there in the middle. Nice breath of fresh air. I'm not saying that the album gets monotonous, though. There's a wide variety on there, while not straying far from that root punk sound. The songs are all different enough to not be boring, but are all the same enough to remain a cohesive album. It's something that I would not mind listening to on repeat, unshuffled.

If you're a fan of rock, give this album a listen to. If you're protesting it because it's Against Me's debut album on a major label, you're an idiot. The major labels (despite being money hungry carnivores) provide bands with resources and publicity. They may have sold out, but I'm reaping the benefits.

All in all, three thumbs up. But that's just my opinion.

~Ben

Resources:

New Wave at Amazon: (http://www.amazon.com/New-Wave-Against-Me/dp/B000QFCD0Y/)
Against Me! at Wikipedia: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Against_Me%21)

I Love Music: Hold on Tight

It's that time again. I've got another song stuck in my head, and you get to reap the benefits (if you can call it that).

Today's earworm comes courtesy of The Electric Light Orchestra. ELO is probably best known for singles such as "Don't Bring Me Down", "Do Ya", and a cover of "Roll Over Beethoven". I'd heard the name before, but only recently got into them after hearing "Twilight" used as the opening for the cult Japanese Drama, Densha Otoko.

I purchased "Strange Magic: The Best of Electric Light Orchestra" to appease my craving. The problem is that ELO's music is very diverse. What I wanted was more "Twilight". And after learning that Twilight was part of larger entity that was the concept album titled "Time", I just had to own it.

"Time" is a great album. While no two songs on the album sound much alike, they are similar enough to form a cohesive being. And also, it's got a bunch of really catchy songs. Like "Hold On Tight".

So, without further adieu, "Hold on Tight" by Electric Light Orchestra.

~Ben

Resources:
ELO on Wikipedia: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ELO)
Time at Amazon: (http://www.amazon.com/Time-Electric-Light-Orchestra/dp/B00005KHEV)

I Love Music: Birdhouse in your Soul

I heard this the other day on Virgin. Birdhouse in your Soul by They Might Be Giants. They're kind of old news now, but I never really listened to them much. Just those two songs that were on Tiny Tunes that one time. Anyway, I heard this and it's been stuck in my head for a while now. And you know what happens when I get a song stuck in my head... I post the youtube video so that you guys can hear it and get it stuck in your head.

And there you have it... I don't know why I find it so appealing or why it's stuck in my head, but it's opened a whole new world for me. I bought A Users Guide To They Might Be Giants... it's their "best of" album. I found it at Best Buy and I really really like what I hear. I only got though about half of it so far, but I really look forward to the rest of it.

Until next time,
~Ben

Resources:
YouTube link: (http://youtube.com/watch?v=6kJD2N2gvqw)
"A User's Guide to They Might Be Giants" on Amazon: (http://www.amazon.com/Users-Guide-They-Might-Giants/dp/B0007XT8DA/)

I Love Music: Scouting for Girls

I previously wrote about my affinity for British Radio and one of my new favorite songs, Elvis Ain't Dead by Scouting for Girls. I really like that song. I also like the other two singles that they play on Virgin. So much, in fact, that I went out and got their debut, self-titled album, Scouting for Girls. And since it's not out in the States yet, I had to import it. It's like $35 to import a CD from the UK.

I'll be honest, here. I probably should have just gotten the single (http://www.amazon.com/Elvis-Aint-Dead-Scouting-Girls/dp/B000WTND8U/). It's not that it's a bad album. It's just a bit boring after a while.

Don't get me wrong, though. I still love that song, and I think these guys are great musicians. For a three piece piece that focuses on the piano and percussion, they're not too bad. The album's got a lot of guitars and other instruments mixed in there, but it's mostly the drums, piano, and vocals that stick out. And there's nothing wrong with that at all. It's put together really well.

I really dig the poppy, bouncy sound that they've got. I'm subconsciously forced to pop my head to it. Combined with the simplistic, repetitive vocals, it's really easy to get one of these songs stuck in your head.

Unfortunately, I dislike it for the same reasons I like it. While it's fun to hum and sing along to, there's really very little variety. Plenty of hooks, but little substance. For what they are, the songs are way too long. It's like they just keep dragging out. You hear everything they've got in the first half and it just repeats two or three times afterwards. If the songs were cut down to around 2 minutes, it'd be great, but 3.5 minutes is just too much for me. I guess that comes from being spoiled to short fast punk songs, and noisy AWK epics.

But as I've said, they're really great musicians. It's a personal preference thing. They're really big in the UK. For the past couple of weeks, the album's been at number 1. If it were five or six years ago, I could see these guys easily topping the US pop charts. Unfortunately, these days, most music buying Americans have bad taste. But what can I do, really? Other than write this blog and tell all my friends... Not much.

So. Summary. Scouting For Girls is a really great band and their single Elvis Ain't Dead is currently one of my favorite songs ever. Unfortunately, in my humble opinion, their debut album lacks variety and drags on. Not the best, but definitely not the worst. The album's not for me, but I highly recommend looking these guys up and judging for yourself. Or at least wait (and hope) for it to get released in the States.

Until next time,

~Ben

Resources:
My previous Scouting For Girls Post: (http://poonheads.blogspot.com/2007/11/scouting-for-girls-elvis-aint-dead.html)
Scouting For Girls by Scouting For Girls on Amazon: (http://www.amazon.com/Scouting-Girls/dp/B000UDQRKO/)
Elvis Ain't Dead single on Amazon: (http://www.amazon.com/Elvis-Aint-Dead-Scouting-Girls/dp/B000WTND8U/)
Scouting For Girls on Wikipedia: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scouting_for_Girls)

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I Love Music will be a regular feature of Poonheads Wisdom regarding a general love for music.

A Million Ukeleles

I had a relatively lame day today. I forgot my umbrella and the bottom fell out as soon as I got off the bus on campus. So, I had to take my BLAW test while completely soaking wet. Work was alright. Then I got home.

I didn't expect much except some dry trousers, but lo and behold, what did I find in the post? A small package from London. Its contents included a small pin-on button and a CD from my dear friend, M.J. Hibbett.

I had ordered Hibbett's new CD a week or so ago from his website (http://mjhibbett.tripod.com/releases/amillionukeleles.htm) and it had finally arrived. I make sure to get all of his stuff, cuz I really like it, but this one was special. It was his first proper solo album (as his previous work had been with his group, the Validators).

The first thing I noticed, even before I popped in the CD was the unique paper case that held the disc. It was hand colored with good old fashion crayons and made up like origami so that when opened, the disc popped straight up at you like a pop-up book. This amused me greatly.

With a title like "A Million Ukeleles", I was really expecting acoustic covers of Validators songs by Mark with a ukelele. This is not the case, however. It's true that the ukelele is a prominent instrument, but none of the tracks are acoustic and most are original. The one that did stand out was "Programming is the Poetry of our Time", but that had never actually been released on an album (only in the interactive bonus tracks and demos).

In general, I'd have to say that this album is a lot more laid back than his earlier Validators works. The earlier albums were an eclectic mix of hard rock, cheery folky indie, and old fashioned fun. A Million Ukeleles, is very different in tone. Probably because it does focus on the ukelele, which is reminiscent of Hawaii and other Pacific islands. While many of the songs contain electric guitar riffs and what sounds like a backing drum machine, the wispy carefree attitude permeates through out.

I can't say it's my favorite of his albums, but it's definitely a fun listen. I've only listened to it a couple of times so far and perhaps I'll change my mind after a few more. I'm a sucker for an outstanding heavy, distorted guitar riff, which this album is lacking. We'll see, though.

And I'm not saying it's bad. Far from it. I do really like it. All I'm saying is that it's not something I'd keep in my glove box to listen to when the radio sucks. If you're into softer, lighter indie sounds, however, then "A Million Ukeleles" is for you.

Cheers,

~~Ben