The Journey Back Entry 12: The Summer of ’65 Gets Progressively Better

The beginning of July 1965 saw the release of the appropriately named Summer Days (and Summer Nights!) by The Beach Boys. Apparently after the more progressive Today! , Capital Records asked Brian Wilson to tone it down a bit. The album features many of the traditional type songs from Summer Days but with a more layered production underneath. Once again, I’m drawn to the less surfy sound of the band and its the songs that have more instrumental experimentation that I was drawn towards while listening to this. Overall it isnt a bad album, its just not necessarily my cup of tea either. I think the fact that I’ve never lived in California also affects my  love for the band. They’re just too jolly. Take their most popular song on the album: “California Girls”. I recognize the importance but I cant say I enjoy listening to it.

1965 – Summer Days (and Summer Nights!) – Top Highlights

Then I Kissed Her – I love the guitar part on this song.

Girl Don’t Tell Me – I love the little vocal accents on this song. That “I’m the Guy-uy -uy!” part is so great. And the piano part in the background. And obviously minor key!

You’re So Good to Me – Ok so remember all that stuff I said about not liking how jolly the band is? Forget that this song always makes me smile! I think its the fact that they over sing it and it adds a sense of irony to the happiness that makes it infinitely more enjoyable. It helps that the backing music here is incredible. That addictive bass and drums accompanied by the “la la la” whiny vocals in the background. Reminds me of Muppet Babies. Actually most Beach Boys does. For better and worse.

Honorable mention for “I’m Bugged at My Old Man” as it gave me a great laugh.

 

So the theme of this article is progressively better album releases. The next to release was July 30th’s Out of our Heads by the Rolling Stones. Here the band continues its streak of releasing albums with a couple of really great songs and some other clear throw aways. Their sound hasn’t changed much mostly because once again we’re getting lots of covers. That being said, the standout single “Satisfaction” is on this album and it really does rock. Overall I would say this album is probably not “better” than Summer Days, just more down my alley.

1965 – Out of Our Heads – Top Highlights

(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction – What a riff!! So simple yet so addictive. What’s really interesting is that the distorted guitar was originally meant to later be replaced by a horn section. WHAT a different song it might have been! I’m glad it was kept with the guitar because it really is so immediately wonderful.

Cry To Me – I love Mick Jaggers wild vocals on this track. What really won me over was the line “Nothing could be sadder than a glass of wine alone!” Something about that image is just so wonderfully depressing.

Play with Fire – The Rolling Stones trying to be subtle?? Its so quiet. And that guitar part immediately following each line of “But dont play with me cause youre playing with fire.” is so mysterious. I think I just like the change of pace for the band and hope they pursue it further on future releases.

Not to be outdone by the Beach Boys or the Rolling Stones, the Beatles released their next album on August 6th 1965.  Help! accompanied a Beatles film which I have not seen. Still, no viewing of the movie is necessary to listen to the beautiful song writing and vocals on display here. If you remember I was disappointed in their last release of 1964 Beatles for Sale for being a quick cash in full of covers. Thankfully Help! is written by the band in full and is a much better album because of it. The Beatles are still a full on pop band but the songs are getting deeper. There’s more piano on the album and the instruments in general are taking more liberties from the traditional verse chorus structure. I’m nowhere near intelligent enough when in comes to recording techniques to comment on all the changes the Beatles are implementing but I can say that it sounds great. All that being said, its hard for me to review the Beatles albums in the comparison timeline because unlike most releases in 1965, I know how much potential the Beatles have yet to unleash.

1965 – Help! – Top 5 Highlights

Help! – The multiple layers in the first 10 seconds of this song alone are mind blowing. Lennon’s singing back against the harmonized cries for help and the bass and guitar underneath. I love the way the harmony part during the verses sings the same lines that Lennon is singing but at a different flow so that you hear them separately! It’s not a technique that always works but here it really succeeds. Plus the falsetto “Please please me” is such a great sing-a-long moment

I Need You – I promised I would keep following George Harrison’s songs. He gets 2 on Help! and my favorite is “I Need You”. One again a more mellow track. I love how sad that guitar sounds at the end of each line in the verse. It sounds like the guitar is dying. It’s a so bad its great kind of sound. The song reminds me of a sad puppy and to be honest I think that is what Harrison was going for.

She’s Got a Ticket To Ride – It’s hard for me to not like this song just based on the sheer amount of times I’ve heard it. I like how both Lennon and McCartney support each other vocally. Most important is the ending when the tempo changes and they sing “My baby dont care”. I love when songs break the verse/chorus mold for something special.

I’ve Just Seen a Face – What a beautiful song! I think this song continues to support the theory that I’m more of a McCartney fan than a Lennon fan. As I’ve mentioned before: while I’ve been listening to the Beatles for a long time, I’ve never payed attention to who wrote/sang what. Now that I’m exploring this aspect of the albums, Ive found that a lot of my favorites are McCartney songs. I like the twirling acoustic guitar in the song. Maybe its because a good acoustic guitar part is truly timeless to me, but I always find these stripped down songs to be my favorites on ’60’s albums so far (just like with Dylan).

Yesterday – OH boy. What can you say that hasn’t already been said? Its been voted the the best song of the 20th century and the greatest pop song of all time and for good reason. It’s only two minutes long but every second is well spent putting forth this perfect picture of heartbreak. What’s better than acoustic guitar alone? Strings of course.

I would end this entry here as its already overlong but the summer isnt over yet. August 30th 1965 saw the release of one more amazing album. Bob Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited. At this point Dylan was stressed out by his fans for not liking his change in direction and this led to a song writing drought. Coming off of  Help! , there is an instant gravity about this album compared to everything else I’ve heard to this point. On my first listen, the second that “Like a Rolling Stone” began playing, I just had this… awakening? I dont know how to describe it. Just this overwhelming feeling that music can be better. That in 1965, we were just getting started with rock and roll. The biggest immediately  noticeable difference was in the lyrics. Flip through the songs on Help!; these two or three minute pop songs about love and loss. Then play “Like a Rolling Stone”. Just the sheer volume of lyrics, and the density. Just, wow. Now the album does feature a lot of the crazy wild rock Dylan present on Bringing It All Back Home that I wasnt such a big fan of but it’s definitely more developed and fleshed out here. I think one of the greatest additions is Bob Dylan’s wider use of piano and organ on this album. The longer, slower, piano laden tracks tend to draw me in more than the wild rock and roll ones. This led me to  songs like “Ballad of a Thin Man” and “Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues”. The album starts out with its strongest track but it ends on its second strongest. “Desolation Row” is an 11 and a half minute acoustic guitar epic and I’m just glad he’s continued to include songs in this style. Now up there for me with “It’s Alright Ma”. I mentioned the depth of the lyrics earlier and I will now preface this by saying that depth doesnt necessarily mean connections. A lot of times I have no idea what Dylan is singing about. I am certain that HE knew exactly what he was talking about. For me, its more similar to a blind food tasting. You may not know what it is youre eating but good tasting food is good tasting food. Just listening to Dylan’s solid imagery is a gift.

1965 – Highway 61 Revisited – Top 5 Highlights

Like a Rolling Stone – A perfect song and a perfect experience. Maybe Bob Dylan’s best song? Something about how it all comes together musically and lyrically and emotionally. There’s just a magic here. The way Dylan yells the chorus. The way the organ continually plays. The jangling of the guitars. The spare use of harmonica. Wow.

<p><a href=”http://vimeo.com/5124986″>Like A Rolling Stone</a> from <a href=”http://vimeo.com/user1858627″>Lea Becker</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a&gt;.</p>

Ballad of a Thin Man – Haunting piano! Actually one of the first Dylan songs I ever heard and liked. Dylan’s talk singing works a lot better when he’s not yelling it in an extremely hoarse voice over jangling guitars. The cool factor of the piano adds a grounded feeling to Dylan’s talking. It works. It just works.

<p><a href=”http://vimeo.com/52383325″>Bob Dylan – The Ballad of a Thin Man</a> from <a href=”http://vimeo.com/user1114172″>Vasco Cavalcante</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a&gt;.</p>

Queen Jane Approximately – The piano here is in complete contrast to that of “Ballad of a Thin Man”, here adding a feel good beauty both to Dylan’s vocals and the song itself.

<p><a href=”http://vimeo.com/29149789″>Bob Dylan – “Queen Jane Approximately” MONO</a> from <a href=”http://vimeo.com/user5966392″>Curtis Mayfield</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a&gt;.</p>

Just Like Tom Thumb ‘s Blues – Once again its the beauty of the piano that won me over here. It’s hard to talk about a lot of Dylan’s songs because its so much better to just get them into your ears.

<p><a href=”http://vimeo.com/29785190″>Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues</a> from <a href=”http://vimeo.com/user1076768″>Vince Vercillo</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a&gt;.</p>

Desolation Row – I talked about this earlier but it really is all about the acoustic guitar here. It may be a bit repetitive but each note is played so beautifully that I have no problem listening to Dylan play it over the 11 minute length. This is a definitely a sit outside in the backyard and smoke a cigarette while staring at the night sky and contemplating life kind of experiences. Also if you stick around, you get one epic harmonica solo!

<p><a href=”http://vimeo.com/11222889″>Desolation Row</a> from <a href=”http://vimeo.com/user3675027″>Paul Tattam</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a&gt;.</p>

So overall, the summer of 65 was really a great time to be a fan of rock music. While the Beach Boys and Rolling Stones released decent albums, and the Beatles released another great one, it was Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited that captured my heart. I think I’ll be shocked if I find an album in 65 that I like more. Still I’m excited to try anyway and dive further into the 60’s less famous acts. I really am desiring to pick up the pace of this journey so that I can get to more and more music but I know that will come with sacrificing some of the writing so I haven’t decided exactly what Ill do just yet. Again thank you if you were able to read all the way to the end of this. Let me know if theres an album you think I missed or you definitely want me to check out in the future!

Current Obsession 03/20/14: †††

Its pronounced Crosses. This side project of Chino Moreno (Yes the Deftones!!) brings electronica and industrialized dance pop to a unique place and its definitely a place that I love. What you’re getting here is a mix of Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode and Justice all  blended together with Chino’s signature howls (though he’s less raspier here then on traditional Deftones albums) and then pushed out of obscurity into the mainstream. It’s equal parts dirty and dancy. It shouldnt work but for some reason I cant help but want to keep listening. Remember when pomDeterrific released that Nine Inch Nails and Carly Rae Jepsen “Call Me a Hole” Mashup? Its like Chino Moreno listened to that and thought, maybe we should try to get some of this action.

Two examples of the different sounds on this album:

The darker “This is a Trick”

And the poppier “Telepathy”

The Journey Back Entry 11: A Flock This Way Comes

Its the two year anniversary of this site being gifted to me by my [now wife] and I felt that was as good a reason as any to start the site running again! I really want to get things moving especially in my journey back series since theres so much music to get to. As the name suggests, this post will focus on debut albums of 2 bird based bands I constantly confuse in my head: The Byrds and The Yardbirds.

The Byrds, to my understanding, are the first true emergence of folk rock. They established this very easily by forming a rock band and then covering a bunch of Dylan songs. You cant go wrong covering Dylan songs for a folk rock band, especially since Dylan himself was beginning to experiment with rock and roll at this point. It should also be mentioned that band features David Crosby on guitars! Obviously I’ll be looking forward to more of him in the late 60’s. The album sounds about how you would expect it to: Like the Beatles doing multipart harmony covers of Dylan songs. I should point out that the sounding like the Beatles part was intentional with the band even purchasing instruments played by the Beatles. What’s really funny here is while most people seem to steer towards the Dylan covers as the best music on the album, I’m all in favor of the few compositions put forth by Gene Clark. I think it’s probably because I’ve heard all the Dylan originals first and to now hear them sung in such a poppy harmonized way seems to lessen the impact of Dylan’s raw versions. Still theres a lot to love here!

1965 – Mr. Tambourine Man – Top Five Highlights

I’ll Feel a Whole Lot Better – This song definitely reminds of the Beatles in that fun jingle jangle guitar and 3 part harmonies sense but theres nothing wrong with that! I loved A Hard Day’s Night.

Here Without You – I love the opening of this song! That guitar gets me every time! I like the beginning of each verse, something about those deep sad harmonies is just so wonderful. You can feel the melancholy but for some reason you want to be part of it.

The Bells of Rhymney – This song is a Pete Seeger cover but since Ive never heard the original version, I really liked this version. I think I just like the sad ones.

I Knew I’d Want You – Thats right! Another minor key harmonies track. This song appeared as a B-side for the “Mr. Tambourine Man” single released before the debut album. These two tracks were actually recorded by session musicians and therefore have a crisper sound to them.

It’s No Use – Once again its the opening guitar part that gets me into the song. In general, a song that can grab my attention in the opening seconds will keep me waiting for more interesting things to happen. I like the faster pace of this one and its dancy up and down nature. Plus: GUITARS!

When I listen to these albums, I dont read up on the song writers and such until after I’ve given the albums a few spins so it was really great when I found that my four favorite songs on the album were originals by the band. Definitely excited for the sequel!

Now onto a different form of bird altogether: The Yardbirds!

Here is another wild Rhythm and Blues british bands in the vein of The Rolling Stones. The Yardbirds are famous for kickstarting the careers of Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page. On For Your Love both Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton can be heard playing some MEAN blues guitar and the constant riffing stops them from sounding like Rolling Stones clones. The best example appears on the non-stop rocking guitar fest that is “I’m Not Talking” and “I Ain’t Done Nothing” both featuring Jeff Beck. I also happen to really like vocalist Keith Relf!

1965 – For Your Love – Top Highlights

For Your Love – The intro to the song is really cool and once Keith started the verses in a kind of call and response with the repetitive “For Your Love” chorus, I was sold.

I’m Not Talking – Seriously the guitar riff and solo work here is just top notch stuff. The guitar just never lets you rest and that a very very good thing.

I Ain’t Done Nothing – The guitar and drums duo that constantly hammers into your brain (you can hear it at the 1:21 second mark) combined with the call and response guitar and harmonica is enough to make any blues rocker happy!

Overall I was very happy with both The Byrds and the Yardbirds. I’m excited to hear more original compositions from the Byrds and maybe a little bit of uniqueness while I’m hoping that the Yardbirds continue to rock out but dont forget the importance of melody since a lot of the songs lack the typical verse chorus structure in favor of a more free flowing vibe that can make it hard to differentiate some of the lesser liked tracks on the album. Theres still a lot of albums left in 1965 but I hope to move things a long at a bit of a brisker pace so that we can get to more music faster! Thanks again for reading/commenting/sharing/liking!

Current Obsession 01/23/14: Panic! At The Disco – Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die!

I wasnt the really a fan of Panic! At the Disco for a long time. It took the friendship between them and one of my favorite bands of all time (See this video) to open up to the possibility of liking them. Then the band released Pretty. Odd. and after a few listens I was in love. That album was a huge style departure from the bands first outing and it actually led to the band splitting in half. Brendon Urie and drummer Spencer Smith kept the name Panic! At the Disco, but without the witty lyrics of guitarist Ryan Ross, their third album was tragically underwhelming. The band has reinvented itself once again in 2013 now as a 3 piece. Too Weird… isn’t going to make you a better person but it will make sure to put a smile on your face and a skip in your step. Heck it might even get you dancing! The album is a sleek set of 10 tracks that all feel like the same band while succeeding in never repeating themselves. Each track is packed full of wonderful ideas and highlighted with Brendon’s signature vocals (I’m a huge fan). The album is an amalgam of Lady Gaga, 30 Second’s to Mars, Depeche Mode, Nsync, Maroon 5 and Fallout Boy, but then distilled differently for each track. The result is an album that is just absolutely fun to listen to and one that constantly keeps you on the edge of your seat. I found myself waiting  for the album to fall apart. At the end of every song I thought “Alright, this next one is finally going to ruin the experience. ” Lyrically, I still miss Ryan Ross’s input but Panic! has put up so much smoke and mirrors around the lyrics that I honestly dont care. This is an album thats welcome in my car anytime.

Nicotine

While if I really think the album is worth a full listen, if you can only hear one song, it should be “Nicotine”. The first minute and a half of this song is… just seriously put it on! The perfect example of  how much is put into each song on this album. It starts with that bit of distortion and the really high piano keys… and then that funky guitar riff comes in, and there’s some shaky strings…. and then BOOM! the beat drops at the 18 second mark! Those drums!! Just when it seems like its about to get really exciting everything but the piano drops out to welcome in Brendon’s vocals. That doesnt last long as the beat comes back in to support him and the real magic happens when Brendon’s adds a little force right as this really funky bass line comes in for the assist at the 0:55 second mark with some clapping and then it all comes crashing together for the chorus. 

This is Gospel

The opening track of the album sounds a little bit more like the Panic! of old. I love the heart beat drums and the blasting chorus of “If you love me let me go!” This one definitely just really showcases how fun it is to belt along with Brendon Urie.

Miss Jackson

This one is definitely one of the most experimental tracks on the album. It has this Maroon 5 kind of rap/sing/talking thing going on, a little bit of Kanye influenced production in the repetitive choir sections. The song is in fact referencing Janet Jackson by the way. 

Girl That You Love

Welcome back to the 80’s! Got to love those drums. My favorite moment in this one occurs at the 2:26 mark. I’m just a sucker for those 80’s electro interludes just like on Amanda Palmer’s “Grown Man Cry”

Girls/Girls/Boys

That opening beat is so fun that I was worried this was going to be the song I didnt like. That prechorus at the 0:40 second mark changed my mind very quickly! I had to share the video for this one. Its so absolutely ridiculous that I cant help but laugh every time I watch it. I’ve never seen a naked man sing so passionately!

Casual Affair

I know this post is getting way too long but I had to share this one last song off the album because BASS!!! Oh and the way Brendon’s voice hits those notes on the second “atmosphere” line.

Current Obsession 11/03/13: Thrice – The Weight

As my wedding day draws closer and closer, this song is constantly running through my head.

Ive mentioned before on this site that Dustin Kensrue  is my favorite lyricist and “The Weight” is the most perfect picture of what the commitment to marriage really means. Today I found an acoustic version of the song and I just had to share it. If you’ve never heard the original you should definitely check out that version as well but this version makes it easier to hear all those beautiful lyrics. My favorite line is “A ring don’t mean nothing if you cant hold the weight.”

Elaine Gloria Baez, come what may, I wont abandon you and leave you behind because love is a loyalty sworn, not a burning for a moment. Come what may, I will be standing right here by your side. I wont run, though the storms getting worse and theres no end in sight. I love you all of you with all my heart.

Current Obsession 10/25/13: The Ongoing Concept

I know I know! Its been forever since Ive been posted anything here. The reasons abound but mostly focus in on me spending the last few months losing 23 pounds in order to surprise my Fiance I hadnt seen in 3 months. Did I mention I also moved halfway across the country(ish) in order to be near her. I also had to set up a new apartment space and get back to work force in NYC. Oh and I flew out to Dallas and Oklahoma City for a week. So yes… excuses excuses.

On to the important thing. Ive FINALLY gotten a chance to just sit down and listen to music while I wait for the 6 hour window that my gas company can come by and turn on my gas. The Ongoing Concept is best described by me as “Thrice on crack”. If you dont like screaming, this definitely is the band for you but if you either enjoy screaming or dont mind some of it mixed in with your music, then welcome to heaven! The band combines metalcore and… wild west style saloon pianos? on the albums true opener to create an amazing blend of powerful strangeness. The way the music flows between the two mediums is done so seamlessly you’ll wonder why its taken so long for this to happen! Like most aggressively screaming bands, this one tends to make me laugh out loud in amazement at the songs being played. Definitely give the song a full listen as you need more than just the first 30 seconds to appreciate this one.

I also find the video to Cover Girl to be very amusing, especially because I hadnt yet heard the band when I watched the video.

Current Obsession 09/28/2013: Drake

So, lets be honest: I havnt touched my blog in almost two months! Unfortunately, planning a huge move back to NY from Michigan occupies a lot of time and effort. I knew I had to cut something out for a few months and this seemed like the natural selection for me. When youre writing about music, you have to listen to that music a lot. So while writing all my reviews of music in the past and such, all the music I was gathering in the present sat barely touched. Technically I’ve still been working on this blog. I’ve just been doing it by listening to tons of music without the pressure of writing about it. Over the last few weeks though I’ve become obsessed with Drake and most of my listening has turned towards his last 2 releases, Thank Me Later  and Take Care.

Thank Me Later is the perfect album title for Drake since it really is how I feel about his music. The idea behind the title being that “You may not appreciate this album now but you’ll thank me later.” Which is true! I didnt get into Thank Me Later until Take Care  came out and I’m only just now getting heavily into Take Care now that his new album has released. I’m just going to share a couple of my favorites.

Fireworks – This moody piano number with sparse drums and Alicia Keys is the opener on Thank Me Later and the song that I originally thanked him later for. I was initially bored with the song feeling like it took way too long to get started and never really went anywhere. Ive done a complete 180 on the song though mostly due to me fully embracing Drakes singing and rapping styles.

Find Your Love – This was actually the first Drake song I loved mostly because it has Kanye’s 808’s and Heartbreak written all over it. Actually Drake credits that album with giving him the confidence to sing on his albums which I’m forever thankful for since its my favorite aspect of his sound.

 

Those first two were just samplers of Thank Me Later. The real obsession for me right now is with Take Care. Some of these songs Ive listened to 25 or 30 times in the last 3 or 4 days alone. Its gotten that bad.

Headlines – The beat on this song…. And Drakes flow. Its just… perfect. And the line “I had someone tell me I fell off, ooh I needed that, And they want to see me pick back up, well, where’d I leave it at” is just delivered so perfectly. But getting back to the beat, it reminds me of this single moment in the miyazaki film Laputa (Castle in the Sky in the US) soundtrack that happens at the moment when Pazu hangs upside down to rescue Sheeta from a tower. I know thats a super specific reference so ignore it if you dont know it but its one of my favorite scenes in all of film so the fact that this songs draws up memories of it is just wonderful.

Take Care – I’m a fan of the xx and so are Rihanna and Drake. Nowhere is this more apparent than on their obvious homage to that band with this quiet duet (The song samples Jamie xx). My favorite moment on the track is Drake’s line “It’s my birthday, I’ll get high if I want to, can’t deny that I want you, but I’ll lie if I have to.” Something about its delivery just gets me every single time.

Shot for Me – This is one I only recently rediscovered. I love how petty the first verse is. I listened to it and was just like, “Wow this guy must have been pretty hurt by these women to attack them so viciously. Very immature….” And then the second verse roles around and you get to see this entirely different side of him where he admits that he wrote this petty first verse but obviously he still cares about these women who left him. He ends the song with a prayer that their lives get better. I think it was mostly the surprise that got to me. I judged him harshly about how mean he was being only to find out he understood exactly how petty he was.

 

Those are just a VERY QUICK sampling of what Drake has to offer so if you liked those definitely check out the rest of his body of work. Once again I’m sorry I havnt written much lately but hopefully that will change once I’m back in New York City!

Build a Workout Stride: Kanye West – Jesus Walks

The marching nature of “Jesus Walks” provides the perfect momentum for a relentless stride. I cranked up the intensity on this one when the rest of my body was begging for rest and it got me to keep going full power. Not to mention, as a christian, being reminded that “Jesus walks with me” while on a difficult walk… You get what I’m saying. Empowering.

Build a Workout Burnout: Lostprophets – Start Something

I knew I wanted to run full speed for this section so I pulled out the insanely rageful “Start Something”. That guitar riff that leads into the “1 2 3 4!” combined with some pretty heavy rhythm guitars turn this into a great burnout as long as metal and screaming motivate you. And it gives you a bit of respite at the end with some beautiful piano.

Build a Workout Mix: Successful Mix 10

If you’re not sure what this is about, start by heading HERE and reading the introduction to this section of my blog.

For my tenth successful mix, I’ve changed things up significantly! The worst enemy of working out is of course: not wanting to work out. And the number 1 reason for me: Its boring!

That means I have to change up my methods from time to time. Its all well and good to run 7 days a week but if by day 3 you hate it, you’re not doing it right. If you cant make exercise new and exciting, you WILL give up. It happens to me all the time. In an effort to stop that, this week I’ve added a serious workout section in-between to short runs. When it comes to lifting weights, just find some music that gets you pumped. Here, I’m going to focus on those 2 small runs that go hand in hand.

10 Minute Warm Up Run

1. Returns a King – Tyler Bates

2. J-E-N-O-V-A – Nobuo Uematsu

3. Those Who Fight Further – The Black Mages

The main idea here is start off you pre-workout with a ten minute warm up run. The format here being Warm Up – Stride – Burnout, and then heading into your physical workout.

10 Minute Burst Run

1. Start Something – Lost Prophets

2. Jesus Walks – Kanye West

3. What’s the Use of Wond’rin? – Amanda Palmer

The burst run has no warm up! In fact, it starts with a Burnout, then Stride and Cool Down. At the end of a workout I always have pent up energy. I think its adrenaline do to the fact that I just used my body to its full potential. The first few minutes of this burst run are meant to be met at full speed to drag out any left over energy in your body before a final rest.

My warm up run started off slow. It had been a while since I heard this song so after the initial choir section, I thought it would pick up immediately. My body felt ready to spring but the music was still chugging along in a second louder choir section. Just when I was ready to accept this song as a failure of a warm up,  the song burst forth letting me pick up the pace. Use this as long as you’re prepared for and extended walking period for the first two minutes.

Something about boss battle music in Final Fantasy games is just perfect for running. While most end up as burnouts, “J-E-N-O-V-A” has a more steady pace that lends itself well to a stride.

Speaking of Final Fantasy… This excellent reworking of the Final Fantasy VII boss battle theme by Nobuo Uematsu’s prog metal band The Black Mages is a great burnout. I think it succeeds for me mostly on the merits of the organ part at 0:24 that repeats throughout the song. My feet land with such conviction when that organ plays.

All in all a great warm up run that got me ready for the heavy lifting and woke my body up from a lazy slumber.

My warm up run was more soundtrack oriented so I decided to make my burst run full of modern influences.

 

I knew I wanted to run full speed for this section so I pulled out the insanely rageful “Start Something”. That guitar riff that leads into the “1 2 3 4!” combined with some pretty heavy rhythm guitars turn this into a great burnout as long as metal and screaming motivate you. And it gives you a bit of respite at the end with some beautiful piano.

The marching nature of “Jesus Walks” provides the perfect momentum for a relentless stride. I cranked up the intensity on this one when the rest of my body was begging for rest and it got me to keep going full power. Not to mention, as a christian, being reminded that “Jesus walks with me” while on a difficult walk… You get what I’m saying. Empowering.

I’ve always wanted to use this really out there almost unrecognizable Amanda Palmer number for a cool down and I finally got a chance. It did not disappoint! As long as you’re a fan of AFP.

So there you have it! Another successful run that brings something different to the table to keep things interesting. Thanks again to anyone who reads these. I hope they help and inspire you to create your own workout mixes!

 

 

Current Obsession 07/29/13: Linked Horizon – Guren No Yumiya

This is the opening theme song to the new anime “Attack on Titan”! My enjoyment of anime has cut down drastically in the last few years mostly due to a diminished ability to commit to animation with so few frames per second. “Attack on Titan” is a perfect example of everything that is both right and wrong with anime and it has thoroughly grabbed my attention. It has the extremely long winded drawn out internal monologues that take up half an episode with an overdramatized story but it also has moments of intense awesomeness and interesting plot lines that you WILL NOT find anywhere else. It has sometimes terrible/sometimes perfect animated characters and cliff hangers that span multiple episodes filled with flashbacks. Oh an lots and lots oh whining. To be fair though, the horror that these characters face merits a lot of that crying. What is absolutely flawless is the anime’s music headlined by this excellent, extremely epic over the top piece by Linked Horizon.

Revo, a japanese composer and leader of the group Sound Horizon, specializes in creating epic fantasy operas told in the form of multiple intertwining stories on giant concept albums. He also writes music under Linked Horizon which focuses its efforts on anime and video game soundtracks. “Guren No Yumiya” may be the single greatest opening to an anime of all time (this is making me really want to make a ranked list about great anime openings) with a huge brass section, a chanting choir, multiple vocalists and a guitars that support a climb into heaven. The song is so epic that it borders on parody of epic music. There has been a huge amount of videos on youtube putting this theme to non-epic things in order to make them more epic. Think the guile music goes with everything series on steroids.

I made the mistake of watching a couple episodes of the show back to back before heading off to work and my brain literally replayed the trumpet and choir parts OVER AND OVER in my head for my ENTIRE 8 hour shift. It kind of went like this:

 

And this is my favorite so far of the goes with everything videos:

Build a Workout Warm Up: Jem – 24

There is just something about the strings in “24” that scream: GET READY FOR BATTLE! “24” served as an excellent warm up as instruments are continually added until you reach the bouncy chorus and you body goes into full on power mode.

Build a Workout Cool Down: Jeff Buckley – Corpus Christi Carol

Jeff Buckley’s “Corpus Christi Carol” works perfectly as a cool down with its quiet music and colossal falsetto vocal work by my favorite vocalist of all time. This is actually the first song by Jeff Buckley I ever heard. Seriously consider this one!

Build a Workout Mix: Successful Mix 9

If you’re not sure what this is about, start by heading HERE and reading the introduction to this section of my blog.

This mix is a reworking of Successful Mix 8 which you can read about HERE

First, the tracklist:

1. Demon God – Joe Hisaishi

2. Angel of Salvation – Galneryus

3. Corpus Christi Carol – Jeff Buckley

4. 24 – Jem

5. Dynomite – Ima Robot

6. Farewell to Cheyenne – Ennio Morricone

This mix, like the last one is really focusing around my new additional song type: The Monster. That track here is “Angel of Salvation” which I kept in the mix since it worked so well. Instead I basically changed around all the rest of the tracks.

I started things off with Joe Hisaishi’s “Demon God” from the film Princess Mononoke. Unfortunately the song was pulled off of youtube so I dont have the link. I think the song worked ok as a warm up. A bit slow on the build and it never gets quite fast enough but it does the job. I think it works better if you’ve seen the film.

Next come the monster “Angel of Salvation” which worked just as well as last time.

I followed this up with another cool down just like last time since “Angel of Salvation” is basically a 14 minute burn out. Jeff Buckley’s “Corpus Christi Carol” works perfectly as a cool down with its quiet music and colossal falsetto vocal work by my favorite vocalist of all time. This is actually the first song by Jeff Buckley I ever heard. Seriously consider this one!

There is just something about the strings in “24” that scream: GET READY FOR BATTLE! “24” served as an excellent warm up as instruments are continually added until you reach the bouncy chorus and you body goes into full on power mode.

I chose “Dynomite” for my burnout because I wanted something that only lasted a few minutes. The song has this really wild nature to it and it just gets crazier the longer it goes on. I dont think its a burn out for everyone but it will definitely serve if youre in the right mood.

Ennio Morricone for a cool down. Seriously what more needs to be said?

Not my best run for sure but nothing really fell apart either so I’m still naming it a success.

 

 

The Journey Back Entry 10: The Beach Boys Get High and Them Get Angry

I promised last time that I’d finally address the next Beach Boys album so here goes…

I think that the stories behind this album are a lot more interesting than the finished product but sometimes thats the nature of the beast. In this case, lead singer of the Beach Boys suffered a severe anxiety attack in December of 1964 leading to him swearing off of touring in the beginning of 1965. This actually may have turned out for the better though since the band simply replaced him on stage for the tour while providing him full time in the studio to write whatever he wanted. My struggle with the Beach Boys thus far is that my brain isnt trained to listen for anything deeper in surf rock so I end up hearing better produced versions of practically the same song from album to album(in my head). While surf rock still exists on Today!, Brian Wilson is seriously pushing it to its limits trying new things and shying away from the bands previous main stays. The first half of the album is still more traditional to their sound while the second half contains more ballads and experimentation. Its still tough for me to listen to. Its funny because I can hear that things are taking a turn but they all still sound so “beach boys-y”. Mainly, I think it comes down to the truly “west coast” attitude of the Beach Boys that keeps me disconnected. I need to go live in LA and have beautiful weather year round and go surfing. Maybe then I’ll be more geared towards this sound. Another interesting tidbit of knowledge? Brian Wilson’s anxiety led him to start smoking marijuana. All these changes to the band I think are beginning to show but the next couple albums will tell whether the band can completely step away from its surf rock roots and grab my interest for more than an instant.

1965 – Today! – Highlights

Help Me, Rhonda – I like that the song doesnt have the typical Surf Rock rhythm and while the chorus does get a bit repetitive, the verses are new and exciting with plenty of interesting harmonies and a really fun guitar part.

I’m So Young – The opening harmony hooks you and I just love the over the top confidence of the opening line “I have a girlfriend! She saaays I’m her only one…” and then the beat kicks in with that same high pitched single vocal track with deep bass backing vocals. It’s a classic 50’s doo-wop! No seriously its a cover of 1958 doo-wop song.

Kiss Me, Baby – I love Brian Wilson’s vocals on this track and the way he sings them with this echoing response without a call kind of feeling. It’s the most “not surf rock” sounding track so far and I hope they go further in this direction. Lots of cool percussion on this one too!

In the Back of My Mind – Another song with a slower tempo. I really love the sound of the vocals on this one and the vocal production.

And now… Time for a new band!! Introducing the irish answer to the Rolling Stones: Them!

Them is important because it introduces the world to someone who I’m very excited to follow in the future, the one and only Van Morrison! The album is half covers and half Van Morrison originals. Their sound is a lot more produced than the Rolling Stones and the wide presence of an organ reminds me of the Animals. Van Morrison’s voice has a striking similarity to that of Mick Jagger and I can even go so far as to say sometimes I have a hard time telling them apart. That being said, Van Morrison is definitely the better vocalist, though I personally enjoy the more raw and untamed voice of Mick. At first I thought he was attempting to imitate Mick Jagger but I found out that both are big fans of another artist Howlin’ Wolf. Im actually planning to go back and check out his debut album because I love both vocalists and their wild shouting style. The band also uses harmonica at a very sexy level. The music is still pretty straight forward so while I find the album an enjoyable listen, the tracks seem to blend mostly together with only a couple of real standouts. Im excited to see the progression of both the band and Van Morrison as they carve out a bigger piece of the Rhythm and Blues pie for themselves.

1965 – Angry Young Them – Top 5 Highlights

If You and I Could Be As Two – Tell me you cant hear the Rolling Stones when you listen to this?? This is one of the songs on the album penned by Morrison. The highlight for me is the amazing piano part! Feels like the fingers are just dancing along those keys

Gloria – Another Morrison tune, this one reminds me of “Louie Louie” by the Kingsman for some reason. My favorite part is at about 1:08 when this amazing guitar part comes in and then the song just kind of pulls back and theres this subtle organ part and Van Morrison just starts yelling while the drums float around his voice before everything crashes back in!

You Just Cant Win – This one takes it back a notch to create a slower groove while cranking up the sexy. I love when the drums start rumbling right as Van calls out the chorus. Once again theres some beautiful jangling guitars here.

I’m Gonna Dress in Black – This one isnt a Van Morrison original but once again, the wild organ is what pulled me in. It has this really good, southern flare to it that is just undeniably sexy.

Bright Lights Big City – This one is a cover of a the classic blues song by Jimmy Reed. They really nail the feel and theres some great blues guitar on showcase here.

So there you have it! I wanted to also write about The Byrds today but this entry ended up being longer than I expected and theres already enough great music here. I’ll leave you with one last image. The artwork for Angry Young Them which is one of the best album covers I’ve ever seen. Its like an awkward family photo. So many amazing things going on. Until next time!

Build a Workout Warm Up: Cake – Arco Arena

Cake’s “Arco Arena” is a short mesmerizing fury of dancing guitars and chilling beats and builds at just the right pace to get my body pumped up again.

Build a Workout Monster: Galneryus – Angel of Salvation

When I say that I had to create a new mix category just to add this song, I hope you get excited. This may be the single best song to run to I have discovered yet! This Monster of a song tops in at 14:42 and contains some of the best fast paced melodic electric guitar I’ve ever heard that. Liquid Tension Experiment quality guitar combined with Dragonforce levels of epicness and the sexiness of X-Japan makes up this absolutely fantastic mega burnout. I would say I was running at top speed for almost 10 minutes of its 14 minutes length, resting for a couple minutes during the middle extended guitar solo and during the final two minute finale. A Monster is a song you should only add to a mix with special preparation as it is designed specifically to push your body to its limits over an extended period of time. Each Monster must be used with very specific purpose since each one may allow for a different amount of warm up, stride, burnout and cool down. In the case of “Angel of Salvation” it is probably 80-90 percent burnout! This song will destroy your body in the best of ways. I cannot recommend it enough.

Build a Workout Mix: Successful Mix 8

If you’re not sure what this is about, start by heading HERE and reading the introduction to this section of my blog.

To keep things fresh, I decided to create a completely new mix today.

1. The Ecstasy of Gold – Ennio Morricone

2. Angel of Salvation – Galneryus

3. Interchange with Ohmu – Joe Hisaishi

4. Arco Arena – Cake

5. Naruto Main Theme – Toshiro Masuda

6. Requiem, Dies Irae – Verdi

7. Yakusoku no Chi – Nobuo Uematsu

With this mix comes a new structure that is mostly based around a new mix component: The Monster. The Monster is any song that is over 6 minutes though the time value is not set in stone. Basically this type of song serves to take over a large section of your workout and may include warm ups, strides, burnouts and cool downs within it’s massive length. Todays example is “Angel of Salvation” toping in at a whopping 14 minutes and 42 seconds.

Listening to “The Ecstasy of Gold” while trying to accomplish anything comes with insane results. Just walking down the street while listening to this song will provide you with an uncanny ability to shoulder other people out of your way as you slow motion bad ass walk to your next destination, oblivious to all those around you. The song works very well as a warm up when you really need to get your mind in the proper place for an extended workout. It didnt make me run too fast but it did set my mind in the perfect place for the rest of my run.

When I say that I had to create a new mix category just to add this song, I hope you get excited. This may be the single best song to run to I have discovered yet! This Monster of a song tops in at 14:42 and contains some of the best fast paced melodic electric guitar I’ve ever heard that. Liquid Tension Experiment quality guitar combined with Dragonforce levels of epicness and the sexiness of X-Japan makes up this absolutely fantastic mega burnout. I would say I was running at top speed for almost 10 minutes of its 14 minutes length, resting for a couple minutes during the middle extended guitar solo and during the final two minute finale. A Monster is a song you should only add to a mix with special preparation as it is designed specifically to push your body to its limits over an extended period of time. Each Monster must be used with very specific purpose since each one may allow for a different amount of warm up, stride, burnout and cool down. In the case of “Angel of Salvation” it is probably 80-90 percent burnout! This song will destroy your body in the best of ways. I cannot recommend it enough.

I followed up this Monster of a track with Joe Hisaishi’s “Interchange with Ohmu” as a cool down. Unfortunately I cant find a version on youtube so I wont be able to share this under two minute break I took.

After my short rest I went right into this brief warm up psyche myself back up. Cake’s “Arco Arena” is a short mesmerizing fury of dancing guitars and chilling beats and builds at just the right pace to get my body pumped up again.

The original Naruto anime has a ton of great music in it. Case in point with this main theme which works great as a stride. The song combines old school japanese drums, flutes and shamisen with modern drums and electric guitars to create a perfect blend of motivational strengthening music. Tell me this song doesnt make you want to rise above adversity and save the world with your friends.

I wanted one final burst of energy for the end of my run so I selected this piece from Verdi’s “Requiem” which for me brings up memories of Battle Royale. There is this sheer intensity to the strings and choir that brings out whatever you have left for one final lap. Great when you only have a minute or two left of burnout in you.

This beautiful choral piece off of the Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children soundtrack is one of the most beautiful I’ve ever heard. What a great way to cool down for the final three minutes of your run.

So there you have it. I highly recommend this mix for those with a soft spot in their hearts for epic music and who really want to push their body to the limit.

 

 

Build a Workout Cool Down: The Game – My Life Feat. Lil Wayne

For a cooldown I selected The Game’s “My Life”. Two reasons. The first is I’m a big fan of Lil Wayne’s autotuned singing (Sacrilegious I know). The second is that a good emotional story is a great way to end a run, encouraging you to finish out those last couple minutes by keeping your brain occupied.

Build a Workout Stride: Rihanna – Don’t Stop The Music

Rihanna songs are almost always good for strides. They have fun beats that keep you moving and often times allow for some great sing-alongs to keep you entertained for their entire length. Plus who doesnt love Rihanna’s voice?

Build a Workout Mix: Successful Mix 7

If you’re not sure what this is about, start by heading HERE and reading the introduction to this section of my blog.

This mix is an altered version of Successful Mix 6 which can be found HERE

1. HARDER, BETTER, FASTER, STRONGER – Daft Punk

2. We R Who We R – Ke$ha

3. Crazy In Love – Beyonce

4. Paper Planes – M.I.A.

5. Boom Boom Pow – Black Eyed Peas

6. Right Hand Hi – Kid Sister

7. Dont Stop the Music – Rihanna

8. My Life Feat. Lil Wayne – The Game

Since my last mix was already mostly pop and electronic music, I decided to completely dedicate this mix to that theme. I replaced “Boom Boom Pow” with some Daft Punk, and moved it down to replace “Chariots of Fire”. I also added “Paper Planes” and “Dont Stop the Music” as my new strides and “Right Hand Hi” replacing the B’z. Finally I added The Game’s “My Life” to replace the Offspring to complete my all pop oriented mix.

Daft Punk’s “HARDER, BETTER, FASTER, STRONGER” is a perfect Warm Up because the song has this natural build to it. It starts off working with these separate ideas and then starts playing them off of one another ratcheting up the songs intensity. When the 2 minute mark hits and the song reaches its best sections, my body was primed for my run. Couldnt ask for more.

“We R Who We R” and “Crazy In Love” continue to do their jobs.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, strides are all about consistent beats and a bit of variety to keep you interested. “Paper Planes” is a natural fit, providing a cathartic beat juxtaposed with an amazing hook full of gunshots and M.I.A.’s soft vocals. This one is a winner.

If there was any stumble in my workout, it was probably “Boom Boom Pow“. While the song worked great as a mix opening warm up, it stumbles a bit as a mid-mix song. At this point I was getting pretty tired and was looking forward to taking things down a notch. This song just starts with a bit too much intensity for the slower paced song I was hoping for. Still, I made it work and it wasnt enough to ruin or breakup my workout so I’m still claiming success. If anything it made me run a little bit faster and longer.

Kid Sister’s “Right Hand Hi” works for one very solid reason. A MONSTER BEAT! One of the most ferocious bass beats I’ve heard in recent memory, the song works great as a burnout because your body just cant think of moving slowly to something this aggressive. One weakness is that I really wanted to break out dancing when I heard it, which unfortunately is not a good idea on a treadmill.

Rihanna songs are almost always good for strides. They have fun beats that keep you moving and often times allow for some great sing-alongs to keep you entertained for their entire length. Plus who doesnt love Rihanna’s voice?

For a cooldown I selected The Game’s “My Life”. Two reasons. The first is I’m a big fan of Lil Wayne’s autotuned singing (Sacrilegious I know). The second is that a good emotional story is a great way to end a run, encouraging you to finish out those last couple minutes by keeping your brain occupied.

So there you have it. Another run finished and another mix completed.

Build a Workout Cool Down: The Offspring – Gone Away

I really wanted to use this song for a stride or burnout but it wasnt well paced enough for the former and not energetic enough for the latter. I think it works well as a cool down because it has that end of the movie feeling to it. There’s an element of exhaustion in the delivery that coincides well with those final walking minutes after a long run. If you still have breathe, feel free to sing along!

Build a Workout Burnout: Beyonce – Crazy In Love

Just like Ke$ha, I think a love for the artist goes a long way in making her songs work for Burnouts. That being said, the horns that make up the back bone of “Crazy In Love” should propel anyone forward for that extra push. I ran to this a couple times and every single time, the horns shamed be into running that extra mile. How can you slow down with those blaring in your ears?

Build a Workout Stride: Bell Biv Devoe – Poison

I absolutely cannot listen to this song and not picture Mac from Always Sunny doing karate chops in the Dance-Off episode. Seriously go find that video if you’ve never seen it. The repetitive drum beat kept me moving at a constant place for its entire four minute length while the different vocalists and playful nature of the song keeps your mind occupied along with your body.

Build a Workout Warm Up: Black Eyed Peas – Boom Boom Pow

“Boom Boom Pow” worked perfectly for me. Each verse adds a bit to this ever changing futuristic beat. My body was constantly being pushed to run a little bit harder and a little bit faster which is EXACTLY what you want from a Warm Up. Plus that moment where Fergie asks Will.I.Am. to drop the beat pushed me into a frenzied dash. And excellent warm up for anyone more interested in electronic sounding music. I’ll also point out that I used the 4 minute radio edit rather than the 5 minute album version.

Build a Workout Mix: Successful Mix 6

If you’re not sure what this is about, start by heading HERE and reading the introduction to this section of my blog.

This mix is an altered version of Successful Mix 5 which can be found HERE

1. Boom Boom Pow – Black Eyed Peas

2. We R Who We R – Ke$ha

3. Crazy In Love – Beyonce

4. Poison – Bell Biv Devoe

5. Chariots of Fire – Vangelis

6. IT’S SHOWTIME!! – B’z

7. Du Hast – Rammstein

8. Gone Away – The Offspring

Its been a MONTH since my last workout post! The lesson here is that sickness is the absolute enemy to working out. I actually ran this mix a month ago, then got sick before I could write about it. Ran the mix again a few weeks later and then again was sick. I finally ran this mix for a third time last night and I’m finally getting a chance to sit down and write about it after throwing “A Feast for Crows” across the room to stop myself from reading it long enough to work this up. (See my Current Obsession)

Obviously if you remember Successful Mix 5, much here has changed. If things are working, I’d like to add lots of new stuff so that the lists will continue to build and you in turn will have more tools to work with. The only songs that remain are “IT’S SHOWTIME!!” and “Du Hast” which have been moved to the latter half of the mix.

We start off with Warm Up “Boom Boom Pow” which worked perfectly for me. Each verse adds a bit to this ever changing futuristic beat. My body was constantly being pushed to run a little bit harder and a little bit faster which is EXACTLY what you want from a Warm Up. Plus that moment where Fergie asks Will.I.Am. to drop the beat pushed me into a frenzied dash. And excellent warm up for anyone more interested in electronic sounding music. I’ll also point out that I used the 4 minute radio edit rather than the 5 minute album version.

Continuing with the electronic theme, I rolled right into “We R Who We R” for my first stride. The song just has this pulsing driving beat that works perfectly. Ke$ha is definitely a hate it or love it kind of pop star so if you dont like Ke$ha, definitely dont add this to a mix. If you love Ke$ha, this song could actually work as both a Warm Up (cause it will get your blood pumping) or as a Burnout (cause Ke$ha love has an huge intensity about it! 

Rounding out the electronic theme of this opening fast paced mix is Beyonce’s “Crazy In Love”. Just like Ke$ha, I think a love for the artist goes a long way in making her songs work for Burnouts. That being said, the horns that make up the back bone of “Crazy In Love” should propel anyone forward for that extra push. I ran to this a couple times and every single time, the horns shamed be into running that extra mile. How can you slow down with those blaring in your ears?

My second stride for the run is the amazing “Poison”. I absolutely cannot listen to this song and not picture Mac from Always Sunny doing karate chops in the Dance-Off episode. Seriously go find that video if you’ve never seen it. The repetitive drum beat kept me moving at a constant place for its entire four minute length while the different vocalists and playful nature of the song keeps your mind occupied along with your body.

This song was literally made for running to! I mean thats what the movie is about right? I will say that I still associate this song most with Will Ferrell doing is acrobatics in Old School. A perfect Warm Up because not only does it build at a soft slow pace, it motivates your psyche. Its very important that you listen to music that almost forces you to want to win and succeed because otherwise theres nothing stopping you from quitting. To be honest, making this your alarm when you wake up the mornings you plan to run couldnt hurt.

“IT’S SHOWTIME!!” and “Du Hast” I’ve already spoke about and each song still served me well near the end of my run.

Finally, I selected “Gone Away” for my cool down. I really wanted to use this song for a stride or burnout but it wasnt well paced enough for the former and not energetic enough for the latter. I think it works well as a cool down because it has that end of the movie feeling to it. There’s an element of exhaustion in the delivery that coincides well with those final walking minutes after a long run. If you still have breathe, feel free to sing along!

So thats it for this long delay mix post! Hopefully the next one wont need another month to go up. Im sure my belly is hoping the same.

 

 

Current Obsession 06/15/13: Yeezus

I have no words! And yet I must talk about this! I was gonna be good and wait till Tuesday for the album to release but I just couldnt wait and I am just overwhelmed with how beyond compare this album really is! This is the album I’ve been waiting for. I’ve actually been pretty down on new music in the last year or so. While there have been some great albums, I couldnt find anything that really revolutionized the soundscape once again. I pinned all my hopes on this years “Random Access Memories” by Daft Punk and I came away sorely disappointed. While I dont think it was a bad album, I just felt like it was an album that looked back on the history of music rather than stretching its bounds into new territory. “Yeezus” is basically Kanye’s song “Monster” stretched to album length blended with 808’s and Heartbreaks, Nine Inch Nails, These New Puritans and Daft Punk. The music is ingenious, beautiful, heart wrenching, ear splitting and terrifying! It’s Kanye’s darkest work and also maybe his best. The opening seconds of “On Sight” assault your brain with a crushing beat produced by… Daft Punk! The album continues from its aggressive introduction with an onslaught of crushing beats over Kanye hating on everything and everyone with just the right amount of absurdity and tongue in cheek(ish) Kanye flare. “Black Skinhead”, “I am A God”, “New Slaves”. Each song just keeps upping the ante as Kanye tops himself again and again. When the album does finally begin to slow down during the second half, Kanye’s now familiar autotune croon of 808’s and “Runaway” takes over this time backed by everything from Billie Holiday samples to gently stroked grand pianos to blaring horns. No moment on  the album is wasted with constant new sounds and ideas sending shockwaves through your brain as it tries to grasp the sheer amazement of the sounds coming into you ears. I’ve only heard the album once but all I want to do is dive back in and hear it a hundred more times. I can guarantee this will be playing constantly in my car this summer as I dive deeper. This album is not to be missed.

 

Current Obsession 06/07/13: The Kinks – Nothin’ In This World Can Stop Me Worryin’ ‘Bout That Girl

You can read lots more about this song in my most recent Journey Back entry but I couldnt resist sharing this amazing song all on its own. What a beauty.

Build a Workout Cool Down: Bill Withers – Ain’t No Sunshine

Wow. What a beautiful cool down! Bill Withers sexy voice and thumping guitar slowed me way down so that I could stretch out my sore muscles walking the last couple minute of my workout in perfect bliss.

Build a Workout Stride: A R Rahman – Aaj Ki Raat

Here’s another from the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack. “Aaj Ki Raat” is a monster of a stride topping out at over 6 minutes! It kept me going  with its simple danceable beat and trance inducing singers mesmerizing me for the entire time. So pretty!