For the love of music
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, twice, Samuel Barber is perhaps most renowned for his beautiful work, Adagio for Strings. Rich, robust and engagingly gorgeous, its entire movement and scope is of utter greatness. Abundantly used when a struggle, an emotional strife, or a sad moment requires a sound for definition (think Platoon in a trapped jungle, … [Read more...]
The mysterious effects of remote Texan territory that births some of music’s most recent high points (here’s to Sonic Ranch for some of 2012’s best albums) is beginning to look more and more assured. Residing in Austin, instrumental band Balmorhea has always impressed with a calmly classical viewpoint, forming into a soft-forming, sometimes … [Read more...]
Perhaps for many of us, the opening introduction into Antony Hegarty’s passionate music was on the initial strands of life of “Hope There’s Someone.” Although he and his Johnsons had already developed a rich following with their self-titled effort, I Am A Bird Now flourished with emotionally-vested, brilliantly-composed forays into the … [Read more...]
With every trite and overused musical description, there is the willful decision in realizing that almost everything to say about music has been said already. What exactly that means is if someone proclaims the newly restored Radiohead album as a terrific exercise in rock and pop, for how many other bands/albums/songs can we say that about? I look … [Read more...]
I must admit, its been many years since I've been really pleased with a Jim Jarmusch film. I was an obsessive fan of his work in the 80's and 90's. From Stranger than Paradise all the way through Ghost Dog, I anticipated each release. Although I don't care for his film work these days, I was excited to hear about his musical endeavors with the … [Read more...]
There is addition by subtraction, when a band strips its sound down and gets to the core of it, yielding a rawer, truer vibe. Then there is simply subtraction by subtraction, when a band takes away something essential to its music, leaving it with less than it started with. Tom Hagerman, the violin, accordion, piano, Melodica man of DeVotchka, has … [Read more...]
When Memoryhouse’s first incarnation of The Years dropped in February of 2010, it was the recipient of overall critical approval. Referential qualities to dream pop progenitors like the Cocteau Twins? Check. Just enough scrappy electronic drum loops to bestow it with lo-fi cred? Sure. Wistful and sprawling in all the ways that made chillwave such … [Read more...]
A ruin is the remains of something destroyed – as one might suitably label. But when you consider a ruin, it stretches further beyond the physical aspects we envision. Portland tandem Kevin O’Connor and Lisa Molinaro subtly offer Ruins with embellished instrumental music that stretches to a sonic landscape of sweeping arrangements. There’s a … [Read more...]
September 30 saw the release of a new EP by James Blackshaw, one of my favorite guitarists. The 29 year old British instrumentalist has finished a recent and extensive stint of touring and offers us two tracks that recall his early days. Holly has the flavor of 2005's Celeste/Sunshrine release by Bo' Weavil, a sound that Blackshaw had … [Read more...]
Striking the iron while it’s hot always seems to be one of the brightest of ideas. For musicians, many dive into a new release after an erstwhile album is still fresh in the minds of various fans. While few would be quick to say some are cashing in, it’s undoubtedly one of the best ideas that, if done well, can truly create wonders. And now, … [Read more...]