Come Along by Vicci Martinez featuring Cee Lo

So I stumbled onto this song listening to the radio.  This is kind of odd because I don't listen to the radio very often.  Since I moved I had to check out what radio stations Boise offered and this song was playing on the one I settled on.  It's an interesting choice because its got a sound all its own.  It's not a R&B or hiphop track like I would expect a song featuring Cee Lo to be but it's not quite rock either.  I guesss you could call it pop rock if you want.  The vocals are great and the music itself is fun.  I catch myself doing a little head nodding as I listen.  I'm not a Cee Lo fan but I think that he puts a little more life into this track.  It gives it that extra kick that takes a song from good to great.  I think you should give this song a try but I warn you its addictive :) so enjoy- Kristy

Kevin Hufnagel-Polar Night

Fans of metal ought to appreciate this music.  No it isn't metal, but if you are a fan of metal music you have likely at least heard of Kevin Hufnagel.  He is a super-talented American guitarist for the progressive rock/metal band Dysrhythmia and he also is a member of Gorguts. 

This isn't metal.  Polar Night is a three-track album of experimental acoustic ambiance that is haunting and mesmerizing.  The first two tracks clock in at over eight minutes, while the album's closer is 25 minutes of sonic bliss.  This album is available on Hufnagel's bandcamp page. 

What sparked me to write about this release is news of an upcoming release from Dysrythmia.  I found that one to be very impressive.  You can check out a new track from them here.

Back to Polar Night, most of what you hear is electrical and accousic guitar with some drum sections mixed in.  Hufnagel produces his own music by layering his sound several times, which results in reverb-laden ambiance.  Check it out below!

Chrome Canyon-Generations

I discovered this interesting track from Chrome Canyon the other day and thought I would share it.  This post will be brief because I am only covering a single song.  As if the artwork isn't beautiful enough, the music shows plentiful influences from 80s synth pop and electronic dubstep-styled dance grooves.  Come to find out, this has been a popular listen at Soundcloud too. 

The music is crystal clear.  You can hear that from the opening notes.  It starts out as an electronica song, flavors the mix with various synth sounds, and then peppers it with the dance grooves.  It is an interesting track to say the least. 

Listen to Generations below and find out if you like it.

Keep Shelly in Athens-Our Own Dream

Sometimes you can't really help yourself.  You stumble upon something so outside of your comfort zone and you think to yourself, "I can't believe I'm really listening to this."  But nonetheless, for some reason you can't quite explain, you kind of dig it.

Some months ago I was searching iTunes for some new shoegaze to get more into that genre.  I accidentally came across Keep Shelly in Athens.  I liked the album cover and listened to a track or two and decided it was worth purchasing on the spot.  Was it worth it? Absolutely.

The music Keep Shelly in Athens produces is a dreamy blend of pop, shoegaze, chillwave jazz, and even some moments of funky trip-hop.  It was very much not what I expected, but I am happy to announce that this EP exceeded expectations.

Keep Shelly in Athens is a Greek duo that puts out some interesting tunes.  The opener, Lazy Noon, is an an easy chillwave electro-jazz mix.  This sets things up for a few tracks of reverb-heavy electronica that managae to retain the downtempo chillwave feel.  True jazz influences creep into the album now and again, including a nifty little horn section in Diy. 

Later in the EP is when things get even more eclectic, and the trip hop rythms and rapped vocals join the mix.  No matter how much I dislike rap and hip hop music, I can't help indulging in these tracks.

Our Own Dream does an excellent job of keeping the listener entertained with their varied influences.  Here's hoping for more good things to come from this duo.  Listen to Diy and Our Own Dream below.

Thanks for Reading-brad

  

Olan Mill-Paths

Have you ever had that agonizing experience when you've found a piece of music that you absolutely must have, only to find out that it is not available to purchase anywhere?  Such happened to me several months ago when I first heard about Olan Mill..

If you don't know anything about Olan Mill, your chances of finding out anything are slim and none unless you are one of the lucky few who own an album by Olan Mill.  I have not been able to find out where this duo is from, but I can tell you that the music is great.

Olan Mill play something like symphonic ambient electronic music, if that makes any sense whatsoever.  This is what you get when you take ambient drone music and combine it with electronic sounds and neo-classical sensibilities.  Once again, this is a style of music you have to be in the mood for to enjoy. 

The only problem is that you cannot purchase Paths anywhere--not Amazon, not iTunes, not anywhere.  This album was released earlier this year as a limited run hard-copy only.  About 300 copies were released, so that should tell you something about this album's rarity. 

The scant availability of this album is why I have embedded the entire-friggin-album for your listening pleasure.  Warning: Do not operate any heavy machinery while listening to this music.  It is much too peaceful.



Album review: Delain-We are the Others

Symphonic rock and metal acts sometimes run the risk of sounding generic and repetetive, especially when these bands incorporate the almost reduntant and cliche operatic vocals.  This is not to say that all symphonic rock and metal bands that use operatic vocals are bad, just that some are better than others.  The best of that list are Within Temptation and Epica. 

Within Temptation and Epica are both Dutch bands.  Today we look at the new album from another band from the Netherlands.  Delain differ from the aforementioned bands in that vocalist Charlotte Wessels employs few opratic sections, opting instead for more mainstream rock-based vocals.

As with previous Delain albums, We are the Others features a fair amount of keyboard symphonic music, but this element is less pronounced than previous albums and served to enhance the rock music above it rather than dominate.  I enjoyed Delain's previous effort, April Rain perhaps more than this disc. 

In addtion to the symphonic aspects of the music, listeners are dosed with an array of old shcool-sounding metal riffs and traditional hard rock drum patterns.  One of the songs on this album I at first thought to be a cover of Pat Benetar's Hit Me with Your Best Shot, but indeed the only thing similar is the title and that one line of lyrics.  It is one of the best songs on the album.'

The only beef I have with this album is minor. A few songs sound like filler pieces that do not seem to belong as part of the whole.  These tracks seem to interrupt the flow of the album and leave you scratching your head.  Where is the Blood features Burton C. Bell of Fear Factory fame on vocals.  That is also a good number.

If you like such bands as Nightwish, Epica, and After Forever, Delain's new disc will be right up your alley.  We Are the Others is worth of a 4.1 out of a possible five stars.  Check out the title track and Hit Me with Your Best Shot below.

Dead Can Dance-Amnesia

World music can often leave much to be desired, even amongst casual listeners, so when you hear a veteran duo record and album that can rouse even passionate music fans, you know you have an excellent release.

Australia's Dead Can Dance have done just that.  Thier first new album in more than a decade is set to be released on August 13.  I have not had an opportunity to listen to the entire album, so I will talk a little bit about the single Amnesia.

This track is a hauntingly gorgeous piece that is loaded with melodic symphony sounds played (through keyboard) against a lucid backdrop of harmonic vocals and rich reverb.  World music, understandably, is not a genre that can appeal to the masses.  I recommend that you give this piece a listen.  You might just be impressed.  -brad