Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Play Ball!

On Saturday, I went to the first spring training game of the season for the Arizona Diamondbacks. During my time at the ballpark, I thought of the link between baseball and music. There is such a strong connection between music and baseball that the Library of Congress has a bibliography called, "Bibliography of Published Baseball Music and Songs." This bibliography is very complete with "a listing of over 400 musical works and songs related to baseball."

Friday, February 22, 2013

Return of LET'S GO RETRO

Retro: Definition: denoting something associated with or revived from the past: retro dressing ; retro fashion

Prepare to travel back in time with a few modern musicians. I'm looking for artists who embody and sing and play music in the spirit of yesteryear- from crooning lounge singers, jazz singers to rockabilly bop of the 50s.
Put on your poodle skirt and dust off your blue suede shoes!

Diana Krall recorded a Nat King Cole tribute album and records jazz music with the spirit of Tony Bennett and Ella Fitzgerald in her soulful songs. She recently released the album "Glad Rag Doll" and has a large selection of music that will transport you back into time, in another era. Her popularity is recognized- two Grammy awards and 6 million albums sold. Her music sounds like you have walked into a lounge in the 1940's- at least, how I imagine it, or have seen it in movies and standard albums of yesteryear.

Main instruments: Piano. 

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

A Crazy Horse's Psychedelic Pill

Neil Young with Crazy Horse

Psychedelic Pill

One of two albums Neil Young released with Crazy Horse last year, Psychedelic Pill finds the group in its distorted and feedback-drenched mode.  Reminiscent of their early '90s classics like Ragged Glory and Weld, this double CD set is very much worth your while if you like your rock served with lots of noise.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Valentine's Day Anti-Love Songs

In honor of Valentine's Day I am posting a few of my all-time favorite anti-love songs.  Doing a quick google search for "Valentine's Day Anti-Love Songs"  reveals the fact that I am clearly not the only person sharing these somewhat embittered sentiments this Valentine's Day.  Following the break is my (short) list of songs that seem to be providing some comfort this Valentine's Day, please feel free to add your own favorites in the comments section!

Monday, February 11, 2013

MUSE!!!!

I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am about the Muse show in Phoenix on March 16. I was pretty late to the Muse party--I didn't hear their music until 2011 but when I heard them I was hooked. Better late than never, I say. We have several of their albums in our collection at the Pima County Public Library (although we don't have the latest one, The 2nd Law). The first cd of theirs I picked up is Absolution (2003), and it blew me away. I really liked the entire cd, which isn't something I say too often, but my favorite track off of this one is Hysteria. I liked it so much I bought the ringtone for my cell phone. Ha!

Thursday, February 7, 2013

War Child Presents: Heroes (An Album To Benefit Children Affected By War)

The library recently acquired a wonderful new benefit compilation album entitled  War Child Presents: Heroes(An Album To Benefit Children Affected By War).  The purpose of the album is to bring awareness to the enormous amount of children who in some way have been affected by the brutality of war. This CD is loaded with excellent musicians all providing covers of classic bands. Read on to learn more about the album.

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Flume: The Next Future Classic

It is fitting that electronic producer Flume (21 year old Australian Harley Stretan) is signed to the label "Future Classics," because if Flume can keep building on the sound and hype generated by his initial offerings, he will rise to the top of the electronic music scene in no time! Flume's sound walks that tricky tightrope between dance floor smash hits and chill-in-your-home mood music. Glitched vocals, dreamy synths, smooth basslines: all the tricks of the electronic trade are showcased on Flume's "Sleepless" EP. The three-song download is now available for download on Freegal (which conveniently allows every library card to download three free songs a week)!

The first track, "Sleepless ft. Jezzabell Doran" is hard to describe, but I'll resort to calling it "pop-synth." Like fairy spirits at a night revel, the music spins round in a wild circle, inviting the listener to join in their dance. Doran's vocals are glitched and tattered, less words than pulsing sounds that add to the energy of the song.