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12 Most Splendid Sources for Music Discovery

downpourblue — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 21:00:16 +0000

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12 Most Splendid Sources for Music Discovery | 12 Most

The top of the charts can be an enjoyable source of music to enjoy, but sometimes you just want to listen to something new. You want to t…

12most

Here’s my latest guest post for 12most.com!

David Bash’s Favorite Albums of 2011, and a new site for IPO

downpourblue — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:14:49 +0000

When David Bash first posted this list on his Facebook page in early January, I was impressed by its thoroughness and scope. Really, wow. There was no other year-end list among the many, many that I saw out there that covered as much great music. However, it was a note on his personal friend page, so I didn’t post it. Then, a few intrepid bloggers got this list up on their sites, but without a link back to the source (they of course gave full credit.) Now, at last, the amazing list is available on the fresh, newly redesigned International Pop Overthrow web site. Don’t worry that it is already February — you will need all the rest of 2012 to listen to everything David recommends (and perhaps more, but he’ll likely put out a new list before you’re finished.)

Check out DAVID BASH’S FAVORITE ALBUMS OF 2011 and the rest of the new IPO web site while you’re at it.

Abraham, Martin, and John

downpourblue — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 18:04:53 +0000

A reminder why we have a national holiday this coming Monday. (Video from Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, November 17, 1968.)

Snub? I like your attitude!

downpourblue — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 19:58:07 +0000

The Snub Two Festival is in Liverpool, but their credo could easily apply to any city with a big music scene.

“In the current climate of pay to play, pay to apply and voting systems for gig slots, we, in conjunction with [student-run] WIRELESS MAGAZINE, will be providing a non-judgemental outlet for local talent!

Let’s stop the fighting amongst the bands. Let’s unite and bring camaraderie to the arts scene instead of bands fighting amongst themselves for a mediocre slot not even their mothers can be bothered to get out of bed for. And let’s face it, if you wanted to take part in a voting system, you’d have auditioned for X-Factor.

Our nights will be of all genres, won’t be more than £3 entry in and will be held in the mighty LOMAX!

With the sad closure of The Masque and The CUC, some old Masque employees have banded together to keep up the good fight.”

It’s refreshing to see young people in the music business try to get artists out there without so much slick marketing that one gets the chills before even a note is played. Goodness, reading that back I realize I am OLD. But still, these young’uns have moxie! If you’re around Liverpool the first weekend of February and in the mood for some new/alt/prog/quality rock music, you should get Snubbed.

International Pop Overthrow Festival 2012

downpourblue — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 19:17:57 +0000

The dates for the International Pop Overthrow Festival are now available (subject to change). The rosters have not yet been announced, and will probably be released in stages. I’ll keep you posted!

Back to work

downpourblue — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 22:47:53 +0000

Cubefigures

January 3, 2012 3:28:37 PM EST

Even if, like me, you have a decent job, going back to work among the gray fabric walls lacks a certain charm. A musical commiseration takes the edge off.

I don’t dislike my job, but dragging myself back to work after a winter vacation wasn’t easy. I played this song by The Turnback several times late in the afternoon the day before in anticipation. Like many melancholy songs, this one can make a person can feel better for having listened.

https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/32090067

Outside Again by The Turnback by Marlene Lipson

Soundcloud

Happy new year. Really.

Welcome home, little one

downpourblue — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 21:12:33 +0000

Flickr

December 29, 2011 3:29:14 PM EST
Up until recently, my husband and I have been in sort of an extended battle with our 10-year-old (alias Young Blue) regarding her piano lessons, which she had really soured on. Rather than cause Young Blue to hate learning music altogether by forcing her to continue, we gave her the out of choosing a new instrument, provided she would be reasonably serious about it and get in regular practice. We had discussed drums and a few other options, but Young Blue hadn’t settled on anything. We were starting to wonder what we needed to do to get the kid back on track. Music is an integral part of education as far as we’re concerned, and a big part of our family as well. We find the idea of her not learning music unfathomable; even the kid agrees that she should study something, but she and the piano simply did not get along. We all agreed that by January she would have chosen her new instrument. We had been discussing a new direction for weeks, and we still weren’t sure where we were headed. There was no concrete answer from Young Blue. Perhaps we would just need to choose for her?Then, over the winter break, my husband needed to visit the guitar store to exchange an item. Young Blue was sent along, mostly to get her out of the house for some fresh air. This trip was not at all about Young Blue’s new instrument. Guitar had been, in fact, on the negotiation list, and while it was liked, it was not loved. Electric bass had made its own fleeting appearance on the list of possibilities. By the time of the trip to the guitar store, we weren’t even thinking of pushing any instrument on the kid. Turns out we didn’t need to. When it came to the ukulele, it was love at first sight. Young Blue decided she wanted a ukulele. Really wanted one. Declarations were made, YouTube videos were watched, instruction books were researched, and only two days later the soprano ukulele came home.
LU-21 Soprano Size Ukulele | Lanikai Ukuleles

Lanikai Makes Me Happy The LU series is our most popular and affordable ukuleles. They are perfect first stop for acoustic multi-instrume…

Lanikaiukes
My husband is a musician, but ukulele isn’t one of his many instruments. He does play several strings (sitar, guitar, bass), however, so he is able to show Young Blue the gist of chords and help her with tuning and other maintenance. He also found an instruction web site for her so that she can pick up some basic information during the winter school break.
Ukulele Instruction – School of Ukulele

The UkeSchool Ukulele Method is based on a number of educational theories. It revolves around the idea that you learn best when you learn…

Ukeschool
Listening to her practicing her strums and first chords is soothing. So glad she didn’t pick the trombone! Apparently her interest is quite timely:
What 2011 in rock teaches us about the future

Here are a few key trends from 2011: The ukulele revival: Once associated with Tiny Tim and other novelty artists, the pint-size stringed…

Chicagotribune
“The ukulele revival: Once associated with Tiny Tim and other novelty
artists, the pint-size stringed instrument has enjoyed a serious revival
in recent years, thanks to the patronage of some high-profile artists.
Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder devoted an entire album to it this year with
the solo release “Ukulele Songs,” Paul McCartney broke one out during
his stadium concerts to pay tribute to his old pal George Harrison
(himself a uke devotee), and much-praised indie rocker Merrill Garbus of
Tune-Yards rocked one at her concerts and on her acclaimed “Whokill”
album.”
Signonsandiego

December 28, 2011 8:31:21 AM EST
There are also lesser-known ukulele virtuosos, such as the amazing Jake Shimabukuro.
Ukulele weeps by Jake Shimabukuro

cromulantman

April 22, 2006 11:51:11 PM EDT
Update: An outside instructor has been found. It looks like Young Blue is really connecting with her new instrument, and it turns out we were right to let her pick her new instrument mostly on her own. Who knew such a big life lesson could be packed into a cute little ukulele?

Five New Pop Holiday Songs That Don’t $*(%!

downpourblue — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 15:20:21 +0000

Christmas Without You. Lannie Flowers gives us a twangy-guitar litany of Christmas regrets that is probably more appropriate to listen to with a bottle of beer than with an eggnog.
Cdbaby

December 14, 2011 12:50:45 PM EST
https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/30527942

01 Christmas Without You by Lannie Flowers

Soundcloud
I’ve Been Good This Year. The Turnback will rock your socks off with this one — I hope Santa brings you a new pair! The uptempo rockabilly sound suggests that you get those decorations up quickly. You will not want to throw a holiday party without this on your playlist.
I’ve Been Good This Year by The Turnback
The Turnback | Rock | White Plains, NY

Reverbnation
The Smile of Rachael Ray. David Mead brings us a wistful holiday story without being sullen. He presents his little world in wordplay that deftly avoids gimmick, and it’s utterly believable.
NPR

December 14, 2011 12:50:45 PM EST
http://www.npr.org/v2/?i=143665043&m=143655340&t=audio

David Mead: Heartache For The Holidays

NPR
Christmas’ Sun. Here’s a big, warm Christmas ballad from Italian band Cirrone. They have nailed the smooth vocals and melodic arrangement of classic power pop, with that same let’s-hold-hands feeling that you got from “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing” (at least the first handful of times, before it was overplayed by Coke to death).
http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer.swf/size=venti/track=901647971/

Christmas’ Sun, by CIRRONE

BandCamp
Merry Christmas Around The World. You’ll be bopping along to this happy tune by Australia’s Joe Algeri & The Sugarbits when you remember (probably at the chorus), “Hey, this is a Christmas song!” And that’s a good thing in this case. Smiles all around.
http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer.swf/size=venti/track=765171875/

Merry Christmas (around the world), by JOE ALGERI & THE SUGARBRITS

BandCamp
Bonus: The Jewish people (my people!) may suffer from a shortage of pop holiday songs, but please see my list below for some “Chanukah Uncommon” music.
My “Chanukah Uncommon” playlist
First off, no one in America can help but notice that Christmas corners the mass-popularity market in holiday songs. That is no surprise,…

WordPress

My “Chanukah Uncommon” playlist

downpourblue — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 23:43:48 +0000

First off, no one in America can help but notice that Christmas corners the mass-popularity market in holiday songs. That is no surprise, and I enjoy a good number of them. Chanukah songs are a much smaller market, and some of them are just as treacly as any other holiday song that you’d rather not hear over and over. However, a little research on my part allows me to offer a Chanukah playlist that you might enjoy. If you want to find my choices all in one place, I’ve made it into a Spotify playlist.

Feast of Lights –They Might Be Giants. Just as quirky and original a song as you would expect from TMBG.

Miracle – Matisyahu. Yes, the Orthodox Jewish reggae artist leaves his mark on the festival of lights.

Chanukah Song – Adam Sandler. Thank you, Adam Sandler, for bringing us one of our few mass-market popular songs for Chanukah. It’s not quite as funny without the element of surprise, but still worth it.

Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah – Barenaked Ladies. A surprisingly straightforward rendition, but these guys are talented enough to keep the cheese factor to a minimum.

How Do You Spell Channukkahh? – The LeeVees. A pop enlightenment that explains the spelling of, for example, the two titles above. Set to a good groove, you’ll be nodding your head all the way through (both in rhythm and in agreement).

Happy Joyous Hanukkah – Indigo Girls. It’s an unexpectedly old-fashioned folksy offering from the queens of neo-folk.

Oh Hanukkah – Meshugga Beach Party. I can’t tell you how much I love this. Most of this album is a hoot, but I now can’t get through the season without at least one listen to the surf-music rendition of this particular song.

Spin Dreidel Spin – The Klezmatics. Klezmer is no new invention, but there’s nothing dusty about The Klezmatics.

The Great Menorah Debate – Neal Katz. A lesson in a song, but deftly delivered. If you didn’t know about this part of the Chanukah tradition (or even if you do), you may find it interesting.

(I’m Spending) Hanukkah in Santa Monica – Tom Lehrer. I spent many enjoyable hours listening to comedy albums with my family, and Tom Lehrer was often in rotation. A combination of nostalgia and true enjoyment of his goofy rhymes put this number on my playlist.

Hanukkah Dance – Woodie Guthrie. It’s a fun, earnest, pretty goyishe rendition of a Chanukah song, but I love Woodie Guthrie and find this number appealing. I hope you agree.

The Hanukkah Waltz – Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. Bela Fleck and the Flecktones unleash their inner klesmerim with great skill and groove.

12 Most Groovy Power Pop Websites

downpourblue — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:53:44 +0000

Hgd

December 14, 2011 10:12:59 AM EST
Image from Howie Green Gallery
12 Most Groovy Power Pop Websites |

Power Pop is a musical genre that still is going strong both on its own terms and as an influence on a wide variety of artists.

12most
The article has been getting passed around some on Twitter…
“

RT @miyuki1115: 12 Most Groovy Power Pop Websites 12most.com/2011/12/14/groo… 11位に我らが @powerpopacademy が!♪

Marlene Lipson

December 14, 2011 11:34:52 AM EST

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I have a little blog on WordPress now, too.
downpourblue

Some people are generous in that hand-on-your-shoulder kind of way. Instead of the terse “send us your demo” page, John Richards of KEXP …

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This is starting to be fun!