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(09/05/11 4:01am)
The keys of a piano are always enticing. The way their chords pierce through the silence and harmonize to form a luscious cloud of noise and reverence. Slowly and steadily the phrases they create form a picture that can engage an audience without words or dialogue. When there are words, the piano can complement the lyrics and make a statement that much more eloquent. When a band utilizes this most precious tool to their advantage it can convey an entirely new message to their sound and lyrics. This week’s Live and Otherwise pick goes to California’s Cold War Kids (CWK). With a deeper melodic sound and rich vocals, these guys have concocted a smooth dosing of indie rock harmony. Out on the road promoting their most recent record, “Mine is Yours,” CWK makes it to the Valley this week to make their splendid sound heard amongst the desert heat. The many catchy riffs that CWK brings across so well are sure to be as gripping as their recorded material, which spans a number of EP’s and three full length releases. Lead singer Nathan Willett’s voice will undoubtedly be as smooth on stage as off. Cold War Kids will be at the Marquee Theater in Tempe tomorrow night. Tickets are $18. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
(09/01/11 4:01am)
A devilish smile, large eyes filled with wonder, mischief, and a bit of bright eyed insanity. Throw in large ears and a rather spherical head… Who is this debonair figure sparking your intense curiosity and your need to dance like a crazy person? After 2.5 hours of movin’ and groovin’ at the hands of the famous maestro known as Deadmau5 (pronounced dead mouse), he’s the only one that comes to mind.
(08/29/11 4:01am)
Nostalgia: that revered emotion that can be triggered by the smallest of trinkets or devices. Nostaligia’s greatest gift can sometime result from a song not heard in years, those first notes and chords taking you away to that far away land of memory and experience.
(08/25/11 4:01am)
This week’s Thursday “Live and Otherwise” words of wisdom were supposed to be concerned with taking the car out on the open road and enjoying a relatively inexpensive music festival/street fair called Sunset Junction, located a mere six hours away in the California metropolis of Los Angeles.
(08/22/11 4:01am)
So what’s the perfect remedy to get psyched up to pour through textbooks and countless assignments? Why a pump-yourself-up playlist of course! This one in particular is filled with some fresh artists that may be just what you need. These are beginning of the year picks to induce a more pleasant study hour and create a less tension filled arena for homework. Or a nice mix to just dance in your living room to. I leave that choice up to you.
(08/18/11 4:01am)
It has begun. That exhilarating rush that comes from an intoxicating combination of financial aid refunds co-mingled with the mild apprehension that everything you learned last semester has somehow leaked out of your head. Between the many road trips and nights spent partying into the wee hours of the morning, synapses might have gotten rusty. Even if you’ve spent most of the summer with the Netflix home webpage fixed in front of those ever attentive eyes, the fact remains that school has arrived, whether our brains are ready to be receptive to new information or not.
(05/03/11 12:42pm)
Imagine a grown man (scruffy facial hair included) dressed in a furry white sheep’s costume. Now imagine said sheep man with a cigarette set between his lips and a bottle of alcohol to drink his sorrows away. Now I know what you’re thinking. No, this isn’t some satire aimed at the Lamb Chop puppet of our childhood yesteryear. This is in fact the premise of a music video from this week’s live music pick. This week, Alaska’s Portugal. The Man makes its way to the valley complete with a lot of soul and a bit of progressive indie rock. Their infusion of soulful vocals and rich instrumentals for support, offer a unique helping of sincere lyrics which can paint a lovely picture (no sheep men included-though sheep-man did have character!). Their new release “In The Mountain In The Cloud” is due out July 19, and their tour is definitely sure to entertain. My first pick comes from the “The Satanic Satanist” release of 2009:
(05/01/11 2:18pm)
Remember that Mitsubishi commercial from a number of years ago (circa 2001), where there were two guys and a woman driving in an eclipse and she was performing all of these crazy arm-dance moves? Then there was this catchy song playing as she engaged in this behavior? Well turns out that corporate advertising actually used a talented ensemble this time (believe me, back then good jingles weren’t as frequent): Dirty Vegas. The UK house-electronica group is blessing us Arizonans with their funky fresh presence this week at the Rhythm Room. After reaching considerable mainstream attention with “Days Go By” (the aforementioned car dance song), two albums and a subsequent break up followed. Well, good for us they decided to get back together and release “Electric Love” on April 26. My picks for them:
(04/26/11 12:57pm)
It’s that wonderful time of year again. You know the one I’m talking about, don’t you? Where finals and projects start piling up, slowly deteriorating your once agile mind into a squishy blob of mush? An enriching time where all-nighters take the place of actual rest, and work is done in the wee hours of the night. So what usually keeps those heavy-lidded eyes from closing? Caffeine, of course. But also another key element: music. iTunes libraries which blast constantly through your ears to focus the mind at the task at hand. So I’ve taken it upon myself the lowly burden of making a short list of some artists that are bound to make homework more interesting. Or at least tolerable.
(04/24/11 1:34pm)
This week’s music pick is rolling into town with a bang. Literally because “bang” is a term in their band name. All bad jokes aside (ahem) there is decent sounds to be heard this week. Hailing from the bustling metropolis of Knoxville, TN, the indie experimental trio brings their spunky rock to the Valley’s own Rhythm Room. While having garnered some exposure over seas, Royal Bangs comes complete with a new album to promote. The buzz these guys have been getting is more than acceptable, and having recently played on Letterman, they are poised to attract the attention of a wider audience. With their gritty percussion, and slinky rhythms, these guys are sure to please at least someone in that crowd. So if you're in the mood for danceable experimental indie rock (and let’s face it, who isn’t?) head on yonder to the Rhythm Room next Sunday night and experience what you’ve been missing. Songs you should know:
(04/19/11 4:01am)
Chairs. This is the first thing I remember when walking into the Marquee Theater last Friday night. Four rows of them set up neatly 50 yards from the stage, some of them filled, some of them not. This was the first time I had never seen such a phenomenon at the Marquee, and it was even more obvious to the naked eye before the room filled with eager concert-goers. “Is it for those who are handicapped?” I thought to myself. “That’s kind of a neat idea." Then I took a good hard look at the people actually sitting in them, and they weren’t handicapped at all (except for perhaps their dancing abilities). Just a bunch of non-dancers who were too cool to stand with the rest of us near the stage, or attempt to boogie to the music. Even when the room was filled with people, I think they still remained sitting! Mind-boggling, to say the least.
(04/17/11 4:01am)
So when you hear the words "down under," what are the first things that come to mind? Australia right? Well I’m thinking of another location a little closer to home. This week, hailing from Brazil, is the ever eccentric CSS. The dance outfit who hails from Sao Paolo (the name is an abbreviation for Cansei de Ser Sexy, which means “got tired of being sexy” in Portuguese) whose fast paced and witty songs make you want to dance, comes to Scottsdale this Tuesday. Singing half in English, half in Portuguese, the quirky blend combines to make lovely indie pop that will have you singing along in Portuguese (even if you have no idea what they are saying). My first pick for them:
(04/12/11 4:01am)
Though most of the outrage of the general public was aimed at Arcade Fire for being the unknown to come in and sweep away the Grammy from other well-known popstars, another group could be tried for the same “crime." Which group is guilty? Why the Black Keys of course! With their spunky rhythms filled with blues and golden guitar riffs, their tunes are beloved by many an indie music lover. Lucky for some Arizonans, this great tutelage of musical awesomeness will be performed at the Mesa Amphitheater this Thursday.
(04/10/11 2:12pm)
Two months ago, the Internet was racked with emotional out cries of “who is Arcade Fire?” This week, the Valley gets to find out the answer to that query at the Comerica Theater. Arcade Fire, whose recent Grammy-win whipped the masses into a confused tailspin, has been making music for years. With their large sound (due in part to the numerous members in their ensemble), they have inspired and made great music that sticks with many a music lovers. From “Funeral” to “Neon Bible” to the latest and biggest U.S. mainstream release, "The Suburbs:" The truth stands that Arcade Fire loves to weave intricate pictures with their poignant lyrics and beautiful harmonies. Though their newest release has garnered them the most attention, my first pick for them is an oldie from one of their first full-length releases “Funeral:"
(04/05/11 4:01am)
It’s finally here. No, not the scorching heat or the high concentration of allergy-inducing pollen. Nope. People, it's festival season! We’re at that miraculous time of year where certain cities in America host the best and largest music festivals. Sasquatch, Bonnaroo, and Coachella: These are some of the heavy hitters. Each line-up showcases a different offering of musical goodness that will no doubt draw thousands upon thousands to each event. Festivals in themselves are magical entities. The entire atmosphere is devoted to trying to enjoy the music and the people that are participating. The heat, the fun, and the great stories made to be recounted later, all work to make a festival a memorable experience. So I thought why not make a mix to commemorate festival season? A little slice of what’s to come. Also, an opportunity for those of us who are lacking in the funds department to get a slice of the fun. For those more fortunate, this is simply a warm-up. Either way, enjoy!
(04/03/11 1:44pm)
I love names that leave nothing for speculation. For example: British Sea Power. The first thought: is this band British? And the delightful answer to that question is yes. Hailing from ye olde Brighton, England, British Sea Powers indie pop persona of energy and catchy riffs make them a delightful international sensation. With their newest release "Valhalla Dancehall" hitting stores this past January, their fresh on everyone's radar. Definitely a contender with some of the other more well known indie acts today, British Sea Power has stellar sound that brings their own creativity to the mix. Though they've been around for several years, their sound shows no signs of getting old anytime soon. This next track is one of my favorites, though it is from their 2008 release "Do You Like Rock Music":
(03/29/11 4:01am)
As I strolled into the Rhythm Room at a little after 8 p.m., I was surprised to find that so many had already shown up for the Miniature Tigers/Pepper Rabbit show. The crowd was rapidly forming, and though their last show was a sold-out affair, it was still nice to see that so many had made the journey to Indian School Road and 10th Street this lovely Thursday evening. A crowd of mostly college-age hipsters and music lovers, it was obvious that everyone held an eager anticipation for this evening’s show. First band to open was the local and delightful sound from ROAR.
(03/27/11 4:01am)
My heart thudded painfully in my chest when I heard those dreaded few words. Those two words had destroyed my dreams for making this the first year I would attend the auspicious event known as the Coachella Music Festival.
(03/22/11 1:40pm)
You know those days when it feels like you can’t concentrate on one solitary item at a time? Your mind jumps from project to project, event to event, in a fraction of a second? While this may only happen when the pressure comes to a breaking point, for the mind of Gregg Michael Gillis this is the key to his brilliance. As the brain behind Girl Talk, his wicked mashups of everything from hip-hop to '90s pop music create a rhythm of their own. When the music first plays through the speakers, the confection of chaos that ensues almost makes you want to turn it off. But don’t! As the music starts to play, your ears start to put those spastic sounds into a unique dance beat that you can’t wait to shake your booty to. With short samples from a multitude of artists, Gillis puts it together for something new entirely. His newest release “Feed The Animals” shows his style of party music in his usual fashionable chaos.
(03/08/11 5:01am)
The birds are singing, the sky is blue, and all you can think about are the exciting things you plan to do while on the miraculous hiatus known as spring break. As the weather warms up, the tendency to relax and do nothing wars with the necessity to actually get assignments and homework completed. Fortunately, while either lounging in front of the pool, or in front of a computer screen there’s always sure to be some musical numbers wafting in the background. There are a ton of songs perfect for either activity, but here are some of my picks inspired by the madness of the month of March. Enjoy!