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(03/06/11 5:01am)
This week’s live music pick heads in straight from the heart of New York. It’s Hoodie Allen! This New York-based hip-hop artist is definitely not afraid to march to his own beat. With his unique samples (from bands like Marina & The Diamonds and Death Cab For Cutie) and his quirky lyrics, this artist delightfully stands out in a crowd. His music has an old school twinge to it which brings its listener back to the olden days of rapping. Which is nice because auto-tune gets really old after a while… Hoodie is definitely the exception and doesn’t have to rely on clichéd lyrics to create a catchy and interesting song. The best part about Hoodie? He offers most of his music as free downloads, showing that he really wants to spread his love of music to as many as he can. Excellent, right? The albums are mostly mixtapes, including a terrific EP entitled Bagels & Beats, which I just can’t get enough of. My first pick for Hoodie Allen is a smoothly produced track called “Back to the 50's”, off the Bagels & Beats EP:
(03/01/11 5:01am)
The Internet was set ablaze with fury and outrage. Expletives were being spewed at an alarming frequency. Was this some new legislation on immigration or marriage? Or some protest for a war? No, not at all. This energy was being tunneled into one almighty question: Who the F*&%K is Arcade Fire?????
(02/27/11 7:38pm)
What’s in a name? Well something big in the case of my indie pick for this week. Young The Giant (YTG), a California-based indie rock quintet, will be gracing the stage at our very own Rhythm Room in Phoenix later this week. What makes these guys so special? Well, with a stellar vocalist (Sameer Gadhia) whose chill inducing falsetto can hit many a melodious note, and a solid instrumental backing, these guys have all the key ingredients for a wonderfully vivid sound. I discovered YTG early last year while searching the web for some other musical ensemble. This search brought me to a fantastic website called www.biguglyyellowcouch.com which showcases a variety of indie acts performing acoustically, and lo and behold YTG was on there. With a rich sound and rich vocals, YTG creates vivid depictions of love and self-scrutinization that have the listener waiting in anticipation for that next note or hook. YTG released their self-titled full length debut this past October, and have since played gigs like Jimmy Kimmel Live and toured with several acts including Steel Train and Minus The Bear. Though originally named the Jakes, after a quick switcheroo of some members the guys had their rebirth as Young The Giant. This rebirth spawned a wonderfully enticing collection of new songs that I can’t get enough of. My picks for them?
(02/22/11 5:01am)
The crowd is cheering. “One more song! One more song!” is the rhythmic chant echoing throughout the densely packed audience. A few minutes pass and the crowd begins to wonder if their pleas will go unanswered.
(02/20/11 5:01am)
Love is in the air. Or wait, maybe that was last week on Feb. 14—a day for chocolate, cards, and beautifully wrapped presents? Oh, and your signficant other. But don’t fret, love is still in the neighborhood, only this time it's in the form of a band. Which band? The Love Language, of course! The trials and tribulations of frontman Stuart McLamb explicated through heartfelt songs about love’s high and lows. There’s no sappy nostalgia or over dramatic love metaphors that have a man singing so hard that he’s sure to rupture a disc. No, these are just raw lyrics that beautifully tell the complicated story that love develops. With surging drum rhythms and lo-fi guitar solos, The Love Language gives a catchy beat that only leaves you humming along. Some of their standout tunes?
(02/16/11 6:37am)
The Chinese Flagship program at ASU helps students broaden their horizons and educates them on Chinese culture. By emphasizing the study of Mandarin and including a year abroad as a part of the curriculum, the programs hopes to create a cultural appreciation and understanding in participants.
(02/15/11 5:01am)
The music creshendo to an overwhelming volume, and your heart pounds in rhythm to the beat of the drum as the hero/heroine of the movie is running for their lives from the relentless assassin/killer/ or advisor. Or maybe a heartbreaking scene is unfolding in front of your eyes and the protagonist has to make the hard choices that can’t help but pull on your heartstrinkgs. The song explains more than dialogue ever could. The soundtrack of a movie is as essential to the plot unfolding as the script. The music can speak volumes in places where too much dialogue could just pull away from the visual cues that tell the story and trigger the emotion. So what makes a music soundtrack tick? Well usually there is a key scene, chase, kiss or equally dramatic circumstance involved and the music makes it all the more poignant. Sometimes a great soundtrack is more memorable than the movie itself, and it stays with you. Here’s five picks of some stellar soundtracks and the movies that have forever forged them in my memory:
(02/13/11 5:01am)
Music is the language of the soul. No, it’s not the title of some New Age self-help book, or yet another "Chicken Soup for the Soul" concoction.
(02/08/11 5:01am)
It’s that time of year again. No, not taxes. Something much more upbeat. And musical. And free. It’s Devilpalooza 2011! The lovely free concert that graces our campus once a year on the SRC fields, complete with entertainment and good music (and a ferris wheel!). This year’s line-up promises to be a good one: Motion City Soundtrack, fun., and The Maine. At least one thing these three groups hold in common? The fact that each band has an uplifting sound that’s sure to produce some smiles (or at least a slight head nod).
(02/06/11 5:01am)
At first my aim was to make a January mix of great tunes for your willing ears. Then I realized: It’s February already! What does February mean? The over-commercialized holiday of Valentine’s Day! Now while I am a firm believer that certain parts of Valentine’s Day promote shameless consumerism (ahem), I do believe that love is something to be celebrated. Be it friendly, romantic, or familial, the bonds that tie us to the people we care about make us who we are. So a music mix in its honor seemed more than fitting. Though this mix focuses on the romantic perspective, love is beautiful no matter what. So listen to this mix if you have that significant other that makes your world (and heart) explode into new meaning, or even if your single, let the music take you away to what could be.
(02/01/11 5:01am)
The sun’s tumultuous rays stream from the noon-day sky. The small grassy area partitioned off for the musical extravaganza about to ensue is packed densely with 100,000 sweaty and dehydrated concert-goers. Even though you’ve been standing for hours, you feel energized with the building excitement that precedes each act, preparing for the inevitable big-time headliners still hours away. An outside music festival is an experience in its own category, and each experience is never quite the same. Dreams of fulfilling my music festival fantasies danced in my head as I prepared to buy tickets for one such event. I had just filled out my credit card information, and was getting ready to click the place order button when something stopped me.
(01/30/11 5:01am)
It’s raining. You’re walking down the street and the sky is painted an ominous grey. The wind is chilling you down to the bone. You know you're almost home so you hold on. However, by a stroke of luck, the sun begins to poke its head through the dreary clouds. So I know you’re asking, "wtf?" Is this a music blog or a weather observation? Calm yourself. It’s simply a metaphor for the feeling that overcomes you when you listen to the New York-based Interpol. For a land baked in sunshine and sand, Interpol’s impending performance at the Marquee on Feb. 5 will provide a delicious antithesis to Arizonan surroundings. With their danceable rhythms and dark overtones, Interpol has a dark sparkle that appeals to many. Originally formed in 1997, their debut album “Turn On the Bright Lights” sparked a renewed interest into the dark disposition of the post-punk era. Their newest self-titled release was distributed last year, and this tour is in direct relation to the new album. Their new album is definitely a demonstration of their evolution as a band, and while obviously different than its predecessors, is a concept album that still holds Interpol’s unique dark glamour. Take a listen to “Barricade” to see what I mean (and also to see the image of lead singer Paul Banks on [ahem] interesting places):
(01/25/11 5:01am)
Musicophilia. When I asked Mesa locals Small Leaks Sink Ships for their band’s one word description to entice would be listeners, this was their creative response. In the vein of their original music, it would only make sense that the band would summarize themselves as having a friendly feeling or liking towards music. Excited for the release of their new album, “Oak Street Basement," the boys were nice enough to sit down for a brief e-chat about the impending release.
(01/20/11 2:41am)
Actor Charles St. Clair does a reenactment of MLK Jr.'s 'I Have A Dream' speech in front of a West campus crowd of hundreds.
(01/19/11 9:53pm)
The year was 2003. I was 13 years old and I had just begged my parents to let me go to my first concert. I had reluctantly asked considering I was positive the answer was going to be no and I wanted it so bad! Lucky for me, I had asked my older cousin to be the chaperone (and ride-giver). He willingly obliged. As I proposed the idea of the concert, my parents were ready to reject my proposal (A rock concert? It’s dangerous! It’s rough! There are crazy people there! And so on and so forth.) Then I mentioned that my cousin would be taking me. The entire atmosphere of the conversation changed. Who knew that all I needed to mention were two magical words? Responsible adult.
(01/19/11 9:53pm)
So this week’s live music picks will be playing at The Clubhouse in Tempe on Saturday. So whether you are lucky enough to be in the crowd or can't make it on Saturday, this is your opportunity to get in the mix. Best Coast, with co-headliners Wavves will take center stage at Saturday's Clubhouse performance. The term surf-pop would be a great way to describe their sounds (especially Best Coast) and for Wavves, noise-pop would be appropriate. Now all “pops” aside, what is an actual description that most people can understand of these two fresh bands on the scene? Let’s discuss!
(11/14/10 11:41pm)
This Thanksgiving you could very well be preoccupied with thinking about shoving stockings full of trinkets instead of your face with food.
(10/29/10 12:29am)
Halloween was the one night of the year we used to treasure as kids. It was literally about the treasure for us kids who would dress up as a pirate to steal it, or a dragon to protect it. To this day, young boys and girls everywhere reach down to connect Velcro hook to Velcro loop, fastening their light-up sneakers a little tighter than usual, because maybe for the first time, they do so with a purpose. You’d pick your weapon, be it sword or wand or fake Styrofoam abs, and you were out to steal the night — sometimes tricking, but always treating. Your treasure was candy. Things were simple.
(09/24/10 3:19am)
U.S. soldiers in foreign countries could have help combating diseases with an antibiotic drug being developed by ASU researchers.
(03/26/08 12:00am)
SCOTTSDALE — Popular culture and politics have merged to brand Barack Obama as the "it" presidential candidate.