Musings
I've been listening to a lot of music now that I'm home on break with little to do; analyzing CDs and songs, finding what music goes well together and what carries a central theme. I have two CDs from local bands (obviously I want more, but I haven't been able to talk to some people long enough to buy their CD. Damn Sailing and all their friggen fans...) that I've been listening to today.
I started out with the Delhi Drive CD, because they're a band I don't know a whole lot about. I only saw them once because they played at another show, and I only bought the CD because it was two or three bucks. I was hesitant because they almost seemed like one of those bands that's one brief step above emo and one normal step below good. At any rate I'm glad I did, because while the recording sucks and some of the songs are incredibly trite, it is a very good little CD, and it has some very good moments. Songs like "In the Canteen", and "Insurance" show musical potential where other songs are lacking. These guys have a really good concept of rythm and those songs really prove it. They also are just breaking into the concept of putting intangible feelings into music. "The Trolley Song" is the sound of frustration (at least I hope frustration is what they were going for), and it is an amazing first attempt at a complicated technique. These guys have room for improvement, but they're getting very good. A high point in this CD is in "You'll Be Gone", a childlike polka on the musical level, a very complicated idea on the lyrical level. The singer, as if he just had an epiphany, yells "So what if I'm a communist? Do they fight, do they kill? No they don't, the mind their own business!" Low points would be througout most of the album, as this is a terrible, terrible, low quality recording (unless they were going for that kind of sound, but if they were it isn't working for them) and the fact that while they show promise, some of the music is still just a little simple, and vaugely idealistic. Still, it's a good head nodding CD, that you can definately groove on for a little while if you're up for listening to Sonic Youth-ish rythms coupled with Delhi Drive's unique form of story telling.
Delhi Drive: B-, would have been a C, but the potential is amazing, and I'm a very kind grader. I also think some of the songs are very unique, and it's interesting to listen to.
High Plains Drifter is by far my favorite local band. Every time I've seen them live they've delivered, even on the shows that they felt weren't up to their standards. I never leave wanting anything more from a concert, instead I feel fufilled, happy, and very ready for bed because I'm all worn out and smelly at that point from rocking so damn hard. This past September they put out their first CD- "There's Cake in the Murder Room" (fun fact, my friend John took a picture of a sink for this, it's purdy). Since recording this CD the band has gone through a lot of changes, in both their line up and their sound. It doesn't matter if they never play one of these songs again though, because HPD has created a their own sound that shows in every song I've ever heard them play, a fullness and a richness not many bands achieve. The idea of having headphones on, even when you're standing in a bar in front of a stage with a ton of people on either side of you. HPD is unique.
The CD is really good. The music itself has been mapped out, and actually gives off the feeling of reaching a point of completion. It's as if you start a journey in the first track, and reach your destination with the sound of the last track. That sounds really cheesey, but if you heard the CD you'd probably understand the overall feeling of the music. Some high points include the two masterpieces "Saltfog", a fan favorite at concerts which includes complicated music and effects coupled with heavy lyrics and a beautiful melody, and "Gunfighter", the stunning instrumental piece, the final song, which almost seems like the triumphant arrival of HPD. (God, I'm getting cheesier). The only low point, in my opinion (the guys in the band probably disagree with me), would be "Dos Veces". I would love it if it weren't for the awkward chord progression during certain transitional parts of the song. It makes it feel unfinished, and forced.
High Plains Drifter "There's Cake in the Murder Room":A- It's almost perfect, but I'm still holding out for the next one.
EDIT: If you want to hear High Plains Drifter you can go to hpdofficial.com (and they'll have a link to their myspace page). If anyone wants a recording (I'm looking at you drummah) of anyone I talk about, talk to me cause I rock like that.
I started out with the Delhi Drive CD, because they're a band I don't know a whole lot about. I only saw them once because they played at another show, and I only bought the CD because it was two or three bucks. I was hesitant because they almost seemed like one of those bands that's one brief step above emo and one normal step below good. At any rate I'm glad I did, because while the recording sucks and some of the songs are incredibly trite, it is a very good little CD, and it has some very good moments. Songs like "In the Canteen", and "Insurance" show musical potential where other songs are lacking. These guys have a really good concept of rythm and those songs really prove it. They also are just breaking into the concept of putting intangible feelings into music. "The Trolley Song" is the sound of frustration (at least I hope frustration is what they were going for), and it is an amazing first attempt at a complicated technique. These guys have room for improvement, but they're getting very good. A high point in this CD is in "You'll Be Gone", a childlike polka on the musical level, a very complicated idea on the lyrical level. The singer, as if he just had an epiphany, yells "So what if I'm a communist? Do they fight, do they kill? No they don't, the mind their own business!" Low points would be througout most of the album, as this is a terrible, terrible, low quality recording (unless they were going for that kind of sound, but if they were it isn't working for them) and the fact that while they show promise, some of the music is still just a little simple, and vaugely idealistic. Still, it's a good head nodding CD, that you can definately groove on for a little while if you're up for listening to Sonic Youth-ish rythms coupled with Delhi Drive's unique form of story telling.
Delhi Drive: B-, would have been a C, but the potential is amazing, and I'm a very kind grader. I also think some of the songs are very unique, and it's interesting to listen to.
High Plains Drifter is by far my favorite local band. Every time I've seen them live they've delivered, even on the shows that they felt weren't up to their standards. I never leave wanting anything more from a concert, instead I feel fufilled, happy, and very ready for bed because I'm all worn out and smelly at that point from rocking so damn hard. This past September they put out their first CD- "There's Cake in the Murder Room" (fun fact, my friend John took a picture of a sink for this, it's purdy). Since recording this CD the band has gone through a lot of changes, in both their line up and their sound. It doesn't matter if they never play one of these songs again though, because HPD has created a their own sound that shows in every song I've ever heard them play, a fullness and a richness not many bands achieve. The idea of having headphones on, even when you're standing in a bar in front of a stage with a ton of people on either side of you. HPD is unique.
The CD is really good. The music itself has been mapped out, and actually gives off the feeling of reaching a point of completion. It's as if you start a journey in the first track, and reach your destination with the sound of the last track. That sounds really cheesey, but if you heard the CD you'd probably understand the overall feeling of the music. Some high points include the two masterpieces "Saltfog", a fan favorite at concerts which includes complicated music and effects coupled with heavy lyrics and a beautiful melody, and "Gunfighter", the stunning instrumental piece, the final song, which almost seems like the triumphant arrival of HPD. (God, I'm getting cheesier). The only low point, in my opinion (the guys in the band probably disagree with me), would be "Dos Veces". I would love it if it weren't for the awkward chord progression during certain transitional parts of the song. It makes it feel unfinished, and forced.
High Plains Drifter "There's Cake in the Murder Room":A- It's almost perfect, but I'm still holding out for the next one.
EDIT: If you want to hear High Plains Drifter you can go to hpdofficial.com (and they'll have a link to their myspace page). If anyone wants a recording (I'm looking at you drummah) of anyone I talk about, talk to me cause I rock like that.