Rain On My Parade

As I mentioned in my first post, I think bands that look back through music history for inspiration have the right idea. This idea isn't new at all, I'm just saying I'm a fan of it. One of my most recent finds is an LA based band from the early 80's. The Rain Parade offers an album of sensible 1984 college pop-rock infused with the spirit of the 1960's, somewhere between The Byrds and The Beatles.


The doubly titled Emergency Third Rail Power Trip/Explosions In the Glass Palace is the soundtrack to a good 80's flick...even though I don't think they were ever placed in film. But you know what I'm talking about. It's good driving music. It's good chillin' music. It's just good. My criticisms of this album are few. In fact, I can only think of one worth mentioning. The opening track "Talking In My Sleep" is okay, but it is far surpassed by the second track "This Can't Be Today." The openers and closers of any album are the most crucial moments in an album's integrity because it's the first and last thing you hear. I tend to just skip the first track and pretend that number two is actually the opener on this one. You'll know what I mean if you check it out.

The band is no longer together, but they still have a myspace and you can find this album on iTunes and Amazon. You may know the lead guitarist of this band, David Roback, as the guitarist of Opal and one of my favorite 90's bands, Mazzy Star. Enjoy!

School of Seven Bells...My New Bloody Valentine

Shoegazers, hold your breath. The new release from School of Seven Bells, Disconnect From Desire, will satisfy your craving for a disconnect from the current "indie" scene. I dare you to try and not lose yourself in the pulsing electronic beats of the first half of the album, or the more lingering tunes in the latter half.

Disconnect doesn't dawdle in introducing you to the ten new tracks from the New York threesome. The opening track, "Windstorm," was my first listen to SVIIB's new venture courtesy of KCRW's Mourning Becomes Eclectic. Maybe it's just me, but this song couldn't have come at a more appropriate time. It just screams SUMMER to me (you'll find I like to categorize my music by seasons). From there the album meanders into driving 80's synths and beats on "Heart Is Strange" and "Dust Devil" that literally prevent you from sitting still, into the gauzy My Bloody Valentine-esque "I L U" and "Babelonia."



The second half of the album moves at a slightly slower pace than the first five tracks, with the exception of "Camarilla" and "Bye Bye Bye." Not that there's anything wrong with that. The more introspective numbers such as "Dial" and "The Wait" are certainly standout tracks in their own right.

It's been a while since I've been obsessed with a new album and I'm glad to say that I finally found my summer fix. This album is well worth the listen. If I was pretentious enough to give this album a rating...I'd just be pretentious. Just take my word for it and give it a go. Until next time, stay educated and ahead of the curve.

Sensitive? Wuh?

I'll preface this first post on my first music blog by saying that there are too many music blogs. For that matter, there's too much music. In such an overcrowded market, how is it possible to even begin to scrape the surface of the million miles wide chasm that is the music industry?

The BAD NEWS: As a 21st century audience, we are berated with thousands of images, sounds, and words daily. It's surprising that anything even stands out and cathes our eye amongst the myriad copycats that are just riding the current trend. Music is the worst of these, I think. There's so much new music coming out each month, most of it commercial or repeated garbage, that it's nearly impossible to keep up. Digital music has turned the industry upside down and any buffoon can start distributing their music to a global audience.

The GOOD NEWS: As a 21st century audience, we have the tools to separate the trash from the treasure in our personal music libraries. It's never been easier to find the music we like, and disregard what we don't. AND, we don't have to be fed only what's pumping out of the Top 20. A lot of music is disposable, meaning that it's here for a while because it's trendy, and then it disappears. There is that music, though, that stands the test of time...no matter how old it is, it's still relavent. Lots of current musicians are catching on to this idea and are realizing that the secret to the future of music isn't necessarily post modern deconstruction, but looking back at our musical past and reinventing it. Look at She & Him using lo-fi recording techniques to achieve the sound of mid-20th century pop or the cast of Glee reinventing Journey's "Don't Stop Believing." After all, there's nothing new under the sun. You also don't have to wait for good, new music to come out. There's plenty of older music that, if you've never heard before, is just as new to you as Lady Gaga's next album will be.

Enter Pop Sensitive! So, why the title? If you haven't gathered by now, I kind of loathe the lame excuse for music that you'd find on iTunes Top Charts. With modern technology, you can create your own pop library. You can find great music that hasn't been on the charts for 20 years and find it just as refreshing. Pop, then, is just a relative term and doesn't have to mean over-processed trash. Pop isn't the superficial image projected to the tinyboppers to keep them distracted so mom and dad can get some work done. Let's get back to the music shall we? Let's get back to the actual artist who can write, play, sing and perform without much help from Pro Tools.

So here I offer you some music. Old and new...but without the pop connotation. If you agree, let me know! If you disagree, let me know! Let's start a conversation, just you and I. I'll begin work on my first featured artist soon. Until then, stay educated and ahead of the curve.