Lacuna Coil :: Angel's Punishment
This one is gonna be short cause it's late.
Lacuna Coil is an Italian metal band, with a bit of a Gothic flair.
Cristina Scabbia,one of the two lead singers, is believed to be (Ala Internet rumors) a classically trained opera singer, which in my opinion would make her incredibly bad ass (you know, cause i love genre blending). If anyone can confirm or deny this rumor, please let me know.
Lastly, this song uses the "chant" setting on the keyboard. If you've ever played with the "57+" different sounds your electronic keyboard has you know what i mean. After the 900 different instruments that all sound like crappy electronic versions of themselves they have some 'fun' sounds like: choir, chant, laser beam, traffic, and others.
Often I'd sit and play my dad's keyboard and ask myself when you'd ever need the choir/chant sound.
Now i know. And it's fantastic. And I started a sentence with the word and. Good thing my Mr. Fawcett doesn't read my blog.
Enjoy!
P.S. the video has a different song for the credits, just in case you aren't actually watching the video and you are just listening, they are two separate songs.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
(70) Depeche Mode :: Wrong
Depeche Mode :: Wrong
I can't say much about this band that you probably don't already know. Or rather, you can probably tell me a lot about this band that i don't already know. Cause i don't know much.
Let's see, they are from the New Wave era.
The majority of my experience with Depeche Mode has been through covers from bands and artists such as Johnny Cash, Marilyn Manson, and Lacuna Coil.
This song, Wrong, is from their most recent release. It rocks hard as hell, and is a pretty large step from the New Wave (though the evolution is obvious). I'd describe this song specifically as hard synth-rock with new wave roots.
But we established I'm bad at categorization.
Anyway, i dig this song, you should too.
Enjoy!
I can't say much about this band that you probably don't already know. Or rather, you can probably tell me a lot about this band that i don't already know. Cause i don't know much.
Let's see, they are from the New Wave era.
The majority of my experience with Depeche Mode has been through covers from bands and artists such as Johnny Cash, Marilyn Manson, and Lacuna Coil.
This song, Wrong, is from their most recent release. It rocks hard as hell, and is a pretty large step from the New Wave (though the evolution is obvious). I'd describe this song specifically as hard synth-rock with new wave roots.
But we established I'm bad at categorization.
Anyway, i dig this song, you should too.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
(69) Caroline's Spine :: Sullivan
Caroline's Spine :: Sullivan
This band has been floating around with several releases since 1993, but i didn't hear them until their first release on Hollywood Records titled Monsoon.
The song Sullivan was one of the first I noticed (can you guess why?).
It's an incredibly moving song about the Sullivan Brothers who all served in the US Navy during World War II on the USS Juneau.
In the end the five brothers all died when the ship was sunk. This prompted policy change in the US Navy and the adoption of the "Sullivan Rule" or the "Sole Survivor Policy" which dictates that members of the same bloodline may not serve on the same ship.
It's a pretty amazing song, moving, and hard rocking.
Enjoy.
This band has been floating around with several releases since 1993, but i didn't hear them until their first release on Hollywood Records titled Monsoon.
The song Sullivan was one of the first I noticed (can you guess why?).
It's an incredibly moving song about the Sullivan Brothers who all served in the US Navy during World War II on the USS Juneau.
In the end the five brothers all died when the ship was sunk. This prompted policy change in the US Navy and the adoption of the "Sullivan Rule" or the "Sole Survivor Policy" which dictates that members of the same bloodline may not serve on the same ship.
It's a pretty amazing song, moving, and hard rocking.
Enjoy.
Monday, May 4, 2009
(68) Tori Amos :: Tears In Your Hand
Tori Amos :: Tears In Your Hand
Maintaining my literary kick I've decided to include Tori Amos' Tears In Your Hand.
Not sure of the literary connection? Well it's in the first few lines:
"...If you need me
Me and Neil'll be hangin' out with the Dream King
Neil says hi by the way..."
This reference is to author Neil Gaiman. The Dream King is the main character of Gaiman's The Sandman series.
Apparently this is the first of several winks between Amos and Gaiman, and it was this first reference by Amos that started a lasting friendship between the two artists.
I of course love Tori Amos, and have recently become a huge fan of Neil Gaiman as well. Strangely I've always liked Neil Gaiman (having heard and read several interviews with him) but have only recently started reading him.
Well this is has been part two of 'songs with literary references'.
Enjoy!
Maintaining my literary kick I've decided to include Tori Amos' Tears In Your Hand.
Not sure of the literary connection? Well it's in the first few lines:
"...If you need me
Me and Neil'll be hangin' out with the Dream King
Neil says hi by the way..."
This reference is to author Neil Gaiman. The Dream King is the main character of Gaiman's The Sandman series.
Apparently this is the first of several winks between Amos and Gaiman, and it was this first reference by Amos that started a lasting friendship between the two artists.
I of course love Tori Amos, and have recently become a huge fan of Neil Gaiman as well. Strangely I've always liked Neil Gaiman (having heard and read several interviews with him) but have only recently started reading him.
Well this is has been part two of 'songs with literary references'.
Enjoy!
Sunday, May 3, 2009
(67) The Police :: Don't Stand So Close To Me
The Police :: Don't Stand So Close To Me
Ah The Police, so good.
Ah Sting, so good.
There, now that that is out of the way, let's discuss this addition to Blog-A-Song.
First of all, I'm on a 'songs with literary connections' kick, and this song tops my list for several reasons.
One reason is the reference in the song to Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita. Which is the literary reference in this song. It's also interesting to note that Sting was a British school teacher before joining The Police.
Another reason this song is top on my list is that when i worked as a page at my local library several years ago I was unfamiliar with Lolita, and a librarian friend of mine was the first to educate me on the reference in this song.
Yet another reason I chose this song is because Sting removes his shirt in the video. While this does little for me, I know at least one librarian whose love for Sting surpasses nearly all other things. So it seemed fate-inspired that I should post a song that I've learned more about in my own public library then anywhere else. Considering the song references a 20th century classic this seems very ironic right? Right!?
So in conclusion: listen to music, then go read the book(s) that inspired the music, then go make music inspired by things you've read.
Keep the cycle going!
Enjoy!
Ah The Police, so good.
Ah Sting, so good.
There, now that that is out of the way, let's discuss this addition to Blog-A-Song.
First of all, I'm on a 'songs with literary connections' kick, and this song tops my list for several reasons.
One reason is the reference in the song to Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita. Which is the literary reference in this song. It's also interesting to note that Sting was a British school teacher before joining The Police.
Another reason this song is top on my list is that when i worked as a page at my local library several years ago I was unfamiliar with Lolita, and a librarian friend of mine was the first to educate me on the reference in this song.
Yet another reason I chose this song is because Sting removes his shirt in the video. While this does little for me, I know at least one librarian whose love for Sting surpasses nearly all other things. So it seemed fate-inspired that I should post a song that I've learned more about in my own public library then anywhere else. Considering the song references a 20th century classic this seems very ironic right? Right!?
So in conclusion: listen to music, then go read the book(s) that inspired the music, then go make music inspired by things you've read.
Keep the cycle going!
Enjoy!
Saturday, May 2, 2009
(66) The 5.6.7.8's :: I Walk Like Jane Mansfield
The 5.6.7.8's :: I Walk Like Jane Mansfield
The 5.6.7.8's are pretty frigging cool. Admittedly I had no idea who they were until the Quentin Tarantino film Kill Bill Vol.1. But,Quentin Tarantino knows music, and if i can learn new music from him, I'm okay with it!
Typically I'm not a huge fan of 1950's "surf" styled music, but the blend of 'Girl Rock', 'Japanese Rock', and 'Surf Rock' has seduced me.
I admittedly don't know much about Jane Mansfield, but she seems an interesting subject for this band. Her fame peaked in the 1950's. She was a platinum blond sex symbol who was featured in Playboy. She was an award winning actress. Oh ya, and she supposedly had an incredibly high IQ and was a classically trained musician, who spoke several languages.
Why is this interesting?
Because an all girl band is singing about this American enigma; a beautiful woman whose fame was based predominately on her appearance but was actually incredibly intelligent.
"Shrug" seems intriguing to me anyways.
The song kicks ass regardless, so enjoy!
The 5.6.7.8's are pretty frigging cool. Admittedly I had no idea who they were until the Quentin Tarantino film Kill Bill Vol.1. But,Quentin Tarantino knows music, and if i can learn new music from him, I'm okay with it!
Typically I'm not a huge fan of 1950's "surf" styled music, but the blend of 'Girl Rock', 'Japanese Rock', and 'Surf Rock' has seduced me.
I admittedly don't know much about Jane Mansfield, but she seems an interesting subject for this band. Her fame peaked in the 1950's. She was a platinum blond sex symbol who was featured in Playboy. She was an award winning actress. Oh ya, and she supposedly had an incredibly high IQ and was a classically trained musician, who spoke several languages.
Why is this interesting?
Because an all girl band is singing about this American enigma; a beautiful woman whose fame was based predominately on her appearance but was actually incredibly intelligent.
"Shrug" seems intriguing to me anyways.
The song kicks ass regardless, so enjoy!
Friday, May 1, 2009
(65) The Fratellis :: Flathead
The Fratellis :: Flathead
I first heard the Fratellis on an MTV2 program featuring new music (Fratellis and Cold War Kids were featured can't remember the third band).
Overall I'm not a fan of the band but this song is so catchy and kicks so hard I can't not like it!
I did a little research about the song, and supposedly it's all about loose women and drugs. Which is basically the premise of all Rock and Roll right?
The term 'Flathead' in this context is believed to mean someone with an on-the-edge-lifestyle. This definition is based solely on Internet discussion boards.
But, the video for this song features 3 adult film stars (according to the comments on the YouTube) and that would fit the theme of Sex, Life-On-The-Edge, and potentially drugs.
The bottom line is this song creates a lot of confusion as to it's meaning, but is catchy, was on an IPod commercial, and rocks socks.
So regardless, enjoy!
I first heard the Fratellis on an MTV2 program featuring new music (Fratellis and Cold War Kids were featured can't remember the third band).
Overall I'm not a fan of the band but this song is so catchy and kicks so hard I can't not like it!
I did a little research about the song, and supposedly it's all about loose women and drugs. Which is basically the premise of all Rock and Roll right?
The term 'Flathead' in this context is believed to mean someone with an on-the-edge-lifestyle. This definition is based solely on Internet discussion boards.
But, the video for this song features 3 adult film stars (according to the comments on the YouTube) and that would fit the theme of Sex, Life-On-The-Edge, and potentially drugs.
The bottom line is this song creates a lot of confusion as to it's meaning, but is catchy, was on an IPod commercial, and rocks socks.
So regardless, enjoy!
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