67db

updates from my contributions at the website http://www.67db.com

Now That’s What I Call Talent

Feb 252010

I’m currently pursuing my lifelong dream of being a comedian. After six weeks of nerve racking open mic performances, I have risen from the amateur rank of not-another-douche-bag-that-thinks-he’s-funny to the slightly more revered not-this-unfunny-douche-again. But, I’m learning. The availability of an amateur stage is essential to the development of every performer. Stage presence, telling a joke or singing a song, holding a microphone properly and captivating an audience’s attention are seemingly fundamental lessons for entertainers. But these things mean little if there isn’t any substance behind the act.

In rare fashion, I caught myself watching the hit television show, American Idol. American Idol is a talent contest designed to springboard an amateur singer into fame and fortune. Initial rounds of auditions before a panel of judges are followed by audience voting which determines a winner.

Take away the glitz and glamour of the competition, and the performers on American Idol are no different from me. Just like me, the majority of contestants lack essential performance skills. Because of this, the contestants are undeserving of the show’s bounty. Sure, these kids might be able to sing, but that’s not the goal of the contest. American Idol is out to cash in on an accomplished entertainer. The end result is a skewed vision of what talent is. They want a performer first and a singer second.

My concern is just how accurately the show’s formula reflects how “show business” works. Industry producers and executives rely so heavily on an entertainer’s ability to perform, that talent can sometimes fall by the wayside. Because of these operations, the “artist” the public is exposed to is a salesman for the music industry; in most cases he’s a talentless, organ grinder’s monkey dancing on a street corner as part of a marketing campaign. Think of any pop culture icons you’ve ever heard of and you get the idea.

It’s sad that many people who dream of becoming part of show business are forced to split time developing their talent while also working an audience. Performers who cannot accomplish both of these requisites are left out of the limelight. Unfortunately for fans of music and the arts in general, we miss out on a ton of talent.

I’m very thankful that there are opportunities for new artists to find a stage. Open mics and other amateur shows allow people to show off their talents without the pressure of pleasing anyone. It’s a showcase of raw talent. And, actually, it’s a lot of fun to watch and perform.

Stage presence is one of the most important skills a performer can have, but it is not the most important. The ability to act, sing, dance, tell a joke, throw a baton, etc. is essential. In most cases, however, we’re not exposed to that. Somewhere along the lines we exchanged intrinsic value for the pocket-lining monetary value. In most cases, it’s just not all that pleasing to listen to.

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Karen O…Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs, Baby!

67db, Life Lessons No Responses »

Dec 102009

Led by pianist and vocalist, Karen O, drummer, Brian Chase and guitarist/keyboardist, Nick Zinner, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs are one of my favorite bands. By the time I’d learned of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs around 2006, they’d already done some pretty big things.

Their first two records, Fever to Tell (2003) and Show Your Bones (2006) produced a sound that stands alone. Unique? Yes. Eerily catchy and inspiring? Absolutely. In fact, last month, the album, Fever to Tell, was named as one of the top five albums of this decade by the UK’s New Musical Express Magazine.

Not surprising, I was completely sold on the Yeah Yeah Yeahs when I first heard a few of their biggest tracks (“Gold Lion“, “Cheated Hearts“, “Warrior“, and “Maps“). The release of the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s third album, It’s Blitz!, in March of this year, has impressed me more than ever.

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs are one of the few bands that I’ve heard that thoroughly riles my blood. I’m talking riled as in Rage Against the Machine and Nirvana riled. But Yeah Yeah Yeah’s rile is a completely different kind of animal.

Their energy can move you and floor you all at the same time. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs invoke such a strong energy within me that when I first heard “Skeletons“, I teared up. After that I ran five and a half miles and passed out.

The music is like a quiet storm that moves in slow and fierce. When the sound storm arrives, the listener is barraged with a style of synthesized rock that is like no other. The drums are crisp. The guitar riffs are subtle. Karen O’s vocals twist and careen between pitch, volume, octave and cadence, thus thrilling and awing the listener.

I can say with honesty there is not a single track on It’s Blitz! that I dislike. ”Heads Will Roll” has gained the most attention in the mainstream. You certainly can’t go wrong with “Runaway“, the aforementioned “Skeletons”, “Little Shadow“, or the hard hitting “Dull Life“.

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs have brought it time and time again. The group’s music with Karen O (yeah, baby) at the helm invigorates strong emotion. I encourage you to get a copy of It’s Blitz! if you haven’t already. This is one of my favorite albums of the year and possibly of all time. I hope you enjoy.

Oh, and be sure to keep your ear out for Karen O’s participation in the soundtrack for the motion picture, Where the Wild Things Are.

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My Monolith

67db, Life Lessons No Responses »

Dec 102009

This past weekend, I attended an event at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, CO. The Monolith Festival, an enlightening and entertaining two day concert event, consisted of four stages and dozens of bands. I didn’t originally plan on attending Monolith, but after some gentle prodding, Steve B. was able to convince me to look around for a ticket. I joined Steve and a moderately hungover, Alex, for the second day of the fest. I found out which bands were playing and determined that I didn’t know many of the acts. Regardless of my naivete, I attended happily. What I learned that day, will stick with me forever.

Steve B. squinting pirate-like with his first mate, Alex.

In the standard band construction, you will almost certainly see a set of drums, rhythm guitar, bass guitar, and a lead (guitar, vocals, piano). Steve called it four-by-four music. Not at Monolith. If I had to describe it, Monolith showcased non-traditional groups. In addition to the basic elements of traditional bands, the groups we saw added percussionists, extra drummers, and electronic instruments like turntables, controller pads, and synthesizers. It was music production and artist performance from out of this world.

Because of my unfamiliarity with the artists, I had Steve lead the way. The first band we happened across was a trio called Monotonix. The band was set up in the middle of the crowd. The lead singer donned a handlebar moustache and long curly hair. He was only wearing shoes and a pair of short red velvety running shorts (and I still think he felt overdressed). Monotonix’s hard bass lines and heavy drumming just barely drowned out the lead singer’s guttural anthems as crowd members literally raised him up high on a pedestal while he “sang”. He resorted to mooning the crowd and spit on several people. It was awesome! Here are the other performances we saw:

After that, we ventured around stopping in to hear sets performed by bands like Health (heavy hitting guitar power-chords backed by two drummers – rhythm and lead);

The Dandy Warhols (a rock band supported by trance inducing electronica and soothing melody);

Red Man and Method Man (two rappers from the Wutang Clan coarsely rapping to hip-hop tracks);

The Glitch Mob (Four dudes with controller pads and one on a turn table mixing tracks into rhythmic beats);

Passion Pit (falsetto vocals backed by techno dance tracks, keyboard, drums and guitar);

Phoenix (synthy beats combined with countertenor vocals, keyboard and drums);

And, finally, The Mars Volta (the main event). I thought The Mars Volta were exemplary. TMV manipulated extremely complicated guitar riffs, unbelievably fast drum beats, jazz piano, percussion, bass, and alto vocals to create both heavy hitting rock songs and soothing jamband-esque drama. Each element contributed fully even though it could possibly stand alone. The lead singer, Cedric Bixler-Zavala, resorted to many tricks of his own, maintaining seemingly falsetto vocals while performing ametuer acrobatics and microphone handling tricks. Omar Rodríguez-López , on lead guitar, was amazingly fierce and graceful. Like a fine cognac or caviar, TMV is an acquired taste. Not because it’s repulsive, but because the music is wonderfully layered and complex. There is a lot going on in their songs but somehow the individual sounds are perfectly married.

The festival was a great experience and it really opened my ears to a culture I was completely mystified by. I learned a lot about a genre of music that I’ve only begun to appreciate. I’m glad that I attended and plan on following the bands that blew my mind.

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Regina Spektor – Far

67db, Life Lessons No Responses »

Dec 102009

Listening to Regina Spektor’s latest album, Far (Release: June 23, 2009), leaves the listener feeling as if he just spent a day making a friend. The lyrics are as simple and whimsical as casual conversation or story telling. However, for as simple as her words sound, they carry the weight and complexity we all experience when lost in thought. An element of honesty is born from the intimacy. This experience is made even more intriguing when paired with her piano. Listening to any of the album’s songs reveals that she is a very talented piano player. Her ability to play showcases her true love for the instrument and how much fun she is having. This invites the listener in even more. The true value of Spektor’s songs comes when the piano is paired with her voice. The inflection from her vocals match the rhythmic bounciness of her piano skills. Her words bounce and float along with the notes as the tempo gracefully changes. At times she even uses the just sounds of words to compliment the melody (Listen to ”Eet” below). By bringing the listener in on a personal level, Spektor is able to convey the obscurity and fun of her message. Far is a good album and is very pleasing to listen to if ever a fun and honest friend was needed.

To get better acquainted with her style, I suggest warming up with these songs from Regina Spektor’s album, Far:

“Eet” (with accompanying National Public Radio review)

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105823657&ps=rs

“Laughing With”

Ray LaMontagne Will Take You to Hell and Back

67db, Life Lessons No Responses »

Dec 102009

If you’re looking for a set of lyrics to grab your soul by the short and curlies, go no further than Ray LaMontagne’s, “Empty”. From his Gossip in the Grain album (release October, 2008), “Empty” mixes the chug-along strum of the acoustic guitar and LaMontagne’s raspy voice to create a classic folk rock sound. The addition of a pedal steel guitar and a dark story really exemplifies this song. LaMontagne turns this soothing melody into a dark and twisted tale that deserves a listen.

On the face, “Empty” leads the listener to believe that the song’s message is a man’s struggle to reclaim the love he once had for a woman. It seems their love dissapates when feelings of emptiness emerge. On deeper analysis, my sense is that in his love for this woman, he struggles to love her while embracing his dark and depressed mind. Recognizing his depression, the woman tries to shine light upon him through his battle. He feels her attempts to make him happy as deceptive and longs for her honesty. To him, her gestures are defiant to his nature and they increasingly cause conflict within him. As many times as he’s tried to see the brighter side, he knows that he prefers a hollow feeling. He has attempted to fight his demons before to no avail and he will always see the world as dark and dreadful. Comfortable with self loathing, their love quietly fades away as he remains “so empty…so estranged”.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_lamontagne