NEW BLOG COMING SOON!

Hello everyone!
I have decided to revamp/ restart my music blog. I probably won't be posting for a while, but will be back with something new fairly soon. Thank you to everyone who has been reading, and get excited for what's to come!

You Are All I.... Want To Listen To

Pat Grossi aka Active Child has been impressing the vast majority of the music blog scene since he put out his first outstanding EP back in 2010. However, this week's release of his debut album, You Are All I See, has placed him so far above his peers in terms of innovation and production skill that it's hard to find words to accurately explain his genius. This album is a mastermind, through and through. Rarely (never) do I find guys singing in falsetto to be attractive, but he pulls it off so well. And how many guys do you know that can play the HARP and can pull that off tool? Mix that in with gorgeous harmonies layered over really interesting beats, and you know what it sounds like to go to heaven in 2011; I would be alright with dying if it meant that heaven sounded like this. My absolute favorite is the title track, "You Are All I See," which has this awesome wall-of-sound effect, and is best if listened to loud and with your eyes closed. "Hanging On," "Johnny Belinda," and "Shield & Sword" are also extraordinary. I guess my only complaint would be the track "Call Me Tonight," as it's a bit too La Roux-y and doesn't quite fit with the rest of the album. Minor setback, but rather insignificant when looking at Grossi's work as a whole. Learn to love Active Child as much as I do, because if not you are sorely missing out. And Pat, if you're single, I'm coming for you. Listen to "You Are All I See" and "Johnny Belinda" below:

Active Child- "You Are All I See"

Active Child- "Johnny Belinda"

New Florence & The Machine!!

I have been desperately waiting for Florence & The Machine to put out some new material, and two days ago that wish was finally fulfilled. Her newest single, "What The Water Gave Me," has the same edgy romantic quality and mystical allure as her old material, but this song really shows off her growth as a songwriter and true artistic sophistication. She's also just such a beautiful human being, inside and out, that it's pretty impossible not to love this. Apparently the world agrees too, because when I first saw this it had 300 views and now, 2 days later, it has over a million! Get it girl. If you are a Flo fan, watch the video here:

Adele @ The Hollywood Palladium in LA, 08/17/11

A lot can change in a short amount of time, something that the UK's most talented musician of her generation has proven very thoroughly. Three and a half years ago, I had the great honor of meeting Adele after one of her first performances in Los Angeles, a performance that absolutely convinced me she would because as famous and well-revered as she is today. To my great surprise though, she didn't seem all that convinced herself; in a half-joking and all-too-humble manner, she laughed to me that I might be one of the only people to stand in front of her and know every word to her songs. I would just like to say.... ADELE, I TOLD YOU SO.

After unfortunately canceling both of her sold-out LA tour dates earlier in the summer, August 17th could not have come soon enough for her fans here, me included. The excitement in the room was more palpable than had been in any other audience I had ever stood in, many of those around me commenting to their neighbors about how thrilled they were to see her live for the first time. Wanda Jackson, rockabilly legend and one of the most spunky seventy-something year old women I have encountered, opened with a heart-warming mix of rock, country, and endearingly excessive banter with the crowd. She even squeezed in a cover of "You Know I'm No Good" as a tribute to Amy Winehouse, which made me and many others tear up. She was fabulous and I hope I have half of her spirit when I reach that age.

Starting promptly at 9:30 like the altruistic non-diva she is, Adele emerged from behind a curtain and began her set with "Hometown Glory," smiling and waving at as many people as she could. God, if anything tells you how incredible and deserving this girl is of all she has earned, it's the way she interacts with her audience. In between effortlessly belting out tracks like "I'll Be Waiting," "Turning Tables," and "One and Only," she took the time to read signs fans had made for her, dedicate songs to couples standing in the front, and periodically demanded that the lights in the room be turned on so she could properly see those who came to see her perform. I am more than aware that most of the world loves her as much as I do, but Adele will always have a special place in my heart. Though she is obviously quite a talented songwriter, I would also like to say that I think she is especially gifted at interpreting and reproducing the work of others to make them her own, something she proved quite well while performing "If it Hadn't Been for Love" by the Steel Drivers and "Lovesong" by The Cure. She absolutely blew me away with these two covers, and really with entire set. She has always been this talented at performing, but the confidence she has gained and the way she carries herself now really makes me look up to her as an example of how a true artist should be. If you haven't had the absolute privelege of seeing Adele live, make sure to catch her on the second leg of her 21 tour (which she hinted will be coming up in the fall.) And if you haven't already, listen to "If it Hadn't Been for Love" below:

Oh Land- "White Nights" Official Music Video!

Being the huge fan that I am, I was quite pleased when Oh Land's newest music video for "White Nights" was the first thing I saw this morning. It features an amalgamation of fantasy worlds full of color, incredible visual effects, and one very adorable scandanavian superstar who I expect to reach Florench Welch-like fame and praise worldwide in the upcoming months. I wish I was seeing her open for Sia this week, but videos like this only get me more excited for the day I finally get to see her live. It is extremely well-done, intricate in its production and only one of the reasons Oh Land is sure to make all the best-of-the-year lists. Enjoy!

Kurt Vile and the Violators @ The Troubadour in LA, 7/29/11

What can I say... I'm completely smitten with Kurt Vile. From what I have heard about his live performances from friends and blogs, my expectations were set pretty high for this show. And let me just tell you, he did not disappoint. Completely unassuming in an Orangina t-shirt and unkempt mop of hair, Kurt came on stage with his band, smiled at the crowd, and began to play as though he was sitting around a fireplace with a bunch of friends. Though not much for words and loveably awkward, his voice and the heartwarming simplicity of his music were enough to physically make me feel lighter as I listened to "Ghost Town," "Jesus Fever," and "On Tour" with my eyes closed and a massive grin on my face. The best, in my opinion, was "Peeping Tomboy".... a soul-crushingly good live performance. Vile's 4th and newest studio album, Smoke Ring for my Halo, is arguably the best album of the year of his genre, albeit a genre I can't describe accurately enough to do it justice. If you're into folk and/or psych rock, he's your man... he has something so completely inimitable about him and I just can't say enough about his music. Watch the music video for "Jesus Fever" below:

Ida Maria w/ Chasing Kings @ The Roxy Theater in LA, 06/30/11

Seeing Ida Maria performs songs off of her sophomore album, Katla, has been one of my most prioritized goals of the year so far, and thank god it was finally fulfilled last Thursday at the famous Roxy on Sunset. Local band Chasing Kings opened for her, who aside from being the most attractive band I have seen in a long time, were absolutely incredible and played some pretty impressive material off their latest EP,The Current State of our Future, among other songs. If you're into bands like Local Natives, Dr. Dog, etc. definitely check them out.
Onto the piece de resistance. Ida, decced out in a flapper-y red fringe dress and what she calls her "rock boots," pranced onstage with both a cool confidence and palpable sense of excitement to perform for a packed room of devout Los Angeles fans. The Norwegian songstress played a satisfying combination of old and new, mixing new favorites like "Cherry Red" and "I Eat Boys Like You For Breakfast" with the original songs that made me fall in love with her, songs like "Queen of the World" and "I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked." Her performance was also a rollercoaster of emotions; one minute, she was touching the hearts of the audience members with "Keep Me Warm" and then, minutes later, was screaming into the microphone, pouring water over her head, and writhing on the floor singing her most famous, "Oh My God." I couldn't quite tell if she was drunk or just naturally a little bit insane, but either way I was into it. Especially after this show, I hold firm to my belief that she will stand as one of the most genuine and talented acts of her generation. Though her newest album hasn't gotten the hype I think it deserves, I am almost completely certain that will change in the upcoming months. If you haven't yet listened to Katla, get on it. You won't be let down.

Tuesday, June 21st 2011 was a magical day.

And it was a magical day for two reasons: YACHT's album, Shangri La, and BON IVER's album, Bon Iver, were both released yesterday. And they are both absolutely amazing from start to finish. It's kind of a bummer for YACHT that their album came out on the same day, because anyone who has been on the interwebs at all in the past 24 hours knows how much hype Justin Vernon and crew are getting for their record. I, on the other hand, am so overjoyed with the quality of both albums my head is going to explode. We all know Bon Iver is incredible, and I think enough people are talking about it that my input would be redundant. Thus, I am going to talk solely about YACHT's work, and hopefully enough of you will read this post that they can step on into some of BI's limelight. Let the praising commence:

YACHT- Shangri La

If you were to tell me back in 2007 when I first saw YACHT perform that they were going to be one of my favorite bands, I would have laughed in your face. To put it lightly, I was not that impressed. But holy shit has this band transformed themselves into a talented, brilliantly creative electronic duo. Everything they do now, from writing lyrics to constructing and producing songs to their group aesthetic and live performances, is a work of art. They have taken their slightly offbeat nature and completely made it work, so much so that I think Shangri-La will hold a pretty high standard for future albums of the same genre. Two of their new songs, "One Step" and "Tripped and Fell in Love," have got me helplessly hooked. I think it's their minimalist approach to production and the relatability of their words that make them so appealing, something they have always gone for but have really nailed in songs like these. "Shangri-La," too, completely resonates with me, as does the slightly-more-bizarre-yet-totally-loveable track, "Paradise Engineering." And of course, I would be remiss if I didn't reiterate how much I've loved "Dystopia (The Earth is on Fire)" since its original release earlier this year. You would think I'd be a bit sick of it by now, considering how much I have played that track on repeat, but the fact that I still want to listen to it at least a couple of times a week tells me that they have really got something going; mark my words it will be listed as one of the best tracks of the year. In sum, I would like to say that it is a rare thing for me to feel I can listen to an entire album without the urge to skip a track or two, but I can honestly say that I'm a fan of every single one of the tracks on this fantastic new album. If you are at all into synthy electronic music or have enjoyed any of YACHT's earlier work, you must must MUST get Shangri-La. Listen to "Tripped and Fell in Love" and "Paradise Engineering," AND watch their brand new hybrid music video for both "Utopia" and "Dystopia (The Earth is on Fire)" below:

YACHT- "Tripped and Fell in Love"

YACHT- "Paradise Engineering"

YACHT- "Utopia/Dystopia (The Earth is on Fire) Official Music Video

New CSS!

It's been quite a long while since anyone has heard new material from Brazilian electro-rock crew CSS, but their newest release, "Hit Me Like a Rock," has made it well worth the wait. It's much more mellow than the likes of "Art Bitch" or "Alala" and almost has a reggae swing to it, but it's such a great summertime song. I'm almost positive they played this at Coachella because I remember being struck by it; it really is quite well done, and has made me pretty stoked for the release of their third album, La Liberacion. All of you can listen to this little gem below and download it for free!

The Civil Wars @ Amoeba Records in LA, 06/14/11

Summertime in Los Angeles always means one thing... great free shows at Amoeba. They always present quite the eclectic mix of artists (I've seen everyone from Kate Nash to Amanda Blank perform at the world-famous mecca of music); this week, fans were graced with the presence of The Civil Wars, a folk duo whose simple guitar lines and gorgeous harmonies are nothing short of goosebump-inducing. They were showcasing their newest record, Barton Hollow, which was released in February of this year. I was completely in awe of how natural the connection was between Joy Williams and Jon Paul White, and how full the sound of their two voices and one guitar seemed to be. Though I'm not always partial to this kind of music, I think they have captured something absolutely wonderful together; their performances of "I've Got This Friend," "Poison and Wine," and "20 Years," albeit simple in nature, were so beautiful that I definitely saw a couple of guys in the audience reduced to tears. To my great surprise, too, they covered Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean," which was probably the highlight of the show. I was sad that they didn't play the namesake of the album, but I look forward to seeing much more from them in the future. Wesleyan readers: I spoke with them after the show and they want to come play at school! Keep your eye out. Listen to my favorite track off of their album, "I've Got This Friend," below:

The Civil Wars - I've Got This Friend by LifeBoxset.com