"Love is love is love is love is love is love..." - Lin-Manual Miranda
This video is a powerful visual representation of what it's like to want to express what you feel toward someone in public but can't. I realize that there are many heterosexuals in the world that won't partake in public displays of affection but this is different. It's not that we, as gay men and women, don't want to; in some instances it can prove to be deadly or violent. So you see the person that means the world to you for the first time that day and you want to hold them, but you can't. So you go through it all on the inside. You process your feelings and you are still left longing and wanting more. This happens every day, every hour; around the world and until we are all equal - this will continue to happen.
So thank you X Ambassadors for this beautiful video. They say art reflects and represents life and this is a beautiful reminder that while we may not be able to love openly and freely, there are those people in this world that are more than willing to help us make it a little more steady.
I'm always amazed at how far technology has come when it comes to music production. "Ghost Runner" by Nashville based singer/songwriter Ryan Courtney aka Trenton is incredible. It's polished. It's full. It's finished. It doesn't sound like something that has been thrown together or rushed. It's got a melancholy, languid feel to it that just floats along. You get caught in it's riptide and are gently pulled along through the journey that Ryan is leading you on. His vocal delivery boarders on syrupy as it just pours over you. I know he's been compared to Rufus Wainwright but I hear some Ben Gibbard around the "I Will Follow You" time period and even some of the smaller, softer moments that Brandon Flowers is capable of. The instrumentation is a lot like a stream moving you along as you just ride through and occasionally get swept up in faster moving currents.
I think there's something about Nashville based songwriters that give them an innate abilty to tap into some emotional reserve that we all share and they are able to help us understand more about what we are feeling. It may not be the exact emotion and it may not be the exact words they say but through several of these songs; "Found", "Unanswered", and "Show Me How" - I had an emotional response. Not some grand sweeping gesture but I was like... I feel these things. I have a place from which to pull an experience similar to the one that Ryan is capturing for me in a beautifully melodic fashion. "Awake" could easily stand up to anything Coldplay has released. And you find yourself closing your eyes and just bobbing along to it as you let everything else fade away. "Show Me How" made me gasp the first time I heard it because of the gorgeous quality of Ryan's voice and breath control on the opening lines. Then the track kicks in and I was like, "Damn. That's how we're gonna do this" and I was won over effortlessly.
Pick up this EP and support this guy because he's got amazing potential to be something huge. Trenton is definitely one of my go to groups now. It's just a very easy project to get behind and support. I think he's going to go places and it's cool to sit back and watch him.
It feels good to be inspired again. It feels good to have new music that challenges me. Ben Runyan has been doing that since 2011 for me and this new track that he's released, "Me Without You" is probably one of the most raw and vulnerable lyrically imposing records he's released. In the past, it's almost as if Ben has hidden behind a bit of production trickery on his voice but this has a very unfiltered quality to his voice. It's honest. It's hurt. It's trying to regain it's footing and it echoes where we've all been at sometime in our lives. Even though he's got scuffs and scrapes to show for it, he's still there. Still wanting to offer a hand if he's needed. He knows that there's nothing left to salvage but he's puzzling it through and the way the track ends..... I mean, come on. How much more genius can it be.
City Rain has always been in the back of my mind as one of those groups that circles the fringes and pops up when you need them in your life and right now, I apparently needed a jolt from these guys. It's good to have a single and it's even better knowing there's an album right around the corner. Will keep you informed.
I had the distinct honor to see one of what I consider the best Indie Pop bands I've seen in concert in a long time this week. Drove down to Nashville to see The Griswolds and Magic Man (Two bands that I adore) but I honestly have to say that their opening act, Panama Wedding stole the entire show. Whether it was the ease in which Peter Kirk flowed across the stage as easily as his vocals filled the room or the fact that they had absolutely no pretense about them. These 4 guys from New York City came to spread the good word that is Panama Wedding to the masses and they did.
As an opening act, it's tough. Most of the time you are the least known of the groups at the gig. You've got the smallest amount of time to get your message out and you've got to absolutely woo the audience into becoming fans. I had no idea who this small group was. I'd never heard them before and I had no preconceived notions. What happened before their 30 minute set was over, however; was that I had already purchased both of their EP's from Amazon and I lit my social media up extolling the virtues of this group.
Comparisons aren't something that I like doing but it does make it easier to help people break into a sound. Musically, their sound is easy; laid back and very mellow. Vocally, Peter Kirk could be compared to Paul Simon and thems some pretty big shoes to fill but his voice is one that you know. You've heard it before and it makes you exceptionally comfortable. His range is fantastic and he's not attempting to be Paul Simon, he just could be compared to him. Lyrically, this group has some of the tightest lyrics about the life and times of the average person trying to get by in the world today. Put all of this together and you have a sound track to an amazing day. It's easy to listen to and it's got some familiarity to it but there's enough new and challenging stuff with the production and how the whole thing is tied together that you aren't going to get bored.
There's a great balance between the use of synth and keys to the instrumentation to the guitars, bass, and drums. The EPs have an amazing production value and it's no surprise since they've come from Glassnote Records (home to artists like CVRCHES, Phoenix, and Mumford and Sons). They are full and very fleshed out. Sometimes you get an EP and it sounds like it's been produced in a garage; which can be very cool, but in this case these sound like these guys have been around for many more years than they have. I think I'm on about my 12 listen through both EPs and all 9 songs are amazing.
'Into Focus' would be the "banger" of the two tracks and it's just this really cool track that's got an uptempo beat and the lyrics talk about how things just come together ater you've been working toward your goal. There's a rad guitar solo just a really bitchin vibe to the song. It's easily one of my favorites but the one that really gets me is "Uma". Another amazingly put together track that's just fantastic. It's got this lazy vibe that is a juxtaposition to the tempo of "Into Focus". The chorus is really great and sits with you and you find yourself singing it hours later and you don't mind. There's a joy to the song that comes through even though it's a bit of a rocky type relationship song.
I know I keep talking about how easy this group is and I think that's the best selling point of them. You throw on an album and there's no learning curve. It just happens easily and you don't need to take time getting to know them because you've been pals with them for as long as you can remember. They need to be headlining their own tour (which I told them after the concert) and I can't wait to see them again. There's a rumor that now that they're off tour they're going to be focusing on their first full length album which would be great but I don't mind more EPs either. With music being digital, mostly now, an EP is a pretty cool way to grab a handful of songs since the artists don't have to fill 74 minutes on a CD. I'll absolutely be keeping up with these guys because I dig the shit out of them.
The music industry has become very "open sourced" in the past 10 years as software and engineering equipment is more accessible to the general public and that has unleashed a deluge of artists on the world; some of them not so good and some of them mediocre but every now and then you'll find one that's a shining example of what music can be with the right direction and guidance and Winter League is one of the latter.
The song doesn't have the traditional setup with a discernible chorus that is repeated through the song so there's much more of a purpose behind their instrumentation and lyrics. They have a place where they are going with the song and it's determined early on that they are going to bring you along with them. Building a non-traditional style song is a risky proposition because when you have a verse, chorus, verse type of set up, the audience has a basic outline of what to expect out of the song and you can potentially deny them the opportunity to get caught on the hook and all that but it doesn't seem to be a problem with this track.
Alex's vocals just grab you and you don't need any tricks or magic to make it to the end of the song. There's nothing derivative or forced here. It's solid indie rock that has a heart and body to it and it's all grounded around Alex. As the leader of the band, it's his charisma vocal delivery that cements it all together. It would be exceptionally easy for a less talented singer to let these tracks overwhelm him and overtake the vocal all together but Alex easily shows a maturity in his leadership by holding his own and letting his passion for what he's singing come through.
The production value on this song and others on their Reverbnation page just blow me away because the songs do not sound like anything from a local indie band. The songs are polished and sound ready for mainstream release. I am beyond blown away by the overall quality of this group and I hope they don't stay a small hometown band for long because that would do them an utter disservice. They deserve to be heard by the world and they absolutely need to be snagged by a major label soon. I could easily see them touring with groups like Fair to Midland or Tame Impala or Grizzly Bear. There's enough art house/progressive to their sound that they could mix in with that crowd or they could get down with the indie dudes without question.
I certainly keep track of this group and bring more to you as I get it. They have the potential for doing amazing things in the very near future.
Generally when I think of music that describes itself as chill or ambient or chillwave, I always expect that I need to have some form of pharmacological assistance to get me into the headspace that I should be in to fully appreciate the art put out by the artist. That's not to be said for Kentucky performance artist, Classy Mongrel. His music has teeth. It's got flavor. It's not simply beats and loops over and over at 89 bpm to lull you to sleep. It's a fully realized musical endeavor with a beginning, a middle and an end. If I were to compare him to anyone it would be artists like Grimes and Penguin Prison or City Rain. He's been to the same places that Hercules and the Love Affair have been and he's not simply some guy sitting in his room learning a craft. His music is fluid and it's full and gives you something to work with.
All that being said, it's not something that you can't groove to. You can absolutely start at square one and let him take you to where you need to go. Just close your eyes and the beats and synths will easily wrap you up in the deliciousness his music provides. When you come across a track with vocals, they aren't used as a stand apart feature that you are supposed to give all your attention; they are another instrument in the lineup. The vocals enhance the overall track and don't take away from your enjoyment. You don't have to stop grooving to hear what's being said, you simply integrate it into your experience. Another artist he brings to mind is British Dream Pop group, Fuse. I love the Dream Pop genre as much as I dig Shoegaze and I would more faithfully put Classy Mongrel in that category quicker than I would just call him an ambient artist.
Something he does in a lot of tracks is there maybe a four or an eight count where things are just a bit off. Just a bit broken. To my ears, that's almost an homage to life itself. Things aren't always perfect and you hit a rough patch and then you process it and move on. It's a testament to the resilience of human nature at it's core. It's not being bogged down by the small stuff. It's the glitch in the Matrix. It's the deja vu. It's acknowledging that things can get back on track if you let them. He's able to incorporate these little moments of unrest into his tracks and they don't take away from the overall product. In some instances, they may be a little unnerving but that's part of learning and growing as a human.
The production on the tracks is solid. There's a ton of depth and range to his music. His synths are tight and are all pulled together into a cohesive product. I don't hear any "store bought" samples or loops (or if I do, he's done a good enough job at disguising them that they don't come across that way). It's well thought out and as professional as any other artist making this music today.
There's never been any type of secret about my love affair with Kendall Kelly's music. Doesn't matter if it's performance art or hip hop to pop or dance, if this man creates it; we are guaranteed that it's going to come from a place of importance to him. I don't think he's ever done anything superfluous or just because he could do it. I strongly feel that everything he's done in his career has been calculated perfectly to not only affect healing within himself but to his friends, fans and family.
And as much as I love esoteric Kendall, this minimalist, Spartan Kendall is my favorite iteration of his persona. When it's just him and a bare backing track, you really get to see him for who he is and what it is that he's been going through. You are then able to take that in hold it up against your life and find reflected in his performance some truth about your own existence. We've all been at a point in our lives when we realize that for better or worse, there are times when we just have to give into the plans the universe has for us. Doesn't matter what we were thinking about at the time, when it comes down on us; and it will, in buckets or droves... we have to submit to it and let it wash over us.
How far do we let ourselves go, though? If we submit wholly to it are we ever going to get ourselves back or have we gone too far? Is it enough to lose our sense of self to let this change happen? Are we conscious enough of our decisions to be able to be able to find our way back if we have to? Kendall has this magic about him that causes these questions to be asked and it's then our responsibility and our right to do enough self reflection to answer them.
This blog has given me the opportunity to hear a tremendous amount of great music. I've been able to interact with singers/songwriters, producers, record label execs and everyone in between. What I still get star struck about is when artists take the time to read what I've written and comment or repost it and to make it even more of an overwhelming experience is when you are at a show and the artist you are there to see takes the time to acknowledge your work and spend time talking to you. I am in awe when you talk to someone that you admire because their art has transformed you and they reciprocate that admiration for the what I've done or said about them.
I had one of these interactions last night at the Nashville edition of Ben Lovett's Communion tour. I've been a fan of Johnny Stimson for quite some time because his music is expressive of the experiences that we have all felt at one time or another in our lives. He sings about love and loss and aspects of the human condition we've come in contact with. His vocal range is uncanny as he hits notes that are incredibly difficult for most male artists, his honesty and heart shine through the tracks like a beacon. He may be singing about loss but it's done in such manner that as much as it stings and as much pain you have to experience, things will be better. You just have to push through it and don't give up. There is a hopeful optimist inside all of us, we just have to have a little help to find him and Johnny has the ability to draw him out.
His music style has matured and shifted over the course of his career as he learns more about himself and who wants to be. You can hear so many influences in his work from early British Invasion stuff like the Beatles that's very mod. Very buttoned up and polished to more of his newer material that's very blue eyed soul meets funk with thunderous rhythm and percussion. It's not a huge leap because you can hear how much soul he has weaved all through each and every track. It's a lot of the same feeling, just in a funkier, get up and boogie package.
Now, let's talk about his stage show. The man commands a room. It's just a 3 piece band but every inch of that stage is filled with every bit of his personality. It's infectious and it's a party and it's impossible to not dance. Without a shadow of a doubt, you know that he is doing what he loves and there's no place he'd rather be. His exuberance is palpable and you can't help to immediately get where he's coming from. You look around and there's not a person standing still. Everyone is on their feet, dancing and becoming part of something larger than themselves. Getting caught up in the emotion and forgetting their own lives for a minute. I've always been of the opinion that a live show is a make it or break it for an artist because the audience is able to hear just how much production has gone into the work. How much doctoring has been done to the artist's voice and I overwhelming pleased to say (not that I ever questioned it) that the Johnny you hear in the recordings is what you're going to get live and in person.
The man has the talent and the ability to be a megastar. We're just waiting for the rest of the world to catch up. Another defining trait that he has is his humility and his just general good nature. I never once felt like I was in the presence of a star that was bothered by me. We talked, we laughed, we hugged. The man is the real deal and if you don't believe it...go see him live. He took and honest to good interest in my life and my opinion. And I am damn glad that I will be able to say that I knew him when. In the next couple of years, he is going to be so huge and I can't wait for everyone to fall for him.
This song pissed me off. A lot. I was streaming my soundcloud this morning as I was driving to work and this comes on and I'm like cool. I love City Rain and I haven't heard this yet so let's go. It starts, it builds and right as I get to the part where I am going to just have at it....it quits. Thanks, Ben for the huge tease. I want to hear this whole song because it's incredible. Please finish it or release the whole thing. I think it's an incredible track and want to hear the whole thing.
This is the reason that music exists. This song so eloquently describes the human condition in a mere 3:47. There is a message, there is purpose. But it doesn't preach. Yes, it is a song about decisions and whether or not the ones being made are the best for everyone concerned but it's so much more than the moral at the end of the After School Special. It's art. It's evokes emotion and it makes you feel. Jhameel has done that for me since day one of becoming a fan. He makes transcendent experiences that take you out of the world for a piece and bring you back as something more than you were.
This song came from his Are You Free adventure and was one of my favorite songs from that set of tracks. It's actually super hard to announce one favorite song because he is simply amazing. The song on it's own is brilliant and the added visuals from the video take it to the next logical step and create something more than the sum. I hope that you can watch this video and get a sense of what he is trying to accomplish with this track.
You are raised by your parents and taught wrong from right. Some families attend church and spend time building their faith and through that faith, they find a place in this world. But what happens when your faith begins to falter and lets you down? I remember when I moved back to Tennessee at the age of 18 to live with my mother she wanted me to go to church with her so I could make friends. This seemed like a valid argument so I did. We started going to a Church of God and I did start meeting people my age and I even joined the youth group. I attended meetings and pot lucks and even went on camping trips with these people. It wasn't until I started having problems reconciling my feelings about being gay and what we were being taught that I realized something wasn't fitting right. The pastor at the church was a super friendly, young man that just exuded charisma and you had no choice but to like him (and I did). So I decided I needed to talk to him and maybe try to come to some balance between my budding faith and my sexuality.
I had been told that there are 3 people you can talk to in life about your problems; your preacher, your hairdresser and your bartender. Since I wasn't old enough to go to a bar and I didn't have a steady hairdresser I figured the best thing to do was to talk to my preacher. I shared with him the feelings that were causing so much conflict in my life and magically after that conversation - he really didn't want to have much to do with me anymore. He didn't want to offer additional counseling or offer conversion therapy, he simply didn't want to have anything to do with me. So I quit the church and never looked back.
Unlike my experience, Justin Utley experienced something far more heinous and sinister at the hands of the people he placed his faith in. Justin was raised in the Mormon church and did everything he could to be an active member of his congregation. He used his music as part of the church and sang as a contemporary Christian singer. He went on his mission for the church and spent 2 years away from his family and friends. Being the best Mormon he could was so important to him. He began to have issues with the church when his sexuality and religious beliefs started conflicting. Again, trying to be the best Mormon he could, he repressed his feelings and continued his service with the church. It wasn't until his Bishop urged him into joining a same-sex reformation program called Evergreen. He stayed at Evergreen for two years undergoing different treatments in order to get the gay out of him until he met Brent and they both left the treatment program together. He was happy in his decision until Brent passed away from a heart attack 6 months later. He went back to his church because he needed comfort and his Bishop told him that the heart attack was God's way of punishing Brent for his impure lifestyle. At that point in time, he realized that the church did not need him.
In 2005, Justin took all of his experiences up until that point and crafted his debut album, Runaway. This album is easily one of my top 10 albums of my life. It is always in heavy rotation and never leaves my iPod. The album is one of the most honest, laid bare, albums I've heard in a long time. The tracks are crafted in a way that touch every part of me. There are a few artists that have the ability to fully harness their experiences and put them out for all to see. This album is deceptively simple. There isn't an over abundance of production and for an artist like Justin, you don't need vocoders and autotune. Just Justin alone with a guitar is enough. For that matter, I think he could sing the phone book and deliver it with honesty and integrity. So the album is made up of 10 tracks that range from pure pop to alt country and everything in between. From the piano driven, Apology to the market ready Little White Lies, this album will speak to experiences that you didn't know you had. I have sat and listened to this album from stat to finish and I cannot find one misstep on his part. I think Crash and Burn and Goodbye Goodbye are my 2 favorite tracks but I love Hold You for the dash of saccharine he has sprinkled on the lyrics.
Justin has a new album coming out soon and I think that you should go to his website and at least listen to the tracks posted there. He has had the opportunity of traveling around the country and even internationally playing for people. He was at Pride in Stockholm, Sweden this year and he destroyed the audience with his song, Stand for Something.
Better yet, please go buy Runaway. You won't regret it if you are a fan of honest, American music. He is wonderful and I hate the fact he has gone through the things that he has but I am glad he has put it out there for us to have. I don't know how many times a song has come on that echoed what I was feeling at that point in time. Buy this album and then get his next album and the ones after that and support independent artists because they need to be supported.
Here's the deal. What you're listening to is 4.26 minutes of pure unadulterated artistry on a 4 string bass. That's right. There are only 4 strings that he used to do this. I am now in utter awe of his talent. I don't know many musicians that can do the things that Scott does with his bass. This song to me is very appealing right now because it's very frenetic. The layering he's done and the overlapping of the 2 almost separate tracks gives this piece a very schizophrenic feeling. It's moody and a little bit manic in places. The song has a point of view and it makes damn sure you know about it. It's a bit all over the place but it takes talent to do that and mean for it to happen. I don't want to attempt to sound all educated about technique and style but I know that this man has skill to do what he does. It's got a car chase feeling to it, like from a Guy Richie film. It's action oriented and even has a Spanish influence like our hero has been driving across Europe and now things are winding down in the streets of London.
Give it a listen and actually listen to it. Don't just hear it but listen for the subtle nuances that Scott has layered into it.
