Keeping It Fresh

Today I am going back to the days of the boy bands, a song that is off one of my personal playlists. LMNT was around for a short while, coming out with a lead single which seemed to take over the young pop world by storm. I never realized how much I loved this song until I heard it after almost 10 years, and if something like that doesn't make you feel old then I don't know what will. There was so much about this song which made young me (and current me) really love this song. I have to admit, this song has all the characteristics of your typical 2000s boy band. This is the kind of song you would hear in all those teen movies, and incidentally enough, this particular song was a popular choice. But we have a lot going on in this song which helps give it that throwback vibe. For starters, the fact that LMNT is a boy band. It is hard to miss that fact, and that in itself is enough to make this song a good one. The nostalgia for boy bands of old, with synchronized dance moves a...

Today I have a little bit of a shorter post, but I can promise you that it's a good one. Today I wanted to focus on ethnic music, particularly, Indian music. And I have music for you by an artist out of England by the name Zack Knight. Now this is a guy who has a really great thing going on in terms of musicality. In fact, this is something I have seen a lot more of, a nice resurgence of a style of music that definitely went underground for a few years before resurfacing. This hip-hop oriented music is a great style because it is a smooth fusion of Indian and Western music. I mean it is a straight flow between the two, switching between them and making sure the song gets some Hindi in there as well as English. Now this song, in particular, is definitely geared more towards English, with only a few verses done in Hindi and Punjabi, but I seriously haven't been able to get the song out of my head. I mean it has everything- a sick beat, a catchy chorus, and a really good vibe....

Today I have some music for you by a trio of musicians who are an odd mix of electronic dance and rock music. And this rock music is more along the lines of hard rock. Art vs Science is a group out of Sydney, Australia with an intense, lively, and spunky spirit. Art vs Science is one of the oddest groups I have heard, but I absolutely love how unique and fun their music is. This band is one that has received some mixed reviews, with some dismissing their music and others praising them as one of Australia's greatest live acts. I will leave you to decide how to feel about the band, and would love to know what you think! But before we even get to that, let's take a look at a breakdown of this song. For starters, this is such a pumped up and fist-bump worthy song. The energy felt in this song is really reminiscent of The Beastie Boys and The Chemical Brothers for me. There is this very particular kind of sound that comes with musicians like this. I am going to try to put it in wo...

Today I have some long awaited, incredible music for you. We have been waiting for new music by the British band Gorillaz for over five years. Five. Years. And my oh my did they satisfy! One of the cool things about Gorillaz, is that we never know what to expect from them. Their sound is so eclectic and strange, the persona they have is unique, and their choice of musicality and lyricism is out of this world. There are so many things which make this band a special one, a band that we can't help but want to know more about and hear from.The greatest thing though is that no song sounds the same, and each album is entirely different from the rest. Gorillaz tends to follow some kind of rock and rap combination, however, the way the two are combined is up for experimentation. Gorillaz is a band that experiments with different sounds and somehow is able to find the strangest and greatest combinations. With this song, we get a rock slow jam which features Jamaican style vocals. Normally, ...

My have we had an incredibly busy week! With SXSW officially done, I wanted to spend some time recapping some of the artists that came and performed, along with some new artists who have been over multiple SXSW playlists. This first song is by a musician and producer known as Jon Santana. Now this song is a little interesting because I feel like it pays more homage to Jon Santana's role as a producer rather than a singer/song-writer. The song is more instrumental focused rather than having lyrically heavy verses and choruses. On top of the song composition, it features vocalist Jack McMullen who is the only source of singing throughout the piece. I found this to be a very cool dynamic, as it is more uncommon to hear that from a genre such as this. Now the genre is actually a little difficult to place. I don't really know what to call it, however, I want to say there are elements of alternative R&B, chillstep, and even a little bit of rock thrown in there. There are no boun...

Today I have some music for you by a solo artist who goes by Big Black Delta. There are so many things to enjoy about this song, from the melody to the lyrics to the music video. This song oozes classy jazz and creativity in all aspects. I like to classify this song as something that is like indie jazz. There are so many elements of this song that make it a jazzy piece. The assortment of brass and woodwind instruments kind of gives that one away. What I think is kind of cool though is that we can hear elements of a group that he used to be a part of shine through the song a bit. Big Black Delta's Jonathan Bates was a former touring member of the band M83. Now seeing how M83 likes to make sounds that are both instrument heavy and electronic heavy, I think it is safe to compare the two artists a bit. Big Black Delta likes to expand the horizons of his instrumental usage. He looks beyond the conventional band instruments like drums and guitars, and opts for more synth, keyboard, and i...

Back again today! I know this week I was in and out, but now things should be getting regular again. And to start it off, I have the most incredible remix of a song from one of the hottest shows on Netflix. Now, most people would say that this is a remix of a Childish Gambino song, but I like to think of it differently. Without the Stranger Things theme song in this, we wouldn't get the masterpiece of music we hear. Both of these songs blend so well for a few reasons. The Stranger Things theme song is one that is very repetitive. The lines are repeated with more layerings as the theme goes through. But for the most part, it remains pretty consistent with little fluctuations added in here and there. Because of this, the 80s style track makes the perfect back-track. It is relentless and unfazed and serves as a strong base to add other sounds on top. The retro synths and analog instrumental composition is something that is absolutely phenomenal. The brilliant eeriness to the song some...

Today is day 3 of the ACL Festival line-up, and I've got some weird music for you. A music festival in Austin would be incomplete without the appearance of a popular artist who could also be the poster child for "Keep Austin Weird." Die Antwoord is a South African rap-rave group who takes the word "eclectic" very seriously. The creative outlet that Die Antwoord has is one that people either love or find to be a joke. Now I won't lie, my first experience with Die Antwoord left me pretty shocked and confused. I didn't know how I felt about the group, and even now I am still unsure. But what I can tell you, is that they have a huge cult following. Die Antwoord's style is described as "zef" which basically translate to modern-trashy. Which I actually really understand since watching them perform and listening to their music. The music itself isn't trashy, but the style makes it sound like a chaotic and raw kind of sound. Since I don't h...

Today I am back to bring you some music! This week has been an absolute nightmare, so I apologize for slacking on the posting. But today I have a song for you by Muse. I don't know why this song randomly made its way into my head, but I haven't been able to shake it for a while. This song is off the album they released a few years ago and may be their most notable album. This album was very different when compared to the rest of their older music. The entire musicality of this album is unlike anything we have heard from Muse. This album is all about that blend of electronic synths and rock music, a sound that if any band could pull off, would be Muse. What I love about Muse's version of this style of music is that it still retains that darkness that is very characteristic of Muse. They take the electronic work on that more intense level, creating intricate melodies and harmonies that create that overcast feeling we get when listening to their music. This song, in particular...

Today I have some music for you by a band that is definitely way under the radar, but is a a wild one! Foxy Shazam is just as out there as their name is. I did have the experience of seeing them perform live, and holy hell it was a ride! These guys know how to play their instruments and sing well live, but they also know how to really perform. For them, it isn't enough to be able to play their songs live. There is a certain amount of theatricality that goes along with their shows and videos. But you can even hear it in the music. Foxy Shazam does have a certain dramatic flair in their actual music, from the braying brass to the jingling bells. It all has this Broadway-esque feeling to it, but is something that is so completely captivating. This song is actually one of my favorites by them. To be totally honest, I don't remember when I first heard their music. But I am so glad I did because it is such a cool kind of sound. I love how the song opens up with the ticking clock and ...

Today I have a really cool and slightly weird song for you. Now this is actually a mashup of two songs by Fetty Wap. But, this is a punk and hardcore rock version of the mashup. Which is normally really strange to think about, but Zak Diesal pulls it off so well and honestly I am pretty much in shock at how good this cover is. There is something about that stereotypical punk voice, the kind that borders that metal voice. It is really deep and the vowels are more elongated and I just love the way it sounds, as if they could let out a little bit of a screamo type scream any moment. That could be the inner rocker in me, but man I have to say Zak Diesal has a hell of a voice. I know this is normally not the kind of thing that people listen to, and not the kind of voice most people know and appreciate. But I can definitely tell you that this is a really wicked sound, something that any serious rocker would kind of drool over. Now Zak Diesal does an absolutely incredible job of turning Fetty...

Today I have some interesting music for you by a band whom I never expected to create music like this. The Plain White T's are generally a very sweet sounding band, with more acoustic and guitar oriented music. Their music is more along the lines of contemporary and more of a pop sound. Their most popular radio hits have been romantic ballads accompanied by a guitar and well performed melodies. But this song seems to be much more off the beaten path. Now I guess a precursor to the song is to explain that it was actually created to be a part of the Alice in Wonderland soundtrack. This being said, The Plain White T's had to create a song that was worthy of a Tim Burton film, in other words, something strange and out of the ordinary. And my oh my did they nail it! This song is such a wonderful expression of Tim Burton and his style, making it one of the greatest songs to accompany a movie of this caliber. Alice In Wonderland is a movie about a girl who gets swept into a world of m...

Today I have some music for you by Alex Clare. What I absolutely love about this song is how he mixed a harder rock sound with electric, and then combines that with reggaeton! I have never heard anything so sick like that before and it makes me excited to hear that experimentation! This song has awesomely catchy beats and a great melody that just sounds so brilliant with a reggaeton beat! This song really has a cool sound to it because while it does have that Latin American beat, there are still distinct sounds of Western electronic music. This song was actually produce by Major Lazer which I found really cool. This is a different direction for Alex Clare, but it is also a different sound for Major Lazer. Both artists did a phenomenal job with this song though and I am super pumped by this song. Alex Clare has a really awesome voice for this song because he is able to make the song sound a little edgy and reckless. However, he also sings with a certain accent, one where he stresses the...

Today I have some music for you because Google is finally back up and working. Now today I have music for you by an artist out of England by the name Zack Knight. Now this is a guy who has a really great thing going on in terms of musicality. In fact, this is something I have seen a lot more of, a nice resurgence of a style of music that definitely went underground for a few years before resurfacing. Now this is a great style of music because it is a smooth fusion of Indian and Western music. I mean it is a straight flow between the two, switching between them and making sure the song gets some Hindi in there as well as English. Now this song in particular is definitely geared more towards English, with only a few verses done in Hindi and Punjabi, but I seriously haven't been able to get the song out of my head. I mean it has everything- a sick beat, a catchy chorus, and a really good vibe. I definitely would consider this song to have a seductively thrilling kind of sound. Everyth...

Today I have music for you by a band known as Manic Drive. This song has a really wicked sound to it because it captures the intensity of hard rock and a heavy house beat. This song had a great combination of the two of the and honestly I think this song sounds pretty darn bad ass. I feel like the main melody is pretty simple but the background adds so much to support the main tune. There is a point in the song where there is an electro/guitar solo and when you hear that one specific segment it becomes clear how important the instruments are to this song. I love the way this song was made because most of this song relies on the use of conventional band instruments and the idea of hard rock and maybe even a little bit of metal. Now I might get some flack for posting a song by a Christian rock group, but my intention is merely to spread around this sick music. If you are bothered by the religious affiliation of the people in this group, then focus on the lyrics instead. This song is all ...

Today is all about the movie that everyone is buzzing about right now. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice hit the theatres today, and my oh my were we in for a treat. Now I don't want to give my opinion on the movie or give out spoilers because I personally don't like it when other people do that to me. Getting people really hyped up gets your expectations super high, and then if the movie doesn't meet that then it seems like a waste. However, I will say that I was not disappointed by the movie. But one of the real heroes of this movie is Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL. These magnificent human beings made the movie even more impacting, even more intense, and even more bad ass because of how wickedly fierce the score was. There were some beautifully sad pieces, that is for sure. But the darkness that seeps throughout each of the pieces, the sheer danger that vibrates with every pound of the drum, it is breathtaking. Hans Zimmer is a composer who is known for composing some of the...

Today I have some music for you by a band that is definitely way under the radar, but is a a wild one! Foxy Shazam is just as out there as their name is. I did have the experience of seeing them perform live, and holy hell it was a ride! These guys know how to play their instruments and sing well live, but they also know how to really perform. For them, it isn't enough to be able to play their songs live. There is a certain amount of theatricality that goes along with their shows and videos. But you can even hear it in the music. Foxy Shazam does have a certain dramatic flair in their actual music, from the braying brass to the jingling bells. It all has this Broadway-esque feeling to it, but is something that is so completely captivating. This song is actually one of my favorites by them. To be totally honest, I don't remember when I first heard their music. But I am so glad I did because it is such a cool kind of sound. I love how the song opens up with the ticking clock and ...

Well, after three days of solid remixes, I thought it was high time to go back to originals. So, I am going with a complete 180 degree turn in terms of genre. These past few days have been all about the electronic music world, but now, we enter the world of rock music. And not just any kind of rock music. Hard rock. That's right, we are getting to the gritty and rough and gravelly and all around bad ass side of things. This song is by an incredibly amazing band by the name Halestorm. I am going to be totally upfront, the most bad ass part of this band is the fact that it has a female lead singer. Not just any lead singer, a woman who has an absolutely phenomenal scream. It is very hard to hear bands that have good screamers, and even more rare to have a female deliver that great scream. But Halestorm is one of those bands that just slays it every time. Lzzy Hale is the first female vocalist I had heard from our generation that could really bring out that grit and roughness and just...

Today's song is by a band from England called Keane. This song is one of the greatest and sweetest songs I have heard. Keane is one of those bands that knows how to hit your feelings and make you move with the music. While this isn't a song that dance to, it is one that you can't help but sway to. This is one of those songs that you can really immerse yourself into, which is one of the best things ever. The vocals are very beautiful and has this unique quality to it where it has a very soothing sound with a slight grit to it, but also has this different strength. And of course the accompanying music is just incredible, with great melodies and perfect balance. Today's instrumental song is from the movie Dying Young. I haven't seen the movie, but I did love the score for it! I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!

Today I have some music for you by a solo artist who goes by Big Black Delta. There are so many things to enjoy about this song, from the melody to the lyrics to the music video. This song oozes classy jazz and creativity in all aspects. I like to classify this song as something that is like indie jazz. There are so many elements of this song that make it a jazzy piece. The assortment of brass and woodwind instruments kind of gives that one away. What I think is kind of cool though is that we can hear elements of a group that he used to be a part of shine through the song a bit. Big Black Delta's Jonathan Bates was a former touring member of the band M83. Now seeing how M83 likes to make sounds that are both instrument heavy and electronic heavy, I think it is safe to compare the two artists a bit. Big Black Delta likes to expand the horizons of his instrumental usage. He looks beyond the conventional band instruments like drums and guitars, and opts for more synth, keyboard, and i...