Keeping It Fresh

Today I have some music for you by the artist known as Armand Van Helden. Now this is a guy who has been around in the music industry for a very long time. His name isn't one that is easily recognizable or recognized at all for that matter. But he is one of the biggest influences in the New York electronic music scene. He works with all kinds of genres, from funk to R&B to hardcore EDM. What I find really cool about Armand Van Helden is that despite the fact that he has been such an influential presence in the music scene of the Northeast, his music still sounds underground. He hasn't lost any sense of what his soundscape is supposed to sound like, and is very comfortable with creating sounds which eventually become the popular norm. There are still so many elements of his music that sound really nice and underground, very unique and quirky. Armand Van Helden tends to sample older songs, generally from the 80s or 90s. And he does so because of how rooted in funk and groo...

It has been a couple of days since I last posted, as I've been traveling about. But today I have music for you by a band with a pretty awesome sound called Dirty Heads. Though the band hasn't been on the pop music radar, this song is an underground banger. The overall soundscape is very different from the current evolution we have been hearing from rock bands. A lot of rock bands now are introducing more electronic elements and synthesizers into their tracks. Some bands have completely changed their sound to be more of an electronic-based sound, whereas other bands have integrated those synth sounds into their live instruments. And I can respect both styles! But Dirty Heads does something completely different and explores this rap-rock and trap kind of sound. For the most part, I feel like they have dropped the rock sound in favor of creating this fierce bass boosted track. I love the introduction of the synths and programmed alien-esque sounds. Eventually, this segues into...

Today I have music for you by a more underground band by the name Gossip. This is a track I actually forgot about for a little while, until it started playing off one of my playlists. Naturally, I started to really jam out because, hey, it's been a while! And of course, hearing this song again after so long reminded me about how good this song is. Which leads us to the rest of today's post! There is so much energy in this song, and carries the energy of a rock song. This song goes from being a brooding prowl to being an energetic disco and indie rock song. This is something we could hear from more underground rock scenes, and was especially popular in the UK. There is a very distinct rock sound, one that makes it clear that this is a rock song and not a synth pop or electronic poop song. But at the same time, it has the dance-like qualitites of those kinds of songs. There is a sense of groove to the song that is heightened by the guitar beats and melodies. This song is defini...

Today I have some new music for you by a band that I have loved for a long time. 30 Seconds to Mars is a band that I have spent a lot of time talking about in the past, and they are out with a new track and hopefully, another album to follow suit. But the band has spent a lot of time touring and performing, taking a bit of a break, the frontman acting in a few films, etc. But I have to say, it is exciting to have the band finally drop some new music, so let's get into it. In standard 30 Seconds to Mars fashion, this song makes me feel like I am capable of doing anything. That tends to be a common theme across all of their albums. From the opening to the very end, this song surges with power and passion, ferocity and intensity. There is this fierceness to the music which feels like it is coursing through your veins, powering your mind, body, and soul. And that is one of the things I absolutely love about the band. The music is passionate and empowering, as are the music videos whi...

Today I have some wildly sick music for you. The band Sigur Rós is one of the most eclectic and hauntingly incredible bands I have ever heard. This is one of those bands that people seem to know about but also not know a thing about. Struggle, I know. But, for those of you who have never heard of  Sigur Rós or know the name but no songs, this is a special treat for you.  If there is one thing I have learned from my dabbles in literature, entertainment, and music, you really only get to experience these things for the first time once. I know it sounds so stupid, but when you think about it, the reality of that is there. You only get to experience something for the first time once. That elation and excitement and complete shock and utter bliss is something that you feel from experiencing something for the first time will never happen again once you have experienced it. So for those of you who are hearing Sigur Rós for the first time, I hope you really enjoy this first expos...

Today I have some really cool music for you by the English DJ who goes by the stage name Shift K3Y. This is the first song I heard by him, and I loved it! Shift K3Y has a very different kind of vibe and sound to him. In particular, this style of house and electronic music is one that got very recently within the UK and Europe. Shift K3y Seems to have taken a page out of that playbook because it tends to be kind of sound we get. Incredibly catchy, nice and synth filled and bumping. This is a song that has such a groovy vibe, but a really tasteful one. It is a nice bubbly, and lively, lush, and vibrant song, one that can get everyone on the dance floor. There is this really nice dash of pop music in the song as well, something that is so perfectly balanced and smooth to listen to. I have to say, this song has a very UK garage feel to it, a sound that is deeply unheard of here in the US. A travesty for sure, but this is the kind of song that everyone wishes got played at t...

Today I have some music for you by a band that has been a little off my own personal radar. Sometimes you run across a band that you listened to in what seems like a past chapter, and their music allows you to reminisce. I wanted to go ahead and talk about a song by Blue October that did just that for me. I haven't heard this song by Blue October in such a long time, that when this shuffled into my music stream, I had to stop for a moment to just listen. This song definitely airs a little bit more on the somber rock side of things. Blue October is a band that is under appreciated in my opinion. Though they are more well known as a rock band, Blue October has some beautiful music centered around these rock soundscapes. Every song has such a deep meaning and a theme that they are able to explain to us through music. This, in particular, is a song that really speaks to the depths of humanity. This song reaches out toward the emotions that everyone feels and struggles with every day....

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 we are changing gears quite a bit. Lately, I have been focusing a lot on the R&B, rap, and EDM spheres of music. But I thought it would be a nice change of pace to go with something more rock oriented. Coming from my very own Austin, TX, Black Pistol Fire has delivered a song that is very alive and packed with some ferocious attitude. This is the kind of song that makes you feel like the most suave person in the world, the kind of song that has the ability to make you swagger around the streets. This song has the ability to make you feel like an absolute boss, as if no one can touch you and no one can bring you down. Black Pistol Fire isn't a very well known band, nor is this a well known song. Which is kind of a sad thing, but then again, that also kind of allows the band to keep doing their own thing, which I really like. This is a song that takes some blues music and turns it into this wicked rock kind of sound. The band tends to use a lot of guitar work, not only as...

 Today I have music for you by a band called She Wants Revenge. Now I won't lie, this was not a band I was familiar with until recently, but man was I impressed and jamming to this introductory song. This is a song that has a lot of grit and is a little rough around the edges. The guitar takes on a much edgier sound, which is something we are really missing from rock music today. This is a song that takes me back to the grungier times, the early 2000s style of rock. I mean when I listen to this song, it makes me feel like I am someone who strut down the hallway of some huge corporate office, and have everyone know that I am definitely someone important. This song oozes that kind of suave danger and I like that. It isn't too tame and has a prowess to it that makes the song something of a mischievous one. She Wants Revenge reminds me a little of The Black Keys. It is a two man band with the music consisting of a drummer/percussionist and a guitarist. But there is also a lot of co...

Today I have music for you by a punk band out of New Jersey called The Gaslight Anthem. In particular, this song has a really sick vibe to it. There are elements of different kinds of rockers and rock bands in this song. I can hear subtle hints of a Springsteen-esque sound as well as a little bit of The Killers. Now this could also be the way the vocals sound. The vocals in this song have this nice grit and rough sound to them which makes this song have a little bit more of a wild sound to it. I am actually a huge fan of a voice like this. Usually, voices like this don't make it into the spotlight which is a total and complete shame because it is very unique. The Gaslight Anthem is another one of those bands that really draws from old-school rock and takes that older style to mold it into their own sound. However, because The Gaslight Anthem does draw a lot from Bruce Springsteen, there is more light being shed on these guys. And I have to say, it is for a good reason. This band do...

Today I have groovier music for you. These songs have a little bit more of a funky sound that you would think of regarding 80's music. This first song is a remix of a song by The 1975 by the incredible electronic artist, The Knocks. Not only is this originally a rather upbeat song by The 1975, but The Knocks really gives this a notch up. Now individually, The 1975 and The Knocks are very unique artists, bringing completely different sounds to their genre. But today, we are focusing on The Knocks, and in particular, how they made this song by The 1975 work with the electronic style The Knocks used in this song. Generally, The Knocks have a really wide spectrum of music that they cover, but this song is one of those more anomalous ones, the kind of song that isn't really part of their normal repertoire. But of course, they killed it! This remix is one that is so much fun to listen to. I really like this remix because it keeps with the original grooviness of t...

Today I have some interesting music for you, in the sense that you may find it a little bit quirky. Today's first song is by the ever incredible band by the name The White Stripes. Now The White Stripes is probably one of the most iconic bands of the late 90's and early 00's. This is a band that everyone seems to know, even if they have never heard a song by them. It is just one of those names that you know, regardless of what kind of music you listen to. What I like about this band is the blending of grunge rock and blues rock to create songs that have some really great bass guitar work in accompaniment with heavy drum work. The White Stripes tends to ditch the dependence on the electric guitar in favor of the lower tones and deep thrum of the bass guitar. This is a song that makes you automatically feel like a badass and a rebel. That is one of the things that The White Stripes can do to  you-make  you feel like the coolest and most suave person in the world. This song ju...

Today I have some music for you that is a little different from what I normally post. I was going through my laptop and decided to "clean out" my music folder. You know, just in case I have repeat songs or songs that have been Spotified. So as I was going through the folder, I saw that I had another folder filled with remixes and mashups. Which then lead to listening to all of those songs and now I am here about to post about some pretty sick remixes. Normally if I put up a remix, it is by a DJ that is pretty well known, like Alesso or Tiesto or Zedd. But let me tell you, the side-bar of YouTube can make you stumble upon some incredible underground remixes. Granted, one click too many and you end up on the really weird side of YouTube, but eh, that happens sometimes. But today's song is a remix of two songs that got really popular in mainstream media. Kanye West and M83 seem like the most unlikely combination, especially since their styles of music are vastly differe...

Today I have some music by one of the coolest DJ duos out there. Disclosure has such a distinct and interesting style, that I would be able to recognize their music pretty easily. This song is off their latest album, and this is one of my favorites by them. This song features the vocals of Lorde, but she does an absolutely amazing job on the song! This song is definitely a seductive one, but in that interesting way that electronic music can be. There is a really dangerous kind of seduction to the song, and I really enjoy that. This is the kind of song you can listen to while chilling out or even get into the groove of the song and dance. No matter what you are doing though, the song still has that bewitching kind of sound to it. What is pretty cool about Disclosure, is that they never really aim to be club artists. Yes, their music is influenced by club beats, but the overall sound is very structured to be something more along the lines of pop music. This song features throbbing synths...

Today I have some interesting music for you, in the sense that you may find it a little bit quirky. Today's first song is by the ever incredible band by the name The White Stripes. Now The White Stripes is probably one of the most iconic bands of the late 90's and early 00's. This is a band that everyone seems to know, even if they have never heard a song by them. It is just one of those names that you know, regardless of what kind of music you listen to. What I like about this band is the blending of grunge rock and blues rock to create songs that have some really great bass guitar work in accompaniment with heavy drum work. The White Stripes tends to ditch the dependence on the electric guitar in favor of the lower tones and deep thrum of the bass guitar. This is a song that makes you automatically feel like a badass and a rebel. That is one of the things that The White Stripes can do to you-make you feel like the coolest and most suave person in the world. This song just...

Today I have some music by a rock band out of Tennessee. The Kings of Leon is a band that has done a great job of staying out of the spotlight despite their popularity. I for one have become such a big fan of their work for a few reasons. One, is that this is a band that doesn't mind experimenting, but they still have that solid rock sound that they claim as their own. There is something about rock music like this that I love. It isn't your stereotypical hard guitar work kind of sound, but one that is wholesome and includes a balance of all the instruments. The Kings of Leon create such incredible balances that you can help but be totally captured by the music. Which brings me to the second point. The Kings of Leon make music for us to understand and feel. Every song has a different vibe to it, but each album seems to have a common thread between all the songs. This album is one that has that atmospheric rock kind of sound, the kind of sound you get when you hear a live show. T...

Today I have some wildly sick music for you. The band Sigur Rós is one of the most eclectic and hauntingly incredible bands I have ever heard. This is one of those bands that people seem to know about but also not know a thing about. Struggle, I know. But, for those of you who have never heard of  Sigur Rós or know the name but no songs, this is a special treat for you. If there is one thing I have learned from my dabbles in literature, entertainment, and music, you really only get to experience these things for the first time once. I know it sounds so stupid, but when you think about it, the reality of that is there. You only get to experience something for the first time once. That elation and excitement and complete shock and utter bliss is something that you feel from experiencing something for the first time will never happen again once you have experienced it. So for those of you who are first hearing Sigur Rós, I hope you really enjoy this first exposure to this band a...

Today I have music for you today by one of my favorite bands of all time-Anberlin. It has been quite a while since I have posted a song by these guys, but now I feel is the time for me to start talking about them more.12 years later and 7 studio albums later, Anberlin still remains one of the greatest bands I have ever had the pleasure to encounter. Everything about this band is so smooth and perfect. The vocals, the instrumentation, the background, the name, the lyrics, the members. Everything fits together like puzzle pieces and they form the incredible image of a band that never ever stopped making music that the world can fall in love with. Anberlin is a band that means so much to me and will always have a special part in my soul and mind as one of the things that evolved and molded me into what I am today. But on to the music, this song is off their final album. This is the early side of Anberlin, moving back to the hard rock that we got from  albums like Cities.  This so...

Today I have some wickedly amazing electronic music for you. This first song is by an artist that I love so much for many reasons. Seven Lions is an electronic act that never disappoints both with album mixes and live mixing. Seven Lions has this very unique style of music that is very trance like and ambient, but is also something that you would definitely catch yourself dancing too. I know that I cannot help but sing and belt out the lyrics to his songs. Seven Lions never fails to have vocalists that are stunning. I mean pretty much every electronic act has incredible vocalists, but Seven Lions chooses vocalists that seem to be specifically for electronic music. These vocals fit like no other vocals could and it is just incredibly perfect. Tove Lo provides the vocals in this song and they are so powerful and transient. This is one of those songs where the voice is able to take you out of Earth and have you soar around in space, floating about the planets and their colorful rings. Thi...