I am going to see SIRPAUL this weekend, so posting will be a bit light while I am away. I will try to get some done in advance, like the Doctor Who recap and some music posts, but as the show gets closer, I am gaining in excitement and losing the time to get things accomplished. But I hope to return with some great pictures, as well as a video or two I will be dying to share with my readers.
They were in the forefront of the 'art rock' movement in the 70s, and made up of Bryan Ferry, who became the group's lead vocalist and chief songwriter. The other members are Phil Manzanera (guitar), Andy Mackay (saxophone and oboe) and Paul Thompson (drums and percussion). A few others drifted through the band, including the amazing Brian Eno for a couple of years. The sound was almost ahead of the times, almost bridging the worlds of David Bowie's Glam and the New Wave music to come of The Talking Heads and Duran Duran. Take, for instance, the 1975 release, Love Is The Drug. The song has sass and spunk, sounding nothing like what was topping the charts in the US, with the likes of Captain & Tennille, Neil Sedaka and Elton John. Still, it managed to be the highest charting single by the band, hitting #30 on the Billboard chart. The following clip is from the late 80s from a Bryan Ferry solo tour.
In 1981, Roxy Music offered up a recording of Jealous Guy, written and originally recorded by John Lennon. Roxy Music started performing it as a tribute after he was murdered in December of 1980, and later released it as a single. Here is footage of the band performing it weeks after Lennon's passing.
The final album released by the band was Avalon, a lush and incredible offering. While the album only made it to #53 on the US album chart, it did secure platinum sales in the States. Rolling Stone named it the #31 album of the 80s, and I might think it should be even higher. The quality of songwriting and musicianship was high, as can be heard in More Than This, released in 1982.
Released on the heals of More Than This, Avalon proved to be a haunting and gorgeous track. While it didn't make the Pop charts, it got a lot of play on college radio and some progressive rock stations.
In 1983, following the support tour for the album, Roxy Music announced they were calling it a day. Bryan Ferry et al went on to solo careers, continuing to make interesting music. In 2001, they got back together to do a short tour to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the formation of the band. Although they have not stepped back into the studio, they have occasionally played together.
Singer/Songwriter Tom Goss is offering a selection of songs available for free download. Twelve songs are offered, including Tom's wonderful Till The End, a brilliant cover of Gnarls Barkley's Crazy, and You Don't Question Love, the beautiful song he wrote with Matt Alber. Here Tom performs it live at a DADT rally in Washington, DC, headlined by Kathy Griffin.
To access the free downloads, click here. The link should be good for all of Wednesday, June 23, 2010, so hurray and get some great music now!
I would like to offer a hearty welcome to Sisterhazel, the newest member of the Soundtrack circle of friends. Sisterhazel is also known as Louice Dahlberg, and since her music blog is no longer active, can be found on FaceBook here.
As is my custom, here is a video to welcome Louice to the fold. I thought I would double the pleasure with two of my favorites, Christopher Dallman and Aiden James, singing Dallman's Little Bit Of Blue from his latest EP, Never Was.
For more on Christopher, check out his official website here. There you can check out his music, and find the links to purchase his extraordinary music. You can check out Aiden at his website here.
Top, from the left: Matt Hershey, Jeff Knowlton, Ben Lindell
Today, a new band named The Break Mission, released the album Alpha. Childhood friends Matt Hershey and Jeff Knowlton both played the drums, but once they decided to put together a band, one had to move to a different instrument. Matt stayed with the drums, while Jeff moved on to the guitar and piano. Later, the duo moved to Boston and started to carve out a nice career in music, picking up some musicians along the way, and putting out some recorded music. Soon they felt the call to New York, which they answered. Here, they added Ben Lindell to the group, and the duo became a trio. Flash forward to today, and the release of Alpha.
It is a 13-song offering that gives hints to some of the possible influence of the boys in the band, but never more than that, always maintaining a fresh and original sound. As I gave it the first lesson, I thought I heard hints of Pink Floyd, a little touch of U2, or maybe the Police. Yet none of the music sounds dated or derivative, just a great sound any rock band would be thrilled to incorporate as their own.
The above cut is the 5th cut off the album, Thieves. It shows the signs of great stadium rock, just yearning for a big light show. Alpha kicks off with Matter of Trust, which starts out with a sparse, almost acoustic feel, but doesn't stay in that vein for long, building to a strong rock ballad with some incredible harmonies in the chorus. Above the Noise and Back To Normal take on a more aggressive rock posture, with some intense and dense orchestrations. Son harkening back to some great folk wonderment, like the band had listened to early prog-rock, sustaining an acoustic subtlety favoring style and emotion over volume. Elevator Songs begins with the acoustic take before the added instrumentation builds elevates to song.
The title track runs just under a minute and a half of instrumental tastiness. Fight of Our Lives is ruled by the soulful vocals and acoustic piano to make an effective statement on life as it builds. Words might start off with a quiet, but quickly rocks it up, with a bold and interesting vocal arrangement. Honestly is a song that reminds me a bit of the Kings of Convenience, only electrified. There is such a sense of coolness, with a lovely and languid feel.
All Your Guns makes a political statement of love, with a complesity to the melody line that brings the track to new levels. Porcelain starts with the prog-rock feel, but quickly explodes into anthemic rock, all big and bold. The Street is a lyric treat, the poetry reminiscent of some of the early Paul Simon work, channeling moody pictures and set to conversational rhythms.
Hershey handles the percussion with an ease when it should be so, but also a vibrancy when asked. Knowlton guitar and keyboard work is varied and textured, and always top notch. His vocals also emit an emotional connection sure to be felt. Lindell takes the bass to a wonderful level, offering a layer of percussion as well as the intrinsic fullness to the base. He also chips in with the keyboards.
The album is available now on iTunes, and you can find it here. You can pick up all 13 tracks for just $9.99! You can check them out on their official website here, or their MySpace page here.
Sing For Hope is a non-profit organization that mobilizes professional artists in volunteer service programs that benefit schools, hospitals and communities. From June 21 until July 5, Sing for Hope takes music to the streets with Play Me, I’m Yours, a public art project that will bring 60 pianos to the parks and public spaces of New York City. The Play Me, I’m Yours “street pianos” will be placed throughout the city’s five boroughs to be played by all who pass by. The following video is the first promotion of the new program. It features Tituss Burgess, Nathan Gunn, Monica Yunus, Diana Degarmo, Kyle Riabko, Ace Young, Kevin Mambo and Nial Djuliarso
For more about Sing For Hope, check out their official website here.
With a talent for being cute as a button or sexy as any woman living, Kristin Chenoweth has the vocal abilities that far outshine even her electric smile. Currently on Broadway in the show Promises Promises, Chenoweth first came to be known as five-year-old Sally Brown in the musical You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown in 1999.
My New Philosophy
For that performance, she won her first Tony Award. It is certainly not the last of those that have or will come to her. In October of 2003, she opened in a musical few knew too much about, an interesting take on the Wizard of Oz called Wicked. She co-starred with the magnificent Idina Menzel and together they blew the audience away night after night. Both Kristin and Idina were nominated for the Tony Award, with Idina taking home the trophy that night.
In 2007 she costarred in the whimsical and quirky Pushing Daisies, once again wowing audiences with her impeccable comic timing and astonishing voice. Her portrayal of Olive Snook brought her acclaim as well as the 2009 Emmy Award despite the fact ABC had canceled the show. Here she sings Hopelessly Devoted To You, originally from the musical Grease.
This year, the producers of GLEE were smart enough to snatch her up and give her a recurring character, April Rhodes. Although in her last appearance, she left with a rather determined attitude to make it on her own, I certainly hope she returns, for the enormity of her talent shone so bright in ever minute of her time on the screen, but perhaps never as greatly as when she and Will [Matthew Morrison] performed One Less Bell To Answer/A House Is Not A Home.
As I said in the opening, she is now appearing on Broadway opposite Sean Hayes in the Burt Bacharach/Hal David musical Promises, Promises. She also received attention when she wrote a response to a deplorable Newsweek article about gays not being able to 'play straight', using Hayes as an example. Her words, written by strong Christian woman sounded as clear and strong as any song she had sung to date, being a clarion bell for human rights. Here she is with an excerpt from the show, singing I Say A Little Prayer.
To learn more about Kristin Chenoweth, check out her official website here. You can also go to the official website for Promises Promises here, and maybe order your tickets to catch her live! You can also purchase her 2001 album release, Let Yourself Go, on iTunes here.
