Hockey has been one of my favorite discoveries of 2009. And 'Too Fake' is one of the reasons for the joy.
'Too Fake' contains chic electronic beats and subtle (but effective) synths. It's a great tune to both rock out and dance to.
View the video for 'Too Fake' below:
Monday, September 21, 2009
Inward Eye - 'Day After Day'
'Day After Day' is worth at least one spin, if only for its quite infectious chorus.
Watch the music video for Inward Eye's latest high energy release below:
Watch the music video for Inward Eye's latest high energy release below:
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Cage the Elephant - 'Back Against the Wall'
Cage the Elephant's 'Back Against the Wall' is a seductive blend of Blind Melon, Jane's Addiction, and The Kooks. The influences of Perry Farrell and Shannon Hoon are apparent as soon as the tune begins. Even the video for the song pays homage to the sub par video-grade and trippy effects of many grunge vids of the nineties. (Think 'Black Hole Sun' and 'I Stay Away').
You can watch the grunge-inspired video for 'Back Against the Wall' below:
You can watch the grunge-inspired video for 'Back Against the Wall' below:
Saturday, September 12, 2009
How To Be A Jukebox Hero
Chances are, it's happened to you. You're out on the town, enjoying a tasty drink and good company when a song comes over the speakers that makes your skin absolutely crawl.
"It's okay," you say. "The next one will be better." But it's not. Some lush across the room has just pumped his life savings into the jukebox and the ear-torture shows no sign of ending. Ever.
As a public service announcement, we here at The Lonely Note have compiled a short list of the Top 10 Rules of the Jukebox, with the hope that this sort of behavior never has to happen again. Let the rules commence:
RULE #1. Pick songs that fit the general atmosphere of the establishment (ie: dive bar = classic rock/hair metal). You can't please everyone all the time, but don't go into a biker bar and play Spice Girls. Unless, of course, you enjoy getting your teeth kicked in.
RULE #2. Don't take over the jukebox by playing 10 songs in a row. Let someone else have a go at it. If you want to throw your money away, that's your prerogative. But, if you want to be a DJ so bad, throw a house party with your iPod or get a job with the local radio station.
RULE #3. Don't play more than a couple songs by the same artist, and when possible, try to space those apart. It just gets monotonous, and isn't terribly original.
RULE #4. If the jukebox has a "Play Next" option, use it sparingly. If the guy in front of you just played something, wait your turn. It's like jumping ahead in the line to the bathroom. Nobody wants to wait two hours and never hear their song. However, skipping someone else's song may be acceptable if that person has carelessly violated any of the rules on this list.
RULE #5. B-Sides and hit singles are both acceptable, but show some creativity and mix 'em up. The Rolling Stones have a lot of great songs, so don't feel obligated to play "Start Me Up" every single time.
RULE #6. Longer isn't always better. In other words, don't play "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" or "American Pie" unless the mood absolutely calls for it. It's probably one of the biggest jerk moves in the universe to monopolize an entire third of an hour with one long prog-rock song. Making somebody listen to a craptastic epic can be quite cruel.
RULE #7. Don't try to be an adjunct music professor by playing your obscure, super-niched music that nobody else has heard about. While you and your indie-trash friends may love to stay home and jam out to Clap Your Hands Say Yeah or The Fiery Furnaces, most people's musical universes haven't expanded beyond Top 40 Radio. If they wanted to be schooled, they would have stayed home and watched Ken Burns' Jazz documentary on dvd instead of going out.
RULE #8. Don't be afraid to indulge your guilty side. So what if you want to spend your hard-earned dollar on the cliche jukebox song that everybody always seems to play whenever you're out? The reason some songs are constantly spun in bars is because they are timeless classics that everyone knows. These tunes may be cheesy, but they'll get the ladies (and fellas) dancing in no time. And that's the whole point of a jukebox, right?
RULE #9. Don't expect the neighborhood Irish pub to accommodate you when you experience a jukebox malfunction or other rip-off. Anymore, most of these machines are rented by the establishment, and complaints have to be taken up with the jukebox company itself.
RULE #10. When you step into a bar, you need to realize that you are likely to get screwed on the jukebox. Don't get too upset if it isn't playing your favorite music all of the time. Some people just have bad taste, but those people pay for songs too. And they have just as much right as you do to express that. So, stay calm. Your best bet to avoid this scenario is to frequent bars with old-school jukes - ones preloaded with good albums. Touch-screen internet machines are bound to have a wider selection, but the downfall is that other patrons can request just about anything they want.
Now, most of these "rules" are common courtesies and etiquette that you should have learned in grade school. However, when booze is involved and emotions run high, these rules are likely to be abused. Don't be that person. Take the higher path... and be a Juke. Box. Hero.
Do you have an important rule that we let slip through the cracks? Please share!
Saturday, September 05, 2009
Dan Fogelberg - 'Missing You'
Like a lot of kids, I grew up listening to my parents' music collection. Early on, I developed a fondness for a lot of artists from before my era.
One of the favorites in our household was always Dan Fogelberg, the Illinois singer/songwriter who had success in the late '70s and early '80s with poignant, introspective hits such as "Old Lang Syne," "Longer," and "Leader of the Band."
One of my personal favorites from Fogelberg is "Missing You" - an uptempo jam with a rock groove not often heard in his bigger singles. Fogelberg, a talented multi-instrumentalist, was able to show off his guitar chops well with this track.
Dan Fogelberg passed away from cancer in late 2007, but left behind a legacy of classic songs few artists ever achieve.
Dan Fogelberg - "Missing You" (as performed on The Late Show with David Letterman, 1987)
*postscript: I had originally intended to write about Fogelberg following the sad news of his death. Instead, I am writing this as a 'Happy Birthday' to my mother, who first introduced me to his music. Thanks, Mom.
One of the favorites in our household was always Dan Fogelberg, the Illinois singer/songwriter who had success in the late '70s and early '80s with poignant, introspective hits such as "Old Lang Syne," "Longer," and "Leader of the Band."
One of my personal favorites from Fogelberg is "Missing You" - an uptempo jam with a rock groove not often heard in his bigger singles. Fogelberg, a talented multi-instrumentalist, was able to show off his guitar chops well with this track.
Dan Fogelberg passed away from cancer in late 2007, but left behind a legacy of classic songs few artists ever achieve.
Dan Fogelberg - "Missing You" (as performed on The Late Show with David Letterman, 1987)
*postscript: I had originally intended to write about Fogelberg following the sad news of his death. Instead, I am writing this as a 'Happy Birthday' to my mother, who first introduced me to his music. Thanks, Mom.
Friday, September 04, 2009
The Duke Spirit - 'Lassoo'
If Grace Slick had stayed sober, she would have sung for The Duke Spirit. Although the British-based outfit has been on the scene for at least a couple of years, the group is just now finally starting to get the attention it deserves.
Maybe its the band's Dandy Warhols-influenced arrangements? Or maybe its the fact The Duke Spirit has scored the opening gig for recent Incubus concerts here in the States? Or maybe, just maybe, it's Carson Daly?
Whatever it is, I'm not complaining.
Check out the video to 'Lassoo' below:
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