To Lose My Life is the debut album by the English alternative group White lies. This album has a lot of energy to kick it off and really dark lyrics. With the release of this album I can certainly see why they were the first British group to achieve a number one album in 2009.
There is something about this group that reminds me of U2, I'm sure the fact that they are British doesn't hurt, but the energy and the sound in their music isn't too dissimilar either. They use guitars, drums, the bass and what sounds a lot like a keyboard synthesizer for their over tones. Overall I'm fairly impressed with this band in this effort. They don't have any songs I don't like on this album and it isn't often that I find that situation.
I love the song Unfinished Business which is track 5 on the album. It isn't too deep but there does seem to be something there. All of us have things that we need to wrap up before the end and this song is about that. This does in some what of a morbid vision as it seems that the author seems to have been murdered. I feel that this is one of the most interesting perspectives that I've heard in music.
Right from the start you can hear that this album is quality, the unfortunate part is that it seems to me that it is an album that you could grow tired of because every song does seem to follow the same formula. There isn't any particularly deep message in their music, it is just tastefully dark. I think this group will have a great future as long as they stay with the same formula just adding ingredients here and there.
My recommendation is to wear this CD out, then put it up for a while then wear it out again, till they come out with something new.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Silversun Pickups Swoon
Yesterday, I was just letting my Media Player play through my recently added Library of Music and I came upon a CD that really grabbed my attention. I'm talking about the Silversun Pickups second full length LP Swoon. This CD released in April of 2009 is a more mature effort from a band that does at times sound very much like the Smashing Pumpkins.
Compared to their 2006 release Carnavas the music seemed to be much darker and fuller. There were more overtones and the Bass line really drove the beat of the music. The song Panic Switch off of this CD quickly got into heavy rotation on both VH1 and MTV. This song filled with Power Chords and a driving rhythm makes for a solid rock alternative song. I'm not sure that I completely understand the lyrics but it seems to have some sort of a deep, thought provoking meaning with the chorus being as follows:
When you see yourself in a crowded room
Do your fingers itch, are you pistol-whipped?
And will you step in line or release the glitch?
And can you fall asleep with a panic switch?
And when you see yourself in a crowded room
Do your fingers itch, are you pistol-whipped?
Will you step in line or release the glitch?
Do you think she'll sleep with the panic
This song represents one of the fast paced songs on the CD, but this CD does have a little more variety to it than that. There are many songs with your typical late '90s guitar riffs full of single note guitar lines being filled by the bass line. These guys do seem to be different than a lot of bands in this era in that they keep the beat with the Bass guitar instead of the drums set. The drums in fact seem to bring a bit of shine to the music with the drummer popping the High Hats and the Snare more than the lower tone drums.
I like every song on this CD to some extent but I feel that my favorite would have to be a slower song called Growing Old is Getting Old. This song seems to have a feeling of sadness in the fact that no matter what we do time will always pass. There are often times that it would be great to stop time. There does seem to be a bit of nonsense in the lyrics though with lines such as
Pull out the fear of silence
And put out the need for guidance
And put out your own devices
And don't be afraid of the cold
but when put in to the context it makes it have flow. This CD seems to be in your face at times and gentle at others but in general it makes for a very solid CD musically speaking. I will probably wear this CD out but for now it is one of my preferred Cd's.
Compared to their 2006 release Carnavas the music seemed to be much darker and fuller. There were more overtones and the Bass line really drove the beat of the music. The song Panic Switch off of this CD quickly got into heavy rotation on both VH1 and MTV. This song filled with Power Chords and a driving rhythm makes for a solid rock alternative song. I'm not sure that I completely understand the lyrics but it seems to have some sort of a deep, thought provoking meaning with the chorus being as follows:
When you see yourself in a crowded room
Do your fingers itch, are you pistol-whipped?
And will you step in line or release the glitch?
And can you fall asleep with a panic switch?
And when you see yourself in a crowded room
Do your fingers itch, are you pistol-whipped?
Will you step in line or release the glitch?
Do you think she'll sleep with the panic
This song represents one of the fast paced songs on the CD, but this CD does have a little more variety to it than that. There are many songs with your typical late '90s guitar riffs full of single note guitar lines being filled by the bass line. These guys do seem to be different than a lot of bands in this era in that they keep the beat with the Bass guitar instead of the drums set. The drums in fact seem to bring a bit of shine to the music with the drummer popping the High Hats and the Snare more than the lower tone drums.
I like every song on this CD to some extent but I feel that my favorite would have to be a slower song called Growing Old is Getting Old. This song seems to have a feeling of sadness in the fact that no matter what we do time will always pass. There are often times that it would be great to stop time. There does seem to be a bit of nonsense in the lyrics though with lines such as
Pull out the fear of silence
And put out the need for guidance
And put out your own devices
And don't be afraid of the cold
but when put in to the context it makes it have flow. This CD seems to be in your face at times and gentle at others but in general it makes for a very solid CD musically speaking. I will probably wear this CD out but for now it is one of my preferred Cd's.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Regina Spektor's Far
I've just listened to this CD for the forth time and I think that it is a very good CD. I absolutely love this woman's voice. The lyrics seem to have a deeper meaning but the music really lends itself to this idea. I really like the song Machine on this CD, it is powerful when you consider the imagery that is in the lyrics. With her being from Russia, she has seen a lot in her life and I feel that in listening to this song that she may have experienced much of what she is talking about.
Laughing With is another song I love off of this CD and it speaks a lot of truth, you don't hear people making fun of God or religion when ever they are nearest to death. In fact it seems to me that a lot of people are searching out hope when their demise seems imminent. This is just a few thoughts that I have on this CD.
Laughing With is another song I love off of this CD and it speaks a lot of truth, you don't hear people making fun of God or religion when ever they are nearest to death. In fact it seems to me that a lot of people are searching out hope when their demise seems imminent. This is just a few thoughts that I have on this CD.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
My Ideas for this Blog
Hello everyone, I've noticed there are more and more blogs out there and I decided that maybe I would try my hand at making a blog that encourages intelligent conversation. This idea was derived from a conversation about music that I felt was a well thought and at times educational. I really would like to see comments on this post that are thought out not just insulting, or cause me to loose brain cells. I am very much looking forward to seeing who if anyone takes interesting in my thoughts and opinions on the net. My next post will be about music and what some of my favorite songs off all time are and why. Till then hope to start hearing your thoughts.
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