Geology-The Stock Market Crash

The Stock Market Crash is becoming a pretty big deal 'round these parts of Oklahoma. They've really started to show what they can accomplish musically with their sound, and how experimental they can really get. They're just not your average, local band. Also, despite how old this record is, it still stands out as a phenominal record...especially for an up-and-coming Okie band.

I realize that most of my readers have never even heard of The Stock Market Crash, so thus, you have no idea what the Hell I'm about to talk about...even though you should definately go check these guys out. Their record Geology is definately a great starting record, because although it's a great record, you can tell where they can improve for their sophomore record, to cut what could be a legendary rock record.

I think I like this record so much because it's so easy to review, because as soon as you read this, and listen to the record you know exactly what I'm talking about. Also, I feel somewhat connected with the record because I did a sample review of Geology when I was with NONzine for a short time (which is a small, quazi-tabloid, bi-weekly Arts & Music magazine in circulation in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area.)

For starters, Matt Bacon (lead vocals) has one of the most innovative and inventive voices that I've ever heard. A little Bob Dylan-esque in many ways, but at the same time, it's his own way of singing. It's unlike anything I've ever heard before. He also backs it up with great lyrics though, i.e. the song In the Mouth of the Whale when he sings the line "It's a full time job/To be a part-time lover." It's so simple, yet quite deep when you think about the truth behind that (as I've said before in my Top Ten Songs in Modern Music post.)

The music that backs him up is different as well. There's no real explaination for that either. Pedals for the guitars, maybe. It's just all around different...I guess that's why I like this band. A lot of it, I guess, would be the fact that it's simple guitar (no solos really, or anything gaudy that makes their music seem so phony) put with interesting effects. All-in-all, that's the only way to really explain the sound.

The record did have it's downsides though. Despite how good it was, it still seemed like they had no idea where to put the songs on their record. Song placement is a very big factor in putting together a great record. If it doesn't tell a story (which many records do now) then you still can't bore your audience. If you have a slow song, don't toss it in the middle of the record, put it close to the end, so that by the time your audience gets to the middle of the record, they're still very into what they're hearing...and then throw the slower song on them...see how they like it.

Also, the pace of the record may have changed, but the songs seem to start running together at some points. It's like the songs start to sound the same. I'm not saying that ALL their songs run together, but a fair few of them (on this record) do. Not that that's even a bad thing, but it does get a little too much to handle, especially when you can't remember which song's which, when trying to tell a friend to listen to them, like Don't Walk and In the Mouth of the Whale. I always used to get those two songs mixed up, because they sound so damn similar.

All-in-all, it is a great, and very artistic record, where you can tell that there's a lot of British influence, and a little blues influence in it, because of the tone in the lyrics. I'd give it four stars. Which is great considering it's a debut record. I look forward to seeing The Stock Market Crash unveil newer stuff very soon, and I think they have the potential to get up there, and make it. So, do yourself a favor, and buy it on iTunes. You'll like it.

With a Little Help from my Friends

In 1960, four guys in Liverpool, England started up a band. They grew to be one of the biggest and most popular bands in the history of Rock & Roll. These guys are the soul purpose of modern rock music...at this point, you should know that I'm talking about the Beatles.

Despite how ridiculously cheezy of an opening that was, just think of what the Beatles have done. I'm not going to spill a bunch of BS about how the Beatles "invented" rock music, because we all know that's not true. In fact, Elvis Presley didn't even "invent" it. In my own personal opinion, I think that Chuck Berry invented rock & roll music. So, the Beatles might not have made it, but damn it, they perfected it.

Think where Rock music would be today with out The White Album(which is number one on my favorite records.) No one had heard that before. No one had even thought about that before, and yeah, maybe it was the acid talking, but it's still tops. The song Helter Skelter alone could be considered as part of the reason we have distortion in guitars. Who knows, Daft Punk might have been influenced by the trippy "musical experience" that one experiences in Revolution No. 9.

My point is, hands down, the Beatles are the greatest rock band ever. I'm not even saying that from a fan stand point. Led Zeppelin is up there (and I'm not even a Zeppelin fan) but you have to take into consideration that Zeppelin was most likely influenced in some way by the (at the time) revolutionary sound the Beatles had come up with.

Song writing is a totally different story. Neither of those bands come close to the level of song writing of Bob Dylan, who I hold true to be the greatest song writer ever. I think I could say that even the Beatles were influenced by him in some way...his early stuff. If you listen to a lot of the lyrics that the Beatles wrote (especially in the latter days of their life as a band ie. Abbey Road) there's a lot of similarities. The one aspect that really stands out to me, is the fact that they're both incredibly symbolic with their words. A lot of metaphors and similies are used...and people don't write like that. It sounds odd to say, but the people (usually) who are influenced by Bob Dylan are influenced souly by his sound, not so much the words he uses...with the exception of the Redwalls.



I say the Redwalls, and anyone who knows them knows why, because they are...Dylan. The sound sounds damn-near flawless, and some of the songs are written the way Dylan would write them...just full of symbols...plus many of their songs are political. But not in a bad, sell out kind of way, but rather, it's more of a release, which isn't exactly bad. You just have to get over it, and listen to the music, despite if you agree with the artist or not.

This is nothing more then a rant...it's going on 2:30 here. In fact, tomorrow, I'll probably wake up and read this, and be totally disappointed with myself. I'm tired, dozing off here-and-there. I'll update again very soon. Thank you.

Kevin

Sleep Through the Static-Jack Johnson

For all of the soft rock, easy-listening, adult contemporary music fans out there, you may know that Jack Johnson just recently released his newest record Sleep Through the Static. People didn’t get that good of a vibe from it…which is understandable because it didn’t really have the stuff to draw new people, but for a serious Jack Johnson fan, it was different for Jack.

Jack went electric on this record, which was kind of a weird change, and seemed kind of ballsy to the people who were die hard Jack Johnson fans when it was him and an acoustic guitar. He also brought back long time friend and pianist Zach Gill, who in a way, made the record what it was creatively, especially when it comes to the back part of the record when you get to the song Monsoon, which had a creative balance of piano, guitar, and outstanding lyrics. This was one of Jack’s best records.

People would disagree with that statement though…sadly. It still is, in a way, same ol’ same ol’ Jack Johnson, just a guy with a guitar who writes slow, and frankly, girly songs. The difference between this record, and the previous records (besides the sound) was the meaning behind all the songs. Usually, as Jack Johnson fans know, all of his songs dealt with love and friendship, or in a few circumstances, what was going on in society (i.e. Cookie Jar, Fall Line, ect.) But this record broke those things that stereotyped him as a “one-trick pony.”

He focused this record on what’s going on in the war (not necessarily his personal opinion.) It focuses on how it affects my generation, that being the one that has to grow up during this war and seeing the killing on the TV screen. It’s different then any other “anti-war” statement that’s been released in recent music history. That is, because it doesn’t put the blame on someone or something, rather it gives solutions to the problem. Which is…cool. You don’t really get that from many artists. It’s his actual views and him releasing musically, rather then selling himself out to get a cheap cheer.

It’s different for him, that’s all I can really say about it. I’d give it five stars, because he pushed his own boundaries and reached his expectations. He really did it this time. He changed his sound in a great way, which you don’t really get anymore. I’d pick it up if you like this kind of music, and you like Jack Johnson. If you don’t have it, you should pick it up. It’s definitely worth it.

Narrow Stairs-Death Cab for Cutie

Death Cab for Cutie just recently released their latest record called Narrow Stairs, and I for one, love it. It’s a big step forward for them, because it embraces the new boundaries they were able to set for themselves. They got a little experimental with their sound, but in a great way, and it really paid off.

It is one of the best records I’ve heard in a pretty long time, and in a way, it has a Flaming Lips kind of feel to it, especially the first track Bixby Canyon Bridge. The way Ben Gibbard sings just reminds me of the way Wayne Coyne (lead singer of the Flaming Lips sings). It truly shows the confidence they have as a band, because through the originality of some of the songs (such as I Will Possess Your Heart, which is an eight minute long song with an amazing instrumental.) It shows that they made this record for themselves. Not the critics, not the label, and not even the fans. The record then progresses to the middle of the record which pulls you in to the Death Cab spell with songs like Talking Bird and Grapevine Fires. Then it comes to the ending of the record with the classic song, The Ice is Getting Thinner, which, in all actuality, is a think piece on relationships and how they just don't work for Ben Gibbard.

That’s a respectable thing to do in the industry, being able to play what you want and if people don’t like it, being able to say “Go to Hell, because that’s the way it’s going to be.” There’s only one downside to this entire record, and that’s the fact that it’s just a little lengthy. It’s still good, but it’s hard to sit down and listen to the whole thing in one sitting, unless you’re on an airplane, or sitting in a car on a road trip.

That’s all that I really found wrong with the record. They did such an outstanding job of putting this all together, that it just turned out beautifully. Definitely pick it up and spend fourty-five minutes listening to it, because it’s also a great lyrical record. I give it 5 stars. It’s almost a perfect record.

This is venting...

Okay, I'm sorry to say it, but I think that music has hit an all time low. I mean, I've recently been listening to XM Satellite Radio, and the Music News Break came up and the hottest news story that the DJ's could come up with, was about Shakira getting a deal with some record company that won't even really matter until 2009, and even then...really, who gives a damn?

Now, I know that this is just sounds like the nonsensical rantings of a teenage music fanatic, but does no one see anything wrong with the fact that Now That's What I Call Music 28 and Disney's Camp Rock are numbers 3 and 4 on the Billboard Top 200 Sales Chart? I mean, even then, Coldplay's Viva la Vida is STILL the no. 1 spot, which just doesn't make sense. I will admit though, for being diversified as a music fan, that I am moderately glad to see Lil' Wayne's Tha Carter III at the no. 2 spot, because even though it's a rap record, it's still a great record for it's kind.

But then you get down to the 8 and 10 spots, of being Disturbed's Indestructible and Offspring's Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace which, I'm sorry to tell you heavy rock fans, that music, downright sucks. You hear one song of any band in that genre, and you've heard the entire genre. It's just downright ridiculous. I mean, just how does stuff like this make it to the top, where as, it doesn't get good until the Top 20 portion, where the no. 12 and 13 spots of Journey's Revelation and Weezer's self-titled record Weezer. I just really don't understand it at all.

I'm also going to throw out another topic which I kind of reached earlier. The lack of music diversity in today's music "fans". I mean, I for one, can listen to a little bit of absolutely everything. I like a little rap. Ton of indie. Ton of rock. Little tiny bit of metal. Even smaller bit of pop and country. But it's all there. You know, with today, it's all the emos listen to the emo "music" (which is just a bogus scene to begin with) and usually the rap fans listen to only the rap. Same with the metal fans. It's stupid. And it isn't usually even a question of individual taste, but rather what their scene tells them they should be listening to. That's why I consider myself "cool" and not cool. It's like what Chuck Klosterman says about Billie Joel in his book Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa-Puffs that I'm so uncool that it makes me cool. I listen to what I love. What actually speaks to me, and that is what music is really about.

Like, for instance, I for one, am a HUGE Kanye West music fan. I'm not a fan of him as a person, but he's an incredibly talented artist, and a great poet. Where, at the same time, I still have that Oklahoma country-boy in me that listens to old John Denver tunes. Two COMPLETELY different worlds musically. I quote one of my favorite artists Jack Johnson, "Music is pure fun." It's what makes you feel great. Music, to me, is actually life, and not just me saying that. Music is being able to put on Die Motherf***ers by Geto Boys and dance around a house with your buddies with no shirts on, or being able to sit by my speakers or with my earphones and just mellow out. 

Now, I know, this is probably offensive to some people, considering that everyone has opinions, and to my readers, thanks for the support, and let me know how you guys feel. Nothing is more fun to me then just sitting and talking music with people. So, just comment as you like. I love to read the feedback. Let me know how you guys feel.