Hello,
Sorry the posts have been a bit lacking lately... but here is a playlist I am really excited about. Hope you all enjoy. And as always, if you would like this or any of the playlists on cd, let me know.
1. Fool For a Cigarette - Ry Cooder
2. Do the Do - Howlin Wolf
3. Moondance - Van Morrison
4. Dancing in the Dark - Cannonball Adderly
5. Autumn Leaves - Paul Desmond
6. Black Gold - Esperanza Spalding
7. Tightrope - Janelle Monae
8. If I Ain't Got You - Alicia Keys
9. Tobacco Road - Common Market
10. Storm Returns - Prefuse 73
11. The Keeper - Bonobo
12. Thistle - Hundred Waters
13. Daft Punk - One More Time
3 years since her last record, Norah Jones released her new album, Little Broken Hearts, on May 1st. The 33 year old singer-songwriter made her mark in the music industry back in 2002 with the release of the unforgettable, Come Away With Me, that paved her path as a jazzy new talent. And although her new album is receiving the credit it deserves, the question seems to be whether this apparent change in musical direction will serve her well.
After even one listen, it should strike nobody as a surprise that the album was produced, and many of the songs written by Brian Burton, better known as Dangermouse. Burton seems to have the Midas touch in the music industry throughout the past 10 years, working and redeveloping musicians such as Cee Lo Green, James Mercer, Jack White, and now Norah Jones. And to be honest, the collaboration seems to be in Jones' favor. While her first album was a huge success, the following three left much to be desired. And although Norah, in a recent interview, claimed that the new album's indie sound was a natural musical progression, it strikes the casual listener as much more of a u-turn.
Norah has stepped out of the comfort of her piano bench and major seven chords and jumped head first into a world of minor synth riffs and reverb doused guitars. Although the constant remains her trademark voice, this album will receive much more play in the bohemian coffee shops than the hotel lobby rooms in which Come Away With Me is still on loop. This is not to say the album is better or worse than her debut, but rather stratifying, a shift in which Jones will lose fans, yet gain a crowd searching for something a bit more interesting.
And though the album does contain many great tracks such as the hits Happy Pills, She's 21, and Say Goodbye... I found the most beauty hidden in her minimalist songs such as my favorite, Travelin' On. This is one of the few tracks on the album when the blips and synth riffs dull out and all that is left is what any listener came for in the first place, her voice. In this solemn track, the album shifts from the spunky opening tracks, to an optimistic ending, consistent with the overall breakup concept the album carries.
There is not much more to say than, this album is good. Not great, not terribly insightful, but a solid record. And although many of the tracks will be forgotten, Little Broken Hearts seems a transition album in which we see a talented artist push her abilities into a relatively untouched genre. So give it a listen, enjoy the standout tracks, and realize this is only the start. Expect Norah to continue her way down this new path and be back soon with a much more developed sound.
2 weeks ago, i made the 7 hour trek from SLO to Indio (through Long Beach). There is only one reason us music fans (and ravers) would ever make such a trek to the desert, Coachella Music and Arts Festival. This festival has exploded in popularity the past few years, and with a killer lineup, I couldn't resist going.
Luck was not on my side, however, as I started feeling sick the night before I left, and felt even worse after looking at the weather forecast which included highs of 107, making it the record hottest Coachella. But despite adversity, I packed up and made the drive down with dreams of what the fest would be this year. I was lucky enough to attend Coachella 2 years ago and it was as close to heaven as I could imagine; set free for 3 days to roam, dance, and listen with thousands of die-hard music fans. I hoped for thousands of radiohead-heads camping out at the main stage and arguing over what the band's encore would consist of. But as I arrived, I realized my expectations were far too high. Maybe there simply does not exist a place like my dreams, but instead of finding a paradise for music fans, I was surprised with a massive party blasting music that, well was not what I expected to hear. Due to the popularity spike, the festival has quickly become all about "the experience", with thousands of young L.A teens hoping to take molly with some celebrities.
Although this was semi-dissapointing, the interesting crowd did not stop us from seeing some phenomenal performances. And after all, the people watching is always a treat. Heres some of the highlights of shows we liked (in chronological order).
1. M. Ward
Although I was not a huge fan prior to this show, it was a performance that has lead me to buy all his albums that I did not already have. M. Ward had a down to earth demeanor which kept the show fun and entertaining. His peculiar voice and extremely talented band made for great sound quality as they played his songs as well as a Chuck Berry cover which had the crowd dancing. The highlight of the show was when he came back onstage for an unplanned encore and slapped and picked his guitar making a song that sounded like 10 musicians as opposed to 1.
2. Explosions in the Sky:
This was one show I was extremely excited for, and they exceeded all expectations i had. My friends and I were lucky enough to have close spots for the show and watch the 3 guitarists create builds and textures that left much of the crowd in tears. An hour and a half of music passed in what seemed like a few, emotional minutes. When their last song, "The only moment we were alone", hit the final climax, the audience was left speechless for the rest of the night. As I walked away from the show, i turned to a friend and said "It will be hard to beat that show".
3. Andrew Bird:
This guy is sooo talented. He looped his violin, guitar, whistling, singing, and every other instrument imaginable, while playing awesome songs he wrote. Im jealous. Because he has so much material to choose from, I did not recognize a lot of the songs he played, but this did not stop it from being a great show. I am already looking into seeing him in LA over summer.
4. Radiohead:
One of the most anticipated shows of the weekend, Radiohead took the stage and caused a deafening roar from the crowd. The setlist included classics such as Karma Police, Paranoid Android, and 15 Step, while still playing some lesser known hits such as Kid A, You and Whose Army, and Feral. With a ridiculous light and stage set, the impact the music already created was doubled resulting in an unforgettable experience. Some of the highlights for me included when Johnny hit the wrong note on piano during the catchy chorus of Karma Police, and Thom laughed and filled it in with guitar. The other highlight, and many would agree, was the inclusion of the 2000 hit, Exit Music. This song, originally written for Romeo and Juliet, is an emotional and haunting ballad that made an even bigger impact live, leaving many of us, including myself, near tears. Thank you Radiohead!
5. Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg
This show was just madness. With a new stage setup and special guest for nearly every song, including eminem, warren G, Whiz Khalifa, 50 cent, and yes... Tupac, the show was an expensive yet unforgettable performance. Although many of Dr. Dre's notable hits were left out, Snoop Dogg put on a great show twisting and "izzling" every other word leaving the crowd melting (or more appropriately, smoking). With dancey sing a long songs that everyone recognizes as radio hits spanning over the last 20 years, it was a perfect note to end on.
<- Me getting ready for the amazing Saturday lineup
