Apple had it right though. This is a group that, at the time of writing this, has no full release CD available. The songs I’ve heard (theres 4 that I’ve found) one has to dig through the internet to find. Each song is just as brilliant as the one prior each one as catchy and fun as the next.

Check it out.

Life was good in the mind of this up and coming musician! His hobby of music was paid for by his profession (web application design), he had some gigs lined up, and his band was enthusiastic. What happened?

A reality bitchslap right across the face. The stock market took a dump, and the uncertainty of the future caused him to begin evaluating each move he makes towards an industry that everyone and their brother tells him is nearly impossible to break into without tens of thousands of dollars.

Suddenly the thought of running his own record label and releasing his own album has become but a faint voice in the back of his head, easily overwhelmed by the voices of Prudence, and her unpopular and bitchy cousin Cynicism.

“What are my options?” he asks them.

Prudence speaks up. “Keep playing shows and sell singles! Save what you can and put it into a bank account! After about a year, you should be pretty close! And maybe by then you’ll have enough people ready to buy your album so that you’re not storing all of them in your parents’ basement while the copyright date slips into the past.”

Then Cynicism interrupted. “No, just drop music all-together! You don’t have what it takes kid, you’ll spend all your money, and won’s sell shit. You’ll wish you had put it all aside for something better, like retirement.”

“Its something I have to do,” he replied. “I have to know what will happen if I put my music out there for people to hear. I have to see if I can do it. I have to know if I can push myself through all the hard work it takes to work an album and sell it. I know its a lot of work! I know the odds are stacked so highly against me. But I just gotta try!”

Cynicism is an evil thing, discouraging as she is, but prudence was his true friend. “Remember, that when you release your album, the clock is ticking, you have roughly a year to have recorded your next set of songs or you’ll be considered a failure in the eyes of many record labels. No one would touch you with a ten foot pole! You have to keep it rolling, and when you know for a truth that you cannot afford another go round in the studio, the odds are stacked against you even more.”

He thought about this for the first time. She continued. “If you sit on what you’ve got, and release some EPs you can buy yourself some time and work your way towards a better funded future. You can grow your fan-base, spread your name, and get an infrastructure of devoted evangelists to pimp your music out to all of their friends when you finally do release it. Its the right way to go.”

He nodded. Cynicism crossed her arms and turned away. Prudence smiled at a job well done.

Rob Lundy and the Cold Lantern Regime – No Questions

Lyrics:
Well I slave for my pay, and they take it away
For their bailouts and kings of Arabia
Where we once had a voice we have two poorman’s choices
What they stand for, I couldn’t tell ya

The house to the ground,To the ground
Are we really the type to fall and not make a sound, Tear it down
Start swimming or we’ll surely drown

I find that this is when I usually do my best blues guitar work.

This post is more or less just a note that.. ya, I’m still alive and I still plan on writing this blog.

Sandro Perri - Tiny Mirrors

Sandro Perri – Tiny Mirrors – 7/10

Embracing the beauty of imperfection has been the rage these days it seems. Though risky, if done correct will bring all sorts of incredible texture to a work of music. Sandro Perri manages to accomplish this fine ballance and make it look easy. Tiny Mirrors is smooth as buttered glass… if that simili is appropriate… or… not too odd. Great for a dim and lazy autumn day.

A rendition of Fred Neil’s Everybody’s Talkin’ makes an appearance. Though at first I didn’t quite like it, it seems to be growing on me a little every time I listen to it.

My only standing negatives:

Sometimes throughout various points in the album, things seem to get… confused. Almost to the point of sounding irregular and sloppy.

A healthy dose of caffeine should be administered shortly before embarking on this one.. It has the power to lull you into a half sleep. I’m not exactly sure if that is a BAD thing or not, it might not be something you want to listen to on a late night drive after a long hard day at work.

Songs of Interest:

• Family Tree
• Everybody’s Talkin’
• The Mime

Glad you got that off your chest? Totally, I feel like riding a bike now!

Case and point:
Grant Lee Buffalo vs. Grant-Lee Phillips

Grant Lee Buffalo had a brilliant run, releasing masterpiece after masterpiece. Even the disputed Jubilee is, in comparison to anything that was out at the time, a work of musical genius. After GLB split, Grant-Lee Phillips went off to do his own thing. He recorded a couple albums (Ladies Love Oracle, and Mobilize) by his lonesome, not a single nuance of these critically acclaimed albums came from anyone but Grant-Lee Phillips. After Mobilize, he released Virginia Creeper, Nineteeneightees, and most recently Strangelet.

Now, I’m an active member on the Grant-Lee Phillips forum, and I see alot of people complaining about how his new albums don’t measure up to the expectations of the previous. I tend to agree to some extent. However is it fair to compare the modern works of a musician to their previous works?

A sidenote on a related topic, a virtually unknown video of one of the oldest GLB tunes was uploaded to youtube. Its very valid today, take a look!

Grant Lee Buffalo – America Snoring

Its VIGO!!

What brings this up? I’ll tell you. An album I’ve not visited for a while is back on my Rhapsody player. Which one? Oh, I’ll tell you. It encompasses the anger of the generation it represents, all wound up into a super-tight coil of springloaded belligerence. One of its kind in style and antagonistic grace.

My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade

My Chemical Romance has this nice little song called Dead! That when it first came out struck me as really mean and rotten. But soon I remembered that not all music has to be nice and polite.  I’m sure Insane Clown Posse would be where they are today had they called themselves the Misunderstood Clown Posse.

The Black Parade always struck me as one of the most edgy albums of the year, and even the decade. I can’t wait to see what these guys do next.  I heard they all mellowed out and are in the process of making an acoustic album about forgiveness and hugs. I actually don’t know what to say to that… You’re a rumor monger.