Bob Schneider

Last week my family and I went to Shady Grove's Unplugged at the Grove series featuring Bob Schneider aka my family's favorite. His set was amazing. I never realized how many albums he has released and how much they vary. He is a mix of blues, rock, punk, and even some rap-ish stuff. Because this is unplugged, everything was acoustic and that was really cool. Since he was the only person up there he recorded so many different instruments. He would start on the piano and record a riff that would play throughout the whole song and then he would shift to the harmonica or the other mic to beet box on and by the end of the song there were like 4 instruments playing with 1 guy on the stage. My favorite song, Big Blue Sea, is recorded below. He did a small adaptation to it.

Valerie June

Last night, my mom and I attended Valerie June's ACL taping. I had no idea who she was going into it but thought it'd be a cool experience seeing that Rolling Stone ranked her album among the top 50 best albums of 2013. She is not only crazy talented but also crazy beautiful! She has this twang in her voice that pairs with a bluesy, folksy, country feel. Every single song she played was so different. There were so many instruments up there including horns, violin/fiddle, mandolin, banjo, electric guitar, acoustic guitar and a stand up bass. It was really impressive. She spoke so softly and gently and her singing voice has a really wide range. Listening to her album versions now, her live songs sound exactly the same, I love that. Moody theater is probably the best place to see an artist. The atmosphere is very attentive and the place has great acoustics. Let me know what you think of her because I am really impressed.

The King's Dead

This group is making its way up to the top of my favorites list. I haven't listened to a full album yet but they have a ton of good songs. I really like how clean cut a lot of the songs are but also how many layers there are in some of them. I also am a fan of the topics of his songs, they aren't the stereotypical topics like girls and partying and I appreciate that. Revenge of the Beast (their newest album) is probably my favorite (again, haven't listened to the whole thing but so far it is) has a lot of variety on it and has some artists featuring on it. In particular, I really like the songs where The Kings Dead adds a female vocalist to contrast with their rap, it adds variety.

Spotify Playlists

These past three weeks, I have been constantly studying for IB tests so that has kind of sucked a little bit. To get me through, I needed some music. Not to study to but for my breaks. I also didn't want to look hard for music to listen to in those weeks because I was so busy. And I discovered a ton of playlists made by Spotify! One I listened to was "Feel Good Indie Rock" which has like 3 days worth of music on it so I was set. One thing I like about all the choices of playlists is they are sorted by mood/theme of event so it's very convenient.

Dax Riggs

A friend at work introduced me to Dax Riggs, a "folk metal" singer. Interesting genre choice right? My friend, Gabriela Burns, was lucky enough to interview him after SXSW 2011 and he described the type of music he plays and it's an interesting explanation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOAPVEYGr50
explained at 1:09 ish

He's interesting to me because folk is one of my favorite genres and metal is probably my least favorite genre so I think you can see why I was intrigued. He's actually really good. I really like how the band is not so overpowering and his laid-back tone.

Kanye West

College Dropout is probably the best crafted of Kanye's albums. The only thing I don't really like are the skits. I just don't really understand the purpose of putting skits on an album? But this album is really good, I like how the instruments work together with Kanye's voice (like on All Falls Down). I think as Kanye releases more albums the more repetitive he gets with his lyrics and the less story that gets told on the album. Personally, I do not like Yeezus one bit. It's just a lot more showy / auto tuned more I think. It has some good songs but it is definitely not the same Kanye.

The Fugees

Really like this group. I really like how in all of their songs it doesn't seem like they are yelling or angry at me like some modern rappers sound like. All of their songs give off a really laid back/chill vibe and  I like that a lot. Also something I noticed while listening to this album is how familiar some of the riffs are. I've heard some of them on more modern "poppy" music. On How Many Mics I really like 2:55 when all of them come in and overlap and little bit in the vocals. And then some of my personal favorites are Ready or Not and Zealots. I really like Lauryn Hill's unique voice and the personality her voice has.

Music on the streets

I stumbled along this video the other day and wanted to share it! This is an amazing example of how music can bring people together.

http://www.dailydot.com/lifestyle/three-guys-jam-session/

One thing that pisses me off a little bit is the woman that walks right through the whole scene and doesn't even stop to listen! Like what! I don't get that. Anyway I am in love with this video, it makes me smile and I hope it's proof that there are good people in the world even though you may think that we are all doomed. I really like how the guy on the guitar slaps his guitar to make more of a beat, makes the song seem more three dimensional in a way.
It really reminds me of downtown Austin and I love it! And will definitely miss this next year

ACL lineup 2014

I'm thoroughly impressed with this lineup. I think ACL fest is evolving for the good and bad. It's definitely advertising to the younger generations now and booking the huge names rather than the local bands. So I guess that's a good and bad thing depending on how you look at it. I like the headliners but I was hoping for some huge legend to play. Bruce Springsteen would've been cool, or Elton John. All three are great but I'm not wowed by them. Of course, as you know and could've guessed, I am overjoyed about the Head and the Heart and the Avett Brothers coming. Fitz and the Tantrums will put on an amazing show. I feel like they will be a crowd pleaser for sure. Someone that I have recently enjoyed is Kodaline. Ellie Goulding (who I thought would make an appearance on the lineup this year) does a really nice cover of All I Want by Kodaline. Check it out. (https://soundcloud.com/search?q=All%20I%20want%20Ellie%20Goulding) She has a really pretty voice.

Patty Griffin

Patty Griffin has always been my parents favorite. Growing up she's always been playing in the background but this weekend I actually added her to my playlists and took her out of the background! I am now a fan. Mostly of her older albums like 1000 kisses and A Kiss in Time. I really like that it's just her and the instruments aren't so overpowering. Her voice is really distinct and it's clear that it is the main focus of her songs. "Top of the World" is a good one that Patty actually wrote for the Dixie Chicks but is also on one of Patty Griffin's albums too! I can't decide which one is better. I think I almost like the Dixie Chicks adaptation of it better but I couldn't tell you why.. probably because the Dixie Chicks version is a little faster and has more variation. The first six songs of 1000 Kisses are awesome, especially Long Ride Home.

Nirvana

So I didn't realize how many Nirvana songs I knew until we listened to them in class! I guess they're kind of one of those bands that is everywhere but I never really thought about them. I love the chill vibe they give off, I would definitely say they fit the definition of "rebellious" rock n roll perfectly. Kurt's voice is so scratchy and raw and it really stands out and makes the band unique. My favorite song off of Nevermind (great album all around) is Come as You Are. I really like that it's not all in your face and not just loud. My favorite Nirvana songs are definitely the softer slower ones.

Drunk in Love cover

So you may or may not know the song Drunk in Love by Beyonce and Jay Z but it is a very popular song on the radio right now! I like it, it's catchy and it's Beyonce and she's perfect. I stumbled upon this cover Ed Sheeran does of this song and it's so surprisingly good! I'm not a big fan of Ed Sheeran but I think he does a good job of making it his own! Unfortunately he leaves out the Jay Z part.. don't really know how he would accomplish that.

http://elitedaily.com/music/ed-sheeran-gives-his-rendition-of-drunk-in-love-to-melt-the-hearts-of-teenage-girls-video/

Bombay Bicycle Club

Sofie kind of introduced me to these guys (I bet you a million she's done a blog on them), I have always heard of them because of their previous ACL appearances but I've never taken the time to sit down and listen. I'm listening to Shuffle, which is their number one on spotify, and I really like the beat of it and how prominent the piano is in it. It almost seems like someone is walking on the piano (in a really beautiful way though). Towards the end of the song it's interesting that the voices aren't really singing to the beat of the piano anymore and it puts a different vibe in the song. Listening to some of their other songs I also hear this repetitive riff on the guitar or piano or some instrument. It seems to be a common theme throughout their songs.

This video above makes them seem like a really cool, down to earth band and I like it!

The Colourist

I saw this band perform two songs at the W hotel for KGSR and they played their two most popular songs: Little Games and We Won't Go Home. My friend and I looked at each other and we both said that these guys are going to be really big someday. I really like how all their instruments work together to form this really cool sound. I also think that the girl singer's voice is very unusual and her very high pitched voice contrasts the guy singer's voice nicely. They only have one album I think but I can't wait for another.

Jared and the Mill

Wondering sixth street in the middle of the day during spring break was a cool experience. From hardcore metal to soft piano music, I am pretty sure I heard it all. One band that stood out to me was Jared and the Mill. They weren't playing in a bar or venue, this 5 guy band set up on the street with guitars, base, and I think I remember a banjo or a mandolin. I listened to probably about 5 songs and immediately fell in love with their lyrics and their sound. All of their songs vary in pace and mood and it's awesome. One lyric that has carried with me is from the song "Breathe me in": "I'm sure I have a purpose but my mind has drawn a blank" or something along those lines. I think I remember it mainly because it is so applicable and relatable. Which goes back to your point that we like music we can relate to. Some other lines that I liked were "My friends and I make fun of things that we don't understand" (also from Breathe Me in), "I thought the road less traveled was the one that paid the least" and "I preach to those who hate my tongue." I thought those were all very interesting and thought provoking lyrics and I really like that about Jared and the Mill.

Anyway, these guys are awesome. I'm pretty sure if you heard them you would be like yes, Kendall would definitely like this. Just because they are kind of similar to the Avett Brothers and other bands I listen to. I was not expecting to find a band that just set up randomly for free that I would like so much as to listen to them weeks after I saw them live. And I think tha

Im sure I have a purpose but my mind has drawn a blan
it's a shame to think youd give me another single day
My friends and I make fun of things that we dont' understand



i thought the road less traveled was the one that paid the least
the winds are at my back and the sails don't seem to give slack let the birds fly north bc the time wont ever last and the winds are at my back

behind me lies a lie

Given more than what you got can get you killed

Preaching to those who hate my tongue, I'm a man that's brave and youn

Elvis Costello

I actually genuinely enjoyed Elvis Costello, and I wasn't expecting to at all. I think that this was one of the few albums that I liked every song! I really like the sound and tone of his voice. The vibe I get from his voice is a really laid back, chill one and I think that's a really cool sound. I also really like the depth of his band and vocals.

SXSW

I've never fully experience SxSW but I think I'm going to get a pretty good taste of it this year. I don't have a badge but I have discovered some pretty cool stuff going on. I'll go to Bob Schneider and the Mowgli's for sure at the W Hotel (hosted by KGSR), also the Woodie Awards where Childish Gambino, Bleachers, and Vic Mensa will be playing along with others. Sofie and I are really going to try to make it to Tyler the Creator Tuesday night and I am so excited for him. We went to his concert last year and it was a really cool experience. He is not only a good rapper he is an entertainer. I personally am a fan of his music just because I think it takes a hard look at his lyrics to understand what he is trying to get across. First glance, the songs sound really dumb and silly. Yonkers starts off as "I'm a fuckin walkin paradox/no I'm not" and continues to say stuff like "green paper, gold teeth and pregnant gold retrievers, all I want. Fuck money, diamonds and bitches don't need em" So basically every lyric in this song contradicts the next one and it's awesome. Basically (this might be too deep idk) but I think this song is an argument between his head versus his heart, himself versus his mind, etc. So this blog turned into a Tyler blog oops..

Chance the Rapper

"they murder kids here/Why you think they don't talk about it?/They deserted us here/Where the fuck is Matt Lauer at?/Somebody get Katie Couric in here/Probably scared of all the refugees, look like we had a fuckin' hurricane here/They'll be shooting whether it's dark or not, I mean the days is pretty dark a lot/Down here, it's easier to find a gun than it is to find a fucking parking spot/No love for the opposition, specifically a cop position/Cause they've never been in our position."
(Chance the Rapper's Paranoia) 

I think this is one of his most powerful songs lyric wise. It has a message and I think that is the purpose of music, to send a message or stand up for what you believe in. And I think that is what Chance does in this song: heightening awareness for the violent "community" that was unfortunately his home. I love the "where the fuck is Matt Lauer at?" This is basically like murder happens all the time here that it tends to get overlooked and is considered normal. 
Also, later on in the song it adds "Everybody dies in the summer, so pray to God for a little more Spring." I feel like that line hits his listeners in a different way; It's almost like he's trying to make the shooter feel better in a way? Saying that it's a norm. 

I really like that he tells a story in his rap, I think that is what makes rap worthwhile. I also really like Nostalgia from his 10 Day mixtape, I think it's a very different song for him and brings out his childhood. I feel like people don't give him or Kendrick Lamar enough credit. Their most popular songs are the songs about dumb stuff like drugs and girls (which is fine but doesn't completely capture them as artists and people judge them solely off of songs like Kendrick's Swimming Pools or Chance's Juice)

Vampire Weekend

In honor of me having to sell my ticket to their upcoming concert in April, I thought the least I could do was dedicate a blog post about them! (Can't go because I'm broke) I saw Vampire Weekend at ACL this past year and I absolutely loved them. I've been following them casually over the years, mainly because of Sofie, and have genuinely loved their music. I also loved the way they made the crowd dance and listen to their words. It's really cool to see a band move their audience and I think Vampire Weekend definitely achieved that. Also, the main singer, Ezra, was decked out in a full body jump suit. In Austin. Where it is hot. All the time. So man I was feeling for him up there. My favorite song right now is Unbelievers and Oxford Comma. I think Oxford Comma is the funniest song, it kinda brings out my inner nerd a lil bit. And an oldie but a goodie that was my first Vampire Weekend to be exposed to was The Kids Don't Stand a Chance. LOVE it.

Drive By Truckers

I looked up the Drive By Truckers. Pretty good! I'm still getting the depressing, sad, emotional vibe from them though. Which is fine by me but I think Isbell needs to add a few happy or at least hopeful songs to his list. I think the difference between Jason Isbell and the Drive By Truckers is that the Drive By Truckers definitely have a lot more instruments/depth going for them but I think Jason Isbell as a solo artist is more personal with his song and audience. I have not fully explored the Drive-By Truckers yet but I plan to!

Jay Z - The Black Album

Never have I ever realized (until now) how conceited this album is. Every single lyric has to do with Jay-Z being the biggest thing in music/ever. But since it is Jay Z, he can definitely say that and not be criticized for it. That being said, I am obsessed with this album. My favorites by far are Dirt Off Your Shoulder, Encore, Moment of Clarity and 99 Problems. I think this album establishes Jay Z as a classic modern rapper and sets the bar SUPER high for hip/hop rap in the future. While this album is modern, it sounds a bit retro as well, I'm not sure why though. One thing I thought was interesting about this album is that Jay Z got a different producer for each track, which I think added a lot of diversity to the album.

The Civil Wars - Billie Jean

I think this cover is beautifully done. It takes Michael Jackson's song and makes it their own I think. I personally don't like it when artists copy a song's tempo or they make it sound exactly like the original. And it is very hard to do a cover of someone that had such an impact on music like The Beatles or Michael Jackson. I love the harmonies in this song. However, I typically don't listen to the Civil Wars unless I'm taking a nap or doing something super calm. But I really like this cover for it's original take on the original song.

Red Hot Chili Peppers/Super Bowl fiasco

Some aspects of their Super Bowl performance bugs me but then I think about how successful and talented (I know you don't like that word ha sorry) they are it doesn't bother me as much. This was a mistake but I would never pass up an opportunity to play at the Super Bowl. That is an honor that someone should not turn down. I understand that it is disrespectful to both the musicians and the audience but I think they handled somewhat well. On stage, it was so obvious that their guitars weren't plugged in and I honestly think they wanted us to notice. I think they were almost making fun of the Super Bowl people and decided to joke around. Their "air guitars" were over done and I think they were just having fun, which they definitely deserve it. Music is sacred but I think that most of the blame should be put on the people that made the Chili Peppers do this, not the Chili Peppers themselves. This doesn't make me like/dislike the band anymore or less though.

Carole King (and a little James Taylor)

So I disagree with the statement: Carole King is like the Bob Dylan etc. Lyrically, I think they both have beautiful lyrics, but vocally Carole King has Bob Dylan beat in my opinion. My parents have a Carole King record and when I brought home the record player she was the first record we listened to. I love her raspy voice I think it adds personality to her songs. I was watching live recordings/shows of Carole King and she is an amazing pianist. I got introduced to Carole King through being introduced to James Taylor by my parents. I really love James Taylor. He is an amazing writer in my opinion. Did you know that he wrote his first song on the guitar when he was 14?? Anyway, I love Carolina On My Mind and Sweet Baby James. They're really sweet songs. You've Got a Friend, when sang with James and Carole, is my favorite though.

Kacey Musgraves

So Kacey Musgraves won a Grammy this year and she deserved it (I think). Her album Same Trailer Different Park is very well written and each song fits in with the album. I think that this album reveals a lot about Kacey Musgraves as a person. It shows her personal beliefs and on spotify there's a commentary album for this album and it's really interesting to listen to her talk about it and it's really prevalent that she invested a lot in this album. I also think that this isn't your everyday country music. It talks about a lot of things that are usually not present in pop country music like homosexuality.

Grammys

I really enjoy watching the Grammys but I do agree that they aren't very representative of outstanding artists. I also believe that the Grammy's are a popularity contest. All of the artists on 96.7 or 102.3 are basically guaranteed a nomination if not a grammy. Their record company should basically win the grammy because of how much money and effort they put in to selling albums/singles/the artist's name. This year's performances were interesting. I always am surprised of the combinations that they put together. This year I really liked Imagine Dragons and Kendrick Lamar's mashup maybe because it was surprising but I think they took a very creative approach to it. I think it was amazing what Macklemore did during his song and I think it sent a very powerful message. I also was really impressed with Pink's performance, she is really talented. I did not enjoy Katy Perry's performance it kind of made a tad uncomfortable. The Grammy's were overwhelmingly about the performances and not as much about awarding and thanking artists. I think that there are a lot of other bands and singers that should at least be nominated that not a lot of people know about, like the Head and the Heart for example. (They're a little well known but not as popular on the radio)

Aer

My brother showed me this band and we've been following their music for awhile now. They just released a new album and it's pretty good. Aer isn't one of those bands where their whole album is amazing in my opinion. They will probably have 3 good songs per album. 2 of their good songs on this album were released as singles previous to the album. But I really love their voice and style of their music because it's not hardcore rap. I like it because their voice is very unique and it has a lot of instruments that work together! I think my favorite album is The Brightside just because it was the first album that got me hooked. A good one on there is Floats the Boat. Their most recent single that I like is Says She Loves Me!

Punch Brothers

LOVE the Punch Brothers. I've just started to get into them and it was such a coincidence that you mentioned them in class because I was thinking about writing a blog post on them. They remind me of Needtobreathe except with a clearer voice. I might be wrong but I think I hear a banjo or something that sounds like a banjo and I am really enjoying that sound. It provides a nice crisp contrast to the other softer instruments in the group. I think my favorite right now is This Girl but that is bound to change in the next few weeks, I can never make up my mind on these things.

Grace Potter

Everyone has heard her hit Paris and Stars and don't get me wrong I love listening to the recorded album but what I recently discovered that I like even more is her acoustic "live" ones! They are easier to listen to in my opinion because there's not as much going on. My favorite song right now of hers is Low Road. She does a recording of this song stripped down as she walks on the street and it is wonderful! I interpreted this song to mean that it is the journey that is important not the destination (super cheesy but I like it).

My favorite part of this video is 3:07 when she hits this really high note and her guitar player kind of looks at her and smiles. Another one of my favorites is Big White Gate, which is about her grandmother!

Your album

Your album is amazing!! Listening to it the whole way through for the second time I heard different things than I did the first time I heard it! My favorite song was Talk (if that's what it's called I don't remember). But I noticed the importance of song order on an album and never really thought about the thought that goes into the order of the album until I took your class. I also really like the until I feel better one that you played live for us in class. Loved the lyrics.

Records

Over winter break my friend and I bought a record player! Well first we went to Antones records bc we passed by it and needed to kill some time. We went in and discovered so many cool record covers of a lot of old bands. Right after we convince ourselves that we NEEDED a record player. We took the record player back to my house and sat in my garage and listened to the Carpenter by the Avett Brothers and Babel by Mumford and Sons. After we finished those I dug up my dad's records and listened to a bunch more and before we knew it it was past out curfew!! I absolutely loved watching the record spin and play the music! It's a completely different sound I totally agree with you! It's kind of like books. I really like having something in my hands to physically look at instead of it being electronic.