My Music Picks

Kings of Leon

2005-11-21T23:18:00.000-05:00

Hey guys I'm back with my last post and another great band. It seems kind of crazy that this semester is already coming to an end. I really enjoyed sharing my music picks with you. Hopefully I turned some of you guys into fans of many of the bands I praised on my blog. Now onto another one of my favorites, Kings of Leon. It was last year late at night that I saw one of their videos on MTV2 and immediately I was hooked to the Kings infectious, feel-good sound. Of course I purchased their album Aha Shake Heartbreak from itunes (the source for most of my music) and ever since, have included most of their songs on my party playlists.

Kings of Leon hail from Tennessee (for once I'm talking about a band from the US) and the group is comprised of brothers Caleb (guitar/lead singer), Nathan (drums), and Jared Followill (bass), and cousin Matthew Followill (lead guitar). The boys were influenced by the Rolling Stones and Neil Young at an early age and soon formed a rock band in 2000. The group's sound is described as "garage rock" and RCA records quickly signed the boys to their label in early 2001. Kings' EP Holy Roller Novocaine followed two years later. The boy's released their debut album Youth and Young Manhood in summer of 2003 while touring across North America and the UK. Aha Shake Heartbreak was released in 2005 in Europe and the US.

Rolling Stone Magazine loves these guys and gave their first two albums 4 stars, while Aha Shake Heartbreak received 3.5 stars. My favorite songs from their latest album include "The Bucket" and "King of the Rodeo." Once I get a little Christmas money, I plan on purchasing their first two albums because apparently they're even better than the last.

Keane

2005-11-16T23:09:00.000-05:00

Hey guys before I start talking about another one of my favorite bands, I wanted to answer a few questions that you guys asked me in your recent comments that relate to my posts. A lot of you guys said you really like The Music. I actually only own their album Welcome to The North but I think it's safe to say that it's their best to date. So for those of you thinking of purchasing one of their albums I strongly recommend picking up Welcome to The North. Someone also pointed out that a lot of the bands I like are small British indie bands. I guess this is just a coincidence because I like all different genres of music. I'm just trying to focus on bands that I figured some of you music fans never heard of before and would really like. Recently I have been hearing about great bands from my music obsessed friend, but in the past I used to read Rolling Stone.

So onto another great band known as Keane. I heard these guys about a year ago and I want to say I heard one of their songs on the OC or one of those WB shows but I can't really remember. I hate to admit it but the OC always has good music throughout the show. Anyway I bought their album Hopes and Fears and I'm really looking forward to their next release which I hope is in the near future.

Keane consists of Tom Chaplin (vocals), Richard Hughes (drums), and Tim Rice-Oxley (piano) all of whom are from East Sussex, England. The guys got together in 1997 and initially started out as a cover band. The group soon got tired of playing other people's songs so they began writing and recording their own stuff. Call Me What You Like marked their self-released debut single in early 2002 and Wolf At the Door followed a year later. The guys were desperately trying to find a label but unfortunately no one was interested. Finally in December 2002, Fierce Panda released Keane's single "Everything's Changing" and due to its success several labels offered to sign the group. The trio finally signed to Island UK in fall 2003 and released their first full-length album Hopes and Fears the following spring.

I compare Keane to Coldplay and Travis. However Keane relies solely on the piano to produce beautiful melodies and memorable songs. The music is melancholy pop but I just can't seem to get enough. My favorite tracks from their full-length album include "She Has No Time" and "Somewhere Only We Know."

Sara Drive

2005-11-14T21:00:00.000-05:00

Hey guys I'm back with a band that I can almost guarantee that none of you have heard of before. That is because Sara Drive has only been around since 2003 and is composed of five guys, three of which are from my hometown Springfield, PA. I actually graduated with the guitarist and I'm pretty good friends with the drummer.

The group originated from the duo of lead singer/guitarist Michael Mayton and guitarist/backing vocalist Matt DeAngelis. Their songs focused on solid instrumentals and intriguing vocals which won over friends, open mic goers and music appreciators. In the fall of 2003 Matt D recruited life long friends and brothers Matt and Mike Hepler to accompany the duo in local shows. The group then asked their friend Chris Hill to play the saxophone and keyboard on a couple of their tracks for their first four song demo. The band then released their first full length album Innocent Minds in the summer of 2005.

These guys have a really unique sound and have built a loyal fan base by playing local shows around the Philadelphia area. They recently played in New York and about fifty of their most loyal fans were able to take the bus with the guys. My good friend/roommate actually had the opportunity to go and he said it was a blast and that the guy's put on an amazing show. Definitely listen to some of their songs because I am willing bet that they are going to make it big soon. My favorite songs include "Innocent Mind" and "Trust."

The Music

2005-11-08T18:38:00.000-05:00

I first heard The Music a couple of years ago when my good friend had their album playing in his car during our long road trip to Panama City, Florida. I immediately liked their Welcome to The North album and soon after our trip, I purchased a copy of my own. Critics have compared the group's sound to the "Rock power of Led Zeppelin and the psychedelia of Jane's Addiction." Personally, I just think their music puts me in a good mood and makes me want to rock out.

The Music hails from Leeds, England and includes childhood friends Stuart Coleman (bass), Adam Nutter (guitar), Robert Harvey (vocals), and Phil Jordan (drums). The guys were only teenagers when they started playing together and would often practice between their studies. In early 2001, Radio 1 celebrity DJ Steve Lamacq hailed The Music as the "best unsigned band in Britain." The band released a limited edition of its demo "Take the Long Road and Walk It" in May 2001.

England's Hut Recordings released the band's debut EP You Might as Well Try to F--- Me that same spring and people were touting The Music as "potentially the most important group since Oasis." The People EP was released in 2002 and America finally caught on to the hype surrounding these guys. The group came to the States in February 2003 and toured with Coldplay for two months. Then the band signed with Captial Records in mid-2002 and released their second album Welcome to The North in fall 2004. The band also had the opportunity to work with renowned rock producer Brendan O'Brien (best known for working with Pearl Jam and Soundgarden).

You guys should definitely download some of their music. My personal favorites off Welcome to The North include Freedom Fighters, Into The Night, and I Need Love. But the whole album is good and I rarely ever skip a song.

Kings Of Convenience

2005-11-02T12:10:00.000-05:00

Hey guys I'm back with another great band that I recently started listening to called Kings of Convenience. Once again my music-obsessed friend told me about this folk pop duo a couple of months ago and ever since then I have been listening to their album Riot on an Empty Street on a regular basis. Their sound reminds me a lot of Simon & Garfunkel and with that being said, their music is extremely mellow and catchy with quiet guitar melodies. It's great music to listen to while you are doing school work, studying or just sitting back and relaxing.

Kings of Convenience include the Bergen, Norway duo Erik Glambek Boe (singer/guitarist) and
Erlend Oye (guitarist). The duo's success started with a series of acclaimed European festival appearances during the summer of 1999. After signing to the American label Kindercore, the pair released their debut the following spring. Quiet Is the New Loud was released in 2001 on Astralwerks. Most of the tracks on this disc were the same ones from the Kindercore release with a few additions. Their album Versus was then released in 2004. The album contains various artists' electronica remixes of the songs from Quiet is The New Loud. I have yet to actually listen to this album, but my friend has told me that it's really quite good. The duo took a three year break and then teamed up again to release Riot on an Empty Street in late 2004. Apparently Kings is planning on releasing another remix album of the songs on their latest disc.

If you guys get a chance, you should definitely check out some of their stuff. My personal favorites from Riot on an Empty Street include "Love Is No Big Truth" and "I'd Rather Dance With You." I also like "I Don't Know What I Can Save You From" and "Little Kids" from Quiet is The New Loud.

Death Cab for Cutie Concert

2005-10-26T20:05:00.000-04:00

This past Tuesday night, I went to the Electric Factory to see one of my favorite bands Death Cab for Cutie. My friends and I arrived a little early and we had to stand in the freezing rain for what seemed like an eternity, but once we got inside I could tell it was going to be an awesome night. It was only the second time that I've been to the Electric Factory, but I have to say that it's a really cool place and I will definitely go back in the future. The upstairs balcony is the best part about the place. You have to be 21 in order to go up so my friends and I quickly ascended, grabbed some seats and ordered a beer.

The opening band, Stars, came on around 8 pm and played an awesome set. I actually started listening to Stars last spring and their latest album Set Yourself On Fire, is one of my favorites. The band was fromed by Torquil Campbell and Chris Seligman in New York. Along with friends Evan Cranley and Amy Milan, the group relocated to Montreal. Their debut full-length album, Nightsongs, was released in 2001, followed by the EP, The Comeback. Their sophmore effort, Heart was released in 2004, followed by Set Yourself On Fire.

The group mostly played songs from their latest album, including my favorite "Ageless Beauty." Amy Milan's voice is absolutely amazing. She sounded exactly like the album maybe even a little bit better. A lot of their songs have orchestra accompaniment so it was really cool that they had a violinist on stage and the other leader singer, Torquil plays the trumpet on some songs.

Finally, Death Cab came on the stage and started off with one of my favorites, "This Is The New Year." The group has about eight albums and I only have three so far since I became a fan late in the game. But luckily I knew almost all of the songs they played except for maybe three. They played for a solid two hours and of course they came out for a three song encore. Overall, the show was pretty awesome but I was a little disappointed with the crowd. I feel as though there was a lack of energy and I spotted only a few kids really rocking out and feeling the music. Oh well, I definitely plan on seeing these guys again when they're back in town.

Tegan & Sara

2005-10-16T19:11:00.000-04:00

Hey guys! I'm back with a new band and one that may only appeal to the ladies. However, my good guy friend is actually responsible for telling me about this pair of rocker twins so to all of you guys, don't be afraid to check out Tegan & Sara. If any of you have sirius radio, check out the station called "Left of the Center" because that is where my friend first heard these girls. The station also plays a lot of music from the bands in my previous posts.

Folk-rock duo Tegan & Sara first burst onto the Canadian music scene in 1998. Their catchy tunes and brutally honest lyrics have earned the duet tour dates with a number of popular acts including The Killers, Hot Hot Heat, Ryan Adams, Rufus Wainwright, Neil Young, Ben Folds, and Sarah Mclachlan's Lilith Fair. So Jealous is the girl's third full length album and definitely their best yet. I would describe the indie group's sound as punky-pop. Each song gets stuck in your head and that's definitely not a bad thing.

The girl's affinity for music began at an early age with the help of their parents. Tegan and Sara began playing piano at age eight, and in their teens were part of a number of punk bands. This Business of Art was the twin's first album. If It Was You followed in 2002 and their most recent effort, So Jealous was released in 2004. My favorite songs off of the So Jealous disc include "I Know I Know I Know" and "Walking With A Ghost." You can also watch their music video for "Walking With A Ghost." I have to warn you that it's a little strange and out there. But I have to say that the whole album is worth a listen.

The Arcade Fire

2005-10-09T18:32:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone, I'm back to tell you about another great band The Arcade Fire. My roommate gave me their first full length cd, Funeral for my birthday last year and it's now one of my favorite albums.

The Arcade Fire is an indie rock band from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Its members are Win Butler, Régine Chassagne, Richard Reed Parry, William Butler, Tim Kingsbury, Sarah Neufeld, and Jeremy Gara. As of May 2005, the touring band includes violinist Owen Pallett, who has opened for their shows, appearing as the one-man band ‘Final Fantasy’

The Arcade Fire formed around the husband and wife duo of Butler and Chassagne. Joining together as recently as mid-2003, the current lineup solidified in late 2003/early 2004, when their first full-length album Funeral was recorded. The Arcade Fire is known for its enthralling live performances, as well as its use of a large number of musical instruments. The promise showed by the band in its live shows allowed it to land a record contract with Chapel Hill-based independent record label Merge Records.

The band employs a vast array of instruments—mainly guitar, drums, and bass guitar—but also piano, violin, viola, cello, xylophone, keyboard, accordion, and harp. With several able musicians, the Arcade Fire takes most of its instrumental diversity on tour, with band members switching instrumental duties between songs.

Their first full-length album, Funeral, debuted in September 2004 in the USA and in February 2005 in the UK, and was very highly acclaimed by critics. The title of the debut album was chosen because of the deaths of several relatives of band members during recording. These events created a somber atmosphere which influenced songs such as “Une année sans lumière” (”A Year without Light”), “In the Backseat”, and “Haiti”, Chassagne’s elegy to her lost homeland.

My roommate recently went to a music festival in Texas and she had the chance to these guys live. She said it was one of the best live performances she has ever seen. Coldplay, who also played at the festival, could not stop talking about how good The Arcade Fire is. Chris Martin even went as far as saying he was going to have to find a new job becase Arcade puts his band to shame. My favorite songs from Funeral include "Neighborhood #3(lights out)" and "Wake Up."

The Faint

2005-10-01T16:34:00.000-04:00

This past Thursday night, I went to the Trocadero in Philadelphia to see the 80's sounding band The Faint. I honestly did not know what to except since I started listening to them only two weeks ago. But at the start of their performance, it was clear that the Omaha, NE band can definitely rock, keyboards and all.

Originally known as Norman Bailer, the band consisted of current members Clark and Todd Baechle, and Joel Peterson (bass). The group's first studio album, Media was a collection of songs from 1996-1998 (the post "lite rock" era). It featured a mix of a bunch of different styles of indie rock. Then the band realized that they wanted to put on a more energy-induced show and adding synthesizers to their sound was the perfect solution. Jacob Thiele joined the act as the band's full time keyboard player. The band re-entered the studio and created Blank Wave Arcade (Saddle Creek Records). The album focused on danceable beats, catchy keyboards, and an '80s-influenced sound. In August 2001, the group released their third album, Danse Macabre. Their latest album Wet From Birth was released in fall 2004.

The opening band on Thursday night was called VHS or Beta. They got the crowd dancing on their feet in no time, and I immediately bought their album Night On Fire the next day. Some good songs on the disc include Night on Fire and You Got Me. Before The Faint came on, a group of half-naked dancers came out on the stage and performed a little strip show for the audience. The show was sponsored by Camel cigarettes so they had a Vegas theme going on for the night. It was definitely interesting to say the least. The Faint finally came on stage at around 10:45 and played a mix of songs from Danse Macabre and Wet From Birth. The lead singer was jumping around in his tight black jeans and an all out dance party erupted in the audience. The group also used a video projector during the show so that trippy images were being flashed on the walls and the ceiling. All in all it was an impressive concert. I would definitely recommend listening to some of their songs, which can be a good addition to any party mix. Some of my favorites include Paranoiattack, Glass Danse World, and Desperate Guys

Doves

2005-09-19T22:48:00.000-04:00

Late last year I happened to be watching the end of Jay Leno and patiently waiting for my favorite late night host Conan O'Brien to come on. Leno announced his music guest, Doves (not The Doves) who I had never heard of before but quickly found myself tapping my foot to the upbeat song. The song was "Black and White Town" and it was from the group's latest album Some Cities. I immediately bought Lost Souls after reading some positive customer reviews and I recently purchased The Last Broadcast.

The pop trio Doves is from Manchester, England and is led by Jimi Goodwin (vocals/bass) and twin brothers Jez (guitar) and Andy Williams (drums). Their sound is comparable to the likes of Radiohead, Coldplay, and Oasis. The songs are lyrically and musically rich with an inherent mood that differs from song to song. The group made its debut in October of 1998 with the Cedar Ep and immediately earned "next big thing" status in the British press. After releasing two more albums in the UK, the band released its first full-length effort, Lost Souls, in the US in late 2000. Two sold-out American tours and five recording studios later, Doves emerged with their second album, The Last Broadcast, in spring 2002. The album quickly debuted at number one on the U.K. charts. Their latest album, Some Cities, followed in March 2005.

Lost Souls and The Last Broadcast are both great albums with each one being unique in its sound. I plan to purchase Some Cities in the near future and will keep you posted on what I think of the album. Some of my favorite songs include "Pounding," "There Goes the Fear" and "Black and White Town."

Matt Pond PA

2005-09-14T12:51:00.000-04:00

About a year ago I was reading Rolling Stone magazine and an article about an up and coming band from Philadelphia, PA caught my eye. The band was Matt Pond PA and the album Emblems was given 3.5 stars. Rolling Stone described the music as "intimate" and "beautiful. Since I'm also from the Philly area, I decided to listen to the album on iTunes and I immediately became a fan of the unheard band.

The chamber pop quintet is led by singer/songwriter Pond, who formed the group upon relocating from New England to Philadelphia. The group also includes guitarist/bassist Josh Kramer, cellist Jim Hostetter, violinist Rosie McNamar-Jones and drummer Sean Bryne. The group made its debut in 1998 with Deer Apartments, that same year winning top honors in the Unheard? unsigned bands competition sponsored by online retailer CDnow. The group followed up its debut with the album Measure in 2000 and later added Mike Kennedy (drums), Matt Raisch (bass), Jim Kehoe (guitar) and Eve Miller (cello) to the roster. Green Fury was released in spring 2002 followed by The Nature of Maps several months later. Their latest Emblems was released in May 2005.

Lately the band has been receiving considerable recognition for their style and sound of music. Pond recently made a music video that is being featured on MTV2. The group relies heavily on touring in order to generate a buzz and create a considerable fan base. My favorite songs on Emblems include "Summer (butcher two)" and "Bring on the Ending."

Introduction

2005-09-09T12:17:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone! My name is Amy Welsh and I am a marketing major at the University of Delaware. I also have a minor in Spanish even though I'm not exactly fluent and probably never will be. This is my fifth year at Delaware but I am graduating in January (finally). I'm ready to get out of school but I'm not so ready to enter the "real" world. During my previous four years at Delaware, I played on the Women's Club Lacrosse team, and I also went on two study abroad trips through the University.

So enough with the boring facts about myself, let's talk about the purpose of my blog. According to Pat Conroy, "Without music, life is a journey through a desert." Therefore, this blog will be all about music because for me, music is my passion. I may not play an instrument or have a great singing voice, but I can't live without music. When I want to escape life for a little or have fun dancing at a party, there's always the perfect song that I can listen to. So with this blog, I will talk about current bands or songs that I am listening to, review new CDs, talk about a few concerts that I will see this semester, and discuss anything else that is relevant to music. I am aware that a lot of people may not agree with my opinions and many may think that my music taste is a disgrace. Nevertheless, I hope that I can introduce some great bands to people and in the process; I hope to learn more about music from the people that read my blog.