New Music @ MindSay

(PROTIP: SCROLL TO THE END IF YOU THINK TL;DR)

I've taken a trip through my iPod in recent days and realized I have MOAR music that I could ever listen to, or ever choose to, but keep it on there because I have so much space (160 GB). Anyone who knows me will know that I'm very selective about music choices.

I steer away from most major labels because they're part of the capitalist racketeering scheme that has taken over the music scene in the world, not just America.

Anyway, I want to be a part of the music scene in whatever city I'm in, and to do that it's best to offer something to a band or something like that. That's why I need to get a bass sometime in the future.

I know musical influences have a huge impact on the music being created here and now. My largest influences would have to be (not in any particular order of importance) Deathrock like Christian Death, Rozz Williams, and Tragic Black, Black Metal like Aes Dana and Cradle of Filth, Atmospheric Metal like The Gathering and Ulver, Melancholic like Antimatter, the Silent Hill Soundtracks, Marilyn Manson (think Holy Wood), Katatonia, Coldplay, and Agua de Annique, Female-Fronted Metal like The Gathering, Agua de Annique, Tacere, and Otep, many of the Top 40 from the 80's and 90's, all the song memes like "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" and "Never gonna give you up", most all Ska like Distemper and Arther Kay, Political Punk like Anti-Flag, New Mexican Disaster Squad, Choking Victim, Leftover Crack, Citizen Fish, and Thought Riot, Powerpop like Forever the Sickest Kids, the Maine, and Hellogoodbye, Political Rap like Immortal Technique, NWA, and Public Enemy, Romanticized Rock like My Chemical Romance (first 2 albums) and The Used(talk about closet music), and the anti-genre misellaneous bands like The Bastard Fairies and Mindless Self Indulgence. Jesus Christ that's alot, and I doubt many people recognize many of the those bands.

As for musical philosophy, it's somewhat difficult. I'm not sure exactly what kind of music I want to make, assuming I'll be that high in the band/project to make decisions.

Well, the best description I can come up with is this: Music with purpose, slightly romanticized but not without the hard-hitting slap of reality, something the gives both feelings of reality and feeling to the listeners, music that is both fast and brutal; slow and melancholic. Some of it needs to have disgustingly powerful breakdowns, follow-ups, and long ass intros. Other parts need to be straight forward, to the point, and short. Some of it needs to be orchestrated to the nanosecond of beauty, and other parts should sound over-dubbed and shit-quality. Much like a rollercoaster, I want my music to send listeners for a ride. It doesn't have to be any particular genre either, but my preferred genres to play would be like the ones I listed as my influences.

If there could be a huge mash up mix of what it would be like, try combining these songs:
"Demolition Lovers" by My Chemical Romance
"Bring the Pain" by Mindless Self Indulgence
"In My Grave" by Choking Victim
"Saffron's Curse" by Cradle of Filth
"Smeared Eyes" by Tragic Black
"Cemetery Drive" by My Chemical Romance
"Living the Laws" by Choking Victim
"Memento Mori" by The Bastard Fairies
"Romeo's Distress" by Christian Death
"Pulse" by New Mexican Disaster Squad
"It's Not a Fashion Statement, It's a Fucking Deathwish" by My Chemical Romance
"The Weight of the World" by Antimatter
"Earthquake" by The Used
"Beautiful One" by Agua de Annique
"Coma Black" by Marilyn Manson
"I'm not Okay" by My Chemical Romance
"Le Combat Des Arbres" by Aes Dana
"Shimmy Shimmy Quarterturn" by Hellogoodbye
"Nightmare Heaven" by Arcturus
"Elenor" by The Gathering
"Life is Pain" by Leftover Crack
"On New Tablets" by Thought Riot
"Whoa" by Forever the Sickest Kids
"Girls Do What They Want" by The Maine
"Thank You for the Venom" by My Chemical Romance
"Suburbian Dystopia" by Tragic Black
"I don't know you but I came to dance" by Forever the Sickest Kids

TL; DR: There's a shitload of stuff I can use to make good music if I put some effort into it.

This is a busy, stressful week, but we had some unseasonably warm weather earlier in the week, and I have Girl Scout cookies now, so it's ok.  I've also got some incredible new music that I've been listening to.  I've had these for nearly two weeks now, so I feel confident in my view.

Let me get one thing straight right up front: I'm not a big Switchfoot fan.  At least not anymore.  I really liked (and still do like) their old stuff, but they've gotten way too "mainstream" for my tastes... their sound has changed considerably on the last couple of albums, and it just doesn't do it for me anymore, so when I found out that their lead singer, Jon Foreman, was going to be releasing some solo stuff, I wasn't immediately excited.  Until I heard it.  Jon is doing four 6 track EPs titled "Fall", "Winter", "Spring" and "Summer".  "Fall" and "Winter" have already been released, the other two seasons come later this year.  My roommate lent it to me, and I was pretty much blown away.  Purchased my own copies before I had even finished listening to all of it.  This is NOT Switchfoot.  This music is acoustic, pensive, spiritual, searching, haunting... all of the things that draw me to a new artist.  I feel like I should write more about it, but I think the easiest thing would be to let you hear it yourself (I know that a couple of you are going to love this), so I put together my favorite "musical moments" from each EP:



I can't wait for "Spring" and "Summer"!

For anyone who's interested...

 

www.myspace.com/fliegershockolade

 

I have five new recordings posted on the myspace under the EP title "Fliegershockolade in Your Living Room." Let me know what you think!

 

Cameron

I'm a bit of a music lover.  Anyone who's spent time on this blog knows that, in reality, that's a gross understatement.  Music is an enormous part of me, and one of the things I enjoy very much is listening to new music.  That said... occasionally I find a new band or record to be so simply outstanding that I have to share it here.  Such is the case today 

"The Fold" is a band that I already knew was sweet.  Their first CD (which was called "This Too Shall Pass") is great, and from what I've heard, their live show is pretty awesome too.  So there really wasn't any doubt that I'd be buying their new record, "Secrets Keep You Sick".  Here it is:



Well I got it a couple days ago, and it's honestly about 100 times better than I even thought it would be (keeping in mind that I already expected it to be good).  The band has grown tremendously since their first record, both lyrically and musically.  I've liked them since the beginning, but The Fold has become a really great band in the last couple of years.  So to all of you out in internet land... if you like good, solid rock music (this isn't nearly as heavy as a lot of the stuff I listen to), then you must check out this CD.  One of the best I've heard in quite a while.  Here are a couple quick clips to whet your appetite (click on a track to listen):

I really need something new to listen to...you'd think that with over 1000+ songs on my iTunes I'd find something that I haven't listened to. But honestly, I've listened to every single song more than once...

 

I need something new, but I just don't seem to be coming across anything good.

 

Heard something lately that you liked? Tell me and maybe I'll like it. Hopefully it's not country or rap. :D I hate the two with fiery passion...lol.

 

 

 

Tschuess!