Well, I guess we can start this off on a more cheerful note, considering Regina Spektor has shared a music video for a pretty cheerful tune from her latest record, What We Saw From The Cheap Seats. The video is for the song "Don’t Leave Me (Ne Me Quitte Pas)." I always find it fascinating that some musicians choose less-than-spectacular songs to be singles for their albums, especially in this case when she could have used some good ones, such as "How," "Small Town Moon," or "Firewood." But no, she chose this track, which is catchy at best, but not enough to be a lasting or groundbreaking tune. You can view the video below:
Moving along...Foster The People hit it pretty big this past year with their track, "Pumped Up Kicks." The song was catchy as fuck, and I still find myself listening to it every now and again. Sure, it got so much airplay that it became somewhat annoying, but the track itself is a good rock/pop tune regardless. Now, the band have said they've been writing material for a follow-up album, and they've taken inspiration from The Clash and The Kinks. And singer-songwriter Mark Foster said the album will have "more grit." We'll see about that.
As I read some blog posts and newswires, I came across information that The Strokes are currently working on material for a new album at Electric Lady Studios, but alas, Pitchfork has appropriately burst that bubble. Apparently, their manager has stated that the band is not working on new material, and they have not been recording at Electric Lady Studios. So...I guess that one is up for speculation if you don't want to take the management's word for it, but as of late, my Strokes fascination has severely dwindled over the past year or so. Maybe it'll come back some day...won't count on it though. But I'll always appreciate "The Modern Age," which you can hear below:
Lastly...I know people are going nuts over these holograms, but I think the shit has to stop. It's one thing to make a hologram of an already-living-breathing-marketing-machine, but to take the likeness of a deceased legend and parading it on a stage for random folks is taking shit a little too far...especially when it's Jim Morrison. That shit is not cool. I sincerely doubt Jim Morrison would have wanted a three-dimensional representation of his image singing "Break On Through" to a group of people who didn't get the chance to see him when he was alive and kicking. I'm a HUGE Doors fan, but would I pay money to see Jim's "ghost"? I think not. Where's the respect?
LISTENING: Today, I've been in a late 60s/early 70s kick. I started my day listening to VU, which is a compilation of Velvet Underground songs that were recorded in the late 60's, some of which were supposed to make it onto their fourth LP, Loaded, but never did. The compilation was released in the mid-80s, and listening to these track just reminds me of my deep appreciation for The Velvet Underground. One of my favorite bands, I've always appreciated how they've fantastically molded poetry with rock n' roll, which is rock n' roll at its best in my humble opinion. I also remember reading in Patti Smith's Just Kids, about when she saw them play in New York and was so overtaken by their blend of just that: poetry and rock n' roll. If it's done right, it's the most beautiful thing in the world. Some notable tracks are "Lisa Says," "Foggy Notion," (which you can hear below) and "Andy's Chest."
Other than that, I've been listening to David Bowie's Hunky Dory, which I had never listened to before. And that was a big mistake on my part, but since I've never been too into Bowie, minus a "greatest hits" record a friend of mine used to play all the time. I think it's time to reverse that particular mode of being. While I didn't get to listen to the whole record, I noticed it had some notable David Bowie tracks, including "Changes" and "Life on Mars." So, maybe this is a good place to start? I also like the songs, "Kooks" and "Queen Bitch," which you can hear below:
That's all. PEACE.
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