Archive for September, 2008

Politics and Music: Jon Crocker, ever-touring folk artist

Jon Crocker in Cedar City, UtahJon Crocker, the ever-touring folk artist, discusses his perspective on music and politics. This is the second in a series of interviews with musicians discussing political perspectives.

What role do politics play in your music?

Not a very large one … if I ever write topical songs, they’re usually about social or environmental issues as opposed to political ones, and even with those issues I don’t really write about the political sides.

What role do you think music should play in politics?

I think that should be up to the musicians. If someone wants to make political music, they should. I think songwriters should write about whatever they are passionate about.

Jon Crocker – “Six Day Sinners’ Son” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/jon-crocker-six-day-sinners-son.mp3]

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Concert Photos: The Stiletto Formal, Kinch perform at The Grind

The Stiletto Formal performed at The Grind Coffee House last night, supported by Kinch; both bands are from Phoenix, Ariz. Photos below and after the jump.

The Stiletto Formal

The Stiletto FormalThe Stiletto FormalThe Stiletto FormalThe Stiletto Formal

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Review: The Dead Science – Villainaire

The Dead Science - VillainaireThe Dead Science
Villainaire
Constellation, 2008

It’s clear from the first moment of a harp playing and the subsequent segue into eclectic bouts of staccato guitar and complex rhythmic patterns: Villainaire, a record that experiments with jazz-inflected progressive rock and is strewn with elements of post-punk and indie rock, is not an album that is easy to digest, instead taking thought and time to process into actual understanding.

The Dead Science – “Make Mine Marvel” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/thedeadscience-makeminemarvel.mp3]

With the rise in popularity of vaguely prog-rock outfits like The Mars Volta and Coheed and Cambria (not to imply this album sounds too much like either,) The Dead Science’s third full-length could see a reception that isn’t wholly unfavorable. Villainaire doesn’t really splay out its influences for listeners, but it does provide clues throughout. While some strains of progressive rock seem to be able to claim influence, the attribution can just as much rest with free jazz, experimental rock and a slew of other styles and genres. (more…)

Politics and Music: Jordan Olsen, guitarist with The Gorgeous Hussies

Jordan Olsen, guitarist with The Gorgeous Hussies, discusses politics and music from his perspective.Jordan Olsen, guitarist with The Gorgeous Hussies, discusses his perspective of music and politics. This is the first in a series of interviews with musicians discussing political perspectives.

What role do politics play in your music?

On the whole I don’t think mainstream politics, per se, play a significant role in how I write and perform music. There hasn’t been an issue I’ve been so passionate about that I’d be willing to use my music to preach about it. That’s just not my style. However, I have written a few songs that present a larger comment on society and how we treat each other, which, I guess, is the crux of politics. So in that aspect maybe I have?

On The Gorgeous Hussies’ first CD Oh! Hello I wrote a song called “Dangerously Similar.” It’s based on the Israeli/Hezbollah conflict in the summer of 2006. I was watching CNN and watched Israeli troops fighting with Hezbollah troops and I couldn’t tell who was who. I couldn’t help but think that beyond the politics and ethnic conflict these people were first and foremost fathers and mothers but how at that moment they were “dangerously similar”. It’s not really an anti-war song, rather a comment on people who at their core are very similar but find themselves trying to kill each other.

The Gorgeous Hussies – “Dangerously Similar”
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/track1_dangerously-similar.mp3]

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Review: Emiliana Torrini – Me and Armini

Emiliani Torrini - Me and ArminiEmiliana Torrini
Me and Armini
Rough Trade, September 9, 2008

On its face, Me and Armini could be just like a number of female-fronted pop records; Emiliana Torrini has a simultaneously marketable and enjoyable vocal style that wouldn’t bring any surprises if it reached mainstream success. Me and Armini, though, is much more than a simple throw-away pop release, and Torrini’s silky vocals are only the tip of a musical iceberg.

Emiliana Torrini – “Me and Armini” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/meandarmini_edit.mp3]

Torrini might be best known for performing “Gollum’s Song” from 2002’s The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, but Me and Armini could change her status from being a slight footnote in mainstream pop culture, whic she attained both for “Gollum’s Song” and for co-writing two tracks from Kylie Minogue’s Body Language. A footnote, though, doesn’t seem to be Torrini’s favorite option, so with Me and Armini she’s released a powerful, engaging picture of her musical talent of the Iceland native. (more…)