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The Mighty Mighty Bosstones bring back their signature sound with Pinpoints and Gin Joints

Jared Montgomery

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - Pinpoints and Gin Joints

The album starts with a sound familiar to any fan of ska music. It’s an instant reminder that The Mighty Mighty Bosstones haven’t lost it, even after all these years. The band started in back in 1983 playing something completely new: a mixture of punk rock, hardcore and British 2 Tone ska. They were together until 2003 with few line-up changes. From 1989 to 2002, the seminal ska band released 7 albums and reached legendary status in the scene.

After a 4 year hiatus from 2003 to 2007 the band reunited and performed a few small tours. In 2008 they announced they would be recording a new album, and on December 8th, 2009, the band released the first new album since 2002’s A Jackknife to a Swan. This new album, Pinpoints and Gin Joints, really shows that ska is still alive and skanking.

March 9, 2010 Tags: , ,
Posted in Album Reviews, MusicGeek.org No Comments »

Koji Kondo’s Ocarina of Time breaks from video game soundtrack mold

Jared Montgomery

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was an industry changing video game released on the Nintendo 64 in 1998, and with it, it brought in a wave of 3D action adventure games. Since its release, Ocarina of Time has been praised for its ability to work new aspects into a beloved franchise — by changing from a top-down adventure to a fully 3D environment while staying true to the core gameplay.

Not only has it remained in gamers’ hearts for the last 12 years, but the music is still one of the most popular video game scores ever released. Koji Kondo has composed some of the most recognizable video game music, including every game in the Legend of Zelda series as well as every Super Mario game released to date. The game is notable as being one of the first games to incorporate music as a main function without being a rhythm or beat game.

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February 27, 2010 Tags: ,
Posted in Video, Video Game Music No Comments »

SPOTLIGHT: Lightspeed Champion releases new full length LP

Jared Montgomery

Lightspeed Champion

Lightspeed Champion is the brain child of Devonté Hynes and has been active since 2005. In 2007, he released Falling off the Lavender Bridge to critical acclaim. This record was recorded and produced in Omaha, Nebraska with the help of Saddle Creek producer Mike Mogis.   Mogis is most famous for his work with Connor Oberst and Bright Eyes. Falling off the Lavender Bridge has a star studded guest list, including Nate Walcott, pianist and trumpet player for Bright Eyes, and The Faint drummer Clark Baechle.

Now, in 2010, Hynes has finally released the followup to 2007’s Falling off the Lavender Bridge, titled Life is Sweet! Nice to Meet You and is a bit more complex than the initial Lightspeed Champion release. Where Falling off the Lavender Bridge is often simple and poppy, the new record is thick and speckled with new sounds. Now, it’s not to say that Life is Sweet! Nice to Meet You doesn’t feel like the same band that captured the indie folk scene’s heart back in 2007, but it is definitely a departure from the earlier release. Devonté’s voice is definitely stronger on this release. The 2007 release had a kind of sweet nervousness to the vocals, which have since been replaced with vocals soaring with confidence and intention.

You can currently purchase the both Lightspeed Champion albums at Domino Record’s website on vinyl for $12.99, CD for $8.99 and digital for $7.99. The band is currently touring the UK and western Europe.

February 25, 2010 Tags: , ,
Posted in Albums in Brief, Artist Spotlight, Reviews, Video No Comments »

Incendiary new Alkaline Trio album smashes into stores

Jared Montgomery

Alkaline Trio

Alkaline Trio

On February 23rd, 2010, Alkaline Trio released their 7th studio album, This Addiction. The album opens with the explosive title track, “This Addiction.” Fast paced and full of catchy guitar riffs, if the opening track is any sign of what’s to come with this album, it’s sure to be an instant hit. The album continues with “Dine, Dine My Darling,” which is full of big guitars and anthemic vocals. From the first two tracks alone, it’s obvious that the band is trying to get back to their punk rock roots, and it seems to be working.

Alkaline Trio started in 1996, releasing their first full length EP in 1998, Goddamnit. In the last 14 years since Alkaline Trio’s inception, they have seen great success with their often dark and macabre lyrics mixed with catchy punk rock guitar. The band saw their first big success with the release of From Here to Infirmary in 2001. Nine years later, the band has left their major label and self-released the new album on guitarist and vocalist Matt Skiba’s own Heart and Skull label, in conjunction with Epitaph. Skiba has attributed Alkaline Trio’s move from major label Epic to their own label to releases such as Nine Inch Nails’ Ghosts I-IV (2007) and Radiohead’s In Rainbows (2007).


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February 23, 2010 Tags: , ,
Posted in Album Reviews, Released this Week, Video No Comments »

SPOTLIGHT: Jack Conte, one-man band, destined for limelight stay

Jared Montgomery

Jack Conte

Jack Conte

Ladies and gentlemen, meet Jack Conte. He is a San Francisco native that has only been on the scene for about three years, but will stay in the limelight for much longer than fifteen minutes if he continues releasing EPs like he has in the past.

I first discovered Conte after finding “Lonely Ghost” on YouTube. I made the mistake of not watching the video the first time I listened through it, but thankfully glanced a peek after feeling hypnotized into listening to the song a second time. It was then that I discovered that he is a one-man band – something you don’t see very often. At one point he even uses a homemade method of voice distortion by singing into a tube and waving it vigorously in front of a microphone. He then proceeds to put the beat down on some organ pedals. It is clearly stated in the YouTube description that there are no hidden sounds: “If you hear it, at some point you (will) see it.” Also included in the video: an electric Wurlitzer and him releasing a can of confetti, played in reverse. (more…)

February 21, 2010 Tags: , , ,
Posted in Artist Spotlight, Reviews, Video No Comments »

The music of “Chrono Trigger” continues to evolve after 15 years

Jared Montgomery

"Chrono Trigger" box art

Box Art from the SNES game "Chrono Trigger"

Since “Chrono Trigger” was released in 1995, it has been widely regarded as having one of the best soundtracks on a video game. It helped spur the scene of video game music remixes and has had many iterations over the years. The soundtrack by Yasunori Mitsuda, originally in just 16-bit audio, still contends with full orchestral music heard in today’s games and has a large cult following in the video game scene.

One of the most notable renditions on the soundtrack is the acid jazz album Chrono Trigger Arranged Version: The Brink of Time. The album was released just over three months after the game and features ten remade tracks. Initially, the album had very mixed reviews with critics claiming to either love it or hate it. Personally, I enjoyed this acid jazz arrangement of the soundtrack quite a bit. It has all the workings of an enjoyable acid jazz album mixed with memorable songs that incite great memories. The choice of acid jazz seems like an obvious one simply because the sounds used, if not emulate, at least do justice to the original 16-bit sounds.

Yasunori Mitsuda arr. DJ Ali Haeri – “Kingdom Trial” remixed with “1, 2 Step” by Ciara feat. Missy Elliott from Chrono Trigger Mixtape, Vol. 1
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/2-05-1-2-Step-Ciara-feat.-Missy-Elliott.mp3]

Yasunori Mitsuda arr. DJ Ali Haeri – “Underground Sewer” from Chrono Trigger Mixtape, Vol. 1
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/3-08-Underground-Sewer.mp3]

Yasunori Mitsuda arr. Daniel Floyd – “Morning Sunlight” from Chrono Symphonic (2005)
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/02-Morning-Sunlight.mp3]

 

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February 20, 2010 Tags: , , ,
Posted in Downloads, Features, Video Game Music 2 Comments »

SPOTLIGHT: I Call Fives

Jared Montgomery

I Call Fives

In a sea of new independent pop punk music, I Call Fives really floats above the rest. They are a refreshing take on the typical pop punk band and deliver catchy guitar hooks and anthemic lyrics. The track “My Last Mistake” from First Things First stands out exceptionally well and offers up some of their best material.

Hailing from New Jersey, this incendiary pop punk outfit never fail to deliver. Every song on their 7 track debut, First Things First, grabs you and doesn’t let go until the next track is starting up.

I Call Fives, “My Last Mistake” from First Things First | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/My-Last-Mistake.mp3]

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February 16, 2010 Tags: ,
Posted in Artist Spotlight, Downloads No Comments »

PLAYLIST: Top 5 POTUSA songs for Presidents day

Jared Montgomery

In honor of President’s Day, we here at MusicGeek have compiled a list of the top five songs (in no particular order) from The Presidents of the United States of America. So, without further ado, here they are!

1. “Peaches” from The Presidents of the United States of America
 Peaches is one of those sunny day songs that just makes you want to lay in the grass and eat a particularly juicy fruit. Bringing some of their best thick tones, this track is an alternative rock classic.

2.  “Love Delicatessen” from Pure Frosting
In this track, The Presidents depart from their typical three-piece sound and add in acoustic guitar and even a bit of piano. The lyrics are full of innuendos and are particularly catchy. Complete with a bluesy break down, this is one track you can’t miss.

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February 15, 2010 Tags:
Posted in Playlists No Comments »

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