Hello! If this is your first time to this blog, welcome! And if you are returning, welcome back! The goal of this blog is to provide a perspective from three different college students, each focusing in a certain area.
The band bond is a wonderful string quartet that do an excellent job of taking classical and original music played on string instruments and recreating it in a modern feel while still performing it on string instruments. They represent the United Kingdom as well as the cousins from down under- of the four women, Gay-Yee Westerhoff is from England, Eos Chater is from Wales, and Tania Davis and Haylie Ecker are from Australia. Nearly all of their music is upbeat and motivating, making it excellent music to listen to while driving in fast-moving traffic. You can actually see and hear bond playing in the movie Johnny English, a film that is “complete rubbish but absolutely hilarious” according to someone I know who lives in England, and in the movie XXX: State of the Union, a film that I have not seen.
A few of my favorite bond songs:
Viva
Victory (Mike Batt Mix)
Explosive
Duel
Fuego
I myself bought their latest release from 2004, “Explosive: The Best of bond”. It is a purchase I consider quite worthwhile, and I heartily recommend it to most anyone who enjoys both beautifully-played string instruments and music that makes you feel like jumping a sports car that is on fire over a blown-out bridge and into a crowd of violinists who are also on fire. The disc is actually double-sided, with one side holding the actual CD, and the other holding a DVD with a few videos, some pictures of the four ladies in limousines, and the tracks in surround sound. One drawback to this disc, however, is that older CD players such as the one in my car won't play it because it's a bit thicker than regular CDs due to its duality.
“Temptation (Feat Rebecca)” is a great song by Arash with a music video that really shows his charm and personality. The video opens with an ordinary day in the streets of an ordinary city somewhere foreign but not entirely exotic. But what is this? A man in a radioactive shirt is riding a funky low-rider bicycle down the street, and that man is none other than Arash! Then the song opens with those enticing words that instantly click with anyone who has ever pined for another. Meanwhile, Arash just keeps on riding that amazing bicycle in a playful chase with The Tempations in their sparkly blue car. The grooving baseline of the music is a direct manifestation of Arash pedaling and pedaling his bicycle, helping to perpetuate the image of Arash zooming around inside your head as you listen to the song. By the end, he has jumped around while swinging his arms, danced the night away, and brought out some excellent bongo playing by the waterside. These are all activities that this song represents with its addicting rhythm and singing.
The chorus to “Temptation (Feat Rebecca)” is obviously sung by Rebecca, who is able use the power of music and voice to transform the words from being quite nice but admittedly average to being beautiful and strong:
Temptation, in my heart
I'm burning, I'm falling apart
When the night falls, my heart calls for love and devotion
Temptation, I want you
Can you be my only one?
When the night falls, my heart calls for the touch of your hands
Arash is clearly a man who knows that ending words that don't rhyme can often make the lines more powerful than ones that do. “Temptation (Feat Rebecca)” is a song that really personifies the underrated fun side to unrequited love. Its combination of dim red background music, yellow vocals and white drums matches nicely with the theme of temptation. Whether you have finally reached the end of your music video, or are still riding your bike to the man or woman of your dreams, “Temptation (Feat Rebecca)” is a song that will keep you going day and night.
Hip Hop got a little broader now that Kanye West has entered the game. Anyone can tell you that with the unmistakable voice and beats of the Chicago kid. With three consecutive albums that have had a song go number one, at least. Not only has he grown but he has gone with the theme of school, college dropout, late registration, and graduation. Pretty much he runs the hip hop (not rap) game everytime he drops an album. With his unmerciful lyrics and views kayne shakes the world with different aspects of life. Not everything is about money and sex but it goes deeper, yeah he talks about it but its not just that, it goes into specifics about that certain topic. His perseverence goes above and beyond, I mean he made a song with a jar wired shut (Through the Wire). He is a genius with the type of music he does and with the gospel backround brings a breathe of fresh air to the hip hop world. We will see bigger and better things with Kanye, I mean he showing hisStronger side now.
What you thought that was it?
Curtis Jackson AKA 50 Cent has forged a million dollar luxury lifestyle for himself and there isnt very many people who dont know his name. From the streets to the riches 50 makes music about his admirable path to stardom, But that is about it other than the extremely sexual fantasies that people dream about, in which he has probably done! There is no variety it is either sex, money or murder. 50 nonetheless has had an impact on the music world with his story, shot 9 times and still living and breathing! Amazing right, but all that is over and done with, move on! His beats are decent and his vocals are just okay but the lyrics are what really slows him down. I could tell you what his next song will be without even listening to it. I am saying that 50 was fresh, now he is losing it. I wish we could go back toDa Club when 50 was still on top. It is die trying if you ask me!
So on a recap I will say that hands down the Gospel out of Chi wins this heavyweight matchup for who is the best! Not only is Kanye more diverse in his music but he can connect with the people and if you want to make the big time you need fans and that is what Kanye does he makes beats and songs that people can relate to. Be what it is, but last time I checked I think Kanye was running the charts and beating 50's album. Also this just in I was reading and 50 stated that if Kanye beat him on whose record sold more that he would quit the business. Kanye said that isnt what he wanted but if he wanted to go to the streets again then more power to him! I guess 50 might die trying to sell records or just buy all of them himself.
Have you ever heard a song and liked it but for a reason that to most would sound absurd, you liked it because it almost made you cry? This song does just that! This video has got to be one of the most gutwrenching videos I have seen in quite awhile. While most of Sugarlands songs are happy and talking about love, this song takes a new path on the road of happy-go-lucky love to the often less traveled dark and tearful side. The song is titled "Stay". Talking about a marriage that didnt work and had such an impact of such magnatude that it created a new way of life. A life not waiting on that person to come back but a life that would force her to move on! With the vocals that make your arm hair stand on end it will definitely keep you listening to the song. When you listen to the song really listen, it tells us all a message. "What do I have to do to make you see She can't love you like me Why don't you stay I'm down on my knees I'm so tired of bein' lonely Don't I give you what you need When she calls you to go There is one thing you should know We don't have to live this way Baby, why don't you stay You keep tellin' me baby There will come a time When you will leave her arms And forever be in mine But I don't think that's the truth And I don't like bein' used and I'm tired of waitin' It's too much pain to have to bare To love a man you have to share." "So next time you find you wanna leave her bed for mine Why don't you stay I'm up off my knees I'm so tired of bein' lonely You can't give me what I need When she begs you not to go There is one thing you should know I don't have to live this way Baby why don't you stay"
Well I know that this band is not really new but I figured the song has such an emotional impact I would share it. Jennifer Nettles with guitarist Kristian Bush were just newbies about a year ago but all that changed with their album, which went double platnium. This band will increasingly move up the charts in major numbers if they keep it up. Jennifer has such a magnificent country-soul sound to her voice that it will grow on people. She wouldn't be there without her trusty guitarist and friend who brings harmonics and the every so pleasant guitar.
By the way this song is based on Jennifers former marriage.
For my first musical delight, I bring you the Iranian signer and actor, Arash. Named after the archer of Persian mythology, he combines the funky rhythms of his homeland with the entrancing sound of modern Scandinavian music. The rhythm of Arash's music is one of its most powerful components. The complex layers of drums and syncopation drive each composition forward. That does not mean that the rest is nothing special, however. The combination of stringed and synthesized instruments along with the singing creates a feeling that is upbeat yet relaxed. The singing itself is usually in Persian, with some songs having parts in English. Arash often features other singers in his songs as well, which helps add to the variety of his music.
Some of my favorite songs:
Arash (Feat Helena)
Yalla
Mitarsam (I'm afraid)
Boro Boro
Ey Yar Begoo (Feat Ebi)
The song “Arash (Feat Helena)” is probably my favorite. Overall the song has a very warm feel to it. The mysterious Helena's alluring singing flows nicely with the guitar and baseline, together forming a dichotomy between round and pointed. The middle section that has Arash howling “Ohhhohhoh” accompanied with a swaying orchestral plucking transitions beautifully back to Helena who soon returns to her chorus. When she is singing, that together with the music sounds like an eternal sunset on the ocean horizon being watched from shore but your loved one is far away in the other direction so you just stay there and look at the sunset for a thousand years. I suppose, however, that if I knew what the words actually meant in English then it would sound completely different. I would guess that because the title has “Arash” in it, Arash is the subject of the song. The whole song sounds rather like golden orange, with some turning red around one side. The baseline creates a comfortable darkness underneath, and the guitar puts in some light overtones of warm brown.
You must remove the downloaded file from your computer within 24 hours. It is only a sample of a track which you can purchase on a CD. The author of this site cannot be held responsible for the misuse or copyright violation of this song as enforced by any given country's laws.
Greetings. I am Goggin DuGalle. I am here to tell you about music from far away places, assuming you live in the United States. There is a vast span of music that people do not know about because it is from another country across the ocean. Many people also stupidly refuse to listen to a song simply because the words are not in English. I suppose if one listens to songs for the lyrics and not for the music, that might make some sense. Unfortunately, the music is truly more important than the words. But Goggin is here to put things right! Right here at this very place you will be informed about the best foreign music from Canada to Iran and everywhere in-between both ways.
“But Goggin, what makes you qualified to claim such authority on foreign music?” Yes, I hear you asking this question. Now you will hear me replying with this answer: “I have been playing the piano since I was hardly eight years of age. I also have dabbled with composing and recording music of my own. I have traveled to many countries during my lifetime. Are you satisfied now?” Well, are you?
“So what sort of music do you like, Goggin? What genres will you be telling me about?” That is a good question too. I like any music that is good, regardless of genre. “But what is good music? Maybe what you think is good music, I think is bad, and what I think is bad music, you think is good.” No two people on Earth agree exactly on what is good music and what is bad music. As for myself, the main genre that I listen to would be electronica, but once again, I enjoy all kinds if I like the song.
One Republic... These Colorado natives have been shaking up the Myspace world for some time and are now starting to advance into bigger and better things, such as a record deal with Interscope records, and mixing in with some of the best such as Timbaland, and Lil' Wayne. They mix the electric buzz of the guitar with the ever so elegant piano while incorporating a hip hop vibe as well, giving them an almost light weight feeling to their music. Making a statement in the interview with KIIS FM that they want their music to have an emotional attachment as well as a good sing along feel. One Republics lyrics can be based on anyone in the world, taking the most everyday change and expressing it into a song with emotion behind it, making the music more on the level of the listener. Influenced by some great musicians, such as The Beatles, are giving this new band the edge they need to poke into the music industry and make a name for themselves. I personally like this band and hope to see these guys do their thing and make it big in the upcoming years. I would hope that they can hold to their roots and keep the sound that they have, because it is different and that is what is gonna make or break them!
For my first blog, I will not be exactly what I intended to cover in this blog, but just bare with me and in the following weeks I will blog about what I said I would. Even though I plan on doing weekly CD reviews and/or concert reviews, this week will be an off week (As far as new album releases go, I would of had to choose between a new Ted Nugent album or a Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds Live Album #25), and I will cover my top ten albums of all time, to give you a taste of my musical tastes. So a drum roll please,
and here are my top ten albums of all time (with selected reviews), in order of the year of their release:
Let it Bleed by The Rolling Stones - 1969
After the release of the critically acclaimed Beggar's Banquet in 1968, many people wondered if the Rolling Stones could follow with another successful album. Boy, did they ever. Many music critics claim that Let It Bleed is one of the most defining Rock-n-Roll albums of all time. I couldn't agree more. Not a single track on the album misses a beat. The Album starts out with the Vietnam protest song "Gimme Shelter", and ends beautifully with the hit single "You Can't Always Get What You Want".
Led Zeppelin IV by Led Zeppelin - 1971 Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John - 1973 Blood on the Tracks by Bob Dylan - 1975 Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd - 1975 Desire by Bob Dylan - 1976
For those who only know Dylan for his multi-platinum best-selling albums Blonde on Blonde and Highway 61 Revisited have probably never came across Desire. The album's first track is the controversial hit-song "Hurricane", about the imprisonment of boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter. There are multiple story telling songs on the album, including "Hurricane", "Isis", and "Joey". The entire album was recorded with amazing musicians from Dylan's critically acclaimed Rolling Thunder Review tour.
Rust Never Sleeps by Neil Young & Crazy Horse - 1979 London Calling by The Clash - 1980 Automatic for the People by R.E.M. - 1992
Automatic for the People is R.E.M.'s eight and most original album they have ever written. The album as a whole was an attempt to shy away from pop-filled albums such as Green and Out of Time. This effort is obvious in songs such as "Drive", the classical piano ballad "Night Swimming", and the deeply moving "Everybody Hurts".
OK Computer by Radiohead - 1997
Radiohead was unsure of how good their follow-up album to The Bends was going to be. I believe that OK Computer is the defining albumg of Radiohead's career. The album includes two of their most well-known songs "Paranoid Android" and "Karma Police", but also the beautiful lullaby composition of "No Suprises".
American Myth by Jackie Greene - 2006
For those of you in the know in the Folk-rock music scene probably know Jackie Greene for his first two acoustic-driven albums. American Myth is absolutely blows away anything he accomplished on his first album. Writing the parts for and playing almost every instrument on the album, Greene goes electric, and produces an amazing wall of sound on almost every track, to accompany his Dylan-esque lyrics that he is known for.
For those of you keeping track at home, I played the Big Ten Conference card and included 11 albums. It was extremely difficult for me to name exactly 10 albums, (which I didn't even do), that I thought were the best of all time, so below I'll give out a handful of honorable mentions:
A Rush of Blood to the Head by Coldplay Blonde on Blonde by Bob Dylan By the Way by Red Hot Chili Peppers I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning by Brighteyes So Far by Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young Bringing It All Back Home by Bob Dylan Funeral by The Arcade Fire The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars by David Bowie Harvest Moon by Neil Young The Wall by Pink Floyd Highway 61 Revisited by Bob Dylan The Bends by Radiohead Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs by Derrick and the Dominos Physical Graffiti by Led Zeppelin
Hello and welcome to our blog! This is the official first post of our blog. The goal of our blog is to provide a music prospective from three different college students views. Each of us will be covering a specific area, including:
Music from Abroad
New and Upcoming Artists
Mainstream Rock Album and Concert Reviews
Due to the variety of our different areas of focus, we intend for any music fan to be able to relate to this blog, with a focus on college students who are music fans. Rock music fans will enjoy our blog. We will have weekly rock music reviews, and rock musicians will be covered in our new and upcoming artists section. If you are a fan of international music, we have just what you are looking for in the music from abroad section. Our blog will have a personal and enthusiastic personality to it. We are all music enthusiasts, and we hope you will enjoy our blog as we inform you on our musical thoughts, opinions, and ideas with raves, reviews, and insights on the music world. We will structure our blog by each of us posting multiple times a week. In our posts, we will include links to all of the artists we discuss, allowing the reader to investigate the artist themselves. Our blog will compare to few other music blogs, due to the multiple areas we will cover. Below are some other blogs that has given us some inspiration, and we think you will enjoy them too:
While this are all excellent music blogs, our blog will not be a repetition of anything you see on the blogs above. We intend for our blog to be authentic and original. By bringing providing an exciting insight on our thoughts on music, we hope that you will visit our blog often!
The band bond is a wonderful string quartet that do an excellent job of taking classical and original music played on string instruments and recreating it in a modern feel while still performing it on string instruments. They represent the United Kingdom as well as the cousins from down under- of the four women, Gay-Yee Westerhoff is from England, Eos Chater is from Wales, and Tania Davis and Haylie Ecker are from Australia. Nearly all of their music is upbeat and motivating, making it excellent music to listen to while driving in fast-moving traffic. You can actually see and hear bond playing in the movie Johnny English, a film that is “complete rubbish but absolutely hilarious” according to someone I know who lives in England, and in the movie XXX: State of the Union, a film that I have not seen. 
