A bit of New music

When I describe this blog to people the first question that they ask is if I review new albums.

Well no. I don't. There isn't a specific reason for this. As you will know if you have read some other posts, this is a blog which isn't specifically about any type of music, new old, hard, soft, electronic or experimental. So if I follow my own rules I then need to talk about some newer music.

So, where to start? Well, I will start with something reasonably new. The Black Keys, not to mixed up with the Black Eyed peas. In any way

This is from their album of last year, Brother

Not specifically new music per se. but I think that you will agree a very good song. I have always been a big fan of the big beat introduction in a song. What i like about the Black keys is the re-take on the classic blues sound. The song is undoubtedly a modern song, but you can hear elements of The Band, The Rolling Stones and Yardbirds in their music. The Album is of a similar vein and is certainly one of the best of the last few years.

I am a big fan of itunes. I realise that the Apple Corporation is now the big brother of our world. Iphones that monitor your location and let other people know, without telling you, where you have been. That is actually in the original Big Brother book, 1984, by George Orwell. That said itunes is a great way to access music. I especially like the radio channel function. Which allows you to listen to lots of different music of the same genre at any time. I think I said before that i stopped listening to the radio in the mid to late 90s. It wasn't until the introduction of itunes radio that i started listening again.

This is a song I came across during this process.

Cage the elephant

I like the song, obviously. I like the Pixies/Nirvana , loud quiet format that they have , adopted let's say. I got their album, which I have to say is a little bit shouty. If you are in the right mood then it is great, but it can get a little tiresome. I think that there are big things to come from these guys.

Another band I came across is The Limousines

Again with the big beat introduction. Maybe that is something I am just into at the moment. The song has the post modern angst that i like. It is great travelling music as well, maybe just for the commute. It does raise the ugly spectre of whether or not the synth has any place in music. I do not think it has a place in metal. End of Story, if it has synth it isn't metal. However it makes sounds and as such it belongs in other forms of music. Some bands use it to fantastic effect. Interpol, The Bravery to name but two current bands.

Talking about metal, well at least hard Rock. This is a band I came across why trying to waste some time on the plane the other day. This is Hinder. I think you will agree , pretty good for a plane album selection.

OK, so maybe not metal. But a good take on the updated Southern hard rock. Good guitars and a decent take on the attitude. Although I have a question for my American readers, why does so much American music talk and reference America in it? i do not mean the talking about modern society, but more the This is America and look at me i am talking abut America stuff? There does seem to be a lot of it. I think I understand why, but I would like to hear some opinions on it please.

Ok last one, I realise as well, that I am talking about bands that are new to me. And are recent. As I have said again and again, the digital music age allows us to discover music that may not have been released that recently but is new to us. That is all that matters.

I thought that I should give a listen to Arcade Fire, they won the Grammy after all. Now I usually take no notice at all of music awards. In fact since the 1992 MTV music awards that was taken over by some fantastic live performances by the grunge era bands, I haven't watched one. The music I like very rarely wins anything and I always get the impression that even if the bands play that I like, they don't really like being there. Anyway, with this in mind I approached the latest Arcade Fire Album.

I like it. I do. it is not quite as edgy as other music. But it is no worse off for that. I like the sound scape and think that it could be a bit of a slow burner. Not so much in the Tool way, where it takes about 50 listens to get it. But more a 5 listen album that i will not shuffle off when it comes up on the ipod.

I am also listening to the new Radiohead album, but want to write a different post on that.

What are you listening to? I want to know why and whether or not it is worth the effort.