I came into this group a little late. Like 2009 late. My mother-in-law said that she and her family came into this group late. So I had to one up her by telling her that. I did not even know about this album until I came across it at my favorite used record store (Half Priced Books). I found this along with a couple others on vinyl in great condition for less than 8 bucks, if I remember correctly, an absolutely wonderful find in the store. I think that there is someone who is updating their record collection as the new ones are being repressed. I find more used records that are being repressed at that store. Anyway, back to the story. I remember hearing the And She Was on the radio when I was a kid at about 9 or 10 years of age (based on the release year of the album, 1985) on the radio and not thinking much of it. It was good but not superb to my young ear. The one that really hit me was from the previous album, Speaking In Tongues. Everyone recognizes it as the big hit for the band. That song is Burning Down The House. That is for another time though. I also remember another single from Little Creatures called Road To Nowhere. This is a fun one. It is kind of a marching or at least forward moving song. It is not fast but steady moving. It makes me want to get something done or progressively get what I am doing done. I recently listened to this album with my Mother-in-law, the reason I mentioned her in the first place, and my wife. We were at the MIL’s house cleaning and putting together furniture (and doing laundry). I started the album and she said to me, I love this album, how did you know that I liked it? I said to her that he has told me a few times in the past that this was her favorite and it is also my wife’s favorite album by them. It was a cute little “Of course I know you like this and that is why I am playing it for you” moment.
The Streets – A Grand Don’t Come For Free
This is a one man band that writes music in the genre of Grime. This is a subdivision of rap that has come from the UK. There are not many artists that are doing this genre that have crossed over to the US. The Streets is one of them. It is very simple music. A drum loop matched with a simple rhythm line. I think that there is just something about the way that this group writes music so simply that intrigues me. The first single is what hooked me into this group. The song is called Fit But You Know It. It is basically about a girl that is cute and she knows it and plays it up as much as possible. I can’t remember where I heard this single, probably on 89.3 The Current. It has a good danceable beat to it though so I could have heard it anywhere. This is actually a concept album. It follows a guy through some tough times and some good times. It even has a twist at the end of the story. The last 2 songs are about a different way of ending the story. One is about a negative ending and the other is about a positive ending. If you can handle the style of music it is actually a fun album. If you can’t handle repetitive music or can’t handle rap then don’t bother with this album.
Coldplay – Leftrightliftrightleft
This is a live album. You could only get this as a physical copy of you went to a concert for the band last year. Otherwise you could download it for free from the web site(link embedded in the title of the album above). The album was released to say “thank you” to all their fans. Although I am not a superfan of the group I do own all of their regular albums and the first live album that they put out, Coldplay Live 2003. Leftrightleftrightleft is a live album that features only 9 songs. 6 of the songs are from the latest album Viva La Vita (including one from the Prospects March EP) and the other three are from the previous albums. It sounds like it is a soundboard recording, a very good one too, and you can still hear the crowd clapping and cheering and even singing along with the songs. Some people think that hearing the crowd on a live album is important. It helps to get you in the mood of the concert that it was recorded at. I agree with this to an extent. I don’t want to hear so much of the crowd that I don’t get to hear as much of the music as I want to. This is actually a very good recording. I get to hear the music clearly and I can hear the crowd to an extent that I want to. I am disappointed that the album is only 9 songs considering how much music that they have created. I guess you get what you pay for and seeing as it is a free album I really got more than I bargained for. I would recommend this to anyone who loves a good live album.
My own recording (PurelyHim)
I finally did some more recording this week. I had a week off from work and I only worked on my music for a day. I take that back for a few hours really. I did record a bass line for a new song that I have had in my head for a long time. It came out pretty good. I think there was only one minor glitch. I also recorded a lead part for another song that I had mostly finished. I played this part so hard on my fingers that I ended up with a blister on the tip of my left hand ring finger. I popped it and continued playing though. I also converted 2 other songs that I did not have current copies of so I could listen to them and come up with ideas. One of those 2 I did not even remember working on. The part in question is not all that great but there are little bits in that part that I could use in the final draft. I also need to move the parts around a little bit too. What I mean by that is that every instrument is dead center. I need to move them left or right a bit depending on where I think they need to be in the song. Every song is a little bit different too. I don't have a place yet but when I think that the music is ready I will post it somewhere for all of you 2 people to listen to.
Signing off.
I look forward to hearing your music.
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