This is the second EP from The B-52’s. The first was a remix
EP so Mesopotamia could be considered the
first original music EP they put out. It is also the only EP that was released
if you don’t count the remix EP. It just depends on what type of a fan you are
I guess. It was released in 1982. It was produced by David Byrne. It was
intended to be their third full length album. Because of conflicts with Byrne
the recording sessions were cut short and the six songs of the intended ten
were released as this EP. In 1990 a few of the songs were remixed and included
in a new version of the previously mentioned remix EP titled Party Mix! This
EP, Mesopotamia, is a departure from the
previous two albums. I think that this EP helped push the next album, Wammy!,
to the next level. I can hear the use of the 80s synth being used in some of
these songs that come on in full force in the next album. Byrne layered on many
instruments and sounds on these tracks making them sound more rich and heavy in
sound. Each of the tracks on this EP were released as double A sides. The
record that was released outside of the US has extended versions of the
first five tracks on the EP. I wish I had that version. The first track on the
EP is called Loveland.
This song has a great bass line played on a key bass. The vocals are a
beautiful round high pitch female vocal. I love the B-52’s for their female
vocals. It makes me feel happy. The next track is called Deep Sleep. This song
has a cool lounge style about it. There are no lyrics to the track. This is one
of the best things about this group in my opinion. They will put a song on an
album with no vocals and it will be one of the best songs on the album. The
third song on the album is the title track. For me this is the weakest song on
the album. The song is just flat or lacking in depth for me. Maybe it is the
fact that they had to use the word Mesopotamia
in a song. It just doesn’t work for me. The next track is called Cake. They are
literally singing about cake. It is just hilarious to listen to the lyrics as
they sing about how to eat and different types of cake. The song is just so
much fun. I would think that every woman would love this song just for the
sheer fact that it is about cake. That may be overstepping my bounds that is
what I see in my head. The point is that it is a funny song that I think
everyone should hear at least once. The fifth track is called Throw That Beat
In The Garbage Can. This song, for me, uses the classic 80s new wave bass
sound. This song sounds a lot like something that Devo may have come up with.
It is a really fun beat that makes me want to do the Po-Go dance that everyone
did in the 80s. The last track on this EP is called Nip It In The Bud. The
music for the song is not that great. What makes this song is the vocals. The
way that the female vocals sing the title of the song makes this song so much
fun. I think that this is an overlooked EP from the group. There are some real
great tracks on this EP. Every on should hear it at least once!
This is the fourth album from The Black Keys. It was
released in 2006. It is the duos first record released on Nonesuch and they
have been with this record company, so far, ever since. This is the first time
that the group has written all original material on an album or EP. There were
three singles released from this album. The first was Your Touch. The song was
featured on the movie Zombieland. This was not the first time that I had heard
the song though. I started listening to a local radio station called TheCurrent in 2007. This is where I heard this song for the first time. I did not
know who the group was at the time but did think that the song was very good
when I heard it. It was not until this past year that I purchased the album
though. When I listened to the album it dawned on me that I knew this song from
listening to my local radio station. It is a very catchy blues song that I
think everyone should hear at least once, it is that good! The next single
released from the album is called You’re The One. This was released as a
download and on CD in 2007. This is a slowed down track but the great guitar
work that the lead singer does is just fantastic, keeping the listener engaged
in the music. The vocals are nice and clean. They just float over the music
like clouds. It is a very enjoyable song. The last single released from this
album is called Just Got To Be. This track is classic Blues but more
importantly it has become classic Black Keys. This is the second best track on
this album next to the first single, Your Touch. It has a rough distorted
guitar sound that you just can’t get past. It moves your soul. It always amazes
me the tones that Dan Auerbach, the lead singer/guitarist of The Black Keys,
can get with his pedals and guitars. I don’t think that this album is the place
to start with the group but it is a very good album. If you were to start with
an album I would advise the album Attack & Release. There is something
magical about that album.
This is the first EP released from Bon Iver. It was released
the first winter after his first album. It was released in 2009, almost one
year after his first album. The title track, Blood Bank, is the first track on
the EP. It was recorded at the same time as the tracks for the first album but
didn’t seem to fit with the full album and was left off. It was added to the EP
along with the three other songs that were recorded at a later date. This title
track has the same feel as the first album, For Emma, Forever Ago. It has a
smooth slightly distorted sound and it has that same heart wrenching feeling as
the first album. The next track, Beach Baby, approaches new ground for Bon
Iver. This song is much simpler in that there is no drums to speak of. It also
makes use of a steel/lap guitar but it is still in the classic Bon Iver style.
The third track, Babys, uses a piano to bring out a little discord in the song.
This track also has no drums on it. It is just piano and layered vocals. There
is a hint of an acoustic guitar but ever so slight. This is another simple song
that is easy to listen to for me. This song may not sit well with some people
because of the way that the piano is played. The last track, Woods, makes use
of, the then popular, a vocoder/autotune box for the vocals. The vocals are
layered harmonically giving a new view on the idea of auto tune. This is a very
sweet EP that brings warmth with it. It is a very calming selection of songs
that works very well together. This is not for everyone but I do recommend the
first full length to anybody and everybody.
This is the third album from the group Bush. It was released
in 1999. There are three singles that were released from this album. The first
single is called The Chemicals Between Us. This song is unique from their
previous albums because of the use of electronic sounds and beats. The lead
singer, Gavin Rossdale said that the song was, “About differences and distances
between people.” The music to the song has a edgy sound that the band and the
alternative genre has been known for. It also has the classic underlying bass
guitar sound that I love. It is not a spectacular song but it is for sure a
different direction for the group. The second single from this album, Warm
Machine, is taken down in pace a notch. This song is in that limbo tempo that
becomes almost un danceable, if I were a dancing person that is. There are some
beautiful sounds that can be heard on this track but there is also something
about it that is unsettling. The last single from this album is called Letting
The Cables Sleep. This is the reason that I bought this album. This is an even
slower song than the second single from this album. This is that type of song
that covers you like a warm blanket of sunshine on a fall day. It is just
perfect. The song uses not only the standard guitar, bass and drums but also
uses a string quartet to add to the softening of the track. There is also a
piano and some electronic background noises. If you had never heard of this
group and were interested in them this is the song to start with. If you never
hear anything else from this group hear this song!
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