I tend to discover music in the most unlikely of places. While the vast majority of my discoveries these days come from surfing the 'Net, I remember discovering The Juan Maclean when I wandered into a teenybopper fashion shop (I had to ask the teenage cashier what she was playing), reggaeton duo Jowell & Randy on the streets of Puerto Rico, and awesome French cabaret/swing/jazz group Paris Combo in French class.
The other day I had the opportunity to rediscover an artist that I thought I knew in yoga class of all places. I'm used to practicing yoga to new age-y albums like Yoga Groove (Soulfood Music) or The Essence (Deva Premal), but I encountered something unexpected in this last class. As class was winding down, the teacher turned up the volume on the small stereo in the corner of the room and I found myself captivated by the haunting melody and lyrics of an utterly gripping and strangely melancholic song sung by a male singer with a slightly husky voice.
The singer sounded vaguely familiar, but I couldn't quite place him, so after class I asked the teacher who he was. I was shocked to find out that it was Eddie Vedder. The song turned out to be "Guaranteed" off the Into the Wild soundtrack. I'd heard of the album, but not this particular song, and I'm frankly surprised by how long it took me to discover it. But that, I think, is the beauty of music--there's always something new to discover.
I'm a big fan of Bollywood (or "filmi") music, so I was intrigued (and admittedly a bit incredulous) when I heard that the Pussycat Dollswere recording a version of A.R. Rahman's Oscar-winning "Jai Ho" (from the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack).
Now that the PCD single has hit the airwaves, I have to say that I'm pleasantly surprised. Slick and radio-friendly, the PCD's version actually works for them, although this might be due in part to A.R. Rahman's skill as a composer--he collaborated on the remix (and the original melody is irresistibly hooky).
Check out a video of the PCD performing "Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny)" live, then watch a video of A.R. Rahman (and his backup singers) performing the original version of the song.
This has me captivated. I'm lost on too much of the TV stuff, to go for the prize, but if nothing else it tells you what American TV shows did strike a chord with Rick, growing up in England in the 70s. That and he has a real penchant for Bond movie scores. What is it about recognizing tunes from movies and TV that I find so enjoyable?
Our love for Flight of the Conchords is welldocumented, so you can imagine how excited we were to discover that Funny or Die is streaming the first episode of their HBO show's second season two weeks before you can see it anywhere else. Head over here to watch it, or catch it embedded after the jump. -- Jeff Reguilon
My friend Pasuit and I share a lot of interests in common: trivia, obscure music, and all things '80s (the more ridiculous, the better). We've somewhat inadvertently combined all three of these things into an odd hobby, some might say obsession, that we both pursue: Collecting '80s movie soundtracks that contain a song with the name of the movie in the title. You know what I'm talking about--they usually play them over the credits.
You don't have to say anything, really. I've been accused by other editors of "intentionally" liking bad music (and movies), but it's just plain not true--and I fully recognize that much of this music could be considered "bad". Maybe it's my OCD, but I honestly enjoy hunting down, finding, and dwelling in these odd little musical treasures, and that's what matters. Anyway, I'd like to share a bite of the fruits of my labor with you--here are a handful of my favorite finds: Garbage Pail Kids - The Movie featuring the song "You Can Be A Garbage Pail Kid" performed by Jimmy Scarlett:
My Science Project featuring the song "My Science Project" performed by the Tubes:
Sometimes they even make real music videos for these songs.
Twins featuring the song "Twins" performed by Little Richard & Philip Bailey:
And here is Pasuit's favorite--Spies Like Us featuring "Spies Like Us" written and performed by none other than Sir Paul McCartney:
There are plenty more, believe me. Do you have any favorites?
--Alan Wiley P.S. I'm also pretty serious about collecting sports training montage songs from '80s movies. Look for a post on that in the future.
Congrats to M.I.A. who was nominated for a Grammy last night for her smash hit, "Paper Planes." I was super ecstatic to stumble across the soundtrack for Danny Boyle's new film, Slumdog Millionaire, last night to discover that M.I.A. has a hand in it. Goodie gumdrops! Here's what she had to about the soundtrack say in a recent interview with MTV:
Her new song, "O Saya," is featured in the film (click here to listen). Now I am even more excited to see the film, which is set in Mumbai. I've enjoyed learning about India over the past eight years through my bestie, Seema, whose parents were born there (though in the North), and like many I was saddened to see what transpired there over Thanksgiving weekend. Another reason I'd like to catch a different glimpse of the city...before I go to see it for myself.
--Renata Sadunas
P.S. If you are in need of a good read, here's a recommendation: White Tiger, also set in India. I would have breezed through it days ago if it wasn't holiday time here at the 'zon. Oh, and here's the link to the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack.
As we continue to roll back the clocks, celebrating the best moments of the last 10 years we've been open for business, our thoughts turn to soundtracks. Once for collectors only, soundtracks now stack up high on the charts, an outcome of the popularity of Hannah Montana, High School Musical, and well, Zach Braff. Take the scene in Braff's movie Garden State where Natalie Portman's character utters what is, depending at how you view the world, the most damning or most celebratory thing that can be said about a pop band:
And the rest is history. The Garden State soundtrack went on to dominate charts and year-end lists, sold tens of thousands, increased the audience for the Shins, earned Braff a Grammy, and (if you pretend Hans Zimmer never got his hands on a piano) changed the niche soundtrack section into a mega-selling enterprise.
But, enough about Garden State. Here are my picks for the 10 most-important soundtracks of the last 10 years:
1999: The setting of Rushmore,
the movie about the kid with all the right ambition directed in all the
wrong places, wouldn't be as complete without Wes Anderson's
hand-curated soundtrack that created a new audience for vintage Cat Stevens, the Kinks, and the instrumental works of Devo's Mark Mothersbaugh.
2000:
The soundtrack to the inimitable Lars Von Trier musical Dancer in the Dark--a definite
must-see about a Czech immigrant mother going blind amid a workaday
existence--finds Bjork at her finest. Exuberant, heartbreaking, and at times even
uncharacteristically restrained, her post-industrial Broadway reveries
outperform all expectations of her acting abilities.
2001: Any movie that includes a subplot about a rabid record collector requires an excellent soundtrack. Ghost Worldintroduced many would-be music addicts to undiscovered 1950s Bollywood
gems, New Orleans swing, true Delta blues, and of course the
unforgettable send-up in terrible nu-blues bar band, Blueshammer.
2002: Weaving together the lives of three different women living in different eras, Phillip Glass's driving, haunting compositions for The Hours
perfectly matched the tenuous urgency of Michael Cunningham’s
narrative. It is as plaintive as it is exquisitely sumptuous, memorable
even beyond the construct of the film.
2003: Did people even buy TV soundtracks before The O.C.? This quintessentially sun-dappled soundtrack no doubt set the scene of
many a backyard BBQ well outside the county line of that particularly
fascinating Southern California drama hotbed.
2004:
By this point, filmgoers knew what to expect with a Wes Anderson film:
imaginative plots, hilarious dialogue, Bill Murray, and a soundtrack
that featured the Kinks and Mark Mothersbaugh. Musically, The Life Aquaticwith Steve Zissoustrayed from that formula, adding Brazilian singer Seu Jorge’s bossa nova covers of the best of Bowie's Life on Mars to the mix.
2005:
The first of three soundtracks to the show about some seriously randy
Seattle doctors made more new fans of below-the-radar artists like the Postal Service, Tegan & Sara, and Inara George than all the college radio stations, hipster boosters, and indie music blogs put together.
2006:
Try as you might, you can't not love Jennifer Hudson's rendition of
"You're Gonna Love Me" or nearly period-perfect Berry Gordie-inspired
originals like "Love You I Do." Also, lest we forget, this movie and
soundtrack redeem Eddie Murphy's former pop-music crimes (see: "Party All the Time (My Girl Wants To)."
2007: Comprising Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, the Swell Season starred in Once--both
the movie and the soundtrack--and became one of music's true-life fairy
tales when the two unknown, unsung talents took home a Best Song
Oscar for "Falling Slowly."
2008:
Looking back, it's hard to tell what was more surprising: the success
of the little indie movie about a plucky pregnant teen who says the
darnedest things, or K-records artist Kimya Dawson's becoming an overnight sensation (we’re talking Moldy Peaches reuniting on TV’s The View).
So, to make your life feel more like This American Life, I've gathered up 26 songs regularly featured on the show. Give the playlist below a whirl, load up your iPod and get ready to make walking from the bus to your office seem more poignant than it actually is:
It's 24 hours since CMA Music Fest ended and the stages have all been broken down. The artists and fans have gone back to their respective worlds, many of them not very far from the same streets of Nashville. As mentioned in the last post, we'll be posting more material from CMA Music Fest in the days and weeks ahead, including both one-on-one and press conference audio interviews.
There were a couple highlights on the last day of Music Fest
worth mentioning here before signing off. One was the Randy Travis interview on
his tour bus. He was so down to earth and willing to talk just about
anything. I was impressed. The interview itself covers many topics, so look for the final version to be posted here close to the release of his upcoming album in mid-July. The other highlight was Dwight Yoakam at both the press conference (podcast coming soon), as well as his headline performance after returning to Music Fest a full 20 years after his last appearance at the festival.
Here are some photos from the last press conference, pictured left to right: Randy Travis, Sara Evans, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Dwight Yoakam.
Thanks all for following along with this year's CMA Music Fest blog. Until next year, enjoy the boot stomping.
After stumbling into some shots of Carrie with the pink boot girl, I took my time looking around and seeing what might be behind door #2. Interestingly enough, it was Jessica Simpson signing pink toy guitars. For those who don't know, Jessica has a Country album coming out in the near future, so she's doing what she can to build her legitimacy as a Country diva before then. This blogger thinks she might need more than a pink guitar.
And wouldn't you know it, not only is Jessica building her base with Country fans, but with some Country music stars as well. Enter Bucky Covington, the ex-American Idol finalist and current Country star. But judging by this picture, Bucky is still getting used to the star routine as seen here looking more like a giddy groupie next to an idol of his own. I think they might have traded some hair tips. You go Buck. --Lucas
I'm glad I decided to head to the convention center, also known as autograph central. All the stars come in at different times and spread out across the convention floor in a myriad of booths for fans to stop by and get autographs. I must've come at the right time for in one corner of the convention floor had amassed a throng of people large enough to fill medium-sized venue. I soon realized who it was as I heard everyone around me whispering "Carrie" to each other as if it was some secret. Ahh, Miss Underwood I presume. Sure enough.
After her autograph session ended I saw her slowly exiting towards a set of doors lined with people on the other side of the ropes. I knew there was no way to get near her to ask about an interview or a few photos for this here wonderful blog. No problem! About 100 feet away was another set of doors which presumably accessed the same area she was moving towards, so I headed on over and got through with my press pass.
I saw Carrie come "backstage" through (the same doors I couldn't get through) and then she got whisked away on a golf cart. I headed on foot in the same direction and eventually caught up to the loading dock area where Carrie was waiting for a car to pick her up. I snapped these shots of Carrie with the cutest little pink-boot cowgirl as they chatted it up for a few minutes.
It was a great candid moment as the little girl reached out to touch Carrie's dress. I don't think she really knew who she was, but she liked Carrie's dress and wanted to touch it. It was all a lot more intimate than the throng of people swarming her for autographs. Thanks press pass! Oh, and unfortunately she didn't have time for a podcast interview. That's okay, there's a podcast scheduled tonight and I'll be on a tour bus. Look for it soon! --Lucas
The podcast interview that I mentioned in the last post never materialized. Apparently someone at the label got sick and didn't hand it off to someone else, so I had some free time on my hands. I headed over to the convention center to see what was happening there. Along the way I snapped a few pics of the scene.
With the heat in full force I'm looking for just about any reason possible to go inside. I can't think of a better reason than cowboy boots. Being in Nashville brings about a certain level of boot envy that I never would've imagined. Even in 90 degree weather, everybody's got 'em, so I can too, right? As I ducked inside the Boot Company on Broadway I had to decide if I was really ready to cross over and commit to my first pair or not. After all, in the spirit of Music Fest, why not?
Well, fortunately or unfortunately, whatever the case may be, my urge to splurge had to wait since my label contact met up and took me to lunch before a planned podcast interview, so I didn't have time to finish trying on my first pair. But I have a feeling I'll be back! And I might even have to buy a hat a duster coat.
The weather is going to be a major factor for the day with a forecast for low 90 degree temps and high humidity. This Seattle boy is not used to such extremes and may sizzle and fry, but at least heat goes well with loud Country music.
On the way to the festival downtown I got to ride shotgun in the shuttle van as long as I agreed to handle the stool step and help people out the side door. Fair enough. The driver had already been taking scores of other people downtown to Broadway since 7am. Apparently people were getting in line that early for autographs at the convention center.
I then made it through one pass of all the different stages and heard a few bands including The Roys, Stephen Cochran, and Band of Heathens. I'd have to say that the latter were my favorites so far.
Here's a picture of Stephen Cochran's band at the Riverfront Stage. You can see it wasn't too busy at high noon as people stayed indoors. Ahh, but what a lovely view of the river. Click to expand. More to follow soon.
After a pleasant layover in Memphis, I've arrived in Nashville for CMA Music Fest which lasts throughout the weekend. Check here to see what it's all about, even though many Country music fans know all about it because so many are already here. All of Nashville is taken over by 4 days of Country music from literally hundreds of Country music artists and events. But for those who couldn't make it, we've got the insights and highlights covered from your managing editor on the ground.
Check this spot throughout the weekend for live updates, photos, interviews, and podcasts! As the picture proves, I've got my press pass and gear ready for some interviews that are already lined up with a few top names in Country, so check back for podcast interviews and blog posts throughout the weekend.
After shining their cowboy boots and tuning up their telecasters for the big night, the stars are out at this evening's Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards from Las Vegas. Things got underway with a live performance from Carrie Underwood who looked a little like one of Charlie's Angels in her white body suit, but hey, the fans up front didn't seem to mind. Reba hosts her 10th ACM Award show and she opened up in good spirits with plenty a joke for the house. Tune in to CBS to watch the night unfold and see who wins.
In case you missed it last night, we've got the CD release performance from the budding country music stars of Nashville's Lady Antebellum. The show went down at the Key Club in Los Angeles, in celebration of the band's eponymous debut album. Check it out.
Occasionally, despite being behind in my projects and
deadlines I will hear something so fantastic I have to drop what I am doing and
let you know about it. John Richards (KEXP) played a song by Joshua Morrison on
his morning radio program yesterday that stopped me in my tracks (“Home” the
title track from his new album). Now, Joshua is a singer-songwriter, and truth
be told, I am not really entranced by this particular genre with few
exceptions: Ray LaMontagne, Damien Rice, Alexi Murdoch and the like. Joshua is a veteran of the Iraq War and he
crafts amazingly gentle, breathy compositions packed with immense sentiment. His
songs will plow through the fortress you have erected around yourself to keep the
bad stuff out, and remind you what it means to be human. Clips are up on his myspace page. I highly encourage you to take a listen and drop me a comment to let me know what you think.
Is it me, or are this year's awards relatively young performers and nominees? Since the passing of legends like Johnny Cash, and most recently Porter Wagoner, it seems a new generation has taken hold of the country airwaves.
Still,
I'm drawn to some of the more established artists, like this year's
Album of the Year winner, George Strait, for his album, It Just Comes Natural.
Holding the record for most #1 songs on the Billboard Country Charts,
the audience responds to his performances with pure admiration.
More
Legends of note were this year's Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees
(who I think should have at least been asked to stand up on stage): * Ralph Emery * Vince Gill * Mel Tillis
Who do you think is the next legend in the making?
