Its about time! http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/09/02/why-is-the-beatles-on-itunes-such-a-big-deal/
On another note, I disagree with the author that this isn’t a big deal. Its issues like this that make it tough to sell music online. If one of the most popular artists in history is not on the biggest online retailer in music, how can we expect the industry to grow?
Overall, a great step in the right direction
Archive for the ‘music’ Category
Beatles Come to Itunes (Finally!)
Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009Distant Places
Tuesday, June 9th, 2009My college a cappella group Penn Masala just posted a new original song, Distant Places, to their website. The song is from “On Detours, the group’s new studio album. The lyrics (which I consider especially poignant and meaningful) are below:
Check them out at http://www.pennmasala.com.
___________________________
Distant Places
On days gone by
These hands of time
Sewn together they paint up a smile
On days ahead
Those hands instead
Are breaking prophets into wishful lies
In wakes of haze
Can time’s straight gaze
Answer the hows and the whys
The best laid plans
Of gods and men
So often go awry
But I’m not breaking
My hands not shaking
My mind’s awake and with clear eyes I see
Misdeeds of my past
I’ve found they don’t last
So as I move on there’s one thing left to say
(Chorus)
Give me an open road
No matter where it seems to lead
Although the places they are distant
Only the clouds will hold my feet
Kho gayi, par thi, mithi kuch ve yaadein
Reh gaye, haan ve, bachpan ke ve vaadein
Nikle, hum bhi, nainon mein liye sapne
Bhatke, path se, yaad aayein ab apne
Raah naa jaanoon, disha naan jaanoon par chalnaa baaki abhi
Suraj ko choona, gagan jo choomnaa, jo sochaa vahi kiyaa toh maine nahin
(Chorus)
Mujhe raah mein samay milaa
Bolaa main toh chalaa
Duniya toh naa thambti mere yaar
(English and Hindi Chorus)
Check them out at http://www.pennmasala.com.
___________________________
Distant Places
On days gone by
These hands of time
Sewn together they paint up a smile
On days ahead
Those hands instead
Are breaking prophets into wishful lies
In wakes of haze
Can time’s straight gaze
Answer the hows and the whys
The best laid plans
Of gods and men
So often go awry
But I’m not breaking
My hands not shaking
My mind’s awake and with clear eyes I see
Misdeeds of my past
I’ve found they don’t last
So as I move on there’s one thing left to say
(Chorus)
Give me an open road
No matter where it seems to lead
Although the places they are distant
Only the clouds will hold my feet
Kho gayi, par thi, mithi kuch ve yaadein
Reh gaye, haan ve, bachpan ke ve vaadein
Nikle, hum bhi, nainon mein liye sapne
Bhatke, path se, yaad aayein ab apne
Raah naa jaanoon, disha naan jaanoon par chalnaa baaki abhi
Suraj ko choona, gagan jo choomnaa, jo sochaa vahi kiyaa toh maine nahin
(Chorus)
Mujhe raah mein samay milaa
Bolaa main toh chalaa
Duniya toh naa thambti mere yaar
(English and Hindi Chorus)
classic songs of 2008
Friday, April 24th, 2009Hit songs come and go. But some songs remain eternally great, based not on an expensive marketing campaign, but on the strength of the songwriting, recording, and production of the final work. These eight songs of 2008 are my bets for those that have the best chance of standing the test of time.
“If I were a boy” – Beyonce. I believe Beyonce is one of the best female singers in the world, but as of late her songs have lacked in quality. “If I were a boy” is her best musical offering in several years. A soulful vocal performance with a resonant message make this song both catchy and memorable.
“Viva La Vida” – Coldplay. When Coldplay spoke about their new album in interviews, they mentioned that it would have their “best song to date.” Viva La Vida did not disappoint. It is VERY different from any other hit that Coldplay has put out, but still features great production and masterful vocals. More importantly, it has some of the most meaningful and interesting lyrics I’ve heard in a long time. Seriously, who writes a hit song about the French Revolution? Awesome.
“Disturbia” – Rihanna. I’m not normally a huge Rihanna fan, but “Disturbia” has smoother production than any other track I’ve heard this year. This is a great example of a song where production quality makes all the difference. Its a fairly mediocre song in terms of writing (chords are boring, melody is good but not great). But the arrangement is absolutely brilliant; the use of synthetic effects, the changes in rhythm to match the lyrics, and the blended backup vocals really takes this song to the next level. Additionally, Rihanna’s voice is processed very effectively to match the generally dark, brooding, yet sexy mood of the song. Any aspiring pop song producer should definitely examine this song as a case study.
“I’m Yours” – Jason Mraz. After a relatively quiet few years, Jason Mraz emerges with his best musical offering to date. “I’m Yours” features an accessible arrangement complemented by playful vocals and upbeat lyrics. This is a song that will put a smile on people’s faces for years to come.
“Human” – The Killers. The Killers are one of my favorite bands right now, and I think they have enormous potential to continue writing and performing together for at least the next 10-20 years. Their new album “Day and Age” is a disappointment overall, but ”Human” is fantastic…in my opinion their best produced song of all time, and best song overall since “Mr. Brightside.” The lyrics are “classic Killers nonsense,” but the vocals are powerful (for a singer who can barely hold a melody live) and the arrangement shines. I also like the fact that they decided to take a dance beat and build an alternative rock arrangement around it. You can dance in a club to this song, and that makes it very unique for the genre.
” Apologize” – Timbaland and One Republic: Once again, Timbaland has taken an unbelievable mediocre song and turned it into a hit. “Apologize isn’t particularly impressive vocally, but the arrangement, samples, and mix are fantastic. This was undoubtably Timbaland’s best offering of 2008, and single-handedly catapulted One Republic to success.
“Say” – John Mayer. In all honesty, I don’t think this is John Mayer’s best written song (my favorites are Waiting on the World to Change and Your Body is a Wonderland.”) But it does feature a Grammy-Winning vocal performance, and has some of the most poignant lyrics I have heard from him to date. In these tough times, people look for a message of hope. Regardless of all the struggles, people struggling to stay in their homes, keep their jobs, get decent healthcare, its important to never lose focus of your passions and just “say what you need to say.”
“Jai Ho” – A.R. Rahman: Rahman has once again created a gem with “Jai Ho,” The Oscar-Winning track from best picture “SlumDog Millionaire” combines vivid rhythmic energy with soaring vocals and rich, textual arrangement. These are all signature Rahman motifs, but this is truly a magnificant musical creation.
American Idol – March 17th
Wednesday, March 18th, 2009Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!
So looks like I was one for two last week- Jorge and Jasmine were eliminated. This week’s theme was Country music – a field that certainly favors certain contestants over others. Funny that the natural country singers were among the weakest performers…
1) Michael Sarver: Country music is Michael’s comfort zone, but he didn’t really do enough with it. The song choice was ok, Michael sings Garth Brooks well, but I think he could have picked a song that highlighted his vocal capacity more. Overall, it was a relatively mediocre performance.
2) Alison Iraheta: “Blame it on your Heart” was a good song choice for Alison. It showcased her vocal talents nicely; she’s a rocker, and this song gave her the opportunity to be a rocker. She’s one of the most talented vocalists in the competition, and I am really excited to see her back in her rock comfort zone.
3) Kris Allen: The ballad was a PERFECT song choice for Kris. He’s a romantic, charismatic crooner, and he could really go far singing stuff like this. The last note was a little off, but overall he was fairly precise and held a rich, consistent tone the whole time. Even though his vocal talents are limited, Kris will stick around for awhile if he keeps making smart song choices. With the right album of songs, he’s got the commercial potential to be a top-selling artist.
4) Lil Rounds: This started out a bit shaky, but about halfway through Lil Rounds really came into her own. When she started, it seemed she was trying too hard to do something different. Then she loosened up and showed off her real vocal strengths, finishing with a signature RnB vocal movement. I agree with Randy that this was probably not the best song choice. Nevertheless, Lil is one of the strongest singers, and I’m fairly confident that this won’t be more than a minor setback. Good for her for taking a risk, even if it didn’t pan out as expected.
5) Adam Lambert: Country is totally not Adam, so he took a big risk and did something very different with the arrangement. The performance was a little over the top in my opinion, but nevertheless, Adam’s vocal technique is still unparalleled. In Kara’s words, it made me “confused and sort of happy.” But I liked that Adam took a gamble, and he’s still my favorite to win this thing. The great artists always take big risks.
6) Scott MacIntyre: The performance started a little rocky on the lower notes, but Scott really delivered with the chorus. Aside from a few shaky falsetto notes, that was some of the best singing I’ve heard from him yet. And man, he can play piano. He should absolutely stick with it, it gives him a definite edge. But I agree with the judges. Scott still needs to take more risks with his songs. He’ll move forward, but I think he should push himself more if he wants to go far.
7) Alexis Grace: Country is clearly Alexis’ strength, but she was very pitchy throughout. It wasn’t a terrible performance, but I think it was mediocre overall, and Alexis needed to do more with this opportunity to sing in a genre that is her natural strength.
Danny Gokey: I love this guy. Great gospel sound, amazing vocal technique and control, and very likeable. Kara made a good point that Danny should focus his vocal range on the higher end. Danny really shines high up, and his song choices should reflect that. But he’s an outstanding singer, and this was one of the stronger performances of the night.
9) Anoop Desai: Wow! This was a very impressive performance following last week’s mediocrity. Anoop clearly worked really hard, made a great song choice (a ballad), and delivered with rich, soothing tones and remarkable precision. I was not expecting a lot, especially with a country theme, but am more than happy to be proven wrong.
10) Megan Joy: I think the judges were too generous, even though she was sick. Its too bad, because Megan Joy really is a charismatic, quirky, attractive girl, but her weak singing and poor song choices are very damaging. Megan was sick, but this performance was particularly poor, with awkward pronunciation and little vocal expression. But the judges’ positive commentary and sympathy may carry her through this round.
11) Matt Giraud: The judges really liked this performance, but I thought it was just ok. Matt’s a good singer, but he got a little pitchy, and I thought the arrangement was too busy and masked his vocals too much. But Matt’s very talented and I think he’ll continue to move forward for some time.
Predictions:
Bottom Three: Michael Sarver, Adam Lambert, Alexis Grace
Eliminated: Michael Sarver
American Idol – March 10th
Wednesday, March 11th, 2009For the next few months, I will be reviewing Season 8 of American Idol. In addition to discussing the quality of the performances, I’ll try to shed some insight on things such as target audiences, song choices, and other business-related issues for each of the contestants.
1) Lil Rounds: This girl sure can sing. I liked that she picked a song that shows off her range and vocal prowess. She definitely has that combination of power and control that is hard to find. I hope she uses more of her falsetto in future performances. I think she’s one of the two top female talents this season (along with Allison Iraheta).
2) Scott McIntyre: Its always amazing to see this guy; the fact that he’s been blind since birth, but still channels his musical talent so effectively, is really an inspiration. But honestly, tonight’s performance was less than impressive. Scott was a little pitchy, his vocal movements were wobbly, and I think the piano playing almost got in the way. I think Randy’s comment about Paul being “safe” is definitely true. But overall, it wasn’t terrible, and I hope Scott stays and takes more risks next time.
3) Danny Gokey: The intro was a bit pitchy, but Danny got into the swing of it really quickly. In addition to being a great singer, Danny’s got two great strengths that should help him: he’s got great stage presence, and he can come up with pretty creative arrangements that highlight his vocal skills. I think this guy could go really far.
4) Michael Sarver: In my opinion, the judges were a bit too generous with Michael. He’s a good, but not great singer. I think he did a decent job, and its obvious that he worked hard, but overall it just wasn’t anything special. I think Michael’s weakness is his lack of versatility. I just can’t see him singing anything other than a ballad. Hope he proves me wrong.
5) Jasmine Murray: I feel bad for Jasmine, because I think she’s a pretty good singer, but she definitely made some bad decisions. She sang a difficult song in a register in which she was not comfortable, and it caused her to be pitchy at times. If it hadn’t been for that, this would have been a very good performance. I think Jasmine may survive this round, but I don’t think she has the versatility to get much further.
6) Kris Allen: I like the fact that Chris took a risk here. He picked a song that didn’t really suit him, and changed it a bit to work for him. He’s not the best singer, but he certainly has enormous commercial appeal. So although the performance was probably one of the weaker ones of the night, I think his charisma and stage presence may carry him through. But I don’t see him winning the competition unless he makes serious improvement on the vocals.
7) Allison Iraheta: Allison is hands-down one of my favorites. The 16-year old rocker certainly didn’t disappoint tonight. She exhibits extraordinary vocal control and isn’t afraid to take chances. She also looks extremely comfortable on stage and has a well-established personality. At this rate, she’s on track to make the finals.
Anoop Desai: Finally, an Indian on the show who can sing (unlike Sanjaya)! But sadly, he flopped badly. Anoop has some skills, but he picked a very difficult song, and was pitchy thoroughout. He also looked uncomfortable with the upbeat nature of the song; it seems like he’s more of a ballad singer. I would have loved to see him sing something like “human nature.” He has potential, but I don’t think he’s gonna get another shot.
9) Jorge Nunez: This was a very weak performance. Jorge sounded pitchy, and worse, he looked fairly awkward on stage. His facial expressions were very confusing and seemed fake. Jorge’s a good singer, but I think he sealed his fate with this performance.
10) Megan Joy Corkry: Megan’s kind of like a female Chris Allen. She’s an ok vocalist, but she’s really charismatic and she can perform. I think she did what she needed to do to stay in this thing. But the judges were spot on: she needs to take more risks with song choices going forward. She needs to push herself vocally if she wants to stay in; her charisma alone isn’t going to take her much further.
11) Adam Lambert: Hands down, the best performance of the night. Adam is a FANTASTIC singer; definitely the best male singer in the competition and one of the best talents the show has ever seen. Also, he really owns that stage. I felt excited watching him sing, and would be shocked if he didn’t make the finals this season.
12) Matt Giraud: Matt sang “Human Nature,” the song I hoped Anoop would sing. It was a solid performance…a little pitchy, but overall quite good. The piano-playing was excellent and will give him a clear edge going forward. I think Matt has the capacity to push himself more; I’d like to see him try something a little more upbeat. But overall, very good.
13) Alexis Grace: Alexis is definitely a good singer. But overall this was a fairly weak performance. The arrangement was overly muddled, and it sounded like she had breathing and tempo issues throughout the song. But she’s definitely commercial, and I think she’ll survive a few more rounds before she falls to the legitimate talent.
My predictions for elimination: Anoop and Jorge
Top 100 Albums
Tuesday, February 17th, 2009Landon Smith
Thursday, February 12th, 2009This guy is really good – in the style of Jason Mraz or Jack Johnson. Definitely check out “shakin,” although all his songs are at least pretty good.
http://www.purevolume.com/landonsmithmusic
Grammys 2009
Monday, February 9th, 2009Eminem’s Bio
Friday, February 6th, 2009Classic Albums
Wednesday, February 4th, 2009Here’s an article on some of the truly classic albums.
Amen!