In Case You Missed It: Sun:Monx Shine Bright On “Power Salad”
–Written by Kevin Madert
One of the strongest driving factors in my endless musical pursuits is interconnections. The always expanding universe of music and the musicians who inhabit it is like a four dimensional puzzle, each figurative piece interwoven with tens, hundreds, even thousands of others by myriad aural tendrils. More simply, music is a sprawling game of “Six Degrees,” – although I’d wager almost everything under the umbrella could be linked in far fewer steps.
Your move, Mr. Bacon
The Daily Frequency (6/30/15)
–Written by Kevin Madert
Another day, another deluge of musical happenings. If we missed a piece of music-related news that blew your mind, let us know in the comments!
1. From the “better late than never” department, technology übercompany Apple threw their hat into the digital streaming ring with the launch of Apple Music. Users are granted unlimited access to the tens of millions of songs in Apple’s formidable library for a monthly fee ($9.99 for individuals, $15.99 for a family account that allows up to six simultaneous users). While we’ll probably be given all sorts of exclusives thanks to Apple’s deep pockets and industry clout – Dr. Dre’s The Chronic, for example, will be available for streaming for the first time ever via Apple Music – the service still lacks in some areas – there’s not much social interaction (a lá Spotify) and the music streams in 256kbps (320kbps is the norm). The company is offering free three month trials for all first-time users, so you can decide for yourself if Apple Music is the next big thing or simply another lackluster wave (*cough* Tidal *cough*). (via Time)
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New Tune Tuesday (6/9/15)
–Written by Kevin Madert
The Front Bottoms – West Virginia
A surprise single from one of my favorite bands is the stuff Tuesdays are made of. “West Virginia” is The Front Bottoms in quintessence: one part catchy, straightforward instrumentation, one part complex & quirky – yet equally catchy – lyrics, coalesced into a faux-lo-fi package and thrown at you with every ounce of emotive heft lead singer Brian Sella and company can push through their mics and amps. Like much of TFB’s catalog, the wordsmithery on display here is relatable in overarching emotional brushstrokes rather than specifics. You may never have experienced a conversation like the one Sella opens this song with (“Is it raining where you are? / The only thing I could think to ask. / But nothing ever hurt so bad / as the ‘no’ that you said back”) but dammit if those lines don’t hit you in the chest like a two-ton weight. You can download the new tune for free by joining The Front Bottoms Motorcycle Club on the band’s official site. The music video is a perfect visual compliment; you can see it below.
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AltFreq Weekend Planner (5/21/15-5/23/15)
–Written by Kevin Madert
It’s nearly impossible to keep track of all the events going on in the area, so we’re here to let you know what’s happening in live music over the next few days. Watch out on Sundays for our “Weekly Planner,” where we’ll cover the remaining four days of the week.
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Dreamscape Festival Day 2 Recap + Photos
–Written by Kevin Madert
I awoke to a dull gray sky. The chatter of birds echoed through the trees over my tent. Interspersed were the overlapping conversations of others who’d either just woken up or hadn’t yet gone to bed. I checked my phone, hoping to see four digits. 8:45 – damn. I try for maybe ten more minutes to fall back asleep, fail, sit up, and rub last night from my eyes. Unzipping my tent, I step out into the cool post-dawn mist and into the second day of Dreamscape.
Happenstance has other ideas as a vibration in my pocket informs me of some rather unfortunate news. A friend who’d left the festival for work around when I went to bed (call it crazy, call it dedication) had blown a tire not once but twice on the Baltimore Beltway. My next several hours were spent on a round trip journey to fetch him from the mechanic’s shop, with a stop at Chipotlé wedged in between. All the alone time (my friend slept through most of the drive back) saw me thinking about how the day would unfold. How would the music compare? The crowds? Could it top Friday? Thoughts ran rampant as I eased under the shade of a low-branched tree behind the eerie white house that served as the Dreamscape ops center and put my car in park.
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Weekend Warm-Up No. 18: Soundtracking
–Words & list by Kevin Madert
Film scores and original soundtracks are ideal pump-up fodder – hell, these are pieces of music designed to evoke specific emotional responses to whatever visual media they’re attached to. Sure, it’s not all that difficult to get excited when Russell Crowe enters the Roman Colosseum, or Andy Dufresne escapes from Shawshank Prison. But musical accompaniment ensures even out-of-the-loop viewers understand what they’re supposed to feel; even if it’s an unconscious response, those epic crescendos and frantic notes get the blood pumping and the heart racing all the same.
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