Musically Minded

A bit of retro style...

2014-01-20T20:15:00.000Z

The band I bring to you today are an alternative rock group from Newbury Park, California. They are 'The NBHD' (You can find their site here The NBHD).

Their videos are easily recognisable by their monochromatic style and the use of retro iconography which reminds me of the 50's and 60's. For example, in the video for their song "Sweater Weather", the band can be seen driving along in a Mercedes-Benz 280 SE (I had to look that up by the way, the models of vintage cars are not covered under my random general knowledge unfortunately).

In relation to the style of the band, they are difficult to pin down. The closest match I can find to their style is that of the soulful Lana Del Rey. Well rounded music with deep and soulful lyrics which just instantly project more authority and maturity than the likes of generic pop acts. These are people with a message to deliver and they are going to make you listen. Although I did not originally like this sort of music, It has definitely grown on me recently and now I can accept it for what it is. Easy listening with a deeper meaning which can be read in to, but not so much so that it demands you work out what the song is trying to say. It can just be accepted and enjoyed on whatever level the listener desires.

If you are looking for something meaningful and yet not too demanding at the same time, this may be the right choice for you. Their album 'I Love You' was released April 22nd, 2013 and has spawned four singles (in order of release);

Female Robbery
Sweater Weather (which was re-released November 2013)
Let It Go
Afraid (Explicit)

As I have said, if you want something along the lines of Lana Del Rey but erring more towards alternative rock also, then this is the band for you.

Keep listening, stay musically minded!

A Whole New World...

2014-01-20T09:30:00.000Z

Since starting this blog I have opened myself up to a wealth of new music that I didn't even know existed. I am being more attentive to the music I hear around me and the random suggestions that pop up on YouTube and iTunes now. Before I would just ignore them because I thought they would just be mediocre at best. Now I give most of them even just 30 seconds of my time to hear what they are like. After about 10 seconds you start to get a feel of the music and after 30 seconds you know if you will like it or not. The main problem I have now is that I will find something I like, then follow a second link, then another, then another. The next thing I know I have gone through about 20 different music videos or links and I want to find even more of them (I currently have 43 artists on a list in my phone which I want to listen to after I have heard just one of their songs). The whole phenomenon caught me by surprise and I started to think about this leading me to a question.

Is it possible to become addicted to music?...

I started to wonder if there was actually a reason why music could have such a profound effect on people. Why has it become such a fundamental part of our lives? After all, we hear music almost every day now. There is music on television, in movies, on our phones, played in stores, even in places of meditation now there is a shifting trend towards the inclusion of music rather than complete silence. It is interesting when you start thinking about it, and when looking back in history there is the great question of, "How was music invented and fashioned in the first place?"

No. 1 cause of procrastination - but we just can't help ourselves

I know sociologists, psychologists and anthropologists would probably be able to give a more in depth answer to these questions but I do remember reading somewhere a few months ago that discovering a new song that you love releases a large amount of endorphins which is why it "feels good" and also that the amount released diminished the more that you heard the song...

Well I suppose there are worse things out there I could be hooked on so for now I am just going to embrace it and I hope you all do too.

Thank you for reading and stay musically minded!

Now for something more recent...

2014-01-17T23:25:00.001Z

Whilst I was at the gym today I had my music playing away when a song came on which I know quite a few people have not heard of or haven't gotten around to listening to. It was "Afterglow" by Wilkinson. Yet again from a début album, this time from "Lazers [sic] Not Included" which was released August 5th, 2013.

The video was uploaded to YouTube on the 10th September 2013, preceding the official single release on the 13th October. The video charts a 5 year relationship and all of the 'statistics' which come with it (one memorable scene showing 80 litres of fluid swapped).

The song itself starts of slowly with gentle vocals from 19 year old, Becky Hill who was a contestant on the first series of the UK edition of The Voice (Twitter: The Voice UK). The song quickly builds up momentum and demonstrates the strength of Becky's voice which is complimented by a Drum and Bass beat which perfectly highlights the ups and downs of the relationship. It eases back and becomes more melodic when we are shown the low points (arguments, heartbreaks, etc) and then returns with a quick rhythm to emphasise the partying and good times which the couple have together.

I added this song to my playlist as it seems to follow the progression of a workout pretty well. There is a gentle beginning to warm up with which then gets progressively more powerful as the song goes on. Although there is a gentle section in the middle (which could be considered the moment of maximum exertion in a run) the song flows smoothly and does not feel as though it has become disjointed at all. Overall I really like this song and think it definitely deserves more attention than it has received thus far. If you like the song, there are a number of remixes which have been made also, each focusing on different aspects of the song. There are some which take it more towards a chill-out song which is great for relaxing. On the other hand, there are some remixes which set out to transform it into an all out club song with more of a Dubstep edge - further demonstrating the differing feelings which are inherent in the song yet work beautifully together.

All in all, not bad for a song which isn't even 3 minutes long in the official single version.

Go ahead, give it a listen (or listen to it again), what's the worst that could happen?

I really hope you like this song as much as I do and, as always, stay musically minded...

If you've not had a chance to see the video yet, here it is!

Here are links to some of the remixes also for you to listen to!

Find of the day - Smart Casual by Kids in Glass Houses

2014-01-13T23:14:00.001Z

For my first discovery I want to share with you I have a signed copy of Kids In Glass Houses début album Smart Casual. It's amazing what you can find when you randomly search through the shelves of your local second hand music store. It was a steal being in a 2 for £5 deal and when I saw there was only one signed copy I quickly grabbed it. Why settle for a standard album when you can have something more meaningful, right?

To be honest I had only heard a couple of their songs before today and thought I might as well take the plunge for a full album. I had been on the look out for some new music for a while as I have exhausted my library and get bored if I listen to the same music repeatedly. All I can say is I am really glad to have found this album. I love all of the songs on it and especially like how it starts off with such a kick with the song 'Fisticuffs'. Some albums start off gentle and ease you into it, not this one. It instantly gives you a strong indication of what sort of band they are setting out to be. An upbeat, rock band with just enough of a pop edge to make the songs catchy and stick in your head after one or two listens.

I know this may not be to everyone's tastes as some may feel that this isn't "hard" enough to count as true rock but if you keep an open mind when listening to the album I think you will be surprised. You will notice how although the songs all have a similar 'feel' and 'identity' to them, they do all have enough originality to stand on their own, especially considering that this was a first break into the music industry. The band has avoided creating just a bunch of carbon-copy songs which you could be forgiven for thinking were one full length songs as some artists produce. They do manage to avoid the unnecessary acrobatics and 'tricks' which I feel are sometimes used by the likes of Jessie J. Some people may like that but I feel it is a sing of someone uncertain of their identity or being pushed into a number of directions in an attempt to grab a hold of the largest possible audience in order to be come successful. This band have their own identity and are happy to demonstrate it to the fullest. The most significant difference I felt came in the song 'Pillow Talk' which is of a more mellow tone to the other songs on the album, but nevertheless is just as catchy.

In closing, I would just like to urge you all to please give this album some time and give it a listen. Here is a link to a YouTube playlist featuring all of the songs;

Smart Casual - Kids In Glass Houses (Playlist)

It is difficult for me to pick just one song to recommend, but if I had to, I would say Fisticuffs would be a good song to start with if you are looking for something more rock oriented. Conversely, Easy Tiger and Give Me What I Want are more pop oriented and upbeat. It depends entirely on what you are looking for but I would definitely giving the album a full listen - even if it is just the once.

Thank you for reading and remember, stay musically minded.

Smart Casual - Kids in Glass Houses (2008)

Hello World...

2014-01-13T17:05:00.001Z

This is just a quick post to let you know what will be going on here. I have decided to start this blog as a way for people to discover new music. There will be posts on music from all genres so you are bound to find something that piques your interest. I also hope to hear from you about music which you have found as well, we are all here to help each other broaden our horizons. So please check back shortly for some posts on some new music I have found and we can start our journey.

Until then...
Stay musically minded!