Sound for Thought...

Matt Corby: "Resolution"

2014-03-03T17:28:00.000-05:00

Not much to say about this one except for it speaks for itself. I'll leave it alone on the comments since it'll just waste time until you listen to this tune.

One of the best voices out there. He's got a Jeff Buckley falsetto with the power of a Chris Martin full voice. Super impressive and quite the guitar player as well.

Cheers,
KB

William Fitzsimmons & Slow Runner: "Can't Go Home"

2012-11-09T19:31:00.000-05:00

This'll do it. Little Big Town gets props for the tune, but kudos to Willy Fitz and Slow Runner for a sick cover.

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis : "Same Love"

2012-10-30T16:57:00.000-04:00

Marriage equality is pretty much a topic you can guarantee has never made it into a hip hop record. Unless the track itself is poking fun at gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgenders, etc., you will rarely ever see a positive message behind such a controversial and important topic. Personal opinion time...get over it Hollywood.

Record A&R's and marketing teams are always concerned with image, yet at the same time they're doing simply that; showing an image.

image (v) : a reproduction or imitation of the form of a person or thing

By the pure power of it's actual definition it shows you how fake it is. Why would anything worth signing and paying money for suddenly be worthy of a complete transformation into what you think others will like. Isn't that counter-intuitive to the process of finding true talent and developing this talent into a true artist?

In main stream hip hop, talent is inevitably overlooked in order to sell records. If you talk about "faggots," "gays," and "lesbians," that doesn't matter to the execs. The tough image will sell, the records will sell, you'll have your own subsidiary record label from the one that signed you, and you'll be an absolute millionaire. Sure, this can be considered a rash generalization, however it's a consistent timeline.

To voice your own opinion on a topic through the medium of music is actually the whole point of music. Good or bad, it's why music exists. A question for you all though, why is hip hop music the ONLY genre that bashes homosexuality. We don't see it in rock n' roll. Ever heard of Freddie Mercury? Look at the hair bands in the 80's. They dressed like women and wore makeup, yet they had some of the most "manly" fans in the business. I mean c'mon, the bassist from Styx was gay! Judas Priest, one of the heaviest bands of the rock era, had a gay lead singer. In today's popular rock music, bands like Coldplay and 30 Seconds to Mars draw huge numbers from the gay community. Singer / Songwriters like Rufus Wainwright thrive off of their "outing." The gay community and straight community alike flock to Rufus' shows and he's a fully out, 100% proud, openly speaking homosexual. Jeff Buckley, although straight, STILL draws huge crowds to his music both online and through retail sales and he passed away 14 years ago. Why is hip hop different?

Good news folks, it isn't any different now....thanks to Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. I've been a fan of Macklemore for a bit now, from around 2003 when I worked in the business. At the time he was a 20 year old hip hop artist and had an EP out called "Open Your Eyes." I had a huge passion for northwest US hip hop since I was managing Braille at the time, so naturally I would hear other Portland, OR artists and some Seattle, WA artists as well. Macklemore was one of these Seattle guys who just had this swagger about him. From his delivery to his look, he didn't need an "image." The image was his soul and what he chose to discuss was his word, which was never faked.

He released another EP in the mid 2000's after a battle with sobriety (he won) and fast forward to today. "The Heist" is a record you need in your collection. If you like music, you'll like "The Heist," even you mom and dad. Springsteen and Neil Diamond can wait, throw this on. Ryan Lewis, instrumentalist and producer extraordinaire is behind the beats and they resonate. Pure talent, pure drive, and instrumentation that would make Kanye and Timbaland nod their head to his compositional prowess. Listen to track 5, "Same Love" and you'll know what this is all about. Mary Lambert lends her beautiful falsetto to the hook and it's chill binding.

"The right wing conservatives think it’s a decision
And you can be cured with some treatment and religion
Man made rewiring of a predisposition
Playing god, aw nah here we go
America the brave still fears what we don’t know
And god loves all his children, is somehow forgotten
But we paraphrase a book written thirty-five-hundred years ago
I don’t know"

Nice work Macklemore. Props to you for taking a genre notorious for slander, hatred, and cultural regression and for giving it relevance. Did you really just write a song praising and promoting marriage equality? This. Actually. Happened? I'm sick of hip hop artists saying that art is really just another form of poetry; that it's an outlet to speak in prose about your life and struggles. In the case of these artists, I can't imagine they're very happy individuals outside the size of their savings accounts. Macklemore shows what it's like to use a medium to your benefit and to distribute a message that we can not only nod our heads and feet in rhythm too, but also in agreement too.

Check out the below from Ellen, further proof on how truly large this is in the world of music. Ellen knows her artists and even has her own label. She pointed out that Macklemore was top on iTunes a few weeks ago and took immediate notice to the power of his message. This is why I love music.

Ben Howard - "Depth Over Distance"

2012-10-29T09:41:00.002-04:00

I realized when I posted last night that I haven't written about anything musical...or anything in general, since October 3rd 2011. That's unbelievable to me because all I've done over the past year+ is even further deeply dive into new artists, albums, and even genres. My stomach dropped when I saw the last post was 10/3/11. Where has the time gone, and more importantly, so much has happened. How can I not have written anything?

My life is not the same as it was a year ago, in no way, shape, or form. I'm with a fantastic girl who absolutely loves me for me and that can't change. From my (at times) overpowering A.D.D. to my consistent obsessive behavior around fixing things in the apartment, she laughs, giggles, smiles, and just loves me. Not much more to be said about that except it's an amazing feeling. The feeling of reciprocating the love she shows me is one that I've never enjoyed so much and it's an honor to call her my girlfriend, or Rocky B as nicknames have it.

In January I adopted a 10 month old Rhodesian Ridgeback / Lab mix and aptly named him Jackson. If dogs have last names, which I absolutely believe they do, he's known as Jackson Brown; my favorite piano player. While Jackson, or JB as we call him, makes noise just walking on carpet; his ability to tickle the ivory isn't an option and therefore all aspirations for musical lessons and stardom have been abandoned. Either way, it's awesome to have Jackson join the family and he's already 80 lbs at 1.5 years.

On the job front, Gilt Groupe is in my past and I'm now heading up digital ad sales at CBS Boston. Pretty cool gig, managing 4 digital assets and 5 teams of Account Executives; it's certainly a good move from a team of 12 and the remote island of the Gilt City startup world. I'm definitely enjoying the challenges and rewards of large scale, corporate organization.

Hard to discuss through a "let's catch up blog," but I miss my cousin. For those of you reading this, you know that my cousin Ryan passed away on January 29th of this year. It still doesn't really feel comfortable to talk about, nor can I really keep it together to fully form sentences and reflect on his life, so I need to dedicate some more time to figure out what to say. I get sudden impacts from time to time when I realize he won't be at Christmas this year, or I can't email him and check in on Shaylon and Alisha; that I can't reminisce about the 31 years we had together, playing with Scott and Derek. I love you Ryan and I will write soon....I miss you and think about you everyday.

With that said, I give you Ben Howard and "Depth Over Distance." Changes are inevitable in life and it's the only thing that truly makes you know that yesterday is not today and tomorrow will not be the same as today. You never truly know what will happen in life and as things grow farther, or "taller" as Ben mentions in this song, all you can do is wish that you could get back to the roots. My roots lie in my family, my passion and obsession for the way music make me feel, and my love for finding true happiness. Since Ryan's passing, this song has been on my mind for some time:

"Hold on, wait until that lone sun
Breaks from the arms of the Lord
Hold on, though we may be too young
To know this ride we're on
Hold on, wait though we may be too young
To know this ride we're on?"

The below version is the best quality, live from KCRW. You'll be blown away. There are versions where he brings the last verse up an octave (or two) and it's unreal ( ww.youtube.com/watch?v=UkfuRaAjFPM) It's spine tingling and a true reflection of the power this song has over him. Ben is a true artists in all senses of the word.

Been a while....way too long actually.

2012-10-28T20:22:00.001-04:00

Greetings folk(s)? Not sure if anyone still checks out this blog anymore, but I figured I'd pop my head in quickly. My posts have been sporadic, however my listening has increased tenfold....so here I am. I plan on jumping back in and sharing some great tunes, awesome times, sad times, and even some idiotic stories from page to page. More to come, but if you're out there....thanks for checking in. Cheers. KB

Miles from "Home"

2011-10-03T09:48:00.007-04:00

There's something to be said about distance. Sometimes we choose to distance ourselves from areas of our lives that we're not fond of, which unfortunately is the inevitable truth that this is WHO we are. I moved to Boston in 2009 for reasons that no longer exist. Reasons that had me at the edge of my seat; excited about the potential new life I was about to embark on. 2 years have passed since I left everything I knew behind me; everything I wanted to miss and everything I thought I'd never miss. From family to friends, from jobs to apartments, New York is where I laid my head and heart for 29 of my 31 years. The thought of leaving those fears, anxieties, and emotions behind me was very attractive since the distance was just that; a new life and a "cure." As I find myself sitting here with that potential new life behind me, but a new sense of being and appreciation for the strength in my decisions, I can't help but say it for the first time...I miss where I came from.

I miss being able to see my family and hometown friends physically and not through text messages and phone calls. There's something very lonely, yet proving when you wake up and it's just silent. Even though the Monday morning garbage pickups are occuring outside my rainy South Boston window, and car horns sing out of tune on East Broadway, I still don't hear anything.

Over the past few months a lot has changed in my life, but the consistent theme throughout has been distance. I feel as though I'm saying goodbye more often than hello and my feet are only planted in one place for long enough to appreciate where I am for those 5 minutes. Ralph Waldo Emerson said that "life is a journey, not a destination" and never have I fully believed in this quote till now. Within each of our journey's there's an unedeniable distance that we must take either from ourselves or from our past, simply to realize who we really are and who we want to be. Waking up with that lonely feeling on a Monday morning is tough; knowing that the only people who truly know you and who you genuinely miss aren't near you. What's even tougher is being in the city you changed your whole life to be in because of a potential life that shattered, and in the end realizing that you need to pick up the pieces yourself because that's just it. They're all pieces of you.

I know we have to travel to get to certain places in this life, but I miss where I traveled from and who took the ride with me for those 29 years. It's a bit ironic. So much of the excitement in changing my life to move here was to get away from that past life that I thought I needed in my rearview mirror. In the process I feel as though I've gotten farther away from myself and further distanced myself from my cornerstone; all of which is back in NY.

If only life had a GPS system. Then again, I'd probably continue to hit the detour button to see if there's a quicker way to get to my destination, as opposed to just enjoying the recommended path. Hey, at least I got there.

Shawn Mullins said it best in his song "Home." I love this man.

"Yeah, I know I'm lucky to sing my songs
If you want to, you can sing along
As you been on this road so long
Won't you help me find my way back home?
Help me find my way back home"

Angus & Julia Stone

2011-04-19T18:00:00.001-04:00

Tell me this isn't awesome and I will give you $1MM.

Which I don't have, but that's just proof of how awesome this is.

Glen Hansard & Doveman

2011-02-07T14:02:00.002-05:00

Not sure what to really say about this without getting emotional myself, so just check it out for yourself. Thanks to my good buddy Foye Johnson for sending this over. The man knows his music.

This is just so good.

Cheers,
Kevin

Glen Hansard w/Doveman "What Happens When The Heart Just Stops" from Patrick Glennon on Vimeo.

Richard Wright: Piano God

2011-01-07T13:20:00.004-05:00

I love the piano, that's no secret if you've read any of my past posts. Richard Wright, the piano and organ genius behind Pink Floyd, perhaps summarizes exactly what I love about the instrument. Its simplicity. Its ability to sound as though it takes little effort to play, yet it takes every muscle in your brain and hands to agree with each other and move separately yet simultaneously. Wright was perfect. 1 listen through "Dark Side of the Moon" and you can't help but notice how beautiful his piano playing was.

Check out "The Great Gig in the Sky" on "Dark Side," or especially "Us and Them." Richard actually wrote the piano part in "Us and Them" for a violence sequence in the 1970's film "Zabriskie Point" by Michelangelo Antonioni. Ironic huh? It's odd how something so beautiful was written specifically for a scene showing killing, blood, and war. The music is stunning. However, Antonioni felt as though the piece was "beautiful, but too sad." Interesting. Isn't violence sad?

So, thank you Antonioni. Because it didn't make the film, the song was then used on "Dark Side" and it became "Us and Them;" one of my favorite tunes on probably my favorite record of all time.

Below is the actual audio of Richard Wright recording the track in the studio in 1970 for the film, along w/ some stills. Wright passed away in 2008 unfortunately. He is a true legend.

"Where At Least I Know I'm Free"

2010-12-31T12:36:00.010-05:00

For all 12 of you loyal fans of this blog, you know from time to time I write about various beers I try. From Allagash to Sam Adams Seasonal's, from Blue Moon to Shipyard Pumpkin...I've tasted some pretty awesome beers. The weirdest thing happened the other day though. I tried Budweiser. Have you guys ever heard of this stuff? I mean, I'll tell ya. One sip and I was bleeding red, white, and blue.

I've heard a little about this beer before. I think I remember seeing a commercial during a Super Bowl at one time with these big horses with hairy white feet pulling a Budweiser truck, but I thought that was just an ad for horses. I mean seriously, who really advertises during the Super Bowl anyway? Just loser companies, right?

My friend Danny Noschese introduced me to this beer the other day over a few games of Golden Tee at our local watering hole in South Boston. We got a bucket of cold Budweiser bottles and literally, the second I opened the first one, I heard Bruce Springsteen singing "Born in the USA" from inside the bottle. Not only was Bruce singing at the top of his lungs, but suddenly everyone morphed into a Giants fan at the bar and brought out their portable grills. We started tailgating in the middle of the bar, cooking dogs, flipping burgers, tossing the pigskin around. Noschese went for a long fly pattern and ran directly into Uncle Sam who was on line at the bathroom. The place literally erupted into the greatest party I've ever seen. I was proud to be an American and a Giants fan, simply from opening a cold Budweiser bottle.

This beer unites people. It tastes like spring water with a hint of freedom; the after taste a combination between Apple Pie and the 4th of July. Fireworks erupt as you take each sip, as you truly know this is America...and this is a Budweiser.

Apparently this stuff has been out for years. My dad used to drink it with his white tee shirt on and jeans while singing Badlands and Glory Days around 114 Grandview. I didn't know that was Budweiser. I just thought it was an adult beverage with a weird name that made you smarter.

I can't recommend Budweiser enough. If you find yourself in a quandary at your local pub, or you're standing in the walk-in fridge at your nearest beverage mart debating what to buy, just listen for Springsteen. He'll be waving the American flag with his Desert Storm T shirt on, and he'll lead the way. If Lee Greenwood walks in behind you and points at the barkeep and just puts 2 fingers up, he means a few things. He'd like two Budweiser's and he's flashing the peace sign, because he is indeed Proud to be an American, where at least he knows he's free...to buy Budweiser.

Happy New Year folks. Cheers.

3 Month's, No Posts / James Vincent McMorrow

2010-12-23T15:29:00.002-05:00

I took a small, involuntary hiatus from blogging for some reason. I have no clue why. I left Citysearch and started a new job working for the Gilt Groupe, specifically Gilt City up here in Boston. Really cool site, inventor of the flash sale model, and one of the top start-ups in the online world. Maybe that's an excuse? Sure, I've been a lot busier, but I'm not sure that's the reason.

Wedding planning? Eh, we've pretty much nailed everything down from venues to menus, and music and booze. Everything has fallen into place nicely, so, still not an excuse to get away from writing.

Sometimes your passions get away from you and we lose a small piece of ourselves over time. Whether the guitar is sitting in the corner collecting dust, or your running shoes smell like roses, we all know that a piece is missing and we miss that void, however it's hard to get back into the swing of things. Writing a blog is simple. You sit down and start typing. Maybe I haven't been too moved by the music I've heard since my last post. Maybe I'm just bored of the music that I'm currently listening to? I don't think so. If anything, I've found even MORE artists that I want to share with people, artists that have made these new chapter transitions in my life a bit easier.

With all that said, blogs are simply logs of our thoughts, feelings, and happenings. You log your days, your nights, your new itunes purchases, and your last concerts. Sometimes, you even ramble about tasty beers you've tried. Not too hard, right? I have no excuse as to where I've been, but I'm back. "My dog ate my blog" isn't gonna work this time.

So, as an apology, please enjoy Ireland's James Vincent McMorrow. James toured with Bell X1, a band I used to work with at Intrigue Music a few years ago. Solid song foundation, Irish singer/ songwriter tunes. James' voice is impeccable. It's like he's whispering and doesn't want everyone to hear, then builds up to make sure you've been listening the entire time.

Cheers. Happy Holidays everyone.

Passenger : "Flight of the Crow"

2010-09-30T10:41:00.002-04:00

This record has blown me away, completely. Melancholy instrumentation and really nice vocals. Check it out. "Flight of the Crow" by Passenger, a UK artist.

Haven't stopped playing all of his 4 records over the past few days, but this one stands out. It's his new one. The title track is beautiful. Simple chord changes, but strong.

Below is a widget that streams the whole record. Throw it on in the background and go about your day. You may not hear every word, but your subconscious will.

Cheers,

John Legend & The Roots: "I Can't Write Left Handed" (Bill Withers Cover)

2010-09-23T11:12:00.011-04:00

Bill Withers is a true musical icon. It's interesting, as I write this post from my Boylston Street office in Beantown, his classic "Lean on Me" comes on the radio. Irony has its way of sneaking its way into your life, and right now it's singing to me. Bill Withers is a musical genius. "Live at Carnegie Hall" is probably one of my favorite live recordings in music. It was recorded and released in 1973 in NYC, at the infamous Carnegie hall. There was still a large amount of social unrest between blacks and whites at this time, but Bill took over Carnegie Hall and put together an amazing compilation of tunes that make you think, cry, and dance; 3 things we should do often. One of his songs, "I Can't Write Left Handed," is a standout track.

It's about a Vietnam vet who lost his right arm during the war. The lyrics are autobiographical and filled with such an interesting view on the war, what happens while at war, and even about the guy who shot him.

"I aint gonna live-I don't believe I'm going to live to get much older.
Strange little man over here in Vietnam I aint never seen, bless
his heart, aint never done nothing to, he done shot me in my shoulder."

Throughout the song you start to feel for the guy. In this "spoken letter" that the solder is writing, he keeps asking his mother to ask their local reverend to pray for him, as he feels he's about to die. He asks his family lawyer to get a deferment for his little brother so he doesn't get shipped out to Vietnam to potentially get hurt as well. It's such a deep, meaningful, storytelling song that blows me away everytime I hear it. On the Carnegie Hall record, you hear the entire band of 6 humming in the background while Bill tells stories and sings the tune. It has such a huge gospel feel and one that will make the room quiet whenever you play the song. Just listen to Carnegie Hall itself. You hear a few cheers and "amens" from the crowd, as if the hall was temporarily a Baptist church and Bill Withers was the reverend. It's beautiful.

Below is a really cool version done by the legendary Roots and John Legend, which was released on their record "Wake Up" which hit stores Tuesday of this week. The whole record dives into old school classics like Bill Withers and Donny Hathaway tunes. Really good stuff. Check it out.

Cheers,

Biffy Clyro : "Many of Horror"

2010-09-09T12:16:00.000-04:00

Check out the below. Biffy Clyro is huge in the UK....maybe he'll finally make his way to our shores.

Shout-out to my buddy Mike Mayer for showing me this tune. It blew me out of the water. This version is stellar, live from the NME magazine set.

Cheers,

Ronald Jenkees: "Guitar Sound"

2010-08-27T10:47:00.003-04:00

This guy is the future of music. Take my bet that within the next year, Ronald Jenkees will have a #1 single as a hip hop producer, a la Timbaland, Kanye, Just Blaze, and Ryan Leslie. Ronald has tons of Youtube videos out like this, of him playing tracks off his 2009 release "Disorganized Fun." The kid has talent. Absolute talent. He was two records out, both mixing a combo of electronic synth funkinees with hip hop overtones...really cool blend of sounds.

What I love most about it is that he can't read a single note of music. I can relate to that as I think learning notes takes away from the creative process. However, Ronald laps me by about 10x in talent. The kid is no joke. Watch this video and his others on Youtube. I have a link to the right with all his vids.

Mike Shinoda from Linkin Park recently blogged about Ronald, so watch out, the kid will be huge soon enough.

Cheers,

Missy Higgins : "Where I Stood"

2010-08-19T09:20:00.000-04:00

It's been forever, my bad, things are hectic in Beantown. Anywhoops, check out this live version of "Where I Stood" by Missy Higgins, one of Australia's finest. This is recorded from the KCRW studios out west; one of the best live music radio shows in the world.

This post is short and sweet, but I think the song speaks for itself. Listen to her piano skills while singing, let alone her vocal intonations. Beautiful.

Cheers,

Howie Day : "Ghost / Beams of Light"

2010-07-13T11:22:00.006-04:00

Check this out. Howie Day is the king of the loop pedal. Watch his feet when the camera zooms out. Look at the setup. He has a loop station w/ effects pedals to his left for his guitar, and a loop station to his right for his vocals. All of the effects, drum taps, delay, is done by Howie himself...on stage, live. One of the better loopers out in music now.

Notice at the end how he goes from "Ghost" to "Beams of Light" with a simple foot tap. He hits the tempo button on the Line 6 Digital Delay Loop Pedal (button to the far right in picture to left) and it speeds up his loops to cut time (twice the speed). Awesome.

The most killer part is when Howie hits the Octave pedal at around the 7 minute marker. This pedal tunes your average guitar down a full step, making it sound like a bass guitar. Everything he does in this version is remarkable and VERY hard, since the line 6's that he uses for vocals and guitar are not synced on tempo. He needs to precisely trigger each pedal to match the tempo of each other. Also, if he pushes the far left button above, and say he messes up and misses a note....he can't erase it. Newer pedals have a delete function, but not these ones. If he hits the wrong note, the entire song is ruined since he recorded it.... Talent.

Ah, technology.

Cheers,

Eric Hutchinson - "Rock and Roll"

2010-06-17T12:40:00.002-04:00

A lot of acoustic singer songwriters lose their edge and sound when they perform outside of the studio. It's simply what happens when a record is overproduced with bells and whistles and vocal filters, sometimes drowning out the actual tone of the singers voice.

This guy is different. Eric Hutchinson performing live is the same Eric Hutchinson in the studio. The vocals are DEAD on regardless of the venue. Below is a version of Eric singing his hit "Rock and Roll" off of his first record, "That Could've Gone Better" which was released in '03, and then re-released in 2008 when he started getting more press. This version is great because there are no bells and whistles. There isn't even a microphone. Eric is singing in a conference room of a radio station in Spokane. How awesome is that?

The vocals are identical to the record version. The guy rocks. Simple as that. He's got a cool soul feel mixed with a rhythmic, almost hip hop like delivery which is really cool to hear. It's like Jason Mraz had a baby with John Mayer, but the baby had a better sense of humor.

Shout out to Emerson College up here in Boston, which Eric went to. Great school and also produced one of the greater keyboard players who still jams, Page McConnell from Phish.

Cheers,

Bee Gees - "To Love Somebody"

2010-06-10T12:32:00.002-04:00

Having a retrospective Thursday, so here we go. "To Love Somebody." An absolutely beautiful song written and sung by the incomparable Bee Gees, covered by two of my idols, Ray LaMontagne and Damien Rice.

What an amazing tune and what a powerful performance.

Cheers,

The Art of High Fiving

2010-05-27T12:58:00.002-04:00

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

HIGH-FIVE! - watch more funny videos

David Ford : "Go To Hell"

2010-05-20T14:55:00.001-04:00

Not much needs to be said about the below video. When you start watching it, you really think it's just some dude in a kitchen playing with utensils, but keep watching. Everything that David Ford, hailing from England, is doing is being recorded on the spot. From knives to guitars, poland spring water jugs to piano, he harmonizes on top of his own voice and creates a full tune, on the spot.

He did this in a really cool and infamous recording studio in Brooklyn, not far from where I lived from 2006 - 2007. The entire studio, including kitchen, hallway, living room, and musical instruments are all mic'd. Everything David does is being recorded as he plays it.

I dare you to show me someone else who can make a song from scratch simply by walking around the studio, starting with a cup of tea.

Ray Lamontagne : "Empty"

2010-05-12T10:01:00.005-04:00

We've all been through various things in our lives that we wish never happened. "Pain" is a word in the dictionary for a reason, because it's something that we all feel at one point or another in our lives. Some of us feel more than others, some tune it out as if it doesn't exists, but it's there. Whether it's heartbreak, the loss of a loved one, or it seems like nothing ever goes your way...we've all been there and will be there again.

It's how you get past the pain that matters and brings out the true character inside you. Do you hide and hope it goes away or do you lift your head up and keep pushing along? In my life I've always had music, so this was my remedy. By deeply listening to lyrics from various artists I've been able to say "this ain't that bad" and just keep going, because there's no point in just sitting still. Ani Difranco wrote a tune called "As Is" in 1998 that appeared on her record, "Little Plastic Castles." Sometimes you think you can't win, and no matter what you do in life, you're not meant to push forward. She says:

"Cuz when I look around,
I think this, this is good enough.
And I try to laugh
At whatever life brings.
Cuz when I look down
I just miss all the good stuff.
When I look up
I just trip over things."

Why lift your head up if you're going to keep tripping over things, and why put your head down if you're going to miss all that this life has to offer? It's such a beautiful verse because we've all been there. If you're having a bad day, sometimes you just want to put your head down and say "screw it." But, if you do, you may have just missed something that could lift you up. I like when she says "when I look up, I just trip over things." Would you rather have your head down and not enjoy or learn anything from your surroundings, or would you rather stay confident, keep your head up, and have some rough patches while pushing forward? I don't know about you, but I choose the latter. Why walk if you never want to run?

Ray Lamontagne is perhaps the best lyricist when it comes to pain, suffering, feeling down. He's notoriously not a very "happy-go-lucky" person, if anyone has ever seen him live. His shows are very spiritual and emotional in a way that has people sitting and truly listening, not slamming cocktails and dancing. Therapy sessions typically cost well over $100 per session. Ray Lamontagne tickets cost about $30. You do the math. People are there for a reason.

Ray wrote a song called "Empty" which is utterly beautiful. The entire song is about how he feels empty inside, and how no matter how hard he tries, he just can't enjoy the good in life. Lines like "I never choose to count my blessings, I choose instead to dwell in my disasters" truly sum up the meaning of this song and his struggles. Sometimes we all act as martyrs with the "woe-is-me" syndrome. Woe isn't you, and woe will never be you. "Woe-is-me" only shows up to the party when you've let your guard down and completely refuse to push forward. Yet, this line in the song can still resonate inside all of us.

Ray gets to a point in the song where it sounds like there's no return; he'll never be happy. I get chills every time I hear the lyrics in the last verse because it's so real. If you watch the video below you'll see that he's not just acting this song out. He truly has this pain inside of him which is beautiful to watch and to hear, and not in a masochistic way; in a sympathetic and empathic way.

"Well I looked my demons in the eyes,
Laid bare my chest, said 'Do your best, destroy me.
You see, I've been to hell and back so many times,
I must admit you kind of bore me.'"

"You kind of bore me!" If you didn't get chills there then check your pulse. Listen, I know this post is rather dramatic and emotionally "blah," but this is a line that we all need to take into perspective. Next time you get down on yourself. Next time you feel like nothing's working out. Next time you lose someone, get your heartbroken, or just have a bad day...think of this line. If you've felt pain before, you know what it is and you know how it works. If you accept it and realize that it's inevitably going to happen then you can walk forward with your head up, even if you do trip over things on the way to wherever your life is heading.

This is a shout out to my buddy Scott Pinker in NYC who lost his Mother at the end of last year. She was an absolutely amazing mother and friend to Scott and to all that were close to the family; you always felt good when you were around her. She resonated love and her laugh and smile will forever be missed. Scott first showed me this song back when I was living in NYC, and he forwarded me a post from his buddy who wrote for a music magazine at the time. His buddy lost his mother at the time this song was released and he wrote about this exact lyric, so I wanted to give Scotty a quick shout out and say I'm thinking about you bud. You're a great friend.

Cheers.

Jackson Browne : "The Load Out" & "Stay"

2010-04-27T11:10:00.011-04:00

I remember being a kid out on the beaches of Montauk and Amagansett with my family. Scott and I must have been about 5 years old when we started going. The sand dunes and wooden walkways to the water are forever embedded in my mind. It was so cool. It was laid back, we were there with my whole family and our parents' friends, the McGuires and their kids...it was awesome. I remember that the houses we stayed in always had gravel driveways, and the crunch of the gravel as we drove over always reminded me that we were either just getting to the house or we were leaving. I didn't like the leaving part as much as the arriving.

I'll never forget the music out there. My dad and Mac (Mr. McGuire) were music fanatics and always had the best taste in tunes. I swear that these times out on Long Island placed a solid cornerstone into my appreciation for solid songwriting. From the Boss, to Bruce Hornsby. From Bob Dylan to Neil Young. Music was always on and music was always enjoyed.

Jackson Browne basically lived at our beach house. Similar to the Boss living at 114 Grandview, Jackson Browne was a fixture at the McGuire/ Brown summer vacation house, and he held the position as Entertainment Chair. My dad showed me Jackson Browne's tune, "The Load Out" which transitions into "Stay," and the rest is history. It easily goes down in my book as one of the best written songs, and one that I heard on repeat on many warm nights at our summer beach houses.

There's a specific moment that I remember that I think is great. Mac and my dad loved cooking lobsters at the houses. They'd get lobsters, pretty good sized as this was eastern Long Island, and they'd bring them home and let them somewhat roam free on the ground. Of course, Scott and I being twins and not at all competitive (insert giggle and wedgie here), we decided to race the lobsters on the floor. Man was that fun. When I hear Jackson open up "The Load Out," all I smell is the beach, I hear gravel crunching as we drive into the house, and I think of lobsters. It's an amazing memory that will forever stick in my mind.

The reason why "The Load Out" and "Stay" are such great tunes is because they are contextually about music, and what goes into performing each and every night in front of a new audience. "The Load Out" is entirely about Jackson's road crew. He pays homage to them and celebrates them, as if they are right on stage with them.

"Now the seats are all empty
Let the roadies take the stage
Pack it up and tear it down
They're the first to come and last to leave
Working for that minimum wage..."

That's his opening sentiment. It's a mellow piano riff with some emotion behind it, and then right into it. Later on he goes:

"Now roll them cases out and lift them amps
Haul them trusses down and get'em up them ramps
'Cause when it comes to moving me
You know you guys are the champs"

Throughout the rest of the tune he basically gives you an inside look on what it takes to put on his show every night. From the roadies, to the tour buses, to "Richard Pryor on the video," this IS the life of touring with Jackson Browne.

Name another artist who will write a song, and perform a song, solely for their road crew; the guys in all black with long hair, flash lights around their neck, smoking Marlboro reds while they push cases of guitars and sound rigs into 18 wheelers. These guys are no joke and these guys deserve praise. What makes this song even more powerful is that he plays it at the end of his shows, or as we know it, the "encore." The "encore" is meant for one purpose and that is to appease the crowd. The "hit" is usually played as the encore. "Running on Empty," or "The Pretender;" these are all huge hits. Sure, "The Load Out" and "Stay" did well, but in no way were they bigger than his other tunes. This was done on purpose, like "listen, my road crew is the best and this is for them. This is what they do every night, so check it out."

The song then turns into something for the crowd, like Jackson is saying "this party hasn't ended yet even though we might be leaving, but nah..." Jackson then sings:

"People stay just a little bit longer
We want to play -- just a little bit longer
Now the promoter don't mind
And the union don't mind
If we take a little time
And we leave it all behind and sing
One more song"

This blows up into a huge instrumental and they jam for about 5 minutes. Female vocals come screaming in, harmony vocals, sax solos, guitar solos. You name it. This isn't the end of show, this is a party and we're not quite ready to go. This is when the song becomes "Stay."

What a cool concept of a song and what great memories I have of it. Close your eyes and picture you're at a beach house while you listen to the below live version from '78; lobsters about to get cooked. Mom, dad and their friends are enjoying some tasty adult beverages. As a matter of fact, if you're reading this then you're of age, so grab a cold beer and enjoy Jackson Browne pay homage to his touring crew. What a tune.

Cheers,
Kevin Browne

Orianthi

2010-04-22T10:24:00.002-04:00

I first saw Orianthi play guitar for Carrie Underwood at the Grammy's a few years back. I was like, damn, this girl can SHRED a PRS!! I recently saw an interview with Carlos Santana where he said he was "passing the torch" to Orianthi. If Santana says that, you're good.

She's performed with Steve Vai, Santana, Prince, Carrie Underwood, and most infamously on "This is It" as Michael Jackson's lead guitar player. The girl can shred.

Ironically she's all over the radio right now with a track called "According to You," which is a huge pop hit with a grueling guitar solo in the middle. Trust me, I've tried to figure it out, it's impossible. Her fingers are like hummingbirds. Check her out.

Here's Orianthi showing how she got the gig to be MJ's guitar player on the "This is It" tour with her "Beat It" solo. Damn. Don't mind Jojo and his amazing kiss-assing of Orianthi. Sounds like someone has a crush...

Cheers,

Jónsi: "Go Do"

2010-04-15T10:18:00.009-04:00

Jón “Jónsi” Þór Birgisson... say that 10 times as fast as you can. For those who don't know "Jónsi" for short, he's the lead singer and guitar player for Icelandic band "Sigur Rós." What an amazing band, seriously, what an absolutely unreal band. Jónsi created his own language and this language comprises the lyrics to all of Sigur Ros' songs. You've heard them in "Vanilla Sky" the Tom Cruise flick, although that was an instrumental.

At any Sigur Ros show you'll see Jónsi playing the guitar with a cello bow, literally holding notes as if he's in the Icelandic Philharmonic, but performing dreamscape / fantasy music. Every Sigur Ros record has blown me away, from beginning to the end. You find yourself in a trance like stare while self reflecting and thinking about things that were never top of mind until you pushed play. Listen asap.

Jónsi has put out 2 records solo, one in 2009 entitled "Riceboy Sleeps" and one that was release 10 days ago called "Go." Go get "Go" now! I am completely blown away. From the percussive elements of standard Sigur Ros tunes to absolutely mind altering hooks, this record will make you smile and truly enjoy the things that you never thought were there in music. Small timpani fills in the background, a 4 on the floor bass groove with huge falsettos floating above guitars and bass riffs. I'm speechless now and will end it here. This is one of the best records I've owned in some time now.

Check it out. Here's the title track entitled "Go Do." Listen to the hook, when the "1, 2, 3, 4," feeling comes in even heavier from the bass drums. Wow.

Cheers,