Bruno Mars

       When Bruno Mars' first single came out and every one began talking about him, I thought he would be overrated. Then, my sister's friend announced that he was going to learn to play "Just the Way You Are," in time for her wedding and I thought it would be good to listen to this song that people were so excited about; then I fell under Bruno Mars' spell.

       No matter how talented an artist is, their success comes down to how charismatic that person is, and you cannot watch Bruno Mars without liking him. I've never seen him live (though he is on my list of performers I will see in the future), but watching his live performances on MTV, SNL, or any other award/talent/night show which he has performed on, have revealed his great stage presence. He always appears to be happy while performing, and that makes it so much more enjoyable to watch. His voice sounds the same live as it does recorded (which is so important with the rampant auto-tuning of today's artists) and he and his band are so fun to watch on stage that you can't not like them; they remind me of The Fray in that, even if the band does not make sense as a concert band, they are fantastic because the front man knows how to work and communicate with the crowd (and enjoys doing so).

       "Just the Way You Are" was his first break-through single (solo single, as "Nothin' On You" and "Billionaire" had already made him a household name) and, though it was sickeningly sweet, with just the right amount of commercial sheen, it's balanced out by other songs like "Our First Time" or "Liquor Store Blues" on Doo-Wops & Hooligans. I can't help but think that I would not like "Just the Way You Are" if I were not a girl; I am though, so why not admit that I love it? 

       "Runaway Baby" is just great; the song might be 'raunchy', but I just can't take offence, or do any more than laugh at "there's only one carrot and they all gotta share it," if it's coming from Bruno Mars. "Marry You" is just as horrifically catchy as "Runaway Baby," only it is slightly more 'socially acceptable'. It's also the reason why I will never refer to anything as alcohol again; it's "dancing juice".

        "The Lazy Song" might have been overplayed, but that does not mean that it is not fantastic. Who has not had one of these days, and someone had to admit that Snuggie's were great. Plus, it's a great ukulele song, and there are not enough of those.

        "Talking to The Moon" was on my roommate's playlist for nearly an entire year and I grew tired of it, but listening to it now after not hearing it in a while, I can understand why it is so great. It has an 'old school' sound that works fantastically with Bruno Mars' style and voice, and the song itself is beautiful (and I very rarely describe things as 'beautiful'). "The Other Side" falls under this same category, where the song is different from the others on the album, but in the most unexpected, and best, way. The song does feature Cee-Lo Green and B.o.B, but I would still think it was great without their input (probably).

       "Count On Me" is the best song by Bruno Mars; it's the only song by him which I like more than "Runaway Baby". "If you're tossing and you're turning and you just can't fall asleep, I'll sing a song, beside you" is just great, to me.

       "Grenade" is too catchy to ignore and claiming that it is not as 'good' as the others would be useless, but I still wonder how he knew that she had her eyes open when they first kissed. He redeems himself though by saying, or singing rather, "tell the devil I said hey when you get back to where you're from".

        "It Will Rain" was not my favorite when it first came out as I knew it only as 'that song the radio DJ announced as the new single from the Twilight movie'. If you don't associate that with the song though, it's still just as good as all of his others. Bruno Mars has this great talent for manipulating lyrics and finding the absolute best words to describe how he feels. 

       "Lighters," is a truly great song; Mars lends a great hook to the song and, though he may be an unexpected addition to the band's duo, the song would not be as great without him. The same thing goes for "Young, Wild, & Free"; granted, when I saw Wiz Khalifa and Snoop Dogg perform this song live, I did not complain about the lack of Mars, but his voice does add to the recorded song. 

       "Locked Out of Heaven," to me, sounds like Bruno Mars has found his niche, and I cannot wait for his new album. He sounds great, the song is put together wonderfully, and it is just as catchy as all of his previous songs. He premiered his song, "Young Girls," from this same album, on Saturday Night Live this past week, and both of his performances were slightly hypnotizing; his stage presence is only getting better with time. "Young Girls" might also be his only song which will compete with "Count On Me" as my favorite.

       Bruno Mars released the track list for his new album, Unorthodox Jukebox, at the beginning of the month, along with announcing the release of the album, and I cannot wait to get his album on December 11th. He has announced that the album will be eclectic, as he did not want to corner himself into having to create only one sound; I think anyone who has read this blog knows how I feel about variety on an album. He might be a mainstream artist, but there is a reason for his popularity. 

- E

"I Cry"

"I Cry" Flo Rida
       I know that I am in dire need of sleep when my mouth starts letting whatever crosses my mind come out without first censoring itself. This became apparent to me about five minutes ago while trying to put up a quick song post, but I wanted to put up something before the end of the night. This is how I prepare for a quick Flo Rida post after a little less than two hours of sleep in as many days.

   Me: "One day, I'm going to be a rapper like Flo Rida. I'll be Indi Ana. Or, ha, or Mont Ana."

   Sister: "That makes no sense. Your name isn't Ana."

   Me: "Or, OR, Dela...WARE."

   Sister: "What? That doesn't. That makes less sense than the first two."

       Between work, school, and personal obligations, I have been awake for nearly forty-seven hours. Just watch the video.

- E

Musical Comfort Zones

       I've never really talked about any bands that were not English speaking, so why not do that now? Kassav' has got to be one of the most impressive bands. Not the most impressive foreign band, nor the most impressive French band, just a truly impressive band. They've released 20 albums since their band originated, excluding the 12 solo albums made by different members of the group. Their official genre is 'zouk,' which really just means that they make 'party music' that makes you feel relaxed, kind of like Bob Marley, except that I can listen to an entire Kassav' song. I would, usually,  never look to Italy for rap, but Nesli is actually pretty good, and Mondo Marcio is, well, he scares me a bit, but someone might like him. Even though Najoua Belyzel (France) is a pop singer, I did fall for "Comme Toi" in high school, and she continues to make addictive songs. Another French pop singer, Nadiya, was forced onto me sometime during my interminable French classes, but I learned to like her after she came out with "Amies Ennemies". "Ai Se Eu Te Pego" is such a ridiculous song, but Michel Telo (Brazil) somehow pulls it off and makes it awfully catchy. If you want good dance music from Belgium, "Alors on Danse," by Stromae, is kind of great; it's so basic and I can't help but love the lyrics. And if you're looking for a sickeningly sweet Italian pop song, Tiziano Ferro has everything you need. Ligabue (Italy) just exudes classic rock, and I kind of love it, not as much as I enjoy listening to Zero Assoluto sometimes, but still really good. Due to my seven years of French class and my dad's insistence that I "stick with the language" because of my "French and Belgian background," most of my foreign music is in French, but I think I have done a fairly good job of diversifying it... with Italian. Regardless, if we all love "Fuego" and "Dragostea din tei" so much, why can't we feel the same about "Ti Sposero" or "Gobbledigook" (who doesn't like alternative rock from Iceland??)?

       Granted, it is difficult to find music that is different from the music you already own. You don't look for music you don't normally listen to and, if you do, it is usually not available; I got Alphabeat and Infadels from my English friend because I could not get them in the US iTunes or Amazon stores at that time (and I don't illegally download music. There's the whole morality thing; I don't do it because I do not want to take away anything from the artist who put so much effort into making it for my enjoyment. There's also the selfish reason though, which is that it always, always leaves a virus somewhere in your computer).

       Leaving your musical comfort zone does not just mean finding music you love in foreign languages; for me, it's accepting any band I would normally not listen to, namely, any band which describes themselves as 'Christian' or 'gospel'. I did, however, fall in love with Relient K when I was in high school (as everyone does) and Group 1 Crew sometime during my freshman year, and continue to like both bands, despite their genres. Though, while researching Paper Route, I found that one of my new favorite bands was considered a Christian group, I still love the band. It's not too difficult to get over any reservations if the band is good.

       Even stepping out of your comfort zone when it comes to your favorite artists is important. Try listening to "Fingerprints" instead of "Firework," or leaving "Super Bass" for "Marilyn Monroe" or "Masquerade". Gosh, try leaving "We Are Young" for "I Wanna Be the One"; I know "We Are Young" is a great song, but so are all the other songs Fun. did on Aim and Ignite before releasing Some Nights (or listen to "C'mon"; it is, possibly, one of the best collaborations I have ever heard live. I mean, I kind of really like Brendon Urie, but that does not play too much into my love of this song).

       Every song or artist mentioned above, plus Anggun, Povia, and other great foreign, comparatively, artists.

- E

Foxy Shazam

       This band is so deliciously different that I can't help but love them. They have that classic rock band sound (making them the best modern rock band today) with six of the craziest (and most energetic) performers (Eric Sean Nally, Loren Turner, Sky White, Daisy, Alex Nauth, and Aaron McVeigh) I have ever seen. They've released four albums (The Flamingo Trigger, Introducing, Foxy Shazam, and The Church of Rock and Roll) since forming in 2004, but those recorded songs do not do them justice; you have to see the band live to truly appreciate their musical abilities; honestly, there is nothing like your first Foxy! experience.

       Nally smokes while performing (then eats the cigarette), somersaults, lays down on the stage, runs around and dances emphatically, and tells entire stories, in the way that only he can (he has a very distinct, and suspenseful, way of story-telling). Nauth (trumpet/backing vocals) swings his trumpet around, even throwing it into the air at times, without missing a beat. Turner (guitar) dances the whole time while managing to refrain from getting horribly tangled in the cables, Daisy can balance a bass better than anyone I've ever seen, and even though McVeigh is back on the drums, he maintains the same energy as the rest of the band while performing. White, on the keyboards, is definitely my favorite; if you can spin around, dance, and stomp your foot on the keyboards, without missing a note, you're amazing (and he's the only guy that can make that beard work). I aspire to play the piano half as amazingly as White does, one day.

       Writing about the songs they have done will give you an idea of the band, but the band is the energy which they exude in all of their performances, be it on the stage or in a music video. So, instead of my normal routine, I'm going to post some great performance videos: This is the best video to show Nally's interaction with the crowd, as no one does it better (or scarier) than he does. I don't believe any band is as energetic as Foxy Shazam during a performance (one of the reasons they are so great). This is a video (not my own) from my first Foxy Shazam experience; how could I not fall in love with them? When the band first comes out on the stage, they attack it, and you can't deny that you don't like Nally's ridiculous stories. This may be the best introduction to a song about America, and "The Only Way to My Heart" is quite possibly my favorite song by the band (although "The Streets", "I Wanna Be Yours", "Wanna-Be Angel", and, of course, "Killin' It" are all pretty amazing).
        Though I did not care for the band too much before seeing them live, listen to their music and watch their live videos because it is quite likely that they will grow on you; they're kind of irresistible once you get started. They're ridiculous, odd, fun, and, most of all, they're just Foxy; that, in and of itself, makes the band fantastic.

       Their music may not be for everyone, but you cannot write it off completely until you've seen a live performance (attended one, I should say). It's ridiculously energetic and so, so weird, but in the absolute best way possible. I truly cannot put into words why I find them so wonderful, but I kind of love them. Foxy Shazam is the craziest band and I hope they never change. 

http://foxyshazam.com/

http://www.facebook.com/FoxyShazam

http://www.myspace.com/foxyshazam

- E

Passion Pit

       Some concerts are better in the sun (Michael Franti & Spearhead), some are better in rain (Panic! At The Disco), some are better with a bigger audience (The Fray), and some are just better inside, in a dingy club that smells like beer, sweat, and some unidentifiable floor cleaning solution (Passion Pit).

       The first time I saw Passion Pit (June 2010), I had secured a spot on the second step up from the 'mosh pit' and was surrounded by people who never stopped dancing and singing along. The atmosphere was as great as it can be when that many people are shoved together into one room and, honestly, Passion Pit is a lot better when you are forced to sway along with the crowd and Michael Angelakos is only ten feet away; I love outdoor concerts, but there is just something about being forced to dance and having the band be a part of the crowd that you cannot duplicate at an outside or amphitheater concert. At that first concert, you knew everyone was there to see Passion Pit (although I was, admittedly, a little more excited for the opening act; Tokyo Police Club), and they were all so excited that they could not contain themselves. The band was adorable and talked with the crowd, had the audience dancing along with the band, and Michael Angelakos even jumped down into the crowd during a song (not crowd surfing, literally jumping down into, and joining, the crowd). I have no clue what they opened with, only that it was amazing and sucked me in. I do know, that "Little Secrets" is one of the best live performances I have been in, "Moth's Wings" would not have been as good had they not dropped round white confetti (made to fall like moth's wings; how cheesily poetic, and slightly great) during the performance, "The Reeling" and "Eyes As Candles" are best when you can feel the bass in your chest and you don't even notice that you have someone else's beer all over your favorite Converse, their cover of "Dreams" is a great last song, and "Sleepyhead," beginning with the 'stripped down' version, is the best encore song. Ever. I truly adored Passion Pit the first time I saw them, and was so excited to see them again.

       The second time I saw them, they were playing at a music festival, and no one showed up until Passion Pit had even begun to perform (which was fine by me because I got front 'row' seats for LP and, subsequently, Passion Pit, but it's still disrespectful to just barge in on the end of someone's performance because they are not well known, yet). The performance itself was still great, they are a great band, but it was just, different. There was a clear separation between the stage and the 'viewing area', a clear distinction between the band members and the audience, and the fans themselves were different (they were impatient and inconsiderate; when you go to a concert, you're not cool, anyone can go to a concert. Shut your mouth because the band will come on when they are prepared. Complaining about the band being on time, rather than early, then turning around and acting like you're their biggest fan only makes you an asshole). They did all their big songs like "Moth's Wings," "Sleepyhead," and "Let Your Love Grow Tall," along with a few of the songs off their new album ("Take A Walk" and "Carried Away"); the only problem with this was that their new album had not been released yet. (Side note/ back-story time!: My friend and I saw Foxy Shazam opening for a band two summers ago, and they were really fucking cool; the trumpet player threw his instrument into the air (like, ten feet up-crazy) and caught it during a song, then continued to play like it was normal, and the pianist was standing on his keyboard, just stomping on it. After hearing Eric Sean Nally explain that this was his first show since getting out of jail for killing his neighbor's dog, we were kind of afraid to be caught not singing along. Before the concert, my friend was worried that they would not be able to sing along to all the words and I assured them that, if you just said "banana," it would look like you were saying the lyrics. When we got to the concert and realized Nally bordered on insane, we began dancing really enthusiastically and mouthing banana, as their biggest fan (some great middle aged man) screamed and cheered in front of us). So when Passion Pit began playing songs from an album that had yet to be released (though it appeared that every hipster in that crowd knew the lyrics by heart), my friend and I looked at each other, then began our enthusiastic dancing and banana chanting. The concert, thankfully, ended with a song we knew ("Little Secrets") because, as much fun as it is to just dance around, it's more fun to know the lyrics and sing along to a great song. Aside from my friend and I looking like assholes (but fun-loving assholes) for a few songs, the concert just was not as great as the first one. The band themselves were different; is this front guy in a suit and tie, stalking across the stage, the same one who was wearing a shirt and jeans that kept bending down to the crowd a few years ago? Their songs were the same, the crowd was still excited, the band still did a great job, it was just a different feeling; like the band's attitude on performing might have changed a bit.

       Regardless, Passion Pit is a great band, and I am hoping that they were just having an off night, rather than letting the fame change them. The band is still great though, and their new album (Gossamer) might actually be better than their earlier one (Manners), so don't write them off just because I said they weren't stellar on audience involvement at one outside concert; they are kind of fantastic.

       A picture from that first concert:                                                   And second concert:

- E

Update- Sleeperstar

       Sleeperstar announced the release of their Blue Eyes- EP today! With all of the great albums that have come out in the past two months, and all the albums still set to release, none of them hold as much excitement as the new Sleeperstar EP does, for me. It may just be an 'extension' of their Just Another Ghost album, but considering that the band first announced that the EP should be available by last May, finally having an official release date (January 29) makes me really happy. On their facebook page, they also announced that their next full length album, Lost Machines, would be released sometime in 2013. When I wrote about them for my freshman music class, I had no idea that their songs would be featured in television shows and movie trailers, and I am so proud of them for continuing to come out with more great music. If you do not already love the band, listen to their songs, because they are amazing; I am so excited for this new album to be released.

- E

Band Break-Ups

       There is nothing more frustrating than really falling in love with a band, investing time and money into their music for years, then having that band break up.

       The summer I turned nine, my dad got me Nickel Creek to keep me pre-occupied (silent) during our drive to Virginia's coast. I fell in love with the band; I listened to "The Lighthouses Tale" so many times that I can still sing it from memory, "When You Come Back Down" is so much better to me now than it was back then, and for some reason I used to really love "The Fox" (it's kind of an awful song, but I think, i hope, nine year old was more interested in the music than the lyrics). This band was amazing, and then they disbanded in 2007.

       I first heard Meese when iTunes offered their song, "Next In Line," as the 'single of the week' sometime during my high school years, and loved it. The band had so much potential and had toured with so many 'big name' bands before releasing their first full length album in 2009, then they broke up in 2010. Seriously? At least try to make it a full year before throwing away your music careers.
       I would be more upset about Love, She Wrote breaking up, but I really only had one album from them and, though I really did adore "Bling Bling Baby" and "Outlaw Josey Wales," the other songs, like "That Girl is Fierce," sound reminiscent of any other boy group in the 2000's, like Never Shout Never or All Time Low. It's a little sad that they broke up, but their sound was not especially unique.

       Someone gave me Hey Monday my freshman year of college (one of the best things about living in a shitty dorm is that you will get a lot of different music) and "I Don't Wanna Dance" became my new, go-to I'm-angry-so-leave-me-the-fuck-alone-while-I-ruin-my-cochlear-hair-cells-and-get-over-it song. So, when I was watching The Voice (I was not in control of the remote at the time) and found out that Cassadee Pope was a contestant because the band was on a hiatus, my only thought was "well, that was a nice short run". Does anyone try to make their band last long enough to have a five year anniversary anymore?

       ALL CAPS may not have broken up, but the band has gone on an indefinite hiatus due to Kristina Horner's vocal nodes. While she has been unable to sing, Luke Conard, the other lead singer of the duo, has been working on projects with different singers and many have taken this to mean that the band officially broke up. I adore this band; if I had to choose a band that I loved more than Lady Danville, it would be ALL CAPS (who doesn't love songs about robots/zombies/summertime romances?) I'll just continue to check their band and youtube pages, in hopes that they get back together soon.

       The Hush Sound went on hiatus a few years ago, but they might be getting back together (?). The band has not made any announcement on a band reunion, but they have announced that they will be going on a short 'reunion' tour (only eight shows) and Bob Morris has made comments on Twitter suggesting that the band get back together. The Hush Sound is some sort of great equalizer; everyone, no matter their music style, seems to like the band, or at least one of their songs. "A Dark Congregation" was all I listened to for months when I was fifteen, and the piano on "You Are the Moon" is just beautiful, while "Sweet Tangerine" and "Honey" take a less (composition-wise) serious route, while being just as great as the aforementioned songs. It's difficult to even choose a favorite song from their albums, as each song is so different from the previous one (my immediate answer is "The Artist," then I take "Magnolia" and "Echo" into consideration, and then start thinking about "We Intertwined," "Wine Red," and "Not Your Concern"). Somewhere along the way, this turned into an advertisement for The Hush Sound, but they are amazing and, if you did not already miss them, this should help. I'll just keep hoping for some footage from their first concert after October 26th that features a new song and a re-uniting of the band. 

       If your favorite band breaks up, just hope that they'll pull some sort of Guided by Voices or Creed thing and get back together after they realize their solo careers aren't working out too well; not that I'm hoping for them to fail, it's only that, when you like a band, you never want them to break-up.

- E