The Dogs of War

Yes I am a Roger Waters fan, but I am also a Pink Floyd fan and even if Roger and David Gilmour can't along, I can still appreciate a good Floyd song. There is no denying that this song is a good Floyd song. Off of their 1987 album A Momentary Lapse of Reason, The Dogs of War is an amazing song musically.

The song has four wonderful movements which is definitely a rare thing, but then again I AM talking about Floyd. The first movement introduces you to the those Dogs of war and how they do what they do and why. It's dark, pulsing, ominous, and damn delicious (listen to those strings!!!). The second movement the band comes in and rocks it out. David's guitar playing is as smooth as ever and the vocals give this movement real depth. The third brings in the saxaphone and a serious change in tempo until it goes back to the begining but this time combining the strings, the band, the voices, and the sax, the fourth movement and true artistry at work.

I can't say I am a fan of all of Gilmours work but there are those moments when I hear his music and think damn, I wonder what kind of music those two men could have made had they stayed together. Sadly, we will never know but at least we have something from the both of them to enjoy. I know I will (You're welcome to join me if you like)!

Disappear Here

On the way to work one morning this pajst week, this song came up on the playlist and man, it was just what I needed. This is the second time this group has appeared on my blog. The group is Hybrid and is time it's for their masterpiece entitled Disappear Here. Off of the the 2010 album of the same name, Disappear Here is a piece of music that will propel you forward.

It starts off languid, almost lazy but it solidifies nicely and picks up the pace. With Charlotte James on lead vocals this song is perfect for the instrument that is her voice. Mike Truman and Chris Healings have created a groove that suits her abilities perfectly. When Charlotte sings lines like I have been your guilty pleasure/I've been your lack of restraint...Applied the perfect pressure/To your sweet subordinate the song becomes profound. The beauty of this song though, in my opinion comes at the 4:30 mark where the song gives the listener some peace. It's one of the most beautiful breaks you'll ever hear.

While I do like Break My Soul better, it is only slightly because Disappear Here is as mentioned above, a masterpiece of a song. Let me know if you agree with me. Enjoy!

In A Sentimental Mood

I ask this question often to people who consider themselves music lovers, what's the prettiest melody they have ever heard. I get so many answers to some very good pieces of music but no matter what musical road I am led down, I always come back to this piece. In A Sentimental Mood by the masters Duke Ellington and John Coltrane is not only one of the most beautiful melodies I have ever heard but it also evokes an emotion of...longing.

I have come across a lot of people who claim not to like jazz because they "just don't get it", like it's some kind of equation to solve. I always recommend one of two songs for those jazz haters to listen to and Coltrane is involved in both of them. The first is Tranes Central Park West and the other is this song. The simplistic beauty of this song is almost without equal and after hearing it, if one can't appreciate this art form then there really is no hope for them.

Duke Ellington was once asked to describe his music in an interview and he stated unequivocally "there is good music and bad music, I make good music". Yes you do Duke, yes you do. Enjoy!

Sideshow

Do you remember the very first song you ever fell in love with? The very first song that touched your heart and stirred your soul? That song that stayed with you no matter how long ago you first heard it? I do and for me that song is Sideshow by Blue Magic. I was a precocious little big headed six year old child with my very own record player, okay fine it was a Fisher-Price Show and Tell but it still played regular 45's. My parents kept their music in my room and one day I played this song and that was it for me, and I was ONLY six.

Hailing from Philadelphia, Blue Magic dropped their debut album entitled Blue Magic in 1974 and had a string of hits off of it. Sideshow was just one of the many but for me it was THE hit. The melody, the harmonizing, the strings, and the lyrics grabbed me by the neck and have yet to let go of me. To this very day I smile when I hear this song, it has stood the test of time.

I love a lot of songs, there is NO denying that. I am intensely passionate about ALL kinds of music (to which I think my blog attests too) but perhaps if it weren't for this song, that might not be the case. Who knows how many times I replayed this song over and over on that little record player of mine but that's what you do with first loves, you replay them. Sometimes in your mind and others, in your headphones. Enjoy!

Dirty Hands

When Battlestar Galactica was on the sci-fi network I was a huge fan. Yeah, yeah I know I'm a geek but I'm a cool one. Anyway, not only did the show feed my need for sci-fi, drama, suspense, and action but in my opinion the real star of that show was the music of Bear McCreary. I didn't know of Bear or his music before the show but after getting a taste of his sound I am now a huge fan of his as well, especially this track entitled Dirty Hands. It's from the season 3 episode of the same name and it's a perfect fit.

Dirty Hands starts off truly bad ass, sounding like something out of a spaghetti western. You can almost see the tumbleweeds blowing by if you close your eyes and listen. The twangy guitar and bass definitely sets the table lovely and Bears music for BSG has always included the thunderous Japanese Taiko drums which brings an energy all their own to the music. This song rumbles and rolls along until the bass takes over and the mood intensifies.

Then suddenly the bad ass-ness falls away, the tension lifts and what you get is a gentleness, a softness that almost screams of reconciliation and peace. It's a great track, filled with darkness, light, and a feral kind of energy that makes it one of my favorite pieces of music. I hope you enjoy it and if you have your big boy speakers set to go then turn this one up.

Breathe Of Life

It's apparent I am in a big boy speaker mood right now because this yet another big boy speaker cut. This one is full of all the drama you could want in a song. Strings, choir, bombast, and that magnificent voice of Florence from Florence + The Machine. The name of this song is entitled Breath Of Life and it comes straight at you as the credits roll in Snow White and The Hunstman.

When it started I was immediatley taken by the driving instrumentation and her voice riding it like one does a thundering horse. Then the song becomes gentle, dark but gentle. The song begins to pick up steam and Florences voice makes you realize that ONLY her voice could have been put on this track. Her vocals are strong enough to carry this track and not get drowned out by the backing choir or the orchestra.

The movie was entertaining, good even. I'll give it that, but this song, this song was a stroke of genius and it just made the movie even better. Enjoy

Lock You Up N' Love Fa Days

This is another big boy speaker joint, I kid you NOT. This song on the bbs's just rocks, HARD! Regarding who the artist is you might be surprised to to read that but it's the truth. The way the bass line rumbles throughout this cut and the beat kicks, it was designed for those speakers with wide frequency response. The artist is Maxwell and the name of the cut is Lock You Up N' Love Fa Days. The sentiment of the track just doesn't match the rocking track but the song is sexy as all hell.

It's not baby making music, it's bed breaking music and if you didn't buy the single Acension off of Maxwells debut Urban Hang Suite then you never heard this cut. Luckily I bought that single and the b-side blew me the fuck away! And one of the coolest things about this song is during the chorus you hear a faint police siren which ties in nicely with the locking you up theme.

After hearing this cut I knew Maxwell was serious talent. Granted, he's not playing every instrument on the track (Prince would have had him killed if that were the case) but this track is tighter than a snare and his vocals are perfect. You may not be a Maxwell fan but you play this on those big boys and you WILL be a fan of this cut. I promise you. Enjoy!

High Roller

THIS IS A BIG BOY SPEAKER ALERT!!!!

This song is so NOT meant for small ear buds or those headphones you get at the ninety nine cent store. High Roller, designed, crafted, and executed by The Crystal Method was meant to be heard on the best speakers money could buy or by the smart ones that know where to get good speakers inexpensively. This song was meant to piss your neighbors of and have the cops knocking on your door regardless of what time of day it is, it's THAT powerful (and of course I crank the old ipod all the way up when this song starts to play).

Off of their 1997 debut album entitled Vegas,The Crystal Method set out to destroy eardrums and let the world know of their existence. Vegas was a mosh pit of different tempo tracks and the funkiest one was the first track off the album, the classic Trip like I Do. That track, however funky is not my favorite though, High Roller is and it's because it makes my speakers work (and those that know me know how my speakers work).

Method has gotten better as the years have passed. They've become more daring and even added some vocals to their later work. Yes I'm a damn fan and proud of it and they made me one with High Roller. Give it a chance, pump it on your big boy speakers, or put it on the car stereo as you floor it and you just may become a damn fan of Method too. Enjoy!

Modern Industry

This is a band that I listened to and was into hardcore back in my twenties. No I didn't rock the mowhawk but that doesn't mean I didn't want to. And that doesn't mean these cats didn't influence my style back then. This song, Modern Industry was the first time I ever came across something so genre shifting and it was then that Fishbone invaded my soul. It was the best of times.

Modern Industry is an hilarious song (I'm not really sure you can call it an actual song but there is music involved). Back in the day of the Walkman, if this tape wasn't playing it was never far from reach. Modern was off their 1985 EP release entitled what else, Fishbone and the second I heard it I was hooked. There are no real lyrics to this song but damn if it isn't funny and somewhat serious.

Now will you become a fan of one of the most influential bands to ever rock? I don't know, probably not. That may be too much to ask but if you dig this song then you just may go digging for others by them. Then you may find yourself wanting to bone in the boneyard, party at ground zero, rock the mowhawk, and start believing these are the best of times.

Moody's Mood for Love

If you grew up like I did in New York City, and you listened to the radio station WBLS from 4 to 8pm then you knew the "Chief Rocker" Frankie Crocker and you knew this song. Reason being, every night upon signing off from the air Frankie would play King Pleasure's version of Moody's Mood for Love. I didn't know it at the time but Frankie was smacking us all over the head with a classic. Originally an instrumental solo by James Moody in 1949, his take on Jimmy McHughs classic I'm in the Mood for Love, Moody's Mood didn't really take off until jazz singer Eddie Jefferson wrote the lyrics to the piece in 1952. Then it was rather hard to ignore.

What I so love about this song, outside of the witty delivery and inventive lyrics in King Pleasures version is the orchestration backing him up. Those are REAL strings and they sound so lovely....just listen to them. Singing along with King is the great named Blossom Dearie (is that not a classic name or what?) and she sets her man straight. This is yet another one of my favorite songs because this song brings me back to my childhood almost instantly. I love the lines Am I insane or do I really see heaven in your eyes/Bright as stars that shine up above you in the clear blue skies...perfection.

Jimmy McHugh sued James Moody back in 1954 for copyright infringement once Kings version became a hit. He and Moody eventually agreed to split all proceeds on sales of any version of the song. This song has been redone countless times by countless artists including the late Amy Winehouse, her version is....interesting. I will always love this song and especially this version because it takes me back to a time when all I had to worry about was bringing home a decent to good report card. My how time flies. Enjoy

Who Do You Love?

This is one of my all time favorite songs and every time I hear it I can't help but break out into a huge smile. Maybe it's because I actually met this artist, shook his hand, and get his autograph more than twenty years ago. This song is one of the reasons why I bought my first keyboard, why I wanted to get into making music and not just appreciating it. The name of my paradigm shifting song is Who Do You Love by Bernard Wright. I know, I know you were probably thinking maybe Marvin Gaye or Stevie Wonder, someone along those lines, right? Nope, it was little known Bernard with his ONLY hit that lit that fire within me and I can't really explain why. I just know that when I hear this track it just makes me feel good.

Bernard Wright was born in Queens, NY and was a serious session musician and has recorded with some prominent acts until he wanted to be out front. Like I stated, this song was his biggest hit coming off his 1985 album Mr. Wright. I vividly remember the video of him and his female co-star rolling around on the sidewalk with the camera strapped to them. It was an hilarious, feel good video. This song was later sampled pretty much in it's entirety by LL Cool J for his song Loungin'. Needless to say I wasn't happy...lol. Bernard still records today but it's primarily gospel music he's doing and I am sure he's still doing his thing.

The song breaks no new ground, it won't set your hair on fire or make you go digging for Bernard's music anytime soon. Give Who Do You Love a chance though and it just may grow on you and you may enjoy hearing it as much as I do. Now if I could just find that autographed photo...