The Smiths Are On Every Pandora Station

It's been too long since I rashly began this Blogger/Blogspot/Blurrrrgh before moving quickly to Tumblr (dieanalogdie.tumblr.com), but in light of the recent awesomeness that has been 2010 for music, I felt it only appropriate to raise the volume a little and talk in an outside voice.  Highly appropriate that my last post dealt with Colorado-based rock group Cure For Madeline, as well as audio-enema spazzsters Rolo Tomassi.  Let us open a window, let in a little air, and take a journey for a minute.

Today I found a message in my inbox from a certain "Giovanni".  Also certain was the fact that I do not know anyone named Giovanni.  I was curious about this little message.  I decided to open the bastard up and take a look-see.  What I found was a charming note from one of the guitar players of Fort Collins' own Cure For Madeline (HERE, BITCHES).  Upon discovering this fact, I was immediately surprised that none of the message contained the usual "fuck you"s and "you wouldn't know good music if I called it David Bowie and put it in a dress" (this. has. happened.).  The note was very polite; Giovanni explained that he had come across my earlier blog entry and was "intrigued" at my opinion.  He asked that I head BACK to their MySpace (I admit, I shuddered a little at the thought) and listen to their newer material.

Oh, fine.  Let me pack a bowl first.

Reason #1 on why I am here.  I did go back to their MySpace, and I listened to their two newest (citation needed) tracks - "Cherries & Lemonade" and "ADDICT".  Thoughts on both follow.

"Cherries & Lemonade", on first listen, sounds like Paramore.  I am not making a comparison in style here.  It flat out sounds like a slow Paramore song.  Think "Let This Go" from All We Know Is Falling.  Now, let me explain how this isn't necessarily a bad thing.  I dig on Paramore more than I really should, but at the same time...who the hell thought it was a good thing to sound exactly like someone else?  Maybe it is the fact that I am seriously bored with every genre of music you find on popular radio nowadays - especially when it comes to so-called "alternative" rock - but once again (SURPRISE!) nothing truly grabbed me about this.  Fun fact:  This track also features Joey Barba formerly of The Brotherhood Of Dae Han and now of my second-favorite Colorado band, Tickle Me Pink.  Even the Barba could not kick out the jams to make this song anything more than okay.

After a couple more listens, I do have to say that vocal work has gotten a lot stronger and the harmonies of the chorus are the most decent parts of the song.  I didn't find my face melting-off Raiders Of The Lost Ark style...which, in this context, means this band could still be making leaps and bounds in their style and songwriting skills.

THIS IS WHAT SHOULD BE HAPPENING WHEN I HEAR YOUR MUSIC.

Now, what can I say about "ADDICT"?  It's definitely a lot different from "Cherries & Lemonade"?  It starts out with a pretty typical Coheed & Cambria guitar line (which you achieve by mixing together power metal, prog rock, and any riff ever written by any guitar player who has ever listened to a single At The Drive-In song), and then fleshes out a bit with the best vocal work I've heard from front-woman Whitney Leigh so far.  It's got a little attitude!  A little snarkiness!  Then suddenly, it hits me.  The Donnas.  It REALLY REALLY REALLY reminds me of The Donnas, and hilarity ensues.  I couldn't get the image of Donna A thrashing out next to Claudio Sanchez and that huge hair of his out my head.

There.  I did it.  I tried.  My best attempt at giving Cure For Madeline another shot.  I guess it's getting better...?  Keep it up and maybe they'll find a voice that more closely resembles their own.  It might seem like I get down on what might influence an artist, or can only determine the quality of an artist's product based off what else it might sound like it - but that's only half true.  Everything is the result of what has come before, but I would like to see the next step from there.  So, that is the question that I propose for Giovanni and the rest of Cure For Madeline - what is it that makes your music YOU and ONLY YOU?

Now, speaking of thrashing and face melting and blood-thirsty bears, may I immediately recommend to our more advanced readers/listeners (those who appreciate the Votolato brothers, want Sean Nelson's life, and know who I'm talking about when I mention 'Zooma'): Rolo Tomassi's "Cosmology".

Chocobo says DIE!

There probably is not a worldwide government conspiracy dedicated to creating the most kick-ass band of all time, but Rolo Tomassi is pretty good evidence to the contrary:  Five British teenagers (EDIT: never mind, as of May 18th, they're all over twenty years of age) with extreme technical prowess and a mutant understanding of musical composition.  Hypnotic synth.  Wicked breakdowns that almost guarantee dancing.  Unbelievable power.  A female lead singer who can growl and scream like Satan.  Who could ask for more?

While this style of music is definitely not for everyone, it has definitely converted a fair number of my colleagues into fans.  I guess you just have to hear it for yourself:

Visit the official Rolo Tomassi MySpace and find out how you can make the right choice and purchase a copy of this wonderful record.  It's definitely on the fast track to becoming my favorite record of the year.

Cure For What, Exactly?

In the strange idle hours of the early morning, I have found myself perusing the slowly-darkening hallways of the MySpace "social" network - both my band accounts and my personal account riddled with the expected spam mail (which, oddly, mostly comes directly from MySpace) and friend requests from struggling musicians such as myself.

Oh, I noticed that Toyota and MySpace are giving away a record deal. Enough said.

I'm starting to question if this is the kind of industry I want to get myself into - a world of power and money in the worst way (at least politicians start with a cold purpose). I read endless messages that echo within me: Check out our new songs! Buy our new record! Come to our show (in select areas*)! Support local artists!

No wonder people stopped buying music and turned to get-it-quick software like Napster and LimeWire - it's because they simply stopped caring about it altogether. It has all fallen to the wayside; fallen to background static and white noise. It is something to distract us and keep our ears and minds over-stimulated (god forbid we experience some sort of pure silence in all of this noisy shit). Even with Apple hanging onto the ropes - the iTunes Store throwing punches left and right with lower pricing, DRM-free music, and soon the entire Beatles catalog (next, the world!) - and a handful of artists and labels still dedicated to fighting the good fight...

It's become routine. Simple. Boring.

There are six weasels in this picture.

I woke up this morning in a world that caters to Brokencyde. Enough said.

Within the journeys of the Space, I ended up looking a little deeper into a new group from Fort Collins, Colorado called Cure For Madeline (if you know me, you know I'm a sucker for bands with colorful female names in them - damn yous Brett Detar). I felt my stomach drop as the page loaded in front of me. More victims to the system - complete with Twitter feeds, a SonicBids EPK, an AudioLife account, and (the icing) a BroadTexter widget. 15,928 friends. 118,064 total plays. 1 song. This was a joke, right?

I listened to the song ("Killing Time"); noticed they were completing their debut EP in July 2009. I even went so far to go to their EPK and listen to a second track. Their blog entries and biography read like something out of some sort of "start-a-band" textbook. On top of their extremely fake image, (WARNING: Open opinions from a blogger who obviously doesn't give a fuck what you think) they reflect quite perfectly that same glaring inadequacy in music I mentioned earlier: Routine. Simple. Boring.

Wow, let me tell you how boring. Or, if you'd like: http://www.myspace.com/cureformadeline.

Repetitive instrumentation. Progressions going nowhere. Weak and unstructured vocals (from a singer who is obviously trying too hard). Some unsettling combination of Bat For Lashes and Pearl Jam (only with WAY less Natasha Khan hotness). What an aural gangfuck of what's been redone, resung, rehashed, and eventually...? Trashed like all the rest. Yawn.

Turn off the Clear Channel, turn on the Rollo Tomassi, and free your minds, yo.

I don't see an immediate solution to bands like Cure For Madeline, record labels like Epitaph, faces like Miley Cyrus, or people like Pete Wentz - I don't have any quick fix for 3OH!3, The Flobots (what does that even mean...?), and other things resembling talentless drool - and I certainly don't see any shining light that will bring us forward into a world where Green Day finally calls it quits, no one remembers Katy Perry, and someone kills Paul Oakenfold.

The only advice I have is to...well, I guess...run. As fast as you can. In the other direction.

In that other direction lies the second part of my blog, in a place where these fiery rivers of lava (liquid rock!) have not touched. A peaceful place where musician and active listener share borders. On June 29th, The Ghost And The Grace (exactly 1/2 of the band Idiot Pilot) will release "Behold! A Pale Horse" - a 13-track American epic spanning the chaos of religion, the magic of science, and the inevitability of death. It looks like we're running in the right direction now. Stay tuned for my complete review of the album as it finds its way to my waiting hands.

"And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him." - Revelations 6:8

This Is Not A Test.

Blah blah blah blah. The gate to infinity is wide open! Bright, blinding, and full of stupid optimism! We all have to start, so we might as well start somewhere. I've decided to start with something I know - words. Words on a few things. The Internet. Truth. The World. The Human Race. The Future. You know - scary things. Okay, so we'll throw in a few comforts in as well - Music. Movies. Books. Entertainment. Distraction. We all need a little distraction to keep us from not killing each other - I'm willing to provide that proverbial outlet. Lend me your ears, you eyes, and your bleeding, severed hearts, and I promise you - it'll all be okay. Someday.