Bear, Beats, and Battlestar Galactica
0 comments Published by Jess on Tuesday, October 20, 2009 at 1:59 AM***Copied from my LiveJournal: http://bolivarblues.livejournal.com.
A few weeks into the fall semester, I instituted Mocha & Mozart Fridays. I have an hour-and-twenty-minute commute to and from school, which is a lot of great time to listen to music, new and old. (I wrote about it in a previous post: Every Friday, I buy a café mocha at my local coffee shop and listen to Mozart—and only Mozart—all day long because Friday is my least favorite and most stressful day.) I'm in the process of adding another weekly theme day. I'm temporarily stumped, so my mini Theme of the Week is Bear McCreary, the classical composer most known for his Battlestar Galactica scores and other television shows, such as Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Eureka, and most recently Trauma and the upcoming Caprica. I love and own the season one Battlestar soundtrack on CD, but I only now finally realized I need to listen to the other seasons. So, this week, I'm listening to each season soundtrack from beginning to end, one every day, and reviewing them.
A few notes before I begin: I'm not going in season order. Also, I'm an established Bear and Battlestar fan, but aside from the entirety of season one and my very favorites from seasons two, three, and four (specifically "Scattered," "Valley of Darkness," "Fragged, "Downloaded" / "Exodus," "Collaborators," "Unfinished Business," "Taking a Break From All Your Worries" / "Guess What's Coming to Dinner" and "Daybreak"), I've only seen each episode once. I can't comment on the music's relationship to its respective episode, except in season one, but I will comment on the music as an individual piece. Plus, Bear McCreary has already done the former at his blog (BearMcCreary.com) because he's awesome!
1. "Gaeta's Lament" (from "Guess What's Coming to Dinner?") [4:49]
2. "The Signal" (from "Revelations") [5:09]
3. "Resurrection Hub" (from "The Hub") [3:40]
4. "The Cult of Baltar" (from "He That Believeth in Me" and "Escape Velocity") [5:42]
5. "Farewell Apollo" (from "Six of One") [2:55]
6. "Roslin Escapes" (from "Blood on the Scales") [2:55]
7. "Among the Ruins" (from "Sometimes a Great Notion") [7:44]
8. "Laura Runs" (from "A Disquiet Follows My Soul") [2:21]
9. "Cally Descends" (from "The Ties That Bind") [3:08]
10. "Funeral Pyre" (from "Sometimes a Great Notion") [3:57]
11. "Roslin and Adama Reunited" (from "The Hub") [1:59]
12. "Gaeta's Lament" (Instrumental) (from "Guess What's Coming to Dinner?") [4:50]
13. "Elegy" (from "Someone to Watch Over Me") [2:55]
14. "The Alliance" (from "Revelations") [2:30]
15. "Blood on the Scales" (from "The Oath" and "Blood on the Scales") [5:19]
16. "Grand Old Lady" (from "Islanded in a Stream of Stars") [0:51]
17. "Kara Remembers" (from "Someone to Watch Over Me") [3:28]
18. "Boomer Takes Hera" (from "Someone to Watch Over Me") [2:39]
19. "Dreilide Thrace Sonata No. 1" (from "Someone to Watch Over Me") [5:35]
20. "Diaspora Oratorio" (from "Revelations") [4:52]
Highlights
"Gaeta's Lament," "Farewell Apollo," "Kara Remembers," and "Diaspora Oratorio"
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Note: Because I'm anal, from here on out, song titles are in double quotations and episode titles in single quotations. It bothers me that they're both in double quotations in the tracklisting.
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I'm convinced that even if you're looking for revolutionary classical music without having seen a single episode of Battlestar Galactica, a true music fan would absolutely love Bear McCreary's compositions. As pop music ventures deeper and deeper into electronic beats (I'm convinced that pop music will be purely tonal in ten years time—dark and ominous tones... that you can dance to!), Bear McCreary is the future of classical music, and I want to be a part of it.
The Adama Family Bagpipes have been prominently featured at least once per season, but hearing the fiddle and pipes on "Farewell Apollo" is still as moving as I first heard it in 'The Hand of God.' Bear himself stated, 'What would a Galactica album be without an epic arrangement of "Wander My Friends"?' Epic it most definitely is. The fiddle at 1:30 is gorgeous, and I love that it's quietly joined by the flute. 'Wander My Friends' and its variations might possibly be my favorite pieces of music in the Galactica 'verse. (I'll deny or confirm this at the end of the week.) It's so completely not what you'd expect in a sci-fi series (or television series or really anything set outside of Ireland, lol), yet I couldn't imagine anything else representing the Adamas.
I think it's fair to recruit Alessandro Juliani to sing everything ever, haha. (I seriously just listened to this song five times in a row, lol.) It bothers me a little bit that the orchestra is mixed slightly too loud around 4:05. Both AJ and the orchestra crescendo from 3:40 to 4:13, but AJ's vocals should have been mixed better. His voice is so strong, but the damn drums are too loud! Just in general, I love that the album cold opens with his vocals and ONLY his vocals for 45 seconds. As for the instrumental version, I love that it's an entirely difference piece of music, but I'm torn on the bass. I love that he uses bass, period, because it's the bass, but I find it irritating. It's unsettling, which is probably the point, but I wonder if the tune work just as well with an upright bass as opposed to bass guitar.
But wish no more
My life, you can take
To have her, please
Just one day wake
I love that "The Signal" is bouncy and kind of hip-hoppy (or groovy, as Bear describes it). I wish I could remember where this fit into 'Revelations,' but I can't. This piece reminds me of a far superior, more kick ass version of the opening title sequence from seasons one and two of Farscape (YouTube). Like, if Bear had scored for Farscape, he would've composed "The Signal" first.
"Kara Remembers" is just freaking sweet for reasons I'll delve more deeply into when I review the season three soundtrack. I love that you can vaguely hear "All Along the Watchtower" from the very first note. "Wait for it..." And when it comes, it kicks ass. I thought I'd have a lot more to say about this piece, but I guess I don't.
"Diaspora Oratorio" is the shining light of the entire album. Bear writes about this song in detail ("Revelations"): '"Diaspora" is probably the strongest piece of music I've ever written, and I feel that it eclipses everything else on this album.' It absolutely does, infinitely, which resonates so strongly, considering all of his compositions are remarkable in their own right. The more I listen to it (much like "Gaeta's Lament," I've listened to "Diaspora" about 85 times), the more moving it becomes. And of course, attach it to the scene during which it plays in the episode, and you just want to openly weep. The build-up from 2:20 is... something else. (I cannot believe this full scene isn't posted on YouTube. I want to watch it right now.)
Until tomorrow...
Sondre Lerche: Heartbeat Radio
0 comments Published by Jess on Saturday, September 19, 2009 at 11:55 PM
I wrote about Sondre Lerche when I saw him in November 2007. Go HERE to download songs from Duper Sessions, the Dan in Real Life soundtrack, Faces Down, and Phantom Punch. All of the links are still active. Two years later, Sondre Lerche is wildly fun, entertaining, humble, and a damn great guitar player. He gives an AWESOME one-man-show. I also have to add that the audience was ~125 in 2007; it's tripled since then! I have video of "Like Lazenby" (my favorite song from his new album) that I'll upload to YouTube later.
His new album, Heartbeat Radio, was released Sept. 8. All of his albums are very him. They're hard to describe. He's definitely pop, sometimes rock, but his lyrics and melodies are very unique. (Maybe because he's Norwegian? Haha.) Each album is different from the last, but it's still Sondre Lerche. I wasn't sure what to think of his new album until last night when I heard him perform it. Now I absolutely love it. Since I already posted music from his older albums, here are four new ones:
"Heartbeat Radio"
"Like Lazenby"
"If Only"
"Words and Music"
Hanson: Underneath and The Walk
0 comments Published by Jess on Tuesday, September 15, 2009 at 10:35 PMI've been a fan of Hanson since their single "Penny & Me" from the 2004 album Underneath. I heard "MMMBop" about 80 BILLION times in 1996; I didn't hate it, and I don't hate it now, but I wasn't a fan when I was eight years old. It took a few more years: I woke up to Hanson performing "Penny & Me" on Fox & Friends, the morning talk-news program on the Fox News Channel. (They often feature bands and stuff.) It was love since then. I missed Hanson during their The Walk tour (2007), a fact that I deeply regret, but I will not miss them this time, even though they're touring with three (?!) other bands. Hanson's 8th studio album will be released in 2010, so I'll probably get to see them soon enough regardless, but I just totally refuse to miss them.
Hanson is a very different band from the Middle of Nowhere album. They've come such a long way from "MMMBop" to Underneath, Underneath to The Walk. They're goddamn great, and I cannot wait to hear what they'll release next.
"Strong Enough to Break"
"Penny & Me"
"Lost Without Each Other"
"Get Up and Go"
"Intro (Ngi Ne Themba)"
"Great Divide"
"Fire on That Mountain"
And...
"MMMBop" :)
"Jimmy Dean and Steve McQueen" by Julian Velard
American pop singer under a UK label, what else is there to know and love?
I'm playing it fast and loose. Here's a list of my Top Eight Favorite Male Vocalists. (There won't be a separate list for female vocalists because it begins and ends with Jane Monheit.) I posted a Top Ten list back in late 2006, early 2007 in my LiveJournal on the same topic. Only two men remain from the original: Todd Sheaffer and Ryan Adams. (My musical taste has matured since then.) The original list included several generic picks that I'd never consider favorites today (Jim Morrison?!). I've included no descriptions or reasons, other than John Cowan, who, if you take anything from this list, I hope will be the stand-out performer. Also: Billy Joel skyrocketed to the top of every favorite list I have regarding music. I never fell in love so hard and so fast with an artist quite like I have with Billy Joel. He'll get his own post soon, I'm sure.
08. Dennis DeYoung (Styx)
"Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)"
"All in a Day's Work"
07. Jackson Browne
"The Road and the Sky"
"These Days"
06. Todd Sheaffer (Railroad Earth)
"Mighty River"
"In the Basement"
05. Bruce Springsteen
"Lonesome Day"
"Kitty's Back" (Live in Cleveland, Nov. 4, 2007)
04. Ryan Adams (Whiskeytown, The Cardinals, solo)
"Halloweenhead"
"The End"
03. John Cowan (New Grass Revival, The John Cowan Band)
"Dark as a Dungeon"
"Crossing the Transippi" (Absolutely brilliant.)
To say John Cowan is the best vocalist on this list would be an understatement. Simply put, he eats the competition for breakfast. John's primarily a soul singer, but his big break came as the lead singer of New Grass Revival in 1974 (aged 22). NGR contains three of my favorite musicians: Cowan, Bela Fleck, and Sam Bush. John Cowan's a voice to be reckoned with.
02. Chris Cornell (Soundgarden, Audioslave, solo)
"You Know My Name"
"When I'm Down"
01. Billy Joel
"Stiletto"
"Scenes from an Italian Restaurant"
I'm back with eight more of my favorite songs in the last installment of Jess' Favorite Songs.
• "House of the Rising Sun" by The Animals
Authorship unknown, but credit really belongs to The Animals. They make this song so excellent, although Bob Dylan tried to take credit for this particular arrangement. Go figure. It was first recorded by the English rock group in 1964, released on the U.S. version of their self-titled album. Eric Burdon sings lead.
• "Ain't Wastin' Time No More" by The Allman Brothers Band
Written and composed by Gregg Allman, "Ain't Wastin' Time..." is the opening track on the band's 1972 album Eat a Peach.
• "Sir Duke" by Stevie Wonder
From the album Songs in the Key of Life, the song is a tribute to Duke Ellington, who passed away in 1974. Stevie Wonder wrote and recorded the song in 1976.
• "Mr. Bojangles" by The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Written and initially recorded by Jerry Jeff Walker (1968), this version was recorded by the Dirt Band in 1970 for the album Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy. However, pretty much everyone (and their dog) has performed it, including Bob Dylan, The Byrds, Sammy Davis Jr., Jamie Cullum, Neil Diamond, Frank Sinatra, Arlo Guthrie, Elton John, and supposedly Whitney Houston.
• "Country Comfort" by Elton John
This version features Elton John and banjoist Earl Scruggs, re-released for the 2001 album Earl Scruggs and Friends. It was originally written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin for Tumbleweed Connection in 1970.
• "City of New Orleans" by Arlo Guthrie
This is an m4p! I'm sorry. I couldn't convert it, so let me know if it works on your computer. It should, but only with iTunes. :( Recorded by Guthrie for his 1972 album Hobo's Lullaby, "City of New Orleans," written by Steve Goodman, describes a train ride from Chicago to New Orleans.
• "Share the Land" by The Guess Who
Written by Burton Cummings and Kurt Winter, the song is from the 1970 album of the same name.
• "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" by The Byrds
Written Bob Dylan and The Band, officially released on The Basement Tapes in 1975, The Byrds first covered it in 1968 for Sweetheart of the Rodeo.
I decided to compile a short list of a few of my all-time favorite songs. Here is the first installment. Oddly enough, my dad is in a band and covers 6/8 of the featured songs. It's probably not much of a coincidence. ;) I've love to hear what you think of them. What are YOUR favorite songs?
• "Life by the Drop" by Stevie Ray Vaughan
The last track on Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble's The Sky is Crying compilation album (1991), released one year after Vaughan's death (aged 35). Performed by Vaughan and written by Doyle Bramhall and Barbara Logan, it's the bittersweet story of Bramhall's friendship with Vaughan.
• "Friend of the Devil" by Grateful Dead
Composed by Jerry Garcia and John Dawson, lyrics by Robert Hunter. From the album American Beauty (1970).
• "Colours" by Donovan
Written and performed by Donovan Leitch. Released both as a single and on his sophomore album Fairytale in 1965.
• "I Want Love" by Elton John
Of Elton John's endless discography, this 2001 song is my very favorite. Co-written by Bernie Taupin, the song is featured on John's 27th studio album Songs from the West Coast, as well as Greatest Hits 1970-2002. More well-known is the music video, starring Robert Downey, Jr. lip-syncing in one, unedited take.
• "Wagon Wheel" by Old Crow Medicine Show
Chorus written by Bob Dylan, date unknown and never completed. Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show wrote verses for the song around Dylan's original work (now a bootleg called "Rock Me Mama") and released the song on O.C.M.S.'s self-titled album in 2004. The video above was recorded by me at the House of Blues (Cleveland) in '07.
• "Girl of the North Country" by Sam Bush
Written by Bob Dylan, originally released on the 1963 album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan (his second album), this version is performed by Sam Bush, newgrass aficionado. Featuring the unbeatable Jerry Douglas on dobro, you can find the song on Bush's live album, Ice Caps: Peaks of Telluride (2000), recorded at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, which I've always wanted to attend.
• "Roll the Stone Away" by The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Maybe it's just because I love lead singer Jeff Hanna's voice so much, but it amazes me this song never became a hit for The Dirt Band - or any other band, for that matter. The Dirt Band is most famous for its cover of Jerry Jeff Walker's "Mr. Bojangles," as well as "House at Pooh Corner" and the country jam "Fishin' in the Dark." Despite the band's origins in 1966, "Roll the Stone Away" was released on the 2002 album Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume III.
• "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" by Bob Dylan
The only Bob Dylan song on my list that's actually sung by Dylan himself. ;) Released on the same album as "Girl of the North Country."
I was listening to this band a couple days ago, and I couldn't believe I never posted about them! Railroad Earth is a roots/Americana jam band from New Jersey. Since 2001, they've released four excellent studio albums, plus one live show ("Elko"). While they have a much more traditional roots sound, Railroad Earth originates in the same vein of Grateful Dead. I met quite a few Deadheads at the last RRE concert I attended. Both their music and the atmosphere at their shows is transcendent and almost spiritual in nature, not unlike the Dead. I've never heard or seen live another band like them. Being group of six incredibly talented jam musicians (and my second favorite band after Gaelic Storm), I think you'll love Railroad Earth.
01. Head
From the album "The Black Bear Sessions." The first song from their debut album, "Head" is the perfect introduction to RRE. It's not uncommon to hear a twenty-minute version of this song at their gig.
02. Lordy Lordy
"The Black Bear Sessions." This song shows off RRE's bluegrass side, on which their first album strongly focuses. (RRE's sophomore and junior albums were released by Sugar Hill Records, a primarily bluegrass studio.)
03. Seven Story Mountain
"The Black Bear Sessions." I love the progression at the beginning.
04. Bird in a House
The title track of their second album.
05. Give That Boy a Hand
"Bird in a House."
06. The Good Life
The title track of their third album.
07. Storms
Also from "The Good Life." The lyrics to this song are absolutely beautiful. I love, love, love "Storms." If you weren't convinced after "Head," you will be now.
08. Old Man and the Land
Live version, "Elko." You'll definitely hear some Dead in this song.
81st Annual Oscar Nominees - Best Song
4 comments Published by Jess on Friday, January 23, 2009 at 12:08 AMI already posted Slumdog Millionaire's "Jai Ho," but I'm reposting it, along with the two other Academy Award nominees for Best Song. Bruce Springsteen's "The Wrestler" was miraculously snubbed, leaving Slumdog's "Jai Ho," "O... Saya," and WALL·E's "Down To Earth" as the remaining contenders. I find it hard to believe that there were only three original songs to nominate, considering all the films released in 2008, but I guess the Academy has its reasons. I guess.
Jai Ho, composed by A.R. Rahman
O... Saya, composed by A.R. Rahman and M.I.A.
Down to Earth, composed by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman
Composed by A.R. Rahman and featuring Sukhvinder Singh, Tanvi Shah, Mahalaxmi Iyer, and Vijay Prakash, "Jai Ho" is the closing song to the film Slumdog Millionaire, my personal favorite film of the year. Rahman has garnered a 2008 Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Score. The song, primarily in Hindi, features some Spanish as well. I've listened to it about a million times since I saw the movie, and "Jai Ho" (meaning "victory!" or "victory should happen") gets better and better and better. It's such a splendid addition to the final scene in the film, but even more fun as an individual song! Happy New Year!
Jai Ho!
My cousin introduced me to these guys. I fell in love. Rodrigo and Gabriela are from Mexico City, but currently reside in Dublin (a welcoming city for traveling musicians), where they were discovered by Damien Rice. Since 2005, they've played at Ireland's Oxegen, Bonnaroo, and other music festivals primarily located in the UK. Both on classical guitars, Rodrigo Sánchez plays lead, Gabriela Quintero on rhythm.
01. Diablo Rojo
02. Ixtapa
03. Juan Loco
I went to the best concert last night. The venue: Nighttown (Cleveland, Ohio). The setting: a dining room, candles, low lights, snow lightly falling outside. The man: John Pizzarelli. He's the son of legendary jazz guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli. At the age of 48, he's recorded nearly 40 albums, including covers of Nat King Cole (twice), The Beatles, Frank Sinatra, and bossa nova. John opened for Sinatra during one of his last tours, which he recalled during his own 2006-2007 "Dear Mr. Sinatra" tour (the first time I saw him in concert). He also hosts a nationally syndicated radio program, Radio Deluxe, with wife Jessica Molaskey.
Last night, Mr. Pizzarelli came out for a sound check a half hour before the show. He passed by our table, and my dad stopped him to ask a technical question about his amplifier. (Boys!) John came by once more, again my dad asking him if he covers "Route 66." (He does.) They chatted about jazz and guitars, while my mom and I smiled to ourselves at the other side of the table. Later, my dad went up to the CD table to find the album I wanted to buy. My favorite Pizzarelli song is "Da Vinci's Eyes," written by Jessica Molaskey. John walked by our table and asked us "Where'd he go? Back home to practice?" John overheard the title I was searching and said, "I think I have those lyrics with me tonight." Ohmigod: half-way through his set, he played a personal request, solo, with a little dedication at the end. :)
I've been smitten with Mr. Pizzarelli for years, but the best came after the show. He handed his guitar to my dad while leaving the stage -- not to keep, but almost, haha! My dad didn't know what to do with it and immediately handed it back, but John insisted he play it. John then sat down at our table, took a sip of water from an untouched glass, and talked with us. It was incredibly freaking cool! John Pizzarelli is a stellar musician, funny and charming entertaining, and a wonderful guy... give him a listen. I'll be happy you did!
01. Eleanor Rigby (Album: Meets the Beatles)
02. Oh, Darling! (Meets the Beatles)
03. Yes Sir, That's My Baby (Dear Mr. Sinatra)
04. Quality Time (Knowing You)
The most adorable duet ever with his wife, Jessica.
05. Coffee, Black (Knowing You)
His scat singing is so much fun.
06. Aguas De Marco (Waters of March) (Bossa Nova)
07. Da Vinci's Eyes (Let There Be Love)
