RSS FeedDo Music Genres Exist?
I've had a few people now tell me that indie rock doesn't exist. And that alternative rock doesn't exist. And that music genres don't exist, and that you can't label art. This is bullshit.
Some More Less Ranty Stuff
So I've been watching some cool anime lately. One of my favorites is Mushi-Shi. Mushi are supposed to be little creatures that are the closest to pure life as one can get, although they are invisible to most and come in all forms; water-like, animal and person like, even raindbow like. These mushi sometimes cause strange phenomena (and trouble for normal humans) by simply existing and doing what they normally do. It mainly follows a mushi master (mushi-shi) named Ginko that checks out the weird stuff mushi cause. It's really slow-paced and beautiful. If nothing else check out the awesome theme song, [url=http://somethingchewie.co.uk/ally-kerr-the-sore-feet-song/]"The Sore Feet Song" by Ally Kerr[url]. (Mushishi intro with song after the break).
Flaws of Traditional Radio
Let me begin by saying that Kid Rock should be dead. Flat out dead. I don't care how, but by now it should have happened. John Lennon gets assassinated and Kid Rock gets to make a new song (something about summer and rhyming things with things and sampling good songs). Why is he alive.
My job has Sirius satellite radio, which might be cool except it's the same inane crap that's annoyed me about conventional radio since high school. We hear 5 stations, a different genre/era each day.
Monday is Classic Rock (pop style), Tuesday is 90's to Today, Wed is 80's Pop, Thur is Classic Rock (Rock Style), Fri is Country. Thursday is the best, since there is just a lot of great music from the the classic rock time frame. We always get Zepplin and Creedance and all the great stuff, most of which I like. Tuesday is ok when good 90's alternative gets in (like today, we started with Pumpkins, Counting Crows, a few others I can't remember), but it always gets around to the crappy Kid Rock song and some other song about a girl wanting to start a fight (VERY ANNOYING SONG).
I don't know if there is good music on this Sirius thing, but I've decided that it would probably still annoy the hell out of me, because it comes with most of the inherit flaws of traditional radio (from what I've heard).
1) Repetitiveness
I don't know how often new songs are mixed in, but every day we hear pretty much the same songs, and most times, two or three times, and it's usually the really annoying songs that get the most playtime. Kid Rock and the Girl Fighting song with the Na Nahs comes on at least once an hour it seems to me. A good playlist should have great songs, everytime, and not repeat them. Hardly at all they should be repeated. Because, if you are doing it right, there is a LOT of good music to listen to. Radio is not doing it right.
2)Breaks for Talking
There aren't any commercials since Sirius is paid radio, but there are still DJ's annoyingly talking about whatever thing their being told to say, and little sounds and clips and crap that tells you what you are listening to, in case "music" isn't a good enough definition. And then some girl comes on and sings the Simpsons theme song in such a way that sullies Elfman's tune forever.
On Friday, hicks get to call in and request country songs by SINGING THEM.
WHAT. THE. FUCK.
3) There really ought to be three things but I think two will do it.
So there you have it. Kid Rock needs to die and I need to be able to listen to Pandora at work. Or throw an indie station in on Mon. We don't need another classic rock day, and one that isn't that great to begin with.
My job has Sirius satellite radio, which might be cool except it's the same inane crap that's annoyed me about conventional radio since high school. We hear 5 stations, a different genre/era each day.
Monday is Classic Rock (pop style), Tuesday is 90's to Today, Wed is 80's Pop, Thur is Classic Rock (Rock Style), Fri is Country. Thursday is the best, since there is just a lot of great music from the the classic rock time frame. We always get Zepplin and Creedance and all the great stuff, most of which I like. Tuesday is ok when good 90's alternative gets in (like today, we started with Pumpkins, Counting Crows, a few others I can't remember), but it always gets around to the crappy Kid Rock song and some other song about a girl wanting to start a fight (VERY ANNOYING SONG).
I don't know if there is good music on this Sirius thing, but I've decided that it would probably still annoy the hell out of me, because it comes with most of the inherit flaws of traditional radio (from what I've heard).
1) Repetitiveness
I don't know how often new songs are mixed in, but every day we hear pretty much the same songs, and most times, two or three times, and it's usually the really annoying songs that get the most playtime. Kid Rock and the Girl Fighting song with the Na Nahs comes on at least once an hour it seems to me. A good playlist should have great songs, everytime, and not repeat them. Hardly at all they should be repeated. Because, if you are doing it right, there is a LOT of good music to listen to. Radio is not doing it right.
2)Breaks for Talking
There aren't any commercials since Sirius is paid radio, but there are still DJ's annoyingly talking about whatever thing their being told to say, and little sounds and clips and crap that tells you what you are listening to, in case "music" isn't a good enough definition. And then some girl comes on and sings the Simpsons theme song in such a way that sullies Elfman's tune forever.
On Friday, hicks get to call in and request country songs by SINGING THEM.
WHAT. THE. FUCK.
Sirius Suits: We need something that'll make people wanna listen to this country station and keep paying for something that is free already.
DJ: Hmm. Well country is inherintly annoying, so that must be the aspect that draws people to it. What can make it moreso?
SS: Let drunken hicks call in and request songs?
DJ: No. Even better: let them SING the requests. All off-key and badly. People will love it.
DJ: Hmm. Well country is inherintly annoying, so that must be the aspect that draws people to it. What can make it moreso?
SS: Let drunken hicks call in and request songs?
DJ: No. Even better: let them SING the requests. All off-key and badly. People will love it.
3) There really ought to be three things but I think two will do it.
So there you have it. Kid Rock needs to die and I need to be able to listen to Pandora at work. Or throw an indie station in on Mon. We don't need another classic rock day, and one that isn't that great to begin with.
WRV: The Pillows - Ride On Shooting Star
In keeping with the past few weeks japanesey videos, here is a favorite song of mine from a favorite band of mine, "Ride on Shooting Star" byt The Pillows. Fans of FLCL will recognize this immediately; those wondering what FLCL is should check it out; it's a great anime. Perhaps I'll see what I can find next week...
Video+J-Lyrics+BONUS FLCL ending video after the break.
Video+J-Lyrics+BONUS FLCL ending video after the break.
Want Free Indie Music? Of Course You Do.
Okay, this review article has an ulterior motive: you see, a couple years back I stumbled upon (with no help from stumble upon, at that), a little website called epitonic.com - it was chock full of indie music, with many songs available to download, and tons of info about each band, intertwining each listing with related listings, as any good 2.0 site should. It helped me check out some new artists easily and not always have the same old things sitting around. And then I forgot about it.
A while back, I somehow found it again and also found that they had a new site design - one which is strange yet, very very cool. And I found that their little playlist music player was very good at doing that - playing music. It's attractive, cool, easy to use - and never misses a beat, such as when you click on the album art to check the band out further. And then, I forgot it again.
So today I was trying really hard to remember what the site was, and finally, luckily, found it. Epitonic is not exactly something that was easily searchable on google, since so many sites are 'indie-download.com' and 'indie-indie-bo-bindy.com'. Looking for new indie music from a particular site was a bit of a bother. But now that I've rediscovered it, I ain't losing it again - now it's BLOGGED, bitch.
A while back, I somehow found it again and also found that they had a new site design - one which is strange yet, very very cool. And I found that their little playlist music player was very good at doing that - playing music. It's attractive, cool, easy to use - and never misses a beat, such as when you click on the album art to check the band out further. And then, I forgot it again.
So today I was trying really hard to remember what the site was, and finally, luckily, found it. Epitonic is not exactly something that was easily searchable on google, since so many sites are 'indie-download.com' and 'indie-indie-bo-bindy.com'. Looking for new indie music from a particular site was a bit of a bother. But now that I've rediscovered it, I ain't losing it again - now it's BLOGGED, bitch.
Spoon: Kill The Moonlight
I believe it was my senior year of high school when I first heard Spoon. Their single " Lines in the Suit" (Girls Can Tell, Merge Records, 2001). It was a great, catchy song, and probably one of my first introductions to Indie music. Since then, I've kept away from TV and the radio (except internet radio occasionally, I mainly listen to CD's or mp3's), and thus, forgot all about them. But the continual advertising at my retail job brought the single "The Way We Get By" into rotation, and I started to remember why I love their sound. So I went ahead and picked up the CD "Kill the Moonlight to see how the rest of the album holds up.
(Continued after break+videos)
(Continued after break+videos)
Wii Love Wii Music
If you've never experienced the joy of listening to the calm and soothing sounds of the Wii menu (or one of my favorites, the Shop Channel), then you are missing out. But miss out no longer, thanks to one intrepid website owner at StupidShiz.com. Download mp3's and ringtones of the various themes from the Wii and Wii Sports, or get them all at once in a package. That is, if you can actually get a decent speed on the download. Mine never finished. I suggested in the comments section to make a torrent, as I think that would work much better. Comment and let me know if anyone has any better luck.