One Note Ahead's Quick Takes was such a good idea that I'm having a hard time understanding why I didn't do it again. Maybe I've gotten such a solid fan base that I forgot some people can't or don't want to read full-length articles and therefore might be missing out on some great music. It's about time that I offered a fast glimpse at the artists I've reviewed since.......August, 2007? Has it really been that long? Damn.
If you remember the last "Quick Takes," you know that these artists cannot be established superstars, and their tracks must be available for legal download. I focused on iTunes last time, but this time I care only that their tracks can be downloaded individually from a well-known, easy-to-access digital music service. Because some of these artists were included in the previous roundup, I'm changing the format a bit to reflect the releases reviewed since last time. And there'll be a little surprise at the end.....
Ready?
Band: The Swimmers
Album Reviewed: Fighting Trees
Sounds Like: Indie pop/rock with dreamy vocals, spirited instrumental work, and oft-mysterious lyrics. Sunny harmonies abound.
Key Tracks: Go with "We Love To Build" and "Pocket Full of Gold" for your serious moments; choose "Goodbye" and "St. Cecilia" when you want something a little out of left field.
Full Feature: http://onenoteahead.blogspot.com/2008/03/album-review-swimming-into-trees.html
Artist: Jake Snider
EP Reviewed: Green Lights For Granted
Sounds Like: Piano-driven singer/songwriter fare with a wide range of influences, performed by a teenager who sounds more mature than anyone his age has a right to.
Key Tracks: Personally, I can't get enough of "How?" and "Early Morning Somewhere," but in truth, the whole EP is strong.
Full Feature: http://onenoteahead.blogspot.com/2008/09/cd-review-snider-gives-green-light.html
Artist: Matt Duke
Album Reviewed: Kingdom Underground
Sounds Like: Dark, brooding rock and quiet, pensive folk, all with a pop-friendly coating.
Key Tracks: "Sex and Reruns" has "radio hit" written all over it. "I've Got Atrophy On The Brain" is the angry rock anthem. "Rabbit" or "30 Some Days" should satisfy your folkier inclinations.
Full Feature: http://onenoteahead.blogspot.com/2008/09/album-review-duke-and-his-kingdom.html
Artist: Gillian Grassie
Releases Reviewed: To An Unwitting Muse (EP); Serpentine (album)
Sounds Like: A classically-trained opera singer delivering brainy pop and folk-rock songs with jazzy inflections, all while accompanying herself on a Celtic harp. I couldn't make this stuff up.
Key Tracks: So hard to choose! How about "Mr. Houdini" and "Steps" from the EP; "No Answer," "Silken String," and "Tamlin" from the album. Nope, I'm not satisfied with that list....
Full Feature: http://onenoteahead.blogspot.com/2008/09/spotlight-on-gillian-grassie.html
Artist: April Smith
EP Reviewed: Live From The Penthouse
Sounds Like: A half cutesy, half snarky 20-something of the 2000s listened to her parents' and grandparents' vintage pop records and suddenly became inspired to develop her own cabaret act. Again, I couldn't make this stuff up.
Key Tracks: "Wow and Flutter" and "Colors." But come on: there are five tracks on it. Just buy the whole EP.
Full Feature: http://onenoteahead.blogspot.com/2008/09/ep-review-april-all-year-long.html
Artist: Andrew Lipke
Album Reviewed: Motherpearl and Dynamite
Sounds Like: Equal parts sad-sack folkie and emotionally overwhelmed rocker.....but generally, more fun and more compelling than that description implies.
Key Tracks: Folk-wise, "On My Way" makes my day. Rock-wise, I find "Mindgames" and "Get It Over With" most interesting, but if you have a short attention span, choose "The Barker Song" instead.
Full Feature: http://onenoteahead.blogspot.com/2008/10/album-review-lipke-volume-three.html
Artist: Tim Laigaie
EP Reviewed: Out of Focus
Sounds Like: A sensitive singer/songwriter and a macho rocker in one man, with lyrics that are, well.......unique. By the way, it's pronounced "lay-shay."
Key Tracks: "Eyes Wide Shut," "City Bred Cowboys," and "For All The Lovers" are my top picks.
Full Feature: http://onenoteahead.blogspot.com/2009/01/ep-review-laigaie-in-focus.html
Band: The Guggenheim Grotto
Album Reviewed: Happy The Man
Sounds Like: British and American folk-pop garnished with sounds from various other genres and cultures, all marinated in a distinctly Irish combination of tragedy and whimsy.
Key Tracks: It's one of the best albums I've ever reviewed. You should buy the whole thing. But if you really don't want to, I'd select "Fee Da Da Dee," "Just Not Just," and "The Girl With The Cards" as a sampling. Actually, just buy the whole album.
And now, the surprise....
Last July, I wrote about 2008's XPN Festival. Here's a mix of songs which represent the way I remember that mind-blowing event. To be honest, I don't have all of these songs in my personal collection nor do I even know all of these songs expertly! These are just the songs I most associate with the festival and if you hear them in one form or another, you'll at least have a soundtrack to the experiences I documented.
Jim Boggia, "To and Fro"
The Brakes, "Supermarket" and "Into The Ground"
Dar Williams, "The Babysitter's Here"
Alejandro Escovedo, "Put You Down" and "Always A Friend"
The Redwalls, "Modern Diet"
Jesse Ruben, "A Lack of Armor" and "Point Me In The Right Direction"
Nicole Atkins, "Maybe Tonight" and "Love Surreal"
Amos Lee, "Sweet Pea" and "Arms of a Woman"
Back Door Slam, "Come Home"
Ingrid Michaelson, "Die Alone" and "The Way I Am"
Matt Nathanson, "Come On Get Higher" and "Answering Machine"
Enoy the music.
See also ONA Year In Review: 2008 and 2008's ONA Live (the latter is last November's blog archive; scroll down to the bottom and work your way up).
Copyright © 2009 S.J. Dibai. All rights reserved.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Album Review: A "Happy" Grotto
"She used to say about love that it should come from above and it should come from below/She used to say, 'My love, wear the lips of a saint and the hips of a whore.'" (from "Her Beautiful Ideas")
I was vaguely familiar with The Guggenheim Grotto when I decided to check them out in person. What a wise decision that turned out to be. Throughout two generous sets, Kevin May and Mick Lynch filled the room with their superb harmonies and skilled instrumental accompaniment. And yes, they came prepared with lots of quality material. I asked Kevin if he and Mick were looking for any blogosphere buzz, and Kevin offered me the duo's current album Happy The Man for review. Accepting it turned out to be another wise decision.
The stripped-down singer/songwriter duo I heard and saw in person is rarely to be found on Happy The Man. First of all, one Shane Power was also a member of the Grotto when this album was recorded. Secondly, the Dublin-based band recruited a substantial supporting cast to assist in the record's creation; the ethereal guest vocals of singer/songwriter Jenny Lindfors are particularly prominent. And while the Grotto's sound is based in British and North American folk/pop, Happy The Man is fleshed out with elements of electronica, rock, traditional Irish music, and whatever else the lads could throw in to mix things up a bit. While this sort of experimentation could have made for an overblown mess, Happy The Man always stays down-to-earth and never loses its focus on Mick and Kevin's songs and harmonies.
After seeing the album's title, not to mention the promotional blurbs describing it as "upbeat," one might be surprised to find a collection of songs concerned mostly with sadness, loss, and resignation. But these tracks often succeed through contrast. "Sunshine Makes Me High" opens with a dark sludge of compressed drums and menacing bass, then conjures up images of a joyful free spirit. The matter-of-fact lyrics of "Fee Da Da Dee" are delivered in a most uplifting manner, while every aspect of "The Dragon" combines whimsy and tragedy so equally as to make each listen a different emotional experience. The closing track, "Heaven Has A Heart," pretty much sums up the tone of the album: "I'm not saying, 'Don't fall in love... don't reach for the stars...' But everyone should know that heaven has a heart of stone."
Put simply, this is one of the most beautiful albums I've ever heard. One of the most consistent, too: don't bother trying to find the throwaway tracks because there aren't any. The Guggenheim Grotto are on tour in the United States right now, and Happy The Man (released in the US on UFO Music) is available at shows and on iTunes. Physical copies hit stores on January 27th. There's never been a better time to get your Grotto on.
For music and more information:
http://www.guggenheimgrotto.com
http://www.myspace.com/guggenheimgrotto
Copyright © 2009 S.J. Dibai. All rights reserved.
I was vaguely familiar with The Guggenheim Grotto when I decided to check them out in person. What a wise decision that turned out to be. Throughout two generous sets, Kevin May and Mick Lynch filled the room with their superb harmonies and skilled instrumental accompaniment. And yes, they came prepared with lots of quality material. I asked Kevin if he and Mick were looking for any blogosphere buzz, and Kevin offered me the duo's current album Happy The Man for review. Accepting it turned out to be another wise decision.
The stripped-down singer/songwriter duo I heard and saw in person is rarely to be found on Happy The Man. First of all, one Shane Power was also a member of the Grotto when this album was recorded. Secondly, the Dublin-based band recruited a substantial supporting cast to assist in the record's creation; the ethereal guest vocals of singer/songwriter Jenny Lindfors are particularly prominent. And while the Grotto's sound is based in British and North American folk/pop, Happy The Man is fleshed out with elements of electronica, rock, traditional Irish music, and whatever else the lads could throw in to mix things up a bit. While this sort of experimentation could have made for an overblown mess, Happy The Man always stays down-to-earth and never loses its focus on Mick and Kevin's songs and harmonies.
After seeing the album's title, not to mention the promotional blurbs describing it as "upbeat," one might be surprised to find a collection of songs concerned mostly with sadness, loss, and resignation. But these tracks often succeed through contrast. "Sunshine Makes Me High" opens with a dark sludge of compressed drums and menacing bass, then conjures up images of a joyful free spirit. The matter-of-fact lyrics of "Fee Da Da Dee" are delivered in a most uplifting manner, while every aspect of "The Dragon" combines whimsy and tragedy so equally as to make each listen a different emotional experience. The closing track, "Heaven Has A Heart," pretty much sums up the tone of the album: "I'm not saying, 'Don't fall in love... don't reach for the stars...' But everyone should know that heaven has a heart of stone."
Put simply, this is one of the most beautiful albums I've ever heard. One of the most consistent, too: don't bother trying to find the throwaway tracks because there aren't any. The Guggenheim Grotto are on tour in the United States right now, and Happy The Man (released in the US on UFO Music) is available at shows and on iTunes. Physical copies hit stores on January 27th. There's never been a better time to get your Grotto on.
For music and more information:
http://www.guggenheimgrotto.com
http://www.myspace.com/guggenheimgrotto
Copyright © 2009 S.J. Dibai. All rights reserved.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
EP Review: Laigaie in "Focus"
First of all, it's pronounced "lay-shay." Say it with me now....
On the front cover of his debut Out of Focus, Tim Laigaie is pictured in shadows, a pained expression on his face, looking every bit the sensitive singer/songwriter. But on the back cover, we see a muscular fellow walking tall, lugging his guitar case as if he's heading into a saloon to fight a bunch of outlaws and then serenade the ladies who will inevitably hail him as a hero. The EP's seven tracks reflect this balance between toughness and sensitivity, as Tim delivers these meaty pop/rock tunes with equal parts assertiveness and vulnerability.
And then there are his lyrics. Try these on for size:
"I guess the sweet ain't as sweet without the sour" (from "Last Winter")
"Welcome to the enigma masquerade" ("Eyes Wide Shut")
"Money from my pocket falls in your hands 'til there's nothin' but lint left" ("For All The Lovers")
"Life took a backseat ride, happiness subsided, and they're losing the battle to maintain" ("Quicksand")
"I knew this girl named Jen, always wanted to be a dime" ("Out of Focus")
That last one's my favorite, by the way.
Put all these ingredients together and you might become a bit confused. But what immediately struck me about Tim Laigaie is that, given the right promotion, he should have no problem catching on. His songs are catchy and memorable, with radio-friendly hooks and instantly accessible themes. From the rockin' party animal anthem "City Bred Cowboys" to the hard-times lament "Quicksand" and "Eyes Wide Shut," the obligatory ballad of a mysterious woman, Tim Laigaie's songs are familiar enough to win over mainstream audiences but different enough to stand out from the crowd. And is it just me, or is "For All The Lovers" really a mighty fine country song disguised in pop/rock attire?
The Philadelphia-based artist is currently playing out in the area, but thanks to online commerce, you can get Out of Focus pretty much anywhere. The production may be a little rough in some places and the songs a little quirky, but make no mistake about it: deep down inside, this stuff is gold.
For music and more information: http://timlaigaie.com
http://www.myspace.com/timlaigaiemusic
Copyright © 2009 S.J. Dibai. All rights reserved.
On the front cover of his debut Out of Focus, Tim Laigaie is pictured in shadows, a pained expression on his face, looking every bit the sensitive singer/songwriter. But on the back cover, we see a muscular fellow walking tall, lugging his guitar case as if he's heading into a saloon to fight a bunch of outlaws and then serenade the ladies who will inevitably hail him as a hero. The EP's seven tracks reflect this balance between toughness and sensitivity, as Tim delivers these meaty pop/rock tunes with equal parts assertiveness and vulnerability.
And then there are his lyrics. Try these on for size:
"I guess the sweet ain't as sweet without the sour" (from "Last Winter")
"Welcome to the enigma masquerade" ("Eyes Wide Shut")
"Money from my pocket falls in your hands 'til there's nothin' but lint left" ("For All The Lovers")
"Life took a backseat ride, happiness subsided, and they're losing the battle to maintain" ("Quicksand")
"I knew this girl named Jen, always wanted to be a dime" ("Out of Focus")
That last one's my favorite, by the way.
Put all these ingredients together and you might become a bit confused. But what immediately struck me about Tim Laigaie is that, given the right promotion, he should have no problem catching on. His songs are catchy and memorable, with radio-friendly hooks and instantly accessible themes. From the rockin' party animal anthem "City Bred Cowboys" to the hard-times lament "Quicksand" and "Eyes Wide Shut," the obligatory ballad of a mysterious woman, Tim Laigaie's songs are familiar enough to win over mainstream audiences but different enough to stand out from the crowd. And is it just me, or is "For All The Lovers" really a mighty fine country song disguised in pop/rock attire?
The Philadelphia-based artist is currently playing out in the area, but thanks to online commerce, you can get Out of Focus pretty much anywhere. The production may be a little rough in some places and the songs a little quirky, but make no mistake about it: deep down inside, this stuff is gold.
For music and more information: http://timlaigaie.com
http://www.myspace.com/timlaigaiemusic
Copyright © 2009 S.J. Dibai. All rights reserved.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
ONA Year In Review: 2008
Wow.
That's the first word that comes to mind when looking back on this year.
I often wondered about the fate of One Note Ahead, thinking it might simply fall by the wayside as more pressing obligations took up time that I would have otherwise spent blogging. I needn't have worried. True, the posts on ONA became less frequent and, until September, fewer in number. But in the process, the quality improved. I stopped writing whatever I could think to write just for the sake of having something new here, and I never had to remove anything I posted in 2008.
2008 was also the year in which One Note Ahead finally started to receive the respect I always thought it deserved. Artists who'd gotten plenty of press elsewhere told me how thrilled they were to be reviewed favorably here. People in radio complimented my writings and record executives sought out and expressed appreciation for my services as a reviewer. My circle of frequent readers grew to include some extremely discriminating music connoisseurs! There's a definite sense that this blog is making a difference just by existing, and that makes it all worthwhile.
On the minus side, I've had less time to devote to interviews, works of history, and the quirky opinion pieces that used to add more diversity to One Note Ahead. But the review-dominated format of 2008 was simply an accident of fate, not a deliberate attempt at a makeover. In other words, One Note Ahead remains open to whatever I deem suitable.
And now, a few of 2008's ups and downs.
Words I must never use in 2009: "wonderful," "energy," "intriguing," and unless absolutely necessary, "rock" and "roll." Of course, I'll continue to overuse all of those words anyway.
My favorite ONA lines from 2008:
But in person, the four-man outfit in the tight-fitting clothes played an exciting fusion style combining the aggressiveness of rock with the feel-good energy of roll. Or, as I told the band’s product manager and their street team leader after the show, “The Redwalls are amazing!!!!” (from The Music Breathing Dragon)
This was the day when I started thinking I didn't have the easygoing disposition necessary for a festival of this type and magnitude, and I seriously wondered whether I'd actually make it through all four days. But this was also the day that one of the food vendors told me I looked "chill." I am most definitely NOT a "chill" person, but this was such a "chill" festival that the, um, chills must have been rubbing off on me. (about Day Two of the XPN Festival, from XPoNential Value)
"She's basically Roy Orbison as a Jersey Girl, so I have no choice but to love her." That's how I described the fabulous Nicole Atkins to friends who were not familiar with her. I also told people that if I went to this festival and missed Nicole, I would not forgive myself. Even the most ardent advocates of forgiveness would have understood my sentiments if they'd seen Nicole and her band The Sea at the XPoNential Fest. (about Day Three of the XPN Festival, also from XPoNential Value)
I didn't dare go to the meet and greet line because that thing was long enough to extend all the way to hell and back. (about Back Door Slam on Day Four of the XPN Festival, also from XPoNential Value)
Oh, the joys of being a music industry insider! One Note Ahead favorite Matt Duke’s second album won’t be released to the general public until September 23rd, but my fellow insiders have been giving me their opinions of it for nearly four-and-a-half months! (from Album Review: A Duke And His Kingdom)
Give me a Jersey Girl who lists Gene Pitney among her influences and dedicates her most sarcastic material to Paris Hilton, and I might forget to check whether she has any actual talent before declaring myself her biggest fan. Well, singer/songwriter/guitarist April Smith is a Jersey Girl. She lists Gene Pitney among her influences. She dedicates her most sarcastic material to Paris Hilton. Oh, I hope she has talent......(he listens closely to her music)......yes! She has talent! (from EP Review: April All Year Long)
In a more electrified vein, "Get It Over With" is actually a simple pop song at heart, frosted, drizzled, and sprinkled with a bewildering series of stops and starts and impenetrable layers of solid sound. In its own strange way, it's one of the best tracks on the album. (from Album Review: Lipke, Volume Three)
One thing I love about Ingrid is her sense of humor. Another is her down-to-earth charm. In these performances of her hit "The Way I Am," both qualities just pour out of her like water out of a.....thing that you carry water around in and that thing got a hole in it and the water started pouring out. (from ONA Live: Ingrid Michaelson)
If it ain't one thing, it's another: About Gillian Grassie's only full-length album to date, I wrote that "choosing the 'worst song' on Serpentine makes as much sense as picking out the 'fattest woman' in a room full of Victoria’s Secret models." I got in trouble for that line, of course, but I still stand by it. Come on, a room full of Victoria's Secret models? The "fattest woman" in that bunch would still be skinny, just as the "worst song" on Serpentine would still be good. Sheesh. (See the infamous piece, which Gillian actually liked, here and also here.)
Must-Hear Track of the Year: "Get It Over With" by Andrew Lipke. I'd heard the song live many times, but the recording took me by surprise. The juxtaposition of alt-rock motifs with classical elements, the free-flowing execution of such a rigidly constructed song and arrangement, and the daring length all make this track a truly surreal experience in the best way possible. And not to slight anyone else involved in this recording, but it would be nowhere near as memorable without Krista Nielsen's otherwordly cello and Dave Perrin's fancy drumming.
Breakout Star of the Year: Jake Snider. When I was in high school, I was making crude lo-fi DIY recordings and singing in front of my classmates in the school auditorium. But in the same stage of his life, Jake Snider has already made a professional EP and played proper gigs at major venues in the Philadelphia area. And why the hell not? He is an accomplished singer, songwriter, and keyboardist who posesses more raw talent and professionalism than an embarrassingly large percentage of today's hottest chart-toppers. And in the mere eight months since I discovered him, he's just gotten better! This guy's got what it takes to go all the way. Read my review of his EP here (and here, for that matter).
Overall, I'm quite pleased with the way One Note Ahead has evolved in 2008 and I am extremely happy about the music and musicians featured on the blog! I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported One Note Ahead in some way. I'm ready for 2009, and I can only imagine what will be in store for ONA in the coming year. Until then, I hope you enjoy whatever holidays you may be celebrating this time of the year, and stay tuned! I don't plan on going anywhere yet....
Copyright © 2008 S.J. Dibai. All rights reserved.
That's the first word that comes to mind when looking back on this year.
I often wondered about the fate of One Note Ahead, thinking it might simply fall by the wayside as more pressing obligations took up time that I would have otherwise spent blogging. I needn't have worried. True, the posts on ONA became less frequent and, until September, fewer in number. But in the process, the quality improved. I stopped writing whatever I could think to write just for the sake of having something new here, and I never had to remove anything I posted in 2008.
2008 was also the year in which One Note Ahead finally started to receive the respect I always thought it deserved. Artists who'd gotten plenty of press elsewhere told me how thrilled they were to be reviewed favorably here. People in radio complimented my writings and record executives sought out and expressed appreciation for my services as a reviewer. My circle of frequent readers grew to include some extremely discriminating music connoisseurs! There's a definite sense that this blog is making a difference just by existing, and that makes it all worthwhile.
On the minus side, I've had less time to devote to interviews, works of history, and the quirky opinion pieces that used to add more diversity to One Note Ahead. But the review-dominated format of 2008 was simply an accident of fate, not a deliberate attempt at a makeover. In other words, One Note Ahead remains open to whatever I deem suitable.
And now, a few of 2008's ups and downs.
Words I must never use in 2009: "wonderful," "energy," "intriguing," and unless absolutely necessary, "rock" and "roll." Of course, I'll continue to overuse all of those words anyway.
My favorite ONA lines from 2008:
But in person, the four-man outfit in the tight-fitting clothes played an exciting fusion style combining the aggressiveness of rock with the feel-good energy of roll. Or, as I told the band’s product manager and their street team leader after the show, “The Redwalls are amazing!!!!” (from The Music Breathing Dragon)
This was the day when I started thinking I didn't have the easygoing disposition necessary for a festival of this type and magnitude, and I seriously wondered whether I'd actually make it through all four days. But this was also the day that one of the food vendors told me I looked "chill." I am most definitely NOT a "chill" person, but this was such a "chill" festival that the, um, chills must have been rubbing off on me. (about Day Two of the XPN Festival, from XPoNential Value)
"She's basically Roy Orbison as a Jersey Girl, so I have no choice but to love her." That's how I described the fabulous Nicole Atkins to friends who were not familiar with her. I also told people that if I went to this festival and missed Nicole, I would not forgive myself. Even the most ardent advocates of forgiveness would have understood my sentiments if they'd seen Nicole and her band The Sea at the XPoNential Fest. (about Day Three of the XPN Festival, also from XPoNential Value)
I didn't dare go to the meet and greet line because that thing was long enough to extend all the way to hell and back. (about Back Door Slam on Day Four of the XPN Festival, also from XPoNential Value)
Oh, the joys of being a music industry insider! One Note Ahead favorite Matt Duke’s second album won’t be released to the general public until September 23rd, but my fellow insiders have been giving me their opinions of it for nearly four-and-a-half months! (from Album Review: A Duke And His Kingdom)
Give me a Jersey Girl who lists Gene Pitney among her influences and dedicates her most sarcastic material to Paris Hilton, and I might forget to check whether she has any actual talent before declaring myself her biggest fan. Well, singer/songwriter/guitarist April Smith is a Jersey Girl. She lists Gene Pitney among her influences. She dedicates her most sarcastic material to Paris Hilton. Oh, I hope she has talent......(he listens closely to her music)......yes! She has talent! (from EP Review: April All Year Long)
In a more electrified vein, "Get It Over With" is actually a simple pop song at heart, frosted, drizzled, and sprinkled with a bewildering series of stops and starts and impenetrable layers of solid sound. In its own strange way, it's one of the best tracks on the album. (from Album Review: Lipke, Volume Three)
One thing I love about Ingrid is her sense of humor. Another is her down-to-earth charm. In these performances of her hit "The Way I Am," both qualities just pour out of her like water out of a.....thing that you carry water around in and that thing got a hole in it and the water started pouring out. (from ONA Live: Ingrid Michaelson)
If it ain't one thing, it's another: About Gillian Grassie's only full-length album to date, I wrote that "choosing the 'worst song' on Serpentine makes as much sense as picking out the 'fattest woman' in a room full of Victoria’s Secret models." I got in trouble for that line, of course, but I still stand by it. Come on, a room full of Victoria's Secret models? The "fattest woman" in that bunch would still be skinny, just as the "worst song" on Serpentine would still be good. Sheesh. (See the infamous piece, which Gillian actually liked, here and also here.)
Must-Hear Track of the Year: "Get It Over With" by Andrew Lipke. I'd heard the song live many times, but the recording took me by surprise. The juxtaposition of alt-rock motifs with classical elements, the free-flowing execution of such a rigidly constructed song and arrangement, and the daring length all make this track a truly surreal experience in the best way possible. And not to slight anyone else involved in this recording, but it would be nowhere near as memorable without Krista Nielsen's otherwordly cello and Dave Perrin's fancy drumming.
Breakout Star of the Year: Jake Snider. When I was in high school, I was making crude lo-fi DIY recordings and singing in front of my classmates in the school auditorium. But in the same stage of his life, Jake Snider has already made a professional EP and played proper gigs at major venues in the Philadelphia area. And why the hell not? He is an accomplished singer, songwriter, and keyboardist who posesses more raw talent and professionalism than an embarrassingly large percentage of today's hottest chart-toppers. And in the mere eight months since I discovered him, he's just gotten better! This guy's got what it takes to go all the way. Read my review of his EP here (and here, for that matter).
Overall, I'm quite pleased with the way One Note Ahead has evolved in 2008 and I am extremely happy about the music and musicians featured on the blog! I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported One Note Ahead in some way. I'm ready for 2009, and I can only imagine what will be in store for ONA in the coming year. Until then, I hope you enjoy whatever holidays you may be celebrating this time of the year, and stay tuned! I don't plan on going anywhere yet....
Copyright © 2008 S.J. Dibai. All rights reserved.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
ONA Live: Ingrid Michaelson
The grand finale is upon us, and what better way to end this year's roundup of live videos than with a few good laughs?
To which some music critics would retort, "Laughs? Because Ingrid Michaelson's music is a joke?"
But not me! If you read my XPN festival blog, you know how and when I became a card-carrying Ingrid fan. Well, actually there's no card, but maybe there should be. One thing I love about Ingrid is her sense of humor. Another is her down-to-earth charm. In these performances of her hit "The Way I Am," both qualities just pour out of her like water out of a.....thing that you carry water around in and that thing got a hole in it and the water started pouring out.
(cough)
Here is the "Rap Remix" (yes, "Rap Remix") from "The Bob & Tom Show" earlier this year:
But THIS is pure gold, although whoever filmed it does seem to be fixated on singer/guitarist Allie Moss.....at any rate, this bit of goofing around took place at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston on May 15th, 2008:
I last covered Ingrid Michaelson in Day Four of my XPN festival blog: http://onenoteahead.blogspot.com/2008/07/xponential-value.html
And that does it for this year's edition of One Note Ahead Live. Like what you saw? Dislike what you saw? Wonder why your favorite wasn't included? Please send me some feedback. After all, the feedback I got last year inspired me to do this again.
Thanks for watching! We now return to your regularly scheduled One Note Ahead.
To which some music critics would retort, "Laughs? Because Ingrid Michaelson's music is a joke?"
But not me! If you read my XPN festival blog, you know how and when I became a card-carrying Ingrid fan. Well, actually there's no card, but maybe there should be. One thing I love about Ingrid is her sense of humor. Another is her down-to-earth charm. In these performances of her hit "The Way I Am," both qualities just pour out of her like water out of a.....thing that you carry water around in and that thing got a hole in it and the water started pouring out.
(cough)
Here is the "Rap Remix" (yes, "Rap Remix") from "The Bob & Tom Show" earlier this year:
But THIS is pure gold, although whoever filmed it does seem to be fixated on singer/guitarist Allie Moss.....at any rate, this bit of goofing around took place at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston on May 15th, 2008:
I last covered Ingrid Michaelson in Day Four of my XPN festival blog: http://onenoteahead.blogspot.com/2008/07/xponential-value.html
And that does it for this year's edition of One Note Ahead Live. Like what you saw? Dislike what you saw? Wonder why your favorite wasn't included? Please send me some feedback. After all, the feedback I got last year inspired me to do this again.
Thanks for watching! We now return to your regularly scheduled One Note Ahead.
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