ALBUM REVIEW - Paris Combo - living-room

I received Paris Combo’s living-room as a gift from my good friend Aaron. It is totally cool French lounge music, with some surprisingly ripping guitar. It is definitely mot a style that I usually listen to, but the musicianship is extremely high and the songs are infectious. Belle Du Berry’s voice is amazing, featuring both the strength and sensuality to pull off both the upbeat living-room and the pseudo-torch song Sous la lune.

In terms of lyrics, they are in French and, ugly American that I am, the only French I know relates to rich sauces and snails. There are English translations, but I have to say I like the ambiguity of not knowing what is being said, so I haven’t read them.

This is great cd and the fact that the guitar player is named Potzi cracks me up and I find myself tapping my foot and smiling every time I listen. How can you go wrong?

Gaito says: Looking for some high-end lounge music…this is a must.

Favorite Tracks:

Living-room

Ubiquite

L’avenir incertain du Titanic

Mobil’homme

Curse you Lentils!

If you ever decide to eat a whole box of Lentil Pilaf, slathered in tabasco sauce while watching TV in bed, take it from me, it is not a good idea.

Just trust me.

Globbing vs. Blogging

I have started my own free speech phenomenon called globbing. I sneak up on some unsuspecting person and dump a big pile of goo on them. As they stand there shocked, I unleash a witty and pertinent diatribe, the likes of which they have never heard. Perhaps it will be about piracy and the music industry or the conditions at Guantanamo Bay….what ever it is, I can assure you it will be filled with half developed ideas, a loose grasp of the facts and drenched in self importance. Afterwards, I’ll invite my victim to have toast and eggs and homes and then it’s home for a nap, lightly salted mixed nuts and the complete first season of Strangers with Candy.

I am telling you globbing is awesome!

Yeah.

How could this be true?!!

Bynes Shines in "She's the Man"

http://www.thedeadbolt.com/news/467798/sheman.php

How could this be? It sounds so stupid and crappy. How could this movie not be the bane of existence as we know it?! How can it have anything shining about it? I just don’t understand.

ALBUM REVIEW - Zero 7 - simple things

There is no doubt that simple things by the British duo Zero 7 is well produced. Crystal clear sounds, nice beats and a nice big smooth low end. Unfortunately, good production alone cannot make me like this disc. Now let me back up a bit. I don’t hate the cd, if someone popped it on, I wouldn’t leave the room (and believe me there are cd’s that, if played, would result in just that…strong convictions or just a big, crazy jerk…you decide). Anyway, there is just something about this cd that feels so very average…it totally and completely fades to the background no matter when I listen. Now I guess some people like that, but I believe that while music does not always have to be in the forefront in every situation it should always add something or contribute. I have never felt that with simple things. It has always dissipated into the ether...I am listening to it again as I write this and I am finding the rhythm of my clicking keyboard more engaging…wow, I actually set out to write a nicer review than this. Oh well.

In terms of highlights, the disc opens well enough with i have seen which has an excellent verse, but the song falls apart from me at the chorus and the groove goes from funk to cheese. in the waiting line, the “single” is cool as it reminds me of the scene from Garden State where the track was used to perfection – would I like the tune so much without those images to accompany it? I am guessing no. At this point I will gladly accept the rage of all the true Zero 7 fans who now know I bought this cd because of the single and that I am not a true fan – and to you I say “you’ve done it to me hundreds of times…forcing bands I like to play the crappy single when they get to play on TV or having to play it at every gig “wasting” a precious set list slot. Now we’re even you heathens!

Maybe what people describe as “chill” doesn’t wholly suit me and maybe I am missing the point, but this cd comes off as a slickly produced snoozefest which, minus a few moments, I find impossible not to ignore. Beauty and perfection don’t inevitably lead to good music.

Gaito says: I wish I had purchased something else. Don’t make the same mistake I did!

Favorite Tracks:

i have seen (verse only)

in the waiting line (call me a poseur….now!)

My friend Seth “Toby” Newrith, PhD

He can really drive me nuts sometimes, but Seth aka “Toby” is a constant source of inspiration for me. Not as much as my creative spirit guide Hobart the Emu, but still an okay guy. He can be a little irritating and my temper with him is often short, but I love him like a brother or at least like a cashier who gives me nice crisp bills instead of the soft, germ-laden ones.

Who is my gloopy?

Have you seen him, my gloopy?
Paradoxical fur strewn all over the field where he once existed.
‘Why not bathe in his pool?” I asked myself.

Would the soap clog the filter?
Would the pool boy know of my transgression?
If the robot scum cleaner comes to close can I be electrocuted?
Where does he keep the buns?
Might the propane really not be empty as the ring that my knock produces indicates?
For tacos, is the shell necessary or will a bowl suffice?
What is better 10 radishes or 1 really big one?
Is it still called a cabana if you live there?

How can I know the answer to these?
Without knowing of my gloopy?

Who is Mike Loopy?

No one real.

ALBUM REVIEW - Ween

quebec by Ween is a very strange cd. I have to be honest, it is not entirely clear to me what they we trying to attempt. My best guess is that it is an attempt to synthesize a number of different genres, styles or clichés. It’s Gonna Be a Long Night kind of sounds like Motorhead, Transdermal Celebration like early Pink Floyd or The Flaming Lips, Among His Tribe reminds me of a number of mellow firelight acoustic numbers by [fill in the blank], The Argus sounds like a progressive rock epic, So Many People in the Neighborhood sounds like a novelty Ween song, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera…by the way, I know one etcetera suffices and three could raise the ire of some of you wanna-be grammarians, but keep it to yourself…for your own good.

So we have a cd that is synthesizes these styles. How does it fair? It is a very enjoyable listen that includes some major high points. These include the homage to the joys of medication in Zoloft, the hook-laden Transderaml Celebration and The Argus, which is the first track I heard off the cd and the one that inspired me to buy it. Zoloft has a fun, sing song melody, which is tough to shake out once it’s stuck. Transdermal Celebration sounds like an AOR classic has a great guitar line and is a very well written song. The Argus is really beautiful and has a great guitar figure that know one else seems to like as much as me (I like where is sits in the 6/8 – Gavotte rhythm that the song has). It also features some great vocal lines and is dripping in baroque themes.

So, I think I like it. Well, there are moments that I really like and others that I am kind of indifferent to. There is no denying the talented weirdness of Ween, but would I put this disc on a pedestal for all to view as the future of music? No. It’s pretty cool and weird, but not the weirdest or the most original either. I’m glad Ween exists and I am glad I bought this, but I will not wave my freak flag high about it.

Gaito says: I’d rather you bought this than what ever you heard on the radio this week, but email me for some other recommendations too!

Favorite Tracks:

The Argus

Transdermal Celebration

Zoloft

Hey There Fancypants

Big news (I know I left you hanging last week!)

I am leaving my current day job at the end of March. Taking a year to do things that I love: teaching guitar lessons, writing and recording, helping out with my wife’s freelance design business (Joia Design), creating joyful things that make me smile, working on collaborative musical projects that have been stalled way too long, finding opportunities that are fun and interesting and allow me to learn new things and finally recording and releasing the solo album that I have been talking about for what seems like forever.

I hope to come out the other end of this adventure with a new sense of peace and perspective, some goals accomplished and some new goals defined.

It’s scary and risky, but I came to the realization that it is never going to get any easier, there is never a perfect moment to leap, and if I didn’t leap now I might never be in the position to leap (at least like this) again.

I have no idea what is going to happen, but I am going to attack this opportunity I have created for myself and milk it for all it is worth. Should be lots of fun!

Gaito

Ps This is little more serious than most of my blogs I know - so for those of you who read to get a weird Gaito fix:

If I said “Munchkin” to you, what would you think of first? A donut or a little person?

If you said donut you are in the 48th percentile.

If you said little person you are in the other percentile.

If you said Elizabeth Taylor you need more fiber in your diet.

ALBUM REVIEW - Aimee Mann - Lost in Space

As I review Aimee Mann’s Lost in Space I am resisting the urge to go on extensively about how she was in ‘Til Tuesday and had an 80’s hit with “Voices Carry”. I am also going to refrain from gratuitous Michael Penn references except to say that I used to really love his song “No Myth” and his cameo in Boogie Nights is a treat.

I am a little late on this review. It’s kind of an old CD, but hey it’s new to me (I hear that her newest CD is very good – The Forgotten Arm, but I haven’t scraped together the coin to buy that one yet).

The album portrays stories of people who are isolated and alone even when others may surround them. In my opinion this is dangerous territory for an artist. This risk of sounding pretentious, mundane or just depressing is high. I think that the songs avoid many of the pitfalls and produce some excellent raw emotion. Don’t get me wrong though, it’s depressing. Well, maybe more melancholy than depressing and I’ll tell you I am all about the melancholy. I think Melancholia should be a section in the record store, between the power punk and Americana.

So now that we’ve established that I like melancholia, here’s what makes Aimee’s particular flavor of melancholy so appealing:

1) Her Voice – I have read a lot of negative stuff online about Aimee’s voice, as well as some very positive stuff. I think her voice is great and her delivery (I am not sure if you would describe it as sleepy or pleasantly apathetic or what) is perfect for the music she writes.

2) The Production – After listening to this recording a number of times over the last few weeks, I can tell you that it is great sounding CD. There is a warmth to it and I am not sure whether it is due to analog recording, vintage gear, or just skill and the desired vibe. I just really like how the CD sounds and the fact that it doesn’t sound slick and sharp and digital is a very good thing in my opinion. The musical moments sound real and that gives the songs more weight.

3) The Package – I love a good CD package. I always like feeling like I purchased something that was someone’s vision at that each piece of it was crafted with a purpose. Lost in Space feels like that. There are some great drawings and the dark blues and greens are warm and comfortable and I like touching it.

Having only heard bits and pieces of Aimee Mann’s music before, I can tell you that this CD has made me a fan. There are some really amazing songs and some fantastic arrangements here.
Gaito says: This one is very close to essential.

Favorite Tracks:

This is How it Goes

The Moth

Pavlov’s Bell

Invisible Ink