First Of Many (Hopefully)

Wow.....I really do procrastinate a lot. But here we go; my first proper entry!

I wrote this a few weeks ago for a newspaper submission. The idea was to write about the current music scene, and pick out three bands that would suit the piece. I chose music from a few different areas and ended up this essay (apologies for shitty formatting, blame MS Word)...hope you guys like it.

'Youth Music'

INTRODUCTION

I’m a person who never likes being confined to a single genre of music, the freedom to make progress and mix a wide array of different sounds is what keeps me listening. Over the past decade, mainstream or commercial music has been destroyed. Commercial musicians (in general) are turning into fashion symbols and icons of wealth. This is an extreme contrast to the major musicians of previous eras. It’s impossible to imagine a band as imaginative as The Doors gracing the airwaves in the same manner as Kanye West. It’s unfortunate, but it’s a fact.

However, hope is not lost. If you dig a little deeper there is a wealth of outstanding new music to be found. Behind the veils of Coldplay and Green Day, lie a number of musicians who have been overshadowed by daytime radio, re-unions, break ups and those ‘final’ farewell tours. Here are a few of those musicians worthy of your attention.

è BURIAL:

My first choice is a dubstep producer originally from London who releases his work under the name Burial. You may be asking yourself what exactly ‘dubstep’ is. The only way I can describe it is; a dark form of electronica. Although Burial doesn’t confine himself to this sound alone because there’s a blatant hip-hop influence. I discovered his music through a friend of mine a couple of months ago and have been listening to both of his albums daily ever since.

My most played albums are usually progressive pieces, sounds that take the listener on a journey. Burial’s second album ‘Untrue’ sits nicely in this category. I listened to this in one sitting; on my own, at night, lights off, staring at the ceiling. Burial’s music isn’t something I would recommend playing at a group event; it should be a solitary experience. In one of the few interviews Burial has taken part in, he described producing his ‘tunes’ throughout the night from his studio when streets and laneways are empty. He sets the atmosphere with a fascinating blend of urban electronic beats and hip hop vocals.

‘Untrue’ has a number of standout tracks, especially in the first half of the album. It’s incredibly difficult to pinpoint my favourite track out of the twelve but ‘Archangel’, ‘Near Dark’ and ‘Ghost Hardware’ would probably lead the way. The album flows seamlessly, often you’ll forget that the last track ended and now you’ve moved onto something completely different. Quite simply, it’s a modern day masterpiece.

Listener’s shouldn’t be put off by Burial’s elusive nature (he refuses to play live shows and there’s no merchandise available, in fact the first image of him only appeared in late 2008). The sounds are more accessible than you might think, bearing similarities to Moby’s record ‘Play’. If you’re looking for something atmospheric then Burial is for you. For the love of all good music, I hope the downloading mentality doesn’t force Burial to stop recording, his potential is endless.

Both of Burial’s albums can be bought from Amazon.com.

è MASTODON:

Mastodon are an American band and their sound has evolved through each of their four studio albums. With each record comes increased hype and increased popularity. In March of 2009 they released ‘Crack The Skye’, their most progressive and genre blending album to date.

The Mastodon of today creates a sound barely recognizable in comparison to their earlier work, which was predominantly metal based. From the offset, I knew ‘Crack The Skye’ was different. There’s a greater sense of melody and rhythm, combined with deeper and certainly darker lyrics. This is essentially a prog-rock in the same vein as Tool’s ‘Lateralus’ (regarded by many of my peers as one of the greatest albums ever produced). We open with the track ‘Oblivion’ and it does exactly what you’d imagine. We’re treated to some heart pounding riffs separated by a stunning Gibson solo. A great album needs a great opener and this is certainly one of them.

There are two more standout tracks; ‘The Czar’ and ‘The Last Baron’. Together they last almost twenty five minutes which seems overly long but it doesn’t feel that way. On my first listen I was enthralled and on my 127^th listen (according to iTunes), I was still discovering subtle time signatures within both tracks. As a band they have grown and gelled together very well indeed, and this is their most accomplished record to date. Even though there are only seven tracks, the amount of time it takes to truly appreciate each one makes it a unique experience.

Mastodon are a visually aggressive looking band, this is due to their metal roots. I would encourage people not to be put off by the tattoos, the piercings or the hair because it doesn’t resemble what ‘Crack The Skye’ offers. There’s something for everyone to like here; well structured riffs, outstanding jams and nice angry vocals. On the first listen in March I picked ‘Crack The Skye’ as my album of 2009, and I’ve heard nothing to change my mind since. Mastodon have found their niche and it sounds oh so sweet.

You can find out more about Mastodon on their official website; mastodonrocks.com.

è THE BLACK ANGELS:

The Black Angels are another American band with a great sound. Unfortunately for them, they haven’t received anywhere near the level of attention they deserve. For lovers of 1970’s psychedelic rock, The Black Angels could be your saving grace.

I discovered this band about eighteen months ago through MySpace. Upon listening to the opening track on their latest album ‘Directions To See A Ghost’, I instantly connected the sound to The Doors, The Velvet Underground and The 13^th Floor Elevators. Their lead vocalist Alex Maas sounds eerily similar to Jim Morrison, a man who didn’t spend enough time on this planet. Throughout both of their major studio albums you will find tracks that hold a great beat, followed swiftly by a voice unlike any other in modern day music.

Just like Burial, The Black Angels need to be listened to in solitude without any distractions. If you can’t listen to their work in comfort then you won’t be able to fully appreciate their sound. As a piece of nostalgia, The Black Angels are an effective tool. After first discovering them I rushed back to find The Velvet Underground & Nico, to see exactly where the influences were coming from. This five piece are sure to grow in popularity, they’ve already supported major bands like Queens Of The Stone Age. I spend a lot of time and money on music, enough to know that these guys (and girl) deserve the public’s attention.

The download generation is killing smaller musicians like The Black Angels which is a shame considering how young and talented they are. If you’ve been waiting for a new band to bring back memories of the 1970’s scene, then look no further.

You can find out more about The Black Angels on their official website; theblackangels.com.

CONCLUSION

Creative music is still alive and kicking, even though the radio will make you think otherwise. The bands I mentioned have a true passion for music, it’s not about the money or the bling, instead it’s all about the sound. If you’re a music lover like myself in search of something fresh and a little bit different then you may be pleasantly surprised with the iPod generation. I’ve only picked out three musicians, each one has a specific sound and trust me when I say there’s more where that came from, a lot more.