It's been a while, I know and I'm sorry

So I haven't posted in a long while faithful readers, I'm sorry. I didn't post last week due to a string of hangovers and job interviews (I'm telling you, the two don't mix so well) and I didn't post yesterday because of laziness and an urgent need to clean my apartment (those two don't go well at all either).

I was actually upset that I wasn't able to post last Thursday, I had been looking forward to doing a Yom Yerushalayim post, but Tzvi's wedding and the Yom Student at Gan Ha'atzmaout proved overpowering and my writing ability was deeply effected by the massive amount of scotch I consumed. So, I wanted to tell everyone to listen to Matisyahu's song "Jerusalem" off his new album Youth on Yom Yerushalayim, but I couldn't. So I'm telling you to listen to it now.

With a chorus that seems eerily familiar to the famous psalm, Matisyahu sings "Jerusalem, if I forget you, let my right hand forget what it's supposed to do." The entire song is about what a bracha it is for us to have our beloved city. It's an uplifting tune that provides a deep pride in the fact that no matter what has happened to us Jews in the past century, we never gave up the yearning for Jerusalem. And to actually live in Jerusalem and be able to celebrate a Jerusalem Day, I know it brings tears to my eyes when I think about it too much. Which is why I don't too much.

While we're on the subject of Matisyahu, I am really astounded by the commitment that this Lubab has in fulfilling the Rebbe's wishes of providing yiddishkeit to the world. To see him on The Jimmy Kimmel Show was one thing (where he was asked by a funny Kevin Nealon about the existence of a East Coast/West Coast rivalry in the world of Hassidish Rap), but to hear 'Want Moshiach Now' being sung on MTV is another. He's no Tamir Goodman, he's the real deal. We all should be shepping nachos from this guy, he's what we all should be shooting for, 100% acceptance of our culture and beliefs in the world.

So back to what I was listening to last week for our little city's holy day, also on my playlist was the only other two songs I had with the word Jerusalem in the title. Those were Phish's version of "Yerushalayim Shel Zahav" and Alpha Blondy's "Jerusalem". Both great tunes that break Jewish holiness into the mainstream. I can't tell you the pride I felt when I heard random Phisheads walking around humming a song by Naomi Shemer. And what's a West African reggae singer who has toured with the Wailers doing singing Baruch Ha'ba Yerushalayim and Ani Ohev Otach in Hebrew? Don't question it, just sit back, enjoy and feel the pride.

So, along with this sappy post about pride and Jerusalem and all the crap that's associated with it, let’s continue down the path of sappy, chick stuff. Over the weekend I've had Tori Amos' latest album The Beekeeper on heavy rotation. I'm not really sure why I was listening to it; I've had the album for about year or so and never really listened to much of it. The random songs that have passed through my ipod I've liked, but I never really sat down and listened to the whole album. I did that this past weekend, and I now know why it was viewed by many critics as one of the best albums of 2005.

Tori (I wish we were on a first name basis) has made a career out of meshing classic piano playing with introspective (and often controversial) lyrics amid a rock backdrop. The Beekeeper was recorded with her greatest strength in hand, her ability to control a song's tempo with her piano and voice. She seamlessly takes a ballad, speeds it up until it rocks, and then slows it down again leaving the sweetest impression on listener’s ears.

The Beekeeper incorporates African drums and Irish choirs into the mix along with Tori's gifted piano playing, most notable on "Jamaica Inn". "Ireland" is another example of the perfection that Tori achieves on this album. The song is one of the most unique on the albums, combining a 50's style guitar work with a chilled out African drum beat and a soft choir in the background. Tori's own piano takes a backseat to the rest of the musical arraignment. Probably the best songs on the album are the stripped down "Ribbons Undone" and "Toast", where Tori unleashes her powerful voice over a simple piano.

Like her gift in managing song tempos, Tori knows how to manage the tempo on her album. She is one of the most gifted and talented musicians in the game. I highly recommend just buying the whole album and listening to it. It's no wonder that her fanbase is one of the most diverse in music, her fans often gravitate from bands like Tool, Ani Difranco, Slayer and Depeche Mode.
Recommended songs: "Jamaica Inn", "Ireland", "Ribbons Undone", and "Toast".

American I

So I've noticed a trend. People outside of the United States don't particularly like any of the truly American non-urban forms of music. Country, Folk, Bluegrass, Delta Blues or any genre that bridges these forms of music are shunned by most international music affiliates. Beloved American bands like The Grateful Dead, Bruce Springsteen, Lucinda Williams, Woody Guthrie, Dolly Parton, Hank Williams and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young rarely register on most international music fans palates. Which is a dying shame.

Recently though, a slew of Rock stars have bridged the gap between Rock and Americana. Most notably Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Van Morrison, Norah Jones have all hit it big on the Country charts, while Neil Young has a folky/country sounding new album, Mark Knopfler (former lead singer of Dire Straits) teamed with Emmylou Harris for a new album, and Jewel has returned to her folk roots with what might be her best album since her debut Pieces of You.

While Bon Jovi's entry into the Country music genre is limited to his duet with Country Pop Star Jennifer Nettles, his New Jersey compatriot Bruce Springsteen has set the charts afire with his tribute album to Pete Seeger entitled We Shall Overcome: The Seegar Sessions. Pete Seeger was one of the most prolific folk and protest music singer/songwriters of the 1950's and 60's. His hits include "Where Have All the Flowers Gone", "If I Had a Hammer", and "Turn, Turn, Turn."

Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen, or simply, The Boss, pays homage to his American Hero by recording over a dozen of Seeger's songs in true Springsteen style. The gritty, soulful album is filled with the songs that made Seeger famous and the sound that made Springsteen a legend. After over 30 years recording music, Bruce's voice still holds as strong and as powerful as ever. "Eyes on the Prize" comes through as a Western ballad, the type of song that was sung by cowboys roaming through the Louisiana Purchase, fitted accordingly with a longingly slow fiddle solo. "O Mary Don't You Weep" starts with a 40's style jazz big band sound before relaxing into a gospel-style anthem. Other songs, like "Old Dan Tucker" and "Erie Canal" are more Bluegrass, while "Shenandoah" and "We Shall Overcome" are standard sounding folk/protest songs.

If terms like fiddle, Bluegrass, Western ballads and protest music have got you confused, then maybe its time to expand your musical vocabulary to include the music that breeds in the American flatlands and is gestated in the American gut. The Boss is a clear place to start, his voice is gruff and his attitude is ferocious. No man alive can compare to his career both in terms of longevity and quality. In fifty years don't be surprised if someone like Ben Harper records a tribute album to him.
Recommended Songs: O Marty Don't You Weep, Eyes on the Prize, Old Dan Tucker and We Shall Overcome. And while we’re on the subject listen to classic Springsteen hits like The River and Born to Run.

I can tell you personally, I was very excited when I heard that Mark Knopfler was teaming up with Emmylou Harris to release an album. Knopfler, who is best known for his genius guitar work with his band Dire Straits, seemed like an odd match for Emmylou, who made her mark in music by writing songs that defined 70's style folk and country. If anything the mesh of 80's era guitar pop and 70's era folk hardly sounds like a match made in heaven, and if this album is any indication, won't be a new music fad.

Maybe it's because the guitar aficionado instead of the career lyricist wrote 10 of the 12 songs, or maybe it's because I was expecting the typical Knopfler guitar sound, but either way, I was very disappointed by All The Roadrunning. While genre bending is often a great way to relaunch a career, most artists do it in a way that plays to their strengths. This album does not do that. Emmylou's voice sounds as good as ever, especially when she breaks out her classic country twang, but the strength of this album should focus on Mark's guitar playing and Emmylou's penmanship. Sadly, this project got away from that. It's a shame, both musicians are talented enough to come out with a better album.
Recommended songs: Beyond My Wildest Dreams and Right Now (which is the only song that comes close to playing to their strengths)

To Be Continued…

I really don't want to like Kanye West,

but somehow I feel drawn to his music.

He's a pompous loud mouth who loves to rant about how he's under appreciated in the music world and how George W. Bush sucks. He publicly attacked the Grammy Awards in 2004 for not awarding him the Best New Artist trophy, after he already won for Best Rap Album, Best Rap Song and Best R&B Song. And he threatened a boycott of his own performance during the 2006 Grammys if he didn't win.

He raps about how George W. Bush gave Saddam anthrax and how Bush Jr. infected Africa with AIDS. He even started yelling during a live NBC broadcast of a benefit concert for the victims of Hurricane Katrina about how "George Bush doesn't care about black people."

Kanye seems to be an arrogant, self-proclaimed preacher who spouts his absurd views of the world every chance he gets. But in this blog, we talk about music, not politics. And sadly for us all, Kanye makes good music.

What started as a successful career as a music producer for Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Brandy, Janet Jackson and John Legend grew into one of the most profound music careers of the early part of the 21st century. As a producer, Kanye made a name for himself by developing a unique style of Hip Hop beats by speeding up or slowing down his samples. His early success on songs like Jay-Z's 'Izzo (H.O.V.A)', Alicia Keyes' 'You Don't Know My Name', and Twista's 'Slow Jamz' propelled Kanye to the forefront of musical producing, but Kanye wanted to get his face out there. He wasn't looking to just make music; he wanted to make a name for himself. He wanted to be famous.

After a car accident required his jaw to be wired shut, Kanye felt inspired to lead his life to the fullest. He recorded his first single 'Through the Wire' just two weeks after his accident, while his mouth was still wired shut. His debut album, The College Dropout, was released in 2004 and peaked at number 2 on the US charts. It's been certified double platinum selling over 5 million albums and has spawned four singles. What makes The College Dropout stand out from most Hip Hop albums is its clarity. Clarity in both the lyrical and the musical sense. The beats are crisp and the lyrics are clear. You can hear every sound and every word. The College Dropout also features quintessential Kanye tracks, simple beats, overdubbed samples, guest vocals and a mix of funk, rock and soul.

On his sophomore effort, last years much anticipated and much celebrated Late Registration, Kanye took his love of mixing around with samplings and simplified his sound. In his hit single 'Gold Digger' instead of sampling the required Ray Charles track he wanted, Kanye got Jamie Foxx to sing it. In 'Touch the Sky' Kanye mixed a Funk horns section with Afro-Cuban beats to create a sound that is as soulful as it is unique.

Celebrities have always loved using their celebrity status to push boundaries and create perception in places where those ideas are taboo. For all of Kanye's ego and ambitions, his perception of his race might end up being the most important thing that he's ever created. In a world dominated by Hip Hop clothing, Kanye had a hard time getting started in the music industry because he didn't look the part. Kanye gave his albums names associated with higher education, hoping that they would promote an understanding that college should be the goal for high school kids, not a life on the streets (his third album, due out at the end of the year is titled Graduation). Kanye attacks President Bush on race related issues, maybe not because he believes so strongly in these issues, but to raise the awareness of the community to issues that aren't being addressed. For a culture that is as deeply indebted to its musicians and athletes as role models, Kanye might come out on top. So despite the fact that I want to hate him, much like I want to hate Meredith Grey, I just can't.

Recommended Songs: Izzo (H.O.V.A) by Jay-Z, Touch The Sky, Through The Wire and Gold Digger by Kanye West, and Slow Jamz by Twista

Clarification

So I don't know why I'm going to do this, but I feel the need to explain what this blog is all about. Stemming from emails I received about yesterday's post about the Goo Goo Dolls, it seems that some people just don't get it. So here it is. The clarification of what the G's Funk blog is trying to do.

The goal here is to provide people with an alternative to listening to galgalatz. That's it. I'm not trying to prove my indie cred by talking about obscure bands or trying to predict the next rock stars. I'm simply recommending artists, albums and songs that most musical palettes would enjoy. I have been focusing recently on new albums that have made a dent in either the Billboard charts or critical reviews, but I don't intend to do just that. I'm also going to talk about artists that I enjoy listening to and my musical taste has a wide range, including cheesy pop music. I see nothing wrong with pop music. I'm not embarrassed to say it. I think Pink is talented. I like the sound that comes out of Sean Paul's mouth. I can't get enough of the new Shakira song. Daniel Powter's Bad Day is one of the best songs I've heard on the radio in a long time (until galgalatz ruined it for me). And although there was no way in hell I was going to go to her show, I think Kelly Clarkson is incredibly talented. My goal here is to present alternatives to people who normally would gravitate to music such as these.

So while we're on the subject of music that I listen to that people make fun of, let's talk about one of my all time favorite musicians, Lisa Loeb.

The Jewish Singer/Songwriter from Dallas, Texas has in addition to her five studio albums and two reality TV shows, the distinction of being the only unsigned artist to score a #1 single on the US charts. That song, Stay (I Miss You) from the Reality Bites soundtrack) launched her career and her life in the public eye.

Lisa has spent the past 10+ years artfully crafting her unique brand of pop/folk music. Her songs are sweet and her voice is dynamic. She has a gift for matching her sensitive lyrics with equally delicate music. Songs like Take Me Back, Hand Me Down, Did That, She's Falling Apart and Do You Sleep are mere examples of the talent that runs through her veins.

Lisa's music portrays the need she clearly has for wearing her heart on her sleeve. Her lyrics are honest and thoughtful, caring and delicate. Her music is folky at times, hard rocking at others. She travels through the hills and valleys of tempo like a master trekker hiking across Nepal.

And to top it all off, she's single and looking to get married. Her recent reality show on E! #1 Single documented the troubles a Jewish single girl has trying to date in New York City (when followed by a TV crew). The show is as entertaining as the music is.
Recommended songs: Stay (I Miss You), Take Me Back, Hand Me Down, Did That, She's Falling Apart and Do You Sleep

What's wrong with today, today?

So I was actually not planning to post today. Even though I didn't post yesterday and Monday's post sucked (according to at least one person who loves to throw his two cents into every conversation about music even though I doubt he's ever listened to a song that isn't easily identifiable as brit pop or appears on the UK indie charts). Truth is, I haven't been feeling so well lately so I didn't feel much like spending time in front of my computer. But I decided to get off my lazy ass and walk the foot and a half from my couch to my computer to write about music. So, I'm going to write, but keep it short.

With no research whatsoever done on the subject, I'm going to boldly predict that one of the most underrated American band over the past 10 years has got to be the Goo Goo Dolls. Although they've had a string of hits over the course of time, they don't come to mind when topics such as "Best American Band Over The Past 10 Years" are discussed. And why not? They seem to have all the components of a successful band. Awesome lyrics, awesome guitar hooks, an awesome pop sound, a lead singer that a lot of girls think is awesomely hot, awesomely powerful ballads, and an awesome array of number 1 singles. I don't need to add all those adjectives up to tell you what thier sum is.

Sadly though, the Goo Goo's new album Let Love In won't propel the band into the status of Oasis, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Matchbox 20 or any other of thier contemporaries. It's not because the new album isn't good, which is it, but it’s not anything different than the band has produced so far. It's the same damn thing we’ve all heard before.

Better Days, Stay With You and Give a Little Bit (a cover of the Supertramp song) have already charted on the US pop charts and Let Love In, probably the strongest song on the album, is currently rising the chart. These songs all sound well written, with that undertone of longing that the Goo Goo's have used for years to propel people to buy thier albums. Like most of thier albums, the songs here are either hard-rock ballads or slow punk tunes, as always, depending on whether guitarist/vocalist Johnny Rzeznik writes the song or bassist Robby Takac does. But also like the bulk of thier music catalog, the songs are good.

With this album, the Goo Goo Dolls take another step into a successful music career, just not a step into greatness.
Recommended Songs: Let Love In, Better Days, Feel The Silence

When I was thinking about writing this piece, I was going to talk about the new Live album along with the Goo Goo Dolls one. But I think I saw both bands on tour together at PNC in like 1998 or something. Figured it would be too cheesy to combine them, and I haven't really had the time to listen to the Live album yet anyways. Too bad. But expect it.

It's Monday...

So I didn't post yesterday. I'm sorry. I was lazy. But I spent most of Friday morning working on getting the radio up and running, so I hope ya'll appreciate that.

Before we get to the music, I've got an announcement to make. This has gone on long enough and to be honest, I'm just tired of it at this point. So I'm going to say for once and for all what everyone has been expecting me to say for months. Namely, I am Jeru Guru. For those of you who knew it all along, congratulations, your on par with Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. Now that we all know, let’s move on.

So one of the reasons I didn't post yesterday is I couldn't decide what to write about. I still don't know, so I'm just going to hit random on my itunes library and see what comes up.

"Give Peace A Chance" by John Lennon popped up, but I'm not in the mood to write a whole piece on John Lennon, lets just say that the world, not just the music world, would be a different place if he was never born. I'm sure I'll get to talk about him at a later date.

"This is such a Pity" by Weezer came up after I skipped through songs by Phish, Type O Negatice and The Game. "This is such a Pity" might be the best song off of Weezer's 2005 release Make Believe. Like a fine wine, a dirty cheese or a hit of acid from the 60's, Weezer really does getter better with age. The music is infused with their subtle brand of surf sound, hard rocking guitar riffs, indie cred, nerd rock and humor. Weezer, with the help of uber-music producer Rick Rubin, have created an album that is so strikingly fun that its hard to ignore. With tongue-in-cheek songs like "Pardon Me", "We Are All On Drugs" and "Beverly Hills" Weezer laughs off their past successes and clearly seemed more interested in enjoying their career in music than being bogged down on creating that perfect album. But what often happens when you don't watch the pot, it boils anyways. And for the band that once made a video with the Muppets, boiling water has never been so entertaining.
Recommended songs: This is such a Pity, We Are All On Drugs, Beverly Hills, The Other Way and Freak Me Out

The next song that came up on my random list is "Baby You're the One" by Guerilla Black and it gave me an idea. Instead of talking about album's I'm digging, I'm just going to give a short little recommendation of different hip/hop songs that I like.

So, starting with "Baby You're The One", which also features P Diddy protégé and Bad Boy producer Mario Winans. Guerilla Black's vocal style is reminiscent of the late Notorious B.I.G. and people have often said that Guerilla's popularity has come because people mistake him for Biggie Smalls, but either way, the track groves and like so many Hip Hop ballads, the lyrics shine through creating a powerful, emotional, danceable tune.

I've long been a fan of Twista, so when his track "Sunshine" came up next I knew that I had made the right choice of topics today. "Sunshine", which features Anthony Hamilton, is the third single off of Twista's 2004 album Kamikaze, and it charted worse than the other three singles that were released, which all became big hits. Twista, who got his nickname because he's got the fastest tongue in rap, blends R&B with slow Hip Hop beats and then speeds through his lyric sheets pausing slowly enough let you understand the words he wants you to. The delivery is masterful. On "Sunshine", Twista and Hamilton create a pretty little tune with funky beat and a sunny chorus. I'd be remiss if I also didn't mention my favorite Twista tune, "Hope", from the Coach Carter soundtrack. It's a beautiful, heartwarming tribute to everyone's favorite Hip Hop tradition, trying not to die before your time. "Hope" is a sweet, lyrical, and honest song about trying to make the world the type of place we all want it to be, Faith Evan's (Biggie's widow) voice on the chorus lends the belief that Hope is possible.

So the last song I'll talk about today is the Wyclef Jean track "Party to Damascus" which features Missy Elliot. Wyclef, who normally draws his sound from his background in Jazz, creates a song that is as infectious as it is rooted in Arabic music. This dance hit is propelled by both the interesting mix of Arabic music styles and Hip Hop beats and Missy's unique rapping style. The chorus is catchy and like all good Hip Hop, clamors to be sung along with.

Smells Like The Mid-90's

Can I just say I love doing this Blog. Thanks to everyone who reads it and sends me music. I've been so inundated with new music that I've spent most of the past two days listening to new stuff, and I'm loving it. I'm so backlogged with things to talk about that I've actually made a list and grouped bands to talk about based on my own thoughts. It’s wild stuff.

So enough of the music lessons, sorry about that the past couple days, but those were just thoughts in my head that I thought needed to get out. On to some new music.

I've chosen today, Thursday, to talk about three news albums by three old bands. The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam and Tool all have albums that have been burning up the charts.

Galgalatz, along with MTV and pretty much every modern music radio station in the world has put Dani California on their heavy play list. And for good reason, it sounds not unlike every other Red Hot Chili Peppers song, complete with California-based lyrics (what’s the deal with that anyways?). What separates the double album Stadium Arcadium apart from their previous releases, though, is that along with the fusion of funk, punk and rock they have fine-tuned their song writing skills. The hooks are solid, the lyrics are tight, the solos are intriguing, the grooves are abundant and the pop is noticeable in the right amount. Even the ballads, which I think have long thought to be their strongest sound, are seemingly raised to higher level. If you aren’t impressed with Dani California, don't worry, its not even close to the best song on the albums.
Recommended songs: Snow (Hey Oh), Stadium Arcadium, Desecration Smile and Strip My Mind

Pearl Jam's new self-titled release debuted on the Billboard charts securely in the number 2 spot, fueled by their obsessive fan base and the barrage of critical acclaim. I've never been a fan of Pearl Jam's sound. The layered guitars and barely audible lyrics always seemed to me more like noise than intricately composed songs. This isn't to say that I don't enjoy the occasional Pearl Jam song that is clearly a masterfully created work of audio genius (like Black, Yellow Leadbelly, and Last Kiss). I give the band their due, I accept that their music is good music, I just don't personally happen to enjoy it.

This being said, I didn't find anything special about their new album. The songs seem to drag on without a sense of musical purpose, the guitar works seem uninspired and when Eddie Vedder sings clearly enough to be understood, the lyrics aren’t poignant. With songs called World Wide Suicide, Unemployment, Army Reserve, and Life Wasted, Pearl Jam clearly had a political agenda in mind when creating this album. Maybe had they focused more on the music than their message the album would have been better.
Recommended songs: World Wide Suicide, the album's single, is barely identifiable as a recommended song.

Tool is another popular mid-90's band that I never really appreciated, even though I listened to Punk, Industrial and Heavy Metal music during that time, I could never wrap my head around their sound. It was too raw for me. Despite this and even though I find my musical taste much softer now, more folkish, I was floored when I first listened to their new album 10,000 Days. 10,000 Days is an example of the perfection of sound that Pearl Jam reached for, but didn't achieve. The energy that this band creates overwhelms their hard edge. The melodic sound and carefully crafted compositions form an overall sound that's intoxicating. On 10,000 Days, the band regularly flips between their hard outer shell and their soft under belly, creating a sound that is powerful and sweet, forceful and relenting. For anyone who can stomach the constant beat of a heavy double drum beat, the layered distortion and the unintelligible lyrics you will find the pearl lying inside the shell.
Recommended songs: Vicarious, 10,000 Days (Wings part 2), and Intension

Wouldn't it be nice...

So the radio thing is on its way. It's taking me longer than I'd hoped to get it up and running, but rest assured that when it’s done, it'll be hella awesome. I appreciate all the emails clueing me into new music. Keep them coming, even though I'm up to my ears in new music, I'm going to listen to everything and talk about them when I get a chance.

Beefore I start talking about the godliness of Brian Wilson I wanted to let everyone know that we're making a huge bonfire/sleepover thing next Monday night on a beach just north of Netzanim for Lag B'omer. Everyone is invited; just email me to let me know if you’re coming, if you need a ride, or if you can take people, and what you can bring. We're getting a keg, so don't bring beer.

So as I said before, I want to talk about Brian Wilson. He might not actually be a god, but his contribution to music history is well documented. For those of you who don't know who he is,Brian Wilson was the brains, talent and passion behind The Beach Boys. Yes, The Beach Boys. That band that your parents loved and made you listen to on long car rides. Yes, that band that sang about surfing and girls and cars and little else. And yes, that band that the Beatles once called their American rivals (but the Beatles have a long history of talking shit).

So why the hell am I talking about Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys? Forget about the fact that they are one of the most influential bands in history (Pet Sounds is number 2 on Rolling Stones list of most influential albums of all time), and forget about the fact that Brian Wilson reinvented what a music producer is by taking a razorblade and literally cut and pasted tapes together to create new sounds long before that was the norm. And also forget about his knack for harmonizing vocals, which he then taught to bands like Jan and Dean, The Beatles, and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. The Beatles said that their album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was created to outdo Pet Sounds, which Brian Wilson said he created to outdo Rubber Soul.

At the very basis for all that Brian Wilson has done over the past 40 years is creating music that is enjoyable to listen to. This is why I'm talking about Brian Wilson. From California Girls, to Surfing U.S.A., to Help Me Rhonda, to Good Vibrations, to Wouldn't It Be Nice, Brian Wilson's songs have a pleasant, fun nature to them that sound familiar and complex at the same time. While his songs are as singable as they are complicated, they are catchy without sounding too poppy. The cheesiness that exists in his compilations are exposed not because they copied what everyone else was doing at the time, but because his sound was soon copied by everyone.

And he's not done creating music. In 2004 Brian Wilson released his masterpiece, Smile. The album which was started in 1967 was originally intended to best Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, but the pressure was too intense and led Brian to a complete breakdown. Thirty-odd years later Brian tried again to record what he considered his best work, with mind-blowing results. Smile, while only a modest commercial success was truly one of the best albums of 2004. It was nominated for numerous Grammy awards and won one.

I truly feel that to appreciate and enjoy where music is going, it’s important to take a look back and see where music came from. Dust off those old Beach Boys albums and try to imagine what it must have been like to hear these songs for the first time, see if you can imagine these songs being groundbreaking and utterly original. Without them, we wouldn't have much of what we've got today.

Recommended songs: Good Vibrations, Barbara Ann, Wouldn't It Be Nice, Heroes and Villians, and Surfer Girl.

Two things I forgot...

First off, my sister had a baby boy last night. So I just wanted to say that my favorite song dedicated to a new born baby is John Lennon's Beautiful Boy. It's is a sweet, lyrical song that is half lullabyand half warning of the future ahead. True to form, John Lennon's greatest talent is singing about the life that he leads and with this song you can just imagine a father peering over his new born son's crib and composing this song as he watches him sleep. "Life is what happens to you while your busy making other plans," might be one of truest lines John has ever written.

Secondly, if anyone even still cares Axl Rose commented again on his new album and tour. He appeared on an American radio station yesterday saying that the album Chinese Democracy will be out in the Fall. I'd love to believe its true, and I'd love to believe that it'll be great. But I have a hard time believing either. Either way, he knew how to craft a song. As crazy as he is, he's got more talent running through veins than 95% of the musicians out there. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060508/ap_en_mu/music_guns_n__roses_3

Mashup's

So a couple technical comments before I start my blog today. First off, I should have some sort of music listening mechanism (a radio of some sorts) in place later today. I'll try my best to get it done before the end of the Israeli working day, if not, it really should be up by tomorrow. It's really technical and I'm not so smart, so it'll probably take me longer than it should to set it up. But I'm going to do my best. My bathroom exploded yesterday so I've got to hangout till 3 to wait for the plumber. So that gives me time to work on it. The second technical comment is I don't get this whole a-z meme tagging thing. And I'm sorry to disappoint people, but I'm not playing.

So on to the music. I'm going to respond to what Debbie Wiseman posted about yesterday on my comments page. She gave a link to an album full of what’s called 'mashup' songs. A mashup is a song that combines multiple songs into one. For example if you take just the music of Wanted Dead of Alive by Bon Jovi and edit into it just the lyrics of Madonna's Like A Virgin. I know it sounds cool, but it’s pretty kitschy. And like most art forms, anything kitschy is just that.

Just to give a brief history of how mashup’s came to be, like most new musical styles, technology played a major part in its creation. In 2001 Sonic Foundry (later bought out by Sony) came out with a program called Acid Pro, which for the first time allowed people a cheap way to edit songs on their personal computers. As a promotion for this product, in 2003 Jay-Z released a free vocal-only version (a cappella form) of his new album The Black Album for people to remix.

An underground NYC DJ named DJ Danger Mouse took these raw tracks and sampled them with the Beatles White Album creating what he then released as The Grey Album. This Grey Album became one of the most critically acclaimed albums of 2004 appearing on numerous Best Of lists and was featured in publications like The New Yorker, Entertainment Weekly and the Village Voice. The album also led to the creation of The Purple Album (The Black Album remixed with Prince's Purple Rain), The Black and White Stripes Album, and the Double Black Album (combining Jay-Z's and Metallica's Black Album's) among others. The Grey Album was eventually banned and DJ Danger Mouse was then sued by EMI who holds the licensing rights to the Beatles catalogue. All of this notoriety, though, helped to launch this genre and in 2005 a plethora of mashup albums and compilations came out, and then were taken off the market because of various lawsuits. MTV even launched a video mashup show where they sliced together videos based on the mashup songs that DJ's created.

Probably too quickly, because of the over saturation of the market, the kitsch appeal of the genre, and the lack of quality in most of the music being produced, mashup songs lost their flavor with the music buying public and quickly became a thing of the past.

Adam Freeland, founder of a type of techno music called Breakbeats and one of the most groundbreaking DJ's to ever remix a song called mashup songs amateurish. Take a listen to Freeland's remixes of 'Fever', 'Hello, I Love You', 'Seven Nation Army', and 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' (when I get the radio thing working) and see what you think.

Despite all of this, aside from their legacy, mashup music has made a vital contribution in today's musical landscape. Because of the lawsuits that followed the music, the issue of the legality of music sampling has been brought back to the forefront of music law. Various non-profit groups have taken up the cause and are committed to freeing music so that sampling, in all of its forms, will be allowed. The most active of these groups is Banned Music (http://bannedmusic.org/) where you also can download DJ Danger Mouse's The Grey Album.

If you want to check out more mashup music, follow Debbie's link (http://www.bootiesf.com/bestofbootie_2005/) and see it for yourself.

I had planned to talk about the godliness of Brian Wilson today, but I guess I'll have to save that for tomorrow.

Thanks to Nooman

So people are reading my blog. I'm impressed.

So, I've gotten a bunch of suggestions in the past day and I wanted to take the time to respond to them. A self-proclaimed 'queen of katamon' who shall remain nameless has verbally attacked me for having a blog since I've often criticized her for her blog. But since she no longer has a job where she can read the internet, I doubt she'll ever read this. I'm sure in a couple of days I'll feel the loss of her readership.

So, the rest of the comments have been positive. People have suggested I post mp3's of songs so people can download what I'm talking about. But I'm not sure if that's legal, and I'm all about the legality of things. I'm trying to figure out a way to stream songs, that might be more legal. I'll figure it out soonish. I might just do a bi-weekly compilation CD that I can give out to people in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv (sorry to those of you in the US). I'll keep you posted.

So Nooman made a slew of interesting comments, one of which would be awesome, but sadly, unlikely to happen. How great would it be to have a decent radio station in this country? A station that plays more than just Kelly Clarkston, Idan Reichel and 'Bad Day'. A place where you can actually hear music that the rest of the world's music listeners are currently enjoying. I'm not talking about an underground or college radio station, but something on par with what exists in major cities around the world. So if anyone wants to donate like $125,00 or so to this cause, get in touch with me.

So Nooman also suggested I listen to a new London-bred artist named Lily Allen. And thank you for that suggestion man. She's great, I thoroughly enjoyed what songs I could find. According to her myspace.com page (http://www.myspace.com/lilymusic), her debut album will be out in July. Currently she has a demo that's circulating. Its worth finding and giving a listen to. Her ability to mix styles, genres and cultures with a beat and a funky rhythm knocked me off my seat. After one song, I was hooked. Thanks mate.
Recommended songs: LDN and Everythings Just Wonderful

So, while listening to Lily Allen, I often though of another talented English chick who has a knack for meshing sounds in her songs. M.I.A., whose official debut album came out around this time last year (but who had a couple of widely circulated demos) has gathered some notoriety in the US and curiously enough been accepted into the US Hip Hop community. Her songs have also been featured on a number of this year's EA Sports video game soundtrack. Like Ms. Allen, she knows how to mesh sounds and produce something totally riginal sounding. Unlike Ms. Allen, M.I.A.'s sound is more danceable, a combination of Trip Hop beats and Rap grooves. Think Missy Elliot meets Tricky. The album was funded and produced by Justine Frishman, who on top of being married to Damon Album (lead singer of Blur and the only real music playing member of Gorillaz) led one of my all time favorite bands, Elastica. And to top it all off, she's got an amazing story of her childhood and upbringing. You can read it here (http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/mia__4_/artist.jhtml#/music/artist/mia__4_/bio.jhtml).
Recommended songs: Pull Up The People and Fire Fire

So, I downloaded the new Red Hot Chili Peppers and Pearl Jam albums yesterday and have just started listening to them. I must say, I've never been a big Pearl Jam fan, but the initial reviews of the album have been amazing. So I figured I'd give it a listen. Can't hurt. I only downloaded the Red Hot Chili Peppers album because bassist Flea made a public plea for people not to download it (http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20060504-080018-5112r). I couldn't resist. So far the Chili Peppers album is better. I'll save the recommended songs till tomorrow when I've got a better handle on the songs.

So, till then...

Oh, one more thing...

I'll be writing in the comments section too. So if you want to read every damn word that I feel like typing, check that out too.

This thing is raw power, I can now see how its gone to some people's heads.

I Be Blogging

So here it is. I've finally succumb to the pressure of life in 2006 and decided to start a blog. I know, I know, I've been pretty adamant about my hatred of blogs, but fuck it. People have been asking me for a while to write a blog about the music that I listen to, so I feel as a matter of public service I'll begrudgingly accept that responsibility.

So this blog will be just that. A place where I'll talk about the music I listen to and like. I'll try to limit the random ranting and raving about my thoughts and my life. Because who really cares to hear that? If you want to hear a meaningless or useless opinion on life you can read any number of other blogs. If you want a listing of pointless internet drivel, I can forward you to a couple blogs written by friends of mine. They are great for that.

So that brings me to the next disclaimer, I'm really not a nice person. On occasion I'm going to be mean, maybe even nasty, possibly I'll be straddling that line of being an asshole. If you have a problem with that, if your offended by it, or if its aimed at you, stop reading. That’s really the beauty of the internet. If there is something you don't like, the most powerful thing you can do is to just stop reading. But I will try not to mention people by name, I feel like thats the line between being an asshole and being a horrible human being. I don't think I'm a horrible human being, but this could be the chance I get to prove that theory wrong.

So like I said before, this blog will be primarily about music, music I like and think people will like too. If you disagree with me on a particular subject I feel is less than stellar, let me know and I promise to give it a second listen. And I ask you to do the same. Sometimes a song or an album can sound better only on a fourth or fifth listen. And if there is some song or artist out there that you think should be listened to, let me know and I'll give it a listen. The whole goal here is to try to expand everyone's music playlists, mine as well.

So this seems long enough for an intro. I'll just leave you with three more things. Two musicians I think everyone should take a listen to, and short story. Oh, for those of you who know me, I love telling stories. Its bound to happen here in my posts.

So, the first is a guy named Joshua Radin(http://www.myspace.com/joshuaradin). He's a bit folky, but real powerful. His first full length album is coming out in June, but he's got an EP out and some songs are available on itunes to download. I compel everyone to give it a listen. His songs have already been featured on Scrubs and Grey's Anatomy, two shows who are known for their use of (and taste in) music. Recommended song: Closer

So for anyone who's been listening to me talk in the past couple of weeks knows that I've been listening to a lot of funk lately and I feel like I'd be remiss if I didn't tell everyone to listen to Stevie Wonder. Seriously. If all you know of the man is "I just called to say I love you" then you are doing yourself a disservice. The man is a genius. I'd gladly trade my ability to see to see what he can. His grooves are solid and his ability to mesh instruments and musicians seamlessly makes me a little skeptical that he really is so blind. His songs have been covered by so many different and diverse groups and he's touting as such an important music source that he should be short-listed as one of the foundations of the music we listen to today. For some reason though, he doesn't get that recognition. For the life of me, I can't understand it.
Recommended songs: Sir Duke, Higher Ground, Part Time Lover and Living For the City.

So this post seems long enough for now. I'll save the story for another time.