ANN SWEETEN.

After much too long, today I am pleased to introduce to you Ann Sweeten, who swiftly caught my ear with her new album, “Just This Side of Spring.” A contemporary pianist/composer, Ann will win the hearts of many with this unique new-age, neo-classical collection. She has the astounding ability to paint a vivid picture with her soft, lovely stylings. Songs like December Snow, Just This Side of Spring, and In Gardens Fast Asleep effortlessly narrate a pleasant story that are reminiscent of my early childhood. On the other hand, songs like Crossing Over and Hearts Left Behind tugged at my heartstrings with their soft, subdued tones. While some songs on the album may have brought me back to the innocence of youth, the true beauty of Ann’s music is its versatility. Any one of her songs could illicit something different depending on who is listening.

The album overall is unique and memorable. It is full of beautiful melodies, both pleasant and melancholy. Ann’s not your typical pianist, however. Her brilliant use of tension keeps you on your toes and her passion truly melts your heart.

I highly recommend Ann Sweeten to anyone who enjoys listening to classical and emotionally powerful piano compositions. Check her out here. P.S. Don’t forget to check out Ann’s other albums (here) as well! Happy listening!

Yay for free music!

You know what I love most about Fridays? AbsolutePunk’s Free Music Friday. Every week bands provide the site with links for listeners to download music for free. The bands offer single songs, some offer EP’s, and a few even offer full-length albums. It’s a great way for new bands to get their names out there, and for listeners to discover new music.

A few Fridays ago I discovered The Snow Shore. Underneath the download link, AbsolutePunk has an RIYL, which stands for “Recommended if You Like.” The Snow Shore was compared to Anthony Green, so naturally, I gave him a listen. And I’m thrilled that I did. A raw acoustic artist, he’s a nice break from all the electronic, new wave music out there.

The album is pretty poorly recorded, but it doesn’t even matter. This music is pretty. I can’t think of a better word for it. It’s passionate. It tells a story.

Check him out.

The Snow Shore.

 

 

All the way from Copenhagen.

A huge Soilwork fan, someone suggested I listen to a band called Raunchy. Particularly, their album “Death Pop Romance.” I have to admit, I had no interest in listening to them. I thought Raunchy was a terrible name for a band, and I figured any album that included both ‘pop’ and ‘romance’ in the title couldn’t possibly be good.

But my curiosity was peaked when I learned they were from Denmark. After listening to countless melodic death metal bands from Finland and Sweden, I was curious to see what Denmark had to offer. And I was pleasantly surprised! An infusion of melodic metal, thrash, and industrial gives this band a very definable sound. And the contrast between Kasper Thomsen’s screams and clean vocals sounds stellar. I like a little variety in my metal — a back-and-forth between screaming and melodic vocals, and this balance is something Raunchy pulls off really well. Furthermore, the electronic parts in “Death Pop Romance” are so prominent, it gives the melodies a unique twist not usually heard in this genre.

I did manage to listen to a few songs from the previous albums as well. The band has definitely refined its sound since then, and the vocals, drumming, and guitar have all improved noticeably. As far as I could tell from the two older songs I heard, the band wasn’t nearly as melodic as they are now. It was much heavier before, and there was a whole lot of talk-screaming rather than sing-screaming, if that makes sense. Something I, personally, get bored of very quickly. Fortunately, Raunchy seemed to hit its melodic stride with “Death Pop Romance.”

Another album was released a few years ago, and now an official a fan of Raunchy’s newer stuff, I’ll be listening to that one very soon. If you like Soilwork, Mnemic, or Sonic Syndicate you might want to check Raunchy out.

LIGHTS, camera, action!

Valerie Poxleitner, aka Lights, has recently begun sweeping the nation with her synth new wave pop hits. If you’ve been on Myspace recently you’ve probably seen her face plastered all over the home page. The pop/new wave thing isn’t something I’m usually into, but I really enjoying to listening to this girl’s music.

Her vocals, very airy and light, may not be something everyone loves. But it’s a perfect fit for her songs, which are happy and vibrant — true feel-good music. Something that makes you want to roll all the windows down on a long summer drive and sing along.

There’s something so innocent about all Lights’ music. This is a young, bubbly girl who loves life. And that’s what her music portrays. So if you need something to cheer you up or lighten the mood, check this girl out: http://www.myspace.com/lights

LET’S ROLL… back.

I started reminiscing about the 90′s today… what  a great time for music. So I’ve decided to compile a list of some of the greatest 90′s songs, as well as my personal favorites. (Bear in mind, I was all about the radio at this age.) I hope this list makes you feel as nostalgic as I do.

The Ultimate Song List from the 90′s According to Sabrina (in no particular order):

1. Man in the Box – Alice In Chains
2. Semi-Charmed Life – Third Eye Blind
3. If You Could Only See – Tonic
4. Everybody Hurts – R.E.M
5. You Get What You Give – New Radicals
6. Name – Goo Goo Dolls
7. Father of Mine – Everclear
8. One Headlight – The Wallflowers
9. Insensitive – Jann Arden
10. 3am – Matchbox 20
11. Alive – Pearl Jam
12. Wonderwall – Oasis
13. Scar Tissue – Red Hot Chili Peppers
14. Closing Time – Semisonic
15. Bittersweet Symphony – The Verve
16. Du Hast – Rammstein
17. The Freshman – Verve Pipe
18. Ironic – Alanis Morissette
19. Why Don’t You Get a Job? – The Offspring
20. Learn to Fly – Foo Fighters
21. One Week – Barenaked Ladies
22. All the Small things – Blink 182
23. Everything You Want – Vertical Horizon
24. Karma Police – Radiohead
25. All I Want – Toad the Wet Sprocket
26. Just a Girl – No Doubt
27. A Long December – Counting Crows
28. Heart Shaped Box- Nirvana
29. Runaway Train – Soul Asylum
30. What it’s Like – Everlast
31. Zombie – The Cranberries
32. Two Princes – Spin Doctors
33. Steal My Sunshine – Len
34. Bitch – Meredith Brooks
35. Tears in Heaven – Eric Clapton

At the risk of the list getting too long, I’m going to stop there. But I think I’m going to have to do a part 2 of the 90′s at some point… Stay tuned!

Leone.

This week has been hectic. I have a 25 page research paper due in the coming weeks, so I’ve been working pretty diligently on that and forgetting about everything else.

Anywho, today I’ve decided to look at Leone, an experimental/rock group from Florida. I came across them on Myspace somehow, and they only had two songs posted, “The Tempter” and “Birdcage (You Will Never Know).”

“The Tempter” is powerful and aggressive, with haunting vocals to accompany it. I could definitely compare it a little bit to Circa Survive, but overall the sound is something entirely their own. Frontman Will Thomas calls it, “passionate, energetic, emotional, spiritual and noisy… We write with a purpose: to inspire, to challenge or to question.”

Bear in mind, this is an experimental band. And the music, quite honestly, sounds all over the place. But when an experimental band can pull off the haunting sound like Leone does, I have to give them credit. It’s obvious how passionate Will Thomas is when he sings. And on top of the frantic music, Thomas’ voice sounds composed, genuine, and sure.

“The Birdcage” starts off very quiet with an acoustic guitar and Thomas softly singing, “I, well I, used to dream. I used to kick, kick and scream. Well have you heard, they’re after me.” The song picks up about a minute in, reminding us of the unique sound that is Leone.

And sadly, those are the only two songs I know. There was an EP released in 2008, but I can’t find it anywhere. Not even on iTunes. What’s more, a few months back the band wrote a blog to inform fans that they will be changing their name, and ended the post with, “that’s probably the last time we’ll sign a blog with that name.” But they have yet to change it, and have written other blogs, which they left unsigned. Fortunately, their blog late last month said that they finished mixing their upcoming full length album and have begun to master it. So hopefully that will be released in the near future. And perhaps with the new album will come their new name? I guess we’ll see…

Oh, Slash.

You’ve all heard the Guns N’ Roses classic, “Paradise City,” correct? Of course you have. Well, Slash has done a cover of the song with Cypress Hill and the Black Eyed Peas.

…

I wish I could sigh on here without just typing sigh. But… siiiiigggghhhh. My affinity for Slash is being overshadowed my disappointment. I mean, come on, the Black Eyed Peas? And Fergie sings Axl’s parts. Fergie ruins everything. Slash apparently doesn’t think so. He recently tweeted that, “she’s a screamer at heart.” It could be worse, I suppose.

There have been mixed reviews on the song. Some claim it’s better than the original, some think it’s absolutely horrid. I wouldn’t go that far, but I’m definitely not a fan. COME ON, the song starts off with rap. And I definitely heard, “got ma main man Slash.” Not okay.

AVALON.

You’re all going to be sick of hearing Anthony Green’s name by the time I’m done writing this blog.

BUT. From the depths of my CD collection, I recently re-discovered Anthony Green’s solo album, Avalon. My best friend and I were obsessed with this when it first came out. For a few months, whenever we hung out, he would play the album’s songs on his guitar and I would sing. It was kind of geeky, looking back on it.

But this album is like nothing Anthony Green has ever done. It’s very simple. There are a few tracks on the CD that are nothing more than the acoustic guitar and Anthony’s vocals. Even when he goes beyond the simple acoustic/folk feel, the songs are still soft. The entire album is subdued, soothing.

But the lyrics are what get me. Lines like, “I’ve been trying to reach you, but my extension cord wouldn’t reach that far,” and, “I’m just afraid that if you stay we’ll never change” portray how relatable the entire album is. I think almost anyone could listen to it and find at least one track that resonates with them. Anthony Green wrote this album for himself, and it shows. Completely different from the abstract Circa Survive lyrics.

We all have a song or an album that makes us reminisce, that reminds us of someone or awakens memories from another time in our lives. This album is it for me. Not just because my friend and I sang the songs together, but because it’s very human. Anthony Green feels like a real person in this album, and he makes me feel like I’m not alone.

It doesn’t really matter what you think of Anthony Green. This album deserves some recognition.

so many hearts in great demand.

Five or six years ago I came across a song called “November” by the band, Azure Ray. I downloaded the song and throughout the years and all the new computers, it has been transferred from one iTunes library to the next. But until recently, I never made any effort to learn anything about the band. Or even listen to another song.

Well, I did some research. Azure Ray was an acoustic duo, consisting of Maria Taylor and Orenda Fink… who broke up in 2004. But that’s okay, because thanks to the internet, music from a scrapped band will live on forever. So although it may be a tad late, I found more Azure Ray music to listen to. And while I still believe “November” to be their most beautiful piece of work, the other stuff wasn’t bad either.

Let me first start out by saying that this band is not for everyone. They’re soft, slow, and slightly monotonous. But if you can dig deep and really give yourself in to the music, I think there’s something to be said for this dynamic duo. The voices of the two women blend together so beautifully, each and every track has an air of dreaminess about it. I guess you could argue they sort of sound like a choir, but I think it sounds angelic.

Angelic in a very sad way. This music is pretty depressing. Which, I must confess, is part of the reason I like it. Sometimes when you’re in a sad mood you just want to sit and listen to sad music. And this band may, in fact, make the most somber music I have ever heard. But it’s simple. And simple can be a beautiful thing.

this is it.

I took my mother to see This is It yesterday. I was introduced to Michael Jackson at a very young age; my mother has always been in love with him. So until I was about thirteen years old, I was the girl in class still listening to MJ and Madonna. Of course, I eventually grew out of both those artists. But This is It definitely rekindled my love for Michael Jackson.

He was such an amazing artist. And after watching the movie, it’s easy to see why. He knew his music. I mean, look at the bass line in “Billie Jean.” When the song was first released, the producer didn’t like it and wanted it taken out. But it’s Michael Jackson. And who but MJ could get away with that?  After listening to multiple covers of the song, no one. And artists who have tried to remove the bass line from their versions have been criticized.

The thing was, everyone respected MJ and his ideas. When he was rehearsing for his upcoming tour, he made every single decision. If he didn’t want to deal with timing, everyone else watched him meticulously for the cue. He hand-picked all of his dancers out of thousands of hopefuls, and if one of his songs was even one second off he’d have it done over and over until it was perfect. He knew what he wanted, and he knew what his fans wanted to hear.

The man truly was a genius.

My latest MJ obsession.