This week, Crash Chords takes a gander at Message to Bears, the one-man project of multi-instrumentalist Jerome Alexander, and his latest album Carved From Tides. Though replete with talented session musicians, this one-man show tugs at our heart-strings and challenges us with a few head-scratches before spurring a scintillating topic on lyrical expression at [1:28:50].
Welcome to the first episode of 2016! Join us as we kick off the new year with a new microphone and Björk’s torrid divorce album, Vulnicura, released early last year. Afterwards, we dive into some more heavy material concerning music at large: how easy it is to grow “out of touch”, internet marketing, and postcapitalism! Should be a fun year…
Happy Thanksgiving from Crash Chords! (If today’s album & analysis should find its way into your extra-long weekend, we’ll be giving plenty of thanks indeed.) Ripe for the picking, we look at an album that debuted at #1 in the U.K. this September, the plaintive This Is All Yours by the English band Alt-J (or “∆”). Then, following the album, we briefly discuss the impact of varying an album’s style as opposed to its mood.
If you like musical paint strokes, then you may like a group called Set and Setting, a post-rock band from Florida that’s all about the moods and impressions. This week we take their latest impression, ironically titled A Vivid Memory, and put it up for review. But don’t forget to stick around for the big question… How does one get famous?! This age-old question has plagued many an aspiring artist, especially those seeking validation for their work. Once we drop the walls of humility, the path is as uncertain as it ever was; still, hear us address the various paths that other artists have taken, while debating their success rates.
Hope the title isn’t too much for you, because you can expect no less from their music. The seasoned post-rock ensemble, Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra (a.k.a. the band of too many a.k.a.’s) has released their bold new LP, F*** Off Get Free We Pour Light On Everything. You know the drill; now let’s dissect this behemoth! Then, for our topic, we wander into the fiery ring of copyrights vs. fair use. Don’t miss this great debate!
A splash of Metal, a dose of Prog, a pinch of Post-rock, and a heap of adventure! That’s the bolognese that is The Migration by Scale the Summit. Join us for this intense review, followed by an equally intense discussion on “theme” vs. “arc.” Frequently lumped together in album reviews, these core components aren’t always holding hands, nor are they so clear-cut. What’s the distinction? Is one more important than the other? More questions and (some) answers in this week’s jam-packed episode.
Those episode numbers just keep on climbin’, don’t they? Well, for our 60th, we thought we’d vacation to a quiet corner of the world, rife with geologic wonder, cool air, and the soothing textures of ambient Post-rock. The place is Iceland, and the band: Sigur Rós. How did our trip go? Find out in this week’s review of Kveikur, the band’s latest album. Then be sure to join us in an intense discussion on the public education system, the fostering of creativity, and where music stands in the midst of it all.
Welcome back! Join us in our first review of 2013, where we take on the remix album, A Wrenched Virile Lore, released by Mogwai. Then stick around for a discussion on the visual associations we come to have with music.
This week we talk about new music videos, new music from Green Day, how some musicians are pompous, an album review of You Can’t Take It with You by As Tall As Lions, and then we discuss music in marketing campaigns. Also I want to thank the Wall Street Playaz for letting us use “Livin’ The Life” as our theme music.
