Rush - Snakes & Arrows

When will i stop influencing by music, yes i know the answer, it's "never". This love becomes stronger everyday, why this is so beautiful? Rock music is as candies in a black bowl, do you hear that song sounds like sugar! At the same time this is dignified. I must admit that i've been blown away by "Snakes & Arrows". The record is another heavy guitar, bass, and drums. An amazing instrumental work of Rush is song named "the main monkey business" gets standout new work. It's definitely an alive rock record. Amazing!

mp3: Rush - Faithless
MM picks: Armor and Sword, the main monkey business, faithless
Rush Official

The Twilight Sad - Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters

Rating: 7.8/10
Modern Music Review
Once in a time, it was a very hot summer and i was totally obsessed on noisy bands. That wasn't the first time my meeting with noise rock. But it was truly amazing experience to order in my playlist all noise rockers that i've got during three months. The Jesus and Mary Chain, Spiritualized, Mercury Rev, Ride and many others... The reason why you should love noisy music is it helps realizing important moments on your life. Your ears are becoming interested in every minor detail of noises. You think that it can't be, but believe me it's true. Noise rock has always been an inventive style for me. On the other hand, like all overused things are not safe, you shouldn't listen loud music more than three hours like me!

And today's writing reason is a scottish band which we mentioned on this blog before. The Twilight Sad, and it's truly music of twilight. "Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters" is their debut album on the hand, featuring a kind of crying noise rock. Moreover connection with shoegazing can be heard on their songs. Functionally they're not shoegazers, it's somewhat improved type of shoegazering featuring horns, accordions, piano and a modern sound. We already know that none of the styles stay same. So I loved James Graham's style of pronunciation, he again shows that emphesis is always important in rock music!

Although it paralyses you at times, one of the best things that you may find on their music is a powerful sound. Now it's important being a powerful band. Music becomes to lose its meaning, because people get very serious about music, they also think that everyone can make music. What they do is only fill their pockets. This is nice music in every part.
MM picks: Walking For Two Hours, And She Would Darken The Memory, I'm Taking The Train Home
mp3: The Twilight Sad - I'm Taking The Train Home (highly rec'd)

Sade - Smooth Operator

Sexy moments from 80s are calling for us!

There are songs which are reasons to feel yourself as a star of that night. And it's a moment as if spotlights only show you. But you're not performing, you're only dreaming yourself in a glorious world. Thanks to Sade, for creating the song that is almost a classic. This is one of that rare songs can offer calm four minutes while captivating you in its jazz, poppy and memorable atmosphere. Piano, sax, percussion and do you want for more, then here it comes an absolutely original vocal performance!

mp3: Sade - Smooth Operator

Siouxsie and The Banshees - Kaleidoscope

‘Kaleidoscope’ follows hard on the heels of the morale-boosting chart successes of ‘Christine’ and
‘Happy House’, both of which are featured here. ‘Christine’, the story of the schizophrenic with 22 clashing personalities, was breathtaking: strong, steady drumming, a running bass, a skilful acoustic guitar and Siouxsie’s compassionate vocals all evoke perfectly the song’s stark atmosphere.

‘Happy House’ was great pop as well, everything moving together to form its own distinctive sound. And now ‘Kaleidoscope’ – a series of sketches each evoking its own atmosphere and place. ‘Happy House’ kicks off Side One before ‘Tenant’ is ushered in with a slow, almost Public Image feel, with Severin contributing electric sitar, among other things. ‘Trophy’ is a McGeogh number with a recurring guitar motif and an exploration by Siouxsie of the futility of remembering past triumphs.

‘Hybrid’, though meticulously constructed, tends to outstay its welcome, while ‘Clockface’ seems trite, save for Siouxsie’s chanting. The side ends with ‘Lunar Camel’: slow, a trifle draggy, it lacks characteristic Banshee purpose or direction.

Side Two: ‘Desert Kisses’ boasts a great swirling feel of power and intent with Siouxsie’s voice reminding us of its unique quality. ‘Red Frame’ is almost Human League but with more depth and darkness, while ‘Paradise Place’ and ‘Skin’ are just classic Banshee pieces. Hypnotic, relentless, and incisive, both feature Steve Jones on guitar, revealing a hitherto unknown side of the (S)ex Pistol.

As the title implies, ‘Kaleidoscope’ aims to give the listener exactly that. A kaleidoscope of sound and imagery, new forms, and content, flashing before our eyes. Undoubtedly a lot of the album
is a success on those terms, but even after about ten plays it’s still hard to fully grasp ‘Kaleidoscope’ as a concrete whole. Or maybe that’s the beauty.

Review by Paulo Hewitt
mp3: Siouxsie And The Banshees - Happy House
mp3: Siouxsie And The Banshees - Christine

Pan's Labyrinth

Modern Music Favorite Movie of the Year

For today, i did a different post. I know, this is somewhat out of topic, is there anyone who dislikes this masterpiece? I've watched to the film five days ago, and i can still remember wonderful scenes from the picture. Although Pan's Labyrinth is essentially a re-imagining of Alice in Wonderland, contrasts between destructive side of war and fairy side of fantastic world have truly been life-changing experience for cinema-lovers. I've also seen standout works like 300, Babel, Children of Men and they're not amazing but impressive. In addition Pan's Labyrinth has won numerous film awards, including three academy awards; best cinematography, best art direction
, best makeup.

Pan's Labyrinth also reminds me dark atmosphere of my favorite classical records such as "Glassworks" by Philip Glass or Wendy Carlos's "A Clockwork Orange". They're all unique musical pieces. I don't know if you're interested in classical stuffs, but you should listen some distinctive modern composition records at least. Do you have one of these? There are many memorable scene on Pan's Labyrinth. It's very hard telling what are the effects of a movie on you by writing, however this is the best film that i've seen for a long time. Essential!

Director: Guillermo Del Toro
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Pan's Labyrinth Official Movie Site

Feist - The Reminder

Rating: N/A
Modern Music Review:
This is another stunning work of art from an indie icon, a canadian singer-songwriter (and Broken Social Scene member). There are so many stunning moments on The Reminder.

I hadn't felt so calmly until i listened to The Reminder. Not only i'm a music fan, you want more and more if you once discover great taste of good music. It just plays, and you just lie, you didn't need to do anything, you needn't have seen the evil side of world. You know that one of the greatest things to do is listening to a solid musical piece for a healthy soul. Why it may not be Feist's "The Reminder"? With its bold modern vocal style, and sentimental harmony, sometimes it's jazzy, and beautiful voice of a woman, she's Feist.

Except likeable single "My Moon My Man", The Reminder mostly interests picky music listeners. Otherwise you may say it's sleepy stuff. Come on, you won't be listening cheery stuff all of your life. There should be emotional moments, just the same. To the closing, it becomes slower and turns to a melancholic love songs best of. Closing track is so magical! Eventually this is so attractive!
MM picks: The Water, The Limit To Your Love, How My Heart Behaves
mp3: Feist - The Water
Video: Feist - 1234

New Music

Singles
1. mp3: Amy Winehouse - Back To Black
2. Manic Street Preachers – Your Love Alone Is Not Enough
3. The National – Mistaken For Strangers
4. !!! - Must Be The Moon
5. Soulsavers – Revival
6. mp3: Dolores O’Riordan – Ordinary Day
7. mp3: 30 Seconds To Mars – The Kill (Bury Me)
8. Joanna Newsom The YS Street Band EP
9. Tori Amos American Doll Posse
10. Grinderman - (I Don't Need You To) Set Me Free (7”)

Videos
Beirut - Elephant Gun
Björk - Wanderlust
Feist - My Moon My Man

Amy Winehouse got my attention on the new single Back to Black. I don't care if she's a celebrity, as for me music is in first place, and "Back to Black" is a nice record. Rush with their "Snakes & Arrows" which will be outed tomorrow continues mesmerising listeners, and it is really nice record. I've been listening to this new album since last week.

Albums on this week
Tori Amos American Doll Posse
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Baby 81
Dinosaur Jr. Beyond
Feist The Reminder
Frog Eyes Tears Of The Valedictorian

Luna

For a long time, i was thinking about a 90s chart on this blog. I've been spending my whole time on listening music. Even though i go out six days of week, thanks to the new technology, i can carry more than 100 cd with me. So i'll be presenting some good stuff from 90s in the section. Nirvana, Pavement, Guided by Voices, Stereolab... and also underrated bands like fIREHOSE, Sunny Day Real Estate, Camper Van Beethoven...many of them will come!

Luna is the first band i wanted to remember, and "Bewitched" their the softest record. It starts with my favorite cut California (All the Way), it ends with another amazing work Sleeping Pill. Dean Wareham's songwriting makes this record splendid, moreover he is an extremely distinctive guitarist.

Candies, i see many of them on a supermarket which i pass nearby everyday. It's so painful that a candy isn't satisfying for me anymore. Last day i saw a kid talking on Tv "I don't want to grow", that kid was quite clever. Maybe i can't take my childhood back but i can remember
them while listening to "Bewitched". Luna Official Page
mp3: Luna - Tiger Lily
mp3: Luna - Friendly Advice, Live

Thirdimension Live

Thirdimension takes you beneath the surface, discovering another level to the music universe.
This isn´t just some high school band, this is a group on the day of graduation who are number one in their class. Oh, boy, will the connections never cease? Just go get yourself some good music like this.

This is the recent live record of swedish pop/ rock band pulling their influences from classic rock, britpop, psychedelia, and indie rock. The largely acoustic "Before the End Begins" is Thirdimension's most appealing album yet. A nice record for sundays.

mp3: Thirdimension - Where the Kids Try to Be Cool
mp3: Thirdimension - Dont fear the reaper / dream all day (Blue Öyster Cult and the Posies Cover)
mp3: Thirdimension - 3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds (Jefferson Airplane Cover)