Oh What a Year

Okay, this was supposed to be a songwrite blog originally, but I've re-appropriated it since I have not done much songwriting this year. Although, in fairness, I must make a note that I've done more songwriting this year than I have in the past six years, which is a nice re-start to one of my favorite activities.

I wrote a song earlier this year for my lovely wife, called "Love's Coming Down", and I gave it to her for her birthday. It's a pretty good song, and the first love song, like TRUE love song that I ever wrote. She loved it. Not sure what to do with it, as it really wouldn't work in a band setting, but it's in the collection nonetheless.

The next song was written a couple of months later, and it's called "Disappointed One Track Mind", which is not a great title, but the song came out just fantastic. It's not much of a rock song either, but it has a nice Elvis Costello ditty-vibe that I like, something that could have been on "King of America" or something (nice compliment to myself there). That one is a very good song and gives me hope for the future of my writing abilities.

Anyway, I'll try to post more about songwriting, when the fact is that most of my days these days are spent working on marketing, and blogging in other places about SEO and Digital Advertising.

But I'll be back as much as I can to talk about music... my first love.

Have a great December and a Happy New Year!

Boomient Consulting for SEO and Web Marketing Intelligence

Just a quick announcement to promote my new company, Boomient. I started it this year following a career of 18 years in the advertising and marketing industry, where I worked for large agencies. Now I'm doing my own thing as a small Digital Marketing and SEO consultancy. I take on small to large businesses and help them define their Internet Presence and increase their marketing and communication footprint on the web.

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check out my site if you get a chance, and send any clients my way!
Thanks,
Jim

Here's the website:
SEO ROI and Digital Marketing

I almost forgot, here is the link to that story about the Beatles themed barbershop

Beatles Barbershop on Penny Lane

Penny Lane, there is a Barber showing photographs

I just read a really fun Beatles story.  It seems that the famous Penny Lane in Liverpool, has never had a barbershop on it, despite the famous lyrics to the contrary.  Well, one enterprising Liverpudlian has decided to cash in on the idea and open his barbershop on Penny Lane.  Sounds like a good enough idea, but apparently the bloke has been literally inundated with eager fans wanting to get their hair cut on Penny Lane, and naturally, to also have him take their picture and post it on the wall so that he can be true to the idea that he will be "showing photographs of every head he's had the pleasure to know".

This has got me thinking that there are probably dozens of other ideas within Beatles songs where one could start up a business in Liverpool based around a particular location.  Although I suppose Strawberry Fields is not open for commercial business.

Anyway, anyone who follows this blog knows that I've written quite a bit about the new Beatles USB Apple product that came out in December, which contains high-resolution showing files of the entire Beatles box set.  Apparently, the files are what they call DRM free, at least the MP3 files are, so you could buy the product, and then return it to the store.  The perfect crime.  I suppose some people don't feel any twinges of guilt having already paid for the Beatles catalog one or two or three times throughout the history of recorded music.

Anyway, I have made a few updates to my review of this audiophile Beatles product, and you can check out my page here: Beatles USB Box Set

one more link:
Granite restoration – Boston and North Shore

I am He as You are He as You Are Me

Geez, I have so many personas going on these days I don't even know what to think and who to be.  I am doing a variety of things to keep myself busy, but blogging about music has not really been one of them.

I can only offer this humble reco for today.  If you are a math-rock fan, do check out a band called Battles.  They are quite amazing and have a level of sophistication for both instumental and lyrical music that I haven't heard from a modern band in a long while.

Hope to be back with more Beatles analysis soon.




Best Albums of the 00s Decade

Let Me Take You Down, Cuz I'm Going....

There is lots of Beatles news going on these days. Rumours are that Paul McCartney is getting married this year in a secret ceremony to his new American sweetheart. Ringo has a new album out and has apparently found God after many decades. The John Lennon museum in Japan is closing down after 10 years. And George... well, okay I don't have any George news.

But it's time to re-invigorate the intent of this blog as a music appreciation source, and what better than to pick up where I left off with the Beatles.  I wrote an article claiming that the Beatles' Sgt Pepper is the most overrated album in the history of music, and I've received a lot of flack for that.  But I stand by my statements: Beatles Sgt Pepper Overrated

However I've been listening to Pepper a lot and I think it's time I sung it's praises a bit as well, lest my readers think I am not the Beatles-bleeding fan that I actually am.

It's not that 'Pepper' is not great, it's just that it's got a few holes that need fixing, next to the bright spots.  Let's talk about those bright spots.  "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" is easily one of the best Beatles songs, a truly inspired (and drug-induced I suppose) wonder from the fertile minds of John Lennon and Paul McCartney.  There are some other songs from the 60s that paint this sort of colorful dreamscape, but none do it with the panache and combination of childlike wonder and professional songwriting sophistication that you find on this track.  And unlike some other Pepper tracks that I have a problem with, LSWD is served perfectly by the production stylings and overuse of stereo on this track, as it is meant to shock and surprise the listener by virtue of its sonics as well as it's lyrical imagery and melodic bouncing.

Another track on Pepper that is not widely discussed is the opener of Side 2 (back when there were actually sides), and that is the brilliant George Harrison composition "Within You, Without You".  Many people are bored by this tune because it is really not a Beatles song (none of the other Beatles even played on it), and doesn't quite fit the rest of the album because it is so exotic-sounding.  However, as I've gotten older this track has really seeped into my soul, for reasons having to do with the complex musical mix going on in it, as well as the spiritual and holistic message of the words... "you will find peace of mind is waiting there.... life flows on within you and without you".  I always thought he meant "without you" in the breakup sense, but now I realize he just meant inside and outside, in a spiritual sense.  It's a wonderful lyric, and the indian music combined with a decidedly Western pop sensibility makes this track unique and special among any music made by the Beatles or by any other band I can think of.

Why aren't there any artists around anymore who even attempt to make music this way, by virtue of experimentation with new instruments, odd song structures, served up in a melodic pop context.  Can you even name one?  There's lots of little indie bands that I love who write tuneful music, but no one seems to pursue the grand ambition that the Beatles had... maybe there's not a market for it anymore, or maybe the record companies talk them out of it.  And to think... the Beatles were putting out a record every 6 months at the time they made Rubber Soul, Revolver, and Sgt Pepper.




Beatles USB Box Set

The Soothing Sounds of TOOL

Is it possible that Tool is actually an easy listening band? It's weird, I don't normally like anything metal or too aggressive, and there are tons of crappy bands who churn out this sort of LA heavy rock that I just can't stand.

But Tool is in a different category to me. They are intelligent, deep, almost alien, and do not neatly fit into the "metal" category, despite the intense razorburn guitar sound and mammoth production style. I actually find them soothing. Maynard's voice has a lilting quality to it that is oddly comforting, and the wash of bass and guitars working with his voice, over a strange math-rock rhythm, just makes me feel like I'm listening to music that improves my brain.

All Hail Tool!

They are on my best of the decade list, which you can see here:

Free Quality Link Directory

Radiohead: In Rainbows, an Appreciation

So I've chosen Radiohead's In Rainbows as the #1 album of the past decade. Not a huge suprise to many rock fans, at least those who have moved into this century with us and are listening to modern rock bands like RH to begin with. However, many best-of lists have put Kid A at the top, and I love that record, but going back and listening to both I think that In Rainbows deserves the top honor.

Kid A was a revolution for many music fans, not only a great record but also a moment in music when a band that had been given the reigns of rock decided to take us all in a deliberately different direction. Kudos to RH for that, and the album is gorgeous, spacious, colorful, and very at home in the new century.

But In Rainbows represents something more... it is a synthesis of everything RH did on Kid A, combined with lessons learned from the ensuing decade, and their excellent followups Amnesiac and Hail to the Thief. While Kid A was a lab experiment, In Rainbows represents the Masters thesis, using the full palette of what RH can do on one album. Guitars are back, mixed in with the digital bloops and blips, and sometimes disguised as them. The luxurious production is there, and so is the wonderous rythymic stew that RH do so well. The opening track "15 Steps" is so perplexing from a rhytymic perspective, that I often amuse myself with the puzzle of trying to count along with the beat and know exactly when the guitars and vocals are coming in.

Mainly the songs are better on In Rainbows, just a better set of writing, lyrics, melody, etc. It's almost as if RH is inching back to a place where they can make a true followup to OK Computer, with a full embrace of rock, mixed in with Thom Yorke's sad Arias and musings on emptiness, presented as a group of songs rather than a breakthrough in studio wizardry.

Either way it's like comparing your favorite cake with your favorite pie... all RH to date, going way back to Pablo Honey, have been top-notch accomplishments, and each one represents a step forward in one way or another.

For more on my top 10 album picks for the past decade, Look here for reviews of those albums

And here are the urls i am working on these days... ...http://www.squidoo.com/toptenalbumsofthe00s.http://www.squidoo.com/buy-beatles-usb.http://www.squidoo.com/n-scale-model-train.http://www.squidoo.com/model-train-repair.http://www.squidoo.com/scale-model-train-layouts.http://www.squidoo.com/z-scale-model-trains.http://www.squidoo.com/make-money-stuffing-envelopes-at-home

Additions to Best of the Decade List of Albums

In scanning iTunes I came across some honorable mentions that are important to include. Again, no particular order... I'm not even comfortable ranking the top 10, but I did do that, so here are some more that come somewhere after 10:

Creeper Lagoon: Take Back the Universe...

Ranier Maria: A Better Version of Me

Ryan Adams: RocknRoll

Badly Drawn Boy: About a Boy

Bright Eyes: Cassadaga

Arcade Fire: Neon Bible

Belle and Sebastian: Dear Catastrophe Waitress

The New Pornographers: Electric Version

The Postal Service: Give Up

Stars: In Our Bedroom After the War

Zwan: Zwan

Film School: Film School

Kanye West: Late Registration

My Morning Jacket: Z

The White Stripes: Get Behind Me Satan

Band of Horses: Cease to Begin

Eddie Vedder: Into the Wild (Soundtrack)

M.I.A.: Kala

Ryan Adams: Easy Tiger

Wu Tang Clan: 8 Diagrams

happy new year again! Here's the link to my original top 10 list:
Best Albums of the Decade

Best of the 00s

I've gotten some good response and feedback on my top ten list for the decade. So much so that I've created a Squidoo lens to really fill out the info, show the album covers, and provide links to Amazon to buy the records. If you want to see what I've done, go to this site:

Best Albums of the 00s Decade

I'm particularly proud of the write-ups on Amy Winehouse and Tool, both of whom made albums this decade which maintain a special place in the heart of my iPod. Tool in particular is a band that deserves a more full discussion. I saw them in New York once and it was a mind-altering experience. I have never been hit as hard by a band as I was by Tool, with the possible exception of Nirvana, who were also pretty damn loud.

Anyway, I've gotta do some specific blog posts on each of these albums, and I will, as I'm trying to get back to the purpose of music appreciation for which this page was created. Until then, enjoy this list, and the site with the detail on each album.

http://www.squidoo.com/toptenalbumsofthe00s

Until next time, have a great decade...