I’ll be the first to admit that I am as far out of the hip hop window as any 40-year-old white man can be, but when this clip of P.O.S. covering Pearl Jam’s “Why Go” landed in my inbox, I just had to hear it for myself. He did the cover on the fly in his studio, with one pre-programmed beat and what looks like a one-octave keyboard. It isn’t perfect by any means, but it ain’t bad. He actually sings the track (smart), and even tries to add a guitar solo on that tiny keyboard of his (bonus points for trying). Try it — you might be surprised by the results.
Category: Artists (Page 99 of 262)
Jon Stewart is a huge Springsteen fan, so naturally he treated Bruce a little better than how he treated Jim Cramer.
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Bruce also performed a solid acoustic version of “Working on a Dream.”
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | M – Th 11p / 10c | |||
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Straight from Norway comes the indie-pop sensation Maria Siversten. This quirky 24 year old loves to drink, speaks her mind, and is the proud owner of her very own psychological disorder–synaesthesia, a sensory condition that makes her see colors and shapes when she hears tones or sounds. Her lyrics are blunt, simple, and to the point in a twisted web-of-a-way that often leaves you wondering what her songs are about, but the overall effect is garge-style-scuzz-rock that’ll have you dancing around the room, remote control-microphone in hand.
For the most part Ida’s debut Fortress Round My Heart (RCA) has been well received, earning her a spot on Blender’s 1001 Downloads: Top 144 Songs of 2008. (She came in at number 109.) Rolling Stone Magazine called Fortress “warm and tuneful” but also warned listeners that Ida could ”go easier on the drunken confessionals.” There’s no doubt about the fact that her record is soaked with the remnants of some heavy drinking, but it does make for some interesting tunes.
Unfortunately for Ida Maria, not everyone’s a fan of her spunk-infused pop. DrownedInSound.com wrote:
While her vocal enthusiasm is commendable…there’s not enough bite to Ida Maria’s zesty jump-around-the-room pop-rock for it to really impress. Fortress Round My Heart drags its heels more often than it kicks them, leaving its makers’ explosions of endearing energy exposed as the rarest ingredient in the Norwegian singer’s writing…
After a brief description of her touring history, DrownedInSound.com goes on to say:
The object, according to the artist…was to create a record of ten short, sharp, perfect tracks; pop music that hits hard, that you can dance and drink and go crazy to. There are moments of decently sassy pop-rock here, songs that you can just about see someone singing along to…But these moments are few and far between, and are exclusively the tracks featuring a vaguely vibrant BPM count. When she eases off the gas Ida Maria’s wheels begin to fall off; when she’s careening along to the point of near control-loss, Fortress is a fun, undemanding listen.
I wouldn’t go as far as to say her record is an “undemanding listen” but there are times when you find yourself wondering what exactly you are listening to. NME.com wrote about a few of those moments saying:
The deranged booty call that is ‘I Like You So Much Better When You’re Naked’ makes sex sound like a desperate pagan ritual. ‘Oh My God’ makes boozing sound less like a fun past-time than, well, a desperate pagan ritual. By the time things turn to God, on ‘Stella’, He’s having sex with the titular character while, drunk…
Overall, Scandinavian grunge-princess Ida Maria’s unusual blend of sassy melodies and self-deprecating lyrics isn’t half-bad. If you like a little dirt in your pop music you should definitely check out her debut Fortress Round My Heart on iTunes, or drop by her MySpace for a free preview.
From Volcom Entertainment comes the six-piece indie-rock outfit the Riverboat Gamblers. Their fourth studio album Underneath The Owl hit stores last Tuesday and has been creating quite a buzz, thanks to their unique punk-inspired sound.
Hailing from Austin, TX the Riverboat Gamblers bring the energetic spirit of the Lone Star State to rock ‘n roll with intense choruses and surprisingly heartfelt lyrics. Their sound is the perfect mix of Rise Against and the Foo Fighters; just poppy enough to get stuck in your head, but sill hard enough to get your blood pumpin’.
Their latest record is the perfect combination of infectious hooks and heavy guitars. In a recent review Spin.com wrote:
It’s weird to think that these Texas upstarts are largely relegated to the fringes of pop — what they do is so basic, so elemental, it’s hard to even come up with a modifier to place in front of “rock.”
It’s true that the normal definition of “pop” is nowhere to be found on Owl but there is a definite influence that shines brightly through their punk/rock façade. Snobsmusic.com described Riverboat Gamberls’ sound perfectly, saying:
Much like Against Me!, Riverboat Gamblers make fast paced punk with all the hooks you could ask for…and they manage to do it without a whiff of bubblegum.
The music isn’t the only thing that has critics raving; the Riverboat Gamblers put on one hell of a show. In fact, in this month’s issue of RollingStone David Fricke wrote:
If there was a Purple Heart for punk-rock performance, Mike Weibe of raging Texans the Riverboat Gamblers would have a chestful. He’s a singer who always brings the show to you—surfing on hands, swinging from rafters and spinning around pillars—and he has the scars, abused muscles and mended bones to prove it.
Fricke goes on to rave about Owl’s “high-velocity bundles of sanded-fuzz guitars and bloodlust-rah-rah choruses.” There’s really nothing negative to say about this band. Their sound is polished, infectious, and straight-up rockin’. They’re currently on a nationwide tour complete with a few opening shows for Super-Punk stars Rise Against and Rancid. Check out Riverboat Gamblers’ MySpace for a complete list of tour dates and shows near you.
Grab some beers and get ready for St. Patrick’s Day.
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