Kyle | Those Who Dig

One Note/One Phrase: Tom Waits

February 23, 2011

One quality of a truly remarkable performance is that there is often one note and/or one phrase that can encapsulate the grace, fire, virtuosity, subtlety, or authenticity of the artist.

Tom Waits is a technician of style. His sound, image, and stage persona have become remarkably defined over the course of his long and fruitful career. Nevertheless, today I would like to commend Ara Anderson, the trumpet player featured on the cut, A Good Man is Hard to Find, for peppering the instrumental solo with the perfect amount of tenuto and rhythmic pull.

Tom Waits: A Good Man is Hard to Find

New Releases

Lupe Fiasco – All Black Everything

February 22, 2011

| Kyle

Two surprises in one day! Our blogbro Pooch over at This Bonus Track put a new Lupe Fiasco track up a few hours ago, and hot damn. This is by far my favorite of the tracks I've heard from the upcoming Lasers. It's hook is heavy and orchestral and Lu is absolutely killing it. I'm short on time so that's all the commentary you get, sorry kids!

Lupe Fiasco – All Black Everything

New Releases

XV – Finally Home (Ft. Machine Gun Kelly)

February 22, 2011

| Kyle

Well I came home from car shopping (because, you know, I'm totally loaded with cash) to a tweet featuring XV's new jam. Everyone should know by now that Vizzy is my boy and any new track leading up to his album gets me giddy. Here goes.

XV – Finally Home (Ft. Machine Gun Kelly)

Videos

Nerd Rock Dance Off

February 21, 2011

| Kyle

Over the weekend Radiohead released their new album and music video – Lotus Flower. At which point the entire online music blogosphere exploded and in three days the video received about 3.5 million hits on youtube alone.

While this may have been a victory for Radiohead and a good omen for the success of their new record, for me, this was a victory for nerd dancing and it got me thinking about some of my other favorite moments in nerd dancing/rock and roll history.

So read on me droogs and see my picks for the nerd rock dance off and then compare them with your own.

Weekly Roundup

Weekly Roundup: Feb 13-19, 2011

February 20, 2011

| Kyle

It's time once again for Weekly Roundup, a place to recap some of the week's interesting and important news and share some of the great songs and videos we dug over the past seven days. Yes, that includes Radiohead.

Videos

Kanye West – All of the Lights

February 19, 2011

| Kyle

Holy hell. The video for "All of the Lights" is an event. This quickly became my favorite song on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and the video doesn't disappoint. It has a simple, B&W lead up that serves to contrast with the strobes and rainbow pallete of the rest of the video. And the first appearances of Yeezy, Kid Cudi, and Rihanna (who is looking exceptionally hot) all feel momentous. Well done, Hype. Also, I'll admit it, I have an unhealthy fetish for videos with animated lyrics (first "Fuck You" video anyone?), but this one takes the cake in that area. Did I mention Rihanna? Oof.

Waxing Philosophic

My Work Week in Sound

February 18, 2011

| Kyle

Recently I've found that the way I listen to music has changed. Circumstance and schedule have really got me down in the past few weeks and my listening has been almost entirely driven by deadlines, and work functions. With a run out of shows in DC, preparation and rehearsal for a concert with the Peabody Camerata, a full time high school music education position, and a few miscellaneous free lance musician obligations my blogger research time has suffered.

On the other hand I have had the opportunity to polish the dust off of a few old favorites that have been lost in the shuffle for way too long. This is a small selection of music I have been listening too lately because of work that is absolutely worth hearing, regardless of the context.

Check it out, you'll not find a more eclectic list of music in the blogosphere today!

Videos

Radiohead – Lotus Flower

February 18, 2011

| Kyle

Posting things that every single other blog in the Blogosphere is currently writing about is something I try to avoid. But, goddammit, it's Radiohead! In case you're under a massive rock, Radiohead unexpectantly released their album, The King of Limbs, today instead of tomorrow. The Greatest Band in the World also released this video of Thom Yorke gettin' down and dirty for the song "Lotus Flower". It's haunting, beautiful, and full of all the emotion we've come to expect from these masters of their craft. What a great Friday.

Mp3s

Gnarly Buttons

February 17, 2011

| Kyle

The Peabody Camerata is performing the John Adams work Gnarly Buttons for FREE in Griswald Hall of the Peabody Institute in Baltimore MD this Saturday February 19th at 7:30pm.

The work features solo clarinet alongside 12 other musicians (including myself on banjo mandolin and guitar). It even features two sampling keyboards and an interrupting cow.

This concert promises to give you a glimpse into a side of classical music not often performed. Expand your horizons, come check us out!

Gnarly Buttons: Hoedown (Mad Cow)

Videos

Hoodie Allen – You Are Not A Robot

February 16, 2011

| Kyle

An up-and-coming kid who's definitely on our radar is Hoodie Allen. He's young, fun, and works his ass off, so what's not to respect? He's also a favorite of our blog brethren over at Sunset in the Rearview, and Lydia never steers us wrong. Hoodie's just released a video for his jam "You Are Not A Robot".