I cannot believe it's been 20 years since I first heard "Smells Like Teen Spirit" blaring from my big brother's bedroom. I was only 8 years old, but when I listened to Nirvana, I knew something great was soon to follow.
Nevermind was not their first album, but it was the first one that people noticed. Something about that teen angsty grunge drew people in. Hell, I was 8 freakin' years old, and I was mesmerized. Twenty years later, I don't listen much to "Smells Like Teen Spirit," but there are other tracks from that album that remain on regular rotation on my iPod. The big radio hits never did much for me. I guess I'm like that with most bands, actually. I'm not trying to be "different"; it just is what it is.
Anyway, below are my favorite tracks from Nevermind. I just don't want people to forget that the entire album, from start to finish, is a masterpiece. Not just "Teen Spirit" and "Lithium." The whole body of work deserves your attention! Bands like this just do NOT exist anymore. Back in 1991, even if you didn't give a shit about alternative rock music, you knew damn well who Nirvana was. You watched Nirvana's videos, you tried to sing along with "Teen Spirit," and you thought Kurt Cobain was a badass.
Well, it's official. Summer is upon us, folks, and she couldn't have chosen a much better day to greet us with her presence. After the miserable spring we've had, I hope this bright, warm sun stays with us more than a handful of days.
I don't know about you, but my mood is a direct reflection of the season... and more specifically of the weather. And the music I listen to is a reflection of that mood. Summer is a time for BBQs and rooftop parties; picnics and sailboats; celebrating life and love; blossoming relationships; drunken shenanigans with your pals; and so on. And to achieve the fun these things have to offer, you need a proper summer playlist.
...and what better background music than dreamy, stoner rock?
I know you're probably thinking I'm writing this in honor of the 4/20 celebrations going on today. But that's actually just a coincidence.
I was actually sitting here thinking about the Mogwai show I'm attending next Friday at The Metro in Chicago, and then I created a playlist of all my favorite stoner rock jams. Then I remembered it's been almost two months since my last post. What a slacker!
Anyhow, here's what I want to say...with no regards to 4/20...
Sometimes the real world gets ugly. Sometimes you just want to get lost in the confines of your own imagination. And this is the kind of pleasant noise that can assist in achieving this lost dream world.
It's music like this that makes me want to be the woman in charge of compiling appropriate soundtrack music for movies. The crap they usually play is awful! I'm not normal, of course. I'm sure the first thing most people notice about a movie is the actor, or the storyline, maybe even the set location, or other typical elements. But me...I like the music to tell the story. And that's what I notice.
These particular tracks, I feel, would suit almost any movie scene that's dark, dirty, greasy, drug-related, sexual, emotionally charged, deadly, suspenceful. Of course, they're not limited to just those situations. But in my mind, that's what I see. Absolute hedonism.
On that note...I just wanna get drunk and stoned with my friends. And I think I'll do just that. Between now and the Mogwai show. And probably after that, too.
Disclaimer: Don't be ignorant. These are long, progressive tracks. Give the songs a chance. Sometimes they don't make sense until a few minutes into the track. If you hit the stop button before the song is over, do me a favor and block this website from your browser. I don't want assholes reading my blog.
I've recently been introduced to the musical stylings of Chico Mann. Not gonna lie, at first I wasn't impressed. I was bored. But the more I listened to his tracks, the more I envisioned myself blasting guns and robbing banks in a Guy Ritchie crime film.
As a matter of fact, I may take it upon myself to send Mr. Ritchie a personal note recommending he contact Chico when preparing the score for his next film.
I love the way Chico Mann plays up the funk in a modern way, drizzling some Afro-Cuban beats on top.
It seems that the most successful musicians these days have the ability to cunningly take from the past and spin the classics to fit in today's demented culture. Chico does it well.
So check out the tracks below, and let him write your soundtrack this Monday...
The most recent Minus the Bear album came out last summer, but the more I listen to it the more obsessed I become with it. Today, I want to write about musical progression and growth. You'd think experimentation would be more accepted these days, but people (especially die-hard fans of specific bands or genres) have become quite closed-minded. It's upsetting.
The track I'm posting today, "Animal Backwards" (which can be found on Minus the Bear's latest album Omni), brings out a lot of mixed emotions and reactions from Minus the Bear fans. If you're familiar with Minus the Bear, you'll notice right away that this song possesses a much different sound. They definitely experimented a bit on this one, and they steered away from their traditional sound. And while many fans think this is some sort of blasphemy, I commend the transition.
Sure, this song is a bit more electro-dance than any of their previous songs. Yea, it can be a bit repetitive. But that's the point. It was meant to be different. How talented really are bands that show no growth at all? You can throw on any album from any year, and they pretty much sound the same? Is that what you want? Not me.
Minus the Bear has always been a talented, multifaceted band. And yes, why fix what's not broken? But that doesn't mean stop growing, stop progressing, some learning, stop transforming. This track is a perfect example of musical progression. And I like it.
So the haters of the world that call themselves "fans" can shut up. Step out of that ignorant little hole you live in, and try something new!
