Mind At Large Has Got Me Thinking

I've moved in and am getting settled at college, and I just haven't had time to post. My apologies. We'll see how often I can post with Organic Chemistry on the horizon. Oh well-bear with me.
A couple of nights ago, I was introduced to the guitarist of a local Evanston, IL band called Mind At Large. We started talking a ton about music, etc. until he told me he was in a band and his friends insisted that he play for me their latest EP. At first, I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this funk-rock quintet. And then I heard the voice of Pete Bartleson and the guitar stylings of Evan Sameroff, along with keyboardist Jack Pelzer, bassist Kenneth Elliott Higgins III, and percussionist Alec Zopf.
The song, "Recompose" off their Recompose EP sounds as if John Mayer started playing with Phish and Carlos Santana in a smoky room with the only goal being to jam and have fun.
If you're in the chicagoland area and you want to hear these guys play, they're going to play at Bill's Blues in Evanston on September 21st.

Check out Mind at Large's website where you can listen to the four track EP.

Definitely have a listen to Recompose.

Sing Along With The Acid House Kings

As many of you already know, I am an avid fan of the Swedish indie rock scene (or rather the Swedish music scene in general). Today, I have another great Swedish band to tell you about, also part of Labrador Records (in my opinion, the best Swedish label).

The Acid House Kings make feel good music, the kind that makes you think of everything good in the world. It's the kind of music that is infectiously delightful, young, fresh-you'll feel a little silly perhaps but you shouldn't. AHK laces lollipop beats over the sweet and innocent vocals of Julia Lannerheim, and don't forget about the delicious harmonies. I don't think AHK take themselves too seriously, and that's what makes the music so rewarding. They're not going to deliver the most profound lyrics you've heard. Nevertheless, their message is quite clear and significant in our "It's-cool-to-be-depressed" world: Put a smile on your face, (wo)man! From that respect, they're dead on.

Go out (or stay in) and buy Sing Along with the Acid House Kings.

Listen to This Heart is a Stone (highly recommended).
Listen to Sunday Morning.

A Different Spin

Fresh Oranges in the main market (Shuk) in Tel Aviv

I'm going to try something new here at CSVMAD, and I hope that it will go over well with you, the readers (however many there may be). Every week, perhaps we'll do it every tuesday (the day may change), we're going to have a segment called "A Different Spin" which will feature random musings, opinions, thoughts, etc. that may or may not pertain to music. Of course, there will always be some kind of plug to the music with which we surround ourselves. A Different Spin will always feature some of my original photography (see above).

1) I have beef with ESPN. Around 10 years ago, they were at the peak of their domination of sports culture-coining phrases and making useful commentary. Their anchors were top notch and they managed to deliver sports in a humorous and entertaining way. But now, I feel that they are starting to deteriorate. Or rather, they are getting too big for themselves. Their sports coverage is biased (East Coast Bias), they don't have the same anchors they did 10 years ago (most of them have their own radio show or MSNBC show or something like that), and they still have Stuart Scott. Stuart Scott's phrases are getting old and repititive. You can see him desperately looking for a new catch phrase. I'm just waiting for the molerat (have you seen his new look-he's a molerat) to say, "And the White Sox pitching has been more volatile than an internet stock!" I mean, seriously.

Also, since ESPN committed to Monday Night Football, I've been really excited. I think they're going to revive it and make it something cool again. But, it's cable!! You automatically take out a significant viewer base from the get-go. And on top of that, that means Chris Berman and Tom Jackson are going to get extra camera time. If I have to hear Chris Berman say "Da Raiders" in his Darth Vader voice or "J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets" or a wisecrack naming like "Drew 'When I wipe my crack I get a nice cool' Brees", I'm going to have to hurt someone. Enough.

2) Katie Couric debuted on CBS News Tonight tonight, and I can't say that she was god awful but there is a part of me that just can't stand her. I know I'm not alone. From her incredibly left-wing bias that infests everyone of her sentences to the way she basically ASKED HER VIEWERS TO TELL HER HOW TO SIGN OFF HER BROADCAST, I just plain don't like her that much. How long can this last? I just don't know.
How about this one Katie Couric:
I'm Katie Couric and you can suck it, America.

3) The RIAA has been cracking down on illegal file sharing over the past few years and I think they have finally gotten to the point where they can be considered "The Man". Look, it isn't right for people to cop an album or an mp3 file, because many artists don't make the money that they should. If the RIAA had taken the guilt-trip route, they would've succeeded in their efforts a great deal more. But instead, they've responded to criticism by declaring that even uploading a CD's audio files to your computer for your own use is a violation of copyright laws. I'll tell you-I'm friggin' scared-not of the RIAA but of the political correctness and government regulation that is happening. I don't know what the answer is. But I'm pretty sure this isn't it. Also, tell iTunes and Napster and whatever other music stores use Digital Rights Management (they restrict your use of the file) to kick the DRM.

Check out Charlotte Gainsbourg, daughter of famous Serge Gainsbourg.
Mp3 of Good Weather for Air Strikes
Listen to The Songs that We Sing.

The Book of Amos Lee

A first grade teacher turned troubadour extraordinaire, Amos Lee keeps the gentleness of the teacher but adds the soulfulness and frankness of a great songwriter. Although he is constantly compared with his female counterpart Norah Jones, Amos Lee has a unique, humble quality about him that helps me relate to him and his words more than Norah. It is almost as if his the quality of his voice is a secondary entity.

Amos Lee's self-titled first release, met with fair surprise as he proved on nearly every track that "nothing is more powerful than beauty in a wicked world." Every track is infused with honesty and depth, combined with a voice of a man who just wants someone to listen.

And so, I have been incredibly excited about his newest release, Supply and Demand, which is garnering a great deal of attention. I received in the mail an advance copy of Supply and Demand and it is nothing short of a sophomore masterpiece. As taken from his myspace, "When asked if he felt the pressure typically associated with sophomore albums, Lee explained, People are always asking what's next, but as a songwriter it can be a bit troubling to get too far ahead of yourself. Most of my life these days is spent either performing songs I've already written, thinking about songs that are half finished, or starting new tunes. I'm aware of peoples expectations, but my job is to serve the song, and that's what I focus on." He certainly did serve the song. From the ukulele on "Sweet Pea" to the choral climax of "Shout Out Loud" to the soothing admissions on "Night Train", Amos Lee has established himself as a modern folk hero.

Buy Supply and Demand, you'll feel better.

Listen to Shout Out Loud.