Four years ago, a demo version of an upbeat litle tune called "I'm Yours" was put on iTunes for about 10 seconds, and developed a cult following. The artist was a little known singer, Jason Mraz. In 2005, most people knew his major hit, "The Remedy," but didn't actually know his name. His debut, Waiting for my Rocket to Come, still went platinum, even though his radio play faded with each new single. His sophomore effort, Mr. A-Z, while technically brilliant, did not capture the attention of the masses, and it looked like Mraz would fade into the obscurity of European tours and indie satellite radio stations.
Despite the lack of attention, I continued to play his stuff for anyone who would listen. I had my roommates singing along to "I'm Yours" months before the remastered single hit the airwaves, and brought my music major friends to the brink of tears with epic songs like, "Song for a Friend." As great as his recorded work has been, his live albums have been even better. I remember running down to the local music store the day Tonight, Not Again: Live from the Eagles Ballroom hit the racks, and watched in awe with my friends as Jason played nearly an entire show of brand new material. In fact, those cult followers who really know Mraz's work can list of dozens of songs that the artist exclusively plays in the live setting. These live albums are what make Mraz different than any other pop hook writer with an acoustic guitar; the lyrics show depth, and the stripped down setting and connection Mraz has to his "band" makes a concert in a stadium feel like a party in his backyard.
Basically, if you don't know this guy, you need to. A few tracks to check out:
"Unfold" Tonight, Not Again: Live from the Eagles Ballroom
"Song for a Friend" Selections for Friends
"Tonight, Not Again" Waiting for my Rocket to Come
"Make it Mine" We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things
"Rocket Man" iTunes Live: London Sessions EP
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
John Mayer: Battle Studies
Release Date: 11/17/09
Genre(s): Pop, Acoustic Rock
I fought the John Mayer popularity craze when he started gaining momentum a few years back. The song "Your Body is a Wonderland," still makes me cringe, every single word of it. Unfortunately, every radio station in the country seemed to find some reason to play the song five times a day, and now I can quote every word. Thank goodness that phase of his career ended, and we were eventually introduced to his higher caliber work with Heavier Things. After hearing the track Daughters, my skepticism was pushed aside.
Most of John Mayer's albums find their strength not in the pop singles, but in the tracks between the radio cuts. To this day, I believe his best song is "St. Patricks Day," a song that has reached over 200 plays on my iTunes.
After the release of Continuum, I had come to expect that John Mayer was really moving forward as an artist. With that being said, I was sorely disappointed in Mayer's latest release, Battle Studies. Each of the eleven tracks sounds like the filler on his other albums. If and Room for Squares and Heavier Things were fused into one album, the result would be Battle Studies. Not that either album was bad, but for a man aspiring to be the next Stevie Ray Vaughn, I honestly expected more. Tracks such as "Half of my Heart" and "All We Ever Do is Say Goodbye," may actually have you checking to make sure you did purchase the new album, and not a remastered version of Room for Squares.
Continuum gave us a raw, introspective version of Mayer. Whether it was his relationship with Jessica Simpson or Jennifer Anniston that returned Mayer to his bubble gum pop ways, I supposed we should cross our fingers and hope for some heartbreak to come Mayer's way, so he can go back to evolving as an artist. Battle Studies is a de-evolution of a clearly talented man at best, and a rehashing of old material at its worst. Save your money and just listen to Continuum instead, and wait for John Mayer to have his heart broken again.
Genre(s): Pop, Acoustic Rock
I fought the John Mayer popularity craze when he started gaining momentum a few years back. The song "Your Body is a Wonderland," still makes me cringe, every single word of it. Unfortunately, every radio station in the country seemed to find some reason to play the song five times a day, and now I can quote every word. Thank goodness that phase of his career ended, and we were eventually introduced to his higher caliber work with Heavier Things. After hearing the track Daughters, my skepticism was pushed aside.
Most of John Mayer's albums find their strength not in the pop singles, but in the tracks between the radio cuts. To this day, I believe his best song is "St. Patricks Day," a song that has reached over 200 plays on my iTunes.
After the release of Continuum, I had come to expect that John Mayer was really moving forward as an artist. With that being said, I was sorely disappointed in Mayer's latest release, Battle Studies. Each of the eleven tracks sounds like the filler on his other albums. If and Room for Squares and Heavier Things were fused into one album, the result would be Battle Studies. Not that either album was bad, but for a man aspiring to be the next Stevie Ray Vaughn, I honestly expected more. Tracks such as "Half of my Heart" and "All We Ever Do is Say Goodbye," may actually have you checking to make sure you did purchase the new album, and not a remastered version of Room for Squares.
Continuum gave us a raw, introspective version of Mayer. Whether it was his relationship with Jessica Simpson or Jennifer Anniston that returned Mayer to his bubble gum pop ways, I supposed we should cross our fingers and hope for some heartbreak to come Mayer's way, so he can go back to evolving as an artist. Battle Studies is a de-evolution of a clearly talented man at best, and a rehashing of old material at its worst. Save your money and just listen to Continuum instead, and wait for John Mayer to have his heart broken again.
Flyleaf: Memento Mori
Release Date: 11/10/2009
Genre(s): Rock/Christian
For my first review, I thought I'd start with a new release that has really impressed me. Flyleaf first came on the music scene four years ago in 2005 with their self titled debut. My local indie music store owner insisted I own the album, and after the first track I understood why. Now I've spent the past four years waiting for the follow up to the first release, and Memento Mori did not provide much in the way of disappointment.
Lyrically, Flyleaf decided to incorporate more intentional references to their faith into the music. The opening track, "Beautiful Bride," seems to lift lyrics straight from the Bible itself, "Beautiful bride, body of Christ/One flesh abiding, strong and unifying," a topic which will either capture or isolate listeners from the beginning.
For the listeners who can get past the first track, the rest of the album consists of diverse tracks, from alternative to metal rock. I kept waiting to hear Lacey's infamous screams, a token sound from 2005's Flyleaf. However, not a single track had that moment I was waiting for. If' you're expecting Memento Mori to have the same edge as the band's debut, then you will be disappointed.
Perhaps the highlight of the whole album is the track "Treasure," which seems to reflect that desire many teens and adolescents go have to feel accepted and wanted. Don't we all just want to be loved? While we may not choose the words, "dazzling, precious, treasure," ultimately we all want to feel that way at some point.
Overall, the four year wait for the sophomore effort from Flyleaf has established the band as a relevant, talented group. We can expect to see more boldness, and hopefully more of those angelic screams, in the future.
Genre(s): Rock/Christian
For my first review, I thought I'd start with a new release that has really impressed me. Flyleaf first came on the music scene four years ago in 2005 with their self titled debut. My local indie music store owner insisted I own the album, and after the first track I understood why. Now I've spent the past four years waiting for the follow up to the first release, and Memento Mori did not provide much in the way of disappointment.
Lyrically, Flyleaf decided to incorporate more intentional references to their faith into the music. The opening track, "Beautiful Bride," seems to lift lyrics straight from the Bible itself, "Beautiful bride, body of Christ/One flesh abiding, strong and unifying," a topic which will either capture or isolate listeners from the beginning.
For the listeners who can get past the first track, the rest of the album consists of diverse tracks, from alternative to metal rock. I kept waiting to hear Lacey's infamous screams, a token sound from 2005's Flyleaf. However, not a single track had that moment I was waiting for. If' you're expecting Memento Mori to have the same edge as the band's debut, then you will be disappointed.
Perhaps the highlight of the whole album is the track "Treasure," which seems to reflect that desire many teens and adolescents go have to feel accepted and wanted. Don't we all just want to be loved? While we may not choose the words, "dazzling, precious, treasure," ultimately we all want to feel that way at some point.
Overall, the four year wait for the sophomore effort from Flyleaf has established the band as a relevant, talented group. We can expect to see more boldness, and hopefully more of those angelic screams, in the future.
Accidental Music Critic
Every Tuesday I look forward to the new music downloads available on iTunes. I hear the alarm go off, and my first instinct is to grab my computer and sift through the good, the bad, and the ugly unleashed on the ears of society. However, this poses a dilemma each week: which albums are worth buying? I can search the internet, hit websites like Alternative Press and Rolling Stone, and read what the professionals have to say. But, honestly, who cares what some stranger in a high rise thinks of the latest from some indie rock group. I want to know from someone real, someone like me, if the album is honestly worth my time, or if I should just buy the first single and move on with my life.
My friends often email me, call me, or text me, asking me the same question: is the album good? What new music is out there for me to listen to? Even worse, more of my friends don't know what's out there. Whether its as mainstream as Britney Spears, or underground, like the cult following of Hanson (and yes, the three brothers from Hanson are still making music), many people are still in the dark about what music is up and coming, and what music is gratefully fading into the sunset with the rest of pop culture from this first decade of the new millennium.
So, if you're wondering what music you should be listening to, and what you can live without, you've come to the right place. Here you'll find reviews of new music, along with some of my personal favorites, and those albums you should ALWAYS have in your collection. You may also find the occasional playlist that may be a good addition to your iPod.
My friends often email me, call me, or text me, asking me the same question: is the album good? What new music is out there for me to listen to? Even worse, more of my friends don't know what's out there. Whether its as mainstream as Britney Spears, or underground, like the cult following of Hanson (and yes, the three brothers from Hanson are still making music), many people are still in the dark about what music is up and coming, and what music is gratefully fading into the sunset with the rest of pop culture from this first decade of the new millennium.
So, if you're wondering what music you should be listening to, and what you can live without, you've come to the right place. Here you'll find reviews of new music, along with some of my personal favorites, and those albums you should ALWAYS have in your collection. You may also find the occasional playlist that may be a good addition to your iPod.
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