Just in case anybody has actually stumbled across my humble blog, I'm taking this brief respite from my studies of censorship in China to let my (hypothetical) readers know that no, I am not dead, and that I do intend to create new posts sometime in the near future. To be honest, I've been pretty swamped with assignments and I just haven't had time to put together anything worthy of posting for you lovely people. But enough about me! Here's a rundown of what you can expect in the near future:
1. More Band/Artist Profiles--I'll be trying to feature some lesser-known artists whom you may or may not have heard before.
2. "Video Verdict"--This will be a new feature in which I'll review new music videos.
3. Concert Reviews--So far, it looks like I'll be going to 1 concert in November and then another in December. Who am I going to see? I think I'll just let that question keep you in suspense for a while...
Anyway, thank you for your patience! I'll try to get some new content up soon!
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
Highlighted Band: This Will Destroy You
Texas band This Will Destroy You is not your typical rock act. For one thing, this four-piece group relies entirely on its instrumentation, having no vocals whatsoever. This would be a problem for most bands, but with their adept musicianship, the members of TWDY pull it all off in a striking fashion.Their songs flow, forming evocative sonic landscapes punctuated by builds and tempo shifts. It is not uncommon for these tracks to last over 7 minutes. That they stay interesting for so long without the benefit of vocals is a testament to the skill the band displays.
Here's a live video of them performing their track "Quiet." It's pretty brilliant stuff.
"Grandfather Clock" is one of the band's shortest songs. I've posted a video of them playing it live below:
If you are looking for great instrumental rock, look no further than This Will Destroy You. In a hook-obsessed industry, this band stands as a healthy substitute to simplistic, lazy music. Their sound may be somewhat more complicated or challenging than the songs one is used to hearing, but its complexity is ultimately rewarding.
For more info on This Will Destroy You, check out their MySpace.
Introduction
Okay, this is my first post on this blog, so I guess an introduction is in order. I'm a poor college student from Texas. I'm currently working toward a degree in a business-related major. I absolutely love music, which I guess explains why I've decided to blog about it. That, and the fact that I have an enormous desire for attention (which is not likely to be fulfilled by writing this blog)...
While I do enjoy pop music sometimes, that's not where my love typically lies. If you're looking for a blog to keep up with the latest offerings from Lady Gaga, Kanye West, or Kelly Clarkson, this is not where you want to be. My taste generally runs toward alternative/extreme styles, so I'm normally going to write about music that fits this description. By the way, to the extent I can, I'm going to try to avoid using a lot of nitpicky genre labels. They seem to cause more confusion than they clear up, and I really don't want to split hairs over which songs are punk, which are hardcore, and which are "post-hardcore," or some other crap like that.
To give you an idea of the kind of music I like, here's a list of some of my favorite bands (in no order):
1) Smashing Pumpkins
2) Underoath
3) Green Day
4) Coheed and Cambria
5) Slipknot
6) The Goo Goo Dolls
7) Rise Against
8) AFI
9) Anberlin
10) System of a Down
This is by no means a list of ALL the bands I like, but it should give you some insight into my musical tastes. I like to have variety in my music, so I enjoy the chaos of Underoath, As I Lay Dying, and All That Remains as well as some softer stuff from bands like The Goo Goo Dolls, Lifehouse, and The Fray. Above all, I look for music that sounds sincere.
Okay, now that you know a little bit about who I am, I think I'm ready to actually start writing about music. My next post will be less me-centric, I promise. Until then, I'll leave you with this video of Rise Against performing their song "Paper Wings."
While I do enjoy pop music sometimes, that's not where my love typically lies. If you're looking for a blog to keep up with the latest offerings from Lady Gaga, Kanye West, or Kelly Clarkson, this is not where you want to be. My taste generally runs toward alternative/extreme styles, so I'm normally going to write about music that fits this description. By the way, to the extent I can, I'm going to try to avoid using a lot of nitpicky genre labels. They seem to cause more confusion than they clear up, and I really don't want to split hairs over which songs are punk, which are hardcore, and which are "post-hardcore," or some other crap like that.
To give you an idea of the kind of music I like, here's a list of some of my favorite bands (in no order):
1) Smashing Pumpkins
2) Underoath
3) Green Day
4) Coheed and Cambria
5) Slipknot
6) The Goo Goo Dolls
7) Rise Against
8) AFI
9) Anberlin
10) System of a Down
This is by no means a list of ALL the bands I like, but it should give you some insight into my musical tastes. I like to have variety in my music, so I enjoy the chaos of Underoath, As I Lay Dying, and All That Remains as well as some softer stuff from bands like The Goo Goo Dolls, Lifehouse, and The Fray. Above all, I look for music that sounds sincere.
Okay, now that you know a little bit about who I am, I think I'm ready to actually start writing about music. My next post will be less me-centric, I promise. Until then, I'll leave you with this video of Rise Against performing their song "Paper Wings."
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