Songs to check out #2

4/21/09

More songs to check out, i've been into these lately. The first few are mainly guitar oriented, the others are not. Please comment and let me know what you think. Or if you have songs you want me to check out, let me know somehow. 

1. Allan Holdsworth "Things You See"- I dont know much about Holdsworth's music, but this is an excellent composition that features some insane guitar playing. According to what i usually listen to, which is a usually less "in your face" guitarists, i feel like i wouldnt be into this guy. But I love that he has a very unique style unlike a lot of guys that are chop-monsters. I'm suprised that he isn't more popular among guitar players. 

2. Jimmy Herring "Scapegoat Blues"-from "Lifeboat". Just picked up this CD recently and I am blown away by Herrings ability. I've always been a huge fan, but i've never got to listen to him as a solo artist. This didnt let me down in any way. Herring's tone is probably my favorite of all time, and just gets better with every song on this CD. His mix of PRS and Strat tones is just incredible. He has all these little subtle things involved in his improv that make him really stand out. Like his impeccable pinky volume swell technique, legato style, and ability to play "outside". Add the fact that he's now a legitimate composer, and you've got a total beast of a musician. "Scapegoat Blues" combines blues and fusion to make an great mix of both inside and outside feels. The fusion section is both fun to listen to and play over, due to the symmetrical scale that is used. Once you think that the band is going off into fusion land, they come back into familiar territory with some straight up blues shredding. Herring in any form is worth checking out, his combination of tasteful licks, incredible tone, and chops make him one of my favorite guitar players ever. If you want to listen to him, he's involved in the band Aquarium Rescue Unit, Project Z, Jazz is Dead, and has taken over lead guitar for jam band Widespread Panic. 

Now for a few songs not on the guitar shredding side. 

3. "Something's Missing"-John Mayer-from "Any Given Thursday"-One thing i really like in a song is when it can actually put you in a certain mood, really make you feel a certain way Mayer manages to do this perfectly with this tune. As with most Mayer songs, the lyrics and music match up perfectly. This song is also really fun to play, because of the alternate tuning, you get some great droning sounds. This version is much better than the studio version. Big props to Mayer's touring guitar player on this CD who takes an excellent solo. Its simple, straightforward and does a perfect job at displaying some of the emotions in this song. This solo takes this song to another level. It almost seems like a composed part included in the song. 

4. "Go Let it Out"-Oasis-from "Familiar to Millions"-Oasis is known for writing really catchy "Beatles like" melodies. This song is no exception. The chorus of this song is the highlight, featuring some great melodic ideas and solid rhythm guitar playing. I think Oasis just know exactly what notes to include in the melody which make people feel good, and want to sing along. Particularly in the chorus when the lyrics "Is there any wonder why Princes and Kings..." section turns into the "We're the keepers of their destiny" section. 

5. "We Own the Sky"-M83-from "Saturdays=Youth"-First heard this song in a soundtrack to a snowboarding video called "That's It That's all". It fit in so perfectly with the guys up on those gigantic mountains doing impossible tricks. This song feels so big and epic when i listen to it as a part of the snowboarding video. There's some great harmonies in the vocals and a pulsing bass line that is always pushing the song forward. The end of the song has a building up of a lot of layers which ends up being pretty powerful. This reminds me a lot of the Mayer song i mentioned earlier called "Somethings Missing". They both have a distinct mood to them, and because of that, you can really get inside the song. 

That's it for now, more to come soon. Thanks for reading!

-MD

Picking Classes for Next Semester

I've picked a few classes for next semester that i'm really excited about.

1. Private Lesson with Thaddeus Hogarth. I've learned a lot from Thaddeus, he's a great teacher and really tells it like it is. I think we have similar taste in gear and music, so he's a great match for me. He's taught me a lot about guitar techniques, and so much valuable info about living as a musician.  Check him out on youtube, he's got his own account. 

http://www.youtube.com/user/thaddeushogarth

2. George Benson Lab with Richie Hart. To be honest i dont know much about the teacher, but what could be better than studying George Benson?

3. Contemporary Jazz Lab with Tim Miller- I'm very lucky to have got a spot in this class. Miller seems to be one of the most popular teachers for guitar at the school. He is a total beast, one of the best guitar players i've ever met. Having him for two hours a week is going to really improve my playing. 

4. Pat Metheny Ensemble with Tony Gaboury- I'm hoping that this ensemble will totally kick my ass and make me practice more. I'm going to look like an idiot going in there with my SRV strat haha. I've been really getting into Metheny's music since being here so its going to be great to get to play it. I hope that its going to improve my soloing and rhythm playing in a "jazzier" setting. 

5. Harmony 3 with Mitch Haupers- Mitch is one of the best teachers i've had at the school. He's a musical genius. He's made a subject that i'm sure a lot of people dont like become my favorite. His lectures are soooo good. He presents these topics in a real way, in a musical way and shows you how to apply them, rather than just babbling on and on. 

I'm also really hoping that i can get into the Jam Band ensemble. basically we play Phish and Grateful Dead songs in a small band. I fall just short of the rating requirement, but i'm really really hoping i can get in. Phish is the reason i started playing guitar, learning Trey Anastasio's licks and compositions is the thing that motivated me to pick up the guitar and give the bass a break. I think i've got a freakish obsession with Phish. but, its better than being obsessed with crack i suppose. Hoping to see them May 31st at Fenway Pahhhhk.

-MD

What I'm currently working on

There's a lot of stuff i'm doing right now, things both school related and not. 

For school, I'm learning a lot of great things. I've got to learn a Bill Frisell solo that is really awesome, its an interesting take on the jazz standard "All the Things You Are". This is a song that i've been exposed to quite a bit in my lab. Frisell plays over this song with great personality. He does a lot of bending and breaking the rules.

For non-school, i'm working on songwriting. This is something that i've always thought would be impossible. But its starting to come together. One of my goals this summer is to take a trip to a remote place and really start thinking about this sort of thing. Although its not possible, i've decided that going somewhere like Alaska or Montana would be ideal. I think that being somewhere like that could help my mind open up, learn how to grasp inspiration and use it. That might sound a little weird, but it will make sense once i do it.

I've also decided that i've got to use some of the money i make over the summer to spend on a new acoustic/electric. I think the acoustic guitar is an important process of songwriting. It can be good for the real "raw" parts of songs. Plus, it will give me opportunities to take solo gigs or open mic type situations. 

-MD

Songs to check out

4/8/09

These are some songs that i'm listening to right now, just some ideas if anyone wants to listen to some new music. In no particular order...

1. "My Stupid Mouth"-John Mayer-off of "Any Given Thursday". I think this might be Mayer's best effort, although he does have a lot of great songs. This is a song where the lyrics and music really match up perfectly and play off each other. He totally nails every part in this live version. 

2. "Shit, Damn, Motherfucker"-D'angelo- from "Live at the Jazz Cafe, London". This is an awesome neo-soul tune from an incredible live album from D'angelo. Its been one of my favorite CD's for a few years now. It introduced me to the genre. There's some great musicians playing on this CD. The song is really relaxed and laid back, despite the lyrical content being the opposite. Features some awesome guitar playing with a little call & response. 

3."Other Side of the Game"-Erykah Badu-from "Live". Another neo-soul tune. An entire eight minutes and twenty-two seconds of Erykah Badu pouring her soul out. So many good things about this song, it was the first time i really recognized Badu's skill as a vocalist. 

4."Reckoner"-Radiohead-from "Live @ the Santa Barbara Bowl 8/28/08". I got the chance to see Radiohead last summer and it was amazing, they opened with this song. This wasnt a song that i was really crazy about until i saw it live. The use of delay on Thom Yorke's voice throughout the song really took it to another level for me. Not something you would normally expect a band to open with, but then again, Radiohead isnt famous for doing things people expect. 

5."Agnus Dei"-Rufus Wainwright-from "Want Two". This is one of the most powerful songs i've ever heard. Rufus' vocal performance is stunning. There's something about his tone that I love, and it keeps me listening. Rufus is such a great composer and a very talented musician. 

6."Song For The Boys"-Pat Metheny-from "One Quiet Night". Metheny is a guitar player who is so well known for his guitar solos. He has the ability to play brilliantly over changes, he also has a very distinct sound. Some of his compositions are so big sounding, very much like a movie soundtrack. But on "One Quiet Night", Metheny recorded with only one instrument. His Manzer baritone acoustic guitar. On this CD, Metheny shows his ability to compose for solo acoustic guitar. "Song for the Boys" is a beautiful song. I think its a little different from most solo acoustic stuff, considering its mostly strummed chords rather than fingerstyle. 

That's it for now. Those are just some of the songs i've been into lately. check them out!

4/8/09

I'm going to be posting mostly about music on this blog, whether it be my music, thoughts on music or anything else i can come up with.

I'm enjoying my second semester at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA and starting to write my own material. As well as improve as a guitar player and musician. So i'll be posting on here while i write songs, so anyone can come on and give me opinions or thoughts. 

-MD