Going into this article, I had this idea of finding local musicians around the US and writing about them one at a time. As a student at the University of Florida, I’m fully immersed in the local scene, so I’ve found some really great local musicians. And, as a budding journalist, I had hoped to share these awesome local musicians with the world. My personal favorite Gainesville local is Morningbell. I bought their newest album at their show a few weeks ago (best $10 I’ve ever spent) and have been listening nonstop. Now, sitting down to write this article, I found that Morningbell has obtained national attention. They’ve played Bonnaroo, they played this year’s SXSW, they’ve been featured in Blender Magazine, on Pitchfork.com, and they’ve released 4 albums. (They also have a side project called Shitty Beatles which just plays incredible Beatles covers in Gainesville.) The reason I had no idea about all of this is because they really are Gainesville locals. They play shows almost weekly, they hang out with people in Gainesville, and they play shows at the university that are free to the public. They also don’t brag that they’re bigger than Gainesville, which is always a good thing. But the truth is, they’re amazing.
Morningbell is a psychedelic rock band that’s vivacious and ready for a party. Every song has a unique drum beat, an individual sound, and a succulent vibe. Their sounds make you taste the rainbow more than Skittles ever has or ever will. They use hard-hitting, vivacious sounds to suck in their listeners and keep you hanging on with sweet vocals. They could even be called white boy funk… That might just be my analysis.
But there’s no doubt, you just gotta get up to get down with Morningbell.
If you’re looking for something that makes you jump around like the Mad Hatter, take three minutes and listen to this band. You won’t be disappointed.
You can purchase their most recent album, Sincerely, Severely on iTunes.
What to say about Die Antwoord… This group of rappers, DJs, and singers is creating the most ridiculously strange dance/rap music of all time. First of all, it isn’t all in English, they choose Afrikaans instead. When they do decide to speak English, it’s almost completely unintelligible. With names like Ninja, Yo-Landi, and DJ Hi-Tek and lines like, “Be my samurai.” or “This is like, the coolest song I ever heard.”, you can’t help but love this group. They fill the niche we didn’t even know existed: weird foreign dance rap! It’s new, it’s innovative, it’s… well, it’s just plain odd. But just take my word that you’ll be so happy listening to them that you won’t be able to sit still. You’ll be up dancing with me as soon as you hear DJ Hi-Tek’s “next level beats”.
Despite the total ridiculousness of everything they do, Die Antwoord has beats that are curiously awesome. Ninja’s Dizzy Rascal-esque raps, Yo-Landi’s high-pitched, eerie, childlike voice, and DJ Hi-Tek’s beats come together to form this crazy, strange, non-stop party. It’s like, Dance Dance Revolution meets South Africa meets the hood. All you want to do is figure out what they’re talking about and when you can’t do that, you just have to join in and party with them.
The best thing about Die Antwoord is how absolutely serious they are about what they’re doing. At the beginning of their album, Ninja says, “I represent South African culture…I’m like all these different things, all these different people fucked into one person.” From what they say in their lyrics and the way they act in their videos, I’m pretty sure Die Antwoord thinks they’re the best thing since sliced bread. The sad thing is, I might have to agree. Listening to Die Antwoord will make you want to giggle and dance around and possibly punch something/someone… but don’t hurt anyone. Just enjoy the ridiculousness of it all and grin because the Ninja will always protect you. [read more…]
There has been an incredible amount of hype over the new duo, Girls. Today, for the first time, I sat down and watched their music video for their single, “Lust for Life,” and I honestly cannot say I’ve been so impressed with a song and video in a very long time. The song is beautiful and strange, the lyrics are real and from the heart, and Christopher Owens eerie voice is the perfect topping to this delicious cake. Owens uses effects that make his songs sound like they are coming out of 1969 instead of 2009, which adds to the perfection of this new masterpiece.
Owens and bandmate, Chet Jr White, have produced the best thing to be released in years. Owens sings these sad, heartbroken songs of wishing for happiness, love, and the end of loneliness. In the track, “Hellhole Ratrace,” Owens says, “I’m all alone with my heartache and my good intentions.” Owens seems like a man who is lost, lonely, and begging for someone to love him. It adds to the charm of the album: the sadness radiates through every song and makes you fall in love with this man you’ve never seen or met before. Somehow every song makes you feel nostalgic for a time and place that never existed. And despite every track being drenched in the sounds of depression, they all make you want to dance. Listening to this album makes you smile whether you want to or not. The beats to the songs make you want to move in a way you never have before. You want to see the world differently and make everything feel better somehow. There’s something beautiful in the strange simplicity of the Girls’ sound. You’ll dance, you’ll sing, you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and most of all, you’ll find something to believe in. [read more…]
People criticized Scarlett Johansson’s album, Anywhere I Lay My Head because her vocals were hidden beneath layers of effects. However, this time, teaming up with Pete Yorn, Scarlett Johansson’s music career could flourish with the release of the duo’s album, Break Up. The idea came to Yorn when, after days of insomnia, he finally got some sleep. Yorn claims it came to him in a dream and as soon as he woke up, he was on the phone with Johansson.
Two years before Johansson released her Tom Waits cover album, Anywhere I Lay My Head, Yorn had already planned the entire album. He had hoped to recreate the magic found in the late 1960s recording of Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot’s “Bonnie & Clyde” and, despite not knowing what Scarlett Johansson’s voice sounded like, Yorn thought she would be perfect for the part. “For some reason the image I had in my head and the context of the project, Scarlett just seemed right for it. In fact, when I asked her if she would do it I didn’t even know she could sing. … I knew that she was very talented and it was like an afterthought. I was like, ‘Oh, I’m sure she can sing.’” (Alternative Press) [read more…]
After ten years of working for fame and fortune, these southern church boys have finally made it. They have thousands of fans around the world, a top ten single for the last six months, and a platinum album. But what could they possibly be missing? That’s right, a live DVD. Kings of Leon is due to release their first ever live recording on November 10, 2009. The recorded show is live from the UK, the first nation to embrace the band and invest in their music. The band is well-known and well-loved in England which would explain why they would choose to have their performance recorded there. The DVD should prove to be one of total awesomeness. [read more…]
