thoughts.bjsintay.com

I’ve bought a few CDs on iTunes “Plus” recently - all of which I promptly burnt to a CD and listened to that way.  For me, iTunes’s puny 128kbps standard encoding is too poor to enjoy much of the music that I like.  So when iTunes Plus, featuring “DRM-free music tracks featuring high quality 256 kbps AAC encoding for audio quality” came out I was thrilled.  The new tracks I downloaded seemed to stand up to my library - all encoded at 320kbps.

Today I purchased an album by the Doves on iTunes Plus.  I didn’t have the time to burn a CD, so I just threw my DRM-free tracks on my portable HD and headed into work.  Then I tried to play the files in Windows Media Player.  No luck.

I researched the iTunes Plus file format (.m4p) and discovered that WMP doesn’t play this type of file.  This is somewhat astonishing to me.  Obviously, it is good for Apple to not have their tracks playable on Microsoft software such as WMP, a direct competator.  But what made me frustrated is their DRM-free label.  A quick google search reveals various converters and even some “codecs” that I have read varying degrees of success about.  But why, Apple?  Why not give us what we all want…???

…the MP3

I guess I’ll go back to Amazon.com’s MP3 store.

I know I’m a bit late in reviewing Death Cab for Cutie’s 2005 debut (non-indie) album, but I’ve just recently discovered this great disk.  Plans is an excellent emo-ish rock album performed by a seasoned group of musicians.  My favorite tracks include “What Sarah Said,” “Summer Skin,” and “Soul Meets Body.”  I like many of the songs on this album because of their experimental nature.  The album is generally mellow and smooth, emitting an emotional overtone.  The production is crisp and clear.

I was directed to this album by recommendations by my music player based on my current library.  My conclusion?  The boot fits.  Get this album if you like mellow experimental music!

Until June released its first full-length album (self-titled) this past week after years of hard work to get their name out there.  Signed to Flicker Records in late summer of 2005, this band shows promise for a new generation of music from Flicker.  Their sound is somewhat subdued, mimicking the lighter rock that’s been emerging in recent years (Coldplay, Keane) especially from the UK.  Vocals are flawless and smooth, with excellent falsettos and harmonies.  They almost sound like Watashi Wa with smoother (and probably better) vocals.  I have enjoyed my initial listening experience with this album.  I would not call it a smashing hit, but it does earn a respectable 4 out of 5 stars in my opinion.  Herdman of Flicker should be proud.

http://www.untiljune.com

Jonny Lang has an incredible success story.

  At the tender age of 14, Lang released his first solo record with the band he had joined after starting guitar lessons only months before stepping on stage.  A year later Lang released Lie to Me which became his mega-hit debut solo album.  The album went multi-platinum and Lang became known instantly as a blues guitar legend.  I remember seeing Lang and his signature setup including a 1972 Fender Telecaster Thinline always paired with a classic Fender amp.  You couldn’t open a guitar (or music) magazine that didn’t have a shot of Lang in it.

Nearly a decade later Lang has released a new gospel, yes I said gospel, album: Turn Around.  I was instantly interested in this album.  How has time changed Lang?  What does a Lang gospel album sound like?  Why gospel!?!?

I had to adjust my listening senses for a minute - traditionally I would not be listening to an album with this style.  The choir background vocals, smooth falsettos, rocking organs, all were a bit out of place in my music library.  In fact, the first go around I can sum up my expression: “what!?”  I listened again.  I found that the melodies quickly became stuck in my head.  His bluesy guitar and musky voice (you would mistake this guy for someone many, many years older) is not disappointing.  Tracks such as “The Other Side of the Fence” and “Turn Around” are rocking gospel-blues tracks that define Lang’s progressive style for the record.  I never really appreciated Lang’s perfectly smooth falsetto until this album.  “My Love Remains” and “Only a Man” are darn-near flawless.  They are an envious performance by any artist’s standards; enough so that Lang took a 2007 Grammy for the Rock Gospel Album of the Year (a no-brainer in my opinion, although Red would have been an excellent choice as well).  Lang cites his own personal sprituality as his reason for the gospel album.  His lyrics are pure and heart-felt. 

Lang sings, “The grass always looks greener, on the other side of the fence, but the dog over there might be meaner, on the other side of the fence… Stay in your own yard, play in your own yard.”

Now that I’ve seen Mute Math three times at the same place playing basically the same set of songs, I think it’s time I sit down and write a concert review for the band.  In case you don’t know, Mute Math is the product of the defunct Earthsuit from many years ago.  It’s hard to compare the two, I know, and many die hard fans may even get mad at me for bringing them up.  I think it’s important, however, for several reasons.  First, it should be said that only one member of Earthsuit - they keyboard player and sometimes singer/rapper - is in Mute Math.  Second, Earthsuit’s demise came with problems from their record label, something Mute Math has also had to deal with.

Their music isn’t by any means easily classified.  Many of their songs have drum sequences and electronic interludes that dazzle fans while confusing the heck of of labels.  The first time I saw Mute Math, it wasn’t long after their EP release (Control) came out.  They basically played all of the songs on their self-titled CD.  I was completely blown away along with the small crowd gathered at Ziggy’s in Winston-Salem, NC.  I knew at that moment that they were going to be huge.  A year or so later they returned with an actual CD in hand fresh off the production line.  One problem - their label Warner Bros. didn’t know how to market it.  They were forced to distribute the CD at concerts to the fans that were now beginning to flock their way.  Their stumped label still waited months (I think it is possibly as long as a year) to release their album, meanwhile CD sales at concerts were going through the roof as the band played to sell-out shows.  It is this persistence that Mute Math gained from Earthsuit.  Many bands quit trying when this happens to them; many GOOD bands.  They believed their ideas were worth pursuing without bowing to the industry’s constant nag to be like “everyone else.”

Back to the concert review.

Mute Math still finds ways to change their songs and their sound each time I see them.  They have also benefited from recent stardom by getting an awesome road manager and a dedicated lightshow complete with a travelling engineer.  These factors increased the show’s wow-factor.  They also have stage props and lights that make the show more complete than ever before.  Darren rips up the drums (literally) leaving nothing more that could possibly be desired.  He is one of my heroes.  I spoke with him a few hours before the show at their DVD release party.  Apparently, Sabien wanted to give him a bunch of cymbals, but he only uses hats and a rock ride (not Sabien either - Zildjian).  Don’t let his lack of cymbals fool you.  The man knows how to use what he’s got.  The last time I saw their show he broke right through his one and only cymbal and gushed blood out his right hand.  Ouch!  No, he didn’t miss a beat either.  On second thought, maybe a cymbal sponsor would be good Darren.

I never get tired of going to the Mute Math show.  My heaven has Mute Math playing every night of the week.  I am either on my death bed or six feet under if you don’t see me next time.  If it’s the later - I’ll ask God for permission to leave heaven for a few hours.

www.mutemath.com
www.myspace.com/mutemath