The B-52s

I've always loved the way that the B-52s have been able to bounce back and forth between outlandish party rock and catchy mainstream pop. Their self-titled debut profiles that versatility and establishes the band's trademark sound that is echoed throughout their catalog. The album's biggest hit, Rock Lobster, is catchy and seems to get more absurd as it goes, while songs like Lava, 52 Girls and Hero Worship are rockers that maintain a steady intensity. The record closes with a very fun and cool cover of Downtown that, in my opinion, has stood the test of time as much as the original. It's fun to spotlight the B-52s colorful wild side, but from their earliest release, they have been ready to show that they are capable of multifaceted and unique music.

The B-52s MySpace

The Meat of Life

Clem Snide is a great band. They have a new album, titled The Meat of Life, due out February 23, which is available for listen at npr.org. Thus far, I would have to place this album among their best; better than the last two albums (humble opinion only).

As you will read, Stephen Thompson's review suggests that Eef Barzelay is indie rock's Kermit the Frog. However you view this compliment, I couldn't pass up the wonderful opportunity presented to me by Mr. Thompson. So, for your enjoyment:

Seasons

From time to time, I will post comic strips and illustrations that reference or are inspired by music. Some will attempt humor, while others may look more seriously at the way music affects our lives. Many of these posts will continue in a format of sorts, but some may be a one-time creation. If you like something, let me know, and I will bring you more...

Now then, on with the show. (Click the image to see a larger version.)

For my first post, I open a discussion about what music is good for which season. While I chose four albums in one artist's career, I would encourage you to choose from whenever and wherever you wish.

Jukebox Update 2/4/10

I'm excited to say that my good friend Jason will start contributing with us very soon. He will be giving our blog a wider perspective with his opinions and insights through both words and illustrations.
Welcome Jason!

"Real" Music

Recently I've been thinking about how we gauge the authenticity of music. The thought came up while I was reading an album review on Pitchfork and it resurfaced following a bogus mp3 leak.
Last week the internet was peppered with a new Justice mp3, shortly followed by news that they were not responsible for the track. I enjoyed the song that sounded like Justice, but the artist responsible got exposure as a nameless, faceless fraud rather than somebody that released an original song that sounded like Justice. Which way gave them a better exposure? When is it OK for an artist to go beyond an influence and mimic a signature sound? I hear Elvis Costello when I listen to Girls and I hear The Postal Service when I stumble into Owl City. One is acclaimed while the other is ripped apart. Who or what determines if Girls is more relevant/authentic/talented than Owl City. One of the two had a number one hit.
Alex Ebert is the vocalist for pop-punk band, Ima Robot, and indie-folk band Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros. A review of the latter band's album on Pitchfork compared Ebert to Fruitopia, in that he is tricking people into thinking he's a folk singer. It's easy to accuse him of jumping on an indie rock bandwagon, but could it be possible that he is a musically well-versed artist that is simply reinventing himself? Is it fair to speculate what an artist's intentions are, and to what degree should it influence our attraction to the music? Should all music be heard in a vacuum, free of image and explanation or are the peripherals part of the authenticity?