Music Now!

Archive for December, 2010

Diver Down is the latest Rock CD released by the very group Van Halen and they have once again delivered a brilliant collection of tracks. I’m confident Van Halen fans, and Rock fans alike will be pleased with this one.

I wish it weren’t the case but, it’s not everyday that I get a CD for review that I can just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. There is usually a song or two that I just can’t force myself to get through. Not at all the case with Diver Down. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish.

As a group Van Halen possess the characteristic of being able to bowl you over with their talent alone. The kind of musicians I frankly just flat out enjoy listening to.

If you’re even mildly into Rock music you’ll enjoy this album. Overall Diver Down is an outstanding release. I give it my double thumbs up. You will not be disappointed with one single track.

While the entire album is outstanding the truly standout tunes are track 2 – Hang ‘Em High, track 7 – Dancing In The Streets, and track 12 – Happy Trails.

My Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 1 – Where Have All The Good Times Gone!. Wow!

Diver Down Release Notes:

Van Halen originally released Diver Down on September 19, 2000 on the Warner Bros. Records label.

CD Track List Follows:

1. Where Have All The Good Times Gone! 2. Hang ‘Em High 3. Cathedral 4. Secrets 5. Intruder 6. Pretty Woman, (Oh) 7. Dancing In The Streets 8. Little Guitars (Intro) 9. Little Guitars 10. Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now) 11. Full Bug, The 12. Happy Trails

Van Halen: David Lee Roth (vocals); Eddie Van Halen (guitar); Michael Anthony (bass); Alex Van Halen (drums). Addtional personnel: Jan Van Halen (clarinet). Recorded in 1982.

Interested in baseball music, baseballs songs and more Baseball Stories following the game and the red sox baseball team? Head along to Ace Diamond’s website to check out the new CD “playing’ baseball” for more songs about baseball. This is the story of the “first Recordings of Ace Diamond‘ Aka: “The Gowell’s ‘(Larry, Dick & Bev)”Ace Diamond” Aka “The Gowell’s’s” (Larry, Dick” & Bev) started their music career’s in the early 70′s as a Family group. “Dick” later known as “Ace Diamond” penned several tunes by his early 20′s &  was ‘chomping at the bit” to record a 45 RPM disc & did in 1969,while attending a local business college. His Brother “Larry” had already been drafted by the N.Y. Yankees in the 4TH round, (1967) as a pitcher out of Edward Little H.S. in Auburn, ME. That same year, “Dick” (playing Semi-Pro ball for the Auburn, Asas) was also signed by (Larry’s scout) Pat Colgan to a free agent contract. So they both got assigned to Oneonta, N.Y in the New York Penn League. Larry played for seven years & went on to appear in the majors(1972) & Dick Aka “Ace Diamond” played for that one summer.(1967) as an outfielder, He was more known by his team-mates as the entertainer (Singing/Playing guitar on those  long. long  bus trips that year!.)He later went back to college to graduate!  Sister Bev” married a local Doctor & was a keyboard player at her church!

Meanwhile, The Gowell’s “Larry, Dick & Bev” located a recording studio in Rockland, Me. about 75 miles North of Auburn!  They booked the studio in Feb/69 (Could have been a bad idea?); because the day of the session, the whole area was hit by a northeaster and the roads were almost closed! All of Maine got hit with over (2-feet of the white stuff!): However, “The Gowell’s” undaunted headed for Rockland with no idea if they’d make it!?? But somehow they rolled in “on time”, as this 2-hr. trek took them over 5-hrs.to make!! “The Gowell’s” recorded all the parts themselves (Several instruments/tracks) and recorded & mixed the session) and were done the next day and gleefully came home with their “HIT recordings “! As it turned out, the 45 rpm single was released that spring & received heavy airplay in the region & was a local hit, which sold heavily in various venues!! Their initial foray into the music business was a Success!!

“Larry” continued on his very successful climb in pro ball and Dick (after Oneonta) went back to school and later wrote many more fine tunes & performed in a folk/pop duo “Wayne & Richard” & appeared on regional T.V. (Talent Spotlight) and recently appeared in a Lewiston concert (Ethos in Time), a non-profit event over the years He’s recorded for several producers from Maine to Texas!.. Dick has several single releases and a handful of albums to his credit. Dick & Larry played “music and baseball” together off and on over the years. They reunited for this Baseball-CD Songs About Baseball project in 2009 (a 12-Song CD entitled “Playing’ Baseball”) which highlight’s both their careers! The CD has received great reviews to date! Check out our website right now!http://acediamond.info. Get the news and lots of songs about baseball! For more Information visit us at: http://www.AceDiamond.info

One word describes the CD If I Could Only Remember My Name from David Crosby… AWESOME!

It’s a rare day indeed that I get a CD from an artist that I can truthfully say does not have a bad track in the bunch. I’m more than happy to announce that’s exactly what I must say about this one. There simply is NOT a bad one in the bunch. No fillers here at all, with each song standing tall on it’s own.

One of the refreshingly nice things about this CD is the way all of the participating artists seem to be really enjoying themselves. Combine that with the overall presentation and you’ve got one of David Crosby’s most impressive releases ever.

If you’re even mildly into Rock music you’ll enjoy this album. Overall If I Could Only Remember My Name is an a great release. I give it my double thumbs up. You will not be disappointed with one single track.

While the entire album is outstanding some of my favorites are track 2 – Cowboy Movie, track 6 – Traction In The Rain, and track 9 – I’d Swear There Was Somebody Here

My Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 1 – Music Is Love. This is a great track!

If I Could Only Remember My Name Release Notes:

David Crosby originally released If I Could Only Remember My Name on October 25, 1990 on the Atlantic label.

CD Track List Follows:

1. Music Is Love 2. Cowboy Movie 3. Tamalpais High (At About 3) 4. Laughing 5. What Are Their Names 6. Traction In The Rain 7. Song With No Words (Tree With No Leaves) 8. Orleans 9. I’d Swear There Was Somebody Here

Personnel: David Crosby (vocals, guitar); Jerry Garcia (guitar, pedal steel guitar); Graham Nash (guitar, piano, background vocals); Neil Young (guitar, vibraphone, bass instrument, congas, background vocals); Jorma Kaukonen, Paul Kantner (guitar); Laura Allen (autoharp); Gregg Rolie (piano); Jack Casady, Phil Lesh (bass instrument); Michael Shrieve, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann (drums, percussion); David Frieberg, Grace Slick, Joni Mitchell (background vocals). Recording information: Wally Heider Studio, San Francisco, California.

“The Do” are a French two-piece or duo indie band based in Paris. The Do were formed in 2007 and they are Dan Levy (Musician) and Olivia Merilahti (Vocals). Their music covers a wide variety of genres that include indie rock, indie pop, folk rock and a bit of electronic stuffs.

A Mouthful has an album appetizer that everyone of us will definitely give at least a thumb-up to it. In “Playground Hustle”, a group of children cover most of the singing part while Olivia just adds in some extra weights here and there. The music in this track is exceptional as well. The flute on Playground Hustle reminds me of my younger days when i had to learn flute-playing in school. The music which is mainly contributed by synthesizers also creates a very good opener impression here. Love the cheeky part where it almost sounds like the movie “Jaw” theme.

“At Last!” is groovy indie pop tune which showcases the Olivia’s vocals. She seems to be singing breathlessly and without taking a jiffy just to inhale. The tempo on this track is very consistent and The Do/Dø also bring in some extra sound or note to make it much fuller. But just by listening to Olivia’s angelic voice, it’s more than sufficient to fall in love with this track. After the second chorus, “Made up my mind now it’s time settle down, but don’t hold this against me I gotta run now…” The short bridge contains some clever guitar playing and country-like harmonica layered with Olivia’s melodic voice. It’s just beautiful! At Last!

“On My Shoulders” continues the amazing rhythm and sound of The Do/Dø. On My Shoulders has quite a long opening before emerging with Olivia’s beautiful voice. As Olivia sings on in the verse, it sort of drags me along and thus creating a tendency for me to sing. “Why would I carry such a weight on my shoulders? Why do I always help you carry your boulders? You wonder why I carry such a weight on my shoulders?…” Although On My Shoulders is sung in a repetition of musical note and tone, but The Do/Dø make it really unforgettable. The rhythm just keeps playing in my head now, and it’s stuck in my head!

“Song For Lovers” is an acoustic track with only Olivia’s voice can be heard and in the background, guitar plays along before another string instrument violin appears. In the end, Olivia sings with emotion, “Here’s a song for lovers who don’t care if they bleed…” An honest and heartfelt track by The Do/Dø!

“The Bridge Is Broken” has little guitar steps in the beginning. Once Olivia enters, it sets the right tone and rhythm that follow suit. After the verse, Olivia just repeats “The bridge is broken…” and while she is singing the chorus, the deep guitar plucking never stops. It just weights in after the Olivia’s voice. Very, very nice to hear! At times, the music shows some Jazzy side of it. In the bridge, the music comes in with more variety. The mixing of The Bridge Is Broken really good, and the use of synthesizers and other equipments just prove to be amazing! I don’t care whether the bridge is broken or whatever, as long as The Do/Dø are here to sing, the bridge is always fixed.

“Stay (Just A Little Bit More)” is cheeky and catchy. Just the perfect song for couples anywhere in the world. You have to check out the guitar once it starts, it is on a constant plucking mode and never fails to create an atmosphere that one would expect when picnicking at the beach. Once the chorus comes, Olivia just goes, “Stay just a little bit more, don’t let my heart turn sore…” and with each phrase, there would be howlings in the background that just complement this track so much! Entering the second verse, the whole track seems to be venturing into a new zone and it sounds cuter than ever. During the bridge, violin is heard and joins the fun with The Do/Dø. Stay (Just A Little Bit More) just sounds good from start to finish!

On “Unissasi Laulelet”, if i’m not mistaken, it’s a track sung in Finnish by Olivia. As Olivia sings on, it seems that there are some background vocals that sing simultaneously with Olivia. Further into the track, the music just get fuller and louder. Even the vocals got louder and slightly subside before ending. Quite funny when listening to a foreign language. But it’s still good.

“Tammie” starts off with harmonica and some distant shout in the background. Once the right tempo is reached, a number of instruments just come in. Guitar, bass, drums and handclaps can be heard as Olivia sings. In each phrase of the verse, Olivia sings and drags the last word until she reaches a part where she loops, “Oh i know you won’t…” The bass in this track is very groovy and some might have it catchy as well. At some points, the word “Tammie” can be heard in the background, shouted by a number of guys. Saxaphone can also be found here as the song draws to a close. Cool stuff by The Do/Dø!

“Queen Dot Kong” features a heavy usage of synthesizers. It also has saxophone and trumpet at some parts of the track. After a few listens, this song sounds like a theme song for a cartoon show. It’s very cute yet weird with those sudden change of music notes and tones. Even the vocals vary as well, sometimes it’s fast, sometimes it’s slow. Olivia also raps at times, which i find kind of cute to imagine her doing so. The Do/Dø are definitely loosing themselves here.

“Coda” is an instrumental track and it continues from Queen Dot Kong. It sort of acts as the final part of the song and helps the song to end. The Do/Dø can be heard playing with the synthesizer and mixer here. A break for The Do/Dø perhaps.

“Searching Gold” is the longest track on A Mouthful and it spins over 5 minutes long. It has some dark and evil elements to it as Olivia sings in a way that doesn’t reflect her usual voice that we first heard. Take it from the title, everyone has himself or herself on mind when it comes to gold and will do whatever it takes to get their hands on gold. Maybe it’s one of the clues that we have that might helps us explain Olivia’s voice here. The music in Searching Gold is pretty flat here and i like the ending lyrics that goes, “As the horizon cleared, we let go of our hands, each one hurried to be the first where gold flows out, oh silent rejoicing when one of us stumbled, oh silent rejoicing when one of us failed…” Sort of sarcastic by The Do/Dø here!

“When Was I Last Home?” is a slow track that has piano as its main instrument. Olivia just sings with her heart and let it taken away by the music. This time around, Olivia is proving how versatile she is by showcasing her beautiful voice on this somewhat sad track. Deeper into the track, there are some background vocals and violin also can be heard helping Olivia out. The Do/Dø are showing an emotional side of them. Great effort anyway!

“Travel Light” starts off with some lazy and draggy vocals by Olivia. Even the music sounds the same here, it just feels lazily good. However when it comes to the chorus, Olivia sounds lighter in her voice and goes, “Lately I’ve been walking away, floating like a song in the air… Lately, I’ve been trailing away, I’ve been walking my way…” And when back into the verse, everything is back to what we first heard in the first verse. Another slow track here, which i think The Do/Dø are not that good at doing this. The Do/Dø are way much better when doing a fast track. They’re born to do that!

“Aha” definitely brings the tempo back here. Once the music starts, i know this song is going to rev up the album again. As Olivia sings, “It came up on a day I was having a nap, it came up on a day I was catching the gnats, it was a trap…. Aha, Aha, Aha….” You can hear a group of guys in the background helping Olivia out. Slowly when it gets to the chorus, the guitar sounds like a plucking from a James Bond theme. The bass throughout this track is outstanding as well, it just has the groove to liven up the track. The bridge also has its moment, where a group of female vocals can be heard belting it out with Olivia. The bottomline is that Olivia is back with her angelic vocals! Love it!

“In My Box” is an instrumental track that has a steady beginning before picking up the tempo and hitting it high as the song draws to an end. It sounds like an African-influenced music at first and then when the bass line comes in, it just gets groovy. Olivia is not calling it a day yet as she also contributes a bit with her voice. She sort of yells here though. Pretty cool ending by The Do/Dø!

Cheers!
Darren Tan
Indiesurf.com

Downloading music from the internet is not as hard to do as many people assume. Recently people have been weary to the fact that music sites have been sharing their music illegally. Certain websites, have in fact been downloading, and giving out MP3 songs without the artists permission. This means that the music artist has not been making money from their music hits. Instead, they have been losing money because nobody is buying their music albums, and instead getting illegal free music downloads. Before recently, it has been difficult to distinguish which music sites actually have free music downloads that are legal. When it comes to downloading music, there are a number of hints that can reveal whether or not the music site is legal or not.

The first thing to consider when looking at different music sites, is whether or not the songs are downloaded music, or shared music files. Chances are, if they are shared, they are illegal. A lot of times, a source will download certain music hits into a network, and from there, millions of people get connected to that song. One way to immediately know if a song is downloaded illegally is to take note of when the sing is released. If a song is released on the music sites before the release of the music album, it has probably been downloaded illegally.

When illegal music is downloaded, it is usually flagged. There are certain trackers that find the people who are downloading music illegally, and they get in trouble. Depending on how many songs the user has, will determine how much trouble they get into. Typically, the average person will have a couple hundred songs downloaded onto their computer, so the consequences might not be as drastic. However, in some cases, there have been entire music search engines that have been shut down because of the illegal music downloads.

Another indicator of a legal music download site is to look where the source of the song is coming from. For example, when the song source is listed under so and so’s music library, the chances of it being an illegal download are high. On the other hand, many free legal music downloading sites have free music that is available and can still be stored in the user’s library, but they are not listed as the song’s source.

Finally, finding a legal music downloading site is not hard to do, since most of the illegal ones have been shut down. There are plenty of music sites that offer free music downloads that are of high quality. It is a matter of a little bit of research, but it is very doable. In addition, someone can get thousands of great music downloads whenever they want, and it is legal.

For more information about Legal Music Download or even about Legal MP3 and especially about Legal Music please review one of these links.