Today it’s a boys club with reviews of All-American Rejects, The Fray, and Jason Mraz who duets with the only female, Colbie Caillat, on this edition of Single and Listening. Enjoy the reviews. Check out the songs.
All-American Rejects “Gives You Hell” Released: September 30, 2008
From Latest Release: When The World Comes Down ♫♪ Great sing-along ditty. Really like the acoustic version. Call-out response refrain works. Doesn’t bust into the room, but does make its presence known subtly, gets your attention, and keeps it. And that subtlety is better by far.
The Fray “You Found Me” Released: November 21, 2008
From Latest Release: The Fray ♫♫ Melancholic. Nostalgic. Refreshing. And makes you feel like you’re safe in a familiar someone’s arms all at the same time. Nice beginning, middle, and end.
Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat “Lucky” Released: January 2009
From Latest Release: We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. ♫♪ A sweet, romantic duet. If I was with someone I think I’d appreciate it more. But, I’m not so it only gets 3 musical notes. That’s not a bad thing and I’m not bitter. I do like the song. And, I think they pull it off quite nicely. Echoes of a classic love affair in a period piece.
It’s taken me a little while to post these. Haydn Vitera did his thing at Maria Maria Restaurant both times I went. This is a more mellow acoustic show since it is entertainment at a restaurant during folks’ dinner hours. Haydn does rock out as frontman of his band, VITERA. Have yet to see one of those shows, but I would like to check one out in the not too distant future. Seems Mr. Vitera has a bunch of upcoming shows lined up. Check out the listings at his MySpace Page here and go see him live.
We recently featured Tim’m West, a homohop pioneer, in a pop quiz. Around that same time our sister site, mandrake FM, featured a homohop mixtape. There’s also a 2006 documentary on the movement and the artists that have paved the way called Pick Up The Mic.
Go check out the pop quiz, the mixtape, and the documentary website. Get educated on this historic movement!
In this Play it Forward section, either Freddie or I will share some good words on music we like, helping you spend your good money. Have a suggestion for us to share? Write us@popolio[dot]com[at]gmail[dot]com.
If you like your rock music served saucy with hints of David Bowie flavor, make room in your collection for the band, Fires of Rome. Their new CD, You Kingdom You, brings catchy pop-rock and raw sexual imagery together into songs you’ll be humming for more than a minute.
Take the following track, “It Makes Me Weak,” and tell me you’re not singing throughout the day. (Also, listen at the end of the song where it does indeed sound as if they’re harmonizing the phrase “I’ve been f–king for days!”)
Find out more about Fires of Rome and listen more tracks at their MySpace Page.
Well, it’s February 2009 and I’m about six months into this thing I christened popolio. I will say I enjoy writing, but it is challenging keeping the content up. The most challenging for me is trying to forge relationships with artists to have worthwhile content to offer. I think I’m passionate about this project, but I don’t like the feeling that I may be operating in a vacuum. WordPress keeps statistics, so I know people are hitting the blog daily, but I suppose I crave more interaction from you nameless web-surfers out there in the great cyber abyss known as the Internet.
I guess next to trying to build my network at the same time that I’m running things my next greatest challenge is keeping up the passion for and dedication to the site. It is a lot of work for a passion project, but I guess that comes with the territory.
In this time of the month that brings us Valentine’s Day, I guess I have to love myself and popolio enough to keep it going and just hope that my labor will bear fruit in the not too distant future. Speaking of Valentine’s Day, I hope everyone spent it will.
Anyway, what did February 2009 bring at popolio? The popoliopop quizzes continued with featured artists Clay Pendergrass and Sascha Gottschalk of the band, Thief. Clay Pendergrass has a multitude of musical projects going on out of Dallas. He may very well be the hardest working music man in Dallas. And he created a collage to answer his pop quiz. A first here at popolio. Check out his answers in the form of this very creative response. Now, the Thief pop quiz is our second international pop quiz with the band hailing from Germany. Jennie Laws based in Canada was our first international pop quiz artist. Thief is a favorite of Co-Editor JW Richard’s and the rest of the band is made up of two Jazzanova members, which is a band he included on his MY TOP 10: Hot Tracks of 2008 last month. Be sure to check both of those pop quizzes out and that MY TOP 10 Countdown.
MY TOP 10 this month in tribute to Valentine’s Day was Sexiest Videos. I kept it 1990s/2000s and pop/hip hop/R&B. I recently introduced two new features which I hope to keep going. Last month I debuted show pic-olio, which is self-explanatory. As I get out to more shows I’ll take pictures and post them. The write-ups may vary, but there will definitely be pics. Just this weekend I presented Just Picked Up. I thought it might be fun to post the new music purchases I make as I make them. And I still purchase CDs, so I thought it might be interesting to provide a closer peak into my personal musical taste.
JW kept up with an older feature that has only had a few postings — Play it Forward. He played forward the album Baby Disco by artist, Dave Bianchi. He provided the MP3, “People Are Strange” from that project as the teaser. Be sure to go download that. And, yes, it’s FREE and you do get the whole song! I also reviewed songs by Lily Allen, India.Arie, and Electrik Red in our Single and Listening feature.
And, there’s still one week left in February, so there will be plenty of content to close the month out.
Just picked this up today at Target — the only place it’s available. I got the Deluxe Edition which includes a DVD with 10 music videos. Not too shabby.
I’m listening to the CD now. I’ll watch the DVD later. Skipped “I Turn To You” and “Dirrty,” but I’ve listened to the rest so far. I’m on track 6. Listened to “Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)” and “Fighter” more than once as I move through.
Well, here we have a pop quiz from one of my personal faves. Hailing from Berlin, Germany, today’s quiz is from the lead vocalist and songwriter, Sascha Gottschalk, of the band, Thief. Their 2007 debut CD, Sunchild, on Sonar Kollectiv remains a high favorite and along with their new song on the Jazzanova CD, they’re working on new material for this year. Before learning about the band Thief, I was a Sascha Gottschalk fan because every single he performed with label mate, Clara Hill, was worth hearing and owning. Enjoy meeting Sascha!
February 20, 2009
Name: Sascha Gottschalk [of the band, Thief]
Genre: Indie/Jazz/Pop
Latest Release: Sunchild (Sonar Kollectiv)
Release Date: March 2007
This, That, or the Other 1. Underground OR Mainstream? None of these. If you pay too much attention to any of it, they will both limit the artist’s integrity. 2. Maintain Artistic Integrity and Vision OR Make a lot of Money? (or both)??? Which money? Where is it? Can I have it? 3. Studio or Stage? Both. 4. Spirituality OR Hedonism? I’m quite balanced at the moment. 5. Make Love, Have Sex, OR %$*!? Do more sports.
Fill in the Blank 6. Music is my Life. Simple as that.
7. I’m musically inspired by everything. I’m like a vampire or a sponge, sucking everything in.
8. My favorite old school joint is anything by Depeche Mode.
9. If I was a super hero I’d be Captain Future.
10. Sex, Drugs, and Rock & Roll should change to It doesn’t exist for me anymore anyway. Trying to recreate this style today is like walking around in King Louis the 14th clothing. If you watch a bio on The Who (e.g. go and buy Amazing Journey DVD; sorry Ad), you’ll just have to laugh at most of the new guitar bands, they just seem like clowns to me.
Short Answer 11. I make music because: I have to. I’m just a catalyst for some energy which is being transferred. 12. I want my fans to: trust us and take their time with our music. 13. If I could share one thing about myself it would be: The belief in music and especially albums as an art form which should again more be treated asart. 14. Wild Card! Go and buy more vinyl records. 15. I want my musical legacy to be: huge.
Enjoy the track, “Atlantic,” from the disc, Sunchild.
Today I review singles from two ladies that just recently dropped albums on the same day and a new girl group making their way on the scene with a forthcoming album. That’s Lily Allen, India.Arie, and Electrik Red for those who need a roll call. India.Arie’s track is on her MySpace Page and official site, but I didn’t see anything listing it as an official single. With 2 singles out the box already, it very well may be her third. I just know I went to her MySpace Page and this was the first song that played (“Therapy” which is her second single was inactive). I was going to review “Therapy,” but “A Beautiful Day” spoke to me. Read the reviews.
Lily Allen “The Fear” Released: December 9, 2008
From Latest Release: It’s Not Me, It’s You ♫♪ Seems bass-heavy. Catchy. I like it. Haven’t listened to previous Lily Allen stuff, so can’t compare. But, this synthy-80s-like ditty with clever sing-song-along lyrics earns a second listen.
Electrik Red “So Good” Released: February 3, 2009
From Forthcoming Release: How To Be A Lady Vol. 1 ♫♫
Takes it back to the 1990s in a good way. The ladies of Electrik Red have mouths like sailors and voices like sirens. The naughtiness doesn’t take away from the track. Smooth production, a chorus that calls to you to sing along, and just an overall dirty-diva lean (that I haven’t heard from a girl group in a minute) take you there. “So Good” is oh so good.
India.Arie “A Beautiful Day”Unreleased From Latest Release: Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics ♫♫ A soul-sonic adventure. India.Arie takes you on a journey and you want to go there with her. You go up, crescendo, and come back down. Perfect symmetry. Soul for the heart and heart for the mind.
Check out the trailer for DJ Spooky’s Rebirth of a Nation (A Remix of D.W. Griffith’s Infamous Film). This looks to be an interesting film and music show in El Paso next week.
DJ Jascz is one of a group of DJs featured in between 3 screenings.
Well, here we have a pop quiz from one of my personal faves. Hailing from Berlin, Germany, today’s quiz is from the lead vocalist and songwriter, Sascha Gottschalk, of the band, Thief. Their 2007 debut CD, Sunchild, on Sonar Kollectiv remains a high favorite and along with their new song on the Jazzanova CD, they’re working on new material for this year. Before learning about the band Thief, I was a Sascha Gottschalk fan because every single he performed with label mate, Clara Hill, was worth hearing and owning. Enjoy meeting Sascha!
Enjoy the track, “Atlantic,” from the disc, Sunchild.
