Bandages- Hot Hot Heat

Today's Song of the Day is kind of old but it's still as catchy as it was when it first came out. To be honest, I hated it when it first came out, but I really like it now. That's what happens when songs are overplayed (ie. SexyBack). Anyway, I don't have much to say about this song because I don't think it's particularly clever or anything, but it's crazy catchy.

The Airborne Toxic Event- Does This Mean You're Moving On

I just found this group but I am instantly hooked and I think after hearing Song of the Day, you will love The Airborne Toxic Event as well. Taking their name from Don DeLillo's, "White Noise," the Los Angeles quintet tells stories of their own. The satisfyingly dry vocals are perfectly complimented by their surf stylings. When you hear this song, you'll have no doubt that this catchy band is onto something big.

"Does This Mean You're Moving On"- The Airborne Toxic Event

Is This Love? -Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

I considered making this a Philly Phriday, but I wasn't sure if I could say they were a Philly group or not. I mean, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah are originally from CT. But they're now based in New York and Philly...so yeah, I guess they don't have a "hometown." They are pretty cool, regardless. I love their name- every time I hear it, it really gives me a visual image. This song is kind of old but I like it and was listening to it today so here it is


"Is This Love?" - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue

Something Old

I hate to belabor the subject, but I want to apologize again for not keeping up with song of the day- but I promise to keep on top of that from now on.

Something New

I've decided that, being from Philadelphia, I would like to throw a little more of that into the mix. People can say what they want about Philadelphia but it's an awesome city. Philadelphia has had tons of musicians rise out of the city limits, but it's still never recognized as a musical city (besides Philly Soul- but that's more of less nostalgic. ) SO, I have decided, as a part of Song of the Day, I will have Philly Phridays. Philly Phridays will be a Song of the Day from a Philadelphia artist. Some you will have heard and others I can guarantee will be completely new. But I need to ask- should it be Philly Phridays or Filly Fridays? I think Philly Phridays- it preserves the important word- thanks for your input though.

Something Borrowed

This is completely unrelated but I just found out that Philadelphia now has Philly Bike Share. Philly Car Share- great idea. Philly Bike Share? Not so much. Do you really think, two weeks in advance, that you'll need a bike to ride down town? I don't think so- nice try though.

Something Blue

Ratatat

I came across Ratatat at work last week but there is no sound on my old school computer there so I had to wait until I got home to listen to them and I think they're pretty neat. Ratatat is a Brooklyn duo, specializing in electronica. They've been described as Neptunes-esque but I don't think they sound like the Neptunes at all. Currently signed with XL Recordings (Vampire Weekend, MIA, The White Stripes) , they released their third studio album, LP3, this July. Recorded in the mystic, Old Soul Studio, LP3 has a different feel than their previous albums. Abandoning synth-influenced guitar sounds, for a more organic feel, guitarist Matt Stroud worked on refining his technique. Multi-instrumentalist, Evan Mast took advantage of Old Soul Studio, utilizing the various organs and harpsichords that the studio had to offer.

What I love about Ratatat, and all electronica for that matter is that the albums aren't specifically concept albums, but they always play all the way through. It's so easy to listen to the entire album without interruption. Today's song of the day is "Mirando."

The question always remains: can the studio performance be transformed into a compelling live performance? You be the judge

Mirando Video



Mirando Live

What's Going On?

I know it's been a while since I've done Song of the Day. I've had a lot going on in my life and that's not an excuse really but it's given me a lot of time to think. And I've been thinking about politics, music, friends, family- and I guess life in general. It's often hard to make sense of the world but we utilize tools that help us create some sort of meaning. For me, my primary tool is music and so with all I had going on, I put my ipod on random and this was the first song to come up. Of course I love the original by Marvin Gaye, but there was something about all these different artists coming together and the situation under which they came together that made this so special. Anyway, I love this video-it's just so powerful- and it's Song of the Day.

West Philadelphia Orchestra

Check out the West Philadelphia Orchestra:



Just one of the many reasons I love being from West Philadelphia

Shows to See This Weekend

Nothing to do this weekend?

Saturday night, head to World Cafe Live Downstairs for the final performance of Philly's own Burn Down All Stars. After a successful career, the boys of Burn Down All Stars bid goodbye to their fans. But don't worry- they're splitting so they can work on their solo projects- so you haven't heard the last of these talented performers.




Sat. July 19
8:00 All Ages
World Cafe Live Downstairs
Also Playing: SOJA, Fear Nuttin Band








Sunday, catch Back Door Slam, also at World Cafe Live. While they may be young, this rock/blues trio is destined for success. Imagine Jimi Hendrix meets John Mayer meets BB King. I saw them this weekend and they are truly amazing. Please Please Please go see this show- you won't be disappointed





Sun. July 20
7:30pm All Ages
World Cafe Live Downstairs
Also Playing: Eoin Harrington

Is This What You've Been Waiting For: Interview with Dave Barnes

I kind of like to think that “On A Night Like This” was written about me but I know that Greyhound, Annie and a few other songs are written about your wife- where else do you get your inspiration from?

Actually, the truth now has finally come out. Now that you’re sitting here, I will finally let the truth free (you heard it here, first) . But you know, a lot of it is other music. That’s one of the things I like the most about listening to other music because you never know what it’s going to do for you. That and I’ve also been able to travel and meet a lot of people and see a lot of new things. That's always really inspiring. I had a chance to go, for two different summers, to Africa. Life and art seem to be the biggest inspirations.

Who is "Adeline" about?

This is really bizarre but I wrote it about the orphans in Africa. Which is, I’m sure, incredibly unsuspecting. It was kids we met at an orphanage, but I didn’t want it to be that obvious.

What’s your favorite album of your own work?
That question is so funny because it’s like picking your favorite kid, which you can’t do. But there’s different things I like about each of them. I really enjoy the first one, Brother, Bring the Sun, because it’s so what it is- attached to me learning how to write songs, and sing, and play. Chasing Mississippi I was kind of falling in love so that one’s a lot about my wife (I'm sorry- your who?)and that journey. Then the new one is probably the most diverse because it deals with social justice and these things I’ve seen in Africa and even over here and then falling in love, kind of a little bit of everything. So it’s a little more scattered. So, I would say it’s the most mature but that’s not to say that I like it the most. But I’m very proud of the new one, I feel as though it’s a step forward-it’s not sort of a step sideways.


Sometimes they say it’s the little things that count, but it’s hard not to obsess over the big things as well- what would you say is your biggest career accomplishment?

I think the biggest one for me is really two things. Anytime that people say that the songs really become a part of their life, that’s fairy cheesy I’m sure, everybody will say that for the right song but it really is amazing. I never cease to be amazed by the fact that something I wrote in a bedroom by myself can become something that means so much to other people. The other thing is just knowing that some of the people that I respect, musically, that those people enjoy what I do. And knowing that the people who have inspired me are inspired by what I do. The people that gave me so much excitement and hope are the people who come to me and say ‘Man, I listened to the record and I really liked it.”


To fans, it always seems like artists achieve rapid success but I am sure your journey involved a lot more work. Can you describe some of the steps that got you to where you are now? Or how your aspirations have changed over time?

I think initially when you start, the goal is you play to anybody- literally- if it’s your next door neighbor, or somebody at the coffee shop sitting next to you, you can show them your website or give them your demos. Not that that changes, but it was okay to bombard people with what I do because no one else was going to-so I kind of had to. So initially, there’s a lot of energy given to mass dissemination, it’s not so much who might even like it. It’s more like, let’s just tell everybody about it and see what sticks and now it’s not that it changes but I’ve just tried to figure out what my demographic is and how I can be writing songs and getting in touch with those people better because sometimes you can kill yourself by trying to appeal to everybody and I think that’s one of the things in my writing that has changed the most. When I write, I’m more okay with doing what I do well instead of trying to do a million different things and be everything to everybody.

It seems like you did a lot of things on your own in the beginning. What made you decide to sign with Razor and Tie?

The biggest reason was that I wanted to get the music out to as many people as I could and I knew that on my own, that would be limited. I can only appeal to so many people or advertise to so many people. So one of the biggest draw for me was when they approached me they said ‘we really just want to push some more money into the machine. We like what you’re doing on the artistic level, but we know that some different things can be done and that your appeal is a lot bigger than that.’ So, they’ve been really helpful with teaching me the business aspect of everything.

It seems that your dedication to Youtube and Blogging had a lot to do with your “underground” success. As your stature grows, do you intend to stay in touch with your fans through these mediums?

I think that’s the biggest time to do it. Access is really fragile. I’m never going to be John Mayer or somebody that has to worry about their privacy but I do think you have to figure out how to let people into your world without overexposing yourself and keeping things sort of a mystery. Because that’s what I’m drawn. I tend to like things I don’t know everything about because there are still things to be explored. Now is probably the time to invest the most in that.

I understand that you have begun performing stand up. Do you ever fuse those two talents on stage?

I try to be really careful with that because the more I play music, the more I want the music to do what it does. But it’s always me- it never stops being me. I’ve given some thought to that but the thing is I’m playing so many shows where people don’t know who I am and I don’t want to be the guy that gets up there and just yaps the whole time. I want to know that people like the songs. That's why I like playing my own shows- I know that they’re there for my music.

Can you talk about your relationship with Matt Wertz, Andy Davis, and those guys?

That’s one of the things that I enjoy about music the most- the community. In Nashville, there’s just a plethora of talented people. So we’ve been in a great place. Matt and I have been best friends for almost five years now. We’re constantly in communication and talking about how we’re doing. That’s one of the most fun things about Nashville- my closest friends do what I do.

Can you discuss your involvement in the Mocha Club? What’s the best way for fans to get involved in that?

I’d love to. The Mocha Club was something that came up on a trip to Africa with some friends. One of my best friends who lives in Ethiopia, came up with the idea to engage with the friends that we were making in Africa and it’s 7 bucks a month and the money will go to wherever you choose. There’s probably five or six projects going on right now and the one that we’ve been benefiting is the one building wells in Sudan. But the thing I love about my involvement is that it’s incredibly empowering. The music thing is a little fleeting as far as the glory of it all and feeling validated by it so I love that me and Matt and our friends are trying to invest in something that has eternal value in it also as opposed to just music and me trying to glorify myself. It’s nice to shift the attention toward something that matters so much more than my music does, to people living, getting to drink water, survive, building new dormitories and orphanages. It started as something I was just trying to get involved in but I think the more that I do it, I think that my music in some ways may be there just to do this. Not vice versa. It’s been really cool and it’s one of those things that, on my deathbed should I be conscious, I think it will be one of the decisions I’m really glad that I made. Because the music thing is just what it is but if you can use that energy to do something really good with it- that’s awesome. And It’s given me so much more excitement to make music because ultimately, the end is not to make me look great, it’s to make sure that people are getting what they need. If you go to mochaclub.org, you can sign up. If you sign up at a show, you get a free CD.

Nothing Fancy- Dave Barnes- as taken by yours truly

Buzzin'- Shwayze

Yeah so, this is Song of the Day...it's Shwayze featuring Cisco. From what I understand, they have a show coming out on MTV, called "Buzzin'"

My Dick- Mickey Avalon

This song of the day speaks for itself...best line "My dick cost a late night fee. Your dick gots the HIV"

My Day With Dave Barnes

So, I know a few days have passed and I am sorry for the delay but here's how it all went down:

I'm at the Children's Garden, nervously pacing back and fourth waiting to hear where I should meet my lover for the interview. When the call finally came, I met this nice southern gentleman with a sweet beard who walked me over to meet the love of my life: Mr. David Barnes.

Sitting there playing with his iPhone (*see his blog about his iPhone here), I saw those dirty blond bangs and I knew it was him. As I was introduced to my beau, he looked up and I saw those crystal blue eyes and almost melted. Noticing my weakness, he swooped me up and threw me on the table, flowering me in an array of kisses. Singing, sweet lullabies in my ear, he told me that we were meant to be together. And, that's when I heard this voice, saying, " Hey, let's do the interview over here."

I awoke from my blissful daydream, to see that I was still standing, staring into his blue eyes.

But in all seriousness, it was a great day. I was very nervous about the interview but it went very very well. He has such a great sense of humor and is such a nice guy and that accent is to die for! I got a hug, a picture, and an autograph...what more could I ask for. By far, THE best day of the year.

The concert was spectacular! I will post a video/photo montage in another blog. Check back for the interview- you're not going to want to miss when Dave professes his undying love for me.

MISSION MEET DAVE BARNES COMPLETE!

I MET DAVE BARNES TODAY. WHILE IT WAS APPROXIMATELY 8 HOURS AND 36 MINUTES AGO THAT I MEANT MY SOUTHERN BEAU, I HAVE STILL NOT CALMED DOWN FROM MY EXCITEMENT. DETAILS TO COME TOMORROW WHEN I CAN THINK STRAIGHT...FOR THIS REASON I ALSO DON'T HAVE A SONG OF THE DAY



...okay, that's not fair but today is "National Dave Barnes Appreciation Day" So, you guessed it: Song of the Day is "Until You" by Dave Barnes

Two Great Voices, One Terrible Song

I love Youtube. Look at this terrible video I found. Whitney Houstin and Enrique Iglesias
This song absolutely sucks.

THROW BACK: Nobody Wants to be Lonely

BEST SONG EVER!
I'm not even writing anything because this song speaks for itself.
In Memoriam: one of my ex roommates, who I think now hates me, used to play this song for me and it would totally take my mood from not so great to ECSTATIC!

Song of the Day! Listen Again and Again:

Toxic- Yael Naim

Yes- I did not choose a Song of the Day yesterday.
No- I am not apologizing. Because I had a much better time at the John Mayer concert with my Beau.

But have no fear, Song of the Day returns today.

Today's song of the day is "Toxic" by Yael Naim. Her name probably doesn't sound familiar but I can promise you that you've heard her music before. You know the airy, semi haunting, voice of the Mac Book Air commercial? The song is called "New Soul" and if you're still not convinced that you've heard it before, check out this video.



Now, moving on.
Yael Naim does a wonderful version "Toxic," as originally lip-synced by Britney Spears. I know in my last post I said that it's rare that an artist can "one-up" an original, but here is another case. Check out this video- it's awesomely seductive.

John Mayer Rocks Camden

John Mayer, who has noticeably matured over his past few albums graced the stage of the Susquehanna Bank Center last night. Opening acts Brett Dennen and Colbie Caillat left much to be desired, especially when juxtaposed with Mayer. Navigating between blues and pop-rock, the man coined by Rolling Stone as one of the "New Guitar Gods," satisfied his varied demographic.

Starting things off with "Belief," a song from his most recent album Continuum, Mayer showed off his virtuosity. Briefly playing "No Such Thing" and "Why Georgia," he returned to his pop roots to please the screaming fourteen year old girls. As the night moved on, Mayer pounded out a mixture of covers and original music from. While it is rare that a performer is able to out-do an original song, Mayer's cover of Duffy's, "Mercy" was priceless and several times better than the original. The extended version of "Gravity," followed by his three song finale, left the crowd going wild over his searing solos.


While John Mayer began his career as a bubble-gum pop singer/songwriter, his latest music and recent performances prove that he is one of the most talented performers of his time. In the 90's his audience consisted of only teenage girls. But in my row alone, I saw couples in their 40's , single men, teenage girls, and senior citizens. For some artists, a change in genre or technique, means abandoning your fans. But for Mayer, it was a risk worth taking in order to follow his passion. If you appreciate BB King blues or Hendrix-esque guitar , you have to see Mayer perform live.

Check out his blog where he describes his agenda for his summer tour

Spaz- N.E.R.D.

Formerly known as The Neptunes, Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo, and Shae Haley now go by the acronym, N.E.R.D. According to Pharrell, N.E.R.D, stands for No one Ever Really Dies. "The Neptunes are who we are and N*E*R*D is what we do," he explains. I don't really get it...I know what that means but it doesn't seem too profound to me...especially for a synthesized hip-hop outfit. It seems The Neptunes was more fitting, but once again, I digress.

N.E.R.D. released their third album, Seeing Sounds, on June 10, 2008. The CD received critical reviews and was attacked for the poor lyrical quality but let's be real- it's N.E.R.D not Bob Dylan.

Today's Song of the Day is Spaz. I first heard Spaz, the same way most of you heard it, on the Zune commercial. Most songs in commercials take a while to grow on me but I fell in love with this immediately. I haven't purchased the rest of the album so I can't speak on it but I haven't heard good things. So, enjoy Spaz while you await the next N.E.R.D. album.

Fire Starter- Burn Down All Stars

Today's song of the day comes from Philadelphia on and off hip-hop collective, the Burn Down All Stars. These guys are truly amazing. After a lengthy appearance on the first season of Fuse TV Bodog Battle of the Bands, Ropeadope Digital's Burn Down All Stars went from a local to an international audience. Criticized on the show for their large size, the band maintains that it is their size that makes their music so unique. While currently working on solo projects, BDAS still performs collectively when the opportunity presents itself. Seriously, look at a picture of these guys.


How can you not be intrigued?

Check out "Fire Starter" on the band's myspace.

And because I usually include a video, this is "Anthem" by the Burn Down All Stars

John Legend Rocks the Fourth of July Weekend

John Legend’s first stop in the Tri-State region this weekend was at Sunoco’s Fourth of July celebration on the Parkway, just a few miles away from his college Alma Mater. Sunday night, Legend graced the stage of Atlantic City’s Borgata. While the repertoire was similar, the performances were very different. I guess that goes to show that you get what you pay for.

Now don’t get me wrong. The free performance on the Parkway was very fun and certainly showcased Legend’s virtuosity. Joined by British songstress Estelle, Legend had the Philadelphia audience dancing in the streets. But, the acoustics and setting of the Borgata created a euphoric musical ambiance that could be topped but no other. The light show that went along with the performance was stunning itself. In between the use of his full band, Legend performed a solo piano set that left the crowd speechless.

One of the highlights for the ladies in the audience was the song “Slow Dance.” As if rumors of the stunt had circulated before to the performance, women stood on top of their chairs, hoping that the R&B legend would choose them from the audience. But each night, only one special girl was chosen to slow dance with the star, as he knelt on his knee and feigned a proposal.

By the time Legend climaxed with his gospel-esque encore, “So High,” both male and female members of the crowd were in tears. Even though I had seen him perform two days prior, seeing him again at the Borgata was like seeing him for the first time. To each performance he delivers a new level of energy, never satisfied with being just "legendary."

Even if you are a casual listener of John Legend, you can’t miss an opportunity to see him perform live. If you appreciate music and talent, you will love John Legend. I know people who would literally follow his tour around the country if they could afford it, and after this weekend, I understand why.


More pictures and videos to come...

Viva la Vida

I first fell in love with this song when I saw the Coldplay/itunes commercial. Chris Martin's 'hand dancing' is absolutely contagious. I'm not a huge Coldplay fan. I like a few songs like Sparks and Yellow but that's about it. With Viva la Vida, I developed more of a liking for the band.

First check out the commercial



and here's the whole song...gives me a reason to never want to see Coldplay perform live.


John Legend tonight! I will report when I return.In the meantime, Don't forget about the XPoNential Festival taking place next weekend.

Desperado- The Eagles

Love this song... there's not much more to say about it. But it's today's song of the day. I tried to find a sweet youtube video but no success. But with this video, you can sing along, karaoke style if you will.

Ordinary People

I know that literally, it is no longer July 4th and that you skeptics are thinking that I've failed my goal to write a song of the day everyday. But whatever, I just got back from seeing John Legend on the Parkway for FREE!!

So, in honor of that performance, and given the state of my relationship with el boyfriend, today's song of the day is Ordinary People. While I would love to write a review of this concert, I am going to see Mr. Legend at the Borgata on Sunday so I will let you know about that later. In the meantime, enjoy today's song of the day.



Little known fact: John Legend is an alum of UPenn (yup, that's my school) and matriculated at the young age of 16!

Also, speaking of John's, I will be seeing John Mayer on Thursday. So since I've been thinking of John Legend and John Mayer, if you're a fan of either of the two you NEED to check this out. It's from last year's Grammy's and pretty old but I love it. It's Corinne Bailey Rae, John Mayer, and John Legend performing together. It's beautiful, although I wish they had sang together. But yeah, since it's July 5th now, I will give you two videos for today.


great or what?

Song of the Day

You know when you have that song stuck in your head and you hear it like first thing in the morning but you can't stop singing it? Or, how about when there's that one song that fits your mood entirely- so much that it could be your theme song of the day?

Well, that's why I am starting song of the day. Some posts will be long and some will be short, some songs will be new, and many will probably be old. I will add a comments box so that if you would like to post your song of the day, you can feel free. Have no fear, I will continue to write reviews, previews, and all that other good stuff but I just thought this would be fun. I'll try to get to it everyday, but if I don't please don't crucify me...or call the cops...they've been looking for me

So, all that to say, today's song of the day is.....
A-Punk by Vampire Weekend

I know what you're thinking- "Ashley, you've already talked about Vampire Weekend and this song"- but I don't care.

This is a great song and the best part about it is the masterfully crafted song length. The first time I heard this song was on the radio, and I was pissed because I thought that once again, the radio had shorted me (no height jokes). But after I downloaded A-Punk, I learned that the entire song is only two minutes and seventeen seconds long. This is like the shortest song every, at least to be played on the radio. At first I hated the short length but I think I've figured it out: If you make a very catchy song, very short, people will listen to it 10 times in a row, literally. I cannot listen to this song just once. Every time I hear it, I play it at least 4 times. So, congratulations to you Vampire Weekend for making the sweetest, shortest, catchiest song I've ever heard



one more thing...I've been looking at all these profiles for Vampire Weekend and people keep describing them as "afro pop"...what is that? I mean I know where Africa is..and I know pop music...but what makes 4 Columbia grads "Afro Pop"? Is it because they have drums or is it the yelp/chanting? That's culturally insensitive.