Alain de Courtenay

Since we decided to start this site, I have been excited about the opportunity to tell you about Alain de Courtenay. This is an artist that I take particular pride in sharing with you as I feel that I have been a fan from the beginning. Sometime ago I came across a video that hit me in that "good kind of way." Since first hearing Sing To You I have tried to spread the word of Courtenay to all.

Sing To You

Alain has an innate lyrical ability that he blends with deceivingly skilled guitar melodies. As his originals and covers prove, Courtenay definitely has a patent on his sound. Although his music couldn't be described as true folk, one would not be inaccurate to use the word as a reference.

Alain is the Chicago native that has been making his way up the muscial ranks over the past few years. Together with violinist TJ Callanta, the two have been able to collect a number of fans through both live performances and online video directories. Evidence of the following is obvious when viewing the comments sections from any of Courtenay's videos.

Two-Step

His debut album The Pregnant Letter is now available for purchase through iTunes. Recent posts from Courtenay reveal that he is currently in Los Angeles where he is undoubtedly exploring further options in the music industry. Alain has promised that he and TJ will continue making music together but that there will be a distance seperation for some time. Until then, we still have the blessing of his YouTube videos.

Give it a quick listen....

Over the past week I continuously find myself playing this song over and over again. One can only appreciate the simplicity of an acoustic guitar, a small drum set, and the accompaniment of background vocals. All this while nullifying the urban legend that all songs are sang without accents.

Frightened Rabbit - Good Arms vs. Bad Arms

I choose Sookie

If you are anything like me, you opted to catch up on True Blood and Entourage rather than sit through this year's American Music Awards....Sunday nights are dedicated to Sookie and Vince. If I need a lesson in the country's collective musical preference, then I choose to do so with Casey Kasem at the helm. But nonetheless, I had to peek at the "winner's" list from last night. Apparently the hip-hop machine known as Chris Brown gyrated his way on stage no less than three times while his musical nemesis, Kanye West, snagged two awards of his own. But if you need a good chuckle for the day, please review the list and explain to me how crazy is one of the prerequisites for an Honorary Award.

Saturday Night Flashback: Boyz II Men

For this innaugral post, I decided to stretch outside of what has become the "approved" genre of this site. Rather than focus on the truly underappreciated before-their-timeness of Hootie and the Blowfish or take-me-back-to-Colt-Cafe-goodness of Bush, I've decided to focus on the best thing to come out of Philly since Ryne Sandberg.

I don't know who in today's music scene is most comparable to the Boyz II Men of the mid-90's. There's definitely not an R&B group. Maybe Coldplay? John Mayer? You have to understand that EVERYBODY listened to them. Your mom did. Possibly your grandparents. And with all the music flowing out there right now, is there a current artist out there for ALL generations?


So what would bring on this sudden rekindling of love for MotownPhilly? Funny you should be prompted to ask. See, my DVR has been broken for the past two weeks and it's left me in total disarray. Not to catch up on "The Office" (that's why God made Hulu). Not to see just how close my hair is starting to look like Chuck Bass' on Gossip Girl (it's slowly getting there). No, it's because for the last two weeks I've had a Boyz II Men Motown Special recorded and have been unable to view it. But last night, I finally tapped in. And it was well worth it.

Singing Motown classics while sprinkling in some of their own hits, Boyz II Men put on a show. They started out with "Motown Philly" of the CooleyHighHarmony album, the show was kicked off how you would have expected. But then the boyz went into covers of such songs as "Tracks of My Tears" (still think Gavin DeGraw's version is better) and "Easy (Like Sunday Morning)". And as always, the boys were on their game. They just don't make harmonies like that.

Blatantly missing from the foursome was their fourth. Bassist Michael McCary was no where to be seen on stage. A Wikipedia confirmation proved that McCary actually retired from the biz in 2003 due to complications with scoliosis. So many puns to make right there but I don't want to seem crooked. I truly believe the day he retired had to be the saddest day since they blew up the chicken man. And sad for the boyz as well because, although their performances were great, you could tell there really was a piece missing on some their hits.


One of the biggest reasons Boyz II Men has such a place in my heart is because their hits were huge at a time when my musical experience was dominated by Top 40 radio and MTV/VHI video countdowns (if you're unfamiliar with this idea, ask Uncle Mike about it one day and I'll be glad to tell you about the oldin' days). And "On Bended Knee," one of the biggest hits from the Boyz in complimenting sweater vests, supplied a deeply-delivered line that I have found to be the best argument/apology icebreaker in the world. You know what it is. You've at least thought about using it: "Baby, I'm sorry. Please forgive me for all the wrong I've done. Please come back home girl." CLASSIC!!!! And check out Lisa Turtle looking hot in the Kangol!

To sum it up, Boyz II Men are most comparable to a $5 bill you find in an old jacket. You really didn't need or miss them over the past decade but you're so happy when you find them again! See below for my Top 5 Boyz II Men songs off all-time:

1. On Bended Knee

2. Thank You (I know it wasn't the most popular, but I loved it!!)

3. One Sweet Day f. Mariah Carey

4. Water Runs Dry

5. It's So Hard to Say Goodbye To Yesterday (only "Tears in Heaven" beats this for ultimate funeral song)

I Need Organization

One of my biggest problems is that if I'm given the chance to be fully creative, I rarely get anything done. Tell me to write a song about "anything" and I'll sit there and look stupid for the next two hours and let ADD take full advantage of me. Tell me to write a song about an empty toilet-paper roll and I'll think of something creative. A wise man I know likes to always say that "A wise man knows how to trap himself." So with that said, I'm going to lay some groundrules for my bi-annual posts.

From now on, Saturday night's will consist of the "Saturday Night Flashback." This will spotlight a song/group/album from some time in the last 100 years (I'm sorry, but that's as far back as I remember). Sometimes it will be someone great, sometimes it will be someone who I don't think we should let off the hook and should reprise how truly crappy they are/were. After that, only six other topics to decipher.

The Modesty of Miles

Anyone that draws comparison to Bob Dylan, justified or not, is sure to stir intrigue. That is a massive statement to measure up to....I mean its Bob "FREAKING" Dylan!! Some are always going to over-elaborate or under-embellish at any chance. But trust me, I brushed aside all the hype while taking this one in. As I suspected, we don't have another Mr. Tambourine Man on our hands but rather a mouse known for it's modesty (please don't allow this to deter you from finding this folksy gem).

Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson is the Brooklyn resident that came knocking on music's door in the early 2000's. Starting in such bands as Jackson Plastic and Jesus Jackson, Robinson honed a style all his own. After several years of distractions, Miles now has the final say-so. Although he still has the collective spirits that a band has to offer. Kyp Malone (TV on the Radio), Chris Taylor and Christopher Bear (Grizzly Bear) lent musical expertise to Miles for his debut album, Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson.

The leading track from the album, Buriedfed, is a up then down trip that has Robinson questioning his own mortality. By the time the first chorus arrives, you find yourself moving to the beat and singing the lyrics that you don't know yet. It's a very familiar and comfortable sound that stays on pace throughout much of the album. Songs The Debtor and Written Over help to reduce your heartbeat from the sprint that it is the rest of Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson.

There is no need for the modesty, Mr. Robinson. Your self-titled debut album is one of my top musical surprises of the year. The rough and ragged sound that appears from your tracks help define a nostalgic shape that I haven't recognized as of late. Please keep it coming!!

RCRD LBL

One of the lovely things about this addiction of ours, the interweb, is the ease of access to music. A fairly new site, called RCRD LBL, provides just that. The site offers users the ability to search through a database filled with thousands of bands/artists and their music, most of which offer free mp3 downloads!!! The site can be broken down by genre which allows you to pick your poison and gain familiarty with the new sounds. RCRD LBL gives newbies the chance to be heard and, best of all, even pays them for the play time of their music. I highly urge you to check it out.

First impressions are important.

Has there ever been a musician or band that, for the lack of better words, had you at hello?? It's similiar to the notion of love at first site. Is it really possible?? I am here to tell you, YES, it is possible. My evidence to such a proclamation....Ray Lamontagne.

I had my first taste of the Lamontagne kool-aid in 2005 on the Austin City Limits television program. Since that night, I've been hooked!! I purchased the then-current album Trouble and searched every online library for all things Lamontagne. During this time I learned a great deal about the man and the road that had brought him to us. From the early morning influence of Stephen Stills to the demo tape that found it's way to a record executive, Ray's story is unique.

In November of 2006, I had the good fortune to catch Ray at the Brown Theatre in Louisville, Ky. That night I watched him as he captivated the entire room with one of the most powerful performances I have ever seen. Throughout the show's entirety, he threw every ounce of his rugged, bearded soul into the music. This fact was no more apparent than during the song Empty. The emotional lyrics proved too heavy and caused Ray to excuse himself from the song's remaining lines. Because of this the crowd broke from their awestruck state and into an uproar of applause and cheers, Ray had just shared a "moment" with us.

Unquestionably, there will be many more Ray posts entered on Tangent Lyrics. But tonight I stumbled across a video from his current tour and simply wanted to share it along with a few words about the man. Enjoy.


Winter Birds from the album Gossip in the Grain

Where Have You Gone, Ben Folds?

ALBUM: Way To Normal
ARTIST: Ben Folds
RELEASED: September 30, 2008



Oh, Ben. What happened? What happened to the days of songs like "Eddie Walker" or "Fred Jones Pt. II" or even "Army?" Or that version of "Careless Whisper" in Central Park that made me want to whisk Rufus Wainwright onto the dance floor?

I understand that things got a little crazy in your personal life in the past year and I feel obligated to give you lots of leeway on that.

I also understand that you fell off the stage and bumped your head. But how hard? Did it knock your constraints loose? Possibly your judgement? Where's that Ben Folds sound?

Well, let's be honest, Ben Folds isn't walking throught that door or typing this URL and pressing enter. So there's no need of asking these questions of him. But these are all questions I asked myself as I went through three songs before being able to listen to one in its entirety.

One must first understand my true love affair with Ben Folds. I was originally a fan of "Brick" because it was the only song of the original five on the radio. How predictable of a young high schooler daring to be muscially hip! But as I soon discovered "Ben Folds Live" my sophomore year of college, everything in life changed. For the next seven years, I found myself standing in front of an overpriced keyboard either online or at a local music store at least ten times. I wanted to be Ben Folds.

So with such an affinity for all things Folds, it was a shock to my system when "Way to Normal" never clicked at all. I heard a majority of the album's songs originally at a show on December 17, 2007 at Exit/In in Nashville, TN. And while all the new songs were definitely entertaining due to either lyrics or Ben and his band's infamiliarity with the new material, there was just something missing. And it's something they were unable to iron out when transferring it all to the album.



In my opinion, it just sounds gimmicky. It's like Ben decided he needed to sell CD's to all the people who only bought tickets to hear "Bitches Ain't Shit" rather than the loyalists who know every word to songs like "Emaline" or "Magic." And out of this horrible lapse in judgement came songs like "Bitch Went Nuts" and "Errant Dog." Even listening to them now (just to make sure I still agree with my original opinion), these songs are absolutely horrible. These songs could seemlessly play over top of any Weird Al Yankovic video.

Now Ben does prove to still "have it," on a few songs. "Cologne" displays Ben's uncanny lyric ability to explain his surroundings and thoughts in a truly conversational yet surreal manner. Sadly, the chorus is unable to ever reach the liftoff its countdown alludes to. "Kylie from Connecticut" is probably my favorite song on the entire album and it's conveniently hidden as the second to last song. Another Ben lyric trademark, explaining a situation between two people that we don't know but feel we have all our lives by the end of the song.

While the rest of the album straddles a line of respectability/horridness, the total project really lacks what I've always looked for in a Ben Folds CD. There's always been a few hokey songs sprinkled on all his albums, but there's not the solid anchor to keep this grounded. If Ben was looking for irony in this release, he definitely accomplished it in the album title. He's a long way from "Normal" or pleasurable listening experience.

RATING: $$ of $$$$$ on the Tangent Lyrics "Buy it Now" Scale.

The Review Process

Before I ever allow the rest of the world to read an album review of mine, I must first let you in on a few things.

First and foremost, I AM NOT A PROFESSIONAL when it comes to this stuff. "Album Reviews" could just as easily read "Album Preferences" or "Tunnel Vision Opinions." More than anything, I am here to simply fuel a fire of conversation and debate. So please allow these posts to spark your interest rather than deter you from the artist who made receive negative reviews. And if you think I'm absolutely wrong, please tell me! I'd love to hear it and tell you why I'm awesome.

John Butler Trio....they will make you smile.

Never have I walked away from a show with the same sense of happiness and accomplishment as I did the first time I saw The John Butler Trio, or JBT. If a bus had struck me as soon as I walked out, I really think that would have been fine by me (at the time). Some bands have this affect on people....it just makes them happy. From the opening notes of Used to Get High to the last lyric of Funky Tonight, no one had stopped smiling. Simply put, the show was spectacular!!

Setlist:
Used to Get High
Pickapart
Fire in the Sky
Gov Did Nothing
Caroline
Losing You (solo)
Ocean (solo)
Treat Yo Mama
Something's Gotta Give
Groovin Slowly
Daniella
Good Excuse (w/ Bass solo> keyboard solo> drum solo)
Zebra
Peaches and Cream (solo) - Encore
Better Than - Encore
Funky Tonight - Encore If you are a fan of JBT, then you are undoubtedly aware that the band's roots began in Australia where Butler gained a following as a solo act. This momentum continued throughout the year of 1998, which prompted the addition of two band members and the name John Butler Trio. Soon after, the recording of the band's first studio album, Three, was under way. The success of the album brought the trio to the US where they found a following through music festivals, such as Bonnaroo and South By Southwest. The band has since released two additional albums in Sunrise Over Sea and Grand National, both of which hit #1 on the Australian charts.

The John Butler Trio is referenced as a bluegrass jam band containing an eclectic concoction of acoustic, beat driven sounds with a Celtic ambiance. Headed by John Butler on lead vocals and an assortment of instruments (guitar, banjo, lapsteel, didgeridoo, etc.), with Shannon Birchall adding the bass and the occasional violin, and Michael Barker setting the pace on drums. The content of JBT tracks is a broad, yet narrow, view of personal discovery and overall togetherness.

I won't soon forget my personal encounter with JBT, nor the amount of joy their music has provided me....and will continue to do. The performance of Ocean, alone, was enough to solidify that night as one of my top five musical experiences. An experience that still keeps me smiling to this day.

"I'm telling secrets to the one guy you don't tell secrets to."

There is no greater feeling than finding the perfect song to accompany your situation. Or maybe its being at a show, shedding all inhibitions, losing yourself in the lyrics, and singing as loud as you can (do you remember your first time??). Preference of sound aside, the combination of melody, beat, and lyrics is a powerful thing.

Music is always there for you. Regardless of the time, place, or mood that you represent....it's there. It has been said to cure sickness, help the lonely, and change lives. I know that I can certainly account for the latter. Music has helped me through a number of frustrations and heartaches. Maybe it's because of this that I have valued music to such an extent in my life.

It is this acknowledged value that has brought me here. Hopefully to a place where interests can be shared and explored, discussed and debated. Our intent is to provide exposure and insight on a diverse selection of music. You will not be subjected to the petty nonsensical irritance of top 40 radio, but rather the obscurity cloaked sounds that we have come to appreciate. This is going to be fun!!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope that you enjoy.

There are very few ways that people can be brought together, music is one of them.

Breaking the Seal, Popping the Cherry

For my official first entry to this blog, I do not feel it necessary to tell you anything about me personally . . .the entries that follow over the next two-day to ten-year stretch will more than satisfy that. And while information such as my parents' names, school I'll be attending in the fall, and local pork producer who is sponsoring me tonight are all things people judging me and my body of work should know, I feel the details are best left to the imagination at this point. For now, it's all about the music.



My blogging partner approached me about a month and a half ago wondering if I'd be interested in starting something like this. At first I was skeptical of his seriousness and concerned of the free time I had available to complete such a tall task. After all, with Gossip Girl on Mondays, 90210 on Tuesdays, and football the rest of the week, my schedule already feels pretty full. By comprising this, this blog could be a serious risk to the current balance I am striking between my masculine sports drive and my inner 16-year-old snobby female.

But now as I lie in bed at 12:20 in the AM, scribbling the initial draft of this entry on a yellow legal pad with a blue pen that has left my hand looking like a Smurf had a serious "spotting" episode, I realize the drive is most definitely there. Never in my life has music affected me in the way it has over the past couple months. Like a Stackhouse boy on "V," it's like I can just hear things in a way I never thought possible. Things have started to move me and it's almost like music and I have finally started to click . . .and I dig it.

Moreover, I don't think there's ever been a better time to be a music fan. I look back on the late 90's/early 00's and realize I'm lucky to appreciate any music at all. Between Backstreet Sync Degrees and the Blink Charlotte 41's of the past, we're lucky to have any music scene left. I feel we're truly in some type of musical renaissance right now that we need to embrace for as long as possible. And I feel there's no better time for lifelong friends and brand new acquantainces to have a place to go to share what they're listening to right now or what they've been listening to forever. There's too much good stuff out there for any one person to find on their own.

So I hope you'll enjoy what is to come of this project. I think I can speak for both of us when I say it will consist of a little bit of everything. Roger and I will provide as many new ideas as possible, but this is a blog where the comments are just as important as the material posted. Everything we post here is an opinion and opinions are meant to be challenged and praised. The real show begins tomorrow and here's hoping we all can take something out of this!!