Daily Dose - 4/16/08
April 16, 2008 5:44 pm by Wild Bill
News:
-Paul Simonon of The Clash prepares for art exhibit opening - Uncut
-Leona Lewis tops the album charts - Billboard
-Kanye West’s Glow In The Dark tour begins tonight - Pitchfork
Artist Of The Day:
Cutting Crew
Yup, “(I Just) Died In Your Arms” is about an intense orgasm. But even better than that fun factoid is the realization that the biggest hit from this ’80s one hit wonder has some of the best punctuation of any song which has made it on the radio. Unnecessary parentheses? Yes please!
“(I Just) Died In Your Arms” video:
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Up And Rising: Tokyo Police Club
April 16, 2008 10:13 am by Wild Bill
Music critics love to categorize and recategorize music until it is properly pigeonholed in an easily digestible explanation. But sometimes the simplest designations are the most accurate.
In the case of Tokyo Police Club?s debut album, Elephant Shell, the best label is ?rock.? The lean Canadian quartet eschews the funny stuff in favor of a sound which veers into the grimy from the clean within the span of a verse. Writers might lump them in with ?indie? bands and compare their grooves to kindred spirits such as The Strokes or The Kooks. Yet their sound is ahead of the bunch in terms of depth and texture.
Perhaps the band?s strongest element is their understanding of subtly and restraint. Minimalist drummer Greg Alsop and singer / bassist Dave Monks keep a tight rhythm section for guitarist Josh Hook and keyboardist Graham Wright to pass hooks over. Although Monks? nasally whine and teenage-centric lyrics may initially turn listeners away, the band is best enjoyed as a complete package.
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Daily Dose - 4/15/08
April 15, 2008 3:37 pm by Wild Bill
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News:
-Bill Cosby (pictured) readies rap debut - Reuters
-We Will Rock You, the successful Queen musical, is getting the sequel treatment - NME
-Bob Dylan finishes children’s book - Rolling Stone
Artist Of The Day:
Nine Days
Record label disputes kept this bright young band of Long Island popsters from achieving longevity past their one big hit, but no song encapsulated turn of the millennium escapism quite like “Absolutely (Story Of A Girl)”. And if you don’t dig the hook, you’ll definitely groove to their fashionably disheveled hair and the keyboard player’s perfectly-placed beanie.
“Absolutely (Story Of A Girl)” video:
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The Kooks Bash Out Hits…and other New Tuesday Releases
April 15, 2008 9:10 am by Wild Bill
-The Kooks - Konk - These energetic British garage rockers are not terribly creative, but they sure do know their way around meaty hooks and tasty riffs.
-Mariah Carey - E=MC2 - After reviving her career with 2005’s The Emancipation of Mimi, Carey returns with a much weaker entry, substituting the former’s club-worthy beats with slower fare.
-M83 - Saturdays = Youth - French electro-rockers return with their fifth album, a more song-focused affair than their previous ambitious soundscapes. Yet this more restrained approach does not quell the group’s creative spirit.
-Thrice - The Alchemy Index Vols. III & IV: Air & Earth - One of the last respectable bands surviving from the screamo wasteland, Thrice return with the second chapter in their ambitious Alchemy Index project.
-Everclear - The Vegas Years - The covers record that no one has asked for, Everclear painfully drag out the end of their career with this pathetic attempt at resurgence. Frontman (and sole original member) Art Alexakis might want to stick a fork in the band - it’s done.
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Daily Dose - 4/14/08
April 14, 2008 4:23 pm by Wild Bill
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News:
-Toni Braxton (pictured) faces another health struggle - AP
-Noel Gallagher starts beef with Jay-Z - NME
-Saul Williams‘ strange Nike sales bump - Idolator
Artist Of The Day:
Bret Michaels
As Sharp Notes is obsessed with all of the trashy television that VH1 has to offer (yup, even the Danny Bonaduce show), we feel a certain kinship with the Poison frontman. “Go That Far” is the awesomely tacky theme song to the tremendously dramatic “Rock of Love 2 with Bret Michaels.” Although he did not pick our favorite girl, the big-lipped stripper Daisy, on the finale last night, we will still wear our cowboy hats and chant along to this barnburner enthusiastically.
“Go That Far” video:
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Feel like falling into a computer coma? Try Flash Flash Revolution.
April 14, 2008 2:26 pm by Wild Bill
Do you love Dance Dance Revolution but dread the mild physical activity and potential social interaction that comes with playing it? Try out this strange web phenomenon, Flash Flash Revolution, a simplified combination of DDR and Guitar Hero, minus the fun.
Here is the setup: users upload their favorite songs and assign random arrows to flash up, seemingly at random. But instead of dancing or slamming down multicolored buttons on a fake instrument, players must rapidly mash their computer’s arrow keys in time to keep up with the tunes.
While it is neat that unique songs can be uploaded, it is shocking to see how popular this underground phenomenon is, as it’s fundamental appeal is hard to pinpoint. DDR and Guitar Hero both thrive as party games, where friends can sit, laugh and frantically compete to achieve minor victory. But it seems strange to play such a numbing game solo, especially without the fun dance mat / fake guitar props to play with.
Any insight from the nearly 1.5 million registered users as to why the game is so fascinating would be appreciated. After a solid 30 minutes of cranking out the emo hits of yesterday and today on FFR, we were left with little satisfaction and an agitated laptop. But hey - maybe we don’t fully understand the game’s hypnotic power.
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Genre Specific: Grime
April 14, 2008 9:23 am by Wild Bill
Origin:
Grime developed primarily amongst inner-city British youth in the late ’90s, as a response to and reinvention of both garage and rave music.
What It Is:
A jarring and often dissonant genre, grime’s premier artists rap in stunted, off-kilter cadences to grab the listener’s ear. This flow is presented over inventive and pulsing club beats, which blend with the vocals in order to deliver a hard-hitting experience.
Why You Should Care:
Although it produces some of the most jarring and immediate music around today, grime is underappreciated in the United States. One of the few success stories is rhyme titan Dizzee Rascal (pictured), who achieved critical acclaim as a teenager when his 2003 debut Boy In Da Corner set music magazines abuzz. But rave reviews did not translate into steady sales. In fact, the genre was relatively dormant to the mainstream until the strange success of Lady Sovereign, who gained brief notoriety with her precociously dirty 2006 single “Love Me Or Hate Me.” Even without superstars, the genre is a fertile breeding ground for countless young lyricists who are eager to advance their edgy craft.
Key Artists:
-Dizzee Rascal - “Fix Up, Look Sharp” video:
-Lady Sovereign - “Love Me Or Hate Me” video:
-Wiley - “50/50″ video:
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Last Week of Server Troubles
April 7, 2008 10:48 am by Wild Bill
Sharp Notes has been assured that this will be the last week with server issues, so brace yourself for fewer forks (and more music action) coming on the 14th.
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Hooray! More Server Issues!
March 31, 2008 9:28 am by Wild Bill
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Hopefully there are enough Google Images which humorously convey the word “server” in order to keep you entertained until this blog can once again be updated regularly. Sorry everybody!
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Week 3 Of Server Trouble
March 24, 2008 10:10 am by Wild Bill
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As the headline (and humorously misguided photo) suggests, there is still something wrong with the Sharp Notes server, which is making it impossible to blog regularly. Because of that, we are suspending posts for a THIRD time, but our web boss has promised us we will be up by next week. Tune in Monday for the return of regular coverage!
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