New interests

A common cliche states there is nothing like the classics. To some degree, I agree with this. There is a great feeling of nostalgia that comes with listening to music from our younger days that is incomparable. I remember earlier last year listening to Third Eye Blind's self-titled and enjoying every single memory of the 90s that came packaged with that album. I wasn't even that big on music in the 90s, but it still felt a great rush of bliss when Semi-Charmed Life came on.

Though nostalgia can be a very pleasant emotion when it comes to music, I don't think anything compares to finding something completely new and falling in love with it right away. I think that knowing that this artist will last with you for years to come is such a fulfilling experience. Instead of revisiting old memories, you're forming new ones, which can be just as, if not even more, rewarding. I'd like to share some of my recent discoveries.

The National

 

The National is an alternative/indie band from Cincinnati, Ohio. They are comprised of singer Matt Berninger and a two pairs of brothers: Aaron and Bryce Dessner and Scott and Bryan Devendorf. The National play a wistful form of indie rock with primary focuses on the vocals and several nuances throughout their songs. Berninger has an excellent baritone voice that is capable of not only a great musical range, but a diverse emotional range as well. Though I try to not to place too much emphasis on one member of the band, Berninger makes The National what they are. Whatever mood The National wish to convey, Berninger has just the right technique to emphasis their overall message and make the listeners feel what he is feeling. The instruments however do have their part to play and they play it quite well. The brothers do not try to show off, but they seem to have the innate ability to place fantastic instrumental moments at just the right time in their songs. Overall, The National supply me a sense of great serenity and allow me to reflect on both the heavy and simple aspects of life.

Moving Mountains

Moving Mountains is an experimental band from Purchase, New York. Moving Mountains is difficult to describe. Critics often describe them as a mix between The Appleseed Cast and Thrice. If you are familiar with those bands, you could see how this is odd mix. The Appleseed Cast is an emo/post-rock band with a focus on atmosphere while Thrice is a melodic/post-hardcore band with experimental tendencies. Though this may sound like a completely incompatible pair, Moving Mountains surprised me by not only combining elements of the two bands, but by doing so in an excellent fashion. Moving Mountains' ability to manipulate auditory perceptions is nearly ethereal. Often, I find that the most enthralling musical environments come from skilled progressive rock bands, but Moving Mountains reaches by the first song on either of their albums. What I find most impressive though is how they implement the "Thrice" elements into their songs. Thrice is not focused on screaming despite being labeled as a hardcore band and neither are Moving Mountains. Moving Mountains borrows from Thrice great vocals and a great potential to experiment with different sounds to compliment their original style. Moving Mountains is a brilliant and young band who I hope to hear more of soon.

 Sigur Rós

It is common to associate the word "intense" with metal, punk, or, at the very least, heavy alternative rock bands. Before hearing Sigur Rós, that was my perception of what "intense" music is. However, upon listening to this amazing band, my definition of intense was drastically changed. Sigur Rós does not initially appear to be all that exciting at all. The instruments are played softly (lead singer Jónsi even plays his guitar with a violin bow) and the vocals are sung in Icelandic with a high falsetto. When I had heard this band a few years ago, I could not be more distant from them. They were just so strange and minimalistic that I could not grasp why people enjoyed them. When I looked into them again late last year, I felt a complete reversal. I could not grasp why I didn't love this band the moment I heard them. Sigur Rós are not intense because they're brutal or abrasive, they are intense because they completely submerge you in the music. They combine multiple instruments to produce as many different experiences as possible. Classical, folk, indie, whatever you want to call it, Sigur Rós has just the song to fight the mood. Their songs are often prolonged, but they are drawn out to provide excellent build ups with astonishing and epic conclusions that leave me impressed every time. Few bands are capable of doing what Sigur Rós does.

Circa Survive

Circa Survive is an experimental rock band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They combine elements of progressive rock, post-hardcore and ambient to create a wide array of different sounds in their music. Circa Survive was formed after vocalist Anthony Green left his previous band Saosin in favor of a more experimental sound. Since 2004, the band has been developing their sound through experimentation with different genres and sounds to re-invent themselves with each release. They frequently collaborate with artist Esao Andrews, who produces their album artwork.

Juturna (2005)

 Circa Survive's debut album Juturna is one of their more ambient releases. Often, the songs are very quiet and focus heavily on soft instrumentation. They do not however keep themselves attached to this style and still try a more explosive sound that will be heard on later albums. The combination of these styles along with Green's high and airy vocals creates a very peaceful, yet atmospheric feeling through out the album. Though the songs are very consistent in quality, the only major fault I can find with the album is the production. Granted, it does contribute slightly to the album's tone, it is often not as clear as I would like it to be sometimes, making it difficult to fully appreciate all of the album's factors. Still, Juturna is a very solid release.

Recommended Songs: Holding Someone's Hair Back, Act Appalled, The Great Golden Baby, House of Leaves (Hidden Track)

On Letting Go (2007)

This album is incredibly well done. The production faults of Juturna are fixed in On Letting Go, creating some much needed clarity in Circa Survive's songs. On Letting Go is also very energized in comparison to their previous release, with a shift in their sound toward more fast-paced and amplified guitars. I believe that this sound compliments their melodies quite well and shows that the band is capable of escaping certain aspects of their music while still retaining their overall tone. They still leave plenty of room for more ambient and slower songs, which go along well with the alternative/progressive rock songs, often blending the two contrasting elements.

Recommended Songs: Living Together, In the Morning and Amazing..., The Difference Between Medicine and Poison is in the Dose, Travel Hymn, On Letting Go, Your Friends are Gone

Blue Sky Noise (2010)

Easily Circa Survive's most controversial release yet, Blue Sky Noise further departs from the atmospheric roots from Juturna and heads into a surprisingly pop direction. Though there is still a prominent influence from more ambient/calm sounds, Circa Survive ventured into more conventional song structure in Blue Sky Noise. However, this has not made them boring in the slightest. By getting into more pop structure, Circa Survive has merely added it to their repertoire, allowing them to blend previous sounds with this new one with relative ease. While some songs are more traditional of Circa Survive, (Glass Arrows, Dyed in the Wool) more catchy (Strange Terrain, I Felt Free) and even in-your-face (Get Out) styles of music can be explored. As long as Circa Survive continues to add new sounds to their music, they can continuously impress already established fans and attract newcomers as well.

Recommended Songs: Strange Terrain, Get Out, Glass Arrows, I Felt Free, Fever Dreams, The Longest Mile, Dyed in the Wool

Brand New - The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me

Brand New - The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me

 Brand New is a alternative rock band from Long Island, New York. They are currently made up of band members Jesse Lacey, (lead vocals, rhythm guitarist) Vincent Accardi, (lead guitarist, backing vocals) Brian Lane, (drums) Garrett Tierney, (bass guitar, backing vocals) and Derrick Sherman. (keyboards, guitars, backing vocals) They have at this time released four studio albums: Your Favorite Weapon, Deja Entendu, The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me, and Daisy. I would like to focus this post on their third release, 2006's The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me.

Brand New are not known for being a "happy" band by any means. Often dark and personal, Jesse Lacey's lyrics tend to focus on the more tragic aspects of human life. Dealing with themes of isolation, death, self-depreciation and loss, Brand New paints a draining portrait of existence. The music itself often transitions from soft, sorrowful moments to loud, cathartic exclamations that helps amplify the mental and emotional confusion represented in the lyrics. However, despite the album's overall depressing tone, there is certain appreciation for life that creeps out of the songs that makes living satisfying once again.

1. Sowing Season (Yeah)

The album's opener starts off very slowly with only light instrumentation and soft vocals. However, by the time the chorus kicks in, this picture of serenity is shattered with the simple word, "Yeah." With that word, the music explodes along with the vocals to create an overall satisfying listen and a promising start to the album. Sowing Season creates a good example of the abrasive, yet brutally honest, nature of this album.

2. Millstone

 To put it bluntly, this is a very harsh song. With opening lyrics, "I used to be such a burning example/I used to be so original/I used to care I was being cared for/Made sure I showed it to those that I loved," Millstone expresses a sense of nostalgic regret, both longing to return to more innocent times and desiring to right past wrongs. Mournful, even by Brand New standards, this is just the openness I love to hear from Brand New.

3. Jesus

Similar to Millstone, this song has a feeling of intense regret for failures in the past. Jesus adds another flavor to the mix by showing uncertainty and doubt plague a troubled mind.

4. Degausser

Degausser is another one of Brand New's more "quiet" songs, but it still manages to get its point across quite well. A well placed group chant makes this song for me, as it shows just how well Brand New is at conveying their thoughts in creative ways.

5. Limousine 
This is undoubtedly one of the most depressing songs I've ever heard. Focused on the tragic tale of Katie Flynn, a 7-year old who was decapitated after her aunt's wedding in a car crash, this song starts off bleak, but grows into a anthem for the appreciation of life. I think Brand New not only wanted to tell a story, but they want their listeners to reflect on the life they're leading and to enjoy it now, because it will end eventually.

6. You Won't Know
Another song like Sowing Season that starts off very quiet, but erupts into a fast paced and in your face song in the chorus. I think if Brand New has any definite strength, it's their ability to combine contrasting loud and soft sounds in the matter of seconds if necessary.

7. Welcome to Bangkok
Unlike the typical Brand New song, Welcome to Bangkok contains no vocals. This is a bit of a creepy song with very intense instruments. I may not be entirely sure what the purpose of this song is, but I wouldn't replace it. It works as an excellent bridge to the rest of the album.

8. Not the Sun
Not the Sun starts off with a quick bass introduction and is followed by strangely upbeat guitar chords. This song is more reminiscent of their older material, which is a nice throwback. Despite the more pop rock sound, this songs still fits in well with the rest of the album and is one of my personal favorites.

9. Luca
If I would label this song as anything, I'd call it haunting. Lacey's vocals and lyrics create an eerie and suspicious atmosphere that left me wondering what direction this song was heading in when I first heard it. They didn't let me down though and were able to wrap the song up nicely. Luca is probably one of the best songs on the album.

10. Untitled
A short, simple and quick song. Nothing extravagant, but I respect it for its simplicity.

11. The Archers' Bows Have Broken
Lacey experiments with a more unconventional style of singing here that was a little hard for me to get used to. I used to think that this was the weakest song on the album, but after a while it grew on me. The vocals may be different but they do add a lot to the song. The instruments here have a strong presence and manage to add just enough at the right moments to make this a great song.

12. Handcuffs
The acoustic guitar driven closer makes the perfect end to The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me. Calm, yet just as dark as Brand New's other songs, I think Handcuffs manages to lull the listener to some sense of serenity as the album finishes.