New Year: Edward Sharpe, The Lemon Twigs, Twin Peaks, A-WA, Ryley Walker

What this blog is:

These blogs are more about casual suggestions than a real analysis. I consider these to be on par with how I would recommend an album to a friend at a bar. I understand my audience, the around 10 people who are music lovers on my Facebook, and know a 2000-word song-by-song dissection isn’t something most people are looking for. I mostly want an outlet to “nerd out” about what I’m listening to, which I can’t really do in every day life.

Also, I know I give out a lot of medium scores, but here’s a guide to what I mean when I give out a rating:

·      1-3: Bad albums. In some big way, in my mind, these albums are devoid of serious merit and fail at what they set out to do.

·      4: Merely fine, nothing to hate. Can be skipped.

·      5: Have some good points and bad points that will excite a listener a little. It’s a “if you have the time” kind of listen.

·      6-7: Really solid albums. This is where most albums will end up. This is me saying to check this album out.

·      8-9: Superb album. Definitely check out.

·      10: Classic. You’d be dumb for not listening.

Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeroes- PersonA

            ESMZ are an odd group. Less so from their image of a bunch of barefoot hippies, bordering on cult, but more because they portray an image. Because they have this image, it’s hard to take their albums seriously. People connect to music when they feel that the artists are exposing themselves in some way. Something real must shine through. Putting on an act is similar to putting on a mask, it helps to wipe a slate clean and project ideals on to it. Edward Sharpe’s most successful album and reason for their popularity, Up From Below, was filled with anthems of love and carefree exuberance. Their subsequent releases failed to spawn any hit bigger than “Home” or “Janglin,” and I feel it’s because their sound was fresh in the beginning, however, two more albums that covered similar ground, minus the hits, exhausted both fans and critics. I haven’t met anyone who loved Here or their self-titled (both solid). Who are these people in the group? Who is Edward Sharpe? I believe PersonA is their first step in answering those questions.

            Edward Sharpe is crossed off on the cover and the album is named persona. There is a reason for that and it’s because the group wants to let everyone know that this album is cutting the bullshit. No more forced feelings, this album is genuine….and it certainly sounds like it. The classic Edward Sharpe sound is still present. Stuff like bongos, horns, and chanting are still there, adding a dense, jungle feel. What have been added to that sound though are vocals and lyrics that feel confessional and heartfelt. They are no longer singing around a campfire; the singer formally known as Edward Sharpe stops the play, house lights dim, he walks forward to the dead center of the dark stage, the faint stream of a weakened spotlight illuminating him, and he gets his chance to address the audience directly for the first time.

            Most of the songs never reach the marketability of their debut (Somewhere with it’s Beatle-eque guitar and No Love Like Yours that sounds like a Mellow-Yellow-era Donovon track come close), but as they say in “Uncomfortable,” “what you call ugly, I call real.”

            Songs to listen to: Somewhere*, Free Stuff, Wake Up the Sun, Uncomfortable

            Rating: A surprising album of quality from a band written off. 8/10

The Lemon Twigs- Do Hollywood

            I really really wanted to fall in love with this album. The Lemon Twigs became one of my hype bands upon immediately when I heard their single, “As Long As We’re Together.” It had this nice 60’s flower power revivalist feel to it, like a Rolling Stones b-side, circa Flowers. Although that’s not really unique in an age where everyone is trying to revive something, the song felt retro in the finding a pair of bellbottoms at a Goodwill way. Hopes were high for the upcoming full length. While it doesn’t deliver as much as I wanted it to, Do Hollywood is a powder keg of an introduction and shows how ambitious this young group is.

            First of all, Do Hollywood is a perfect title. It’s theatrical, seemingly intent on running through as many genres as possible. Each song is a film onto itself. We get hints of glam, sunshine, psych, do-wop, rock’n’roll, soul, and pretty much the two decades between the 60’s and 80’s. Sometimes this is a little overwhelming. Excitable would be the word I would use. So much blending and experimenting is done that you just know that the band was eager to finally release an album. At times, this mesh works out well. The first song, “I Wanna Prove to You,” is an early show stopper. It reminded me of the big number in a 50’s musical number when the main protagonist professes his love for the first time, then the second song, “Those Days is Comin’ Soon,” is the couple going to a carnival. Next, Haroomata uses these heavy Pink Floyd type synths, transitions into Benny Hill horns, and ends on a somber note. The duration of the album is an exercise in trying to keep up with your ears and it’s thrilling as much as it’s jarring.

            Songs to Listen to: As Long As We’re Together, Hi+Lo, I Wanna Prove to You

            Rating: It’s like someone trying to do a modern reinterpretation of Sgt. Pepper. 6.5/10

Twin Peaks- Down in Heaven

            Hands down, Twin Peaks was one of the best opening acts I’ve seen. They were just these trashy looking guys that came onstage and killed it. A great throwback to early punk bands that didn’t care about anything else besides putting on a raucous show. I got these images of a young Clash and MC5, watching one of the main singers (there are 3) yell into the microphone and letting out loud Oh Oh’s. It was really exciting to watch and be a part of. From there, I took a closer look at their earlier releases, Sunken and Wild Onion. Sunken was recorded very cheaply in a basement to have something to sell at shows and ended up being very well received by critics. Their follow up, Wild Onion, happens to be one of my favorite releases of 2014 and very underrated. “Making Breakfast” should be celebrated as a garage rock classic of the modern era. It is a wholly enjoyable and fantastic album.

            Down in Heaven isn’t the breakout album that their previous album promised, but it’s unexpected. They slowed down a lot for this album, almost saying, “we do whatever we want.” Very breezy, easy to listen. As a fan, it quenches my thirst. It also shows that they aren’t one trick ponies. This release is more sensitive, allowing their audience to see that there’s a day after the party. There’s romance and vulnerability, a cage for these animals. I think it’s amazing in itself that these guys took the time to create texture to their image, rather than play it safe and give the audience what it was expecting. That is a mark of a band that loves what they do.

            Songs to Listen to: Butterfly, Heavenly Showers, Getting Better

            Rating: Perfect for a chill night of drinking with your scumbag friends. 6.5/10

A-WA- Habib Galbi

            I love music from different countries. I don’t think they’re pushed that much in mainstream media, which is a shame because there are a lot of international artists that are creating music that should transcend cultural bounds. Obviously, there are a few reasons of their exclusion. American music listeners, as are other places, are conditioned to like certain styles and others will hit the ear wrong. For someone who doesn’t listen to, say, Bollywood or Bossa Nova, won’t be drawn to the staples of those genres. What is regular to them won’t be to others. Another reason, critics don’t know how to talk about foreign music because they aren’t exposed to them usually, causing them not to know how to rate or talk about the music (like myself). To expand on that, listeners and critics alike, most likely don’t speak the language. If a listener doesn’t know what a singer is saying, it creates a wall between the two.

            I believe it’s important to point out international musicians because it’s important to learn to accept different cultures and art forms to create a better world view, even if I don’t know exactly how to broach them. A-WA is a group that is a good starting point for people interested in getting into the Middle Eastern scene. Their style is very accessible to a lot of listeners. They speak in Yemenite and blend a lot of different genres together, such as, hip hop, traditional Israeli, psychedelic, reggae, and dance music. My favorite aspect of their music are the vocal harmonies and lush arrangements (love the keyboard!), even throwing in the well known rap, “heyyyys” in. Also, another notable thing about the group is that they are first No. 1 hit on the Israeli charts to be in Arabic.

            Songs to Listen to: Habib Galbi, Ala Wabda, Ya Shaifin al Malih

            Rating: Very impressive and danceable. Great for pissing off your conservative family at a reunion. 7/10

Ryley Walker- Golden Sings That Have Been Sung

            Ryley Walker is one of those troubadour guitarists that are really great in that realm of instrumentation and have a following built around them (think, Michael Chapman, Steve Gunn, Chris Forsyth, Kikagaku Moyo). He has this aura of coffee house singer but in a really hip neighborhood. Of the group I mentioned earlier, he probably has the most crossover appeal. He mixes the primitive guitar scene with jazz improvisation, creating very atmospheric, free floating landscapes. His album, Primrose Green, was a big success for him. Golden Sings was a good time for him to capitalize.

            In a way, I feel it fails to be exciting enough to garner further attention. A lot of the songs seem to languish in too much free association. I understand that it’s the jazz influence, but he’s missing a high point. Everything is beautifully composed, masterfully even, without any strong emotion. He’s mostly aloof, barely raising his voice. He’s very comfortable in his skin on this album doing what he’s an expert in. However, the main draw of an album is how an artist seeks to fit inside their skin. This is a great traveling record. We just never get out of the roundabout.

            Songs to Listen to: The Halfwit in Me, The Roundabout*, A Choir Apart.

            Rating: Chill record for guitar aficionados. 6/10

Carltroversy: Brief thoughts on Donald Trump

            It is dumb to vote for Donald Trump. I don’t mean that in the position of someone who is on the other side of the issue. I mean it in the sense that voting for Trump is the wrong choice. Some questions are rhetorical, some are opinion, some have right and wrong answers; this election is a question that has a right and wrong answer. If this were an election between two politicians, two parties represented by a qualified candidate, this would be an opinion question. This election would sprout two outcomes that would be different but beneficial to a group. This election, however, is not that. This election is right and wrong because no good will happen from having Donald Trump as president…and I think his voters know that.

            When I’m driving around the area, one thing that is pretty clear, and I’m sure people who are in the same area as me can corroborate, that there are more Trump signs out than there are Hillary signs. By more, I mean, there are LOTS more. While this is a very small sample size of demographics, just by looking at how many more people attend Trump rallies than Hillary rallies, it’s obvious that his supporters are more vocal about their pick. I don’t truly believe that they think Donald Trump is the best choice. What I think they’re really broadcasting by putting out these signs is “I’m tired of politicians, I’m tired of being ignored, and I’m looking for a change.” Let’s be honest, the biggest thing that people are looking for is a seismic shift. Whether they think they believe that Trump’s changes are beneficial or not, what they’re really looking for is a different approach to what they assume is going on. Just a simple google search would show that most of Trump’s policies are bad. Hell, googling Trump would bring up several reasons why him personally isn’t suited to be president. But that’s not what people are voting for. They’re voting for the change. It doesn’t matter that his changes aren’t good, it matters that it’s different from the “ineffective” path of regular politicians. The Trump signs that stick out of our neighbor’s lawn aren’t signs for a candidate they believe in—they’re signs of rebellion.

            In that respect, it makes sense. A lot of Trump supporters are uneducated lower to middle class and, lets be honest, that’s a group that is massively underrepresented and not listened to. If you look at all of media, most of it is based in the big cities, such as New York or Chicago, that are liberal. As a result, liberalism and “big city thinking” become the bigger presence. The lower classes feel ignored, made worse by going through the struggle of having to work harder for smaller rewards. It’s the “boss effect.” People hate the boss because it feels like the workers are working hard, but the boss is reaping all the perks. Trump, even as a billionaire, is “the little guy” because he isn’t part of the political system and he’s going against the beliefs of big institutions.

            He’s promising simple and quick results, which is something the lower classes find attractive. Everyone has had those coworkers that say they could do a better job than their boss. More times than not, they’re wrong. Look at Trump’s speeches, he’s doing exactly that. “Only I can make America great again!” While people want to complain about politicians, the truth is, they know how to navigate the system and know what is realistic. There’s a reason that the president is usually a career politician---because they worked their way up, learned the craft, and are qualified, just the way it works for any business. Realistically, change aren’t broad proclamations, they’re decisions that take time to plan out and take time to work, and, yes, sometimes they don’t work out. The lower classes don’t want to believe that because they’re struggling NOW. The problem is every decision from the top cause ripple effects, both intended and unintended. Trump is promising big results that are easy to understand and make perfect sense if you’re thinking simplistically, but that’s not how things work. His plans are the plans of someone’s right-wing uncle that works at a liquor store. Here are some examples:

“The Wall:”

            It’s almost cartoony how this was one of his first main issues. It’s stereotypically republican and his plans for it are outlandish. First off, proposing that Mexico pay for it is ridiculous. You can’t insult a country and its people, not only calling them criminals but inferring that they are so bad that you need a physical blockade to protect yourself from them, then tell them to pay for it. This is made even worse by him visiting Mexico, being cordial, coming back to the U.S, and essentially bragging about how he bested them. That is both terrible for international relations and idiotic. It’s this nationalistic way of thinking, of devaluing other countries (this’ll come up again), that is going to hurt the U.S the most. Also, it shows that he’s a liar.

            Second, the economy is helped by the use of immigrants. A lot of the lower tier jobs are taken by immigrants at a detriment to themselves, as they usually face bad working conditions for low wages. No matter how you want to look at it, the bottom helps the top, meaning their exploitation helps us (which sounds bad). They buy goods and services, obviously a good thing. Lastly, they PAY taxes without gaining anything in return in terms of benefits. If every immigrant were to leave the United States, it would cause a void in employment, which would be filled by American workers that would demand higher wages, resulting in an increase of prices for products. There’s that ripple.

            A humanist take on this, human beings are able to make a living. Correction, good people are able to make a living. And once they have, they leave. That’s a fact that I feel like isn’t talked a whole lot about. Emigration out of the U.S is higher than people coming in. Due to numerous factors, Mexicans are either leaving or opting not to come to the U.S.

            Third, his main reason for The Wall is RACIST. You can’t call an entire race of people rapists, then try and save yourself by saying that some are good. What kind of world do we live in where a presidential candidate, who potentially will have to run a country that is filled with Hispanic people, can paint with such a broad stroke?

            His Beef with China:

            Economically speaking, China is way better off than we are. They make more money than us by millions. The way Trump talks about it, he makes it sound like we’re the epicenter of global trade. China could very realistically ruin us financially. We aren’t in position to negotiate for a positive balance. Even if Trump’s plan is to shift the power, it’s never a good idea to knock our trading partners. The U.S is not self-sustaining, same as every nation. Trade is good for everyone. Each side receive something mutually necessary. That’s how trade works. It’s that nationalism that I brought up before though. Nationalist want to complain about how they’re being screwed by trade, but that’s just how trade works. If decades of people who do this for a living can’t broker a better deal with China, I can guarantee a hackney businessman like Trump can. One of the biggest aspects of Trump is that he’s a successful businessman. He’s really not and the only reason that people believe he is is because he’s not only marketed himself as one but because he’s not broke. The reason he’s not broke is because it’s hard to lose all your money once you reach a certain level of richness: wealth. Rich is losable, wealthy isn’t. In reality, he loses billions of dollars and has gone bankrupt 5 times. Reportedly, the reason he wanted to do the Apprentice was because he needed to revive his dying image due to a lot of failures (even his school for business failed!) We can point to Hillary’s mistakes and condemn them as massive, inexcusable missteps, but the question is, who’s playing with more house money? Trump may be a billionaire but he’s a billionaire that came from a billionaire and works in the field of high stakes real estate. To say Trump’s self-interested endeavors are comparable to Hillary’s is laughable.

            Continuing with China though, Trump wants to bring business back to the U.S from China. Think for a second who his voters are and how he seems to be tailoring his policies for their wants instead of their needs, because that’s the biggest problem with a candidate like Trump. It’s easy to see the present, but it’s harder to see the future. He wants to take money away from schools, while at the same time focusing on bringing back factory jobs. That kind of thinking will foster a whole new generation of uneducated lower middle class earners. By putting more emphasis on jobs like factory workers and miners, he’s giving his voters what they think they want, but also undermining education, forcing them to stay in that strata of income. Side note, it is probable that technology is taking away more jobs than shipping them out to different countries. The problem of unemployment is bloated. Obama has actually brought unemployment rates to a low.

His financial plans:

            If you look at any basic fact checker, Trump’s economic policies will actually cause trillions in debt, significantly more than Hillary’s, and will slow growth to a record low. 317 economists don’t lie. Take a second to look up his plans and you will be greeted with hundreds of articles that outline why his plans will cause a recession. Even from this election process, the stock market has gone down.

            Like I have said a few times in this blog, his supporters are lower-to-middle class. Based on his tax plan, the top earning Americans will receive a higher cut than the lower. Nothing about his plans are good for the lower classes. It’s like they’re urging a snake to bite them.

Abortion:

            Anyone else hear his quote about late term abortions? I’m surprised he didn’t follow that up by saying, “then they shoot the stork. They cook the stork. Tear out it's guts and giblets, serve it for a pagan holiday.” He also supports the defunding of Planned Parenthood, the organization that provides a multitude of services, such as, dispersing birth control, contraception, sex education, cancer screenings, and, of course, abortions. He should just go ahead and say one of his main platforms is demonizing women’s rights. This is the reason why “pussy gate” was such an issue. It’s not only because he suggested that he’s sexually assaulted women (several of which have cases with him right now), but because how can a man who has this mindset towards women have the ability to facilitate positive policies for them? A man (or woman) can say they believe in the rights of women and respect them, but until they change their private notions, it’s all show. In the way Freud said people have an unconscious mind, I say people have unconscious thoughts that guide their behavior brought on by their upbringing and other stimuli. A person must train themselves to think in a different way instead of changing their external behavior just to sound good. Subconsciously, someone who thinks in sexist ways (something I believe goes unnoticed) will make sexist decisions unknowingly. Real change is in reprogramming one’s way of thinking. Trump has shown little respect for women in his private life, making it hard to believe that he’ll do right by women. You can’t have someone come on a debate stage and talk about how big is penis is without admitting how much he values masculinity.

            Side Note: Remember when the republican nominees were asked in the primaries to name a woman in history to put on currency and Trump said his daughter. HAHAHAHA. The rare feat of combining nepotism and ignoring the contributions of a whole history’s worth of women.

Stop and Frisk:

            There are a lot of issues to bring up, so I decided to pick some of the most startling points that I can’t believe haven’t been election killers and this is one that left me shocked. Stop and Frisk was praised by Trump, who somehow doesn’t see how his policing policies, his constant threats towards Hillary, and love of atomic weapons are walking the line of dictatorship. This was a practice that was deemed unconstitutional, yielded very little results, and was wildly racist as most people that were stopped were people of color. This, coupled with Trump’s view that inner cities are gang-infested wastelands, shows why he is doing so well with lower class white men. They feel that a practice like stop and frisk will keep THEM safe.

(This is personal belief, so you can stop reading when I say wildly racist and move on to my next point incase this offends) The uneducated lower classes have a problem with getting over stereotypes. I grew up and still am in the working class and the most racist thoughts I’ve heard have come from my family, friends, and acquaintances. The reason I feel this is, is because I think the lower classes isolate themselves. Life becomes this institution of practicality, security, and simplicity. I remember going on my “on this day” feature on Facebook and seeing that when I was in high school I was in favor of Arizona’s version of stop and frisk. Fast forward 4 years later, I made an impassioned speech in my philosophy class about the immoral implications of the practice. Education expands one’s mind and lets them see the world in a different, more informed light. While the college campus I was a part of wasn’t the greatest place for racial enlightenment, what I saw was a place inhabited by people of all races become scholars. I learned about great historical figures of color making great strides in their field. I learned about different cultures. Education is important for growing a sense of empathy and perception. Not only education, but just going out to cities or talking to other ethnicities helps people develop a scope.

Generally, and at the risk of stereotyping, the lower class don’t put themselves out there. They stay in their comfort zone and don’t see how much the world changes. I remember coming home from elementary school, going to my grandparents’ bar that they spent all their time at, and they’d be watching black and white TV shows and Spanish novellas. Their life was work and old television, and their interactions were with “low life” of the neighborhood that came into the bar. My dad is similar. Works all day, comes home and watches old movies and TV shows. His exposure to people are his coworkers at the factory, and they aren’t exactly evolved. My family held on to old stereotypes and beliefs because they refused to expand on their world (not to say they’re bad people as I believe that they were and are great people). I really can’t imagine other families in similar situations acting any different.

(Actually I’d like to expand my theory to include more than just the lower class isolating themselves, citing a concept I learned in my Philosophy of Race class that points to the segregation of the poor and rich that keeps the poor with the poor and the rich with the rich.)

Without exposure to the wider world, they become consumed by the generalizations. When I lived in my shitty little studio apartment meant for low income tenants, I saw a lot of people who acted their stereotype. I’ve been in low income neighborhoods and have gone to poor schools and I see how institutional disadvantages affect minorities. This is what these Caucasians see, and instead of noticing the similarities to each other, only look to cast a blanket on the entire race. These whites work hard at jobs for low wages and struggle as much as anyone, see minorities get special treatment, like affirmative action, college scholarships, and black lives matter, and say, “hey, I’m struggling too. All Lives Matter.” Stop and frisk, Trump’s doomsday picture of inner cities, and Trump’s odd conviction that every minority are “thugs” only looks to enforce their generalizations and broaden their anger and fears.

Atomic Weapons

            Trump was said to be fascinated by nuclear weapons, eventually asking why do we have them if we aren’t going to use them. How aren’t those the words of a mad man? We have nuclear weapons as deterrence, as a way to halt others from using theirs. If we were to shoot off a nuclear weapon, it would kill millions of people, cause a rift in our national relations, cause environmental damage and possible health issues for surrounding areas, and, of course, warrant an attack to us. Keep in mind, the nuclear weapons we used were only a fraction of the power of modern day versions. When a possible leader is fixated on one of the deadliest weapons of all time, maybe we shouldn’t put him in charge of it.

            I’ve tried to not be too insulting while writing this, but, to be honest, voting for Trump is simpleminded and immature. It's a misplaced cry for help. "Telling it like it is" is only good if it's actually how it is, not a splurge of inaccuracies and prejudices. I understand that some things need to be changed and the government isn’t being run in a way that benefits everyone equally. However, this is not the time to make that stand. This is not the time to rebel against the “all evil politicians.” This is not the time to bow out and not vote at all. Take a stand on something in your life and care about your future, the future of your loved ones. This is the time to be an adult and vote for the person that probably won’t change anything too drastically, but also won’t send us into a 1940’s depression, complete with racism and the mistreatment of women. We are in a sad state of affairs when you can go on a candidate’s Twitter and come out with hundreds of quotes that should disqualify him from the race. The only thing that gives me peace of mind is that maybe in 2020 someone from Survivor or Big Brother will run…