Anywhere but Home

One of my favorite things in Freegal is how it's helped me find some hidden gems that I never would have known about otherwise. Now, most of the time, when you hear the phrase "hidden gem," it's referring to a band or album that was overlooked despite being amazing. For me, however, there's another kind of hidden gem: songs or albums by some of my own favorite artists that I never knew existed. These are particularly exciting in my opinion because they blend the familiar with the unfamiliar, the new with the old. You get the excitement of discovering something new even though it still sounds comfortably familiar.

My hidden gem for today is "Anywhere but Home." It's a live album recording from Evanescence, recorded during a 2004 tour. Now, I'm a fan of live albums for several reasons; I think it's interesting (albeit sometimes sad) to hear the difference between a studio album and a live one. In my opinion, there's something more visceral about hearing the music without all the cleaning, modifying and other audio tricks that go into a studio work. Most importantly, however, is that you can usually find a hidden gem on a live album that didn't make it into the studio release.

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University of Arizona School of Music Performances

If you are on a budget and want to enjoy different styles and genres of live music, I highly recommend the University of Arizona School of Music performances. Admission is often only $5 and some performances are free. In previous years, I have attended UA Symphony performances, guitar competitions and the "Holiday Card to Tucson." I am always impressed by these talented student and faculty musicians. Below are some of the upcoming events listed on the School of Music's website. For a complete list, visit the "News & Events" page of the UA School of Music website.
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"Dance-friendly" Cities

For this post I am scoring many of the various cities and towns in which I have lived and spent time on a scale of "dance-friendliness."  This is to say, given the same live music performance, how likely are people in that city to get up and dance rather than sit/stand and watch.  I am generally inclined to want to dance at shows, so I personally appreciate a high rating of "dance-friendliness" in a city, it is easier to dance at a show, not be in the way, not be a spectacle.  The ratings are on a scale of 1-10, and the cities are in no particular order.  Read on to see the list.
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Into The Wild

So Fred and I have decided to try doing a "dual blog" since we are both fans of the film Into The Wild. One of our favorite soundtracks is also one of our favorite movies, and books. "Into the Wild" is a true story, with a soundtrack by musician Eddie Vedder which is haunting and brilliant and uplifting and sad. A score that truly films the film.

"Into the Wild" tells the (true) story of Christopher McCandless, a young man who abandons his college life to find himself by hiking and living a life across the United States in 1990. McCandless made news when his body was discovered two years later in Alaska, where he had been living off the land inside an abandoned bus on National Park land. Director Sean Penn and musician Eddie Vedder came together to compose a soundtrack to the film that tells Christopher's story, and the result is one of the most haunting and joyous albums we've ever encountered.

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The Encyclopedia Of New Wave

If you have read any of my previous posts, you have probably noticed that I am a huge new wave connoisseur. If you enjoy new wave you have got to check out one of the library's recent acquisitions The Encyclopedia Of New Wave by Daniel Bukszpan. It is a solid who's who companion of many of the strongest acts of new wave rock who paved the way for what the world would eventually define as "alternative rock".
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Literary Rock (or, just pretty pictures)

I'm having writer's block at the moment when it comes to actual music and Fred's post about the book The ABC's of Rock got me to thinking about some books I've enjoyed recently by various musicians and bands. So, here's a list of some titles you might enjoy....

U2 by U2:  I'll state right off the bat here that I've been a HUGE fan for over 25 years now and if the ability to time travel ever becomes a reality one of my first stops would be their show in 1985 at Compton Terrace outside of Phoenix (anyone remember THAT venue?) I was only 12 at the time and there's no way my parents would have allowed me to go, but I remember wanting to go see this band that I didn't know a whole lot about but that I was very intrigued by. I'll have to share the story of how I first heard them some other time (and no, it was NOT Bono who got my attention at first.) Anyway, about the book....


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Mums the Word: How Folk Rock Conquered the Charts

Name: Mumford & Sons
Genre: Folk Rock
Sounds Like:  Calexico, Fleet Foxes, Avett Brothers
Listen to: "The Cave," "Winter Winds," "I Will Wait," "Lover of the Light"

Chances are you've heard of Mumford & Sons at some point in the past few years. The English folk rock band scored a string of monster hits with the growling apology song "Little Lion Man," the self-reflecting "The Cave," and the most recent smash "I Will Wait." The band has been nominated for multiple Grammies, their CD Babel is the fastest selling album of 2012, and lead singer Marcus Mumford recently wed An Education star Carey Mulligan...call it an understatement to say the band is in full view of the public eye!

So for anyone who has yet to listen to a Mumford song, allow me to convince you: Banjo solos. Big, booming sound. Catchy hooks. Relatable (if somewhat average) lyrics. Mumford & Sons write crowd-pleasing folk music that makes you want to stomp your feet on the dance floor. Last year I saw the band headline the fantastic Railroad Revival Tour. For their entire set they kept the energy high, with the crowd dancing and hollerin' along to every song!
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If You Like The Shins, Try...

Remember that scene in Garden State, where Natalie Portman's character promises Zack Braff's that if he listens to a song, it'll change his life? That song was "New Slang" by The Shins, and although I wouldn't say listening to the Shins changed my life, it certainly has brightened it. I love the contrast of their dark lyrics and catchy, upbeat pop music. And I was so sad to miss their recent sold-out concert at the Rialto! So, to console myself, I've been listening to a lot of stuff that sounds like vintage Shins.

For bands with physical CDs in the library for you to check out, I highlighted their names in bold. For bands with tracks available on Freegal (three free downloads a week, with your library card!), I italicized them. Some are available both ways!

First up: Broken Bells. This is really the perfect band to get into if you like the Shins, because guess what...they share a singer. It's his side project with Danger Mouse (also known as half of Gnarls Barkley and Sparklehorse, as well as the genius behind the Grey Album, the epic mashup of Jay-Z's Black Album and the Beatles' White Album.) Broken Bells is just as catchy as The Shins, although a little less guitar-driven and twee (which, in my humble opinion, is a good thing!). Try listening to "The High Road" and you'll be hooked. Read on for more sound-alikes!
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