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Danielj

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  1. Aerial Boundaries - Michael Hedges

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    1. Aerial Boundaries

    2. Bensusan

    3. Rickover's Dream

    4. Ragamuffin

    5. After The Gold Rush

    6. Hot Type

    7. Spare Change

    8. Menage A Trois

    9. The Magic Farmer

    Speaking as a guitarist, this is probably the most amazing album in terms of musicianship I have ever heard. Michael had a unique outlook on the guitar: "I'm not trying to play guitar, I'm trying to play music" Because of that outlook, he threw out all old techniques and created his own.

    The album is almost exclusively Michael and one acoustic guitar. On two songs there are overdubs, and on one there is a flute.

    Aerial Boundaries, among the fans of Michael Hedges is considered one of the most difficult songs to play. He keeps a rhythm and tempo with one hand hammering on, and picks open strings with the other, so it sounds like two guitars, but is only one. You'd think with just one instrument every song would sound sort of the same, but this slbum is quite diverse.

    Aerial Boundaries is completely unique to Michael, but the next, Bensusan sounds as if it has a celtic feel. And the third, Rickover's Dream is non-coincidentally quite dreamy. His use of harmonics at the start creates an airy feel, and then afterwards uses a lot of chords so it has a fuller sound, and the slap harmonics give it a pop and serious effect.

    The album continues on, each song with it's own feel and almost their own genres. Neil Young's After The Gold Rush doesn't stick out on first listen, but after a while it becomes more complex and interesting. Hot Type is a short song i could class as funk I suppose, lots of rakes.

    My point is, this album is amazing to hear just because of the techniques on guitar, but it is so much more. Michael Hedges was a true composer, and an amazing one at that.

  2. Nina Simone is a jazz blues singer and pianist. Her smokey voice is really interesting and powerful, just like some of the lyrics she sings. But she does have a fun and upbeat side to her. The song Funkier than a mosquitos tweeter is just that, funkier than a mosquitos tweeter. About 14832756743684758429068 different tams at the start and great lyrics like "You've got a mouth like a herd of boll weevils"

    Check her out, she's great.

  3. Figure 8 - Elliott Smith

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    1. "Son of Sam" – 3:04

    2. "Somebody That I Used to Know" – 2:09

    3. "Junk Bond Trader" – 3:49

    4. "Everything Reminds Me of Her" – 2:37

    5. "Everything Means Nothing to Me" – 2:24

    6. "L.A." – 3:14

    7. "In the Lost and Found (Honky Bach)/The Roost" – 4:32

    8. "Stupidity Tries" – 4:23

    9. "Easy Way Out" – 2:44

    10. "Wouldn't Mama Be Proud?" – 3:25

    11. "Color Bars" – 2:19

    12. "Happiness/The Gondola Man" – 5:04

    13. "Pretty Mary K" – 2:36

    14. "I Better Be Quiet Now" – 3:35

    15. "Can't Make a Sound" – 4:18

    16. "Bye" – 1:53

    Elliott Smith is an artist who was never in the soptlight, or really popular, but I think he is one of the best songwriters of the 90's and 00's. This album is my favorite of his. His music, if you aren't familiar is pretty much alternative rock, or indie i suppose. Folky at times.

    It starts off strong with a tune called Son of Sam which is fairly upbeat and that has a really cool vocal melody. It breaks into a cool electric riff toward mid song. Junk Bond Trader, the third song is another fairly catchy tune with some amazing harmonies, and a cool picking of the chords.

    L.A. is a bit more of a standard rock and roll song as far as guitar riffs go, and is again catchy as usual.

    Stupidity Tries, another notable song that is a little softer but still exciting. The lyrics in this one really catch my attention.

    Easy Way Out is an acoustic song that has a sort of orchestral feel, without the orchestra. The lyrics present a good idea.

    Happiness, the 12th song is the most popular song on the album between the fans i know. It is I guess you could say the most epic song going into a fairly intense and 'busy' chorus, and stripped down to the amazing riff repeated alot through the song.

    The rest of the album is fairly standard, nothing that really stands out. I'd better be quiet now is an interesting acoustic one.

    basically, this album is really solid, with great lyrics, and if you like kind of alternative rock, folk rock and catchy melodies, this album is for you. No real weaknesses.

  4. Secret Story - Pat Metheny

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    If anyone has any stereotypes about jazz or Pat Metheny, throw them out the window now. This is without a doubt the most beautiful and fulfilling album I have ever heard.

    The first song, Above the treetops has an african theme with beautiful vocals from a london choir in the background. The second, Facing West is my favorite song on the album, and has in my opinion the best guitar solo ever written. It is upbeat, and unlike in songs such as stairway to heaven, the guitar solo doesnt sound as if it is forced and the song was changed to include it, it just flows.

    Although the album needs every song to be what it is, I won't go into detail about every one; But the fourth is another song that captivates you. It has three parts, the first that I have heard described as "oriental funk". It has a gripping vocal line, (no lyrics). The second includes lots of strings, and is manyl a buildup to the third. The third has a nice piano riff and more gripping vocals in a lower range and it ends in a fade out guitar solo.

    The fifth is called The Longest Summer and has a beautiful piano riff that seems to ease all the pain in the world. It has changes you don't expect but which make perfect sense afterwards. Again, another one of Methenys signature beautifully crafted guitar solos. Not a note that should be changed.

    The next few songs are much darker, but give the album an eerie edge that give it character.

    See the world (9th) is an upbeat song with lots of piano and guitar, and the tenth, As a flower blossoms has a lot of hand drumming and piano riffs, like the rest of the album. The 12th, The truth Will Always be is the last epic song of the album where it starts off slowly and bursts into a long guitar solo with a tone that none other can match. he final two songs are shorter and have a lot of strings, and give the album a finality.

    If you didnt bother to read that, and skip to this, the song has several epic songs, and several shorter upbeat or slow songs to follow them. Really a perfect album.

    The best way to put it is that, if anyone were ever to cover a song, they would be foolish to change anything. You can't show it up.

  5. Savin Me by Nickelback. Not a big fan of the song, but i think the video is awesome. A man gets his life saved at the start of the video after getting pulled away from an oncoming bus. Basically after that, the man starts seeing numbers over peoples heads. He is mystified and is waving over their heads, and people are freaked out. He figures out what is going on when he sees an old woman carried out to an ambulance her time is counting down 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, death. in the end he sees a girl going up to a car with a 5 over her head. He rushes forward and saves her, then hurries away. The fadeout is her looking above peoples heads.

  6. It's a phase Im sure everyone will grow out of.

    I have to disagree with batman in saying that emo bandsa re modern day blues bands. Blues is much more soulful than emo. And there are no blues songs about slitting wrists or anything sick like half the emo ongs out there.

  7. You say you want to get out of this place, I don't see why

    Cause everywhere you go you see people that you know,

    But maybe you're not such a people person, I don't know you too well

    If you'd give me the chance

    I'd take you downtown, in this small town

    To all the parking lots to hear real conversations

    I know you're caught up in rebellion

    And hair and nails and tunes

    But if you gave me the chance, I'd tell you you're the only one who matters

    I'd prove it to you

    Downtown in this small town

    In the parking lots we could have a real conversation

    I saw a light in your eye

    Like New York City from the sky

    I told you not to cry

    And that everyone dies

    Downtown in a small town

    All the parking lots, they're a setting made for me

  8. Freedom stabs men in the back

    While Liberty holds women to the corners

    And Justice covers the windows and doors

    With red white and blue

    Freedom Kills

    And just like the first kings and queens

    Freedom is always self-proclaimed

    When are you ever in full control?

    When are we ever really free in body, or soul?

  9. Has anyone here EVER been to a jazz festival? Every stand-up bassist you see is incredible. I give props to Mark Egan from Pat Metheny Group, John Patitucci from Chick Corea's Akoustic band, and Roberto Occhipinti. Can't overlook great rock and roll bassists either, like Roger Waters, Chris Squire, Billy Sheehan, John Entwistle, and I'm a big fan of Hot Tuna's Jack Casady

  10. I play guitar, and i know most basic chords on the tenor guitar. I also know most basic chords on piano. I leant the trumpet last november, and my music teachert said I was spectacular, but then music class ended. I hope to pick it up again.

    Lately on guitar I've gotten really into alternate tunings, so that I can hold a tune easily by myself and be able to play little lead riffs. So, Nick Drake is fun to play, So is Kaki King. I'm going to start learning Aerial Boundaries by Michael Hedges today, which is ridiculously hard. Should be fun though. I also went through a stage of shredding or what not, I outgrew it, but I'm happy ihad it, so now I can motor when I need to.

  11. I'm gonna say in no particular order

    Syd Barret and Warren Zevon (For their dry wit)

    John Lennon and George Harrison (because they were Beatles)

    Nick Drake, but more for the innovative guitar work in alternate tuings than lyrics, and Michael Hedges for the same reason.

    Really most of my favorites are still alive.

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