Music Monday-9/29/2014 Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga

Aleathia says:

Ok.  Another week wandering around FYE looking at new releases and hopefully finding something used that I can snatch up when I come across the duet album for Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga. Pause. REALLY?

Now this is an honest to goodness item in the store.  I am pretty hit or miss with Lady Gaga and on most days it is a miss to be honest.  It has been hard to really assess her talent behind all the get ups and stunts that she pulls.  Having said this, I have always loved Tony Bennett.  His voice so classic and smooth even in his later years.  He was a man born to sing.  I figured if he believed in the power of Gaga maybe she wasn't all bad.

I am floored at how much I love this album.  Seriously, Lady Gaga has a wonderful voice to belt out these classics and such a fun sounding nature with Tony Bennett.  I am definitely putting it on my Christmas list of things I want and that is saying a whole bunch.  I love the standards because I love singing which I don't do enough of anymore.  This might get me right back in the mood.  Here are a few videos that I could find of them together:

Lady is a Tramp:

Anything Goes:

I Can't Give You Anything But Love:

Music Monday-7/21/2014 Broken Bells

Aleathia says:

I first heard Broken Bells several years ago when their self-titled debut album came out.  I was hooked as I tend to like that vacuous version of white noise and haunting vocals.  The band is made up of James Mercer from The Shins and Danger Mouse, both of whom I enjoy.  So when I heard that they had a new album coming out I was pretty excited.  

Music is definitely hit or miss these days so I try to listen to albums rented from the library or on MySpace before purchasing to be sure I get my moneys worth.  I'm pretty glad I sampled the new Broken Bells album After the Disco before buying.  I pretty much can't stand most of it.  

I am a Cancer so though I enjoy new things I don't always do well with change.  I gave this album a second listen to be sure I wasn't just being judgmental.  I wasn't.  I am going to post a few videos of the songs that I liked pretty solidly.  Their opening song Perfect World had a Death Cab For Cutie vibe and another song called The Angel and the Fool has shades of Portishead, but most of the songs left me wanting more....or maybe less.  The beats were a bit to flashy towards disco and the vocals a bit to like The Shins for my liking. I love The Shins, but if I wanted that I would just listen to them.  Anyway....here are the few songs that did tickle my fancy.

Holding on For Life by Broken Bells

Leave it Alone by Broken Bells

The Changing Lights by Broken Bells

Music Monday-6/9/2014

Aleathia says:

On a stroll through the local music store I came across the new Beck album called Morning Phase.  I remember when Beck first came out as this quirky emo-ish guy at the height of the explosion of grunge (outside the Pacific Northwest).  I thought it fun music and it fit my personality at the time.  I was 19 and discovering who I was after leaving home and starting college.

I didn't follow his career much.  I would hear songs from time to time on the radio or see a random video, but I was not investigative in his every changing sound.  Truth be told, I snubbed him.  He became somewhat acclaimed and I turned my back on him instead of really digging in and listening.

Last week I jumped on the old Myspace account and dialed in Beck's Morning Phase.  Morning is one of those great words.  It can mean dawn and sounds like grief.  I think that is a great description of the sound on this album.  At first listen I told myself this sounds like a blizzard of My Morning Jacket-Iron & Wine-Bon Iver.  It is ethereal and spacey.  A bit droning in parts.  There are a few great tracks from this album that I would put in rotation.

Blue Moon by Beck

Unforgiven by Beck

Don't Let It Go by Beck