Monday!

So this weekend I went to see Toy Story.
That's the most emotional I've ever gotten over a cartoon....ever!
Seriously the last 15 minutes of that show are specifically designed to reduce anyone to a blubbering heap!
Of course it was brilliant, and the whole fact that a huge amount of the people going to it have pretty much grown up in sync with Andy was surely not unnoticed by Pixar. Anyway, go see it.

Let me explain the little music thing in the corner there. I will be putting up songs that people should check out up there. The following is what a typical post featuring the playlist may look like (by the way LW means that there is some course language involved in a particular song):
1: Beat the Devil's Tattoo, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
I cannot get enough of this band. BRMC specializes in reverb and fuzz drenched Americana type songs. Their first couple of albums sounded very British and very fuzzy, then with Howl they changed things up with an extremely excellent sort of Dylan-esque acoustic sound. Then on Baby 81 they backed up a bit to reassure fans, and finally on their new album Beat the Devil's Tattoo they fused the two sounds together. This is how a band should "change their sound," but anyway they're excellent. However they won't appeal to everyone so don't worry if it's kind of distasteful to your ears. They have an extremely niche sound.
Tracks to check out: Berlin, Ain't No Easy Way, Aya
2: Lanigan's Ball, Enter the Haggis
These guys are a small celtic/rock/fusion band from Canada who have enough musicianship to power several record labels. These are brilliant, but, being a small band, Project Playlist doesn't have very many good tracks from them. Check out their album Soapbox Heroes for some seriously awesome music.
Tracks to check out: Perfect Song, One Last Drink, No More Stones.
3: Bad Company, Five Finger Death Punch
Yes, they do have one of the most awesome band names in existence. This band is just getting started with this being off their second album War is the Answer, however they have one of the most unique sounds in heavier music. At least in my opinion. Though this is a cover, I think it really clearly shows a composite of their two main styles. Those being "Death Punk" and more "Modern Power Ballad" sort of things. WARNING, these guys are definitely not shy about the language issue in their heavier stuff, you have been warned.
Tracks to check out: Crossing Over, Hard to See, No One Gets Left Behind(LW)
4: King Without a Crown, Matisyahu
Big shout out to Jacob for telling me about this guy. In my most strange imaginations, I never would have thought of a Hasidic Jew who does beat box stuff to a reggae background. I really haven't researched this guy extensively yet, but I can tell you that this guy is waay better on his live album then on his studios; this is sadly a very rare quality, but it is nice to see.
5: That Lonesome Song, Jamey Johnson
This guy is one of the hopes of Country music. This guy is a phenomenal song writer and has one of the coolest voices since the likes of Randy Travis, Johnny Cash, and Waylon Jennings. Speaking of which, Johnson obviously an admirer of Waylon with a cover on this album and a song mentioning his name. His style is also very much like the Outlaw. Of course, like Waylon, Johnson gets little attention from the mainstream (hold that thought, I'll get to "In Color"). Part of this could be due to the grittiness of his songs and the distinctly not-pop sound of his music. "But wait!" say some people "didn't this guy sing that song The Dollar a while ago? That wasn't like this at all!" It's true, Johnson used to be fairly middle of the road, but it seems that a lot has happened since those earlier songs. He was dropped from his label, went through a divorce, battled alcoholism, and came out sounding grittier. When Mercury Records picked up That Lonesome Song and released "In Color" that song topped out at #9 on the charts and won Song of the Year at the CMA and the ACM awards. He followed it with "High cost of living" which wasn't near as popular, possibly due to the extreme grittiness of the track. Now he is sitting on one gold album and is releasing a new one in September. This guy needs help to keep up the pressure on the Clone-Soaked Nashville mainstream! (EDIT: I just found out about Macon, which is his new single, it's on the rise!)
Tracks to check out: Angel, Mowing Down the Roses, Dreaming My Dreams
Yes it's true, I have a soft spot for Country music, I was raised on it so I wasn't exposed to the stereotypes. If you have subscribed to the whole "country music is for depressed hicks!" thing then check it out. Despite the fact that it's in a sad state at the moment, country music remains the most genuine, down to earth, and patriotic genre out there right now. Shoot me a note/comment with your music tastes and I'll send you a list of recommendations.


That's all for today folks check back in soon!