Marty January 5th, 2009
Let me preface this by saying, “Yes – I am a little OCD, it seems”.
Okay, now that THAT’S out of the way, let me explain. I don’t listen to radio very often around here, almost exclusively when I’m in my car. But when I do, the radio is usually tuned to WXPN, a local station that focuses on more independent (read: folk and singer-songwriter) music. However, there are times when WXPN is playing some programming (such as Kid’s Corner or during their pledge drives) that I have had to turn elsewhere, and my first two choices have been two rock stations – 93.3 WMMR and 94.1 WYSP. Continue Reading »
Marty October 11th, 2008
It’s been a long time since I’ve gone to a show of any sort, let alone one at a bar. But when I heard that Grace Potter & the Nocturnals were coming to town, I immediately mentioned to Shari that I wanted to go. I got my newly-married cousins Erin and Chas interested and they grabbed tickets even before we did. Then I got my cousins Mark & Lisa and their daughter Megan interested in going, too – next thing I knew we were 7 strong (9 after friends of Erin & Chas joined us). And it was still almost 2 months away. Continue Reading »
Marty September 8th, 2008
Metallica’s new album comes out at the end of this week, and I’m really not sure how I feel. I should be excited that they might be putting out some good music – but they have done so much damage to their musical reputation, and reputation in general, that it’s hard to by into all of their self-promoted hype (although it’s better than the endless nothing which is Guns n’ Roses next album). I want to believe, but can Metallica make a comeback? Continue Reading »
Marty May 1st, 2008
I’ve had a good run of music over the last 2 months – I’ve found some really cool new stuff and enjoyed some old favorites once again. I usually won’t listen to the same stuff repeatedly, but lately Grace Potter & the Nocturnals’ latest album, “This is Somewhere” has been really a stalwart on my iTunes playlist. Definitely worth a listen if not a buy if you like strong blues-influenced rock. Continue Reading »
Marty April 25th, 2008
The other day, my boss Dante and I got into a discussion about the first albums we had ever bought. I can’t remember how it started but I said that my first 5 albums were Kiss – “Love Gun” and “Hotter than Hell”, Styx “Kilroy was Here”, Journey “Escape” and Def Leppard “Pyromania”, to which he replied his first album was The Who “Live at Leeds”, which he said he thought was still one of the best live albums ever done. I wasn’t sure but it spurred a debate about what was the best live album out there. So, here are my choices: Continue Reading »
Marty December 20th, 2007
Sometimes, you can go back again. I had my iPod on shuffle when Pink Floyd’s “Shine on You Crazy Diamond (Parts I – V)” (from Wish You Were Here) came on Continue Reading »
Marty September 20th, 2007
I’ve been doing a lot of listening to music lately, both at home and at the office becuase for me, music helps drown out the background noise. And I’ve been finding myself listening to a lot of stuff repeatedly, which is unusual for me. Usually, I can tolerate 3-4 plays of a song/album and then it has to sit on a shelf for a while. Not so much – maybe I’m getting better music, or I’m just getting used to it… Anyhoo, I decided to put together a list of the top 10 songs/albums that are getting major airtime… (well, 11 because I never like being restricted). FYI – the links go to iTunes, for your convenience… 
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- Sara Bareilles – Little Voice, particularly the song “Morningside”
- Brandi Carlile – The Story, most often “The Story” and “Late Morning Lullaby”
- The Killers – “Uncle Johnny”
- Grace Potter and the Nocturnals – “Deliverance Road”
- Soulive – “Crosstown Traffic”
- A Fine Frenzy – “You Picked Me”
- Daughtry – “It’s Not Over” (I know, but it’s actually a good tune)
- Everlast – “Saving Grace” although “White Trash Beautiful” is also great
- Guggenheim Grotto – “Wonderful Wizard”
- Sia – “Breathe Me”: even with it being used in tons of commercials, it’s still great.
- Blind Boys of Alabama – “Amazing Grace” They could kill this doing it normally – using the music of “House of the Rising Sun” makes it even better.
So, anyone else have a list? Sarah, Michael, Van, Tom?
“Lest ye get distracted, aarrggghhh…”
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Now playing: KT Tunstall – “Night Like Peppers”
Marty June 27th, 2007
In their ever-increasing goal on complete music homogenization and greed, the RIAA-sponsored SoundExchange Royalty Program has strong-armed a new ruling through the United States Copyright Royalty Board that basically starts charging all webcasts of music a fee for doing so, on a per-listener, per-song basis. Continue Reading »
Marty April 26th, 2007
The other day, while driving around, I was listening to some old heavy metal when I decided that I needed a change. I went through my collection and found Harry Chapin’s Greatest Hits Live disc. Putting it in and listening, I found myself doing something that I rarely do these days – listening to the lyrics intently. Continue Reading »
Marty February 1st, 2007
My boss and I were talking about concerts yesterday, and how some bands just surprise the hell out of you – acts that you never expected much out of that do amazing things. He later sent me his Top 5 best and worst concerts ever, which of course got the list-maker in me thinking: what were my Top and Bottom Five? Continue Reading »
