#fuzzworthy

To Fall Is Connected To Try

#FUZZworthy new music right here from Mikhael Paskalev, a Norwegian-Bulgarian dude with an interesting take on the famous game of "I Spy"...well, he borrows a line from it, anyway.

What I love about this song (Other than its catchy lyrics and great video) is the harmonica. It makes this song sound almost mature, in a way. It reminded me of something I'd hear on Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska or Ghost of Tom Joad or maybe even some Bob Dylan. Maybe not quite as meaningful or poignant as those songs, but still with some feeling. 

The song itself is a little under two years old. Much like KONGOS, Bastille and other artists recently in the alternative vein, Paskalev is riding that delayed start in the USA wave, playing music that's actually "old" but still "new" to the states. 

It reminds me of a mix of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, with a hint of Lumineers and maybe just a pinch of Vance Joy. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Serve hot.

What do you think? #FUZZworthy?

#FUZZworthy 

Many bands these days find themselves victims of revisionist history with their fans. You look at a band like Linkin Park, who can seemingly do a lot wrong with their fans these days. Yes, there are those who still love the band and what they have evolved into, but there are a significant amount of fans who pine for the days of Papercut, In the End and even Somewhere I Belong. Hell, some fans would even take What I've Done over the current installment of LP. 

But, this post isn't about LP. Rather, it's about a band called Kasabian, who are fighting that same battle of evolving or changing, to the chagrin of their long-time fans. 

I'll admit, I am not among those long-time fans. I only know a little about Kasabian, but I know enough to know that they're UK stalwarts that, at the height of their powers, were considered among the chief "competitors" with Muse, Arctic Monkeys and even Radiohead for top live band in all of Europe. This performance of Fire should serve as evidence enough of their live prowess.

The difference between Kasabian then and now seems to be a lack (at least in this song) of guitars, with a little more lean to pop-sensibilities, or, at least, something you can dance to. I would argue that Kasabian has always been one of the few rock bands that you actually COULD dance to, but this seems to be the first time they've actually been aware of it. The song has a great hook, a driving drum beat, and is KILLER live, as seen here.

But, the real question... is this song #FUZZworthy?

As always, hit me with FUZZworthy songs by email at [email protected] or on twitter-dot-com @TDTFerg.

Tonight's #Fuzzworthy artist is an artist that was #Fuzzworthy multiple times. Morning Parade has been to Scranton twice in the #Fuzz Radio Theater, on the heels of two fantastic songs, "Headlights" and "Alienation". This song is on the same LP as "Alienation", Pure Adulterated Joy, which came out earlier this year.

What has always resonated with me about this band is that you can hear almost every instrument distinctly in every song. I mean, you can probably do that for a lot of songs if you listen hard enough, but MP makes it easier for you. Everything has its own theme and purpose in their music, and it all comes together quite nicely. I feel "Reality Dream" combines that great instrumentation with Steve's great lyricism. I really think some of the lyrics in MP songs are very well done, and I love the vocal harmonization. This is another band that translates well in the acoustic setting.

But the real question is whether or not MP made it 3-for-3...is "Reality Dream" #Fuzzworthy? What do you think?

As always, hit me with new music suggestions for #Fuzzworthy at [email protected] or on twitter-dot-com @TDTFerg

#Fuzzworthy from last Friday was Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness. If you've been starved for that piano-ballad sound that Something Corporate and Jack's Mannequin made famous, well then hearing this song was probably the best part of your day. I'll be honest, I never got the whole Andrew McMahon craze. I knew about Something Corporate because of my friends' obsession with their Piece-de-Resistance, "Konstantine", and the angsty moments that we high schoolers found well-described by this brand of piano-rock.

When Andrew did the Jack's Mannequin thing and dropped "The Mixed Tape", they went a little more punk-rock, but still kept the piano. 

Anyway, back to the current iteration. Gone are the guitars, but the piano remains. This song is probably insanely cool acoustic. It's a little poppy, and the lyrics a little sappy, but it's right in the vein of current alternative, and it got probably the best response from our Fuzz listeners on Facebook on Friday night.

What do you think? #Fuzzworthy or no?

As always, e-mail me with Fuzzworthy music at [email protected] or hit me on twitter-dot-com @TDTFerg.

#FlashbackFriday will be a feature here every Friday, when I'll look back on a song/band you probably forgot about.

There was a time earlier this summer where I re-discovered the band Cartel, specifically their debut album Chroma from 2005. I pretty much had "Honestly" on repeat over and over again, was already aware of "Say Anything (Else)" and "Burn This City" and then decided...well, if they're on the same album, I better track it down. 

Honestly (<-- Not on purpose), I kinda missed out on this band in HS. I was still going through my phase where pop-punk bands were a bit "faux-pas" for me, and I was still firmly entrenched in my Zeppelin, Springsteen, Queen and other classic rock artist catalogs. That being said, I had friends in my classes who were all about this band.

What I find, looking back on this album, is the relentless consistency it has. The songs are really accessible, relatable and just damn  catchy. I was blown away that the first two songs on the album are "Say Anything (Else)" and "Honestly", because they are two very, very strong songs that go seamlessly into each other. These songs should have been bigger hits. The hooks are unreal.

Another part I like about this band (At least, this iteration) is the guitar-heavy presence. There are so many intricate parts, all woven together to bring a wall of sound. It's rare, I feel, to find a band that can display such a great understanding for their instruments, without blowing off a face-melting guitar solo. These guys found a way to do that.

One of my personal favorites has always been "Burn This City" because of it's grand feel. It's a song that feels like an anthem, a declaration or statement about youth and a better life ahead. The crunchy guitar throughout is one of my favorites, and the harmonies towards the end bring it to a real fitting finish.

Another one, since I re-found the album, I enjoy is the song attached here, "If I Fail" is a song that doesn't let up from start to finish. It's a song that the teenager in me still enjoys, expressing frustration with a situation that should be a lot easier to figure out. Communication, boys and girls, will always be the key to a healthy relationship. 

Cartel is still together, just in a bit of a different line-up, but mostly the same. They just finished up some Australia dates earlier this year, and rumor has it they're doing something next year for Chroma's 10-year anniversary. They also posted this to Facebook the other day, indicating there's something coming next year.

Maybe we'll be talking about new Cartel as #Fuzzworthy next year? I'd very much like that.