Song of the Day #20 - Phoenix - Entertainment

After a few very stressful weeks of sickness and planing for the future, I am back! And with such a great thing! I was really thrilled to discover that Phoenix has released their new single. There has been no news from Phoenix for about a year and I was hoping that the great success they experienced with their last album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, hadn't made them never want to make anything again. I knew they had started an album, but then what had happened? Thankful a new album, Bankrupt!, is just around the corner and the new single was released on the 14th and if you listen to the lyrics, the struggles with fame are evident.

As usual with Phoenix, I liked it the first time I heard it, but thought it wasn't that fantastic, but by the second time I was hooked. Phoenix are masters at making catchy tunes and after the second time listening to the song, it kept spinning in my mind the rest of the day. Somehow this is the elegant version of the Asian inspired stuff made by Coldplay. I am so looking forward to the rest. Great to get some elegance in the world!

I have written a lot about Phoenix in my blog all ready, read more here. 

Song of the Day #19 - Benny Goodman and his orchestra - Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing)

Today's Song of the Day takes us back a bit in time. And oh by the way, I am a firm believer that every big occasion should be celebrated with a great big band.I also believe firmly that any music that has been a favourite among the teenagers will awaken something in the teenagers of the current age. Sing, Sing, Sing, must be one of those songs. There is simply so much rock'n'roll in it. Just listen to that beginning; the drums fills you with anticipation and then the horns come in and stuns us before the whole thing kicks into action. This must be one of these tunes who make anyone want to dance like their life depended on it. I have been  listening to quite a few newer versions of this tune the last days, and there is simply nothing that beats the original with Benny Goodman and his orchestra. The song was written by Louis Prima and first recorded by him with the New Orleans Gang in 1936 through, but imagine the impact the big bang version of Benny and his gang had in 1937! No one had heard music like that.

The 16th of January this year marked the 75 year anniversary of Benny Goodmans concert of this in Carnegie Hall in New York, that is known as making jazz household and acceptable to listen to. Our grandparents weren't that bad as teenagers. I can still remember my grandmother giving me a lecture on "jittebug" when "Wake me up before you go go!" came out in the 80's! So grab your loved ones and take them for a swing around the living room.

First a recording of the tune (twice!) with footage from the famous concert and Benny. (A OK recording, but the ones further down are better, but not complete and not Benny and the gang)



Here they are in the movie "Hollywood Hotel" in 1937. Quite a drummer that Gene Krupa!


Benny Goodman and his orchestra performing the song in 1955 as part of the movie "The Benny Goodman Story" as a movie version of what happened in 1938


 

Song of the Day #18 - Alabama Shakes - Hold On

Today's Song of the Day is a unique blend of country, blues and soul. Alabama Shakes is some of the most genuine stuff I have heard for a long long time in a time in music where I feel like everything sounds like copys and similarities. I heard them the first time very randomly on BBC 6 and was totally blasted out of my chair by Brittanys voice and the good quality of the whole thing. She's up there with the likes of Aretha if you as me.  It all sounded so much like.. a unit, like these people are pulling in the same direction... :) I love music that is so powerful that it sounds like the musicians would have died if they weren't allowed to let it out. This is like that. Listen and you will know what I mean. I also love that they are delightfully nerdy. It seams very real and remind me of bands I have been in over the years.

Alabama Shakes is playing Øyafestivalen in Norway on the same day as Blur. I gotta get myself there somehow. It's going to be on of those fantastic days. Have a good Saturday, people, I hope it's as much sun there as it is here.

Song of the Day #17 - Gwen Stefani - What You Waiting For?

Like Shania Twain that I have written about earlier in this series of Song of the Day, Gwen Stefani is on of those talented, unique, fantastic people with such a great voice that it brings tears to my eyes sometimes. In 2004 after many years with No Doubt, Gwen was ready to do a solo record. Starting the album she experienced a serious case of writer's block and everything going to fast without her really having time to gather inspiration or rest up. The result: What You Waiting For? The song is full of references to this situation must of all in the lines:

Look at your watch now
You're still a super hot female
You got your million dollar contract
And they're all waiting for your hot track

 The song is also a lot more electropop than what a No Doubt track would be, but what good electropop it is! I think I have loved this song from the first moment I heard it. I love the whole tick-tock rythem, love the arrangement and the exciting melody lines and especially the bridge, just before the "gooo!". And as always with Gwen, unique voice and so catchy!

The video here is a director's cut, that also play out more of the history behind the song, pluss the song itself. Have a great weekend people and take some time to jump about on your chairs or around the room to this.
You can read more about what I have written previously in this blog about Gwen here.

Song of the Day #16 - Sondre Lerche - Two Way Monologue

My opinions on Sondre Lerche have been changing over the years. I totally loved his first album, but after a little incident live on Øyafestivalen in Oslo, where he didn't show off the best sides, I was less infatuated. I'll tell you the story if you are interested.  I also think that a lot of the things he makes can be very boring, but with a few exceptions, the biggest of them being "Two Way Monologue". I think I first fell in love with the song watching the video, very cute and good idea and at the time there were very few people who did the "2 of the same person in the same frame" thing. It was quite spectacular. The song itself has a fantastic drive, lovely groovy guitar riff and great arrangement. And I love the concept of a "Two Way Monologue" as well. I am sure a lot of people can recognize the feeling. Nice little midweek pick me up! Spring and weekend will soon be here!

Song of the Day #15 - BigBang - To the Mountains

Time for some Norwegian rock again. I can't believe this guys are not more famous around the world. This song has some kind of quintessential Norwegian quality to it. I can't really put my finger on it, but a big part is the lyrics, and the allegories he's using. I really identify with the feeling. This is also a brilliant live clip and believe you me; These guys are that great live, seen it, loved it! Enjoy and rock around the room!

You gotta dig your body and your head down in the snow
you gotta tie your scarf around my paw to let them know
and I gotta take your arms around my waist and you'll take mine
we gotta move our fingers and our toes and we'll be fine

you're just a poor little city boy you don't know what you're missing
I say welcome to the mountains
and you're just a skinny little city girl you don't even know who you're kissing
I say welcome to the mountains

hang on hang on you better put some wool on
we'll see the pinetreetops from high above
move on walk up to the mountains
and if we're lucky we'll come back alive
I gotta take your arms around my waist ....
you're just a poor little city boy you don't know...

and if you wanna get high
close to the sky
welcome to the mountains

Song of the Day #14 - Justin Timberlake feat. Jay Z - Suit & Tie

Time for some quality pop. I like music from a lot of genre, the important part is usually that it's done very very well by quality people.. Hard to explain. In the pop genre there are few other who beat Justin Timberlake and I was so thrilled to see that he has finally done some music again. Quality singing, quality dancing, quality arrangements, quality hook-line, this is groovey! Doesn't hurt that the video is fantastic and look like a series of black and white photos from the 50's and 60's. I mean, Justin doesn't really hurt our eyes does he? And as if that is not enough, Jay Z pops in there, more quality! These guys know what they are doing and they are doing it well and dear to take some chances. It's just.. good! As someone commented on YouTube: "Hey Bieber, Daddy's home!" I couldn't agree more. Have a happy Monday!

(Click for past blog posts about Justin Timberlake and Jay Z.)

Song of the Day #13 - George Gershwin - Prelude no. 1 B flat major

I have played the piano since I was 6 and over the years I have found a few pieces that I really really love and would love to play. Gershwin's Prelude no. 1 B flat major is one of them. I have even gone so far as to actually have the sheet music for it, but oh my, it's tricky and my fingers are out of shape these days. One day, my friends, one day.

What I love so much about the play is the springy, playfulness of it. It is just all over the place and all around, it takes unexpected turns and twists and thrills you more and more. It has fantastic chords as well and as a piano player it is one of those pieces who almost allows you to dance in front of the piano, and also be a bit of a rocker; you can really hit hard on those chords and also the enjoyment of being able to master passages who requires a lot of training to get just right. 

(In this blog post there is first one video of the music with the sheet music, so if you are a musician, you will really enjoy the complexities there. The second video is the best performance of the piece I could find of YouTube; namely Gershwin playing Gershwin, Thirdly my favourite recording of the piece. I had to search far and wide to find someone who finally put some dynamics and drive into it! Well done :)

Great live clips: The soundtracks of Harry Potter movies

To me, seeing music performed live, always adds an extra dimension to music; weather it is rock, jazz or classical music. It's a peak into what is really happening and all the details. This afternoon I have been watching some documentaries behind the scenes of the making of soundtracks for the Harry Potter movies, and they show this feeling at it's best. And oh, how I wish I could play a orchestral instrument. Maybe it's not to late?

Song of the Day #12 - Melanie C feat. Emma Bunton - I Know Him So Well

This morning I woke up with Les Miserables music on my mind, not so surprising since the movie is everywhere these days. I started searching for good performances on Les Mis music online for the Song of the Day, and before I knew it, I had found this; there in the middle of sappy, musicalland. Sometimes my heart goes back to being a teenager, I guess. I loved musicals with a new-found joy back then, and even though I am a bit fed up off of them now, the tears still fall when I hear a good vocal performance with a melody, and oh, there are so many of those in the musical world!

The late 90's, aka my late teens, where also filled with Spice Girls-mania. I soon got a favourite among them; Mel C and has always though that she was the unique one, with a fantastic honest, soul-pierceing voice. In short; this is a combination of some of the best from the late 90's in my life; Mel C and Emma Bunton singing, "I Know Him So Well" from Chess. It made my eyes water, home it touches you too.

(Hm..seams like Mel C has new album out too. Must check out.)

Song of the Day #11 - End of Fashion - The Game

Since I am a bit behind this week and you surely have been missing a post on Thursday and Wednesday, I think it's OK with a double dose on Friday. Time to share one of the greatest rock songs I know, it's just a perfect way to celebrate the weekend. I have written about it before in this blog post, so you can read about the thrill I felt the first time I heard it, but the thrill has not disappeared since. It has a punch that is truly boneshaking and still makes me want to jump around the room, tear down the wallpaper and scream along. I twists and turns and surprises again and again with even more fantastic parts and tops itself again and again through the song. And still that vocal is truly fantastic!! Listen to what he does; he goes from metal to classical to rock, high and low. Truly amazing. I hope this makes you just as thrilled as it has me.

Song of the Day #10 - Radiohead - Bodysnatchers

As the ones of you who have read this blog a bit over the years might have discovered, I am a massive Radiohead fan. Or, that is, the last record, hm, that is just a bit blend. I hope they get back to things like this. Cause this, my darlings, is frankly brilliant. This whole concert where this clip is from is just totally and utterly brilliant, and maybe my favourite live concert of all time. Listen to the guitar riffs, the layers, the build ups, the corners, they way they tone it down just at the right moment, the bass riffs and the drum beats, the vocals and last but not least the energy in this room. These people are having A LOT of fun, and I am so so envious of them. This is almost musical heaven. Close to it at least. Oh, and I hope you get some joy out of it too ;) Have a good weekend!