some old stuff

Went through parts of my music journal and found some stuff to post here just to spice things up...they are old entries, I know.
But the music flat is in dire need of residents...

I am currently listening to the new U2 album "No Line On the Horizon". So far, up until song 9 "White as Snow" it feels like one long song. Currently on number 10 "Breathe" and it is reminding me of the The Beatles, Peter Gabriel and Paul Simon all at once. I will try to give it a fair review later , after listening to it some more. Off to work now....

the front of the CDthe back of the CD

Coldplay 2006 concert in Osaka

Unfortunately I was not able to go to the Coldplay concert held earlier this month...but I did find my live journal from 2006:
Their sound was perfect. However, there apparantly was one song from their first album that did not go as planned because after the tune someone in the band said "What the f*** was that!?" After each song I understood why Bono from U2 would want to say that Coldplay can be called true rockers and an official U2 successor. My thoughts are that they are no longer a successor of anyone they are truley their own band that future bands will be compared to, in that way, just like U2.

Anyways, the whole band was awesome, tight in their peformance and they seemed to be enjoying themselves, which is always very important.

Lead vocalist Chris, was aware that a lot of people didn't understand him but he still did his best to communicate with his fans and his kindness shined through with the comments that he made. (Simple Japanese terms like "arigato" and "I'm sorry I can't speak Japanese") The best part of the concert for myself (and probably the rest of the people in the back of the arena) was towards the end where Chris seemd to "pop out of nowhere" unto a platform in the middle so that we could get a better glimpse of him. If I remember correctly it was during "In My Place". I liked how they ended that particular song...I think Chris was having a hard time getting back to the main stage or something and he ended the tune with a kind of "sigh".

The Upper Room (2006)

from my September 2006 music journal...

The Upper Room ( a band of four guys from Brighton). Their debut album is released by Sony titled "Other People's Problems". Lately I have been getting rather bored with new young bands because everybody sounds the same (either that or I am getting old and everything young people do is starting to sound the same lol). These guys do sound like somebody but the glory of it is that I couldn't care less! They are rather uplifting (despite some of the lyrics, one song is titled "kill, kill, kill" but it isn't a song that makes you want go postal), their sound is tight, the singing is great. This feeling reminds me of the first time I listened to Coldplay.

Amos Lee (2006 and 2008)

from my November 2008 music journal....
Just got finished listening to Amos Lee's new album "last days at the lodge".
His last CD "Supply and Demand" was a powerful (in his slow, calm and intense way of being powerful) package of songs, something hard to top.
However, "last days at the lodge" is just as powerful, if not more, with a much wider variety of melodies and rhythm. Blues, soul and a little bit of rock n' roll. His ballads are simple, sort of sepia colored and make you yearn for an old fashioned kind of love.
"Kid" is a beautiful song...if only I could sing and play the guitar, I'd be playing this too as well as the song that follows, "ease back"...I'd need a banjo for this though...
"Listen" and "Truth" are my current favorites.

from my September 2006 music journal...
Amos Lee "Supply and Demand"- I think I like this album more than the previous one.
The first song "Shout out loud" is so uplifting.
"Sympathize" reminds me of somthing that I can't put my finger on...
"Freedom" is a beautiful song that I wish Pres. Bush would listen to.
"Careless" makes want to drink a whole bottle of wine all by myself.
"Skipping Stone" is a short but beautiful song, more like a hymn. The way he just jumps into singing is awesome and the organ is beautiful too, makes me want to go to church although I have never set foot in one for....gee can't even remember for how long.
"Supply and Demand" is a soulful country-ish tune. It reminds me of a friend I had in elementary and junior high school. Mellisa, she had horses and her father built their house all by himself, and this was one huuuuuge house. I wish I knew where she was now....
"Sweet Pea" is such a "sweet" song, really.
"Night Train" to me, encompasses the pain and simple pleasures of being a not so wealthy American.
"Southern Girl" is a beautiful song but I don't know much about being a southern girl so...
"The Wind", "Long Line of Pain" and "I'm Not Myself" are also beautiful acoustic songs.

Jeff Beck 2009 concert in Osaka Koseinenkin Kaikan (Japan)

Jeff Beck concert in Osaka Japan - February 19, 2009

I wanted to get a set list of the concert (I usually do...) but this day was a no can do.
I did find a blog in Japanese that seemed to have it right...you can check it out here.

Do not fret, the song titles are in English.

The band members were as follows:

Guitar (of course) - Jeff Beck

Drums - Vinnie Colaiuta
Bass - Tal Wilkenfeld
Keyboards - David Sancious

All of them are fabulous musicians in their own right and really don't need introductions.  However, some people may not be familiar with the youngest of the band, Tal.  Now, after you have read this, you have no excuse...check out her websites (myspace too) and I promise you will be happy that you did.  Despite the difference in career length with her fellow musicians, she chopped away as if she was born with a bass guitar in hand.  The crowd loved her!

Jeff Beck is, without a doubt, The Guitar God.  He plays as if it were easy as breathing...  either that or he is a robot... absolutely perfect.  I can't even make a full sentence, I am still in awe.

Sometimes at an all instrumental concert I will get a bit "bored" and wish that someone would sing... but at a Jeff Beck concert?  I would probably throw a banana at whoever would dare sing over his guitar...which makes me wonder what the concert in Tokyo was like...the one he did with Eric Clapton!  (in Saitama)

I don't think I would throw a banana at Eric Clapton ;-)

Jeff Beck hardly said anything into the microphone, as usual, but after each song, he would express how excited/happy/rockin' he was in his own unique (sometimes cute...) way: raises both hands, bows and loosely embraces applause....shows respect to fellow band members by applauding them...I wish I had pictures...

Speaking of pictures, there was a guy in front of me (in his 50s) with a funky crochet cap on, who started filming the concert from the encore !  He got caught by one of the guards.  They took away his camera and he had to leave.  I don't think he was doing a very good job at filming anyways, he started bouncing around in 'odd ways' that would have made me sick if I had to watch that video.

It's only been a few days since I saw the concert, but I am already ready for another Jeff Beck concert!  Maybe 2010?  I'm keeping my phalanges crossed!

Welcome to the Music Flat !

Music is a universal language.  

I would like for this blog to be the beginning of a hodgepodge of music reviews.  An apartment complex  for any type of music!

For starters, this is some of the music in my i-pod right now:
starting from "A" ...
Aby N'Dour
Adam Sandler (?!)
Adele
Aerosmith
Afro Celt Sound System
Al Kooper
Alanis Morissette
Albert King
The Alegre All Stars
Aleksander With Ali Farka Toure
Alicia Keys
America
Amiee Mann
Amos Lee
Amy Grant
Andrea Bocelli
Angelique Kidjo
Annie Lennox
Anouk Apollo
440
Arctic Monkeys
Arto Lindsay
Astrud Gilberto
Avril Lavigne
Axe Riverboy
B-Side Players
Baka Beyond
The Band
Bebel Gilberto
Beck
Ben E. King
Ben Harper
Ben Jelen
Ben Kweller
Ben Westbeech
Benny Goodman
Beth Orton
Beyonce
Bill Withers
Billy Joel
The Bird and the Bees
Bjork
Black Eyed Peas
Black Sugar
Blo
The Blue Van
Bob Dylan
Bob Marley
Bon Jovi
The Boom
Born Crain
Bowling for Soup
Brian Setzer
Brigitte Fontaine
Bruce Hornsby
Bruce Springsteen
Bryan Adams
Buddy Holly
Caecille Norby
Caetano Veloso
Cannonball Adderly
Carbon Leaf
The Cardigans
Carl Perkins
Carla Thomas
Carlos Vives
Carly Simon
Carole King
Caroline Leander
Carolyn Hester
The Carpenters
Carter Burwell
Cassandra Wilson
Cassius
Cat Stevens
Catatonia
Celia Cruz
Chaka Khan
The Charmels
Cheb Mami
Cheikh Lo
Chelo Cheo
Feliciano
Chet Baker
Chicago
Chick Corea
China Chingon
The Chordettes
Chris Minh Doky
Christina Aguilera
Chubby Checker
Chuck Berry
Citizen Cope
Clannad
The Clash
Cloudberry Jam
The Coasters
Coco Freeman
Cocteau Twins
Coldplay
Collective Soul
Corneille
Corrine May
Craig David
The Cranberries
Cream
Creed
Crosby Loggins and the Light
Crosby Stills and Nash
Cyndi Lauper .......will get to the Zs sooner or later...

Columbia

With Columbia I am going to start with the obvious choices...these artists are excellent for "beginners"...

Carlos Vives ... one of the most well known artists from the country and I can't find an official website...  There was miraculously a very nice site in JAPANESE...

http://blog.goo.ne.jp/laruche03/e/5c2c9c4088b81638f4e657ab181469c2

Shakira  ... do I need to introduce her? official website

Juanes ... "the music ambassador of Columbia" his official website

Ehem! I have actually seen this guy perform!  Very, very cool.

Papua New Guinea

Telek ... absolutely brilliant.  Nothing too fancy, acoustic, you will want to travel to Papua New Guinea... His official website http://www.telek.com/