Truth Or Sarah
Archive for September 2011
Song of the Day: Days Difference “Falling Into You”
Days Difference released their album back in 2009, but they are now getting the recognition they deserve. They are jumping on to two tours this fall–Action Item’s and Owl City’s. Comparing their sound to Owl City, Hoot Owls (OC fans) would love the fantastical sound Days Difference had in their self-titled album, especially in the song “Falling Into You.”
Song of the Day: The Ready Set “Giants”
The Ready Set gifted his fans, or “giants,” with tour dates for his fall tour. Is your city getting love from Jordan?
Song of the Day: Hello Highway “Break Free”
Listening to Hello Highway’s song “Break Free,” makes me want to dust off my keyboard and cover this song. I like it because it’s proof that piano in a song doesn’t have to be stuffy and old, but “Break Free” actually got me dancing (or twitching because I really can’t dance)
Song of the Day: Weatherstar “Closer”
Weatherstar released another pop hit for fans on iTunes called “Closer.” It’s got the same cute love lyrics as he expressed in his previous singles so fans shouldn’t hesitate to buy it.
The song is also packaged with an acoustic version of the previously-released track, “Go.”
R-r-r-remix: Stephen Jerzak, Glory Days, Live For Tonight
This week in music ended up getting remixed. If you’re into dubstep, please accept these gifts for your ears.
- Stephen Jerzak’s “She Said” got yet another remix by Martin Vidal. I can’t even describe what is going on in this remix. It’s just as dance-inducing as the other versions, but it’s got this rager-playlist vibe to it.
- Christian Medice remixed Glory Day’s song “Can’t Get Enough.” The song went from surf-rock cool to pretty hot club-banger.
- Jason Pagan of the dubstep-ish band Under Spinning Lights remixed Live For Tonight’s single, “Break Hearts, Not Records.” The differences between the original and the remix are like night and day. The original is a serious heavy rock song, and the remix makes it unrecognizable. Pagan actually makes it impossible to choose a favorite between the original and remix because they are so different.
Asa “Beautiful Imperfection”
Truth:
Asa (pronounced “Asha”) has released her latest album, “Beautiful Imperfection” on iTunes.
Sarah:
There’s something about a foreign singer that makes me spite my parents for making me Americanized (I’m kidding; I love my parents). We have Adele, Amy Winehouse (1983 – 2011), Celine Dion, and now making her mark in America is France-born Nigerian Asa. I could best describe her as a colorful Janelle Monae, but comparing her to someone else seems unfair.
Asa is a genre all in her own, with world, jazz, pop, soul, blues, and alternative influences. Her first single, “Why Can’t We” epitomizes her sing-songy yet spoken word singing voice. Her naturally raspy voice gives off the same chill vibe we used to get when we first heard of Macy Gray.
Video:
In “Maybe,” Asa considers the worldwide devastation going on and adds her own spin of hope, wishing that maybe things will get better. The lyrics are poetry and the message is deep:
This world is full of pain
Users and their useless ways
There’s people dying everywhere
Can’t someone tell me who’s to blame ?There never used to be
This much attention to security
Until the terror and catastrophe
And now there’s guns and war machinesMaybe, maybe the sun will rise
Maybe, maybe (ouh)
Maybe, maybe the stars will shine, maybe, maybe
My favorite track on the album is track 3, “Be My Man.” It shows off Asa’s romantic and cutesy side with date ideas and the overusage of “baby.” As her official YouTube channel described it, it’s an “uplifting rock-tinged single with hints of 1960s soul”:
Ooh baby we can take a walk around the park
And I can cook you dinner, it won’t be so bad
Or we can laugh and talk about the friends you’ve had
And all the ones that made me madOoh baby baby, we can stay up all night
We can argue, we can even start a fight
And I can laugh and say i love the way you smile
and everything will be just fine
The Nigerian songstress interjects the English songs with Yoruba tracks, like “Bimpe” and “Ore,” which actually have the feel of any great rock song, regardless of the language they are sung in.
The last English song on the album is the piano track, “Questions.” It’s slow but beautiful as it contemplates so many controversial questions in the most beautiful way possible:
How do people get so busy they don’t find time to love
What’s the truth behind why people go to war
Why is it so many religions yet there’s so little to love
Will I ever get to know the truth some dayWhen the youth’s gonna dare – where’s the elder who really cares
Why do people believe things they know aren’t true
When you look into the mirror who do you see
Why do we have to grow to be wise
Overall, beautiful album from Asa. It has radio-friendly tracks yet stays true to her French-Nigerian roots. There’s no telling how far Asa can go in America.
Song of the Day: Have You Heard “Burned Away”
Track 3 on Have You Heard’s latest EP is the falsetto-filled and beutifully written track, “Burned Away.” I could go on and on about the beauty of the metaphors and storytelling but I’d be writing forever.
Listen for yourself:
Edelweiss “Pre-Columbians”
Truth:
The young rockers of Edelweiss are set to release their debut EP “Pre-Columbians” on iTunes on September 13, 2011.
Sarah:
Just listening to this album makes me want to throw a guitar at my 15-year-old brother. Yes, the atypical high school rock band (all around the age of 16) Edelweiss projects an unusually mature sound with even an more mature concept. For starters, they’ve created this unforgettably haunting fairy-tale (think Grimm’s fairy tales, not Disney’s) sound. In “Icarus,” the band gets the figurative ball rolling with their eccentric yet infectious instrumentals.
Next is the instrumental track, “A Sound From Pennsylvania,” that, despite the lack of vocals, you could see yourself memorizing. The track gains momentum as it progresses, going from basic and calm guitar chords to an exciting, layered confection. This track gives Pennsylvania a good name (though I’ve only been to Amish country so I can’t say for sure) with it’s interesting bits and notes blended together to create “A Sound of Pennsylvania.”
“(NO)” is the trippy yet radio-friendly track (see SOTD: “(NO)”) that has the whole Arcade Fire vibe going. The electronic genius of “Witches and Vampires” deserves to be noted. And the vocals of the track are cleverly animated to sound like a creepy yet cool character.
The EP ends with “Fiasco,” a captivating track, both lyrically and instrumentally. The guitar in the track perfectly complements the trance-inducing vocals. The haunting chanting interwoven in the track adds to the odd indie sound.
Overall, the album satisfies the indie-rock genre and ironically has the potential to make its way mainstream. It’s scarily good, especially considering that they were able to channel their young teenage energy into making a unique-sounding EP, unparalleled to the typical angst-y rock we see today.
Song of the Day: Transmission Party “Angela”
Transmission Party recently released his latest track “Angela” to fans. The dark circus-sounding track is available for free here!
Song of the Day: Hopes High “Words Well Chosen”
Words well chosen. Lyrics well chosen. Instrumentals well chosen. Price…very well chosen. The band Hopes High is generously giving out their latest single, “Words Well Chosen” out to fans for free. And it’s not some reject song that you’ll never listen to. The song is beautiful; if it were a person it’d be Scarlett Johansson or Ryan Reynolds.
