Latest News:The new album is now available for order via the link on the sidebar, or the album page. You can also find samples of all the songs on the cd there, as well as the first 4 tracks in their entirety.
Mons’ Tunes is a music blog dedicated to hosting/promoting my own original music. I also regularly update the site with other artists and songs that I really enjoy. Think of it as the official “Mons” artist page as well as a music recommendation blog.
Samples from, and information about, the brand new self-titled album (released October 31st) can be found on the album page.
You can find more of my music in the Reverbnation widget on the right hand side of the page and on the “My Music” page(which also features music not available through the widget). Please leave comments and suggestions about the music and website (via the little speech bubble at the bottom of each post). For past suggestions, check out the recommendation archive. Thanks for visiting monstunes!
I’ve created a Twitter account for small updates and tidbits and such. Follow me here: http://twitter.com/monstunes
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Welcome back! It’s been a long time since I actually updated the MSMOTD. It was derailed initially because of the production and release of my album, and then continually postponed due to academic responsibilities. However, it is now back and will hopefully be updated regularly!
One of my first MSMOTDs was BT’s “Antikythera Mechanism”, from his award winning and brilliant glitch-symphony “This Binary Universe”. However, as incredible as that album is, it is really just one facet of Brian Transeau’s musical taste and ability. He began as a trance/house producer and has been continually building on that base. TBU was a fairly radical departure, but his new album “These Hopeful Machines” (do I sense a theme?) brings everything full circle and combines the new techniques and style he employed on TBU with his older dance and ballad sensibilities. It’s a huge double album, ranging from full-on house meant for the dance floor, to TBU-style electronica, to glitchy alternative and beyond. I’ve been waiting 4 years for this album and while it’s not TBU part 2 (perhaps still forthcoming), I am well pleased. So are other reviewers it seems, with wired.com giving it a 9 out of 10 and saying “If you’ve never liked electronica before, this is the release that could change your mind.” High praise indeed. BT is is a very prolific writer and this album is a great showcase of that talent, while remaining quite cohesive.
BT's latest album - "These Hopeful Machines" (2010)
I actually heard Every Other Way first as a remix by Armin Van Buuren (see below) on Universal Religion 4, a fantastic trance mix album released by Van Buuren in 2009. It’s a fantastic remix, but it didn’t really prepare me for the album version. Every Other Way (featuring vocalist “Jes”) is an ethereal, beautiful and glitchy ballad which flows between soaring melodies and glitchy breaks which dig into the centre of the earth. Clocking in at over 11 minutes, it’s an epic journey, but one I keep taking over and over again, savouring every note from the opening chimes to the electronic wash at the end. Nobody else writes music quite like this, and that’s one reason why I love BT so much. This music is, in my opinion, immediately accessible and pleasant to the ear, but also pushes boundaries and experiments with sound in new ways. What wizardry he uses to craft such raw emotion from electronic audio stuttering is beyond the ken of man (at least this man), but however he does it, it definitely pushes all my buttons. I love the album version, but you can also find the radio edit (not as good) on youtube.
(BT feat. Jes – Every Other Way (Armin Van Buuren Remix)) (buy this song)
As one of the top house/electronica/dance producers in the world, BT’s releases are remixed over and over again, as indicated by the AVB remix of Every Other Way. A number of other songs from “These Hopeful Machines” have also been remixed, including the first single (and one of my favourites from the album), Suddenly.Suddenly is actually the first track on the album, and is a much more upbeat and dancy tune than Every Other Way. With BT himself on vocals, the original track is a fantastic melding of BT’s signature house sound and a harsher alterna-rock vibe, all brought together with robotic precision by BT’s production and trademark stuttering glitches (how I love thee!). However, he’s also released the song as a single along with a bunch of other remixes, including one by the all-powerful Klayton Scott (aka Celldweller – check out the Celldweller MSMOTD)! His version is even more glitchy than BT’s original production (if that’s possible), and adds a dirty industrial sheen to the song which really changes its character. Great driving music, if you plan on weaving in and out of traffic at high speeds with no regard for human life. The video is embedded below.
Lastly, I’ve included one of my other favourites from the album, the complex and brooding Le Nocturne De Lumiere. This song is for all of those who adored “This Binary Universe”. The first half of the song features a dark and throbbing beat, surrounded by a dense cloud of dreamy, stuttering accents and melodies which really have to be experienced with good headphones. The second half deconstructs the beat and breaks the melody open into a shimmering wash of sound which is then built back up into the main theme. This song is the definition of “intelligent dance music”: unique, non-repetitive, experimental and interesting, but still inherently danceable, beautiful and easy to listen to. Fortunately there are several other tracks like it on “These Hopeful Machines” for those of us who really want more of TBU.
(The Celldweller remix of Suddenly by BT) (buy this song)
BT is one of the only artists who can successfully mix crunchy house beats and breaks with vast, dreamy soundscapes which simultaneously soothe and energize. While this album is no TBU part 2 (despite songs like The Rose of Jericho and Le Nocturne De Lumiere), it is an incredible work in its own right and is one of the best albums of the year so far. BT’s myspace page (see below) has a number of other songs from the album, so definitely go check them out and then buy this album if you like it.
Hope people still check the page from time to time, and enjoy the new music I’ll be posting in the near future.
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Well, most of my school stuff is done so hopefully I can soon concentrate on my music again. I’ve been working on a number of new songs that I’m excited to start recording! Probably get to that sometime in January, as I’ll be in Vancouver over Christmas.
The truly exciting news is that my cd is now available at retail outlets all throughout Winnipeg. I know, it doesn’t help those of you who live in other (warmer) parts of the world, but you guys can still buy via the website here! If you do live in Winnipeg and don’t want to purchase through the website, you can now buy my cd at the following stores:
McNally Robinson (Polo and Grant Park locations)
The Light Bookstore (on Pembina)
Indigo Bookstore (Kenaston)
CD Plus (Polo)
Into The Music
Music Trader
Prairie Sky Books
Mandarin International (at The Forks – Johnston Terminal)
Chapters (in January)
Typically it’s being stocked in the Easy Listening or Local Music sections, though I did notice that McNally had put a few into Pop (?!?). I don’t make as much on these consignment sales, but it does help to get the word out about my music, so if you’re looking for a cd, do go down to one of these places and pick it up! They make excellent christmas gifts.
Also, look for the return of the MSMOTDs in the new year.
Hey guys, just a quick update. The CD has been selling really well, which is fantastic! Thanks so much to everyone who’s given me such positive feedback on the album. The original printing sold out in 2 days, and the latest shipment of another 1000 cds is coming in today.
Besides here on my website, the cds are starting to be available at retail outlets in Winnipeg and hopefully eventually through Canada and the USA. I’m working on several distribution options. I’ll be selling the MP3s from here as well as on iTunes etc. In Winnipeg, you can now purchase the cd at The Light bookstore (Unit 17, 2077 Pembina, Winnipeg) and hopefully soon at Chapters bookstores. I’ll update as more places start carrying the cd.
I will be at a Christmas Craft Sale on Saturday the 28th of November selling/signing my cd and doing a few performances. Here’s a bit more information about the sale (it’s at the Winnipeg Centre Vineyard on Main). Stop by if you have a few minutes and say hello, pick up a cd and check out the other 50 artists and artisans who will be displaying and selling their fantastic work as well.
Update: Looks like I’ll be keeping my artist name as Mons (since it is my actual name). Hooray!
Well after many years, the new album is done, printed and available for sale. I had a hugely successful album release over the weekend and sold almost all of the first printing of the cd. I’m ecstatic at the wonderful reception it has been getting.
Purchase the album (and listen to samples) on the album page. Also, check out the awesome artwork from the cd cover!
Cover art for the "Mons" self-titled album
There is a bit of a snag however. Before I can release the album into widespread distribution (iTunes, Amazon etc), I have to resolve a small issue. Another artist, located in Washington D.C., decided a while back that “Mons” would be a fantastic name for his experimental electronica project. His name isn’t Mons (mine is), but as far as I know since he’s been using it to sell cds for some years now, he can claim it as a trademark. As far as I know, this doesn’t stop me from using my own name, but it does create some confusion in regards to searching for my music on iTunes, or musician profiles on cdbaby etc (if he’s already cdbaby.com/mons, then what would I name my profile?)
So, either I need to somehow convince this guy to release the trademark and stop using my name (Mons), or I need to come up with another name under which to make music. If any trademark/copyright lawyers want to contact me with suggestions, feel free.
Also, if you have suggestions on what I should call myself if I need to change names, leave a comment and let me know! “Mons” was so perfect. I’m rather heartbroken that someone has co-opted my name for their own endeavours.
I can still sell the albums myself of course. So, if you would like to purchase a cd (which may become a special collector’s item if I am forced to change my artistic name), then head over to the album page or click the button at the top of the side bar on the right!
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I’m in the depths of the final preparations for my album release (October 31st!), but I thought I would throw up a short clip from one of the new songs on the album. This is music inspired by a beautiful poem written by a friend of mine (which will be included in the cd insert actually). This piece has actually changed a lot over the course of its short life. It began as a pure piano piece and has since morphed into the much dreamier, more ambient piece I’ve posted here. Hope you like it!
As always, you can hear more of my music (including other samples from the album) on my music page.
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Wow, It’s been over a month since I’ve updated the site! If you’re reading this, then thank you for checking back every once in a while, despite my unforgivable inattention. Well, hopefully a little forgivable actually, since the reason I have neglected to update the site is that I’ve been extremely busy working on my debut album! The production/mastering process continues, but if all goes well it will all be finished for the end of the month, and I hope to have the music available for digital distribution several weeks after that (assuming it takes several weeks to get it added to iTunes/Amazon etc.)
Anyways, to give you an idea of what I’ve been working on, I’ve included the (beta) album version of Dandelion at the top of the post. It represents what I’m doing with the album, which will be a mix of re-recorded/re-mastered existing material that you may have listened to before, and some new material that you have not. The original version of Dandelion was only about 2 minutes long, and an incomplete vision of the song. A sketch if you will, as are many of the bits and pieces I post online. The album versions are the complete vision, and so Dandelion is re-imagined in its full 6-minute length with a lot of new material and revision of the old material.
Other songs which will appear on the album are redone versions of Angelus, Dancing in the Light, Silhouettes, Winter Melancholy, Simple Needs and a few others, with a bunch of new material to boot (which I may preview when the madness is done in early November). Anyways, hope you like the new material that I have included here, and I’ll keep you posted on the album’s progress! Twitter (@monstunes) is probably the best way of keeping track of updates and so forth regarding the album.
As always, you can hear more of my musical work on the My Music page.
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And through the whirling sentry drones of academic responsibility, guns blazing and engines a-fire, erupts the newest MSMOTD: the mighty Porcupine Tree! Leaving assignments, readings and constructive musings as so much burning wreckage in its wake, it streaks into the sky and bursts into a light so dark that shadows glow and everything else is festooned with silly scarves, surpassed in silliness only by these first few sentences. When everything you read is about cost-benefit analysis, decision curves, marginal costs, associated graphs and copious literature on why none of that matters because just look at the world today we are in big trouble ha ha Marx knew it all along, other creative ventures tend to be imbued with an additional dose of absurdity to compensate (though some might convincingly claim that said readings are similarly fraught with absurdity).
Porcupine Tree is an uncommon band in that they defy easy categorization, and yet are immediately accessible (unlike many other complex cross-genre outfits). They occupy a unique middle-space that floats equidistant from Pink Floyd, Coldplay, Radiohead and Opeth (yes, that Opeth), taking the good from each and melding those influences into a compelling new sound. Actually, I should be careful with the word “influences”, as Porcupine Tree has been around longer than at least 2 of those. It began as a solo project for British songwriter Steve Wilson, and continues to mainly be The Steve Wilson Band, but now has actual consistent band members rather than merely sessional musicians who just help out on tour. Their music is typically described as “Progressive Rock”, which immediately scares lots of listeners away with visions of capes, silly hats (or scarves) and aimless 28-minute songs. Porcupine Tree has none of these (well, the occasional 28 minute song aside) and instead produces tight, pleasing, focused music which also just happens to shift from spacey ambience to dreamy piano-pop, folk rock, alternative and occasionally on to thrashy metal ala Tool, Opeth or Dream Theater. Steve Wilson himself really dislikes the term “Progressive”, and though the band has often been called “the new Pink Floyd”, he would prefer they be called “the old Porcupine Tree”, haha. Above the always tasteful and meticulously produced musical arrangements floats Steve Wilson’s voice -> soft, dreamy, vulnerable and yet passionate, evocative and powerful at the same time. They’ve released nine studio albums, with a tenth due next week. Their latest, 2007’s “Fear of a Blank Planet” was nominated for the grammy for Best Surround Sound Album, which I didn’t even know was a grammy category! Really, BT’s “This Binary Universe” should just win that award every year until further notice.
I actually discovered Porcupine Tree through Wilson’s collaborations with Opeth. He helped produce their seminal album “Blackwater Park”, along with “Damnation” and “Deliverance”. He also provided backing vocals, guitars and keyboards to those albums. Mikael Akerfeldt, Opeth’s lead, has also contributed to various Porcupine Tree recordings. As a result of this cross pollination, so to speak, Opeth’s music has gotten smoother and richer, while Porcupine Tree’s has gotten heavier. Anyways, I’ve tried to represent the breadth of Porcupine Tree’s music here, so if you don’t dig the MSMOTD, try one of the other tunes! In fact, here’s a guide: If you’re a huge Coldplay fan, go directly to Collapse Light Into Earth at the bottom. If you’re into Radiohead or the Beach Boys (haha), then check out Heartattack In A Layby, also at the bottom of the post. Pink Floyd fans should watch the live video performance of Arriving Somewhere But Not Here, as should fans of Tool/Opeth as it showcases their metal chops alongside the dreamy Floydian sonicscapes and melodies.
Here are the PT guys in... a camouflaged bunker? A tree-walled cafe? Steve Wilson is the long haired gent, second from the right.
Porcupine Tree purists will probably kill me for choosing Lazarus, from 2005’s “Deadwing”, as the MSMOTD, but I don’t care! It may not be the most representative, but it is a gorgeous song – one of my favourites – and did fairly well as a radio single! I think I even heard it once or twice on a local station, which was quite shocking. I think many die-hard fans don’t like this song, as it’s a bit more bland than their regular outings, but I absolutely love the vocal melody, the cascading piano lines and especially especially the slide/steel guitar. I have a completely irrational love for that sort of guitar performance, and since I don’t listen to country, I don’t get my fix nearly often enough. I drive around and sing along with this song at the top of my lungs (though in a restrained, delicate manner, just like Steve of course). My favourite part is probably as the melody swells up mid-song at 2:35 just before the crest, when the vocals take a break and are replaced by a sparkling dulcimer (?) melody that fills in the melodic/rhythmic gaps between the other instruments just perfectly. Steve Wilson’s vocal harmonies on this track really take it to another level of greatness as well. Definitely an amazing song!
(Porcupine Tree performing Arriving Somewhere But Not Here, from 2005’s “Deadwing”)
Arriving Somewhere But Not Here is a fantastic example of Porcupine Tree’s breadth of style. The video also showcases their phenomenal live performances. This is beautiful music, played by a band with unusual talent and musicality. It’s trippy, cerebral and intense, but lovely and entrancing nonetheless. This recalls their earlier, more experimental work, but with Wilson’s more recent growth as a songwriter keeping past excesses in check. Sort of the counterpoint on “Deadwing” to the brief and meticulously crafted Lazarus.
Collapse The Light Into Earth from “In Absentia” (2002) is a heartbreakingly beautiful piano ballad reminiscent of bands like Coldplay, Automatic-era REM and Keane. It’s simple, but lushly arranged, with an organ and strings swelling up as the song builds. Wilson’s vocals are showcased here at their most delicate and vulnerable. Few vocalists have the ability to convey emotion as well as he, and if you have a tendency to tear up when listening to music, you might want to keep tissues handy for this one! Writing music that’s beautiful while remaining simple and elegant is probably harder than writing complicated music with a million parts and layers, but Wilson and crew do both with aplomb. Interesting how powerful and emotional just a few chords and a simple melody can be. I’ll have to remember to KISS next time I’m recording. The climax of this song is a great example of musical catharsis. I was very close to choosing this as MSMOTD.
The final song below is Heartattack In A Layby, from “In Absentia”. It’s a more brooding, yearning tune with very sparse instrumentation and heavy vocal layering. The complex vocal harmonies during the last half are heart-wrenchingly beautiful. A lot of reviews compare this song to either Radiohead (due to the feel/instrumentation) or the Beach Boys (for the vocal harmonies). An interesting pairing to be sure. I love how the song sort of drifts along, like a boat bobbing aimlessly along on an ocean of dreams – the man in the moon hanging silver above, singing lamentations and plucking a diamond harp. Midway through the dream, the stars begin to float down, their fading cries harmonizing softly with the moon as they crash into the waves all around. The moon fades at last and all is darkness. Listen for the waves at the end of the song.
These guys have such a huge catalogue of diverse material that I really haven’t even begun to adequately represent their (his) contribution to music. The songs I’ve posted are ballad-heavy and only from two of 9 (soon 10) albums and countless EPs etc. Earlier work like “Stupid Dream”, “Signify” and “Lightbulb Sun” is just as amazing, as is their most recent, and hopefully the new one – “The Incident” – as well! I’d love to know what you guys think of Porcupine Tree. Let me know through the comments!
- Mons
More music from Porcupine Tree
Porcupine Tree – Collapse The Light Into Earth (buy this song)
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Porcupine Tree – Heartattack In A Layby (buy this song)
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Also recommended: Blackest Eyes, Baby Dream In Cellophane, Even Less, Trains, Sentimental, Deadwing, Shesmovedon, The Sky Moves Sideways
Support Porcupine Tree (and me!) by buying their albums through Amazon.com. I highly recommend In Absentia, Deadwing, Fear of a Blank Planet, and Stupid Dream. The individual mp3s can also be purchased (see links in the article above).
Modeselektor – The Dark Side Of The Sun (buy this song)
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I think you can really tell a lot about a musician’s personality through their music. Whether they were smiling as they recorded (Aqua definitely smiles), scowling with righteous outrage (Rage Against The Machine) or perhaps afflicted with nearly overwhelming ennui (Those unfortunate saps who are employed in mixing mallcore albums). I picture the Modeselektor guys as having an intensely devilish grin fixed on their faces from the moment they enter the studio until the minute the album is finally mastered. They, Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary of Germany, have an incredible amount of geeky, techy fun creating this music, and it shines through in the crazy glitchy editing, balls-out beats and quirky melodies.
Modeselektor is pretty hard to pin down, genre-wise. They’ve been called everything from glitch-hop (you take that back!!) and IDM, to “bassbin-blowing techno hop dubstep core”, whatever that means. The name doesn’t really matter though, as you bop along to their twitchy, stuttering, intricately detailed and dancy music. They’ve released two albums so far, “Hello Mom!” in 2005, and “Happy Birthday!” in 2007, with a collaboration with Apparat released this spring as “Moderat”.
It's often hard to find good or interesting photos of artists. I gave up on Amorphis. But these guys have so many, hahaha.
Ok, here’s where I gush about how much I love The Dark Side Of The Sun. Besides the very silly name (because obviously all sides of the sun, in general, emit equal levels of solar radiation), this song is silly in a number of other ways. First of all, it’s a collaboration with the Puppetmastaz, a puppet-based german rap group who are very very silly. Secondly, it’s silly because how is this song not a huge club hit??? This song is a brilliant and incredibly catchy mix of sexy synth beats and intricately edited vocals. It is that glitchy vocal editing which impresses me the most actually. Somehow, they manage to take what would otherwise be a good rap and dial it up to 11 through clever digital repetition, rhythmically strategic stutters and all sorts of sonic tricks. It renders the lyrics largely unintelligible, but in exchange morphs the lyrics into the driving rhythmic force, intertwining and often overshadowing the bass line in a sort of twisty-turny power struggle. The vocal editing dominates the rhythm during the verses, while the more traditional bassline takes over for the chorus. The result is a hugely danceable monster of a tune. If you played this in a dance club, the place would explode, though I’m not sure this has ever hit a dancefloor outside of Europe. Here’s hoping stuff like this takes off, as one can only take so much Katy Perry and Soulja Boy before never wanting to dance again.
(Not my favourite of their songs, but I love the video! This is Black Block from “Happy Birthday!”) (buy this song)
Let Your Love Grow (from “Happy Birthday!”) is a light, pulsing dub-reggae tune featuring vocalist Paul St. Hillaire (who’s also worked closely with Kruder & Dorfmeister). Past the slightly silly intro, it grows into a really sweet groove that’s a nice chilled-out change from the stuttering intensity of the MSMOTD. I love the squishy synths and the cool dub back beat. I have no idea what on earth he’s talking about, but the sing-song reggae vocals are smooth and dreamy. A great driving tune.
The second song below is named Kill Bill Vol. 4 for reasons unbeknownst to myself. As with most Modeselektor songs, it’s rather odd. The first minute of the song is just what sounds like they recorded 45 seconds of a factory worker with a serious speech impediment giving a rambling movie review. Stick with it though, as at the 1:05 mark, the song kicks into gear with a gut-punching electro beat straight out of Mr. Oizo’s craziest wet dreams. This one has no vocals and little in the way of Modeselektor’s signature glitchiness. What it does have is a killer beat that will either move your feet or pound you into the ground. Somehow, this music sounds so very very German. Perhaps it is the perfectly rhythmic, almost robotic nature of the song, or the insistant, unrepentant, unrelenting repetition of the detuned synth melody. Whereas the other songs I posted are fun and light in nature, this one is almost industrial in nature. I can imagine people dancing to this in german clubs with VERY SERIOUS DANCING FACES. No smiling allowed. Still, I can smile while I listen to it, imagining serious german kids dancing seriously to this serious dance music.
As you can see, Modeselektor shows are SERIOUS BUSINESS. Smile during Kill Bill Vol. 4 and you get sprayed! Notice how none of those sprayed are smiling anymore.
As with much of the music I post here, I wouldn’t even know about these guys if it weren’t for wonderful friends who constantly recommend cool music to me (Thanks Nikki!). The rest of the songs on their two albums are all really great, and both albums are worth checking out. Let me know what you think of these guys in the comments!
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There is so much good music coming out of Finland these days, especially in terms of melodic metal. Bands like Nightwish, Stratovarius, HIM, Apocalyptica (rock/metal done by electric cello!), Children of Bodom, Turisas, Sonata Arctica etc etc. It’s not limited to metal, as Finland also spawned ultra-famous electronica outfits like Darude and Oceanlab. Finnish metal masters Amorphis are among the premiere musical exports of Finland, and should need no introduction, but alas, they are relatively unknown in North America. Their music has shifted over time, and is now a smooth blend of ultra-melodic rock, folksy acoustic guitars and heavier metal sensibilities. They’re pretty accessible, with killer melodies/hooks and only a light sprinkling of the growled vocals that non-metal listeners love to hate.
Amorphis has been around for nearly 20 years, and is notable because their lyrics are often very poetic. Their last 3 albums, including the latest release – “Skyforger”, are a conceptual trilogy featuring lyrics based on the Kalevala, which is considered Finland’s national epic (poem), much like the Aeneid for Ancient Rome, Beowulf for England, or Green Eggs and Ham for the United States. There’s such a large body of work here (10+ albums) that I’m just going to focus on their most recent material, though their albums from the late 90s (such as “Tuonela” and “Elegy”) are also fantastic.
Trees and Fire are popular subjects for metal album cover art, especially Fire AND Trees. At least there aren't any dragons. This is the cover of their latest album - "Skyforger"
I’ve been rocking out to Towards And Against for two years now, ever since the 2007 release of “Silent Waters”. The mix of deep synth pulses and echoing killer guitar riffs right at the beginning (and throughout) really does it for me, as does the slightly exotic clean vocal melody that follows. The song is ultra melodic, even during the passages which feature growled vocals, and hard to resist headbanging uncontrollably during the riff that follows at 1:13 -> “How to break!!” *headbanging*. The final refrain, from which the song gets its name, is especially awesome because they combine the clean and growled vocals: Because of treason I now shall leave/because of my blood burning my soul/and now I raise this flaming sword/towards darkness, against everyone. The whole song sounds like it’s echoing across a mountain range, swirling through the Finnish dusk. I use the opening synth/guitar riff as a ringtone on my cell, haha. Works great because I get to rock out every time that friend calls.
(Silent Waters, the title track from their 2007 album. I wanted to post the video for Silver Bride from “Skyforger”, but the youtube/vimeo versions were crap.) (buy this song)
For those of you who aren’t into the heavier/progressive sound of the MSMOTD, I’ve posted another song below which you might enjoy more. Enigma is also from “Silent Waters”, but is purely acoustic with clean vocals. It’s a gorgeous song which, in hilariously Finnish fashion, is about one man’s quest to capture the Devil’s moose (!?). The devil apparently had both a prized moose and a golden stallion, not to mention a bird who resided in the (one and only) stream of death. I think I need to read the Kalevala.
The second song below is Sky Is Mine, from the most recent album – 2009’s “Skyforger”. It is a lighter, but still fairly aggressive, rocker with a really catchy chorus and memorable echoing guitar riff. The purely clean vocals are great, and the song conjures up a lot of atmosphere. It’s dreamy and fuzzy, like a memory from the distant past. There’s even a synth solo! Great stuff.
Let me know what you think of Amorphis! I’ve been listening to them for a long time. Their consistantly catchy music is a lot of fun, so I hope you dig them too. Leave a comment with your thoughts!
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I don’t think I’ve really posted any Rap/Hippity-Hop yet, so here we go! I’ve been a fan of Swollen Members for a while now (hyuk hyuk, we’ll get the penis jokes out of the way right off the bat). They’re an “underground” west coast rap duo from Vancouver, Canada. Rappers Prevail and Mad Child, along with regular collaborators Moka Only (he sings) and Rob The Viking (he produces – writes the beats). They’re pretty huge for a Canadian rap outfit, and are definitely Canada’s biggest hip-hop export. Each one of their 4 albums has won best rap album of the year at the Canadian Juno awards, and they’ve collaborated with musical luminaries such as Chali 2Na (of Jurassic 5), Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Nelly Furtado, Everlast, Talib Kweli and Ghostfaced Killah. Mad Child (the white dude) was even inducted into the Rock Steady Crew, which is apparently a big honour (?).
What really makes them unique (the Rough Guide to Hip-Hop calls them 2 of the most innovative people in hip-hop), are their dark/brooding orchestral musical arrangements and their penchant for inserting mythological and what reviewers mistakenly believe to be AD&D references into their songs. Now, they do occasionally say the words “dragon”, “insane sorcerer” and “battle axe”, but that’s because “Battle Axe” is their label! They even mention rapping about D&D in a few songs, but until they sing about adamantine bastard swords of +3 vs. undead, I don’t buy it. They do however enjoy all things mythological and even fantasy-oriented, as I mentioned, working those references into more standard lyrics about how tough they are and how you’d better not cross them and so forth. They act hard, but they’re probably pretty harmless in real life (I mean, they’re from Vancouver of all places). Pleasantly absent are lyrics about money and women and cars and mansions and so forth. It’s a nice change.
Mad Child, Prevail and who I can only imagine is Rob The Viking looking as 'hood as they possibly can.
Blackout is the first track from their latest album, 2006’s “Black Magic”. It’s really short, at only ~1:45 minutes long, but I think it’s a good intro to the group and the groove is catchy and representative. A deep beat with ominous stabs of choir and strings. The first half is Prevail rapping, with Mad Child taking the lyrical torch for the second verse. I really like their voices, and think the combination of Prev’s smoother baritone with Mad Child’s more nasally slurred delivery is effective and compelling. Lyrically, it’s not the most interesting track, but that’s why I’ve posted some other tracks below. Check them out!
(Lady Venom is actually my favourite Swollen Members track. It’s from their debut album, 1999’s “Balance” and has great lyrics and a super catchy beat!) (buy this song)
I want to highlight a few other songs as well, as they move from straight up rap to smoother hip-hop songs with sung vocals by Nelly Furtado (see the video below) and long time collaborator Moka Only. The first track below – Dark Riders – is a great lyrical showcase, much like Lady Venom in the video above. It’s from “Bad Dreams”, their second album and is one of my favourites. I love the creepy little tune that plays behind the vocals, setting the mood for lyrics such as:
Sea-Salt, Eye of Newt, Horn of Bison
I’ve sworn allegiance to the league of striking lightning
We fall when we choose and confuse you with patterns
The legend of the two who induced you like Dragons
We strike like swooping Gargoyles of Saint Catherine
Or from Lady Venom:
On the plane in which you reign, it’s classified as “Do or die”
But in the realm in which we dwell, its “Puncture necks and multiply”
Imagine the madness, the return of the Jew from Nazareth
The hunter and the hunted, the colonizing and savages
The only challenge is, did they bring enough to dirt to bury us?
Be aware, I hunt with the gods as a cerberus
The second track I’ve posted below, Take It Back, also from “Bad Dreams” is one of the tracks where they actually start out by saying “we don’t always have to talk about Dungeons & Dragons”. It’s also a bit of a funkier track, featuring famed producer DJ Revolution. The disco/funk beat and hits sounds really great, and give the song a lot of life, lifting it out of the darkness which surrounds some of their other tracks. Also below is the video for Breath, which was a big radio hit in Canada a few years back. It features Nelly Furtado and Moka Only on vocals along with the dynamic duo, and the video is actually directed by Todd McFarlane, of Spawn fame.
(Swollen Member’s Breath, from 2002’s “Monsters in the Closet”, featuring Nelly Furtado and directed by Todd McFarlane) (buy this song)
I’ve called these guys the Bal-Sagoth of hip-hop, except that they’re really really popular (Bal-Sagoth not so much). They write interesting, intelligent lyrics and have some great beats/songs. As a Canadian, I enjoy featuring Canadian music on my site (though in the end it’s all about the music itself, not the nationality). Let me know what you think of Swollen Members in the comments!
More music from Swollen Members
Swollen Members – Dark Riders (Ft. Buc Fifty) (buy this song)
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Swollen Members – Take It Back (Ft. DJ Revolution) (buy this song)
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Support Swollen Members (and me!) by buying their albums “Black Magic”, “Bad Dreams” and “Balance” (their 3 best albums, imo) from Amazon.com! You can also get the individual tracks as DRM-free MP3s via the links above.
Mons and 1Talent are playing on June 24th at The Academy on Stradbrooke and Osborne. 7:30pm, $5 at the door. Love to see everyone there!
02:07:21 AM June 22, 2010
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