The Big Move

I've transfered Da Gl-C over to Tumblr. It lets you upload audio and video from your computer (hear that Blogspot? Dinosaur). And it fosters a more social blogging environment with its interface, which I dig. Ya dig?

So from now on, check thegloveco.tumblr.com for all the Gl-C updates.

Take that Google (I still love you, don't worry).

Born Without Bones

This post is a shout out to my good friend Scott Ayotte, whose band, Born Without Bones, is tearing the central Mass music scene up right now. The mixes for BWB's new album, Say Hello, just came in, and Da Gl-C got the inside scoop. Let me tell you, it's not high school shit. It's a legitimately good, super polished album. I'd say it's good enough to compete with a lot of the indie rock out there today, and that's not because I'm his friend.

BWB just put my favorite track, "Falling Asleep," up on its Tumblr and Myspace. Listen to it. If you're not humming the chorus 3 hours later I owe you money.

You can download and listen to a rougher copy on the band's Bandcamp. Tracks to look out for are "Say Hello," "Consider This," and "GKN." But don't let me tell you, listen for yourself! Support (awesome) local music!

This album is not afraid to take chances. The difference between "Sound Of A Crowded Room" and "Out Of Step," in both tone and style, is pretty drastic. There aren't many local musicians (or nationally-recognized for that matter) that can easily jump from introspective indie-acoustic to bouncy Green Dayish pop-punk and make it work. In BWB's case, it works.

If you're looking for an energized, earnest mix of Jimmy Eat World and The Get Up Kids with a few pinches of more indie influence for flavor, give this band a shot.

BWB will release the full album on its Bandcamp Nov 16. Mark your calendars!

And here's a little video of the man himself doing "Say Hello" acoustic.

A suggestion

If anyone out there wants to expand their musical horizons, the blog Mind The Gap gives really good insight into music scenes that are often neglected but still really interesting, and also puts music into a more socioeconomic perspective.

The best way to put it is this blog is kind of like reading The New Yorker, except for music. Even if it's not your style (it's hardly mine), it can still be interesting to see what else is out there.

Study Music

Since I spend the bulk of my time nowadays hunched over a book or Microsoft word. I know a lot of my readership can probably relate. So the issue of good study music has been an important one to me.

Now, as a second preface, I cannot listen to music when I do anything that requires problem solving, so that's basically anything besides reading. Papers I write while listening to music have the tone of a 5th grader, and I absolutely cannot do math (not that I can with open ears either).

Actually, an interview I conducted for a class with Cornell University Music/Sociology Professor Trevor Pinch revealed that I may not be alone in this. In a study he did with his own students, he found that many of them noticed improved concentration in reading while listening to certain rhythmic dance or electronic music. But when it came to solving a problem, many students found music to get in the way of their concentration.

So, reader, you heard the man. Listening to certain music may actually help concentration while reading. Win, win, right?

Here are a few albums I find enjoyable without distracting me from the task at hand.

1. El Ten Eleven - El Ten Eleven

This album is interesting. It's kind of like indie baroque music (for all the uneducated masses out there, think Bach and Mozart). The album is instrumental, with keys, guitar, bass and drums. The melodies are interesting but not abrasive, the drums constant and driving, and there is almost always a fast-moving part underlying everything. There's a lot going on, but it all melds together, creating a constant, enjoyable soundscape, much like a Bach or Mozart piece.

Check out the opener, "My Only Swerving," below (I've written about this band and this song before. Sorry, anyone who remembers).

Nothing's too distracting, and there are no lyrics to zone into, so you can keep your head buried in the textbook I know you love reading.

2. This Will Destroy You - This Will Destroy You

This is a Texan band some might call an Explosions In The Sky rip-off, but they're solid nevertheless. Listen to this if you're in a dark place, or reading anything in the social sciences (because that will inevitably put you in a dark place. Anthropology majors out there, you know what I mean). The album is incredibly slow and brooding. Almost every song is written around a slow, incremental build. They like to take their sweet-ass time, but it works, especially when reading about The World Trade Organization's willingness to utterly abuse Third World exporters. That's right WTO, I'm on to you.

Check "Threads." It's probably the most easily accessible song on the album (also the brightest).

3. Yo Yo Ma, Mark O'Connor and Edgar Meyer - Appalachian Journey

This album is a really interesting combination of old-timey folk, bluegrass and classical styles, played by a trio of astronomically talented classical musicians. It's all instrumental, save for a songs featuring James Taylor ("Hard Times Come Again No More") and Alison Kraus ("Slumber My Darling"). For the most part, it's brisk and happy and features musicianship you don't hear every day in the rock scene. And hey, it could cheer you up after hour 5 in the library. (Yeah, you're right, nothing will. Sorry I brought it up.)

Check my favorite, "Emily's Reel."

Happy studying! I should do some of that myself now.

New Death Cab, New Direction

Death Cab for Cutie will release their 7th full-length in the spring. So far, the band has said very little about the album, but a Spin Magazine interview-turned-article with Death Cab frontman Ben Gibbard proved to be very revealing.

The main point to take away is that this album will take Death Cab in a new direction. Gibbard said the album will be much more

keys based than guitar (the bulk of Death Cab's older work is heavily guitar based), and Gibbard described this one as "much more of a construction project." With Narrow Stairs, their last full-length, and others, the songs were simply constructed and conducive to playing live. Not this one, according to Gibbard.

The album has yet to be named and will feature 12 to 13 songs.

More importantly – and something I've been touching upon in my past few posts – is the album wont be as depressing lyrically. Narrow Stairs was a really depressing album, with songs like "You Can Do Better Than Me" and "The Ice is Getting Thinner." Gibbard said he wants to move away from that, away from the self loathing.

Please do! Death Cab you're my favorite band but sometimes you just bring me down. Maybe this album will have a little cheer. One can only hope.

But anyway, more keys, less depression. Sounds good to me.

The only negative is the band isn't as young as they used to be, they all have either wives or whole families, so the tour may not be all the extensive. But hey, I wouldn't want to leave Zoey Deschanel for 7 months anyway.

The Cat Knows Best

As my last post laid out, rock music can be downright depressing and lack silver lining.

But not this song.

"Plea From A Cat Named Virtue" by The Weakerthans, off Reconstruction Zone, is an incredibly cute and even more uplifting song written from the perspective of a cat, Virtue.

It's a song for those who find themselves in a relationship-inspired rut they can't get out of, and who better to get you out of your rut than a cat that couldn't care less? Cats don't care about anything, and people who find themselves in a rut could learn from that.

Here's the song below,

Notice how there's not one mention to the love interest that started it. Virtue knows it doesn't matter.

And Virtue knows this guy is essentially being a masochist, that there's no logic to it, no reason. The cat doesn't care why he's doing it. The "Self-defeating lies [he's] been repeating" aren't getting him anywhere.

Bitter songs, like the protagonist of this story – and most rock musicians – sing are pretty overrated, there's no comfort in them, and no way out. They drag you back into sadness. But a cat telling you to suck it up, have fun, and "let your losses dangle off"? Now that's a step in the right direction.

In any case, this is one of the most lyrically creative song I've heard in a while. On top of that, it urges the listener not to dwell on the past.

I'll meow to that.

John Legend and the Roots, a match made in funk heaven?

I'd like to preface this post by saying that over the summer, I really delved into hip hop in a way I hadn't before, and now I love it, especially The Roots.

They're the most genuine, earnest and badass hip hop group I know of (and also one of the most prolific with 12 studio albums, a Gramy and 6 Grammy nominations). If you're looking to get into them, I'd suggest starting with Game Theory, then moving on to Things Fall Apart and How I Got Over. If you dig, get Organix, their first full length. If all goes according plan, it'll slap you in the face with funk.

Now on to the main point of this post. The Roots recently paired up with funk manic John Legend for an album of politically charged 60s and 70s funk covers titled Wake Up. NPR is streaming the entire album for free if you care to check it out. It's really great, especially "Compared To What." More funk than I could ever handle.

To top it all off, JL and The Roots decided to do a cover of Arcade Fire's "Wake Up," off their 2004 full-length Funeral.

Check it, so much soul. And you'll rarely find r&b and hip hop acts covering british indie rock, so soak it up.

And how could I forget to mention ?est Love, The Roots' fro-laden beatmaster. Check how much love he puts into that kit. We need more drummers like him.