A face to look out for

Live Vision Media has once again brought me another masterpiece that goes by the name of Terell Safadi. Now working on his upcoming mix tape ‘Vancouver Son 2.0′ Terell has released a video for one of the chart setting singles from the mix tape. That’s where we come in with this review.

From the outset of the video I was intrigued by the mysterious melody and fascinating scenes of the city. As the video progressed I was not disappointed with what was shown to me. Whoever they got to direct this video clearly knew what they were doing as the skill involved and the complimentary effects of the video on the music were both above par.

As for the music, I found myself zoning out slightly, completely drawn in. To the point that I had to re listen to the track as I had completely forgotten I was supposed to be writing a review for this. Featuring the vocals of Catrina Centanni I can see why the producers have such high hopes for this track and the up coming mix tape

I have a string suspicion that this is an artist we will all be seeing a lot more of in the future. Of course only time will tell but if I were you I would keep an eye on this one.

So go ahead and check him out at www.terellsafadi.com

A tribute to remember

Whoever said that fan tributes had to be bad? Not Sinitus Tempo that’s for sure. You should all remember him by now. We have covered a couple of his projects in the past and absolutely loved his work. So when he asked us to inform people of his latest project we jumped at the opportunity.

Essentially he has released a fan tribute to Japanese anime B Gate H Kei as a free download. Even if you don’t like anime how can you say no to free stuff. Not only that if you download the album and leave your E-mail address in the link provided below you can win a free DVD/Blu ray combo and $100 in cash.

So what are you waiting for. Free stuff lies just around the corner. You can download the album here http://sinitustempo.bandcamp.com/album/first-time-ep

And here is where you provide your E-mail address https://www.facebook.com/officialSinitusTempo

The drawing of the results takes place on the 11th so you’ll have to act fast.

Simply awe inspiring

This is an example of where someones persistence pays off. This artist had sent me an E-mail some time ago but due to the sheer number of E-mails I get it disappeared in the detritus of spam. Luckily though they sent me an E-mail checking up on things and finally grabbed my attention, something I for one am grateful for.

When I started watching the video and saw it was a white guy, years of in built prejudice made me think this would just be another wannabe gangster. In just 10 seconds my mind was instantly changed. I continued watching it completely forgetting that I was watching this to write a review, I was simply enthralled by this magnificent spectacle that lay before me.

The message this artist brings forth with his music in this song is inspiring. So much music these days is written simply for the case of making money, or even worse the dreaded album filler. This is not one of those. This is a video designed to reach into the hearts of the youth of today and tell them to actually look at the world around them and learn from it.

Of course it would be meaningless in this format if the video didn’t live up to the expectations that the music creates. There’s no need to worry on that account however. The video was perfectly directed to compliment the deep meaning behind the lyrics. Not only did it live up to my expectations it raised the bar. I can honestly say this is one of the best made music videos I have seen in years.

So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and check him out at www.globalantix.com

A new sensation

Once again a fantastic new band has arisen from the heart of England. A lovely little place we like to call London. This fresh face is three piece band False Heads. Once again I am impressed of the skill of those bands who have as yet made it into the public light and exist instead in a growing sensation on the inernet

To call False-Heads a mere alternative rock band is a severe understatement. They possess an interesting feel to it that is without question. Whether it be the melodic tunes of the guitar, the deep rooted essence of the bass or the underlying beat of the drums, they are without a doubt an impressive musical entity.

Naturally a band such as this are nothing without a good vocal track and well thought out tracks. Luckily they possess both with a great degree of skill. Each new track has its own feel to it and is supported by the harmonious vocals of the lead singer. This is a band that we can expect a great deal from.

So once again we arrive at that point in time where I try to convince you with the necessity of checking them out for yourselves with varying degrees of success. All I can say is that any music should be given a chance. Every new band should be granted the opportunity to test their music for you listening pleasure.

If you want to check them out you can visit them here.

A myriad of entertainment

Rap, Blues, Soul, Jazz, rock R’n'B. There are as many genres of music as there are stars in the sky. Even Sub-subgenres exist that increase the diversity even further. Take metal for example. In metal there is; Heavy, Nu, Gothic, Pagan, even rap. With such a variety of music at our finger tips it’s no small wonder that people tastes are so diverse.

You ask any ten people what their favourite genre is and you will undoubtedly get at least three or four different answers. No matter what kind of person you are there will be a category of music that is appealing to you. Music is undoubtedly one of the best sources of entertainment the world has to offer.

When I considered this it got me to thinking, is there really that much difference in the genre. Yes each type has its own distinct feel, but on a base level are they really that different. No matter what the instrument or style all music is basically a collection of notes or beats, put together in a pattern that creates a rhythm. So really there is a fair amount of similarity in all forms of composition.

These thoughts naturally led me to consider whether we can really dismiss an entire genre of music based solely on our own tastes. The basic skill set is the same, the practitioners simply took it in different directions. If that is the case can we really say that one genre is less skilled than another when they are essentially the same skill set?

I leave these thoughts for your consideration.

<a href=”http://newisland.bandcamp.com/album/newislandbeatz-vol-1″ mce_href=”http://newisland.bandcamp.com/album/newislandbeatz-vol-1″>NEWISLANDBEATZ Vol.1 by New Island</a>

An absolutely magnificent album

For some time now I have been saying that Rap and Hip Hop aren’t really my thing, yet every time I say this I follow up with introducing a great artist. After finding New Island in my back log and loving it I’m beginning to believe that I am going to have to rethink my stand point.

Listening to his new album New Island Beatz Vol 1 is really a remarkable experience. Each track fuses brilliant vocal samples and an impressive array of melodic backing music. You are not so much listening to a simple collection of notes and chords as you are a work of art.

His music has an undeniable depth of soul that is sure to reach into even the most sceptical individual. In my opinion a truly great song is not heard, it is felt. There is no doubt in my mind that New Island creates music that you feel. Something I believe many artists are lacking in.

So if someone as sceptical as me is hyping up a band they must be great. Right? Well there’s only one way for you to find out and that is to check him out for yourself. My only hope is that you take as much out of the experienca as i did.

Go ahead and take a look at New Island’s BandCamp

Keeping legends alive.

Some time ago you may remember I did an article on covers and whether or not they were a good idea. I ended it by saying that they were a good idea as long as they make it their own. Well I recently caught wind of a cover band festival and I felt that this topic needed to be reopened with cover bands as its focus.

I,ll admit out front that I have mixed feeling about this area. Whilst I understand that the musicians are simply creating a tribute to their favourite bands it always struck me as taking the easy way out. After all it is far harder to create something that is your own than to copy someone else’s work. If they have the skill why not try creating something unique?

However I can understand sometimes why they can be acceptable. Their are certain bands that we are no longer able to see live due to their unfortunate demise or disbanding. This is when cover bands are truly vital. They allow people to hear the music of their favourite bands the way they were supposed to be heard. The only issue being that it is not really them.

Whilst I can appreciate their talent and would most likely enjoy their performance, for me I would always have that niggling in the back of my head asking why they didn’t do something new. That’s just me and I don’t think it will change, however I would love to hear your own thoughts on this matter.

Still going strong

Having let my E-mails pile up for too long I found myself in need of culling my inbox. During this I found this great track from a band from way back at the start of last year. ‘The Jumped-up Boy In Livery’ is the latest from a great indie band by the name of Kites.

Since I last saw them I have to say they have been busy. When I had a look at their website to have a look at what they’ve been up to this last year I could hardly believe my eyes. They sure have been busy going from being featured on the home page of myspace to appearing in Q magazine. They are definitely on the way up.

As for their latest track, I have to say they certainly live up to they hype the press creates. Once again I found myself enthralled when listening to their music. They have created a fascinating blending of music and vocals that is the key component for any band in this genre.

Of course I don’t expect you to take my word for it. I encourage you to check them out for yourselves. I am always looking to expand on my music tastes and my collection and Kites is a band I am glad to have found. I can only hope that you can derive as much pleasure from them as I have.

So go ahead and check them out at http://www.wearekites.com/

A collaboration to remember

It’s been a while since I covered some good old Hip Hop style of music, so I felt it was time I found another artist to review. This has led me to this great collaboration through an artist I’ve been hearing a lot about in recent years Jeff Spec. He has joined with Ghettosocks, Muneshine, Timbuktu & Moka Only to bring us this great tracks.

Let’s start with the music. It has a fantastic drum beat playing in the background throughout and is joined with some great riffs from various different instruments, but it is the vocals that truly shine. With this many artists you would think they’d all compete for the lime light, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. They work together to create the best track possible.

On to the video. I have said in the past that I love sepia tone in just about everything. Once again this opinion has been confirmed by a great video. I just love the feel the soft sepia tones create in this track. This combined with the studio like atmosphere presented in the video just makes for a great track.

So cinsidering the fact that you’re reading this in the first place you’ve probably got some spare time on your hands. So why not use it to check out a great video from even greater artists. It won’t take up much of your time and you may find yourself with a great new set of artists to add to your collection.

Why make a music video?

Having now reviewed several music video’s over the past two years I felt it was time to broach the subject of why people make music video’s in the first place. So many unsigned artists go out of their way to pay for someone to make a music video for them, but is it really worth it?

The short answer is yes. The first and most obvious reason is publicity. Music video’s offer you far greater opportunities for publicity than just audio. People are more inclined to check out something if their is a visual stimuli. The best way to see what I’m talking about is to go on youtube and check out a random band. First listen to it without looking at the screen, then watch it again whilst watching the video. you will be a lot more interested the second time round

Secondly a music video is a great way to express the meaning behind your music. I have lost count of the number of times people have misinterpreted the meaning of a song. A music video is a great way to give you audience a visual aid in understanding your music. Of course this doesn’t always work. Just take a look at Nirvana.

Thirdly it gives the band a sense of accomplishment. Now this may sound unimportant but when you aim to succeed in as competitive an industry as this you need to have the motivation. Making a music video is a great way to make it seem like you’re doing something progressive and not just wasting your time.

I hope you have all enjoyed this mini discussion and I hope to see you all next week.