The Bunka Log
RSS Feeds

Entries in Friday Refrain (145)

Saturday
Aug012015

The Friday Refrain: Saturday Edition!

What's that saying about a day late? Well I think it should be, "A day late but here all the same." Or something. I was going somewhere better with it but then the words disappeared like the glowing embers of a dying fire. Half Pints is also a day late this week, but it'll be there, don't you worry. So head on over to csicon.net to check it out. I kinda run the show this week - picked the music, picked the beer. I think Josh was frightened. But it turned out okay, hopefully.

What's going on? What was going on.... last week! List it baby!

And this week, yesterday really, The Band, Led Zeppelin and Lynyrd Skynyrd rereleased a bunch of stuff. Joss Stone released Water For Your Soul. Natalie Imbruglia released an album of covers yesterday titled Male. The Strokes guy Albert Hammond Jr. brought out Momentary Masters. And that's really the big ones I think. Yeah, it's kinda one of those weeks again. Which is okay, I'm still recovering from the onslaught of last week's list.

Some thoughts on the music of this week past

Eleventh Dream Day, Works for Tomorrow - is some rock that I'm torn on. I like and then I'm not sure and  then I do. Wilco likes it as they suggested it in their list of things to spend money on since the Wilco album was free...

Chris Staples, Cheap Shades EP is my kind of singer-songwriter stuff. Short ep, but got some good stuff on it.

The Dustbowl Revival, With A Lampshade On is some good americana and fun.

Vacation, Non-Person I just had this on yesterday and was really starting to groove to it.

The anomaly for the week goes to...

Grave Babies, Holographic Violence and Hope Drone, Cloak of Ash - which one do you think is the 80s-leaning synthy rock and which one is the metal band? If you guessed that Hope Drone is the metal band, you win! I didn't. I was very confused.

Well there you have it everybody. This house needs a good scrubbing so I have to skee-daddle. And if you're lucky enough to be at Lollapalooza this weekend, have fun, wear sunscreen and stay hydrated! Happy listening!

Thursday
Jul232015

The Friday Refrain: A bit of what's new in music...

 I keep oscillating between knowing it's Friday and having the time to write. Finally put the two together so here I am taptaptapping away on the keys of my laptop with another edition of the Friday Refrain. Bit of a warm spell going on here. One of those days where outside is the same as inside is the same as downstairs is the same as upstairs. It's just warm. All over. A day when you need to drink peach soda with ice and always have a fan aimed at you. Oscillating. It's all oscillating.

Oscillate this List!

And today in music releases, literally today!, Jill Scott is out with Woman. Joe Satriani and Shockwave Supernova, and Eleni MandellDark Lights Up. I should've just done all j's if I had noticed. Ah well. I'm sure next week I'll realize I missed some bigger stuff, but for now this will have to do. 

So last week's best album art has to go to Powerwolf and they're album Blessed & Possessed. There is a wolf priest doing an exorcism on the cover in the light of a full moon? It's crazy.

Hm... things I liked... things I liked... If you're into Magnetic Fields and Wilco, try out The Domestics' eponymous album.

Galactic's funk and jazzy Into the Deep is a good thing for a hot summer night.

If you want some California beach rock, which is never in short demand but still nice to throw on something new, right?  - check out Day Wave, Headcase EP.

Also perfect for a summer's eve is some bluesy guitar with Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters, Father's Day.

I also listened to ALOKE's Alive  album last week and you know, it's got some good stuff on there. Maybe a little more towards what I wish Muse would have evolved into - but not saying it is Muse, just a bit of the sound is all, you know?

All right you rascals, time to split. A few options of the past week, a trio of the new stuff today and there you be. Stay cool, stay hydrated and happy listening!

Friday
Jul172015

The Friday Refrain: A bit of what's new in music...

All right, it's a Half Pints Whole Notes week and this time we talk about a month's worth of music, inbetween arguing over Miguel. It's a lot about Miguel. And then some other bands get a few words about them as well. So I'm kinda cranky and cantankerous, and I don't want to look back anymore so no List this week. Ha take that routine, threw you to the curb! Bam. Let's took a look at today. 

This week is crazy bananas in releases. Wilco released a surprise free album and so I think we should just all go enjoy that. What do you say? Well, I guess there are a couple other big ones today, so first... Chemical Brothers are back with Born in the Echoes. Did all these guys just see how insanely well Daft Punk did and want to join the fray or was it just a matter of time? I don't know. But it's pretty awesome. The Bird & The Bee return after a few years with Recrational Love and I'm looking forward to digging their pretty harmonies again, if that's what they do. Tame Impala ripped onto the scene a few years ago now with their exciting trippy and really interesting Lonerism, back now again with Currents but take heed Impala fans, I've heard this takes a turn from before. Country giant Alan Jackson releases Angels & Alcohol today. And on a totally different end of the musical spectrum, Pitbull is out with Dale. Pop Singer-songwriter Jason Isbell jumps into the action of today with Something More Than Free.

All right that's it. I'm throwing in the towel. Gotta go do stuff and such and things. Oh man, happy listening to all you out there going to Eaux Claires this weekend. It sounds like a whole bunch of amazingness and I am excited to hear back how it goes this weekend. Super lineup, super venue, super cool. Just remember, reapply your sunblock every two hours or so, drink lots of water, and wear your ear protection! Happy Listening!

Friday
Jul102015

The Friday Refrain: A bit of what's new in music...

This is an oddball week, and if I had planned it out like everyone else, I would have just used this week as my round-up of my favorites for the year but since I kinda did that on the podcast a few weeks ago, it feels redundant and cheating. But the thing is, everything's kinda in flux this week. Today is the day that internationally music is united in its release day - Fridays for everyone! Which means for me that I will be changing up the Friday Refrain a bit. Every Friday, I'll mention the big ones coming out that day, but The List and my musings will be on the previous week's stuff. Kinda like, "Hey, this is the big stuff today but here's what you might have missed last week."

So let's get started, shall we?

Sneak attack List! Pow!

So today, the 10th of July what have we got on tap? Well, it looks like we're kicking off the first international Friday release day with some Owl City and their new release, Mobile Orchestra. We've got a little of everything popping up today. Metal veterans Cradle of Filth are back with Hammer of the Witches. The original Veruca Salt line-up of 90s alternative fame are releasing Ghost Notes. Ghostface Killah and Adrian Younge presents Twelve Reasons To Die II is also out today.

And like I said, last week's stuff is pretty odd because we were switching from Tuesday to Friday, though there were still albums that released on Tuesday. Anyway, here's a few highlights:

Paga Monstro, Alfarroba - As you know if you've read The Refrain before, I suck at hearing lyrics oftentimes. Turns out these guys aren't singing in English, but the sound is just some good rock in a good blend of California rock and just psychedelia.

Need something a little sunshiney? Try out The Gorgeous Chan, Marina & I.

I can't decide how I feel about Kins, Cyclical. It's interesting and I like it and then I get a little eh, and then I'm like, "No this is good." And i"m not sure. It's going on again. Fortunately it's just an EP so I can  just throw it on again and play some more Wario's Woods. Because I'm addicted to that game.

And then there's a ton of electronica. Comes to the surface when I don't have much else to dig from. Anyhoot, that's the refrain this week. I hope this was enough. It was kinda scratched together over ten minutes here and ten minutes there and bada booyah, I'm writing the conclusion. Seriously though, I love Wario's Woods. But I should really do some more dishes. *big sigh* Hey, stay hydrated, wear ear protection and happy listening!
Thursday
Jul022015

The Friday Refrain: A bit of what's new in music...

*imagine picture of my This American Life coffee mug and a half eaten chocolate cigar next to laptop*

Happy Independence Day for all the Americans! And a happy belated Independence Day to the Canadians as well! Tis the mid point of the summer celebrations, how did that happen? And while it should be a week with Half Pints Whole Notes, my cohort needed a vacation so... there's none of that this week. There will be so much to jibber jabber about by the time we record again. Anyway... Enough of that. I'm here. I'm typing this now. Time to let off some musical steam before I burst.

Oooo! Ahhh!! Ohhh! Eeee! It's the List!*fireworks*

This week Smithsonian Folkways released an album of civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer titled Songs My Mother Taught Me, it includes Fannie Lou Hamer singing and also interviews with her. Seems like an appropriate way to spend a bit of time this weekend.

Neil Young and Promis of the Real released The Monsanto Years this week as well, and I hope the album is as good as the singles I mentioned a few weeks back. The big buzz has been around Miguel and the album Wildheart this week. Yeah, it's not really a big big name week. I just had to go look at what other people were saying were big from this week, and honestly it's kinda a niche place this week. I'm wondering if it's because we're at the cusp of the album release date change. In the U.S. albums have traditionally come out on Tuesdays, but now in order to prevent surprise album releases (?) and get everyone united, internationally albums will come out on Friday starting next week. And perhaps that is why it's been harder to put together a pretty cohesive list each week (it just feels like it's been light for a few weeks now, not that it means I've caught up on listening to more or anything...). Anyway, there's a handful of rap albums from those who are maybe bigger than I know they are, but I'm not really in the know on that scene so I won't try to fake it. Jeez, where's the music? Let's talk lists...

I had a dream last night that I should assemble all releases with any mention of water

Man Overboard, Heavy Love - Angsty rock. Blink 182 and Green Day have to be their influences. I'm not going to check it, but I'm just going with it.

Being As An Ocean, Being As An Ocean - Metal. Yelling vocals. Intense. And talking. Then some smooth singing. I didn't say these would all go together but just my dream told me to get all the ones to do with water.

Beach Moon/Peach Moon, Kite Without A String - (I am currently eating a plain sugar cone, no ice cream in it. with bites of chocolate. Missing marshmallows though) This is my kind of music. If you've read long enough, or know me, you can guess it's got some links into some Microphones, Ugly Casanova, you know that sort of thing. Different jangly instruments and some repetition, some simplicity when you get down to it, simple melodies. Oh, and I would totally get a print of the album cover.

Dew-Scented, Intermination - it's a metal band? Yeah, it's metal. And it's called Dew-Scented. The song titles are typical metal fare, "Demon Seed" and "Radiation Sickness." Okay, huh.

Sea of Bees, Build A Boat To The Sun

Wavves x Cloud Nothings, No Life For Me - Rock with a bit of that CA feel.

Dan Svizeny, Whitecaps - That modern singer-songwriter thing we get with drums and effects adn not just your momma's singer-songwriter with piano or guitar anymore. It's got some promise

A side note - I am writing this like a fractured movie that is reassembled for an arty effect. That is to say, I have written this not from beginning to end, but beginning, end, middle, second middle, morning cake but there is no morning cake, end. Then this explanation. Sorry to my husband for all the continuous complaining of lack of sweets today. When I get on something, I just ride it to bedtime.

So there's that... Seriously, was I trying to write this  in my sleep last night? I don't know. but here are a couple other things that caught my ear this week..

Fraser A. Gorman, Slow Gum - Singer-Songwriter

The Bombshells, Bake Sale Hotties- You know, girls rocking out and such. Exactly what I expected when I turned it on

Youth Worship, LP1 - Just kinda rock, nothing really special or virtuosic but just solid.

I guess that's all I really have to say this week. I blame it on lack of morning cake or husband returning from morning run with a donut for me. I mean, he's out running by stores, just bring a buck and get me a donut, right? ;) So anyway, a bit more about the album date change-up, I'm sticking with my same way of doing things so I will be officially writing about the past week's releases every Friday from now on. But it's kinda cool still because I'll get more time to listen and think and dream about lists. If I didn't have a kid, I would entertain the thought of making the Friday Refrain some sort of personal marathon where I would compile and listen to as much music from midnight to noon every Friday and then report my findings because I think the results would be really interesting sometimes. But probably mostly just tired and lost. So I'll just stick to using the week to sort myself out. And still end up tired and lost after it all.

Well, I said I would write until my husband got done with his shower and here he is, dressed for the day. Time to wrap it up and Happy Listening and farewell new release Tuesdays!