"The Tiger and How We Tamed It" -Viva Voce

The first time I heard Viva Voce was 4 years ago at a Jimmy Eat World show. I'm still not sure who's idea it was to have this band open for Jimmy Eat World, since the music is not similar at all, but I'm glad they did because I'm not sure I'd have heard them otherwise.

The band is a duo, consisting of Kevin Robinson and Anita Robinson. I'm not sure what the relationship is between the two (whether they are married, or related), but they play off each other well. Initially at the show, the audience was quite taken by how good looking they both are, but both proved to be extremely talented musicians. Kevin plays a ton of instruments. He played the drums, he played the keys, the bass, the guitar, synth, some weird computer stuff and so on, as well as vocals (lead and back up). Anita pretty much stuck to her guitar, which she really rocks on.  She's great as a lead and a rhythm guitar player.

This song is definitely my favorite of theirs. It's beautifully dark and mysterious. It's grungy, but fresh and new. The vocals are clear and gorgeous, accompanied by raw, distorted guitars, keys and drums. Symbols crash with epic sound, allowing for such a slow song to move along at the perfect pace and rhythm. The whole thing reminds me of a rainy day. It feels sort of sad, but comforting at the same time.

"night by night" - Chromeo

Immediately upon hearing the intro, heavily laden with key-tars, synth and slap bass, I knew I was in for a good time. Electronic drums pound in the background, while cheesy guitar riffs accompany the sound of a talk-box (a device used to make a person's voice robotic). I wasn't sure what to do with myself. I felt as if I should be slam dancing, wearing sunglasses at night, or possibly dancing on the ceiling with a Caribbean queen. I wanted to party All Night Long. The track is the ultimate homage to 80's dance music, that I did indeed find myself dancing like a Maniac in my living room (cut me some slack, I'm home alone).

Mid song, the song breaks into a total 80's meltdown. First, the guitar wails into a solo that can only make one think of Eddie Van Halen's solo for Michael Jackson's Beat It. Before the guitar even finishes, the key-tar interrupts with phenomenal force. The keys clang with electronic precision, and remind me of Michael Sembello's Maniac, only, if possible, with more cheese!

Chromeo came to me per recommendation of my friend Evan (a fellow music addict). Evan, as usual, you did not steer me wrong. This song is a gem! I love it. It's fun, it's totally ironic, and definitely usable for house parties, nights out at the bar, or just for a quick energy boost.

Radioactive - Kings of Leon

So, the Kings of Leon have a new single, which I heard today, and a forth coming album this fall. Having been a fan of the Kings of Leon for years, I am weary of how the new release will sound, given all of the success they achieved through Only By The Night. Of course, to date, I have enjoyed all of their albums, and have embraced all of the sound changes the band has had. Often times though, when a band has a smash hit, the artists will adapt their sound to be more like the major hit in order to continue moving massive quantities of records. This happens frequently, and my favorite example is the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who had huge success with Under the Bridge, and have continued pumping out poor quality ballads ever since. Under the Bridge is a great song, but it's not the sound the band always did well (that sound is funk), which is why the attempts at recreating this sound have been less enjoyable for a "true" Chili Peppers fan (however,the songs sell massive amounts of records, and bring in loads of money for the band).  Bands that fall victim to this are known as "sell-outs", and there's nothing a true fan hates more than a sell-out.
My fear is that the Kings of Leon will become sell-outs, and try to recreate Sex on Fire, or Use Somebody throughout the entire new album. Both tracks are great, but it's nice to see a band grow and develop, as the Kings of Leon have done on all of their records. With this in mind, I approached the latest single (Radioactive) with caution.

Immediately, the track begins with a great rhythm guitar riff. The riff is almost more like a bass line than anything. A higher pitch, lead guitar starts in soon after, and the song is off to a great start. The sound is not at all a sell out. It's very much the Kings of Leon I love.  The deep, single note rhythm guitar, the harmonious lead, the drums carrying the driving tempo are all exactly the way I've enjoyed the band over the past couple albums, only a little different.  The difference is subtle, not so much a change, but a sign of growth, improvement, development. When Caleb Followill begins to sing, I noticed the largest change in the band. I'm not sure how I'm feeling about it at this point, but it seems the recording studio was trying to make him sound Eddie Vedder-ish. I really enjoy Eddie Vedder, and Pearl Jam, but Caleb's voice is his own, and shouldn't be tampered with or encouraged to be anything that he isn't. Granted, it sounds good with the song, I hope the whole album doesn't go in that direction. Even with great music, a change in the singers voice be enough to deem the band a sell-out!

PDA - Interpol

When I first heard this song in 2005, I was convinced that Interpol would be one of the next big bands. Granted, the sound of the band is not what I would call mainstream, the songs possess great sing-a-long ability, and will often pop into the heads of Interpol listeners unannounced at any given time. PDA is by far the greatest example of this, which is why I found myself cranking the volume knob far to the right, nodding my head to the rhythm best I could, and singing at the top of my lungs. Even through the cracking of my voice, the enjoyment of the song was not lost for my wife, who happened to be sitting beside me in the car, nodding her head as well.
The breakdown, towards the end of the track, is definitely my favorite part of the song. There's an airy quality to it that creates a lonely, almost haunting feeling. The vocals echo subtly, as if Paul Banks (the vocalist) is singing in an empty vault.  Meanwhile, the guitar seamlessly plays a revolving, trance-like chord progression that pulls the listener in by the ear and wipes the mind clear of all thoughts that do not pertain to the song at hand.
Today, in the middle of this very breakdown, my mind about to be completely tuned out from the world, I found myself thinking, "Shit. I'm driving, and this song's about to put me in a trance!"

My Blog

So, you've come to check out my blog! Though it is titled song of the day, that does not necessarily mean it will be my favorite song of the day, or even a song I enjoyed. No. This blog will simply be my opinion, or reaction to the song I felt strongest about that I happened to hear that given day. Maybe I love the song, maybe I hate it, or maybe it resurrected memories from long ago and you end up reading my nostalgic spew.

Welcome!