Music
The Current Decline of High Fidelity Sound
I recently read a Rolling Stone article about The Death of High Fidelity by Robert Levine. In the article he talks about how we are losing appreciation for high fidelity sound due to the popularity of MP3s. There is also mention of how one should be cautious of buying recently remastered music as some of the audio engineers are tweaking the sound so that it sounds louder and has more punch when compressed in MP3 format. The article is worth reading.
I admit that I have a lot of my music compressed to MP3 due to convenience of portability but have always been a purist at heart. I still enjoy being able to listen to the uncompressed version on high fidelity equipment. Even better if you are listening to SACD and/or DVD-Audio quality sound.
I hope that the compression trend will change in years to come as the price of storage technology goes down so that home media servers as well as portable devices will be able to store more uncompressed audio. I would rather see the appreciation of high fidelity sound reclaimed rather than lost.
Feist: The Reminder
© Feist: The Reminder
Track List
- So Sorry
- I Feel It All
- My Moon My Man
- The Park
- The Water
- Sea Lion Woman
- Past In Present
- Limit To Your Love
- 1 2 3 4
- Brandy Alexander
- Intuition
- Honey Honey
- How My Heart Behaves
Genre
Alternative
Description
Her third solo album is already up for several Grammy nominations. The song “1 2 3 4″ is currently a radio hit but I find “I Feel It All” and especially “Past In Present” to be my favorites. “Brandy Alexander” is amusing. Great album and great voice. Definitely something to add to your collection.
“1 2 3 4″ Music Video
Amusing music video to a popular song:
Billy Idol: Devil’s Playground
© Billy Idol: Devil’s Playground
Track List
- Super Overdrive
- World Comin’ Down
- Rat Race
- Sherri
- Plastic Jesus
- Scream
- Yellin’ At The Xmas Tree
- Romeo’s Waiting
- Body Snatcher
- Evil Eye
- Lady Do Or Die
- Cherie
- Summer Running
Genre
Rock
Description
I am sure I’ll get some flak for writing about this album but there are some decent songs on this album. I’m not claiming it has a lot of lasting qualities but “Rat Race”, “Scream”, “Evil Eye”, and “Body Snatcher” are catchy. “Yellin’ At The Xmas Tree” is lyrically amusing. I suggest playing the song while hanging out with the family this holiday season and watching their reactions. Anyway, it seems the old rebel still has some kick to him.
“Rat Race” Music Video
The following, while only a still image, samples a song from the album:
The Shins: Wincing the Night Away
© The Shins: Wincing the Night Away
Track List
- Sleeping Lessons
- Australia
- Pam Berry
- Phantom Limb
- Sea Legs
- Red Rabbits
- Turn On Me
- Black Wave
- Split Needles
- Girl Sailor
- A Comet Appears
Genre
Alternative/Punk
Description
Each new release by The Shins just keeps getting better and better. This is their third album and it definitely doesn’t disappoint. I really like the opening song “Sleeping Lessons”. Also, make sure to check out “Australia” and the best song on the album: “Sea Legs”.
“Sleeping Lessons” Music Video
The following is a live performance:
The Shins: Chutes Too Narrow
© The Shins: Chutes Too Narrow
Track List
- Kissing The Lipless
- Mine’s Not A High Horse
- So Says I
- Young Pilgrims
- Saint Simon
- Fighting In A Sack
- Pink Bullets
- Turn A Square
- Gone For Good
- Those To Come
Genre
Alternative/Punk
Description
This is the second album produced by The Shins. Every song on this album is amazing except “Gone For Good” which, for some reason, goes country.
“Pink Bullets” Music Video
The following is a music video of one of the slower songs on the album. I like the stop motion used in the video:
The Shins: Oh, Inverted World
© The Shins: Oh, Inverted World
Track List
- Caring Is Creepy
- One By One All Day
- Weird Divide
- Know Your Onion!
- Girl Inform Me
- New Slang
- The Celibate Life
- Girl On The Wing
- Your Algebra
- Pressed In A Book
- The Past And Pending
Genre
Alternative/Punk
Description
The Shins debut album. The song “New Slang” was featured in the Garden State movie where Sam says to Andrew: “You gotta hear this one song - it’ll change your life.” Well, I suppose she is right as it definitely got me hooked on a new band.
“New Slang” Music Video
As mentioned above, here is a music video to the song with clips from the Garden State movie:
Metroid Metal
© Metroid Metal
For those that are fans of the Metroid game series, you might want to check out some really good metal renditions of the class tunes from Metroid, Super Metroid, and the Metroid Prime soundtracks. You can download the songs for free from Metroid Metal but you might consider sending in a donation for the excellent work done on these songs. I, for one, am going to get the CD. I still have fond memories of the days I used to play these great games.
Thanks, George, for the tip.
Type O Negative: Dead Again
© Type O Negative: Dead Again
Track List
- Dead Again
- Tripping A Blind Man
- The Profit Of Doom
- September Sun
- Halloween In Heaven
- These Three Things
- She Burned Me Down
- Some Stupid Tomorrow
- An Ode To Locksmiths
- Hail And Farewell To Britain
Genre
Gothic/Metal
Description
I do not know of any better bands than Type O Negative when it comes to gothic music. The combination of keyboards (organs), heavy and low bass guitars, and Peter Steele’s low, vampiric, voice just makes it all work. That being said, this latest album release is mediocre compared to previously releases. The album meanders all over the place with long songs that probably should have been broken into separate pieces. The song “September Sun”, despite being one of my favorites, is a great example of a song unfocused. “Dead Again”, “Hail and Farewell to Britain” are songs worth checking out. “The Profit of Doom” is not bad either. All-in-all, this is an average release from a band that has done better.
I suggest you check out the album October Rust if you want to check out the best of what the band has to offer. Life is Killing Me is another great album that comes in second place to October Rust if you haven’t bought them already.
“Profit of Doom” Music Video
The following music will give you a taste of the band and their latest music:
Nine Inch Nails: Year Zero
Track List
- HYPERPOWER!
- The Beginning of the End
- Survivalism
- The Good Soldier
- Vessel
- Me, I’m Not
- Capital G
- My Violent Heart
- The Warning
- God Given
- Meet Your Master
- The Greater Good
- The Great Destroyer
- Another Version Of The Truth
- In This Twilight
- Zero-Sum
Genre
Industrial
Description
Nine Inch Nails’ latest album, Year Zero, does not disappoint. It is much more raw than their last couple of albums and a welcome change in my opinion. It is also a politically charged album with a bunch of references to our current president and the war in Iraq. I particularly love the beginning of the album with the energetic “HYPERPOWER!” and “The Beginning of the End”. The rest of the album is just as good as the start with a few misses here and there. “Capital G” and “God Given” are great songs to check out. Finally, the ending of the album is perfect with the much slower “In This Twilight” and “Zero-Sum” songs.
“Survivalism” Music Video
Well, it is more audio than it is video but it’ll give you a taste.
“In This Twilight” Music Video
This song is one of my personal favorites. The music video is not an official Nine Inch Nails music video but the images (some taken from War of the Worlds) is quite powerful and rather fitting for this song:
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