My CD Collection: Part 1

I'm doing a video series showing you my large CD collection. This might go over 20 videos! If you're interested in what my collection contains, then please watch and subscribe to my channel :)

A Tribute to Jeff Buckley

Technical ability in the music world can only take you to a certain point before something unexplainable from outside the four walls of a practice room, or perhaps from deep within the musician occupying the room, has to take over and lead you the rest of the way. You can call it “soul” or “spirit”, or maybe it’s something otherworldly that inspires the artist. Whatever it might be, this force coupled with outstanding technique is what truly great musicians are made of. This force guides the fingers across the fretboard, tugs at the vocal cords, and controls every musical step of the artist. Jeff Buckley, I believe, is unquestionably one of those artists who was in complete control of this force.

OFWGKTA-The OF Tape Vol. 2 ALBUM REVIEW

Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (shortened to the convenient but awkward abbreviation OFWGKTA) over the last few years alone have earned themselves a substantial fanbase who adores them with the feverish devotion one would have for their firstborn child. Conversely, they’ve also garnered quite a bit of flak from critics and fans alike who knock them for their lack of street cred, uninspired lyrics on behalf of some members, and lack of perceived quality, and the criticism has indeed been harsh. While Odd Future certainly isn’t the best that hip-hop has to offer in today’s musical landscape, one cannot deny their honesty and passion for what they do. Especially if one lands within the late-teens/early-twenties age bracket that the group’s members also find themselves in, you can’t help but want to support them, be in the room with them recording, and be part of what they’re doing. Odd Future may not feature the best rappers alive by any means, but they’re seriously reminiscent of the guys that some of you probably hung out with in high school, and with that comes the group’s charm. Their realness comes with that as well, not by the collective amount of people that they’ve capped.

Commercial Radio: STOP LISTENING

Commercial radio is pretty much irrelevant in the world today because of how readily new music can be found on that cool new place called the interweb (or is it the webbernet? I can't remember what it's called) and now people can easily bypass annoying songs they don't like by simply plugging in their iPods into their cars and and setting them to shuffle mode, and in the case of my iPod, that's over 6,000 songs resulting in the best radio station in the fucking world with no chance of hearing another Rise Against song - and no commercials! Besides the commercials, another common complaint about modern radio is a lack of sonic variety. On top-40 pop radio, this is unavoidable. I've been in the unfortunate position of being in a car with a mainstream friend with the radio set to the pop station and having to listen to the same songs being played every hour, and some twice in one hour. I'd rather have someone pour a bucket of bat guano all over me than go through that miserable experience again.

Tyler, the Creator-Wolf ALBUM REVIEW

   After the release of Domo 23 as a single, I'll readily admit that my anticipation for Tyler's third and latest album, Wolf, was dampened quite a bit, and that was mainly because of the song's dull subject matter. His breakthrough album Goblin dealed with Tyler's anxiety associated with becoming a famous rapper as he spits his bile to his therapist, Dr. TC. Listening to Tyler's rants could get a little tiring for some, but the character he played on that album was honestly interesting and wholly convincing, at least to me. Even when he was merely addressing negative blog posts, I could feel a little bad for him, and this was especially the case when he talked about missing his brother Earl and his fractured relationship with his mom. Tyler's stratospheric level of pain was and anger was palpable, and that made Goblin compelling listen from start to finish.

CLASSICS: Tool-AEnima ALBUM REVIEW

Tool is the one band I have the most respect for over any other band, even more than my favorites like Judas Priest and Opeth. Why? Because the band, against all odds, broke into the mainstream playing 7 minute progressive metal songs which were mostly unedited on the radio and they became hits - big hits. Throughout the years they have refused to water down or pop up their signature style, and despite that, their songs continue to top the rock charts and their album sell into the millions. They pack arenas to this day (when they came to my city in 2007 they sold out our arena two nights in a row) and only need to put out an album every 5 years thanks to the phone book sized royalty statements they receive on a monthly basis thanks to the fact that their music is gratuitously played on rock and alternative radio all over the world. So how can a band that plays music that sounds like this play bigger venues and make more money than all those cookie-cutter radio rock bands like Hinder and Shinedown who have a much more accessible and appealing sound? The world may never know.

CLASSICS: Radiohead-OK Computer: ALBUM REVIEW

   I don't even know where to begin with this album other than stating that it is without question my favorite album of all time, and will probably remain in that spot for the foreseeable future. It is simply perfection. I'd even go far enough to say that it is the greatest album of my generation (some would say "What about Nevermind?!" I wasn't even fucking conceived when that album came out so, obviously, that album doesn't count.) It is a feat of songwriting and minimalistic art-rock beauty. For me personally, this album is almost inexplicable, it's just hard to comprehend making it difficult to explain. Why it's my favorite album, how I've felt listening to it, the album's style, it's all difficult to put into words, but shit, I'm gonna give it my best attempt

CLASSICS: Gorillaz-Demon Days: ALBUM REVIEW

  

   Broadening your musical tastes can often times be very rewarding, after all, it implies finding enjoyment in areas of the musical spectrum that you previously wouldn't have given the time of day to. I experienced this with hip-hop, indie rock, and this gem, a mixture of the two.