Where the food sounds good, and the music is pretty tasty too.
The band Wild Vibes just sent me notification of their latest, a Ani Simon-Kennedy directed video to their upbeat, and eerily accurate depiction of my life, song “Molly.” It will grab you by the shoulders and shake you out of whatever rut you may find yourself, if not, so sorry. Check out the rest of their Zolpidem Lovesick LP at bandcamp. Peace.
What I love most about writing a music blog is the constant discoveries I unearth. The scenario this weekend: Internet + Beer + Insomnia = the discovery of several bands and artists I’ll Continue reading “Cursive – The Recluse”
You don’t need me to tell you Bear Hands is an excellent band, such things you already know. But for those skeptics a listen is remedy enough to poke a hole in their haterade filled cups. I’m posting Continue reading “Bear Hands – High Society”
The beautiful song “Devil’s Work” by Miike Snow conjures up grand sweeping vistas stretching from one end of one’s limitless soul and beyond. Close your eyes and inhale this Continue reading “Miike Snow – Devil’s Work”
Recently I had the great pleasure of interviewing Bushwick, New York native Sara Kermanshahi of the band Natureboy. And if you haven’t listened to her latest self-titled release Natureboy, you’re missing out. Her songs are infectious acoustic odes laden with degrees of tenderness, fragility and longing. Her guitar playing is sedate and mellifluous, punctuated with a potency both endearing and captivating. Sara’s songs when played draw you closer; unconsciously you lean into them just to catch hints of their glowing warmth.
d. durand: I’ve been checking up on you Sara and I know you are a first generation Iranian-American born and bred in the great state of Washington. A Seattleite. Tell me about what it was like growing up in Seattle.
Sara: Seattle was good for the most part. Gray and rainy as well. Made some friends, started a band, went through teenage angst, pretty much like everywhere else.
d. durand: Growing up in Seattle obviously there is a lot of history as far as bands go, any musical influences aside from Nirvana?
Sara: Oh yeah, but Nirvana really turned my head around and made me like good music. Growing up I listened to a lot of Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Radiohead, Modest Mouse, My Bloody Valentine, PJ Harvey, The Cure etc….
d. durand: Ok, an odd question. If you could be a Nirvana song which one would it be, and why?
Sara: That IS an odd question! Probably “Negative Creep.” It says it all in the title.
d. durand: Being a first generation Iranian-American how does your heritage influence you approach to songwriting, or not?
Sara: It doesn’t really. I’m still lost on my approach to songwriting. I don’t have a certain method or technique to writing. I know I have to be inspired, if I’m not inspired then its all shit.
d. durand: Do you come from a musical family?
Sara: Not that I know of, my parents were artists when they were young, mostly painting.
d. durand: What music was you exposed to while growing up before you developed your own musical taste?
Sara: Well, there was a lot of Persian music around and I did take a liking to it, would sing some songs in Farsi. But I never really got into it. So American radio was my thing until I could buy CD’s.
d. durand: How did your family react to your decision to pursue music as a career?
Sara: Sure they have their worries but they have been very supportive. They really want me to do what makes me happy. They’d do and have done anything they can to help me.
d. durand: Is it me or do I hear a bit of the Middle Eastern time signatures, especially the phrasing typically associated with the sitar. Is that a conscious thing or totally subconscious?
Sara: Totally subconscious. I don’t even think about time signatures when I’m writing. It just comes out naturally.
Continue reading “Our First Interview: Natureboy’s Sara Kermanshahi”
Kicking off the weekend with something stellar and ultra sick! We got Diplo on the virtual wheels of steel and you’re going to love it. On this collaboration Diplo has teamed up with Oliver Twizt and the results are out there somewhere in the Andromeda Galaxy. Listen to the track “GO” and prepare to have you mind twisted into a pretzel. Can your feet keep up with this? Doubtful. Peace.
Michigan is a pretty fly state and we produce! Don’t believe me? I’m not just talking about automobiles and the Great Lakes either. We produce music: Sufjan Stevens, Continue reading “DJ White Shadow – I’m Killing Me”
Who said models were all beauty and no brains? For the record, not me. Take the beautiful model Catherina Gallegos Continue reading “The Other Guys – The Geeks Shall Inherit The Earth”
Recently, a good friend of mine told me, “Keep doing what you’re doing, your strength is in your musical diversity.” To me her words spoke volumes, and it makes me hungrier and more determined to keep toiling away at this blog and getting the music out there, because in my mind genres are meaningless. Good music stands on it’s own two feet. Now, back to the music. Continue reading “Dolorean – Black Hills Gold”
Have a Holly Jolly Christmas? Bah Humbug! Well, we sincerely hope you can scrounge up some meager measure of joy to get you in the spirit of the season. If not you aren’t alone by far. Continue reading “Diamond Rugs – Christmas in a Chinese Restaurant”