Hi, my name is Oded and I was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to try and contribute a little bit to Music is Art (I usually blog on Laughing Evergreens). I must admit, it was hard for me to get the idea for this first post. I was at a loss at first.

So I took my iPod and went outside to sit in the sun for a few minutes, listening. And then it finally struck me – trying too hard has dulled my senses and feeling. I cranked up the volume and listened, really listened – and ended up finding my muse right where it all began, where it always begins for me – music (Note to self: when in doubt, trust in the music).

And I trust Amit Erez, a young indie singer-songwriter who follows the musical footsteps of Elliott Smith, and his music. Shy and introvert behind the scenes, he channels his soul in lyrics and melody on stage, remaining true to himself.

I wanted to insert a video of Amit Erez performing an instrumental version of a new song from his coming album (a beautiful piece that can stand on its own as a pseudo-classical work), but WordPress still baffles me. Perhaps another time. Till then, you can watch it here.

L I S T E N:
Amit Erez – Falling Trees (Live) (from Conquered by Rain)

Brighton’s Natasha Khan of Bat for Lashes releases her sophmore album, Two Suns on April 6, 2009.  With help from special guests including Scott Walker, Yeasayer and her destructive alter ego, Pearl, Bat for Lashes’ sound provides a heart-wrenching experiment of vivid imagery, intimate lyrics, cascading keys, heavy percussion and restless beats. Dedicated to the follow up to 2006′s Fur & Gold,  Two Suns is personally described best as “a record of modern-day fables exploring dualities on a number of levels – two lovers, two planets, two sides of a personality,”  and with a deep philosophy based on “the self and duality, examining the need for both chaos and balance, for both love and pain, in addition to touching on metaphysical ideas concerning the connections between all existence.”

L I S T E N

Daniel
[Two Suns, 2009]

Sweet Dreams

What’s a Girl to Do?

[From the BBC Radio One Live Lounge, a single from Fur & Gold, and a cover of the Eurythmics]

A R T W O R K
Karolina Partyka

be the change you want to see.

coping with fear by broken family band

there goes the fear by doves

now there’s that fear again by mum

of fear and wonder by my brightest diamond

creature fear [daytrotter session] by bon iver

[don't fear] the reaper by blue oyster cult

fearless by pink floyd

A R T W O R K ainoha

last week, victoria’s secret celebrated the return of their annual fashion show.  almost like a holiday tradition, like watching the macy’s day parade or rudoloph the red-nosed reindeer, the victoria’s secret fashion show has become not like just any ordinary runway extravaganza. lingerie is selected from the eclectic collection and each piece is artistically adorned in thousands of hand-designed crystals, diamonds, feathers, ribbons, patterns that create a colorful and theatrical moving image within the glamorous backdrop of visual art, to the sound of eclectically remixed and live performed music.

featured music from the fashion show is driven by chosen live performers, selected by dj jeremy healy, victoria’s secret’s musical director and co-producer for many of the remixes played during the event. songs come alive and compliment each doll-like movement of the many models who smile throughout the different themes, attributing so much personal detail to the actual live runway show. although no soundtrack has been made exclusively available, please find below a sampled musical memory.

that’s not my name
by the ting tings [vs remix, 2008]

when you were young
by the killers [vs remix, 2006]

drop it like its hot/plaine, ma plaine
by snoop dogg/pharrell vs paul mauriat [vs remix, 2005]

amazing
by seal [vs remix, 2007]

i shot you down
by audio bullys vs nancy sinatra [vs remix, 2005]

beware of the dog/personal jesus
by jamelia vs depeche mode [vs remix, 2005]

last monday evening inside los angeles’ hollywood bowl, radiohead‘s thom yorke and jonny greenwood acoustically performed live tell me why, a cover from neil young’s classic 1970 album “after the gold rush”. previously over the years, radiohead has enjoyed covering other neil young work such as on the beach (acoustically in 2003 on british radio), cinammon girl (live in paris, france in 2001) and after the gold rush (from thom’s 2002 bridge school benefit show on neil’s very own piano.)

standing up at the top of the hill, looking down upon radiohead, the amazing set with these daggers of light that created their very own design and color with each different song. complimentary in rainbow shades of blood red, hazy purple, velvet green, the highlighted stage together created almost the religious look of a church with its v-shaped effect of three chandeliers that reflected lights of burning candles, above its black shadow of an invisible choir that turned into demon like ghosts that seemed to crowd around all together as if they were they there to watch over us, the band and everything else. the dirty guitars twisted and turned into brand new directions progressing into comforting levels that seemed perfectly fitting to thom’s angelic vocals that radiated more and more further into the show. the audience’s reactions seemed to only be able to just laugh at how good the performance was and at times, it seemed the only thing we could do was close our eyes and lock it in deep inside for ourselves. those in different parts of the venue had their very own wonderful visual perceptions but from my own personal view, in the middle of 20000 people, singing along to every single radiohead word for two hours, it was evident we all were there for the same reasons and had something in common.

radiohead // comcast center // mansfield, ma
august 13, 2008 thankyou to atease.

highlights included all i need in its red entirety, the fast intensity of the national anthem, the hand claps in everything in its right place, the way the crowd uninhibitedly sang in karma police “for a minute there, i lost myself, i lost myself”, the purple and green static electricity strobe lights used for the gloaming, thom and johnny performing faust arp acoustically and after encore 2, thom walking onto the stage alone and playing the eraser’s cymbal rush silently on the piano.

Setlist:
01. Reckoner
02. Optimistic
03. There There
04. 15 Step
05. Kid A
06. Nude
07. All I Need
08. The Gloaming
09. The National Anthem
10. Videotape
11. Jigsaw Falling Into Place
12. The Bends
13. Faust Arp
14. Weird Fishes/ Arpeggi
15. Everything In Its Right Place
16. Exit Music
17. Bodysnatchers

Encore 1
18. House of Cards
19. I Might Be Wrong
20. Paranoid Android
21. A Wolf At The Door
22. How To Disappear Completely

Encore 2:
23. Cymbal Rush
24. Karma Police
25. Idioteque

:: download the zip ::

images thankyou to cole kinser
recording thankyou to sensitiveeyes of ateaseweb

[on june 06, 2006, this radiohead post was created about the bank of boston pavillion show. now two years later, in honor of my excited anticipation of being able to attend the in rainbows tour this evening with my friends, it feels important to relive my adoration, words and the beauty of taking it all in, listening to the live music all over again. the tracks below especially stand out even more, as they showcase the new songs in a completely different light and yet still within my heart, my feelings for radiohead are just as pure as they were when this was officially written and will forever remain the same.]

my friend petrina called yesterday from boston to let me know she went through a life changing experience. she was afraid to tell me. afterall, she just saw radiohead.

in awe, petrina explained how amazing it was to go from sitting in her bedroom listening and obsessing over kid a, ok computer and to be there spontaneously that sunday night seeing and hearing them perform live in front of her. with no hesitation the reviews were in reminding that the whole show went perfect.. thom was in a great mood, making jokes, dancing and the band was right on. some fans say the june 4, 2006 boston show is one of the best so far of this summer’s tour.

back when tickets went on sale for the boston and nyc radiohead shows as well as tool, i tried so hard for tickets and had no luck, it was rather traumatic. its always been such a pleasure going to see one of my very favorite bands perform. to be apart of something special that doesnt happen very often and when it does, when every little thing about the lights, the sounds, the people, the feelings around me come together… i live off of that. there is nothing like it, comfortably surreal.. i get emotionally inspired, visually motivated and always want more.

so for today anyways, im reliving the experience vicariously through my friends. there is always a warmth in boston when radiohead performs. even though you have those who may not get it, there truly are the ones that do. you can feel them inside this show and i know, with all my heart, i truly wish i was there.

radiohead // bank of boston pavillion
june 4, 2006 thankyou to atease.

01 there there * 02 2+2=5 * 03 lucky * 04 15 step * 05 arpeggi * 06 kid A * 07 dollars & cents * 08 the national anthem * 09 nude * 10 videotape * 11 paranoid android * 12 spooks * 13 the gloaming * 14 house of cards * 15 idioteque * 16 bangers & mash * 17 how to disappear completely * 18 airbag * 19 street spirit * 20 bodysnatchers * 21 everything in its right place * 22 4 minute warning * 23 my iron lung * 24 karma police

since their breakup in 1999, the verve reunited last fall to perform the thaw sessions on nme.com. displayed as fourteen minutes of sheer unrehearsed brilliance, the band’s jam created the essence of wandering back in time to their hypnotic past and easily getting lost in their sound. recently, the verve performed at coachella, highlighting with memories of bittersweet symphony and tempting the audience with a few new unreleased songs to enjoy.

recorded in 1997, the verve performed live for the black sessions in paris, france, presenting a powerful collection of eight songs shared inbetween the albums urban hymns and a northern soul.

01. a northern soul
02. this is music
03. the drugs don’t work
04. life’s an ocean
05. bittersweet symphony
06. lucky man
07. history
08. come on

::download the zip::

artwork by cheri nelson

the national is one of those bands that may take some time to listen to. it comes in slow doses, categories of so-called emotion seeking, trying to decipher something that triggers deep inside, that must be found somewhere else visually in the music. after a few sessions, the feeling develops into an ongoing story, as if you’re sitting on a train with a soundtrack set to the cast of a melancholy city and the rest-assured personality that carefully follows along.

dj bernard lenoir has organized the black sessions on france radio inter for many years. referred to as the french john peel, lenoir discovered many amazing underground english and french artists, influencing their musical career and success.

back in 2003, the national’s sophmore album “sad songs for dirty lovers” became lenoir’s favorite album of the year and he invited the cincinatti band several times to play his acclaimed live sessions.

black session // 11.17.03
a collection of material from the national’s self-titled debut, cherry tree ep and the album sad songs for dirty lovers.

son
thirsty
slipping husband
all the wine
cold girl fever
murder me rachael
90-mile water wall
lit up
pretty forever
cherry tree
available
about today

.download the zip file.

black session // 04.29.05
a collection of material from the national’s cherry tree ep and their third album alligator.

all the wine
secret meeting
driver surprise me
lit up
cherry tree
baby, we’ll be fine
geese
city middle
looking for astronauts
mr november
daughters of the soho riots
abel
wasp nest

.download the zip file.

“Pop Art has always been my favorite style. I like how it’s simplistic in a sense but it’s also a way to capture split-second emotions. It’s blatant and there aren’t too many undertones. I also like the feeling of looking through a window of a store or gallery or standing twenty feet away from a painting and being able to see every detail. I think once I started painting all the time, I knew that’s what I wanted to do. I just wanted to be a painter.”

artwork by lucas vidana