Mark Linkous, Sparklehorse leader, commits suicide, leaves musical legacy
Mark Linkous, leader of rock group Sparklehorse, committed suicide yesterday in Knoxville, Tenn. He leaves a musical legacy that spans four full-length albums as Sparklehorse and two in collaboration with Danger Mouse and Fennesz. Linkous also worked as a producer, notably with outsider music favorite Daniel Johnston. Share your thoughts on the death of Linkous below.
By Matthew Montgomery 
Mar 07, 2010 
News, Playlists, Video 
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PLAYLIST: Music, working combine for entertainment, productivity
Few things change your working environment more than good music. In my experience, music is often an essential part of work, whether I’m working on some routine data entry, trying to plow through that last line of code, or getting a last-minute news feature ready for publication. Here’s a short list of some of my favorites.
Pavement – “Spit on a Stranger”
When I’m working, I need something that will capture my attention but not demand it — Pavement’s “Spit on a Stranger” somehow hits on the right side of the line: It’s something rare. A catchy melody and evocative guitar work define this song, and over the past few days of working, I’ve not been able to turn it off.
Tags: fusion jazz, indie rock, pop-rock, shoegaze
By Matthew Montgomery Mar 07, 2010 Playlists Comments (0)
David Lynch, Danger Mouse, Sparklehorse project rumored for summer release
Dark Night of the Soul is an album written by Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse that was planned for release with a book of photos by David Lynch. The book of photos was released in early 2009. Due to disputes with the record label, though, the album was not released with the book of photos — instead a blank CD-R labeled: “For legal reasons, enclosed CD-R contains no music. Use it as you will.”
The album is now rumored for release for Summer 2010. From what we’ve heard of the album so far, this is nothing like the Broken Bells collaboration of Danger Mouse and James Mercer. It has a dark, surreal feeling — full of complex layers of mind-bending sounds and faraway vocals, all quite fitting for a David Lynch art project.
The album features a wide range of artists, including James Mercer, The Flaming Lips, Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals, Jason Lytle of Grandaddy, Julian Casablancas of The Strokes, Frank Black of the Pixies, Iggy Pop, Nina Persson of The Cardigans, Suzanne Vega, Vic Chesnutt, David Lynch, Scott Spillane of Neutral Milk Hotel and The Gerbils. (NPR)
The book, Dark Night of the Soul is available for purchase on their official website, www.dnots.com. You can also listen to the entire album at NPR.org/music.
By Scott Mathews Mar 06, 2010 News, Playlists, Video Comments (0)
Koji Kondo’s Ocarina of Time breaks from video game soundtrack mold
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was an industry changing video game released on the Nintendo 64 in 1998, and with it, it brought in a wave of 3D action adventure games. Since its release, Ocarina of Time has been praised for its ability to work new aspects into a beloved franchise — by changing from a top-down adventure to a fully 3D environment while staying true to the core gameplay.
Not only has it remained in gamers’ hearts for the last 12 years, but the music is still one of the most popular video game scores ever released. Koji Kondo has composed some of the most recognizable video game music, including every game in the Legend of Zelda series as well as every Super Mario game released to date. The game is notable as being one of the first games to incorporate music as a main function without being a rhythm or beat game.
Tags: video game, zelda
By Jared Montgomery Feb 27, 2010 Video, Video Game Music Comments (0)
Green Day’s ‘Warning’ an album screaming political transition
Warning
Green Day is an influential and largely controversial punk-influenced rock band that came out of the punk/ska scene of Berkley, Calif., in 1987. The evolution of their albums suggests a move from self-involvement, indulgence, and youthful unrest to a higher, more universal, and more political purpose. Warning, released in 2000, is a pivitol album on the road to later, more politically charged, albums. It mixes angst, sex, and social commentary and is their most musically eclectic album to date. Their political voice is more honed and relevant with every album — everything about Warning screams transition. The band is made up of three extremely talented men, and the music is only getting better as they get more popular, more visible, and more political.
The first and title track addresses a society that is concerned with their safety and taking great measures to ensure it:
“Better homes and safety-sealed communities
Did you remember to pay the utility?
Caution: Police line, you better not cross.
Is it the cop, or am I the one thats really dangerous?
Sanitation, expiration date, question everything.
Or shut up and be a victim of authority”
Tags: alt-rock, pop-punk, punk rock
By Niall Hodges-Burns Feb 25, 2010 Album Reviews, Features Comments (0)
The music of “Chrono Trigger” continues to evolve after 15 years
Box Art from the SNES game "Chrono Trigger"
Since “Chrono Trigger” was released in 1995, it has been widely regarded as having one of the best soundtracks on a video game. It helped spur the scene of video game music remixes and has had many iterations over the years. The soundtrack by Yasunori Mitsuda, originally in just 16-bit audio, still contends with full orchestral music heard in today’s games and has a large cult following in the video game scene.
One of the most notable renditions on the soundtrack is the acid jazz album Chrono Trigger Arranged Version: The Brink of Time. The album was released just over three months after the game and features ten remade tracks. Initially, the album had very mixed reviews with critics claiming to either love it or hate it. Personally, I enjoyed this acid jazz arrangement of the soundtrack quite a bit. It has all the workings of an enjoyable acid jazz album mixed with memorable songs that incite great memories. The choice of acid jazz seems like an obvious one simply because the sounds used, if not emulate, at least do justice to the original 16-bit sounds.
Yasunori Mitsuda arr. DJ Ali Haeri – “Kingdom Trial” remixed with “1, 2 Step” by Ciara feat. Missy Elliott from Chrono Trigger Mixtape, Vol. 1
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Yasunori Mitsuda arr. DJ Ali Haeri – “Underground Sewer” from Chrono Trigger Mixtape, Vol. 1
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Yasunori Mitsuda arr. Daniel Floyd – “Morning Sunlight” from Chrono Symphonic (2005)
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Tags: acid jazz, hip-hop, symphonic, video game
By Jared Montgomery Feb 20, 2010 Downloads, Features, Video Game Music Comment (1)
Music Geek: Woody Allen’s Manhattan and Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” combine for engaging musical perspective
That famed, prolific director Woody Allen — the auteur behind greats like Annie Hall, Interiors, and, of course, the subject at hand, 1979’s Manhattan, the three of which were released over a three-year period from 1977 to 1979 — has always displayed a penchant for musical ingenuity.
So when the black-and-white, self-affirming Manhattan opens with George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” a musical masterpiece said by some to be a portrait or tribute to New York City, we aren’t really surprised. When Allen, with his wry wit and self-deprecating demeanor, juxtapositions his opening narration, a stop-start, neurotic monologue serving as the opening to the equally neurotic Isaac Davis, even obliquely mentioning Gershwin, we’re given a distinct image of the film to come.
By Matthew Montgomery Feb 19, 2010 "Music Geek" by Matthew Montgomery, MovieGeek, Music and Film Comments (0)
PLAYLIST: Having trouble waking up? Try our energetic playlist!
Do you have trouble waking up? I do. Of the many strategies I’ve tried for waking up at a proper time — some more successful than others — one of the most successful, aside from having cold water unexpectedly sprayed on me, has been finding a few catchy, exciting pop songs to jolt me into normal life. In no particular order, here are seven of my favorite songs that help speed my waking process.
Radiohead – “No Surprises”
A veritable classic of our time, “No Surprises” floats you into a waking state with a staccato bell-like guitar introduction. There’s a reason it’s one of the most recognizable introductions in modern rock music, and when I’m waking up, I always find it important to listen to something at least vaguely recognizable. I hate being startled into my day.
Arcade Fire – “Wake Up”
Is this one too oblique? Maybe, but it’s still a damn good song to hear as you drift back into consciousness. There’s something about the driving guitar, the faux-choral arrangement, that blanket of warm distortion. Give this a whirl in your wake-up routine, and I’m sure you’ll notice a certain hopefulness pervade through your day.
Tags: indie pop, indie rock, power pop, twee pop
By Matthew Montgomery Feb 17, 2010 Playlists, Video Comments (0)
