Mum's The Word: Mumford & Sons' "The Cave"

First off, allow me to get this off my chest:

I LOVE Mumford & Sons

There's no other way to say it. Their most recent CD, "Sigh No More" is beyond gorgeous. Since they formed in December 2007, the members of Mumford & Sons have shared a common purpose: to make music that matters, without taking themselves too seriously. The members - Marcus Mumford, Country Winston, Ben Lovett, and Ted Dwane - bring their music to us with the passion and pride of an old-fashioned, much-cherished, family business. Their sound is a wonderful mixture of folk and rock, as powerful as Kings of Leon, but as folk-y as Jesca Hoop, and the combination is pure magic.

The album has so much depth to it, ranging from dark, reflective songs like "Thistles and Weeds" and "Little Lion Man," to songs like "Sigh No More" whose lyrics have an almost Shakespeare ring to them, to "Roll Away Your Stone," which nearly sounds like a hoedown about filling one's soul.

But here is the video for one of their most popular songs, "The Cave." In short, I can't recommend these guys enough. Give them a listen!



Mumford and Sons' "The Cave" Rating: 5 Stars

The People I Could Never Pronounce: Bon Iver's "Calgary"

BONE- EE-VAIR. Say it with me.

Yea, that's how you say Bon Iver, I had gone through most of my young life calling him BON-EYE-VER, and now I feel like a stupid American with no grammatical versatility. But beside my failing pronunciation, Bon Iver is a band founded in 2007 by the American indie folk singer-songwriter Justin Vernon. It includes Michael Noyce, Sean Carey, and Matthew McCaughan. Bon Iver had it's first debut album, For Emma, Forever Ago independently in July 2007. The majority of that album was recorded while Vernon spent three months in a remote cabin in Northwestern Wisconsin. I also found out that this is where he created the band's name, Bon Iver, which is derived from the French phrase bon hiver, meaning "good winter". But before you go counting Bon Iver as just a Indie group, think again. Bon Iver has collaborated with Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, Jay Z, and Rick Ross to create the smash hit "Monster."

But aside from their street cred (....I just wanted the excuse to use the words "street cred"), Bon Iver has just released their new CD, Bon Iver (thrillingly creative, right?), but that doesn't mean the tracks aren't. I'm here to rate the track that was also released as a single, "Calgary."

This is the video for Calgary:



This video is odd, but wildly beautiful and visually captivating. In both a good and bad sense, I found myself focusing on it rather than the song melding with what was going on. However, that doesn't stop "Calgary" from being a very "full" track, and by that I means a song where all the components go together so well, creating something cosmic-sounding in the beginning, and building to a reverberating pack of great sounds throughout. Although I think that the song tended to move a little slow and fall a bit flat, it was definitely entertaining.

Another pitfall is that it has a ring of Death Cab For Cutie to it, as does a lot of their music, but I still think that somewhere in the music, Bon Iver finds a way to make it their own with the use of the baritone guitar and their wonderful harmony of voices.

Calgary's Rating: 3.5/5

Jesca Hoop: The Best Folk Singer You've Never Heard Of

So, I remember that one day as I was driving through Bloomington, I was surfing radio stations — because it's apparently my newest hobby. But seriously, finding a new radio station that I like is like finding $20 in my pocket.
But, as I was surfing, I stopped on a song that was a slow but melodic guitar and exuded folk from head to toe. The girl's voice was enchanting, something I hadn't heard in quite a while. Not to mention the lyrics. Here was the small snippet I remembered the whole way home.

"And the shape of home baked bread
And the girl in a turned down bed
And a wick of twisted thread
From the loving words you said."

I found out the song was called "Murder of Birds" and that the singer was a Jesca Hoop, an absolutely gorgeous American singer-songwriter and guitarist from Northern California.

Here's the link to the actual video if you'd like to listen. I must warn you though, he videos are beyond odd in most cases, and this is no exception. If I were you, I'd just listen and try not to get creeped out by the bearded man singing with her (Guy Garvey).



Anyways, after finding Jesca Hoop, I downloaded her album "Hunting My Dress" and had quite a mixed reaction. Her voice was something that took getting used to because of how original it was. But, after a listen or two, it became something really magical.

But, Jecsa just released a new album called "Snowglobe" on April 4.



And after listening to a few of the released tracks, I believe her song "City Bird" from that album deserves my attention. It's video just came out, and is not as frightfully odd as "Murder of Birds," but the melancholy guitar and ethereal voices give the song more than enough chill. Here's the link:



I must say that I do wish she'd pick up the pace at some point, her breakdowns don't make the song anything truly special, but after listening to her other work, I can assure myself that the album has it's pounding tracks to make ones like this all the more golden.




"City Bird" Rating: 3/5

Train: Because the 90's Were Too Good to Stay Put

Aha, first post!

I figured I would start by doing a band not only that I like, but one that I've grown up hearing. They were one of the first bands I remember hearing on the radio and "Drops of Jupiter" was the first song I prayed would come on the radio when my mom and I got in the car.

But enough about my personal connection to this band, there are more than enough facts that prove this band is definitely here for the long haul.




Who Are They?

Train hails from San Francisco, California, formed in 1994. The band is made of of the three original members, Patrick Monahan (vocals), Jimmy Stafford (guitar, vocals) and Scott Underwood (drums, percussion). Following the dissolution of his Led Zeppelin cover band, Monahan left his hometown of Erie, Pennsylvania in late 1993. After moving to California, he met Hotchkiss, who performed in coffee houses and local clubs. The two shared lead vocals, with Hotchkiss on guitar and harmonica, and Monahan playing percussion, including a modified conga attached to a kick-drum pedal. When they decided to form a full band, the duo recruited Jimmy Stafford, on guitar, Charlie Colin on bass, and Scott Underwood on drums, locking Train's lineup in 1994.

Train attempted to get signed under Columbia Records in 1996, but were rejected. Subsequently, the band decided to release its first self-titled CD independently. By 1997, they were touring nationally, opening concerts for bands such as Barenaked Ladies, Hootie & the Blowfish, Cracker and Counting Crows.

Albums:



Train:
Release date: 1998
Memorable Track:

"Meet Virginia" -A bittersweet ballad about the girl every guy is waiting for that earned the band instant popularity. The guitar has such a slight twang that's instantly catchy and endearing. Monahan's voice is something special, flowing just right with Underwood's drum beats and placed cymbal. The guitar really picks up after the second chorus and gives it that 90's feel, but there's something about the way it comes across that makes it such a playlist possibility today.

Others: "Eggplant," "I Am," "If You Leave"



Drops of Jupiter:
Release Date: 2001
Memorable Track:

"Drops of Jupiter" - This track holds the CD's title, and for a good reason. In 2002, "Drops of Jupiter" won Train a Grammy. The song is tied together with an immediately recognizable piano and fascinating lyrics (which were possibly the first to incorporate deep fried chicken into a song and still make sense) that gave reminders of 90's bands like Vertical Horizon, but Monahan gave it a twangy twist that didn't scream country. not a part of this song disappoints, although the same can't be said for the rest of the CD. However, this song gave Train superstar status, and it still makes it's way across airwaves today. In short, if you don't know this song, you don't know Train.

Others: "She's on Fire," "Hopeless," "Mississippi"



My Private Nation:
Release Date: 2003
Memorable Track:

"Calling All Angels" - This track broke Billboard's Top 20 list at 19, but this album seemed to be where Train looked as though it was going to de-rail. Although "All American Girl" and "When I Look to the Sky" are two great songs, the rest seem to be painfully predictable and like carbon copies of Train's previous work, which had succeeded wildly before, but were beginning to be left behind in the music world.

Others: "All American Girl," "When Look to the Sky"



For Me, It's You
Release Date: 2006
Memorable Track:

"Cab"- An almost "techno blues" song about loneliness. The rippling guitar and lyrics made this song a success and this album gave Train a time to transition into what's heard on the radio today. However, this album was advertised horribly, and although it was on the Billboard Top 10 List, it left the band in shambles.

Others: "Am I Reaching You Now," "Skyscraper," "For Me, It's You"

The band then went on hiatus, and it looked as though we would never hear from Train again.

UNTIL 2009




"Save Me, San Francisco"
Release: 2009
Memorable Track(s):

"Hey, Soul Sister" - A feel good song, in short. With such a catchy beat, and Train finally harnessed the magical powers of the Ukulele, and this makes me unbelievably happy, along with several other listeners who catapulted the song from #23 to #7. But, after a few months popularity began to subside until eventually it left Billboard's Top 200 list. However, "If It's Love" eventually began to make a comeback and ended up at #34, the best second track success the band had ever had.

"Save Me, San Francisco" - Train's newest song to hit the airwaves, "Save Me San Francisco" is a song that truly tells a story about the wonderful California. The lyrics are fun, which is a theme that seems to follow the entire album. Even though it's not a song with meaning that will shake the human soul, it's perfect for driving on a summer day.

"If It's Love" - A song who's video pays tribute to the band in their hiatus in the most hysterical way possible. It's a song that goes back to the strict guitar, drum, bass, and sharp vocals from Monohan.

"Marry Me" - You had to know that Train couldn't make a CD without a love song, but this one exudes sugary sweetness, which is okay with listeners and attendees of their concerts, where someone always seems to end up popping the question. In all reality, it's a beautiful, slow ballad that will make appearances at weddings for years to come.


Band Overview:

All in all, Train is a wonderful band with a great vocalist. Not to mention that Train has written (or co-written) nearly all of their songs. I feel like anyone would have a good time giving them a listen. Although they do sound a bit mainstream, they've managed to evolve over the years, picking up new instruments, beats, and lyrics that have played out well (for the most part) with us listeners. For those who've never heard Train before, I recommend "Drops of Jupiter," "Meet Virginia," and "Hey Soul Sister" to get a piece of Train throughout the years. Oh, and you have to give Monohan super props, he's 42 and still cranking out awesome hits with his band, and probably will be for a long, long time.




Rating: 4.5 out of 5