What happened to rock 'n roll?

http://current.com/items/90802048_rock-sucks-in-2009.htm

Nickelback

They suck so much, they steal from themselves.

http://musicforants.com/assets/vs/How%20You%20Remind%20Me%20Of%20Someday.mp3

Bludgeon Riffola

Please help! This is the stuff I've got so far:

1. Stairway!
2. Smoke on the Water
3. Sweet Child o’Mine
4. Wanted Dead or Alive
5. Layla
6. ?
7. ?
8. Beat it
9. ?
10. ?
11. Smells like Teen Spirit
12. Sweet Home Alabama
13. ?
14. Enter Sandman
15. ?
16. ?
17. Back in Black
18. Purple Haze
19. Black Dog
20. ?
21. Immigrant Song
22. Bulls on Parade
23. ?
24. ?
25. Johnny B Goode
26. ?
27. Money for Nothing
28. ?
29. Start me up
30. Sunshine of your Love
31. ?
32. Hell’s bells
33. Foxy Lady
34. ?
35. Aqualung
36. ?
37. Carry on my Wayward Son
38. Cowbell Song
39. Cemetery Gates
40. Ain’t Talkin’ ‘bout Love
41. Walk this Way
42. ?
43. Life in the Fast Lane
44. Come as you are
45. ?
46. ?
47. ?
48. ?
49. ?
50. ?
51. Californication
52. Kashmir
53. ?
54. Blackbird
55. Eye of the Tiger
56. All along the Watchtower
57. Brown Eyed Girl
58. ?
59. Breaking the Law
60. ?
61. ?
62. ?
63. When I come around
64. ?
65. Black Hole Sun?
66. Oh Pretty Woman
67. Day Tripper
68. Panama
69. Born to be Wild
70. Hunters & Collectors – Holy Grail? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaKjDIPYSHM – worth a watch
71. Cat Scratch Fever
72. ?
73. ?
74. ?
75. Just a Girl
76. Iron Man
77. ?
78. ?
79. ?
80. ?
81. Black or White
82. Sultans of Swing
83. ?
84. Whole Lotta Love
85. ?
86. ?
87. Owner of a Lonely Heart
88. Magic Carpet Ride?
89. I Love Rock’n’Roll
90. Brown Sugar
91. La Bamba
92. ?
93. You Really Got Me
94. ?
95. House of the Rising Sun
96. Dust in the Wind
97. Rhiannon
98. Susie Q
99. Voodoo Chile
100. Eruption

And don't get me started on the 'I know that one!' stuff.

A Cappella 101

Do (check out the brown dude, yo!):



Don't:



Why?????

The Original (one of my favouritest songs ever. With a video almost as kickass as the song itself):

Muse - Knights of Cydonia
by superfluens

The Darjeeling Limited - Revisited

For one reason and one reason only - the brilliant soundtrack! A rather versatile track where can name-drop from The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, to Satyajit Ray and Ali Akbar Khan. Prepare to fine-tune that ear, and improve that music repertoire. I present to you my precious favourites.

This Time Tomorrow - The Kinks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONd4qSs5B5k&feature=related

Play with Fire - The Rolling Stones
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5vn6OqnD_Q

Les Champs-Élysées - Joe Dassin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QM-PVMl1qXk

The Householder - Performed by Jyotitindra Moitra and Ali Akbar Khan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uandw-hcFI

Arrival in Benaras from The Guru - Vilayat Khan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSqrbTczHhI&feature=PlayList&p=FDE543F8E976AA54&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=2


On a parting note, apologies for the sabbatical. One shall resume with much fervour.

Songwriting 101

A note on the videos below. The George Michael/Mary J. Blige cover is the first version of this song I actually heard (yes yes I know shame shame). The choral version by the outstanding Perpetuum Jazzile was the second version I heard and it was only then that I realised this was a Stevie Wonder song. So the last version is the original by Stevie. Considering it was released in 1976, there's no video. I hope you can forgive.

As

As around the sun the earth knows she's revolving
And the rosebuds know to bloom in early may
Just as hate knows love's the cure
You can rest your mind assure
That I'll be loving you always

As now can't reveal the mystery of tomorrow
But in passing will grow older every day
Just as all that's born is new
You know what I say is true
That I'll be loving you always



(Until the rainbow burns the stars out in the sky)
Always
(Until the ocean covers every mountain high)
Always
(Until the dolphin flies and parrots live at sea)
Always
(Until we dream of life and life becomes a dream)

Did you know that true love asks for nothing
No no her acceptance is the way we pay
Did you know that life has given love a guarantee
To last through forever and another day



Just as time knew to move on since the beginning
And the seasons know exactly when to change
Just as kindness knows no shame
Know through all your joy and pain
That I'll be loving you always

As today I know I'm living
But tomorrow could make me the past
But that I mustn't fear
For I'll know deep in my mind
The love of me I've left behind
'Cause I'll be loving you always

(Until the day is night and night becomes the day)
Always
(Until the trees and seas just up and fly away)
Always
(Until the day that eight times eight times eight is four)
Always
(Until the day that is the day that are no more)
Did you know you're loved by somebody
(Until the day the earth starts turnin' right to left)
Always
(Until the earth just for the sun denies itself)
I'll be lovin you forever
(Until dear mother nature says her work is through)
Always
(Until the day that you are me and I am you)
Always
(Until the rainbow burns the stars out in the sky
Until the ocean severs every mountain high)
Always mm mm



We all know sometimes life hates and troubles
Can make you wish you were born in another time and space
But you can bet your lifetimes that and twice it's double
That God knew exactly where he wanted you to be placed
So make sure when you say you're in it, but not of it
You're not helpin' to make this earth
A place sometimes called hell
Change your words into truths
And then change that truth into love
And maybe our children's grandchildren
And their great grandchildren will tell
I'll be loving you until the rainbow burns the stars out in the sky

Sridhar Ravichandran - Transcend

Sridhar found this blog through our review of Warren’s Nights in Shining Karma. Sridhar is a 21 year old solo guitarist based in Singapore and has composed and recorded all the tracks on his debut album Transcend himself. He’s had some musicians guesting on a few tracks, but apart from that most of it has been played/sequenced/recorded by Sridhar.

The album itself is a throwback to the 80s, with a lot of melodic phrasing and some smooth legato playing, with the occasional burst of shred to liven up the proceedings. Sridhar is evidently a very talented guitarist and much of that talent is on display in this album. The standout track on the album for me would be Stepping Stones, a lovely mid-tempo melody that is beautifully composed and phrased with a background arrangement that does justice to the melody. I actually found myself humming the melody at the dinner table, and I think I’ll call that a good sign.

I also enjoyed the track ‘India’ a lot, once again an excellent melody with a lot of tasty bits and pieces thrown in all over the track. I could perhaps have done with more of some of those bits, particularly the backing riff towards the closing seconds of the track, and the melodies around 3:15-3:35. ‘India’ perhaps shows off more of Sridhar’s talents as a composer than ‘Stepping Stones’, but it’s not as complete and well-finished a product as ‘Stepping Stones.’

‘Trippin,’ the opening track, is another strong track, a hard-rocking number where Sridhar shows off all his chops including some tightly executed shred bits. Great playing and overall a very enjoyable track. The title track ‘Transcend’ is once again an excellent showcase of Sridhar’s mastery over the fretboard.

‘Blue Memories’ is a laidback number with a Gary Moore vibe, which works on the strength of a good melody, although the Piano backing sounds superfluous, as if it was tacked on after the song was composed and ready.

Degree Kaapi attempts a blues-y vibe but is let down by the over-production. Sridhar’s attempt throughout this album appears to have been to achieve a “lush” sound, with a lot of reverb, the kind of sound that works very well in some contexts but just doesn’t work with a song like Degree Kaapi, which could have done with a tight, spare treatment.

Overall, the album is a thoroughly enjoyable listen and I would recommend it for fans of solo guitar music including fans of Steve Morse, Joe Satriani and Gary Moore. The chief weakness on display is the sledgehammer approach to the production, which floods every track with a heavy dose of effects and layers, giving them a same-ness that works against their inherent strengths. A more nuanced and song-specific approach to the arrangement and production would have kicked this album up a few notches. Sridhar also needs to keep playing and composing to find his own voice. The most promising signs in this direction are ‘Stepping Stones’ and ‘India’ where there are clear signs of the evolution of a distinct and original voice, and I would personally love to see Sridhar taking off from what’s on display on these two tracks, in his forthcoming work, and I must say I am eager to listen to more of his work as it comes out.

You can head over to his website http://www.sridharsmusic.com/ to download a couple of samples and you can head over to CDBaby to buy the album on CD or as MP3s.