Quest For Fire - The Hawk That Hunts The Walking

One of my good friends introduced me to turntable.fm (sorry non-US residents, it's a US only service, for now). I've been hooked on it. Of course, there are a lot of electronic, dubstep, trance rooms. But there are a couple rooms that contain regulars that have a great range in music taste. I've discovered a lot of new artists through this. (I really should be keeping track of them for my blog.)

Tonight I'm just in a room I now regular with the room owner. I showed him Yndi Halda - Illuminate My Heart, My Darling! So he wanted to show me a fairly epic Psychadelic Rock song. This is it. I had to feature it for today's soundtrack to the day.

[Last.fm] [Facebook] [Myspace] [Website]
(Digital downloads are available on iTunes, tangible copies on their website.)

Dead Sea Choir - Oriental Drippo

Yesterday was Dustbowl Music & Arts Festival. The beginning of the day was a bit rough. Temperatures were at 104°F (40°C). I packed my bag filled with water bottles in preparation. But it was just too hot to really enjoy the music. The evening cooled down to an enjoyable 80-something, though.

As usual, festivals often start with lesser bands. There were a few gems, primarily the solo, acoustic artists. However, I haven't come across too many solo acoustic artists I didn't like.

I like Gentle Ghost a lot, though, the vocals were a bit off during the heavy vocal songs, but the light vocal songs they seemed to be spot-on. The music, however, was really, really good.

It was good to see Beau Jennings again. I hadn't seen him play since Norman Music Festival 3 (2010).

I really wanted to see The Burning Hotels again, but I decided to pick my friend up from Edmond (45 minutes away). (Now, a little back story behind this man, he is visiting from Pakistan. I featured his band on my blog, Basheer & The Pied Pipers, a while ago. No more than a week after the posting I get a message from him informing me he will be visiting Oklahoma City for his medical internship. And this is how we met...) I pick him up and take him to Dustbowl. I had only missed one artist, The Burning Hotels, and was in the middle of Sherree Chamberlain's set. I enjoyed her a lot.

And then Dead Sea Choir comes up. I already came into this with disappointment. I wanted to see a choir, what I saw on stage was not a choir. But then they started playing. The first song was good. It didn't grab me, though, but it was good. (Then again, I may have still been in disappointment of the lack of choir.) Then the next song started to grab me. Each progressing song amazed me more and more. I was starting to get chills down my spine and goosebumps. "WOW, Dude, this band is amazing!!!" I said to my friend. I started texting several friends to check this band out, and one friend of whom was at the festival, "Dude, I hope you're still here and saw Dead Sea Choir, that was awesome." He was, and he saw.

The following bands were The Pretty Black Chains (not really my style, I couldn't really get much into them) and Colourmusic (which was pretty intense). But for me, Dead Sea Choir was the highlight of the day.

[Last.fm] [Facebook] [Myspace] [Website]
(Album available for free download on their website.)

Hospital Ships - Galaxies

Last night I attended the The Appleseed Cast show in Norman, Oklahoma. Hospital Ships opened for them. It is their first tour, so excitement was in the air. I really enjoyed their sound. I've been listening to more energetic, upbeat indie, so coming across something that is more mellow is a nice change. The only thing I regret is that I forgot to purchase an album... and it was just 10 bucks for a vinyl! Damn...

Anyway, they will be tagging along with The Appleseed Cast through the entire tour. Catch them at one of these events!

Sat 20-Aug Austin, TX ND
Sun 21-Aug Houston, TX Fitzgeralds
Mon 22-Aug New Orleans, LA One Eyed Jacks
Wed 24-Aug Orlando FL The Social
Thu 25-Aug St. Petersburg, FL The Local 662
Fri 26-Aug Jacksonville, FL Jack Rabbits
Sat 27-Aug Atlanta, GA Masquerade
Sun 28-Aug Ashville, NC Grey Eagle
Mon 29-Aug Nashville, TN The End
Tue 30-Aug St. Louis, MO The Firebird

[Last.fm] [SoundCloud] [Facebook] [Myspace] [Website]
(Albums are available for purchase on iTunes.)

Asura - Atlantis Child

[Last.fm] [Bandcamp] [Facebook] [Myspace] [Website]
(Albums are available for purchase on iTunes.)

Tangled Hair - I'm Calmer Than You Are

[Last.fm] [Bandcamp] [Facebook] [Blog] [Website]
(Albums are available for purchase on Bandcamp.)

A Dancing Beggar - Daytrip to Glynde

I read a review someone made on The Dancing Beggar and the word "tranquil" was used. I think that word alone sums up this man's music.

[Last.fm] [Bandcamp] [SoundCloud] [Facebook] [Myspace]
(Albums are available for purchase on BandCamp and iTunes. Our Distant Memories EP is available for free on Bandcamp)

Abbe May - Mammalian Locomotion

[Last.fm] [Facebook] [Myspace] [Website]
(Albums available for purchase on iTunes.)

Kimbra - Settle Down

[Last.fm] [Facebook] [Myspace]
(I currently do not know how to purchase her music. It's not available on iTunes US and after a search I couldn't find a Bandcamp page or any other music distributor.)

Emily Wells - Symphony 1: In the Barrel of a Gun

Major thanks to my friend in Boston for introducing me to her. I'm always on the lookout for good hip-hop, but this takes it even further as a hip-hop fusion that I wouldn't have even imagined. Indie, folk, classical all with a hip-hop beat as well as some beautiful vocals and occasional throwdown (or however you call it), this was definitely a treat. This was the first song my friend showed me and it has to be one of my favourites.

[Last.fm] [Facebook] [Myspace] [Website]
(Albums are available for purchase on iTunes.)

Arvo Pärt - Silouans Song

I'm not particularly a fan of the video. I would have preferred some intense scenery or just a still photo. But even so, I would suggest just closing your eyes and listening.

Anyway, sorry for the late update. I arrived back home from Boston a couple days ago, but I have been too destroyed by this song to post anything. Chris (from Caspian) expressed to me his interest in Classical music. Intrigued, especially since I grew up on Classical, I asked him to play some music from his iPod. He introduced me to this piece. On the climax I felt my eyes watering and chills going through my spine. Sometimes I get very emotionally connected with music. I don't often feel sadness when I tear up to music, it's just from the power and intensity of the music tearing is one of the few things that my body knows to express, along with goosebumps.

As soon as I arrived back home I downloaded the album (Te Deum) on iTunes (played by the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Tallin Chamber Orchestra, & Tönu Kaljuste) and played this piece again. I think the combination of listening to this by myself and the mixed emotions of being back home from one of my most amazing trips caused me to receive this piece in a way that completely destroyed me. My heart wrenched, my gut turned, tears were flowing, chills were going through every part of my body. For the next couple days I couldn't listen to music. It was a complete overload.


Because he is a classical composer and there have been a number of amazing orchestras and choirs that have played his music, I'm not going to provide any links. However, as mentioned, the "Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Tallin Chamber Orchestra, & Tönu Kaljuste" as well as other orchestral and choral renditions are available on iTunes for purchase.

This Patch of Sky - A Fire Through The Dark

Ah, for the first time on this trip to Massachusettes I have access to a computer. It's nice to use a full keyboard again.

I was going to update my blog when I got back but after stumbling upon this band I had to make an instant update. This band sent me a friends request on Last.fm recently, it must have been while I was in Boston.

[Last.fm] [Bandcamp] [Facebook] [Myspace]

Ramblings: Boston trip update

All the events that took place in Budapest has made the Europe trip one of the most amazing travelling experiences. I thought that was going to be the pinnacle of 2011. I didn't expect Boston to even come close. Well, while my experiences here haven't been nearly as musical, the experiences from my couchsurfing and hosteling have made these past few days so amazing. I've met so many cool people not just from hostels and CSing but also at some pubs and random places like a boat house. And just like my previous trips, the conversations have been some of the most memorable experiences... sharing music passion with an aspiring musician, learning about my own home state (Florida) and Boston late at night drinking beer near a lake, getting lost in conversation (and literally lost) with a Turkish girl trying to find a CS meeting...

Looking back at my previous US travels, I truly have not experienced the greatest of travelling until now.

And all this leads to tonight... God is An Astronaut at The Middle East Downstairs. This is the reason I have come here. And I'm especially excited to share this musical experience with my new Indian, Turkish, and American friends.

10 more hours...