The National

After quite along pause, I’m back here writing again!

The last week was actually dedicated for a ski trip with some friends. Taking advantage of the last few weeks of winter, taking some time off.

You would imagine I would take a vacation to clear my mind off, but the truth was I kept listening to some really cool new music (at least for my taste). Now I’m ready to talk to you about this new band I’m really into.

Have you heard of The National? I really don’t know where I've been, but I haven’t. At least until two weeks ago.

As predicted, The National are now a band I can definitely say I am very fond of. I've read quite a lot about them, and I totally agree with some people that compared them to Depeche Mode (my all-time most favorite band ever!), Joy Division (which, I very much like) and Nick Cave. So, yeah, I can hear it too. They reminded me a lot of the very early material of Depeche Mode, and every material of Nick Cave and I love it.

Melancholy in music can be a bliss. At least to me. Especially in a cold winter weather like when you’re skiing, listening to something so soft and caressing is a great comfort.

The National are playing just like that – their very thick, mellowed and unique music sometimes feels like it’s actually wrapping you in a very soft and special feeling.

They just released a brand new album called “Trouble Will Find Me”, which is already their sixth album. The National is active since 2001, but its members are working together for over twenty years now.
We’re not talking about a regular Indie band here. They got nominated for The Best Alternative Album at the 2014 Grammys. The exposure and recognition is really something you don’t get to see when talking about Indie bands but it seems The National has it all. True quality and actual fame and recognition. An Indie music wonder.

So, as usual, take my advice. Listen to The National, and enjoy the next few moments inside The National very interesting atmosphere.

Sources: livemusiclindsey.com, nme.com

Haim

Every once in a while, you get to hear about something refreshingly new. In between the Miley Cyrus and the Belibers influences there are some pretty good and new stuff.

So I’ve come across the name Haim for once or twice in the past few weeks. Once on the radio, and a couple more times on different music blogs and sites. So I knew they existed but that’s pretty much it.

The first thing you need to know is that you pronounce their name “Haim” just like “Time”. It’s actually their last name. We’re talking about three sisters of the Haim family. All born and raised in LA. Their father is a former Israeli, and as an Israeli myself I can tell you that Haim in Hebrew means life (just a little something for you… :)).

All three girls seems to be super talented. In music, studies and in general. The first born, Este Arielle was graduated from UCLA with ethnomusicology in just two years instead for the usual five. And all three girls are playing numerous musical instruments.

The band started out when the girls were still in high school. They used to play in local venues and events. At that time, all three were involved in different projects and the band was kind of a side gig.

Only around 2011 the girls of Haim decided to make Haim their main center of attention. The youngest sister Alana Mychal dropped out of college after only one year to join her sisters and the band took off by releasing their first EP “Forever” which was released in 2012.

When I first listened to Haim I heard the deep influence of Fleetwood Mac in their music. It’s not very easy to miss and you can find a lot of comments and review around the web comparing their sound the Fleetwood Mac sound.

The next strongest association with their sound is a kind of a 90’s sound. A bit hard to put the finger on the exact ingredient that makes that feel but it’s definitely there.

With video clips filmed in a happy and light atmosphere, and with their fresh new sound Haim brought something else to the 2013 musical scenery.

But, I have to admit something. I’m not a fan. The music is just a bit too light for my taste, it’s lacking the interest that I’m looking for when I’m looking for quality music, and it’s just a bit too simple to my taste. Too girly, too cheerful.

I can definitely see why they are so successful and can spot their crowed very easily. This is easy listening at its best.

Not my cup of tea, but a yet another success story of a musical family. I’m all up for these kind of stories.

Pussy Riot are Finally Free!

Earlier this weekend I finally heard some good news about the Russian band “pussy Riot”. After a year in jail, the girls are finally free.

Pussy Riot were originally formed in August 2011. The band included 11 girls that protested for LGTB rights and opposed to the Russian president Putin.

The method was quite simple, yet very provocative. The girls set up “guerrilla performances” in public places around Moscow. They performed and sang their provocative songs like “Kill the Sexist” and “Death to Prison, Freedom to Protests”. Later on, they would edit their performance and created video clips for fans to watch.

In March of 2012, three of the Pussy Riot band members Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich were arrested and later convicted for “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred”. They were sentenced for two years in prison.

The arrest and conviction of the three girls for Pussy Riot attracted criticism and protest mainly from the west, but particularly form female artist like Madonna, Tory Amos etc. that called for the release of the girls, for human rights and for the freedom of speech in Russia.

This weekend, after a year in prison, all three girls were released from jail and are now free.
This is a story about music bravery, about feminism and about strength. It’s a story about believes and about protest.

In history, that is exactly how big revolutions starts - with just a few people believing for something and going through with it.

To me, the price the Pussy Riot girls paid is extremely heavy. The history tells us a lot about the Russian regime and it’s way of dealing with protesters, but during the Pussy Riot sentence I kept believing there would be a different end to all this.

Pussy Riot are true contemporary heroes. They helped spread a word. They helped raising a difficult subject to the Russian agenda and they paid with a year of their lives.

This is yet another case that shows the power of music, and it’s a story worth telling.