Genius

Atlas Genius – An indie rock band and one of the good ones. Guess it’s a thing in the indie world, setting up a band of brothers, influenced by their father. Just like Haim, Atlas Genius, is a family oriented band.

Atlas Genius members are brothers Keith and Michael Jeffery and Darren Sell on the keyboard.

The two brothers, Keith and Michael, made some room in their home garage and started a band. At first it was supposed to be just an ordinary cover band, but soon they've found their own unique musical theme. It all started after their father used to have a band in high school. The boys grew in a musical environment, dreaming of their own “high school band”.

The name Atlas Genius was originally Michael’s idea and actually came up to him in a dream. In 2009 Darren Sell joins the band and by 2012 Warner Bros. signs the band up, making their dream come true.

In 2013, the band issued their debut album “When It Was Now”. The album actually reached No. 34 on the Billboard 200, which is a huge successes for an anonymous indie rock band. The musical critics started crowning Atlas Genius as one of 2014 biggest musical promises, and I sure want to join that declaration.

Atlas Genius plays just the way I love. With unique electronic beats, and light catchy melodies.  Their progress in phenomenal – from the house garage to billboard 200 list – and they totally deserve it.

I just love those kind of stories, about original people, following their dream and making it big. This is also one of the reasons why I like indie music so much. It’s a music world, where you don’t have to be insanely beautiful, thin or sexy. You just have to be talented, great and one of a kind.
And this is exactly what Atlas Genius is about.

Check out the theme song for their debut album “When It Was Now” – I think you’re gonna love it!

sources: muiscunderfire.com, amazon.com

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

MMB

As an Israeli teenager I was, like everybody else, very much involved with everything about the Israeli singing contest “Kohav Nolad” (A star is born) which is very similar to what we all know as American Idol, The Voice etc.

In Season 5 there was a new contestant - A young girl, About 20 years old, not so pretty or thin... but she was different. She sang known Israeli rock and pop classics but took it to a new level of Jazz and folk versions.

I did not like her. She was too different. Too extravagant. Too much for me, Though there was something about her I could not argue with – her extremely unique and rare voice. But I just didn't like what she did with it.

Although she did not win the contest, the production really adored her and a major Israeli record company signed her. She began working on original songs in Hebrew.

I’m talking about Marina Maximillian Blumin. An extremely talented young woman. As a child of a classic pianist, she learned to play the piano at a very young age, preformed as a theater actress as a teen and wrote the music for an Israeli musical production by the age of 22.

Marina Maximillian Blumin a.k.a MMB, is well known for her dramatic romantic affairs, including a divorce at the age of 25, and numerous famous boyfriends.

Lately, she lost a lot of weight and released a brand new album entirely in English.

Now, I take everything back. Today, after 6 years of work, and due to this great new album called “Step into My World”, I can’t say I don’t like her. I have to admit I’m enchanted.

This new and improved MMB is a stunning beauty, with a divine voice and a brand new and marvelous album.

Her deep, unique and rare voice, combined with a very strict and accurate musical processing by Ofer Hameiri makes this album a true success.

I don’t have anything against Israeli musical production but I do have to admit we’re talking about production made in small scales. I really hope someone out there will notice this local beauty and will make her international.

With this kind of talent, stage presence and charisma, there’s only one way Marina Maximillian Blumin can go – and it’s up!

So dear MMB, you’re defiantly my most appreciated Israeli artist at the moment. And to all of you, outside Israel, take a few moments to stare at this girl while listening to that absolutely wonderful voice.

Images Sources: vk.com, YouTube.com

The Worst Name Ever

This band, by far, has the worst name ever!!! Really. It’s horrible. I know, I know... It’s like bold and fierce and scared of no one... Yeah… it’s bad.

Anyway, I’m talking about Starfucker. Also known as STRFKR which just a bit better. If you’re going to never say their name, that is. Totally useful.

Besides the bad name, they actually play really good music.

I bumped into them totally by chance. I was bored and was looking for something to do. One website wanted me to listen to some Synthpop music, and Starfucker were there. They were the most popular band in that site. More than a thousand people liked them, and for a very good reason.

I wouldn’t call them Synthpop, to be honest. It’s not entirely pop and it’s also not just Synth. The band members defined themselves as “dance music that you can actually listen to, that's good pop songs, but also you can dance to it”.

The band includes Joshua Hodges aka Sexton Blake (vocals, keyboard, drums, guitar), Shawn Galssford (bass, keyboard, drums) Keil Corcoran (drums, keyboard, vocals) and Patrick Morris (guitar, keyboard, vocals). Its’ seems like they all play every instrument there is… well, that’s very cool.

This music is something in between electronic indie and soft synthpop. The video clips are really diversified, interesting and beautiful and they bring a very clean, well ordered and fine angel of the band.

Starfucker covered Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” song. The cover became very successful and was used for a Juicy Couture ad in 2010. In the video clip you can see the band members dress up in ladies clothes, which apparently became a theme for them. Starfucker members known to preform wearing women clothes on stage.

So, Starfucker are really great. With a unique sound, which you can defiantly dance to, and four albums to listen to, I think I’ll forgive them for the worst name in music history.

Image sources: manchestersenewipe.co.uk, bandaidrecordes.com

Thirteen

Everyone begins somewhere. I begin here.

We all have those few albums that made us who we are, those albums that were there throughout our first years in music. Our first steps of our music identity. Those are mine.

Red Hot Chili Peppers – Blood Sugar Sex Magic
This classic was released in 1991. I was 6 years old at the time, so it was a bit difficult for me to know that I liked it, but it was there all along and all around me. About the time when I was 12, this album became one of my favorites. Luckily enough for me, these songs were such classics they remained a consensus in the musical mainstream. It’s still true for our days, even if it’s been over 20 years by now. My most favorite songs of that album are “Sir Psycho” “Give It Away” and “Breaking the Girl”.

Red Hot Chili Peppers were everything I needed back then, they were explicit in just the right amount, they were the coolest guys around and they played wicked rock music. I’m almost 30 by now and I still listen to this brilliant album almost every day.

Metallica – S&M
When a 6 year old tells you Metallica is her favorite band, you know something is up with her. So, something was definitely up with me.
Metallica was one of the first bands I ever knew and I loved it! Back in those days songs like “Nothing else Matters”, “One” and “Sad but True” were the top hits on Billboard and metal was just another legit music genre.

In 1999, I was a bit older and Metallica was well established in my playlist. That’s when S&M was released. A genius music collaboration between my favorite band and The San Francisco Philharmonic Orchestra. The result was mind blowing. Until this very day, this is one of my most favorite albums of all time, but back then, as a young teenager, those sounds made me shiver.

Radiohead – OK Computer
The year was 1997. I was 13 and heavily addicted to MTV. Yes, once upon a time there was no internet and we actually had to watch television and listen to radios to listen to music. Funny, right?

Anyway, I was watching MTV and a new video clip was on, something with a guy in a burning car.. Yes, that was Karma Police by Radiohead! I was 13 so I didn't get the magnitude of what I’m looking at back then, but I decided that I didn't like it.
It took a few months for the understanding to sink in, and once it did I totally understood I’m a witness to the formation of a musical classic.

Since then, Ok Computer is my safe album. When I’m sad it means it’s time for Ok Computer. It’s also true for when I’m mad, hungry, happy, lonely, need space, exited, tired, bored… well, always, basically.

No Doubt – Tragic Kingdom
Remember the song “Don’t Speak” by No Doubt? I do too. In 1996, I was 12 and this was my most favorite song in the whole world! I listen to it once or twice, and spent my entire dog walking job salary on the album “Tragic Kingdom”. Nobody knew who they were back then, except for me. I listened to that album 20 hours a day, and thought Gwen Stephany is the most beautiful woman in the world. Yep!
But seriously now, that is a very good album. It really is. I still like to go back to that music, that funky fun rock of No Doubt from the 90’s.
Unfortunately, I don’t really like the later material of No Doubt, could be due to the fact that they changed or that I grew up and away from that style of music. Either way, songs like “just a girl”, “Spiderweb” and “End It on This” are still my personal favorites and I still enjoy them from time to time.

Alanis Morissette – Jagged Little Pill
Still 13 years old, and its still 1996. And I’m an angry young teenager. I’m standing in a record store (yeah, we had those too back in the days) and I’m holding two CDs. I can’t decide whether to get the new Tony Braxton CD or maybe go for this new girl -  Alanis Morissette. Sounds really stupid, but I seriously treat that decision as a life changing moment. You know how it ended. I went with Alanis.

I just want to emphasize this- this was by far, the best decision I've ever made!

Jagged Little Pill means so much to me, Alanis morissette means so much to me, until this very day, For about 17 years now. Those years were extremely hard for me, not only because I was 13, but for so many serious reasons. Jagged Little Pill was there for me. I could be angry with “Unforgiven”, go crazy with “You Oughta Know” and dream of a happy end with “Head over feet”.

All the albums in this list made me who I am, But Jagged Little Pill still makes me who I am today. I just adore Alanis Morissette, and this album in particular. Jagged little Pill is a piece of me. And to me, it tells my story.

After going through all those albums it seems like most of them are form when I was 13. I guess this is when music happened to me. It all started there.

Dear MS MR

Last week, I wrote about Haim as one of the new icons in the indie scene, but I it seems I can’t get enough of new musical breakthroughs... So today, I want to talk about the amazing MS MR.

When talking about Haim, I mentioned how successful they are but just how not sure I am about liking their sound. This time around I’m writing about a band in which I’m totally in love with.

In the past two – three years more electro-indie bands started to show up. The first band I bumped into were The XX almost four years ago. Now MS MR are here, and they are putting a pretty good fight when it comes to this kind of intriguing sound.

MS MR- which is meant to be pronounced as “Miz Mister” are an American based duo consisted with Lizzy Plapinger and Max Hershenow. Both were graduated from Vassar College in 2010. Lizzy Plapinger is also the co-founder of the New York City/London based independent record label Neon Gold records, and is well known in the indie music world.

Their debut album “Secondhand Rapture” was released in May 2013 including the songs “Fantasy”, “Hurricane”, “Dark Doo Wop” and “Ash Tree Lane”.

When listening to MS MR, the first thing that came to my mind was that their sound is extremely similar to “Florence and the machine” and Lana Del Ray which by now, you all know I very much like.
In general, this kind of sound is something I really love and would want to see much more of. It’s a very intelligent way to play music, something to wrap your mind in, to put you in a good creative mood. The sound is a mix of clever electronical layers, smart beats and wicked lyrics served with a beautiful female mellowed voice. Just what I’m looking for in music in general.

And the best thing is – their video clips. Take for example “Fantasy” video clip. By far, one of the best video clips I've watched this year! Amazing shots, great ideas and an extremely strong massage. Don’t miss out on this experience!

Bottom line, I’m fell head over hills with MS MR. I think the songs “Twenty Seven”, “Fantasy” and “hurricane” are insanely good!

Do yourself a huge favor, stop whatever it is you’re doing, including reading this article, and go listen to those guys. It’ll be, by far, the best new thing for the beginning of your 2014.

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.