The Gaslight Anthem - Handwritten (2012)

The U.S. state of New Jersey has given birth to some of the most important icons of a variety of musical styles. From Patti Smith to Bruce Springsteen, to most of the members of Bon Jovi, The Fugees or Skid Row, and it seems that a new band is sitting in limbo in NJ musicians (and American).
The Gaslight Anthem, the band led by the considered "successor" of fellow Bruce Springsteen, Brian Fallon, presents his first album released by a "major"-and fourth-band, Handwritten, an album that has not left indifferent anyone.
And its mix of punk, indie folk with touches of rock that hit and strong especially after his second feature, The '59 Sound, has generated an avalanche of critical acclaim that led to share stage-and Collaborate Live - with the aforementioned Bruce Springsteen American Idol or walk through the stages of the world's most important festivals, such as Reading Festival Rock Am Ring or German.
Just bring the needle to vinyl or hit play in our player, you realize that is before the consolidation of a new star.
The roar of the first issue of "Handwritten" the single '45 ', sounds powerful, with an introduction and a cry that inject pace into the veins of the listener as if the most deadly poison. Some choruses to be chanted, catchy ... simple but effective. '45 'Is basically and in each of its letters, commonly define as "great song."
In the second song jump, others chanted cries give way to the song that is named after the album: 'Handwritten'. A guitar riff but does not exhaust resulting form, with a broken voice and rough Fallon (who comes to remind the Boss), a cocktail that inevitably leads us to listen to the next track. And that's 'Here Comes My Man', with a basic rhythm battery of Benny Horowitz, without any complications, and a catchy "oh sha la la"-resource differently but always used correctly is present in almost all the tracks on the album, 'fully met.
The next turn is for 'Mulholland Drive', which begins with another guitar intro of Alex Rosamilia, which functions as a second voice, performing a single accompanying Fallon along almost the entire song. Solvent and Alex Levine's bass playing tellingly, 'Mulholland Drive' has a good combination between voice and melodic six string that is soft but intense.
Then the disc seems out some U.S. bases to punk, to the sound of a harmonica and a touch of gospel in the voice of Brian Fallon, not take away one iota of strength to all that we heard from the principle, introduce the subjects 'Keepsake', 'Too Much Blood' and 'Biloxi Parish'. In all, the "second voice" of the band, the six strings of Rosamilia, giving authoritarian shown incredible strength to the sum total of the group. Half the record is consumed and each song is like a brick in the wall, one by one are combined to provide an overall sense of the album, none seem disparate to the other. The next topic, 'Howl' is a ray of just two minutes, starting with the "hook" which has been mentioned as one of the key pieces of the voices of The Gaslight Anthem, a "Hey, Hey, Heeeey!" That , with a chorus following the game, downloading a force that counteracts the point of tranquility of the three previous issues.
In the final stretch of "Handwritten" find 'Desire', which continues the line of force of 'Howl' for, with a quick introduction, develop a theme which will lead rapidly to the two final issues, slow but impressive: 'Mae 'and' National Anthem '. The latter is a ballad that ends the album talking about love, life and God with a very soft string section supporting the arpeggios leaving Fallon's guitar.
In short, "Handwritten" is a high quality along with logic, that knows how to combine different types of smooth intensity ... an album that gives a glimmer of hope, the rock is not dead, rock can still hit hard and Gaslight Anthem is the example.

Norah Jones - She's 22

It is little to Norah Jones concert at the Auditori of Barcelona, and we can not avoid hearing every day a "Little Broken Hearts" that has completely conquered. Let's face it: the dark is really fascinating way in which the creator of "Come Away With Me" and "Feels Like Home" has deconstructed some of the passages Tenebres occurred both in his personal history as it occurred in the life their closest people.

The heartbreak is the main theme of "Little Broken Hearts", so shine with their own light topics like grim 'Miriam' (which we analyze in depth two weeks ago) or 'She's 22', a court in which Jones is explanation of finding love your ex boyfriend professed by a young man who, incidentally, has ten years younger than the actress and singer.

Sensuality and harshness are holding hands on a piece of 3 minutes in length showing more fragile face of one of the few singers who, with his sensitivity, still remain erect a musical career that has prevailed since 2000.

Retrieving chapter of "Iconoclasts" with Fiona Apple and Quentin Tarantino

There is nothing I like better than those reports in which the show's producers fucks two artists from different disciplines and unite them for a certain period of time. Tracking conversations in such meetings are often the most interesting, getting different views range from the art world to analyze their role in the media circus (and public). I still remember the love he professed for "Iconoclasts," a Sundance Channel show that aired for five long years (2005 - 2010) and was attended meetings of artists including Ron Howard and Steve Nash, Venus Williams and Wyclef Jean or Today our protagonists: Fiona Apple and Quentin Tarantino.
I'm a big fan of chapter starring the creator of "The Idler Wheel ..." and director of "Pulp Fiction". Both were known for some time (in fact girlfriend Fiona was Paul Thomas Anderson, one of the best friends of Quentin) and that led them to maintain a very good friendship over a period of their lives. After several years without seeing, Tarantino and Fiona return to match the occasion of the program, causing all sorts of getting the most endearing moments.
More than anecdotes, or mere nonsense, as discussed in the video, I'm definitely with deep converse between them on the status of artists, the reason for the alleged consequences (second albums, second movies ) and contamination in the music and film industry. It is with stories so one discovers true fanaticism that the director of "Reservoir Dogs" feels for his films (at least for the first), and the emotional impulse that led always to Fiona Apple to show their feelings in front of a piano .
I may not like the singing style of Fiona Apple, or the frantic way of directing by Quentin Tarantino. Even so I highly recommend you to try to see the report, and if you are interested in the art world. Because more than the work of sound XX or YY, "Iconoclasts" is about how to generate works, and how to understand them from the point of view of who produced them.

The Vaccines - Come Of Age (2012)

His story is crazy. The Vaccines founded the band in 2010, suddenly they signed to Columbia Records, released a debut album - "What Did You Expect From The ...?" - And only years after the end of 2011 had already eaten half the size singles world 'Post Break Up Sex', 'Norgaard' and 'Blow It Up'. So effective is the formula sound of London that after taking their first LP went straight for a second: an album called "Come of Age" which will be released tomorrow in Europe and the UK.
Unlike what is seen in their debut album, Young Justin's band this time wanted a record that accurately reflect the strength of their live energy. To get the frantic foursome locked himself in the studio with Ethan Johns (Ryan Adams, Laura Marling), producer Justin & Co. pushed to record all issues in the old way. You know: button "rec" tight and everyone playing and singing like crazy. The result of this imperfect but convulsive fabled experiment works in a "Come of Age" which together apparently improves on its predecessor.
And the surprise is that I've been with "Come of Age" has been capitalized. There is an aura sound, sixties soul and post-punkera appearance that all issues surrounding the compact. That with "What Did You Expect From ...?" Did not happen, the issues were excellent (undeniable!) But more than an LP like a disparate collection of singles. A clear example of this new situation? The established between 'I Always Knew' and 'All In Vein', both pieces appear to be carved on a pattern that leads directly to the heart more purely rock roller of yesteryear.
After several listeners feel that there are two songs that are above the rest. The first is 'Aftershave Ocean', a sinuous piece four minutes in which Freddie Cowan's guitar takes on a crucial and refreshing role. Then there's 'Bad Mood', probably more furiously cutting rocker Londoners have managed so far. Such is the emphasis of this savage cut the concert audience of Vaccines have already begun to "moshpits" to listen to the first verse of this song frantic.
Did you like "What Did You Expect From ...?"? Yeah? So please listen to "Come of Age". Perhaps individual parts are not as huge as the first LP but a collective level encourages dance album and brings a new sound wave as refreshing. That, at this point in 2012, it is an outrage. A surf!