The Music Lesson by Victor L. Wooten

If music was a religion, and some people would say it is, *this* book would be its bible!

I have never heard of Victor L. Wooten, and it was my husband, who is a musician, who bought this book.

Initially, I thought that it was some kind of autobiography of how Wooten grew spiritually as a musician, and I wasn’t really very interested in reading another musician’s autobiography, especially since I haven’t even heard of this particular musician.

Well, thing is, this book isn’t really an autobiography, or maybe it is, but you find yourself really wondering how true it is. It’s believable, yet so incredible that it you have to wonder at it. There’s so much in this book, about music and how to live your life fully and completely, and the more I read, the more I wonder, how could anyone live without music?!

The phrase “no music, no life” is true as far as I’m concerned, and I believe anyone, not just musicians, who love music should read this book. It is beautifully written, but I lack the skill to express how beautiful it is. There’s a lot to the book, I can’t describe it, I can only urge everyone I know to read it and live a richer and more musical life!

I was a fan of Collective Soul ever since I heard their hit single "Shine" way back in 1994. Then came "December" and "The World I Know" in 1995, and after that, "Listen" in 1997, and I knew that their music were something really special. Unfortunately, I didn't follow them or their music after their 1997 album, Disciplined Breakdown, but I'm sure I must have missed a lot these last ten years!

Their latest album, Afterwords, sound slightly different from their older albums, a little more bright and cheerful, but the unique sound that I love about them is still there. Ed Roland's voice is still the same husky voice I fell in love with years ago, but I think it sounds even better now. What I really love about his voice in this album is that it still has the vulnerability that comes out so well in Collective Soul's older songs, but now it also has a sort of strong, sit-up-and-take-notice tone to it that I didn't notice before.

Admittedly, since I haven't been listening to them since the Disciplined Breakdown album, what's new to me may be old to other fans. As I've said previously, a change I've noticed is that Afterwords sounds a lot brighter and more cheerful compared to their older albums.

Most of their hit songs in the 90's were what I'd describe as angst-filled; while the music and lyrics were never negative, they were more gloomy with a passionately hopeless feel to them. Listening to Afterwords after being so used to their older songs, is almost like getting bowled over by a happy, energetic Golden Retriever puppy after coming home from a dead-end 9 to 5 job that you're resigned to, and nothing illustrates it more than their first single from this album, "Hollywood". It is one of the happiest, cheeriest, brightest, and catchiest songs I have ever heard, and I absolutely love it!

Don't get me wrong, that doesn't mean that I didn't love their older songs, on the contrary, I absolutely loved them too, but this album is truly a fresh breath of air. I enjoyed all the songs on Afterwords but as usual, I have my favorites, particularly "What I Can Give You", "Bearing Witness", "All That I Know", and of course, the best one of all, "Hollywood".

Having said that, I do have hopes that Collective Soul might write some new songs in that old gloomy tone of theirs that I loved. It would be good to have both some happy and gloomy songs to listen to in their future albums. In the meantime though, I'll just enjoy being really cheerful while listening to Collective Soul's Afterwords.

More music from Collective Soul:

Karl Latham's Resonance is an album of jazz music played by a group of very talented individuals. With Karl Latham on drums, Vinnie Cutro on trumpet, John Hart on guitar, and Kermit Driscoll on acoustic bass, there is no denying their technical knowledge and skills. Listening to each one of them, especially during certain parts of the music where their individual instruments are featured, you can tell they are really good at what they do.

However, while their individual skills on their instruments are obvious, the music that results doesn't seem to be as good as I expected it to be. I spent many hours listening to Resonance, feeling there was something off. Then I asked both my father, who is an audiophile and a jazz enthusiast, and my boyfriend, who is a musician, to listen to the album and give me some feedback on what they thought about it. All of us felt the same thing; there was something not completely right with the music. My boyfriend said that many of the songs were 'messy'. My father said that the arrangement wasn't well done, the music doesn't mesh, and it feels like each of the musicians are playing separately from one another.

I have to agree with both of them. The music isn't terrible, in fact, some of the tracks aren't bad at all - I particularly enjoyed "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" and "Pagan Poetry", but you do get the feeling that the music somehow just doesn't come together. "Manic Depression" in particular, is one of the messiest song on the album. For most of the song you wonder what the musicians are doing; the sounds seem jumbled up and going in all sorts of different directions. It gets better later in the song, but it still sounds pretty messed up.

Some of the other tracks aren't bad, I quite enjoyed listening to "Higher Ground", "Spanish Castle Magic", and "Past Time Paradise" as well, but as I have said, the arrangement could have been better. Latham, Cutro, Hart, and Driscoll are all extremely talented and skilled musicians, but sometimes when musicians are too skilled individually, they may not be able to play well together as a band. Each person's sound is too distinct and different from the others', and that may be what makes the tracks in this album sound so messy.

I do think that if the musicians practice together more often, and listen to each other instead of just focusing on their own parts, they will be able to come up with an extraordinary album in the future. They've got the skills, after all. Karl Latham's Resonance showcases each of the musician's talents very well, but it may not be the best buy if you're looking for something that has great arrangements and music that flows and meshes beautifully. Hopefully, Latham's future albums will be better.

I enjoy many genres of music, but as it gets harder to keep track of all the sub-genres that are popping up nowadays, I find it easier to simply divide music into two categories: "good music" and "bad music." Some people enjoy only one or two types of music, but I enjoy all kinds, as long as it fits into the "good music" category, that is. In addition, as musicians, my band mates and I enjoy playing many different styles of music.

That's why I was intrigued when I came across Laura Pursell's Somewhere In This Room. The album is a collaboration between singer and lyricist Laura Pursell and composer Andrew Bonime, and is a unique project for two reasons. The first is that it consists of songs in many different musical styles; there's jazz, rock, blues, bossa nova, gospel, and even a children's song. As a music lover, I admire Pursell and Bonime for making no distinctions among different music styles for this album other than the "good music"/"bad music" distinction.

The second reason it's unique is that the album isn't so much "a collection of songs" as it is "a book made up of songs." You have to listen to it from beginning to end. It even has an overture and a finale arranged by famous composer, arranger, and pianist, William Pursell, who is also Laura's father. Every single song has a story to tell, and while I was listening to the album I had the curious feeling that I was reading rather than listening to it. It was as if I were reading a book of short stories, and the songs were the chapters of the book, and the book was Laura Pursell's diary.

Set to Bonime's music, Pursell's lyrics are based on her experiences and her accounts of those experiences in her diaries. From falling in love, in the rock number "It Might As Well Be Magic," to heartbreak in the dark and somber "Not Much To Lose," and running away from love in the bittersweet ballad "Skywriting Neon Lights," and from the death of a close friend, in "My Heart Knows You Were Here," to her experiences as a child trying so desperately to fit in, in "A Maple Tree," Pursell tells her stories in her meaningful lyrics. My favorite tracks are the title track, "Somewhere in This Room," and "When You Come Down," which both tell very interesting stories.

Pursell's talent for writing beautiful lyrics is matched perfectly with Bonime's ability to create beautiful music and melodies, resulting in an incredibly unique album that is such a pleasure to listen to. The only thing I thought could be improved upon was Pursell's singing.

Fortunately, Pursell is blessed with an unusual voice; there's a happy, joyful tone to her voice that few singers have. When I was younger, my father, who's also a music lover, pointed this trait out to me while we were listening to The Corrs, my favorite band at the time. Andrea Corr, the lead singer, has that joyful tone in her voice that comes out even when singing sad songs; although you can hear the somber emotion in her voice, the joy is also there. The only other singers my father knew with that tone, before he heard Andrea Corr, was legendary Chinese singer Teresa Teng, and the equally legendary Karen Carpenter. Now we can add Laura Pursell to that exclusive list.

Unfortunately, while she has that tone, she doesn't seem to know how to use it as well as the other singers I mentioned. I thought that her singing was quite flat and emotionless at times. Her lack of color and dynamics are most apparent in the song "It Might As Well Be Magic" - or perhaps she's just not meant to sing rock songs. I do hope she cultivates her singing talent though, it would be such a shame to waste that wonderful voice of hers.

I knew I was going to like Karmina the minute I heard the band's first single "The Kiss." The title track of their five-track EP illustrates exactly what people love about pop music.

With a catchy melody, fun music, and Karmina's sweet voices, "The Kiss" is sure to win the ears and hearts of listeners. It's better than anything other popular two-girl-bands, such as M2M or The Veronicas, ever released. The way Karmina's going, I'm sure it will be much more successful, too.

Karmina is made up of sisters Kelly and Kamille, who write their own songs and already have plenty of experience under their belts. When Kamille was younger, she worked with veteran producer David Foster and performed with a younger Josh Groban at various high-profile fundraisers. Kelly and Kamille have competed in various music and songwriting competitions, such as the John Lennon Songwriting Competition and the San Francisco Concerto Orchestra Competition among others. The sisters even won the California State Vocal Competition 27 times!

Their first national exposure came when they competed and won in Disney Channel's "Two Hour Tour," which later led to Darren Hayes of Savage Garden mentoring the girls and selecting them to open for his band at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco. All that experience and they are only 23 and 21 years old respectively!

There is much to admire about Karmina, but I love the fact that the sisters write their own songs and that these songs are amazing. Other than the catchy title track of their album, The Kiss, they have four other beautiful tracks all of which I really like as well.

"Free" is a song that really touches you with its emotion and the keyboard and guitar melodies in this track haunt you with their bitter sweetness. "Stay" is a vocal-focused song, and shows the emotional power of the girls' voices. "The Whoa Song" is very sweet, melodious, fun, sexy, and seductive all at once. My favorite track in this album is "Inside of You", which is soft, dreamy, and so hauntingly beautiful that all I can do when I listen to this track is close my eyes and let it take me into a fantasy world where I'm a princess waiting for my prince to come rescue me.

Karmina's The Kiss is a wonderful album of dreams brought to life. It showcases sisters Kelly's and Kamille's amazing musical talents in both instrument and voice.

The album is full of fun and catchy melodies, and the sisters' voices are beautiful and emotionally-packed. If you enjoy M2M or The Veronicas, you will love Karmina much more. There is more depth to Karmina's music that you don't find in the other bands.

The first time I heard Clare Burson sing on one of her older songs, I thought she had a beautiful, mellow voice that intrigues the listener. I was very excited when I got her new album Thieves because I was looking forward to listening to more of that beautiful and mellow voice, but when I first listened to this album, I wasn't sure if I could like it. Her songs on this album are so different from what I normally listen to. The songs are so dark and somber, that when combined with her melancholy voice, my ears just couldn't like them at first.

As I listened more, however, and started getting used to the melancholy, I started to really like and enjoy the music. Thieves brings images of a cold, colorless winter spent reminiscing about the past. I could just imagine myself, sitting on a windowsill, looking out the window wistfully, staring at trees bare of leaves and snowflakes falling down from the sky, and engrossed in nostalgic memories while I listened to Clare Burson's Thieves. It helps my imagination somewhat that one of the most beautiful tracks on the album is entitled "Love is Snow."

This album is beautiful, I can't use this word enough, and so poignant. The music draws you in, the lyrics are profound, and Burson's voice is just so hauntingly alluring. My favorite track on the album is "Let Me Lose Me." Burson croons this beautiful (there's that word again) love song with the emotion of a woman desperately, but so gently, asking her man to let her love him. Its melody lingers long after you've stopped listening to all the other tracks. "Angels" is another favorite of mine, and is much more memorable than Sara McLachlan's highly popular song, "Angel."

Burson also sings a cover version of "These Boots Are Made For Walking", and I must say, I'm very impressed with her take on it. I've heard dozens of versions of this song, but none the way Burson does it. It defies description, it's just so different and unique. "1000 Miles" is also one of my favorite tracks on the album and the only song that can be described as a happy, uplifting song.

It took me a while to warm up to Clare Burson's Thieves, but once I did, I loved it so much that I've been listening to it every chance I get. The songs on this album are just so beautiful (last time I'm using this word, I promise) and heartbreaking. They weave such an enchanting spell on you that you can't help falling in love with them and letting them bring you into that melancholy winter world where "Love is Snow." I'm glad I didn't let my first listen to Clare Burson's Thieves turn me off, I would've missed out on a beautiful (oops...absolutely the last time!) album.

Every time I came across a new rock band, I'd share it with my guitarist boyfriend to get his opinion about them. When I let him listen to New Jersey-based Indie rock band Tokyo Rose's third album The Promise in Compromise and asked him what he thought about them, he said, "This band will go far." I asked him why he thought that, and he said, "They put their heart into their music." I couldn't agree more.

Tokyo Rose is made up of lead singer and guitarist Ryan Dominguez, backup singer and bassist Chris Poulsen, and drummer Jake Margolis. I'm amazed by their heart and passion for their music. They've really gone all out with their new album The Promise in Compromise and it's apparent that they put a lot of effort into their music and song arrangements. Every single song on this album is high-speed energy, with extremely skillful playing on all three member's parts. There's real chemistry here, that's for sure.

Jam packed full of high-energy, catchy, and upbeat tracks, this album makes you want to get on the dance floor and rock until you're exhausted. The only song that can be considered 'slow' is the last track, "Seconds Before the Crash", but it's slow only in relation to the rest of the tracks in the album. I don't know how they do it. Every song is great. Every song has a catchy melody and an upbeat rhythm. Every song catches your attention and makes you sit up and take notice.

I enjoyed all the songs on this album, there's not a single unlikable song here, but I do have some favorites. Their first single, "We Can Be Best Friends Tonight But Tomorrow I’ll Be..." is one of my favorite songs on the album, about a lighthearted look at bands getting intimate with female concert goers only to go back on the road the next day. It has a slightly 80's disco feel to it that makes it really fun and upbeat. Steve C. Miller, the major motion picture director best known for the horror movie Automaton Transfusion, was so intrigued with this single that he worked with Tokyo Rose for this single's music video.

The 'slow' track, "Seconds Before the Crash" is another favorite of mine, reminiscent of Hoobastank's style. Other favorites are the title track, "The Promise in Compromise", "A Pound of Silver Is Worth Its Weight in Blood", "Swimming with the Sharks" and "Call It What You Like, Just Leave Us Out of It". You can listen to them on Tokyo Rose's myspace.

Tokyo Rose is an amazing rock band with a lot of heart, passion, chemistry, and energy. They really care about their music, and they make you care about their music. I'm excited for them, because this is only the beginning of their music careers, and who knows where they'll go from here. The sky is the limit!

I was very impressed with Aiden's story when I heard about them. Two years ago, they were virtually unknown, but now they have been featured on the covers of Alternative Press, Metal Edge, Kerrang! and others, won Kerrang!'s Best International Newcomer Award, and Metal Hammer's Best Newcomer Award, and have even shared the stage with the likes of Linkin Park and Marilyn Manson.

They signed on the Victory Records in 2004, before two of the five members that make up Aiden had even graduated from high school, and their last record, Nightmare Anatomy was the best selling debut in all of Victory Record's history! How could I not be intrigued? Of course I had to get their latest album, Conviction, I had to hear for myself what it was that made them so popular.

The unfortunate truth, however, is that their latest album disappointed me. They still sound like a high school band that haven't had enough exposure, and their music sounds unoriginal. No doubt they have a lot of energy, and energy translates well in live performances.

Their energy comes across in the CD too, but they tend to use the same techniques over and over again with their songs in Conviction, like the overdone pick scratch in "She Will Love You." It was originally one of the songs I liked, but the more I listen to it, the more I get bored of hearing the pick scratch. Although some of their songs aren't bad, they have no unique sound, and you get the feeling that they don't put a lot of effort into their song arrangements.

The worst song by far in the album is "The Sky is Falling," it just reeks of laziness. Everything in this track, from the melody to the arrangement tells me that they didn't put any effort into it at all. It's really dissatisfying because I'm sure they can do much better than that. "Teenage Queen," "One Love" and "Believe" are a few of the better songs in this album, and they give me a glimpse of their potential, but only a glimpse. Aiden has the potential to be great, but they still have a long way to go to before achieving that greatness.

They need to expose themselves to more styles and techniques because their songs are in danger of sounding the same. If they don't do something, they will end up becoming like Michael Learns to Rock whose later songs are boring and sound alike. Aiden hasn't found a unique sound of their own yet, but they are young and they are skilled, and with a little more exposure and effort, I'm sure they'll get there. Their latest album, Conviction is a disappointment, but Aiden can only get better as they grow and mature, so hopefully their next album will exceed expectations.

Listening to Ingrid Michaelson's debut album Girls and Boys triggered a nostalgic reverie of my younger days. Girls and Boys has an innocent, rather naive quality to it that reminded me of when I was young, carefree, and invincible. Or at least, I thought I was invincible. That was when I thought my first love would last forever and dreamed about white weddings, picket fences, three kids and a dog. That was when every little disagreement was a dramatic catastrophe and making up was like Christmas. That was before all the growing up that I had to do; leaving some dreams behind, and eventually, leaving some loves behind. Girls and Boys brings all the memories back.

Ingrid Michaelson has had four songs featured on Grey's Anatomy, three of the songs from this album, Girls and Boys. Although all three songs featured; "Breakable", "The Way I Am", and "Corner of Your Heart" are beautiful songs, it was the fourth song, "Keep Breathing" which was written specifically for Grey's Anatomy and featured in the season finale, that catapulted her career forward. The day after the finale aired, Ingrid and "Keep Breathing" were on Google's most search items list in the US, and sales of Girls and Boys soared. "Keep Breathing" isn't featured on this album, but is included in Grey's Anatomy Season 3 Soundtrack which was just released on September 11.

If you heard of Ingrid from Grey's Anatomy's feature of "Keep Breathing" and you loved it, you will love Girls and Boys. Ingrid gives us more of what we loved about "Keep Breathing". Her album is a mixture of cute and happy tunes like "Breakable", "The Way I Am", and "Far Away", which are three of my favorite songs, and melancholy tunes about heartbreak and goodbyes like "Glass" and "December Baby".

"Breakable" is about how fragile our hearts can be, but Ingrid sings with a child-like manner that makes you think of a little girl asking her mother innocent questions about love. "The Way I Am" is a wonderful love song which just delights. "Far Away" is about imaginations about a romantic life in a far away place, and reminds me of my own 'white picket fences' dreams. Another favorite is "The Hat", which brought back wistful memories of my first love. "Die Alone" and "Masochist" are also favorites.

In fact, I loved almost all of the songs on this album. Ingrid Michaelson is an exceptionally talented and original songwriter. Innocence is such a rare quality, but Ingrid has captured it so easily and beautifully in her music. Her music expresses innocence of youth and vulnerability of heart that brings out a part of me I thought I had left behind a long time ago. What a rejuvenating experience!

The first time I ever heard Emmy Rossum's voice was from the movie version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera. She starred as the female lead, Christine, and I was blown away by her performance. With her voice and talent, I knew it was only a matter of time before she came out with her own album, and sure enough, here it is.

Emmy Rossum's debut album, entitled Inside Out showcases her talent with her voice, alright, but in an entire different way from what fans of The Phantom of the Opera might expect. Rossum doesn't try to show off her range or the high notes she can hit in this album. Instead, she shows off her voice as an instrument of harmony. It is one of the things that instantly strikes you when you listen to her songs.

There are very few musical instruments that can be heard on the album and excepting some keyboard and percussion, almost every other sound is sung by Rossum herself. She says, "I wanted to create a kind of music that would allow me to use my voice as another instrument. I sing the parts that would be played by guitar or piano. I tried to discover, how much can you do without instruments? What is the boundary of the human voice?” The result is an amazing album of songs that delights the senses with their sweet sounds and peaceful harmony.

The song "Slow Me Down" is the perfect example of how beautiful music can be when Rossum uses her voice to replace the usual instruments. Rossum sings every single one of the 150 parts and harmonies of "Slow Me Down", including some of the percussion! It sounds wonderful and very serene, and listening to it makes you want to relax and slow down a little. "Stay" is like a very sensual siren's song, and you can almost imagine yourself as the besotted sailor who finds it really, really hard to resist Rossum's plea for you to stay with her for that one romantic moonlit night. "Falling" is my favorite and it makes me feel like a giddy teenager tumbling into love. You can listen to the songs on her myspace page.

Emmy Rossum has done something creative and entirely different from any other kind of music with her debut album, Inside Out, and I'm delighted with the incredible result of it. While her album isn't what I expected from listening to her sing in The Phantom of the Opera, it surpasses all creative and musical expectations. This is just the beginning of a long and successful musical career for her, and it's going to be one I'll be happy to follow.

Barcelona has quickly become one of my favorite bands in the few weeks I've "known" them. Their debut album, Absolutes is like my own personal portal into Alice's Wonderland where everything feels so surreal and 'space-y', that you don't know which way is up and which way is down, and you don't know if it's real or just a very beautiful dream, but you don't care because you're enjoying every minute of it so much.

Except that the Wonderland it brings you to is a little more somber than Alice's version. It feels more like Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere than Alice's Wonderland, actually. In fact, I have a feeling that if Neil Gaiman's novel Neverwhere was going to be made into a movie, Absolutes would make a very good soundtrack for it.

Barcelona's Absolutes has a combination of sounds that are really exquisite, from the regular sounds of guitars, piano, and drums, to the not so regular sounds of the rhodes, violin, and glockenspiel, Barcelona has created music that catches your breathe and imagination. I honestly have to marvel at Brian Fennell's songwriting talent. Brian Fennell was originally a solo artist, but when he assembled a band for a short tour which included Brian Eichelberger on bass, Chris Bristol on guitar, and Rhett Stonelake on drums, he realized that a band suited his musical talents better than a one-man show. Thus, the birth of Barcelona and one of the best bands ever.

What I love about Barcelona's music is that it gives you a sense of magic and other-worldliness. The lyrics are profound and very different, you're not quite sure what they really mean, but you know it makes sense on some level. It's like when people talk about seeing music and tasting color, the lyrics give you a little hint of how that might feel like. And the music, oh, the music...What can I say?

"Colors" is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard, lyrically and musically, and I absolutely loved the keyboard melody. "Colors", "Response" and "Numb" are originally from Brian Fennell's solo album. "It's About Time", "Lesser Things" and "Stars" are a few of my favorites songs on the album, the bass on "Stars" is incredible, you've just got to hear it, but "Colors" is by far my most favorite track. The other songs like "First Floor People", "Get Up, Get Up, Get Up" and "You Will Pull Through" reminds me a little of Radiohead, they're a little darker but still other-worldly, and so extremely sad to listen to. You can listen to some of their songs on their website.

I really love how Barcelona has captured fleeting emotions and indescribable feelings and put them into the slightly more tangible forms of music and lyrics. I have spent countless hours listening to them, and I'm loving them more and more each time. I absolutely loved their debut album, Absolutes and I am looking forward to hearing more from Barcelona.

I had never heard of Joe Satriani until my band mates introduced him to me. They are big fans of his, and as guitarists themselves, it is obvious why they admire him. The first Satriani song I ever heard was "Surfing with the Alien," but I liked it so much I decided that I had to get this album. The Legacy Edition of Surfing with the Alien includes a remastered audio CD of the original album and a DVD of the previously unreleased concert from the Montreux Jazz Festival on July 15, 1988, which also happens to be Joe Satriani's birthday.

All I can say after listening to the CD and watching the DVD is that I'm amazed by what Satriani can do with his guitar. And this was 20 years ago. I've heard he's better now than he was before, and if that's true, I can only imagine how phenomenal he must be now. He does things with his guitar that I never thought were possible. Granted, I'm not very knowledgeable about guitars, but I've seen enough to know that he's brilliant.

Listening to the CD, I fell in love with "Ice 9," which was inspired by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.'s book Cat's Cradle, "Circles," which has a great melody and an interesting arrangement, "Midnight," which has a very crisp sound and wonderful melody, and "Always With Me, Always With You", which he says himself was the best melody he had written for this album, and I agree. "Always With Me, Always With You" is my favorite track in this album.

I didn't fully appreciate his talent until I watched the DVD of the Montreux concert. It was absolutely mind-blowing, and I'm amazed at the great audio. It's hard to believe this concert was recorded 20 years ago. I was so drawn in by his passion for the music, and it's going to be hard to describe it without getting explicit. I've often heard people describe music or musicians with words like orgasmic and sensual, and I'd always thought that they were just exaggerating. I must have been missing out on a lot of passionate music before I heard Satriani!

Seriously though, watching him perform on stage was like watching him make love to his guitar. Sometimes he makes wild and sexy love to it, and it screams in pleasure, other times he caresses it gently and it murmurs back lovingly. It was truly an orgasmic experience, and none of the songs were more sensual than "Rubina." I really can't find a better word to describe the song than with that word.

Stuart Hamm, who plays the bass, amazed me too with his skill with a fretless bass guitar on this track. "Bass Solo" like its title says, is a bass solo by Hamm, and it showcases his amazing talent. He shows off different techniques of playing which include tapping as well. I have seen my band mates using this technique, but never to the level that Satriani does with "Midnight." His two-handed tapping technique on "Midnight" is a sight to behold. The drummer, Jonathan Mover, was spectacular too, by the way. At the end of the track "Circles", he has a drum solo which tired me out just to watch. The speed, coordination, and energy of his playing simply astounded me.

Watching Satriani perform on stage is an experience every guitar enthusiast should have. If you're a fan of his, and even if you already have the original Surfing with the Alien album, you must get this remastered edition, if only for the DVD. It includes extra tracks like Hamm's "Bass Solo," "Memories," "Rubina," and "Hordes of Locusts." They're great and you shouldn't miss out on them. The DVD also includes bonus features; an interview with Nigel Tufnel (the fictional lead guitarist in the movie This is Spinal Tap played by actor Christopher Guest), the "Satch Boogie" music video, and the "Always With Me, Always With You" music video.

While guitar isn't my musical instrument of choice, watching and listening to Satriani made me appreciate the beauty and the potential of the instrument. I'm so glad my band mates introduced his music to me, and I will definitely be looking for his future works.

I had recently had the privilege of reviewing MINK’s self-titled debut album, and I loved it so much I couldn’t stop singing their praises to everyone I met. As luck would have it, I had the opportunity to interview them and find out more about this up and coming band. MINK consists of singer Neal Carlson, drummer Stella Mozgawa, guitarists Nick Maybury and David Lowy, and bassist Grant Fitzpatrick. They graciously took time out of their busy schedules to allow me to interview them, and here is the result.

Hi everyone! Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. I absolutely loved your album, and I'm thrilled to have this opportunity to interview you. Tell me about the birth of MINK. How did it all start?

NEAL: Nick, Grant and I met through a friend who was living in NYC at the time. Our first few jams were very loose and informal, but there was definitely something exciting there because we wrote about nine songs over the course of the seven or eight days. Shortly after that I moved to Australia for awhile to do some touring. It was there that I met Stella (an old friend of Nick's). There was an instant connection and it's been moving very fast since.

Nick comes from a jazz background, and the rest of you from very different backgrounds that include Broadway, garage-rock, punk, and experimental backgrounds. How have your various backgrounds influenced your music in MINK?

NICK: ‘Sonic’, ‘tones’ and ‘emotion’ are my main approach to playing electric guitar. My background and approach has influenced Mink to the extent where I've use a wide range of tones to create my own signature sound - most commonly noticed is the octave fuzz sound, which is really a trick I stole from Hendrix. It's this gnarly, growl-y octave-up effect I use, combined with an overdrive unit to create a distinct lead sound that always cuts through the mix. It can be heard in the "Madame Chung" solo, the "Pressure Pressure" lead parts, and the "Dematerialse" chorus and outro lead parts. Another key element is the use of delay, which processes the guitar signal to repeat and echo. I use it for certain parts to stick out and sound bigger than they are. The Edge is a pure genius at this and a big influence - feedback combined with delay effects is one of my favorite live tricks.

My jazz studies have also become handy in my writing parts for Mink, where I've used passing tones and scale tones around the chords to create my riffs, like in the "Sweeter" chorus, or using the mixolydian mode in the "Pressure Pressure" solo, or building a very basic chord melody approach in "Will Not Let You Down", used before the bridge and outro.

My blues background is also very strong in my approach and the way I play live. I use a clean non-master volume valve amp that needs to be turned up loud to get ‘The Tone’, which has strong roots in blues music even dating back to the African tribes, before modern music had evolved. They would try to distort their instruments by adding shells and beads to create buzz tones and added vibration. To get a good tone you need to get the frequency to respond at a certain level to get enough ‘juice’ to sing…and it sounds more exciting and nasty. That's why we play so loud and why Stella hits so hard on the drums. It's also about feel and attitude and letting your emotions out on the instrument.

Stella, you’ve been called “the female John Bonham” because of your awesome power and speed. John Bonham was the drummer in Led Zeppelin, and is one of modern rock’s most influential and respected drummers. Does that make you feel like you have a reputation to live up to?

STELLA: It's very flattering to be compared to drummers that I have endless respect for. I learnt a great deal from Bonham and a lot of the 60's/70's rock drummers but I wouldn't say I feel pressured to allude to their drumming style. I'm just another music geek!

Neal, I love you...I mean, your voice. Are you married or involved with anyone? Seriously though, you have a unique voice that I really admire, and I love how you get so involved in the songs.

NEAL: Thanks a lot! I love singing. Letting out a good scream is such a great vent for me. Frank Black of the Pixies is one of my heroes and he can scream like a demon.

I thought “Madame Chung” was unique, and “Dematerialize” and “Jodi” had some interesting lyrics. Are there any real life stories or personal experiences that inspired these songs or any of the other songs on your album?

NEAL: I'd say that the most personal songs are “Dematerialize”, “Crazy World” and “Will Not Let You Down”. I wrote the lyrics to “Dematerialize” when I was on the show Rockstar: INXS and the music for the song came together with the band in November 2006. “Crazy World” is one of my favorite tracks on the album.

Sylvia Massy is the noted producer of Tool and Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Chris Shaw is a two-time Grammy winner who worked with Bob Dylan and Wilco. How does it feel to be working with them?

NEAL: It was such an honor to work with Sylvia and Chris. The thing I loved most about working with them was their willingness to experiment and make the experience fun. Sylvia has an incredible studio in Weed, California. For any Twin Peaks fans out there, being in Weed felt like being in the show.

STELLA: Both recording endeavors were really different but both were amazing. We recorded with Chris in New York at Avatar studios; one of the city's most revered studios and we were placed in the ghost town of Weed with Sylvia. She had restored a vaudevillian theatre into a studio, very unique and made for interesting sounds on the record. It was an honor to work with both of them!

NICK: I feel honored to be associated with such well known and talented producer/engineers such as Sylvia Massey and Chris Shaw. I mean, how cool is it to have the opportunity to work with people of that caliber. Sylvia and Chris are very different though: Chris pulls amazing sounds, as does Sylvia, and was more hands on with pre-production, where as Sylvia is a vibe guru and liked to get us pumped every take, ala school of Rick Rubin. None of them are better or worse, just different. Both have outstanding credits. I'm very proud to have heard the last Dylan record form the monitors off the pro tools session at Avatar; that was just a rare special experience (thanks, Chris!). Hopefully we will be in their proud list of credits one day!

You've gone on tour with Saliva and KISS. Tell us about your experience rocking with them.

GRANT: It felt great. They both were a lot of fun to work with and helped us immensely in terms of getting some of our songs in better shape and sonically also.

What are your immediate goals and what do you ultimately want to achieve with MINK?

NEAL: Currently we're on tour with Perry Farrell's Satellite Party. One of the most important things I've learned from Perry is to have fun on stage and be yourself. We're always trying to put on a great show and show our appreciation to everyone who watches us play.

STELLA: Immediate goals: more touring! We love touring the states, can't wait to venture into other territories…check out Europe and Asia. Ultimately we'd like to produce plenty of super albums and build a catalogue that we're really proud of.

GRANT: To keep touring and being a better player and person and to have a career with longevity.

NICK: My immediate goal with Mink is to get as much positive recognition as possible, and sell as many records and shows possible, and be big enough to have people working our myspace for us because we are too busy, get to Japan Europe and kick ass in Australia, do a second album, move the band to LA to write the next album - I think we could revive a rock scene over there - and be bi-coastal. I want to buy some property and build a studio so I can continue to pursue my musical goals in writing new music and to challenge listeners on a commercial level. MULTI-platinum!!! To gain an O-1 Visa and or citizenship in the USA, so I can keep it much more real than what Australia has to offer. KEEP TOURING THE USA - I love it! Make the MINK brand as huge as KISS! And I think we should get a big FUCK OFF neon MINK logo behind us when we start doing headline shows!

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Visit MINK's website!

MINK's self-titled debut album is available from Amazon.com.

MINK's self-titled debut album is one of the best new sounds I've heard in a while. I was a little dubious about them when I first listened to them, but the more I listened the more I liked them. No, scratch that. The more I listened, the more I loved them.

More than once I thought it would be great to let the rest of my band listen to the album so we could jam to their songs. MINK is so full of energy that they just make me want to be a part of it. Our drummer constantly complains that a lot of the songs we play are boring, but I'm absolutely certain once he listens to MINK, he will be a huge fan too, especially since MINK's drummer, Stella Mozgawa, is a force to be reckon with. I have the utmost respect for her power and creativity, and her talent has definitely brought a very unique sound to the band.

I'm actually the vocalist in my band, and I tend to focus more on voice and melodies rather than bass and drums, but both the drums by Stella Mozgawa and bass by Grant Fitzpatrick have caught my attention in this album. Their sounds are very tightly knit, and bring a lot of depth to their music. That's not to say I don't like their vocals and melodies though. Lead singer, Neal Carlson, is my new idol. I don't know what it is about his voice I like, perhaps it is because it is so changeable and smooth and raspy all at once. Or perhaps because you can feel his complete engagement in the music. He has a certain 'Suede-ish' sound to his voice that I find irresistible.

While the bass and drums caught my attention in the faster songs on MINK, the guitar sounds stand out more to me in the slower (which aren't exactly all that slow) songs like "Will Not Let You Down", "Sweeter", "Crazy World", "Dematerialize" and the bonus track "Look Into Each Other". Incidentally, these are also my favorite songs on the album. Perhaps, with the exception of "Dematerialize", all these songs appeal to my romantic nature and I can't help but be partial to them. I especially love the guitar sounds in "Dematerialize" though. Lead guitarist, Nick Maybury, and rhythm guitarist, David Lowy are no slouches.

I don't usually make predictions and it might be presumptuous for me to say this, but I'm certain that MINK will be the next big thing in music, to the proportions of Guns N' Roses, Queen, and the like. Every radio station will play their music, everyone will know them, and every musician will study them. Or maybe I'm just bias, but you know, MINK is good enough that they just might prove me right.

The first thing which impressed me about Five Times August is that it is a totally independent act unsigned with any record label, and yet it has achieved more than most other albums that have signed with record labels.

Five Times August is actually a one-man project by Brad Skistimas. His birthday is on August 5th and the project was named based on the thought that it would be easier to remember Five Times August, than the name Brad Skistimas. I beg to differ however, Skistimas' name is not one I will soon forget.

Five Times August's achievements are truly remarkable. His first album, originally titled Fry Street, has sold more than 100,000 digital downloads online and 11,000 CD's throughout North America and Europe, and nine of the albums' songs had been featured on popular television shows like Laguna Beach and One Tree Hill.

A remixed and remastered version of his first album, aptly retitled The Independent was released just a few days ago, on August 7, 2007, to be distributed from Wal-Mart stores nationwide. The album consists of two discs; which includes a bonus disc of acoustic sessions, and 26 tracks; fourteen tracks on the main disc, including three bonus tracks, and twelve tracks on the bonus acoustic disc.

If I could use only one word to describe Five Times August, it would be unique. Skistimas has a very unique playing style with the guitar, and my boyfriend, who is a very talented guitarist himself, was very impressed with Skistimas' style. I agreed with him, but not only on the guitar style. Everything about his songs were unique; the lyrics, the melody, everything. Each song was so uniquely different from each other, and all so very special in their own right, that it was hard choosing favourites.

The nine songs which had been featured on television shows, "Better With You", "First Time For Everything", "Roll Into You", "Do It Again", "Save It For Later", "The Way You Do", "So Typical", "Up To Me", and "Wherever" were all very good, and it's not hard to understand why they were featured. You can hear the full songs here.

Unlike other albums, where I usually had a few tracks I really liked, and others that I just skipped over, there were none here that I wanted to skip. I liked them all, and I honestly couldn't choose just a few favourites. If I had to choose just one though, it would be the bonus track, "Most Uncommon Thing". It is hauntingly beautiful and profound, and touches me in a magical place in my heart.

The thing I liked most about The Independent and Skistimas' exceptionally talented songwriting skills, was that each and every song had a story to tell. And I don't mean the lyrics. I mean the music. Each song has a story embedded in its music; a beginning, middle, and end, a climax, a lull, a peak, and a calm. There were so much dynamics in the music, and so many surprises, because sometimes you think the story is going one way, and all of a sudden it changes directions. It is just wonderful how Skistimas has managed to manipulate music like putty in his hands.

I could spend hours discussing each song, but I suspect that would take more than just a few hours and may even take a few months. I have so much to say about them, but I believe that each person has to interpret the songs their own way. The only thing I have left to say is that Five Times August has stolen my heart, and I am now a lovesick fan who will be anxiously awaiting more of his music. There are plans for a new album to be released in early 2008, and you can be sure I will be one of the first to acquire it.

I did a little shopping yesterdayyyyyy!! *in singsong voice*

Yeap! I actually went shopping!!

But then again, I didn't shop for clothes...

I did BETTER! =D

I bought CDs!!! =)

I don't even remember the last time I bought a CD... I used to buy them by the dozen, but since I moved, my radio hasn't been set up yet, so I can only play CDs on my computer. But yesterday I bought three 'new' CDs! Yayyy!

Wanna know? Wanna?

Well, I'm gonna tell you anyway. =P


Avril Lavigne's The Best Damn Thing

Her new album is definitely different from her last two, more poppy and um...chirpy. But there are a couple of songs I really like still, so I just thought I'd give it a try. Besides, I have the other two albums, and I just couldn't resist 'collecting'.









The Corrs' Home

I'm a big fan of their regular music, and I love Irish music. They've gone more traditional rather than pop with this album, that's probably why I haven't heard any singles from this album on the radios. But even though their style here is very different from their usual, I love any kind of music, and they know music.









Norah Jones' Not Too Late

What can I say? I love her, I love her voice, I love her style, I love her music... She's just getting better and better, and I forsee my CD cupboard filled with more of her albums in the future to come.






I'm listening to them now...(one at a time, of course) and I'm enjoying them to bits! Will be back with more later maybe.

Wheeee!! =)

I can totally relate to Marti Dodson’s chagrin about the music industry’s tendency to treat girls in the industry like sex symbols rather than musicians. Almost everywhere I look, female singers and musicians are shaking their booties and showing off their cleavages. I admire Dodson, Saving Jane’s lead singer, for starting a One Girl Revolution to show the world that girls are more than just sex symbols. There is so much more to us than that.

Saving Jane’s new album, One Girl Revolution, is all about keeping it real. The lyrics are straightforward and outspoken, reflecting Dodson’s strong opinions. Dodson has a talent for writing heart wrenching and ass kicking lyrics that people can relate to. The title track, "One Girl Revolution," is Dodson’s way of fighting back against the stereotype of girls as sex symbols in the music business. She's more than just a pretty face, though it's a very pretty face. She's got brains, and she's not afraid to use them.

Saving Jane's new album covers almost every issue that young people are facing. "From the Sky" is also a song with 'fight-back' lyrics, but not as aggresively sung as "One Girl Revolution" is. "What I Didn't Say" and "Let Me Down Easy" are songs of lost love, and "Say Please" is about wanting him to beg you for forgiveness. "Grace" is about faith, "Far From Home" is about leaving home for the first time, and "Better Day" is about picking yourself up after a fall. Dodson also covers more serious issues like smoking and alcohol addiction with "Nicotine" and "Writing On the Wall."

"Loser" is about a loser ex-boyfriend you're so glad you broke up with, and it's my particular favourite. I think the lyrics are hilarious and the melody is really catchy. And I know what you're thinking, but no, I did not just break up with a loser boyfriend. I broke up with him more than a year ago.

The bonus track, "Ohio" is about, well, Ohio, and Dodson's love for her homeland. It's more country than rock, but it sounds good, and Dodson's voice sounds good singing country. Overall, One Girl Revolution makes for good listening, with catchy melodies, compelling lyrics, energetic music, and enthusiastic singing. While I prefer their previous album, Girl Next Door, I think One Girl Revolution will speak to the heart of many Saving Jane's fans, and is definitely worth a listen to.