New Music For A New Year

Well, it's a new year (you may have already noticed, but I like to state the obvious, so there you go) and you know what that means! YES! Time for New Music!

Actually, what it's TIME for is another eclectic compilation of songs that may or may not be "new"—in the strictest sense of the word—but which are new TO ME. And this time (unlike what I did with my first blog music collection, aka Marathon Music), I'd like to offer something of an explanation for the songs that I've selected.

Yes, I like them. I meant MORE SPECIFICALLY THAN THAT. Sheesh.

Of course, sometimes I like stuff just because I like it ... and/or—and I know this is going to be damn near impossible to believe, especially under the weight of blather that already smothers my bloggy little corner of the Internet—I actually haven't analyzed WHY I like it yet.

Hey, I may not be ready for the truth. I may not be able to HANDLE THE TRUTH. These things take time. LOTS OF TIME.

So, hey, while the new year is STILL RELATIVELY NEW, I'd like to get on with it:

1. "Peruvian Skies" is a lovely little tune from Dream Theater. This set of songs begins AND ends with Dream Theater, in fact, but I'm getting ahead of myself, and the view isn't pretty. Anyway, Little Girl seems to be developing a fondness for "Peruvian Skies" herself, as she remarked on some of my favorite aspects of the song just the other day, when I was playing it—at highly restrained volumes—in the car.

"This is pretty," she said, swaying gently in time with the music ... JUST as the mid-portion of vocals ended and the music transitioned with a spine-tingling guitar solo and then a deep, passionate, roll-in-the-hay of an instrumental section.

Unfazed, she became more vigorous in her head-bobbing and continued, "and then it ROCKS!"

2. "Say Goodbye" is another mellow-starting song; this one is from Theory of a Deadman, which was a spur-of-the-moment just-before-Christmas purchase that I managed to justify only because I was in the store to buy a gift for someone else. And I hadn't put this particular CD on my "Wish List" yet so I was sure no one had gotten it for me for Christmas.

I like the guy's voice, and although the lyrics are not especially uplifting, there's enough sweet under the bitter to make it as much fun as a bar of dark chocolate.

And that is a LOT of fun! *evil grin*

3. "Rough Boy" is an oldie but a goodie from the long-haired pervs (two out of three have long hair) from ZZ Top. I still want to know if they've EVER put out a song that wasn't a double-entendre, and if so, how would I ever know?

(You know, me being the kind of person who can see the pattern on an innocent bundt cake in a totally deviant light.)

Anyway, I love the intro and the sweetly sleazy singing of the guitar at the end.

4. "Change (In the House of Flies)" is from a totally new—yes, to me, THIS IS MY WORLD, AND DON'T YOU FORGET IT!—group: Deftones. It's the first CD of theirs I've purchased, and I've yet to really examine it, but it may be the last. What I find very compelling in this one particular song is (thus far) less so in the REST of the songs on the CD.

(Incidentally, I keep trying NOT to call it an "album," thereby dating myself more effectively than the number in my profile. But it's very annoying to do that, so fuck it.)

I like the unique vocals in THIS SONG. In particular, I like how they flow, in a musical moan, right around the middle of the song. But the album, it doesn't impress me the way this single does.

But, that's just me. ;)

5. "Lip Gloss and Black" is from the second ALBUM I've purchased by Atreyu, and no, I haven't researched what their name means yet (if anything). I think it must certainly have something to do with vampires, as they seem to be a bit on the vamp and/or goth fixation. And yes, you CAN tell from the lyrics, but you're going to have to listen carefully.

And let's face facts: most of you won't have the stomach to do that even with one song.

Yup, these guys SCREAM. At least, their lead screamer does. But if you hang on through the vocals, all the way past the "Live, love, burn, DIE!" part (you'll recognize it, honest), you will, I guarantee, be pleasantly surprised.

You might never listen again, regardless, but the bit from the three-minute mark until the end is totally scream-free. And it may just be my current FAVORITE instrumental metal piece: chill-inducing delight, every time.

6. "March of Hope" is an anti-hopeful militant bit of tripe from Dope. (Heheheh, now I can say "I like Dope!" with authority!) Like the Theory of a Deadman album, this one also has a definitive theme, and it's not particularly pleasant.

It is, however, REAL. And what I REALly like about it is how when I'm listening to it in the car, stopped at a red light, I can watch the car behind me BLURRRRRRRRRR in my rearview mirror when the bass drops with a roar as the chorus KICKS. THE. DOOR. DOWN.

"I don't ever want to be like you, I don't wanna be like YOU!"

A very nice "fuck off" piece, in other words. And if that bass doesn't "get" you, you just don't know how to damage your hearing.

7. "Collide" is a beautiful, not-my-usual-style piece that I heard on via Pandora, which I also highly recommend (but not on an ancient, old home computer, which is why you won't see the URL here ... I dare not lock my 'puter up mid-blather), and is off the latest CD by Dishwalla.

I heard it after I wrote my blathering bit titled "Conflict." If I had heard it before then, I probably would've stolen this song title and used that instead.

I love this piece to pieces, but it is a bit of a tear-jerker, since I'm a completely sentimental sap and all, so I can't say I recommend it to the more musically sensitive in the crowd. *listens to the sound of a lone cricket chirping*

Right. Moving on, then ...

8. "Rot" is an uplifting scream-fest from Dry Kill Logic, whose name I ADORE, but whose cover-art might've given me the hint that I should've settled for a single in this case, too. Yeah, I'm not so much adoring the rest of the CD, but I still like the fast-pace, the grating beat, and the first lyrical line.

Yes, yes, if YOU don't want to call it "lyrical," you can do your own damn review. It's metal, make no mistake, and it might be borderline rap, which would explain why I need to take this one in small doses, too.

At least for now. My "New Year's Mellow Mood" probably won't last past the first ray of sunshine ... which should be, oh, around about FUCKING MARCH, from what I can tell from the immediate forecast.

But again, I digress.

9. "This Life" is another hard piece, by another new (all together now: TO ME!) group: Primer55. I like the way it flows seamlessly from melodic to chaotic, much like life itself. There's also a bunch of naughty words in this one, so play it AFTER you drop the kids off at school.

Or, not at all. Dealer's choice.

10. "A Change of Seasons," as promised, by the great and wonderful DREAM THEATER! This particular song is just over 23 musically orgasmic minutes, so lie back and let them do all the work.

Okay, okay, enough with the sexual implications, but it really is a long song; more of a story told with notes instead of words. What I find unique about Dream Theater—even more than the constantly-changing tempo, which is rumored to be preferred by the ADD-crowd (they are also said to favor RUSH, but hey, that's my third digression and you know what happens at three strikes ... nah, me neither, I hate baseball)—is the way the music wraps completely around the words, and vice versa.

I think most songs are made to mesh lyrics with tune. But Dream Theater makes a musical tesseract; they add another dimension to notes and words, making it not only more than its components, but more than its sum as well.

And I guess that's what we all hope when a new year arrives ... take a new year, add new experiences, and get a new something bigger and better than both put together!

May you enjoy YOUR new music in 2006, and may you play it LOUD!*

*(Relax, oh Defenders of Hearing; it's a friggin' METAPHOR! ;)