does this photo make you happy?
if so, then I suggest you check out
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
Modern day hippies is what I like to label these 9-12 beautiful musicians. This band plays like there's no tomorrow. They laugh, jump, cry, and play all on stage. Their medicine shows will cure whatever ails you. You will dance to their music. It's inevitable. And you'll dance with anyone and everyone because that's what their music is about. So far the reviews have said "Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros are a traveling Woodstock, a throwback to the great lost days when bands thought themselves as families and concerts were foaming whirlpools of joy"....sounds like fun.
Lead singer, Alex Ebert (also lead singer of band Ima Robot) created the band after breaking up with his girlfriend, moving out of his house, and joining a 12-step program for addiction. He began to work on a story about a messianic figure named Edward Sharpe. According to Ebert, Sharpe "was sent down to Earth to kinda heal and save mankind...but he kept getting distracted by girls and falling in love." While in downtown LA, he met female lead singer Jade Castrinos, who is one of those people you can't take your eyes off of. She is never without a smile. They "hit it off and made a run for freedom", with a band and a white school bus to go with it. Heath Ledger apparently gave the band seed money to record their first demo (Heath's name pops up on almost every indie/acoustic/folk band I research....I really wish I could've met him). They record their first album using a 24-track tape machine from 1979 and bargain-basement reels of 2-inch tape. In July of 2009, the launch party for "Up from Below" was, unsurprisingly a benefit, with the money going to help the Gulu Widows Group of Uganda start a farm to sustain their community. And then they went on the road....
Up From Below This is the product of Heath Ledger's money and it was well spent. I can't get enough of this record. I'd say Edward Sharpe is a combination of Arcade Fire, Johnny Cash w/ June Carter and a little Sgt. Peppers era Beatles. "Janglin" and "Home" are the hits, and for good reason. "Home" begins with a whistled echo of an Ennio Morricone (favorite composer - see February 28 post)theme from a Clint Eastwood western. I've said it before, a song can't go wrong with whistles and claps. I'm not a lyric person, but I'm a sucker for the refrain: "Home, let me come home/ Home is where I'm with you". Anyways, check them out - they're delicious.
Daytrotter Session
August 31, 2009
When researching Edward Sharpe, I came across this poll in Australia called the Triple J Hottest 100. It's an annual music poll based on the votes of nation Australian radio station Triple J in order to determine their favorite songs. This past year over 1.1 million people voted. Australia has always had exceptional taste. Every country BUT America seems to understand good music. Take a look at the Top Songs from 2009 on the poll. It's filled with mouth watering bands. Everyone from Kid Cudi and Jay Z to Vampire Weekend and Flight of the Conchords are on here."Home" by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros is #15. I really wanted to listen to these songs so I made a playlist of them. Let's see what jams de got down under:
NOTE: Sometimes where I work can be rather monotonous so I usually make playlists and research bands to kill time. But I figured I could blog as I research. So that's what I'm trying to do. There's so much more music I have to share, but I want to give each song/band their own attention - even if it takes more time to blog. More to come. You'll be stuffed with musical tastiness in no time.
