[B][I]14th Street[/I] - Rufus Wainwright[/B]: 4:44

The song opens with guitar, piano and (drunkenly slurred?) vocals. Piano and vocals are the predominant instruments/things in this part and all sounds really good. The drums and bass add themselves to the song very soon with a 'dum-dum-dum-dum-dum' bit. The song is a lot livelier than I was expecting. Got a nice waltz 3/4 feel to it and the piano really sounds good.

The backing vocals during the chorus section (38 seconds for first chorus) are really good as well. There is a nice definition between the two different sorts of singing going on.

The song has lots of short section with the switches from verse to chorus and back but there are so many different instruments in certain sections (I think there is a harmonica in the second verse but it's really low down I can't be sure.) There's almost too much to mention. The brass instruments at the 1:30 mark onwards are great; they really give the song some oomph.

2:25 and there is a little more laid back part which is quite as appealing melody-wise but good none the less. At the 2:50 mark the song starts a gradual descent into a piano only piece which I really like.

Of course the song comes right back up again where it plays out with the chorus towards the end. There are many little alterations to bits of the song here and there, but it does start to drag a tad which is a shame.

The band eventually fades out until there is just a bit of banjo playing left, which in turn fades out itself.

I have to say I really like the whole togetherness of what was going on, and there was a lot of it to co-ordinate and what not. The song seemed to drag a little I felt though as it neared the end as it seemed to hold on for the sake of it but I bet it would sound fantastic live, especially with some improv in there.

Overall, I would give the track a [B]9/10[/B]. But a weak [B]9/10[/B]. More like [B]8.8/10[/B], but that's a silly score.

[B]Forced Listening:[/B]

[URL=http://s18.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0M5D22FBG867O17LUF94ZB0N8V]Time is an Imploding Unit/Waiting for Green - Biffy Clyro[/URL] - Alt. Rock/Pop-Punk, 9:23 long.

[URL=http://s18.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0P5N9ZTH0HB42EO5BH0Q4WT3X]Tonight my Wife is your Wife - Reuben[/URL] - Pop-Punk/Rocky Tinges, 3:07 long.

[URL=http://s13.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=02OQAH79TV44D0T8ZESNFFXU10]Metric - Pelé[/URL] - Very calm Post-Rock, 6:20 long.

[URL=http://s5.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0NLVRG775PCYA0JO8J45M8I2R3]I Know Your Name - Bee & Flower[/URL] - Woman and Violin and things, dark, 4:50 long.

[URL=http://s22.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1V8M134QDYKHB0BM3ANAJN0SXG]What You Feel - Buffy the Vampire Slayer Cast Musical[/URL] - F[SIZE=2]u[/SIZE]ckin' Jazz-a-matazz, 3:01 long.

Sorry for not doing my dibs before :upset:

I'll do this one right now though.

[b]Metic - Pele[/b]

Nice guitar riffs at the start and some cool drumming. There is a really nice fill right at the beginning of the song. The song is constantly changing and this is a very good thing. I think I can hear some electronics in the background, which is cool. The strange thing about this song is that it is always changing, but it stays the same for the whole 6:20. The little section where everything cuts out, around 3:23 is one of the best parts of the song, I really love it.

This drummer really is great. He's starting to build up the song with some top snare work. Now the song is fully built up, but doesn't go into massive heaviness, which most post-rock band do (this is something that annoys me). The keyboard in the background is pretty amazing. I like the ending, the way everything just gets softer.

Nice stuff, it has some good groove.

7.5/10

[url=http://www.thejollyrogers.org/thepartypunch.mp3]The Jolly Rogers - The Party Punch[/url] Folk Pop
[url=http://www.thejollyrogers.org/ohbeone.mp3]The Jolly Rogers - Oh Be One[/url] Folk Pop
[url=http://s12.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1UPNEPBUQGNVP3OOAA0UTVM22K]Thomas Newman - The Shawshank Redemption Soundtrack (this is two parts of it mixed into one)[/url] Film Music
[url=http://www.thejollyrogers.org/piratesanthem.mp3]The Jolly Rogers - The Pirate's Anthem[/url] Folk Pop

dib

[b]The Jolly Rogers - A Pirate's Anthem[/b]

I hope this one is piratey, the other one I tried wasn't. Maybe it helps that I just had Modest Mouse on, I'm in the right listening frame. This is just a bit cleaner in all aspects. Though it's not sounding a bit piratey! :(

Acoustic guitar strums and piano chordage, a soft flowing 6/8er. It changes quickly to a harder (yet soft sound) with a high guitar. The singer still sounds incredibly like Ben Folds meets Modest Mouse singer.

At 2 minutes is a more melodic bit, which is a good thing, but it's interspersed by some semi-yells to counter it. The piano "lead" is pretty simple and repetetive, but it works all the same. Then after a bit, the music softens once again, and this time it stays that way, all the way through the fade out to the end.

Where's the pirate sound??? It would be really cool to hear. Anyway, it was a decent piece. I find when they try to sound rough it just doesnt work, they seem much more suited to the softer parts of their music. I couldn't really focus well on the individual bits, but it didn't put me off.
8.2/10

__________________________________________
[b][url=http://www.comcen.com.au/~caracarol/The National - Alligator - 05 - Daughters Of The Soho Riots.mp3]The National - Daughters Of The Soho Riots[/url][/b] - soft indie

[b]Simon And Garfunkel - The Sound Of Silence[/b] - acoustic folk

[b]Violetine - Finer Place[/b] - rock

[b]Rumors Of The Big Wave - Nightmare[/b] - prog pop-rock


0-second bump, come on

duh-da-duh-dubbaduh-dibs.

[U][B]The National - Daughters Of The Soho Riots[/B][/U]

I quite like this band from what I've already heard but I've been putting off buying their latest album. No good reason for that, really. Maybe this will be the one that pushes me over the edge. I've already got a general feel for what they sound like so let's see...

I really dig the singer's voice, deeper than most, that kind of delivery that I think goes really well with the basic melancholy indie pop style they've got going on. The actual song starts of with a simple, driving beat. A nice guitar melody to go with that and the tune plugs along and the singer drops in. There some piano stabs now, and it continues that way until we get to the bridge chorus style steez.

We circle about, but I don't know, there's like a softly growing intensity, nothing so noticeable. Maybe I'm just tweaking out. Very straightforward song all and all, ends on some hi-hat crashes and poof, we're done.

Just a simply, wonderfully solid song, perfectly executed for what it is. Made me want to buy the album even more so I think it succeeded in its goal (and my subconscious desire.)

8.5/10

_______________________
A few tunes...

[URL=http://www.some.com/mp3/Rise.mp3]Innaway - Rise[/URL] (Indie-psychedelic rock)

[URL=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00075VVG0/104-0956925-1444718?v=glance]Pistol Star - Mr. DJ[/URL] (Alterna-soul)

[URL=http://www.devindaviswebsite.com/Iron_Woman.mp3]Devin Davis - Iron Woman[/URL] (Singer/Song writer-Indie rock)

[URL=http://www.summerhymns.com/SomethingsGoingOn.mp3]Summer Hymns - Something's Going On[/URL] (Psychedelic pop)

[SIZE=1]bomp[/SIZE]

[B]Innaway - Rise[/B]

I've always had much luck from Mr. Crumb during Forced Listenings so I'm expecting to rather like this song even if I actually hate it, deal?

I haven't heard of the band but I'm always on the look for a pysch indie band so this shall be interesting.

Starts on ambient nature noises with wind blowing. Then tamborines or something joins in to give a somewhat spooky vibe. Fantastic I dig the organ and "The Benefit of Mr. Kite" type bass line. Other smalls things in the backround add to the overall mood especially the vocals.

Drums join in and the song goes heavy pysch in a sinister way. I can't help but compare to it some heavy metal riffs with that dual guitar octave thing going on. Needless to say I enjoy this part, it was short and it fillled it's role.

Back to the moody organ line with sparse percuassion. This times a singer accompianys them. I dig his vocals, I think he said something about sunshine or I'm complety bias. The backing vocals are amazing and eerie. . One more heavy pysch jam this time with more noise and freakout, fantastic.

I usually listen to a song twice or so for FLs and I have to say I like it more the second I listened to this song. I'm going to download the album.

[B]My Rating: [/B]9.5/10

[B]My Choices:[/B]
Blur - Universal (Britpop)
Nick Drake - Place To Be (Acoustic)
Radiohead - The National Anthem (Alternative)
Lou Reed - Perfect Day - (Piano Ballad)
Buzzcocks - Time's Up (Punk)

deyab

[b]Nick Drake - Place To Be[/b]

Finally I'll get to hear his music, apparently it's good.

Sweet melodious acoustic guitar strums, sounds like folk to me.. these chords carry right through the song. It could be just one guitar played well, it sounds like 2 though. His vocals are very soft, with an airy feel, this go really well with the music. He leaves space for just the guitar, as to not overload the song.

Well, I might have to listen to the lyrics because there isn't much else to say about the music. Firstly he is remembering being young, can't exactly say what he remebers. Seems he has changed from a happy young man to a sad old man. I can't understand the last verse.. or stanza, but no doubt it fits.

It's simple but nice, guitar and vocals were nicely balanced and it all fit. It also had some kind of raw goodness that can't really be defined. I don't have much else to say.
Good. 9/10

________________________________
[b][url=http://www.comcen.com.au/~caracarol/Custard - Loverama - 06 - Nervous Breakdance.mp3]Custard - Nervous Breakdance[/b][/url] - indie-disco-pop-rock

[b]Decoder Ring - Collapse Coming On[/b] - like Mogwai on speed (still not too fast)

[b]Electric Light Orchestra - Yours Truly, 2095[/b] - 80's synth rock

[b]Rumors Of The Big Wave - Nightmare[/b] - prog pop-rock

Dibbity dip dip dibs

[B]Custard - Nervous Breakdance[/B]

Didn't like the vocals right at the beginning, but they quickly improved. Excellent bass line, very groovy. Piano adds to the sound very nicely. Lyrics are a little cheesy, but considering the genre, that's to be expected. Overall, it sounds like a less poppy and less produced version of The Killers. I'd recommend it to Killers fans, actually.

Groovy, 8/10.

The Paper Chase - I'm Going To Spend The Rest of My Life Lying (Got me as far as genre)
Robert Randolph and the Family Band - Good Times (3 Stroke) (Soul/Funk Rock feel to it)
The Bad Plus - Do Your Sums/Die Like A Dog/Play For Home (all 1 song) (Neo-Jazzish rock)

Crap, I've killed the Forced Listening thread....

no you didn't, sometimes it takes over a week for any action to occur

Lazy bastards.... Rate my music, **** you all!

Bump

I wasn't aware that I had to write a full magazine column. There's only so much I can say about one song.

If it's that much of a problem, I'll write a longer one. Personal attacks are not necessary.

dibs

[B]Wovenhand - Sparrow Falls[/B]

Okie dokie, long download for me. I kinda didn't expect the guy to have this powerful of a voice, very much gospel. Not really paying attention to the lyrics, though. Mostly assuming since I got this from the Sounds Familyre websitesand all the other songs had names like "To Love Like The Father & Son" and "I Saw a Mighty Angel." In any case, that wouldn't matter because this guy's voice is all sorts of fantastic. It's that kind of big, booming, overpowering type, the kind that rapes your ears and has the gall to lay in bed and light a cigarette afterwards.

Very pure folk rock going on here, hold on, the phone's ringing.

So it starts off simply enough, little acoustic picking, sounds like a little slide going on too. Everything's adding up, it's very dramatic, almost overly so. But it sounds just right to back up the singer's immediacy. At around 2:20, there's a really awesome instrumental part. The piano really drives the song a lot, I think, works works very well. If everything was dropped and it was just a piano-driven ballad, this would probably sound good. Although not as nearly as fantastic as it does.

Not exactly the most in depth review but I liked it. The whole thing sounds like a sinking ship, or something teetering on the edge of a cliff waiting to be pushed off. I really dug this, gonna have to try and remember to pick something up by these guys.

[B]9.5/10[/B]

Let me find some songs...

[URL=http://www.scjag.com/mp3/sc/darkdonthideit.mp3]Magnolia Electric Co. - The Dark Don't Hide It[/URL] (folk rock)

The Beach Boys - Surf's Up (Pop)

Peanut Butter Wolf - Necromancin' (Indie hop hop)

Rita Lee - Calma (MPB, Brazilian pop)

dibs

Hurry up, cos I wanna get in on this.

I feel like shi[COLOR=Black]t[/COLOR]ting on your favourite bands.

Keep your pants on. It doesn't get any better than 0.9 k/s.

My lord, that is slooooooowwww.

[B]Rita Lee - Calma[/B]

I was lucky enough to find this unqueued. This is the first time I'm listening to Rita Lee, and also the first time I've seen her name in the internet, I think. Not really sure how Brazilian pop would sound cause samba and bossa always come to mind when I someone mentions that country.

Rita Lee immediately joins in the fray of harp-like guitars and soft but assertive drum playing, she whispers and croons the title of the song as it begins. The bass then keeps things going, and it gets a bit livelier and soothing again at certain intervals. At first I thought it was just a usual 70's pop ballad then the psychedelic organs and the fairly husky horns enter(a saxophone in the background?) and it's turning out to be quite an eclectic but cohesively graceful tune.

Speaking of Rita, she sounds quite the diva herself. She would definitely fare well in a purely bossa nova act the way she sings quiet parts and raise her voice expressively. I don't think I understood a word she was saying when I listened to "Calma", but I suppose it was a love song as I heard "baby" somewhere.

All in all it was a really enjoyable listen and an impressive composition with all the instruments it incorporated. It's really nostalgic and sweet, mainly due to her voice. I think I'll get some more of her stuff sometime.

[B]9/10[/B]

Songs:

Weird War - Grand Fraud(lo-fi, 70's inspired rock)

Royal Trux - A Night to Remember(rock)

Out Hud - 2005: A Face Odyssey(instrumental hip-hop-ish electronica)
[url]http://s38.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3TIF2YTNSJFEE2J0MCPKDDV2LL[/url]

The Black Heart Procession - Tropics of Love(bossa-influenced)
[url]http://www.epitonic.com/artists/theblackheartprocession.html[/url]

Dibs.

Out Hud - [I]2005: A Face Odyssey[/I]

Hrm, intro isn't too bad. Seems slightly funky, but has an atmospheric and serious vibe happening. It's quite trancey, sorta Orb or Infected Mushroom-type stuff. Hello excitement? Doesn't really go to far, either that or it's just building up slowly. Nice little piano interlude(s). This isn't what I expected. Not a trace of hip-hop whatsoever. Get's kinda cool around the 3 minute mark, but it's still boring. F[COLOR=Black]u[/COLOR]ck I could make this song sound cool, whats wrong with these people? It's stopped in the middle, oooh maybe something cool'll happen... no, no. This is decent but it has nothing keeping me in my chair, I could take a leak and come back and not have missed anything. I like the last part, it's spacey. Rub some crunk on't!!

Meh. I liked it, but I probably won't listen again.

[B]5.5/10[/B]

Shuggie Otis - [I]Inspiration Information[/I] (soul/funk with slight psychadelic vibes)

The Make-Up - [I]Pow! to the People[/I] (sexed up boogie rock with bad organs and a bitchin' solo)

Wire - [I]12XU[/I] (Punk/post-punk stuff, nice 'n short)

Beehive & the Barracudas - [I]Dirty Soughts[/I] (Dirty, noisy punk/rock stuff. Coolest band.)

[B]Bear Vs. Shark- 5,6 Kids (3:49)[/B]

Weird noises in the intro before the guitar, I like that. It sounds like there's a crowd there, but really far away. Hahahaa I just realized this was the song my friend was singing to me the other day. He just kept saying "1 2 3 4 5 6 killers" and I was totally lost. I like this guy's voice it's really raspy. I really like the guitar in the chorus it's got a really cool sliding sound to it. Alot of the guitar seems really repetitive but the guys cool voice seems to make up for it. The breakdown sounds sweet, I like the barely noticeable drum/high hats whatever that tinkling noise is in the background. Is this the same guy singing? He lost all his raspiness all of a sudden. The way it goes back into the chorus, from the breakdown is sweet. I'm not really sure what it is but it sounds really good. Uh oh, weird things are going on at the end of this song. Didn't like the weird sound at the end at all. Just annoying.

[B]9/10[/B]
[B][SIZE=7]___[/SIZE][/B]

Reccomendations:
Devo- Uncontrollable Urge (Electronica/New wave/punk)
Flaming Lips- Yoshimi battles the Pink Robots part 1 (Electronica/indie)
Epoxies- Need more time (electronica/punk)

So much electronica stuff :upset:

dibs