Thanks for the birthday wishes, everyone. They were super cute and ironic. Anybody notice my offspring Icarus and his super sweet blog that only 2 people have read? What an assertive, honest, and thorough review of Mine Canary's music. It was so fair and unbiased I almost vomited a tear. I'm glad I could inspire such a noble and joyless blog to be created.
Moving right along...
I really enjoyed the comments regarding the engineering quality of many local bands' records. And since this blog is all about what makes me happy and not about providing some sort of service to local musicians, I'd like to dedicate this entry to The Recording Process. My jumping-off point will be the Noise Ordinance 2 CD.
Off the top of my head I can compile a list of the recordings that really stuck out from that CD, and they include The Human Condition, Sons of Hippies, Big Blu House, MeTeOrEyEs, The Once and Future Kings, To Sleep To Dream, Shoebox Monsters, Igor, Completely From Mountains, Lion Choir, and Amazon Woman. These are in no particular order and if you're on this list it doesn't mean I like your music; I just think your recordings were decent. I'm not sorry if I failed to mention anybody.
So, where did these bands record? How much did they pay? What's the ratio of money spent to quality of the recording? What are some general things these bands would like to say about their recordings? What do YOU, the reader, think of these recordings? Why is Cats in the Basement the only Finch House band that has a good recording? Are there any other recordings that stand out to you and why? Please compose your response in a 5 paragraph, expository, FCAT format essay.
Daedalus Aflame
P.S. To all of those people leaving comments about how "dead" the blog has become: thanks. When there are another 100+ comments left for this entry we'll just assume that a bunch of undead zombies are using the internet to read up on Sarasota's music scene.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Thursday, December 15, 2011
A Brief Look at Male Singer/Songwriters in S/Fart/Q
Many of the male singer/songwriters in Sarasota might very well know quite a bit about music, but Justin Layman, Dylan Jon Wade Cox Smith Miller Delorean Jones, Tim Sukits (pronounced soo-kits, lay off the name, he's probably heard it all by now) may as well be those middle-aged guys you see playing covers at all the bars littering the Siesta Key Village. So why do they choose to write mediocre music? The music lacks any edge or element of danger in it, which is I guess the problem with most singer/songwriter dudes nowadays. Of the three dudes mentioned Tim has the best voice, although it ends up coming off a little bit like this:
Justin Layman seems to show the most chops on the guitar, but his voice sounds like an even more constipated John Mayer. It's way too stylized and fake to sound like actual singing. Sing in the same voice you talk in, buddy, you're straining way too hard to get nowhere.
And here's my synopsis of Wade Cox (thanks again to Family Guy for saying things in ways I can't dream of):
But at least this guy sings in key.
Is this post way more dumb than the others? Yes. Did I just learn how to embed youtube videos in my blog? Yes. Writing is time consuming. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then videos are worth millions of words. I basically just wrote a book.
As usual, the comment stream will most likely be way better than the post, so have at it. Do you think these guys kinda suck too?
Deadalus Aflame (whose blog is becoming self-aware)
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
A Review of Mine Canary's "Music"
Dear Friends,
I have to be completely honest with you; up until today I had no idea who Mine Canary were. When people were talking about "toy instruments" I admittedly laughed despite having no clue which band was the culprit. I am ashamed. I did, however, just finish trying to listen to all of the "songs" off of their new "album" called Sentinel. The first question I have to ask is: why would somebody make electronic music that you can't dance to? I don't think there exists a party drug in the world that would make this "music" listenable, and I've seen party drugs make two fat guys want to make out. I mentioned in one of my previous posts that the "experimental" label is very often used as a polite way of saying "this music lowers the quality of my life," but I'd like to touch on another problem with "experimental" or "abstract" music. Most of the abstract art you see in galleries were created by people that studied their craft in an academic institution for many years and were given the task of observing their contemporaries as well as the long-dead greats. These artists are generally very talented from a young age and tend to view the world in a very special way that gives them their particular flair. So when you go to a gallery and see some abstract art and you think to yourself "wow what a waste of paint, this painting looks like two 5-year-olds had a paint fight over a piece of canvas," just remember that the artist is generally a learned, insightful, and skilled individual who arrived at their abstract piece deliberately and after years of training.
Sooo, when two weirdos with costumes and/or asymmetrical haircuts decide they're going to "make music" that is "experimental," I feel like they have really just decided they''ll fuck around with their old toys that they picked up when they were home from college and decided to mash on buttons while recording it with their macbook.
Mine Canary, if you guys think you write music, then I must be Ernest Hemingway.
Daedalus Aflame
I have to be completely honest with you; up until today I had no idea who Mine Canary were. When people were talking about "toy instruments" I admittedly laughed despite having no clue which band was the culprit. I am ashamed. I did, however, just finish trying to listen to all of the "songs" off of their new "album" called Sentinel. The first question I have to ask is: why would somebody make electronic music that you can't dance to? I don't think there exists a party drug in the world that would make this "music" listenable, and I've seen party drugs make two fat guys want to make out. I mentioned in one of my previous posts that the "experimental" label is very often used as a polite way of saying "this music lowers the quality of my life," but I'd like to touch on another problem with "experimental" or "abstract" music. Most of the abstract art you see in galleries were created by people that studied their craft in an academic institution for many years and were given the task of observing their contemporaries as well as the long-dead greats. These artists are generally very talented from a young age and tend to view the world in a very special way that gives them their particular flair. So when you go to a gallery and see some abstract art and you think to yourself "wow what a waste of paint, this painting looks like two 5-year-olds had a paint fight over a piece of canvas," just remember that the artist is generally a learned, insightful, and skilled individual who arrived at their abstract piece deliberately and after years of training.
Sooo, when two weirdos with costumes and/or asymmetrical haircuts decide they're going to "make music" that is "experimental," I feel like they have really just decided they''ll fuck around with their old toys that they picked up when they were home from college and decided to mash on buttons while recording it with their macbook.
Mine Canary, if you guys think you write music, then I must be Ernest Hemingway.
Daedalus Aflame
Monday, December 12, 2011
I have a day job too
To all of my adoring fans (you're the best fans in the whole world!), please know that I have a day job too. But I never want to be away from you for this long again. Not never ever again.
At this point in time I'd like to direct everyone to their favorite music scene and it's status in the aftermath of the comment-onslaught that ensued following my last post. Finch House is having a showcase at the Cock and Bull on December 30th (to which I was invited) and I can't help but feel that it's a little bit in my honor. Everyone is still moving right along and things seem almost normal, but now we can't all go on pretending that Sarasota's music scene is one big happy family. And if we are moving forward in a new pair of more honest shoes, well then shit, I'd say blood just thickened the bond.
Let's not forget the post that started it all about Drummer's Night and John L. I'll bet he's still trucking along in his headlamp planning his next big event, and now he gets the added bonus of knowing every event he throws will be a little "fuck you" to me and all of his detractors. Good for you, man.
But now I'm at a bit of a standstill: there is so much more that I could write about and I don't know where to begin! So I would very much like you, the reader, to tell me what you'd like to read about. Any band in mind? Venue? Promoter? Is it time to start addressing music more specifically?
And to all of the people who decided to trash the Cock and Bull Pub I say this: if you played at the Cock and Bull and didn't get paid then you must be at the bottom of the music barrel. I think the only way to NOT get paid there is to not show up. Dawn is brave enough to ask for a very reasonable cover and when there is an agreed upon payment amount she'll write you a check if she has to. I also couldn't believe my eyes when I read someone complaining about the beer selection. The Cock and Bull is the only real venue in Sarasota, and they're the only ones that can comfortably support larger acts. Cock and Bull, today I will get wasted in your honor.
Keep giving each other the finger, keep going to shows, keep supporting the music that YOU like....
Or else the terrorists have won.
Daedalus Aflame
At this point in time I'd like to direct everyone to their favorite music scene and it's status in the aftermath of the comment-onslaught that ensued following my last post. Finch House is having a showcase at the Cock and Bull on December 30th (to which I was invited) and I can't help but feel that it's a little bit in my honor. Everyone is still moving right along and things seem almost normal, but now we can't all go on pretending that Sarasota's music scene is one big happy family. And if we are moving forward in a new pair of more honest shoes, well then shit, I'd say blood just thickened the bond.
Let's not forget the post that started it all about Drummer's Night and John L. I'll bet he's still trucking along in his headlamp planning his next big event, and now he gets the added bonus of knowing every event he throws will be a little "fuck you" to me and all of his detractors. Good for you, man.
But now I'm at a bit of a standstill: there is so much more that I could write about and I don't know where to begin! So I would very much like you, the reader, to tell me what you'd like to read about. Any band in mind? Venue? Promoter? Is it time to start addressing music more specifically?
And to all of the people who decided to trash the Cock and Bull Pub I say this: if you played at the Cock and Bull and didn't get paid then you must be at the bottom of the music barrel. I think the only way to NOT get paid there is to not show up. Dawn is brave enough to ask for a very reasonable cover and when there is an agreed upon payment amount she'll write you a check if she has to. I also couldn't believe my eyes when I read someone complaining about the beer selection. The Cock and Bull is the only real venue in Sarasota, and they're the only ones that can comfortably support larger acts. Cock and Bull, today I will get wasted in your honor.
Keep giving each other the finger, keep going to shows, keep supporting the music that YOU like....
Or else the terrorists have won.
Daedalus Aflame
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Debunking the House of Finch
Here we go,
About three-ish years ago there arose a pan-sexual music bazaar that goes by the name of Finch House Records. Finch House Records has created a bit of an indie empire for itself over the last couple years thanks to bands like Fancy Rat, The Equines, and Cats in the Basement. Here's the problem with the methods they have used to garner their following: by hosting 62 shows a week under the facade of a third party booking group called The Closet they have made it increasingly difficult for bands that don't fit the circus-pop genre to have a draw. A very brief look at the principle of supply-and-demand will tell you that in the very near future nobody will be attending even the esteemed Finch House shows. Now, according to their facebook page they "are committed to showing there is a young, hip cultural scene of substance in South Florida." That's a really cute statement, but it would be more accurate if it read "we are committed to showing that there is a small group of insular young people that fancy themselves hip and cultured in Sarasota." That way people won't get the idea that Finch House is open and accepting of everyone. For despite their gregarious personalities and hippy vibe they are really just as judgmental as anybody could be. Obviously the name of the game when booking a show is to play with bands that share some sonic qualities, but if they think Sarasota has a large enough circus-pop market to support seven days a week of the same shit then I have to wonder if they would be doing everyone a favor if they just played shows in each others living rooms (which I'm sure they have done in the past and will continue to do from time to time in the future). So before you easily offended people comment that they've "done so much" for local music, you should ask yourself how much they consider the livelihood of other bands. Finch House is just a clique that's tried to substantiate itself by overloading our venues with their music.
But hey, at least Sarasota's pop-punk scene finally died. That one was rough. I'd much rather have a bunch of inane music than a bunch of boys with $200 haircuts.
My advice to Finch House? Stop playing musical-chairs with your lineups and take a step back to look at the big picture. You shouldn't have to wait for an angry coward like me to point these things out to you. It's time to be adults and think about more than yourselves if want to be a positive force for the entire Sarasota music scene.
Daedalus Aflame
About three-ish years ago there arose a pan-sexual music bazaar that goes by the name of Finch House Records. Finch House Records has created a bit of an indie empire for itself over the last couple years thanks to bands like Fancy Rat, The Equines, and Cats in the Basement. Here's the problem with the methods they have used to garner their following: by hosting 62 shows a week under the facade of a third party booking group called The Closet they have made it increasingly difficult for bands that don't fit the circus-pop genre to have a draw. A very brief look at the principle of supply-and-demand will tell you that in the very near future nobody will be attending even the esteemed Finch House shows. Now, according to their facebook page they "are committed to showing there is a young, hip cultural scene of substance in South Florida." That's a really cute statement, but it would be more accurate if it read "we are committed to showing that there is a small group of insular young people that fancy themselves hip and cultured in Sarasota." That way people won't get the idea that Finch House is open and accepting of everyone. For despite their gregarious personalities and hippy vibe they are really just as judgmental as anybody could be. Obviously the name of the game when booking a show is to play with bands that share some sonic qualities, but if they think Sarasota has a large enough circus-pop market to support seven days a week of the same shit then I have to wonder if they would be doing everyone a favor if they just played shows in each others living rooms (which I'm sure they have done in the past and will continue to do from time to time in the future). So before you easily offended people comment that they've "done so much" for local music, you should ask yourself how much they consider the livelihood of other bands. Finch House is just a clique that's tried to substantiate itself by overloading our venues with their music.
But hey, at least Sarasota's pop-punk scene finally died. That one was rough. I'd much rather have a bunch of inane music than a bunch of boys with $200 haircuts.
My advice to Finch House? Stop playing musical-chairs with your lineups and take a step back to look at the big picture. You shouldn't have to wait for an angry coward like me to point these things out to you. It's time to be adults and think about more than yourselves if want to be a positive force for the entire Sarasota music scene.
Daedalus Aflame
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
I'm already breaking a sweat
To all the anonymous commentators,
Please keep the comments coming. It's exciting. I'm so excited. Claire of sarasotamusicscene.com has been quick to embrace and help guide my efforts a bit, so to her I am much obliged. She was kind enough to post my drummer's night "critique" on the front page of the website.
Regarding the comment on what I think of local venues, I'll start with The Blue Owl for today's post.
The Blue Owl is the current moniker that 1507 Main Street has taken in hopes of reinventing it's image as a viable venue. But the fact still remains it's just a hole in the wall. The only shows that sound good in there are acoustic shows, everything else is painful. New bar? Cool. It still suffers from trying to do too much with too little space. You can't have a cafe and a bar and a venue all in the same 10x8 room. And the orientation of the stage is just unfortunate. But I guess now bands don't have to worry about making those really lame requests for everyone to "come gather around the stage" because people don't have a choice. Oh, and if you're a band that likes getting paid in more than just a couple of free beers, I hear you'll have better luck being a street performer getting loose change chucked at you.
I'll post about other venues and bands soon. I don't want to prematurely shoot my load and have a bit of a mess on my hands on what was supposed to be a dry run.
Thank you,
Daedalus Aflame
Please keep the comments coming. It's exciting. I'm so excited. Claire of sarasotamusicscene.com has been quick to embrace and help guide my efforts a bit, so to her I am much obliged. She was kind enough to post my drummer's night "critique" on the front page of the website.
Regarding the comment on what I think of local venues, I'll start with The Blue Owl for today's post.
The Blue Owl is the current moniker that 1507 Main Street has taken in hopes of reinventing it's image as a viable venue. But the fact still remains it's just a hole in the wall. The only shows that sound good in there are acoustic shows, everything else is painful. New bar? Cool. It still suffers from trying to do too much with too little space. You can't have a cafe and a bar and a venue all in the same 10x8 room. And the orientation of the stage is just unfortunate. But I guess now bands don't have to worry about making those really lame requests for everyone to "come gather around the stage" because people don't have a choice. Oh, and if you're a band that likes getting paid in more than just a couple of free beers, I hear you'll have better luck being a street performer getting loose change chucked at you.
I'll post about other venues and bands soon. I don't want to prematurely shoot my load and have a bit of a mess on my hands on what was supposed to be a dry run.
Thank you,
Daedalus Aflame
Thank you Matt Murphy
Matt, you're right. My first entry was lacking in the kind of informed criticism that makes it's writer appear to really understand his subject. In regards to my anonymity, I have my reasons, and so do all the other bloggers who choose to blog anonymously. Matt Murphy, this entry is for you.
Matt Murphy, you are a drummer and I think that's cool, man. You've been in more bands this year alone than anybody else in the world combined. In all of your bands you seem to fall into the same overly dense and ambitious style that is beyond your skill level to play cleanly and accurately. I guess that's sort of a punk thing to do and I suppose I can at least make out the impression of what you're going for. I think one of your current projects, VS the Volcano, is pretty neat. I think it is uncontrollably loud, I think the pair of vocals are on to something. I think if you stop pointing your vocal mic at your snare the vocals might make more sense. But yeah, VS the Volcano sounds like a whimsical rage. I think your drumming in The Send Offs is off-putting (get it?). I think you're a smart guy and really kinda weird, both of which are expressed in this piece you wrote about Cats in the Basement (a band I'm sure I'll write about in the near future). You're writing is as dense as your drumming, and often just as inaccessible.
I don't know you personally, Matt Murphy, but I'm sure you're a nice guy that knows stuff.
*Bows*
Daedalus Aflame
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