retroBlog

Fans of Mates of State can be heard across the blogosphere griping about how Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel have turned away from their signature organ & drum-based sound from their early days. But it seems to me their latest album Re-Arrange Us is simply a natural maturation of a husband-wife duo that have been making music together for nearly a decade. You really can’t realistically expect a songwriting duo to continually crank out the same sounding stuff over and over again. Change is inevitable over time and so has the sound of Mates of State. And to my ears, it’s for the better. Essentially Gardner and Hammel have realized the limiting factor of cheesy keyboard sounds and the carnival-esque vibe. So, their musical arrangements have become more conventional with piano, bass and drums at the core of each track. What hasn’t gone away thankfully are their sing-along melodies and tenacious hooks. The album, Re-Arrange Us, is full of them including their solid album opener “Get Better”, “Lullaby Haze” and what’s most likely their strongest tune to date, “The Re-Arranger”. The one thing that does weigh the album down a bit are the lightweight lyrics. The words seem to be secondary to the music. When you hear lots of “da-da-da-da-da” and “now, now, now. Ho! Ho! Ho!” sung over parts of choruses, it’s pretty telling. Even so, the album is very enjoyable and will probably end up being one of my favorites of the year.

Tracklist:
1 Get Better 3:27
2 Now 2:39
3 My Only Offer 2:58
4 The Re-Arranger 4:28
5 Jigsaw 3:14
6 Blue and Gold Print 4:22
7 Help Help 3:44
8 You Are Free 3:19
9 Great Dane 3:04
10 Lullaby Haze 4:25

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Most of us have been been affected by cancer in some form or another. Whether it’s a loved one, a friend or distant relative, we have all seen the devastating effects cancer can have on the individual as well as those that care for him or her. When something like this affects you or your loved one, you would probably go to any lengths to make things right. When backed into a corner with no real solutions left, sometimes people will have to try alternative (and untested) methods to get better results. Over at the resveratrol forum, there’s an ongoing thread about a cancer patient who has been diagnosed with less than 4 months to live. He’s currently being treated with resveratrol which is thought to have cancer-fighting properties although there hasn’t been enough research to prove this theory. Even so, this patient has decided to take large doses of resveratrol, hoping this will help him in some way. Forum members are rallying around this patient and donating funds to help purchase more of the drug. Please visit the forums to read more on this ongoing story and to give support to this courageous cancer fighter.

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Katy Perry’s new album One of the Boys has got to be this summer’s biggest guilty pleasure. Just forget about artistic integrity for a moment, shut off your brain and let your ears enjoy some sonic candy for a while. The music off of “One of the Boys” is the audio equivalent of fast food - quick and easy to enjoy. and just like fast food, it’s not something I’d want to consume over and over again on a regular basis. But for now, it’s a fun listen. As you’ve probably heard, Katy Perry started out in the contemporary Christian genre under the name Katy Hudson. Her 2001 album didn’t go anywhere and after her record label closed up shop, Katy had to re-group and figure out what to do next. And if Dana Carvey’s “Church Lady” was still around, she’d say at this point that Katy went off and sold herself to the devil. And that’s because the “Katy Perry” image is an absolute “180″ from her days as a Christian artist. One can only wonder now if “Katy Perry” is simply a made up corporate marketing scheme to sell records or a truthful maturation of lil’ “Katy Hudson”. If I had to guess, I’d lean toward the “marketing” aspect but like I said earlier, forget all about integrity here and just enjoy the music. Her team of producers, including Glen Ballard, Butch Walker and Greg Wells, must have some sort of specialized Pro Tools plug-in to help create radio-ready songs because this album is bursting with ready-made hits. Imagine them dialing in the “Alanis Morissette” setting for songs like “Thinking of You” and switching to the overused “Avril Lavigne” setting for the songs like “One of the Boys” and so on. It’s not the most original or creative by any means but producing “cookie-cutter” pop-rock can definitely help you land a spot on corporate radio rotation. And that seems to be the basic goal here: getting on the radio and selling millions of units. Hey, you can blame the girl for wanting to be successful. The hard part will be sustaining a music career beyond the initial 15-minutes.

Tracklist:
1 One of the Boys (Perry) 4:07
2 I Kissed a Girl (Dennis, Gottwald, Martin, Perry) 3:00
3 Waking Up in Vegas (Carlsson, Child, Perry) 3:19
4 Thinking of You (Perry) 4:06
5 Mannequin (Perry) 3:17
6 Ur So Gay (Perry, Wells) 3:37
7 Hot n Cold (Gottwald, Martin, Perry) 3:40
8 If You Can Afford Me (Hollander, Katz, Perry) 3:18
9 Lost (Bruner, Perry) 4:15
10 Self Inflicted (Cutler, Perry, Preven) 3:25
11 I’m Still Breathing (Perry, Stewart) 3:48
12 Fingerprints (Perry, Wells) 3:44
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I spent this past sunday relaxing with some friends on their lovely new power boat at a nearby lake. I have to admit that I got a bit jealous that they could afford such extravagant things but I didn’t let that interfere with enjoying the otherwise splendid day out on the lake. Well, we did encounter a few boaters out there that seemed to have had a few too many, if you know what I mean. But thankfully, no major incidents to speak of. People seem to forget that it’s just as dangerous to drive under the influence on water as it is on the road. Boaters should be required to get some Boating Education Online just to refresh themselves on safety issues and recommended operating procedures. Boating out on the lake is a blast but things can turn on a dime if folks aren’t careful. So, if you’re drinking out on the lake, be sure to have a designated driver.


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I’ve got some fun oldies but goodies for today’s edition of the RetroBlog Mix Tape. I picked some favorite dance remixes from the 80’s. Hey, I didn’t call this site “RETROblog” for nothin’.

enjoy.

New Order - Bizzare Love Triangle (extended Dance mix)
Every time I see you falling
I get down on my knees and pray
I’m waiting for that final moment
You say the words that I can’t say

Kon Kan - I Beg Your Pardon (original club mix)
Smile for the while and let’s be jolly
We shouldn’t be so melancholy
Come along and share the good times while we can

Simple Minds - All the Things She Said (original extended 12 inch)
If freedom comes and goes, you know I’ll still be waiting
All the things she said, she said
You’ve fought the fight so long, no surrender to temptation
Of all the things she said, she said

ABC - Look of Love remix
And all my friends just might ask me
They say, “Martin, maybe one day you’ll find true love”
And I say, “Maybe there must be a solution to
The one thing, the one thing we can’t find”

Hall and Oates - Out of Touch (Dub version)
Reaching out for something to hold
Looking for a love where thw climate is cold
Manic moves and drowsy dreams
Or living in the middle between the two extremes

IceHouse - Crazy (extended)
I’ve got a pocket full of holes
head in the clouds the king of fools
you’ve got a ribbon of rainbows
the sun in your eyes burning through
could be I’m happy and sad
could be I’m losing my head over you

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note: links expire after 30 days of inactivity

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A lot of my musician friends are struggling to make ends meet especially nowadays due to the current state of our economy. For most working musicians, it’s tough all over. From the dwindling number of active concert goers to the rising costs of traveling from gig to gig, a lot of my friends are simply forced to make a radical change in their careers in order to support their families. I’m sure it’s absolutely devastating giving up the dream of making it in the music business and having to land some desk job. But obviously, family comes first and when you can’t get food on the table, it’s time to move on to something else. Take my close friend Rob, for example. He had modest success with a self-produced album in the early nineties and toured consistently across the U.S. for the last decade or so. But in the last couple years, doing gigs just to feed the family was taking its toll on Rob. He loved performing but the amount he was making in return just wasn’t enough for his growing family. After some honest soul searching he recently made the decision to put away his guitar in order to find a real job. Since he has a computer science background from college he got himself into the Cisco certification program to get himself up to speed with the latest technology in the rapidly changing industry. With a Cisco Certification, Rob would have a better chance in jump starting his new career in the IT industry. With our society growing more and more dependent on networks, databases, servers and the internet, the demand for skilled IT professionals continue to rise. And Cisco is a company that is well respected in the industry so getting the necessary training through them is definitely a wise career decision. So, once trained and certified, Rob will have the know-how, skill and talent to land that perfect job in the IT field. After experiencing such a volatile industry like the music business, I’m sure Rob (along with his family) will appreciate having a steady and secure job now.

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mainly known for their early innovations in the world of synthesizers, Moog has now moved into the realm of guitars!! The Moog Guitar is creating a lot of buzz among guitarists with its ability to sustain a string indefinitely at every fret position and at any volume. The new line of guitars aren’t “guitar synthesizers” but basically a traditional guitar with new electronics that can to create a whole new range of sounds.

Here’s an overview of the new technology used on the guitar on youtube:

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Can’t wait to try it out when it arrives at my local guitar shop.

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I recently came back from visiting family and friends up in Boston. I always seem to have a fabulous time whenever I visit there. Of course spending quality time with all my family and friends is paramount but beyond that, I tend to head into the city to do the usual tourist-y stuff. It’s sort of a time honored ritual for me now since I routinely do the sights whenever I’m in Boston. There are a lot of things to do in Boston especially for the historic sites alone. Beyond absorbing all the history in this town, I love taking some time during the day to enjoy the various museums here including the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. There are some amazing collections featured there, from their unique collections of Japanese art to the largest collections of Monets outside of France. I could spend hours there taking it all in. Another “tourist-y” thing I did on my recent trip was to take the “Boston Movie Mile Tour” which takes you through the various spots made famous by movies like “The Departed” and “Good Will Hunting” as well as the Bull & Finch Pub that inspired the TV show Cheers. It was a fun tour and was easy to set up using Trusted Tours and Attractions.
As a matter of fact, Trusted Tours & Attractions has a great website that can help plan your next visit to any one of the major U.S. cities. Whether it’s a guided tour through Chicago, a recommended list of things to do in New York, or informative online travel guides, Trusted Tours & Attractions can help. They’re currently offering a chance to win a $150 iTunes gift card for those that sign up for their Trusted Travels eNewsletter so be sure to do so before the July 31st deadline.

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It’s great to hear that John Wetton and Geoff Downes aren’t spending ALL of their downtime lounging around on holiday in the Caribbean or something. Now that work with Asia is on hold, Wetton and Downes are back in the studio working on their third “Icon” release. Their first two releases were a bit spotty in terms of songwriting quality so hopefully the third time’s the charm!

read further for the official press release…
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While hanging out backstage with a friend of mine who’s currently touring as the bassist for an established singer/songwriter, a gorgeous looking female backup singer named Leslie came by to ask my bassist friend about a fairly new song on that evening’s setlist. After their brief chat my friend introduced me to Leslie and before she left to get ready for the gig she mentioned that she liked my “Victory Hair“. Since I didn’t want to appear like a dweeb, I just smiled and nodded and acted like I knew what she was talking about. Turns out that Victory Hair is a term used to describe a person’s hair after a heavy-duty makeout session. In other words, what was once combed and nicely styled is now disheveled and unkempt. As a matter of fact, Extreme Style by VO5 has a whole website featuring ways in achieving Victory Hair. And they don’t stop there. There’s even an online game called Ultimate Flirting Championship where you build your own character and flirt with others online until you’re judged the winner. I suppose if I were in a band like my bassist friend, I’d have absolutely no problem with the ladies. You essentially have an automatic “in” when you go up to someone: “well, hello, umm, I’m with the band.” And that’s it. When you’re with the band, you’re automatically in like Flynn. So, I guess Leslie thought I had mad, post-makeout hair. sweet! I’ll take that as a compliment.

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