101 GIGS Interview- John Cranford

In an effort to gain insight and perspective, I have decided to interview the music-makers that cross my path. Here is an interview with a friend I went to high school with in Eau Claire, WI. You can see his FB fan page by searching “John Cranford” or on myspace at http://www.myspace.com/johncranford

1. Your Name? Your Band Name?
My name is John Cranford, My Band name is John Cranford and The Motion Conspiracy.

2. What type of music/instrument do you play?
I would categorize my music as electro-folk. I use loop pedals, ableton live and different/interesting sounding guitars to get my sound across. My two favorite instruments I use are a Hohner Resonator and a 1946 Marvel Archtop Guitar.

3. When did you start making music?
I started really making music in the Westerlunds basement somwhere around 4th grade. I played in band through High School, but didnt seriously pursue music as my own thing until college.

4. Do you have other jobs, or do you do music as your full-time source of income?
I work as a chef full time and play about 4 shows a month as well as continually trying to record and write new music.

5. Where do you find inspiration for your songs?
My inspiration initially comes from my gut. Music is cheaper than therapy and I think its definitely helped my mental state to get things off my chest on out to the listening public.

6. Do you like playing live or recording music better?
There is a certain rush of being onstage and playing. Both communicating an idea or an emotion to an audience, but the accessibility of record makes it easy to craft a song or an idea until you find that true sound you heard in your head from the beginning.

7. What advice would you give to a new musician just starting their music career?
PLAY PLAY PLAY! As often as you can. Doing a show or even rehearsing your material will only make you better. Another thing I have really been working on is finding a voice or certain sound that is original and yours. Play for yourself and no one else is also a big rule of thumb. Yes being a rock-star would be awesome. And would be great to make millions and have stardom, but you’ll never communicate the honesty if your trying to be Nickelback.

8. What is your pro/con list for the way the music industry is changing?
The industry had changed a ton. I think that its great we out of the boy bands, polished bullshit of the nineties. Not to say that it doesn’t exist on the top 40 or radios everywhere, but the internet and the ease of technology has made it extremely accessible for anyone to get what they’re doing out there to be heard by the masses.

9. What are the normal venues that you play?
When I’m home in Eau Claire I always wind playing clancys. Its definitely my favorite venue ever! But since I have moved south I frequently play Tantra Lounge on Broughton Street in Savannah and also occasionally play Brick Oven on Hilton Head Island.

10. What is the craziest gig you’ve ever played?
I have played a lot of shows where there are only ten people in the audience, which is kind of crazy to play to no one. But recently I played a show where a bridal party showed up and by the maid of honors request I got to kiss the bride onstage a few days before she got married! Also, go see megafaun, they will blow your f*%#ing mind!

[Via http://101gigs.wordpress.com]

Pixie Lott - Turn It Up

Uh, Oh! Uh, Oh! We’ve all heard her sing the song, Mama Do was  Pixie Lott’s debut single and went straight to number one on the UK charts. What a debut, I must say. The young Pixie Lott (she’s only nineteen, I was shocked) was born in Brentwood, Essex.  Don’t ask me where the hell that is, but I bet they all knew here there. She must be more than the local star, by now.

Her first album, Turn It Up, came out in September 2009 so it was about damn time I reviewed the girl. She was a guest at one of the biggest Belgian music and talk shows a few months ago, and it was clear back then already what she was about. She brings the perfect mix of sexy and playful but young and by-parents-approval.

Especially, when the first single is about having a secret relationship with a bad boy  thinking her parents, who she still lives with, of course, are going to kill her if they find out.  The song is catchy because we’ve all been through the same, and if we haven’t, we will or we want to. Its naughty, but not nasty. And the first time I heard the song,  I thought Duffy’s sister broke through and made happy music, for a change with the typical Duffy fifties flavor.

Pixie Lott – or Victoria Louise Lott – is a girl who can sing, and that enlightens me since the recent pop scene has nothing more than auto tuned empty voiced popstars. There is nothing wrong with that, and I love most of those popstars, but becuase of her voice, Pixie has an advantage.

And that advantage is very clear in Cry Me Out, the third single and second track off the album.

I honestly don’t think I could pull it off to listen to the track everyday, but its a pretty typical pop heartbreak song with her striking voice. The video, is the way it should be: singing sad Pixie Lott in black and white. I googled, because I always do and I found out that the song was released on my birthday. She was still eighteen when the song came out, and I turned eighteen. Ugh, that makes me feel jealous in so many ways.

What I love about the song, though is the cheesiness  of the background singers.

You can hear the cheesiness all through the album, certainly in “Band Aid”. Band Aid is a cute song and she sings “When I hurt, when I break, you are my band aid.” I always melt at those words, for some reason. And I’m not even in love. But I’m also a teenage girl. So of course, I love it.

After the love song, theres a song about getting over a heartbreak. “Turn It up”,  sounds a lot like any other of her songs, its happy and cute. But I’m sure that its the chosen favorite of every girl who’s heart got broken by a boy but doesn’t want to sob anymore.  It’s the typical dance-in-my-undies-on-the-bed song, all though the whole album is. If you don’t get what kind of album this is yet, I have no other words.

Now its time for “Boys And Girls”, the second single off the album. It’s the album that attracted me to get to know Pixie. With that typical happy time dancing video, its fun. Well, of course its fun!

“Gravity” is the second ballad off the album, and its quite different sounding than the other songs since it has a typical R&B beat. In this song her pop vocals come out on a strong way again, certainly in the chorus where she sings on a specific high way.

“My Love”, is like any other Pixie Lott until now; obviously about love, with cheesy lyrics and a melody that sounds like its written by Max Martin.

The next song, “Jack”, is a different kind of song. I can’t really explain why, but its my favorite. Probably because it reminds me  – and so many other girls – of that one guy that I will always remember. The song is incredibly happy, more than all the other songs on the album, if that can be possible.  It’s the kind of song I’d want to kill on a Monday morning but love to death on a friday night, on my way back home. The song ends with the lyrics “After loving Jack, there is no going back.” Yep, I know what you mean.

“Nothing Compares” starts with a short guitar intro, unlike most of her songs who all start with a piano intro. It’s a ballad again, which beautifully ballasts the album.  In this song, the background vocals are a strong aspect again but thats not hard to understand since she’s trying to get back with her boyfriend in this song. Teenage diary material, but good enough for me.

If Pixie Lott would live in the US, “Here We Go Again” would justify underage drinking. Thank god she’s British because Pixie Lott sings about clubbing and the not so pleasant effects of the drinking. Aka, a hang over. The song is produced by RedOne , the famous producer who for example launched Lady Gaga’s career and made Enrique and Ciara’s duet a success. The song is kind of lascivious but still typical poppy.

In “The Way The World Works” Pixie Lott suffers from the Lilly Allen syndrome: the happy melody vs.  sad lyrics syndrome. With a little fifties influence, again, the chorus stays in your head but makes you happy on a weird way, since other people would be screaming “so tired of the way the world works!” while Pixie sings it. Like birds do on a spring day.

“Hold me in your arms” is the last song and ballad off the album and it’s one of those feel good songs. I feel good when you’re with me, and you feel good when I’m with you. So hold me in your arms, and we’ll eat some chinese. Okay, those aren’t the real lryics. In real life she sings ” Hold me in your arms, because I’m falling”, but isn’t that the same?

Turn It Up is the typical teenage drama “but I still love you” album and with the help of the nineteen year old pop voice, it makes it even more teenage-y. But the album works, and it works on so many levels a lot of songs are really big ear worms. For me anyway. For people who don’t like the bubble pop genre, don’t even bother.  I’m curious for her next one. More bubbles or more clubbing?

[Via http://musictastic.wordpress.com]

He Lost The Loving Feeling - Phil Spector Bio Preview

You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling is apparently the most played song in the 20th Century.  That’s quite a feat considering some of the musical memories committed to record over those hundred years especially in the second half.  In as much as people may remember The Righteous Brothers for delivering it to us, perhaps music lovers would remember this as another example of the towering musical giant of the time that was Phil Spector.

A book that has gripped my attention since I opened it has been the Mick Brown biography on Spector – Tearing Down The Walls Of Sound.  There was something intriguing about the premise of the book that lead me to believe it was promising much, but would it deliver on the promise? With such an enigmatic yet elusive figure courting such a range of views and opinions leading up to the controversy of his latter years would that be conveyed in suitably gripping fashion?  Find out in the book review of that in an upcoming entry near you soon.  Enjoy.

Shalom

dmcd

[Via http://amongoodfriends.wordpress.com]

Somehow

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(BHS dress from a charity shop, 4 necklaces from New Look ‘dumpy bin’ as Husband would have it, pliers, superglue, the kind of patience that results from having a vision)

[Via http://puppenhaus.wordpress.com]

Le Matos [Remixes]

In just over a week Le Matos will be getting down at next weekend’s Neon & High Food Festival in Montreal- a 3 day epic adventure of sun, dancing, and maybe the occasional recreational drug. If you haven’t experienced Montreal before now is a good time to start. The festival is a solid way to kick off the summer shows so if you’re ANYWHERE near the city I highly recommend it. Check out the lineup for Saturday and Sunday… pretty damn good.

Le Matos are one of my favourite DJ/producing tandems from Montreal. The guys always put out great stuff. Here are a few of the notables that have come to me over the years, but the fun doesn’t stop there. Click here for more freebies.

♫ We Have Band – Honey Trap (Le Matos Remix)

♫ Numero# – Star Model (Le Matos Poindexter Remix)

♫ Coeur De Pirate – Comme Des Enfants (Le Matos Andy Carmichael Remix)

NEON & HIGH FOOD FESTIVAL – Lineup

Day 1- (March 26.10):
Flying Lotus
Benga
Lazer Sword
Vilify
DJ Noyl

Day 2- (March 27.10):
Duchess Says
Joakim
Le Matos
Why Alex Why
DJ Cherry Cola

Day 3- (March 28.10):
Fake Blood
Boy 8-Bit
Jordan Dare
Thomas Von Party
Duvall & Seb Diamond (NIGHT TRACKIN’)

[Via http://aerialnoise.com]

Sarah McLachlan - New Album

What, not quite six years between releases?! Sarah McLachlan, boviously spurred on from her Olympics performance and being confirmed for Lilith Fair, her new album entitled “The Laws of Illusion” is due for release on 15th June (2010 no less!) I’m expecting more of the same from Afterglow and Surfacing to be honest, although this blogs favourite album is Fumbling Towards Ecstacy. I’m sure it will be gorgeous however.

[Via http://higherplainmusic.com]

Blue Monday FM go to work

image from myspace

Blue Monday FM released somewhat of a concept album in late December 2009. From what I understand, their album Blue Monday FM 1 (Monday Morning 7:49) plays out like a morning radio broadcast for the start of a week.Buy it at yesasia.com.

The band sounds very J-poppy. I like it. They seem to be based in the UK, but the album was recorded in London and Tokyo. You will notice the predominately European cast in their new video.

Finding information about this band is like pulling teeth. There is not much to go on, but check out their bare bones myspace and official website. They do have a twitter, so that is probably your best bet at up-to-date info.

Speaking of, the band Blue Monday FM, released a new video for ネコの手もかりたい, which shows the ups and downs of working in the business environment in Europe. The lead singer Lilly takes on the role of secretary in the video and seems to do ALL THE WORK. Folks, never take your secretaries for granted.

Business men should never gamble. Don’t lose your pants in the video below!

[Via http://neauxclicks.wordpress.com]