<![CDATA[[MusicRatty] tag: background]]> http://www.musicratty.com/tag/background Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:34:31 +0000 iRatty Engine http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss <![CDATA[Suggestions For New Development :: New website development...please comment here]]> http://www.musicratty.com/article/c64efab60c0637962bd64fdf0d7ead58 http://www.musicratty.com/article/c64efab60c0637962bd64fdf0d7ead58 Rose
Subject: New website development...please comment here
Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 6:30 pm (GMT -7)
Topic Replies: 0

As stated in our recent email update, we have some of the most exciting news we’ve ever had at Music Forte!

We just recently signed a major development and operations contract, which means over the next 2 – 3 months the “new and improved” Music Forte will be designed in a background test environment.

What to look forward to? Our new site design will blow your mind! Some of the new features include a streamlined system to submit music to eMusic for digital distrubution, viral widgets to spread music across the web, vast improvements in member profiles, charting, reviews, member areas, and much, much more!

Comments or Suggestions? We have added this new section here in the forum for you to make suggestions and give feedback on anything you’d like to see at the new Music Forte. We will not be able to respond to every single post but we assure you we will read every single suggestion and seriously consider all feedback to help improve the website and member experience.

Kind regards....and look forward to your suggestions,
_________________
Dave "DR" Werba
Founder/President MusicForte.com

http://www.musicforte.com/member/rose
]]> Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:22:01 +0000 website music forte website development suggestions background test environment forward vast improvements features include topic replies Suggestions For New Development :: New website development...please comment here <![CDATA[Suggestions For New Development :: New website development...please comment here]]> http://www.musicratty.com/article/1d9ce0d0d886dc7507f2cb54214bbc91 http://www.musicratty.com/article/1d9ce0d0d886dc7507f2cb54214bbc91 Rose
Subject: New website development...please comment here
Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 5:59 pm (GMT -7)
Topic Replies: 0

As stated in our recent email update, we have some of the most exciting news we’ve ever had at Music Forte!

We just recently signed a major development and operations contract, which means over the next 2 – 3 months the “new and improved” Music Forte will be designed in a background test environment.

What to look forward to? Our new site design will blow your mind, and so will the new features for Platinum affiliates. The income potential will skyrocket as affiliates will be able to earn commissions from the over 300,000 products in our sheet music store, album sales and digital downloads from artists in their network, digital distribution sales through our newly designed eMusic widgets, and much more!

Comments or Suggestions on the Platinum/Affiliate plan? We have added this new section here in the forum for you to make suggestions and give feedback on anything you’d like to see at the new Music Forte. We will not be able to respond to every single post but we assure you we will read every single suggestion and seriously consider all feedback to help improve the website and member experience.

Kind regards....and look forward to your suggestions,
_________________
Dave "DR" Werba
Founder/President MusicForte.com

http://www.musicforte.com/member/rose
]]> Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:22:01 +0000 website music forte website development suggestions background test environment digital distribution sales sheet music store forward topic replies Suggestions For New Development :: New website development...please comment here <![CDATA[Platinum/Affiliate Members :: Music Forte -new and improved]]> http://www.musicratty.com/article/2a1eb5211773bfa2dd04294d5e19996b http://www.musicratty.com/article/2a1eb5211773bfa2dd04294d5e19996b Royce
Subject: Music Forte -new and improved
Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 12:20 am (GMT -7)
Topic Replies: 0

Music Forte -new and improved
We have some of the most exciting news we’ve ever had at Music Forte, so please read this important update regarding your Platinum affiliate account…

Music Forte has just recently signed a major development and operations contract, which means over the next 8-10 weeks the "new and improved" Music Forte will be designed in a background test environment.

What to look forward to? Our new site design will blow your mind, and so will the new features for Platinum affiliates. Very Happy The income potential will skyrocket as affiliates will be able to earn commissions from the over 300,000 products in our sheet music store, album sales and digital downloads from artists in their network, digital distribution sales through our newly designed eMusic widgets, and much more! Very Happy
Suggestions? We have added a new section in the forum under "Platinum/Affiliate Plan" for you to make suggestions and give feedback on anything you’d like to see at the new Music Forte. We will not be able to respond to every single post but we assure you we will read every single suggestion and seriously consider all feedback to help improve the website and member experience.
Read and Post --> http://www.musicforte.com/forums/forum-84.html

What to do now? Over the next 8-10 weeks until the new website is revealed, you will NOT be charged monthly as a Platinum affiliate, hence there will be no commissions paid during this time. IMPORTANT: NOW is the time start building your Music Forte network and referring new affiliates. There will be NO fee to join as an affiliate until we launch the new site, and you have the amazing opportunity to position yourself greatly for a gigantic income stream from what we feel will be the most fun and exciting affiliate plan in the world!
_________________
Go Platinum - It Pays
All the best Music Forte has to offer PLUS
Residual Income
http://www.musicforte.com/affiliate/royce/
]]> Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:22:00 +0000 music forte -new music forte music forte network platinum network gigantic income stream background test environment commissions site design Platinum/Affiliate Members :: Music Forte -new and improved <![CDATA[Alphabet Soup II (P)]]> http://www.musicratty.com/article/70f303a65b4dddc17aa4f5d6e422ec01 http://www.musicratty.com/article/70f303a65b4dddc17aa4f5d6e422ec01
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Pink Floyd - Meddle ( 71 ^ 99mb)

Pink Floyd evolved from an earlier rock band, formed in 1964. When the band split up, some members — guitarists Rado "Bob" Klose and Roger Waters, drummer Nick Mason, and keyboardist and wind instrument player Richard Wright — formed a new band called "Tea Set". Blues and folk guitarist and vocalist Syd Barrett joined the band, with Waters moving to bass and Wright to full time keyboards. When The Tea Set found themselves on the same bill as another band with the same name, Barrett came up with the alternative name The Pink Floyd Sound, after two blues musicians, Pink Anderson and Floyd Council. The Sound was dropped fairly quickly, but the definite article was still used regularly until 1970. The group's UK releases during the Syd Barrett era credited them as The Pink Floyd as did their first two U.S. singles. 1969's More and Ummagumma albums credit the band as Pink Floyd, produced by The Pink Floyd, while 1970's Atom Heart Mother credits the band as The Pink Floyd, produced by Pink Floyd. David Gilmour is known to have referred to the group as The Pink Floyd as late as 1984.

As their popularity increased, the band members formed Blackhill Enterprises in October 1966, a six-way business partnership with their managers, Peter Jenner and Andrew King,[13] issuing the singles "Arnold Layne" in March 1967 and "See Emily Play" in June 1967. "Arnold Layne" reached number 20 in the UK Singles Chart, and "See Emily Play" reached number 6, granting the band its first national TV appearance on Top of the Pops in July 1967. Released in August 1967, the band's debut album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, is today considered to be a prime example of British psychedelic music, and was generally well-received by critics at the time. The music reflected newer technologies in electronics through its prominent use of stereo panning, tape editing, echo effects and electric keyboards. As the band became more popular, the stresses of life on the road, pressure by the record company to produce hit singles, and a significant intake of psychedelic drugs took their toll on Barrett, whose mental health had been deteriorating for several months. In January 1968, guitarist David Gilmour joined the band to carry out Barrett's playing and singing duties.

With Barrett's behaviour becoming less and less predictable, and his almost constant use of LSD, he became very unstable, occasionally staring into space while the rest of the band performed. The absent expression in his eyes inspired Waters' lyrics in 1975's "Shine On You Crazy Diamond", "Now there's that look in your eyes/ Like black holes in the sky.' The band's live shows became increasingly ramshackle until, eventually, the other band members simply stopped taking him to the concerts. The last concert featuring Barrett was on 20 January 1968 on Hastings Pier. Once Barrett's departure was formalised in April 1968, producers Jenner and King decided to remain with him, and the six-way Blackhill partnership was dissolved. The band adopted Steve O'Rourke as manager, and he remained with Pink Floyd until his death in 2003. After recording two solo albums (The Madcap Laughs and Barrett) in 1970 (co-produced by and sometimes featuring Gilmour, Waters and Wright) to moderate success, Barrett went into seclusion. Again going by his given name, Roger, he eventually moved back to his native Cambridge and lived a quiet life there until his death on 7 July 2006.

As Barrett had been the lead singer during his era, Gilmour, Waters and Wright now split both songwriting and lead vocal duties. Waters mostly wrote low-key, jazzy melodies with dominant bass lines and complex, symbolic lyrics, Gilmour focused on guitar-driven blues jams, and Wright preferred melodic psychedelic keyboard-heavy numbers. Unlike Waters, Gilmour and Wright preferred tracks that had simple lyrics or that were purely instrumental. A Saucerful of Secrets was released in June 1968, reaching #9 in the UK and becoming the only Pink Floyd album not to chart in the U.S. Somewhat uneven due to Barrett's departure, the album still contained much of his psychedelic sound combined with the more experimental music that would be fully showcased on Ummagumma. Its centrepiece, the 12-minute title track, hinted at the epic, lengthy songs to come, but the album was poorly received by critics at the time.

Pink Floyd were then recruited by director Barbet Schroeder to produce a soundtrack for his film, More, which was premièred in May 1969. The music was released as a Floyd album in its own right, Soundtrack from the Film More. The next record, the double album Ummagumma, was a mix of live recordings and unchecked studio experimentation by the band members, with each member recording half a side of a vinyl record as a solo project. Though the album was realised as solo outings and a live set, it was originally intended as a purely avant-garde mixture of sounds from "found" instruments.The title is Cambridge slang for sexual intercourse. Atom Heart Mother (1970), the band's first recording with an orchestra, was a collaboration with avant-garde composer Ron Geesin. The name was a last minute decision by the band when they were inspired by a newspaper article about a woman who had given birth with a pacemaker. The use of noises, incidental sound effects and voice samples would thereafter be an important part of the band's sound. While Atom Heart Mother was considered a huge step back for the band at the time and is still considered one of its most inaccessible albums, it had the best chart performance for the band up to that time, reaching #1 in the UK

The band's sound was considerably more focused on Meddle (1971), with the 23-minute epic "Echoes" a smooth progressive rock song with extended guitar and keyboard solos and a long segue in the middle consisting largely of synthesised music produced on guitars, organs, and synths, along with backward wah pedal guitar sounding like samples of sea gulls or albatross and an entire whale song playing over the top, described by Waters as a "sonic poem". Meddle was considered by Nick Mason to be "the first real Pink Floyd album. Meddle also included the atmospheric "One of These Days", a concert favourite featuring Nick Mason's menacing one-line vocal ("One of these days, I'm going to cut you into little pieces"), distorted and bluesy lap steel guitar, and a melody that at one point fades into a throbbing synthetic pulse quoting the theme tune of the cult classic science fiction television show Doctor Who.

Meddle was greeted both by critics and fans enthusiastically, and Pink Floyd were rewarded with a #3 album chart peak in the UK. Today, Meddle remains one of their most well-regarded albums, it set out the Pink Floyd path. The sound became polished and collaborative, with the philosophic lyrics and distinctive bass lines of Waters combining with the unique blues guitar style of Gilmour and Wright's haunting keyboard melodies...



01 - One Of These Days (5:51)
02 - A Pillow Of Winds (5:05)
03 - Fearless (6:02)
04 - San Tropez (3:38)
05 - Seamus (2:12)

06 - Echoes (23:25)

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Pixies - Trompe Le Monde (91 ^ 99mb)

The Pixies' history began when undergraduates Joey Santiago and Black Francis (born Charles Thompson IV) shared a room at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The two spent 1984 working in a warehouse, with Francis composing songs on his acoustic guitar and writing lyrics on the subway train. The pair formed a band in January 1985. Bassist Kim Deal joined Santiago and Francis two weeks later after responding to a classified advertisement Francis had placed, seeking a female bassist .

The band produced an 18 track demo at Fort Apache soon afterwards, known to fans as "The Purple Tape" because of the tape cover's purple background. The recording was funded by Francis' father at the cost of $1000 and took three days to record. The tape was released exclusively as a demo to interested parties, including Ivo Watts-Russell at 4AD and local promoter Ken Goes, who became the band's manager. Eight tracks from the Purple Tape were selected for the Come On Pilgrim EP, the band's first release. Come On Pilgrim showcased much of the Pixies' variety and set up the beginnings of many trends in their music. It includes two songs partly sung in Spanish ("Vamos" and "Isla de Encanta") and two songs that explicitly mention incest—"Nimrod's Son" and "The Holiday Song"

Pixies's first full-length album, Surfer Rosa. The album was recorded by Steve Albini , completed in a fortnight, and released in early 1988. Surfer Rosa gained the Pixies acclaim throughout the musical world; both Melody Maker and Sounds gave Surfer Rosa their "Album of the Year" award. After their critically acclaimed album, the band arrived in England to support Throwing Muses on the European "Sex and Death" tour—beginning at the Mean Fiddler in London. The tour also took them to the Netherlands, headlining the tour. Francis later recalled: "The first place I made it with the Pixies was in Holland."

the British producer, Gil Norton. Norton was to produce their second full album, Doolittle (provisionally titled Whore),[10] which was recorded in the last six weeks of 1988 and seen as a departure from the raw sound of Come On Pilgrim and Surfer Rosa. Doolittle had a much cleaner sound. Like Surfer Rosa, Doolittle was acclaimed by fans and music critics alike. In 2003, the album was ranked number 226 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. After the Doolittle tour's final date in New York, the band was too exhausted and soon announced a hiatus.

During this time, Santiago travelled to the Grand Canyon to "find himself", and Lovering jetted off to Jamaica. Francis bought a yellow Cadillac and crossed America with his girlfriend . Kim Deal formed a new band, The Breeders, named after a band she had formed with her sister as a teenager, with Tanya Donelly of Throwing Muses and bassist Josephine Wiggs of Perfect Disaster. Their debut album, Pod, was released later that year. After Doolittle, Francis began to limit Deal's contributions to the band and assert more control over the Pixies' output; the first three records had been partly written by Deal, but when Bossanova was released in 1990, all the original songs were by him.

The band continued to tour, and, break-up announcements notwithstanding, one more album was to follow. Trompe le Monde, released in 1991, still featured little creative input from Deal and was not as immediately well regarded as their first few albums. In the end, Trompe Le Monde expanded on the UFO and sci-fi themes (including a song on space travel, "Planet of Sound" and "Motorway to Roswell" about an alien vacation gone badThe album saw the band move in a more popular direction with songs as "Palace of the Brine" and "Trompe Le Monde". The songs "U-Mass" (sample (info)) and "Alec Eiffel" included the keyboardist Eric Drew Feldman—a move unthinkable in the band's Come On Pilgrim and Surfer Rosa days. The album also featured a cover of "Head On" by The Jesus and Mary Chain. Trompe Le Monde was to be the Pixies' last studio album before their breakup.

Following the release of Trompe Le Monde, the band went on a sellout winter tour of the USA, culminating on a TV appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. They then embarked on an uncomfortable tour supporting fans U2 (on their Zoo TV tour) in 1992. However, tensions rose between band members, and, at the end of the year, the Pixies went on sabbatical and focused on separate projects. In early 1993, Francis announced in an interview to BBC Radio 5 that the band was finished. In late 2003 a press release from Black's publicist officially confirmed a reunion would occur in the spring of 2004. The folowing years theyd appear at festivals but a new album was not on the cards.



01 - Trompe Le Monde (1:47)
02 - Planet Of Sound (2:06)
03 - Alec Eiffel (2:50)
04 - The Sad Punk (2:59)
05 - Head On (2:14)
06 - U-Mass (3:00)
07 - Palace Of The Brine (1:34)
08 - Letter To Memphis (2:40)
09 - Bird Dream Of The Olympus Mons (2:48)
10 - Space (I Believe In) (4:18)
11 - Subbacultcha (2:09)
12 - Distance Equals Rate Times Time (1:24)
13 - Lovely Day (2:05)
14 - Motorway To Roswell (4:43)
15 - The Najavo Know (2:19)

16 - Rock Music (Live) (1:52)
17 - Hang Wire (Live) (2:01)
18 - Monkey Gone To Heaven (Live) (2:58)
19 - Isla De Encanta (Live) (1:46)

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Porcupine Tree - In Absentia ( 02 ^ 189mb)

Porcupine Tree was just Wilson at the start; born in London in 1967, having learned guitar and keyboards at a young age turning out to be a talented musical prodigy. 1987 saw the founding of both No-Man and Porcupine Tree, the latter actually starting as a joke between Wilson and a friend about a legendary lost '70s group. Elaborate discographies and other material were created à la Spinal Tap, while Wilson himself created a slew of music meant to be the band's lost recordings. The best tracks ended up at Porcupine Tree's real debut album on Delerium Records, On the Sunday of Life, in 1992. Those songs having been something of a nostalgia exercise, Wilson aimed for a more contemporary approach on his follow-up release -- the extended single "Voyage 34," with a clear debt to ambient techno jokesters the Orb.

Up the Downstair, Porcupine Tree's next full album, found Wilson coming fully into his own, creating a majestic, sweeping album that took the prog inspirations of the past fully into a realm of mysterious hush and beauty as much as full-on rock charge. Two collaborators on other projects, bassist Colin Edwin and keyboardist Richard Barbieri (Japan), guested on the album. Later that year, the two formally joined Porcupine Tree, along with drummer Chris Maitland, establishing a four-piece lineup. The first release by the new version of the group, The Sky Moves Sideways, was actually something of a transitional affair, a number of the songs still being Wilson solo compositions and performances.

The bandmembers themselves considered the quartet's true debut to be 1996's Signify, another stunning step forward of the Porcupine Tree sound with new highlights everywhere, including the epic blast of the title track itself. By this time, Porcupine Tree's reputation had spread throughout Europe and elsewhere, including an increasing cult following in America. A friendly parting from Delerium led Porcupine Tree to Snapper/K-Scope, which released 1999's Stupid Dream, notable for its stronger song focus and slightly more accessible feel all around. The band's reputation and fan base continued to grow, with another album, Lightbulb Sun, taking its bow in 2000. Porcupine Tree continued to tour and plan ahead for both new recordings and reissues of older, rarer material, the first of which surfaced in May 2001, titled Recordings.

Various unreleased cuts from the Stupid Dream and Lightbulb Sun sessions as well as a few B-sides were included. They spent the rest of the year putting together Stars Die: The Delerium Years '91-97, a box set that looks at their catalog from 1991 to 1997. Drummer Chris Maitland left the band in March of 2002, but luckily Gavin Harrison was available to take his place. A year later, In Absentia was released, the most accessible release to ever spew forth from the group. Rolling electronic percussion blends with simple and solid live drumming to provide an understated backbeat as perennial Tree leader Steven Wilson pastes his complicated pop over the proceedings. Wilson's ability to bury his layered vocals in mountains of spacy electric guitar without drowning out his fragile lyrics is still a valued feature of the music, and the rare moments of clarity that his vocals display are breathtaking in their power. In Absentia was followed by Warszawa and Deadwing in 2005. In 2007, the band released their ninth studio LP, a loose concept album with an underlying theme of escapism in the 21st century, aptly named Fear of a Blank Planet (not to be confused with the similarly titled Public Enemy classic).



01 - Blackest Eyes (4:23)
02 - Trains (5:56)
03 - Lips Of Ashes (4:39)
04 - The Sound Of Muzak (4:59)
05 - Gravity Eyelids (7:56)
06 - Wedding Nails (6:33)
07 - Prodigal (5:32)
08 - .3 (5:25)
09 - The Creator Has A Mastertape (5:21)
10 - Heartattack In A Layby (4:15)
11 - Strip The Soul (7:21)
12 - Collapse The Light Into Earth (5:54)

13 - Drown With Me (4:27)
14 - Chloroform (7:14)

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All downloads are in * ogg-7 (224k) or ^ ogg-9(320k), artwork is included , if in need get the nifty ogg encoder/decoder here !]]> Thu, 21 Aug 2008 02:25:00 +0000 real debut album debut album debut album loose concept album floyd album pink floyd album badthe album full-length album Alphabet Soup II (P) <![CDATA[YES - Keystudio (2001)]]> http://www.musicratty.com/article/1378c087e6f2f225cd47f2a2a19fea60 http://www.musicratty.com/article/1378c087e6f2f225cd47f2a2a19fea60

Keys to Ascension (Or 'KEYSTUDIO', whatever) is a collection of studio tracks recorded in the years 1996-97. It was originally released in two parts, with a handfull of live songs accompanying the studio efforts on each release. One part only contained two or three studio tracks, while the other release included the rest. Now we the fans have both parts' studio tracks compiled together into one definitive volume. So if you don't care much for live albums like me, just pick this copy up and call it ''Keys to Ascension'', because that's essentially what this is, just not including the live stuff of the original release(s).

Okay, let's get things started. First of all, this album is not the epic that alot of people are claiming it to be. It is however a very superb modern effort by one of the most influential classic prog bands of all time. Considering that these guys hit their stride ages ago, the quality of this album is quite staggering. Just don't go into it expecting the next Relayer or CttE and you should love it. I know I do.

''Foot Prints'' - The beginning had me a little worried to be perfectly honest. The melody was cheesy, even for Yes. However, once the instruments kicked in, I was comforted. Finally, Chris Squire is playing his signature style, again! Finally, Steve Howe is playing something worth paying attention to if you are a budding lead guitarist! Finally Rick Wakeman decides to show up! Finally, finally, finally! Oh yeah, and, um, Jon Anderson and Alan White are absolutely masterful at their respective jobs as always, no surprise there, but certainly welcome! All of these good things to say, and that's just the first song. 3/5

''Be The One'' - For some reason this song has been getting alot of low scores from people. I personalyl don't see it. What's so wrong with it? The harmonics being played only thirty-five seconds in is some truly beautiful stuff. Sure, it may not be 'epic' or 'soaring', but this is '97 Yes, not '72 Yes. For this song (or any of the tracks on 'Keys', for that matter) to be this good this late in the game, it's a miracle, frankly. In fact, I would say that this track is clearly harkening back to the Fragile days when the melodies were so uplifting that the listener felt like he or she would die of ecstasy. Truly. If you don't think this song is as beautiful as anything on the Fragile album, then I honestly don't know how you can call yourself a Yes fan at all. I didn't say that this song was as good or better than any of the stuff on Fragile; it clearly isn't any where near the caliber. But in terms of melody and mood, I think this track feels the most similar to those days than any of the other tracks on the album. Truly uplifting. 4/5

''Mind Drive'' - Well, this one is tough. That first , dreamy riff that Howew so wonderfully executes is some of the most heartfelt playing I have heard on any modern effort by any classic band. Wakeman compliments it well with his atmospheric, humble keys in the background. He really should do more of this than he does, because he's really good at it. However, as soon as the song hits 02:10, the whole thing sounds unorganized and amature-ish in my personal opinion. Unlike in Relayer where the jazzy riffs worked, the stuff being playing overtop of this annoying, tuneless riff is random doodling that does nothing to help the song in my view. If you can sit through this section of the song, however, the middle section becoms much more pleasant. Something interesting to me is that I have noticed alot of reviews saying the exact opposite. It seems that I am alone in my opinion that the middle of this song is good. However, it is truly how I feel. Well, actually, at about five minutes in is where I start to truly enjoy this track. So whatever section that is considered to be, that's when things kick back into gear. While that God-awful bass riff does return for a moment, it isn't very long or loud, so it isn't much of a problem. Everything else in this song is fantastic as far as I am concerned. Is it classic Yes? No, but you know what? Nothing ever will be. Ever. Again. Does that mean that we shouldn't listen to the band's modern work? Well, if it's bad, the by all means, pay it no mind, but if it is actually worth listening to, like this album, then I think we owe these guys that much. Nothing will ever be like the old days again, but that doesn't mean that the Yes guys can't release anything fairly decent anymore. Besides, even shoddy Yes work is top-notch for alot of other people. 3.5/5

''Bring Me To The Power'' - The guitar solo at 05:33 truly gave me chills. That's saying a helluva lot considering that Steve Howe hasn't been able to move me with his playing since Relayer. Squire is once again on top of his game, with some very cool funky pop-and-slap playing that compliments this song's undeniable groove well. Anderson sings in a style very reminiscent of Siberian Kahtru to me. As with the previous song as well, ''Bring Me To The Power'' has great acoustic guitar playing. The background vocals are also very good and very welcome. More old Yes stylings are always welcome in my book. The truly melodic, scale-venturing vocal stylings that made Yes' lyrics so prevolent and meaningful was somewhat lost to us in the eightees and it's good to see that Jon, Steve and Chris have all stepped up their game in this regard. It's truly great stuff. Not too short or too long, either, so it's really a perfect song. 5/5

''Sign Language'' - I love, I repeate, LOVE the piano-meets-guitar-meets symphonic opening that this song has. It doesn't particularly remind me of anything Yes-like, but it sure as hell gets me in a very happy mood when I hear it, so it's very enjoyed by myself and I'm sure many other people as well. It's an instrumental track, and while instrumentals can always be either very good or very bad, this one always seems to stay interesting and compelling, while not getting over frilly or pompous. The players take only the amount of time needed to say what they want to say, then they say adeu. clocking in at just under four minutes, the track should never half to be skipped when playing through the album, unless you just can't stand instrumentals. Since you're on this website I doubt that is the case. 5/5.

''That, That Is'' - Hmmm. Well, to be perfectly honest, I'm not all too sure yet as to how I feel about this one. I probably should wait a bit before I review this album just for this one track alone but I have decided instead to openly admit that I am unsure about my feeling regarding this one track. It's ceertainly epic, but is it really worth waiting around through the nearly twenty-minute song just to enjoy the few moments of genious peppered throughout? 3/5, I think? That, that is not my final answer.

''Children Of The Light'' - There is nothing particularly wrong with it per say, and it may even grow on me the more and more I listen to this album (Which I can assure you, I will be doing alot of), but when compared to the other tracks, it just isn't all that impressive. Though, I don't really think 'epic' is what they were aiming for with this track. I think they just wanted a nice little song to close the album proper, and in that thjey truly have succeeded. A nice little jingle with exceptional piano work; nothing more or less. Just decent. I'm a big fan of the funky stuff about four minutes in, however, so that helps the song's score a little bit. Very. VERY Space-Rock-ish, especially for Yes. Quite different. Not everyone who likes Symphonic Prog will go for it, but I think it's very cool. 3.5/5

Overall, I can't really complain. Yes had their day already, and anything they make in more recents years should be accepted for what it is: decent music from a once great band. This is above-average music, truly. Indeed, we may yet hear Yes' final epic in the futur, but for now we will accept what we can from them, and this is a very good effort from all five guys from the classic line-up. By today's standards, it is essential. By vintage Yes standards, it's an excellent addition. On the whole, when put up against the entire archives, it's Good, but non-essential. That's what I'm grading it. The album as a complete piece gets three out of five stars. If you are a Yes fan, you owe it to yourself to buy this album. Just don't expect to be blown away like you were back when Roundabout was new, and you should be generally and genuinely satisfied, even.

Happy listening.

by p0mt3


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]]> Wed, 20 Aug 2008 21:51:46 +0000 perfect song song modern song hits superb modern effort previous song fragile days fragile twenty-minute song YES - Keystudio (2001) <![CDATA[TRIUMVIRAT - Spartacus (1975)]]> http://www.musicratty.com/article/75711a2b0bc0b0a21888d2be8edeee7c http://www.musicratty.com/article/75711a2b0bc0b0a21888d2be8edeee7c

Much like Spartacus, I will undoubtedly be condemned to being impaled on a cross for saying the following but hey, you got to have courage. I prefer this album by Triumvirat to any ELP album! The reasons are numerous but mostly because the style here, while very technical is not as ego-laden as Emerson’s occasional flippant follies. Also the entire disc is purely epic both in structure and in scope with a certain “cinematographic” feel that is hard to put into words. Jürgen Fritz has certain similarities (mostly on organ) but his piano and synthesizer work are way more “romantic” perhaps even more “feminine” as opposed to Keith’s rather more technical and muscular delivery. Admittedly Lake is a better bassist and more of an exemplary vocalist than Helmut Köllen but the sadly departed one really was no slouch (singing phonetically is ballsy and tough). Palmer is in another league but Hans Bathelt bashes his Slingerland drums with Bonhamesque aplomb, loaded with spirit if not tornado chops. “The Capital of Power” initiates with a zipping rhythm, laying down the initial main theme that will evolve over the course of the epic story, bass pummeling, drums thwacking, organ chomping and synthesizer blaring, this is a pleasant overture that sets the tone appropriately, laying the groundwork for the fist stunner, “The School of Instant Pain” , elegant and ornamental piano and the vocalized outposts of the Spartakian legend: a gladiator that had the audacity to rebel against the imperial Power of Rome. The organ here acts as a grandiose background to the furious piano-led pace, with Bathelt’s locomotive drums leading the charge. The ‘liquid’ synth solo is legendary in originality, alternating with a Hammond extravaganza that is even more jaw-dropping, a brief rigid drum solo finale. “The Walls of Doom” has some funky moments, chugging along with utter simplicity, a very cool 2 minute of bliss followed by another 2 minutes of synth–fueled mood swing (a tad reminiscent of Emerson). “The Deadly Dream of Freedom” tosses in a more accessible ballad-like segment where the vocals and the accompanying piano set the table for an almost radio-friendlier opportunity that remains nevertheless very proggy (a very common trait back in 1975) . “The Hazy Shades of Dawn” has an almost whimsical air of playfulness that evokes the optimism of every new day and the lads certainly express it delightfully. Very upbeat, almost cocky Celtic/Irish at times, with whistling synths and a very brief hint of an upcoming whopping melody. “The Burning Sword of Capua” is sheer genius, a bold, brash, epic and brilliant piece of progressive that even ELP would have been proud of, sweeping yet funky, technical yet evocative, masterful and also loose. These German musicians were no slouches. “The Sweetest Sound” delectably establishes the main vocal melody with unreserved gusto, the lyrics leaping out thanks to a rather convincing voice performance that displays some pretty and “sweet” pipes. “The March to the Eternal City” is the crown jewel here, a simple steady beat aided by tempestuous synths whirling away and the organ swells stamping the ground, creating the image of soldiers marching into conflict , horses snorting as they trudge through the mud and the defiant troops singing the battle hymns. You can smell the anticipation of blood, sweat and tears. This is simply an extraordinary arrangement and when the pace suddenly heightens and quickens, the bass galloping with the drums, a slash of mellotron adding emphasis, the repetitive theme then explodes into a whopping Fritz Moog solo that seems more Manfred Mann inspired than anyone else. The final vocal lament is of infinite beauty. The disc ends with the title piece, with more thumping musical glory, unshakable playing (some supremely funky piano) and a general feeling of amazed wonderment. The rebellion fails, the Roman army crushes the uprising, Spartacus is punished and the rest is history, as the final majestic synth solo blares eternally on like a flame that cannot die (a wink at Jesus Christ Superstar). While I am no huge fan of keyboard led trios anyway, this really remains a most enjoyable joy ride that has all the ingredients to please the most discerning fan. Easily among my top 20 albums all time as the emotional attachment at the time was just huge. 5 fiery Roman candles

by tszirmay


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]]> Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:35:34 +0000 triumvirat amazon funky moments funky video games amazon piano piano set drums supremely funky piano TRIUMVIRAT - Spartacus (1975) <![CDATA[SIGUR ROS - ( ) (2002)]]> http://www.musicratty.com/article/5729436cf59b926ca5d228a525bda238 http://www.musicratty.com/article/5729436cf59b926ca5d228a525bda238

I think the main reason i like this album more than the higher rated "Agaetis Byrjun" is because this one is darker and more melancholic. I would describe this record as tranquil,beautiful and emotional.For me this is not depressing at all, as i find this style of music uplifting and moving.I know most people don't feel this way but i agree with Steven Wilson who finds dark and sad music beautiful and not depressing at all.This album is the kind of music that for me works great as background music, or if i just want to think and drift away in my mind.And i like the fact that this whole album has this same mood throughout.In that sense it really works as one long suite,and the fact there are no song titles given only helps to experience it that way.This is mostly slower paced music with those wonderfully sad vocals as piano,guitars and drums mostly add support.There are a several outbreaks that are quite uplifting and effective but you could probably count those moments on one hand.My favourite tracks are 1,4,7 & 8.The last track ends the album in a surprisingly powerful way with the guitar tearing it up. This along with "Takk" are important recordings in my post-rock collection.Highly recommended.

by sinkadotentree


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]]> Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:19:31 +0000 background music music sad music beautiful beautiful amazon video games amazon sheet music movies online amazon slower paced music SIGUR ROS - ( ) (2002) <![CDATA[Food Bank Hopes to Grow Interest in Gardening, from WRVO]]> http://www.musicratty.com/article/e8189eee90f988e654fc0ef335ae9c62 http://www.musicratty.com/article/e8189eee90f988e654fc0ef335ae9c62 “Even if your garden only yields one tomato… I think the attempt to actually do something about your situation says a lot.”
-WRVO Reporter/Producer Jasmyn Belcher


[Download the MP3 for this week]

Thanks for checking out the NPR Station Showcase with PRX. I’m Aaron Henkin. What’s the Station Showcase all about, you ask? Basically, we make it our mission here each week to shine a light on the excellent work being produced locally at the hundreds of public radio stations across the country. This week, our search takes us to WRVO in Syracuse, New York. That’s where the talented Jasmyn Belcher has been working for the past year as a news reporter and producer. Jasmyn recently put together a story about a new initiative from the Food Bank of Central New York: it’s a program that encourages needy families to cut down on grocery bills by growing their own food. As you’ll hear… even just one homegrown tomato plant in a bucket can make a difference.

First off, I wanted to give you my compliments on this piece… It’s got everything: Great opening sentence, really nice structure, wonderful scenes and interviews! Tell us a bit about your radio background and the sort of work you do for WRVO…

First off…thank you! As for my radio background, I was hired at WRVO last year as a News Reporter/Producer. Being that I still have day to day responsibilities, including interviews and spot news… getting out in the field, capturing sound and putting it all together is very exciting. Features are my favorite. Letting stories almost tell themselves with interesting sound is really fun for me. I’ve had some great opportunities that have helped shape my career so far. In college, I interned with a community radio station in London, England where I learned a lot on the production side. After that experience, I knew I belonged in public radio. I also received a scholarship from NPR to attend their 2008 regional fly-in, in Boston. NPR’s Robert Smith gave me the best advice, and it really got me thinking about how I want to produce feature reports. I have never learned so much, about so many things, in so little time! The very first feature I ever produced was on goat’s milk…it won a few awards this year and I think I’ve come a long way since then!

It seems like the ‘garden-in-a-bucket’ is a project that comes with maybe a small economic benefit, but a really big social dividend… there’s a real sense of independence and empowerment seems to go along with this idea. What do you think appeals most to people about it?

I think high fuel and energy costs have people thinking, and anything that may help ease the burden is intriguing. Whether it is an actual garden, a bucket garden, or anything else… I think the act of doing something yourself is encouraging. Even if we don’t have the means to change what is going on with our food source…we can at least feel like we are doing something about it.

How practical is it, do you think, for most of us to grow enough food to actually make a real dent in our grocery bills? Is it really realistic to put in that much time and energy for the return?

I think the program was more about the idea of taking control, especially for people who may not be able to afford fresh produce. The Food Bank is showing people they have options. Even if your garden only yields one tomato…I think the attempt to actually do something about your situation says a lot. The time and energy you put in…is a reflection of what is to come. I mean, if your grocery bills are too high, why not try growing food for free? Not to mention the other benefits, like knowing where your food comes from!

That was a truly inspired moment in your story when you gave that random stranger your garden-in-a-bucket! What was that exchange like for you and him?

After researching this program and getting all of the facts and other voices ..he was the last person I spoke with. It was really nice to have seen the entire process…from planting the buckets to dropping a plant off to a family. I think this is an inspired program, and I just tried to show that in my story. I’m glad it worked!

What’s next on the horizon for you? Have you got any other good stories in the works at the moment?

As of right now, it seems as though rising costs are taking a toll on just about everyone. I just finished a feature on high gas prices and touring musicians. I think it is sort of in the same vein as the food bank story…these musicians are being proactive and making choices in order to continue doing what they love. About a month ago, I did a story on a local drive-in movie theatre in Central New York. That has to be my favorite piece so far. It was really just a lot of fun. I love the nostalgia of the 1950’s…the music…the movies…everything. So I just jumped right into the story, thrilled to even have the opportunity. If people continue doing so many interesting things, I’ll try my best to get the word out!

You can hear more from Jasmyn Belcher and WRVO online at the Public Radio Exchange. That’s where producers from around the world share their work. Log on, write your own reviews, and have a say in what ends up on the radio at www.prx.org

]]> Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:00:39 +0000 public radio stations public radio public radio exchange food radio food bank wrvo community radio station food sourcewe Food Bank Hopes to Grow Interest in Gardening, from WRVO <![CDATA[TOOL - Lateralus (2001)]]> http://www.musicratty.com/article/1ad48ce5b75bb01ff0caddc2e62a08bc http://www.musicratty.com/article/1ad48ce5b75bb01ff0caddc2e62a08bc

Tool – ‘Lateralus’ 3 stars

Five years after Aenima, you would figure Tool would have more ideas brought to the table and an album full of great songs. Tool did not manage that, but keep the same sound as Aenima and maybe throw in some better songs. The long overdone riffs are still as apparent as ever; lasting minutes at a time repeating the same section over and over can really get on ones nerves.

If this album was cut down a bit, I might have even given this 4 or hell, even 5 stars. I don’t think that would be possible since that would destroy the concept of the album that apparently, only Tool fans and no one else can understand. What I can understand is a difference between an album that has some good songs and one that has all good songs that merge well from beginning to end.

The album starts off with ‘The Grunge’ which I find has one of the most interesting intros ever. Nice bass in the forefront with guitar and drum polyrhythm’s thrown in creates a truly divine sound. The song gets simpler as it goes on, dropping all the different polyrhythms but it keeps the changes going, a definitive Tool track.

‘Eon Blue Apocalypse’. I understand that this is a ‘segue’, but it really isn’t a good one. If I wanted to hear a track that serves as an intro to another, I would go with the majestic ‘Parabol’.

‘Patient’…more likes Patience. I’m really on the fence with this track, the intro is nice, but really has far must I go with it to get into the usual Tool chorus. I know what one is like on ‘Aenima’, and this one is no different/

‘Mantra’….it’s a minute long; you know you’re in for some useless repetition and/or noise like all the others.

‘Schism’ is Tool’s best known song. I used to like it…but ‘Forty Six and Two’? I already heard a song, including the prior one that goes through one riff the entire song. The ending gets interesting, but you’ll have to go through four minutes of the same riff.

‘Parabol/Parabola’ is beautiful no doubt. Parabola is finally something I looked for in this band. The anger, the changes in mood and all the things Tool is known for. Too bad I only found those accusations to be true here…

‘Ticks & Leeches’. All I hear about this song from friends when it is discussed is the majestic drum work of Danny Carey. I’ll agree 100% with that. Sadly enough, does the use of Maynard and Adam Jones make this track better or deteriorate it? I feel if they didn’t play at all on this song, it could have been shorter, and a drum instrumental piece of our time. It happens to be now a boring Tool track. Fantastic drum work, but a ruined and below average song was the outcome of the collaboration.

‘Lateralus’ is an inspiring track. It gives off the feeling that you’re in another place, and it works for me. No complaint about the music or the mood Maynard pushes the listener with his vocals.

‘Disposition/Reflection/Triad’ is where the album takes a serious nosedive like Aenima. This, from what I understand is supposed to be one piece. If I treated it as such, I’d call it one of the worst epics ever created. ‘Disposition’ is a wonderful piece of music. Slow and steady with the guitar driving it and creating numerous effects in the background. Not too long to make the listener impatient. ‘Reflection’ and ‘Triad’ represent everything wrong with this band. The former is an insult to the word repetition and the latter is another track of Tool’s terrible creativity, ‘Hey!, this riff sounds cool, I’ll play it here for the verse, then up here for the chorus and maybe throw in a hook or two for the breakdown!’

‘Faaip De Oiad’. Pfft, what am I supposed to think of this really? A grand scheme to the concept of the album. It’s just useless noise. The gothic kids that sit in the corners of the class were never the most intelligent anyway.

5 years after Aenima, Tool never even changed their sound. They seemed to be just doing fine with their loyal fan base and mainstream attention. I feel if this band were better known at the time of Aenima, this album would have received the flack of 10,000 days. Tool got lucky in that case.

I’ll go with the crowd here and list ‘The Grudge’, ‘Lateralus’ and ‘Parabola’ as the best songs. What would separate me from the crowd is that I don’t think the rest of the ‘not as good’ songs or in my case, the bad songs, make this a 3 star at album most. Not a five.

This is slightly better than Aenima. If you didn’t think that album was any special, avoid this one.

by ProgBagel


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]]> Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:59:16 +0000 tool definitive tool track tool track lateralus music tool music online tool lateralus figure tool album TOOL - Lateralus (2001) <![CDATA[Rihanna Broke]]> http://www.musicratty.com/article/c05e7561ceb0bdebc0fd357ec3611743 http://www.musicratty.com/article/c05e7561ceb0bdebc0fd357ec3611743

Take A Bow, Rihanna. You’re broke! At least that is the story from the Barbadian-beauty’s recently ousted accountant, Patricia Williams. In this new tell-all interview, Rihanna’s now ex-business manager claims she was fired “for no good reason, all in ignorance” after she tried to tell the singer that someone has made off with the majority of her money.

Patricia says:
“I’m a professional Business Manager, I have a staff of more than a dozen, I have worked for many high profile actors, musicians and multi-million dollar corporations. Why would I steal from Rihanna?” She continues, “I showed her all the paperwork and tried to explain to her the circumstances but she wouldn’t listen. She called me all sorts of horrible names and stormed off. I now feel compelled to share with the world the background story as I will not allow my name to be slandered”

“It’s not my fault that she only has $20,000 to her name. I showed her all the paperwork and tried to explain to her the circumstances but she wouldn’t listen. She called me all sorts of horrible names and stormed off. I now feel compelled to share with the world the background story as I will not allow my name to be slandered.”

Continued At The Source

]]> Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:34:31 +0000 story background story rihanna horrible names professional business manager patricia patricia williams ex-business manager claims multi-million dollar corporations Rihanna Broke