We Like Ike

Although Joy Ike may not be looking to pursue the Presidency anytime soon, Ike’s latest release, Good Morning, is running a good race. Ike’s soulful voice is like jazz cream in freshly brewed coffee; waking you up with aromas unseen but sense coming. With a musical career spanning only three years, Joy has a lot of time to grow, and her potential is certainly not lacking. Maybe she just might be able to wake us all up.

Strengths:

Ike’s vocals can be some of the strongest parts of Good Morning. Joy’s music has been described as “an alluring and rhythmic blend of soul, jazz and pop” (Allegahny Times). The blend of her voice and piano create powerful and passionate music. The vocal talent she displays in the album shows glimpses of her true potential as a vocal artist; soulful, smooth, and colorful. With a little more work and practice as a singer-songwriter, I think her vocals could carry her a long way.

The Crane Wife

{The Decemberists}

The Crane Wife

When I found the Decemberists, I realized how little good music I had listened to. It started with a single on the radio and an interesting album cover and has manifested into a small obsession with a band that is dark, quirky, and wonderful all at once.

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Strengths

The album, The Crane Wife is the latest production from the Decemberists and breaks the mold of some of their older albums. While it is unfair to call them shallow, because they aren’t, many of the older albums have a similar sound quality about them which makes The Crane Wife’s depth stand out even more. For the new listener, the 10+ minute songs may be a little hard to take, but it is in those songs that the band truly shines. The development of a song seems to be a specialty of the band, who (intentionally and knowingly) make you work when listening. Songs such as the 11:20 “The Crane Wife 1&2″ take a listener on a musical journey with crescendo up hills of synthesizers, drums, and guitar, through a valley of emphasized down beats, ending in a flowing river of Colin Meloy’s smooth voice with a simple guitar melody behind him.

If There Ever is a Song

As I have been scurrying around the past few weeks, I have encountered a song that has touched me. If there ever is a song whose lyrics describe what I have been feeling, this is it.

Although the band is now widely know, I knew Sanctus Real way back when they released “Say it Loud”. Their sound has certainly progressed since then, but I am still appreciative of their music nonetheless.

The song is titled, “Whatever You’re Doing (Something Heavenly)” and it has played on the radio several times in the past month. I first heard it in the car and now own the song myself. The lyrics talk about Chaos and the confusion that comes with life. There are three key parts in the song that come at different times expanding the simple melody into something not so simple. Instead of repeating the chorus each time, the band chooses to alter it, showing that we are able to change our views and perceptions through time and knowledge.

The chorus changes as the following: