The WonderMusic Thread

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Didn't watch the Oscars, but this came up on my Youtube today and I had to watch. "How Far I'll Go" is once again evidence that the Disney machine knows how to produce terrific songs for their films. For my money, it's even better than Frozen's hyper-popular "Let It Go", even if thematically similar.

In this case, the song was written by Lin Manuel Miranda (already heavily feted for "Hamilton"), who introduces the Oscar night performance with a rap that sets the scene. Auli'l Cravalho, the 16 year-old who voiced the character in the movie, performs beautifully even after an accidental encounter between her hair and the banners being carried by the dancers.


Alas, it lost the Oscar to one of the songs from the musical La La Land. Not unexpected but still a bit disappointing.
 
Those around my age who may have watched some music television in the eighties probably remember a bombastic teen rebellion anthem called "We're Not Gonna Take It" by the band Twisted Sister. They pretty much ended up being a one hit wonder but they are still around. There's a documentary about them kicking around on Netflix if you want to catch up on the band a bit more.

The following video came up in my Youtube recommendations today. It's not a cover of "We're Not Gonna Take It", as the singer actually is Dee Snider of Twisted Sister, but it's a reimagining of the song from an anthem for teen rebellion to an anthem for the battle against children's cancer. The video is directed by magician Criss Angel, who got involved with children's cancer when his own child came down with leukemia.


And for those need long hair, wild makeup, and screaming guitars in their hair band music: :cool:

 
You know, I hadn't thought of it until I heard this last night, but Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" is a perfect song for an a capella version. And who better to do it than Pentatonix?


These five continue to amaze me with their individual and collective talent. Mitch, who takes most of the lead vocals here, certainly doesn't sound like Freddy Mercury, but he still does a bang up job, as does Scott when he takes over in some of the later sections.
 
Wasn't a fan of One Direction (boy bands aren't my thing) but the new single from former band member Harry Styles is quite good. Will be interested to see how the rest of his first solo album stacks up.

 
Kina Grannis has launched a new experiment: she has called on her fans to support creating a crowdfunded record label. She's doing it through Patreon and, not surprisingly, the label's first release will be her next album, which she is starting to work on. Crowdfunding seems to have finally opened the door to indie artists getting to expand their reach without having to sign a contract with a label (small or large). I will be following with interest, especially given the intended end product.

In the meantime, here's a lovely version of the old Beach Boys ballad God Only Knows by Kina and her husband Imaginary Future.

 
Is the unknown god timeless as to allow "heh" to wander into what we don't know ?

That would be quite a threshold to cross ... rite!
 
Mendalla said:
Wasn't a fan of One Direction (boy bands aren't my thing) but the new single from former band member Harry Styles is quite good. Will be interested to see how the rest of his first solo album stacks up.

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This is good. I heard another solo song by him and was impressed. It has a retro 70's sound (and he has that look), and I like that. He sounds like a real artist/ musician in his own right, not like a boy band spin-off..
 
I've been listening to a CD that I bought in the summer at the first Bear Creek Music Festival. I forgot I had it. Jenny Allen has a beautiful voice and hearing her takes me back to sunny, warm sunny days listening to music in a park. Ironically I'm also working on a sweater I knitted there while listening to music.

 
Ape happy! Ape happy!

Why ape happy?

Not only was seminal prog rock band Yes inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this month.

Not only were they inducted by Canadian prog rock legends Rush.

Not only did Rush's bassist Geddy Lee join Yes for their induction performance (Yes' bassist, band co-founder Chris Squire, died a couple years ago).

Not only did all that happen, but the icing on the cake ...

Yes founding lead singer Jon Anderson joined the band for the first time since falling out with other members in 2004 (he officially resigned in 2008). Not sure if this is a one time thing or if he has once again patched up his differences with the other members of the band (he's left before and returned, but never for this long) but it's glorious to see the band "whole" again, even if Chris' absence can only partly be made up by Geddy's prodigious talent.


Other than Lee, the other musicians are all current or former members of Yes: Anderson on vocals, Steve Howe and Trevor Rabin on guitars, Rick Wakeman on keys, Alan White on drums.
 
I think I have praised Against the Current here before so I will just let Chrissie and the guys speak for themselves.


Can't believe I missed that they had a new video out but apparently I have not sub'd their channel as I thought I had.
 
More ATC. Two different version of the same song for comparison. The first is an acoustic version from the same set as the above.


The second is ATC's more usual hard rocking sound from a live performance on the Vans Warped Tour last year:

 
Oh God, it's "Little M music" I think. I'm sure I've heard the name Major Lazer cross his lips. Nice freaky video, though.
 
Oo. Did not know that Robert Fripp had a new version of King Crimson going. He's about the only original Crimson member in this iteration, but as the brains behind all incarnations of the band since their founding and the owner of the name, he is arguably the one that matters.

The new version performing Starless (originally written in 1974) live.

 
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I am always intrigued when I hear new cover versions of songs. This one of 'Stand By Me' was played on Fear the Walking Dead, last night

 
A couple new songs that caught my eye this past week:

First off, as mentioned in the thread on crowdfunding, Kina Grannis is starting to release new original songs that will appear on her next album. "Beth" is the second.


Odd note: when I first heard that Kina was releasing "Beth" I thought she was covering the old KISS ballad. This is better, though.

And Arcade Fire keep leaking out singles from their upcoming new album. I was a bit meh on their last album but from the four songs released so far, I'd say they are back in fine form for this one. The latest release features keyboard player and vocalist Regine Chassagne on lead vocals. She sings harmony and backing vocals on most of their songs but doesn't get a whole song to herself that often so this is a bit of treat for me as I love her voice.

 
Have had Whitehorse's latest, Panther in the Dollhouse, on high rotation on my phone. These two just keep getting getting better with every release. Both Luke and Melissa are in fine form and the songwriting is some of the best I've ever heard from them, either solo or as Whitehorse.

All clips are from a CBC Music First Play Live concert Whitehorse recorded a while back when the album came out.

A playful love song that seems apt for a married couple to be singing.


This is possibly my favorite song on the album. Great singing from Melissa and Luke's guitar playing is perfect.


And one more for the road.


And Whitehorse keeps killing it with their album titles. First there was Leave No Bridge Unburned, and now Panther in the Dollhouse. A bit strange, to be sure, but also evocative.
 
And a bonus track, Whitehorse performing "Devil's Got a Gun" from their first album (and one of their finest songs) live at Canada Day celebrations in Winnipeg this year. Joining them is Faouzia, a multilingual teenaged Youtube singing sensation from that city who I discovered via this performance. She fits in beautifully with Luke and Melissa here.

 
Mendalla said:
And Whitehorse keeps killing it with their album titles. First there was Leave No Bridge Unburned, and now Panther in the Dollhouse.
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Dang, forgot the best of the lot: first album was titled "The Fate of the World Depends on This Kiss"
 
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