Guy and Girl have great screen chemistry, and even better songs. The down-to-earthness of the two of them really remind me of my good friends goin’ for it with their pursuit of music, and the passion and desire to see the realization of those dreams.

The picture of what I had in mind of a singer/songwriter get together was done to the tee in this movie. Lots of eating, drinking, laughing, and reverence during song sharing. This begs the question, that I should be starting something like that here in SH…

A’ite, go watch it, and then tell me if you also thought the blue hoover was also very cute!

P.S. You can check out my friend’s review here. He’s a much better reviewer than I am.

If you’re still on 8-tracks, let me help enlighten you. Converting music into a digital format has made it easier to duplicate music and to distribute it with a click of a the mouse. In our digital age, music has become a commodity and some even say our generationbelieves music is free. This sudden shift in consumer thinking and demand has left the music industry reeling as CD sales have plummeted while music downloads are estimated to have gone from nil in 2003 to 53 million in 2006.

Interestingly enough, Radiohead’s publicist has said that initial totals from their pre-sales have shown that they are making close to what a typical album would regularly make. Seeing that they’re Radiohead and they’ve got a massive fan base, it would be hard to generalize that this case will work for everyone. With a large percentage of their listeners as being in the 25-40 age group, it also makes online distribution that much easier. But what we’ll see overall are shifts in the traditional music label’s modus operandi, in that they’ll need to learn to embrace digital to continue to thrive.

I’m not a big Radiohead fan (at least not yet from what my friends are telling me), but hey, for a couple of bucks I can download it and get a legal copy that I can share with my friends, I think that’s awesome. But if they’re able to make this money on this first album, then great! However, music listeners today have a concept of value in mind when they’re purchasing, instilled by years of CD sales. But in the future, when the next gen of listeners no longer go to store to buy albums, how much will they decide the value of an album to be?

Just in, Oasis, Jamiroquai, and Nine Inch Nails has followed Radiohead’s lead and have dumped their label in what is becoming an interesting trend on how bands are communicating with their fans.

But from what I gather, those artists who get put into the singer/songwriter genre have music that can sound folky, even bluegrass, and almost always requires a decent guitar. Perhaps you can depict them with a guitar slung across their back, traveling from a performance at a stadium venue to one at a coffee bar. That’s the other thing too, that singer/songwriters are almost like hidden treasures, not meant to be popular nor polished. In fact, that’s the attraction of them, in that they’re imperfect, unlike most contemporary pop music which requires big time processing to make them sound perfect. Okay, it’s not that singer/songwriters can’t have polished productions, it’s just that they shouldn’t give off that feeling.

Onto names. Joni Mitchell fits into this category. I like Over the Rhine. Know any new singer/songwriters you can recommend?

More info on the singer-songwriter genre can be found here.

Good songs don’t invent new melodies, but puts skin and flesh to the ones that we have subconsciously known all along. And that’s what Karin Berquist & Linford Detweiler do so well, over and over and over. Melodies that haunt and linger for days after you’ve listened. You can listen to it and fall asleep, and you can listen to one song over and over again to try and understand the meaning behind the song.

I had my doubts when I first purchased it, because folk/rock/country genre isn’t my thing, but after listening to it a few more times, the melodies and words begin to permeate your mind and echo in your head long after you’ve turned off your iPod. Unlike most albums that have 2 or 3 hit songs, this album doesn’t really have any “radio friendly” songs, but the content and presentation of so many beautifully written songs together sets them apart. It has been a long time since an album has kept me intrigued for so long.

I haven’t even started about her voice yet. Karin’s got a touch of Sheral Crow, Sixpence, and more, rolled into one set of vocal cords. What i really enjoy about listening to her is are the inflections she so musically blends with the lyrics. And like the accompanying instruments on the album, they’re understated, leaving room for the audience to draw their own conclusions without having it shoved down our throats. The recordings aren’t rigid, and flow very naturally from one note to the other.

So in conclusion, go have a listen. You won’t be disappointed. And you might have Karin haunting your mind as well.

Rating: 4.5/5 – This album has more magic than Harry Potter. Definite keeper.

For more reviews of the album, check out their website.
You can also hear some of their songs on myspace and youtube (search for them)

Without the drums, each of them have had to help comp and keep rhythm, and it’s quite impressive to hear the fullness of their sound. I can’t tell you how amazing they are comping for one another, not to mention the times they take turns improvising. Unfortunately I’m horrible at recognizing the pieces that they played. The only one I remember was Autumn Leaves.

It was a great show, albeit it felt really short. Then again, when you’re so caught up in something, time can really fly.

It was an interesting mix of people in the audience that Friday night, with school kids from elementary to high school, couples, young families, locals, school teachers, and giddy schoolgirls wanting his autograph, the show went on without too many hitches. Best move Tim pulled off was to hire a professional team to do the sound. The venue he played in is notorious for poor sound and Friday night sounded….Gooooooood.

Finally had the chance to use all this equipment that I’ve hauled from overseas to its full potential. I can say, my 2nd week of June was complete. I played electric for one song and bass for another, using my ES-335 with my Valvestate, and finally, the Acme Bass Amp that was turned up to half of max volume for the first time! Yes, I was one of those giddy schoolgirls.

All in all, it was a fun one-and-a-half hour show, with entertained friends and HK style food for late night dessert. I consider that a night well spent.

For starters, “She Wants to Play Hearts” is a wonderfully written song. Lyrics are short but you get the picture. And it’s haunting, which works great with the lyrics. Did I tell you he’s also a darn good guitarist? He plays all sorts of styles, from rock, country, and others that I don’t even know what labels to use. “Winding Wheel” is a pretty example of a great song with a great Dylan-esque rasp.

With that said, I still need to hear more of his music. I’ve only heard selections from Heartbreaker and Demolition, but I suspect the other ones will have a kick of freedom of expression you’ll experience in his music.