Thursday Morning (Now Afternoon) Random Mix - Extreme Frustration Edition

nobody@vox.com(Daryl) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:38:07 +0000

This dang computer is getting on my last nerve. This is post attempt #4. I've been trying to make this post all day. Keep having computer problems. Here we go yet again...

As Cruel as School Children

Playlist: @ Big D Radio - WOKI 91.4

Gym Class Heroes – Boys In Bands (Interlude) – As Cruel As School Children
Chris Brown – I’ll Call Ya – Exclusive
Beck – Loser – Mellow Gold
David Crowder Band – A Quiet Interlude – A Collision
Staind – For You – Break The Cycle
Digitalism – Apollo-Gize – Idealism
Another Bad Creation – Playground – Coolin’ At The Playground Ya Know
Late Registration

Zero 7 – I Have Seen – Simple Things
Kanye West – Diamonds From Sierra Leone (Bonus Track) – Late Registration
Gym Class Heroes – Viva La White Girl – As Cruel As School Children
Estelle – American Boy – Shine

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The soothing sounds of the Fender Rhodes

nobody@vox.com(Burl Veneer) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 01:27:53 +0000

Mrs. V. and I are big fans of Zero 7; that is, of the Zero 7 songs that they did not invite Sia Furler to vandalize with her breathy, pouty, "ghetto twee*" vocal stylings. Verily, she is the Jar Jar Binks of downtempo. We're okay with the other guest singers, but it's the Fender Rhodes-laden instrumentals that really melt us into the upholstery in a mellow swoon. If I had bothered to read the liner notes sooner I would have known that the Rhodes-tinkler, Neil Cowley, is not part of the Zero 7 duo, but is a guest as well. So now I'm catching up with Cowley's other work: his own synth duo Fragile State, and the creamy Rhodes goodness of Soundcastles, his 2006 album as Pretz.

02-pretz-chapel_stile

pretz

All with zero percent Sia! Speaking of electronic chillout duos, it was Air's Premiers Symptômes CD that put the Rhodes on my downtempo map way back in the late 90s; no other album evokes 70s-era romantic softcore porn nearly as well. Patrick Woodcock's tuba is the secret ingredient that helps make it so deliciously dreamy.

03 - Les Professionnels

Air

Finally, from this side of the Atlantic there is (was?) Spool, the duo of John Ridenour and "Jhno" (John Eichenseer), who are at their best when Jhno busts out the Rhodes:

02-Algo

Spool

I had a Rhodes once, and it did not sound like that! Apparently you need the right kind of amp or effects pedal or whatever, but I could never be bothered to get into hardware. Now you can just download a VST plugin to get a decent Rhodes sound. Come to think of it, I should do that.

* Thanks to the Mrs. for that one!

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Vox’s posts tagged zero 7

Thursday Morning (Now Afternoon) Random Mix - Extreme Frustration Edition

The soothing sounds of the Fender Rhodes