So it turns I had indeed hoisted myself up the flagpole, all on my own. Having rectified my problems, I offer you the glory of my full-on postings.
So here we are.
Pretty nice, eh?
To buck the trend online as of late, today's entry will be only peripherally about Apple, with nary a word about Verizon. Instead, the focus shifts slightly to the application of one of their fine products, namely the game changing Ipad. I could gush for pages about this Star Trek piece of equipment (and probably will when stalled for a good idea dans le futur). It is a marvelous thing, seemingly limited only by your imagination and a lack of flash. All short comings aside, (and potential brand loyalties considered) it marks a shift in the way we live with our technology, making it more approachable and accessible despite the steep entry fee. What to say, though? It's not what it is, really, but how it's used. Further, it's who is using it. In anyone's hands it's fun and novel, playing games and checking email. In an artist's hands, things become more intriguing. Whose hands? Damon Albarn's, that's who.
Known in England for his massively popular brit-pop band Blur (who in 'Merica are known only for 'Song 2' i.e. the one you hear in football stadiums that goes "Woo hoo!"), Albarn created the world's most successful virtual band, Gorillaz. A collaboration with artist Jaime Hewlitt, who created the awesome comic Tank Girl, Gorillaz existed only in the media as a concept. The images and likeness of the members were hewn by Hewlitt with the majority of the music created by Albarn, with collaborations from rappers and other singers. The group had instant success both in the U.K. and across the sea, with the massively popular single "Clint Eastwood" off their self titled debut. Five years later, their sophomore offering, Demon Days, netted a Grammy for the single "Feel Good Inc." 2010's Plastic Beach was as highly anticipated as the last album but has yet to hit the same numbers. So why the truncated history of our modern, satirical Monkees?
Innovation! Boundary pushing! Self imposed limitation, my readers.
While on tour in support of Plastic Beach last fall Albarn let it slip that he would be releasing a free album to the Gorillaz' fan club on Christmas day. All of the music were new compositions created while on tour. The hook?
The entire album being made on Albarn's Ipad.
"Oooh, stop the presses, fan boy! What a shock! A musician makes a song on a computer!"
I know, I know. But here's why my Spidey-sense is tingling:
I downloaded it and it's really good.
It doesn't feel like a one-off, goofy joke. It's a real album. While admittedly a bit pared-down, it's still as slick and solid as anything else they've done. From what I've gathered, there is a slight dearth of guest spots and fewer, if any actual stringed, live instruments, but that is both in and of the point. While there are a few guitars or acoustic things on the occasional track, it serves almost as a method of illustrating the move to more of a colder, new wave sound. It sounds to me like the Gorillaz spent a night drinking with Gary Numan and Ric Ocasek.
Which is awesome.
Using a list of apps found here, which are all available to anyone, the whole album was created from scratch on that little tablet. I find it to not only be a very enjoyable, moody soundtrack to my evening commute, but also an album with a fascinating meta-context. Just that I found it online, put it on my phone (which is another entire dork moment) and listen to it after knowing it was created in such an approachable, commoner manner is mind blowing.
Here's to new sounds in new ways. Progress is strange business.
So here we are.
Pretty nice, eh?
To buck the trend online as of late, today's entry will be only peripherally about Apple, with nary a word about Verizon. Instead, the focus shifts slightly to the application of one of their fine products, namely the game changing Ipad. I could gush for pages about this Star Trek piece of equipment (and probably will when stalled for a good idea dans le futur). It is a marvelous thing, seemingly limited only by your imagination and a lack of flash. All short comings aside, (and potential brand loyalties considered) it marks a shift in the way we live with our technology, making it more approachable and accessible despite the steep entry fee. What to say, though? It's not what it is, really, but how it's used. Further, it's who is using it. In anyone's hands it's fun and novel, playing games and checking email. In an artist's hands, things become more intriguing. Whose hands? Damon Albarn's, that's who.
Known in England for his massively popular brit-pop band Blur (who in 'Merica are known only for 'Song 2' i.e. the one you hear in football stadiums that goes "Woo hoo!"), Albarn created the world's most successful virtual band, Gorillaz. A collaboration with artist Jaime Hewlitt, who created the awesome comic Tank Girl, Gorillaz existed only in the media as a concept. The images and likeness of the members were hewn by Hewlitt with the majority of the music created by Albarn, with collaborations from rappers and other singers. The group had instant success both in the U.K. and across the sea, with the massively popular single "Clint Eastwood" off their self titled debut. Five years later, their sophomore offering, Demon Days, netted a Grammy for the single "Feel Good Inc." 2010's Plastic Beach was as highly anticipated as the last album but has yet to hit the same numbers. So why the truncated history of our modern, satirical Monkees?
Innovation! Boundary pushing! Self imposed limitation, my readers.
While on tour in support of Plastic Beach last fall Albarn let it slip that he would be releasing a free album to the Gorillaz' fan club on Christmas day. All of the music were new compositions created while on tour. The hook?
The entire album being made on Albarn's Ipad.
"Oooh, stop the presses, fan boy! What a shock! A musician makes a song on a computer!"
I know, I know. But here's why my Spidey-sense is tingling:
I downloaded it and it's really good.
It doesn't feel like a one-off, goofy joke. It's a real album. While admittedly a bit pared-down, it's still as slick and solid as anything else they've done. From what I've gathered, there is a slight dearth of guest spots and fewer, if any actual stringed, live instruments, but that is both in and of the point. While there are a few guitars or acoustic things on the occasional track, it serves almost as a method of illustrating the move to more of a colder, new wave sound. It sounds to me like the Gorillaz spent a night drinking with Gary Numan and Ric Ocasek.
Which is awesome.
Using a list of apps found here, which are all available to anyone, the whole album was created from scratch on that little tablet. I find it to not only be a very enjoyable, moody soundtrack to my evening commute, but also an album with a fascinating meta-context. Just that I found it online, put it on my phone (which is another entire dork moment) and listen to it after knowing it was created in such an approachable, commoner manner is mind blowing.
Here's to new sounds in new ways. Progress is strange business.
