Music Monday - Of Monsters and Men

Of Monsters and Men
OMAM wiki

I first discovered this cd when we received it as an in-store play a few months ago, and to be honest I was not really intrigued by it at all. It just seemed to me to be another folk band, and lord knows there are tons on the market today. I honestly didn't even give them an honest try until someone else put them into the cd player, and I was forced to listen... and boy was I glad that I did. This band has done something different with their music, but I can't quite put my finger on what. It may be because they hail from Iceland (honestly the best thing to come out of Iceland in my opinion), but whatever gives them that something extra, it works!

They have a female and male singer, and both of their voices are light and gorgeous, though they can break out the power when they need to. Many of their songs are very soothing, like Sloom. Others are haunting, like my favorite song Little Talks. I never really understood what the song was about, but a friend of mine told me their interpretation (supposedly from the band's mouth) is that the song speaks of an older couple, and the female is suffering from dementia. But on the wiki page Nanna, the female singer, is said to have described it as one of the couple has died. I like both versions. The music video doesn't really make sense to me, but what can yah do? 

I love Dirty Paws, which is a cute song that doesn't really make sense to me, but I still love it and the whimsical feel to the song. I also love Your Bones, which shows off the vocals of Ragnar/Raggi, who has a beautiful voice, as well as smile! He's just a cutie pie! (sorry... tangent....)

Overall, I greatly recommend this cd, especially if you're into Mumford and Sons, or if you just love trying out new music. I know that some people feel they are getting overplayed on the radio, I never have that problem because I don't listen to the radio! whoo!

(Yes, I know this post is mostly pics and videos, but I don't really know how to put my love for this group into words... I just hope one day to see them in person!)

Track List:
1. Dirty Paws
2. King and Lionheart
3. Mountain Sound
4. Slow and Steady
5. From Finner
6. Little Talks
7. Six Weeks
8. Love Love Love
9. Yours Bones
10. Sloon
11. Lakehouse
12. Yellow Light

Final Report:
My Head is an Animal - Of Monsters and Men
60 minutes
$10.99 (B&N.com)
9/10

Available at your local Barnes and Noble or at Barnes and Noble online



GO BUY IT AND LISTEN!! YOU WON'T REGRET IT!

Music Monday - Soundtrack for the Wheel of Time by Robert Berry

Robert Berry's website

I first discovered the Wheel of Time in Middle School, believe it or not. I had a friend that I met at school and on the bus who was into the books, so he lent them to me and I devoured the first 5 or 6 books, then I think I even bought the 7th.

In high school, a friend of mine who was also in love with the books told me about this cd and how awesome it was, and burned me a copy. At first I didn't really know what to think. Instrumental music wasn't really my forte at the time, but I did give it a listen. Right away I fell in love with track 8, the Winespring Reel, and to me it sounded like something that would be played in a bar/inn at the time, with people dancing and drinking. Slowly, one by one, I started to fall in love with the other songs. They really do embody the feel that Robert Jordan gives in his book, so kudos to Mr. Berry.

There are a few tracks with singing, Including the first track, A Theme for the Wheel of Time, as well as Ladies of the Tower, and the Aiel Approach. While I do like tracks 1 and 11, the Aiel Approach has grown on me in many ways. As a music major, I've had to study gregorian chant, and that's what this reminds me of. To me, I see the Aiel as having an oral tradition background, possibly because of their migratory patterns and moving everything on their backs so paper and books would be hard to bring with them. (But that's just my opinion)

I think my absolute favorite pieces are: Song for Moraine, The Winespring Reel, the Game of Houses, and Voyage of the Sea Folk. There's just something about these pieces that really gets me going, or at least my imagination going. I literally see a regal Queen walking into her throne room in the Game of Houses, with courtiers looking at her, judging her, looking for weakness. I'm weird, I know, but it's what I see.

Track List:

1. A Theme for the Wheel of Time
2. Return to Emonds Fields
3. Song for Moiraine
4. Traveling the Ways
5. Spears and Buckler
6. Dream Walker
7. The Knowledge of the Wise Ones
8. The Winespring Reel
9. The Halls of Tar Valon
10. Search for the Black Ajah
11. Ladies of the Tower
12. The Game of House
13. Voyage of the Sea Folk
14. Heart of the Wolf
15. Journey Through the Waste
16. Lan the Warder
17. March of the Trollocs
18. Rand's Theme (Fanfare for the Dragon Reborn)
19. The Aiel Approach (Dahl of a Chant)

Final Report:
Soundtrack for the Wheel of Time by Robert Berry
54 minutes
$16.99

Available at Barnes and Noble online

Music Mondays - Zz Ward

Hey friends, how are y'all doing this Monday? I thought of another way to spice things up here on my blog, and that's by recommending/reviewing new music for y'all. To kick it off, I'd like to start off with the artist Zz Ward.

Zz Ward's website

I first discovered Zz Ward when I saw her cd at my store when I was walking through the department. I was intrigued to hear what she sounded like because a lot of the artists on our Discover endcap are not well known, but are really good artists/groups. I looked her up on iTunes, and quickly fell in love with her music and her lyrics.

The first song I fell for is the first song on the album, as well as what the album is named after, Til the Casket Drops. It has a great rhythm, and as soon as she begins singing, we are treated to a melodious, smokey voice. This is actually a love song, where she's telling her love that she will be by his side until one of them dies. (Doesn't sound romantic, but it is). After hearing this song, I immediately purchased the entire cd, and prepared my ears for what I assumed would be an amazing experience, and I was not left down!

My next favorite song takes things down a notch tempo wise, and it is Last Love Song. Instead of a love song or hate song, instead it's a song reminiscing on all of the things and plans that will never happen, now that the couple is no longer together. I personally resonate with this song a lot, being recently single, and find that it says all of the things that I had trouble putting into words. The song is not too difficult to play on the guitar, if one is so inclined to learn it. Last Love Song guitar chords

Song after song we are treated to hit after hit. Honestly, there's not one song on the cd that I don't like. I do have preferences of which ones I listen to the most, but literally every song is a hit. The last song that I actually listened to, weeks after I got the cd, is the last song on the album, 365 Days. It's a great breakup song about a girl who is not going to put up with her partner's crap anymore, so she kicks him to the curb. Literally throwing his stuff out of the window onto the street  below (and I know I'm not the only who's ever fantasized about doing this to someone, even if it's not a lover/partner/etc.)

I recommended her to someone once, but they said she was too country for their tastes. I personally do not feel like she is country. I find her more of a mix between Pop Rock/Blues/Soul, but that's just my interpretation. She's listed as Pop Rock at the store, but that's neither here nor there.

I would recommend everyone to look her up and listen to her music, even if they don't like all of her music, there must be one song they like! Another think that I like is that she is VERY good in person, as well as in studio recordings.

Track Listing:

1. Til the Casket Drops
2. Put the Gun Down
3. Blue Eyes Blind
4. Home
5. Crying Wolf (featuring Kendrick Lamar)
6. Save My Life
7. Last Love Song
8. Lil Darlin (featuring The O'Mys)
9. Move Like U Stole It
10. Criminal (featuring Freddie Gibbs)
11. If I Could Be Hear
12. Charlie Ain't Home
13. 365 Days

Final Report:
Til The Casket Drops - Zz Ward
45 mins
$10.99 in store
9/10

Available at your local Barnes and Noble, or online at Barnes and Noble.com - Zz Ward