Read + Write + Report
Home | Start a blog | About Orble | FAQ | Blogs | Writers | Paid | My Orble | Login

Tv On The Radio (actually) Will Do

March 15th 2011 11:04
The first time I heard TV On The Radio was two weeks ago.

Correction.

I had heard of the group before, felt intrigued by the name of the group, but had no idea what type of music they made, and had never had any inclination to find out what type of music they made.

I don't know whether their new song which caught my interest is indicative of their back catalogue. Nonetheless, I am now inclined to see what else they have released.

Will Do is the first single from their upcoming fifth album. A quick internet search brought me various snippets of info (like the fact they are an experimental/indie rock outfit) but importantly, it seems that opinion is divided on this song. Some fans are saying it's ok, others are excited by the new direction that TV On The Radio have taken, and then there are others saying that as it progresses, it sounds more and more like them.


Okay, so here is what I think, in my own humble way: I like it.

It starts off with some charming xylophones (or glockenspiel, you know that "tinkling" sound I'm talking about) before the beat kicks in. It's a little dark, but sits nicely with the vocals, singing simply about unrequited love. The strings in the song continue to add to the dark and sinister feel, but it changes after a bridge, and suddenly words like atmospheric and romance comes to mind.

Here's some audio to listen to, so you can judge for yourself (and then probably also see how inaccurate my description is!)


22
Vote
   


I don't know what I thought when I heard the name Dead Letter Circus.

Maybe I imagined ripped up letters from disturbed people with childhood memories of being left behind in a circus with only a friendly clown for company. Who knows. I can't remember what I ate for breakfast (to digress momentarily, did you know that a fear of clowns is called Coulrophobia?)

Anyway, Dead Letter Circus first got my attention with the song Run, Wild.

Have you spotted my mistake yet?

True fans would know that this song does not belong in their repertoire. No, that song belongs to a group known as Dead Letter Chorus. Man, was I mighty confused!


This was further compounded when I heard One Step, recently voted #65 in the Hottest 100 Poll run by Triple J. To make some very (very) rough comparisons, One Step sounded like Karnivool with a dash of Linkin Park, whereas Run, Wild sounded like Florence and The Machine slowed down on a Sunday morning. I like both songs, but couldn't quite understand how one group could make music that covered such a huge range.

So....

Dead Letter Circus are an alternative/progressive rock band from Brisbane. They cite Karnivool, Muse, Faith No More and The Butterfly Effect as some of their influences. Having released a self-titled EP in 2007, they released their debut album This Is The Warning in 2010, containing their official first single The Space On The Wall, as well as One Step.

One Step starts off with some pulsing drums, before lead singer Kim Benzie's vocals kick in. The combination of somewhat frantic, pulsating drums with melodic and key-changing vocals works really well. The chorus unleashes strong (and loud!) vocals, with the whole sound rounded out with some equally loud chords, courtesy of guitarist Rob Maric and Steward Hill.

If it's rockin' dead letters you want, and not folky dead letters, then sample some Circus. Dead Letter Circus.



23
Vote
   


Eurovision 2010.

June 4th 2010 08:50
Last weekend, the annual Eurovision Song Contest took place in Oslo, Norway.

Now, I've let everything sink in for a week, and I've decided that as far as my musical tastes, this year's bunch of entrants ranged from "indifferent" to "yeah, I quite like that!"

From the moment Germany's Lena was declared the winner with her indie-Brit-pop sounding song "Satellite", there was an immediate split down the middle of the likers and the haters. I fell into the 'likers', and really, what's not to like? It's different, modern, quirky, some rather questionable lyrics, all sung by a German reminiscent of Ellen Page with a cockney accent.



Other honourable mentions include the French entrant sounding like they hailed from Spain, the Spanish entrant who's "indifferent" song became more exciting by way of a serial pest-stage invasion, Lithuania who took delight in the element of a "costume-reveal", but ripping off their pants to show off sparkly shorts, and Azerbaijian who not only lit up the stage with her song, her dress lit up as well!

By the way, did you see Alexander Rybak sneakily kiss Lena on the lips, when she moved in to kiss his cheek????

Eurovision 2011 Germany, here we come!
85
Vote
   


I like fun.

Fun is always good. It makes you feel happy and carefree, relaxed and at ease, whilst you're having fun. Who needs to know if you've got narky people breathing down your necks to get the work done...I'm gonna rock out and have fun for approximately 4 mins. Then we'll talk


[ Click here to read more ]
86
Vote
   


So you spend your time on the internet, reading blogs, YouTube-ing videos and hearing what people have to say about music. And really, it can be a bit much, as there is just so much out there, in many diverse styles. Music is such a beautiful art, only to people who can hear it.

What of the hearing impaired


[ Click here to read more ]
68
Vote
   


Oldie but a goodie: Shattered dreams.

September 6th 2009 12:34
They say that you can take a person out of a place, but you can't take that place out of that person.

Well, I like to listen to different types of music. Nothing too posh or progressive. We all know that I love Paramore and Delta Goodrem, but apart from the singers being of the same gender and writing their own songs, the similarity ends there. I've recently discovered new artists that makes music that appeals to me, like Metric, Sia, Lupe Fiasco....I could name drop forever


[ Click here to read more ]
98
Vote
   


OMG! Remember Glen Medieros??

August 14th 2009 13:13
I was in the unfortunate position of working a late shift one night, stuck listening to a radio station that no one really wanted to listen to, but had to because a) We didn't have time to change it, and b) No one could be bothered really.

So it was around 9pm, listening to Melbourne station MIX 101.1, where the name of the game is love songs. Being an unashamedly typical gal, I love a good love song as much as the next unashamedly typical gal. After having a good sing along to Total Eclipse of the Heart (Nikki French unfortunately, not Bonnie Tyler) and You're Still the One from Shania Twain, I froze in what I was doing as my ears recognised the intro to the next song. The piano, the saxophone...do mein ears deceive me? Could it be Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You


[ Click here to read more ]
95
Vote
   


...the song with no title - Snob Scrilla, from the album Day One

Needs no introduction. No preface. Just let yourself experience what the artist is asking you to


[ Click here to read more ]
82
Vote
   


Finally...sweet dreams to be had

July 22nd 2009 12:54
Ok. It's finally happened.

Beyonce has finally released a song that I like


[ Click here to read more ]
84
Vote
   


When songs "stay" with you

May 24th 2009 05:55
For the few people who read my posts, it would be rather obvious to them that there are heaps of old songs that I love. Rock songs, dance songs, love songs...yep, many many songs.

Funnily enough, a song simply entitled "Stay" has in fact, stayed with me throughout the years. Released in 1992, the song was the biggest hit for The Shakespears Sisters. A dark, ethereal yet twisted ballad, that builds and builds to a simple plea for a lover to stay


[ Click here to read more ]
176
Vote
   


More Posts
1 Posts
1 Posts
1 Posts
53 Posts dating from April 2008
Email Subscription
Receive e-mail notifications of new posts on this blog:

May's Blogs

I have no other blogs :(
Moderated by May
Copyright © 2012 On Topic Media PTY LTD. All Rights Reserved. Design by Vimu.com.
On Topic Media ZPages: Sydney |  Melbourne |  Brisbane |  London |  Birmingham |  Leeds     [ Advertise ] [ Contact Us ] [ Privacy Policy ]