Perhaps the essential well-known music personality of the twentieth century, Frank Sinatra has been popularly known for being the Beatles, Bing Crosby, and Elvis Presley. For almost sixty years in the music scene, he showed a notable ability to keep his appeal and chase his musical goals in spite of the countervailing trends. His career started when he was a young boy, and since then, he sold a record-breaking 150 millions of albums globally. People from all generations are still buying and listening to his music just because the songs are masterpieces; maybe some even don’t know if their beloved celebrity is dead or still alive.

What’s more amazing about this legend is that his music continues to inspire and change the lives of people. Although a hundred-year-old, Sinatra’s songs like My Way are still highly favorite especially among amateur singing contests. Ever wondered what his secret is for keeping his music alive?

It is because Frank Sinatra made his popular songs immortal. Throughout the years, he would revisit his songs, highlighting their place in the pop canon and looking for new nuances and depths. Try to listen to his worldwide, more solid 1963 recording with the thrilling, sinewy arrangement of Nelson Riddle. Or, check out his 1946 studio recording of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Soliloquy.

For more than decades, the music of Frank Sinatra has continuously had a meaningful political and cultural impact on actual events and even given power for unison and positive change at remarkable moments. Below is Sinatra’s best music that upraised hope for a better future and changed the world after his death.

• Fly Me To The Moon

This song is about every opportunity of the day ahead, every ambition and dream of the anonymous person on the street expressed in music and reaching for the stars. Thus, Fly Me To The Moon served as the music for the satisfaction of the majestic dream of all. In this song, Sinatra along with other great musicians brought the high-flown, airy romance sentiments back down to earth.

• I Get a Kick Out of You

In the early 50s, Sinatra’s life has changed due to some unfortunate circumstances. But in 1953, two events transformed his career course. And, part of his success as a singer was when he recorded the song ‘I Get a Kick Out of You.’ It is a love song with a walking double bass line, the bow of strings, and a bit stabs of electric guitar. Hearing this song would make you fall in love and happy.

• All of Me

One of the best standards of all, the hit song ‘All of Me’ was recorded by Sinatra by floating on top of the piano, bass, and brushed drums. He glides between notes, allowing his soothing voice to rise or swoop instead of creating a clean bound. If you read the song literally, you will find out it is about a person who is willing to be misremembered.

• My Way

You may be familiar with this song, especially this part: “And now, the end is near; and so I face the final curtain…” To tell you honestly, it is one of the popular songs I still hear these days, and even hopeful singers do not overlook the power of singing this massive hit of Frank Sinatra. Probably one of his greatest hits, ‘My Way’ is said to be the song that ideally defines Sinatra. Its insolent lyrics and high melody doesn’t only summarize Frank Sinatra’s career but also hit a chord with the lives of numerous ordinary people around the globe.

• Glad to Be Unhappy

A Rodgers & Hart number from the On Your Toes 1936 musical, ‘Glad to Be Unhappy’ displays one of the excellent gifts of Sinatra – his capacity to sound as if he is communicating with the listeners. For the 2 verses, you’d think he is only singing but he is actually talking to you. It’s like he is by your side and telling you a great story.

• I’ve Got You Under My Skin

The easiest access point for newcomers, but the song ‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin’ is nearly a perfect album, a singer in perfect melody. When you hear Frank Sinatra singing this song, it will make impossible on your part to imagine someone else singing it. With an urgent, taut, and solid voice, you would want him to sing it to you all day long.

• Luck Be a Lady

Written in 1950 and was featured in the musical Guys and Dolls. The lyrics of ‘Luck Be a Lady’ can relate to the standpoint of Sky Masterson, a gambler who hopes to win a bet – the result of which will decide whether he can be capable of saving his relationship with his dream girl or not. Luck Be a Lady was satirized in one episode of Simpsons and has been used in The Cooler’s OST as well. It was also featured flagrantly featured in the film Mrs. Doubtfire.

• I Get Along Without You Very Well

Possibly the most heartbroken of all the heartbreak ballads you will hear, ‘I Get Along Without You Very Well’ involves the speaker dreadfully convincing himself that he is not really heartbroken. He is insisting he can get along without her very well. Although Frank Sinatra did not personally write each word, he did choose them and delivered the lines well. Hearing it through his mouth seems like you are the one suffering the pain.

The influence of Frank Sinatra goes beyond music. His songs are an eternal flame that will consistently touch many hearts and lives across the globe, even after his death. The world will not forget that once legendary icon that influenced a lot in the music industry.

How about you? What is your favorite Frank Sinatra song? Leave your thoughts below! Hit like and share this article too!

The post The Best Music of Frank Sinatra that Amazingly Changed the World after His Death appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

by Josh Taylor

I’ve always thought that it’s peculiar yet marvelous that while I’m getting ready for the cooler seasons, the bottom half of the globe is warming up. I really wish I could migrate south for the winter and take Antonio Paul’s EP Treasures with me, simply because it is the perfect album for living it up in the sun. It’s quite appropriate then, that Antonio Paul are from a small surfer town in Western Australia.

But Antonio Paul is not one person, but two—Marc Papalia and Michael Edwards. Together with an iPad, a sample pad, a couple of guitars and some crowd vocals, the two have everything they need to create a full band sound. I’m not just talking about on the album either; they’re fully capable of doing it live as well. What is noteworthy is that even though their music is created with the help of technology, the pair has done an excellent job of giving the instrumentation a human feel, complete with the urgency and energy that their music demands.

Antonio Paul has some traces of The Kooks, Phoenix and Darwin Deez, but the influence that rears its head the most is punk-rock. Yet they’re not a punk band. Research reveals that Bunbury, Australia has an emerging punk and DIY scene, so in order for a band to succeed in the area they’ve got to tap into that fan base. This explains why, for an indie band, Antonio Paul’s songs are driven by punk drum beats pushing 220bpm. It also accounts for the sing-along hooks and crowd vocals, but everything still fits together in a way that makes sense. Of course, the band had to release several EPs before they got it right. But according to the band, Treasures is what they were aiming for all along.

The DIY spirit is also alive and well in AP. The band created their own logo and designed other graphic elements that are slick yet entirely DIY.  Each of the band’s EPs were self recorded and produced in a shed, or was it a bedroom? But they sound fantastic.

One of the most overlooked benefits of doing it yourself is that you can experiment endlessly. Antonio Paul takes full advantage of this. Besides giving their songs ample layers, they fill in every crevice with little nuances, but only where it will add to the quirkiness of the song.  In “Monsters”, there is one part where all of the instruments drop out for a brief guitar part. If you’re listening to the song on headphones, you hear the guitar part on one side and on the other, you hear someone quietly singing the guitar part. It’s almost as if the person next to you is singing along to that little melody. I even looked over my shoulder several times to see who was singing before I figured it out. Treasures has several of those odd little Easter eggs.

Treasures is Antonio Paul’s latest EP and it is three tracks of syncopated samples, twangy guitars and a fun carefree vibe. The band evolved with the release of several three-song EPs before Treasures.  My favorite track is “City Dreams” for its dance-friendly xylophone. “Monsters” has a similar sound, and lyrically it’s probably the quirkiest. “West Coast Kids” is a lot slower than the two other songs and serves as homage to their hometown friends and their laid-back surfer charm. Speaking of charm, Antonio Paul’s Australian accent pervades the EP, making the music that much more enjoyable.

I’ve saved the best part about the band for last. If you haven’t already listened to the music, I suggest you hit the play button right about now because it will make Treasures all the more impressive. Go ahead, I’ll wait. Besides being fiercely independent, DIY, and having a fully-developed sound, the best part about Antonio Paul is that they’re only nineteen. Yup, believe it. They’re just beyond the age where you can’t chalk up their accomplishments to pure prodigy talent, yet they are self-aware enough to use all of their strengths to their full potential. It’s a great place to be.

The end result is a party. Antonio Paul is already making a name for themselves in Australia and I suspect it won’t be long before they make their way up to the Northern Hemisphere. They’ve already opened for notable Australian bands Sugar Army and End of Fashion. At nineteen, they’ve got plenty of time to make their big “City Dreams” come true.

RIYL: Arctic Monkeys, The Maccabees, Vampire Weekend, Los Campesinos!, Bloc Party, Girls

Antonio Paul – City Dreams

Antonio Paul – Made in China

Antonio Paul – Monsters

MySpace / BUY

The post Antonio Paul’s Treasures appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

by Josh Taylor

Where does jazz fit in the contemporary music scene? Gone are the days of the beats and backalley jazz clubs that epitomized “cool.” While the jazz great like Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, and Sarah Vaughan are still embraced by musicians, they are for the most part overlooked by the under-30 crowd.

Does the genre have anything new to offer without being, well, something our parents would listen to? Armed with his eponymous debut EP, John Nagle is aiming to find out if jazz would still be relevant if it took on a modern edge. Nagle’s neo-jazz sound – a la Michael Bublé – perfectly accommodates his whisper drenched vocal. And unlike Bublé, he isn’t trying to pass off Frank Sinatra’s technique as his own, or Bobby Darin’s or Dean Martin’s, for that matter. John Nagle makes his sound accessible by keeping the best elements of jazz and making it familiar by adding some pop elements and a modern instrumentation.

Musically, the EP is acoustic guitar-driven, with the majority of the songs featuring a mellow tone representative of the selection. The opening track “The Fire” has more of a backwoods feel, and feels out of place on the EP. It feels even more out of place because it’s the opening track and rather than setting up the mood, it’s setting up false expectations for what’s to come. The song is also more quickly paced than all the others, and the song that follows it, “Deeper”, is one of the slowest. The effect is more like a sudden halt than a gentle lull.

The second song, “Deeper”, introduces some jazzy horns halfway through the song and really brings them in at around four minutes in. For me, that’s when the song really gets interesting, but the wait is more than I would like.

“Keep It Cool” is more compelling than “Deeper,” particularly because the vocals are more emotionally involved. The harp accenting the chorus is a nice touch too and the dynamics keep the song from feeling as long as it is (4:40).

“On My Way” stands the best chance for widespread appeal. It has a Jason Mraz quality that makes it instantly accessible and it is quickly paced so it has a sweet little bounce to it. Nagle really shines when he achieves this subtle balance between pop and jazz.  He has the same cool panache, but the song as a whole has a modern feel. I’d even go so far as to say it’s pure pop if he continues in this vein.

“Mortal Love” is a great track to follow “On My Way” and reinforces the more upbeat mood that the EP is building toward. Right after that, “China Town” brings everything down a few notches, but to keep the EP from ending on a bland note it steadily introduces instruments left off the rest of the album. The synths are a welcome surprise and, after a brief vocal break, really come in full force. To some people, the synths might be out of place, but I think the song is long enough for it to afford some experimentation to keep it from getting tedious.

John Nagle is currently working on a full length album entitled Distractions. For the full length album to have some really strength, I’d appreciate some more distinctive hooks in his songs and some more solidified choruses. The way I see it, John Nagle the EP was trying to find direction and near the end, it has a pretty firm idea of where it wants to go. If Nagle can find that same perfect balance of pop and jazz, Distractions could be everything you wish contemporary jazz was: stylish, suave, and actually entertaining.

RIYL: Elvis Costello, Michael Bublé, James Morrison, Norah Jones, Peter Cincotti, Frank Sinatra, Chris Botti, Colbie Caillat, Jason Mraz, Robbie Williams, John Mayer, Diana Krall, Natalie Cole, George Michael, John Legend, Dean Martin, Take That

John Nagle – Deeper

John Nagle – China Town

MySpace

BUY

The post John Nagle Goes Deeper appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

by Josh Taylor

Imagine being at an indie/rock show at a trendy Los Angeles venue. Then, all of a sudden, everything flashes back to the ‘90s. This is what I first thought as I listened to The Spies’ newest release Televolution. What better mix could you get than that? As a huge ‘90s music fan, and equally being a fan of the current indie/rock scene, this band reminds me of why I started listening to music in the first place. Honest lyrics, catchy hooks, and an overall good time. Televolution is the furthest thing from the sophomore slump that most bands worry about during their second album release. It is a quality album with one great song after the next.

The Los Angeles-based quartet was initially a collaboration between two Philadelphia friends, Leo Francis and Mark Matkevich. Francis had moved to LA in hopes of becoming the next big musician and Matkevich, like most that move to the City of Angels, got into acting. Francis and Matkevich eventually got back into the studio to work on Francis’ solo album, which solidified the idea of forming a band together. Later they added Adrian Barrio and Dylan Giagni to complete The Spies’ lineup.

Televolution is the band’s follow-up to the 2007 release of Old Ghosts. With ten solid tracks, there is not much room for disappointment. The album opens with a booming piano and a pounding kick drum, followed by a unique bass line and captivating guitars. The band is well aware of how to keep the listener’s attention track after track.

The album’s title track, “Televolution”, is an interesting song. With lyrics like “Let’s start a revolution baby, and take off this disguise, let’s get with evolution baby and it really isn’t much of a surprise,” and “the revolution will be televised, televolution.” Despite the conventional rhyming, the band has more of a message than typical Los Angeles indie-rockers.

“National Pastime” is probably the highlight of the band’s album. It has a Wallflowers-meets-John Mellencamp feel. It could have easily been the theme song to any WB show from the ‘90s and even a current CW sitcom. Speaking of WB sitcoms, does anyone remember Dawson’s Creek? The Spies’s vocalist/guitarist/keyboardist Mark Matkevich had a small part on the show (Drue Valentine anyone?) This is the song that the suits would consider “the radio hit.” I myself will agree with that. I can already hear it on the radio.

Having a catchy chorus is key if you are going to get anywhere near radio today. This was in the back of the band’s mind when they recorded “Radio Caller”.  By simply repeating the word “miscommunication” the band has you singing along by the second chorus. I do love sing-alongs.

“You’ve Got Some Nerve” serves as the albums mid-point. The song has quite a groove to it, which you can easily imagine being played in a smoky bar scene in the next big-budget Hollywood movie. This song has dual vocals that really complement each other well in the chorus and throughout the remainder of the track.

Another one of my favorites off the album is “Paper Trail”. This song has the perfect balance of guitars throughout the song and the vocals are convincing. The backing vocals are also a strong part to the bridge. It talks about the blue-collared life, the blandness of working a 9-5, and having the same boring day over and over; it is the feeling like you’ve accomplished close to nothing. One of my favorite lines is, “The hand is dealt so place your bets, with whiskey mouth and cigarettes. The paper trail is running out, I’m a working man.”

The Spies have a tightly concise sound that can that can only be explained by hours of practice and years of dedication. Francis and Matkevich display their vocals across the album together in a perfect blend of harmonies and overall accompaniment of one another. Dylan Giagni is a seasoned drummer who uses unique fills to give each song the overall fullness it needs to make this album a professional release, and not your ordinary DIY demo. Bassist Adrian Barrio is also not new to the music world. You can tell from his bass lines that he does not lack in originality or talent, for that matter. The keys make for a nice background; they help guide the song through without stealing the limelight, similar to how Coldplay incorporates the instrument into their sound.

The closing track on Televolution, “It Comes in Waves”, is the perfect ending to an impressive album. The build-up to the first verse sets a great atmosphere around the song. The tone of the keys and the melody used throughout the verses is one of my favorite portions. Giagni’s drums sound like a marching band, with crashing cymbals and thumping drum hits. “You aren’t the only one, it comes in waves.” These are the lyrics that replay throughout the song to reiterate the song’s overall theme.

With five years of playing together under their belts, it is no mystery why the The Spies’ sound is so tight and consistent. With the release of Televolution, this band should have no problem taking the Los Angeles music scene by storm and attracting a few A&R reps to their shows. Well, if they even exist these days.

RIYL: Spoon, White Rabbits, Wilco, New Pornographers, Menomena, Ted Leo and The Pharmacists, Cold War Kids, TV on the Radio, The Hold Steady, Arcade Fire, Tapes n’ Tapes, Built to Spill, Dr. Dog, The Black Keys, Okkervil River, Free Energy, The Thermals, Rogue Wave

——————————————————————————————

The Spies – You Got Some Nerve

——————————————————————————————

The Spies – National Pastime

——————————————————————————————

Official Site

MySpace

BUY

The post The Spies Conduct a Televolution appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

by Josh Taylor

Julian Shah-Tayler was born to make music. Putting out an EP every few months and pumping out 50-70 songs a year is no easy feat, unless you show prevalently the aspects of a well-rounded musician. His robust musicianship is responsible for his versatility as an artist. What I noticed after listening to his latest EP, Un Ange Passe, is that Julian is a songwriter who creates for his heart’s content. He strays from songwriting conventions and isn’t afraid to experiment if it amuses his untypical sensibilities.

Julian’s songs distinctly belong to their maker. Un Ange Passe is very personal and all the songs on the EP (with the exception of “Wetter”) were written for a dearly departed friend of Julian’s who tragically passed away. The literal translation of the title “Un Ange Passe” is “an angel is passing”, but is usually used when an awkward silence falls over the room. The EP tells a brief and interesting story about what happened to Christine. Julian tells it well, as the story is endearing and stripped down to the most honest details.

Instead of diving into the story headfirst, the EP begins with “Wetter.”  The songs on the EP are sandwiched by “Wetter” and the remix of “Wetter” by Karl Leiker. This song is definitely the black sheep… uptempo, naughty lyrics and electro influence. The feel of the song is great and could be a radio hit. The second song on Un Ange Passe is “Everything Is You”, serving as a good transition into the rest of the EP, which is more relaxed musically. The song begins with finger-snapping, chimes and some elusive and wandering exotic-sounding instruments. Then iit develops a direction and chooses to take on a New Order/Depeche Mode feel. The nameless exotics remain, lending a curious tone to the song. It’s almost as if they don’t belong, but are still welcomed.

“Communication” resembles the sparse feel of a desert. It’s expansive (at 5 and a half minutes) and filled with many instrumental breaks. The track lulls and winds but I don’t know that it goes anywhere. All I know is that when I listen to it, I start to space out.  If Julian wanted “Communication” to have a daydream-inducing effect, then bravo — well done, because that is exactly what happens.

“Christine” is where the EP starts to come together and the song clearly lays out what exactly happened to his late friend of the same name. Make what you want of the other songs and interpret them as you wish, but here is what happened, Julian seems to say. Musically, “Christine” brings to mind The Smiths “How Soon Is Now?” and has the same pensive inquiry.  One of the most striking and revealing lyrics is “as the kiss of the needle delivers you to the real world” followed by this lyric in the bridge “even if this life could give you all the love you need, I guess you had enough.” The verdict: overdose.

Un Ange Passe occupies a certain estranged darkness, but it is only when the listener gets to “Christine” that I feel they can go back and find its lingering presence in the background of the entire EP. Perhaps that misplaced discomfort is the awkwardness that the album title also refers to. Still, the way the song is handled is half ode, half something else that I can’t quite pin down. For a song written for a close friend the song isn’t particularly sentimental, which is odd to me. However,  I think those feelings find their way into the next song “Lullabies.”

From what I heard, “Lullabies” was written for Julian’s future daughter. But the listener is also led to believe that perhaps the song’s tender message is intended for Christine as well. The lullaby soothes the listener as well as the singer, perhaps reminding him that everything will be fine and there really is nothing to be afraid of during the night, and maybe in death…

Whatever the ultimate purpose of Un Ange Passe is, it can be listened to in many different ways. Julian is adventurous with his artistic choices and presents his subject matter though a twisted lens. This is not to say that his method is perverse, but rather aiming for artistic perfection on his own terms. Some say that’s a nifty idea. I would say it’s better than nifty, or original, or clever. I would say the whole EP is a noble effort. Too many musicians make music to turn a quick buck but lack the vision to make something worthwhile. Others write for their heart’s content, yet lack the talent to make sophisticated music. Julian, however, is the best of both. He is talented and passionate, which shows remarkably.

One last thing I noticed: None of these songs showcase Julian’s piano talents, but word on the street is that his full-length debut does. Entitled Coito Ergo Sum, it is due in the fall. So keep an eye out, or an ear rather.

RIYL: Depeche Mode, Dave Gahan, New Order, Erasure, Pet Shop Boys, Duran Duran, The Cure, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Alphaville, David Wrench, The Human League, Gary Numan, Tears for Fears, Soft Cell, INXS, Talk Talk, A Flock of Seagulls, Naked Eyes, Blancmange

——————————————————————————————

Julian Shah-Tayler – Everything Is You

——————————————————————————————

Julian Shah-Tayler – Wetter

——————————————————————————————

Julian Shah-Tayler – In Your Room (Depeche Mode cover)

——————————————————————————————

Impossible Things Records

MySpace

BUY

The post Julian Shah-Tayler appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

by Josh Taylor

The gulf has been plagued by some tragedies in the recent past. First Katrina and now the biggest oil spill in history. Yikes.  Now that I think about it, I haven’t heard of very many bands coming out of the area either. I don’t blame them; it must be tough to make music when you have other things on your mind.

Then again, there are bands like Youth Sounds, born from a devastated New Orleans and a gulf that is becoming increasingly oily. Youth Sounds are a mosaic of several now-defunct bands. The band is also a family affair, fronted by siblings (brother and sister), so you’ll find opposing influences fused together in a wordless compromise that only siblings understand.

Usually it takes band’s years to develop their style and decide on a direction, but with Youth Sounds, everything appears to be inherent. It’s almost as if, right after Katrina, the band began cooking up song ideas and making artistic decisions so that the first chance they got, they could lay everything out.  Well, as of now, the band has completed three tracks.

Those tracks – “As Strangers Would,”  “Smoke and Mirrors” and “What Is It Like” – went on to be The Bit Parts EP and display the band’s serene tranquility and downplayed driving house beats. The production is modestly polished — crisp but not too shiny. All three are striking for their cohesiveness and inventive songwriting. The band respects traditional song forms and includes instrumental dynamics at the appropriate point in their songs to make their choruses a bit grander and the bridges exciting.

“As Strangers Would,” the first track off the EP, begins with an ominous synth landing and then suddenly plunges into the driving beat the will propel the whole track forward, despite the whisper-y vocals that characterize the band’s DIY sound. The chorus is brief, and come to think of it, so are the verses, but they adequately explain the meaning of the song: two people drifting apart to the point of becoming strangers. The first time I heard Youth Sounds’ “As Strangers Would,” I thought of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ “Maps”; beautiful, yet a tad bittersweet.

The next and most laid back song on the EP is “Smoke and Mirrors”, with a soothing acoustic guitar intro that carries throughout the pensive and regret-filled track. Mid-song, the heavy drum beats come back into the mix and keep the song from getting too sleepy. The melodies are drawn out and mellow in the best sense of the word. Erika’s Mejia injects her vocals with a detached demeanor, complimenting the song’s reflective tone with extraordinary prowess.

The last song is “What Is It Like”, and even though the subtle melodies remain, the music is incredibly buoyant. The background melodies push the drums into the background more than the other two songs, where the beats dominate in the foreground. The lyrics are sad, but the mood of the song isn’t, lending an interesting irony to the consummate final product.

All three songs on the EP are equally attention-worthy. Of course with only three songs, there isn’t much room for filler either. The band is able to define and vary their sound a bit in those three easy-to-digest songs, all of which are lyrically engaging and striking with a theme of yearning extending throughout. When it comes to choosing an exact genre, some like indie, twee, shoegaze, downtempo, ambient are worthy candidates. But Youth Sounds will no doubt appeal to fans of other genres as well for their stylish thoughtfulness.

I hope that Youth Sounds goes on to build more momentum and is able to take their ideas and record them with success. I have a feeling that this band has more up their sleeve and are just waiting for the opportunity to create. On the other hand, maybe the brother and sister are a couple of perfectionists and are carefully crafting something special.  All I know is that after three songs, I’m hooked and I’d like more. So to Youth Sounds: Keep it coming, and tell the other band’s in the gulf to get it together. You guys are making them look bad. If you can create something so utterly wonderful in times like these, I’m sure they can too.

RIYL: Georgie James, The 1900s, Metric, Office, The Owls, The Eames Era, Headlights, Mates of State, The Broken West, Great Northern, Viva Voce, The Little Ones, The Essex Green, Imperial Teen, Dressy Bessy

——————————————————————————————

Youth Sounds – As Strangers Would

——————————————————————————————

Youth Sounds – Smoke and Mirrors

——————————————————————————————

Youth Sounds – What Is It Like

——————————————————————————————

MySpace

The post Youth Sounds Emerge From The Gulf appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.