by orionontv | Aug 8, 2024 | Entertainment, Feature Writers, Music
Throughout my entire adult life, my music taste has been kind of all over the place. Starting off with hard rock, then transitioning to alternative hip-hop, then going full indie – one thing has been clear: I like what I like. When people try to rank their favorite albums of all time, sometimes they skip over recent releases (within the last 25 years.) For me, popular albums from the last fifty years have been taken into consideration when talking about my favorite albums of all time.
Album lists also have to be comprehensive by genre. When creating a top five or top ten of all time you cannot just have a bunch of jazz, or just hip-hop, or just rock albums. It has to have diversity. Which is why for me, my top five albums of all time include two rock albums, two indie albums and a jazz record.
Here they are:
#5 – “In The Court of the Crimson King” by King Crimson (1969)
King Crimson’s 1969 debut record, “In The Court of the Crimson King,” combines both jazz and progressive rock into a record that is more fun to be talked about than to be listened to in a certain way. Bombastic and epic instrumentation and vocals that are befitting to a medieval style rock band bathe the tracks in a sort of elegance. It seems to me that King Crimson opted to go for more of a stylistic record than one of substance. This is apparent by how bonkers some of the lyrics are on tracks like “21st Century Schizoid Man” and the closing title track. Nevertheless, King Crimson’s legacy and infamy comes with this being one of the greatest concept records and one of my favorites of all time.
#4 – “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot” by Wilco (2002)
Combining the aesthetics of early-2000s “indie sleaze” and the sonics of late-90s alt-country, Wilco’s “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot” is a treat for fans of both, and even for fans of neither. Vocalist Jeff Tweedy’s musings over twangy yet driving guitar and drum instrumentation gives off a vibe of someone who’s seen it all, but still hungry for more. The fact that Wilco can put together catchy, relatable and powerful tracks will still maintaining their accessibility and fun is truly staggering. “Kamera,” War on War,” and “Jesus, etc.” is a part of a great track-run that just keeps on giving the further you go into the album.
#3 – “You’re Living All Over Me” by Dinosaur Jr. (1987)
Commonly thought of as a “proto-grunge” album, Dinosaur Jr.’s (or Dinosaur’s if you’ve been following the band for long enough,) 1987 record, “You’re Living All Over Me” is a pre-grunge noise rock masterclass in both songwriting and atmosphere. Much like some other albums on this list, “You’re Living All Over Me” serves as a lens into what circumstances led to the overhaul of rock music in the 1990s. The reason why tracks like “Little Fury Things,” “Cracked,” “Sludgefeast” and “Tarpit” resonate with me so much is that there are not merely progenitors to bands like Nirvana, but they excel in their respective lanes as textured music pieces.
#2 – “Teen Dream” by Beach House (2010)
Revivalism can be tricky – especially if you are a band who likes to not stray far from your roots and influences. When I first got into Beach House, I laid back with a cautious optimism and was pleasantly surprised by how light and accessible most of the albums were (aside from a few excpetions.) Tracks like “10 Mile Stereo,” “Norway” and the infamous and endlessly catchy “Silver Soul” paint a beautiful landscape of awe, wonder and beauty in a genre that absolutely overstayed its welcome in the mid-2000s. However, with Beach House’s 2010 magnum opus, Teen Dream, dream pop rose from the ashes and brought a new sense of adventure to a genre that looked like it was on its way out.
#1 – “The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady” by Charles Mingus (1963)
Music, most often, is inherently tied to ones’ own emotions. This is because we make these emotional connections with music through when and where we first listened to certain songs/records/albums. We can also sense the emotional subtext the music is trying to convey to us through its musicality. “The Black Saint” is no different. Arguably Mingus’s best and most well-known work, this is my favorite jazz record and my favorite album of all time. The way Mingus mixes ballet, flamenco, third stream jazz and experimental big-band is impressive to say the least. Sprawled over four tracks and forty minutes, Mingus frames the musical progression through the progression of a ballet, such as “Black Swan.” There are no vocals on the record, however, you can feel the pulling and pushing of the narrative through sax, horns and other instruments at different points on the album. Every time I listen to the start of this record on a whim, I have to go all the way through – it’s that good. Overall, Mingus’s masterpiece impresses not only jazz enthusiasts, but jazz-listening amateurs like myself.
by orionontv | Jul 24, 2024 | Entertainment, Feature Writers, Music, Pop Culture
Claire Cottrill, a.k.a. “Clairo” has been making music for a little over a decade now, since she was sixteen. It has slowly evolved from meandering and derivative bedroom pop to dauntless and exciting soft rock with chamber pop elements. It’s an artistic evolution that I have seen take place since 2017, when I first listened to Clairo with her single, “Flaming Hot Cheetos.”
“Flaming Hot Cheetos” is the type of music I would have made if I was still in my teens, its catchy and kitschy, but so overwhelmingly endearing in its naiveté.
Following up that single is one of my favorite songs from Cottrill, “Pretty Girl,” it is simple yet oh-so catchy and has an ear-worm quality. The dulled Casio-keyboard hits mixed with Cottrill’s not-so-yet-honed vocals makes this DIY for sure, yet it also makes it in an odd sense, practical and professional.
“Diary 001,” Cottrill’s debut EP, which includes her 2017 singles, as well as “Immunity,” her 2019 debut with the hit song “Bags,” still bask in this youthful ignorance, both musically and lyrically.
However, with her next album, 2021’s “Sling,” and now her newest record released last week, “Charm,” Clairo has brought in both her lyrical and musical stylings which made her initially appealing and refined them down to a science.
“Charm” starts out with “Nomad,” small with twangy guitars and classic muffled drums and piano draw the listener in, then it rolls on ahead with a solid chorus and vocal backings by Cottrill.
“But I’d rather be alone than a stranger/You’d come visit me late at night/I’d rather wake up alone than be reminded/Of how it was a dream this time,” Clairo sings.
“Sexy to Someone” is the second track and was the lead single for “Charm.” “Sexy” is about the little things that people do in order to appeal not only to the masses (in the dating scene) but to themselves. It’s a positive, uplifting track that aims to empower not only women, but everyone who is hard on themselves.
This is a song that I could never imagine 18-year old Cottrill writing, however, now that Clairo is much older – it makes sense that she would eventually tackle this theme.
“Sexy to somebody, it would help me out/Oh, I need a reason to get out of the house/And it’s just a little thing I can’t live without,” Clairo sings on the second track.
The songs on this 11-track LP keep on moving on and each one of them are injected with Cottrill’s quirks: her laughs, lyrical musings, her somewhat hushed-yet-precise vocal stylings – it’s simply a cute album. (One might even say ‘charming’.)
My favorite tracks on the record are the pair of “Juna” and “Add Up My Love.” Both have catchy melodies and a very solid rhythm section to back them up. “Juna” has somewhat of an old-RnB or even a lounge music quality to it because it is so lax. “Add Up My Love.” By comparison, is a lot more upbeat but it is equally as good as its sister track.
My only complaint is that the album seems a little disjointed, the best tracks are at the beginning and besides “June” and “Add Up” occupying the middle spaces on seven and eight, there are no clear standout moments. Clairo is not exactly on auto-pilot in these moments, but she’s not exactly trying anything new and exciting here.
Nevertheless, “Charm” is a wonderful progression of Clairo’s comforting and youthful songwriting and composing. The hits may not be there, but as solid of an album as this is – I cannot complain.
by orionontv | Jul 17, 2024 | Community Event, Feature Writers, Music
ORION TWP, Mich. – On Thursday, July 11, 2024, the tribute band Fifty Amp Fuse performed classic pop and rock hits at Orion Township’s Wildwood Amphitheatre. The set included classic songs such as “Brandy (You’re A Fine Girl),” by Looking Glass, “How long” by Ace, “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor and “It’s Raining Men” by The Weather Girls. The last two songs, were accompanied by one of the bands three lead vocalists, Barb “Barbie” Alent.
Alent’s vocal range is impressive for a cover band, there’s no doubt she is talented when she is slinging out beautiful melodies on rock-tinged covers of “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele and “One Way Or Another” by Blondie.
Alent is not the only talented vocalist in the six-person band, lead vocalist Ethan “Chef” Phoenix brings the heat as his soulful and impactful vocals kick off more pop-heavy cuts that the band played. Songs like Cee-lo Green’s “Forget You,” Bruno Mars’s “Locked Out of Heaven” and “Roxanne” by The Police, all demonstrate Phoenix’s unique vocal style and talent on the big stage.
Alent and Phoenix occasionally performed duets, like on the bands cover of “Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns N Roses.
Other members of the band include band leader and guitarist, Remy Lambert, drummer Steve Cooley and bassist Chris Smith.
Lambert in particular was a joy to see on stage. His stage presence along with the audience interaction – always encouraging dancing and having fun – was a welcome feature of that night’s performance.
Alent and the other band members played “You Shook Me All Night Long” by AC/DC and closed off the set with everyone on stage – Alent, Phoenix and Lambert took charge with vocals – and played the decadent “Fat Bottomed Girls” by Queen.
All of the members played and performed their hearts out on stage, delivering quality covers to residents, families and music lovers of the Orion area.
The next Wildwood event will be a concert performance by Cast Iron Cornbread, covering pop, rock and blues Thursday, July 18 at 7:00 p.m.
Next week a free screening on the 2023 movie “Barbie” will be held at the Amphitheatre on Thursday, July 25 at 7:00 p.m.
For more information about free events like these put on by the township, visit orionparks.com.
by orionontv | Jul 17, 2024 | Community Event, Feature Writers, Music
LAKE ORION, Mich. – On Wednesday, July 10, 2024, residents of Lake Orion and the Orion area gathered inside the intimate concert venue, 20 Front Street, in order to not only get away from the rain caused by the remnants of Hurricane Beryl, but to listen to the first performance of the 2024 “LO Live” concert series by the Americana band, Adrian and Meredith.
The Nashville-based but Michigan-born duo of Adrian and Meredith have been touring all across the country for several years now, playing original music that fits the Americana genre.
The LO Live concert series is held Wednesdays in July and August, in the outdoor gazebo in Children’s park. However, due to the excess rain caused by Beryl on Wednesday, the concert was moved indoors. Nevertheless, the show goes on.
ONTV spoke with the duo about their music and what it is like to play such an intimate venue like 20 Front Street.
“The small towns and the small venues that’s our favorite place, the stories and the people and everyone that gathers – that’s why we love to be here,” Meredith said. “A lot of storytelling here tonight,” Adrian added.
20 Front Street has a seating capacity of around 100 people, so the venue was packed with folks looking to be taken away by soulful yet twangy instrumentation and lovely vocal performances.
“At the end of the day we call it, ‘American Roots’ music, we like to take the audience on a bit of a journey,” Meredith said.
ONTV’s Joe Johnson spoke with Lisa Sokol, a community outreach and events manager at 20 Front Street about the LO Live concert series.
“We’re really lucky that [20 Front Street] is available to us for rain-out days,” Sokol said. “It’s just this wonderful thing, this collaboration that happens that’s really unique to Lake Orion.”
Additionally, ONTV spoke to Janet Bloom, a member of the Lake Orion Downtown Development Authority about LO Live’s opening night.
“To be able to come to one of Michigan’s premiere listening rooms is really a great opportunity, first of all, to showcase a great band… but also for those that maybe haven’t had the opportunity to come to 20 Front Street,” Bloom said.
Despite the hardships faced due to inclement weather, the concert was a success, bringing light not only to a great band but to a wonderful music venue located in downtown Lake Orion.
The next concerts in the LO Live series will be taking place (weather-permitting) at Children’s park, Wednesdays at 6:30 until 8:00 p.m.
Jill Jack will be playing Wednesday, July 17 with a soulful singer-songwriter performance. Then country popstar Grace West will be swinging by Lake Orion July 24, then to round off the month, South For Winter, a folk-blues band from New Zealand will be performing at the park.
For more information about 20 Front Street and their upcoming events, visit 20frontstreet.com, and for more information about the Lake Orion DDA and their events, visit downtownlakeorion.org.
by orionontv | Jul 16, 2024 | Community Event, Feature Writers, Lake Orion Schools, Music
ORION TWP, Mich. – On Thursday, June 27, the Lake Orion High School Concert Band performed on the stage of the Wildwood Amphitheatre to a large crowd consisting of friends, family and music enthusiasts alike.
Band Director Michael Steele welcomed audience members to their “9th Annual ‘Starry Night’ Concert,” which took the listeners into fantastical yet familiar worlds.
Steele addressing the large crowd – Photo by ONTV
The band, which is comprised entirely of current Lake Orion High School students, played classics such as “Lawrence of Arabia” by Maurice Jarre and recognizable tunes like “Summer of ’69 (The Music of Woodstock),” arranged by Ted Rickets, “Eighties Flashback,” arranged by Paul Martha, and “A Tribute to Dave Brubeck,” arranged by Patrick Roszell.
The band opened the concert with “King Cotton March” by John Phillip Sousa, a playful and triumphant track that set the tone for the entire night.
After the first song, Steele took the microphone and gave his gratitude to the LOHS Concert Band members for their dedication to art and music.
“I’m indebted to these guys for giving up their time and for putting in their immense energy and their great talent and I think you’re really going to enjoy tonight’s performance,” Steele said.
The show was about an hour plus a brief intermission right before “Lawrence of Arabia,” which ended up being a good choice since it is such a long-winded, epic and taxing track to play.
Many different soloists were given their time to shine at Wildwood, Saxophone, Trumpet and Oboe (to name a few) were brought center stage to display their prowess.
Overall, the LOHS Concert Band’s Wildwood concert was a blast to hear and experience, you can find the full Wildwood video along with other free concerts on ONTV’s YouTube page: youtube.com/user/orionontv. As well as, orionontv.org/watch.
Trumpet soloist – Photo by ONTV
The next free Wildwood concert will be 50 Amp Fuse, playing pop hits July 11 at 7 p.m.
For more information on the LOHS Concert Band, visit their Facebook page or their website at lakeorionschools.org/high-school-home/departments/fine-and-performing-arts/band.
by orionontv | Jun 27, 2024 | Entertainment, Feature Writers, Music, Pop Culture
This year has brought some really great music so far, from summer bops, to melancholic winter ballads, 2024 has been an incredibly well-rounded year for music so far. The year is halfway done as of next week, and with this (along with every other music blog) I will be counting down the best albums released so far this year.
To qualify for this list, an album would have to have been released this calendar year, as well not be confused with an EP (extended play) or a single. With this, I have gathered ten records that are varied in genre and tone, and generally stand out to me this year. These are not in any particular order.
Arooj Aftab – “Night Rein”
Jazz has not always been my thing, but with Arooj Aftab’s record, “Night Rein” I feel as though my love for jazz is finally surfacing in my year-end lists. “Night Rein” is a contemplative record that sparked not only me writing this list, but it solidified my affinity for indie artists. I put “Night Rein” here on the first spot because I feel as though it has not gotten a ton of love since it has came out. My favorite tracks on the record are “Na Gul” and “Raat Ki Rani.”
Beyoncé – “Cowboy Carter”
Beyoncé’s eighth studio record is genre-defying, groovy, you can dance to it, has a huge country influence, and I really love it. “AMERIICAN REQUIEM” and “II HANDS II HEAVEN” are my favorite tracks on the record and encapsulate the vibe really well: a soulful and heartfelt tribute to country, while also being quite the modern pop masterclass. Beyoncé’s cunning lyricism and ear for the old and new make her a current front-runner for album of the year at the Grammys, and award she has not won yet, but with this record, her goal is closer than ever.
Charli XCX – “Brat”
Brat, to me, is a once in a lifetime pop record. As I stated in my review of it two weeks ago: “’Brat’ by Charli XCX being this good does not make sense…‘Brat’ is confusing as it is liberating…” and I absolutely stand by this sentiment. Charli’s commercial and critical success with this record, (it is currently the number one rated album on the aggregate review site, Metacritic for 2024) is staggering to say the least. She has been on a rise since 2013, with early pop hits, then transitioning to underground electronic-pop fame, and now it seems everything has gone full circle with “Brat.” Charli has made a pop-hit record but stuck to her morals and her friends, no matter how hard it was.
Eunuchs – “Harbour Century”
One of the most blistering and fast-paced rock albums to have come out within the last five years, “Harbour Century” by Australian brutal progressive-rock band Eunuchs (think Black Midi or Mr. Bungle) is definitely a unique record. It juxtaposes crooning and melodic vocals with striking and angular guitar, drum, and saxophone instrumental breaks. Tracks I would recommend out of this one would be “Pat A Dragon” and “Bird Angel Dynasty.”
Cindy Lee – “Diamond Jubilee”
This one is hard to recommend because of just how inaccessible it is. You can only download it off of a GeoCities website, (a place on the internet I’ve never heard of before.) However, once you cross that barrier to entry, you’ll find one of the best kept secrets of 2024. “Diamond Jubilee” is a double-album worth downloading and worth listening to. It is for fans of psychedelic and hypnogogic-pop music (a la Ariel Pink, Flaming Lips or Animal Collective.)
The Lemon Twigs – “A Dream Is All I Know”
The charming Lemon Twigs returned from a pretty successful run in 2023 with their breakout record, “Everything Harmony” and while I personally thought the record was pastiche and lukewarm, lacking any real style and standout lyricism, their 2024 album, “A Dream Is All I Know,” is their best record to date. It is precise, compact and filled with amazing lyrics and incredible sunshine pop. “Ember Days” is one of my favorite songs of the year so far.
Chief Keef – “Almighty So 2”
As stated in my review on a previous edition of Tuned-In Thursday, I think this record is great. It’s bombastic, boastful, but most importantly it is well constructed and put-together. I will end this section with a piece from my review: “Chief Keef is arguably the most comfortable he has ever sounded, no awkward flows, no whack-sounding bars – all precision and all skill. Boastful yet introspective lyrics are what I usually look for on the lyrical side of a modern rap record and Chief Keef effortlessly delivers.” The best tracks on this LP are “Jesus” and “1,2,3.”
Amaro Freitas – “Y’Y”
Brazilian jazz musician and composer Amaro Freitas went on a retreat to an Amazonian basin where he experienced nature and the people who reside within the Amazon. Through this worthwhile experience he invites us in to a lush and beautiful landscape that acts not only as a personal diary of his travels, but a spiritual guide to the self. Freitas’s Bandcamp page write-up puts it best, “While Side A of Y’Y serves as an expression of connection to the earth and to the ancestors, Side B serves as proof of connections between the global Black avant-jazz community.” My favorite track on the record is the last track, “Encantados.”
Martha Skye Murphy – “Um”
“Um” by Martha Skye Murphy (guest vocalist on the infamous “Narrator” by Squid) is an odd egg – not a spoiled one though – just odd. On paper, the ambient and electroacoustic elements should not mix with the pop and rock ones. However, Murphy has created a sentimental and reflective world that tackles subjects such as para-social relationships, existentiality, self-image and the nature of a world constructed by humans. These philosophical musings don’t go over the casual listener’s head, Murphy simply invites the audience in, and gives her worthwhile perspective. Standouts on this one are “IRL,” “Kind,” and “Pick Yourself Up.”
Black Dresses – “Laughingfish”
Black Dresses’ “final” album stands alone as one of their boldest and brashest. It mixes industrial soundscapes with electronic and rock instrumentals. Duo Ada Rook and Devi McCallion have been making music together for over 8 years, but this record seems more like a sincere break-up album. Songs like “Wounded Animal” and “If You Find Me Gone” are not for the faint of heart or for the casual listener, because of this, “Laughingfish” is really hard to recommend, however, if you like bands like Rammstein and Nine Inch Nails, listen to this but proceed with caution. But if this is a true sendoff then it is one hell of one.
