Tag Archive for M. Ward

The Good

2010 GRAMMY Nominees Announced

They're (still) on a boat

Last week the 2010 GRAMMY nominees were announced. Beyoncé led the pack with 10 nods, followed by country cutie Taylor Swift, who received 8 nods. Kanye West, the Black Eyed Peas and Maxwell each received 6 nods, while Lady Gaga only received a mere 5. So sad.

The most unusual nomination went to the Andy Samberg-led comedy music group The Lonely Island for their collaboration with T-Pain on “I’m On A Boat.” They’re up against Kanye West and Beyoncé for their song,“Ego.” Oh, this is too good. It’s a perfect storm for a Kanye meltdown. We hope The Lonely Island sails off into the sunset with the GRAMMY, if only to see how Kanye would handle his “Ego” losing to a novelty rap song. Stay tuned for potential fireworks on January 31st.

Jay-Z turns 40

Mr. HOVA himself, Jay-Z, turned 40 on Friday. He celebrated the event by renting a mansion in the Dominican Republic and flying in the likes of M.I.A., Kanye West, Oprah, Alicia Keys and A-Rod on private jets. Weird, same way I celebrated my birthday last year.

The Bad

Rivers Cuomo Injured in Weezer Tour Bus Accident

Weezer singer Rivers Cuomo landed in the hospital on Sunday after his band’s tour bus skidded on ice and ran off the road in upstate New York. The band was travelling from Toronto to Boston for a show at Boston University. Rivers and his assistant were hospitalized with minor injuries —both are expected to make full recoveries.

VH1 releases Kanye West Storytellers

And then things got really weird

OK, lots of Kanye this week but he just makes it too easy. Remember the rapper’s long-winded, awkward and grandiose performance on VH1 Storytellers last February? Now you can relive the discomfort via a CD/DVD release of Mr. West’s performance in its entirety. The album hits stores on January 5th. Next time you do something embarrassing, just pop this thing in your DVD player—you’ll feel better about yourself in no time.

The Ugly

Lady Gaga Meets Queen Elizabeth

Queen Elizabeth is the one on the left, if you're wondering

This historic event happened Monday in Blackpool, England, at the Royal Variety Performance. I don’t know why I included it in the “ugly” section. The Queen of England is certainly not unattractive, nor is our Lady of Gaga. They’re both extremely handsome women. That scarlet Elizabethan condom that LG is wearing is another story. I suppose you can’t wear a sequined thong or a Kermit the Frog cloak to meet the Queen. But really. The ladies from Go Fug Yourself agree. I rest my case.

Miscellany
•    She & Him (better known as M Ward and Ben Gibbard’s wife) set to release sophomore album
•    Aziz Ansari and TV On The Radio’s Dave Sitek join forces for hip hop mixtape
•    Noise Pop Festival lineup announced
•    Spin releases Top 40 albums of 2009

The last decade has seen a veritable spate of actors, seemingly driven by outsized egos strive for the coveted occupational “/” after their names—as in Actor / Sommelier / Perfumer turned Hip-Hop Artist/Pop Star/ MC/ Songbird/Diva/ Sultry Chanteuse etc. Although the argument can be made that the silver screen and the concert stage were never meant to cross pollinate talent, some surprisingly legitimate music has been created by the sparkle of Tinseltown in recent years. Therefore, this week’s Omnivore’s Delight posting pertains to a “special” breed of musician: actor turned rocker (the good, the bad and the downright peculiar).

It would be too time consuming to rant about the all the ill-advised ventures into the vocal booth (Hilton, Lohan, Murphy, Hasselhoff) so instead I’m going to pick my favorite.

Two words: STEVEN SEGAL! Yes, Segal came out with his debut album Songs from the Crystal Cave in 2005. After a quick listen, it’s not quite clear where this crystal cave exists. The tracks suggest hip hop Americana, somewhere in the African jungle or simply in Segal’s 50-year-old libido. And while his song “Lollipop” may not contain the same sexual connotation as 50 cent’s “Candy Shop,” the aboriginal percussion and a tropical horn section is at least, shall we say, unique. Oh, and don’t forget to checkout the album artwork. It’s gnarly.

Now on to the peculiar. William Shatner’s first album (yes there is more than one) was 1968’s Transformed Man. Known for the seemingly drug laden interpretation of “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” this creation was more of a novelty than anything else. Captain Kirk hopped back on the saddle in 2004 with Has Been, another spoken word album consisting of both social commentary and self-inspired poetry. This time however, the backing music takes a turn for the better; noise with a time signature instead of unpredictably ambient sounds. Why? Ben Folds arranged the album. And he’s not the only VIP Shatner fan. Henry Rollins co-wrote “I Can’t get Behind That,”  a laundry list of the gripes with American society, and even supplies guest vocals on the track. Country star Brad Paisley wrote the song “Real” especially for Shatner and sings the chorus as well. No matter what you think of the spoken word genre, the man is a very descriptive story teller. If you ever want to guarantee yourself a night full of vivid dreams, I suggest falling asleep with Shatner’s voice ringing in your ears.  Once you can get past the strange vibe, this music is at least thought provoking.

Now, onto the artists who could earn some musical recognition—celebrity status or not.

For all of Robert Downey Jr.’s past troubles, he sure can write some gorgeous, piano-driven music. The Futurist (2004) is a solid album all in all, boasting cool piano tracks with an autumnal sound that’s perfect for crisp mornings and falling leaves. Downey’s talent, (as a vocalist, pianist and songwriter) is adequately displayed through these exquisitely nostalgic songs, most of which combine jazz with singer/songwriter and a tint of R&B. “Smile,”  one of my personal favorites, shines through as the most optimistic track on the album. A percussive-less song, the triad of piano, bass and Downey’s unrefined vocals really make the song both honest and sincere. He even covers Yes’ “Your Move,” simmering it down just a tad, in turn producing the quintessential wind down atmosphere.

Zooey Deschanel is one of those actresses you can’t help but adore. Her music is no different. Turns out her quirky roles translate flawlessly into the musical realm, forming clever indie pop with twang. She and Him consists of Ms. Deschanel and M. Ward, a musical partnership that spawned on the set of the movie The Go-Getter. Their 2008 album Volume 1 is a treasure chest of simple and charming songs like their stunning cover of Smokey Robinson’s “You Really Gotta Hold On Me,” and pieces where Deschanel inserts a little more audacity into her voice like the hit “Why Do You Let Me Stay Here.” The duo’s melting harmonies mix with poppy piano and slide guitar to form an irresistible balance of backbone and vulnerability.

From one idiosyncratic star to the next we travel. Notice a trend? Jason Schwartzman, formerly of Phantom Planet, put together Coconut Records in 2006 and released the debut album Nighttiming a year later.  Warning: This stuff is incredibly hooky. A few listens and you’ll be addicted for weeks. The strongest song on the album is “West Coast,” a feel good anthem for any displaced Western native. It’s light-hearted and mellow on the surface but contains a subtle, compelling pulse underneath, marching forward with increasing force as the song drifts on to it’s outstanding climax—the fortified shout chorus. Then there’s the title track “Nighttiming,” a song emitting a less urgent feel good vibe with synth happy hooks and a straight ahead rock beat that would feel more at home in the 80s. And what do you know—his collaborations on Nightiming include none other than Ms. Zooey Deschanel.

It’s always nice to find a stereotype disproved. Hopefully in years to come, actors who decide to give music a try will be given attention earned for the caliber of the music they create, not because of their star quality. If the aforementioned artists offer any foreshadowing into the future of multi-hyphanted actors, then we’re in for some fantastic music!

Wanderlust is the hallmark of the troubadour, and Patrick Thomas is no exception to the rule. Restless in his hometown of Detroit, the singer-songwriter dreamt of hitching his post to a new city – one equally gritty and post-industrial, but with better bars, pricier beer and more likeminded folk. In other words, Brooklyn.

The search for new surroundings is chronicled on Thomas’ debut album, Build Me A City, a collection of skillfully wrought melodies that tell of loves won and lost, journeys begun but not yet finished. Whether he’s nursing his wounds on stripped-back tracks like the lovely “Anymore,” or turning up all four burners with the bluesy rocker “City of Sin, ” Thomas consistently displays his fine lyrical chops and knack for penning pretty tunes. Think Josh Ritter meets M Ward. “I’m gonna win myself a new life in a city that don’t sleep a night,” he sings on “City of Sin.” Mission accomplished – we just hope he can afford the rent.

This blog post was contributed by Kate Bredimus

If you’re looking for things to do at SXSW we have plenty to add to your itinerary: a list of must-sees from Paste Magazine’s Jay Sweet, a TON of OurStage artists live on stage and some great (and entertaining) resources for indie artists and music lovers alike!

1) Sweet 16: artists not to miss

Living in the Northeast during March is a mud-filled, merciless grind. Luckily, the gods created SXSW. Yes the BBQ and Shiner Bock beer-soaked savior for those suffering Seasonal Affective Disorder begins this weekend. In wading through the oodles of e-mail invites, Jay Sweet, OurStage’s Editor at Large, has compiled the Sweet 16 list of artists not to miss while strolling along the sunny streets of Austin:
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2) Over 80 OurStage Artists performing at SXSW!

Having just discovered that 86 members of the OurStage artist community will be performing at SXSW showcases next week, we’re glowing with pride like parents of a champion little leaguer! We dare you to try to catch them all live and in action!
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3) Get Tour:Smart

At OurStage, we have a soft spot for NIN drummers; we recently posted an interview with current drummer Ilan Rubin and have recently launched a new partnership with past drummer, Martin Atkins.  Anyone trying to make a go in the music industry needs to know Martin; he’s a champion of independent musicians and their tour buses (which might not be your own RV, but we’re hoping it is at least a step above Greyhound). Swing by Martin’s booth at SXSW to get real-world advice on how to survive your own music career and pick up a free CD with tracks from OurStage artists.

To jump start your learning process, Martin has pulled together a list of his top 10 nuggets of advice for OurStage artists on the road:
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Jim James and Zooey Deschanel at Newport Folk Festival 2008

M. Ward at Newport

M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel have already capitalized on the power of combined celebrity by joining forces as She & Him. Today at the Newport Folk Festival, they upped the ante by calling My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James to the stage for a song. Mr. Ward returned the favor later, appearing on a few songs for Mr. James’ set.