What have I been listening to? by Hop On Pop on The Pipeline at IndieMusicPeople

What have I been listening to?
Those of you who have been around a while will maybe remember that I used to catalog my daily non-IAC playlists. (I always bring in a bunch of CDs with me to work to help the day pass.)

I'm not gonna be as diligent as I was, but I'm thinking that I might post about the new albums that I have purchased recently and give a short review.

Does anybody actually give a shit?
Probably not, but I either have an ego like that or am just so desperate to share that it's kinda pathetic. (I lean towards the latter.)

So, here goes:

Shugo Tokumaru - In Focus?
Japanese experimental pop artist that not only knows how to write a pop song, but knows how to make it really interesting. Uses a wonderful blend of both traditional and electronic instruments, and also uses the studio to the fullest effect... as yet another instrument. I love artists like this, who know how to straddle the line between insane and insanely tuneful. As of mid-April, this is my favorite album of the year. (And he makes some pretty cool videos, too.)

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Hop On Pop

4/18/2013 10:10:47 AM

Tom Zé - Tropicalia Lixo Logico
Just another head-spinningly creative offering from (IMO) the king of experimental pop. Yeah, he is in the same kinda vein as Shugo Tokumaru, but Tom Zé is 70 years old, from Brazil, and has been doing it since the late 60s. This album ranks right up there with some of his best work, a pretty stunning statement. It would be my #1 of the year to date, if not for the album, above. As it is, it is a very very close #2.

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Bob Elliott

4/18/2013 5:32:33 PM

Your lists are cool.

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Shoe City Sound

4/18/2013 6:15:47 PM ---- Updated 4/18/2013 6:16:44 PM

Thanks for posting! I'm always looking for something different that I never heard before. I never heard either of these cd's before. :)

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Steve Ison

4/19/2013 1:41:28 PM

I second Bobs comments..
Good music Todd..Especially like the Tom Ze tracks..Have added both to my Tropicalia playlist onb youtube
Thanx for that :)

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Hop On Pop

4/22/2013 5:58:39 AM

Bombino - Nomad
I told you that this has been a good year for non-English-language music. This one is another beauty. The more that I listen to it, the more I want to listen to it again.
Bombino is a Toureg -- West African Muslim nomad -- who makes this beautiful electric guitar-based music that either has a heavy blues influence or that was a major influence on blues music. Not too sure as to the timeline on this one.
No matter what, it is beautiful and could be a very nice and easy stepping stone for folks that are curious about "world music" but are a little afraid to delve into something too far out of their comfort zone.
Also, this album was produced by Dan Auerback (Black Keys) in Nashville. To his credit, he does not try to sanitize the sound for Western ears, but does bring a real focused attack to the whole thing.
Bombino is a virtoso guitar player and the rhythms echo not only Africa, but also the Middle East, and the American South. This is another one that will be vying for my #1 spot at the end of 2013.

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Steve Ison

4/22/2013 8:25:35 AM ---- Updated 4/22/2013 8:29:18 AM

Todd..It definitely didn't sound 'strange' at all to my ears..
Could've been a modern rock band - and i was thinking he was singing in English to begin with..
He's got a sweet voice and i really like his melodic approach with his vocal lines which def resonates with me..Tasteful guitaring too
Only problem i have for my taste is the 2 tracks sound so similar..Exactly the same rythm n sound -very similar chords - and there's no musical development songwritingwise - which i can't help but want to really get into an artists music..

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Hop On Pop

4/22/2013 9:54:53 AM

See, I disagree. Sure, there are similarities, but I do hear differences between the songs.
Also, throughout the album, it is changed up even more than this. Some are more acoustic-based and a little slower. There is even a little steel guitar thrown on there just to mix it up. Amazingly, it works!
Check out a few more tunes and see what you think. I would hate for you to miss out, based upon just a quick listen to a couple of tunes.
But I know that there is a ton out there to listen to, so... if you do get around to it, let me know what you think.

(I am kinda done with the blues for the same reasons that you cite for not being turned on so much by this. So I get it.)

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