Obscure Old Music: This Picture

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This Picture "City of Sin" Cover

I made some great techie geek discoveries over the last day or so that I really wanted to write about into today’s blog. But, on the way to work, I was listening to a CD from 1994 from a band that never made it that big called This Picture. The album is called City of Sin. Since I know that 2/3 of my massive readership want to find out my thoughts on music, I thought “better not totally bore the non-techies out there.” Even though they never comment….

I wish that I could find some kind of sample online to refer to here, but that’s just how forgotten this album is. Apparently, This Picture had a minor hit with the song “Naked Rain” off of their debut album Violent Impression. Violent is a decent album, but City of Sin is the crowning achievement of This Picture.

So, what does it sound like? Well, imagine if Bono joined a moody, alternative band that had equal amounts piano and guitar in all songs, and started writing really ultra-poetic lyrics, and you would have it.

“Climbing the walls of doubt don’t you know,
For tonight we could reach it, if you’d only show the world”

“So lay your hands on my soul,
It’s there to be taken whole”

“A man will lie for his lines
In his natural crimes
To have guilt in these times
You must read between the lines”

The interesting thing is that the only place I ever read about This Picture was in a Christian music magazine review. There is nothing else to indicate what their beliefs are, so I guess I can’t comment on that. But, the same magazine did a positive review of U2 at the time (which, if I remember correctly, was why I was reading that magazine), so I guess they could be trusted.

Oh, yeah – I got both of This Pictures cds from Amazon for a penny. Yep. One whole cent + shipping.

Sitar Grunge Rock: Christopher Lee Freeman

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I have been trying not to rave too much about my favorite musician, Michael Knott. Mainly because I know that he will have some new stuff out soon and there will be chances to go on and on about his musical genius later. So, I should take this chance to yabber on about other artists that I like.

Those that know me know that I have a huge interest in Middle Eastern and Indian music. What I really love is when someone mixes eastern and western music. Christopher Lee Freeman is one of those artists. Any one that has visited my MySpace page has probably had a chance to hear a Freeman song.

Mr. Freeman first came to my attention as the guitarist for a Christian Creed-clone band called G.S. Megaphone. I’m not much of a Creed fan, so I didn’t pay much attention to them. One day, I read a random review somewhere about GS Megaphone going all world music on us, due to Chris’s travels to India and purchase of a sitar. Luckily, I found that album on Ebay for a buck 🙂 Gotta love Ebay. While I had to say that the world music influences on a few tracks were kind of there, it was still a Creed album. Actually, it was better than most Creed stuff, but still not my thing.

Anyway, GS Megaphone called it a day, and I started hearing rumors about Chris was doing solo albums of sitar music and loud guitars mixed together. My wife and I were already hooked on a Christian rock/worship Indian band called Aradhna that did the same sound, so I decided to check out Chris. I will have to blog about Aradhna soon, too. So, anyway, a few Google searches and two MySpace pages later and I was hooked.

Chris’s music is really loud guitars and heavy Indian influenced sonic perfection on every track. The thing about most world music fusion is that it usually is mostly western music with a few ethnic beats thrown in, or eastern music with a slight jazz feel. Seldom is it a true mix of east and west. Chris’s music is a really good blend of both. And all instrumental. So it just rocks.

So there.

Check out his music on his two MySpace pages:
http://www.myspace.com/christopherleefreeman
http://www.myspace.com/clfmusic

New Music: Coriolis

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Coriolis album cover

If you know me and my musical tastes, you’ve probably heard a scary rumor: I was a hair metal freak in high school. The sad truth is – I still am one. Bang your head!

Anyway, my tastes have diversified over the years. One style of music that I love now is industrial metal. Something about guitars, samples, and synthesizers that I just love. There haven’t been that many new industrial metal bands out there since Monsterus disappeared several years ago. I was listening to a sampler of new music on the way to work today and finally found one worth checking out: Coriolis. there were actually two other wanna-be industrial metal songs on the sampler, but they weren’t that good. Here is what I found out about Coriolis from their site:

Coriolis, (formerly known as Thundara,) is a synth-metal project based in Northeastern Pennsylvania. It is the goal of Coriolis to redefine the way dark music is perceived, by making thought-provoking music that shatters past stereotypes.

The lyrics of two Coriolis songs are currently being published by the International Library of Poetry, who recognized these poems as “excellent.”

Musical influences range widely from Rammstein and Rob Zombie, to Dream Theater, Metallica and Yanni. Industrial and ethereal keyboard sequences compliment driving rhythm guitars to produce a truly unique sound with diverse melodies.

 

Other releases I am looking forward to:

  • U2’s new greatest hits album
  • Robert Randolph & the Family Band – Colorblind
  • The Rough Guide to the Music of Iran
  • Kula Shaker – III
  • Struck Last May – 16 Flowers