Easy Like Sunday Morning #11

Ok, so Fridays post was missing. Long story cut short I left my house on Thursday to pre-swall for soulwaxmas and I returned home on Saturday evening, on the Friday between I went to ASIWYFA's gig and went to a ludicrous house party the same night (people were arriving when I was leaving at 9am and it was the most active part of the party). ASIWYFA blew Belfast apart, I missed soulwax and Tiga on the Friday (forgot ticket and had to go back) but mix hell blew the roof of the place, 2manydjs however just did the exact same thing they did at Belsonic, it was rubbish the first time and it was rubbish again if you were to listen to the two sets you'd be convinced that no music had been released in the past 6 months as they were pretty much the same. Because of all this my body clock has been all off, I slept a good bit of today as I didn’t go to bed until lunchtime.

For the first post of the day I'm going to be posting Air's - Ce matin là from their stunning album Moon Safari. If I were to try and explain what Easy Like Sunday Morning was about to someone who didn’t get the title (ie a complete idiot), I would just give them a copy of Moon Safari and they would instantly understand what we were trying to show people. I honestly think that this is possibly the most organic sounding album every made and if I were trying to determine if a pair of speakers were worth my money or not, this is the album I'd use. Ce matin là is constantly a song I find getting stuck in my head, I'll find myself on a bus, train or walking around town/uni just humming the infectious brass lead over and over again. Everything from that typical air-esque bass to the steel sounding guitar are perfect in this track. I'm really actually surprised that I haven't posted this track earlier as it is my favorite Air track from what I personally think is the dynamic duo's best work. I urge you to get a copy of this album by any means necessary even if it means robbing it from a shop (I don't condone any criminal activity, this is clearly a sarcastic comment meant to raise a cheap laugh, however if you do decide to do this just use the ten tracks on the album as your defense and the jury will understand and probably let you off), the reason I urge you to listen to this album is that you will almost definitely find a different favorite track to mine, it's just that sort of album. I discovered this album when I was in my 3rd or 4th year of school during the height of listening to metal bands such as Megadeth and going through a typical stage of not wanting to conform (by ironically conforming to something else…), but that alone says a lot about the album, as it is something especially at that time which I would not have expected to like and it is without a doubt beside Grandmaster Flash one of the two key elements in the change that made me listen to music the way I do today. This is definitely, for me, an in bed sort of album, one to go to sleep to and one to wake up to, its therapeutic in ways that therapy could never be and proves that simplicity is one of the keys to perfection. I could go on and on about why this album is one of the best made and why it's so good but i'd rather let you discover it for yourself than let me impose learned habits in regards to how and why you should listen to it. Ce matin là by some sort of beautiful coincidence means "That Morning".

Air - Ce matin là

The next song I'm going to post is another obvious one that has somehow eluded me up until now, Simon and Garfunkel's always atmospheric The Sound of Silence. Anyone who goes to the cinema even semi-often or enjoys film will recognize this track as it is used on a seemingly regular basis within film. The best use of this track is clearly from the film The Graduate, the song plays at a time when Hoffmans character has finished his time at university, graduated and is having off time discovering who he is before he decides to tackle the world. The song very appropriately plays when his family are bothering him about his future and he lies in his pool then immerses himself underwater, hence the song being used (lots of symbolism going on here film fans). The song is a herald to what Simon and Garfunkel used to be before their constant break-ups and reunification's (as of writing this they are together…kinda). The song opens with simplistic guitar work that progresses throughout the song and is backed by the perfect and typical harmonizing voices of Simon & Garfunkel.

Simon & Garfunkel - The Sound of Silence

The next track I want to post is a slight progression for the blog as I don’t think we've talked about the genre yet. Like the track above, most people will probably be familiar with this track through film. The track is Brian Eno's Deep Blue Day which methodical film fans may be familiar with as the track that plays during Trainspotting when Renton dives into the toilet. There's not really much to talk about historically for this track other than it was purportedly first used and written for a documentary by NASA called For All Mankind. It’s a very Caribbean themed track so hopefully it'll warm you up in this shockingly cold winter we're having.

Brian Eno - Deep Blue Day

The next track I'm posting is one everyone should be familiar with, as it was Christmas number one a few years ago, I think it was the last xmas number 1 before x factor began(kudos to rage btw, really didn’t think it was even remotely possible, the internet continues to surprise me). The track also featured in what could perceivabley be my favorite film (after The Trilogy). The song, as the pub-quiz enthusiasts would probably know by now is Gary Jules' Mad World (originally by Tears for Fears). Video game fans may will be familiar with the track through its appearance in one of the trailers for the first Gears of War game (which I personally think completely misled people about what the game would be like). The track is great and one that should definitely be listened to in a relaxing manner (otherwise you'll probably over think it and make yourself depressed) I don’t like to tell people how to listen to music but I'll make an exception here by saying to concentrate on the piano, the keys keep this song alive.

Gary Jules - Mad World

To finish up today, as it's the last Sunday post before Christmas, I thought I'd throw in a Xmas treat for you all to appreciate on this fine Sunday evening. From the nature of the post and what I've just said, some of you may have already guessed that the track I'm going to post; none-other than Oceansize's cover of Walking In The Air. The reason I'm posting this is very specified, so bear with me (in honesty the song justifies itself, kind of making the rest of this post irrelevant, but there is reasoning). Covers to many are a loved thing, to others they can seem gimmicky; I stand somewhere in the middle, mainly because not all covers work and a lot are indeed gimmicky. To me covers can be a work of genius, if done right. The reason for this is that they instantly make genres of music that others may not be familiar with, or willing to explore, very accessible. It gives people an understanding of the track as the cover version will add a "what if?" element to the songs they are applied to. Now I'm obviously talking here about cross-genre covers, covers that try to perfectly emulate the same sound end up sounding shite. Some work (check for Chris Cornell's live acoustic version of Billie Jean, the one he recorded for Carry On just didn’t work imo) and some don't (ie Will Young desecrating The Doors legacy - im not even linking to this one). This is something that works and can easily be enjoyed by all, it's an upbeat and completely original look on a classic that everyone is familiar with, if you want someone to become a post-rock fan this Christmas then show them this, they may just thank you for it.

Oceansize - Walking In The Air

Easy Like Sunday Morning #7

As Thunder Child briefly mentioned in his last post, TFI Friday, he will be taking a leave of absence over the next couple of weeks to concentrate on university work. This means that I will be undertaking the majority of the weekly posts until he returns. There is a good chance he will be able to draw something up for the TFI Friday posts but we'll take that as it comes. You may be wondering why I'm forced to do this singlehandedly. Well, the truth is that the rest of the writers either have internet problems or are too lazy to do anything. Admittedly, I'm inclined to lean towards the latter because three months is a long time to have not contributed anything but what can you do. This is also the reason that there are sometimes missing gaps or posts, particularly with regards to the weekly segments. The simple fact is that it is difficult to bestow faith or trust in other people because people are flawed. Don't take it as a reflection of the blog itself but rather those who fail to update it. On a brighter note, there is a good possibility not only that Mr. JazzCigarettes will be returning to help me with a weekly segment in the coming weeks but that he will be posting a new article this week. You should remember him from his And Now For Something Completely Different post, a refreshing yet affectionate look at the singer/songwriter genre. On a similar level, I am hoping to get a new writer in to cover one of the Metal Monday posts in the coming weeks so keep your eyes peeled for that. It's going to be a busy couple of weeks.

First up is a track by a duo who amazingly haven't been featured in this segment yet, despite perhaps being the most representative aural personification of easy Sunday morning listening. The artist is, of course, Air. The track I have decided to go with is Alpha Beta Gaga, a song you have no doubt been introduced to sometime since its release in 2004 but most likely just didn't know its name or who it was by. This is the beauty of Air, they make some of the catchiest and uplifting electronica songs yet most people wouldn't be overly familiar with their work. Allow me to (re)introduce you. The song Alpha Beta Gaga has a flavour that wouldn't sound out of place in an advertisement. I'm not talking about the McDonalds 'I'm loving it' jingle but rather something more refined and original such as the Orange or Guinness advertisements. Surprisingly, to my knowledge, it has never been featured in an advertisement but it is easy to make this mistake, especially considering it contains somewhat of a transcendent semblance that most recent artists wouldn't even dream of capturing. Like many great songs, whether you've heard this track before or not is irrelevant, it will instantly have an immediate and familiar quality to you in a similar way Royksopp's Eple might. I'd assume this is due to the interlinking nature of the main hook and the correlating whistling which compliment eachother faultlessly. It is this parallel which makes Alpha Beta Gaga not only instantly recognisable but also essential Sunday listening, particularly if you want your spirits lifted.

Air - Alpha Beta Gaga

The second track to be posted today is Samon Kawamura's Right Here, a song which also features the brother of hip-hop pioneer Madlib, Oh No. Like last week's Common Market track, I've been sitting on this one for quite some time. Unlike last week's track, however, there is no grand plan for this one. I simply forgot to post it. Hopefully this post can make up for my forgetfulness though as I figure now is as good a time as ever to get it uploaded. Samon Kawamura is a relative unknown in most circles. This could be for many reasons but is most likely due to the fact that it is incredibly difficult to discuss or analyse exactly what he does. While it should be noted that he is a hip-hop producer first and foremost, many of his beats retain an electronic yet traditional feel to them. The only person I could really compare him to is DJ Krush because whilst he produces hip-hop beats, many of his tracks are instrumental with the odd guest vocalist laying down some lyrics for only a handful of tracks. Speaking on comparisons and influences, he states "basically I more and more like people with an electronic approach, who nevertheless have an analogue feeling in their music." It is a difficult line to tread because while the analogue/electronic argument is a source of contention amongst many DJs and producers, here is a producer not siding with one or the other but rather making it his perogative to draw influence from both. Thankfully it really works because though some listeners may find his material unappealing at first, once you hit that sweet spot there is no going back. I chose Right Here because it is a fresh beat advocated by Oh No's rapping and because it is something a little bit different compared to what we usually see on these pages.

Samon Kawamura - Right Here

Continuing on the 'little bit different' theme, I have chosen a track which at first glance will have most people wondering where my sanity went. The song is Chaos & Julia Set's Atmosphere (Sub Base Field Remix), a nice little cross between old school Hardcore. Drum and Base and the Detroit Techno movement. I know what you're thinking, can dance music really be easy listening? Well, the truth is it can. Just listen to Orbital's Belfast or The Future Sound Of London's Papua New Guinea and you'll see what I'm talking about. It is extremely unlikely you'll have heard of Chaos & Julia Set before this point unless you've been an avid follower of the underground UK dance scene over the past twenty years. Personally I have no idea when or where I was introduced to Atmosphere (Sub Base Field Remix) but I have a feeling my good friend Hostile Product showed it to me, so props where props are due. This song is definitely a pick-me-up type tune. While it builds and builds, the beat never strays too far from the source material, ultimately leading to what could be considered a tribute to a bygone era. It is never too relentless or flamboyant, it is what it is and that's what I like the most about it.

Chaos & Julia Set - Atmosphere (Sub Base Field Remix)

As mentioned several weeks ago, the next track to be featured will be a Moby track. You may remember when I took the reigns a few weeks ago I mentioned that I will be focusing on roughly two or three tracks from the album Play in order to demonstrate just how versatile Moby is. I decided at the last minute last week to mix it up a bit and take some focus away from this artist but I feel that enough time has passed in order to display another track from this album. At this rate, expect the next installment (if there is one) within the next couple of weeks. The track I've decided to go for this week is The Sky Is Broken, predominantly because it is quite a unique track in its own right. While it starts out as a bit of a slow burner, with a relaxed drum pattern and synth work that sounds like it was composed underwater, they are soon joined by a man speaking rather than singing. Interestingly, the dryness of his tone is what makes it so immersive. It just fits. Near the end of the track we are greeted by a brief yet captivating segment where the synth really develops and comes into its own.

Moby - The Sky Is Broken

Lastly we have one of my favourite songs by one of my favourite bands, the Incubus track Drive. The band themselves have to be one of the most misunderstood bands in history. Whereas those who don't really know them automatically attribute their music to cookie-cutter rock bands such as Alkaline Trio or Three Doors Down, in reality they couldn't be further from the truth. The reason for this is because upon first glance most people will notice that the vocals have a tendency to be a little bit softer. This is just the type of band they are. In terms of musicality they are on their own level. Honestly, there is little to no bands doing what they're doing right now: blending what could be perceived as commerciality with relentless funk and instrumental accomplishment. Though Incubus may appear to be a certain type of band on the surface, if you even give them the slightest window of opportunity you will no doubt come out feeling very differently about them. Few bands can reach the level of popularity they've reached doing what they do without compromising their artistic integrity along the way. With Incubus, each album stands out from the crowd and, rather than losing their touch, they seem to be improving with age. The song I've chosen for this post is a little more radio friendly than many of their other songs but don't let that deter you, it is still a great song that might open you up a bit. Listen to it with a clear head and hopefully you'll feel the same way I do.

Incubus - Drive