Peachcake is Back!!! (They were never gone, but I was!)

Hello, friends! It has been a while (seriously a while, probably at least half a year but probably longer) since I've posted...anything. I'm sorry. I'm a busy lady with lots of things going on, always. But listen, this is worthy of me digging my password out of my brain to get everyone in on this action.

Everybody knows that Voila! is collectively a huge Peachcake fan. We always have been, and we certainly always will be. If you didn't know...now you do, and don't forget it. From our first post about Peachcake way the hell back in 2008, we've been mesmerized.

So, time to get down to business. I'm pretty nervous about writing this post since I haven't written one in a while and I want to do justice to this EP.

Today upon logging onto my Facebook, I received a chat message from my friend Stefan Pruett. I'm name dropping because he is the man. He's Peachcake's singer, who, after meeting me many years ago (I'M FULL OF COMMAS AND I'M SORRY BUT I HAVEN'T TAKEN AN ENGLISH CLASS IN A YEAR,) he has been relentlessly kind and patient. I say patient because no matter how many times he sends me an update and I pass it on to Chris, he still is kind enough to send me information about his next project. Now that the timing is right and it is summer, I hear from him again and have the opportunity to listen immediately and get writing! Now I'm writing but also stalling, accidentally. The point of this paragraph: I wanted to set up the next paragraph, where I tell you about the wonderful music that Stefan sent to me.

For those who don't know, Peachcake is an electronic and vocal ensemble from Pheonix, Arizona. They've been around for a while, and at some point when I wasn't looking, they transitioned from a rough early-Fruity-Loops-and-keytar-esque (no offense, Stefan! I still loved and love it!) sound to a mature, polished group. While this sound is new to me in regards to Peachcake, it still retains the soul that I remember from way back in my freshman or sophomore year of high school when I saw them for my first time opening for Hellogoodbye.

Peachcake, however, no longer constitutes an opening act. I've been to a few of their shows (unfortunately I have not made it to all of the ones in my area T_T) and those who have as well know that they put on an act that would make Lady Gaga shake in her boots to follow. I mean, a seriously colorful, interactive show complete with a feeling that will never leave you.

The new sound of Peachcake is organized, polished and greatly matured in comparison to Peachcake circa-"Don't Act Like You Know More About Internet Cafe than Me". I've been listening to this free EP (sorry, you'll have to wait until the end to get it. Or just scroll down and click...but I suggest reading the post anyway.) for the past hour, wondering what I missed in the past few years that morphed Peachcake into this whole new genre, almost.

I'm having a hard time picking a favorite track from their new EP, This Wasn't Our Plan. I want to go one-by-one and talk about all of them, but I don't want anyone to have preconceived notions when listening to each track. Each of you will have a different experience listening to each track, and that's what's so beautiful about it music. So I will quit my rambling, and just say this: I don't know if the world is prepared for the change that Peachcake is planning to bring, but I know that Peachcake is prepared to change the world.

Download Peachcake's new EP, This Wasn't Our Plan for FREE at Bandcamp!

You won't regret it for a second!

Video: Mobile Phone Commercial

As if you didn't already know, Voilà! is a music blog. Fascinating, astounding, completely unheard of, I know. But music isn't just limited to the miniscule amount of bands that we feature here. No, no, the realm of music stretches far and wide, from the biggest stage at the largest festival to the smallest amp or most quietly played guitar by the kid who doesn't want to wake his parents up at night. Music is big, and everywhere, and though I can't feature it all here, I can certainly help anyone reading Voilà! glimpse some cool stuff.

Which brings me to today's video. NTT Docomo, a Japanese phone company, is marketing their latest and greatest product, a phone with wood paneling instead of plastic or aluminum. And sure, they could've shown all the hip young'ins using their fancy-pants phone all around Shinjuku or something. But YAWNERAMA, that's so passé. You've got to intrigue with your commercials, snare the attention of the masses. So, how do you do that?

Apparently with a massive mount of creativity poured into a remarkably simple concept: wood and music. I could go on, but this is one of those entries on Voilà! where it's much better to show than tell. Turn your speakers up loud, sit back, and watch the magic of their unique interpretation of "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" by Bach.

Band of the Week: Apollo 18 (아폴로18)

[April 4 - 10]

Apollo 18 (아폴로18)
Sounds Like: Experimental / Post-Rock / Shoegaze
Terroir: Seoul, Korea
Drinking Buddies: Wax on Radio, And So I Watch You From Afar, Battles

Synopsis: An hybrid of spacey post-rock and rockin' post-hardcore.

Makes You Want To: Rock out; Scream; Gaze.
[Official] / [Myspace]

One week, one band. You know the drill.
This week, the featured artist is Apollo 18 (아폴로18).


The digital age is a magnificent thing, especially in terms of music. Only thirty, sometimes even twenty years ago, we were extremely limited on what we could hear musically. You were either listening to the local music stations in your town - oftentimes, frankly, which can be quite lacking is quality - which would normally feature the biggest recording artists as selected by the music industry; limited to the bands that came thru your area on tour, trips of which were no doubt rare and less publicized than they are now; and of course, stuck with whatever artists may have been local to your locale, and again, these were oftentimes not the best quality.

However, with the power of computers, the entire planet is our locale, and you have the freedom to experience all manner of different musical tastes and cultural styles. Which is why it's odd that these two music discovery experiences - the old school "analog" style, if you will, and our new digital style - convened for me at the local punk rock venue. For those who don't know, I'm in Fort Worth, Texas, where we are more than fortunate to have the one and only 1919 Hemphill, an communally run music venue centered around punk rock. And it was within those very walls that I was introduced to Apollo 18.

Named after the iconic space exploration vessel, these South Korean rockers bring spacey to a whole new level. Blending their sound calm, post-rock/instrumental sound with heavier hardcore and metal elements, the result is a sound that is perfectly juxtaposed between calmness and chaos. Apollo 18 moves their listeners with quiet, fulfilling guitarwork similar to that of This Will Destroy You or Explosions in the Sky. And in similar fashion, they can build their songs up until they rip apart the speakers with massive walls of sound and wild expulsions of dense musical release.

They aren't instrumental, to be said. But it is also to be said that their singing, while crucial to their songs, is more an instrument than an instrument in itself, rather than a poetic form of expression - the voices that join the powerful gutiars and rhythmic bass are more a contribution to the musical construction than trying to say something in particular, similar to the Vonlenska experimented with by Sigur Rós. However, as I compare these guys to similarly spacey artists in the post-rock world, do not underestimate their ability to lay down some proper rock. Their sound is significantly heavier than most of their peers, as if a rejection of the seemingly structured South Korean society, generating wild, raucous energy all contained and exploited within a concentrated process of musical performance. Their sound weaves between genres, from experimental, to jazzy, to some good ol' fashioned rock 'n roll, and they are definitely a name quickly on the rise, one you'll hopefully be hearing from more as the days go on.

Apollo 18 is only two years old, and brand new to the American coast as far as I'm aware. But they're quickly climbing into the consciences of savvy music listeners around the world. They won the award for "Best Rookie of the Year" at the 2010 Korean Music Awards (2010 한국대중음악상), and have been a major performance at both the Green Plugged Festival in Seoul, as well as one of the biggest festivals in Korea, the Jisan Valley Rock Festival (지산 밸리 록 페스티벌), playing alongside the likes of major international acts such as Pet Shop Boys, Mutemath, Vampire Weekend, Belle & Sebastian, and Muse.

From what I can understand, the show I got to catch here in Fort Worth, Texas was the last Apollo 18 had booked for their first tour on American shores, which had them roaming all across Texas and around the south, culminating in a tonne of awesome shows down in South by Southwest. Assumably, the trio returned to Korea to relax and recover. Apollo has three albums under the belt already: Blue Album, Red Album, and Violet Album. They were also selling some strange album - which I have - that has NO name beyond the band's and no info beyond their contact information. So I'm nicknaming it the Black Album, and it's filled a compilation of all their different releases.

Apollo 18 has their official site, both in Korean and English, as well as a Myspace, where you can get quite a bit of a preview into their music. They have quite a number of live videos posted around the net so you can experience their live performances for yourself. And of course, you can snag all their awesome albums from their online store or via iTunes for digital download. Enjoy their wicked sound, and have an awesome week, readers!

Video: Doolittle Addiction

I thought after that bit about Ms. Eliza Doolittle at the beginning of the week would end my binge of the fine lady's fantastic vocal work and summery hooks. Apparently that's not the case. On a spur, I hopped onto my iPhone's YouTube and looked her up so as to introduce her music to someone. One of the first videos in the results is not one of her hits, but instead, a cover. Which begged me to ask the question, "Are there more?"

For those who don't know much about my musical tastes - and I reckon that's a fair number of you - I am a sucker for a good cover. Copyright copyspite - I don't care what record labels say is legal or not, I love it when an artist can spin another's song into something new; if not something new, something unique and intriguing in its own right, whether by transition or in the form of homage. I have a huge collection of covers in my music library, and my ears are always perked for new ones. Especially good ones, and especially from artists I really enjoy and respect, such as Eliza Doolittle herself.

I enjoy Eliza's honesty. You so rarely get that from an artist, especially a pop artist with a big label. But she shines of it. Between her blog to keep things personal, her countless videos of her doing... well, nothing in particular, and her impretention (can I coin this word? That'd be awesome!) is a glowing example of how I like my musicians when on or off the stage. So to you all, who hopefully have also been riding high from Eliza's tunes earlier in the week, a collection of lovely covers I found. There are plenty more to be found, so if you're still hungry, search about the internet or YouTube. Look for some gems. Also, I'll have you all know that this is the only circumstance I have ever listened to a Justin Bieber song without groaning and or self-mutilating. Just sayin', don't automatically discredit it.




Fuck You (Cee-Lo Green) - Eliza Doolittle


Creep (Radiohead) - Eliza Doolittle


Yellow (Coldplay) - Eliza Doolittle


Baby (Justin Bieber) - Eliza Doolittle

New Death Cab: "You Are A Tourist"

As if on cue, I happened to restart Voilà! right when one of my favourite bands is announcing their new album! That's right, the good ol' west coast folks of Death Cab for Cutie are releasing a new record, entitled Codes and Keys. It's been three years since they're fantastic release of Narrow Stairs, which slept listeners by storm with its sheer density and well composed musicianship. A shining album of creativity, to be sure.

The set release date for Codes and Keys is due for 31 May, another summery release. And while we don't have much more than some album artwork to offer, a few songs have leaked out here and there from Camp Death Cab.

Firstly, there is the official release of "You Are A Tourist" off Codes and Keys, via Stereogum. You can check that out here. They also have LQ soundbytes of some live performances by Death Cab, new songs that will eventually appear on the album. They're rough, and likely to change quite a bit by the time of the release of the album. But it could pique your interest with a little preview. Stay tuned, or

Band of the Week: Eliza Doolittle

[March 28 - April 3]

Eliza Doolittle
Sounds Like: Pop
Terroir: London, England
Drinking Buddies: Kate Nash, Lily Allen, Lenka

Synopsis: The long-lasting bubblegum pop with a delectable taste.

Makes You Want To: Skip down the street; Sing + Dance; Walk in the park.
[Personal Blog] / [Myspace]

One week, one band. You know the drill.
This week, the featured artist is Eliza Doolittle.


It's been awhile, readers! But Voilà! is sort of back in action. If you're new to this little game we play, it is weekly tradition to feature a wicked musician every week. Or at least try to. Just something that's been bubbly bouncing out of the speakers into our lives; something that we feel is worth sharing with the masses of eager ears begging for some delicious tuneage.

And are we ever returning to the music scene with a delicious piece of candy. Meet Eliza Doolittle. That would be Eliza Caird if you know her personality. But her My Fair Lady-inspired pseudonym has been the one to springboard this delightful, curly-haired darling into some fairly significant international spotlight.

Let's get things straight: Eliza Doolittle isn't your prototypical pop artist. Okay, maybe she's super stylish, has a delectable voice, and is absolutely stunning. But c'mon, let's put the fundamentals of this lovely lady aside and get to the fundamentals of her sing-song. Her band got their feet on the musical ground back in 2009 with the release of Eliza's self-titled, debut EP. Not only did this EP flare up like oil in a fire, it caught the eyes and ears of listeners and major talents across the UK and beyond. Her first songs got several remixes made of them, including one by the likes of The XX.

This helped to propel Eliza along to her first album, equally self-titled, and equally infectious. Her musical style is unfathomably bubbly and fun-loving, light with a sense of jubilance, and a voice reminiscent of Kate Nash. Pair this with a proper band of lads to accompany her, a quick wit, and a flirty sense of lyricism, and you have a road well paved for some excellent hits that will have nearly any listener cooing over her her quirk.

Eliza's quick success has placed her as a shining star quickly rising in the sky over the UK. Her singles "Skinny Genes" and "Pack Up" both have scored her numerous honours, and both got their own nifty music videos. Tonnes of media outlets have picked up on her rising fame, on aiding in making her rise further exponential. Her success even landed her a number of gigs at SXSW 2011, which I was fortunate to attend, meaning her sound is only expected to expand across the seas. And why shouldn't it? Her viral success is the best sort of ailment you can receive, giving you symptoms of random public singing and dancing. You'll want to catch yourself a bit of Eliza Doolittle.

After her stay in the Texas capital, and a brief stint here and there whilst on tour, Eliza Doolittle and her gang of misfits have returned to the UK. She'll be touring throughout Great Britain, bouncing around from several gigs and festivals. Eliza Doolittle's eponymous debut has been out for awhile now, and is finally reaching American and international audiences through regular music outlets. Or, of course, you could snag some music from iTunes. There are tonnes of videos and remixes of her songs. Whoever the dancer is in "Pack Up" is FANTASTIC, the paper-cutout version of "Skinny Genes" is too fun to watch, and I'm a particular fan of her latest single, "Mr Medicine." Check them all out! Or, if you're just curious about what Eliza and co. is up to, wander over to her personal blog and check it out for yourself. In the meantime, I recommend this nifty acoustic, rooftop performance. And until next time, peace out!

Seeking Writers

I'm debating starting this silly blog again! I've missed being apart from the music scene, and after a revitalizing time down in Austin at this year's South by Southwest, I feel energized, and ready to re-enter the scene. Maybe... It's still undecided if I will actually do this. But it's definitely on the table.

However, one major thing I'd really appreciate is having another team of writers at my disposal. Voilà! never lifted off the ground in the way that I hoped it would the first time around. It turned into a blog mostly about my opinions on music I liked, which is not what I wanted. I wanted a more cohesive blend from several different perspectives - for whatever reason (potentially the lax structure I had for writers), people didn't post, and it ended up being almost myself exclusively. That's a drag.

If you've ever wanted to voice your opinions about music, here's your chance! Contact me at chris.voilamusic@gmail.com and we can try to arrange something. Again, I'm not entirely sure if I'll be returning. But with hope, I just may do so! We'll see. Until next time, readers!

Band of Skulls: Live

Before I go to see a gig, I always look up live videos of the band online. Now videos can never compare to the live experience itself, but if a band looks completely boring in a video from a previous gig, they probably won't be amazing when you go to see them.

For this reason, I had mixed feelings about what I was in store for when I went to the Band of Skulls gig at Camden's Electric Ballroom, London. After watching a few clips I'd experienced both mediocre and wonderfully brilliant performances from the Southampton three-piece.

I can gladly say that the latter was true of the live performance.

The vocals were to the standard of the studio recordings, guitarist Russell Marsden was on form, and the atmosphere was great (though being directly at the front certainly helped).

Having only one album, 'Baby Darling Dollface Honey' (which and modern rock & roll lover should buy, by the way), they played most of it, and what they didn't had to be in the encore.

Great gig.

Video: "I Wanna Live In Paradise" - Slow Club

Our favourite English duo, Slow Club, has been keeping busy! Seems they've got themselves a new tune called "I Wanna Live In Paradise," featuring the cute couple both playing on piano. It's quite lovely, really. Check it out!

Godspeed You! Black Emperor Ends Hiatus

That's right, you read correctly. Listen to the words from GY!BE themselves:

after a decade’s retreat, god’s pee has decided to roll again.

we are, as always, stoked, stubborn and petrified.

between now and the live-dates, there’ll be rivers of noise and distraction. and the internet is a petty tyrannical monster. please remember that really all that matters is the keep on keeping on. and all that really matters is the shows. and physical engagement in the world. and folks like us and folks like you. thanks for understanding, and thank you for still listening.

see you next winter.

xoxoxox godspeed you! black emperor

To boot on this extremely amazing news, Godspeed You! Black Emperor will be playing and helping out at All Tomorrow's Parties: Nightmare Before Christmas 2010. Find out more here! And also, check out Godspeed You! Black Emperor here.

The XX

'Lively' would usually be the first term to spring to mind when speaking about the music of most London bands, however the endearing basslines and almost soothing vocals of Wandsworth three-piece group The XX is anything but energetic; yet just as far from boring.

'XX'

The album's first track, 'intro', does exactly what it says on the tin. The two minute instrumental leaves the listener crying out for some sung lyrics, and this is exactly what the listener gets.

Romy Madely-Croft's softness perfectly compliments the deeper, velvety tones in Oliver Sim's voice, making for a great record - in terms of vocals at the very least.

A mix of upbeat tracks such as 'Heart Skipped a Beat' and songs which are perfectly calming ('Night Time', 'Fantasy') this album has pretty much nothing missing.

Think eery indie with R&B and dance qualities, and you won't be far off from summing up The XX's addictive style of music.

I won't be deleting them from my playlist any time soon.

Rating: 10/10 , 9 if you want to be picky.

Ones to repeat:

- Crystalised

- VCR

- Heart Skipped a Beat

- Islands

Ones to put you to sleep (in a good way!):

-Shelter

-Night Time

-Stars

-Fantasy

From The Basement

Clearly I have been ignoring some things that should be blatantly obvious to any keen music listener. Those of you reading Voilà! back in October may remember the article I wrote up on Radiohead's live performance with From The Basement, hosted by VH1. It was a truly powerful performance by them (one now that streams frequently while in public places, via my iPod (thanks iTunes)). It seems, though, that From The Basement has taken things to the next level by having a new website.

And they've expanded quite far from their Radiohead roots. While I haven't been gandering at their wicked site, From The Basement has managed to record very lovely and truly unique performances by HEAPS of new artists: Andrew Bird, Albert Hammond Jr., Beck, Fleet Foxes, The Shins, Sonic Youth, and Queens of the Stone Age just to name a few.

So what are you waiting for? Go check out From The Basement's official site for tonnes of the latest and greatest performances they've filmed.

Sing To Me, Tiffany - Mount Righteous + Interview

DC9 Live at El Sibil: Mount Righteous from Dallas Observer on Vimeo.

I'm From Barcelona - Le retour

Jovial! Happiness! Celebration for one and all! That's I'm From Barcelona's standpoint, and happiness has been what they've been advocating with their music since their uniting as a band back in 2005 and releasing Let Me Introduce My Friends, followed by the significantly darker and more experimental Who Killed Harry Houdini? But the mood behind what I'm From Barcelona is never changes: a group of friends who love music with all their hearts and souls.

It's hard for I'm From Barcelona to share their love with people. This is mostly due to the 29 folks in the band that make I'm From Barcelona such a wonderful musical experience! It's hard to move 29 folks around on tours, so generally, I'm From Barcelona restricts themselves to playing big festivals around Europe and the rest of the world. Us concert goers should be very thankful the collective leaves Sweden at all. But sadly, not everyone can attend big festivals, meaning they miss out on very fantastic performances by the wonderful band, which is a sad truth to admit indeed.

For those of you (and myself included) unlucky enough to be able to see I'm From Barcelona for ourselves, La Blogotheque comes to save the day! La Blogotheque had already featured a performance wandering through the streets and in a cantina, following I'm From Barcelona around on a musical escapade through the city street. Now La Blogotheque rejoins with their old friends for a night of frivolity. After a concert at Bataclan in Paris, La Blogotheque follows I'm From Barcelona for an intimate after-performance performance with the entire crowd. I could continue, but it is on occasions such as this where I prefer show-and-tell more than to write and explain. Feel free to catch the entire 00 minute concert experience with I'm From Barcelona via La Blogotheque here on Voilà!, or visit La Blogotheque to catch their article on the event.

I'm From Barcelona - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

Chris Riffle - Introducing...

Chris Riffle sounds young, but certainly not inexperienced. He is the kind of singer/songwriter who is a natural at making music. Introducing... is not the accustomed album of your typical man with a guitar. Rather, it sounds like the collection of his most well received coffeehouse songs, recorded with an array of extra instruments, all carefully constructed and layered. Chris Riffle immediately lets you know this is a personal affair; his voice is delicate yet inviting, his guitar plays gently enough so you can hear every little texture in the background. His songs feature piano, cello, and many layers of vocals throw in to put you right at home. The lyrics often feel like snippets of diary entries, perfectly fitting for the personal aspect of the album. “Simple” is perhaps the most encompassing track on the album. The vocals are just above a whisper, there is consistent percussion keeping the track from seeming flat, and the chorus hits with catchy lyrics while still keeping a calm atmosphere. Chris Riffle does justice to the singer/songwriter genre with Introducing…, and is sure to be a name people will be proud to know before he makes it big.

RIYL: Sufjan Stevens, Daphne Loves Derby
Recommended Tracks: Simple, Roll Over, Everything You Need Is Here

Tegan & Sara sur Les concerts à emporter

Normally I'd have more to say... but I'll let the videos speak for themselves.

Tegan & Sara - Alligator - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

Tegan & Sara - Feel It In My Bones - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

Tegan & Sara - Nineteen - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

Retrospection: "Highly Evolved / Get Free" - The Vines

Retrospection is a little series of articles we started on Voilà! quite a bit ago. The idea behind the series is to revisit some old, but still amazing, songs that some of us may have forgotten over the years. And aren't there loads of them! Where to even begin with choosing what band and what songs to feature?

The fact of the matter is, rock music doesn't die. In fact, if you play it loud enough, it'll either jog your memory with the sonic vibrations or get your attention back, reminding you how amazing the song was. As far as contemporary rock music, you can't really go wrong with The Vines, and their modern hybrid of 60s punk and 90s grunge. The Australian collective has been busy working on their rumoured 5th album, which has apparently exited the pre-production stage as of this month.

But while the rock experts prepare to woo us with yet another fabulous album, let's reminisce on some old times. Particularly, on this occasion, dream back if you will to the year 2002. A simpler time, to be true. But it was the year that saw the release of The Vine's first major record debut, Highly Evolved. Fittingly, this performance by The Vines is of the self titled song, along with a blending into their other big hit - "Get Free" - was filmed on the popular late-night Australian talk show Rove. To save you the raw fury that is The Vines, I won't go any further into this truly epic performance. But do please enjoy.

A Valentine's Day For All

So... it's Valentine's Day, and maybe you're loving every second of it, or maybe you just feel evil in the pit of your stomach. No worries, I've got you covered with a little mix for everyone, from the hopeless romantics to the scorned loveless.

Situation #1: You're actually in love.

Congrats! You've been a loving, faithful partner, and now are celebrating this holiday with chocolate and teddy bears. Want to seal the deal? Play these songs for your beloved:

1. Mat Kearney - Undeniable
2. The Weepies - Gotta Have You
3. Aqualung - Brighter Than Sunshine
4. Kevin Devine - You Are The Daybreak
5. The Beatles - Something
6. As Tall As Lions - Acrobat
7. Angus and Julia Stone - All Of Me
8. Alexi Murdoch - Orange Sky

Situation #2: You've been scorned, and feel very bitter.

Oh no, how terrible! Someone has been a lying, cheating, so-and-so, and now you feel terribly alone on valentines day. Well, I would advise to take a deep breath, force a smile, and wash over the pain with these tracks:

1. Fall Out Boy - Tell That Mick He Just Made My List Of Things To Do Today
2. The Honorary Title - Everything I Once Had
3. The Spill Canvas - All Hail The Heartbreaker
4. Dashboard Confessional - The Best Deceptions
5. Stars - Your Ex-Lover Is Dead
6. The Early November - Baby Blue
7. William Fitzsimmons - You Broke My Heart
8. Motion City Soundtrack - Hold Me Down

Situation #3: You're just existing in life, and don't feel particularly with or against love.

Not a problem there, soldier, you go on being happy and awesome. Maybe love will find you in the future and make your life extra special, but if not, then you're going to make it extra special yourself. Positive thinking is the sweetest of all candy. Here are some awesome songs, just for you!

1. You, Me, And Everyone We Know - Livin' Th' Dream
2. Augustana - Sweet and Low
3. Manchester Orchestra - The Only One
4. The Narrative - Castling
5. Copeland - The Grey Man
6. Lydia - This Is Twice Now
7. Straylight Run - Big Shot (Hands In The Sky)
8. Snow Patrol - Open Your Eyes

So remember, no matter how love is treating you, remember that it's merely nothing more than a little mix of music in your heart, and you are in control. Happy V-Day, everyone.

Soirée de poche - Vampire Weekend

The people in charge of the francophonic music blog extraordinaires La Blogotheque do what we can only dream: beyond writing up some amazing articles for your French-knowledged yeux, with their series of videos - Les concerts à emporter (Take Away Shows) - they're able to get up-close and personal with some of our favourite bands. Yo La Tengo, Sigur Rós, Okkerville River, and Phoenix; it's not enough for them to expertly film performances so wonderfully, but the musicians they ask to film are some growing names in the music industry.

La Blogotheque also has a new series of videos; Soirée de poche. If you were reading Voilà! several months ago, you would've caught the last time we mentioned the Soirée de poche series, when they showed a very intimate, fun performance with Kings of Convenience. Well, the Soirée de poche has filmed another amazing performance, this one by a certain band that Voilà! is all too fond of.

Vampire Weekend released Contra last month, and considering that it was the 12th indie album in history to make it to the number one spot on Billboard's 200, I'm going to have to say it was a pretty big success. No doubt to coincide with this release, Vampire Weekend hooked up with La Blogotheque for their very own unplugged session of Soirée de poche à Paris. About half an hour of awesome songs, old and new. You can check it out right here on Voilà!, or wander on over to La Blogotheque and see it there. Or, feel more than free to visit Vampire Weekend's Myspace and catch some of their songs and videos there!

Band of the Week: Nobuo Uematsu

[February 8-14]

Nobuo Uematsu
Sounds Like: Classical / Piano / Orchestral Composition / Progressive Rock
Drinking Buddies: The Black Mages, The Final Fantasy Series, Square-Enix

Synopsis: Video game compositions have never been so cool.

Makes You Want To...: Dream; Play video games; Learn piano.
[Square-Enix Music] / [Official Site] / [Black Mages fanpage]

One week, one band. You know the drill.
This week, the featured artist is Nobuo Uematsu.


Most people think music these days always has to be hip and trendy; that it has to be on the hottest TV shows, plastered all across the internet, smeared all over the radio or MTV; even if the bands are independent and lesser known, most contemporary music is assumed to follow a certain formula: get a Myspace > make music > release albums > party. But in truth, music can't be clichéd, and can never follow any sort of formula. In truth, music is created in many different ways. And just because the source may be unexpected doesn't make it any less exquisitely done.

Nobuo Uematsu is a prime example of music defying conventions in music making, and does so with the sort of panache that makes his peers and rivals fill with jealous and envy upon the execution of every single note. Uematsu is a pianist. He was self taught, and the beginning of his career sprung up due to his sister, thereafter him applying his homegrown pianist skills and brand new keyboard in some amateur bands and for some commercials. But the reason his name is one that should be respected highly among professional musicians is the part of his musical career that made him famous. Nobuo Uematsu gained his fame after being hired by the video game company Squaresoft (presently Square-Enix), where he was one of the chief composers of many of their video games - including their most monumental, successful entertainment release - the Final Fantasy series.

Most folks out of the loop know Final Fantasy as Owen Pallett, he formed his moniker after the successful game franchise. But from the game that inspired him, arose the talent of Nobuo Uematsu. After the series' success and expansion, Final Fantasy has quickly become one of the largest successes in video gaming history. Final Fantasy VII has been arguably labeled one of the best video games of all time, and as the series preps for its release of their latest title, Final Fantasy XIII, Square-Enix can humbly thank the talents of Nobuo Uematsu, who provided the musical workings for titles I - XI, as he has been building his reputation as an esteemed composer since 1985.

Some folks who play video games may take the music for granted, while in fact, the music of any video game is possibly one of the most integral parts. Music sets the mood, and it sets the pace, just as in movies. If you watch an action movie, the chase scene would be pretty boring without an awesome soundtrack backing it up; the same for video games. Someone is always behind the helm of these games, and Final Fantasy has been enjoying the reign of Nobuo Uematsu now for almost three decades. Uematsu composes almost all the music for the Final Fantasy series, among other games, which is a lofty task indeed, requiring talent and skill that is unrivaled by musicians. Dabbling in all sorts of moods - from soft piano tunes to epic, all-out orchestral performances - and experimenting in many forms of genres - from classical music to heavy metal - Nobuo Uematsu has seen it all, and is a master at his art.

Beyond his work with video games, he also enjoys remastering his own music, constantly returning to it, revamping it, and bringing it back to life in new, beautiful ways. He co-founded the band, The Black Mages, a rock/metal band that takes his compositions, and transcribes them from classical and orchestral works into heavy hitting rock songs. And while Uematsu contributes to many of the Final Fantasy original soundtracks, he also returns to his music for solo piano performances - just him, his piano, and his music - solitary, emotional, and captivating works of a true artist. All of Uematsu's music is beautiful, all different, as he constantly innovates. Songs of love, songs of pain, songs of anger; songs of war, songs of strife, songs of celebration; Nobuo has done it all time and time again, and while his music is predominately instrumental, it is no less powerful in its ability to tug on your heartstrings - to make you feel what you're intended to feel. Uematsu's music is simply unrivaled, in whatever form it takes.

Presently, Nobuo Uematsu is working on three projects: 10 Stories (which I think is a Japanese anime), Fantasy Life (a game for the Nintendo DS), and is composing the entire original score for Final Fantasy XIV, which will be his first major contribution for the series since Final Fantasy XI. If you want to hear Uematsu's music in its intended form - as video game compositions - you'll need to score yourself many of the very lovely titles he has contributed in, a list which is quite extensive. But if you're interested in strictly the music, you'll be glad to know that Uematsu's discography is EXTENSIVE, in ways that I could never explain. Between all the original soundtracks for all the games he has done, as well as the three albums released by The Black Mages, I sincerely and earnestly recommend to everyone reading all of the piano performances for the video games. They're some of the most beautiful music I have ever owned, and you will not regret purchasing these passionate works. You can probably get his music from Square-Enix's site, but I recommend iTunes or Amazon for all your musical needs.