Chevelle – Closure

This is one of their more “quiet and beautiful” songs. All their songs are awesome and beautiful. I think this one I would classify as their signature ballad.

I’m not sure what the story is with Illinois. But if there was any state I would move to it would be Illinois. Not just because it’s got the lovely Oyn in it, but because it seems to pump out so many great bands. Disturbed, Chevelle, erm Styx o_O, Ministry, Pavement, The jesus Lizard, The Pumpkins (yes, the smashing type). I think Veruca Salt is also from Chicago? And don’t forget that lots of those foundation rockers like Eddie Vedder and Kim Thayil are from Illinois. How do I know this? I’m a stalker of course – or maybe I’m just obsessed with Soundgarden! No, music is more a hobby for me than Abandonware I’m probably wrong about this, but I’m sure the Rollins Band came from there somewhere too, but I’m not sure so I should Google that one day. Same with 1000 Homo DJ’s, they first came to my attention on NIB (woot) but I’m sure they are from Chicago.

Anyway, yes, I’m talking about Chevelle though! Above is Closure, a great video clip from them, one of their ballads. If you like that song then check out Comfortable Liar or any of the others you can find on YouTube.

Chevelle is made up of three hot brothers, Pete, Joe and Same Loeffler, and have been popular in the States a long, long time, but hardly heard of in New Zealand (if at all). I first heard of them when they were touring with Sevendust (another of my faves) and Filter (boy that guy can wail). That would have been around… erm, 2001. They have been around since 1995 so I missed out on a good 6 years of awesomeness. But it probably took that long for them to get off the ground. I’m too lazy to Google, but there was a demo album released at the beginning that I haven’t been able to find. If you find it then send it over!

They released their fist album in 1999 or 2000 called Point #1, but I’m a bit “meh” about it. It’s okay. And I totally missed it because I didnt know the existed then

It was around then (2001) they released their first real chart hitter (and second) album “Wonder What’s Next”. The song “The Red” (which is probably their most popular song) came from that album – and reminds me a lot of Tool. He has a real Maynard-sounding voice. You’ll also probably like “Send the Pain Below“, which is another typical rock song and made it big. I think that one sounds a bit commercial, but it’s okay.

The lucky bastards toured with Disturbed too y’know. That was only a few years ago. But no, they didn’t come to New Zealand. They have never come to NZ…

Their next album (third) was “This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In)”, and was released in 2005. I know this because it was around my birthday yeah. It generated another mega-hit “Vitamin R“. Panic Prone is also a pretty stand-up song from that album. They lost their bass player around here, which was the brother Joe (a hottie). They did get a new bass player and I think it was another relative. They must like to keep it in the family!

As with every album launch there is a mega-tour that never makes it to NZ and I can only see on music websites But I guess reading about it was good, because it brought Taproot to my attention (check out their song “Poem“). So I have to give them a big thumbs up because they hang out with awesome people.

There was another album released when Charlotte was born “Vena Sera”. This fourth album was a bit quieter than the previous ones, maybe that was the new bass players influence, who knows. But there was also a big epic tour too, and they travelled around with Finger Eleven and Evanescence (another 2 bands I love). There are no specific songs on that album which I would label awesome. It’s probably worth checking out “I Get It“.

Anyway, that’s just what I know about Chevelle which probably scratches the surface eh? But they are a fave of mine that I’ve been following for the last 7 or 8 years and I think they still have a ways to go.

I think YouTube is just brilliant, where else can you listen to endless music when you don’t have your mp3 drive hooked up?

The Tea Party – Innana (Live)

This person on YouTube called mingsybob has some really cool clips from The Tea Party!

The Tea Party – Sister Awake

I know that I hardly have time to breathe nowadays, but I found time this evening to play around on YouTube. I don’t have any music on my mac, and I want to keep my iPod formatted for Windows. So what better place to listen to music then YouTube?

This is my favourite song from The Tea Party. They are in my top 5 bands of all time. Jeff Martin is so talented (and so insanely gorgeous). They are one of the most underrated bands of all time, and could have conquered the world. Shame they were glued inside Canada.

The Tea Party full playlist (all their songs) is what I used whenever we played UT or whenever I play FPS games, for some reason it works. I always have warm fuzzy flack-cannon flashbacks when listening to them now, even though I loved them long before UT. -_-

Go and watch And view some other songs of theirs. I recommend The Bazaar, The River, Fire in the Head and their remake of Paint it Black.

The Tea Party: These Living Arms

So a crowd he gathered round us
I’m pining one last kiss
I’m struggling with this lifeline
In the shadow of this bliss
Patience my love Patience my love it’ll all be alright

Ain’t it funny how the fates work
I feel cheated by the turn
Still this love it hovers over us
And the lessons that we’ve learned
Patience my love Patience my love

With your arms around me
You’re singing softly
And I fade from memory
And move on

We were lost inside a wasteland
Of fools groping for the gold
I wonder if they’ll think of us
While they’re still searching for their souls
Patience my love Patience my love

With your arms around me
You’re singing softly
And I fade from memory
And move on
May nothing harm you
I’m still inside you
With my wings around you

So never put it out my love
The spirit is the flame that burns within
Hold on to me
And it’ll all work out fine

Sleep now is descending like a dream
Still I’m shaking from the softness
Of your skin
Hold on to me love
And it’ll all be alright

With your arms around me
You’re singing softly
And I fade from memory
And move on
May nothing harm you
I’m still inside you
With my wings around you

With your arms around me
You’re singing softly
And I fade from memory
And move on
Sweet lover go on Sweet lover go on
My love be strong

Mansun – what a bizarre band. They have no genre they are psychedelic, rock, pop, electronic, and just strange. I’ve realised that one of the highest played songs on my iPod is Mansun’s Only Love Song. This is a song which is both horrendous and hideous, but at the same time so addictive and so wonderfully intricate. I can’t help but be amazed and totally drawn to it, it’s a masterpiece.

And now for a picture stolen with love from the official Mansun website.

So a bit about Mansun… formed in Chester (yes, the UK) in 1995, they unfortunately disbanded in early 2003. I read in a magazine once that they formed the band because they were bored and wanted to get the hell out of Chester. I don’t know if they ever did get out of Chester, as they only ever had a fanbase of hardcore people like me. They were never a headlining act, even though the album Six went to number 1 in the UK charts. Their first EP was released under the name Manson (which made it hard to find) and then they changed to Mansun. Six albums were released, one a special Japanese bonus one which I’m lucky enough to have my hands on. Plus their greatest hits which I don’t own, but would really like to own! There is also a live album which I managed to grab, woot. Plus a few EP’s. Owning the entire collection would be a dream. The Greatest Hits collection was released after they ended – maybe they needed some cash to finally get out of Chester.

If I could recommend something to listen to, Mansun’s Only Love Song (of course), Wide Open Space, Six and maybe Negative or Anti-Everything. Six was a great album. You’ll get different versions of Six depending on if you get the UK or the US version of the album. It is strange that they would do that, but they are a very strange band. Pays to own both hmm?

I wish I had bothered to look at their website before I tried to rack my memory of Mansun details. I now have a headache o_O Go to the Mansun website at www.mansun.co.uk/frontpage.html

BTW, MANSUN IF YOU’RE READING THIS: try to change your homepage to index.html, otherwise people end up at a nasty search engine! Nobody types in frontpage.html into the address bar >_< Unless you really don’t want us to go to this site?? Then again, you last updated in 2000… I’m going to email you anyway -_-

So, I have to add another album to my top 10, but I’m not sure which one to remove. Disturbed – Ten Thousand Fists is just an amazing album. What a piece of art -_-

I was thinking I would remove Evanescence, but that album is very special to me, so maybe Tool (eek, how could I??)

Claire Voyant is another band I have been listening to a lot. From California I think. Some sort of gothic/rock/unknown genre. They seem to mix it up so much you can’t pinpoint them to any specific genre. Very clever It also makes for music that never gets stale. So beautiful (big thanks to Oyn). Their self titled album is really good, but I like the Love is Blind album better. Gorgeous music.

It’s beautiful and sunny here in Wellington today, which makes a HUGE difference. Yesterday was gale force winds and flash flooding. o_O Severe weather warnings and the rest. Now it’s sunny. Generally when the weather mixes up like this you end up with a huge earthquake. We can only hope – how exciting would that be? It’s been ages since I felt a decent earthquake!

Back to work …. ¬_¬