Author Archives: Emilio Pérez Miguel

Customize The Latest Album By Kaiser Chiefs And Buy Just The Songs You Want

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“The Future Is Medieval” Is The Newest Album By Kaiser Chiefs. In A Bold Move, Fans Can Choose Which Tracks To Actually Buy

Can you imagine what would happen if bands let punters build their own albums using the songs they have recorded, arrange them in the order they want and also pick a cover to go with these? Would that be beneficial for the actual music recorded by bands, or would that be taking things just too far? I ask you because a band has done exactly such a thing, and it is turning to be the talk of the Internet.

British indie band Kaiser Chiefs has just finished recording a 20-track CD, and it lets people buy any ten songs from it, in the order they see fit, and give it a cover of its very own using lots of preloaded images. What’s even more interesting is that once a person orders this customized CD, he will then be given the option to sell this customized album himself online, and earn 1 pound per sale.

This is as interesting as it is debatable. While letting fans do such a thing is the ultimate way to get them engaged, it also lessens the unity of what has been recorded. In this specific case, Kaiser Chiefs has recorded 20 songs. The fans buying the album will get to listen to only 10. A system like this one might as well come with a large sticker reading “Forget about sequencing or continuity”.

Plus, the fact that there might be as many versions of an album around as fans of the band means nobody will have the same impression of what has been released. There are thousands of ways in which songs can be combined.

This is not really the first time something like this has been done. Not so long ago, Devo crowdsourced the tracklist for its album “Something For Everybody”. And going way, way back I recall how MusicMaker.com let you customize your copy of The Who’s “The Blues To The Bush” before ordering it. Granted, it wasn’t the same thing. That was a live album. But it made for multiple permutations of the same disc to be available to the public.

Kaiser Chiefs’ “The Future Is Medieval” is a brand-new collection of songs. The only way to listen to all of them is by ordering two copies with 10 cuts each. So, how will this go down with fans? If your favorite band ever did the same thing, how supportive would you be? Leave a comment below and let us all know, please!

Spotify Signs A Deal With Universal. Only Warner Left To Go Now.

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By The Looks Of It, Spotify Might Be Coming To America Sooner Than Expected

Spotify’s much-touted disembark on American shores finally picks up some pace. The company has managed to sign a deal with Universal Music. This means that the one and only company that stands between Spotify and America is the typically-conservative Warner Music Group. By now, Spotify has already managed to nail deals with UMG, EMI and Sony.

The Warner deal itself might not be that hard to sign, actually. All four major labels have recently signed with Apple for its iTunes to the Cloud and iTunes Match services. This is a clear indicator that the majors are opening up to the concept of digital music. I know, I know – the European streaming service and Apple are in entirely different leagues. But that is something of a precedent all the same.

One thing’s for sure: if the Warner deal comes through, it will involve some kind of heavy compromise. Let’s see how Spotify can handle that – remember, it has already angered punters by cutting on the amount of music that can be streamed for free.

Stay tuned for the latest developments. This might as well turn to be one of the hottest stories of the year as far as digital music is concerned.

The Les Paul Google Doodle Will Live Forever On Its Own Page

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The Les Paul Google Doodle

Google’s Doodles were implemented by the search giant as a direct response to the random backgrounds that one gets when using Bing. Doodles conmemorate the birth of famous people, the date in which discoveries and inventions were made, and the date in which remarkable products were issued. And just last week, one of the most interesting Doodles ever was featured on Google’s homepage.

I’m obviously talking about the Les Paul Doodle. It celebrated the 96th anniversary of the birth of Les Paul, unarguably one of the biggest names in guitar history.

This Doodle proved so popular during its original run that it was left online for two full days (Doodles are only left there for 24 hours at most). And the immense popularity of the Les Paul Doodle was confirmed when Google announced the musical logo would live forever on a page of its very own.

So, the Les Paul Doodle will remain accessible for perpetuity here. You will be able to create songs and have them recorded and shared with all of your chums. Just check the video featured below in case you have not seen what this latest Doodle is capable of.

SoundSpar – Compete With Other Bands And Win New Fans

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Name: SoundSpar
URL: http://www.soundspar.com

There is something which is obvious, but which is not any less true because of that. Listeners are the only people who can truly determine how good your own band is. Forget about critics, forget about these radios that actually play your songs or shun them. Any band worth its salt knows the one answer that actually has any real meaning is the one they can elicit from the public. All the rest comes later.

And which better way to measure how popular a band is in the world’s eyes than a site where bands from everywhere can challenge each other out, and have punters vote on which is better? Well, that’s exactly what this site is all about. SoundSpar is a battleground for bands to fight for supremacy. The word “battleground” might be too much, come to think of it. Bands fight each other in what is comparable to a kind of forum where people can vote and opine as freely as they wish.

Each featured band has a record of its own, highlighting how many confrontations they have won, how many they have lost, and how many have ended in a draw. And these bands that step into the ring more often are all highlighted on the main page, for you to know who the champs you should aspire to challenge one day are.

A wealth of different styles are supported on this site – rock, pop, country, rap, electronic/techno… and something that definitely has to be mentioned is that the site is also usable by comedians. The will be able to battle for supremacy much in the same ways that bands are allowed to.

The Official Video For Kanye West’s “Monster” Is Finally Released

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After Having Leaked In December 2010, The Official Video For Kanye West’s “Monster” Has Finally Been Issued

Way back in December, the video for Kanye West’s “Monster” was mysteriously leaked online. People immediately complained about the gory nature of the clip for what is unarguably one of the strongest cuts on “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” (it features Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj and Justin Vernon).

Well, the clip has finally been released in its official form. And you can watch it below. But if you found the leaked video hard to stomach, just keep your distance – the finished video for “Monster” is even gorier than the clip we all had watched last winter. Heads falling from shoulders are the least shocking thing you will see here.

In fact, Kanye went as far as to add a disclaimer that goes “the following content is in no way to be interpreted as misogynistic or negative towards any group of people. It is an art piece and it shall be taken as such.”

OK, you’ve been warned. If you’re not the faint-hearted kind, check the video now:

“Lejos”, The First Solo Song By Nicolás Sanchez

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Nico Sánchez

There’s something that I have always wondered… just what did happen to Igor (the blue donkey that acts as Winnie The Pooh’s dear friend) to look so despondent? I mean, the poor thing looks as if a meteorite the size of Australia hit him squarely in the forehead and his brain fell out his left ear.

My theory is that poor old Igor listened to Tom Petty’s “She’s The One” album and his faith shattered. Like mine did when I listened to it. Because it wasn’t a proper album by any stretch. Petty had just two truly good songs which were “Walls” and “Angel Dream”. And to be fair, they were not just good – they were plain terrific. The things is,  he built absolutely everything around them. The rest of the album is just the lapse of time that lies between these two songs. Or these four songs, to be more accurate – Petty included two different versions of each to pad the album out. And that was just atypical, not to mention disheartening. He had never done something like that before.

Well, last night it looked as if I was going to finally review “She’s The One”, and such a prospect was not really an upside one. Because I adore Petty, and I would hate having to pan him. Yet, a sudden twist of fate brought me into contact with the guitarist and singer from Suburbio [Suburb], a Uruguayan band with a tight, nice take on rock fusion. The guy’s name is Nicolás Sanchez, and he has just finished recording his first solo song. It is called “Lejos” [Far Away], and it is a nice acoustic track that stands as an interesting stylistic detour from his work with Suburbio. It is going to be part of his first solo album (which he is going to begin recording on November).

And around August, Suburbio is also meant to start working on its first album. (Listen to the band here.)

Below you can listen to “Lejos”. I have attached both the original lyrics and a translation into English.

Oh, and by the looks of it I am more likely to win the Wurlitzer prize than to review “She’s The One” now. I will review “The Last DJ” instead. Which is spotty by all reckonings. But at least it is an actual album.

LEJOS

Lejos de todo lo que no me hace bien.
Prefiero escaparme, no quedarme a ver
Lejos cierran las heridas del ayer
Pero las marcas no se borran de la piel

En la distancia encuentro aire otra vez
No siento el frío y me acostumbro a estar bien

Era verdad el tiempo nos hizo mal
Hay cosas que nunca se pueden arreglar
Era verdad el miedo nos hizo mal
Hay tantas marcas que no se pueden borrar

En mi balanza pierde peso lo que das
Estando lejos no se si quiera regresar

La soledad regala calma otra vez
No siento el frío ya no quema en la piel

Era verdad lo que brillaba ya no brilla mas
Algunas luces se terminan de apagar
Era verdad lo que quemaba ya no enciende mas
Algunas cosas no se pueden arreglar

Es que ahora entiendo no esta mal
Salir a respirar
Verme de afuera es ver lo que sentí
Es que ahora entiendo no esta mal
No querer regresar

Verme de afuera es ver como seguir
Intento seguir…solo intento seguir.

FAR AWAY

Far away from all these things that do me no good
I choose to run away rather that keep on watching
Far away yesterday’s wounds can heal
Yet the scars do not fade from your skin

In the distance I can find air once again
I feel no coldness, and to feel nice is OK

It’s true, time did us wrong
Some things can never be fixed
It’s true, fear did us wrong
There’s so many scars that you can’t erase

What you can give weighs nothing on my scales
I’m far away, and I don’t feel like coming back

Solitude gives me calm once again
I don’t feel that coldness which could burn my skin

It’s true, what was shining now no longer shines
Some lights go out once and for all
It’s true, what was burning now can no longer start
There’s some things that can never be fixed

Because now I understand, there’s nothing wrong
In feeling what I felt
To look at me from the outside is to feel what I felt
Because now I understand, there’s nothing wrong
In not wanting to come back

To look at me from the outside is to see how to carry on
I try to carry on… I just try to carry on

“Amber Jean”, The New Video By Neil Young

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"A Treasure" Is Neil Young's Latest Album. It Covers His American Tours of 84/85.

Canadian legend Neil Young is releasing a live album on the 14th of June that chronicles his US tours of 1984 and 1985. Named “A Treasure”, this album is going to feature six previously-unreleased songs, making for a total of 12 tracks of the master singer/songwriter at the top of his game.

This is the first video to have been distributed to promote the album. The song is “Amber Jean”, and it was performed live on Nashville television on September 24, 1984.

Is Spotify Coming To Facebook?

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Despite What Some Think, Spotify Isn't Coming To Facebook Yet

The rumor that Spotify and Facebook have become partners has been spreading like wildfire. And it has also been written off for what it is – a rumor. According to what some people have been saying, Spotify has partnered with Facebook, and users of the social network will shortly be able to stream music right from their profiles by merely clicking a button.

Sounds good, right? Well, but it is something that is not happening until Spotify launches in the US. As you know, Spotify is striving to appease record companies in the States so that it can (finally) bring its services to Americans. It has begun taking measures that have met with acrimony such as limiting the access people can have to music for free, for example. But that hasn’t been enough – it is said that two major record companies are still reticent to give the European streaming service the go-ahead to land in America.

Until that happens, you can rest assured Spotify isn’t coming to Facebook.

And believe me, it isn’t happening in a hurry.

NADIEQUIERE Discos, A New Uruguayan Record Label Launches

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A new Uruguayan record label has launched. It is named NADIEQUIERE Discos (official page here, Facebook fan page here), and it has some bands I already covered on MusicKO (such as Casablancas), and other bands like The Bear Season that I’ve always meant to review but that are still on the pipeline because I’m as peripatetic as Ryan Adams. You know, I actually look a lot like Ryan – the only differences are that he has tons of hair, that he can sing and that he can play guitar. Oh, and that he has dated Winona Ryder.

The label also has a good handful of artists that are completely new to me, which isn’t surprising because (as those fabtastic Swedes sang) “I’m living in a box but I come out when opportunity nox”. I hope to get to know them better soon…

In the meantime, give NADIEQUIERE Discos a look (official page, Facebook fan page – whatever excites you more). Of course, you need to understand Spanish to read these pages. But if you don’t, that shouldn’t be that much of a problem. I mean, how many people who are regular opera-goers know Italian? Eh? And how many people could make sense out of the wreck that Tommy was narrative-wise when it was first issued? Poor Pete Townshend, I read he did almost 1,000 interviews to cover those narrative deficiencies. Lessons learned, kids? Do things right the first time around.

How To Play The 30 Day Song Challenge On Facebook

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I see many people have visited MusicKO as of late looking for information on how to play the 30 Day Song Challenge on Facebook. The post I recently published where I highlighted my 30 days of music seems to have motivated that.

I recall that I also had trouble getting started, so I decided to write this post. It basically tells you what to do in order to start posting videos once you have liked the page itself on Facebook.

This is the way it’s done:

1) Log in to Facebook.
2) Go to YouTube, and look up the video you want to post for that particular day.
3) Click on “Share”.
4) Click on the Facebook icon. This will open up a pop up (E, a separate window) that you will use to post the video to Facebook. This is done by addressing 30 Day Song Challenge (@30 Day Song Challenge), and then pasting (or typing) the information for that specific day (as found on the “Rules” section of the 30 Day Song Challenge page). This is the step that can confuse people. Look, a picture is worth a thousand words:

This Is How Videos Are Posted To Facebook When Playing The 30 Day Song Challenge

There. It wasn’t that tricky, was it? But we all definitely agree this info should be provided on the 30 Day Song Challenge page itself.