Album Review: Mark Knopfler - Sailing To Philadelphia!

Hi,
    My name is Surjo and I'm a pro-musician. The songs you are hearing (hopefully) are from my debut album 'The Key Has Turned' which you can buy here.

Today, I shall be reviewing Mark Knopfler's Sailing To Philadelphia. I have a vested interest in this album, since 'What It Is' was really the song that attracted me towards playing solo guitar when I was 15, for all I was doing with guitar at that time was playing chords and singing John Denver and MLTR, not that there's anything wrong with that. 'Sailing To Philadelphia' is Mark's 2nd solo studio album and of course brings back fond memories for Dire Straits fans.

The album starts off with 'What It Is', and of course I have previous association with the track for it's incredible music, but I'll try and listen to it from a fresh perspective. The intro comes in nice and smooth and the guitar intro just feels so right, signature Knopfler coming right in. The words seem to be jumping through time and space, sometimes it seems he's talking about a time period in the past, and sometimes it seems he's in the present. A lot of words used would describe either a scene from the past or a city living in it's past. The music has no ambiguity whatsoever, with the driving rhythm having a force and intensity that is altogether missing in most pop music today. The start of the guitar solo just before the bridge, I mean it's just a master at work, and the final guitar solo is what me made want to play lead guitar at age 15, because it was, and is, just so damn musical and cool. 

'Sailing To Philadelphia' is the title track and features another legend in James Taylor. James' acoustic guitar lights up the start of the track. The song speaks of explorers Mason and Dixon, who were from England and who wound up establishing the Mason-Dixon line in the 1700s, which is the border between the South and North of the United States of America. The music is far more relaxed in it's approach, brushes on the drums and so forth, and a lot of ambient keyboard and piano work, and punctuated by Mark's licks as any Dire Straits will be familiar with. Really evocative music. 

'Who's Your Baby Now' sounds very close to being a song about a hooker. I couldn't be sure, but my stab in the not-so-dark is that it's a love song about a hooker. Working girl, with big dreams, and the breakdown of said dreams, and Mark's failure to contain his emotion at the sight is basically what the song is about. The song has a really easy-going and relaxed tempo and feel and there is enough guitar in the layers, and enough sounds to make it seem like a wonderful cohesive unit. I don't know how it's done, but it sounds great. 

'Baloney Again' starts off with a morose harmonica riff before launching into a drum beat that Eminem could have laid a rap to, instead it was Mark with his signature licks. I'm writing this as I'm listening to the song for the first time, and the song seems set in the 1950s, and seems to be written about a travelling gospel band spreading the word of the Lord in that time and age, and it also references fear of getting into white hotels and restaurants, so I take a stab and say that the band isn't white. The drum beat is really in the pocket and it's a pleasure to listen to with the bass riding on it. Mark pulls out a wonderful solo at the end to remind us who's boss. 

'Last Laugh' is a duet with Van Morrison and it starts off with a neat little tremolo riff and the relaxed vocal style that Mark is synonymous with. Van Morrison sings the second verse, and adds to the vibe of the song. The song to me seems to be about surviving day by day and staying alive. The words might mean a lot to those who have physically taxing jobs. It's hard for me to relate to the words except maybe in the last verse, but the music is just wonderful. There are quite a few elements in there which are great in terms of the pacing and overall feel of the song.

'Do America' has the staccato riff styling made most popular with 'Money For Nothing', and a lap steel lick to start things off. The song is fairly straightforward, about the rock-n-roll lifestyle and touring and could almost be a homage to The Beatles if looked at from a certain vantage point. Cool, fun and easy on the ears, nothing spectacular though. 

'El Macho' starts with a Andalusian riff almost with a horn melody to boot. The music could have been hypnotic but is lacking a couple of x-factors that could take it to the hypnotic level. The words are talking about someone like Jerry, and I'm not well-versed with popular culture to decipher who the reference is to. That horn melody at the top and the interlude is pretty cool. 

'Prairie Wedding' starts off with a quiet intensity which lasts till the words come in to ease the tension a bit. The music has the looming intensity that did mark a lot of Dire Straits' music, and can definitely bring back the memories of a few songs from that catalogue. Also, Mark's vocals are so distinctive that it's hard to not think of the old material. The words speak of an arranged marriage and the thoughts of the groom through the process. The big keys at the back does bring that big almost ethereal feeling into the song. Very interesting combination of big music and relaxed vocals. 

'Wanderlust' has an interesting guitar bit throughout with the acoustic on one side and the tremolo electric on the other side. Sounds like an acoustic bass or a cello, and the drums are really relaxed and the big ethereal sounds in the back. The words are about a man's desire to travel everywhere. Some signature Knopfler licks make their way through to the bridge of the song. I often wonder how loud Mark would be singing in a room in front of you because it sounds so low and soft it's hard to imagine what that'd be like without a mic. 

'Speedway At Nazareth' threatens to start with a  dobro before an electronic bass part takes over, wow a sample in a Knopfler song? It's a race song? Again, not familiar with the heart n soul of American and British references but is this a nascar thing? The music is good, the lyrics flying over my head even if it's a racing song. I wouldn't be able to relate to the life of a nascar driver, so I'll leave that be. Really cool guitar bit at the end. 

'Junkie Doll' is possibly the best lyrical composition I have come across for the particular subject, which is being in love with a drug addict. I've never been in the situation myself, but it is so well written, especially the continuous up and down in the chorus which is something that any addict goes through. The guitar riff is a concoction of a mean electric part with a mild dobro part. Could these be songs to drive down the highway with? I think it's quite possible. Also, does Mark ever play mediocre guitar solos?

'Silvertown Blues' has some good music, and the excitement really builds up near the end with the added bass and drum work. I must confess to not understanding what the theme of the song is about, it might be about a specific town and the workings of that town, but it's hard to catch on because not too many specifics are available in the words. 

'Sands Of Nevada' starts off with the acoustic temolo duality that I spoke of before. It is a song about the gambling culture of Las Vegas with some clever metaphors in the words. I feel that it'll be really difficult for youngsters to listen to this music, although there are a lot of old Dire Straits songs at this tempo which can be listened to by a younger demographic. There seems to be a certain kinship with age that Mark has formed that's difficult to understand without the years in your kitty. 

'One More Matinee' has very minimalistic arrangements for the greater part of it's start, with the drums kicking in much later. It seems like a song of nostalgia, almost a narration of the past and present, like a reminiscence which leads to the present. I am very curious as to what older fans of Mark Knopfler who are closer to him in age and location would have to say for the album, I'm almost sure they'll be able to relate a lot better to the subject matter of the album. If you just wanted to listen to the album without a great focus on the album then it'd pass by fairly quick, but once you focus on the words then it's a fairly tough pill to swallow.

'The Long Highway' starts with the sort of understated rhythm guitar playing that we've come to love from Mark. The words almost seem like just a chapter from a story. As a matter of fact, a lot of the lyrics from the album don't seem to be complete stories but just bits and pieces of whole stories, and that might be a little unsettling for listeners like me who want the whole picture at one go. 

'Let's See You' starts off with Mark singing a verse before the music really kicks in good. Horns and telecaster for good measure. The drums sound really sweet and crisp in this track with the tambourine adding quite a bit. The words could be about the music industry, could be about a fan, could be so many things. I'd be very interested to know if that were a reaction to a fan or to another musican or someone else entirely. The words have quite a bit of sting to them. 

  

'Camerado' closes out the album, but starts off with a driving rhythm, reminiscent of songs accompanying cowboys in movies while they're on their way to the bad guy's lair. Turns out it is a form of cowboy song after all. Nothing spectacular, just what you'd expect from Mark Knopfler through and through. 

One thing which I must mention is that I don't think the album is meant for easy listening for too many casual fans. It took me 5 days to get through this entire review because it took me 5 days to listen to the album. The album is too intense when you focus and listen in, and I must say that I don't think I am part of Mark's demographic here, since a lot of the themes and subjects in the words are completely alien to me, and if  I were to go on the music alone, then I'd rather listen to his work with Dire Straits since there is a certain something there which appeals to the younger listener more. Maybe it's his own age which is reflected in the performance of this album, but at my age, I think a more frantic energy finds me easier than elderly wisdom. I hope you enjoy the album when you hear it. 'What It Is' stands out for me from the album. 

Album Review: John Mayer - Continuum!

Hi,
    My name is Surjo and I'm a pro-musician, and the songs you're hearing (hopefully), are from my debut album which you can buy here

   I'll be reviewing John Mayer's 'Continuum' in this article. It's his 3rd studio album and what he considers as his most successful album. The song was released on Sept 12, 2006 on Columbia Records. The album is considerably mellower and does not contain the hooked-to-a-chocolate-drip-enthusiasm-for-you that characterised 'Room For Squares' and 'Heavier Things'. The pace is less frantic and the delivery is less rushed. It's almost like he takes his time to talk now, and he's more sure of his thoughts this time around, more sure that we'll like him for the things he's saying. He might have made room for squares but he's well-rounded now. Possibly his most musically layered album with a vast array of studio musicians piling on layers of magic onto the canvas.

The album starts with a Steve Jordan signature groove, and well who can complain with that, and before you know it, John counts us in to a really cute little melody to start off 'Waiting On The World To Change'. The words are quite strong actually, and mirror the sentiment that almost everyone goes through of feeling powerless against all that happens in the world today. There's a unique almost rap like breakdown which transitions into a nice guitar solo. He really likes using his pedals on his guitar sounds. How many pop songs do you  hear with a real ride cymbal chiming on in the background? This was the first single from the album and had more than a million downloads, that's pretty cool. 

'I Don't Trust Myself' starts off with a really bizarre guitar riff, with John searching through his pedal stash to come up with a keyboard sound out of a guitar. The lyrics are really interesting, in that they talk about John's doubts about himself in love and also his doubts about those who profess to love him. Is it a circular thing, as in does on lead to the other? Very interesting perspective obviously, from a good-looking talented well-known millionaire who isn't sure whether a girl could love him or the thought of him. PS. Is there a better drummer than Steve Jordan in the world?

'Belief' comes in next with one of the coolest guitar and drum lines that you're going to hear in a long, long time. I'm not entirely sure what the words are about, because they seem to be moving in quite a few directions. The overall theme seems to be about the belief system that everyone has, and there are some really cool lyrical chops like in the second verse where John lays out a beautiful metaphor. 'Belief is a beautiful armour, but makes for the heaviest sword'. The bridge is astounding and brings Pino Palladino to the forefront with a bass line for the ages. Another cool guitar solo, another cool guitar effect, John keeps that quest ongoing. Very melodic song. He couldn't have written this in the first 2 albums. 

'Gravity', according to John, is the single most important song he's written. It's been nearly 9 years since Continuum released, so we don't know if that's changed but it's really important to feel so strongly about something. The song starts off with no frills, no guitar effects, just a pure melodic line, and sets the tone from thereon. The words sound extremely personal, and I think it'd be hard to step into John's shoes to fathom just how much the words mean to him. But I think all of us can feel burdened by the circumstances and directions of our life. The song finishes just with the choir and the drums and some guitar chords, pretty cool. 

'The Heart Of Life' starts with a guitar melody that might have found it's way to his first two albums, but it's not polished and shimmering like it would have been there. Starts off  with a request from John to listen to him while you're going through a rough time, and the rest of the song is basically a message of 'keep your chin up, everything happens for the best' sort of message. The song is minimalistic in it's arrangement with some keys and the bass coming in only at the end and drums sitting out entirely. Almost a palate cleanser in a way, but a good song. 

'Vultures' features another great riff and that's ear-candy from the get-go. The lyrics might be a dig at the press which had found it's groove in constantly intruding on his life by that time. John talks about his determination to not be a footnote in a matter of time and that he's going to take on whatever comes in his way, including the 'vultures' to keep his position intact. More than anything else though, it is a lovely bit of music which is supremely easy on the ear. As in even more than his usual fare which is very easy on the ear as it is. Steve and Pino shine once again, and of course this is one of the songs that is brought forward from the 'Try' live album. A very dynamic vocal too, he really expands his style in this one. 

'Stop This Train' has a beautiful acoustic guitar riff and some really restrained music to set up the words. The lyrics are dealing with mortality and the temporary nature of life, and how it's really scary to think about it when you realize that soon there'll be no one left who was a part of the happiest days of your life and you'll have to be the one guiding others to happiness. Good stuff, better to hear than to analyze. 

'Slow Dancing In A Burning Room' has another startlingly beautiful guitar melody to start things off. What about that spring reverb on the first two measures? A guitarist's ears would just prick up at the sound. The lyrics speak of the realization of the end of one's love in the midst of a dance. When the chorus kicks in, it's almost a different atmosphere with the guitars and choir like vocals. The words get a little edgier in the later verses and in the bridge with John retorting to her behaviour with impatience. The vocals are very dynamic and the production is spot on. 

'Bold As Love' is of course a Jimi Hendrix song and is part of his 1967 'Axis Bold As Love' abum. He maintains quite a bit of faithfulness to the original track, with the only differences being that his rhythm is way more controlled and studied than Hendrix's wild playing. His voice is also a lot clearer than Hendrix. The lyrics are just wild, the person who wrote it must have been tripping. I mean he's talking about seeing colours, cmon, if that isn't LSD then what is? Trust Jimi to recollect LSD onto music. A good cover, though lacking the LSD of the original. 

 

'Dreaming With A Broken Heart' is a wonderful bit of writing. The only piano heavy song in the album, and evokes some Elton John the way the arpeggios are structured, what with the bit of distortion in the piano and what not sounds like 'I Want Love' in a way. It is also brilliant, since there are precious few words in the album, but that never tends to seem boring at all, in fact it makes it that much easier to understand and sing along, a true bit of songwriting wizardry. The lyrics have John suffering from the heartbreak of separation from his love. 

'In Repair' has John going back to his pedal rack for the POG to make his guitar sound like a keyboard. Charlie Hunter comes in on this track to play some 8 string guitar, and if you take a look at that thing, it's just cool. The lyrical theme of the song is about pulling oneself back together after being broken, while as life is, tends to happen often with certain people. There is a certain poignancy in the way he presents his thoughts and words, and I've always felt that he has the ability to say what you wanted to say, only he can say it better. The final sections of the song have so much resolve it's difficult to not feel that uplifting feeling as the guitar solo kicks in. 

'I'm Gonna Find Another You' closes out the album. The lyrics are fantastic, and the music sounds like an old 60s gospel band, what with the horns and relaxed drum and guitar approach. The words have John writing with both love and malice all in one. Not only does he not like his girl leaving, but he's already making plans for how to get past the situation and is resolving the problem in his mind. I think a lot of guys tend to do this as a defensive mechanism, so John, stop giving our secrets out man. 

The album is very easy to listen to and the dozen songs pass by in no time and it's definitely an album meant to loop so that we can live our lives in the background. Very good, to be used as background score for all important heartbreak occasions. That's said only half in jest. Enjoy.

Album Review: John Mayer- Battle Studies

Hi, 

    My name is Surjo and I am a pro-musician, the songs you're hearing (hopefully) are from my debut album 'The Key Has Turned' which you can buy here: here

Today, I shall be reviewing 'Battle Studies' by John Mayer. It's John's 4th studio album and does seem to mark a departure from his sounds from his first 3 studio offerings. The overall sound mellows out a bit, and it also doesn't hit you in the face with crazy guitar melodies. I'm not saying that's missing, it's just not in the forefront, thanks to a more textured sound in the album. Also, for anyone who has heard Steve Jordan play, his stamp and signature style is all over this album, in the drums as well as in the production. The guitars sounds a little grittier, it all sounds a bit warmer, and it all sounds great. 

                                                                                                                                                                    

The first song in the album is 'Heartbreak Warfare', and the first thing that pops up is the guitar riff, a cool whammy bar flutter. Off the top of my head, I personally can't remember this being used as the riff for the entirety of a song so John racks up cool musician points walking in. The lyrics are centred around the betrayal by a woman, and the different ways in which John wants to resolve the issue. He wishes her to understand just how much he loves her and he wishes she stop tormenting him. Now who amongst us men hasn't had a woman do that to us. Ladies, treat us gentle. A line which resonated with me in particular was, "How come the only way to know how high you get me, is to see how far I fall?" John has always had a knack for writing people's love stories and he doesn't disappoint here.

'All We Ever Do Is Say Goodbye' is next and that might be a really unlikely song title, there's just something about that phrase that makes it a little morose as a song title, and on listening to the song it is completely justified, the song is just sad. It speaks of a couple in a dysfunctional relationship and the desire of the female to want to try again, and the reluctance of the male since he's walked down that road before, taken steps to reconcile before, given his heart to her before but it has never worked out, and the most common thing that they ever do is two people is break up. A lot of violins in the background on a straightforward melody, which uptil this point in Mayer's career is a rarity. The words are well-written and well expressed, this guy knows what he is doing. 

Next up is 'Half Of My Heart' featuring Taylor Swift. Now, I think most of us know that John and Taylor were seeing each other at a point in time and that it ended poorly after that point in time, but I wouldn't be able to say whether they were dating before or after this song. I know it has nothing to do with the song, just trivia I guess. The song is as straightforward and feel-good as can be as far as the music goes, and the lyric isn't quite as feel-good but seems honest enough.This could have been a Fleetwood Mac song, now that I think about it, it does sound like one. More cool points for John. The song talks about John having certain notions about himself as a man who's meant to be alone as a result of his journey so far, and then someone walks in who makes him question that. It's a really smart lyric with some cool plays with words, and it's super feel good. 

 

'Who Say' is the first single from 'Battle Studies', and I can't figure out why. It's not a bad song, but definitely not the killer in the album, maybe trying to reprise 'Daughters' in some way. Although the lyrics score really high on the cool meter. John has always had a sense of expressing that there are more layers to him than his label would allow the public to see. The song challenges his public image with the words expressing a hidden anger that the guitar riff doesn't reflect. The jazz brush routine and the chromatic lines in the riffs almost are happy-go-lucky, but the words are anything but. 'I don't remember you looking any better, but then again, I don't remember you', and 'fake love for an hour or so' are some of the choicest gems from this song. He also referenced his Japan trip in the middle of recording in the song. This man gets a lot of cool points. 

'Perfectly Lonely' features a slide double stop riff that one wouldn't associate with Mayer, but then we should know by now that he has far too many layers to typecast. This song goes back to this sentiment of never being tied down, and how he's better off being perfectly lonely. In his singing, I got to say that the way he hits his falsettos are so natural, that really stands out to me, because I wouldn't say his singing is his strongest suit. The music is such that it's almost he's celebrating his solitude, 'Cuz I don't belong to anyone, and nobody belongs to me'. Also, a guitar solo rears his head in this song, and of course it's choc-a-bloc with effects. I don't think he likes to keep the solos clean in his pop offerings somehow. 

'Assassin' has a cool music video if only I could get a decent quality version on youtube. The song is actually very complex with a lot of shades in the musicianship. The start of the song with the xylophonish sounds and the relaxed approach with his voice really comes alive in the chorus with the gritty guitars and Steve Jordan's snare drum finding it's voice. Lyrically, the song is a metaphor, with John comparing his one-night standing nature to a hired killer. He does a pretty solid job of setting the metaphor, especially the line before the chorus stands out for it's IQ. 'Should have turned around and left before the sun came up, but the sun came up again'. In the song, he, who is a serial womanizer, has met his match, and he didn't know the girl he was bedding was a serial 'manizer' (??? That's not a word, but you get it, hey how come there is no word for that?). He pays the price. 

'Crossroads' is of course a blues classic, born out of legend, and Robert Johnson's Faustian Pact. Trust Mayer to put his own spin on the riff with an absolutely bizarre effect on the guitar. I don't know how to feel about that, which immediately puts it in the not-cool category. Very weird arrangement of the vocal harmonies, and again I'm at a loss to understand what happens. What I do know is that Steve Jordan and John locked in superb on the bass and drum groove. That's right, John plays the bass line on this. How does that make us feel? Very depressed of course, John, dude, let some other people do some stuff too man. 

'War Of My Life' starts off at an urgent pace, almost like someone walking quickly. Some ambiguity in the early verses as to why he is in the war of his life, but he starts off by challenging the circumstances to bring all they can for he's ready. The ambiguity isn't really settled by the end of the song, and we don't know what has brought about the war. Nevertheless, the riff is a relatively simple one with quite a few layers running through the stereo field. The guitar solo is again filled with effects, must help that he has cupboards full of pedals. All the tricks needed to fill space are used like the soft chorus, the buildup, the 2 line bridge to a guitar solo. Wish he were more specific with the song. 

'Edge of Desire's' guitar riff is strangely reminiscent of 'The Police', which again rakes in the cool points. The lyrics are rough though, it's a reflective song, where John laments his failures in love. He showcases his trademark insecurity and vulnerability which had been missing in the words so far but which was choc-a-bloc in his previous albums. Steve Jordan's playing style is like a fingerprint, completely unique in sound and execution. There is quite a bit of cool music in here, including a Coldplay style buildup before the final chorus which is sung with a lot more anger and tension. 

'Do You Know Me' starts up with a melodic guitar riff, but not as involved as some of his riffs from his first 3 albums, he's learnt to calm down it'd seem. The song is about a sense of deja vu, or atleast that's what I could make from it. He seems to be speaking to a vision in his dream, and asking whether the vision knows him because he can't seem to place her. Btw, classical guitar at the forefront in this song, which is a departure from his usual fare.

 

'Friends, Lovers Or Nothing' finishes out the song, and it is very much in the Elton John territory. I started having visions of Robert Downey Jr walking around in the video of 'I Want Love' because of those bursts in the piano, and that drum beat. Ok, this sounds like a tale of old lovers who are trying to find some love in each other when it fails elsewhere, or is it some kind of friends with benefits gimmick? A lot of music in the song, lot of interludes and the piano adds a lot of depth to the entire range. The lyrics are tight in execution but doesn't it leave you wanting some resolution? I don't know, I felt that way. 

All in all, a very enjoyable album, and for those who were teenyboppers when Wonderland came out, they might just be old enough to get into the maturity here, and for those who are teenyboppers who are listening to this as the first offering from Mayer, I might actually say go through the entire journey from 'Room For Squares' because this is a sincerely good album which'll demand your attention. I hope you have as much pleasure listening to the album as I did. Enjoy. 

Album Review: Dave Matthews- Busted Stuff!

Hi, my name is Surjo and I'm a professional musician. The songs you're hearing (hopefully) are from my debut album 'The Key Has Turned'. Buy my album here.

I'll be reviewing Dave Matthews 5th studio album today called 'Busted Stuff'. It was released by RCA records on July 16, 2002. 

The wiki link to the article has revealed that "Nine of the eleven tracks on this album are re-recorded versions of songs that first appeared on 2000's abandoned project now known as The Lillywhite Sessions. "Where Are You Going" and "You Never Know" were not from those sessions, the former of which was the first single."

Moving on to the album itself, the first song is the title track 'Busted Stuff', and the immediate standout for me was just how wonderful the drums sound. Carter Beauford had me at hello. I confess to doing a fair bit of research into his drum sound after listening to this album. Another standout feature of the music in general is that there seems to be a feeling of incredible power delivered in the most relaxed manner. The drum groove is powerful, but it doesn't thrash, it just sits up nice and tall and makes your head bob. A cool guitar riff and just a sweet bass line set up Dave's vocals as he talks about a woman who looks like love but who'll leave his broken heart behind her. Which man amongst us hasn't been with a woman like that? The way he sings 'She's the one' which sounds more like 'See the one', maybe that's how they say it in South Africa, sounds cool to me, has a certain flavour. The sax solo at the end with the change of key was inspired, and the way it ends, with the triple-note passage, reminds me of the end of Pink Floyd's 'Money', but only for a second. 

The next song is 'Grey Street', and I'm already at a loss to explain just how they're composing the music. How there can be such poise, intricacy and force all in one, is quite astonishing. Also, that must be what God intended a snare drum to sound like, the saxophone has a much bigger role this time as it lays the riff down while the acoustic is further in the background. The lyrics are incredible, talking about how a woman with dreams to see the entire world and all it's glories is now shut off in her own little corner, and she tries to infuse some colours into her life but they all mix to be grey. She tries to break out, but fails, and silently suffers the everyday, it's pretty potent stuff. 

'Where Are You Going' bring the acoustic guitar back to the front for quite a melodic little ditty to start things up. They manage to achieve a really full sound on all their songs, must be to do with having a large band and of course incredible mixes. The words are somewhat ambiguous, not really giving reasons for the statements. Dave talks about being human and not having answers for his subject (Friend? Girlfriend? Wife? Family?), but commits to always wanting to be there with the person in their search. Is ambiguity a good emotion to portray? I must look into that. 

Next song is 'You Never Know' and midway through the song I felt Carter was trying to say 'You Never Know' what this drum pattern will be. That's a complex groove on that song. Maintaining all the wonderful musicality that I've spoken about in the 3 previous songs, Dave talks about being just as fierce in trying to reach our goals when we're adults, and trying to maintain the sense of wonder that we have as kids. Talks about time being too little to not go all out in realizing our life. I'd say some really smart writing on this, very impressive actually, and also, his most dynamic vocal so far. A lot of movement in the singing for this song. 

'Captain' brings forward almost a dual storyline, because he starts off talking about how his actions might seem crazy to the world, but that's for him to decide. The metaphor is brought in of how he's the captain of his ship and how sometimes there's a mutiny against his feelings from within. But he sails far and wide and longs for his love day after day, and he doesn't need her to pity him, just to be

with him and love him like she can. The guitar riff almost veers into regions of funk, and ably supported by the bass caravans and the drums. This is a seriously good band, makes me feel small as a musician.

'Raven' almost threatened to start like a Chick Corea song and then morphs into a steady groove with Dave singing about a conversation between a father and son. There seems to be quite a good bit of tension between the father and son in the words, and the son is clearly dissatisfied with the dad. Again, there is an ambiguity here, since the issue isn't specified or resolved. It's like writing about a small fragment in time, and resisting the temptation to write the happily-ever-after. It's odd that the lyrics take you in some kind of trip and the music takes you in some kind of trip too. I'm realizing as I listen and write why this band enjoys the position it does.

'Grace Is Gone' starts with some slide licks, before the 12 string kicks in. Throwback melody. The lyrics and music are again top-notch. The lyrics are of the quality which make you feel like he's saying what you want to say, only saying it better than you. I'm not sure whether Grace has left the relationship or left the world (cold hand), but he is in pain over her leaving and the song is pictured with him sitting in a bar and trying to drink his troubles away. 'One drink to remember, one drink to forget' mirrors the sort of duality we have with most of our previous relationships, and of course some stunning metaphors are thrown in. 

'Kit Kat Jam' starts with an uptempo riff and whole lot of musical movement, a sax solo and cowbell. Very gnarly guitar riff if you pay close attention. The sudden release of energy after every 8 bars of the riff has a different feel to it altogether. A shift to an almost 'Kaleidoscope Eyes' (Beatles) type of chord progression, punctuates the main riff, and what sounds like violin harmonics come through my right headphone. Carter and Stefan, locked in a death-grip it seems, that's how tight they groove. 

'Digging A Ditch' starts with a lovely acoustic guitar riff, and a sigh as Dave starts singing. This is an odd idea to sing about, but sing it he does. The idea of digging a ditch, which you'll most likely use after your death, and to dig it yourself, is quite an interesting thought to say the least. The words run through an entire range of thoughts and emotions. Btw, did I talk about God's snare drum sound. 

12 string riff starts 'Big Eyed Fish' and then Stefan's bass sound dominates while the words come in almost percussive. The words speak of sticking to what is natural for us and what we're good at, and while the grass might look greener on the other side that doesn't necessarily mean much. The first verse speaks of a fish who wanted to fly and died on a beach as a result of catching a big wave. The second verse speaks of a man who held his breath till he died, and the third talks of a monkey who quit the trees for the city life and is close to death. Good message, and a unique way to present it, more blatant than our homogenizsed society might prefer. 

'Bartender' is the last song of the album. Starts off with a really weird horn section ( It is horns? Bagpipes? Hurdy-Gurdy ), and then leads into a tuba riff (Is it Tuba? Don't be surprised man, I'm a guitar player not a horn player). Oh and this song, Carter decides to abandon his hi-hat for the better part of the song, with all his focus on flams on the snare. This sounds like a man trying to face his mortality, and again seems like it's set in a pub, with a whole catalogue of thoughts running through the mind. Then there are some references to losing one's way as a result of money and a desire to step back into the fold. 

Overall, it's an exceptional album but I must say, it isn't for the faint-hearted, or for those who listen to music on a fly-by-night basis. To truly gather the depth of what's happening, one must listen carefully and get engulfed in the music. 

Enjoy. 

'Everyone's Favourite Four Letter Word'! How the song came about?

Hi,
    My name is Surjo and I write and sing songs for a living.

You can hear and buy my new album 'The Key Has Turned' at
 :https://www.oklisten.com/album/the_key_has_turned

    Well, those are the words of 'Everyone's Favourite Four Letter Word'. You can read and enjoy it because that's what the song is really about. It's about having some fun but there is a small message that runs underneath it.

I've wanted to write this particular song for a while now, but I hadn't put pen to paper for it. The song title had come to me in 2010 or 2011 but that's all I had uptil Nov 2014, because I didn't quite know how to phrase my feelings about that particular word. All the basic concepts were apparent to me, in terms of the versatility of the word. I talk about how it can be used as a verb or a noun in the song, but it can be used as an adjective or an adverb with equal ease. I wanted to write about these things and the unfailing regularity with which it shows up in common speech today, but I didn't have the glue to stick all of the narrative together.

What changed that feeling was when I was in the audience this year at NH7 Weekender in Kolkata. Over the course of two days, a lot of F-bombs were dropped on stage, and they were dropped in a variety of different situations which really had me thinking and that's when the creative juices started flowing, because I wrote the song soon after coming back home(Jamshedpur) from Kolkata.

Three specific acts caught my attention for their use of the F-word. The first was Monica Dogra, who is well celebrated for her many interests and her pursuits regarding those interests. She's an actress, for those who've seen 'Dhobi Ghat' (I haven't, I've heard she's the actress in that movie). She's part of electronic duo Shaa'ir and Func, where she's the Shaa'ir and Pentagram's Randolph is the Func. And then she has own album now which gives her a solo project as well, plus she was the host for the music TV show 'The Dewarists' on Star World. So, Monica Dogra was the second-to-last set on Day 1, and since we were waiting for the last act (Bhayanak Maut, heard a lot about them, and walked out 10 minutes into their set, not to my taste), we sat through her set too, as it was in the adjoining stage to the main stage.
   She starts her set, and if I recall correctly, it was her, a cello player and the almighty laptop on stage. I never saw the set, I was just listening to the set, my friend and I had positioned ourself in a manner where coincidentally we couldn't see her on stage. Props to her for trying hard to sing and put on a good show, but the music seemed insipid (to me) and there wasn't much audience reaction (obvious by the lack of noise before, during or after her songs), which led her to using a couple of F-words in her sentences. Now, I can completely understand the frustration of people not being interested in your craft, having been through such times myself, and it is a soul-crushing blow. Her decision to use the F-word was what intrigued me though. Did she use it display her assertiveness? Her level of cool? Her I-couldn't-give-a-hoot attitude? Her aggression? To hide her insecurity? Nevertheless, there weren't too many of those moments, but the appearance of the 4 letter word did interest me some.

Moving on to Day 2, and two artists caught my ear that day with their usage of the 4 letter word. The first one being French duo 'Inspector Cluzo'. A guitar player and a drummer on stage, with more of an act than a band, more entertainment than music, more theatrics than verses and choruses. I don't think there was a single song I watched which they played from start to finish without stopping to talk to the crowd midway (or quarterway, or 20 seconds in to the song). To be fair though, their stop-start nature had me moving back and forth between stages, so I might have missed songs where they did play the entire song without pauses. But their usage of the F-word, while prolific in quantity, was calculated in presentation, as in it was rehearsed. They had a 'F*** The English' narrative throughout their entire act, so they'd stop, blast the English, and then carry on. So it was part of their narrative and executed with a swagger I haven't seen before. That had me thinking again, since the circumstances were very different to Monica Dogra's.

The third band of the day using F-words prodigiously was The Ganesh Talkies. First things first, I like the band, I've bought their album and listen to the songs all the time. I think it's widly entertaining music, and they do write dance as one of their genres and they might be quite right. A lot of that music is super groove worthy. Now, coming on to the F-word scenario. The band was doing quite well in their performance, they were tight, it sounded amazing and the crowd was having a blast. There was, however, one song where the crowd didn't quite get into it. Maybe they were just tired, but the singer took offence to the lack of reaction and out came the first F-word. Again, I understand the frustrations of people not accepting your creation in even the smallest of manners, so I understand her frustration, it's only her choice of words that I didn't understand. But that first F-word wasn't cringe-worthy, it was just tossed out there with just the slightest hint of worry, but the more worrying thing for me was that the first F-word was like a floodgate opening. A floodgate containing a river of F-words. The singer after that went into using F-words quite liberally, to the extent where she had 5 F-words in 2 sentences. Which again got me to thinking, why is she using so many F-words? She might be alienating her audience a bit here, and on cue, some of the people started walking out of the set. Again I pondered over the possible reasons and could come up with the same options as I had for Monica Dogra, and if I were to choose one of those options, I would say it is to hide insecurity (if the people mentioned above happen to read this, please don't get all hot and bothered about what I'm writing, it's my deduction and therefore can be completely wrong).

Nevertheless, these 3 incidents affected my thought profoundly enough where I started thinking up of the lines in the song while I was on the train home. 'You can use it on stage, I hear that's all the rage' comes from this particular experience. I then realized that I would like to narrate it in the form of short stories that bring about the different aspects of the F-word, and I had a blast writing the song and now I have a blast singing it to people and watching their reactions.

So that's the story behind 'Everyone's Favourite Four Letter Word'. 

How the Key wound up turning!

Hi guys,
    My name is Surjo and I write and sing songs for a living.

Check out my new album here: https://www.oklisten.com/album/the_key_has_turned
(You might be hearing them right now from my reverbnation widget, if you like it, please go to the above link and buy the album for Rs. 100 and support my survival. )

I just wanted to share the process as far as I can regarding how the album came about.

One of the first things I knew for sure about the album was in fact the album name, because 'The Key Has Turned' isn't just a random choice of phrase.

                                          

I've always felt that my abilities as a student of music and as a musician in general were pretty solid, which I referred to as my engine. So my engine is pretty solid but my ignition key wasn't functional for a long period of time. But a series of circumstances finally led to the key turning and my engine revving on and now the album has been released and it's been well received so far. (Thank you)

One of the main factors of course was me deciding to part ways with Shilpa Rao. I've been playing shows with Bollywood singer Shilpa Rao for the last 3 years and I was managing her tours for the last year too. I gathered a wealth of experience and knowledge in the process, and I'd like to believe that I did fairly well as her manager, but the entire experience was altogether too time consuming and frustrating and the massive realization dawned on me that the many sacrifices I had made to be a professional musician were going to be wasted if I didn't have my own identity, and this wasn't the identity I wanted. Still get enquiries for her everyday though.  

Another thing was some minor changes that I made in my outlook towards my life. The way I've been brought up has made me a guy who hates social visits and going out of my house in general, but then I decided to change that slightly so that I could expand my horizons a little bit. So I decided to travel small distances for pleasure, which uptil that point was a no-no for me, all my travelling till then had been strictly for work. So I would go out to Kolkata to catch some bands I respected and met people and friends and was amazed by their fantastic spirit. That inspired me enough to know that push had come to shove and it was time to put my money where my mouth was. 

Being as inspired as I was, and this is late August, early September in the time frame, I decided to write songs in the manner that I had wanted songs to be written. I didn't have a band at my disposal so I decided to write an acoustic album, songs that'll work well with just an acoustic guitar. I also wanted to have a good number of songs, I didn't want a 6 song album or an 8 song album. I wanted double digits. And till that point, I just had one new song written and that was what eventually became 'Blank Page'. 

The sudden desire to write and to ease up about my life in general led to me spending a lot less time obssessing about pure guitar development and more on songs in general and slowly but surely I started writing about events and topics that I had always wanted to say something about. Also, 'Scream' was part of the same mould of songs, so I knew I could put that in the album as a bonus track. 

The entire album was written, recorded, mixed and mastered in 3 months. Out of that, the majority of the time was spent in writing the album and rehearsing the album, whether it be at home or at the shows I was doing at Cafe Regal before the release of the album. The final process of recording in earnest began on the 11th of Nov, guitars were tracked that day, then on the 12th the vocals were tracked and the two days for a combined recording time of ten hours or so. Then 12th night (Shakespeare reference??!!) and 13th morning, afternoon and evening were spent mixing, where my laptop decided to hang as often as possible to make my life miserable. Then the rest of 13th was spent setting up the album for OkListen while also preparing the physical CDs, which carried out into the 14th which was the day of the release. So it continued till 3 hours before the release that I stopped working to prepare the album and started prepping myself to head over to Cafe Regal for the launch and the show which I was supposed to perform. 

I will be writing more about each song in detail in later editions of the blog. 

Till then, take care.

                                                                                                                                                                

Everyone's Favourite Four Letter Word!

Hi,
    My name is Surjo and I write songs.
 
    Check out my music here: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialSurjoMusic

'Everyone's Favourite Four Letter Word

Welcome to my poem,
It's all about a word
A word for making babies,
Or just for flipping the bird
It's only four letters,
And it rhymes with truck,
Scream it when you're happy,
Or even when you're stuck

You wake up on a Monday,
And you've got to go to work
Flashes of last weekend,
And is that why your head hurts?
Still you rush, and now you're ready
So you walk outside the door
Pull it shut, all good oh but
Your keys are on the floor.

What do you say??? Duck?

You can use it as a verb,
You can use it as a noun
When the word is said on TV,
You hear a funny bleeping sound
It's a wonderful tool,
I'm sure you must have heard
I'm talking about everyone's favourite four letter word

The weekend's finally here,
And you're out with your friends
Need a place to drink,
No more sitting on the fence
Walk into a disc,
Blaring music, shining lights,
See a girl on the floor,
In stunning leather tights

What do you say???? Holey Puck?


You can use it as a verb,
You can use it as a noun
When the word is said on TV,
You hear a funny bleeping sound
It's a wonderful tool,
I'm sure you must have heard
I'm talking about everyone's favourite four letter word

You can use it on stage,

Seems like that's all the rage

You can use it in your classroom,

Sex no bar, nor age

Not that I'm saying you should use it at school,

But this four letter word serves us better than 'cool'

You can use it as a verb,
You can use it as a noun
When the word is said on TV,
You hear a funny bleeping sound
It's a wonderful tool,
I'm sure you must have heard
I'm talking about everyone's favourite four letter word