Spring is around the corner and new music is coming along with it. Here are a couple bands that I`m really excited about.

The Paper Kites

The Paper Kites have been popping up on my Facebook newsfeed over the last couple months and it's no surprise as their music is extremely likable. It really doesn't take any warming up to. It's not that often that a record has me grinning from ear to ear on my first listen but Woodland EP sure did. Honestly, I dare you not to smile while listening to Woodland or Bloom. These Australians don't hide their influences. Willow Tree March in particular screams, nay, croons 2008 Fleet Foxes. But they're following in the steps of masters so I'm not complaining. Here's hoping they release a full album in the near future.

Of Monsters and Men

Another gem I came across recently, these Icelandic hipsters really have this folk-rock thing down. If you look up Of Monsters and Men on youtube you'll notice that there is quite a bit of buzz surrounding them. You'll also notice people comparing them to Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, but those people have probably only listened to Edward's song Home which, while good, is not representative of their album as a whole. Edward was all about the sounds of the 1960s and feeling nostalgic about Woodstock. Of Monsters and Men is modern, driven and accessible. My guess is that they have been listening to more Arcade Fire than Edward Sharpe. Really looking forward to their full release in April.

This post is dedicated to Thea, my love.

Those of us who appreciate art know very well that there is a process involved in its creation. The painting you put on your wall, the album you buy on itunes, and the meal you present to your guests; these are all the final products, and it is easy to overlook the process that led to the final products we enjoy.

In Japanese culture there is a special appreciation (one might even call it reverence) for the process, or the craft of making a piece of art. The skill and knowledge needed to master one's craft requires a lifetime commitment to the process that has been passed down for generations. Every step is important. The materials used must be of the highest quality. Even the tools used to make art come from the hands of master craftsmen. One must use art to make art.

Throughout Japanese history value has often been placed on the artist, rather than the art. In the West we may find it fitting to set aside a well-known masterpiece as a national treasure. However in Japan the particularly adept artist is honoured as a national treasure. Only the artist can pass on the secrets of the craft to the next generation, thus the artist is protected and honoured. Praise the creator, not the created. Hm.

I feel that this attitude is lacking in today's music scene, if I can call it that. Today we tend to prioritize the prodigies. That is all well and good but, where is the appreciation for those who have dedicated their lives to their craft? Maybe it is because we value youth so much. Think about it. Those next-big-things just keep getting younger and younger.

I guess we can't all be respected master craftsmen. I'm certainly not one. But I have respect for those who dedicate their lives to mastering an art and passing it on to the next generation, especially when they do it for the Creator of all.

My first blog post: a confession.

I have a confession to make. I fit very comfortably into that hipster mindset that mainstream music is terrible and I have a superior taste in music because I listen to all these bands that most people haven’t heard of. But I’ll save my thoughts on mainstream music for another time. What I really want to say is that things are changing. Arcade Fire won a Grammy last year. Bon Iver won one this year. Everyone loves Mumford and Sons. My hip taste in music isn't so hip anymore. All things hipster, indie and folk are quickly becoming the new mainstream and I’m fascinated as to how things will pan out.

I often find myself caught between a growing distaste with the direction of today’s pop music and an insatiable desire for new and different music. It’s the blessing/curse of this information age isn’t it? For every Katy Perry there are a hundred indie bands trying to shake up the underground. The problem is that most of those one hundred indie bands are just as boring as _____ (insert current pop sensation here).

I take great pleasure in sifting through all those indie outfits in the hopes of finding something really special. And I’m hoping that this blog can be a place where I share some of those special findings. That being said, this is not meant to be a source of news on the newest underground acts. There are websites for that, apparently.  

I just want to write about the music I love, new and old, soft and loud. So stop by once in a while. Maybe you’ll find something different and special to listen to.