Year of Music

Seeing Tally Hall in concert inspired me. I want to make music again. It's been far too long since I've participated in a recital, concert, or any organized music making of any kind. Singing in the car just doesn't cut it for me anymore. I need to make music.

I've been daydreaming about using the space in the basement of our new house. The space that is slightly dank and is practically unusable for anyone taller than me due to the retrofitted air conditioning system in the house. I need to carve out a corner of that space and make an area for recording music.

Now, this might be a lofty goal, but here goes: For a year, I want to make a song a month, each month in the style of a band of my choosing. It'll be a musical dissertation of sorts. I will choose bands/composers and study what makes their style unique, then try to copy it. Of course, I do not know how to play every instrument there is, but that's where a program like FL Studio will come into play. I've got a violin, a midi controller keyboard, an electric guitar, 2 acoustic guitars (currently at my mother's house), an electric drum set, and my vocal chords at my disposal. If this ends up becoming a lot of fun for me/actually happening, maybe I'll pick up a cheap electric bass. I've also got microphones and the box needed to hook everything up to my computer. I might be able to use my old laptop for this project. Otherwise, I may need to build a spare part machine.

I figure I'll start trying to get this set up (I should have all the equipment) after moving and learn FL studio, etc. Make 2012 the Year of Music.

Right now, the bands/genres I think I'd try to copy:
- The Beatles
- Tally Hall
- Captain Beefheart (might need to borrow Moose's clarinet)
- The Strokes
- Andrew Bird
- Deadmau5
- Lemon Demon
- Something classical, violin solo Mozart, maybe?
- Something almost purely a capella
- Nintendo/Gameboy bit tunes
- Blues or Jazz ... would need to pick someone
- RANDOM! (or something else awesome if I make it this far)

Tally Hall, Speak, Casey Shea - The Beatles "All Together Now"

I waited and waited for Tally Hall to sing Banana Man last night at their concert. They didn't. So I filmed this. Turned out alright.



After seeing Tally Hall live, I have a new appreciation for their music. I certainly like their new album a whole lot more. I didn't realize how dynamic a lot of the songs are. They go from "quiet" to "wall of sound" several times a song. Tally Hall performed "Greener" at this show, which I was never really a fan of. Live, it blew me away. I hope they tour again so that this won't be my only Tally Hall experience (and hopefully, I can see them perform Banana Man or at least Ruler of Everything...).

Tally Hall - Turn the Lights Off

Now for my favorite new Tally Hall song, Turn the Lights Off. This is wonky rock.

Tally Hall - &

Today, songs from the new album. "&" was the first song I heard from Good and Evil. I like it a lot. It captures a lot of what I liked about Tally Hall previously. I wouldn't define many of the other songs "wonky rock." Maybe they're reaching out to new audiences. Maybe they're growing up. Whatever the case, Good and Evil is very late-Beatles esque. Some of the melodies come straight out of late Beatles records. I'm too lazy to note the exacts, but if you are a Beatles fan and you've listened to Good and Evil, I'm sure you know what I mean.

Tally Hall - The Whole World & You

Such a simple little song. Such a great music video.

Tally Hall's Internet Show

The re-release of Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum in 2008 was supposed to coincide with the release of Tally Hall's Internet Show. There are some gems here, and some other music videos.


http://www.hiddeninthesand.com/wiki/index.php?title=Tally_Hall%27s_Internet_Show

Tally Hall - Good Day

Tally Hall has been around since 2002. This song, "Good Day," is the first song on their Demo CD and their first official release "Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum." It won Andrew Horowitz the 2004 BMI Music Foundation's John Lennon Scholarship Award. This video was also "featured" on youtube (not that that means much any more).

Tally Hall - Banana Man

In honor of (finally) being able to see Tally Hall in concert, I'm going to be posting some of their music videos this week.

Here's the ultimate introduction to Tally Hall (and what got me hooked on them), Banana man.

Fringe Element (Short Like Me Edit) - Beni

Liked this song so much I made a Pandora station out of it.

New House

Come August 15th, Moose and I will be moving back into Minneapolis. We're renting a house! Here are the canned details about our new house!

HOUSE FOR RENT ...

2 bdr/1.5 ba, 2story with basement & detached 1 car garage well-maintained house located on a large corner lot, wood floors, tile floors in bathrooms

• Privacy fence surrounding the back yard and a gated chain fence in front yard and large dog kennel in back yard (the house is situated on 2 city lots on a corner) with big, beautiful trees
• Pets are allowed, but I have to see the pet--I don't want to upset any of my neighbors with loud animals, and they have to be clean--I want my house to stay nice (additional security deposit)
• Patio, fire pit, and landscaping in back yard
• Huge open kitchen
• Hardwood floors upstairs & downstairs
• A/C and central heat
• Large 3-season porch surrounded by windows in front of house
• Large walk-in closets
• Clean basement with washer & dryer
• Security system available (you can pay if you want to activate, otherwise already installed)
• Detached single-car garage with side door & garage door opener
• 1.5 blocks off of Theodore Wirth Parkway (Theo Wirth -- the largest park in Minneapolis)

o scenic, peaceful road
o paved bike, running, and mountain biking trails that run for miles through the woods and along the parkway
http://www.startribune.com/10130/story/1164447.html

o par 3, 18-hole golf course

Close to grocery stores, gas stations, and banks
10 min from downtown Minneapolis

sq ft approx: basement 600, 1st floor 700, 2nd floor 600 = 1900 sq ft total ... plus there is a detached garage big enough to fit suv, bikes, lawn mower in.

Blog FAIL

I've been failing at updating my blog lately. I can't think of much to write, so here's a picture of a moth on my mother's screen door.