The Sound Room

The Top Ten Definitive Summer Songs

by Jason Hicks

With the warm days of summer upon us it's time to go to your favorite swimming hole, fire up the grill and enjoy a cold beverage.  Of course no summer relaxation session is complete without the accompaniment of some mood fitting tunes as well.  For some reason summer is without a doubt the season that has the strongest attachments to certain songs and genres.  Sure there's some music that has decidedly wintery associations, Radiohead's Kid A immediately springs to mind, but for hot weather there's huge swaths of genres from reggae to surf music to hip hop that immediately conjure images of beaches and block parties.  So here's my guide to summertime classics:

10. The Roots- You Got Me

Really the entirety of The Roots breakthrough 1999 album Things Fall Apart makes for great summer listening with its abundant keyboard driven grooves and thoughtful lyrics.  But the album culminates with this slowburning single that features the always excellent Erykah Badu on vocals and when drummer Questlove drops some drumnbass breaks at the end things really heat up.

9. The Doobie Brothers- Black Water

I'm more of a Michael McDonald era Doobie Brothers fan, but this song has to stand as the peak of the Tom Johnston era.  With it's acoustic guitars, sweet harmonies and country style fiddle it's pretty much the auditory equivalent of floating down a river on an inner tube and what says summer more than that?  Now if Warner Bros. would only let me embed a decent version of the video . . . 

8.   Broken Social Scene- Pacific Theme

You won't hear this song on the radio anytime soon, but Broken Social Scene aptly titled this one when they decided to call it "Pacific Theme" as it's the perfect soundtrack for cruising the 101 highway and enjoying the scenery.  It manages to be both propulsive and relaxing at the same time and contains quite a few layers of sonic goodness.  Needless to say this isn't the official video, but who doesn't love hedgehogs?

7. Santana- Oye Como Va

Sure Tito Puente originally wrote this tune, but this list wouldn't be complete without an entry from Santana and this organ heavy classic has always been one of my favorites.  Plus this is the version that is lodged in our collective unconsciousness, sorry Tito.  If Carlos' snaky guitar lines paired with the hot conga playing here don't make you move, then you may want to check your pulse.

6. The Pharcyde- Passin' Me By

I'm not sure, but I think this is the first track to ever sample Quincy Jones' "Summer in the City" in the form of a perfect bassline and organ part.  Everyone from LL Cool J to electronic producers like Nightmares on Wax have followed in their footsteps in utilizing this sublime groove.  Toss in the ubiquitous Skull Snaps beat, some Jimi Hendrix guitar scratches, some saxophone from Eddie Russ and of course the Pharcyde's nimble rhymes and you've got a summer cut for the ages.  The video is slightly racy, so if that sort of thing doesn't bother you, check it out here.

5.   Wilco- Impossible Germany

Wilco's 2007 album Sky Blue Sky is filled with pastoral beauty, as Jeff Tweedy remarked on a summer evening a couple years back when I saw them: "This is lovely, it's bubonic. . .  I mean bucolic!"  Sure, whatever you say Jeff.  Seriously though, the intertwining guitars and outro jam make for laid back listening par excellence.  I'm told that this song was playing as I canoed across a lake toward my wedding ceremony a couple summers back, you can't plan that type of serendipity!

4.   Sublime- Santeria

I think I just heard a collective groan from any music snobs that may be reading this, and yes it's true Sublime have degenerated into a frat boy cliche at this point.  But does that make Bradley Nowell's channeling of the ultimate summertime vibe with equal parts ska and surf rock in this guitar solo any less potent?  I think not. 

3.  Led Zeppelin- Over the Hills and Far Away

Something about Led Zeppelin screams summertime to me and this tune off of Houses of the Holy is a perfect example of essential dog days listening.  From the acoustic intro to the harpsichord coda, it's basically impossible to not be in a good mood while enjoying this song.  This video isn't the best quality but it was the best that I could find, amidst a sea of amateur covers, which I suppose is a testament to the song's staying power.

2.   Bob Marley- Three Little Birds

This list would be a complete travesty without the inclusion of a reggae number.  While I toyed with going with another artist like Burning Spear or Lee Scratch Perry, no other artist embodies the genre like Marley.  In fact he's probably one of the more important musical figures of the 20th Century, having been the first bona fide third world superstar.  There are tons of Marley songs that could fit here, but this one is quintessential with it's positive message and undeniable keyboard hook. 

1.   The Beach Boys- Good Vibrations

An obvious choice?  Sure.  Deservedly so?  Absolutely.  "Good Vibrations" had its genesis during the sessions for the acclaimed Pet Sounds album, but creative mastermind Brian Wilson felt it wasn't complete so he continued to work on it after Pet Sounds was released and reportedly spent six months and $50,000 (an insane amount of money to spend on a track in 1966) to perfect it.  While that process couldn't have been the best for Wilson's increasingly tenuous grasp on reality, the result is indeed a masterpiece of summer themed pop heaven.  During the organ backed verses and vocally complicated middle section the Beach Boys' famous golden harmonies have never sounded sweeter.  The fact that one of the biggest hooks from the track makes its appearance in the last twenty seconds of the tune is an indication of the epic level of greatness on display. 

Another summer dry spell for gaming

by Mark Alt

Ah summer.  The season of barbeques, baseball, and, for those of us who like gaming, not much else!

Summer is usually the dry spell in the gaming industry.  Hardly any big titles get released since most of the publishers hoard the big ones until just in time for the holidays.

Case in point, today I have read that Forza 3 is set to be released in late October, and Dirt 2 is set sometime in November (can you tell I gravitate towards driving games).

And for every good bit of news, there almost always seems to be some bad news.  For example, it was just announced that Splinter Cell: Conviction is being delayed (again) until first quarter 2010.  Yeah, I also like FPS too. Nuts.

Maybe because the weather is nice that game publishers think that everyone is outside enjoying themselves.  But with practically all school-aged gamers having ample time on their hands with no threats of homework, you'd think that some publisher or two out there would realize that summer maybe isn't such a bad time to drop a major title or two.

Hey, I can dream, right?

Home Theater Week in Review, July 13-17, 2009:

by Oliver Amnuayphol

This week, Best Buy announced they'll be test driving a new category of consumer electronics items--literally. The CE chain says they'll be offering electric vehicles for sale, such as electric bicycles, motorcycles, scooters and Segways. The move into non-traditional consumer electronics items is nothing new for Best Buy, who last year began offering musical instruments with much success. Is it possible we may one day look to our local CE giant for things like electric/hybrid cars? Only time will tell. 

Apparently you home theater enthusiasts luvs your HD sources and have fully embraced all things Blu ray: The Digital Entertainment Group recently reported its midyear Blu ray stats and the outlook is good--sales are up 91 percent over last year, and rentals are up 62 percent as well. With both software and HD hardware sales trending upwards for '09, now's a great time to buy: prices on HDTVs and Blu ray spinners are lower than they've ever been, and the quality keeps getting better and better. Carpe Diem!

Movie Releases for This Week.

DVD: Watchmen; Coraline; Prison Break: The Final Break; Stargate SG-1: Children of the Gods; Made in U.S.A. (Criterion Collection); The Great Buck Howard; This American Life: Season Two; Echelon Conspiracy; Visioneers; an Empress and the Warriors.

Blu-ray: Watchmen; Coraline; Prison Break: The Final Break; I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry; The Great Buck Howard; Echelon Conspiracy; Midnight Express; Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow; The Truman Show; The Manchurian Candidate; Nacho Libre; Coach Carter; Black Rain.

All Things Vinyl, July 16, 2009: New VPI Scout and Mini Super-Feet Upgrade.

by Oliver Amnuayphol

  If you're already familiar with Harry Weisfeld's VPI line of turntables, you'll know they've been very well received by both analog-luvin' enthusiasts and the audiophile press at large thanks to their ingenious mix of performance, value, and user-friendliness. What's more, Weisfeld is never one to rest on his laurels; he's always revising and improving his existing designs while making upgrades that are backwards compatible with older, retired 'tables (as is the case with the Super Platter I wrote about a few moons ago). Well now there's a new addition to the VPI family, the Aries Scout II. Though the original Scout is still available, version II includes two key upgrades over the original Scout--an all new, 1 and 7/8" thick, 20 lb. machined 6061 aluminum platter and a redesigned, damped and tapered JMW 9T tonearm. Perhaps best of all though is the price: the Scout II weighs in at only $300 more than the original, or only $2100 for all this licorice pizza-spinning goodness. Available now.

Attention existing Scout owners: Wanna know how to noticeably improve the performance of your 'table? If so then I've got a doozie of an upgrade for you: VPI's Mini Super-Feet ($300). Intended to provide better stability and vibration control for Scout and Aries series plinths, the Super-Feet weigh nearly a pound each and are made of a Delrin and stainless steel composite. The feet feature threaded connecting rods supported by a damping mechanism and are easily screwed to the plinth in place of your existing, cone-style feet. Three small, captured bearings on the feet bottoms serve as the contact points for your stand or shelf to further control vibrations.

Indeed, a few seconds into an LP side was all it took to know these Super-Feet definitely work as advertised: they eliminated the last vestiges of rumble I experienced at higher volumes, and heavy footfalls were no longer an issue. And lest you think better vibration control was the only trick the VPI feet had up their sleeves, think again: My Scout now had deeper, more articulate bass; a more solid, focused, and stable sound; and a broader, more expansive soundstage. It's not hard to fathom why such a thing should be so; getting rid of those pesky vibrational forces constantly impinging upon your LP spinner means more consistent motor/platter rotation and better contact between your stylus and the LP's groove walls. To say I'm impressed by these wonder feet is putting it mildly: if you wanna get the best sound your Scout has to offer, pick up a set set of the Mini Super-Feet right away.

Wilco (the album) Delivers Exactly What Its Title Promises

by Jason Hicks

When Wilco dropped Yankee Hotel Foxtrot in 2002 it took everyone by surprise.  While Wilco had modestly broadened their sound on their previous outing, the excellent Summerteeth, nothing could have prepared the music world for the expanisve experimentation and considerable new ground exposed by YHF.  Indeed their record label was so shocked to hear the scope of the departure that they were promptly dropped, only to later be picked up by a different subsidiary of the same label group.

Filled with atmospheric keyboard effects, edgy electronics and novel instrumentation, the band had moved beyond the folky roots rock they were known for in a most explosive fashion.  As I start to ruminate over my (definitive) top ten albums of the decade, YHF is virtually a shoo in, and will likely even make the top 5.  It's also a showcase for the talents of recently deceased former member Jay Bennett, who left the group in the tumultuous aftermath of the album's creation. 

As with many great works of art, YHF was the product of many tensions, both within the band and stemming from Tweedy's own personal demons.  The culmination of this dark period was the subsequent A Ghost is Born album in 2004, which is easily the most difficult record of their catalog, with one song ending with a several minute long coda of droning noise.  However this period marked a turning point with Tweedy entering rehab for painkillers just before the album's release.  The result was the easy going Sky Blue Sky in 2007, which was an album about embracing life pleasures, while illuminating a few lingering dark corners in Tweedy's psyche.  Not only was it a mellower and more content Wilco, but it was also an extremely strong batch of tunes that could easily go toe to toe with Tweedy's best in terms of pure songwriting.  It also marked the addition of avant garde guitarist Nels Cline, who's spikey guitar solos ensured that the proceedings on Sky Blue Sky retained some edginess.

Which brings us to the recently released Wilco (the album) which finds the band at a bit of a crossroads.  With the aforementioned tension and anxiety abated to some degree, and the band having already scaled to heights of originality that few current bands can match, at this point Wilco's present and future output will live and die by the strength of their songs.  Which is certainly not a bad thing, but when the tunes aren't nearly as strong as their previous output, as is the case here, it makes for a somewhat underwhelming experience.

It's tough to pin down exactly what's missing in the mix this time, there are certainly some well crafted lyrics, especially on "Deeper Down" which uses boxing and oceanic metaphors to great effect.  There's also no shortage of catchy hooks, but it's very hard not to feel like they're somewhat of a retread of past songs and that they are presented in a somewhat diluted manner.  "Sunny Feeling" for instance feels like "A Shot in the Arm" stripped of Bennett's intriguing keyboard work and unexpected kettle drum flourishes.  It also displays another somewhat confounding development in that Cline is only allowed to rip a truly tasty lead at the end of the song, as is the case on the duet featuring Feist "You and I" that comes dangerously close to adult contemporary territory.  

Really it's only on the pulsing "Bull Black Nova" that the band displays the brilliant combination of adventurousness and melody that we've come to expect.  The middle section of the song with its intertwining guitar lines is truly gorgeous and works beautifully as a contrast to the jittery restlessness and dissonance of the feedback laden verses.  Sure it may not reach the heights of "Impossible Germany" in terms of jamming perfection, but at least on this one tune it sounds like Tweedy and co. are still reaching for something new. 

It's not that Wilco (the album) is bad by any means, but it definitely feels like an unremarkable addition that doesn't really add anything new or striking to the band's oeuvre.  For now I can enjoy it for what it is, a batch of decent tunes.  However, if another album similar to it comes down the pike in a couple years, it will be difficult not to slap the "coasting" tag upon the band.  So for now let's this one be a pleasant, if innocuous, soundtrack to the summer of 09.  But let it be known that Wilco is on notice to blow us away with the next album or else they risk joining the ranks of bands whose glory days are in the past

Sleater-Kinney Guitarist Carrie Brownstein Tests the Waters of Phish

by Jason Hicks

Carrie Brownstein, the guitarist of acclaimed, and on indefinite hiatus, indie rock band Sleater-Kinney has been writing a sweet blog for NPR called the monitor mix for the last couple of years.  Last week she solicited testimonials from fans of somewhat maligned bands in an attempt to understand their love of said "unlovable" band.  Apparently a Phish fan was so eloquent in describing the merits of the Vermont jam band that she decided to take the plunge and listen to nothing but Phish for an entire week to try and get a handle on the band both musically and culturally.  Like many who express disdain for the band she admitted that she had never heard a full song by the band, so in an impressive display of open-mindedness she embarked on a journey to find out what all the fuss, and perhaps hate, was all about. 

Immediately her blog was bombarded with suggestions from all quarters, ranging from their studio albums, YouTube videos, DVD documentaries, and of course the over 1000 documented live shows that are much cherished by Phish fans.  That's right due to Phish fans' obsessiveness you can actually search for and download, legally, over 1000 shows from the band's over twenty year history thanks to the band's liberal taping policy at sites like this one.  Of course you can also buy SBD quality downloads and CDs from the band here.

Clearly overwhelmed in a sea of recommendations, Carrie reached out for help from local fans in the form of a meet up at a Portland bar so we could discuss the band's appeal face to face and give her a few of our selected highlights.  Being a fan myself, and also harboring a secret crush on the charming Ms. Brownstein from when she used to frequent a record store I worked at, this was an occasion that I could not bear to miss. 

She arrived at the bar fashionably late by a few minutes with a camera crew in tow and plunked herself down at our table and introduced herself.  Unsurprisingly she was very down to earth and without a hint of snobbishness.  Here was a woman, and formidable artist herself, that was genuinely interested in hearing each of our takes on the band and very appreciative of the numerous discs of music that we forked over.  After all was said and done she ended up with at least 30 discs of our personal selections and at the very least an appreciation of our enjoyment, and our somewhat OCD style dedication to Phish's music and the culture surrounding them. 

In this picture of her haul that she posted you can prominently see the two white spined double disc sets that I myself bestowed upon her, my handwriting is famous!  The experiment is still going on so keeping checking the monitor mix page for more updates and hopefully I will make the cut for the video of the meet up.

All in all it was an interesting experience and a pleasure to meet one of the NW's most respected musicians who turned out to be a really cool and authentic person.  Now if only she were into guys, not moving to New York and I wasn't married. 

Just kidding. 

Kinda. 

Home Theater Week in Review, July 6-10, 2009: Netflix and Blockbuster streaming; Blue Jeans Cable/Belden HDMI stunner.

by Oliver Amnuayphol

Strategic alliances are pretty commonplace in consumer electronics, and this week there's quite the pair of 'em: Both Netflix and Blockbuster Video recently announced more hardware-embedded streaming video options coming soon. Netflix is offering their free with subscription instant viewing service in Sony BRAVIA internet video-capable HDTVs, while Blockbuster's pay per rental, on demand service will be available in select Samsung HDTVs, HTiBs, and Blu ray spinners. Though Blockbuster seems to be playing catch up with their service, Netflix' move effectively gives them a nearly 70% exposure ratio to the LCD TV crowd thanks to Sony's marketshare. Couple that with Netflix' existing agreements with LG, Vizio and Samsung and there's sure to be an instant viewing-enabled product in your future. Get all the deets here.

Need to run some super long HDMI cable? Well praise be the cable gods at Belden and Blue Jeans Cable, who recently wowed audiences at the Orlando InfoComm/NSCA tradeshow by successfully  transmitting 1080p/60 fps video through 100 feet (!) of their patented, Bonded-Pair tech HDMI cable without amplification or boosting. Whoa. Now, HT enthusiasts can say bye-bye to component video cable as their sole long run, HD video cable option and hello to 21st century hi-res. HDMI never had it so good. Link to the story here.

Movie Releases for Next Week.

DVD: Mad Men: Season 2; The Edge of Love; The Haunting in Connecticut; The State: The Complete Series; Celtic Thunder - Take Me Home; Grey Gardens; For All Mankind - The Criterion Collection; The Color of Magic; 2008 - 2009 NBA Champions: Los Angeles Lakers; New Kids on the Block: Hangin' Tough Live;

Blu-ray: Mad Men: Season 2; The Edge of Love; The Haunting in Connecticut; For All Mankind - The Criterion Collection; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon/Curse of the Golden Flower/House of Flying Daggers Trilogy;  

Home Theater Week in Review, June 29 - July 3, 2009: New Pioneer Elite and Integra Receivers.

by Oliver Amnuayphol

This week, some new A/V receiver hotness: Pioneer recently announced four new Elite receivers for '09, dubbed SC-25TXH ($1700), SC-27 ($2000), VSX-21TXH ($700) and VSX-23TXH ($900) The former two models feature ICEPower technology, while the latter duo utilize more traditional class A/B amplification. What's more, the SC-25 and SC-27 also feature high quality Burr-Brown ADCs and Wolfson DACs for superior processing and performance. Perhaps most significant however is the SC-27's THX Ultra2 Plus certification--an industry first for a class D amplifier--and its internal Burr-Brown 192khz, 24-bit sample rate converter chipset. All four receivers will of course include onboard processing for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA,  and 1080p HDMI 1.3 ins/outs. The VSX-21TXH and VSX-23TXH will be available this month; look for the SC-25TXH and SC-27 in August.

Integra has also announced two new A/V receivers, the DTR-30.1 ($799) and DTR-20.1 ($599). Both models feature 7.2 channel connectivity and 2-zone control/operation in addition to some CI friendly features, like bi-directional RS-232 and Ethernet ports for third party control systems, 3 programmable 12-volt triggers and dual IR inputs. Of course, Integra rounds out the DTR-30.1 and 20.1 with a fine feature set: Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD MA, and Dolby ProLogic IIz processing; 1080p, HDMI 1.3a connectivity; and 1080i upscaling. Both receivers available now.

Movie Releases for Next Week.

DVD: Knowing; Push; Peanuts: 1960's Collection; The Unborn; Lonely are the Brave; Coco Chanel; Beau Geste; Garrison Keillor: The Man on the Radio in the Red Shoes; Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves; Night Train; Near Dark; Five Fingers; A Day in the Life.

Blu-ray: Knowing; Push; The Deep; The Unborn; Grumpy Old Men; Night Train; The Universe: The Complete Season Two (History Channel).

All Things Vinyl, July 2, 2009: More Analog Luvin' the YouTube Way.

by Oliver Amnuayphol

Praise be the video gods at YouTube, who allow us plebes to upload nearly any kind of personal video for all the world to see--including vids of some seriously heavy-duty hi-fi and analog rigs. There's almost nothing I love more than staring at the platters of supremely lustworthy vinyl spinners going 'round and 'round--except maybe sharing them with all you analoggerheads out there. So without further delay, I officially bring you the next installment of Analog Luvin'  the YouTube Way.

Up first is some video of the Clearaudio Statement turntable I wrote about previously. You may recall the Statement being one of the most expensive 'tables in the world; check out how the person handling the records and table appropriately takes the utmost care in prepping the vinyl and the 'table for a most ritualistic playback experience:

Now that magnetically isolated turntable bearing/platter assemblies are all the rage, it's easy to forget the turntable that started it all, the JC Verdier La Platine Verdier. Universally praised as a revolutionary design, the Platine Verdier uses opposing magnets to mechanically decouple the platter from every other part of the turntable, thereby drastically reducing friction, resonance-induced distortions and sympathetic vibrations for nearly perfect rotational operation. Indeed, this YouTube video shows how the platter's rotational stability is so perfect that, were it not for reflecting light and digital video pixelization artifacts, one would be hard-pressed to know whether the platter is stopped or spinning:

If you're a hi-fi and vinyl nut, chances are you've probably heard of Simon Yorke and his beautiful transcription-quality turntables. If not, perhaps all you need to know is that the Library of Congress, home to the world's largest archival recorded sound and music library, commissioned no less than five transcription-quality turntables from Mr. Yorke for archiving some of their most precious and delicate records. Here is the man himself talking about why he loves analog, God bless him: