Ear Plugs

Latin Jazz and Schoolhouse Rock at the Deer Head Inn

2009-04-28T21:47:00.003-04:00

The Deer Head Inn, the home of jazz in the Poconos, will be featuring some great talents this weekend.
On Saturday, May 2, Marco Marcinko and his latin jazz quintet will be gracing the small stage with their presence. Marcinko remains one of the region's best drummers, and plays in bands with genres like latin jazz to rock to pop to afro funk. And he looks cool while he's doing it. (His eyes are always protected by a faded orange set of glasses, making him ready for "cool jazz drummer mode" anytime. That show will start at 7:30 pm and the cost is $12 at the beginning/$6 after 9:30 p.m.
On Sunday, The Bobettes will be joining the cast of Deer Head musicians. The Bobettes are mainly known for their work with legendary Schoolhouse Rock composer Bob Dorough. You might recognize them on such songs as "Conjunction Junction." The group is comprised of three beautiful women --- Nancy Reed, Vicki Doney, and Val Hawk. That show will be running from 5 to 8 p.m. and the cost is $5.
Might I add, the Deer Head Inn is a real neat place to go see live music. It's small, so the setting between the crowd and the entertainers is very intimate. Also, the stage is set up so that you can see from every table in the restaurant. The Deer Head is rustic, and has been the Poconos only jazz club since the 1950s.
Afro-latin-schoolhouse-rockin'-funk-a-jazz-a-licious!

Ain't No Time to Hate, Barely Time to Wait...for Dark Star Orchestra

2009-04-21T22:21:00.004-04:00

Casey jones, you better watch your speed...when you head down to the Sherman Theater in Stroudsburg to see DARK STAR ORCHESTRA! I'm so excited to see this band in June. They are one of my favorite bands that come around the ESU area because they cover Grateful Dead songs, which are some of the best songs ever created (if I have anything to say about it).
But, like many fans of the Grateful Dead, I've decided to do some experimentation as of late. Instead of writing to you about the band, I'd rather speak directly to you. Let's get to know each other. Come listen to my plugged in podcast about the event here.
Keep on keepin' on.

It's Knapp Time, Kids

2009-04-15T22:52:00.003-04:00

Ok, so this preview is going to be a little biased. Well, very biased actually. The performer I want you to check out this week happens to be a good friend of mine. (There's your disclaimer, right off the bat).
Siamsa Irish Pub's very own John Knapp will be playing an acoustic session on the second floor of the restaurant this Saturday night. John has spent many years reflecting on his sound and always remains in a state of experimentation. To sound utterly cliche for one second, if I had a penny for every kind of sound John experimented with, I'd be rich.
Also, John has also just recently purchased his very own synthesizer, which has been leading him in many different directions. I hope he brings it with him on Saturday. That could get interesting...
I'm glad John is finally getting the chance to spread his music around a little. He's got a lot of talent, but hasn't played many places yet. This is a chance for him to bust out!
On a side note, not only is John Knapp a talented musician, but he is also a very gifted writer. His poetry is a bit abstract, and makes you use your mind when you read it. Check it out here.

A Pet Festivas for the Rest of Us

2009-04-07T20:15:00.003-04:00

Well, today's post is geared towards the local music and animal lover in each and every one of us. I know, kind of a weird combination, huh? But if you put these two things together, you get Pet Festivas, a fundraiser for Camp Papillon, which will take place at Sarah Street Grill on April 14 (starting at 11:30 am).
A little background info --- The Monroe County SPCA recently closed down, leaving countless local animals homeless. Enter Camp Papillon. They took in a large amount of those animals, giving them a chance for survival. Now, the organization has an overabundance of animals and is desperately in need of foster homes, permanent homes, and are also trying to raise money to build their own shelter facility in Stroudsburg.
Here comes Sarah Street Grill --- Every year they have a fundraiser to celebrate their anniversary. This year, they have chosen Camp Papillon. Since this year marks their 14th year in business, they will be donating 14% of all their profits from April 14 to the organization. But they're not just serving food...
Enter local music. Sarah Street Grill will be hosting ten...count 'em...ten bands next Tuesday. Here's the rundown: Regina Sayles and Spencer Reed, Christian Porter, Chris Cuzme, the Pocono Duo, Bill Ruth, Tom Graham, Ansel Matthews, Johnny Rydell, Brian and Nadine from Swampadelica, and Bobby Syvarth. The music will start at 5 pm and continue until 2 am. And best of all...it's FREE!
Besides all that great music, the restaurant will also have a benefit pool tournament, raffles, and 50/50. They are also urging patrons to pick up a Pet Festivas t-shirt or donate pet supplies and money directly to Camp Papillon through the ESU Community Service Student Outreach booth.
If you were wondering, yes, there will be adoptable dogs there starting at 3pm.
You can listen to some great music, adopt a pooch, play some pool, and eat a good meal all in one day. Not bad for a Tuesday afternoon.

When I'm Next To George, I Feel Lucky

2009-03-30T19:07:00.004-04:00

Last Friday, I got to see one of my very FAVORITE performers in Stroudsburg. Who could possess such utter groovaliciousness to impress me that much? Why, the king of the reggae vibe at Front Row, of course --- George Wesley.
Wesley made his round to Front Row, making that the umpteenth time he has played there. He usually comes around about once a month to soothe bar-goers with sweet island sounds and warm, friendly vibes.
One of the cool things about George Wesley and his band are the all encompassing, strangely unique sounds that are incorporated into the music. Wesley has a synthesizer onstage, which he hooks up to his guitar, and then he is able to take on the sound of any kind of instrument right from the guitar. You might think you're seeing him play a guitar, but the sound coming out of the instrument is steel drums!
Wesley has help from his band, which includes his beautiful fiance Annette, who takes charge of the percussion by playing different kinds of instruments, like the bongos and even a small gong.
Most of Wesley's songs are originals, but some are covers. On Friday, he played a stellar cover of Eddy Grant's "Electric Avenue." However, I must admit that my favorite songs are his originals, like "When I'm Next to You, I Feel Lucky." His lyrics boast love and friendship while the music relaxes your body with its reggae beat. I always find myself dancing the night away whenever I go see Wesley play!
To read a full, five star review of George Wesley's newest album, "Hold On," click here.
If you want to check George Wesley out, and I strongly suggest that you do, you can view his myspace page or go directly to his website.
One last hook --- Wesley's dreads are incredible. Come on...at least go to check out his hair!

Jam On with Umphrey's McGee

2009-03-26T23:32:00.007-04:00

Jam band fans, this post is officially dedicated to you and you alone. Hold on to your butts! Umphrey's McGee is coming to Penn's Peak on April 3! You better get ready to dance your hippie heart out.
Umphrey's McGee has been rising steadily over the past few years and now have a pretty substantial fan base comprised of not only hippies, of course, but also metalheads, rockers, and jammers. Surprising, huh? It's all thanks to the eclectic blend that makes up their music. It's filled with reggae beats, long hippie jams, and the occasional EXTREME double bass that screams metal.
The group played the Sherman Theater about a year ago and sold out the venue (pictured above). Fans traveled from all across the country to see Umphrey's and weren't let down in the slightest bit. Their show was a mixture of original jams, recorded songs, and a few covers. The song that really blew me away was their cover of the Allman Brothers Band "Jessica," which, I have to say, they played better than the Allman Brothers do now if you see them live. (Perhaps because the Allmans are old and tired by now, but hey...I still give props. They're still amazing.)
To get back on track, you should go see Umphrey's if you want to check out one incredible show. You won't only be blown away by the music these guys create, but you'll also get carried away in the psychedelic light show that accompanies it. (Note: I am in no way, shape, or form suggesting that you take drugs before you go to this show.)
Eh hem...tickets are $21 in advance and $26 the day of the show. Penn's Peak is a beautiful venue and a wonderful place to spend an evening. Check out all of the info on the event page.

Ah, Sophistication and Virtuosity

2009-03-17T21:29:00.003-04:00

This weekend (Sunday, the 22nd to be precise) the Montclair Chamber Ensemble will be performing in ESU's Fine and Performing Arts building at 3 p.m. The concert will feature a tribute to founding member Oscar Ravina and many musicians who play in the New York Philharmonic will be joining the group.
To give you a little background on this Ravina fellow, I did some research. It turns out that Oscar was a music professor at Montclair State University and also taught a few classes at the prestigious Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. Not only did he enjoy teaching, but he also played in several groups, including the New York Philharmonic Chamber Ensemble and, of course, the Oscar Ravina String Quartet, in which he played violin.
In the press release for the event this weekend, song titles like "Mozart's Overture to the Marriage of Figaro" and "Horn Concerto No. 2 in E flat Major" are listed. I can only imagine that these tunes will be played not without effort, but with great virtuosity and sophistication. When I think about classical music, these are the first two words that come to mind. For me, the genre is good for about the first twenty minutes, and then I fall asleep.
But hey, to each his own, right?
If you're interested in seeing the group perform, make sure you get to the Cecilia S. Cohen Recital Hall by 3 p.m. sharp. It is very uncouth to arrive at a classical concert late.
Also, you might want to know, classy music doesn't come without a price. ESU students get the better deal with a $5 ticket charge. General admission for everyone else is $20. You might want to take advantage of this one!
Now go. Get your classical music on.

Who Knows?

2009-03-12T17:58:00.004-04:00

For ESU students out there...how many of you have been to the bookstore and seen the dude with the bald head and glasses sitting in that little office in the back of the store? Well, his name is Chuck Kagel, who, when he's not dutifully working at the University Store, is playing bass guitar with his band Who Knows.
The cool thing about the band is that most of the members can play more than one instrument and sing. Not all at the same time, of course. Let's not get ahead of ourselves.
Who Knows has a large repertoire of songs to pick from. They might play a little Paul Simon, then some Queen, and then maybe even move into a little Elvis. Even though they only play covers, it's interesting to see that they always find room to add their own creative spin on the songs. Sometimes they add long solos or even other, more obscure instruments.
The main goal of this band is just to have fun! One of the very first times I saw these guys, the violinist, Dale Barth, was down in the audience, standing on top of a chair, playing right to his fans...all while wearing a shirt that said "HOT AS BALLS." Indeed. (Read the full review of that show here.)
The band is playing a benefit for the ESU Tourism Club tomorrow night at Siamsa Irish Pub from 10-2. Word on the street is that there might be some leprechauns and Irish dancers hanging around the Pub, too.

Have You Seen the Elusive Delgado?

2009-03-09T20:47:00.004-04:00

This week I'd like to introduce you to someone who is a little less known in Stroudsburg. Meet Rick Delgado, singer, songwriter, and aficionado to the local bars and open mic nights.
His music, which I would place in the same category as John Mayer and Dashboard Confessional, is nothing to take lightly. It speaks of the troubles of love, experiencing things for the first time, and delves deep into many multi-layered emotions people go through and come into contact with.
Delgado has a very soulful voice, which he always manages to croon the ladies with. Besides the support he has received from those friends, he has also slowly been making a name for himself among Stroudsburg locals.
Although he is somewhat elusive, you can usually find him working it at Sarah Street Grill on Wednesday nights and at Starbucks on Main Street on Sunday nights. Delgado has current plans for a recording that will hopefully be available for fans in the near future. Until then, you can check out his music online. Click here.

Pink Floyd Performs in Stroudsburg! (Sort of...)

2009-02-25T19:51:00.011-05:00

Pink Floyd fans will be psyched this weekend when they go see "Rock 'n' Art" at the Sherman Theater. The venue's website has listed the event as "an interactive, multimedia experience." Local artists Bill Kelley and Chris Francz will be presenting their work, which will be accompanied by Pink Floyd's The Wall.
Although no showing of The Wall could ever be the same as seeing the boys -- David Gilmour, Richard Wright, Syd Barrett, Nick Mason, and Roger Waters -- this show aims to bring just a little piece of their glory to Stroudsburg.
For a taste of the acid trip that is The Wall, check out a small snippet of "Comfortably Numb" from the actual movie.
Because of the band's inability to get along, the remaining members of Pink Floyd have stated that they will not be reuniting for a tour after rumors surfaced that it would happen. However, David Gilmour and Roger Waters still tour by themselves.
Come on, guys. Kiss and make up...for your fans. While I'm happy with the idea of seeing Rock 'n' Art, I would much rather see the band!

JARO Comes Out Swingin'

2009-02-21T14:48:00.004-05:00

For all you jazz lovers out there, I’ve got a special review for you. The 2008-09 ESU Jazz Synergy Series continued last weekend, with JARO (Jazz Artists Repertory Orchestra) kicking off the fourth concert in the collection of events. For their performance on Sunday, they presented “A Salute to Big Band Jazz.”
JARO is a group chock full of talented local musicians, like young saxophonist Jay Rattman, pianist Wolfgang Knittel, and ESU professors Patrick Dorian on trumpet and Jim Daniels on bass trombone and tuba.
The group played numerous jazz standards, with “Do Nothin’ Til You Hear From Me,” “TNT” (no, not the ACDC version), “Mr. Barrelhouse,” and “Pickin’ the Cabbage” all in the set list. The latter was my favorite tune of the show because it started with a strong opening drum solo to grab the audience’s attention. Then it launched into full speed swinging with a high pitched clarinet on the melody and a fast trumpet solo, played by Jan Betz.
To view pictures from JARO's performance, visit the illustrious Ear Plugs Web Album.
If you feel like you've missed out on a great show, you have! But good news --- there's still one concert left in the ESU Jazz Synergy Series. It's going to take place on Monday, April 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the Sherman Theater in Stroudsburg. Even better news --- the show will feature jazz legend Phil Woods on saxophone.
How I love some good sax...

I Get to Interview the Lead Singer?!!! Well, Maybe if He Wasn't So Weird.

2009-02-13T16:27:00.008-05:00

In my last blog, I pleaded with you to go see some live music. I gave you three different options and sent you on your way. When I mentioned going to see Todd Schaeffer, the lead singer of Railroad Earth, I didn't realize just how strange he might be in an intimate setting.
Last night, he performed solo at Sarah Street Grill, playing melodious, soothing, almost lullaby-like tunes on his guitar. I was impressed, and then came time for the interview during his first set break. Of course, there were the usual questions, like "How long have you been playing music?" to which his answer was 20-25 years. Then, "Do you think your personal style differs from the style of the band?" to which he replied yes, and said that his music included more fingerpicking.
Then I came to the question "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?" and his response was: "Oooh, retired, playing golf...perhaps running for office."
"Really?" I said.
"Noooo, not really!" he bellowed in my face, and then transformed into deep, maniacal laughter for a minute. I laughed, too, so things wouldn't get uncomfortable, even though it geeked me out. Then, he returned to serious face mode and his eyes drifted off toward the other side of the bar.
My next question: "Is there anything you'd like to say to ESU students?" His answer: "YEAH! Get off your asses and come to my shows!" (Another bout of wild laughter, this one lasting longer.) "No, I'd tell them to stop reading this review and start studying." His eyes floated away from my gaze yet again. Then, stone face. I was getting anxious.
After that, I thanked him for his time and concluded the interview.
Umm, weird.

Try These Tasty Morsels...

2009-02-10T18:57:00.007-05:00

To diverge from the usual blog review, I want to let you in on some intriguing local music happening over the course of the weekend:

This Thursday night, Sarah Street Grill will be alive with an acoustic jam session, featuring Todd Schaeffer (pictured below), the lead singer of bluegrass jam band Railroad Earth. It surprised me to see this show on Sarah Street Grill's list of entertainment, mostly because the latest Railroad Earth shows I've been to have been packed --- this band is certainly getting their name out. I'm hoping that this will be more like a "secret show" that only a few fans know about. (It's not listed on the band's website). After seeing this band on large stages, like at the All Good Music Festival in West Virginia, the Crawfish Festival in New Jersey, and even at the Sherman Theater in Stroudsburg, the intimacy that the tiny stage of the Sarah Street Grill will be providing is very inviting. Photograph by Robert Langenburg

Also happening this weekend is the fourth installment of East Stroudsburg University's Jazz Synergy Series, which will feature JARO (Jazz Artists Repertory Orchestra). If you're into jazz and big band music, this is the group for you! These guys come from all over the Pocono Mountain area, each bringing their own pieces of flair to add personality to the traditional music tunes they perform. I always get a kick out of seeing professors play in this group. It's nice to see that they have lives outside of teaching! The show is being held at the Cecilia S. Cohen Recital Hall in the Fine Arts Building and starts at 3pm on Sunday.

Last, but certainly not least, Scott McKenna will be playing at Siamsa Irish Pub on Friday night. Every time I think of this musician, I think of college girls swooning. He has a sound similar to Jason Mraz, another burning hunk of teenage desire. Besides that, he usually makes the bar scene in Stroudsburg come alive when he plays. So if you're looking for solid entertainment, he's a safe bet.
Take a break from all the work and the stress this weekend. Get out there and see some live music.

Jimmy Brown is Like a Musical Superhero...and Guinness is the Juice that Fuels Him

2009-02-04T16:25:00.007-05:00

Photograph Used With Permission

Out of all the many musicians that I’ve seen play in this area, I have to say that Jimmy Brown, local talent from Snydersville, is by far one of my favorites. It’s not because of his seemingly three inch thick song book, which holds more tunes than I could ever think to request. It’s not because of his incredible day job as senior editor for Guitar World Magazine in New York City. No…I like Jimmy Brown because of his totally badass guitar solos.

Few times have I seen Jimmy Brown play and not noticed everyone at the gig staring at him, mouths agape, with looks of absolute awe on their faces at least once in the night. It usually happens around the time he plays Led Zeppelin’s “Heartbreaker” and gets to the solo. His face twists and contorts around the licks as his fingers run frantically up and down the neck of his guitar, piercing each note with crispness and clarity. (The same can be said when he performs Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Freebird,” which is amazing for one man to do by himself. But it only happens every once in a great while, so consider yourself lucky if you see it).

It’s amazing --- this guy lives and breathes music. You could ask him almost any song and he’d be able to play it right there on the spot (or at least with a little help from that songbook). His repertoire is interesting because he dabbles in so many different genres of music. You might hear John Mayer, Led Zeppelin, Paul Simon, Steely Dan, and an Irish jig all in one set. The possibilities seem almost endless when you've got such a talented musician on your hands.

He also offers online guitar lessons through Guitar World Magazine. To see his Guitar 101 lesson on string whacking, click here. (From there, you can access different videos on various aspects of basic guitar playing).

To read my full review on Jimmy Brown, visit Helium.com.

Rock on!

Is There Anybody Alive Out There?!?!

2009-02-02T21:40:00.006-05:00

I’ve never been a huge fan of Bruce Springsteen. I’ve always thought of him as more appealing to his own cult-like fan base, much like Jimmy Buffett. But when the half time show began, I was immediately fixated on the television screen.
He started his show off right with an enthusiastic toss of his guitar, which almost didn't get caught by the guy doing the catching, and then burst into a rockin’ “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out.” But nonetheless, this performance just goes to show that Bruce Springsteen doesn't plan on getting out of the music business anytime soon. Despite his age, he can still shake 'em down. I cracked up when he did his infamous knee slide into the camera. Whether that was planned or not, it sure fit with the rest of his exuberant performance, which was filled with high jumps and kicks, intense running from one side of the stage to the other, and, of course, fist pumps.
Accompanied by Steven Van Zandt, long time, pirate look-a-like band mate and feared mobster on The Sopranos, Bruce and the rest of the E Street band performed their hearts out. After “Born to Run,” they were joined by a full gospel choir to sing on Springsteen’s latest hit “Working on a Dream.”
And how about those synched pyrotechnics? I loved how everything came together during this show. The fireworks added so much intensity to an already stellar performance, which made this show such a great success.
Bruce was a good pick for this year's half time show because of what he represents to his fans, and even those that might not pay much attention to him. When people think of Bruce Springsteen, they think of New Jersey, Asbury Park, and the Stone Pony, but also of a kind of American icon. For this reason, he was the best choice for this year's Superbowl. With the current status of the economy, and the encouraging hope and push for change from President Obama, Bruce's performance served as a confidence boost for many Americans watching the game last Sunday night.
Whether you like him or not, you have to admit that Bruce, along with his band, did an amazing job getting both Pittsburgh and Arizona fans revved up for the second half of the game. We can only hope that next year’s choice of musician will provide such great entertainment.
If you missed the Superbowl Half Time show because you were getting yourself another beer, refilling the bowl of chips, or making more chili dip, you can watch the video on YouTube .

Winterfest '09 Puts the "Hoot" in "Hootenanny"

2009-01-31T21:55:00.003-05:00

I think I might have just experienced a bluegrass overload…

Ten different bluegrass bands played at the ninth annual Winterfest. Here are just a few highlights from the day:

Country Grass is a band comprised of happy go lucky old timers, who really captured the essence of the bluegrass sound. Not only did they pick, pluck, and sing well, but they also looked very professional in matching embroidered white shirts with their band name on them.

Remington Ryde stuck out to me mainly because of banjo player Billy Lee Cox, who proved he could whip up a high spirited, improvised solo.

Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass were the heavy hitters of Winterfest this year. They are featured on CMT, no doubt because of their record deal with Rounder Records.

Cabinet, an ESU favorite from Scranton (pictured above), proved that you don’t have to be an ol’ timer to perform an amazing bluegrass set. When the band took the stage, fans actually started dancing, which didn’t happen with any other band during the day. To view more pictures of Cabinet, visit the Ear Plugs Web Album.

Heavy Traffic also gave the audience a good healthy dose of pluckin’ and pickin.’ Once again, the banjo took the show, with Arnie Reisman plucking his way into my heart.

Because I listened to so much bluegrass that day, I was pretty much able to categorize almost every bluegrass tune into one of four different types of songs. Here’s what I came up with. The first category is filled with sad, down tempo ballads, usually with lyrics about a love lost or hard times had. The second category is made of up-tempo, but not too fast songs that sound really happy because of the relative up and down pitches on the upright bass. My third bluegrass song category is comprised of slower, easy going pluckin’ songs that always seem to make me envision someone in overalls sitting on a dusty old front porch down south somewhere...or the entire movie Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? And the final category I came up with is filled with extremely fast songs that are so momentous they sound like a huge freight train barreling down the tracks with no signs of stopping.

To learn about the Pocono Bluegrass and Folk Society, click here. You can also find information on the rest of the bands that performed at Winterfest --- what a hoot!

The Greg Mayo Band Wants to Funk.....You Up.

2009-01-27T19:32:00.008-05:00

I’ve plugged them before and I’ll plug them again...

January 24 marked the third time I’ve seen the Greg Mayo Band and I’m still just as astounded as I was the first time they came onstage, donning black suits and a wicked attitude.

These guys just never disappoint me. They certainly didn’t disappoint anyone in Sarah Street Bar either --- I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many people, mostly students, dancing on the tiny open space in front of the purple and red lighted stage. (What a great break from studying for ESU students!)

There’s something about the way they combine familiar genres jazz, blues, funk, soul, and pop that makes for an extremely tasty mixture. In fact, I could pick out some of the band’s influences --- Stevie Wonder, for one --- before lead singer Greg Mayo even mentioned them the first time I saw the band. Mayo’s voice, as I have mentioned before in my previous review, is completely beautiful. It’s a little poppy, but altogether smooth and always on pitch and in harmony with the other band member’s voices. The vocals, mixed with the sumptuous saxophone solos, wicka-wicka-wa-was of the funky guitar, and poppin’ drums make you want to get up and shake that moneymaker. (Especially on their up-tempo hit “Get Down”).

During their performance last Saturday, they played songs off of their latest CD, entitled Universal Communication. (I think I’ve overplayed my copy --- I’ve listened to it at least once a week for the past two months.) However, my appetite for this band will be satisfied once more, as Greg Mayo informed me that the guys will be taking the month of February off to record a new album. Fans of the group will certainly be ecstatic when they come back to Stroudsburg in March with the new album for purchase. Even on Saturday, I watched many bar hoppers buy copies of Universal Communication.

To see more pictures from their performance at Sarah Street Grill, visit the always entertaining Ear Plugs Web Album.

To read my full article on the band, visit Helium.

I.M. Legend Not So Legendary

2009-01-22T18:01:00.001-05:00

For my first post, manager for the local band I.M. Legend proposed that I take a listen to his band, which had me a little uneasy to begin with. I had heard of the band, and assumed that they were a high school bubblegum pop punk band that would surely make their way into my "I'll never listen to that again" file. Nonetheless, I had to give them a fighting chance to prove me wrong.
Did they make it into the dreaded file? Not quite, but almost.
I would put these guys in the "I'm desperately trying to impress you, so please listen to me" file. They're The Ataris meets Fenix TX meets Alkaline Trio and Finch. (There are so many that sound the same). I won't say that I'd never listen to them again, but they really need some TLC from talented musicians.
I listened to I.M. Legend's songs on myspace and found that most songs that had opening guitar solos were decent...until the vocals came in. The music wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the scrappy vocals, which clouded over most of the instruments when the band began to harmonize. I couldn't tell if they were singing, screaming, crying, or doing all three at once.
Of course, this band might also want to consider varying their lyrics on some songs as well. In "The Sun Will Rise" the chorus repeats we don't want it, we don't want it, we don't want it, no, we don't need it, we don't need it, we don't need it from you. Thanks I.M. Legend, you captured my thoughts exactly. Repetition in many genres of music is natural, but there is a point where it becomes more annoying than musical.
Apprecation points are given because these guys are artists out there doing the work to get themselves noticed. At least they know how to play their instruments. But come on guys, you don't have to try so hard. You don't have to be The Ataris or any other band. Just be yourselves.

And yeah, it did take me back to high school.

Welcome to Ear Plugs

2009-01-18T10:32:00.002-05:00

Photograph by Kate Langenburg

Welcome to Ear Plugs, a music review blog that takes a close look at new and old recordings, live performances, and musicians. Every week, I will provide you with thoughts on one of these subjects. Many of the live performance and musician reviews will come from local talent featured in the Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania area, which is where I am from.

A few of the reviews will surely reflect my own tastes in music. I can tell you right now that I am a huge jam band fan, so any shows in the area pertaining to that genre, I will definitely attend. However, I also want to branch out and listen to some things that I haven’t heard before. Of course, any and all suggestions you might have are welcome.

To tell you a little about why I am writing this blog --- I am currently the Arts and Entertainment Editor for the Stroud Courier, which is the student newspaper for East Stroudsburg University. I’ve spent many semesters traveling around to concerts, meeting musicians, and getting to understand the music biz. I still have a long way to go, but it is my hope that these reviews will help music listeners to do the same.

Enjoy music. Enjoy Ear Plugs.

---Kate