Vinyl records, over the years have made a strong comeback even among the younger generation.
Music fans, either new collectors or hard-core collectors, are now more appreciative of the record as a form of art, from the cover to the feel to the sound.
It’s a way to tangibly own music. For many people who love vinyl, it’s also about the thrill of the hunt, many people love going into vinyl stores to find new and exciting music.
Vinyl records are also an analog recording which capture a more complete sound wave than a digital recording.
To get a more in-depth look into why people enjoy vinyl and why it continues to remain popular, we asked George Reynoso who is a local vinyl shop owner in El Paso, Texas.
George Reynoso owner of ALL THAT MUSIC
From the video you can see that vinyl is something that is physical and people will always be drawn into vinyl.
I believe so, because everywhere you go to whether its going to the store or the gym, music will always be there, and we’re consuming more music than ever before, but not in the same way, Music is just files now such as streaming and MP3. However, The ability to stop and sit and listen to an album from beginning to end, that’s something that will always be relevant.
Information from Pitchfork of vinyl records sold during the formats resurgence.
Through this semester long project, I’ve learned many things about the web and web design. I’ve learned how to make a meaningful blog site as well as how to create a website from scratch such as using HTML. My best experience through this semester long project was the blog itself. I’ve had such a good time reviewing blogs about what I love to write about such as talking about music and concerts. It was a great experience sharing my thoughts about upcoming bands and reviewing their latest albums. This blog helped me learn how to manage a website however, there are things I’d like to improve upon this blog. I’d improve the little details such as adding more icons or including music to listen to, so viewers can experience the songs I’m talking about in my blog. A better way to promote my content would be by just using ads in social media such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Overall, this experience taught me how to manage a blog and learn what it takes to sustain a well implemented blog. This could benefit my future because you could show employers that you know how to start and manage your very own website. You could also go the entrepreneur route, start your own business, and create your own website for that business.
Through my analytics you can see that February 17th was my most popular week and I believe the reason why is that people enjoy getting to know the person behind the blog . In that week, I blogged about myself and I think people can relate to my story which makes it more appealing to the viewer. In total I had 37 views in that week, which is actually pretty surprising for me. I honestly didn’t expect to have such a good amount of viewers. My most popular post is my “upcoming band” post which had 20 views. I believe it was popular because I wrote about what this blog consists of and I think people are just curious to see what this blog is about.Something that surprised me was getting a viewer from china which was very unexpected. In my twitter analytics, I was very surprised to see that my tweet about reviewing another blog got way more attention. Overall, I’m happy with the results from my analytics and the way I went about creating this blog.
Combined with both an easygoing personality and a loving lyricist Mac DeMarco has risen as one of the best indie/alternative artist there is. Mac DeMarco has pushed boundaries with his music by combining a strange mix of jazz rock, pop, and 70’s rock. He has paved a way for Indie/alternative artists and some would say they are inspired by Mac. It was an honor to see him live and perform with a personality like no other.
Taken By: Tristan Waters
As I go into the venue, I start feeling anxious and nervous before the show. I’m thinking to myself, “How is this show going to be? Is he a different person live? Will the music be different?”. The answer was definitely no, the show was spectacular. Mac Demarco hyped the crowd up with his use of beautiful lyricism and use of gorgeous stage design such as using props, lighting, and the ability to change his vocals on songs. He was very interactive with the crowed and was able to change the atmosphere in the room. For example, when he played slow songs like “Salad Days”, the crowd was in a very relaxed environment; however, he was able to get the crowd moving and jumping by playing songs like “Freaking Out the Neighborhood” and “Ode to Viceroy”.
Mac DeMarco’s latest album “Here Come The Cowboy” is not my most favorite album. However, the album definitely has some genuine moments. “Preoccupied” literally is about feeling preoccupied. You can virtually hear birds, as though your preoccupied looking out your window and opening your mind. The birds chirping in the background really give that feel of being preoccupied. ” Nobody” is a gorgeous song as well, the lyrics are certainly emotional and is interesting to listen to. Overall, this album isn’t too bad to listen to, however, it does have some great moments on the album. I recommend if your looking for a different style or genre coming from Mac DeMarco, this could be the album for you.
If you like this review and want to learn a little more, just click on Mac DeMarco. I’ll also be providing Mac DeMarcos soundcloud if you want to hear the music for yourself. Let me hear your thoughts about the artist or the album on twitter. Just click the little twitter icon below!!
Welcome back to the blog music lovers, I hope everyone is good, staying safe, and listening to music at home. Unfortunately,we cant go out to concerts for awhile so I thought I’d give a recommendation on a band I saw a few months ago before all this corona stuff started happening. I was unaware of this band till I saw them perform live at a festival in my home town. That band is known as Banes World.
If your a fan of psychedelic pop, you probably know who Banes World is. Shane Blanchard who is Banes World created a band and has introduced a new wave of dreamy psychedelic pop into the Indie/Alternative world. When I listen to the music it gives off a “groovy” and “dreamy” feeling in the air. What’s so fascinating about his music is that he only has one album out. That one album has grown immensely over the years due to the heartfelt songs and lyricism used in the album. “Drowsy” is the name of the album and can only be described like being in a dream. The album is laid back with soft melodies while using a use of psychedelia into the songs. I recommend this album if your interested and personalty it’s one of my favorite albums. Banes World is bringing a new and interesting wave into the indie/alternative genre. Shane really connects with the music on a deep emotional level. Songs like “Valentine’s curse” and “Stay Away from My Baby” really bring out emotions and create such lovely lyricism.
At the festival, seeing the band Banes World live put me in a different perspective. At first I did not know who Banes World was and after seeing Shane perform the band really impressed me. Shane performed all his songs, was able to impress the crowd with his vocal, and gave the audience a feeling of calm yet uplifting feel in the crowed. When the time comes and able to go back to concerts I hope I can see Banes world the second time.
If you like this review and want to learn a little more, just click on Banes World . I’ll also be providing Banes World’s soundcloud if you want to hear their music for yourself. Let me hear your thoughts about the band or the album on twitter. Just click the little twitter icon below!!
No Vacation is a San Francisco based indie pop group, much like my first blog about summer salt. No Vacation also has a feeling of old surf-rock and silky vocals that really make a person feel calm yet give an upbeat mood in the air when listing to them. As I saw them perform, it gave me a nostalgic, surf-pop sound that emitted a sensation that made me feel like I was walking at the beach in summer weather. Due the COVID-19, I wasn’t able to see them perform for the second time due to all live performance’s being canceled or postponed. However, I thought it would be a good idea to share my experience at the first live performance and my thoughts on the band when I saw them a year ago.
Taken by :Tristan Waters
This upcoming band called No Vacation really surprised me with their use of well balanced sounds, bass lines with soft melodies, gentle guitar strums, and warm pop vocals. I’ve listened to their music before and I was ready to watch them live. As I went inside the venue and the show started I was utterly surprised. Honestly the showmen ship was great! They got the crowd to interact and was not like any other pop show. Nothing against pop shows, but usually at a pop show they’re very high priestess about the crowd and not very expressive or not really interactive with the audience. However, that wasn’t the case with No Vacation, they really put on a genuine show with an amazing audience to back them up. Like I said before, this indie pop band uses creative soft and gentle songs however they were able to turn these gentle songs into an exciting, heart racing event.
“Phasing” is No Vacation’s latest album. You can tell the effort the band put into the album by just listening to it. “Phasing” shows an instrumentally dynamic, multi genre rush that calls on the sounds of 90’s alternative rock, pop, and soothing melodies. Opening with the track “Estrangers” this song is filled with the violin and synth bells that balance the sharpness of the guitar and the band as a whole. The second song, “Changes,” is my favorite track of the whole EP. The guitar riffs and the instrumental buildup makes the song sound superb. It’s definitely one of those songs I can dance to, study to, and cry to all at the same time. As I listen to this album, I think about how much the band has progressed with their music and how the direction of their music style is growing on a new and exciting level.
If you like this review and want to learn more, just click on No Vacation . I’ll also be providing No Vacation’s soundcloud if you want to hear their music for yourself. Let me hear your thoughts about the band or the album on twitter. Just click the little twitter icon below!!
Unfortunaity, since this covid-19 situation began happening, most venues and artist have been canceling shows and pushing back tour dates. However, that will not be interfering with my blog but I wont be going to any new shows anytime soon. Most likely, my fellow music lovers will also not be going to shows any time soon. That’s sad to hear but we can make the best of it by talking about our favorite artist and support them by listing to their music. Another idea I had is to just blog about previous shows I’ve been to and discuss why they’re a good band to listen to. Another great band that really impressed was the band Okey Dokey.
photo taken by Tristan Waters
As I walk into “paper tiger’s” (the venue) I noticed most people looking eager for the first band to come out. I was curious to know because I wasn’t sure who was the first band playing. As the show began, people started cheering for the band called Okey Dokey . The band Okey Dokey from Nashville really impressed me during the show because they played such a unique sound of warm indie/alternative music with a touch of 60’s pop. Aaron Martin who is the lead singer really puts on a show by jumping off stage and interacting with the audience. Not only was his performance good but the music makes you want to smile and gave me a feeling of joy. Later as the night went on, I was more and more impressed with his use of sounds and vocals. If you’re looking for a band with rich and psychedelia sound,Okey Dokey could be the band for you. After the concert, I wanted to learn more and start listing to their albums.
The album that really got my attention was “Love You,Mean It”. This album was like a journey for me and I never wanted it to stop. The album talks about love, life, and just staying true to yourself. You can listen to authentic vocals, upbeat melodies, and a feel of 60’s pop coming from the band. The most popular song on this album “Wavy Gravy”, is about being enthralled with another person you really care about and not being able to let them go. Like “Wavy Gravy”, most of the songs on the album really emphasis love . However, songs like “Simpler Times” and “Boodydew” have more meaning towards life and the feelings of not regretting anything. It was also about how spooky it can be to not let life pass you by. Overall, this album really paints a picture in the viewers mind. I recommend checking out the band if your interested in having some upbeat music or if your looking for some feel good music to brighten up your day, Okay Dokey is the band for you.
If you like this review and want to listen to the album for yourself, just click on okay dokey. I also really like to hear your thoughts about the band or the album on twitter. Just click the little twitter icon below!!
When I listen to music, I try to be with myself and fully commit to listening to the whole album. Afterwards, I think about what the artist is going through and why they made the song/album. However, I have a curiosity on what others think about said song/album. There is one blog that always provides good information and different perspectives from other people. That blog is allmusic.com . This blog provides great information on albums, artists , and a great place to express your feelings on a particular album.
What I find so appealing about his blog is that it’s not just one person reviewing every single album. Its multiple people who give there insight on a particular album or artist. All music is well organized and I strive to make my blog as appealing as ALLMUSIC. It has everything your looking for when it comes to music. For example, if your looking for a particular album, you can look it up on ALLMUSIC, it gives a helpful overview about the album and people can even comment to give their personal take on said album. ALLMUSIC is about community and for me personally, I think its a great blog to give your opinion and is a helpful when it comes to finding a particular album or learn more information about an artist. Not only does ALLMUSIC review albums but it recommends articles, interviews, and recommendations for music.
You might be thinking, how does this relate to my upcoming band blog ? well, ALLMUSIC provides some great overview information about new artists that are rising up. Although, they focus more on popular music albums, it can also be a great place to find a community where people can share their thoughts on an album. What I’d like to strive for in this blog is to build a community, so we can share ideas and thoughts about the upcoming artists I will be discussing. What I find so unique in ALLMUSIC is the fact that its well organized and different people can discuss a particular album. ALLMUSIC is one of the best blog sites for music in my opinion because when I’m done listing to an album, I go to check what other people are thinking and it gives me new incite on what the album is about.
Hello everyone! Welcome to the blog about upcoming band reviews. My name is Tristan Waters, I’m a student at Texas State university, currently majoring in Electronic media and a minor in communication. I was born In El Paso, Texas and I just moved here 7 months ago. Music has always been a big part of my life and I think music is a good way to spread opinions, thoughts, and ideas about artists we love and care about.
Photo taken by: David Del Rosa
A little music introduction
Growing up in El Paso Tx, I was always interested in CD’s (compact disk). My mom had a huge collection of scratched CD’s. I would always go to the Mercado (Mexican market) with her to pick out as many CD’s; as long as the cover art looked cool. Then as I grew older, I was more interested in listening to CD’s. This led me to discover many artists/bands such as Pink Floyd, System of the Down, Selena, Prince, the Beatles, Etc. I always liked to talk about music with family, friends or whomever I met. I would say music had a huge impact on me growing up, and with this blog, I hope I can give back to music.
Importance of upcoming bands and why I chose this topic
Since I like to discuss music, I thought it would be a good idea to blog about upcoming bands because I feel as though they need more recognition in the community, and its a great way to spread their name. I want to explore more types of music, start to generate an audience who has an appreciation for music/artists, and for them to give their opinion about the artists I’m discussing. In the blog, I will be providing an unbiased review on various artist’s latest album, whether its good or bad. If you enjoy the review, I will provide links to their music and where to catch these bands in concert.
If anyone has spotify and is curious about what type of music I’m currently listing to, I’ll be leaving my playlist/link here at the bottom . Some of these bands I will also be reviewing and posting where to find them in concert. Hope you enjoy!!
Hey everyone! Thank you for coming back to the blog.
This past week, I had no idea on what band I should include in my blog. Then, I decided to go to a show to get some inspiration. When the show began, there were a lot of bands that really got a chance to shine and even surprised me musically. As the various bands played, it was hard to decide what band I should cover. However, I discovered a band with much talent and great imagination for stage design. That band is Summer Salt.
photo taken by Tristan Waters
Based in Austin,Texas, Summer Salt is a band that gives a smoother approach to alternative music. The use of old surf-rock and silky vocals really make a person feel calm yet give an upbeat mood in the air. As you can see in the photo, many vivid colors and flowers were used in their stage design. It made me feel warm and relaxed as if I was lying down on a beach in summer time. Once the music began, I felt like the stage had come to life with their unique sound and upbeat melodies. The music and stage presence created an atmosphere of summer time and even felt like a Hawaiian breeze.
After the show, I took some time to review their latest EP (extended play) “Honeyweed”. Now “Honeyweed” is a perfect album to listen to in the summer when you’re at a pool or even on a road trip . Throughout the album, I noticed plenty of use of upbeat melodies coming from the drums and guitar, such as in the songs “Magic Boy” and “Honeyweed”. Do not be fooled because some of these easy going songs actual carry a bigger and underlying message. For example, the song “Fading Away” is about trying to find happiness in life, and if not found, could even led to suicidal thoughts. To expand on that thought, the lyric that hit me the most was, “Today, they mock me, I was thinking of taking it away, Life, fool’s gold, I was thinking of fading away.” Personally, I love their use of combining both indie-rock and “beach boys” style music. Some songs in the album give a unique sound that makes me feel serene. People can relate to the lyrics, including myself. On the other hand, some songs energize you and might even brighten up your day. Overall,this album is unique and I haven’t heard any other band that sounds like them. If I had to rate it on a scale of 1(less) to 10(higher), it would be a 7.5.
If you like this review and want to listen to Summer Salt, I’ll be providing a link to the band’s main website where you can listen to “Honeyweed”, learn more about the band and how they came about. I’d also really like to hear your thoughts about the band or the album on twitter. Just click the little twitter icon below!!
upcoming band reviews and concerts 