D.O.T.F. Pono Player

My design choice for this post is the Pono Player. I know it has done the rounds on the news etc and I'm aware that the majority of music lovers would have heard at least a whisper about it by now but I just wanted to show my adoration for this product. 

My feelings for this design are less about the physical shape of the product (yes it is a triangular prism and not everything that shape reminds me of Toblerone :)) and more about what the claims are in terms of software and more specifically the quality of the sound files that it will be able to play and store etc. After a bit of research and watching a few vids featuring a wide range of great musicians endorsing this I learnt that the quality will be much greater than that of CDs and MP3s and out of good quality speakers you can hear so much more of the sound, alike what they want you to here when they are in the studios producing the records which is really exciting.

I have totally fallen for this device and have donated to the Kickstarter campaign which has so so so easily overtaken it's target it is ridiculous. So hopefully with this great injection of cash they can retail the device slightly cheaper so a wider audience can enjoy it.

If you have any opinions on this product, I would be interested to hear them if you want to leave a comment below.

YouTube Video O.T.W. 25/03/14

Calico the Band - Fools Gold

Straight off of the bat I really want to announce how beautiful Gretsch guitars sound and look. They truly are pieces of art in guitar form with a sense of style that can be copied but could never stand up to the quality that is Gretsch. Yea I know I am totally fan-boying but I don't care, it is what it is and I love Gretsch. Anyway on to the track, and these girls do no disservice to the beautiful instruments they are playing. Incredibly gentle vocals that work well with each other and harmonise, and they can pack a punch when the song calls for it. Definitely has got a country vibe that really hooks me in alike other tracks in this same vein.

Gretsch has done a few of these sessions that I have seen, and this is for sure this is in the top 3 if not number 1 session easily.

SoundCloud Song

I'm coming in with a heavy hitting pop genre post this week, and a double hitter of tracks. Yea that's right two tracks one post. You get more for your money here.

First pick is the latest single from LP, fresh off of the press as of today I believe. If you have liked her previous tracks like In To The Wild etc. it definitely has the same flavour of those tracks in terms of cheery/hooky summer time beats and she knows how to work in a whistle/hum solo into the song for even more sugary sweetness that gets embedded into your head. She is not breaking boundaries with this track but she doesn't have to in my opinion, a good track is a good track regardless.


My next choice is way more of a cheesy pop/rappish track. They have sampled Jackie Wilson's Higher and Higher which is the main reason I like this track. I have been hoping for someone to bring this track to a new audience that has possibly not heard it yet and if this is the way they hear it then so be it. Maybe they will explore further. In terms of the verse vocals I feel it has a slight Chiddy Bang style to it and B.O.B. doesn't do anything too crazy in his part but he never blows me out of the water in terms of skill. On the other hand he knows how to make a good pop single so I can see why they brought him on the track.

If you like either of these tracks or hate them, I would like to know your opinion if you want to leave a comment below that would be cool. :)

YouTube Video Of The Week! 18/03/14

This choice was slightly out of the blue. I was going through my YouTube playlist as I do daily as you know and my ears perked up a bit when this video started playing. KEXP post a load of great sounding artists live performances on their channel which I generally watch but this one sounded a little bit more to my liking than the average vid. They are a band called Tangerine who I was totally new to but they have a sweet like drifty beach pop rock sound which by the end of their few song set I was totally on-board. Check it out!!!

D.O.T.F.

The pick this time is a car that I heard about when I went to the Great British Guitar Show a weekend or two ago.

The car in question is from a partnering of Fender and Volkswagen, the design rendering is below. The outside of the car has the pretty much standard look of a Beetle except from the Fender logo underneath the VW badge. On the inside is where you can really tell they have taken inspiration. The classic sunburst dashboard, swish and stylish little details and decals dotted all around and not forgetting the premium audio sound system that is installed. Just imagine driving down Sunset Strip (or in my case the ring road of Coventry) with the windows down and some great tunes filling the air.

Another dream car to add to my ever increasing list of wants.

YouTube Video Of The Week! 11/03/14

This track has got a nice summer feel to it with perfect timing with the slightest bit of good weather we have been having in jolly old England. If the weather where you live has been miserable, this track will make you want for those long summer afternoons that are soon to come.
I hear a little bit of a Kelis vibe with the vocals and the production, which I think that is mainly down to the simple happy beat and sing/rap vocals.
Anyways, I hope you like it.

)

SoundCloud Song

This is a really fresh sounding, up to date country style track. In my opinion they have taken the best part of country music guitar and paired it with a modern beat and hooky vocals. If you are not converted into this genre even a little bit after this track, then there is no hope for mankind whatsoever haha.

Temples & Childhood Live

Last night I went to a Temples gig at my favourite venue (The Library at The Institute just in case you didn't know). It was a great gig and I got there at just the right time to get a great spot on the balcony, beautiful job. The guitar playing from the lead singer in Temples was amazing and the guitars he played were some of the most stylish designs that I have seen and I loved them. I was also pleased to see Childhood supporting them who I haven't seen since Reading festival, and they were brilliant. Also supporting was Dark Bells, who were an unknown to me but I am now a bit of a fan. The gig as a whole was one of the best ones I have been to recently. Brilliant line up and brilliant sound, enough said.

YouTube Video Of The Week! 04/03/14

This is a video I have been waiting for for a while now. It is from the well hyped band Circa Waves with their latest release Stuck in My Teeth. As a video concept it is kept pretty simple, nothing too crazy. The camera is on constant rotation showing the members of the band singing the song whilst time passes in various contexts. A slightly amusing bit is watching their shadows mimicking their movements...as best they can haha. I am looking forward to hearing and seeing more from these boys. Great track.