SHT Musik

Set in Stone (2015) by Stick Figure (Bandcamp album link)   Wow.   Bandcamp has this thing where they show the albums/songs that are being bought in real time on their home page and I was just watching the albums slide by and I saw Stick Figure.   I liked the name and the album art so I gave them a shot.   Well praise the gods  for helping me discover these guys.  Actually it looks like this is more of a one-man project as the blurb on Bandcamp says: "From the musical imagination of Scott Woodruff emerges a vibrant sonic soundscape, revealed in the newest Stick Figure release, Set in Stone. As with his previous releases, Set in Stone was written, produced and recorded and mixed by Woodruff, a self-taught musician." That is my kind of guy.    Another thing that I like is the fact that the lyrics are quite intelligible, intelligent and included in written form on Bandcamp as well. Now the beats here are of the reggae style...

This is a recent discovery I made on Bandcamp.    Ms.  Donnelly´s first EP is called Thrush Metal (2017) and her first single is this song, Boys Will Be Boys which talks about rape and blaming the victim and how so many people even today say things like "women rape themselves" or "she was asking for it".    It is a delicate and powerful song  Check out the audio and/or the video below. BOYS WILL BE BOYS - STELLA DONNELLY (Bandcamp) Boys Will Be Boys video

I am not much of a metal fan, heavy or otherwise, but this song is so funny that I just love it.  It´s from the 1986 album Turbo.   .The name of the song says it all.    With lyrics like this who can resist? We hold each other closer, as we shift to overdrive And everything goes rushing by, with every nerve alive We move so fast it seems as though we've taken to the sky Love machines in harmony, we hear the engines cry. I'm your turbo lover Tell me there's no other I'm your turbo lover Better run for cover Pure poetry!!! TURBO LOVER - JUDAS PRIEST

ALBUM SYNOPSIS: Well I was poking around on Bandcamp looking for something interesting and boy did I find it.   The album is called Neon Musk by Hat Films/Yogscast and it instantly caught my attention.   First off it has this intro with this otherwordly deep voice talking about the Crocoman Empire with half-human, half-crocodile creatures and a bunch of crazy history.    There is track after track of songs and interludes that keep the sci-fi vibe going strong and the songs are catchy, funny and cool.    I recommend dimming the lights, having a drink or a smoke or something and enjoying the whole album from start to finish.  Starship troopers prepare for takeoff! DON´T BORE US, GET TO THE CHORUS!: The more traditional pop songs include The Sleigh Man (kinda a Christmas song and as the lyrics say "wildly inappropriate") and Pleasure Elf (acoustic) .   WARNING:   There is a bit of adult content in...

Like a lot of young boys growing up in the 80s I couldn´t help but be attracted to  "that Bangles girl". I just found out that her name is Susanna Hoff.   Anyway, indie singer-songwriter Robbie Fulks seems to share my feelings.     THAT BANGLES GIRL - ROBBIE FULKS

Jim´s Big Ego is a Boston-based band that was formed in 1995.   On their website they claim to be " the greatest band in the history of recorded music."  As you can see from this quote,  these guys have a good sense of humor and their songs are quite funny.  The founder, and I believe principal member of the group, is Jim Infantino, songwriter, author and nerd.   He has an interesting website with all his creative ventures on it.  Anyway, I recommend you start with the classic song Stress.   It has one of the coolest trumpet parts that I have ever heard in a pop song. It is a conversation between the horn and a person and you can actually understand both sides of the dialogue.   Very original and very funny. STRESS - JIM´S BIG EGO

Skin, Bone and Silicone     Susan Enan is best known for writing and performing the song "Bring on the Wonder" which was featured in the television show Bones.  However,  the song of hers which I find th most interesting is Skin, Bone and Silicone which appears on her 2009 album Plainsong.   This song is sad and sweet and really communicates to me the quiet desperation of the character portrayed. As always, if you know of any other cool songs by this artist or something similar in style or sentiment please leave a comment.  

People just love to hate Coldplay, which I understand.    Like U2 and other supergroups of our time they seem to be jammed down our throats by a music industry bent on forcefeeding us whatever they think that we will buy.  Also, Coldplay has a pretty mainstream sound that is easy to get tired of.    However, I remember discovering Don´t Panic on a sampler CD that came with a music magazine way back in the day when I still bought music magazines and nobody knew the band.  It is off Coldplay´s first album, Parchutes, which came out in 2000.   While preparing this post I discovered that Coldplay really doesn´t like this album and have publicly stated, "We know that's terrible music".   Well I beg to disagree.    Coldplay´s first two albums, Parachutes and A Rush of Blood to the Head, are my favorites and I lost interest in them after hearing  their third album X & Y.  However, Don´t Panic, besides being the phrase pr...

First of all, here is my Bandcamp site where most of my music can be found.   The SHT in SHT Musik stands for Stupid Human Tricks a recurring segment on the old David Lettermen Show.  So, I am a stupid human and here are my tricks. OLD SHT I (Demos & Stuff) The album OLD SHT I (Demos & Stuff) is a compilation of old demo songs that I have recorded over the years.    The recordings of these songs are as good as they will probably ever get.    However,   I think a lot of these songs have some nice moments and/or lyrics and so I have posted them for your listening pleasure.   All lyrics are on the Bandcamp site. The tracks on the album: Addiction (Figured Out) I have been working for years to overcome my addictions to food and drugs and even patterns of thought. I have been pretty successful but it has been an extremely long and winding road. The shotgun line in the song  comes from Ol´Kur...

If you are a big fan of  Cocteau Twins  like I am you might appreciate this new musical discovery.     Sometimes the vocals sound a bit Bjorkish also.    Anyway, the singer of this group has a very unique female voice and both the vocals and the general style of Clouds Aside really remind me of Cocteau Twins.      In spite of this strong resemblance to Cocteau Twins the music is interesting and quite original sounding.    I am surprised at how much I actually enjoy it.  I discovered them in a Bandcamp article about Sweden´s indie music label Luxury Records.   You can listen to Clouds Aside on Bandcamp or check out the video below. CLOUDS ASIDE - SCHOOL ´94