Tea Time

genre: doo wop banana How about a little oldies to break the trend? I've heard about Paul Anka, and know at most only one of his songs. So here's one of his most famous songs. I'm a sucker for oldies, and so even though this song is mindlessly simple, I remain mesmerized by its melody, its theme, and its idyllic message. It's such a classic song for teenage love, especially at a time where history was calming down. Hate it not, I can't lie to myself when I say that a song as pure as this strikes at the very core of my youth . I didn't even live during the 50's, but I can't attribute my fawning over this song to any other feeling than nostalgia. Sure, it may be rose-tinted glasses, there were other terrible things going on. Fortunately, Paul Anka's song takes you away from all the modern-day troubles, a tiny little microcosm. If you didn't know, Paul Anka is still alive and kicking about. Good on him! Rating: 8.5

genre: experimental, instrumental I wrote about this artist before, and I enjoyed their instrumental material. I dove further into what they have previously worked on, and this album is what I found, emphasis on album.  Each song is less than 2 minutes long, and each song elaborates and develops on a simple idea. And because of that, I decided why not, and added the whole album as an entry. It's a short, quick, and elevating listening experience. The instrumentation is pleasant and minimalist. Consisting of saxophones, fluttery trumpets, and sometimes a piano, there is something genuine about limiting yourself and working with what you've got. All the instruments speak to each other and build upon an initial, progressive musical idea. Usually, the musical ideas are comprised of runs with intricate harmonies. Fortunately, that's the type of stuff I love. Rating: 7.5/10

genre: chill, indie snack: mandarin I couldn't definitively tell you whether or not I'm cheating with this selection. I don't think I've listened to this song before, but I feel like I have. It feels incredibly familiar. In typical cynical fashion, I will go as far as to say that the songs are starting to blend together. This time though, it oddly doesn't feel like a bad thing. Because although the composition isn't particularly special, the subtlety and balance of vocals (and the harmony is beautiful as well!), instrumentation, and the chord progression is delightful. There's a slight jazz influence with the movement of the chords following chorus, which I can really appreciate. And really, that's enough of a sell for me to enjoy this song. My compliments to the artist! Rating: 8/10

genre: folk spaghetti It was difficult to find a song I wanted to write about, and so this is what I ended up with. Now, I thought I liked folk music, but I guess I only like a particular subset of folk, because this ain't it. Now, I don't know much about George Ezra , but from what I can gather, his voice is incredibly unique. He definitely puts it to good use. As for the song itself, it plays by the books. I don't know how to describe it, but it's got those typical empowered chords, and you've got those cliche horns in the background. The drums aren't anything new. It says something when my favorite part of the song is the articulate guitar chord in the beginning. In short, the song itself is uninspired, and just isn't for me. Rating: 4/10

genre : experimental rock snack: chocolate coconut frozen treat My experience with Radiohead is limited, but what I've listened so far has always caught my attention. Their production is masterful, and their use of synths and how they engineer their sounds is always innovative and incredibly interesting. In the broadest sense, they are a rock band, but their discography says differently. But we're not here to rave about all of Radiohead's  reputation and success. This relatively recent single, Ill Wind,  is what we're here to talk about. Overall, the formula and structure isn't new in the scope of things, it's really more like a new flavor. You get a syncopated, and tasteful drum beat that essentially loops. On top of that you get layers and melodies that grow and develop throughout the song. As always, Thom Yorke sings when he feels like it, with that unique ghostly and wispy voice of his. Has someone checked on him? Is he ok? Either way, the song itsel...