Merlinmoon: How To Get ‘Stoned By Dreams’
February 25th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
Alex Deep, the man behind Merlinmoon, was going to school in Boston when his best friend died in terrible motorcycle accident and the cold hand of reality slapped him in the face. He recognized that his life was no going in the direction he wanted and a change was necessary. Against the advice of family and friends he left his studies and decided to pursue his dream of a career in music.
He left everything behind and decided to travel and see the world hitting Mexico City, New York, Miami, Rome and London while writing a book on his own philosophy and making demos.
During this time Deep was frustrated and felt like he was getting nowhere. He was also getting flack from his family and friends for abandoning his studies and felt that maybe following his dreams was a bad decision. It was when he felt the most down that he would have this reoccurring dream:
“I had this dream about this wizard that would pop out of the ocean and fly up to the moon and he would tell me what I should do. He would tell me that I was talented and not to give up and that I should do this and that. I would get frustrated and put all my equipment up on eBay and then the next day after the dream I would wake up and find more energy to keep fighting. I started writing this poem for the song “Stoned By Dreams” and I saw Merlin reflected in the water with the moon and so I ended up naming the band that. It’s in honor of the little wizard that was helping me out.”
With the guidance from his magical muse, Deep was able to wake up and find the strength to bring his dreams to fruition. He found it easier to communicate his feelings from within his soul and thus the album Stoned By Dreams came to fruition. In the album Deep takes listeners through a gamut of human emotion, from desire to struggle, in a psychedelic journey – sans psychadelics. He explains that the album title is meant to communicate a natural high he gets from his music.
“I have tried a few of them [drugs] a while ago and I am kind of a lightweight. I try to stay away from it for the most part. I remember I was having this conversation with my brother’s wife and she was telling me that she was very impressed with the way I was just living life and my way of seeing the world and expressing myself emotionally – it’s like what people experience when they do drugs and when they drink alcohol. They get to the level I am at naturally…she made me understand that I live life being stoned from my dreams.”
Influenced by classic artists such as Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Grateful Dead, The Beatles and Bob Marley, Merlinmoon spins 70’s style rock into long flowing jams of melancholy that crescendo into guitar solos and lasting up to 15 minutes. At live shows Merlinmoon typically opens with singles from Stoned By Dreams then goes into improvised jams supported with poetic lyrics of philosophy and lessons learned.
Deep is currently working on a five-song EP that will be known as Stoned By Wood. It’s a selection of songs played completely acoustically. Computers were left aside during production and everything that was electric was analog. Nearing the final stages, this next work from Merlinmoon will be available in spring or early summer.
Winter Olympics Playlist
February 22nd, 2010 § Leave a Comment
I have been totally wrapped up in the Olympics this year. The spirit of international competitiveness is so captivating to me. I have particularly enjoyed the halfpipe snowboarding (Gretchen Bleiler is a total babe) but one thing I did notice that wasn’t appealing to me was the music selections played during the runs. Maybe they are trying to be more edgy or bring in a younger demographic of viewers by playing songs by popular artists like Phoenix, Daft Punk, The Black Eyed Peas and – possibly the reason why the US lost the gold in Ladies’ Halfpipe – Miley Cyrus. While watching I came to the conclusion that it might be interesting to make up my own Olympic Playlist. So please humor me while I give a rundown of some not-so-mainstream tunes that play together in my mind with the following Olympic events.
Shaun White doing a Double McTwist at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
So what kind of music would be the best to go with boarders grabbing huge air and busting tricks bigger and better than ever before like the Double-McTwist (no, it’s not a hamburger) by Shaun White? I believe me some old school rap and hip hop is in order. Local DJ collective, Abstract Workshop, provide funky beats and tight rhythms. Snowboarders tend to embody the more laidback and kickin’ vibes these DJ’s provide. You can get down to the classic jams of the Abstract Workshop DJ’s as they unleash their sick flows every Friday at Memphis Cafe in Costa Mesa.
Figure skating is a sport that requires a tremendous amount of athleticism, balance and skill. Sure, it may not be the most “masculine” sport in the Winter Games but you have to admit there is a beauty to what they are able to express on the ice. The song “This Is My Life” by Edward Maya is under the genre of minimalistic tech house but the moniker doesn’t quite give it justice. It’s a lovely melodic tune with folky bits that make it very organic, and accompanied with the driving beat make it perfect to keep rhythm for the ballet on ice. For this event music choice is very important and perhaps playing something other than orchestral ballads might throw off the judges, but I’m sure it would get good crowd response.
Russian hockey player, Alex Ovechkin, showes off his grill after flattening Jaromir Jagr
On the opposite side of the spectrum from figure skating there is ice hockey. This is where the winter Olympics compensate with their masculinity in a sport where gearing up and getting physical is just part of the game. Mind you, the rules in the Olympics slightly less physical and getting in a fight will get you ejected from the game but there is still no shortage of stick-checks and hard hits into the railings. So obviously something more brash and dirty is in order to go along with this rougher sport and I think the song “Conscience Killer” by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club epitomizes this attitude nicely. The Black Rebels have a sound similar to Kasabian and a real ‘don’t give a fuck attitude’ in their musical styling’s that has the makings to instigate a riot. Their new album, Beat The Devil’s Tattoo, featuring this track will be out March 9.
At first thought I really couldn’t think of anything that could go with curling, so I just thought of something that would be funny. As I thought about it some more I really believe that the Bobermann remix of “Mitsubitchi” would actually be pretty sick when synced up with the frantic sweepers as the stone skids across the ice. The song has been described by DJ Glowtape! as so “redonkulous” it will be able to “kill homeless people.” I can just see it now – add some disco lights and the future of curling will finally get the badassery it needs and add some sex appeal to the typically mundane sport.
USA slider, Noelle Pikus-Pace, taking a run during Skeleton training.
Skeleton is an exhilarating Olympic event that and the feeling sliders get is as close as it gets to base-jumping while still touching the ground. It’s a fast sliding sport in which a person jettisons down a frozen track while lying face down, during which athletes experience forces up to 5g (to put this in perspective, most manned rockets going into outer space reach 3.5g). Germany has won the silver medal in the women’s event and so I thought it would be appropriate to choose a song from the German producer’s Kyau and Albert that was recently featured on their Euphonic Sessions podcast. The Brutally Attacked mix of “Xelerate” by Richard Durand personifies the breakneck speed that that these athletes endure as they fly headfirst down the track. This progressive song has no vocals; just raw, minimalistic beats and frosty melodies that personify skeleton to a tee. Also worth noting: Kyau and Albert will be playing a few gigs at the Vancouver Olympics as well to showcase their new songs.
Obviously if I were on the Olympic Committee things would be sounding significantly different (for better or worse) at the Vancouver games. But really, what better opportunity to shed some light on underground music than international sports? We’re already so tired of getting Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift rammed into our brains nonstop on television and radio. If you’re listening Olympic Committee, I hope you check these out!
Are You DTF this Valentine’s?
February 9th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
Singles Awareness Day is this weekend and for those of you with a date, good for you (nobody cares), but what is a person to do when he or she is feeling the blues of being single rather than embracing the fiery desire of love? Have no fear, if you are without plans this Cupid’s Day just remember three simple letters: DTF.
DTF (aka Downtown Fullerton) and the surrounding area is home to some of the most entertaining night time hotspots in Orange County and a great place to toast to singledom, party down to some great music, and drink until you’ve forgotten what feelings feel like! The following features some of hottest venues going down on this ‘day of love’ if you are still looking for something to do. You just have to ask yourself, are you DTF?
First on the list is my personal favorite spot in DTF located in the SOCO District. The Continental Room is a quaint little establishment that was actually one of the first bars in Orange County and operated as a speak-easy during the prohibition era. It has kept its underground charm and is typically lit with dim lights and loud as hell with the music of local bands and DJs. This Sunday they will be featuring the Venture-esque surf-rock stylings of The Tequila Worms.
Just a short drunk stumble away is Envy Ultra Lounge, a fashionable nightclub that caters to a slightly more sophisticated crowd. Envy’s bouncers enforce a dress code, but if you make it inside you will find a sleek ambiance and DJ’s throwing down plenty of dance-centric club bangers to rock the floor. This is the place to go if you are looking for some of that bump and grind this Valentine’s Day.
Something “uncommon” at the Commonwealth Lounge will be waiting for those who would appreciate something a little more risqué on this day of love. The venue will be featuring a performance known as “Uncommon Burlesque,” a show led by none other than Dizzy Von Damn (2008’s Miss Viva Las Vegas), which is sure to be a lovely treat and there is no cover! Just don’t forget to bring a few Washington’s and stick around for the “Let’s Just Be Friends” after party where you can hang out with the entertainers after 10 pm.
The Slidebar in Fullerton is the heart of the rock ‘n’ roll scene in Orange County and have had bands such as Greenday, Guns N Roses, Avenged Sevenfold and The Offspring grace their stage. This Sunday the Slidebar will be hosting some reggae and ska with Dr. Madd Vibe Experiment featuring Angelo of Fishbone as well as C Money and the Players Inc. featuring Slightly Stoopid. It will definitely be the chillest venue around DTF, if you are down to take a ride on the “Ganja Train.”
Dirty, balls-to-the-wall punk is alive and well at The Back Alley Bar and Grill, which will be conveniently hosting a “Stop Light Party” this weekend. This type of party is popularly held on Valentine’s Day where guests dress in green if they are single, yellow if ‘it’s complicated’ and red if they’re in a relationship. Just remember green means go as you are getting the snot rocked out of you by a live set from local punk rockers, Sederra.
These are just a few of the goings-on in my neck of the wood this V-Day but if you look harder I think you will find a Cupid’s spree of singles and couples events throughout Orange County and Los Angeles. So don’t sit at home suffering from singleitis because nobody loves you. Instead gather up your apathetic cohorts and drink to that. Most importantly remember, no matter how tempting it seems, do not drunk dial/text your ex while pub crawling no matter how DTF you may be.
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Top 40 Sux!
February 9th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
Do you think Ke$ha has gotten a good look at Mick Jagger recently? 
The dude is pushing 70’s and, don’t get me wrong he’s way cool, but by no means in his prime. Imagine if he were to approach a 20-somethings girl at a nightclub. Do you think they would let him “try to touch my junk,” as Ke$ha suggests. Yeah maybe if she was sporting some serious beer-goggles and plastered beyond recognition. Well I guess by the tone of the song it could be entirely possible. Sounds to me like a story from Texts From Last Night.
It’s a catchy song, but I have had enough.
I ask myself questions like these when songs like “Tik Tok,” Kesha’s top 40 single, become so popular that it literally creeps its way into my ears on a weekly basis and like a Pavlovian dog I react every time I hear it, generally not in a good way. Please pardon my “indie pretentiousness.”
So here it is: Years ago I have embarked on the mission of finding alternatives and have completely rejected AM/FM radio (the shutdown of Indie 103.1 was when I lost all hope ::sigh::) and have since gone to the Internet, the new underground if you will, in search of music that is new, noteworthy and good … in my opinion at least.
The track “What Would I Want? Sky” from the Fall Be Kind EP shows that the Animal Collective are still making great strides as musicians even after the huge success of Merriweather Post Pavilion last year. The song starts off with a slow drone that lulls you in and gives way to grooveable drum beats and an uplifting harmony. You might not be able to do the “Guido fist-pump” to it but it has that pleasant feeling that when embraced with lyrics and overlapping harmonies reminds me so much of the style of Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys. Total feel good music.
But maybe you just like songs that make you want to ‘just dance’ and Animal Collective just isn’t your style of booty shakin’ music. Or perhaps you think it sounds too much like hippie, drum circle music. Fair enough.
If you like something that’s funky and has hip hop swagger then I recommend “Let There Be Horns” by RJD2 on his freshest album The Colossus. Coupled with the music video consisting of a pill-popping water buffalo and you got yourself some entertainment. He’ll be playing live at the El Rey Theatre in LA in April. RJD2’s debut album, Deadringer, was also pretty good too if ya dig the funky dance beats.
“There’s no lyrics in that song, I need to hear the singer tellin’ me to rock that body,” you say? Well you seem like the type that might enjoy Timbaland’s “Carry Out.” I, unfortunately, cannot recommend it, except for maybe The Chipmunks remix. Seriously though, how can you write a song inspired by the extra value menu at McDonalds? “Take my order ‘cause your body like a carry out,” You must be kidding me. It’s this kind of top 40 slop that needs to stop.
Here’s a song that is uplifting, danceable, has lyrics and doesn’t use fast food as a metaphor for getting laid: “I Will Be Here” featuring Sneaky Sound System on Tiesto’s new album Kaleidoscope. The single is littered with bits of trance which makes this collaboration intriguing. Typically in dance songs the bass stomps out most vocal harmony but in “I Will Be Here” Tiesto seems to work in tandem with the lyrics and work the song around the soulful vocals rather than just layering it over the top. The result is a song that could be a club thumper and has meaningful lyrics. Eat that Timbaland.
For the next one, I’m knowingly throwing out some hater-bait when mentioning anything indie-pop related, but here goes. Surfer Blood is an awesome indie rock band from Florida that has the same, echo-ey vocals as Animal Collective so I considered saving them until later, but this new track is undeniably good. Somehow they got together with Allen Blickle, the drummer from Baroness (a heavy metal band from Georgia) and created an incredible remix to the song “Swim (To Reach The End);” Surfer Blood’s number one track from Astro Coast. I like to think of it as hard-indie, same thing you get when you have a hipster at a Vampire Weekend show … zing! But seriously it’s an infectious amalgam coming from both sides of the rock spectrum that I can’t stop listening to.
I hope these suggestions are acceptable alternatives if you are tired of hearing Jason Derulo’s embarrassing rip off of Imogen Heap or the same Nirvana songs for the millionth time. If not, at least you can say you attempted to broaden your horizons. Suggestions welcome 
Cathartic: Purification for the singer’s soul
February 8th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
While Beautiful Distraction established Marianne’s credentials as a strong, emotionally raw and honest songwriter, Cathartic takes a turn from her generally sunny disposition. Inspired by the pain and heartache of a life changing, faith shaking relationship the new album embodies a release from strong emotions derived from a love lost.
The album takes the listener through a mix of up-tempo, pick-yourself-up-by-the-bootstraps songs to tunes of hatred and angst to the more poetic and thoughtful ballads coalesced in a shaky bipolar collection that was intended to chronicle Marianne’s passage through her painstaking ordeal. It’s definitely a good ‘break-up’ album but is something anyone can relate to in times of self doubt.
“I saw an ugly side of the world. I don’t know if that crisis measures up to some of the ones that others have been through, but I’ll never be quite the same. People think the title song is a metaphor about tearing out and burning a page from my diary, but I actually did that. It was a chapter I really wanted to forget…if younger listeners don’t know what the word cathartic means, they will after they listen to that song and the whole album.”
It seems that Marianne took a lesson from Aristotle that: tragedy can, at times, act as a slap in the face from reality and in time truly bring people back to a virtuous and happy mean. After letting it all out in Cathartic, I wouldn’t be surprised to hear Marianne Keith back to her old self, playing spirited and heartwarming music.
You can hear Marianne live every Thursday at the Piano Bar in Hollywood performing her songs from Cathartic and Beautiful Distraction.
