Lissy Trullie - "Ready For The Floor"

After seeing her live a couple months back, I'm excited to hear her new album. I just hope she has a couple killer singles up her sleeve, because while the EP was solid – I liked all six songs – they all fell short of blowing me away. She definitely has a cool sound and the style, but to love an album I need at least one jam that I want to play every day. In the meantime, I'll just enjoy one of the best cover songs this year.

Gin Blossoms @ Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

First, a word to all of you Outsidelands ticket holders who comprised the huddled masses of churning humanity paying gobs of money and straining to hear Radiohead last night: suckas.

Paying only for our tall boys from Days Market, Awmercy (to whom I apologize for the length of this review), Brasilliant, Ancientindianwizard, and I were joined at the Boardwalk by our friends Lacy and Greg (and many other amazing folks) to get rocked by Tempe, Arizona's own Gin Blossoms. In case you lived in an Eastern Bloc country during the early 1990's, and somehow missed out on this band, do yourself a huge favor and download their hits "Hey Jealousy," "Found Out About You," "Til I Hear It From You," and "Follow You Down." You will probably listen to these songs and say "Wow, despite living in the former Yugoslavia in 1993, I totally remember Hey Jealousy!" And it is this infectious pop sensibility that made last night so amazing.

The (disturbingly long) Wikipedia entry on the band reports that "Frontman Robin Wilson is best known for his interaction with the crowd. He often hands off a tamborine to a lucky fan in the front row to strike in sync with the drum beat." And last night was no exception. The band came on around 8:30, and proceeded to spend a boring half hour playing songs no one knew, while Wilson handed out a tamborine, encouraged the rest of the crowd to clap rhythmically, and repeatedly thrust his tamborine-free hand skyward in the shape of rock horns. Then things got interesting.

Wilson disappeared from the stage, leaving his band to engage in an extended jam sesh. It was incredibly boring, but my heart was pounding: where had Wilson gone? Was he having a breakdown? Would I get to hear Hey Jealousy? Whatever it is that Wilson does when he disappears backstage (seems like it might be a regular occurance, as the band barely seemed to notice), it is totally worth it. When he remerged on stage, the Gin Blossoms proceeded to blow us away with hit after hit, touching the adolescent rocker in all of us.

Then their allotted hour was up and the 'Blossoms left the stage. Thoroughly satisfied, the ladies headed to the bathroom before taking off. But they weren't done!! As I emerged from the filthy Boardwalk bathrooms, my ears were seduced by the sound of.... Rocket Man. Yes, the Gin Blossoms were covering one of my favorite songs, apparently for a bride-to-be who was spending her bachelorette party at the Boardwalk (awesome). They finished off with "Follow You Down" a song whose existence I had forgotten. This encore left me deeply rocked, and a two time loser (I bet the Wizard that I would only recognize 3 songs, and that they wouldn't perform any covers. Who knew?). But really, there were no losers last night at the Boardwalk, only people who walked away totally awed by the majesty that is the Gin Blossoms.

David Sides - The Collection // Volume 1 (2008)

Dubbed as "Mozart Gone Hip-Hop, Pop and R&B," David Sides is a Cali-based pianist that specializes in covers of popular mainstream R&B, hip hop, and sometimes pop rock songs. The best part about "D-Sides" (as he's known in the Industry) is that he is basically self-taught and plays songs by ear. He's working on an album of originals, but for the time being he's garnered quite a following on YouTube with The Collection: Volume 1 (Volume 2 isn't officially out yet, but he's already leaked a few tracks on YouTube). Already one of the top watched artists of 2008, he boasts upwards of 40 million views thus far. His most popular cover to date, OneRepublic's "Apologize," racked up 4.5 million views alone!

He's so much fun to watch because he just looks so happy and into what he's playing. He sways around like Ray Charles, snaps his fingers like T-Pain, and I love the head nodding during his more hip-hopified tracks as if he's driving around, with the top down of course, listening to his favorite jam. Plus he covers everyone... from Shop Boyz's "Party Like A Rockstar" and a Kanye West Medley, to Linkin Park's "In The End." He can play fast during Ne-Yo's "Because Of You" or crank it down a notch for slow jams like the gorgeous "Bed" by J Holiday and the super-sexy "Lost Without U" by Robin Thicke. He goes cutesy with Mariah Carey's "Touch My Body" but comes hard with "Anonymous" by Bobby Valentino (one of my favorite R&B songs of last summer). He really hits the vocals and intricate Timbaland beat-work of that tune in each note on the piano, it's rather wondrous how he manages to capture all the musical layers so well. Plus, I think Timbaland may have found his new "Danjahandz" here, literally!

D-Sides would be perfect for live background music for that hip-hop-lovin' couple who want to add a little flava to their wedding reception, but still want to keep things classy. It's awesome for laying around on the couch, with or without someone. You get all the fun energy of hip hop minus the sometimes vulgar, profane, and misogynistic lyrics we're not always in the mood for. If you've been looking for a way to combine your love of classical music while still getting your daily dose of hip hop in a one-two punch, David Sides is the man for the job.

My favorites are his versions of T-Pain's "Buy You A Drank" (the snapping is hysterical), Usher's "Love In This Club" (he really captured the music, vocals, and even the rap in true pretty piano fashion) and, perhaps his best one... the most beautiful rendition I've ever heard of the already beautiful "Forever" by Chris Brown. I highly recommend it.

The Final Verdict:
Give D-Sides a chance, whether you're into hip hop and R&B or not. It's great mood music for those times when you're in "a mood" and simply want to get in "the mood." So lose the 'tude, dude, because who doesn't have the time to get in "the mood?"

Cranewife's Top 5 Summer Spectacular

1. Jens Lekman- Night Falls Over Kortedala (2007). Doo-wop-y, sweet, self conscious music. Bonus internet fun: "A Postcard to Nina" live video featuring Jens and a ukelele.





2. The Lost Patrol/ The Lost Patrol Band/ Invasionen. Lead singer of Refused and The (International) Noise Conspiracy sings poppy break-up songs. Apparently they keep getting sued, thus the name changes.



3. Cover songs. Done right they can be mind blowing. See: Mark Kozelek's "What's Next to the Moon" (2001) (yes, AC/DC) or Colin Meloy Sings Morrissey (2005).





4. The great nation of Sweden. Currently providing me with almost all of the music I listen to.







5. Falling asleep to music. A classic now and forever. Current favorites: Joy Division-Unknown Pleasures (1979), Shout Out Louds-Our Ill Wills (2007), any Sigur Ros.