Jared Sokoloff

If there’s one thing I’m a sucker for, it’s fantastic album production. And since I now possess an ample platform for my opinions to be kinda heard, I’m going to honor some of my favorite production moments.

It’s one thing to have top-notch, impressive production throughout an entire song; I can name plenty of those. For this list, I’m focusing on songs that have specific jaw dropping moments, sending chills down my spine not only the first time I heard them, but every time afterwards.

I’ve left out the works of The Beatles, Queen, and all Steven Wilson associated projects, because they each have vast enough catalogues for their own lists. I’ve also left off some song selections from albums in which every song could make it onto the list (Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories, for example).

Now, this was accidental, but I ordered this list starting with the sexiest tracks, diminishing in sexiness as we go down the list. So, with that in mind, let us proceed….

1. “Never, Never Gonna Give Ya Up” – Barry White, Stone Gon’, 1973

I’ll be honest, that famously dramatic, almost atonal intro is the reason this song made the list. The way the music builds in intensity is mysterious, You have no idea where it will take you until the band reaches that high climax (pun totally intended), and you’re awash in probably one of the sexiest backing tracks ever. I think there’s a harpsichord in among the strings, and it works amazingly well.

2. “Something” – Snarky Puppy & Lalah Hathaway, Family Dinner Vol. 1, 2013

If there was ever a track that truly deserved a Grammy, it was this (thankfully, it won one). Robert “Sput” Searight’s arrangement took this fantastic R&B track into sultry jazz territory, and Lalah Hathaway’s vocals are perfect in every way. She also sang polyphony, four times, like it was no big deal.

There was just too much to say about Snarky Puppy’s playing, so I just went ahead and listed all the reasons they make this track amazing

• Bassist Michael League laying down some of the grooviest, funky bass lines that never overpower
• Guitarists Mark Lettieri’s and Bob Lanzetti’s well-timed melodic flourishes
• The way drummer Robert “Sput” Searight and percussionist Nate Werth locked in together, forcing us listeners to helplessly dance along
• Mike “Maz” Maher’s smooth trumpet solo
• Corey Henry’s unbelievable organ interplay with Lalah’s voice
• Corey Henry’s organ tone
• Corey Henry
• The backing vocals of Chelsea West, Katya Diaz, and Rachella Searight
• Beautiful horn lines from Maz, Chris Bullock, and Jay Jennings
• The laid back electric piano lines of Bill Laurance

Special credit must be given to sound engineer and mixer Eric Hartman. As he as done on every Snarky Puppy live album, he manages to get a clean mix of fourteen musicians, balancing every instrument perfectly. In an age of compressed and distorted tracks, it is rare to find a song where you can pick out each instrument individually. It was well needed here.

3. “The Fuse” – Bruce Springsteen, The Rising, 2002

The Bruce Springsteen catalogue features a rich variety of top-notch production, but this track has always stood out for me. A modern rock song with a slight hip-hop influence (courtesy of producer Brendan O’Brian), it’s an overall great modern rock song.

There is an absolutely beautiful and haunting moment that comes in about 3:40 into the song. At the end of a reverberated and airy bridge, all the music suddenly cuts out as Springsteen delivers his final line. “Your bittersweet taste on my tongue”. A completely dry vocal track provides a chilling contrast to the preceding lines, and intensifies the power as the band slams into the chorus.

4. “Stairway to Heaven” – Led Zeppelin,                   , 1971

Not too much can be said about Stairway that hasn’t been said already, so I’m going to keep this one pretty short. The buildup in this song is perfectly executed. Going from a lonely acoustic guitar, to a dreamy musical drive, into a ferocious all-out rock climax, Stairway is a musical journey that has seldom been surpassed.

5. “No Church in the Wild” – Kanye West & Jay-Z (featuring Frank Ocean & The Dream) (with samples of Spooky Tooth, Phil Manzanera, & James Brown), Watch the Throne, 2012

Combine a progressive rock guitar riff, James Brown screaming, a vocoder, and a philosophy lesson, and you get this classic track. Ok, I’m gonna break my rule since I’m talking about the full song, but I just love it a bit too much. The brooding intensity of the music is perfectly matched by Jay’s flow (and, um, less so by Kanye’s). Frank Ocean and The Dream make awesome cameos as well, and the creative sampling makes a vibe that always seems to get the blood running whenever I hear it.

 

<iframe src=”https://embed.spotify.com/?uri=spotify:user:1289280408:playlist:2W9AA4AREZUZJowL891ZY0″ width=”300″ height=”380″ frameborder=”0″ allowtransparency=”true”>

 

Do you agree with this list? Or did it make steam come out of your ears, clouding your headphones? Do you have different songs you would have put in this list? I bet you do. Throw ‘em in the comments!!!

Walking into Philly’s Union Transfer a couple of weeks ago, I had quite a few high expectations for headliner and local legend Circa Survive, as well as openers Pianos Become the Teeth, and Title Fight. I expected no-flaws, tight bands that were into the touring groove; but after seeing two (amazing in their own rights) polished pop shows over the summer, I needed a raw, real rock show. I expected the hometown fans to be passionate. I expected a crazy time. And I eventually did get it.

Pianos Become the Teeth

     Call us ill-prepared, but the group I attended the show with didn’t even know that the Baltimore-based screamo group would be performing. Never having known the band existed before, as well as not being a screamo fan, I don’t exactly poses the credibility to comment on them musically. I can say, however, that they performed quite well, technically proficient but with a lot of feeling. The five guys were all energetic, moving around enthusiastically while doing their best to engage the audience. However, their set suffered from “unknown-band syndrome”, which dampened the energy. And in fairness to Pianos Become the Teeth, the Circa Survive audience isn’t a strictly scream-based one at that.

Title Fight

More of the crowd knew the music the Kingston-based punk quartet. The serious moshing and crowd sing-alongs began, and had the heads bopping of all the Circa-fans who had barely heard of the group before (I’m a guilty member of that party). Like Pianos, Title Fight pulled off a tight show that ran with no serious musical flaws, at least that I could identify. It was a lot of fun seeing bassist and main vocalist Ned Russin give it everything that he had, enthusiastically swinging the neck of his bass around. The music was played passionately, resonating with the fans crowding the barrier that knew every word. And because they didn’t delve into overly similar musical territory as Circa, they were the perfect opening act.

Circa Survive

It was clear from the second the lights dimmed for Circa that this was the band everyone came to see. The band walked on stage to the brooding piano intro to “Through the Desert Alone”. The drums entered as energetic frontman Anthony Green walked right onto the security barrier, inviting everyone to rush forward. And for the next 80 minutes, it was just one high-energy performance after another.

The band performed extremely well, with guitarists Brandon Eckstrom and Colin Frangicetto trading off with impressive interplay throughout the set. Drummer Steve Clifford perfectly executed his signature polyrhythmic-feeling beats, never losing his timing even amidst the most feedback-laden insanity. And bassist Nick Beard was the perfect vocal foil for Green, providing low-end both instrumentally and vocally.

Anthony Green is well-known for his on-stage antics, which vary from what seem like general stream-of-consciousness rants to jumping around like a madman while singing. Between songs, his banter with the crowd and his band-mates kept the show’s energy intact, while not feeling stale at all. To give you a better example, I present to you:

A List of Things Anthony Green Did at the Circa Survive Show

• Nearly caused a riot ten seconds into the show
• Chastised guitarist Brandon Eckstrom for eating snacks in between songs (which caused the band to restart at least one song)
• Helped Brandon Eckstrom finish his snacks
• Later found a broom to clean up the onstage mess of their snacking
• Goaded the audience to throw their clothes at him
• Wiped his sweat on the articles of clothing thrown at him, before tossing them back into the crowd
• Made a college student eat a Twix bar out of his hands
• Led the band in a groovy jam in homage to mysterious stagehand Ethan Merritt

Oh and, throughout all of the madness, Green sounded just awesome vocally. If there were any bad notes, everyone was too involved in the pure energy of the show to notice.

Somewhat surprisingly, the set didn’t feature too much from the groups current album, Descensus. More than half the setlist contained numbers from the group’s three earlier albums, though I didn’t hear a single complaint around me about this.

Overall, Circa Survive walked into Union Transfer and ended their tour by rocking the shit out of the hundreds of fans that packed the venue.

Circa Survive Setlist:

• Through the Desert Alone
• Strange Terrain
• Sharp Practice
• Semi-Constructive Criticism
• Schema
• Glass Arrows
• Fever Dreams
• The Greatest Lie
• Suitcase
• Kicking Your Crosses Down
• In Fear and Faith
• Stop the Fuckin’ Car
• Only the Sun
• Frozen Creek
• The Difference Between Medicine and Poison Is in the Dose
• Child of the Desert
• Get Out

 (Photo credits: Jared Sokoloff , Sara Lambert, & Kim Ilkowski. We tried our best, we really did.)

Video of the Year:

Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX – “Fancy”
Beyonce ft. JAY Z – “Drunk In Love”
Pharrell Williams – “Happy”
Sia – “Chandelier”
Miley Cyrus – “Wrecking Ball”

Seriously? She made out with a sledgehammer for three minutes. Crying on camera and being naked does not automatically constitute for art.

Who should have won: “Happy (1pm)”, because Tyler the Creator had the sickest dance moves. Likewise, it didn’t MAKE ME SICK TO WATCH!

(I asked my co-worker, Regina, about her thoughts on this one: “She won like a Wrecking Ball. She created an iconic image that will be burned into the minds of young children for much of their now dysfunctional adult lives.”)

 

Best Hip Hop:
Eminem – “Bezerk”
Drake ft. Majid Jordan – “Hold On (We’re Going Home)”
Childish Gambino – “3005”
Kanye West – “Black Skinhead”
Wiz Khalifa – “We Dem Boyz”

“Hold On” is not a hip-hop song. It’s a new-wave influenced pop song. Singing + using a drum machine ≠ hip hop. Why was he even put in this category?

Who Should have won: Any of the other artists.

 

Best Male:
Pharrell Williams – “Happy”
John Legend – “All Of Me”
Ed Sheeran ft. Pharrell – “Sing”
Sam Smith – “Stay With Me”
Eminem ft. Rihanna – “Monster”

I’m ok with this.

Who should have won: Sam Smith, because puppet Ed was just a tad too ridiculous for such a sexy song. Also, Sam Smith wasn’t blatantly promoting Beats.

 

Best Female:
Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX – “Fancy”
Beyonce – “Partition”
Lorde – “Royals”
Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea – “Problem”
Katy Perry ft. Juicy J – “Dark Horse”

I’m not ever sure if I’m supposed to take Katy Perry’s music videos seriously, or if they’re made for comedic purposes, but the bright colors kind of hurt my eyes. She also has boring choreography, and steals ancient Egyptian art for her own use.

Who should have won: Queen B. Obviously.

 

Best Pop:
Pharrell Williams – “Happy”
Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX – “Fancy”
Jason Derulo ft. 2 Chainz – “Talk Dirty”
Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea – “Problem”
Avicii ft. Aloe Blacc – “Wake Me Up”

My problems with the song itself aside, the music video just made me dizzy. From the black and white swirlies everywhere, to the rapid jump cuts of gyrating, shirtless male break dancers, I was not able to make it through the video without a minor headache.

Who should have won: “Happy (1pm)”, because Tyler the Creator was dancing in it. And who doesn’t love that goofball?

 

Best Rock:
Imagine Dragons – “Demons”
Arctic Monkeys – “Do I Wanna Know”
The Black Keys – “Fever”
Lorde – “Royals”
Linkin Park – “Until It’s Gone”

Because when I think rock music, I think three minute long catchy acapella tunes.

Who should have one: Lorde, because frankly she is giving mainstream pop a well needed dose of true, honest talent.

 

MTV Artist to Watch:
Sam Smith – “Stay With Me”
5 Seconds of Summer -“She Looks So Perfect”
Charli XCX – “Boom Clap”
Schoolboy Q – “Man Of The Year”
Fifth Harmony – “Miss Movin On”

STOP IT X-FACTOR. STOP IT. Last time you made a successful vocal group, we ended up with One Direction. We really don’t need a female One Direction, thank you very much.

Who should have one: Sam Smith, because “Stay With Me” gave me serious feels.

(Side rant: why do people keep saying 5 Seconds of Summer is “punk”?  For those of you who forgot what punk is, here’s a reminder https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooIz_Di2w3g)

 

Best Collaboration:
Beyonce ft. JAY Z – “Drunk In Love”
Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea – “Problem”
Pitbull ft. Ke$ha – “Timber”
Chris Brown ft. Lil Wayne and Tyga – “Loyal”
Eminem ft. Rihanna – “Monster”
Katy Perry ft. Juicy J – “Dark Horse”

Was there seriously any doubt that Jay and the Queen B wouldn’t win?

 

MTV Clubland Award:
DJ Snake & Lil Jon – “Turn Down For What”
Zedd ft. Hayley Williams – “Stay the Night”
Calvin Harris – “Summer”
Martin Garrix – “Animal”
Disclosure – “Grab Her!”

I don’t know what this award is even for. Ignoring it.

 

Best Video With a Social Message:
Angel Haze ft. SIA – “Battle Cry”
Avicii – “Hey Brother”
Beyonce – “Pretty Hurts”
J. Cole ft. TLC – “Crooked Smile”
Kelly Rowland – “Dirty Laundry”
David Guetta f/ Mikky Ekko – “One Voice”

Am I really going to make jokes about songs with important social messages? No, no I am not.

 

Best Cinematography:
30 Seconds to Mars – “City of Angels”
Beyonce – “Pretty Hurts”
Arcade Fire – “Afterlife”
Gesaffelstein – “Hate or Glory”
Lana Del Rey – “West Coast”

Once again, I’m not going to make jokes about a song that contains such an important message. Seriously, this video is important.

 

Best Editing:
Eminem – “Rap God”
MGMT – “Your Life is a Lie”
Zedd ft. Hayley Williams -“Stay the Night”
Beyonce – “Pretty Hurts”
Fitz and The Tantrums – “The Walker”

The editing cuts were almost as fast as Slim Shady’s rapping. Props to the editor for keeping up with that wordflow.

 

Best Choreography:
Sia – “Chandelier”
Beyonce – “Partition”
Usher – “Good Kisser”
Michael Jackson f/Justin Timberlake – “Love Never Felt So Good”
Jason Derulo f/2Chainz – “Talk Dirty”
KIESZA – “Hideaway”

Now I’m not sure whether Sia was having a demon exorcised out of her, a massive seizure, or a four minute long sexual release, but frankly she had a ton of awesome choreography in her video. She deserved it.

Who should have won: Michael Jackson. Need I even explain why?

 

Best Direction:
DJ Snake & Lil Jon – “Turn Down For What”
OK Go – “The Writing’s On the Wall”
Miley Cyrus – “Wrecking Ball”
Beyonce – “Pretty Hurts”
Eminem ft. Rihanna – “The Monster”

“Turn Down for What” won. Do I even have to elaborate on what’s wrong with this?

Who should have won: OK GO. Do you realize the amount of work it took to direct that video?

 

Best Art Direction:
DJ Snake & Lil Jon – “Turn Down For What”
Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX – “Fancy”
Eminem – “Rap God”
Arcade Fire – “Reflektor”
Tyler, The Creator – “Tamale”

Sorry Arcade Fire, but your “oversized scary mask” shtick was already done by Slipknot in their Psychosocial video six years ago.

Who should have one: Frankly, I would have been happy with either  Reflektor, Rap God, or Tamale. Lil Jon and Iggy, get out of this category.

 

Best Visual Effects:
DJ Snake & Lil Jon – “Turn Down For What”
OK Go – “The Writing’s On the Wall”
Disclosure – “Grab Her!”
Eminem – “Rap God”
Jack White – “Lazaretto”

I’m pretty sure that 99% of OK GO’s video was practical effects. In fact, there’s a video showing how they did it.

Who should have won: Lazaretto. Because like any Jack White-affiliated music video, it’s simple, sweet, and just really cool.

It was a really good summer for me. I spent time with my amazing friends, taught myself some basic coding, and had a great internship. But most importantly, it was fueled by some amazing music. Amidst the usual Springsteen, Minus the Bear, and Porcupine Tree albums that I am almost constantly spinning, I spent a lot of time listening to five awesome artists that were pretty new to me.

This post is a bit ranty (especially at the end), so be warned about that. I wasn’t sure exactly what exactly I wanted to say about each artist, and this more turned out to be mini-reviews of sorts. But at the end of the day, I wanted to narcissistically share the music that I had been listening to this summer, in case anybody out there really cares. So, without further ado, here is Jared Sokoloff’s Summer 2014 Playlist:

-Twenty One Pilots

It’s been a long journey with this duo. I really disliked them when my friend first showed me them. Fortunately, I was able to see them play at my school and was incredibly impressed by their live show. After finally buying their acclaimed, breakthrough album Vessel, I fell in love. Combining insanely catchy electronic riffs, artful piano (and occasionally ukulele), and deep meaningful lyrics, Twenty One Pilots is there for me whenever I’m looking for simple, fun tunes, or complex musical ponderings.

-Pink Floyd

It only took me two decades, but I finally got into Pink Floyd. There’s really not much to say here, seeing as most of what can be said about them has already been said over and over again. I’ve been listening to the gorgeous 2011 re-masters, and my favorite albums are the classic three pack of 1973’s Dark Side of the Moon, 1975’s Wish You Were Here, and 1977’s Animals. I guess all those “Greatest-Albums” lists were kinda right after all.

-Slipknot

I’ve been on a major Slipknot kick since about mid-May, and boy has it been awesome. I’ve listened to them occasionally for a few years now, but this was the first time that I really got into them. Disturbing and heavy, yet still catchy, the band never fails to offer up high-energy performances (I primarily listen to their live albums). After losing founding bassist Paul Gray in 2009, and the departure of founding drummer Joey Jordison earlier this year, the group just released their first new single in six years. Harkening back to their early sound, it has me very excited for their forthcoming new album.

-Bill Laurance

Flint is the debut solo album of British keyboardist Bill Laurance, who is also a keyboardist in Snarky Puppy (see rant below). The album features ten original compositions that beautifully fuse classical and jazz influences together. As amazing as Bill’s piano playing is, the music is truly bought to life by the backing band, which just happens to be….

-Snarky Puppy

Combining nearly every genre of music known to man within an accessible jazz-fusion format, each track explodes with world-class musicianship. Bandleader/bassist/songwriter Michael League and his collective of over thirty musicians are always careful not to let the music drown in overly technical performances; each member delicately chooses his notes. The bands best performances lie within its last three studio albums, which were all recorded live and without overdubs. Each with beautifully complex and varying arrangements, the emotions ebb and flow as powerful crescendos slowly build up to the most satisfying of climaxes.

I’ll admit a bit of personal bias in writing this, as in my own mind, Snarky Puppy is one of the greatest and most important musical groups ever formed. Ever since discovering them back in November, I have been listening to them to what is probably an unhealthy amount. I beg of all music lovers (or anybody) to please give this band a fair, unbiased listen.

(Note: I left Slipknot out of the playist so as to keep it safe for work)

<iframe src=”https://embed.spotify.com/?uri=spotify:user:1289280408:playlist:7zU4VTUPrgXoasgupoFNbc” width=”300″ height=”380″ frameborder=”0″ allowtransparency=”true”></iframe>

To start off, let’s call this a column. I’d like to talk about a band that I found a few years back off the sidebar of a Porcupine Tree video: The Pineapple Thief. The video that I clicked on was the song “3000 Days”, which, to this day, is still my favorite track by the band. While they shared some clear musical similarities with PT, they are definitely a group unique to themselves.

The progressive rock group is the brainchild of British guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter Bruce Soord. Now in its 15^th year, the band has released nine albums with a tenth due in September.

Despite an always-varied production taking elements from various genres, their songs can be divided up into three general categories. First, there are the rockers, which combine organic guitars and vocals with synthesizers and electronically treated instruments. Then there are the more acoustically driven numbers, with delicate instrumentation and impassioned performances. Finally, there are the longer experimental pieces, such as the brooding twenty-seven minute “What Have We Sown”.

All very well written and expertly produced, The Pineapple Thief is a great listen for both fans of modern progressive music, as well as more open-minded mainstream music fans.