Concert: Ben Kenney and Brandon Boyd at Irving Plaza, 1/30/14

Ah, the morning after a great concert. I'm on a bit of a musical high.

Last night, I saw Brandon Boyd perform at Irving Plaza. Technically he was billed as his side project, Sons of the Sea, but he played plenty of songs off of his previous solo album, The Wild Trapeze.

You know, I've been to so many concerts at this point in my life that I don't get as excited about them as I used to in high school. But as I waited in the crowd last night, I felt butterflies in my stomach, like I was 15 again. Brandon and his band sounded amazing, as I knew they would. And they played so many good songs. Since this was only their third show ever, I figured I'd save the set list, in case anyone was curious:

The Wild Trapeze
Jet Black Crow
Space and Time
Dance While the Devil Sleeps
Come Together
Untethered
Runaway Train
Courage and Control
Avalanche
Here Comes Everyone
Last Night a Passenger
Lady Black

Encore:
The Great Escape
Where All The Songs Come From

Also, I don't want to overlook Ben Kenney, the opening act last night and the bassist for Incubus. I haven't listened to his solo project before (Why? What kind of fan am I?) but he killed it. Usually at Incubus shows, he hangs back and doesn't say much (he is the bassist, after all). But when he got his moment in the spotlight, he turned out to be funny, entertaining and a pretty spiffy dancer. Plus he covered City and Colour's "Of Space and Time" which made me absurdly happy. If you're an Incubus fan who hasn't checked out any of his many albums, I'd definitely recommend looking into them.

And I need you on repeat, all the time. How in the world did you get to be so fine?

I met Brandon Boyd (again)

How about that new Sons of the Sea album?!? I wrote before about the new solo project from Brandon Boyd of Incubus back when he was releasing an EP, but now the full-length is out. And I am in love! I haven’t wanted to listen to anything else since I got my copy last week. It’s much poppier than his previous solo work, The Wild Trapeze, but I’ve always admired how each Incubus album sounds different, and I’m glad that Brandon is continuing that tradition. My immediate favorite songs are probably “Untethered,” “Come Together,” and “Avalanche,” but really, it’s all great.

As if new music wasn’t great enough, I also met Brandon last night at a signing event at Looney Tunes CDs for Sons of the Sea and his new book (which is also fabulous!) I’d met him at an Incubus meet ‘n greet last summer, so I guess I was sliiiiiiiightly less nervous this time around?

All I could think about in this moment was "BRANDON BOYD IS HOLDING MY HAND."

The man has been my musical hero since I was a young teenager, so I don’t think I’ll ever really stop getting butterflies in his presence. But he was as gracious as ever when I thanked him for making such a difference in my life.  What a gentleman. I’m pretty sure he’s as close to perfect as a human can be.

Be sure to check out Sons of the Sea. Or else!

More Brandon Boyd worship

I am just in love with Brandon Boyd. He is a god amongst men, and everything he does is magic. (Yes, I’ve written about this before. And before that. And before that).

Honestly, he could probably record an hour-long album of burp noises, and I'd still love it. Thankfully, he decided to make actual music for his upcoming Sons of the Sea project. Here’s the first taste, “Where All The Songs Come From”:


I can already tell this is going to be one of my Summer 2013 anthems. Years down the road, I’ll hear this song and instantly be slammed back to this point in my life. But for now, I’m just enjoying blasting it on repeat as I enjoy the warm NYC sun. I can’t wait to hear the rest of the Compass EP when it drops on June 25.

Update: Of course, as soon as I posted this entry, USA Today premiered another new Sons of the Sea song. Now that's perfect timing.

That time I met Incubus

A few weeks ago, I was on the subway home after a long Monday when I got a text from Sammi, one of my best friends from high school. "I WON MEET & GREET FOR INCUBUS!" the message screamed at me. "One of these passes is for you!"

Now, Incubus is one of my all-time favorite bands. They were one of the first rock acts I got into, they were the headliners of the second concert I ever attended (with Sammi, of course) and it was an article about the band that made me first start pondering a career in music journalism way back in the day. So needless to say, the promise of meeting the guys was cause for much celebration—followed by even more anxiety. I've met musicians that I admire before, and I've even interviewed some of my favorite bands, but there's a big difference between groups that I've listened to for a few years and Incubus, the band that somehow found me when I had barely figured out what kind of music I liked. And as I transition into an official adult, I'm finding that their songs seem to only become more relevant. Suffice it to say, they are pretty much my musical gods. There was no way my inner fangirl was staying clamped down at this meet and greet.

Things didn't start feeling real until Sammi and I picked up our VIP passes:

Oh, we fancy huh?

Before I knew it, we were walking with a group of 10 or so other eager fans to the backstage area. The guys were waiting for us at a table, and we proceeded to move down it in a typical autograph signing fashion. I feared that I'd clam up and have nothing to say, but DJ Chris Kilmore was first, and he was so friendly that he immediately put me at ease. He wanted to know what kind of nicknames there were for Chrisanne, and when I said I usually just go by my full name, he dubbed me "Cran." That's right, I have an Incubus-approved nickname. Let's make this stick, guys.

Obviously I knew this was going to be the case, but they were all SO NICE. I wish I could say that I dazzled them all with my sparkling wit and humor, but it all went by so fast, and I was a bit overwhelmed. But I managed normal conversation and kept from peeing my pants with excitement, which is really all I could have asked for.

The real highlight for me was meeting Brandon Boyd, because his lyrics have meant so much to me over the years, and he is such a talented human being. (My inner fangirl needs to mention that he is also just really pretty and his voice makes me melt into a puddle of drool.) I told him and guitarist Mike Einziger about being inspired to go into journalism by that article, and Brandon started asking me about my writing. He just has this way of looking at you when he talks, like he's really listening because he is so genuinely interested in the conversation. You think after 20 years in this band, he just might not give a shit anymore, but nothing could be further from the truth.

He also told me my name was really cool, so you know, there’s that. Thanks Mom and Dad for giving me a guaranteed conversation starter.

No big deal, just shaking the hand of a man I've worshipped since I was 14.

Then it was time for some group photos:

Please note Sammi giving Brandon bunny ears in the first one. Also, let's just zoom in on this part, because it is going to be my wallpaper forever:

And just like that, it was time to go. As we were leaving, Brandon hugged me, gently rubbed my back and wished me good luck with my career. (You guys, he's so sweet! I die.) The guys waved goodbye to us and I somehow held myself together until we were out of their presence.

I'm pretty sure we looked like this afterward though.

As for the show, Mute Math opened, and while I only know a few of their songs, I liked what I heard. And obviously, Incubus was amazing, as always. Seeing them live always makes me reflect on that first time I saw them all those years ago, and all the other bands I’ve gone on to see live since. I’m reminded why I love music in general, and why I spend such large amounts of money going to shows. Plus having Sammi by my side through the whole thing just made it perfect. I hope in another ten years, we're still going to shows together and singing along at the top of our lungs.


The world's a roller coaster and I am not strapped in. 
Maybe I should hold with care, but my hands are busy in the air. 

The sounds of summer

Every spring, I compile a giant playlist of music for the sunny days ahead. The songs put me in a good mood all summer, and when the weather turns cold, I have a souvenir of the good times I had (and okay, songs to weep to when I'm wrapped up in eight blankets and desperately wishing January would be over already).

Here are some of my favorites from this summer's playlist, in a handy 8tracks mix for you to enjoy.

Soundtrack to Summer 2012 from xanne on 8tracks.

Track list:

1. "Anna Sun" - Walk The Moon

2. "Numb Bears" - Of Monsters and Men

3. "Equestrian" - U.S. Royalty

4. "Werewolf" - Fiona Apple

5. "Runaway Train" - Brandon Boyd

6. "Gonzo" - The All-American Rejects

7. "Red Hands and White Knuckles" - The Bravery

8. "Hey Joe" - Jimi Hendrix

9. "Stubborn Love" - The Lumineers

10. "Paralyzed" - Rooney

11. "Bliss" - Blaqk Audio

12. "Oh, Love!" - William Beckett

13. "MoneyGrabber" - Fitz and the Tantrums

14. "Breath Of Life" - Florence and the Machine

15. "Hacienda Motel" - Pickwick

16. "Motorcycle Drive By" - Third Eye Blind

17. "Mind Eraser" - The Black Keys

A song that reminds you of the past summer

"Runaway Train" - Brandon Boyd


His entire solo album reminds me of last summer, but this was the single and therefore the first song I heard off it. I used to listen to the album while I adjusted to my new adult life at my first real job, or on my way over to Beacon Hill to see Jeannie. Good times.

Brandon Boyd is so good at everything, and it never ceases to amaze me.

CD review: The Wild Trapeze by Brandon Boyd

Remember how I said I would update more about Brandon Boyd's solo album and then I didn't? Whoops. I'm sorry about that, but I've been busy with lots of summertime activities.

Anyway, I'm ready to talk about The Wild Trapeze now. It came out in July, quite suddenly actually. One day I was eagerly awaiting more details, and suddenly I got an Incubus e-newsletter announcing that it was available for purchase that day. What a pleasant surprise.

Boyd has said himself that this record was all about the learning process. He had to write all the music by himself, without the help of any band mates, plus he played just about every instrument himself. For a musician who has relied on four other guys throughout his musical career, I'm sure that's a very different experience. But that's precisely what he needed to do, to learn about his own skills and limitations as an artist. He wrote in a letter to fans, "So much of my identity, both personally and creatively has been attached to and related to Incubus. For better or worse! And I do believe that every person in every corner of the world asks themselves at some point on their ride, 'Who am I...today?' The Wild Trapeze is an exercise in self reliance."

Watch Brandon explain a lot of his thought process that went into the making of this record:

(For the record, I am enough of a fangirl to know that Incubus' last album, Light Grenades, came out in 2006, not 2005. So don't panic too much, Brandon. But at the same time, I want that next CD so get moving!)

Anyway, so onto the actual sound of the album itself. I'll just be up front: at first, I liked it but wasn't exactly crazy about it. It didn't seem as musically diverse as anything Incubus has put out. But after a few subsequent listens, the disc really began growing on me. I just needed to get acquainted with it before I could truly appreciate it. Now, I'm pretty much in love and won't be letting this album wander too far from my CD player (yes, I still use one of those).

The music is more raw and gritty-sounding than I expected. Boyd has said that he didn't want it to be perfectly polished, and that's what I like about it. It's an honest portrayal of one musician out on his own, trying to figure out what he's all about. In a world of Auto-Tune and lip syncing, a little honesty is refreshing. At the same time, the music still sounds similar enough to Incubus that fans won't be scared off.

Listen to "A Night Without Cars," off of The Wild Trapeze:


Definitely an album worth checking out. As my good friend wrote in her blog, "Brandon Boyd is a god amongst men HOW DOES HE DO IT?" True dat.

Favorite Tracks: "Here Comes Everyone" and "Courage and Control"
Buy The Wild Trapeze on iTunes or on TheWildTrapeze.com

Brandon Boyd's Wild Trapeze

What's up, Blogspot? I haven't posted in ages, but I do have a good reason this time. Exactly one month ago from today, I graduated from Emerson College. Woot woot. Since then, I started a full-time job at Oldways, the non-profit where I've interned since my junior year. We do lots of healthy eating promotion and education. My job there is fun but it has nothing to do with music, so all the more reason for me to start posting here more often. But seriously, Oldways does some great stuff so check out the site (and you can read my super cool bio on the staff page now. Hell yeah!)

So I'm working 40 hours a week, commuting on the bus, and I even have a smartphone now. Yup, I'm officially an adult.

Anyway, on to the important things. The word on the street is that Brandon Boyd is releasing a solo album called "The Wild Trapeze" sometime soon. I am PSYCHED. For those of you that don't know, Brandon is the extremely talented and beautiful lead singer from the rock band Incubus. They've only been around for about a million years, so you might have heard of them before.

All that's been released right now is the song "Runaway Train." I really love it, actually. Listen to the song here:





Sorry the audio isn't the best quality, but it's the best I've found so far.

Normally, I would be very concerned about this "solo" business, even though this song sounds great. Incubus is one of my favorite bands and I would be distraught if they broke up. But they recently put out a pretty amusing video updating fans on what the guys are up to, and that quelled my fears. You can watch that here:



That's all I know right now, but I'll be sure to update when I hear more about The Wild Trapeze, Incubus or Brandon.