Blogcritics Author: Mark Sahm

The Lollapalooza '08 Conflict: Rage Vs. Wilco

Mark Sahm — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 00:55:59 EDT

When you must choose between two of your favorite bands ever, there's bound to be regret in your future.
When you must choose between two great bands—one from your past and one from your present—there is bound to be regret in your future. I'm sure the line above is paraphrasing a famous quote from somewhere (even if Google is not showing me one), but it accurately describes my situation when I attend the 2008 Lollapalooza music...

What to Make Of Nine Inch Nails' Ghosts I-IV

Mark Sahm — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 19:39:56 EDT

Do you have a vision for the untitled instrumentals of Nine Inch Nails' "Ghosts I-IV"?
Everyone has a band or singer-songwriter who spans a generation with them; the artist whose career runs through peaks and valleys along with your life. For me, that artist has been Nine Inch Nails.I discovered the music of NIN as a sophomore in high school in 1991. A girl I was dating gave me a cassette copy of their first album Pretty Hate...

Magic Junk Radio 9: Cover Me Porkins

Mark Sahm — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 09:16:35 EDT

If life is a giant hog, MJR is a crispy slice of bacon. It also plays on your iPod. Tasty!
We just hunted down and killed that fifteen month old cold turkey. After all, it's not easy to describe podcast withdrawal, especially since few are suffering from it. While you might call it 'audiosexual frustration', I'd prefer to just paraphrase Robert Plant: It's been a long time since we did the stroll. Ooh, let us get it...

Announcement: Short-content feeds

Phillip Winn — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT

Sunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding.

Magic Junk Radio 8: The Way Is Shut

Mark Sahm — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 08:57:50 EST

Oscar Wilde once said, "Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative." It's a rather ominous quote for any creative person still trying to find their big break. Nevertheless, since the first 7 episodes of Magic Junk Radio were consistent on a level of composition, it was only natural that we avoided relaxing into any refuge. So a choice had to be made: either retire the podcast or evolve our compositions. Thus, we chose to take the Darwin route. Of course, you could counter that Wilde was a scandalous anarchist and we shouldn't believe a word he said. But hey, doesn't the reasoning sound much better than "We got some new equipment to aid our podcasts, so this is the last one using the old stuff"? After all, you could say it was only 'Logical'. If you've haven't tuned in before, MJR can best be described as an all-original eclectic maelstrom of sounds, voices, and samples. #8 finds the creative duo of M. Sahm and Ms. S.Rod trading songs, barbs, and finishing each other's sentences (as only a young married couple can do). This episode is a serenade to their stepping stones, as they try to keep each other laughing about an uncertain future. It clocks in at a mega-quick 26:55 with all the funk riffs, hard rock beats, orchestra samples, and pop culture references that you've heard us pimp for the past year. Nothing is restricted. Not our former masters. Not our heroes. We even do a 'celebrity roast' style piece of one of Blogcritics' editors. Although be warned -- it's not for playing out loud in the office, or in front of your mini-me. Be sure to leave us some feedback if you have a minute. It could help save an artist from BASE jumping for fun. Thanks. Take it easy. - - - - - - - - - - [ Download the MP3 ] - 37 MB (high quality sound... because we care about your eardrums) [ Subscribe to the RSS feed ] - - - - - - - - - - INSTRUCTIONS: Right-click the MP3 link above to download the full podcast in MP3 format, which will play in any iPod or MP3 music player. Left click and the MP3 will begin playing in a new web browser window (unless you haven’t updated in a while.) MJR 8 Content of Tables: Six Mill Four Shadows Mr. Darcy At The Limelight Six Years Gone Between Curses The Curse Anthem Festival Live At The Stadium The Way Is Shut Westchester Funk Farewell

Mark Sahm is a creative soul lurking around New York City.
His various projects include: Somrod (art), Creative Psychosis (blog), and Magic Junk Radio (podcasts). His first novel, The Art of Getting Bent can be purchased at Amazon.com, or through his site. Despite all of this, Sahm will not save you any money on car insurance.

Concert Review: Zero 7 at Webster Hall, NYC

Mark Sahm — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 01:30:03 EDT

Sometimes you just get lucky. You have to smile when you arrive at a concert venue 10 minutes before the doors open, and somehow end up standing first-row-center-stage of general admission. However, this was the case on the evening of September 16 for Ms. S. Rod and I when we saw the group Zero 7 at Webster Hall in Manhattan.After dining on sandwiches and home-brewed lagers at the Heartland Brewery in Union Square, we made our way down to get in line. To our surprise, the bouncers divided out all of the Will-Call ticketholders, putting us only ten people down once the doors opened. We walked in, proceeded directly to the metal barrier that was three feet from the stage edge, and basked in our amazement. Sure, we had to wait another hour until the opening act, but the sacrifice to the concert gods would yield a shower of musical bliss.Of course, depending on the band, first-row-center-stage could be a deathwish for your eardrums if feedback is a heavy component. Luckily it wasn't a part of Zero 7's sonic arsenal. It also helped that the crowd was the age range of 20 to 30 - and we would not have to worry about being trampled by pre-pubescent teens.For those not familiar with Zero 7 - the downtempo and primarily electronic band is the brainchild of Brit musicians Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker. Since neither of these two are vocalists, they have employed a handful of singers over their seven year, three album career, including Sia Furler, Mozez, Tina Dico, Sophie Barker, and José González.Similar to the style that Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails employs, Zero 7 has a live band that reinterprets most of the electronic beats and riffs. Like Reznor, Binns and Hardaker play a major part of the onstage performance, each switching between pianos, synths, and percussion -- most times in the middle of the songs! Throw in a drummer, bassist, guitarist, and additional keyboardist, and the stage had a lot of action going on.Like their most recent album The Garden, the vocalists for the show were Sia Furler and Jose Gonzalez. The band maintained a very nice pace, switching between a cluster of Sia's vocal tracks, then some of Jose's. While Zero 7 is the marquee name, this show was also about celebrating the talents of these two vocalists.Sia was absolutely magnetic - when you weren't in awe of her vocal talents, you were enjoying her eclectic dancing, or her humorous commentary between songs. She even performed her solo breakthrough "Breathe Me" as an encore, a track most people might recall as the backdrop music during the finale of the HBO show Six Feet Under.While Sia got to close up shop, Jose Gonzalez was the one to get things started. As the opening act, Gonzalez played an elegantly crafted acoustic set from his solo debut Veneer that yielded many cheers from the crowd. At times, he seemed embarrassed at all of the applause, an aspect that worked as a perfect complement to the very outgoing Sia.Whenever either of the vocalists was not singing, they hung out with a dancing and percussion playing Hardaker at a mini-bar at the back of the stage. I chuckled when I saw a roadie set a few bottles of rum and mixers on a back console before the show started. But it made sense if they were coming back onstage in a couple songs.While I expected the show would be 75% downtempo songs (others must have thought this as well, as the scent of burnt marijuana was omnipresent), the live band brought most of the songs to new and energetic levels. The group tore through new singles like "You're My Flame," "Crosses" and "Throw It All Away," yet also treated the crowd with fan favorites like "Destiny," "Distractions," and "Somersault."Normally I have a head-nod going on to most live beats, yet I almost felt like during a couple songs I was a few shades off of a head-bang. Yes, at a Zero 7 concert. No kidding. Whatever version of Seeing Things you may have heard pales in comparison to the live one. Such a moment impressed me even more about this band. Ms. S. Rod and I expected to walk out of the Zero 7 concert as if we were just at a relaxation seminar. Instead, we emerged invigorated and with even more respect for a talented band and vocalists than we had going in.Like I said, sometimes you just get lucky. Cheers.

Axioms of The Quitstay

Mark Sahm — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 15:53:15 EDT

This is the point where you shake your head. The point you realize taking a fake sick day *cue the Ferris Bueller music until the record skips* is not going to cut it any longer.This is the point where you should look deep inside. In the unfortunate event you discover you are a quitstay — a human resources term for someone who has mentally quit their job but keeps turning up for work anyway — do not panic. Instead, you should accept the primary truth of the quitstay: It's way too late to panic now. Only clever planning will get you out of this mess.Of course, if you are unsure of what your quitstay status really is, it is important for you to determine it immediately. Yes, put down the breakfast burrito and get a hold of yourself.If you're reading this while you're at work, guess what — you're a quitstay! People who love their job wouldn't be spending company time surfing the Internet. Sorry. But please continue reading, we're here to help.If you are in the 2% of the population who actually love every aspect of their work, congratulations — it must be really exciting to be a porn star, hitman, or a CEO!Now some of you out there may be saying, "But I love my job and I'm not in the adult film industry, mafia, or executive level." Yes, I know you said it, but do you really believe it? No, really — because your fellow quitstays know better. We know all about your little denial. It usually stems from one of three things:Money - You make a certain level of income at your job, so you deem it worthy of doing something you've grown to hate, simply because you can afford to have a Hummer. Hello, quitstay!Status - You talk about your job at parties like so: "Well, yes, I'm the [meaningless job title] at [corporate juggernaut with memorable slogan], it's really a great atmosphere." So you're saying that shoveling manure for Google is that much better than doing it for Sal's Electronics Shop? Riiiiiiiight. Hola, parar estancia!Power - You define your purpose by commanding corporate drones to do your bidding around the office. Yet you somehow believe your company could not replace you next month? Uh huh. Bonjour, stoppez le séjour!Look, let's be clear — nobody faults you for any of these three things. We know you were only trying to find the positive in an otherwise depressing situation. As young adults, we are thrust into the work world and search for any type of redeeming factor in a dead end career we can find. As life unfolds with more responsibility over the years, we often sink into a default setting. However, if you don't like when you boot your computer in Safe Mode, then why do so with your life?The trick is, if you step out of the comfortably numb shadow of denial, you'll see that the real happiness lies in pursuing what you truly feel passionate about. Yes, if your passion is Rice Krispies, then you should be at Kellogg's door tomorrow, looking for a way to be involved. Sure, it's an exaggeration, but you get the point. Passion has no limits.It comes down to a little perspective. When you look back on where you are now in 20 years, are you going to regret not having pursued your passions? Hell, that time could come tomorrow, because you don't know how long you're going to live. You could die from any of a billion things — choke on your baby back ribs, inhale toxic dust, have an orgasm-induced heart attack — anything.So if you've got something you want to do, somewhere you want to go to live, then what's stopping you? Start planning, scheming, plotting. You're not going to get there sitting on your ass, stuck in the same routines, and just accepting it as your fucking lot in life.The time to start is now. Consider this your wake-up call, free of charge. In case you're wondering, I say all of this because I, too, have made bad decisions in terms of career. But that's not stopping me from trying new avenues to get closer to my passions. It shouldn't for you either.In case you needed them, here are some good starting points:Entrepreneur - a plethora of information on starting your own business.Springwise - a website totally devoted to fresh ideas and insights.Monster - still one of the best places to find a new career.And if you're really out there, you can always try the porn route. It might just be better than being a CEO. But maybe not. Good luck, and thanks for reading. Cheers.

Magic Junk Radio 7: Gods, Drones, and Cereal

Mark Sahm — Mon, 14 Aug 2006 05:35:02 EDT

Never let it be said that I cannot share my creative process. After doing 99% of the work on the first six episodes of Magic Junk Radio, I decided to take in a group of refugees last month. I promptly gave them each a laptop and some headphones, and put them to work in my digital studio with a simple direction: "Make music that sounds like the lovechild of TV Theme Songs and Kid A."I'm kidding of course. But I have finally gotten a "sidekick" so to speak. I think the results have turned out quite wonderfully and I hope she continues her contribution as long as the podcast goes on -- which probably won't be for much longer, since change is always omnipresent. So it goes.If you've haven't tuned in before, MJR can best be described as an all-original eclectic maelstrom of sounds, voices, and samples. #7 travels a little further down the rabbithole of life's purpose. It clocks in at another all-time high 37:15 -- with the funk riffs, hard rock beats, and pop culture samples you're used to. We even try doing a spontaneous segment like normal podcasters do.Be sure to leave us some feedback if you have an opinion. Thanks. Take it easy.[ Download the MP3 ] - 42.7 MB (I blame the larger file size on my co-host)[ Subscribe to the RSS feed ]INSTRUCTIONS: Right-click the MP3 link above to download the full podcast in MP3 format, which will play in any iPod or MP3 music player. Left click and the MP3 will begin playing in a new web browser window (unless you haven’t updated in a while.)Content of Tables:Hulking OutGod Eat GodWelcomeDirty TalkSugar Smacks FairyToucan Sam On SpeedThe God-Drone SpectrumNeoprene LatinaStop Keeping ScoreCorporate DronesBreaking The FastWKRP in Sin CityRejection 77Live at the S-Rod LoungeFarewell

Magic Junk Radio 6: A New Set of Rules

Mark Sahm — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 05:01:23 EDT

Four months of podcast silence has felt like an eternity for me, but no longer. The time to take cherished samples and theme songs and make them into electronic madness is now.Of course, four months ago, the belief was to confine myself to a dark room with the goal of finding magic creative mushrooms growing in the enchanted meadows of my mind. But with such a premise, one is almost doomed to run into something else by accident, which is why I'm here now.Rather than spill what magical thing I ran into (and no, it wasn't Eva Longoria mud wrestling with Salma Hayek), I'll leave that in the hands of my sonically produced calling card, Magic Junk Radio 6: A New Set of Rules.If you've haven't tuned in before, MJR can best be described as an eclectic maelstrom of sounds, voices, and samples. #6 finds me back to my old tricks, but hopefully I've learned a little more since we last met. It clocks in at an all-time high 31:36 –with the funk riffs, hard rock beats, and pop culture samples you're used to. Even some old favorites get revisited through the MJR filters, including a couple guilty pleasures.And there you go. Be sure to leave me some feedback if you have an opinion. Thanks. Take it easy.[ Download the MP3 ] - 37.4 MB (Hey man, sound quality has its price...)[ Subscribe to the RSS feed ]INSTRUCTIONS: Right-click the MP3 link above to download the full podcast in MP3 format, which will play in any iPod or MP3 music player. Left click and the MP3 will begin playing in a new web browser window (unless you haven’t updated in a while.)Table of Contents:Welcome BackPodcast SecurityBrush JamThe New JobInterludeWeird MatrixCats In A Canvas BagA New Set of RulesAM SmoothPositively 4th BeerVisit The SidebarWhen The Rain Became AcidPsychic GraffitiFarewell

Magic Junk Radio 5: Go Remix Yourself

Mark Sahm — Wed, 8 Feb 2006 10:08:17 EST

Even in the midst of concentrating on a huge project, one might hear the voice of a smaller project calling, begging to be finished before it gets lost in the shuffle. While such an instance happened to me this month, I will not confess to hearing voices. No sir, not us.Anyway, that huge project is my second fiction novel. While I know its importance to me takes precedence over anything else, I had started the podcast back in January. Thus, I decided to finish it first. The subsequent result was Magic Junk Radio 5: Go Remix Yourself.If you've haven't tuned in before, MJR can best be described as an eclectic maelstrom of sounds, voices and samples. #5 catches me on a more serious note than usual, but at the same time tapping into the pop culture groove that I like to mess around with. It clocks in at a magnanimous 18:28--- with the funk riffs, hard rock beats, and mix of synths you're used to. Even some old favorites get revisited through the MJR filters.Like I mentioned before, this will be the last MJR for a few months, as I focus on the big picture. Nevertheless, I had fun making this podcast as I always do. I hope you enjoy listening. Thanks for reading. Peace.- - - - - - - - - -[ Subscribe to the RSS feed ] [ Download the MP3 ] - 17.3 MB- - - - - - - - - -INSTRUCTIONS: Right-click the MP3 link above to download the full podcast in MP3 format, which will play in any iPod or MP3 music player. Left click and the MP3 will begin playing in a new web browser window (unless you haven't updated in a while.)Content of Tables: Change Must Happen 2:12 Your Lot in Life 1:50 She Rides The Night 1:33 Jack Bauer Thrash 1:48 Sexy Wolf 2:19 Techno Whore 2:07 Hobby Vs Career 1:34 Celeste's Theme 2:14 Run Tantive Run 1:41 Farewell 1:06- - - - - - - - - - Missed the first four episodes of Magic Junk Radio? For shame! Fear not, redemption is just a click away: MJR 1 --- MJR 2 --- MJR 3 --- MJR 4.Love it? Hate it? Confused? Let me know. Leave a comment.

Book Review - GarageBand 2: The Missing Manual by David Pogue

Mark Sahm — Fri, 6 Jan 2006 13:34:42 EST

When I began using Apple's music recording program GarageBand six months ago, I started playing around without any instructions. But after some of my first compositions cracked windowpanes and exploded dog heads, I deemed it prudent to learn more. Another couple of months of experimenting passed, but I still felt like there were so many elements to GB that I could'nt use the program to its full potential.So enter GarageBand 2: The Missing Manual by David Pogue, which I began reading in hopes of salvaging my fractured skills. Suddenly, fifteen pages in, I heard my own voice from five months ago yelling at me, "You fool! Why didn't you get this earlier?" In other words, I found that David Pogue had written a clear and concise guide that makes GarageBand accessible to both gurus and nimrods alike. For me, there were enough "Aha! So THAT's how you do that!" moments in reading this, that if knowledge was a debt, I'd owe Pogue my first-born son.Clocking in at 272 pages, with hundreds of full color screenshots, Pogue writes from the perspective that you are opening GarageBand as a blank slate: if you don't even know how to drag and drop a file to a window, he explains that. But don't believe for a second that GB2:TMM is a dull instruction manual--- it's filled with quips relating to music, the computer industry and even GB itself. Pogue does not shy away from pointing out anything that might confuse the mere novice, or conflict with a trained musician's knowledge. While Pogue keeps an optimistic outlook on your GB potential, he remains honest. "GarageBand 2 may be simple," he says, "but it isn't simplistic."Aside from explaining the true nature of Apple Loops, recording both live and MIDI instruments, and then editing and enhancing the collective lot, Pogue seasons each section with quick tips, FAQ's, troubleshooting, and of course, every possible keyboard shortcut. After you have followed every lesson on composing your own soundtrack, there's a chapter on how and where to publish your finished work.My lone negative comment on the book is that since I don't play an instrument or have a music background, I am not able to utilize a few of the instructional sections in GB2:TMM. But that's no fault of the author. This is all part of making the manual more universal. Nevertheless, for music neophytes like me, Pogue has included a "Music Crash Course" on grasping the basics, as well as sections on reading notation and tuning your instrument with GB.On the whole, David Pogue reminds me of a good teacher from high school: one who was not only genuinely committed to your learning the material, but who enjoyed the material themselves. I believe that comes through in his writing. Combined with the infinite possibilities and practical interface of GarageBand, I've found a book that will never be more than an arm's length away from my computer setup.If you're an aspiring musician, podcaster, or are just looking to try something new, GarageBand and David Pogue's Missing Manual are an affordable and fun combination that can make things happen.