School of Rock

We've all seen the Myspace music descriptions - you know, the ones that look like this - indie/punk/experimental or funk/soul/thrashcore. What the Hell does a freak-folk/speed-grass band sound like anyway? To help relieve you of your confusion, today, An Ocean of Noise unveils it's campaign to spread the knowledge. I will periodically be coming at you with terminology and music movements on a need-to-know-basis (i.e. whenever I can't think of anything else to write about). For our first lesson we are looking at the term "Shoegaze."




Shoegaze - adjective, origin, UK, circa - late 1980's

The term shoegaze came into existence when it was used by a writer for the British music magazine, NME, to describe a type of music that had come into fashion in the mid-to-late 1980's in the UK. The sound of shoegaze is typified by droning, distorted guitars and vocals that seem to blend into the music, creating a 'wall of sound'. Musicians who made this type of music generally played with their effects pedals (see picture above) and stared down at the ground (shoe gazing) instead of interacting with the crowd.

Some bands associated with this movement are My Bloody Valentine, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Ride and on the periphery Dinosaour Jr. and Sonic Youth. The movement was eventually killed off by the grunge scene but has made a resurgence as of late, which is of course called Nu Gaze, and can be heard in bands like Animal Collective, Yo La Tengo, Blonde Redhead and Broken Social Scene.

Class dismissed.

It's the Time of the Season

Summer is the time of BIG. It's when the movie production companies roll out their huge, explosion-riddled blockbusters, pop stars release their catchiest tunes and we all parade around in our most revealing clothes, gathering near barbecue grills and swimming pools. But alas, the end of Summer is upon us and though most of the U.S. has had an unseasonably cool summer, there is still something merciful about the beginning of Fall.

Fall is the opposite of Summer in many ways, even more so then Winter. Fall is a time for the small, the quiet. We pause to hear the crunch of leaves beneath our shoes, we have retired our swimsuits and walk to and fro with our hands in the pockets of our hooded sweatshirts. Fall is a time to get out of the city, to immerse yourself in nature, breath in the smoky last breath of dying leaves. Fall serves to hold the most iconic images that nature has to offer - a palette of orange, gold and red, dead cornstalks, bristling bare branches - the colors of summer and heat retreating - the colors signifying the bare essentials of earth laid out before us.

If you're anything like me, Fall is also about breaking out the Ipod and grabbing a cup of coffee to go re-exploring the world. Here, a mix of songs that feel appropriate for the season for you to download now (Sorry, I can't help you out there) and take with you on your Fall adventures.

1. "Dead Leaves on the Dirty Ground" - The White Stripes
2. "TV Trays" - Death Cab For Cutie
3. "Cold Water" - Tom Waits
4. "Tears are in Your Eyes" - Yo La Tengo
5. "Roscoe" - Midlake
6. "Alaska" - Dr. Dog

7. "I Can Smell the Leaves" - Olivia Tremor Control
8. "Apple Bed" - Sparklehorse
9. "Sun it Rises" - Fleet Foxes
10. "Carry Me Ohio" - Sun Kil Moon

11. "Black Mountain" - Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan
12. "Autumn Leaves" - Eva Cassidy