Pop, Fresh and Free

     Bands often temporarily permit free downloads of new releases.  The end of the offer may be based upon reaching a maximum number of downloads or the expiration of some period of time.  But at least for now, here are songs that qualify as Free, Legal and Recommended (FLR) downloads. The focus is upon Indie Pop or Power Pop music from bands that are in San Francisco or within easy driving distance of San Francisco.

     From Santa Cruz comes Neon Satori. The Facebook page of the band identifies its members as Andrew Gibson (Guitar/Vocals), N8 ST9 (Percussion/Synths/Vocals), and Ravi Lamb (Guitar). Santa Cruz geographically qualifies Neon Satori for this post, but the argument can be made that Neon Satori is more Ambient/Atmospheric than Pop. Our response would be, “The overriding fact is that Neon Satori desires more attention, so let's get 'em in a post.” Currently, “Bells of Esmeralda” is a free download. The favorite feature of the song is the energy build by the vocals and guitars staring at the 2:55 mark and peaking at the 3:48 mark.   

     "Bells of Esmeralda" by Neon Satori (if your browser does not show the download icon, CLICK HERE).

https://www.facebook.com/NeonSatori

http://www.neonsatori.com/

     Rio Rio is a five-member band based in San Francisco. The five names are Josh Collopy, Sean Corcran, Todd Huguenor, Ian de Borja, and Alex Cohen. It should be pointed out that the free download involves a Facebook connection.
      The song is “The Bashful and the Brave” (the download site is CLICK HERE).

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rioriomusic

Website: http://www.rioriomusic.com/

     “Save My City” is a track from San Francisco-based Symbols of the West, which is a duo comprising Nat Kendall and his long-time friend, Lauren Stark.  
     "Save My City” by Symbols of the West (the download site is CLICK HERE).

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/symbolsofthewest

Website: http://www.symbolsofthewest.com/

     The “Laws EP” is being offered on Noisetrade for the mere price of an email address. The background of that is provided by Branches on the Noisetrade page is pasted below:
     "A fresh new project from up and coming Samuel Laws collaborating with Jacob Montague of the band "Branches." It started over coffee one day when the two began catching up on life after college. They decided then and there that they would create something new. The excitement grew and they began sharing ideas back and forth through voice memos and dropbox files. A month later they set up in a room at a local church and recorded the entire EP."

Facebook: http://facebook.com/lawsmusicsf

Boy & Bear Will Be Touring with Wildlife

     For a number of tour dates in March and April, Boy & Bear will make the trip from Australia to selected cities in Canada and the United States. Better yet, for the April dates, Wildlife will join them. The Boy & Bear tour dates are listed at the bottom of this post.

     The members of Boy & Bear are Dave Hosking (lead singer/guitars), Killian Gavin (vocals/guitars), Tim Hart (drums, vocals, guitars), Jon Hart (vocals/keys/mandolin) and Dave Symes (bass). Originally, it was the 2009 solo project of singer/songwriter Hosking, but the membership soon grew to five. Our awareness didn’t come until May 2011, when the excitement around their single “Feeding Line” immigrated to the U.S.

       “Feeding Line” by Boy & Bear

     Recently, Boy & Bear released “Southern Sun.”

     Boy & Bear is generously offering the combination of "Southern Sun” and “Three Headed Woman” as a free download on Noisetrade:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/boyandbear

Website: http://boyandbear.com/

     We first voiced our appreciation for Wildlife on April 3, 2013. Wildlife is a Canadian band (Toronto, Ontario), whose members are Dean Povinsky, Graham Plant, Tim Daugulis, Derek Bosomworth, and Dwayne Christie. They have been playing together since 2006, but didn’t release their debut album until 2011 (“Strike Hard, Young Diamond"). The second album ("…On the Heart") arrived in March, 2013.

     Wildfire seems to favor Bandcamp over Soundcloud. So, embedded below is “,,,On the Heart.” The track that receives the most attention is “Born to Ruin,” but we also recommend the first song “If It Breaks” and the anthems that are tracks 11 and 12, which are respectively entitled “Lighting Tent” and “Two Hearts Race.”

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/wearewildlife

Website: http://wildlifemusic.ca/

Tour Dates of Boy & Bear: 

Wednesday, March 19 - Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge

Saturday, March 22 -  Philadelphia, PA @ MilkBoy

Monday, March 24 -  New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom

Wednesday, March 26 - Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair

Thursday, March 27 - Montreal, QC @ Sala Rosa

Friday, March 28 - Toronto, ON @ Garrison

Saturday, March 29 - Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall

Monday, March 31 - Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry

Tuesday, April 1 - Winnipeg, MB @ The Park

Wednesday, April 2 - Saskatoon, SK @ Amigo’s

Thursday, April 3 - Calgary, AB @ The Gateway

Friday, April 4 - Edmonton, AB @ Starlite Room

Sunday, April 6 Vancouver, BC @ Electric Owl

Tuesday, April 8 San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill

Wednesday, April 9 Los Angeles, CA @ The Troubadour

We Were…?

     The theme of this post is the use of “We Were” as a portion of a band name or a song title. Two of the three songs are easily connected, since they are by Scottish bands that feature the guitar-driven sound that Indie Obsessive appreciates. But the third is in the Indie Pop genre, with the only connections to the other two songs being (a) the “we were” naming choice and (b) we like the song.

     We Were Promised Jetpacks is preparing to release a live album and to head to the U.S. for another tour. Among the songs on the album is “Peace Sign” and among the tour stops is a return to Bimbo’s 365 in San Francisco (February 22). The members of this Scottish Indie Rock band are Adam Thompson (vocals, guitar), Michael Palmer (guitar), Sean Smith (bass) and Darren Lackie (drums).

     We Were Promised Jetpacks has not received the same level of attention in the U.S. that the band receives in Europe, but their song “Keeping Warm” was used as the background music in our favorite commercial of 2012 (a beer commercial in which a large number of pre-prepared people unexpectedly show up to rabidly cheer teams engaged in an adult recreational hockey game – the commercial can be seen at the Youtube site – CLICK HERE).  

      “Peace Sign” by We Were Promised Jetpacks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wewerepromisedjetpacks

Website: http://www.wewerepromisedjetpacks.co.uk/

     The second “We Were” is a song title. Glasgow-based This Silent Forest offers the song "We Are We Were.” The song was in a previous post, but it is included here because it fits the theme and because the appreciation for the song continues to grow. The first segment is instrumental, the second segment is vocals-driven, and the third is a where-did-that-come explosion of sound.

     The members of This Silent Forest are Graeme Macdonald (vocals and rhythm guitar), Jamie Sturt (lead guitar and vocals) Evan Macdonald (drums) and JJ McGowan (bass and vocals).

     "We Are We Were” by This Silent Forest

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thissilentforest

Bandcamp: http://thissilentforest.bandcamp.com/

     The third song is by We Were Evergreen, which is a trio that claims ties to both London and Paris. The members are Michael Liot, Fabienne Débarre, and William Serfass. The song “Daughters” hit Soundcloud only six days ago. While the trio has been together for awhile and has released other songs, “Daughters” evidences a musical maturity relative to their past work.

      “Daughters” by We Were Evergreen

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/wewereevergreen

Website: http://www.wewereevergreen.com/

Two songs that would be included if “we were” to find legal streaming:

1. Killing Fields of Ontario’s “When We Were Born”

2. London Grammar’s “When We Were Young”

Another Big Sound Post

     In posts of 2013, the term “Big Sound Band” was defined as one that uses an orchestral approach to providing a texturally full sound in at least one of its Indie recordings. It's time to revisit the sound.

     Mercury Rev has been making music since 1988. The last album release was in 2008, but late last year Mercury Rev was one of the participants in a tribute album with a tie to a worthwhile fundraiser. The tribute was to troubled songwriter Mark Linkous (aka Sparklehorse), who died in 2010. Fittingly, the worthy cause was increasing awareness about mental health while reducing the stigma associated with mental illness.

     Mercury Rev is based in Buffalo, New York. Because the band has not been very active, there were questions about who the current members are. Last month, Jonathan Donahue addressed the questions:

"So, it’s just Grasshopper [Sean Mackowiak] and myself as 'permanent' members of the Rev along with Dave Fridmann too; except he won't leave Buffalo to tour (though he says we can play as many shows as we want in Buffalo and he will be there!). On the most recent recordings we've also got our longtime (13 years) touring bass player Carlos Anthony Molina both engineering and making sound as well, which is fantastic given his amazing collection of vintage studio equipment and his stellar ears… Touringwise over the past few seasons we have been blessed with two of our longtimest friends Justin and Jason Russo on stage to help with the orchestrations especially on the DSongs shows… That's Justy you see in the most recent Bilbao photos… Jason is usually real busy with his bands Hopewell and Common Prayer… And of course that brings us to Jason 'the Kid' Miranda our drummer… he's been with us since he was a minnow and now, well now he is nearly a decade in."

    “Sea of Teeth” is the Mercury Rev song on the tribute album, which is entitled “Last Box of Sparklers.” The song starts unassumingly, but the “Big Sound” is readily apparent by  the 2:00 mark.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MercuryRev

Website: http://www.mercuryrev.com/

     James Vincent McMorrow lives in Dublin, Ireland, but his vocals live in the falsetto range of frequencies. His song of interest to this post is “Gold.” In particular, the horns create that “Big Sound,” but the vocals certainly contribute.

Facebook: http://facebook.com/jamesvincentmcmorrow

Website: http://jamesvmcmorrow.com/

“Cut Your Teeth” by Kyla La Grange – A Song Review

     With another admission that we’re late to a party, we praise Kayla La Grange and her song “Cut Your Teeth.” The talent of this Londoner was long ago recognized by other blogs. But it took this latest song for us to come to the light.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kylalagrange

Webpage: http://www.kylalagrange.com/

LYRICS OF “Cut Your Teeth”

Didn't I warn you not to? 

Didn't I warn you good? 
Maybe we couldn't help it 
Maybe we never should 

Didn't I say it slowly? 
Didn't I make it clear? 
Is it unfair to ask you? 
Why it is you’re still here? 

You cut your teeth on the lack of answers, and you
Come back home and it don't feel the same 
Well, I bled words onto a page for you 
And you never knew my name 

Didn't I make it harder? 
Didn't I leave you that? 
Was it too much to ask you? 
Why it is you still care? 

You cut your teeth on the lack of answers, and you
Come back home and it don't feel the same 
Well, I bled words onto a page for you 
And you never knew my name 

[Note: Time to use the Lorde voice]
Come go, break your bones
They cut you up and never let go 
Sweet low, play your show 
Call your mother, say take me home 
Lights, smoke, don't say no
You’re another man down, if you let them know 

You cut your teeth on the lack of answers, and you
Come back home and it don't feel the same 
Well, I bled words onto a page for you 
And you never knew my name 

[Repeat]

“Cold Favours” by Kyla La Grange – currently a free download at CLICK HERE

Folks We Oughta Know – The January Version

     In 2012, we went with a group of friends to see a band that was in the middle of a popularity explosion. Opening for that band was one that included three sisters. We knew very little about this opening band. But by the halfway point in their performance, everyone in our group had experienced a “wow moment.” The almost unknown opening band was Haim, which subsequently had its own popularity explosion.

     If you only consider the math, SHEL will become thirty-three percent more popular than Haim, since it has four sisters. This set of sisters plays an even wider range of instruments, so again the math works well for predictions about SHEL. However, SHEL has a Celtic Folk feel to its music, which does not have the wide draw that Haim holds. Yes, it’s true – numbers don’t lie, but they do mislead.

     SHEL is based in Fort Collins, Colorado. The members are Sarah Holbrook (violin, bass guitar, vocals), Hannah Holbrook (keyboard, piano, vocals), Eva Holbrook (mandolins, bass guitar, vocals), and Liza Holbrook (drums, percussion, vocals). Take the first letter of each first name and you get SHEL. [If Haim had taken that approach, it would be called EDA.]
     “Lost at Sea” by SHEL

     “The Battle of Evermore” by SHEL - A cover of a Led Zeppelin song that may be the best use of a mandolin in the history of rock.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iloveshel

Website: http://shelmusic.com/

     Magic Giant is a Los Angeles trio with a good sense of humor and a willingness to give back to the community. The band was formally called Knocked Up Kids (a number of insufficiently clever references to the Foster the People song come to mind). The members are Austin Bis (lead vocals, piano, and guitar), Zambricki (banjo, cello, violin, guitar and background vocals), and AJK (drums).

     On the website of Magic Giant, they make a commitment that benefits everyone:

     "Drum lesson with AJK? Rock the guitar with Zambricki or jam on keys w/ Austin Bis? For every 5000 SoundCloud listens, a member of Magic Giant will give an hour music lesson to a Green Dot Public School student in LA."

We are pleased to play a small role in promoting the cause and the band.

     “Glass Heart” by Magic Giant  

     We love the banjo and energy in this next song!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/magicgiant

Website: http://magicgiant.co/

     Returning to Fort Collins, Colorado, Fierce Bad Rabbit is less Folk and more Rock than the other two bands in this post, but the instruments in their song “Do You Want Me Now?” establish the qualifications.

Pasted here is the band information from their Facebook page:

     "Fusing together melodic strands of indie/alternative effects with a rock foundation, Fierce Bad Rabbit creates a unique sound that travels through poignant lyrics and pop-infused tunes to gritty pieces showcasing front man Chris Anderson’s well-honed style of songwriting. Evolving from their formation in 2009, Fierce Bad Rabbit has grown from Northern Colorado roots, blending together four strong musical talents from different genres. Featuring Anderson on vocals, guitar and piano, Alana Rolfe on viola and vocals, Dayton Hicks on bass guitar, and Max Barcelow on drums, percussion and vocals, the band has grown into a collective of raw and unbridled ambitions mixed with a strong sensibility for keeping their sound fresh and progressive."

       “Do You Want Me Now?” by Fierce Bad Rabbit

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fiercebadrabbitmusic

Website: http://www.fiercebad.com/

Volcano Choir at the Fillmore – A Concert Review

The free poster that the Fillmore provides after sellouts

     Synergy is the interaction of multiple elements to produce an effect greater than the sum of those individual elements. So, synergy is not visible, only its effects are. But if it were a visible phenomenon, it would have been on full display during Volcano Choir’s performance at the Fillmore in San Francisco on January 22.

     Volcano Choir is a collaboration of Wisconsin-based artists, who released their second album (Repave) in September 2013.  The band comprises past or current members of bands that include Bon Iver, Collections of Colonies of Bees, Death Blues, and All Tiny Creatures. All of those bands experienced some success, particularly Bon Iver. In fact, we have been fans of Bon Iver since the release of the song “Flume” a number of years ago, but wish they would discover the benefits of caffeine to song writing and arranging. Still, none of bands have the power or potential of Volcano Choir. For example, as compared to the often sedate approach of Bon Iver, the second portion of the song “Still” even left the audience exhausted, as Volcano Choir combined a guitar-driven shoegaze "wall of sound" with a drum-featured song arrangement.

     The setlist is included in this post. Of the songs, “Comrade” and “Byegone” were clearly the most recognizable by the appreciative audience. Volcano Choir nailed the performances of both those songs. Nevertheless, by the end of the evening there were more than a few attendees who switched their favorite Volcano Choir song to “Acetate.” “Acetate” was the song that took best advantage of the ability of so many members of the band to positively contribute to the vocals.  

     The final song prior to the encore set was “Still.” As already noted, the song had two portions/segments. While the second segment was instrumental, the first can most accurately be described as being based on voice processing. Verses sung by Justin Vernon were echoed, looped and otherwise electronically manipulated very effectively.

Bottom line -  If you have an opportunity to see Volcano Choir in concert, grab it.

The setlist at the Fillmore (best recollection):

1. Tiderays

2. Island, IS

3. Comrade

4. Valleyonaire

5. Keel

6. Dancepack

7. The Agreement

8. Alaskans

9. Acetate

10. Byegone

11. Still

Encore:

12. Almanac

13. Youlogy

Below is the NPR Volcano Choir performance in 2013

THE SET LIST FOR THIS NPR PERFORMANCE AND THE TIMING:

Tiderays - 1:30

Island, IS - 5:20

Comrade - 10:10

The Valleyinaire - 14:10

Keel - 19:55

Dancepack - 26:05

Blue Ni Ni (The Volcano Schores) - 30:30

Alaskans - 36:05

Acetate - 41:50

Byegone - 46:50

“My Type” by Saint Motel Makes Another Visit to Indie Obsessive

     "My Type" landed in the top ten of our favorite songs of 2013 (Top 10 – Click here). Recently, “My Type” became a video that simultaneously makes the song sound fresh and appear outdated. It sounds fresh because the video rejuvenated our appreciation of the song. The arrangement certainly did not just fall together, with so many instruments (horns, piano, guitars…) and other sounds (clapping, slide whistle?,,,) jumping in quickly and then backing out just as quickly. However, the selection of the video’s choreography just as certainly provides that outdated appearance.       The video for “My Type” features a staged disco with mirrors arranged to multiply the number of dancers. Information about the video describes the recording as being an Italian film from the 1970s. But a member of Saint Motel (lead vocalist A.J. Jackson) is very effectively transposed into the film.

     Under the “Truth in Blogging Guideline,” which has a zero chance of ever existing, we admit that our appreciation for the video may be positively affected by experiences at a local venue. In San Francisco, Rickshaw Stop will often precede a concert performance with a DJ set lthat occurs while a film is shown on the screen behind the stage. The film is at least an hour in length and is a collection of public domain (we assume) clips, including disco and aerobics clips. The DJ’s music and the motion in the film seem synchronized ninety-five percent of the time, but there is occasional evidence that one is not made for the other. Over time, we have come to enjoy the slightly less than complete synchronization. The enjoyment transfers to the video of "My Type."

Lyrics of “My Type”

Take a look around the room,

Love comes wearing disguises.

How to go about and choose.

Break it down by shapes and sizes.

I'm a man who's got very specific taste.

You're just my type.

You got a pulse and you are breathing.

You're just my type.

I think it's time that we get leaving.

When there's loving in the air,

Don't fight it just keep breathing.

I can't help myself but stare.

Double check for double meanings.

I'm a man who's got very specific taste.

You're just my type.

You got a pulse and you are breathing.

You're just my type.

I think it's time that we get leaving.

You're just my type.

You got a pulse and you are breathing.

You're just my type.

I think it's time that we get leaving.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saintmotel

Website: http://saintmotel.com/

     “Ace in the Hole” by Saint Motel

“Spirit First (Sincerely K.)” by Levi Weaver – A Song Review

     Because of an occurrence that was long anticipated and natural, yet sad, we are both in a dark place. So, it’s a good time to introduce the song “Spirit First (Sincerely, K.)” by Levi Weaver. The song was released in June, 2011. Weaver is a singer/songwriter in East Nashville, Tennessee, and he describes himself as a "Wanderer, Wonderer," who likes baseball and is fond of Starburst.

      The song is from the album “The Letters of Dr. Kurt Gödel.” After doing a little research about Kurt Gödel, here is a quick bio and two interesting stories:

     1. The bio - Gödel was an Austrian logician, mathematician and philosopher. He died in 1978 at the age of 71. After Austria became part of Nazi Germany, he joined Albert Einstein at Princeton University and they developed a strong friendship.

     2.  Interesting Story 1 – Einstein accompanied Gödel to his U.S. citizenship exam, for fear that Gödel’s citizenship would be denied if he were allowed to explain the “flaw” in the U.S. Constitution that would allow the country to become a dictatorship. Sure enough, Gödel started the explanation, but it was the presiding judge rather than Einstein who cut him off.

     3. Interesting Story 2 - Gödel had an obsessive fear of being poisoned, so he would only eat food that his wife prepared. In late 1977, his wife was hospitalized for six months. He died of starvation, weighing 66 pounds.

     “Spirit First (Sincerely K.)” by Levi Weaver

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheLeviWeaver

Website: http://www.leviweaver.com/

“Spirit First (Sincerely K.)” - The Lyrics

I built this house, but it fell down before I got one night of sleep

So how does that beat all the fools who never tried

They missed the moon in rented rooms, traded stories over food

I worked alone, broke my bones with all my pride.

I desired royal attire, so I acquired the emperor's skin

Held a parade & begged the world to look inside

I wanted fame, 'cause I thought fame could prove to me that I was great

It never came; I was a failure to myself

It's the way of the world to swallow you alive  

The way of the world to swallow you alive // spirit first.

It's been so long singing songs I couldn't possibly still mean

I guess they're lies if they've lost the truth they had

and it's so hard to get well, writing postcards home from Hell

I'd rather pack; I'd rather leave this all/

It's the way of the world to swallow you alive

the way of the world to swallow you alive // spirit first

Whoa, Whoa, I give up

Whoa, Whoa, I give up

Ooo, ooooh // I give up.

You get one life, and I spend mine chasing highways made of ghosts

Now I don't know the way home from where I stand

And I believed I was free, til I forgot what I believed

Now I don't even need chains to hold me down.

     “I Am Certain I Am a Train” by Levi Weaver

“I Am Certain I Am a Train” - The Lyrics

I am a cup of rotten coffee, my thoughts are floating on my head

And if you drink them in and chew them up, they're only gonna make you sick

I've lived my life like blackout bingo; trying on each home I thought might fit.

Now there's a bean on every square, but someone's telling me I still can't win.

I've left // When I thought leaving made things right.

I've quit // When quitting meant I didn't start a fight.

I've spent // Half my wrist erasing what I write

Half my days ashamed of half my nights

Half my life escaping from my life.

I've paid admission to the places I have loved by pawning off pieces of my heart

Til I'm smeared across a globe with little hope of recovering half my parts.

I've spent entire years behind a wheel wondering why it is I drive so hard.

Til I'm no closer to an answer, ten years later, than the day I tried to start.

I've left // When I thought leaving made things right.

I've quit // When quitting meant I didn't start a fight.

I've spent // Half my wrist erasing what I write

Half my days ashamed of half my nights

Half my life escaping from my life

Sometimes I'm certain I'm a train filled with strangers

And we're all searching for a home we've never seen

So I'll keep whistling my so-ong low and pretty

And we'll keep stumbling through the night

Like tunnels searching for the light.

I've left // When I thought leaving made things right.

I've quit // When quitting meant I didn't start a fight.

I've spent // Half my wrist erasing what I write

Half my days ashamed of half my nights

Half my life escaping from my life

[This post is dedicated to Oreo.]

Google Releases a Music Timeline Tool

Fig. 1 - The Music Timeline overview (CLICK HERE to expand)

     There is a “Music Timeline” tool available at https://research.google.com/bigpicture/music/. Like any tool, particularly ones that are offered without any cost, there are limitations. Google is honest about that fact. The reality is that the most significant limitation may be the fault of its users – namely, our limited imagination as to how to use the tool.

     The best approach to understanding the tool is to consider the first two FAQs provided by Google, which are pasted below.

What is the Music Timeline?

     The Music Timeline shows genres of music waxing and waning, based on how many Google Play Music users have an artist or album in their music library, and other data (such as album release dates). Each stripe on the graph represents a genre; the thickness of the stripe tells you roughly the popularity of music released in a given year in that genre. (For example, the "jazz" stripe is thick in the 1950s since many users' libraries contain jazz albums released in the '50s.) Click on the stripes to zoom into more specialized genres. 

Where does the data come from?

     The Music Timeline is based on album and artist statistics aggregated from Google Play Music — we define popularity by how many users have an artist or album in their music library.

     From the two questions and their answers, our understanding is:

     1. The information reflects the tastes of a limited audience – those people who have Google Play music libraries. Assuming those people accurately represent music listeners as a whole, it’s all good.

     2. It is easy to fall into a trap of concluding that the Music Timeline, as captured at the top of this post, is a history of music appreciation since 1950. Actually, the Music Timeline shows the current appreciation of music dating back as far as 1950. Historical data is used to create the timeline, but the height of a genre's area at a particular time is based upon information collected from Google Play libraries, which haven’t been around for very long. Let’s consider jazz. A quick look at the timeline would lead to the conclusion that in 1955, the vast majority of music listeners or purchasers were fans of the jazz genre. But the timeline actually shows that music that was released in 1955 and that is still of interest to listeners (or at least Google Play users) is most likely to be jazz music. Considered from a different angle, if a jazz artist who released albums in the early 1980s were to suddenly become very popular, the height of the jazz genre within the early 1980s would likely increase. The increase would reflect a change in 2014, not a change in the 1980s.

     3. In our estimation, the only significant flaw in the Music Timeline is more of benefit than it is a liability. Namely, it furthers the perception that “Indie” is a genre. INDIE REPRESENTS AN ECONOMIC SITUATION – a band is “Indie” if it independent of corporate influence, such as influence from a major record label. Indie bands may produce music that is Indie Rock or Indie Folk. So, the Music Timeline doesn’t actually show the full interest in the Rock genre. Still, because we are Indie Obsessive, we are pleased that separate data mining for Indie music is a possibility.

     That said, it's time to do some data mining and show some screen captures. 

Fig. 2 - The Alternative/Indie region of Fig. 1 (CLICK HERE to expand)

     This is a screen capture of the Music Timeline after “clicking” the Alternative/Indie region. Because the major record labels dominated the music scene for so long, there is very little from which to choose until about 1975. After recording equipment became more accessible, either by choice or necessity, bands released music outside the labels.  

Fig. 3 - The 00's region of Fig. 2, with a particular interest in the Black Keys (CLICK HERE to expand)

     Next, we “clicked” the 00’s region of Fig. 2 and “moused over” the Black Keys region. Cover art of the albums appears and the albums are mapped to their respective release dates.

Fig. 4 - The Black Keys region of Fig. 3 (CLICK HERE to expand)

     Finally, we “clicked” the Black Keys region of Fig. 3. In addition to the library information, a bio of the band appeared.