Bostich & Fussible’s  album Tijuana Sound Machine, released in 2008, is a fusion of electronica and the sounds of Northern Mexico.  Bostich, his given name being Ramon Amezcua, has been releasing work since 1988 and is usually recognized due to his affiliation with The Nortec Collection, a collection of works from electronica producers.  In the late 90′s he joined with Pepe Mogt to work on the Nortec Collection, but also released their individual works under the name Bostich & Fussible and The Tijuana Sound Machine.

The album is consistently good.  I have posted my three favorite tracks for your reader’s listening enjoyment.

“Unknown Title”

I stumbled upon this first track thanks to a friend.  Unfortunately the track is not from the Tijuana Sound Machine album I own (as Amezcua and Mogt initially released a Tijuana Sound Machine 1, Tijuana Sound Machine 2, then a compilation). This track is not on the compilation so I do not know the track name.

“Nortena del Sur”

“The Clap”

Warren Acuncius is an independent artist and great friend who I met on my 2003 European backpacking trip.  He has continued to impress me with his musical abilities over the years and always being kind enough to share his latest works with me.  During my stay in Bleau he sent me an email with a couple of his new songs, one of them (“Down The Road”) really resonating with me and where I was in life at that time.  Ironically, when we met he had introduced me to another song  (“Reverie”) that was also perfect for that trip, making me now always associate his music with European vacations. =) Both songs are posted here.  To listen to a wider sample, visit his website.

“Down The Road”

I like these two songs for different reasons. I love “Down The Road” for it’s lyrics, with the whole song being a description of my time in Bleau. My favorite line is, “Every turn has it’s day and every day it has it’s way. Of being the one that changes your life, of being the one that gets away.”

“Reverie”

I love this song as the guitar and rhythm make me truly happy, taking me back to the Cinque Terre in Italy.

Keep up the great work, Warren.

Nouvelle Vague is a French group focused solely on song covers, adding their own unique sounds to transform the original song into a completely different creation. “Their name is a play on words, meaning “new wave” in French. This refers simultaneously to “their “Frenchness” and “artiness” (the ’60s new wave of cult French cinema), the source of their songs (all covers of punk rock, post-punk, and New Wave songs), and their use of ’60s Bossa nova-style arrangements (“bossa nova” being Portuguese for “new wave”).” (source)

I own their original album, named simply Nouvelle Vague, finding it to be consistently good, song after song.  My personal favorites on this album include their cover of Depeche Mode’s “Just Can’t Get Enough” and The Clash’s “Guns of Brixton”.  The have released three albums, “Nouvelle Vague”, “Bande a Part” and “Late Night Tales: Nouvelle Vague” and are expected to release a fourth album in June 2009.

“Just Can’t Get Enough”

“Guns of Brixton”

What do you readers think?

Band / Song: Firecracker Jazzband – “That’s a Plenty”
Genre: Jazz
My thoughts: The FireFly (I love that this new friend of mine already had a nickname upon meeting as I usually reference all friends on my blog by nicknames) and I met due to this band playing in Asheville. The night I saw them in concert seriously was one of the most fun evenings “out on the town”. The band played at Jack in the Wood in downtown and the place was packed with the perfect amount of people with everyone dancing without a care in the world. The band was phenomenal, but the pianist was a true rocker (a compliment I rarely dish out). It was seriously a magical evening with the band dressed in the appropriate swing band attire and the entire crowd throwing out such moves as the lindy hop. Seriously magical!

Band / Song: Yann Tiersen – “La valse d’Amelie”
Genre: French Pop
My thoughts: David, a new friend from the Red River Gorge, introduced me to this French artist.  I listened to it quite a bit during my rough week in the Red River Gorge.  I find the music to be stunningly beautiful and am grateful that I don’t associate this music with the recent emotional time in my life.

Band / Song: The National –“The Show“
Genre: Rock
My thoughts: Shaft introduced me to The National prior to me hitting the road, to which I am widely grateful as I love the whole Boxer album, happily listening to it on a daily basis.

Band / Song: Vampire Weekend – “Oxford Comma”
Genre: Alternative
My thoughts: The younger De Camara brother introduced me to Vampire Weekend after a day of bouldering in Rumbling Bald. I instantly liked it within the first few music meters.

Band / Song: Paolo Conte –”Via Con Me”
Genre: Pop
My thoughts: I have no idea why I love this song so much… perhaps the singer’s deep voice? Perhaps the partial Italian lyrics? Perhaps it’s aged beats? I truly don’t know but I thoroughly enjoy it and listen to it often. I actually had heard it a good handful of times throughout the year, but on this trip figured out the artist and the name of the song. Lucky me.

My friend HIP #1 introduced me to English indie rock band The Kooks last year through the Inside In/Inside Out album. I really, really dig the album! Every song is great, but I especially enjoy the song "Ooh La". Check it out!

*disclaimer.. this might not work in IE on Windows yet. Still working out the kinks, so if you want to listen you might have to switch to Firefox. =)

Ben wrote this song about Price that I really enjoy and thought I would post.

My friend Sam created a new cd, Communist B-Sides, containing old and new renditions of his music, new compositions and covers of some classics such as Grapevine, Here Comes the Sun and Let It Be. The cd quality is fantastic and Sam has augmented his personal compositions with other instruments, for instance creating a blue grass sound with a banjo to the song Pants Up. I have 6 copies left of the Communist B-Sides and would love to hand them out to any readers or friends. If you want a copy, give me a shout-out.

His previous cd, A Prelude to a Bus Ride, can be found at the Salt Lake downtown library.

As a going away gift, Sam, who is a guitarist and composer, put on a house show. I absolutely love his folk-like music, with lyrics including:

“Bobbing with the potatoes
Trying to stay afloat.
So I grabbin’ me a carrot,
and trying to carve a boat.
And I’ll set sail
straight for your heart.
And if I get there
will you give me a part?
Cuz you are the girl I can’t resist,
though you persist.
Though you persist.”
Great Expectations

“If I turn the temperature down
and I’m the only heat around
Would you come on darlin’ and sit a little closer to me?”
Proposal #2

“I carry my phone
wherever I roam.
Feels like a big long leash.
A fish when it’s hooked
well, tastes better cooked.
She’s fishing catch and release.”
Bachelor’s Lament

Listening to Sam play that night made me realize (again) how lucky I have been to have him in my life. His friendship has been invaluable. He seems to understand me well and regardless of how little or much I see him throughout the year, he is always there for support. Mostly though, Sam is perhaps the only friend who I can openly talk to about any of my emotions, no matter how raw they might be that day, and he is always willing to listen.. just listen. He has gotten me through many rough patches in my life and I am lucky to have him has a friend. I hope he finds much happiness in Guam.