Music Monday: Rock Is Dieing A Slow And Painful Death

After the Grammys aired, a friend mused that he thought that Rock music is dead. "Look at the nominees," he said, "almost all of them are ancient or near-dead themselves." So I looked at the nominees, and the winners, and I have come to a conclusion: he's right. Rock is a dieing art.

"But Dickie," you say, "Arcade Fire won Album of the Year. How can Rock be dead?" Fair point. We'll get to that in a minute.

Let's take a look at just the Rock and Metal categories. Out of those 7 categories, there were 35 nominations. Only 2 categories featured more than 1 nomination for an artist that has been around less than 10 years. The remaining nominations were for old acts. And yes, even groups like STP, one of my favorite bands, is an old act: they've been around nearly 20 years now. Swallow that pill, 30-somethings.

Pual McCartney, Jeff Beck, Iron Maiden, and Neil Young all won awards this year. So more than half the awards were handed out to artists that are well over 50 years-old, some over 60. For a music form that revolves on the credo of "Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll," I'm starting to wonder if they are referring more to Viagra than to rebellion.

And Neil Young… a man best known by today's generation as a line in that annoying Southern anthem Sweet Home Alabama. Yeah, it's the same Neil Young kids. He's that old.

Let's not get this message twisted. I am a Rock fan. Some of the newer artists that took home awards are in constant rotation on my iPhone, such as Arcade Fire and Muse. And I do love me some revived 90's rock. But without much fresh blood being pumped in to the system, can we honestly hope for a bright future for Rock?

I certainly hope so. But just as certainly I can't say that they are. If the old guard is really the best we have to offer, it stands to reason that Rock is being minimized to a niche market.

Groups like Kings of Leon, Muse and Arcade Fire bring me some hope that the future of Rock isn't completely dismal. And there are certainly a plethora of other lesser known and indie Rock acts that just haven't hit it big yet. But that fact confirms the niche status rather than deflecting it.

In any case, I'm still here. I'm still supporting new Rockers. Even if I'm in the minority for doing so. And it's not that I'm not appreciative of the old guard of Rock, but the energy and power of rock lies in the young and the powerless, not the old and jaded. Let's get some more of those hungry, angry, virile rockers out on the scene and shake things up a bit.

Is Rock dead? Not yet, but it is slowly getting there. And that scares me.

Music Monday: Eminem, Gaga, And Mushy Love

So the Grammy's happened last night. That would theoretically make a great topic to discuss for Music Monday. But I'm going to skip talking about the Grammy's in and of themselves because musical tastes are so subjective and because I honestly haven't listened to all the acts nominated in the various categories I care about, so talking about who I thought should have or shouldn't have won just doesn't make much sense.

Instead I want to talk about one particular artist that won an award last night, Eminem. I'll clear this up really quick for everyone so there's no confusion: I abhor Eminem. I find him to be vile in his actions and lyrics, I think his creativity is severely lacking, and I personally think he's talentless. Of course, my opinions of him are tainted. I've despised him as an artist since he hit the scene and I haven't seen any redeeming qualities in him. In short, I don't care for the guy.

While watching the tail end of the Grammy's last night (we missed the first 2/3 due to a dinner engagement), I heard the announcer state that Eminem had won two awards earlier in the evening. And I lost it! My distaste for him runs so deep that I can't even fathom who would find value in his music, and the idea that he would be rewarded for his antics infuriated me. I may have swore at the TV and I may have thrown a tiny bit of a hissy fit... Possibly.

At this point, my husband looked at me and said "Seriously, cut it out. We get it. You don't like him. Move on. You're starting to sound like Gaga Hater." To which I opened my mouth to rebut… but couldn't say anything, because my husband was absolutely correct.

Gaga Hater deserves a bit of explanation. Gaga Hater is someone we met at a party and then friended on Facebook. Late last week, Lady Gaga's new single Born This Way hit the intertubes, and although the reactions to it have been a bit all over the place, Gaga Hater's reaction was "OMG, this song is trash and you're all IDIOTS if you like it." I thought that was a bit extreme and husband and I joked about it and moved one.

So when my husband pointed out that I was acting exactly like Gaga Hater, I knew he was right and I knew I was being a jackass.

I don't have to like Eminem. In fact, it's likely I will never even get to being OK with Eminem. But I don't have to act like an imbecile because he has a career. Obviously, plenty other people disagree with my assessment of him as an artist. He's won several awards and he's been praised by critics that I respect. I don't like his art, but that doesn't mean his art is valueless.

What I do have to do is cross over from being a jerk about something that is ultimately inconsequential and become someone that can have a civil discussion about the merits of an artist's work. I don't find art that is focused on violence and misogynistic rhetoric is particularly valuable, and that's a point I can make in that discussion. However, I need to understand that others may not see things the way I do. And, most importantly, they don't have to.

So while I don't think I can ever truly "get" why someone would like Eminem, I don't think that anyone that does like him is an idiot.

It may be ironic, but it's because of Eminem and my hate for the guy that I'm in such a mushy, lovey spot right now. You see, it's these sort of lessons that I learn from my husband every day that make me love him more and more. He wants me to be the best person I can be, and it all comes from a place of love. Happy Valentine's Day, sweetheart! You continue to help me grow every single day

Music Monday: In Defense Of Christina

OK, so Christina messed up a line of the National Anthem.  She should have had that damn perfect, I’ll agree, but people make mistakes.  Look at the ENTIRE half time performance for more evidence of performers making mistakes.

BUT, I’m going to say that those people complaining that “she took too many liberties” with the song, I’m calling bull shit.

What those people are really trying to say is that they can’t stand listening to someone with real, actual talent sing anymore.  We’ve been so brainwashed by the auto-tuned crap being served to us (again, see the half time show) that we’ve forgotten that there are people that actually know how to use their voice to produce for reals music.

It’s OK though.  Black Eyed Pees continue to go mutli-platinum everytime they sneeze another generic piece of recycled trash on to the radio (they call it sampling, but whatevs), so I suppose that’s what people really want.  But just because the public doesn’t understand musicality anymore doesn’t mean that Christina gave a bad performance.  I’m just saying, public opinion isn’t always accurate, or for that matter, substantial.

Music Monday: Fiery Sex With Kings

As I struggled to find something to write about this morning, I realized that I had not really talked about Kings of Leon yet. So I'll rectify that today!

About 2 years ago, I stumbled on Kings of Leon's album Only By The Night, which I am sure just about everyone is familiar with. The album spawned approximately 14,000 thousand hit singles, a few even on the pop radio scene. My personal favorite track was Sex on Fire and has now become a karaoke standard for me.

I wasn't too sure what to make of the boys at the time. The sound was certainly grunge-inspired rock. Every track resonated with some '90's sound but they were also pretty solidly modern as well. But the lead singer is what pulled me in most. He has this vulnerability to his voice, this raspy-ness that sounds like he might have just woke up after a night of smoking 2 packs of cigarettes and decided to record a track before even drinking some water. Hmmm… that may not have come across as enticing as I meant it… but in any case, I like his voice!

The band recently(ish) released a new album called Come Around Sundown which is… well, it's OK. The tracks are all crafted well, but there's something missing this time around. I originally chalked it up to the sophomore slumps many recording artists face until I realized this was actually their fifth album. 

With Only By The Night, there was a sense of magic in the album. Its as if the band knew they had a great record lined up and they put their everything into it. Sundown was more like them trying really hard to come up with great tracks, but without that sense of confidence and magic.

Don't get me wrong though: I like Come Around Sundown. I do. I just don't like it nearly as much as I like Night. And if I hadn't burnt myself out on Night, I'd probably listen to that album over Sundown whenever I'm have a Kings of Leon craving, but as it is Sundown is good enough and fulfills that craving when it comes.

I've been told that I should pick up the older albums by Kings of Leon and I likely will soon, but for some reason I've held off. I think it's probably related to how much I enjoyed Only By The Night and how not-as-stellar Come Around Sundown is, so I'm worried the earlier albums will have by more like Sundown. Maybe if I stay ignorant of the earlier stuff my image of the band will stay positive.

Music Monday: Magnet

I'm still in a bit of a music funk. I've been having trouble finding enough new music to replace the tired albums I have on my iPhone, which is perpetuating this cycle of stale sound. I end up listening to the same new-to-me tracks over and over again, which I then burn out on faster than I would like. Which then means I have even less fresh music to listen to.

There are a few artists that are able to transcend this trend though. I've talked about them in general a long while ago, but I wanted to write about Magnet for today's Music Monday. Magnet is a Norwegian singer-songwriter that produces some great, ambient alternative music. If you enjoyed the intricacies of someone like Florence and the Machine, or even some of Alanis Morrisette's more adventurous tracks, possibly even some Spoon, then Magnet's style should be perfect for you.

Most of his songs are fairly mellow, but each is intricately crafted. There are layers upon layers of sound in his albums which adds the kind of depth that I adore in music. While I do love the bare, raw emotion a man/woman and their guitar often produce, the carefully crafted sounds of more layered songs work on a different level to paint the emotional picture the artist is going for.

Magnet is great at what he does. His albums have a way of drawing me in and taking me on a journey right along with him. To me, that's the sign of a good artist. He doesn't tell you a story, he gets you to experience the story for yourself.

It doesn't seem like he really made a splash here in the states, and I have no idea what his popularity is outside of here, but if you're looking to give him a try you can get his album The Simple Life on Amazon MP3 (EDIT: this is not true anymore. You can get his CD, but not the digital from Amazon). This is his newest album even though it's a few years old at this point, but it is also my favorite of his. For my gaming pals, you may recognize a track or two or maybe just his voice if you ever played Dreamfall: The Longest Journey. He contributed a couple songs to that sound track, which, even though I never played Dreamfall, the fact that he contributed to a game that so many people love gives him bonus points in my book!

If you want a sample, check out the video for Lonely No More from A Simple Life:

Music Monday: Florence And The Machine

This column has gone through sooooo many different changes and adjustments and title changes… I'm a bit over the theme, so from here on out I'm going to call it Music Monday. All I can promise I'll talk about for sure is music. May be current, old, something I love, or hate, or an artist that annoyed me, or music from a movie or game that caught my attention… or all the above.

A high school friend that I still keep up with a bit on Facebook mentioned that he thought Florence and the Machine was his pick for best artist you've never heard of, which I tend to agree with. Well, I did agree with. Until I remember she performed on the MTV VMA's last year. And her song Dog Days Are Over was featured in a Glee episode. And her album Lungs has gone platinum a few times over world wide. So I suppose I would say that Florence is more of the best artist I had never heard of.

Then I changed that by picking up Lungs. The only regret I have with regard to this record is that I didn't grab it when I saw Florence perform at the VMA's last year. At the time I thought the song she performed sounded interesting, but I promptly forgot about it after the show, probably as a result of my mind trying to purge all of the VMA's from my memory.

Lungs has a very percussive feel to it throughout, which may explain why I'm enjoying the album so much. Being a percussionist, I always enjoy when drumming is an actual part of the music rather than just the rhythm that drives things along. Most of the songs feature boisterous drums that add character to the songs and really pull me in to the music.

Oddly, I feel like Florence and the Machine has a very Cranberries feel. Not that Florence sounds like the Cranberries per se, but I feel like Florence takes some similar risks that The Cranberries did in the 90's. The style of vocals, the challenging of the standard song-writing, the heavy use of rhythm while the vocals challenge the necessity to follow standard patterns. And yes, she does have some similar vocal qualities, so I guess there's that too.

So I'm thoroughly enjoying Florence, but I'm having a hard time finding other artists to get into lately. My faves haven't really released anything knew recently, and finding new music to dig into lately has been challenging. So I'm turning to my readers again for some music recommendations. What's the hotness right now out there? Who is that new band or act that's just about to explode that I need to listen to RIGHT NOW?

Katy Perry Does Not Make Me Smile... But Glee Does

A lot has been said about last week's episode of Glee. There was a whole lot of Gay in that episode. Boys kissing boys, boys getting bullied, boys singing and flirting with each other, boys wrestling with coming out issues… yeah, a whole lot of Gay. Which is great! I enjoyed every moment of it, and even more so because of how popular the show is and how it put these issues and thoughts in front of so many people.

One of the songs from this week's episode was Katy Perry's Teenage Dream redone by an all-boys choir (video up top). When the clip of the song hit YouTube before the episode aired, I was a bit leary. I'm no fan of Katy Perry, but damned if some of the songs of her albums aren't catchy, particularly when a cute boy is singing them directly to another boy. I was leary. But I got over that very quickly and soon became utterly enamored with the clip! I couldn't stop watching it and I was looking forward to seeing the episode so I could get the full context.

I went from enamored to completely smitten after watching the episode. The song was cute and the context was even better, so the husband and I rushed to open iTunes and download the track. Sure, it's not the video, but it was still pretty amazing. Glee doesn't often do much to the songs they cover, but Teenage Dream was done in an all-accepela fashion with some nitfy arrangements which sweetened the deal for me. A great arrangement and performance of a decent pop song mixed with gay flirtation? Yes, please!

While I thought the song was awesome, what I did not think about was how popular the song would actually become. But according to reports from the producers, Teenage Dream has become the best selling track from the Glee cast! They've performed dozens of songs, and the popularity of their version of Don't Stop Believing was everywhere last summer (including a friend's phone…which he proudly blasted through the phone speakers every time we walked down the street…) and was also a constant refrain for last season, so to hear that Teenage Dream has surpassed the sales of Don't Stop Believing is, well, unbelievable!

So what in the world is it about Teenage Dream that got everyone worked up? Is it because the source material is a recent pop hit still trending on the pop charts? Is it because of the unique arrangement? Or is it because of the gay tones of the song? Likely it is a bit of all those things, which is a good thing in my opinion.

We know that part of the reason Glee has been a (financial) success is because of the side market it has on selling singles. At $1.29 a pop, even if they only sell a total of 50,000 songs per episode, that's an additional $64.500 that episode brings in on top of add revenue. And if they do 20 episodes a season, that's well over a million bucks a year. And 50,000 tracks sold per episode is just a randomly picked number, but I'm just using it as a benchmark.

So if they are making bank off of songs, it stands to reason that the producers might be swayed a bit by the songs that sell well, right? And if Teenage Dream has done so well for itself, I can garauntee that we will see more boys singing to boy, more unique arrangements and more current pop hits (not that the show has lacked much of the last item, but still). And that's all good stuff!

Vlog: Gimp Knees, GMAT, And Maroon 5

Since I’m home from work this week, I have a little extra time on my hands.  Hope you enjoy!

Album Of The Week: Buckcherry's All Night Long

Sadly, this week it's my duty to bring you another Album of the Week that just isn't all that great. Why, one might ask, would I bother bringing this to your attention? To which I would answer for the same reason I brought Ed Kowalksihfjnuual's solo album to your attention: because it's so disappointing it makes me sad.

Buckcherry is one of those "love them or hate them" rock bands. They have a bit of Aerosmith flair and a definite penchant for party rock and frat house lyrics. Perfect for singing along with at the bar after you fourth or fifth beer. Or tenth. You know, whichever. If you have no idea who they are, you might remember their hit circa 2000 Lit Up (I've included that in the player on the page as well in case you need a reminder). It's that very same core rock and roll sound that kept me coming back and enjoying their subsequent albums, even though they did not get nearly as much attention. I suppose that is what happens when you take several years off after your first album to rebuild the band, but that's just my idea.

Their newest album, All Night Long, just misses the mark in a lot of places. Sure, it's the same formula as the others: take two pieces of "radio friendly, slightly shocking song," one-two pieces of borderline ballad, and six-eight pieces of fun, upbeat rock and you have an album! But the heart and soul is missing from All Night Long. Mediocre production and slightly tired songwriting really hamper this album, which is really sad because this is just one of those bands that has to actively try to make a boring record.

All that said, it is not utter crap like Alive was. It's still very listenable, although I'm not sure why you'd chose to listen this All Night Long over 15 or Black Butterfly (which I think is a very overlooked album). All Night Long, It's A Party and Oh My Lord are still good tracks though, and it might be worth it to just grab those on their own.

It did worry me a bit when I saw All Night Long announced and realized that it was releasing just about a year after Black Butterfly. Turns out my concern was warranted. Personally, I'm thinking this is just another bump in the road for Buckcherry and they'll recover in a year or two with another actually good album. In the meantime, catch them live if you can and pester them to play some Crazy Bitch.

Buckcherry queer link: apparently the band got their name from a local drag queen named Buck Cherry after they found out their original name, Sparrow, was already copyrighted.

Album Of The Week: Spoon's Transference

It's not like Spoon is a new band or a band that has been completely unknown until recently, but for some reason they slid under my radar. It wasn't until their most recent album Transference was released and a coinciding article in Rolling Stone was penned that I even took notice of the alternative group. After I read the article, I decided to give the samples a try and found the album on sale so I grabbed it and I'm willing to admit that this record was a pleasant surprise, offering some typically alternative sound with some very catchy hooks and clever songwriting.

Transference pulled me in from the very first listen. I was expecting… well, I'm not sure what I was expecting. I was thinking I'd get some interesting songs that could pass the time while at work, but instead I got an engrossing album that found a way to sneak into my head throughout the entire day. I'll find myself singing little snippets of the songs and getting weird looks from people, which turn to even weirder looks when I try to explain what I'm singing.

Spoon isn't really obscure. Metacritic named them the best band of the decade based on their consistently high critical rankings for their albums, and they've been somewhat of an indie darling for the past 12 years or so. But, of course, I'm just finding them. Because I'm hip like that. In any case, Transference has really given me the desire to track down their other offerings and I haven't been disappointed with any of them yet.

As always, there are a few particular songs to pay attention to: Is Love Forever, The Mystery Zone, Trouble Comes Running, and Out Go the Lights. If you had to skip a few tracks (I wouldn't recommend it, but if for some reason you just couldn't listen to it all) I'd pass on: Goodnight Laura, Got Nuffin, and Who Makes Your Money. Give it a listen and let me know what you think.

Album Of The Week: Dark Night Of The Soul

This week I thought I'd share an album that I actually like as my Album of the Week. It's another new one, which was a bit unintentional, but regardless it is really, really good.

Dark Night Of The Soul is the new collaborative effort spearheaded by Danger Mouse, this time with Sparklehorse. Given that Danger Mouse is the mastermind behind another group that I absolutely love, Gnarls Barkley, it isn't much of a surprise that I'm also digging Dark Night of the Soul, but even though the Gnarls Barkley sound is similar to the Dark Night sound, Dark Night has a definitively Alternative rock feel and sound to it.

Instead of focusing on one vocalist for the whole album, Danger Mouse brought in a few different vocalists to lend a note to each of the tracks on the album which helps to keep each track fresh and interesting. On my first few listen throughs I found myself completely enthralled with the variety of artists involved in this album. I knew each track would offer something different than the last and I was looking forward to each song, but I did not want the song I was listening to end.

For those looking for a pop sound, this is not the album to find it. For those looking for something alternative and rocky, this album likely won't deliver. For those looking for something interesting, unique, and fresh with a hints of different sounds tossed together with a dressing of Danger Mouse, this will satisfy perfectly.

Some tracks to pay attention to: Revenge, Little Girl, Pain (with Iggy Pop!), and Everytime I'm With You. Tracks to avoid: none really. Not every track is perfect, and some sounds are a bit overused, but nothing stood out at me as just plain terrible.

Check out the samples on the left side of the site. If you like 'em, you know the drill. If you hate them… well, you wouldn't be the only one as my husband isn't a big fan either. In any case, I'm digging the album, I hope you do too!

Check The Hatorade Plz

OK, ok, I know you've seen this already. But I'm still floored by this kid's talent! He's got an amazing voice, serviceable piano skills, and an excellent grasp of song writing. Yeah, it's a cover, but he does an amazing job manipulating the song to make it his own. He's got a couple original songs on his YouTube page that are equally as amazing, you should definitely check those out as well.

I know the internet is full of vile, hateful, disgusting troll folk normally banished to the underside of the nastiest of bridges in remote areas, but it really annoys me the hate that people have been posting about this kid. Yep, it's probably my fault for reading YouTube comments... but still. He's 12 and he's amazingly talented! I know jealousy is a powerful beast, but can't we put it in check every once in a while?

What Not To Do...

If you want your rock band to be taken seriously: make a very, very serious version of an obsurb pop song which is characterized by a woman in a plastic dress "dancing" like a raptor on screen.

However, if you want to do that, this is what it would sound like:

That's Jared Leto's 30 Seconds to Mars, whose A Beautiful Lie album I actually liked and whose newest album, This Is War, is just a bit too serious for general consumption.  Just like this cover.

Sad State Of My Guitar

This weekend I decided to string up my 12-sting and get to playing again. But, as luck would have it, fate was not particularly on my side and I busted my low E-string while trying to tune up the guitar… it has been so long that I forgot how to properly tune Wesley up (Wesley is the name of my guitar… that's a story for another time).

I'm really not sure what has kept me away from my guitar for so damn long. I love writing music, I love pouring over the creative process of it all and love exploring emotions in song that I may not be able to process in writing or through some other creative process. What I hate is trying to remember how to play some of my favorite songs that I wrote. Last time I picked up my guitar I tried to play one song in particular that I really like and simply could not remember it. I was beyond frustrated by that!

I don't think I can ever make a career at being a musician. I love music, and although music is truly a passion of mine, I just don't think I have the particular gumption to make it a real career. That does not mean, however, that I shouldn't pursue it for pleasure and fun. I want to record an album at some point as well, if for no other reason than for posterity and to say I did it.

But, that will all have to wait until I can make it to Guitar Center again and pick up a new set of strings. Well, another new set. When I get a few things set up, and when I get back in the swing of things, I'll be sure to post a few songs up here for y'all to check out. Just promise to not be mean!

Escapism Is...

Times can get rough real fast. Sometimes there's just nothing we can do about it except put on some good old comfort music and let our minds slip away for awhile.

I have a few bands and artists that fit that bill for me. Anything Stone Temple Pilots or Live always drifts my back to simpler times in high school, early Travis brings back the fun times of college, Soundgarden reminds me of close friends from years ago, Buckcherry reminds me of parties past, and Magnet brings back memories from when the fiancé and I first started dating. Depending on my particular mood on any given day and the memories I need to relax me, I can pull up these bands on my iPhone and slip away for a few minutes.

Music has always been my go to escape. Books and video games also work, but much less ubiquitous in every day life. I can sit at my desk at work with my headphones in and no one cares, but if I tried to boot up World of Warcraft during a "mental health" break, I'm thinking that I'd be summoned to the chambers of HR fairly quickly.

Blogging has become an escape for me as well because it's something else I can do while at work without my consequence. I've always needed a creative outlet for my energies and that use to be song-writing, but while that has taken a bit more of a back burner in recent years, I've turned more to the in-the-moment release that blogging can provide. If you've read my older posts, it should be pretty obvious that most of what I write is unchecked emotion. I've never been the type to write a post and revisit it over and over again, meticulously changing words and phrases, prior to hitting that little publish button. I write, spell check, do a quick once over and add any formatting at the same time, then hit publish.

So what's my point, you may be asking? We all have things that we do to help us deal with issues in tough times. If you're me and a little ADD, you have several things you do in tough times. Other than just stating that, there's no real point to this post other than to give some love to this near neglected blog that desperately needs a facelift.

American Idiot: The Musical

I gotta say, this was just about the last this I expected, but it's true: Green Day's American Idiot, one of my favorite albums of all time from one of my top 10 favorite bands, is being transformed into a Broadway Musical. Correction. It has already been turned into a musical, and will be coming to Broadway very soonish.

I didn't know a damned thing about this until the fiance and I were watching the Grammys last night and the cast from the musical came out on stage with the band. But it's been confirmed, and if you're interested in the plot there is also a full blown Wikipedia article for it already.

American Idiot is a fantastic album, and you should buy it from Amazon if you don't own it yet, but a full fledged musical? I suppose it's possible. It was a full on concept album with a loose story in there... somewhere. This will either be brilliant or terrible, and I want to be there to find out!

Now then, if you'll excuse me, I need to go book a flight to New York.

Needs No Explanation

Lady Gaga's Speechless Minus Autotune

The girl is crazy for sure, but that might be what I love about her.  Y'all know I'm not much of a pop fan.  Just look at the music I feature, it's almost all rock or folk (except Janet... she's just amazing).  But lately I've grown to really like Lady Gaga and Adam Lambert.

This clip is from her performance on Ellen this last week.  I just love it.  This song on the album is pretty good, but I like it much more without the auto-tune.  She's got a really great voice that I hope they actually feature on her next album.

Janet's New Video: MJ Lite

And here's her new video, complete with some many Michael throwbacks and references I almost feel like I'm listening him.  Don't get me twisted, I'm really liking this video, BUT there are some blatant MJ references here.

I think it's fun and a lot more engaging than her last couple of songs.  Hopefully this one will get her back in the headlines.

Really Like This Video

It's from a guy named Aiden James.  Kinda bearish, a little cute, love his voice.