Fat Ninja

One of life’s joys lies in the discovery of new music. Few things are quite as spiritually satisfying as finding a new musical artist whose works happen to resonate with the emotional leanings of one’s soul. Fortunately, since I started working for Yahoo! I’ve had the chance to do a great deal more musical exploration than was previously possible.

I’ve discovered a couple of fantastic artists recently. First is Portland native Elliott Smith. I had heard him some time ago when I was in college in Iowa, after a friend returned from a trip to Portland, OR. I remember enjoying the light, rain-drop style of the guitar. It complimented Smith’s soft, almost whimsical vocal stylings. I only heard a bit and had completely forgotten about him until I found him on the “Related Artists” column for Jeff Buckley.

I was deeply saddened by the fact that Smith took his own life in 2003. It’s strange how so many of the musicians that truly have something to offer the greater, collective consciousness seem to meet early demises; while the banal tend to stick around for decades, regurgitating trite, soulless jingles into our midst, creating an IQ-draining vaccuum that lowers the standards and makes their existence possible. It is truly a crime against humanity.

Sorry for the tangent there. So, yeah, check out Elliott Smith if you have a chance. The other group I’ve recently discovered that has brought me hours of entertainment is The Mars Volta (See picture). I particularly like vocalist Cedric Bixler’s style. At times he almost sounds like a cartoon character, a technique that is well-suited to the almost exaggerated and often surreal sound of the rest of the troupe. Shallow at first glance, The Mars Volta offers a beguiling depth of character that I find refreshing.  Check ‘em out if you haven’t. Gotta run.

Next on the list of music to listen to: At The Drive-In.

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