El Ten Eleven

This week i am showcasing a band I just recently discovered called El Ten Eleven, another instrumental group out of Los Angeles.
The group consists of Tim Fogarty on electric drums and synthesizer, and Kristian Dunn on the bass guitar. Founded in 2003 after the duo played in a four piece ensemble together Dunn and Fogarty began perfecting their ambient, hypnotic, and sometimes poppy sound. They released a self titled album in 2004 and have since followed up with Every Direction is North and their latest effort, These Promises are Being Videotaped.
While listening to the self titled album for the first time, I found myself pleasantly surprised by each track. Not knowing what to expect, there was no place for me to set the bar, which I feel is a good thing, especially when listening to new music since no two bands are going to sound the same( except for the occasional boy-band). The opening track entitled, My Only Swerving, which sounds like the opening to a movie. I then skipped to the more upbeat Central Nervous Piston, which has almost a techno-esque sound. I definitely enjoyed the diversity of this record.
Combining spacey guitar riffs with the sharpness of an electronic drum kit, El Ten Eleven creates great background for just about anything. The group is extremely dynamic and is able to establish a very distinct and unique sound, unlike anything else i have heard in awhile. I would most definitely recommend this group to anyone with a sweet spot for instrumental bands.

Explosions in the sky.

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This week i will be showcasing one of my favorite bands of the past five years. Explosions in the sky is a completely instrumental post-rock group based out of Austin Texas. Originally formed in 1999 the group was originally called "Breaker Morant" but later changed their name after one of their members made a reference to fireworks.
Since their inception, the band has recorded six albums, including the soundtrack for the 2004 football film Friday Night Lights.
Their music, to me, has the ability to bring out every human emotion at once. As impossible as it may seem, i can attest to laughing, crying, and wanting to punch a hole in the wall all at the same time.
Most recently, the band has gone back into the studio after taking time with their families and is expected to release an album in the near future.

SOP

If I were to describe my home to someone with only a photo, I think this would be the best I could do aside from taking a snapshot of my house. Plus, Wizard of Oz fans can get a double meaning out of this. A picture truly is worth a thousand words.

PWOP

Since this is a blog regarding music, it seemed fitting to have my PWOP(portrait without a person) relate to my subject. This particular photo is of my fraternity brother, Jimmy's guitar with the OU logo situated nicely in the background.

This image is of my ticket to the greatest show on earth: Bonnaroo! I experienced the first of many music revelations.