The Tape

Hour of the Shipwreck is a five member band consisting of RICHIE KOHAN - 12 String Guitar, Vocals, BARBARA GRUSKA - Drums, Vocals (Jenny Lewis, The Watson Twins, Inara George, Mike Andrews), MARCEL CAMARGO - Guitars, Mandolin, Orchestra Bells, Vocals (The Watson Twins, Inara George, Airto Moreira), AARON ARNTZ - Wind Organ, Keyboards, Bells, Orchestra Bells, Vocals (Zappa Plays Zappa), and GABE NOEL - Bass. They play a mix of dreamy pirate rock and Danny Elfman inspired music. Their CD was officially released tonight. They played a show at the party and I was lucky enough to witness one of the greatest rock performances I have ever seen. Not only are they great performers but their new CD rules. “If they don’t get famous off this album there is something wrong with the world”-Sam Kauffman-Skloff. Now I’ll highlight some of my favorite songs on the new album.

Hour Of The Shipwreck-Unclouded Eyes

Hour Of The Shipwreck- My Fantasy

This next one does something amazing, they are able to take a heavy solo and put it against a piece of music that is slow and beautiful.
Hour Of The Shipwreck-Save The World

These are undoubtedly the hardest rocking songs on the album. I honestly have nothing to say about this album besides it being great. So if your into these tracks you can purchase the album on their myspace.

One of Daniel Johnston’s many drawings

Daniel Johnston grew up in West Virginia and started recording on a 59$ Sanyo boom box, which gives a lot of his early recordings a really cool aesthetic: you can still here all the scratchiness from the tapes. He was inspired by the likes of John Lennon and The Beatles, although he has really evolved to create his own style of folk rock. He began his career in the late 70’s and continues to work today. His music is inspiring and straight to the point. In his early recordings he has a very high pitched voice, while in his recording during the mid to late nineties he exhibits a very different angle in his voice. Often times he would draw comic books characters to accompany his songs. Recently he has worked on a rock opera called Speeding Motorcycle.

When Johnston was young he was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder and now lives in a house adjacent from his parents. This is what may have shaped and inspired his strange and interesting music style. His songs have been praised many times over and been covered by the likes of Bright Eyes, Capitol Years, and The Eels. Here are a few of the covers, and some of my favorite songs from this artist.

Daniel Johnston-Devil Town

Daniel’s original version of this song is much more airy than Bright Eyes, their are no instruments so it gives off a feeling of solitude and emptiness.

Bright Eyes-Devil Town cover(Daniel Johnston)

This Takes Daniel’s song and makes it some what more up beat. It’s not my favorite cover, but it’s not bad.

Mary Lou Lord-Speeding Motorcycle cover (Daniel Johnston)

This is one of the worst covers I have ever heard compared to the original song.

Daniel Johnston-Speeding Motorcycle

also if you have a chance check out my favorite song by him which i was unable to upload today, but will soon called Pothead. It’s one of his early recordings and is amazing.

Daniels Website

The Ramones!Danny Says!A great track with some great Phil Spector production by those guys from NY with the leather and the jeans.Danny Says - The Ramones