Neil Young has created something that will help rival the iPod, CDs and all other listening devices.  How do you compete with something that has been handled by Apple and Android for the greater sense of a decade?  Well the crowdfunding campaign for Young’s Pono Music set the goal on Kickstarter at $800,000 to get the music player off the ground.  After putting it out to recording artists, musicians, bands, and others, the praise was unanimous amongst all who listened.  Word quickly spread and when the campaign ended on Kickstarter Pono had raised more than $6.2 million.

The compressed digital music experience has bothered Young and other artists for years as the sounds that musicians here in the recording studio are simply heard as a shell of their originals once it gets to the consumer—a term Young calls “underwater listening.”  Pono will change digital music to 192-kHz sound which presents the information in a brighter and clearer sound the most closely resembles the music originally laid down in the studio.

Similar to the iPod, Pono will have its own online store as well as a pocket sized music player.  Coming with 128 GB of storage, the PonoPlayer will be sold at $399.  The iPod touch at 64 GB sells for the same price and with twice the storage capacity, the PonoPlayer will deliver a unique experience.

Hundreds of artists are on board and the online music store will start to take shape soon.  High-resolution digital albums will be available on the website with prices ranging from $15 to $25.  Young has confirmed that all of the major record labels will participate.

Ponomusic.com will feature the online store once it debuts.  On the website currently are testimonials and information that you should check out.  This information came from a CNN article.

Ella Yelich-O’Connor, more commonly known by her stage name Lorde, has recently drawn the attention of The Kansas City Star, for her unconventional lyrics and stubborn persistence to follow in her own footsteps.  While her contemporaries pen songs surrounding prosperity, success, love and angst, Lorde strives to create a simple sound that provides a superior example to a young and impressionable audience.

While listening to several current rap and pop artists, Lorde discovered she struggled to relate to the material discussed. While they sang of wealth and happier times, Lorde and her family struggled through a distinctly lower socio-economic status.  This inspired her to take the matter in her own hands and create an album littered with lyrics depicting a more accurate snapshot of what it means to be a teenager in less than perfect familial and financial situations.

As a result, her unique choices in topic—which can vary from estrangement to ennui—have drawn the attention of several critics.  Generally, reception of the album has been satisfactory, as her simple style and vocals clear the path for a plain message provided by powerful lyrics.  The intentions are received positively as well, with most critics impressed by Lorde’s ability to analyze and critique social standings with no hint of arrogance or ignorance evident, despite her youth and status as a teenager.

However, this message, however important, is a simple one to make, requiring very little pomp and circumstance.  As a result, some critics believe “Pure Heroine,” in its ten tracks, prolongs the point unnecessarily.  At the core of the analysis is that ten songs are not required to tell the public that Lorde disapproves of the common standards of society, resulting in her extreme tedium with certain aspects of culture.

Despite whatever negative criticisms she may have received presently or will receive in the future, Lorde has set precedence in the music industry for refusing to compromise her beliefs for the sake of furthering her career.  She declined the opportunity to open for Katy Perry, sending a personal message to all involved the business—a strong assurance in herself, her career and her own methods of advancement in a particularly difficult field to navigate.

This refusal to conform to the expected career path is driven from her own desire to serve as a positive role model, particularly for her young fan-base.  According to the article, she recently stated her opinion on artists such as Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift, who she believes have created a warped depiction of what it means to be a teenager.  Bieber, in his wealth and status, fails to represent what it realistically means to be young.  To continue this, she believes Swift creates a representation of perfection that is inaccessible and will only devastate young listeners into perpetually falling short of their expectations.  Lorde’s goal is to set the record straight and give girls a realistic expectation of what it means to be a teenager in a struggling world.

Hey guys!

Sarang Ahuja tried his best to play ‘Heart and Soul’ on his laptop through GarageBand.  He has thrown in a few more background notes as well.  Check it out on his SoundCloud and let him know what you think!

Heart and Soul

Hey guys!

Here is a new song that I have created just messing around on Garage Band.  I just got a new computer and you should definitely check it out.  It is called “Slide Song” and it features a lot of good quality percussion with some interesting slides on the guitar.  It was used mostly with loops from Garage Band.

Hope you enjoy!

Slide Song