the changes: daytrotter sessions.

THE CHANGES have just entered the brand new IT'S THE MONEYSHOT!! clubhouse (see sidebar) along with Khia and Yo Majesty. I have reserved this space of my webspace for artists who are so good that I had to make two posts, with the exception of Leif (who is just damn awesome).

Recently, I was going through my hits from google on sitemeter and saw that "Dave Rothblatt" had been searched for. I can think of three possible scenarios to explain this-- he's applying for a job, he googled himself, or someone is stalking him. Either way, the searcher clicked my link and I clicked back to see what came up in their search. Strangely, the result I got is no longer showing up in the search. However, yesterday when I searched for Dave Rothblatt, I discovered that The Changes were reviewed in October by Playboy, which I now apparently read just for the articles. They received three of four bunnies, giving them "solid" status. Reviewer Marc Hogan writes:

"Timing isn't really the Changes' thing, as the title of their debut album suggests. For one thing, Today Is Tonight arrives more than a year after the Chicago indie-pop quartet took its star turn as the only unsigned band at the 2005 Lollapalooza festival. And the Changes are still churning out shiny '80s prom gems at a time when indie audiences have already been bombarded with armies of stylish new-New Wavers. Fortunately, the Changes stick out from the angular-guitar-and-skinny-ties crowd by emphasizing echo-laden pop hooks borrowed from the dorkier representatives of the Wedding Singer era. At times the funky guitars and vocal harmonies even recall blue-eyed soul dweebs Hall and Oates, but here that's definitely a good thing. Opener "When I Wake" is catchy, up-tempo soft rock, doused with reverb and sparkly synths, while lonely lament "Water of the Gods" smoothes out a Motown beat. Sure, guitarist-songwriter Dave Rothblatt's lyrics aren't always as sleek as the production: "Don't wanna lose when I can win," Darren Spitzer rasps on moody, Cure-like "Such a Scene". But such lapses are the exception, not the rule. Today Is Tonight introduces the Changes as a new Chicago band that might still actually be worth listening to tomorrow."
-source-

First off, I need to commend Playboy for having excellent music writers. I would have never knew! Also, it should be noted that Ciara received two and a half bunnies, a rating that simply means "bland...and a half".

So Playboy's verdict is out: The Changes are better than Ciara, but they're not quite "fucking brilliant" yet. Personally, I think they have achieved fucking brilliant status. They're in the damn Moneyshot!! clubhouse and that is, as Pink Nasty once said, "totally fucking brilliant". Their album, Today is Tonight, has made my personal Top 20 of 2006 list, a list that will solely exist in my head. It's one of few albums that works 100% as an album. Even if it was just a coincidence, the arrangement of all 12 songs from "When I Wake" to "When I Sleep" flows impeccably. There isn't a single dull moment on this record, and I have a feeling that the unpretentious influences heard in their tunes may be the reason why other bloggers haven't quite shared my level of enthusiasm. In my last post, I pointed out how "jangly" seems to be a word that is often used by critics when describing The Changes' sound. Personally, I don't think "jangly" is an appealing word. It reminds me too much of "gangly". Not very flattering.

So forget jangly. Let's just remember that this is a band that is heavily influenced by R. Kelly's insanity and once claimed to have written an epic rock-opera about cancer. That's that shit.

Recently, The Changes' recordings from the Daytrotter studios in Rock Island have recently become available, along with a new interview. Even if you don't like their music, you have to admit that The Changes are excellent at interviews. They always have something interesting or humorous to say, their level of charisma is...how do you say it?...as if the party was catered. On top of that, the newer, less-poppy version of "When I Wake" is so good that it reminds me of my jeep.*

* I promised myself this would be the last R. Kelly joke of this post. Some day, I hope The Changes do a cover of R. Kelly. I just want them to step in the name of love. Love for the R., that is.

DOWNLOAD: THE CHANGES- Water of the Gods (Daytrotter Session)
DOWNLOAD: THE CHANGES- When I Wake (Daytrotter Session)
DOWNLOAD: THE CHANGES- Such a Scene (Daytrotter Session)
DOWNLOAD: THE CHANGES- Her, You, and I (Daytrotter Session)

Read more about this recording session, or download the songs here after the above links expire.

BONUS TRACK: THE CHANGES- Modern Love (Alternate Version)

BUY Today is Tonight

BLOGWATCH: My Old Kentucky Home has some tracks by Bonde do Role. Strangely, I was thinking of writing a post about them last night. Blogsarefordogs posts their take on the best of 2006. Scattermish points us in the direction of a fun visual artist by the name of Justinian McAllister.