1) "regret" New Order
There will never come a time where I hear this song and I think.."im not in the mood". This is a true example of a song that morphs with my mood...and i cant explain how that is the case? There is an obvious 'melancholy' to the track (big surprise). But the melancholy is bittersweet...because you can hear the optimism in Bernard Sumner's voice. This can help a bad mood to be a bit more comfortable...and can make a good mood feel sensational. "I would like a place I could call my own. Have a conversation on a telephone. Wake up everyday, that would be a start. I would like you playing on my wounded heart.." Optimistic, but cautiously so. Gorgeous.
2) "sometimes always" Jesus & Mary Chain
I just realized that this playlist featured 2 songs w/ Hope Sandoval. Oh well...theyre separated enough, I guess? In this male/female exchange...its done in the classic 'country' sense, even tho the song is FAR from country. Lyrically this is so simple...but it speaks volumes for a jaded relationship. William Reid and Hope were dating when they did this song...and you can tell that this was a fair snapshot of their true relationship. It almost feels like I'm eavesdropping. Regardless...if you thought Peter Bjorn & John's "young folks" was an original idea for a song...then youre now gonna hear the song that it stole EVERYTHING from (minus the whistling shit). In a little over 2 mins...so much is said, and youll hang on every word in their 'conversation'.
3) "tighten up" Black Keys
This is one album Im really looking forward to hearing. Repeatedly. It took me some time to fall for this band...but ive fallen. The video grabbed me (the 1st time i heard it was watching the 'advance' video) and has not let me go. Listen to this song a few times...watch how quickly it becomes an obsession. The lyrics and melody sink in and its over...youre hooked. Its got a soul to it, musically & lyically. "Take my badge, but my heart remains... loving you, loving you." Think of Sam Cooke and My Morning Jacket trying to cover Gnarls Barkley...and youre close. Such a badass song.
4) "wide open space" Mansun
I just added this album to my ipod, and I remembered how absolutely brilliant this song is. Quite honestly, I never understood or GOT this band. But, THIS song is unreal. "youll never get to heaven with a smile on your face from me"... so devious and sexy, but the song is heavy in an early-Muse way. The groove never releases you, but the repetitive nature of the song just fluctuates between soft and intense.
5) "india rubber" Radiohead
The B-Side to High & Dry (which had 3 GENIUS songs leftover from The Bends sessions)...and one of the least known masterpieces from the most important band of the past 15 years. How is it possible that any Radiohead song can fly under the radar at this point? Well, this one has been. For many many years, nonetheless. Im a huge fan of Phil Selway as a drummer (the guy's a damn machine)...but this may be my favorite beat he's ever created. Im a huge fan of thick, slow, groove-driven beats...and this song holds it down like a Portishead song. The laughing samples and random sounds towards the last third of the song...intertwine with the beats and the key sample like the prettiest nightmare you've ever had.
6) "you were so warm" Nada Surf
Its amazing, aside from "Let Go", almost every album of Nada Surf's holds moments that are SO high...but nearly equal amounts of insignifcant material. Why should their "cover" cd be any different, I guess? There are 2 tracks in French, which are automatically written off by me, because I dont know what he's saying. There are a handful of brilliant covers, as well...including this relatively obscure Dwight Twilley song interpretation. I know some Dwight Twilley tracks...even love a few ("Somebody to Love" ive been searching for, for so long!)...but I hear this as a Nada Surf song. You can almost hear where they got their sound from, by listening to this song. This is a reflective love song, that is so easily relatable to anyone.
7) "disappearer" Sonic Youth
Should be mandatory to put a Sonic Youth track on my playlists at least every 3 weeks. Ill never run out of songs that you "NEED TO HEAR" by them. Obviously I know this is a relatively familiar SY song, and one of the very few "songs" in their reportoire with a true hook or chorus. This song has such a swagger to it...much like "Dirty Boots" (also on "Goo"). "Youve been away too long., Its been way too long. The eastern star is on...the Disappearer."
8) "hurdy gurdy man" Donovan
This dude is so underrated. Ive been slowly delving into his catalog and Im enjoying every level. This song was a hit, somehow. I have no idea how this guy came up with a song that sounds like THIS in 1968! Yea, the Beatles came before and opened this door...but this song is folky and trippy and almost has a trip-hop beat! Not to mention, the guitars sound like buzzsaws (think NIN or Marilyn Manson). Did I mention this was in 1968?? Ridiculous... SO far ahead of its time. This is one you go and play for people so you can look like you know your shit.
9) "excuses" Morning Benders
I love this new album ("Big Echo")...just about every song. This is the first track on the record...and its perfect. and Grand. This could be a Shins song...but something off of an "Oh, Inverted World" B-side. Even tho I say it sounds like Shins, doesnt mean its not original sounding...it is very Morning Benders. But its also a bit Simon & Garfunkel. Not a big bit, but a bit. Get with this band, if you havent. Youll be into it...
10) "it must be love" Madness
There are so few Ska bands that I like, that I can count them on 2 fingers. The Specials & Madness...thats about it. I can make an argument for Mighty Mighty Bosstones, but depends on what day you ask me. Madness had a sound that was all their own... melodically & vocally they sounded more New Wave than Ska. This song could've been a Duran Duran or a Police song. I can hear this song in a Romantic Comedy like 500 Days of Summer. Was it in that movie, actually?? Hmm.
11) "blanchard" Hope Sandoval & the Warm Inventions
Ahh, she's back. This song is numbingly beautiful, like a musical shot of heroin. If she's not a heroin addict, then her music is lying. Drug references aside for a second tho, this song is gorgeous. I am so attracted to Hope...especially because of her skeptically innocent voice. She is like the less confident, female version of Jim Morrisson...and this is her Riders on the Storm.
12) "here comes the rain again" Eurythmics
How could it have taken me this long to get this song on a playlist. I wish this song played everytime I opened my eyes in the morning. I hate getting out of bed when its raining, but if this song came on, I might be okay with it. The lyrics are fairly minimal and the melody repeats itself many times...but the sounds are so comforting and warm. Sometimes, simplicity is perfection. "I want to walk in the open wind. I want to talk like lovers do. I want to dive into your ocean...is it raining with you?"
13) "infinite arms" Band of Horses
Not even sure if Im supposed to have this, but I do...and Im so thankful. This is off their new, upcoming album of the same name. This song could be a Pet Sounds lost track...Brian Wilson's influence is all over it..as is Neil Young. Just the delivery of the line "when my thoughts drift to you", within the context of the song...it almost forces me to stop and sit down. Cant believe how much I love this album... Top 5 thus far in '10. "Laredo" might be my favorite single right now...but this song song is creeping ahead of it (altho not a single). Great way to close an hour of music.
Cheers,
(Race.)
PERFECT/PLAYLIST 18. (5/13/10)
"congratulations/angel."
1) "Flashing Red Lights Mean Go" The Boxer Rebellion
2) "Slight Return" Bluetones
3) "Empire Ants" Gorillaz
4) "Once Around the Block" Badly Drawn Boy
5) "Congratulations" MGMT
6) "Song about an Angel" Sunny Day Real Estate
7) "Secret County" Minus the Bear
8) "Pretty (Ugly Before)" Elliott Smith
9) "Falling Stars" UNKLE (Feat Gavin Clark)
10) "Kare Kare" Crowded House
11) "Eyes" Rogue Wave
PERFECT/PLAYLIST (4/22/10)
"undone/sweetheart."
1. Happy Mondays "Hallelujah"
2. Band of Horses "Laredo"
3. Echo & the Bunnymen "Bring on the Dancing Horses"
4. The Radio Dept. "This Time Around"
5. The Culture Club "Time (Clock of Heart)"
6. Elvis Costello "Kinder Murder"
7. Portishead "Sour Times (Live)"
8. Scott Liss & the Sixty-Six "Sweetheart Spin"
9. Elliott Smith "L.A."
10. Duran Duran "Come Undone"
11. The Cure "From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea"
PERFECT/PLAYLIST (4/1/10)
1. Phoenix "Rally"
2. Talking Heads "Road to Nowhere"
3. The Amboys "Vicky"
4. Drive-By Truckers "Wednesday"
5. REM "World Leader Pretend"
6. A Northern Portrait "What Happens Next?"
7. Porno For Pyros "Wishing Well"
8. The Smiths "Shakespeare's Sister"
9. Smashing Pumpkins "Tear"
10. XTC "Wrapped in Grey"
11. Passion Pit "Sleepyhead"
12. Peter Gabriel "Games Without Frontiers"
13. Underworld "Crocodile"
PERFECT/PLAYLIST (3/18/10)
"Alex/Chilton.TRIBUTE."
(Wednesday Night) I was sitting on my couch...glass of wine in hand...putting on my headphones to listen to the Perfect/Playlist and to write my thoughts about each song on the list/show. JUST AS I WENT TO HIT PLAY...I got an alert that Alex Chilton had died of a Heart Attack. I immediately walked to my cd wall and grabbed Big Star's "# 1 Record"/"Radio City" and began to listen and write... The Perfect/Playlist would now become a tribute to 2 of the finest, and most dynamic, records you'll ever discover in your lifetime.
I listened intently...and just started writing what came to mind. It was so liberating to be paying tribute to one of the most unrecognized geniuses of the last 50 years. This is what came to mind throughout the next 80 mins....:
/Alex Chilton/
...Literally...on Monday, Bill and I were talking about the genius of Alex Chilton. IN DETAIL!! We couldnt overstate the importance of Box Tops/Big Star/Chilton. 2 days later...he's dead.
Box Tops..."The Letter" was one of the most unique records in history! In that song, the vocals sound like that of a black soul singer..and it was Alex Chilton. He was only 17!
Alex Chilton was Pavement: Feel
Alex Chilton was The Lemonheads/Starsailor/The Hollies: Ballad of El Goodo
Alex Chilton was The Byrds/Doobie Brothers/Tom Petty: In The Street
Alex Chilton was The Shins/Wilco/The Verve: Thirteen
Alex Chilton was Bad Company/Queen/Thin Lizzy: Don't Lie To Me
Alex Chilton was The Mama's & The Papa's/Crosby Stills Nash Young/: The India Song
Alex Chilton was none of the above..?
Alex Chilton was Elliott Smith: Give Me Another Chance (this track breaks my heart... achingly sad song)
Alex Chilton was second chances: Try Again (George Harrison could've written this song. About 55923 other artists were trying to make records this beautiful in the 70's)
"Watch the Sunrise" might be the brightest, most hopeful track that Alex Chilton ever wrote or sang: "Sun it shines on all of us...we are one, in its hands. come inside and light my room like the heart of every man. its ok to look outside...the day it will abide...and watch the sunrise."
Alex Chilton was Todd Rundgren: O My Soul (i almost feel like he would've chosen this song to scare people away from his music. which makes me believe that is why he put it as first track on the second album "Radio City". this song is brilliant..)
Life is White might as well have been known as "Matthew Sweet Will Eventually Try To Sound EXACTLY Like This Song"...
Speed up Way Out West and you will hear The Clash/Sex Pistols/Buzzcocks...slow it down and you'll hear Blur. "Sometimes I think she'll make me forget what I need most to remember.."
What's Going Ahn is easily my favorite song by Big Star. Actually might be in my "top 20 songs" of all time (which quite possibly the most impossible thing for ME to determine) . Im not sure there is a lyric that I can think of off the top of my head, that means more to me than: "I liked her face...and oh those eyes. she left today...oh, goodbye. and looking at you Im drained outright. And isolated in the light". This song is the reason why the Posies became a band. I want this song to play over the closing credits of my life...
Back of a Car "Sitting in the back of the car. Music so loud, cant tell a thing. Thinking 'bout what to say...I cant find the lines. You know I love you alot. I just dont know...should i not?."
Daisy Glue starts like a perfect Bread song...but it twists and turns like The Beatles...and could be performed by Toad the Wet Sprocket. Or Band of Horses.
September Gurls is proof that Alex Chilton was pop music at heart...
Im In Love With A Girl: I've never found it easy to write a 'love song'...or at least a truly HAPPY love song. How could Alex write something that cuts thru to the core of what love really FEELS like...in only 1:48?? "I'm in love with a girl..finest girl in the world. I didnt know...I could feel this way. Think about her all the time...always on my mind. I didnt know...about love." How could something SO simple sound so truthful and convincing? Maybe its how he sings it? Then...to end it with the line: "I'm in love with a girl...finest girl in the world. I didnt know..this could happen to me." I can almost hear a quiver in his voice.
Alex Chilton was soul...and folk...and power pop...and punk rock...and hard rock...and soft rock...and singer/songwriter...and indie rock.
I sat and listened to these two albums in the most affected way...and felt the songs in a way I'd never felt before. Music does this to us...even if we dont realize it's happening. Tonight- it happened in the way that its scripted to happen. I realized.. this was music finding its 'moment' in the truest sense. Alex Chilton dies at 59...but he was as present as he'd EVER been to me...
R.I.P. Alex Chilton (b. December 28, 1950 - d. March 17, 2010)
PERFECT/PLAYLIST (3/4/10)
"echo/echoes."
1. "miles apart" Vetiver (just saw this guy for the first time a couple weeks back at the Clientele show Mike and I went to @ Maxwell's in Hoboken. Actually...that was the first i'd heard anything by him. i'd heard OF him...but not his music. it took me a few songs to hear something that caught my ear, but when he did...it hit me hard. there's times when you cant get away from his obvious Paul Simon obsession...but how many people truly mimic Simon, and wear it on their sleeve?? yeah, there's Dylan in there...and Petty...but this is unbelievably genuine and refreshing. i have a feeling i am going to buy everything this guy has done to date, and very soon. for now...im going to play 2 in a row to start (this is a first for this feature) things. "miles apart" is a B-side...and "everyday" is the newest single off their new album "Tight Knit". enjoy...
2. "everyday" Vetiver (see above)
3. "hey luci" Pablo
(pablo is from brooklyn, i believe...or it MIGHT be staten island. regardless...he has become a ShoreAlternative favorite...and a somewhat regular performer at our s*alt nights. this song never wears on me...and almost feels like its been a part of my life for 10 years. i love this kid's genuinity...and he carries a very unique vocal & musical style. he's also responsible for the best cover of the Beatles' "Girl" i've ever heard, hands down. seek out his live show with all the female backing vocalists and his ridiculously great guitarist/father...and you'll be won over forever.
4. "rock and roll" Velvet Underground (there's not much to say about this song...except that it fits perfectly into THIS spot on THIS playlist. this song has popped up randomly so many times in my life over the past year...and most of the times it has, it was beyond my control. i feel like this song is trying to get something across to me, somehow. i guess i should really stop and listen to the message. great track...
5. "johnny & mary" The Notwist
(the best Robert Palmer cover that exists...hands down. this was a bridge track from the heavy.. almost hardcore early days of The Notwist to their current experimental electronic melodic style (hows that genre specific). this was the track that introduced me to the Notwist quite some time ago...and still stands as an all time favorite cover. if i didnt know any better...i would've thought this song was written BY the band...since they own it so well. the lyrics seem a hell of a lot more direct and sad coming from this version, than Palmer's version.
6. "atlas air" Massive Attack
(every week i contemplate putting another new Massive Attack song on my playlist...but refrain because it seems too obvious. but why the hell not? this album is my clear cut favorite of the year so far [the only other 2 that are close are River City Extension & The Unmistakeable Man and Badly Drawn Boy "Fattest Man in London" Soundtrack/Score]. this is the closing track on "Heligoland"...and reminds me of everything i love most about Massive Attack. i love their use of Guest Vocalists...but this is Massive Attack doing what they do best, on their own. genius.
7. "scatterbrain" Radiohead
(another anomoly...this is my 13th episode of "perfect/playlist", and until now there's been no Radiohead. this is truly strange and ironic, considering they are the band that inspires me more than any other. maybe it just feels impossible to pick any ONE track to play... maybe i'd rather not have to make that decision on the FIRST one to be included because it would then spawn a series of playlists FEATURING Radiohead? and why "Scatterbrain"? this song isn't my favorite....probably not even in my top 20 radiohead songs--but there are few songs in their catalog that give me this same warmth. the chords are beautiful...the melody is perfect...and the song is in a near-impossible timing. why NOT "Scatterbrain"?
8. "love comes tumbling" U2
(this is why U2 is such a great band. there are songs of U2's that 98% of all casual fans have never heard, that would blow their minds. this was on Side B of "Wide Awake in America"...which was a 4 song EP that showcased live versions of "Bad" and "Sort of a Homecoming" from The Unforgettable Fire. Considered B-Sides...they later included this song, and the other track on the EP.."Three Sunrises"...produced by Brian Eno...on the Bonus disc included with "Best Of..Volume 1 80-90" [B Sides & Rarities]. this is a near perfect U2 song that even some people not interested in the band would enjoy. Eno adds such atmosphere to this song.
9. "what the butler saw" Squeeze
(this is my new favorite Squeeze song...as of 3 days ago. i dont know why it hit me...but i listened to this song about 8 x's in a row and still couldnt get enough of this melody. being up close & personal with the band for the past 6 months hasn't taken away from my connection to these songs. these songs man...theyre just so damn good. this is a song that Lennon/McCartney really COULD'VE written! they were hailed as the "next Lennon/McCartney"...but it was only because of HOW they got their songs across. concise pop songs that have lyrical depth and complex arrangements, all within the bounds of a 3 minute song. i cant believe i didnt fall in love with this song sooner...
10. "porcelain song (theme from 'Head')" The Monkees
(if you're someone that thinks the Monkees are a joke band/Beatles rip-off....just give this song a fair listen and change the way you think forever. ok, yes, there are many overtly sugary moments ("Daydream Believer" being one)...but there are also some amazing pop songs. and of course some epic, druggy, Magical Mystery-era type tracks as well...thus "Porcelain Song". if the song sounds familiar, it may be because it was featured in the movie Vanilla Sky. the line "My, my.. the clock in the sky is pounding away...There's so much to say" is a perfect way to start a song about a drug trip. i almost feel like im chewing acid in 1968...
11. "section 10: hold me now" Polyphonic Spree
(i've recently gone back to spend time with the Polyphonic Spree...after seeing a somewhat intimate show with them at the Stone Pony about 7 months ago. this was the closest thing the band has had to a hit, to date...and its mostly because this song was featured in a TV advertisement around the time of its release. somehow this song didnt get any radio airplay, and its a shame...this is a perfect pop song. even if its a perfect pop song designed to make hippies believe in tracks that clock in at under 6 mins. not bad for a band of reformed heroin addicts that were institutionalized for enough time to form a cult destined to live 'high' on life and dress exactly the same for every day of it.
12. "you could write a book" Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin (im still not sure where this band is from...but i DO know that they slept on Billy's floor at some point or another. i know "Boris" is in our family in some way...but how, im not sure. i feel like this melody was extracted from a Todd Rundgren song or something...but thats only because its so nostalgiac to me. i have no clue why i feel like this song came out in my childhood... even tho i KNOW it didnt. clever lyric...but this song is about feel more than anything.
13. "puzzles like you" Mojave 3
(i was so so sad when Slowdive called it quits and claimed it would never play together again. i knew i'd follow Neil Halstead wherever he took his musical talents...but i thought NOTHING could ever surpass the beautiful noise of Slowdive...ever! i was wrong and im not afraid to admit it. Mojave 3 exists in the same part of my soul as Tom Petty...except i feel like Mojave 3 might speak more directly to my troubled mind. their latest album (2 years old now) is titled "Puzzles Like You"...and doesnt waste a moment. im gonna close this list with the title track from that record...and maybe youll find yourself nurturing this band the same way I do. this is one of those bands that you want to turn other people onto... but only the 'right' people. theyre too special to just hand over to ANYONE. consider yourselves special today...
PERFECT/PLAYLIST (2/25/10)
volume 12.
"thieves/talk"
1) "country girl: a) whiskey boot girl b) down down down" Crosby Stills Nash & Young
2) "reaching out from down here" Boo Radleys
3) "never saw them before" The Clientele
4) "ping pong" Stereolab
5) "only love can break your heart" St. Etienne
6) "the beautiful ones" Prince
7) "holy cross" River City Extension
8) "mysterons" Portishead
9) "spring heeled jim" Morrissey
10) "stuck" Neds Atomic Dustbing
11) "talk talk" Talk Talk
12) "chinaberry tree" Mew
PERFECT/PLAYLIST (2/18/10)
volume 11.
"branches/white."
1. "sleeping lessons" The Shins
(one of the best opening tracks on an album of all time. when i heard this song, i knew that "WIncing the Night Away" would be a classic record.)
2. "icky thump" White Stripes
(i forgot how much i loved this song, until i recently added the full album onto my ipod last week. this is one of those songs that sounds nothing like ANYTHING thats ever come before. i felt the same about Seven Nation Army. jack white is a genius..)
3. "my friend today" The Left Banke
(one of the most influential bands that no one knows about. they were known for a song called "Walk Away Renee", which is a classic track...but they had SO many great songs over 3 years. elliott smith based his whole sound around this band, and only the people closest to him ever knew. he never cited them as an influence, almost as if he was concerned that people or critics might think he was ripping off The Left Banke. unreal.)
4. "branches" Midlake
(this band just put out a new album which i happen to love. in hearing all the new songs...it brought me back to this debut full length. their songs never really 'take off'...but the journey they take you on is always entertaining and melancholy.)
5. "what if.." Lightning Seeds
(one of the most important british pop bands of the past 30 years, but never got much attention on this side of the Atlantic. other than "Pure", this band was a novelty to Americans with a taste for Brit-pop. they should have been huge here, but being that we dont understand what 'quality pop music' is in the U.S...we insisted on buying Haddaway records and leaving the 'Seeds on the back burner.)
6. "joan of arc" OMD
(call it new wave, space pop, dream pop, perfect pop...whatever you wish...but listen to their records. they have never written a stiff record...and almost always have an essential track on every album. picking one song is nearly impossible...but for starters i give you Joan of Arc.)
7. "space age love song" a Flock of Seagulls
(one hit wonder my ass. this band was so good...and everyone calls them "One hit wonder". did we all forget that "Wishing" was also a hit in the states (mind you, a modest radio hit...but a huge MTV hit- which should count for something)? this song was also a minor hit in the U.S...but again, sadly people forget that they made more music than just "I Ran".)
8. "the perfect drug" Nine Inch Nails
(the best NIN song that isnt on a proper album. you can make an argument for "Burn" or "Dead Souls"...but the drum programming and drum SOLO in this song make it one of his best songs. period. i love the last 1/3 of the song, beginning with the drum solo breakdown. brilliant.)
9. "insinuation" Folk Implosion
(i obviously love lou barlow, cus i am a human...but i prefer him in Folk Implosion as opposed to Dinosaur Jr...simply because this is HIS project. mind you, i love J Mascis...but barlow has a whole different thing working for him. this song is dark and eery...but also sexy and smart. love it.)
10. "wanted you to feel the same" Radio Dept (i feel like this song is a soundtrack to me getting on an airplane...for some reason. this is moody and sincere...and it describes the way i've felt with any and every girl that wasn't interested in me. this is so relatable.)
11. "daybreaker" Beth Orton
(possibly my favorite female vocalist of all time. she has the most heartbroken, cracked voice i've ever heard from a woman. she could sing about toothpaste and make you cry. when she adds a heavy hitting electronic beat to her music, her voice seems to soar. this is one of those songs.)
12. "just like honey" Jesus & Mary Chain (on my flight home from London last month...i watched Lost In Translation for the 20th time? just as it did the first time i watched, the scene with THIS song gave me a lump in my throat. connecting this song to any 'scene' will make it a better scene...regardless of plot. this was the first song anyone had ever heard from JAMC, and although i consider them one of my all time favorite artists, they never did it better than Just Like Honey.)
13. "we've been had" The Walkmen (this should be an anthem. the Walkmen have gotten some attention in the past few years thanks to some quality records...but this is and always will be their best work. the songs sounds like it was recorded during a blizzard in 1957...but retains a modern quality that has yet to be duplicated by ANY other artist. plus the line "Sometimes im just happy Im older..." can relate to just about everyone of us.)
PERFECT/PLAYLIST (1/28/10)
volume 10.
"anchor/hope"
1) "boom boom" James
James released the album "Hey Ma" independently a couple years back...and did very little to educate the american public about the fact that they had a new album coming out. needless to say it was virtually impossible to find a store that carried it, and the import was $30+. im a fairly big fan...but i didnt have the urge to spend $30 on a cd. i saw them open for Squeeze at Radio City, touring Hey Ma in '08...and heard the songs for the first time. i was so impressed by what i'd heard, that i downloaded the album the NEXT day. so while in london, i saw it available at a relatively low price and bought it. in revisiting the album...this song jumped at me. i dont know how i missed this the first time around...but its incredible. typical Tim Booth...the song is sung with a melancholy rage, if there is such a thing. powerful song that most people dont know about, sadly.
2) "town called malice" The Jam this song sounds so London to me. how can a song conjure SUCH vivid imagery of a single place? WITHOUT trying, most notably. seeing as how much i adore being in the UK...and the little amount of time i get to be there (relatively speaking), hearing songs like this are the closest i can get to 'being there'. funny thing is...i never really loved The Jam or Paul Weller before, but now all of a sudden i feel like i understand what he's singing about. its almost like being in a club.
3) "promises" The Morning Benders
i really liked this band's first album...and have liked just about everything i've heard from them. i just found this song a few days ago, and i cant stop listening. i dont know what they sound like, but there is so much to like about this band. this song is one of those that you have to work to like over the first 1 minute...then the chorus hits and you're seduced. this has one of my favorite hooks in a long long time..."but i cant help thinking we grew up too fast. and i know this wont last a second longer than it has to." unreal..
4) "madeline" The Delfields
honestly im fascinated by this band. it warms my heart to know that there is a band out there that pays attention to 60's song structure and listened to their Beach Boys and Zombies records enough to capture each of those band's best features and qualities. i really wish i could figure out how to get everyone else to get it the same way i do. how can a band this good...this disciplined...NOT get noticed. if they can capture these songs live, it will happen. the biggest struggle with the Delfields is their reluctance to demand attention when they take the stage to play. this is by no means a knock...its a style or shyness that, for a more famous band like EELS, works to their advantage. i am not afraid to say that they are consistently making some of my favorite records... i just hope they continue to make them, cus they sure can write great f'ing songs.
5) "melody fair" Bee Gees
seriously, after listening to a Delfields song, im completely drawn to concise pop music. immediately, i think of old school bee gees...something i havent really delved into yet on any previous playlists. this band was so damn good back in the 60's...WELL before the disco phase (which, for the record, i liked). in the days of THIS track, they were like the perfect answer to the other british artists of the day. it was like Simon and Garfunkel mated with the Beach Boys, and tried to conquer the Beatles? this song is so good...the lyrics are so sympathetic and subtle...and the melody just never lets off your heartstrings. "melody, life isnt like the rain...its just like the merry go round." Odessa, the album of which this song is from, is noted in Robert Dimery's book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die... a book EVERYONE that loves music should own.
6) "Odessa" Caribou
believe it or not, it is PURELY coincidence that the album from which the last song on this playlist comes from happened to be called "Odessa" (the name of THIS song). the song starts off sounding like a very early hip hop lost mix tape. then the vocals hit, and you think you're listening to erlend oye or royksopp...but its not. Caribou is what Kings of Convenience would sound like if they cared about making retro dance music with Beach Boys sensibilities (a LOT of Beach Boys references on this playlist). this music definitely moves me. i look forward to hearing more of the new Caribou stuff...
7) "is there nothing we can do?" Badly Drawn Boy
8) "just look at us now" Badly Drawn Boy
i just wrote some long winded note about how much i loved this new Badly Drawn Boy album/soundtrack...and the whole thing SOMEHOW mysteriously disappeared in a flash. i dont even know what couldve happened? (sigh). ok.. here we go again. i had a hard time only picking ONE song from this cd...so i just picked 2 of my favorite. there are probably only 7 songs featuring vocals on this soundtrack, but the SONGS make the interludes worth listening through...they are THAT good. "who am i to ask you why you feel the way you do? if you feel the way you do...is there nothing we can do?". i heard that line and nearly decided to have it tattooed on my chest. the movie is "The Fattest Man in Britain", which is apparently a bittersweet romantic comedy...and probably a movie ill never see. regardless, after hearing this album, i feel like i know the movie. its almost as if Damon Gough uses the movie to accent and punctuate his songs, not the other way around. brilliant.
9) "say it isn't so" Hall & Oates is it too cliche to include a Hall & Oates song on my playlist these days? Yacht Rock, or whatever it is? its unreal that this band has become a phenomenon with younger music heads...but if you REALLY REALLY listen to their songs, they were fucking great. without a doubt, hands down, this is my favorite of all their songs. its not remotely outdated, but its still very much a product of its time. this is blue-eyed pop/soul at its very best...yet its airy and light enough to be almost Squeeze-like (think Tempted). i get so nostalgiac listening to this track that its almost hard for me to zone in without getting kinda sad.
10) "feel good together" Drummer
there are 5 drummers in the band Drummer...but only 1 plays the drums IN drummer. Patrick Carney, drummer for Black Keys, decided he was going to start a band of drummers when Dan Auerbach went on tour to support his solo project. his only catch was, he didnt want to BE the drummer...he was going to play bass. the band was pieced together and they released a pretty damn good album with some very unique songs. this is my favorite track, of those ive heard, by far. think Secret Machines and Pinback, maybe? i dont know, but its real good.
11) "since you're gone" The Cars
this is one of those tracks that you go back and listen to, and realize how CURRENT it really is. all kinds of bands are trying to achieve this sound, in some way. strip away Ric Ocasek's lyrics and just listen to the music & production and you might think its going to be a Knife song. this is certainly a track that was ahead of its time, and barely appreciated anymore. The Cars were one of the most important bands of my childhood...and i still consider them completely relevant in my life now. i can always find something i missed in their songs...and thus always keeps me coming back for more.
12) "good morning" Rogue Wave i just downloaded this about 5 hours ago, and i've listened to it only like 3 x's. from what i can gather, this song is going to get better with every listen. its almost a direct rip off of Death Cab/Postal Service, but still maintains the "Rogue Wave sincerity". i will say, they have never been so poppy. if they DO decide to take up this direction for some time, im willing to listen...but with caution. i dont think i have much to worry about. i mean, after all, the Lightning Seeds made some of the best overt pop songs of all time (and i LOVE the Lightning Seeds).
13) "what it feels like for a girl" Madonna the production on this song is brilliant. i have always been obsessed with Madonna as an artist...and this era produced some of her best music (in my opinion). I had the hardest time choosing between "Beautiful Stranger" and this song. I went with "What it Feels Like..." because of how fresh it sounded. in my headphones, i heard things i'd never heard before...which completely blew me away. to think she could make a song like this, and have it blow right by the board, is something i marvel at. if she never had 235365 hits prior to this one, she probably would've been praised for this song. this is one to listen to loudly in the car...or in headphones.
PERFECT/PLAYLIST (1/21/10)
volume 9.
"london/bright."
1) "cuts you up" Peter Murphy
2) "sunday" Sonic Youth
3) "stellify" Ian Brown
4) "half a person" The Smiths
5) "people got a lot of nerve" Neko Case
6) "underwater" Green Apple Quick Step
7) "jackie blue" Ozark Mountain Daredevils
8) "good luck" Sondre Lerche
9) "saeglopur" Sigur Ros
10) "the ghost in you" Psychedelic Furs
11) "waves" Slowdive
PERFECT/PLAYLIST (1/14/10)
volume 8.
"weaves/ways"
1) "true love ways" Buddy Holly
this is a love song in its rawest form. there are very few love songs that have this much truth and depth. its truthful, and yet authentic. my uncle jimmy was a Buddy Holly fan to the deepest core...and here was a man that LISTENED to music. the best music. because of this, i have heard even the deepest of Buddy Holly songs on precious vinyl. needless to say, i was exposed to buddy holly's music from a young age (my father was a big fan, as well). HOWEVER, it wasn't until recently that i REALLY listened to his music. just about everyone that makes music today owes a nod to Buddy Holly. the beatles are the center of the musical universe (arguably), and they loved HIS songs the most..and even named themselves to sound similar to Holly's backing band. this is where & what all of our music came from. (see next song..)
2) "make a circuit with me" The Polecats
this song doesnt exist without Buddy Holly (see above)... and yet this song sounds like VERY few other songs of its era. its rockabilly for sure, but it has adam ant-like rhythm and the most perfect Buddy Holly/Crickets like swagger. the beat is relentless...and perfect. this is an underappreciated 80's track...
3) "she weaves a tender trap" swervedriver
this is swervedriver when they write a song to be listened to without haze and sheer volume. i hadnt listened to this song or album in about 6 or 7 years, and rediscovered it last week. the whole album (99th Dream) is very cohesive for them...but only REALLY succeed with about 1/3 of the songs. this is the one that stands out most. i could almost hear this song sitting nicely next to ANY track on Oasis' '(Whats the Story) Morning Glory)'....but it has a different kind of attitude. i really believe this guy...
4) "goodhorsehymn" Hope of the States
this band can hum the notre dame fight song and id think it was beautiful...but this song TRULY is ridiculous. if you dont like this song after really giving it a listen...then you obviously dont like sound, and never had a break up. piano, soaring guitars, strings, riots, and flat out AMAZING lyrics ("if youre happy in the world tonight, youre lucky that you made it, and everythings alright. if youre lonely when you sleep at night, im sorry that you need me...and nothing turned out right"). thats a perfect, almost prophetic statement that i can completely relate to...yet it happens to occur in the most epic part of the song. this album was released in june of 04, to critical acclaim, but guitarist James Lawrence committed suicide in January of that year, never allowing the band a chance to tour and support the record. Hope of the States never got off the ground and were so defeated (and lost without their co founder/songwriter/guitarist), and broke up after one more release ("Left"...which is exceptional, as well). this poor band...i wish i had the will to write out the absolute unfortunate circumstances that fell upon this band...but i encourage you to read up on what became of them. such a shame that they only left behind 2 albums...Hope of the States was onto something.
5) "the beginning" Eels
6) "unhinged" Eels
i cant wait til EVERYONE can hear the new Eels record ("End Times"...due out 1/19). Download/Buy it...and listen in headphones with a cup of coffee in hand. this album came fairly quick...considering Hombre Lobo only came out last year. the focus and sadness comes from a recent divorce...and some obvious raw, bitter emotion. i chose 2 short, yet poignant songs that sum up the range of emotion that comes forth. "The Beginning" is the first song on the album, and tells you how great things were in the "beginning" of the relationship. its a beautiful, touching account of their love, leaving no doubt that the climate of their relationship had changed drastically over time. "Unhinged" is further along on the album (#10), and shows a whole different face of their relationship. i hear this as being angry, but amost an outburst, before he had a chance to collect his thoughts. its almost as if they JUST broke up, and E picked up his guitar and spouted this song in 2 1/2 mins.
7) "there she goes" The La's
another great story. this band formed in '83...and essentially broke up in '92 after releasing only ONE album ("The La's) in 1990. the legend is: the La's spent 3 years recording their debut album...firing band member after band member and re-recording parts with each new member. meanwhile, they were firing producers that held legendary status...and receiving praise from those SAME producers after they'd be relieved from the project. The Smith's producer John Porter (who was brought in to produce initially) even PRAISED the album...and couldnt understand why the band refused to let go and release the record. Even Morrissey was praising the band. Well, the album came, and it was every bit as good as it was hyped to be...even if it took them 7 years to release it. This was their biggest hit, a song that remains one of the classic 3 minute Indie Pop songs of all time. Its been released 4 x's...not including countless covers that have had some success.
8) "its all over now, baby blue" Crystal Antlers
a Bob Dylan song thats been covered by everyone of importance in the original folk scene (most notably the Byrds' version...which is the best). crystal antlers are the latest band to attempt this classic track (recently Matthew Sweet & Suzanna Hoffs did it). lyrically alone, this song is perfect. add into the equation how affected the melody is to begin with...and you can see how everyone wanted to take their shot at expressing an emotion so well, thru song. brilliant cover, by a band that im beginning to like more and more every listen....
9) "too many mornings" Mojave 3
funny, there are SO many other Mojave 3 songs that i love more than this song...but it came up on my ipod while traveling not long ago, and i realized how beautiful this song really is. it seems like a nice flow from Crystal Antlers (covering Dylan)...and the song channels american folk in every way. so strange how the lead singer and guitarist/creator of Slowdive, can be so country at heart. i am so glad that Neil Halstead showed his British soul to be so Americana after tiring of distortion and reverb. I would've never thought, back in those days, that i'd be able to survive without the loud guitars and spacey melodies...but ive really become a super fan of Mojave 3. More people should listen to the vast catalog of this band. if you like dylan, petty, elliott smith, and the flying buritto brothers...with a subtle dose of female counterpart vocals....youll LOVE this.
10) "lend me your leg" Ken
this song is so good. i almost get angry thinking that most people in this world have NEVER even heard it...and probably never will. if the Killers "Somebody Told Me" had a cockey british attitude...it would've been close to "Lend Me Your Leg". in a parallel universe...this would be a #1 song and everyone would be saying how they forgot about Duran Duran until this band came along.
11) "lifesavers" Kent
if you never heard this song, or band for that matter...then you might say upon first listen "they're trying to sound like radiohead". then ill tell you that this band formed BEFORE radiohead...and that Isola (the album this song came from) was released around the same time as OK Computer. what im basically saying is, this was a Swedish band that IRONICALLY sounded like the biggest alternative rock band in the world...not purposely. this seriously is one of the most important songs of my life...and features some of my all time favorite lyrics ("I will save your life, when youre out and down. i will dim all of the lights, to comfort your eyes. and you will do the same, you will do it all for me...anytime, lifeline." whenever i decide to revisit this album, things seem to brighten. no other album of theirs affected me quite like this one...and it stands VERY high amongst my favorites of all time.
12) "saturday came slow" Massive Attack (feat. Damon Albarn)
from the forthcoming Massive Attack cd "Heligoland"...which happens to be FANTASTIC. they are one of the 3 or 4 bands that i most eagerly await releases from, at this point...for both artistic and musical inspiration. this album didnt disappoint at all. there are several standout tracks, and really not a bad song to be found. guest vocalists cover the record, save for a handful of songs...but it still sounds like a Massive Attack record through and through. I originally had "Rush Minute" on the playlist, but substituted "Saturday" in at the last minute...and Im not sure why. This is a very deliberate, precise anthem...unfolding slowly and dramatically. damon albarn certainly understands how to transform groove and driving beats into melodic masterpieces...
13) "come heaven" Chapterhouse
its funny, alot of this early 90's Shoegaze stuff was such a big part of my life, and yet over the past 2 years ive shyed away from listening to those bands i loved so much. until recently. i've found (as my playlists have suggested) myself revisiting in small doses, as if i was easing my way into the ocean. start at the ankles...get to above the knees...and im eventually submerged so much that i just get it over with and jump in. this is an EP release/B Side to "Pearl", an early single...which sounds even more beautiful now than i remembered it to sound. this band doesnt get much acknowledgement in the Shoegaze scene, but they were RIGHT there with Slowdive and Pale Saints as the genre's most beautiful artist.
14) "accident prone" Jawbreaker
i guess this list needed some anger...so ill close with a brilliant yet underrated artist. Jawbreaker was a credible independent punk band, building a strong base over 6 years. the band decided to take a crack at some mainstream success after signing with Geffen Records and attempting to write a more mass appeal record. the result was 'Dear You'...and was critically praised and properly toured. sadly, the album never took off...pitting the band against its new major label home, and eventually leading to their breakup a year after its release. 'a near miss or a class call...i keep a room at the hospital..and scratch my accidents into the wall. i couldnt wait to breathe your breath...i cut in line, i bled to death. i got to you there was nothing left.' insanely brilliant lyrics. the only good thing that came of this band's breakup was Jets to Brazil...one of the bands that formed in the aftermath. this is Jawbreakers finest moment, in my view...
PERFECT/PLAYLIST (1/7/10)
Volume 7.
"flying/colder"
1) "black car" Black Tambourine
there are some people that will argue that this was the first Shoegaze band, even tho at the time in the VERY early 90's it was considered to be 'indie pop'. the thought that this bands sound predated Shoegaze, is what gives it such luster. if i didnt tell you that this was a nearly 20 year old recording, you might think Black Tambourine was just another in a long line of overhyped 'newgaze' bands (and you, essentially, would've been right). but back to the point, listen to the buried female vocals cutting thru the walls of noise with a strange clarity...almost riding the space where the bass line roams. theirs is a truly mimicable sound, that has been attempted by just about every band with a fuzzy dissonant guitar sound in the past 20 years. but for Black Tambourine, it was their own. some might scream 'Jesus & Mary Chain' clone...but this is more of a salute to the Shangri La's and The Crystals than it is to JAMC. further listening can be inconsistent...but find the 'complete recordings' and youll get what you need...
2) "dog eat dog" Adam & The Ants
im not sure how, but Adam Ant always seems to get lost amongst his more celebrated peers...and i DONT get it. there never was, and never will be another artist to sound ANYTHING like Adam Ant. if it were classifiable...it would be "tribal new wave punk pop", but tribal before all else. rhythmically, there is a groove in Dog Eat Dog that never lets go of you...almost creating a dream-like scene inside your mind. there is an army of voices backing Adam's lead vocals...but every one of them shares the emotion that's spilling from Ant's voice. Upon listening to the song, you are almost led to believe that its a fight song of sorts...until it gets to the end bridge/refrain..."Makes me proud, so proud of you...as the innocence shines thru". Hearing this repeated over and over helps you realize that the lyrics are not about a fight...but more of an emotional or sexual reference. brilliant track from a flat out underrated artist with a deep catalog. explore further...please.
3) "like a friend" Pulp
whether you like Jarvis Cocker's 'aura'' or not...whether you think he's trying too hard to channel David Bowie or not...hear these words: IT DOESNT MATTER. believe me, i am with you...but once you get by it all, you'll find something there that will charm you and keep you coming back for more. with all that said...when i think of pulp's finest moment, i come back to this song. from an album considered by most Pulp fanatics and critics alike to be their 'weakest', came a few of their brightest moments. Like a Friend finds the band at its rawest and most original...finding a fine line between glam/pop/noise...but remaining lyically compelling. the last 2 minutes of this song stand up against any song in their catalog...and is every bit as good as David Bowie's Heroes. i'm serious.
4) "stage 2000" Seam
sometimes i want to say SO much about a band or a song that i become so overwhelmed by the feeling and end up saying less. here will be a case of wanting to say more but saying less. if you are a fan of Appleseed Cast, Mogwai, Godspeed!, Slint, and Dinosaur Jr...then you need to know Seam. There are few bands more underrated from the 90's Post Hardcore scene...and even fewer that sound this good. one day this band will get their due from somebody else besides me...
5) "pretty persuasion" R.E.M. the older i get, the more i realize that R.E.M. saved me. at a very early age, i connected with this band unlike any other. no one i knew was listening to R.E.M...but for some reason i gravitated towards them. in a way i felt like they were speaking directly to me...allowing me to connect with the spirit of their songs. this is a band that allows you to find new gems buried deeply in their massive catalog whenever you feel like looking. lately i've been listening to Reckoning a ton...allowing me to fall in love with certain songs that i never even acknowledged. Pretty Persuasion is one of those songs. this was always the 'third' song on the album for me (behind "So. Central Rain" and "Rockville")...and now its a song i listen to twice everytime it plays. classic Mike Mills harmony too...the signature to R.E.M.'s sound.
6) "new slang" The Shins w/ Iron & Wine (live in '03)
this demands no explanation...just a modern classic song, done gorgeously with perfect harmony from Iron & Wine. listen to the unmatched emotion in the vocals, lacking in the original version (the original almost unfolds in an emotionless manner, purposely). the key moment in this version comes at the stunning line "dawn breaks like a bull thru the hall. never shoulda called. but my head's to the wall and im lonely". one of the greatest lyrical moments of the past 30 years, sung with a resignation that is just not present in the original. imagine the original, but with a little more soul...
7) "oh well, okay" Elliott Smith with the colder months, my musical choices become a little more melancholy and secluded. i guess the reason would be finding comfort in familiarity and a need for musical therapy. this makes it understandable why i'd be listening to Elliott Smith so damn much. hearing these songs is like reading a diary entry for every 'dark' period of my life...without the black light and loose leaf paper. recently someone said to me that they just "never could get into elliott smith's music"...and it almost hurt my feelings. like they were insulting ME. that led me to think: what would be my first choice to play someone that never 'grasped' Elliott Smith, but wanted to try? it was a 3 way tie between THIS song, "I Didn't Understand", and "Ballad of Big Nothing". this song kinda won...
8) "candy" Iggy Pop w/ Kate Pierson this song can almost be comical to some, unless... a) you really love Iggy Pop b) you adore Kate Pierson's voice c) you have a relationship with the song from WAY back or d) you heard Chrissy Hynde perform it live . for me, its a combination of b and d. i have never been a big B52's fan...save for a few shining moments, nor am i a die hard Iggy Pop fan (i really dig the Stooges, but very little solo material). however, i heard a version of this song done by The Pretenders featuring Iggy Pop a few years back (it was on tv, but i cant recall where?)...and it caused me to seek this song out and refamiliarize myself with it. it was THEN that i fell in love. i realized i LOVE Kate Pierson's voice...and hearing it soar in such a beautiful way over this song is so enticing. she truly makes this version of the song listenable...over and over again.
9) "rhinoceros" Smashing Pumpkins
another winter related comfort song. i always seem to find the Pumpkins come the dog days of January and February. there are very few songs that scream 'winter' more than this one...even tho it highlights every other season as well, in its lyrical journey. i cant express how integral this band has been to soundtracking this time of year in my life. its actually gotten to the point where i can barely listen to them between May and September. i could've chosen any number of songs from Gish, Siamese Dream, or Mellon Collie....but this one seemed most appropriate tonight (plus it came up on my ipod while i was sitting in the airport this afternoon...it was some kind of sign).
10) "when the time should come" The Smiles and Frowns
the influences seem obvious...and yes you could easily toss them into a pool of other experimental psychedelic retro folk, ala Avett Brothers, The Clientele, and The Shins...but make no mistake--this band is worth a listen. youll hear hints of beach boys in the production and vocal tone... but the atmospherics will surround and envelop you. 'im not afraid of wasting time' is repeated several times throughout the song...a sentiment that ive grown to envy. the band's name couldn't be more appropriate...since they seem to be a perfect musical blend of both emotions.
11) "wichita lineman" Glen Campbell
i always like to throw in a few old tracks to balance the new...and sometimes we go further back than others. listening to this song recently, i realized just how influential it really is. there is so much depth to "Wichita Lineman"...that it almost requires multiple listens just to absorb it all. "and I need you more than want you. and i want you for all time"....how resonant is that refrain? the strings are subtley carrying the desperation of the song on its back, as if the lyrics weren't enough. if you cant sympathize with the 'lineman' he sings of...then you simply dont have a sympathetic bone in your body. plus, you can NOT call yourself a fan of all music if you cant appreciate a song as good as this. a genre-crossing classic in every respect...
12) "jump in the pool" Friendly Fires
i was making a 'new years' playlist and was torn between this song and 'Paris', which has long been my favorite by Friendly Fires. i decided i'd use them both. however on this, my first playlist of 2010, i decided to give 'pool' the nod. i love the instrumentation of this song, more than the lyrics. the sax solo in the middle (im not sure if its a sampled sax sound...or a saxophone played thru effects), coupled with the tribal dance drums, and the layered keyboards...combine to make something special. i cant wait to see what their next album sounds like. i feel like they just MIGHT surpass Hot Chip and LCD Soundsystem as the most important Indie Dance artist making music today.
13) "halo" Depeche Mode
a perfect way to end this playlist, if i might say so myself. one thing i do NOT want is to be pretentious with these playlists. yes, i want you to see inside my musical mind...but not for anything more than just the ability to share some extremely important music to me with people that enjoy and understand "music". i love depeche mode...always have. yet ive outgrown some of their songs, leaving behind some of their biggest and most popular tracks (Just Cant Get Enough, Personal Jesus & Everything Counts are the best examples). but for every song i've left in my past...i've brought a new one along. Halo has most recently become one of my favorites of theirs...and continues to climb. Violator was such a big record for Depeche...spawning 3 major hits and cult-like status amongst even the most die hard of fans. Some of the brightest moments on the album are the lesser known songs that burn slowly and maintain relevance even today. Blue Dress, Clean, Waiting for the Night, and Halo being the key 4. Halo could've easily been another Top 40 song for Depeche Mode had it been released on any other album...but they were already 4 singles deep (Enjoy the Silence, Personal Jesus, Policy of Truth, World in my Eyes) and the label stopped releasing songs. better for us, i guess.
1. “Grounds for Divorce” Elbow
One of the most important songs/records of the year, in my humble opinion! Its funny, I was asked what my favorite records of 2009 were the other day, and I couldn’t think of 5 records off the top of my head. Then as Im making this week’s playlist…I see Elbow, and Im thinking “Here’s one of the top 10!” This might not even be considered a 2009 release, seeing as it came out in 2008 in the UK…but its still one of the best records (and most important records) to come out in quite some time. Peter Gabriel and Radiohead might as well collaborate and make a record…and we MIGHT have something that sounds like this. But seeing as that will most likely NEVER happen…this is the best we have. This song is Top 5 for the year…easily. CLASSIC.
2. “Heart of Stone” Ravonettes
Another record that might be in my year end top 10! This band has yet to release a bad record…but this one was about as accessible as any they’ve ever made. I think this song would be an example of what The Ronettes would sound like if they formed and made their first record in 2009. Deep, thick reverb…guy/girl vocals that are almost obscured so you cant tell which is which…pounding drums…washy guitars…and guilty pleasure (simple) lyrics. This is a soundtrack song if there ever was one…
3. “I Should be Born” Jets Overhead
As Im listening back to this playlist…I realize that this is ALMOST a “year end” type list…although that will change soon. I didn’t spend enough time with this band the first time around (early 09)…but now that I’ve gone back to it, its blowing my mind. I cant really put my finger on their sound, per se…but its certainly better than the recognition it’s received. This is the lead track on the album (No Nations)…and sets the tone perfectly. I always have been a fan of ‘track 1’s’ on records….for some reason I expect it to dictate the pace and mood of the album. This song is heavy and dark…but not in a typically heavy and dark way. Imagine waking up in the middle of the night in what seems like a strange home…not remembering where you are…and you will understand the feel of this song. So good…
4. “Factory Windows” Walking with Cavemen I first heard this band on a pre-mastered demo that they had JUST thrown together a few days earlier (after finishing up in the studio). I couldn’t figure out what they sounded like, but I knew that they were onto something special. After repeated listens over a 3 day period, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that they were playing a show in Asbury Park THAT weekend…along with a band I was already going to see (Future Future). After seeing them live, I realized that they were a perfect combination of Bends-Era Radiohead, James, and a bunch of great 90’s Indie Alternative bands. This is the unmastered version of one of the 7 songs I have on my cd…and Im not even sure if its TRULY called “Factory Windows”…but that’s what I call it!
5. “Devil with the Green Eyes” Matthew Sweet
This is the first remotely ‘retro’ song Im playing on this playlist…and one of only a few on the show today. Its always going to come down to my mood and whats been in heavy rotation in my car…and lately Matthew Sweet has crept back into the stack. I’ve always been a fan of his songwriting…mostly because of his ability to write perfect pop melodies and songs, but with a blatantly honest lyrical style. Its the confessional lyrics and his almost sappy, whimpy lyrics that make the music so irresistible. I always get the impression that Sweet is desperate for whomever he’s singing about in his songs. I also get the impression that he can never look his woman in the eyes… and there’s a charm to that. He is proof that the geeky, band kid can get girls too…even if its because he can write songs that the girls can relate to. The opening line is so powerful.. “I can understand you’re living in a prison...”.
6. “Darlene” Anthony Fiumanno I heard Anthony for the first time last week at one of our “ShoreAlternative Presents” showcases @ Langosta Lounge in Asbury Park. I had NO idea what to expect, except that Billy told me he sounded a bit like The Replacements? I disagree, after hearing his set, I heard a lot of Ben Kweller & Richard Ashcroft (solo, not Verve…but see # 7)…but regardless he was amazing. He sings with such conviction and honesty…much like Ben Kweller. I almost feel like he should’ve been blushing, telling us these stories of his past…yet he stood there proudly, confessing his heartbreak. This song stood out during his 45 minute set…and it even made it into this week’s “perfect/playlist”…not an easy task. If you like confessional type singer songwriters that wear their Tom Petty influences on their sleeve, listen to Anthony Fiumanno right now.
7. “I See Houses” The Verve
Since Anthony reminded me of Richard Ashcroft so much, I felt it was a perfect time to feature something off of the newest Verve record, which was/is SO underrated. “Forth” came out in 2008, but got not even a fraction of the attention it deserved. Mind you, I’ve always been a HUGE Verve fan…but this album even surprised me. The first track on the record…”Sit & Wonder” is one of the Verve’s best songs ever…but lately “I See Houses” is the song I cant stop playing in my car. “I get this feeling that I, I’ve been here before. How many lives must I waste, how many tears must I taste before my freedom”.
8. “Tell” Radio Dept
I would say, over the past 3 years, there are probably only 3 or 4 bands that have taken a bigger place in my heart than Radio Dept (The Clientele being one…). They combine all the great elements of Shoegaze with Elliott Smith’s style of breathy melancholy vocals…and write 3 minute pop songs w/ electronic flourishes. This is easily my favorite song by them…but the list of favorites is VERY long. I get chills everytime I hear “I'm trying to help her, She needs some shelter, And if you've felt her loyalty what can you do?”. You can tell, thru all the effects on his vocals, that he REALLY means what he’s singing.
9. “Only if you Run” Julian Plenti On the whole, this cd was a HUGE disappointment for me. For the record, I am a gigantic Interpol fan…always have been. Pretty much everything they’ve released has resonated with me on some level. They always seem to hit me at the right time in my life too, much like the Cure did back in my High School days. Needless to say I was ecstatic to hear that Paul Banks was releasing a solo album (I still don’t understand why he called his project Julian Plenti??). Even though on the whole I was not blown away by the song collection…there were a few brilliant tracks, including “Only if you Run”. This is the closest he comes to sounding like Interpol…but its far from a rip-off of his full time band. When the beat comes in…its nearly impossible to not fall into a nodding groove. This is definitely the best Interpol song that’s not an Interpol song, of all time. Obviously.
10. “The Hourglass” Jeniferever
This is another album that is on my year end Top 20 list…and hands down the biggest surprise of the year. I loved this band’s first album, but it lacked ‘songs’ more than anything else (it was still fantastic, just maybe fell short of being timeless). This song combined the epic songs & ambient soundscapes of the first album with better song writing and more accessibility. Jeniferever, which is one of the best band names of all time, hail from Sweden (which is in the process of a mini invasion)…and SOUND like they are from Sweden. Lyrically there are so many standout moments on this song…but it’s the way that he morphs into a faux Robert Smith accent that makes for the most exciting moments in this song. He doesn’t NORMALLY sound like Robert Smith…but when he shifts his vocal style, its stellar. There is something about the production too…where they’re doubling up his vocals to make it sound bigger and fuller…
11. “Throwaway” The Posies
I’ll start this entry with a quote from Mike Merrell (who just gazed at my laptop to see the novel Im writing for today’s playlist): “Oh boy…here goes a 5 paragraph rant on the Posies!”. Because of that comment…I am going to keep this one simple. I could go on and on about what the Posies mean to me…and more importantly what this SONG means to me…but instead I will write my favorite lyric and leave you until next week… “But I don’t have the guts to prevent the decay…And I’m terribly twisted around what I say. And the courage that I threw away--I don’t have it now”.
Cheers!
(r.)
PERFECT/PLAYLIST (12/3/09)
Volume 4.
“Think/You”
1. “a new England” Billy Bragg
(I am almost embarrassed to say that I didn’t catch onto Billy Bragg until about 3 years ago. Yes, I’d heard all about his legend…but never felt the need to bite. This is the song that happened to find ME...thank god. “I loved you then as I love you still…though I put you on a pedestal, they put you on a pill. I don’t feel bad about letting you go, I just feel bad about letting you know.” That combination of words is all I had to hear, and I was hooked. Although his lyrics were usually more politically charged…this song proved Billy had a heart. Even if it was broken…)
2. “weekend wars” MGMT
(Even if this record has finally faded into the background, personally…I still have a special place in my life for MGMT. I happened to be at the Langosta Lounge last week for our Thursday night S*ALT Presents…Riverwinds JUST finished performing…and Rob Pilasia’s iPod was shuffling thru a hand picked playlist. I made a dash for the bathroom…and “weekend wars” began playing. I literally stopped in the hallway leading into the bathroom so I could listen to it with no one around to interrupt. Im not just telling you this for the sake of story enhancement…its absolutely true. All I could think was…How is it possible to make lyrics so obtuse sound so personal??. “Try to break my heart and drive to Arizona. It might take a hundred years to grow at all.” I never tire of hearing this song…and I think its because it’s a bit of a chameleon and can address any situation in my life?
3. “you do you” Bear In Heaven (After 1 listen…I knew I loved this song. The production is fantastic…you must listen in headphones at least one time. Too many songs like this slip by without many people noticing. Back in the day…when there weren’t 152358455680 bands at your fingertips…songs like this found its way to the people that needed to hear it. These days- songs as good as this can just as easily go away before they even begin. “you do you” is a one trick pony…never really presenting much of a change, except for a brief bridge about 1/3 into the song. But what makes this song so good is the persistence of the melody and the song being able to dramatically build around it. Think of it as a prolonged dramatic turning point in an unpredictable movie. Every sound causes movement…every layer brings more attention to detail.)
4. “fools gold” Stone Roses (While I was listening to Bear in Heaven…I subconsciously began to think of WHAT it reminded me of…aesthetically more so than similarities of melody/sound. Im pretty sure “fools gold” is the retro equivalent to the prior track. The Stone Roses maintain the same melody and bass line groove throughout 9 mins plus [this is a shorterned remix version…but you will get the idea]…with a borderline hip hop beat maintaining the continuity. Ian Brown had a way of sounding disinterested…yet overly invested in what he was singing. Richard Ashcroft must’ve taken a cue from Brown in capturing his carefree, almost druggy approach to making melodies.)
5. “I hung a stone around our love” Twelve (There’s clearly some kind of epiphany happening here as I listen back to my Perfect/Playlist # 4. Im realizing that there is a lot of monotony and persistence happening…and Im not saying it’s a bad thing at ALL. Anyone familiar with the band Six by.Seven might know of “Twelve”…or at least will be familiar with the voice. Six by.Seven is a shoegaze-type band…modeled after Ride, Catherine Wheel, and Swervedriver…that turned into more of an experimental project as time went by. When the experimenting went too far for the band to continue as a whole…Twelve was born. Much of the same swarming guitars at times…especially during the more straight forward tracks like this…but on the whole the project was more soundscapey and soundtrack worthy. If songs were more of the focus…they’d be perfect…but most of the time they were too damn ambitious for repeated listens. This song is the gem [excuse the terrible pun]…and if listened to loudly, can bring on an anxiety attack. Dead serious. “I wanna feel the rays…I wanna feel the sunlight”. If I was the fighting kind…I’d want to fight after listening to this. Instead, I wanna be sinister… which is a hell of a compromise.)
6. “violent” Loney Dear
I really dig this band very much…or should I say, this GUY (Emil Svanängen). After spending much time with his newest release, DEAR JOHN…I fell in love with his work. Initially, this particular song seems to be a bedtime-type track…but then it turns into epic bedroom psychedelia, w/ many sounds & instruments coming from multiple directions. “So hard to change when everything points to you..” Just worth knowing and listening to…
7. “11/11” Team Sleep
Im hearing that there is a new Team Sleep record expected sometime in 2010. Once I read this news…I broke out this first album and realized what an absolute gem it was. NOT TO MENTION, it was probably the only record ANYWHERE to sound this way. Mixing the perfect lush elements of both Pinback and Deftones (Rob Cross and Chino share the vocals on this song)…Team Sleep created the perfect album closer with 11/11. Listen to the melody echo the guitar chords in the bridge…its so ethereal. I love how restrained the vocals are from Crow…and then when Chino comes along at the end of the track….there is a recklessness within the restraint. Beautiful.
8. “pt III” I Was a Cub Scout
This band broke up before it even had a chance to succeed. If you would’ve asked me 2 years ago, I would’ve told you that this would be the biggest British import to hit the U.S. since Oasis. If Minus the Bear were British…and they pretended to be The Cure…you would have I Was a Cub Scout. The constant tempo shifts and Stewart Copeland-esque drumming make this song almost irresistible. “What do I know, what do you wish to know? All problems are just going to reappear again.”. Buy this album. Listen to this album. I promise you will fall in love.
9. “oblivious” Aztec Camera
I cannot get over how much I love Roddy Frame’s voice. Im not sure if I have a direct reference for him, or the band in general…but just think of the quintessential “New Wave” sound (Tears for Fears, Depeche Mode, New Order, Echo & The Bunnymen)…and turn it upside down…and youll get Aztec Camera. Not enough people take the time to recognize this band’s importance in the scope of the 80’s. If you want to dig below the surface of great 80’s New Wave-Pop…this is a great first step away from the mainstream.
10. “father baker” Dear Leader This song is a nod to a good friend from Buffalo (Rich Wall) who turned me onto Dear Leader. Featuring former Sheila Divine singer/guitarist Aaron Perrino, Dear Leader is a somewhat politically charged indie band that sounds as much like U2 as they do Sheila Divine…but with perfect recognition of the importance of the “Song”. I never spent much time with Sheila Divine, but fell in love with Dear Leader…which then brought me back to realize how GREAT Sheila Divine really was…and underappreciated. Father Baker, like most of Aaron’s music, paints the picture of what its like to live in Buffalo (Father Baker is a school for troubled children in Buffalo). For those of us not familiar to the territory…Perrino makes sure you can smell the smog in the Buffalo air.
11. “sink or swim” Bad Lieutenant
This might as well be a new Electronic or New Order track, but instead its just another ‘side project’ from Bernie Sumner (New Order/Electronic). Regardless of what pseudonym he decides to put music out under…I still get the same nostalgic response from my insides. “You’ll be hurting for the one you should be with”….such simple lyrics are Bernie’s forte, but it’s the EMOTION he sings with that gets you caught in the headlights. Pure melancholy at its finest…
12. “things we said today” The Beatles After receiving the Beatles Stereo Remastered Box Set…I rediscovered a batch of songs that I never truly appreciated the way they shouldve been appreciated. This song is right at the top of that list. “Me, Im just a lucky kind…Love to hear you say that ‘love is love’. And though we may be blind, love is here to stay and that’s enough to make you mine, girl.” When that bridge/chorus hits…there is a buzzing guitar that I NEVER caught before in the original mono recordings. Its amazing to hear George Harrison finding himself experimenting with fuzzy distortions on such early Beatles records. To think this stuff had been buried in the mix for many many years…and the song was STILL good. This song takes on a whole different quality with the newer mix, heard here. Enjoy this…like you’ve probably never enjoyed it before.
13. “don’t let it bring you down” Neil Young
“Don’t let it bring you down, its only castles burning..”. I had room for 1 more song at the end of this list…so Neil Young made the cut. Even tho it wasn’t originally intended to be here…I’ve been obsessed with Neil Young’s catalog of late, specifically LIVE RUST. This track is a PERFECT, melancholy/sad track from “After the Gold Rush”…but often gets stuck in the shadow of the title track, “Only Love Can Break Your Heart” and “Southern Man”. Think of Old Man and the type of delicate song it is…and sprinkle in a touch of hope and arrogance, and you have “Don’t let it bring you down”. How is this song not cited and praised by every Indie Folk artist making music today?? They all owe Neil as it is….but especially this song.
PERFECT/PLAYLIST #3 (11/19/09)
Volume 3.
"Lesson. Lessen"
1. “dear god” XTC
(I have always known and recognized QUALITY of this band…but never really understood the importance until recently. If you talk to any of XTC’s peers, making music in the 80’s/early 90’s…they will almost ALL tell you that Andy Partridge is as influential as ANY of his time. And the funny thing is...he gets barely ANY credit for this. This song is just one of the many that have left an impact on me…and a perfect starter for this playlist.)
2. “the violet hour” Sea Wolf
(I have to thank Mike Merrell for directing me to this band. He gave me a cd a few months back and said…’listen to this…its right up your alley, guaranteed’…and he was absolutely right. First couple of tracks I thought it sounded like Echo and the Bunnymen, which I loved. Then I noticed that it sounded like a different band on just about EVERY track. This song is a perfect song to toss into the middle of a mix cd. Ya know the one that even YOU have to look at the cd case to see who it is? Tempo is fast…but the song has a slow soul to it. Its brilliant.)
3. “judy staring at the sun” Catherine Wheel (I have always loved Catherine Wheel for being a ShoeGaze band w/ the ability to embrace the punk roots to the genre. Behind the walls of distortion are always gorgeous melodies and stellar lyrics…and in some cases they even wrote, dare I say, Pop songs! This song was a true attempt to break in America. So they nestled “Judy” into the middle of the “Happy Days” record, asked Tanya Donnely (Belly) to sing on it…and made a magical track. Wasn’t as big of a hit as it SHOULDVE been…but its as pretty of a song about a loved one’s drug addiction as you can write. If you don’t know this song or are listening for the first time, then get ready to spend .99cents downloading it for future mixes. Promise.)
4. “i don’t like mondays” Boomtown Rats
(These ‘perfect/playlists’ will always feature a wide array of music from 4, maybe 5 decades…including some fairly obvious songs…and some truly deep songs. This song falls in the middle of everything. Yes it’s a known song…but it’s a track that most people don’t give the proper adieu [cant believe I used that word]. What is barely every acknowledged about ‘Mondays’ is that it’s a true story about a 16 yr old girl that shot and killed 8 children and 2 adults after opening fire on a playground. When she was asked WHY she did this…she replied “I don’t like Mondays”. Its incredible how this song has become an anthem for a day of the week that we all dread, but what a great track it is. IN fact, this is the only American ‘hit’ for Live Aid creator, musician/producer Bob Geldoff…aside from “Do They Know Its Christmas”, which he wrote and arranged back in 1985.)
5. “here comes a regular” The Replacements
(I could put a Replacement’s song on just about every Perfect/Playlist I ever do…and not run out of perfect songs. I probably should just fix a spot onto each one for them…but then things would be slightly less interesting, and slightly more predictable. Listening to Paul Westerberg sing “Everybody wants to be special here…they call your name out loud & clear”, shows the direction he was about the head w/ the Replacements, but more so where he was going w/ his Solo material a few years later. As far as Im concerned, “Tim” is by FAR the greatest masterpiece in the Replacement’s arsenal…and this, the album closer, is the gem amongst the other gems.)
6. “it’ll all work out” Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
(I absolutely LOVE Tom Petty. I love his voice, I love his lyrics, I love his guitarist Mike Campbell…hell I even love his awkwardness. Lately I’ve been reading a book about his song meanings…and its truly gripping. Ive recently gone back and rediscovered some songs, because of this book, and this is one of them. Its sad in sound, but hopeful in nature. I try to think this way most of the time, and I think we ALL want to be optimistic, but if you listen closely to the lyrics of this…nothing is going to work out in reality. Key Lyric: “I still I think of her when the sun goes down… Never goes away, but it all works out”.)
7. “homespun” Grant Lee Buffalo
(I cant tell you how many bands are doing what THIS band had been doing before ANYONE else…musically. There would be no My Morning Jacket, Band of Horses, Wilco, Ryan Adams, Fleet Foxes, etc etc…had that road not been paved by Grant Lee Buffalo back in the 90’s. They stole equally from Neil Young, Johnny Cash, R.E.M., Replacements, and Flying Burrito Brothers…and made PERFECTLY sad Alt/Country. I cannot stress enough that you need to find and love this band. If you need the essential cd to start with…then pick up “Mighty Joe Moon” and then prepare yourself to buy the whole catalog. You may know the vocals, or acknowledge they sound familiar, and that’s because Grant Lee Phillips has been making country-ish/folk solo records for the past 10 years or so…since Grant Lee Buffalo has broken up. This song is the opening track from the brilliant “Copperopolis”. If you’re feeling heartbreak or homesick…then you might’ve found your savior band.)
8. “dare” Mary Onettes
(I should’ve probably put something from Mary Onettes’ last album, but instead I’ve gone with their newest single from their newest album. I absolutely love this band and they way they sound. Somehow they are able to sound like the songs were recorded in 1982…and can somehow mimic just about EVERY band I loved from that time period…but sound like no ONE band? If Echo & the Bunnymen, Depeche Mode, Flock of Seagulls, and Aztec Camera all had a very small baby, it would sound like Mary Onettes. This is a warm song that could almost sound like a Christmas track…yet it says NOTHING remotely holiday-ish. So please let this count as the ‘seasonal’ song on this mix.)
9. “doot doot” Freur
(Here is another band that Mary Onettes sorta sounds like? Freur had ONE big hit before fading away…and coming back MANY years later as Underground Electronic/Dance giants Underworld. You’ve probably heard this song many times, including most recently on a commercial…but never known who or what it was. Believe it or not…this was considered a ‘club’ song back in the early 80’s..even tho the temp is slow and the beat is subtle. Such a fan of the vocals…even tho I have NO clue what is being said…or what “doot doot’ really means. This is many many years ahead of its time. In fact, it might be the first Trip Hop song EVER…and I just thought of that RIGHT now. Awesome. Put this as track 2 or 3 on any mix tape you make for someone that likes good music, but wants to dig deeper and find the songs that inspired what they’re listening to now.)
10. “horror head” Curve
(Ok…this is a song that PROBABLY doesn’t fit w/ the theme of whats happening here [I understand that there really is NO theme, just go with me]. Curve sounds electronic and sexual…but the guitars are turned way up and there’s a melodic moaning that obscures the song itself. Regardless…this serves as a perfect theme to that drunken/drugged out mess of a night you had a few months back…leaving a bar at 2am, not knowing where you were going next? Matter of fact, this song is a perfect soundtrack to just about ANY night out where you had a lot to drink and were staring at the same person for hours- hoping for a story book rendez-vouz that never happened.)
11. “unravel” Bjork (After playing a loud/swarming/chimey song like Curve…I almost NEEDED to go back to something lush and subtle. Bjork is anything but subtle as a person, but her music is like a perfectly soft blanket that lays over your couch. I use this as one of those songs I will only hand over to the ‘right’ girl…when I make that first cd/playlist for her. If it wasn’t so obscure, I would even consider using this as a wedding song. “While you are away, my heart comes undone”.)
12. “seymour stein” Belle & Sebastian This is a perfect song. Actually, this is my FAVORITE Belle & Sebastian song…and everytime I hear it I remember why I love it so much. So many sublte references in here…even a Smiths/Johnny Marr shout out…”..reminded me of Johnny, before he went to Electronic”. The story is…dude in a band supposed to go meet with Record Business guru/Label King Seymour Stein…but doesn’t make it because he was heartbroken by a girl. Thus “Seymour Stein, sorry I missed you. Have a nice flight home, it’s a good day for flying”. Great story…great song. I leave you with this…until next week…)
PERFECT PLAYLIST #2 (11/12/09)
Volume 2
"Hearing Is Leaving"
1. “watch the sunrise”- Big Star (I cant think of a song that feels better than this one…at this moment. If this cant bring some light into your world…then youre simply incapable of finding any joy in what surrounds you. I almost feel anger towards the whole generation that ignored Big Star for much of the 70’s and 80’s. If there’s one band that every music fanatic SHOULD know right now…its THIS one.)
2. “trophy fashion”- J’ac
(I saw this band perform live only a week ago…and it impacted me so much that I’m featuring them on only the 2nd Perfect/Playlist. Hearing a band use such an eclectic range of instruments (AND successfully incorporating an Accordion!), and yet still writing accessible songs…absolutely floors me. They almost hit the same region of emotion as The Decemberists, minus the literary references. If you wanna hear something that stands on its own against just about anything…and listen to this band.
3. “tilting windows”- High Llamas
(Lately I’ve been all over the beach boys…and I think its to counter balance all the Beatles music in my life. I LOVE the Beatles…but I also love the Beach Boys. I think its because they were what the Beatles felt were their closest American peers. Which oddly made me wanna learn more about the Beach Boys. Regardles…the High Llamas are a band that capture the harmonies and airy’ness of the Beach Boys…mixed with the subtlety of The Association and the acid trip haze of Flaming Lips. It sounds so 1972…but endearingly so. Fitting for any mood…)
4. “wishin’ and hopin’”- Dusty Springfield
(Dusty Springfield is arguably the greatest female vocalist of all time. If you listen closely, her voice acts as an instrument in itself. And what makes her special… she doesn’t OVER sing, like say…Aretha Franklin? The music is the standard ‘girl group’ fare of its day...w/ slightly less backing vocals. But Dusty’s lead is so smooth and swarming…yet emotionally direct. I could’ve put just about any song on this list…but right now this song plays quite heavily for me.)
5. “watching the detectives”- Duran Duran (A perfect cover. Not only did they nail the interpretation, but they made the song their own. Overall, this ‘covers’ album they put out (titled: “Thank You”) over a decade ago, is absolutely stellar. I love the rhythmic element of this…and how the song almost slithers away from you as your listening. I love the original…but Duran did this song justice.)
6. “we are the people”- Empire of the Sun
(“I cant do well when I think you’re gonna leave me but I know I try. Are you gonna leave me now? Can’t you be believin’ now?” When that refrain is sung during this song (in the layered falsetto after the chorus and at end), I literally have chills coursing thru my body. I don’t know what this band does to me, but it does something unexplainable. I feel like MGMT did similar things, but failed to deliver such a sentimental sounding falsetto! Like MGMT, Empire of the Sun bring a strangely seductive pop psychedelia. I cannot get enough of this cd lately… I almost wish I could get away from it for awhile.)
7. “when it all comes down”- Unrest
(“This came on during a long car ride to Rhode Island a few weekends ago…and it instantly brought me back to ‘that’ time. When this song was heavy rotation in my life, it was usually nestled between Afghan Whigs (see # 9 on this playlist), Sunny Day Real Estate, Nirvana, and Sonic Youth. Hearing this makes me feel strangely confident? I not sure why that is…but its definitely true. I also began to think of what I’d follow it with on a playlist TODAY-- and Minus the Bear came to mind….
8. “into the mirror”- Minus the Bear (Minus the Bear holds the honor of being the ONLY band that made it onto both the 1st & 2nd Perfect/Playlist ha. This band really fits perfectly into my life right now. Im never sure if the songs are sad, or if the songs and melody’s just appear melancholy to my ears? Either way, I feel like they can play off any mood I’m in. If I’m in doubt, I can always safely listen to Minus the Bear. I was blown away the first time I heard this new track, and every new listen I love it more. “She sits down beside him, without a hint of shame…cus everything’s the same in its own way. Kisses her man’s cheek…her hunter eyes lock on her prey.” Im pretty sure this song is about drug use…but to ME that lyric is deviant and sexy. Brilliant.)
9. “let me lie to you”- Afghan Whigs
(Again, this era has been resonating with me lately. Im sure I’m not the only person who does this…but there are SOME records that shaped my life—records I ADORE…that I barely get around to listening to anymore. Then one day, Ill hear something that triggers an interest in revisiting a certain record and I go on a kick for however long….sometimes I fall in love all over again. Listening to these cd’s are almost like looking at old photographs…or reading old letters…which makes the listen almost uncomfortable. The Afghans bring all of these emotions to the forefront…and I welcome the discomfort they bring. I feel like there are songs by them that attach to pretty much every relationship I’ve ever been in. I precisely remember being maybe 19, driving home from Cartaret NJ at 5am…after spending a full night discussing life and love to this girl Erica---and I listened to this song over and over again. I think this song was the perfect combination of arrogance and innocence…which is not far from what I was at the time. I remember it all with such clarity as I listen to this song. Unreal. That night I think we both believed we had it all figured out…)
10. “the shining”- Badly Drawn Boy
(There are really only about 5 voices that I can hear at ANY time, any song, any MOOD…and I will always love it. Badly Drawn Boy is one of the 5, hands down. Every moment, every word, every note in every song- counts. His voice sounds like its inches from your ear…and no matter how intense his singing may be, it always sounds like an intimate conversation. At times Badly Drawn’s lyrics can be very simple and direct, but then in a turn he’s poetically stunning. “But now I’m dry of thoughts…wait for the rain. Then its replaced…sun setting.”
11. “golden”- My Morning Jacket
(Jim James vocals seem to lay over the room like a ghost in this song. The words seem to swell over each other, to the point where you might think they’d become indecipherable, but they somehow NEVER lose clarity. If he’s trying to capture the broken soul of Neil Young, then its working. This melody could never wear on me…its nearly perfect. “like the way you make the time just disappear.” I bet Bread would be proud of this song. Hmm…Bread is definitely getting on the next playlist.)
PERFECT PLAYLIST #1 (11/5/09)
Destination: Spies Volume 1.
“November is Brown”
1. “lump sum”- Bon Iver (mix the fear of being alone- with comfort in your own solitude- and you have one of the most confused ‘states of being’ known to man. Many musicians need the melancholy emotion of “sadness” in order to create a ‘feeling’ in a song. Reflecting on silent nights… spent reminiscing and alone…will bring beautiful music w/ a host of nostalgia to the intended listener (whether or not anyone hears it). This song brings November to mind, as much as any.)
2. “I came into your store”- Colin Hay
(the legendary and familiar voice of Colin Hay- known for his time as vocalist in Men At Work- singing one of the most innocent love songs ive heard in many months. Very few emotions hit harder than the one of seeing someone that makes you see the future, in love. Whether or not you EVER find love with that ‘someone’, the butterflies you feel and the hopefulness that come over your anxious mind…brings such a feeling of comfort. The picture of someone walking the streets alone, pondering the thought of ‘how do I approach this’…with snow flurrying around sparsely, comes to mind. This is the soundtrack to THAT specific moment.)
3. “play”- The Cure
(a B-Side to “High”, that was a ‘for fans only’ track for many years, until it became available on the JOIN THE DOTS box set a few years back. The story is: a fractured relationship. One side is lamenting the person that they used to know, and the changes that have occurred over time…while the other is coming to terms with the erosion of the relationship, and more importantly the fact that there is no saving it. The song plays out as if its in real time, in Robert Smith’s mind, and by the end of the song…the relationship is over. Finally, the one being hurt, falls apart. “Today we play I think our final act…I push too hard and you crack.” There remains a sense of hopefulness in the lyrics…but there is clearly no helping what’s been over for quite some time. There are very few sadder songs based upon ‘realization’, in The Cure’s catalog (although there are sadder songs, for sure). I recommend that you listen to this song while driving alone…ESPECIALLY if you are feeling ANY of the emotions above. Bring tissues…)
4. “a setting sun”- Grand Archives
(Band of Horses side project, that sounds like a mix between Kings of Convenience, Bread, and Band of Horses. This song is upbeat, sunny, and almost conversational…but brings the color of all those 1970’s movies to mind--grainy, pastel, and hazy…but covered by a coat of happiness. My Morning Jacket has been writing songs like this for quite a few years…but they could never strip away the jamming long enough to finish a song in 3 mins. The conciseness of the track is partially what makes it so charming. That, and the wistfulness of the lyrics. You’re welcome )
5. “ice monster”- Minus the Bear
(so much music comes into my life on a daily basis, that its hard to fall in love with new bands long enough so that they can stick and attach to SOMETHING in my life. Of course that’s not to say that I haven’t fallen in love with new bands…its just to say that its not as easy as it used to be. Back in my teen years, I would take my hard earned money and buy 4 or 5 new records at a time and drive around to listen until I knew them all from front to back. As I’d drive…Id associate the songs with emotions I was feeling. Its hard to give that much attention to ANYTHING these days with so many distractions around us. One of the bands that have penetrated my soul most over the past 3 years is Minus the Bear. It was so subtle of a transition, that I can barely remember when the obsession began? But regardless…every song holds its own place. Today (and I literally mean TODAY), this is my new favorite song. From “planet of ice”, which was completely underrated in my opinion, this song is a true moment of realization. Take a few minutes to really listen to this song and its lyrics…and you’ll have a new favorite Minus the Bear song as well. I think…)
6. “will you come with me?”- The Elected
(country music never really resonated with me…which is odd, because I DO love the sad and melancholy. I think its because I don’t like twangy voices…even if I like the twang of a lap steel guitar. Odd. Regardless…when I hear an artist that isn’t necessarily ‘country’ doing country-sounding music, its easy for me to fall in love with it. Here is a fine example. The Elected is a new wave band/artist (Blake Sennet, guitarist for Rilo Kiley’s side project/main project?) playing country/folk. This song is uptempo and pleasant, but the undertones are quite dark. Its easy to picture the relationship being detailed in the song as if it’s a 2min 40second film. Every time I hear Blake sing “if I leave right now, will you come with me?”, I get a slight chill up my spine. Cant tell you how many times I’ve wondered that same thing…)
7. “rafter”- Tulsa
(Band of Horses, Fleet Foxes, and My Morning Jacket get all the attention…and rightfully so…theyre all great bands whom I love. BUT…there’s a band out there that rivals ALL of the above and get nay a fraction of the glory. Tulsa must’ve grown up listening to Neil Young records, the same way Jim James/My Morning Jacket had, but they also spent equal time listening to The Cure…to round out the airy & gothy sound they achieve, especially on THIS track. “No, I never lost you..” being repeated over and over again really solidifies what’s being described…Change brings uncertainty.)
8. “death of a clown”- Kinks
(the importance of the Kinks isn’t recognized enough by American music enthusiasts. We all know how important the Beatles, Stones, and the Who shaped American music and culture…but very few realize the importance of the Kinks, especially to what has become known as “Alternative” music. If it weren’t for the Kinks…we’d have no Blur, Bowie, Pretenders, R.E.M., or any of the other million bands inspired by the Kink’s literary, overtly British songs. I discovered this song when I bought the newly released Kinks’ Box Set “Picture Book”. “My makeup is dry and it cracks on my chin…im drowning my sorrows in whiskey and gin”… has anyone ever described a drunken clown so descriptly? “so lets go and drink to the death of a clown” is the refrain that really sums it all up. The clown used to be happy, but now he’s sad…therefore ‘dead’. Brilliant. Just listen and remember all the above mentioned bands…and then praise the underappreciated.)
9. “a brighter light”- Brook Pridemore
(Brooklyn based singer/songwriter Brook Pridemore came to my attention courtesy of S*ALT’s Billy O’Brien…whom discovers just about all the ‘unsigned’ music you hear on our station and at our “ShoreAlternative Presents” shows. I was told to pay close attention to his descript lyrics and how it’s used against an acoustic/punk musical presence. Well, I heard the songs, and liked them well enough. Then I saw him perform. Seeing Brook on stage (who could be described as a librarian that doubles as a poet) commanding attention with only his acoustic guitar, take over a crowd that had no idea what to expect…was an incredible experience. Think Replacements…but then forget that I mentioned the Replacements and try and find your own comparison. You may not be able to liken him to ANYONE, but that’s ok, it’s essentially what Im trying to achieve in forcing you to hear it. So listen- and then tell your ‘friend’ that grew up on punk but now listens to Folk and Indie…and feel good knowing you helped sell a record created by a starving artist.)
10. “harvest time”- The Clientele (Easily the most nostalgic band in my iTunes library these days. I fell in love with them about 4 years ago while searching around EMUSIC, looking for something new that sounds like old Zombies records. I bought “Strange Geometry”, fell madly in love, and then proceeded to buy every single piece of music that they created up to that point. Now—4 years on, they are my favorite Sunday Morning listening. I can listen to this band over and over again, and never get tired of the mostly mellow arrangements. Im not sure Ive ever listened deeply to the lyrics of this song…but as I sit here writing this (I have headphones on…and “the crow” is gracing the tv in front of me, silently), I’m trying to make sense of it. Its clearly not ‘summer time’ as the lyrics suggest, but the song is forcing me to reflect upon another summer lost to time. “…scarecrows watch the verges of life. Everything here has a place and a time. We’re only passing thru. Its Harvest Time.” *sigh*)
**Bonus Track**
11. “Ogres”- Delfields
(Another band that I can thank Billy O’Brien for steering me towards. All I needed to hear was “youre gonna love this band dude, it sounds like the Shins meets the Beach Boys!”. It was already concluded that I was going to love this band before I even listened…regardless of the fact that they are an unsigned band without a proper record. Well, it lived up the the promise…and I now believe this band will eventually write a perfect album. Very few bands can write a song that sounds like it was recorded in 1964 with such conviction…but the Delfields get it right the first time. Their live show needs to capture the scratchy, mono vibe that their recorded songs convey…and one day they will. For now, sit back and listen (and maybe even come watch them at one of our upcoming shows) and in 7 years you can say that you “knew this band when…”. I cant believe that a band THIS YOUNG can write songs so perfectly catchy and short. )
