I Wanna Live With a Musician

Bastards of Young

2009-07-17T10:13:00.006-06:00

Bastards of Young by the Replacements
Pros: They rocked. They didn't give a fuck. They played drunk and were rowdy. They were silly and fun. And they gave us four great albums in a decade that people usually consider a music waste land (the 1980s)... They wrote songs about drinking at the bar! How great is that?!?!?! "I Will Buy", "Here Comes a Regular", "Beer for Breakfast" what's not to love there? Most bands claim to live the rock'n'roll life style. These guys did... Look in the 80s when hair and heavy metal was the it non-it music and the 'live the rock style' was in, these guys did it (tragically in the end... I mean how many guys die because they just partied too hard for 15 years? Sadly that is Bob Stinson)... they understand/understood irony, a must in my book in order to be the Greatest American Band... The idea of the Replacements has always been as big or bigger than the band itself. In America, this is a good thing... have been a huge inspiration for many and most good bands over the last 25 years.

Cons: Some people will say putting them up here is a stretch. 'The Mats weren't around all that long (tad over 10 years) and no one knows of them' they'll say, 'They're not even unknown but known like the Velvet Underground.' True, but when the 'Mats hit, there was nothing like them out there. And they influenced so many bands: pretty much any decent alternative, rock, or indie band of the last 20 years listened to the Replacements and you can hear that in so many songs... you might argue that they sound dated, but I think that's unfair... again, can a band that's pretty much unknown and underrated by the general population be considered the Greatest American band?... Are they too American or too real? Because they were so 'regular' didn't they fuck up just too much (they were banned from SNL for example)? Can the Greatest American Band really be guys who blew it more often than they should have? In a country were the Wizard of Oz was made and is probably the first or second piece of pop culture that we consume, doesn't the Greatest American Anything have to be a bit like the Wizard of Oz (and the illusion of) himself? There was no curtain with the 'Mats. They just were... Or could you say that since they always seemed to blow it some how, they were a bit like the underdog... I'm not sure.

Best Album: Flip a coin between "Tim" and "Let it Be".

Best Song: Bastards of Young -- "We are the sons of no one!" That's it. Done. They win.

Rock With You

2009-07-13T21:13:00.003-06:00

Rock With You by Michael Jackson

I know I write a lot of these with "maybe" but I like it... it works... so I'm doing it again.

Maybe it's the drums. Maybe it's the smoothness. Maybe it's the bass. Maybe it's Michael's voice. Maybe it's the kick ass chorus. Maybe it's the hand claps. Maybe it's the amazing bridge...
I don't know what it is exactly about this song, but when you put it all together it's one of the all time greats.

"When you feel that beat, We're gonna ride that boogie"

This was Michael at his best. A perfect blend of late 70s yacht rock, disco, pop, rock, and R&B. Michael is never over the top--a rarity for him--hitting each note almost subtly and flawlessly. It's a damn near perfect song.

Editors Note: I've covered Michael enough for the time, so I'll be moving on. I honestly thought I'd dive deeper into his cultural impact, but the music end up taking over. I'm sure a Michael song will come up from time to time from here on out... but for now, Bye Michael and thanks.

I Want You Back

2009-07-09T16:34:00.003-06:00

I Want You Back by the Jackson 5

I've already written about this song, so I'm not going to talk about the great bass line or 11 year old Michael nailing this song like no one has really nailed a song ever since--and I'm dead serious about this... take a second and think of songs that the singer nails. And I'm not talking about Neko Case signing Star Witness, I'm talking Neko Case in "Letter From an Occupant" nailed. And honestly... I think Neko's performance in that song is one of the few that can compete with Michael in "I Want You Back." He owns this song. He doesn't miss a note, it's perfect (what he does with 'girl' is flat out unfair), and sings it with a desperation that is down right amazing.

And this is what makes this song, well, weird. Michael Jackson was 11 years old when he sang this song to the world. ELEVEN. He didn't know heartbreak. He hadn't been in love. Yet here he is singing a song that is all about that stuff, and he doesn't sound ridiculous in the process. He wants her back and you believe it... as unnatural as it is when you really think about it.

How will we remember Michael Jackson? It's far too early to say, but if it's anything like Elvis, then most of us will remember Michael as sort of a joke who made some great songs. But that will be unfair... Michael Jackson was always in the public eye. He didn't have a childhood. We made him a star and in the process took his childhood away. When I was eleven, I was playing baseball in the backyard. If Michael Jackson did that, even he knew he wasn't really playing baseball in the backyard like any other 11 year old.

I'm not saying that we, society, caused Jackson to become a freak... to become a joke -- we didn't. It was his parents that put him out there to entertain the world. And Michael was really really good at entertaining people with his dance moves and voice. But since he started so young and became famous at such a young age, we robbed him of anything 'normal' or 'typical'.

I know a bunch of people have pointed this out, but it's worth rehashing. Michael was probably always trying to get back to that age that they/we took away from him. And that age was 10. His success allowed him to do everything possible to try and get back to being 10. He ended up living a life that is the dream of almost every 10 year old boy.

But Michael could never go back. His path was made for him. And he didn't complain (at least publicly) in stead he took his opportunity and ran with it. Within 10 years of him singing "I was wrong to let you go" he had produced one of the greatest pop albums of all time AND what would become the biggest selling album of all time. By the time he was 22, Michael Jackson had, for all intents and purposes, conquered pop culture. No one before or since has come close.

Man In the Mirror

2009-07-08T16:26:00.004-06:00

Man In the Mirror by Michael Jackson

"You can't close your... your mind!"

Michael Jackson songs were a lot of things: some were dance songs, some were love songs, some tried to save the world and others attempted to bring racial peace, but no matter the message his songs were, for the most part, fun. You could (and you wanted to) dance to them. Black or White, a song that I assume was trying to bring racial harmony to the world (and probably a bit biographical), in the end was just a fun song that made you want to move.

And that's what's so different about Man in the Mirror. A self help song if there ever was one, the lyrics can hit home if, say, you can't catch a break. Listen to this song, and you can't help but think, 'Hey, maybe it's me... I need to make a change!'

Man in the Mirror is an unbelievably well crafted song, starting off slow and letting Michael's voice shine with little background or arrangement help. It's a simple and subtle start and while the song builds a little bit over the first 2:30 or so, it also sounds a bit dated (a bit 80s if you will). But then at 2:52 the choir jumps in and pushes this song to another level... and Michael pretty much goes off doing Michael Jackson things with his voice.

However, no matter how well the song is arranged and how enjoyable the lyrics* are... the unintentional comedy scale hits near record highs when at the very end of the song as the music dies down and you think it's over Michael says/whispers, "Make that change." Never fails to crack me up... for all the obvious ironic reasons.

*even if it's obvious and cliche; the lyrics hit home.

ABC

2009-07-07T20:10:00.002-06:00

ABC by the Jackson 5

Seriously people... do we actually realize what kind of voice this boy (and man) had? I can't get over it. Throw in Motown arrangements and it was a can't miss.

And look at him move! Look at this kid! Look at him dance and the joy and the energy... this is pure pop bliss. This is music at its most fun. You have to smile when you hear this... you have to dance. There just isn't another way to take this in other than succumb to the joy of him singing.

No matter what happened after these young years -- no matter what Michael ended up looking like or what he did or even his music after his young years... those songs with the Jackson 5 -- ABC and I Want You Back especially -- are like nothing out there. Both songs are amazingly fresh and unbelievably fun. Pop music has few moments that ever reach the heights that these two songs reach. And sure, they're damn well written, but it's young, little Michael with his infectious energy and that voice. That voice of God. Ahhh, it's moments like when he sings "It's like counting up to three!" that I enjoy with a joy that makes my heart skip a beat.

P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)

2009-06-30T14:45:00.003-06:00

P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) by Michael Jackson

It shouldn't have taken Michael Jackson's death for me to fire this blog up again... but here I am, bummed out about Michael's death and needing to figure out his life and his impact on pop culture. So I'm going to run down Michael's top songs, I've got a list of six right now, so I'll work off that.

P.Y.T. is fun, and if you went to the right places over the last five years, it's one of the few Michael songs you'd hear played. Unlike other Jackson songs it's aged increditably well. Fun, easy on the ears and makes one want to dance... pop doesn't get much better than this. P.Y.T. isn't Michael at the top of his game--there really was never a top for Michael, he just had a mind blowingly amazing 18 years--and it's not even the best song on this album. But unlike so many Michael songs, it's isn't forced or over the top. The song just moves along eventually hitting the show stopping, dance your ass off chours and top off by one of the bridges out there in music.

Big Star

2009-04-23T10:59:00.003-06:00

Big Star by Haley Bonar

Big Star - Haley Bonar

She's got the voice that's for sure. And she can write a great tune... just check this out here. And at such a young age, I can't help but think we're watching one of the next 'big' female stars/voices along the lines of, dare I say, Neko, Liz, or Lucinda.

(I also thought Annie would be the next female pop star back in 2005/2006, but I'm not sure what happened there... label problems?)

But Haley's got the voice to do it. It's huge and it doesn't sound nearly as big on any recording as it does live.

I love the guitar on this song... it's chilling yet beautiful. Stragley, I get a lot of pleasure when I can't fully articulate a sound and the feeling that sound gives me. You can say that saying something like that shows the weakness that I am as a writer (and you'd be right), but at the same time as David Byrne said, "writing about music is like dancing about architecture." The best songs and the greatest music are those that one can't fully articulate. The feeling is too great -- much like love -- that it's impossible to fully capture what a note, or voice, really does to the pit of one's stomach. When we're upset -- angry or sad -- the inability to express our feelings creates frustration which leads to us becoming more upset. But when it's a good feeling? It makes us (or just me) want to explode, in a good way -- to be so over come with a lovely emotion that it feels good all over is fantastic.

Anyway, that back ground slide like guitar? It makes me feel like that. Throw in that voice, and as John Madden would say, BAM! And that's why I come back to music... for those moments when a note or the way someone sings a line that make me feel good all over.

If you were ever wondering if God Exits, the answer is yes.

Dukes of Hazzard Theme

2009-04-22T15:06:00.002-06:00

Dukes of Hazzard Theme by Waylon Jennings

The summer going into my freshman year of college I worked at a fish store. I was a fishmonger. It was a great place to work.

For some reason there was a PlayStation in the back room. And during our lunch breaks, if one decided to eat at the store, one could also play some video games. Some times I would do just that. And the game I played? Dukes of Hazzard. Eventually the goal was to see what level one could get to in an hour. Good times!

Now, the Dukes of Hazzard... I've seen the show. It's silly. It's fun. It's racist. It's awesome. It's sexist. It was a pop culture phenomenon. It portrayed Southerners as morons, hicks, and rednecks. But despite all this they turned it into a movie I did not see a few years ago.

I'm not sure where Daisy Duke falls into the whole pop culture pantheon, but she's got to be some where right? If for no other reason that putting the feminism movement back twenty years yet still inventing a fashion that lives on today... sadly, I haven't seen the Dukes enough to actually place them in this 21st century world that we live in.

I'm all over the place... time to end this.

Not For You

2009-04-14T21:58:00.002-06:00

Not For You by Pearl Jam

Is it me or did this song some how get lost in the late 90s? This was a really good song. Eddie's voice is interesting and you sort of want to sing like how he sings.

This song just rocks.

Oh yeah, the bridge sucks. But it's fifteen years old now, which is sort of old, but is sounds fresh (other than that bridge). Music doesn't rock out enough these days, and even bands that do rock out, don't really rock out (other than Wolfmother but what happened to those guys?). Rocking out is a lost art.

Rainy Day

2009-04-09T21:00:00.003-06:00

Rainy Day by Coldplay

Okay you know how I'm more fascinated with Coldplay than just about anyone (not they can't just be good, I have to look at them at every angle possible). There is good Coldplay (this is the Coldplay that sells out arenas and tries to be U2). There is sucky Coldplay (see: X&Y). And there is wow, this band can write really good songs that take some chances (see: Shiver).

This song falls into the wow, this band can write really good songs that take some chances.

I'm not sure what it is about this song, maybe it's the chorus with the strings and Martin singing "I love it when you come over to my house". I guess this song is sort of cheesy, but at the same time it seems so honest.

But I'll just face the music. I love the chorus. It's simple, it's lovely, it's hopelessly romantic, yet totally realistic. That moment when someone comes over... that's just so great. The woman/man you love at your place, on your couch, in you bed... that's how it should be.

"But I love it when you come over to my house, I love it when you come over to my house"

NOTE: sorry about the month off, but I fried my laptop and it took forever to move my songs from my old hard drive to the new one. And yes, it is that hard to do this on an iPod. So I just waited until I could actually get a good shuffle.

Immigrant Song

2009-03-13T13:27:00.002-06:00

Immigrant Song by Led Zeppelin

There is something so effing awesome about this song.

There is something so effing cheesy about this song.

I've got a new theory about "III". It's basically Jimmy Page showing off. And it's awesome. And therefore it isn't the worst Zeppelin album as I always thought in high school (personally, "IV" or whatever we're calling it today, is the worst Zeppelin song because really it's a singles album). In fact, the idea of one guy in the band just showing off for an entire album and the band being cool with it (apparently) is pretty cool.

Page is downright dirty on this album, he seems bored that he can play the guitar as well as he can. He does things with the guitar that don't really fit into half the songs, but since he can do it, he does it, and it some how works. Take his work on this song. I'm not sure what or why he does what he does in the second half of the song, but because he can do it, he does it, and it sounds good (I've just set the record for pronouns used in one sentence!)

Okay... Immigrant Song... okay... well don't they play this at every hockey game in North America? Isn't this the unofficial, official song of the NHL? Since it's Zeppelin and Plant sings "Land of the ice and snow" hearing this at an NHL game is as certain as hearing "I Will Survive" at a wedding.

Stay or Leave

2009-03-12T15:27:00.002-06:00

Stay or Leave by Dave Matthews

On a cold day in the middle of March, this song fits the mood. And I haven't broken up with anyone.

Since I'm not in a melancholy mood, where do break up songs fit into day-to-day life? I guess we can be taken back to past loves, but dwelling on past lovers isn't something I would guess most of us do unless something strikes us. A location, a picture, a song, a TV show... to bring back the memory. But just a random break up song? Nah. It doesn't flood my mind with images of the woman I've dated.

Of course that's me. That doesn't apply to everyone (I assume). So what happens to break up songs when we haven't broken up with someone? Do we keep them in the back of our mind and forget about them entirely? Or are they like a potato peeler... something you take out only when you need them.

I honestly don't know. I listen to "Last Goodbye" a lot more when I'm in the process of or just have broken up with someone. Does that mean at some point in my married life I'll never listen to "Last Goodbye" again? Will I just skip it? Or will I let it take my mind to the girl it associates at that moment?

Piano Man

2009-03-11T15:43:00.003-06:00

Piano Man by Billy Joel

I think I'm in the minority here, and while I like this song, I don't think it's all that great. Maybe it's the uninspiring bass line.

But it's not. I'll admit it. I hate the down-on-my luck lyrics. I can't stand the people at the bar... I can't stand their defeatist bullshit. And I can't stand Joel's Piano Man... the man who makes them forget about life instead of inspiring them to do something about it all.

I know this is Joel's first big hit and it isn't a do or die song. But it sounds like a do or die song. Joel sings it as if this is his last chance in the music business. But it wasn't. And it pisses me off.

See a do or die song is Springsteen's "Born to Run". That really was Bruce's last chance. And he pours everything and then some into that song (and album). Sure it's over the top and the lyrics can be laughable at times, but it throws caution into the wind. It's about Bruce and the American Spirit.

But Piano Man? It sounds nice, it moves you, if you're drunk it's a fantastic song, but it's calculated. And Billy Joel knew it was going to be a hit. The Piano Man is a pretentious hero who helps people forget about their pathetic lives. What's the difference between the Piano Man and drugs? Should the song and the Piano Man himself, strive to be more? Should the writer and the narrator want to inspire instead of trying to tell us that he can save us for five minutes at a time? Big deal... there are so many distractions in the modern world that getting away from life isn't difficult and one should not be proud of such 'ability'.

Thirty-five years later, the sad (or ironic) part is that Billy Joel is now one of the losers he sings about in this song. He has become the drunk. On the irony scale where would Joel listening to this song at a bar rank?

I Want To Hold Your Hand

2009-03-10T20:55:00.004-06:00

I Want To Hold Your Hand by the Beatles

I read somewhere once (probably some review of the "I Am Sam*" soundtrack) that it is impossible to mess up most Beatles songs because they're so well crafted.

And this song is living proof of that theory. It might be the best crafted pop song of all time. As I wrote about a year ago:

"I Want to Hold Your Hand" features hand claps... you've got to love how the drums and Harrison's guitar work together... the song is about love, puppy love on top of it... the song builds up throughout, but the amazing thing is that it you really never know what it coming next. When they throw that bridge at you about halfway though the song, it's so out of the blue yet so perfect. I mean there may not be a more perfectly put together song out there.

This is pure pop bliss. There is nothing wrong with this song. Nothing. And once TV Carpio and her voice got a hold of this song... well it just goes to show how great of a song it is.

The Beatles' original is perfect because of how they play the song--the instruments, the unpredictability, and and words. TV's cover is great because of her voice... they down play the unpredictability of the song which sort of sucks. But she sings the song without any noise--true, she's showing off--and it gives the song a new lease. It's cleaner. It soars. It's beautiful...

God, I love this song. It's the type of song that makes you love music even more. It's the type of song that makes you love pop music. It's the type of song that makes you want to turn on a Michael Jackson song just so you can hear his voice. It's the type of song that makes you want to have a Coke and smile. It's the type of song that makes you realize that holding the right some one's hand is so much better than sex.

* Insert Sean Penn comment here: ______________________________________________________________

Everything in it's Right Place

2009-03-07T16:39:00.002-06:00

Everything in it's Right Place by Radiohead

It's been a while, I know, but I've been busy out of my ears. But I'm back... if you even cared/missed me.

My freshman year of college—during the fall especially—I hadn't found my niche. And what I ended up doing to kill the time on Friday and Saturday nights would be to walk. I'd hop on the Metro, and then walk from DuPont west into Georgetown eventually hitting the Barnes &Noble on M Street.

Kid A was released the summer or fall of 2000. And this album was always on display which allowed me to throw on some headphones and listen. Every time I found myself in that Barnes & Noble, I would throw on the headphones and listen to "Everything in the Right Place". In my mind I'd debate if "waking up sucking on a lemon" was one of the worst lyrics I'd ever heard. But I loved the organ, it fit those some what lonely weekend nights, some how giving me comfort as I waited to fit my place, my friends, in college.

After the song ended, I'd put down the headphones, maybe browse for a few more minutes, and then head out into the streets of Georgetown... wondering who lived in all those beautiful houses.

This Love

2009-02-08T23:00:00.003-06:00

This Love by Maroon 5

I have no clue who's in this band, but I love the dude's voice (sorry for using dude there). At least during the chorus, it just sounds neat-o.

Now, do I have anything to say about Maroon 5?

No.

So I'm going to talk about how stupid the Grammy's are. I turned on the last ten minutes and unless you're down with:
a) Bizarre musical pairings that never ever work and
b) The winners being stupid, bad bands/groups who don't make good music...

Well the Grammy's are for you.

The Grammy's would be cool if say Coldplay and U2 played a song together. Or Bruce Springstein played Mr. Bojangles. Or Neutral Milk Hotel reunited. Basically it'd be cool if the could get the ironic forces of pop music to collide... or if they had our favorite good musicians play kick ass covers. But that doesn't happen. Instead we get to see Stevie Wonder play with the Jonas Brothers (not sure if this happened, but you half believe me don't you... which is exactally my point).

It'd also be good if the winners were actually good. But instead we see Robert Plant winning for some soft rock crap that he put out... not for anything he ever did with Led Zeppelin. How Radiohead didn't win album of the year I will never know. I mean it isn't even a contest... you cannot tell me that Robert Plant's soft rock album was better than Radiohead. BECAUSE IT'S IMPOSSIBLE! RADIOHEAD IS BETTER, THIS IS LIKE COMPARING BABE RUTH TO KEVIN MENCH.

Okay, for some odd reason I'm talking about the Grammy's which only gives them bizarre creditability... so I'm stopping. Maroon 5... yeah... interesting... not really.

Rain King

2009-01-27T17:48:00.002-06:00

Rain King by Counting Crows

I'm not sure there is a song out there that makes me feel better and love life more... I mean everything about it is happy (well maybe not the lyrics), but the chords... so happy. So carefree. You can hear the band having fun playing this song.

I love that. When others are having fun, it rubs off on everyone... if most of us are having a good time then all of us are having a good time.

I guess you could call this song A Fun Drunk. You know, the guy or girl who you always love to see and hang out with when they've had a few drunks (amazingly, it was "Friends" that first tapped into this way back when with "Fun Bobby").

Rain King, the fun drunk song, the song you love to hear in almost any situation... which come to think of it is unlike the fun drunk (face it, you only want to see them on a Friday or Saturday night... and never ever during the day).

And sadly, I've been call a fun drunk (or Fun Bobby)... this is heartbreaking. Was I now fun to these people sober? Was I only worth a few drinks and a Friday night to them? I want more meaning than that damn it...

Dry The Rain

2009-01-21T12:09:00.004-06:00

Dry The Rain by The Beta Band

The songs I listened to the most in 2008:
1) Mansard Roof by Vampire Weekend
2) Cinderella's Daydream by Zuzu's Petals
3) 11:11 by Andrew Bird
4) Walcott by Vampire Weekend
5) Don't Forget Sister by Low vs Diamond
6) Queen of Everything by Haley Bonar
7) Dry the Rain by The Beta Band

Had to go all the way to #7 to find a song I hadn't blogged about yet... wow or yikes?

Let me just put it this way—this is one of the best songs ever. I mean, there is nothing wrong with this song:
* It's got cool lines "This is the definition of my life/Lying in bed in the sunlight..." and "Spray on dust is the greatest thing/Sure is the greatest thing/Since the last, since the last"
* The opening with the acoustic guitar and pleasant chorus—some what slow and methodical—that slowly builds but never gives itself away until after the second time they bang out the chorus.
* And what happens after the second time though the chorus? The song goes to another level, drums kick in, the bass turns it up, the guitar becomes sort of harder...
* Now you nodding your head in that cool, perfect beat kind of way... electric guitars making even cooler sounds cascading over the ever present acoustic... and that perfect beat still is moving your head isn't it?
* Then all of a sudden the bass line goes to a whole new level (yes that's right this is the 3rd new level thus far)... and now your head and body are swaying to that beat.
* "If there's something inside that you wanna say/say alright it will be okay/I will be your light, I will be your light"
* And eventually you fade out...

Okay go find me a cooler, more chill, more awesome song out there? Sure "Something" and "Maps" are more beautiful... but this song is so effin' good. Love it.

Ready or Not

2009-01-20T21:28:00.003-06:00

Ready or Not by the Fugees

I'd never choose this as my favorite song... but the President of the United States did back in August. Hey, I'm not going to argue with him since his taste doesn't appear to be horrible (forced, but not horrible). I guess in a way it's good that he isn't obsessing over his favorite song list ala Rob Gordon until there isn't even a list...

So in honor of President Barack Obama, today's song is his favorite song—the Fugees stellar "Ready or Not".

Congrats President Obama. You've brought change. You've brought hope. And you've done so in a poised and peaceful manner.

I'm proud to call you my President.

Hit the Road Jack

2009-01-19T15:40:00.005-06:00

Hit the Road Jack by Ray Charles

This is a gimme I know... but as GOB would say... COME ON!

Today is the last full day that George W. Bush will be President. Tomorrow morning, he'll be a former President, about 39 people in this country will be upset. The other 300 million of us will be happy. George is gone. Ding dong*... yada, yada, yada.

However, if nothing else, Bush will always have this moment:

It's one of the best moments of his Presidency—maybe THE best moment—not only does he not freak, he gets out of the way with ease both times. After I saw this, I thought for a few seconds that maybe I totally misjudged him. But then I reminded myself that his domestic policy has been a total disaster... and his foreign policy appears to be as bad.

But back to my real point: hit the road George, and don't you come back no more no more no more no more. And don't let the door hit you on the way out. And we're going to miss you like Poot missed The Clap. Only less. And no, we don't want you're advise ever again except when it comes to what NOT to do. And I look forward to watching "Frost/Bush" in 2033.

Hit.
The.
Road.

God, it feels good to be an American again. No more Canadian flags on backpacks when we go to Europe`! George W. Bush's time as President is over. And some how most of us lived to tell... but sadly we're all worse off than we were 8 years ago. That bums me out no matter what.

But he gone. A new day will come tomorrow, and George W. Bush won't be apart of it when the sun sets. That feels good. Really good.

* Can you imagine Hollywood remaking the Wizard of Oz?^

`Never did this.

^ Yes I realize they've already done this with Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow.

Lovefool

2009-01-15T15:13:00.003-06:00

Lovefool by The Cardigans

I dare you to find me a catchier chorus. Dare you.

There really isn't anything wrong with this song. The opening keyboards(?), the vocal performance, the smooth and sweet sort of Afro-pop guitar, a solid bass line, and the structure of the song are all very pleasant, cute, and catchy as hell. As unsophisticated as the song may be, it's a fun song and it's a lovely song. It's one of those songs that hits home not when you're in love, but rather when you're seeking love. Going after the crush... the girl across the room who just happens to say the most interesting things in the world.

Okay fine, this song tends to be more about the girl/guy who doesn't love you any more—about above... whatever.

Of course this song also works the other way—it can be the last song that anyone wants to hear along with being most annoying song in the world—depending on the situation. But I'm not in that type of mood right now, nor do I want to go there, so I'm just going to pretend that the ugly side of this song exists.

C'mon C'mon

2009-01-14T12:11:00.003-06:00

C'mon C'mon by The Von Bondies

Bass lines are underrated. It's a simple fact in pop music. People get hung up on the rifts and solos and melodies... and they're nice. They can make and break songs. People who put too much faith in music (or those people who are annoying in general) love to talk about great drumming as being important in song writing, but c'mon.

It's the bass line. A good bass line is fantastic. A great bass line is mind blowing.

This song only features a good bass line. And it is fantastic. It's the perfect opening for this song, which then explodes and is all about the rocking out and good fun.

All in all, this is a very good pop-punk song from five years ago. Who knows, maybe it's even one of the fifty best songs of the decade. It's short, sweet, and hard not to like. And there is nothing wrong with this—I'm looking at you indie freaks, hipsters, and music snobs—remember.

Be Here Now

2009-01-12T13:16:00.003-06:00

Be Here Now by Oasis

No no, not the Mason version... which is awesome and better, but whatever.

As far as Oasis songs go, this one is just aiight, but you know what? This song sounds so friggin' huge. I mean, listen to this bad boy... it's just big. Everything about it—guitar, Noel's voice, the drums, that weird bird sounding thingie—sounds bigger than all the holes in the Royal Albert Hall.

Which leads me to this... why do we like things that are big? Sure their are exceptions (white men tend to like/claim they like smaller women... but they also like bigger boobs and there also seems to be a rejection of girls who are too skinny). ANYWAYS, why do we assume that bigger is better? Is it because as little kids when we open presents we always want to open the big one first? Why are we programed that bigger is better?

And is bigger really better? Case and point: TEXAS.

So maybe bigger isn't better... but then again, small isn't really that good either.

I have no clue what I was listening to when I started this and I can't imagine this rambling is interesting... so I'm out.

Where the Streets Have No Name

2009-01-09T15:53:00.004-06:00

Where the Streets Have No Name by U2

1) The first minute or so of this song is effing amazing. I will not argue this. If it doesn't get you pumped up, then you also hate the Beatles AND little kids. There are a lot of ways to describe 'breaking through' but that intro sounds like an individual shaking off the shackles and then bursting though a wall—the synthesizers set the scene perfectly... and then the guitar, drums, and bass all come in and the drums (off all instruments in this song?!?!) do the breaking though... just great song writing and craftsmanship.

2) I have no clue where to place "The Joshua Tree" in pop culture. In 2009 the album sounds obvious, pretentious, good, fresh, boring, clean, inspiring, non experimental, run of the mill, tired, lost, and awesome all at the same time. I'd put the first two songs up against any songs as the greatest opening songs on any album ever. I also have no clue what happens to the second half of the album. Maybe I'm alone, but I think everyone can relate to "Where the Streets Have No Name" and "I Still Have Found What I'm Looking For".

3) Not only is the Edge at the top of his game here, but Bono's vocal performance is out of this world. I'm not sure this is the best U2 song, I still think Sunday, Bloody Sunday takes the cake, but this is a close second.

4) When Bono sings/begs "Burning down love" ... well that's one of the great moments in all of music.

5) This video is amazing. I love it. U2 playing in downtown L.A.—I mean it's too perfect. It's so U2 and it's so L.A. I love Ireland.

Glorified G

2009-01-08T11:36:00.004-06:00

Glorified G by Pearl Jam

Of all the songs to get me hooked on the alternative movement... it was Glorified G. I can't tell you why it was this song—I was 12 years old after all. But Tim played it for me and I fell for it. I loved it. I couldn't get enough of the song. It's got a nice rift and the bridge is pretty good. But why this over Rearviewmirror or Daughter? I'll never know.

I liked the song so much that I went out and bought the album. But first I asked my mom. The conversation took place in the kitchen and went like this:
Me: Mom, I like this band and want to buy their CD.

Mom: Okay, you have to spend your own money you know.

Me: That's fine. But one of the songs is about guns.

Mom: Guns? What kind?

Me: A pelt gun, so it's not that bad right?

Mom: Songs about pelt guns are fine.

I then went out and bought the album.

#1 -- THE Best Song of 2008

2008-12-31T18:41:00.006-06:00

Mansard Roof by Vampire Weekend

In the words of the immortal Hawk Harrelson, "sit back, relax, strap it down" 'cus this one is gonna be long.

Hope: I see a Mansard Roof through the trees
When historians finally get around to writing about 2008, there will be a bunch of things to focus on... and who knows what event will end up being the most important. It might be Obama. It might be the events on Wall Street. It could be something else that slipped through the cracks and the awareness of most journalists. We won't know for a while.

But as I sit here on the last day of 2008, it is hope that shall forever be my memory of this year. Sure Obama and his peeps capitalized on this shit from the very beginning. But the hope went beyond Obama, and then came back to him. See for some of us, 2008 meant one thing... Bush and Cheney were gonna be gone. And there are few sentences that have ever been uttered and reached my ears that have sounded more beautiful. If you want to know why... go here.

Hope... as Andy wrote to Red, "Hope is a good thing—maybe the bet thing, and no good thing ever dies." I know there is 25% of the country that disagrees with me, but this country, this world, we had lost hope. And say what you will about Obama, and no matter what happens over the next four to eight years, the fact is he gave so many of us hope.

At the same time, what annoyed me about the entire Obama 'movement'—it's about us, but it's not.

Obama gives hope to the black man, the African-American professional female. To the Cuban and the Cambodian. To the Kenyan and the slumdog. To the hipster and the square, the mechanic and the millionaire. It's hope. To the 99% of the world that's never made it and never will make it, one of them really has. To the poorest of the poor, the tired, the poor, the huddled masses who yearn to breath free... for them? There is Obama. Barack Obama. Hope.

This song gives you hope from the very start, the organ, the drums, seeing that mansard roof trough the trees, the tops of buildings... these are all good things... all hopeful things. And when you hear this song? It sounds wonderful.

Change: I see a salty message written in the eves
So if Obama was all about hope for the world's poor and minorities... then why did so many white people get behind him?

We live in an ironic age. I don't know what this means, in fact, no one really no one knows what this means, but it just seems to be a fact of life that everyone under the age of 30 accepts. So while the rise of Obama is a shocker (a black man as President, wtf?), how he got to where he is should not.

What everyone overlooked and forgot about the past 12 months is that it was whites who put Obama in the race, it was whites that delivered Iowa, and it was whites who funded his campaign from the beginning. Everyone forgets this, but blacks weren't sold on Obama at first. It wasn't until Bill Clinton opened his mouth on January 24 that the entire Presidential race changed. It was at this point that the black community finally fully supported Obama and in the end that ended up being the race.

But it was the white supporters that were there form the begining. Sure not every white person was or is behind Obama, but they were on board before many blacks. This is of course, ironic (though John Roberts would not be able to tell me why because race doesn't exist in America).

So why did white support Obama? It's simple: CHANGE. He wasn't Bush, he wasn't Clinton, he wasn't an old white dude. He was different. He looked different, he said things in a way that sounded different, the words were fresh and brand new. Obama admitted things that no politician in America would ever say—Omar from The Wire was his favorite character for crying out loud! Not someone on CSI or Friends, OMAR!!! the greatest TV character ever—and to those of us in this ironic age this was refreshing. It wasn't forced and it was hard to turn what Obama said into cynical fodder. He was real. He was different, and he was gonna replace George W. Bush.

'Okay, Fair Blog Writer,' you say, 'what does this have to do with Vampire Weekend?' Simple, the band and this album was like nothing most of us had ever heard. 'What about Graceland and all those other Afro-rock bands?' Ahhh, sure Vampire Weekend isn't reinventing rock'n'roll; but rock'n'roll doesn't need to be reinvented. Just as democracy and the United States don't need to be reinvented, rock'n'roll just needed something different, something fresh—and it got it in Vampire Weekend. They sounded clean and fresh, they dropped lyrics that upper middle class white college kids were familiar with (Lil' Jon, the Oxford comma, Washington Heights, Louis Vutton, Benetton, Cape Cod...). They were real, yet different, and it's hard to be cynical about them... unless your a hipster, but of course then that's just irony being ironic. Got it? Good.

Bailout: The Argentines collapse in defeat
My favorite line in the song. Why? Because the Argentines are good at two things and bad at two things.
The Two Things Argentines are good at:
1) Beef
2) Soccer

The Two Things Argentines are bad at:
1) Military victories
2) Capitalism

So naturally the Argentines collapse in defeat... along with much of the capitalistic world. This mess didn't start in 2008 (you could argue that this started in the early 1970s), but it came to ahead this year. The world as we knew it almost ceased to exist. And who knows, maybe by 2010 it will cease to exist. But today? The world of capitalism that we live in is still here no matter what they're saying in Lower Manhattan. We came close to collapse but between bailouts and—maybe—luck it looks like the world will survive for another few decades.

'Okay fine, my fair blogger, you've made a ton of connections from the lyrics of this song to the most important events of 2008, but why is this the #1 song?'

That's easy. It's awesome. It's got a great beat. The hook is killer. The rift, the strings, the crisp Afro-pop guitar, the keyboard, the drums... it is all so wonderful. So pleasant. So hopeful. Different from everything else out there today even if it isn't brand new. It's just good. The first song of the first major album of 2008, it set the tone—knowingly or not—of bailouts, change, and hope.

And hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things and no good thing ever dies.

#2 -- Best Songs of 2008

2008-12-31T09:50:00.002-06:00

American Boy by Estelle (featuring Kanye West)

American Boy (Feat. Kanye West...

Ahh, we finally reach the point where I think we have the songs that will go down as the best of the decade...

This starts with some of the best production you'll ever hear drawing you with these just cool and smooth—and I'm not even sure what it is... but you're hooked before the song even really gets started. Then Kanye starts up and whatever beat is being laid down is pretty slick. Enter Estelle singing the chorus in that flirty voice she's got... and it is OV-AR.

This might be the best constructed song of the year and Estelle never let's you forget that she's the star of this—not the great production, not the addictive beat, not Kanye amazing performance just over half in, and not those interesting 'what instrument is that' parts that kick in between every verse and chorus. Estelle steals the show during every chorus (and the bridge) where her voice is so gosh darn flirty, you can hear the smile every time she sings "American Boy". Every time she sings it, you want to take her to Brooklyn, L.A. Chicago, and San Fran.

I don't want to over shadow Kanye's performance and Will.i.am's work, but somehow, someway, Estelle steals the show. But Kanye is great and the sounds and music going on behind her voice are great. But it's Estelle's easy, playful vocals that put this song over the top. In a year where nearly everything that happened had a hint of playfulness, no matter how bad the news was, this song sums up that fun, flirty side of 2008.

#3 -- Best Songs of 2008

2008-12-30T17:24:00.002-06:00

Viva La Vida by Coldplay

I could write about Coldplay for a long, long time... and I have like when I attempted to figure out if Coldplay was the most obviously unobvious band of all time. I'm never sure what to do with them. Take this song. The string arrangement is sweet. The vocals are nice, the song is well constructed and builds to something. It sounds good. You want to hear it again. The lyrics are oddly charming and give great imagery. The song sort of pumps you up. It's a great song right?

But it is so obvious. I feel lame for even putting it on the list... because it's so obvious. Everyone knows this song is good, but it's by Coldplay so intellectually there is some problem with the song. But I can't downgrade the song just because Coldplay does it. It's like this song should be better almost...

And then there is the issue that they stole the rift from Joe Satriani. But here's the thing—Coldplay does it so much better. And even though musically they don't take any chances, they make better music because they're really good musicians. Think about how great a Coldplay best of album is after only four records? Who wouldn't buy that CD?

#3a -- Life in Technicolor ii by Coldplay

Going back to the obviously unobvious idea... the frustrating thing about Coldplay is that Viva La Vida is a really good, but unadventurous song when compared to the opener off of their underwhelming album, "Life in Technicolor". But LiT doesn't do enough to warrant a place in the top 25...

And then came the release of the Prospekt's March EP. And even though the lyrics don't add anything imo, it puts "Life in Technicolor" over the top. THIS is an adventurous and beautiful song. And this is what Coldplay should be doing (along with, arguably, Lovers in Japan).

These two songs sum up the frustrating thing about Coldplay: they are better musicians and can do things better than most other musicans (ala Viva La Vida) but it isn't all that adventitious even though it sounds really good. BUT then they do something adventurous and different and it's better than nearly everything else out there.

Coldplay is stuck in some weird spiral... I won't say they're as talent as say, Radiohead, or even U2, but it's not like they're all that far behind at the same time. But unlike both bands Coldplay ALWAYS plays it safe. They could write an album of "Shiver" and "Life in Technicolor"... but they play it safe... it's like they're scared to try and fulfill their potential. They're like the anti-indie band in many ways. Which is a bummer... I'd love to see Coldplay go though a strech like U2 did in the 90s.

Finally... why is this Life in Technicolor and not Life in Technicolour?

#4 -- Best Songs of 2008

2008-12-30T11:56:00.005-06:00

Queen of Everything by Haley Bonar
Queen of Everything - Haley Bo...

It's the voice. The guitar, the drums... they're nice. But it's the voice and how she sings this song. You can hear the sorrow in her voice. "Rock'n'roll... will tear you from the inside fuck with your spine, take you to the same place I lost my mind" she sings. Why? "Then they hear what I want, and I'm the Queen of Everything." And I love that part... it sounds so good.

Culture and art never explore the REAL heartbreak of females. Movies are usually about the tortured male who will go to the end of the Earth to get back to Penny. Or if it's told from the female point of view, it's something along the lines of, "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife" and the women that line up for Prince Charming... see the female always NEEDS the man. Even in the 'ground breaking' "Sex in the City" the moral of the show is that those four women CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT A MAN (even though we're supposed to believe that they can). Movies are simplistic and chauvinist—women needs man and cannot live without him. Women are there for the men. It's tired and boring and totally false. But Hollywood has somehow convinced us that this is real... even though it isn't. It isn't for guys and it isn't for girls.

But Haley is doing something else with this heartbreak... she broke up with her man (a good man no less), and instead of sitting there feeding into this chauvinist world, she goes somewhere else: I'm the Queen of Everything. She's basically saying, "I'm not demanding, but everyone wants to make me out to be that demanding. But the reality? You, my man, want everything." She blows up this Hollywood/fairy tale world we want to believe in—but not in the 'fuck Hollywood' kind of way. Rather in the 'this is how I feel and the way I see it' kind of way.

This song is refreshing for two reasons:
1) The backlash against feminism is in full force only no one really will say that... but think about it for a minute or two. In an election between a black man and a woman, we heard little to no racial talk... but it was totally acceptable to call Clinton or Palin pretty much any name you wanted without any consequences. Young white males (children of the Boomers) have somehow made it cool and politically correct to reject and suppress feminism. And misogyny is still prevalent in black art.

2) The irony pours out of this song yet irony was seemingly forgotten by those who champion it as a lifestyle this year (hipsters supporting Obama was NOT ironic and frankly I'm disappointed in them). There was nothing IRONIC about 2008. This might not be a bad thing since we went a tad over board with the whole irony movement/era thanks mainly to George W. Bush. But this song gets back to what irony really is, it's unfortunate and not that funny when it happens to you.

#5 -- Best Songs of 2008

2008-12-29T21:29:00.003-06:00

Don't Forget Sister by Low vs. Diamond

I downloaded a bunch of classical music the other day and while I was listening to it, I was amazed at how similar each song was. Not in the notes being played or the instruments being used but rather how each and every song builds to something. How the different movements usually lead to some big blow out that sounds really cool.

And if it wasn't for rock'n'roll and the indie explosion of the last few years, this would never have clicked for me. For years I've heard all about different movements in classical music, but I never knew what this meant. But thanks to crappy indie bands and songs it all came together for me.

It's quite simple really, these crappy songs don't go anywhere, nothing happens. There is no build up, just a lame dude singing crappy lyrics. And after four minutes the song ends. On the flip side, your classical pop song is the same: verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus, maybe a coda [end] (or something like that).

Now the real great rock songs build up into something. They may follow this simple formula, but they go somewhere... and then at the end there is so much going on that the hooks and rifts all cascade into one beautiful sound. Classical music doesn't follow that verse, chorus structure... but the great classical songs build up and up and up and then explode (maybe most famously in the 1812 Overture). But so many rock/indie songs today don't do that. They don't build and they don't go anywhere.

But this song? It builds and it goes somewhere and by the end of the song it sounds wonderful. The passion in the singers voice combined with all the rifts, hooks, and background vocals exploding create just some wonderful music that is hard to turn off. A great song.

So sister... take me away with youuuuuuu!

#6 -- Best Songs of 2008

2008-12-29T18:07:00.004-06:00

Whatever You Like by T.I.

Sometimes the best songs are the tunes that lack any sort of intellectualism and are so literal that it can't be taken seriously. What are Stacks on deck? Who drinks Patron on ice? And we live in a world where lyrics like "Late night sex so wet you're so tight" are followed up with lines like "I'll gas up the jet for you tonight". Yet we don't have some politician's wife attempting to ban hip-hop. So if T.I. actually means anything it's that we are progressing culturally and socially even as we regressed politically. (And if we wanted to ban T.I. it would be because he followed up a line about having sex with taking a jet... I mean really T.I.? That's the best you could do?)

Look the song is catchy as hell, it's more fun than Fleet Foxes, and it proves that U.S. culture is more liberal than our politics.

(Editors note: I hope I'm not forcing that last point.)

But then again, we can vote however we'd like:

#7 -- Best Songs of 2008

2008-12-28T17:51:00.004-06:00

GfC by Albert Hammond, Jr.

This song is all about the great rift that opens the song and never really goes away. The rift is melancholy and tired—something someone started picking out at 4 in the morning after a long night of drinks and maybe even heartbreak. It's beautiful.

But at the same time, this song sounds like an old rock song with those bruising attacking guitars. But we're always taken back to that late night 'what happened tonight?' rift.

How does this fit into 2008? I'm not sure. And maybe that's okay, maybe I should just let this song be. Close my eyes and let that rift take me away. It's been a long few years, and this song captures that better than most songs. Not in what it is saying, but rather in how it sounds. And that's why it sounds so good. There is no political statement, no anti-Bush message; it's how Hammond plays his guitar. The notes he plays sum up the last few years better than almost everyone else.

#8 -- Best Songs of 2008

2008-12-27T16:53:00.005-06:00

Love Dog by TV on the Radio

Is this song sad? Or is it just tired? Or is it some how hopeful? Or maybe it's all of this in one.

With what happened in October and then finally in early November, this albums got a lot of press from music critics saying that it was "hopeful" and some how represented the end of the Bush Era. But this song doesn't have that feel. This song, while full of wonderful sounds that mix and swirl, reaching out and attempting to touch the clouds in the sky, isn't what I'd call hopeful.

The album is filled with sort of hopeful sounding songs that sound great (check out "Shout Me Out" or "Golden Age"). But every time I listen to this album, I'm brought back to "Love Dog". Lonely, lost, and crying out—also howling "Hallelujah". And as the song nears its end, things seem to open up, to clear up, and the fog that had been preventing our lonely little love dog from finding itself lifts as the strings seem to announce a new day. But it's a cautionary tale and sound. And I think we all need to be mindful of that as we head into 2009. Sure things are looking up for the first time since 2000... but let's be cautious and look before we leap.

#9 -- Best Songs of 2008

2008-12-27T12:24:00.003-06:00

Dance, Dance, Dance by Lykke Li

Every time I make a year end list like this, there is one song that starts at about #22 and ends up in the top ten... this year's winner is... Dance, Dance, Dance

This song has it all. That methodical, hard working beat which doesn't allow us to dance to this song on our own—rather you have to find a partner and it becomes a slow dance in the process. Hands on hips, flirty looks in each others eyes... dance, dance, dance...

Li's voice is shy, like the lyrics in the song which features one of those great lines that are easy to over look:
My hips they lie 'cause in reality I'm shy, shy, shy
In other words—Suck it, Shakira.

You never hear great dance songs that are so shy, so unsure of oneself... but when you think about it, most of us can't dance. Most of use don't dance unless we're at a wedding, where our self-consciousness is thrown out the window. Why we don't think like this at the club, I don't know, but it be what it be. Anyway, what's amazing in all this is that most of the time it's easier to dance than it is to talk... cus most of us are better dancers than talkers (and yes, this is an indictment on society). Dance, dance, dance...

And I liked what Pitchfork had to say about this song, so I leave with that:

Suggesting something can be so much more effective than coming right out and saying it. On this Youth Novels single Lykke Li uses movement to overcome her shyness and compensate for inability to explain herself. "Having trouble telling how I feel," she sings, "But I can dance, dance, dance." The song's music is equally understated and demure: a sliding bassline on an acoustic guitar, some mumbling sax, eventually a few backing voices to fill in the spaces. It builds, but only a little, and even at its peak it's a long way from abandon. For a while this year I kept hoping that "Dance, Dance, Dance" would get a massive remix, something that gave the hypnotic repetition and Li's purring coo the surging beat they deserved. But eventually I realized that the low-key production is a virtue. Your mind fills in everything that's not there, which further reinforces the song's focus on subtle communication: "When I'm shaking my hips, look for the swing/ The words are written in the air." --Mark Richardson

#10 -- Best Songs of 2008

2008-12-24T15:03:00.004-06:00

Bassment Party by The Cool Kids

What a great name for a band/group.

The easy thing to do would be to compare the Cool Kids to Obama, seeing that both are products of the South Side. Both have huge white, upper-middle class followings, the kids love them, especially the cool kids, and even blacks have started to get down with them. But their careers are totally different... I find it hard to believe that right now some 12 year old, black male is thinking about becoming the Cool Kids one day. Sure maybe by the time they're 19 or 22 and they've been north of Madison Ave, you might even find them doing something in some club in Wicker Park on a Friday night... but at 12? Nah, no way.

See, the Cool Kids are hipster rap. I don't care what Pitchfork says... they are. They appeal to white audiences for a bunch of reasons: The beat isn't too fast or too intense (something that seems to scare off white people after college), their lyrics are accessible, they sound and look retro.

Now does this take away from the fact that they sound pretty awesome? No. They lay down a nice little beat, rap with the speed of Ma$e and are completely and totally accessible to anyone over the age of 24. These guys are rapping about a party. And everyone loves parties. Even white males over the age of 40. And if you flipped this on, those Squares might even attempt to bob their head a bit... provided their boss isn't there.

#11 -- Best Songs of 2008

2008-12-23T15:14:00.003-06:00

Sequestered In Memphis by the Hold Steady

Yeah sure I'll tell my story again.
In bar light. She looked alright.
In daylight? She looked desperate.

And it was over. I mean, as if Craig Finn ever need a little prodding to start telling a story. But hey, that's what he's here for, so...

What the Hell, I'll tell my story again.
In bar light. She looked alright.
In daylight? She looked desperate.

Jeff Tweedy writes lines that I'd kill to write, but Craig Finn is coming in a closer and closer second.

We all know this girl... and we all know the two guys in this situation: one of the guys will smile, and say, 'hey that's your problem darling'. The other will take full advantage of that desperation. The Hold Steady let our imagination run wild in these situations -- what does one do? Who does one end up with?

Personally, I miss Holly and the happenings at Penetration Park... but hey I'll take a rock anthem any day of the week. If life was a movie, we would all chant this song when it came on at a bar. "Subpoenaed in Texas, sequestered in Memphis!"

And I'd pay about a thousand bucks to listen to Bruce cover Hold Steady songs. That my friends, would be awesome.

Finally, in a year where indie band continued to suck, why can't they be more like the Hold Steady and other bands that don't try to reinvent the wheel? The Hold Steady know they're going to write amazing lyrics and tell great stories in their songs, so who cares what the music sounds like as long as it matches the mood of the words? The Hold Steady don't do anything Earth-shattering musicially, just nice riffs and a decent hook once in a while. And they sound great...

So what's wrong with music as the '00s end? Why have the bands moved away from the early decade simplicity of the Strokes, White Stripes, Hives, Hold Steady, even Belle & Sebastian and the Shins and so on and so on?

#12 -- Best Songs of 2008

2008-12-23T15:07:00.002-06:00

Bruises by Chairlift

The iPod has changed music more than anyone will give it credit... I think you have to go back to the turn table or radio to find a device that has revolutionized music as much. The iPod allows us to create our own sound track to life, to completely detach ourselves from society, and live in our own world playing whatever song we want, where ever we want and whenever we want. I'm not sure this is a good thing, but it's changed how we listen to music. The iPod has further killed the album and made the playlist the 21st century mixtape... but only to one's own life.

And Apple has really good commercials featuring really attractive songs.

This song is no different. A nice beat, kick ass hook, the lead vocalist voice is pretty, the song sounds big and airy, expanding beyond Earth and space and everything...

It's funny, but what sort of ruins this song is the male vocalist towards the end. Why change up a good thing about a silly love song? Who doesn't love the "For yooouuuuuuuuooooo... so black and bluuuuuuueeee... for yooouuuuuuuuoooooo"?

After seeing a commercials like this, who doesn't want an iPod?

#13 -- Best Songs of 2008

2008-12-22T18:11:00.005-06:00

See Fernando by Jenny Lewis

See Fernando - Jenny Lewis

or

There's is nothing quite like a song that comes out throwing haymakers. Usually only metal and punk bands (and Radiohead more that you'd think) use a technique like this because it's so hard to do... where do you go from there when you come out blasting, nearly out of control, attempting to knock out the listener? If you don't bring them in, the song will fail.

But Jenny Lewis and company does just that here... sure it takes a few measures before that guitar really starts going nuts with help from the drums, but she comes out punching. And it is wonderful.

In this some-how-underrated album Lewis might be at her best (how anything can be underrated in 2008 is beyond me, then again Jermaine Dye is still underrated). It's tough picking out just one song, but this song which sounds like a borderline country-punk anthem, puts Jenny and her friends at their best. They seem to be having fun, not trying to hard, just hanging out and playing some music. "Hey guys, let's turn up the amps on this one..." and this is what we got.

And the song brings energy, and who doesn't love energy? (besides hipsters when they're hanging out around unhipsters of course). If 2008 differed from previous years in any way, it was that there was more energy this year. Things might not be looking up, but people were a little more excited about life, because when things do turn... it's gonna be great. Wanna have a good time? Wanna bottle up that energy and let it all out... well go see Fernando.

And who doesn't want to see Fernando? He buying the fucking beer.

#14 -- Best Songs of 2008

2008-12-20T18:32:00.003-06:00

Fools by The Dodo's

According to everything I read about the Dodo's I wouldn't like them. But I heard this song on the Tripwire's podcast a few months ago and fell for it in the "I don't really like her but man she knows how to move her hips" kind of way.

The song doesn't come at you, rather it's there, but the drum beat is so damn intriguing that you're pulled in by it all. A cross between a fast moving locomotive and a horse, the beat never lets up even when the song is peppered with random guitar bursts and weird background vocals that seem to be more shouting than anything else.

But I come back to those drums every time I hear this song. "Fools" sounds much bigger than it actually is. And in 2008, this is a good thing. We believe that things are going to change, it won't be a 'meet the new boss, same as the old boss' situation. Rather, this is a year where we collectively decided as a country, as a society, that we wanted to be naive and to check or cynicism at the door. We wanted choose to believe, we decided that things were going to be different, even if they barely will be.

Does this song sum up 2008? Far from it, but it's the little song that could. It keeps chugging along with that enchanting beat, and solid guitar sounding like something that is much more complex than it really is. And let's face it, politically at least, 2008 was sort of like that.

#15 -- Best Songs of 2008

2008-12-19T15:07:00.003-06:00

Nowheres Nigh by Parts & Labor

This song just sounds cool. I don't care what the band is singing about, I just like hearing them sound so friggin' awesome.

This was a year where image was more important that what was actually being said. There was a lot of hot air. This happens every time the U.S. holds an election for President, but this year seemed filled with more hot air than usual.

So what was the 'point' of 2008?

Why to be cool of course. To sound cool. To do the same thing but do it a little differently and call it change. And what's great about this song is that it starts off sounding like something you've heard before, only a little different. It brings energy and the amazing thing is that it manages to build on itself, to become even bigger than the listener ever thought possible.

By the end of the song, these guys are blowing you away because they took the song to a level that you didn't think was possible (it's like the anti-Dr. Dog song).

And in a year where society and the economy was taken to a level never thought possible (good or bad) this song oddly fits. It's bigger and brasher that anyone ever thought.

#16 -- Best Songs of 2008

2008-12-19T12:25:00.005-06:00

Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? by She & Him

Playful like a Saturday afternoon in early June, flirting like a Friday night at 9:08p.m. at a friend of a friend's party, three drinks in, and finally having caught her eye...

That's what this song is. It's fun. It's unpretentious. And it flirts with you from beginning to end.

The rift is simple, the words straight forward, there are some extra things going on in the background, even backup vocals just to make you think, for a half second, that you are in one of those films where the main characters are the center of the universe in the "even the supporting characters stop what they're doing and break into song at the exact perfect moment" kind of way. [NOTE: Is there a 99% or a 100% chance that Zack Braff loves this song? And the narrator of this song is a Manic Pixie Dream Girl correct?]

But this song doesn't age well. Back during the summer this was a sure top 10, even top five song. But now, as the white of winter has laid down for a rest across the Midwest, I don't nearly get the same excitement out of this song. Instead when I hear this song I long for an afternoon reading a book at the Point.

Which isn't a bad thing, but at the same time, if I'm going to give Fleet Foxes shit, then I have to be consistent.

#17 -- Best Songs of the Year

2008-12-18T17:04:00.004-06:00

The Rabbit, the Bat, & the Reindeer by Dr. Dog

I love the opening bars of this song... so much so that this song ultimately disappoints me. Every time that I think this song will blow me away, it gets a little boring. When the bridge kicks in and I get excited... only for the song to switch back to the main hook and it loses me again. The song drags on—it's thirty seconds too long.

This song has potential, but it wastes it. There is something missing, there is a direction that the song should go but it does not for some reason or other. Thus this song sounds more incomplete than anything else.

Unfair? Maybe. But most songs don't have potential, or at least they don't waste their potential. What's frustrating is that you love a certain point or part of a song with potential, so you can't fully 'break up' with the song since you want to hear that one part. You keep coming back for more even though it leaves you disappointed.

But I'm being harsh. This is a good song, it goes a lot of places and does a lot of interesting things. Many songs can't say this. And again, those opening notes of the song are killer.

#18 -- Best Songs of 2008

2008-12-17T18:17:00.004-06:00

Hands in the Air by Girl Talk

I love mash ups. I'm sure most mash ups suck big time, but I don't follow the mash up scene outside of what is popular in that indie sort of way AND whatever is being sampled by hip-hop artists these days. The idea of mash ups is perfect... instead of having to listen to some band TRY to sound like Wilco or Pavement or Jay-Z (I'm looking at you Pitchfork Band of the Week (PBW)), mash up artists (and hip-hop producers) say "Fuck it, let's just use what's actually good."

Is taking what's good and copying it/steal it supposed to be a bad thing? No. People are so obsessed with being "original" and "keeping it real" (welcome to White Suburbia!) that this miss a simple point: EVERYTHING IS STOLEN FROM SOMEONE ELSE. I think I realized this at like 20 years of age when my buddy who was an English major informed me that there are only seven stories/plot have ever been written, the only thing that changes are the names, location and time.

So note to D.J's and indie musicians everywhere in the world: don't bother being original because you'll be original by not being original AND people will like you.

(This is when you ask, Mr. Blogger Otter, do you like techno? I say no. You say 'why? It's sort of like mash ups', and I say, no it's not because the point of all techno music is to copy that same sound you heard in your freshman dorm where the room on your left two people were having sex and the room to your right was some rich white kid blasting 50 Cent).

So the song... okay we start with "Whoop! (There it is)", eventually we get some "Love Fool" remix, some Velvet Underground... but this song goes to the next level when he throws down the end of "Wanna Be Starting Something" into "Dance to the Music".

It's hard to pick just one song off this album because it's so much fun to listen to (and get five people and a few beers/gin and tonics and this album goes to a whole other level). But I can't get over the "Sunday Morning" sampling to go along with the Michael Jackson and Sly and the Family work he does near the end.

I think the video above broke every copyright law ever. Congrats!

Finally, I just have to say this but I got suckered into buying body lotion for men today at Target because it's winter in Chicago and I need something to keep my skin from flaking off... but damn this stuff makes me smell like a man. Women do not buy this.

#19 -- Best Songs of 2008

2008-12-16T21:32:00.002-06:00

I Love You and Buddha Too by Mason Jennings

Simple, almost stupid (is that too harsh), this song is. But you know what, there is something so cute, so happy, so pleasant, so nice... that I can't help but enjoy it. Nothing about this song is all that insightful or intellectual, in fact Mason's struggle with faith at this point is sort of annoying since it's the same question, "Jesus, I love you, but where are you and what about all these other characters?"

You can also listen here.

But the beat, the back ground vocals, the Lennon/McCartney like ditty rises above all else in this song; and because it sounds like it was fun preforming this song makes it fun to listen to. And in an age where music isn't nearly as much fun as it used to be, I appreciate what Mason is doing here. I like how he seems to be having fun, the straight forward lyrics, and the attempt to make us all think about religion and love.

#20 -- Best Songs of 2008

2008-12-15T15:37:00.003-06:00

The '59 Sound by the Gaslight Anthem

This was a good, but weird year in music. Like a sports draft of any sort, this year in music was very tier based. And right now we're still in a weaker tier... but by the end of this we're going to get to some kick ass songs.

This isn't to slam the Gaslight Anthem. These guys aren't bad. Since they're form Jersey I have to mention that they sort of sound like Bruce and they have a rougher edge to them. But is there anything about this song that makes anyone shout out and go, "hell yeah!"? It's got a nice intro and the hook isn't bad. But shouldn't I have just put another Vampire Weekend or even a Coldplay song on this list twice over these guys? But rules are rules (I only do one song per band), and sadly I think this is another song that will be forgotten in two or three years time, like The Cold War Kids or Band of Horses.

#21 -- Best Songs of 2008

2008-12-15T12:16:00.003-06:00

A Few Words in Defense of Our Country by Randy Newman

The write up here is easy, I'll copy and paste the best parts in a second... but quickly—this song is genius. As the Bush Era comes to a close, Newman's fantastic attempt to defend us Americans by comparing U.S. to the worst leaders the world has ever seen. Newman and the song hits its fever pitch when he correct points out that under Bush we were supposed to be fearful of being afraid. And it doesn't get more unAmerican than that does it?

I’d like to say a few words
In defense of our country
Whose people aren’t bad nor are they mean
Now the leaders we have
While they’re the worst that we’ve had
Are hardly the worst this poor world has seen...

A President once said,
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself"
Now it seems like we’re supposed to be afraid
It’s patriotic in fact and color coded
And what are we supposed to be afraid of?
Why, of being afraid
That’s what terror means, doesn’t it?
That’s what it used to mean...

The end of an empire is messy at best
And this empire is ending
Like all the rest
Like the Spanish Armada adrift on the sea
We’re adrift in the land of the brave
And the home of the free

Goodbye. Goodbye. Goodbye.

#22 -- Best Songs of 2008

2008-12-13T18:11:00.003-06:00

RoboCop by Kanye West

First things first, I don't care if Kanye used AutoTune or whatever.

Now that's out of the way, why RoboCop over nearly everything else on this album? For me? The stings. I'm a sucker for strings and this song has 'em. And I love how the song wraps up with Kanye singing "L.A. girl... you need to stop it now... you're first good one in a while" as only the strings play.

Yeah, yeah, this is a heartfelt album and Kanye pours out his heart and all that good (or sad) stuff... and I know Kanye went though a lot breaking up with his girl and his mother passing away... but it's interesting that as the U.S. attempts to move past Bush and onto the more optimistic Obama, things are looking up (even if they're looking down). And here is Kanye feeling down.

The genius of Kanye is that he puts songs together so damn well—some may even say perfectly. This song is a fantastic example of how he can construct a song better than nearly anyone else out there. All the sounds, the lyrics, the strings, the beat... it all works. And it sounds so good.

#23 -- Best Songs of 2008

2008-12-12T11:37:00.003-06:00

White Winter Hymnal by Fleet Foxes

For some reason when ever I hear this song, I think of Michigan. Not the eastern, down on its luck, out of options half; rather the western, lake effect snow, and dune lined beaches half. Western Michigan is beautiful, a forgotten part of America known only to a few in the Midwest.

This song is beautiful. There's no other way to describe it. It sounds rustic, older than it really is; yet the song isn't dated like so many bands that attempt to sound retro (see the Darkness or Wolfmother). But I guess I'm missing the point because Fleet Foxes aren't trying to be retro. They're just writing really pretty songs.

And oh yeah, Sufjan Stevens would kill to write a song this simple and beautiful.

So you're reading this saying, "Hey you like Sufjan and you think this song is pretty and good, so why is it coming in at #23?"

Well here in lines the problem with most indie music of the last five to ten years. It has no back bone. There isn't enough "eff you". There isn't enough of a beat, a let's forget life and dance our hearts out. And so sure, you get a ton of pretty songs like this... but they all end up being forgettable a year or two later.

And I fully expect to never listen to Fleet Foxes by the time Twenty-Ten comes around.

#24 -- Best Songs of 2008

2008-12-11T15:10:00.003-06:00

Breakadawn by Rhymefest

Ugh. I sort of hate having any of Rhymefest's album/free download of Michael Jackson remixes on this list. It's a solid effort and the album is interesting at times. But upon listening it to again over the last few weeks nothing jumps out and moves me.

The idea behind the album/mix tape is pretty good: take Michael Jackson, a great song writer/performer in his own right, and give him a 21st century twist. But it's a better idea than it is actual music, most of the songs leave you wanting to hear Michael himself and few give the songs a new identity or complexity—like what Danger Mouse pulled off with Jay-Z and the Beatles.

For what it's worth, this might be the most interesting and unique song on the mix tape. And thus, it clocks in at #24.

#25 -- Best Songs of 2008

2008-12-10T17:49:00.002-06:00

Dónde está la Playa by The Walkmen

Daunting, almost haunting, is the best way to describe this song. But then the song will swing, giving us a hint of optimism, only to shift back to the dauntlessness of it all. It's a powerful song, with cagey guitars and a rolling drum beat.

In a way, it's weird to kick off a best of list with a song like this, but it also makes sense. 2008 was an odd year—the pessimist and the optimist were both right and had a lot to live for—and this song is that balance. The pessimistic opening changes over the course of the song revealing a closing that is strangely optimistic—if only because what we know at the end sounds a lot better than what we heard at the beginning.

Best Songs of 2008

2008-12-08T13:45:00.001-06:00

Coming soon (like in the new day or two) a run down of the best songs of 2008. Stay tuned!

Somebody Changed

2008-11-21T17:54:00.003-06:00

Somebody Changed by The Clientele

Seriously... what is this? I know I called Beach House indie soft rock yesterday, but I forgot about these guys. These guys are like a crappy Beach Boys combined with shitty Wilco and your favorite Eagles song. In fact if you like the Clientele then you probably also like the Eagles, and you know what? The Eagles fucking suck. And as a music fan, I don't think there is a worse insult that can be given. Sort of like calling an intellectual ignorant or a frat boy gay... no greater insult can be thrown around. So you know what? If you like the Clientele, you like the Eagles, and therefore your taste in music blows. Sorry. You can like the Doobie Brothers and have good taste. You can enjoy Kiss and have good musical points. But you cannot like the Eagles and have good musical taste. It's impossible.

Apple Orchard

2008-11-20T12:18:00.004-06:00

Editor notes: This week INDIE BANDS THAT SUCK YET EVERYONE TELLS ME THEY ARE AWESOME, ONLY THEY AREN'T AND NO ONE WILL SAY IT.

Apple Orchard by Beach House

If you enjoy music that doesn't go anywhere, that's slow, that whines, that is outright boring... then Beach House is the band for you. These guys suck. They're one of the worst bands I've ever heard, yet people seem to love them.

Why?

They sound like half the shitty bands out there that play five notes over three minutes with an organ. But things move so slowly and never builds to anything... it's like listening to really really bad Bread.

Beach House is what I'll call soft rock indie—only more boring than your usual soft rock crap. And therefore thanks to the "I'm going to fall asleep" organ, lack of any beat/rhythm/bass, and rejection of hooks and rifts, Beach House is an indie band that sucks.

Us Ones In Between

2008-11-18T19:34:00.004-06:00

Editor notes: This week INDIE BANDS THAT SUCK YET EVERYONE TELLS ME THEY ARE AWESOME, ONLY THEY AREN'T AND NO ONE WILL SAY IT.

Us Ones In Between by Sunset Rubdown

I don't know where to begin. I tried to like this band. I listened to "Shut Up I'm Dreaming" about 20 times during the summer of 2007 at work.

But this is what I concluded from the album: It Sucked. The band tries to sound big, it tries to do interesting things, it tries to play well. But they fail. Big time. Songs take far to long to develop and they rarely go any where. Take this song as a great example. The rift isn't interesting or good. The lead singer sounds like shit. There is a completely unnecessary and annoying triangle which is for some reason really really really loud. And the song never builds... or... goes... any... where... and thus it's one of the most boring songs I've heard in a while. It's bad. It's down right ugly.

It's just quasi-psychedelic noise. The lead singer sounds like he's been shot in the liver and both legs, but he's kind of happy about it. And therefore, Sunset Rubdown is an indie/hipster band that fucking sucks. I don't care what anyone says. They blow.

But here's what's weird... I really like Wolf Parade. However this doesn't excuse the shit that is Sunset Rubdown.

Insistor

2008-11-17T18:14:00.003-06:00

Editor notes: This week INDIE BANDS THAT SUCK YET EVERYONE TELLS ME THEY ARE AWESOME, ONLY THEY AREN'T AND NO ONE WILL SAY IT.

Insistor by Tapes 'n Tapes

First of all, what the fuck is insistor? Wikipedia doesn't come up with anything. This leaves me confused. And since I don't know what it is the fact that the band is using it is lame. This is the best song on the album though.

Second, I'm supposed to like this band because they sound like the Pixies (they don't) and Pavement (they don't). Not buying it. Sorry. These guys fall into the "Bands that don't do a good job ripping off a good band" category. They should let Pavement keep doing whatever the fuck the guys from Pavement are doing.

Third, is there any sort of rhythm to this band? I don't feel like moving or singing along or doing anything when I hear the songs off of "The Loon". Do any of their songs go any where? Let me answer that: No.

Fourth, I'm sorry, but "The Loon" sounds like a bunch of songs written by 10th graders and preformed by a bad college band. Nothing about the song structure or the sound is redeemable. Whoever the front man is sounds like he's whining half the time and would someone please tell me why there is so much unnecessary noise in these songs? Please? Because it's fucking annoying.

Fifth, this was the album that made me loose faith in Pitchfork as any sort of guide to new music. That's not to say that Pitchfork sucks, it just means that I couldn't use them as a guide to buy new music without actually listening to the band first. This was totally my fault. And Pitchfork does have important things to say, I can't stress that enough. But when it came to judging music I enjoy and music they enjoy... well our relationship was over.

Finally, Tapes 'n Tapes is one of those annoying indie bands whose sound is unoriginal, I think you have to do designer rich white boy drugs to enjoy them, and they can't write a fucking song. But since they can sort of play an instrument and we don't know what the fuck they're talking about, every hipster liked them for a few months in 2005. A fucking shame because Tapes 'n Tapes suck.

Maybe I'm Amazed

2008-11-16T13:06:00.002-06:00

Maybe I'm Amazed by Paul McCartney

On the "most overrated songs of all time" list, I think this song has to be considered. It's boring, it goes no where, they lyrics aren't terribly interesting... yet the song gets radio play and seems to be known by most people. Probably because it's by Paul McCartney.

But I can't stand Paul. He's a wanker who charges way too much money for his concerts, and his music after he left the Beatles was average at best. And he's an arrogant sob:

'It will help reaffirm McCartney's claim to have been the most musically adventurous of all the Beatles,' said Wilson this weekend. 'He told me he would love to release the track. All he needs now is the blessing of Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono and George Harrison's widow Olivia.'

Oh really Paul McCartney was the most musically adventurous? Really? Since when? Since he's the only one alive? Because Lennon did more interesting and risky songs when the Beatles were together and George Harrison was an amazing musician and had his own unique sound that is so often overlooked by critics (imo). Why is it that all Paul McCartney songs sound like the greatest ditty ever written? Why don't they sound like mind blowing, 'I've never heard anything like this before' ala Radiohead?

Because Paul McCartney didn't write musically adventurous songs. He wrote "We Can Work It Out", "I Will", "I've Just Seen a Face", and "Can't By Me Love." Those are all great songs. But they aren't adventurous.

And neither is "Maybe I'm Amazed."

Slow Show

2008-11-08T19:56:00.003-06:00

Slow Show by The National

I really like these guys. Last year's album was really good with a lot of quality songs.

This song falls into the haunting yet beautiful category. Songs like this a perfect for the winter or a desolate urban area, where things look a bit haunting or daunting yet there is a beauty about it all. And with today being the first day of winter (it's cold, gray, and flurries float by every once in a while) this song fits for today.

I love the bridge (or outro) at the end of the song, it's beautiful and feels so real. I love songs that make me feel.

A Change Is Gonna Come

2008-11-04T16:29:00.002-06:00

A Change Is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke

A Change Is Gonna Come - Sam C...

I submit this without comment today. Sam's voice says it best.

At Last

2008-10-29T22:22:00.004-06:00

At Last by Etta James

The day the World Series Champion is crowded is always a bittersweet day for me. You can't help but feel a little relieved that the seven month day-in-and-day out up-and-down emotional roller coaster is finally over. But at the same time you know within a week, come the Tuesday morning, you're going to miss it all. You're going to miss seeing who went yard. You're going to miss being able to curse out—under your breath of course—the bullpen son-of-a-bitch that cost your team (The White Sox in my case) the game last night. You're going to miss checking to see how St. Carlos' stats were affected by the game the night before—or if he did something magical the night before, you gush over it every few hours and it puts you in a better mood.

See when you follow a baseball team every day for an entire six or seven month period, it's like being in love. You know the ins and outs of the team. You know what guys and in what situations those guys are going to disappoint you. And when someone surprises you, a big smile comes across your face, because when that big hit comes when your not expecting it... it's like walking in the door and your lover saying, "you want to watch a Borne movie tonight?"

A baseball team, when you really follow them, is like loving a woman with a broken nose. It's better than all other love that sports can provide because it's such a personal experience, it ain't perfect, but it's a great time. See when you follow a team over 162 games most of those nights are spent with just you and the team. Just like every lover is—in the end—an intimate relationship between you and your love that no one else can understand.

Three years ago the White Sox won the World Series. It's not the greatest night of my life, but it's one of the two or three greatest. When they won it felt so wonderful, the joy that over came me was unbelievable. It's weird to say this, epically in an intellectual manner because it is after all just a team... but to me... they are a love. A true love. And it felt good.

That night, as I was in alone in D.C. getting drunk on champagne, I must have listened to this song twenty times. It was wonderful. I was up until well past 4a.m. listening to Etta James sing about her true love.

And it was wonderful because my first love—the White Sox—and I had finally made it.

Jelly Man Kelly

2008-10-23T21:59:00.003-06:00

Jelly Man Kelly by James Taylor

There is something so great about James Taylor, yet at the same time something so lame about him. No other artist walks the fine line between lameness and greatness. (HYPERBOLE)

But this song? This song is great if only for the kids going nuts. Here's James singing a silly but kind of pretty song and then all of a sudden we have six kids of every race and creed screaming "OH JELLY COME HOME JELLY CAN HE COME?" You can't even hear James Taylor once the kinds start chiming in. FANTASTIC. And as a child I loved this song. It was so much fun.

Childhood was awesome.

I Need You

2008-10-21T21:00:00.004-06:00

I Need You by The Beatles

A few weeks ago I was eating at Potbelly, and the guy playing at the time broke this song out... I had forgotten how absolutely fantastic it is.

And then after a little digging, I found out it's for or about Pattie Boyd. Pattie Boyd must have been one hell of a woman and muse. Why?

Well, Harrison wrote "I Need You" and "Something" for Pattie Boyd. Eric Clapton wrote "Wonderful Tonight" and "Layla" for her. THOSE ARE LIKE FOUR OF THE GREATEST SONGS EVER!!!! AND THEY ARE ALL ABOUT THE SAME PERSON!!!!

Come on people! This is amazing! Why don't we talk about Pattie Boyd on a daily basis? Why isn't she more well known? Seriously... we had men writing some amazing songs about her. It was like the Trojan War. And yet all I can find is photo exhibition on her.

If Joe DiMaggio is the Father of Pop Culture, the George Harrison is Menelaus, Eric Clapton is Paris, and Pattie Boyd is the Helen of pop culture.

Theme from the Greatest American Hero

2008-10-20T19:50:00.003-06:00

Theme from the Greatest American Hero by Joey Scarbury

I was criticized on Friday night getting drinks with friends that this fine little blog was a tad bit too negative... so with that in light, I went out and found a happy song.

I don't remember "The Greatest American Hero" but like pretty much everyone in the world I know the theme. And it's one of those songs that puts me in a good mood. Bad day at work? How about a little Joey Scarbury? Thoughts of the New Man or childhood dreams that have passed away? "Believe it or not I'm walking on air! I never thought I could feel so free!"

Ah yes, one of those songs that can turn a bad day into a not so bad day.

And going as the Greatest American Hero for Halloween wouldn't be the worst idea in the world. See, I'm good for something.

P.S. it's safe to say this will be Jeoy Scarbury's one and only entry to this fine little blog.

Wolf Like Me

2008-10-16T20:51:00.003-06:00

Wolf Like Me by TV on the Radio

Next year, when we look at the best songs of the first decade of the 21st century, this song will make most top 50 lists... and I've got a feeling it might even be #1 on a few lists (don't you get the feeling that Pitchfork sort of wishes it made in #1 in 2006?). This is a fantastic song—a driving, hard drum beat, daunting and interesting guitars, and vocals that drive home the hardness of the song. Then they slow it down during the bridge... only to pick it up again and in the background a somewhat haunting "the how and... forever... ho ho ho..." is repeated as the song closes.

It's one of those songs that I think every musician and band wishes it could write.

Lemon Grove Avenue

2008-10-15T17:39:00.002-06:00

Lemon Grove Avenue by Mason Jennings

You can find and listen to it here.

A perfect summer time song. Lemon Grove Avenue is one of those songs that whenever I listen to it, I wish this is what life was like—there are birds in the trees, stars at night, a summer breeze, and you're living life with the one you love and you don't have to be anywhere in particular. Life is happy, it's worryless, it is carefree. In movies or while we're toiling away at work this is what we want—we want to live on Lemon Grove Avenue—a carefree life where mmm-bop-la-de-da-de-da is playing faintly from someones porch as you walk down the street, hand-in-hand, with the one you love.

It's not a sophisticated song, and honestly in the dead of a Chicago winter it's the last song you want to hear... but if I feel like getting away from reality and pretending, just for a few minutes, about a life I'll never live... we'll I might just turn this song on.

Your Love

2008-10-13T14:51:00.004-06:00

Your Love by the Outfield

I had never really noticed this song until I was living in London and over the course of four months it sort of became one of the two or three official songs of my time there.

There were eight of us living in two flats on the northern edge of central London. We worked four days a week at Westminster—not only were we living together, we were also working together. The eight of us couldn't get away from each other. And since we were working, staying out until 1 or 2 in the morning was really an option most nights. There were nights when we'd all sit around and watch the BBC or even pop in a DVD.

And this is how I remember this song... it was a chilling in the flat song. I'm sure we only listened to it on a Friday or Saturday night when 'Bama wanted to get a little pumped to go out. And as that opening rift started up I too would get a little excited about what was ahead of us that night.

What's funny is that D has always said that the Strokes "Someday" reminds him of London because I listened to it all the time... but Someday doesn't bring up memories of London for me... it's the Outfield and "Your Love" because 'Bama listened to it all the time.

This is a pretty great song I might add (sorry about the video but it was the best I could do).

Fake Palindromes

2008-10-12T22:32:00.003-06:00

Fake Palindromes by Andrew Bird

I love this song. Love this song. Love Love Love Love this song. From the intro with the winding violin and the distant vocal nearly screaming "Ohhhhhh ohhhh oh", to the steady verse that builds and builds, back to that winding violin, then the beat and Bird's vocals build to this when it all comes crashing together:
And she says I like long walks and sci-fi movies
If you're six foot tall and east coast bred
Some lonely night we can get together
And I'm gonna tie your wrists with leather
And drill a tiny hole into your head

According to Last FM, over the last two and half years I've listened to this song more than any other song. Something like 200 times, though it's probably higher. And I never ever get sick of it. From the image of my dewy-eyed Disney bride, to the thoughts of formaldehyde and fratricide... and then that woman. Who is this woman? And why haven't I met her? Why does she sound so interesting, so perfect, so troublesome—like someone you sholdn't be involved with but can't help it because you want to know where she got that bruise? I'd love it if she said to me that she liked long walks and sci-fi movies. I'd quickly tell her that I am six feet tall and while from the Midwest, I've done my time out east. And hopefully we'd go back and she'd drill that tiny hole in my head.

Crazy Love

2008-10-08T22:36:00.009-06:00

Crazy Love by Van Morrison

One of the all time great love songs... just a fantastic song. We're all looking for this person, and I wonder how often it is that we find this person. The older I get, the more I start to believe that people end up with someone they are comfortable with, someone they are compatible with, someone they like. The perfect person—someone who has a fine sense of humor, who takes away trouble and grief—who stirs the passion in our hearts and souls; it seems like people don't look for this person. They just want someone who they get along with when the time is right.

I don't think I'm being cynical here, from my point of view as a 27 year old male in 21st century America, I'm being honest and realistic. People too often only want to fall in love when they want to fall in love. Sure that sounds obvious, but at the same time it's the way it works. The person who puts his/her career before all else won't have a meaningful and real relationship until one puts the relationship first. Too often "love" is what happens when we THINK it should happen.

Immaturity and mistakes get in the way in our journey to find love... these missteps, I feel, are just part of the process. As we grow and as we stay true to ourselves and keep our sexual drives at bay (to a certain extent), we'll end up with the person that is perfect for us. Who stirs passion in our soul and makes every day even better than the one before.

My senior year of high school we were talking about our favorite songs. My teacher for that class, A, wrote down that this was her favorite song on the chalk board. I remember going to the board (it was just that type of class and I was just that type of student) and finishing it by writing "Vol. II". I never knew this song existed... I always thought the only one that existed was Paul Simon's equally fantastic "Crazy Love, Vol. II." 'A' went to the board and quietly erased my ignorance.

Daniel

2008-10-07T18:17:00.002-06:00

Daniel by Elton John

I can't really tell you why I like Elton John so much other than he's really good. And that's a pretty darn good reason isn't it? I also like the glasses he wore in the '70s. I'm not sure a musician dressed more perfectly for the kind of music he/she played than Elton John in the '70s.

But here's my question... where the hell is the current Elton John or Billy Joel (though if I was Billy Joel, I'd drink myself under the table every night in Manhattan too if I was always thrown in the same sentence as Elton John, but that's another day)...

ANYWAYS, where was I? Oh yes, the current singer/piano player pop star... where is he? I would very much like to have one in my life. And Ben Folds does not count because he's Ben Folds. The Fray is a band and they only have that one song. Anyway if anyone has any good piano playing pop starts that I should check out, hit up the comments section.

As for this song... for reasons I can't explain to you this reminds me of a German I knew about a year ago who worked at Su Casa (a Catholic Worker house in Back of the Yards). Daniel is now long gone, I'm 99.9% sure I'll never see, hear, or talk to him again; but I'll always remember him because of this song.

Music and the mind are weird. But everyone knows that.

So Says I

2008-10-06T21:02:00.003-06:00

So Says I by The Shins

I love the Gilmore Girls. It's probably my second favorite show ever. I own DVDs. I watch these DVDs. The Gilmore Girls puts me in a good mood.

About a month ago I was watching an episode from Season Three—and I said to myself, I'm going to dress like Luke this winter. I am going to wear flannel shirt and a winter vest and sometimes a backwards baseball hat. This is going to be my winter gear and it's going to be great.

I mentioned this to some friends a few days after this thought. And they broke the news to me: flannel was in again, hipsters were starting to wear it. Wanna be hipsters were wearing it. People who like Sunset Rubdown where wearing it.

Read that again—people who like fucking Sunset Rubdown are wearing flannel! Sunset Rubdown is one of those indie bands that suck but everyone pretends they're good! They're the worst kind of people! They can't wear flannel! I can't stop using exclamation points!

So my winter is ruined before winter has even begun. Sigh.

As for this song... well in one of the most random Gilmore Girl episodes, Rory and Paris go to somewhere warm during spring break and at the bar they're at The Shins are playing "So Says I".

Effing hipsters and their flannel. I bet their reasoning wasn't as awesome as mine.

Your New Man

2008-09-30T12:10:00.004-06:00

Your New Man by Mason Jennings

There is bad news, there is sad news, and then there is finding out that the girl you just broke up with is now dating another guy... yeah, she's got a new man.

This has happened to me twice and neither time was it an enjoyable experience. The New Man—no matter who he is or what you thought of him before (if you know him)—is now the biggest asshole, creep ball, son of a bitch to ever walk the Earth. No if and or buts. He just is. Everything sort of creepy that he ever said or you ever heard about him comes creeping into your head and all you want to do is to tell the—now old—girlfriend is: WHAT ARE YOU THINKING!!!! DO YOU REALIZE HOW MUCH BETTER I AM THAN THIS SLIME BALL!!! HE PROBABLY KILLS BABY SEALS AND I WILL GUARANTEE YOU HE WILL CHEAT ON YOU!!!!

Of course, who knows... there might be some truth, but there's also a lot of bullshit in all this. The process of rejection and choosing someone else over yourself is an interesting one since it's completely irrational.

Over time of course, this all goes away. You wish everyone luck... since odds are you've become the New Man to someone else.

However there is a flip side: every time you think you know someone, you realize that you don't know them all that well. Or at least that's been my case. The "New Man", in my experience, I've know both times. Are they bad guys? Nah. Both moved in on the Love while the Love and I still had something going on, so that's kind of like rubbing salt in the wounds since everything because so fucking obvious in retrospect, but c'est le via. Am I shocked that the former loves choose the guys they did? Of course. Why? I'm keeping that to myself, but let's say I've found the irony both times.

Direct Hit

2008-09-25T15:18:00.006-06:00

Direct Hit by Art Brut

I have nothing to say about this song other than Art Brut is good, but I just wanted to get down a few pointless musings:

* I think the Minnesota/North Dakota is the most underrated and under appreciated rivalry in the United States. At this point we've managed to play up every state rivalry possible with Ohio/Michigan probably the biggest just because there seems to be little difference between the two places except one has the shittiest town in American (Detroit) and the other has the town everyone makes fun of (Cleveland). Anyway, for some reason we have managed to over look the Minny v. ND rivalry for far too long, it it appears to be a good natured rivalry. If Minny and ND were people, they would have one of those teasing relationships with sexual innuendo and sly smiles whenever the other person said something nearly offensive. And everyone likes those people and their relationship. This interview with Mr. Klosterman reminded me of this.

* I really want to go to the French speaking area of Maine some day. And along those lines, if dreams and goals come true, then there's a good chance I would own a house in either Maine or Minnesota.

* While I'm at it, other places I'm a fan of in these fine States that are United: Long Island, the area in between Boston and New York in Connecticut, Minnesota, western Michigan, Chicago, Savannah, California (all of it), Seattle...

* Because I've been checking it out a good amount, I should give Meet Me in Montauk a shout out. Gotta love the name of the blog and he/she is sort of doing the song a day thing too, yet another reason to give a link. I'll give them an official link one of these days.

* Currently the best blog in the world?

* I know they announced this three months ago, but I'm still pumped the Strokes are getting back together. And yes, for-all-intents-and-purposes I think they broke up two years ago.

Be Here Now

2008-09-24T21:44:00.006-06:00

Be Here Now by Mason Jennings
Mason's Video

It was going to happen at some point... today might as well be the day.

The first time I heard Mason sing this song was on a cold February night in Washington, D.C. at the Black Cat. Patty had promised to go to the show with me since she lived two blocks away... and to make a long story short we were standing there taking in the Mason show when he played this song. Both of us were, it was just one of those songs where you went, "wow" you heard it.

Fast forward 19 months—now I'm in Chicago, and the Girl surprised me with tickets to the Mason show a few weeks before. We were a few weeks removed from my birthday and something had to happen in our relationship. On our way to the show we stopped to get something to eat, but we were running late and had to do some sort of fast food. Potbelly's won out. And at some point during dinner we got in a bit of a fight about us as a relationship, as a couple.

The fight carried out onto Belmont Avenue. Walking east, The Girl and I made no progress in our situation. When we finally arrived, the theater was packed and Mason had already started playing. There was no where for us to really sit, and as we stood there trying to get comfortable, our uncomfortableness of the current situation in our relationship boiled over. She was frustrated with me, I was frustrated with her... neither one of us was enjoying the show even though we had only been there a few minutes... the night had disaster written all over it.

But then Mason started singing, "Be here now, no other place to be." The Girl and I weren't even in the seating area at this point, we were just outside the doors in the lobby talking about us but we could hear Mason clearly.

"Sun comes up and we start again..."

As Mason continued to sing, two thoughts, in this order, crossed my mind:
1) I love this song.
2) This is the perfect song to tell The Girl that I love her.

"All the doubts that linger, just set them free"

As the Girl looked at me all frustrated, wanting to leave, I decided that I had to let her know. "Don't you know?" A blank look on her face was the response. "I love you." A smile and a hug... then a kiss. "You are the love of my life," I found myself repeating Mason's words to The Girl. She loved me too.

It was like something from a movie... not the profession of our love, but rather the song Mason was playing at that moment provided a soundtrack to our lives. Had I planned to tell The Girl that I was in love with her that night at the show while Mason played "Be Here Now"? No. But it happened that way... it was like a dream... For a night, I lived a moment that I had always dreamt about—I told a girl that I loved that I loved her while Mason Jennings provided the soundtrack. Life doesn't give us very many serendipitous moments, but when one does arise, we should all take full advantage of it. Because those serendipitous moments are among the best in life.

But I was no Mr. Darcy that night, and even though this is a great love song, Mason's lyrics don't match Mr. Darcy's words, "In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you." But for a moment in time I lived in my very own song, my very own movie... it didn't last more than a few seconds because eventually Mason moved on to the next song. And I can't go back and rewatch or re-experience that night ever again... it's over. It is now just a memory... a memory that may even be forgotten someday later in life.

Suddenly I See

2008-09-22T21:43:00.003-06:00

Suddenly I See by KT Tunstall

In this 21st century, hipster, indie music is main stream but it isn't, world that we live in I am not supposed to like KT Tunstall. But I do.

And you know why? Because she writes and sings great pop songs. I sort of touched on the entire anti-pop world that we live in the other day. (I blame Gen X and the alternative/grunge movement of the early 90s which rejected pop... in name only but another day). And I still see nothing wrong with pop. Pop is good. It's fun, it's catchy, and sure it might not mean anything beyond what it means, but what's wrong with that?

See sometimes the simplicity is the beauty. When Jeff Tweedy sings "The ash tray says/you were up all night", it's beautiful because of the simplistic image that it creates in one's mind, it's a heavy but simple image. When Mason Jennings sings "Do you think about me?" it's the same deal—the simplicity of coming out and saying what we all think all the time is great.

So when KT puts some catchy hooks (and a neat-o opening rift) to some simple lyrics it works because many of us have had that moment when suddenly we see what we want. Maybe it's love at first sight. Maybe it's a rush one gets from reading Jane Austen or buying some shares of stock. Or maybe it's just seeing Patti Smith and realizing that you want to be a musician. It is that simplistic beauty—her face is the map of the world, you can see she's a beautiful girl—that makes this song so great.

Two more things:
-This is easily one of the best songs of the decade.

-Who hasn't been left hanging on a word? And isn't that a great feeling?

Cinderella's Daydream

2008-09-20T14:09:00.004-06:00

Cinderella's Daydream by Zuzu's Petals

In the past week this song has hit home like a sack of bricks... but why? I don't really know what the lyrics say... I can make out the first verse and the chorus but it's not like the lyrics are hammering home like a Jeff Tweedy song. But some where in between the "I don't want to go" and "Baby I want to stay with you" on the 18th listen this week everything started to come into focus.

It was the Cinderella illusions in the song that were hitting home. We all know the story of Cinderella, she has to be home by midnight, because at that time everything she has disappears. And with that she leaves in a hurry, peacing out on Prince Charming despite the great night they were having.

And with that in mind, I thought of those nights that I have had—those perfect nights that I never wanted to end—usually involving a girl or loved one. Those were the best nights. And in retrospect those are bittersweet nights. Every night isn't a great night. And the great nights can't be frozen, at some point time takes over. The night or the day ends.

Why? Why must we toil though the mundane, the blaze of life? Sure those perfect nights make life worth tugging along... but why even have mundane moments? It's cruel. Unfair. The great moments are taken away from us by time...

We're all Cinderella. We just don't realize it. The clock will always, at some point, strike midnight. And we can only be so lucky that we left behind a glass slipper somewhere... for someone... to find and then search for us... to fit onto our foot.

Here's a Telephone

2008-09-19T11:18:00.002-06:00

Here's a Telephone by Page France

Listen here

My 26th birthday never really had a chance. In between my first and second year of grad school, the summer had been hard on me... I wasn't sure where I was going or what I wanted to be. I was suddenly entering my late 20s and I didn't necessarily want to be. Twenty-six seemed so old, too old to not have any direction other than another year of graduate school.

A crisis of faith or self or something-like-that fell upon me.

What did I want to do with my life? Where was I going? How did I get here? My birthday wasn't a day of celebration, it was a day of reflection which threw me into an existential abyss...

It was a Friday and like my previous two birthdays all I wanted was a pitcher of beer and pizza. Being in Chicago, my parents and sister took me to Piece, however when we got there the place was packed and we had to wait. I couldn't take it... the crowd, and my anxiety got the best of me. I told my family that I'd be back in a few minutes.

Unconditional love is always with us but we rarely need it. But in those times that we need it we don't necessarily appreciate it. We're too busy consuming that love that we over look the fact that we're receiving it.

And that was my case on my 26th with my family. They let me go. They let me walk. They knew that I needed this. Was I acting and being a mature 26 year old? Hard to say. But it was what I needed. I needed to walk, think things over and take in the fresh air on a beautiful day.

As I walked the streets of Bucktown searching for peace of mind, I called The Girl. She was in New York and had already wished me Happy Birthday, but I turned to her in my time of self crisis and doubt.

It's hard to say if I fell in love with The Girl over the next thirty minutes—the reality was I was already in love with her and she was in love with me but we hadn't admitted this to each other yet. Our relationship wasn't that new by that point, we had been dating for four or five months. The "newness" or "honeymoon" of the relationship had faded. It was time to get serious if we wanted to...

But none of this was going though my head as we talked. I told her of my anxiety, of my crisis, of my self doubt and wondering where I was going in life... and she listened and listened and listened. And then she added her comments, talking me down, helping me deal with my anxiety, crisis, doubt, and purpose. "You're young... and I have the same emotions from time to time, you just have to find what you want and go for it... it will work out." Maybe it's standard stuff... but the reality is it's not. Most people don't respond like this during a time of personal crisis and conflict. People are too self-absorbed, too into themselves and their feelings and their past experiences.

That evening, the Girl wasn't like that. The Girl only focused on me and was only there to help me. It was unconditional, selfless love. She calmed me down... something few people on this Earth can do. Instead of getting frustrated with me, she was there, a solid rock—someone I could lean on—at a time when I needed someone to lean on. It was wonderful.

The next day, as my crisis lifted with a night of sleep, I realized two things about the Girl:
1) We were in love. And we would profess this to each other a few weeks later when the time was right.
2) Unlike almost every other girl I had ever dated, she could handle me. She could deal with my anxiety... The Girl was good for me.

This felt really good. Really fucking good.

Napoleon Says

2008-09-12T16:23:00.004-06:00

Napoleon Says by Phoenix

Editor's Note: I recently had a birthday, and for reasons I can't tell you, I like to feel sorry for myself on my birthday. It's the one day of the year were I really just let my guard down, don't try to inspire myself with cliche quotes, and allow myself to feel like shit. This requires much reflection at the same time... so in the process of evaluating the last year of my life and figuring out what I was doing five, four, three, two, and one year ago to the day... I thought, I should honor those who have played an important role in my life/birthday in the last five years.

2006--25th Birthday
A ton to cover on what turned out to be a weird birthday... I'll just bullet point it:
* I was leaving for Chicago to start grad school in about a week.

* Turning 25 felt officially old. I mean, 25, I was now officially in my mid-20s. This should have brought about a crisis of faith but...

* The night before D, his brother, JFC—who was getting married in a few days, and The Devil went to Bricks Tavern (it had been renamed by this point, but I can never remember it's new name), as a sort of 'last night with the guys doing guy things' were were drank way way way way too much. We drank so much that on the walk home we stopped at 7-11 and got hot dogs. There may have been drunk dialing taking place also.

* Needless to say, I was very very very very hungover the next day, which happened to be my second to last day of work. I was so hung over that I had to leave the office and I walked over to the White House, and took about a ten minute nap/rest on a park bench. I'm pretty sure I threw up at some point also. Luckily, productivity isn't a necessity on your last days of work.

* The office took me out for lunch as a good-bye/birthday celebration. From about 10am up until walking over to the restaurant for lunch, I was worried that I would have to throw up at some point during lunch. Thankfully, that didn't happen, and in fact I actually felt pretty good at lunch all things considered.

* The Super, who I was dating at the time, took me out for dinner. I told her all I wanted was a pizza and a pitcher of beer, in memory to the previous birthday where things were nearly perfect. But seeing that we were in D.C. and there isn't an single good pizza joint in the District [FACT], The Super took me to a burger place near GW. The hangover had made a comeback at this point and the last thing I was in the mood for was a crowded, loud burger joint and beer. Needless to say, The Super wasn't thrilled that I was still hungover. However, there was no fight (come to think of it, the Super and I never fought) and she gave me a Badger hat as a gift which was an awesome gift, only my hangover probably prevented me from fully expressing this to her (sorry Super).

* I have no clue what happened the rest of the day. But it was a good birthday... well the memory makes it a good birthday. Being hungover on your birthday isn't all that awesome, but thinking back on that hangover two years later makes it a funny story, if only for the White House park bench hang over nap.

Chicago

2008-09-10T14:43:00.004-06:00

Chicago by Sufjan Stevens

2005--24th Birthday
I had been in D.C. for about three weeks, didn't have a job, and I bought an open ended train ticket from D.C. to New Haven. I wasn't in a rush to get back to D.C. from New Haven. In fact, I would end up spending five or six amazing days in and around the town. The weather was perfect, the vibe I got from New Haven was wonderful, and things were going very well with the Lou.

But I was also a lost soul at that point. I was naive and innocent. My life was, well, headed in a downward spiral. I didn't totally know this, I was over confident and life was about to blindside me, but I felt as if I close to really getting everything in place.

The reality was that New Haven was an escape for me. It was somewhere that I didn't have to face the reality of day to day life. Things with the Lou were, good, but they weren't great. I didn't realize any of this at that time. It would only come into focus over the next few months and then upon reflection years since I left D.C.

I was to leave New Haven on the 7th, my birthday. But the night before, The Lou took me to a pizza place. We would sit in this joint, Modern APizza, eating a pizza and sharing a pitcher of beer. A few months later, after the Lou and I broke up, I would write this:
"I am, after all, forever indebted to you since you have saved me on my birthday. Call it luck or something else that I can't think of at the moment, the point is, I shall never forget. Even though that night of pizza and a pitcher of beer wasn't on September 7th, it was close enough for me to remember probably until I pass on. It was a darn near perfect night for me less than a month into my move to DC where I was alone, lost, and lacking love. It was a very nice night, I think we can both agree to that."

I spent my 24th birthday, well at least six hours of it, on a train. I'd get home to my apartment and tell my roommate that it was my birthday, he would then tell me that I should have said something and he would have gone out and gotten a drink. I told him it was okay. There were presents some where mixed in and I would then go to bed, thinking about the previous night—the worst was to come.

The Rat

2008-09-09T21:56:00.001-06:00

The Rat by The Walkmen

2004--23rd Birthday
To be honest, I don't really remember this birthday. I was back in Chicago, D hadn't moved in yet, so I was probably splitting my time between my parents house and our place in Hyde Park, and that being the case I'm sure I went home and celebrated by birthday with my parents and little sister. What we did... I haven't a clue. I'm sure it was a pleasant birthday as I was beginning to come out of the fog that was graduating from college.

Are uneventful birthdays a bad thing? Of course not. In fact, I could use more uneventful birthdays.

As for the song... the summer of 2004 saw me listen to this album a countless number of times. It's one of my favorite albums of the decade, and this is probably the signature song—the drums hit home and the guitar work is fantastic. A great song almost any way you slice it or want to look at it.

Amsterdam

2008-09-08T11:23:00.007-06:00

Amsterdam by Guster

Editor's Note: Yesterday was my birthday, and for reasons I can't tell you, I like to feel sorry for myself on my birthday. It's the one day of the year were I really just let my guard down, don't try to inspire myself with cliche quotes, and allow myself to feel like shit. This requires much reflection at the same time... so in the process of evaluating the last year of my life and figuring out what I was doing five, four, three, two, and one year ago to the day... I thought, I should honor those who have played an important role in my life/birthday in the last five years. So five posts, a song from the year I'm writing about, starting with turning 22 in 2003.

2003—22nd Birthday: The weird thing about 22 is that it's the first birthday that doesn't matter—no one cares. It's the first adult birthday. "Twenty-two? That's cool," is the response everyone gives and then moves on with life.

My 22nd was no different. But on top of it, the presents sent by my mother hadn't reached me yet—D.C. mail still sucked in the post 9/11 world. So not only did no one care it was my birthday, I also had no gifts.

So there I was, in D.C. with few true friends, present-less, and on top of I had to move across the hall to a new dorm (an uninteresting boring story). At one point, I came up to the hall only to find three people moving all my stuff from my old room to my new room. The entire situation was demoralizing for some reason—I couldn't wait for the next day.

But somewhere in this mix EBS saved the day. My first love, she found gifts for me that were perfect and meaningful and made it a birthday worth remembering. I don't remember where we ate that night, I don't even remember what we did. But I do remember her having three or four gifts for me: a picture album, Band of Brothers, and some other cute presents that she put her heart and soul into. I remember, after opening them, putting my arm around EBS, giving her a kiss, and hugging her and thanking her for being so wonderful. It was one of the first times in my life where I felt true love from someone who wasn't a family member. It was an overwheling feeling, it is a emotion that can be so overwhelming that it hurts sometimes to actually feeling. It feels wonderful, but it also exposes those times when we didn't return the love that we are being showered.

EBS knew that my family's presents hadn't reached me. By that time she knew my anxiety and neurocies—and she did all that she could to prevent them from getting the better of me on such a vanurable day. It was true, unflicable, selfless love.

I thank you EBS. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. I hope that I—at least once—made you feel the same love and did the same for you.

The Bitch Is Back

2008-09-04T09:59:00.003-06:00

The Bitch is Back by Elton John

"What’s the difference between a hockey mom and a pitbull? Lipstick." — Sarah Palin.

Who would have thought that Elton John and Sarah Palin would have something in common (other than their love for Watford of course)? But it's true, they both think they're bitches!

And just---like---that Ms. Palin kind of, sort of, actually really did admit to—or at the very least compare herself—being a bitch. Which is really weird if you ask me. So in that spirit, fire up your Elton John, and go crazy America. The bitch is back!

The American left: go crazy and lose your minds!

The American right: go crazy and lose your minds!

The bitch is here!

Baba O'Riley

2008-09-03T21:51:00.005-06:00

Baba O'Riley by The Who

What a song. Seriously, what a great effing song. And one of the most underrated album openers of all time. Baba is a top three album opener, but it always seems to be forgotten in that discussion (I just made that discussion up I think).

Anyway, an amazing song at any point in the day. It progresses beautifully, then Pete slows it down a bit for us, breaks it down, I've always loved the violin at the end of the song. The electric piano that kicks everything off is pretty sweet too (though this guy doesn't like it). One of the best Who songs.

In 8th grade, Andrew* and I were listening to the radio in my basement in the 'Dale. I'm not sure why or what we were doing—though there was a good chance we were playing hockey. Anyway, after hearing about five crappy songs (in our opinion) on the oldies station, we decided that we were going to call up and ask them to play a song that "is good but never gets radio play". After getting through to Oldies104.3, I requested "Baba O'Riley" and hung up... thinking I had played a fast one on the radio station.

Twelve odd years later and countless radio plays of "Baba O'Riley" later, I clearly didn't.

*Get well, buddy.

I'll Be Satisfied

2008-09-02T11:46:00.004-06:00

I'll Be Satisfied by Ryan Shaw

You can find the full version here.

One of the things that appears to have been forgotten in the 21st century is that simplicity is usually the best. This is especially true in music—for some reason the pop song is frowned upon by 'serious' music fans. Anything that is obvious, all of a sudden can't be good (which goes back to our Coldplay and U2 argument, why U2 is acceptable and Coldplay is frowned upon).

Take this song. Ryan Shaw's cover of the Jackie Wilson classic from last year is fantastic. He nails the notes and brings some new life to the song without really changing it. The song is catchy, it's fun, it's everything you want in a pop song.

But no one paid any attention to it. And I blame the simplicity of the song. We live in an era were music fans suddenly think that Radiohead is a second coming of Camus (though they've probably never read Camus) and that music must provide some insight into intellectual thought; we have move away from the true point of music—pop music specifically—which Rob Gordon put best, "What came first, the music or the misery?" This is the point of pop music: joy and misery. There is no in between. Sure at times it can be used as a form of protest or to tell a story. But for the most part, pop music is about joy and misery.

But music fans—indie fans—no longer want this. They want music to be a form of intellectual thought, but all I see is pesado-intellectualism and crappy noise. I'd much rather have the Strokes sing "trying to catch her eye" or Mason Jennings ask, "Do you think about me?" than some cryptic wannabe Jeff Tweedy make bad metaphors. Because for me most of the time all I need is "Just a kiss, just a smile, hold my hand baby, just once in a while" in a pop song.

Fire Island, AK

2008-08-31T17:27:00.002-06:00

Fire Island, AK by The Long Winters

I don't know much about these guys, but I really enjoyed their album "Putting the Days to Bed", which my sister gave me. This is a catchy little song with a solid beat and is extremely enjoyable at the same time. If you want to read a review of them live, check this out.

Anyway, this song is fitting considering John McCain's choice as Vice President. I had never heard of Fire Island, AK prior to this song and I had never heard of Sarah Palin from AK prior to Friday. However, I think I'm going to like this song much more than Ms. Palin.

Loser

2008-08-29T17:48:00.003-06:00

Loser by Beck

I was reading some where recently that this might actually be a more important song than "Smells Like Teen Spirit". Googling... Googling... googling... okay I'm sort of making this up. I guess Spin once said that Beck was "a generation's consolation prize after the death of Kurt Cobain." That's an over stated statement if there ever was one...

Anyway, Loser... I've never really been a fan. Sure it's catchy and musically it's a hard song to not like. But the lyrics have always bothered me. Ironic? Does that really matter? "I'm a loser baby, so why don't you kill me". It sounds stupid really—a throw away drunk comment at an pseudo-intellectual bar at 1:14a.m. which Beck turned into a song. That's what this song is and thus I can sum it up in one word: Pathetic.

Writing to Reach You

2008-08-25T19:20:00.009-06:00

Writing to Reach You by Travis

Whatever happened to these guys? They were pretty good. Really, what's the difference between Travis and Coldplay? Coldplay even ripped off this Travis video... sigh.

Growing up I was a suburban kid—raised in the western 'burbs of Chicago—but I went to high school in the city (and owners of one of the most amazing wikipedia entries ever) just a few miles from the Loop. And my high school brought in kids from all over Chicago and the area—Oak Park, Lincoln Park, Bridgeport, the far Northwest side, and Beverly.

Growing up a die hard Sox fan and my mother being a South Sider herself, Beverly held a place in my heart. The 'hood and the people from there awed me, an Irish Catholic middle to upper-middle class group of kids who had attitude. Not always in a bad way and not always in a good way. Those kids just were, well, Beverly.

For reasons I can't tell you, if I had a few hours to burn and nothing to do, I'd drive to Beverly just to be there. To take it in and see what it would be like to live there. I had heard the stories, knew the parishes... I wanted to be a South Sider. But having one parent and being the biggest Sox fan in school didn't carry a ton of weight to the born and raised Beverly kids. And it's not that I even wanted to be like them or hang out with them—though I did from time to time and a lot my senior year—what I wanted was to experience a life that I never would be able to experience. The life of an Irish Catholic, Sox fan from Beverly who went to Christ the King.

So what does Travis have to do with Beverly? My trips to Beverly almost always ended with me going to the Borders on 95th and Western. And I remember listen to Travis on many of these trips to the Beverly Borders, listening to this song and enjoying it. Hell, I might even have bought the album at the Beverly Borders... I don't remember though.

Finally a few notes from the editor:
- The Greatest American Band search isn't over, but I'm going to take a break from it. It was much more taxing than I thought it would be... but I'll do it from time to time since there are a few bands that should at least make the now longer list.

- I'm going to wake the dogs and fire up Views from Life on a Bench again. It will be a sports only blog this time around and I don't plan on writing every day there, but enough that you should check it out. I'm sure the likes of the Big Lead and Deadspin will find a way to link us once again. And eventually we hope to get a policy-like editorial blog going sooner rather than later. I'll let you know when it happens.

God Only Knows

2008-08-22T16:52:00.002-06:00

God Only Knows by The Beach Boys

Editor's Note: Who is the greatest American band? This week I present the arguments for who I think should be in the running.

Pros: A unique sound who truly were different and have had a lasting impact on music. The Beach Boys were California in their sound and songs, surf rock!, and of course this makes them the most unique of American bands--fact is the East Coast is more European than American at times (see City, New York), but California (like the Midwest and South) is purely and uniquly American. The Beach Boys did a very good job an capturing that 1960s, California vibe... According to Billboard Magazine, when you add up the singles and album sales, The Beach Boys are the No. 1 selling American band of all time... "Good Vibrations" is one of those songs that when you sit down and listen to it, it's a bind blowing experience in it's complexity and greatness... They wrote a ton of really good songs over the years, in other words, their greatest hits album is pretty awesome.

Cons: Can a band named the Beach Boys really be the greatest ever?... Kokomo... After Pet Sounds, the band never really ever came close to the creative success they had on that album. There would be a few albums of note after 1966, but for a band that has been around for so long, the band's great creativity period was extremely short... Kokomo... Like Wilco, the Beach Boys seem more like a one man creative driving force more than anything else, and that man is Brian Wilson.... Kokomo.

Best Album: Pet Sounds -- Personally, I think this album is overrated. A very good album? Without a doubt. But one of the ten greatest? I don't think so. But there is no denying the impact of the album on music. Wilson did things in the studio that we all take for granted now. The sounds and effects that he created were, at the time, revolutionary. Listening to Pet Sounds today, it sounds like a standard rock album... and here is where, imo, the album doesn't live up to the hype: the songs aren't always there. Are there some great songs? Hell yes: God Only Knows and Wouldn't it Be Nice probably would crack the top 20 and 50 of greatest songs respectively, and the Sloop John B cover is one of the best covers out there. But there are times when the album lingers and the songs just don't cut it for the GREATEST EVER status. Okay, I sound like a hard ass, and that's not really fair since this really is a great album. Go buy it if you don't own it.

Best Song: God Only Knows -- Really just a near perfect song. Beautiful, honest, and dramatic... a great song. "God only knows what I'd be without you".

You Are A Light

2008-08-21T12:13:00.003-06:00

You Are A Light by Pavement

Editor's Note: Who is the greatest American band? This week I present the arguments for who I think should be in the running.

Pros: Much like the Velvet Underground, everyone who bought their albums started a band... they're pretty much the band that every indie/hipster band strives to be at this point. This might not be a good thing, but at this point every indie band tries to sound like Pavement while trying to writer lyrics like Wilco. Should we tell them there's only one Pavement and there is only one Wilco?... You can't go wrong with any of their albums—Slanted and Enchanted, Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, Wowee Zowee, Brighten the Corners, Terror Twilight—all five are good to great... I would put Shady Lane, You Are A Light, and Spit on a Stranger up against any song written in the 1990s, hell any song ever written... They're is a Michael McDonald/Loggins smoothness to this band; thankfully, from a serious music perspective, they don't bring out congas... the rifts and hooks in some songs are among the best ever written...

Cons: Even if the bands influence is undeniable, no one really listens to Pavement. The band never is and never was on the radio. Can the greatest American band be a band that not only does no one listen to, but they aren't even considered underrated by the mainstream media? Maybe no one listens to the Velvet Underground, but everyone knows who the Velvet Underground is (or Lou Reed). The same can't be said for Pavement... Can sound like a jam band at times. This is not a good thing... The white boys who took the beat out of rock'n'roll. It worked for them, but the lasting impact is quickly becoming a pandemic...

Best Album: Slanted and Enchanted -- I'm going to claim ignorance here. I don't really know this album, the few songs I know I love, but it's the only Pavement album I don't own (not sure why) but both Rolling Stone and Pitchfork LOVE this album. From Rolling Stone: "Pavement were the quintessential American independent rock band, and this is the quintessential indie-rock album. The playing is loose-limbed, the production laid-back and primitive, the lyrics quirky and playful, the melodies sweet and seductive. But the sound is as intense as the white noise of the Velvet Underground. Slanted and Enchanted is one of the most influential rock albums of the 1990s; its fuzzy recording style can be heard in the music of Nirvana, Liz Phair, Beck, the Strokes and the White Stripes."

Best Song: You Are A Light -- It grooves, it's smooth, it's got hooks and a sweet rift... and when Stephen Malkmus sings "Watch out for the gypsy children in electric dresses they're insane./I hear they live in crematoriums/and smoke your remains./You are the liiiight. The calm in the day" you're tapping your foot and movin' to the music. Who knows, or cares, what Malkmus is going for here, but it sounds good. And that's what matters.

Heroin

2008-08-19T14:34:00.005-06:00

Heroin by The Velvet Underground

Editor's Note: Who is the greatest American band? This week I present the arguments for who I think should be in the running.

Pros: As Brian Eno once said only a few dozen people bought this record ["The Velvet Underground and Nico"] -- but that all of them were then inspired to start their own band. The Underground has been called the most important band so many times now, that it's hard to not know who they are. Never commercially successful, the band's importance has been and will forever be their foresight. They've always been considered ahead of their time, which warrants the question, has time caught up with them yet?... Are they the hippest band ever?... Where American music would be with out these guys, I haven't a clue. Their influence is undeniable—from Julian of the Strokes trying to sound like Lou Reed to every art rock band that ever play a chord of music—pretty much every cool band of the last 40 years has been influenced by the Velvet Underground at some level. So in that regard, they're the Beatles of American music.

Cons: How many people have actually listened to the Velvet Underground? Are they best know for being on the Royal Tannenbaums soundtrack, the Juno soundtrack, the High Fidelity soundtrack, or because of Andy Warhol?... You almost get the feeling that the album cover of "The Velvet Underground and Nico" is better known that anything the band actually played... Who wakes up and says, I could really go for some Loaded right now (other than people in bad bands of course)?...

Best Album: Loaded -- This comes down to taste. I don't like Nico, and since she had been kicked out of the band by this point, Loaded is my favorite and what I consider to be the best Velvet Underground album. However, I think every single rock critic, hipster, and pretentious son-of-a-bitch will tell me I'm an idiot. That Loaded is just the Underground trying to be radio friendly. Some may even claim that it's a sell out album (these are the same morons who like Beach House because Pitchfork said so). But you know what? Loaded is much more assessable than the band's self titled debut. It might not reach the highs (literally) of "The Velvet Underground and Nico", but the album is consistent and versatile, you can play the album at the beginning or the end of a party.

Best Song: Heroin -- I'll let John Leland take it from there: ""Heroin" begins with single strokes on the guitar, not quite marking time. Reed's voice enters before the full band, starting the problem, which is not drugs but life: "I don't know just where I'm going." As the first verse gathers momentum, the music rises around the words, cranking and stopping on the screech of Cale's viola and Maureen Tucker's no-breaks tom-toms. The sound grows denser as it accelerates, compressing time into ever-shorter measures. The verbs are gerunds, arrested in mid-action... From any point in the song, you sense that things are only going to get worse. Then, rather than build this rush to a crescendo—closing all the way in on death—the musicians abruptly stop, leaving the hangover of feedback and disordered time...

"...The stops in "Heroin," on the other hand, show how unmoored time has been all along. Like Twain's river or Kerouac's open road, which restart the action at each bend, "Heroin" interrupts the sequence of cause and effect, building to climaxes that never come. When Lou starts to look backward, wishing he "was born a thousand years ago," sailing "in a great big clipper ship," wearing a "sailor's suit and cap," the lyrics don't register; they're part of the distortion and feedback, like random noise." (from Hip: The History).

Blitzkrieg Bop

2008-08-18T12:26:00.004-06:00

Blitzkrieg Bop by the Ramones

Editor's Note: It was an innocent point that I made on a Wednesday night between rounds of Trivia. R.E.M. was the greatest American band ever. The table looked at me as if I had just called Mao a great human. Thus the debate began: Who is the greatest American band? We eliminated every singer song writer or solo performer. So Marvin Gaye, Bob Dylan, and Billy Joel were eliminated. Other than that anything went. This week I present the arguments for who I think should be in the running.

Pros: They're fun. And maybe they aren't what you think of when you hear punk, but they were punk. One of the first punk bands they also defined American punk. Unlike British punk, American punk wasn't about anarchy and over throwing the system. It was about playing songs really really fast and being a bit ironic at the same time... The band is totally unique, it's hard to really find a band that sounds like the Ramones. I'm sure many have tried, but I think they have one of the most unique sounds in all of rock... Who doesn't love three cords played as fast as you can while symbols crash and Joey's sort of mumble over it all... In the many covers that the band preformed, they put their own stamp on each and every song. Sure this usually meant they just took the song and played it as fast as they could, but no one else really had done this. And they did this really really well. Compare the original by Bobby Freeman and the Ramones cover of "Do You Wanna Dance"... they rock out and they're one of the first bands to really 'get' irony.... So let's see, they were loud, fun, fast, and ironic—if that isn't American—then I don't know what is (unless your one of those apple pie, football, and freedom types—if that's case all I can say is move to France).

Cons: Yeah... so every song can sort of sound the same... and since every song sort of sounds the same, it's hard to say the band ever really matured... they're lasting impact on rock'n'roll is sort of hard to figure out at the moment. Since the late 70s no one has really tried to sound like the Ramones. They're short term impact on rock is undeniable, but now 30 years later, their 'legacy' isn't as clear... also don't they have a few too many songs about teenage angst?... Did their songs mean anything?

Best Album: Rocket to Russia -- Teenage Lobotomy, Rockaway Beach, Sheena is a Punk Rocker, We're a Happy Family, and Do You Wanna Dance?, that's a hell of a record right there. The album comes at your hard and fast—like every Ramones record—but this is their most consistent album mainly because the songs don't run together. We're a Happy Family—seemingly over looked by many is a stinging indictment of they typical American family: "Sitting here in Queens/eatting refried beans/We're in all the magazines/Gulpin' down thorazines/We ain't got no friends/Our troubles never end/No Christmas cards to send/Daddy likes men."

Best Song: Blitzkrieg Bop -- Played in every stadium in the world (or so it seems) this seems to be sort of a cliche pick since this is for many THE punk rock anthem. But think about it for a second. In 1976, no one sounded like this. Sure the Sex Pistols were around and playing in London, but "Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols" wouldn't come out for another 18 months. So when you hear Johny nail those first chords, ripping through the air like a F-18, Dee Dee laying a fast bass line, Tommy subtlety working the drums over like a speed bag, and then Joey chanting "Hey! Oh! Let's go!", well if that doesn't get your blood flowing then nothing will.

Rearviewmirror

2008-08-16T12:41:00.003-06:00

Rearviewmirror by Pearl Jam

Editor's Note: It was an innocent point that I made on a Wednesday night between rounds of Trivia. R.E.M. was the greatest American band ever. The table looked at me as if I had just called Mao a great human. Thus the debate began: Who is the greatest American band? We eliminated every singer song writer or solo performer. So Marvin Gaye, Bob Dylan, and Billy Joel, for example, were eliminated. Other than that, anything went. This week I present the arguments for who I think should be in the running.

Pros: By default, they became the face of alternative rock after Cobain killed himself. Still today, when you think alternative Pearl Jam might be the first band that pops into you head... in the mid 90s there was no one as big as Pearl Jam... Ten. Vs. Vitalogy. Talk about a murders row of commercial and critical success, that's quite a line up. Yield and even their self titled album from two years ago are good efforts that can be listened to at any time... They didn't sell out (yet), but this means something since of most of the bands on the list, their commercial success either came later or never came (R.E.M. and Wilco respectively). Pearl Jam didn't make music videos just to make them, they fought Ticketmaster, and all their songs and albums seem genuine and honest...Voted number 1 back in 2005 by USAToday readers (this can also be seen as a con)... Yield is probably one of the more important rock records to ever be released. In 1998, for those who enjoyed rock'n'roll and weren't in their 20s, this album was a beacon of light in a sea of rap-rock, boy bands, and Britney. It proved to us teenagers at the time that rock wasn't dead and it would be back eventually sounding much like this. Of all of Pearl Jam's records, this is easily their most thoughtful and forward thinking album... At their best, Pearl Jam rocks out like no other band in the last 20 years.

Cons: No Code—it was such a stinker at the time when the band shouldn't have been producing stinkers. Vitalogy teeters on being a great album, and Yield showed that the band still had plenty of great song writing left in them so what happened with No Code? The album almost sunk the band, it took Yield to get them back in the good graces of the rock world. And that should never have happened. Athletes in their primes have bad days, not bad years. And if we look at Pearl Jam in the athlete metaphor, then No Code was a really, really bad year. And really, really bad years aren't easily forgotten in the long run... Then the first five years of the 21st century (Riot Act and Binaural a real stinkers)... The band really hasn't picked up new fans as much as the old fans continue to hang on... Did they ever really develop and mature as a band in a positive way?... And it seems like nearly every Pearl Jam album over the last ten years has been one where the band has a lot to prove... not a good thing.

Best Album: Vs. -- While Ten gets props from everyone and their mother, Vs. is a more consistent and interesting album. Ten deserves all the praise it receives because it was so raw and fresh at the time and the album still holds up today, but personally, I think the album gets lost at times. Vs. on the other hand is a tight, well made, solid album with some spectacular songs: Daughter, Glorified G, Rearviewmirror, Elderly Woman Behind a Counter in a Small Town, Dissident... as far as impact, Yield of all albums may have had the longest lasting impact, but Vs. is Pearl Jam's best. One you can put on at a party, chillin' around the house, or driving in the car. Records like that don't come all that often.

Best Song: Jeremy -- The song is slowly becoming timeless (for more read here).

Nothing'severgonnastandinmyway (Again)

2008-08-15T13:34:00.005-06:00

Nothing'severgonnastandinmyway (Again) by Wilco

Editor's Note: Who is the greatest American band? We eliminated every singer song writer or solo performer—Marvin Gaye, Bob Dylan, and Billy Joel for example—were eliminated. Other than that, anything goes. This week I present the arguments for who I think should be in the running.

Pros: Sometime around the suicide of Kurt Cobain, Jeff Tweedy decided that he was going to be the greatest GenX song writer. Some of his lyrics are amazing: "You love her but you don't know why"..."The ashtray says/You were up all night"..."I'm the boy that looks excited/I'm the boy thats gonna fall apart…/I'm the boy with the poetry power/I'm the boy, smells like flowers"... Wilco sounds American, which is a major requirement if you want to be the greatest American band. This is in part because there is always that country influence in the back of every Wilco song, this makes sense seeing that they started off as an alt-century band and all...some of their songs can only be described as beautiful...as Sasha Freer-Jones wrote about a year ago Tweedy has "a knack for writing clipped, vernacular descriptions of relationships and emotional states." In other words, we've all felt like a Wilco song at some point in our lives; assuming, of course, you have a soul and have been in love...The band has tried new things over the years, changing their sound and doing it well, much like Radiohead has and the Beatles did....Being There, Summer Teeth, and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot are three good to great albums and they all sound different (and on the right day Sky Blue Sky is good)...Bonus point for being from and based out of Chicago, and considering that Norman Mailer called Chicago the most American of cities, Wilco gets extra credit, even if Chicago isn't always on their mind in their song.

Cons: This band starts and ends with Jeff Tweedy. Not that the other band mates aren't good musicians, but Tweedy is Wilco. Rarely do you hear anything remarkable in an Wilco song that doesn't have Tweedy's finger prints all over it. This might be why the band has seen a decent amount of turnover during their history...A Ghost is Born anyone? And for that matter, Sky Blue Sky didn't necessarily deliver... If you're not expecting it, A.M. seems like it was a mistake, but that's being harsh...They've sprawled countless indie bands that flat out suck but for some reason hipsters consider good. Tweedy and Wilco made the wining singer/song writer cool, and now we have to suffer though thousands of hipsters attempting to be like that, only they aren't good at it. NOTE: Let Jeff Tweedy being Jeff Tweedy, don't try to be him because you can't...I can't blame Wilco for this indie/hipster problem, but it's there and should be pointed out...Are they too recent to be considering the greatest? Do we need more time to evaluate and see how their albums age and also how they age as a band?

Best Album: Summer Teeth. Most people would say Yankee Foxtrot Hotel (and reading this is nearly comical six years later), but that's easily Wilco's most overrated album. I hate to compare it to the White Album, but honestly, there is too much noise and not enough music on each album, which always kocks each album down a little bit. Summer Teeth on the other hand, is a pop album. Wilco trying to be the Beatles. And they do a great job at this. It's easily the easiest Wilco album to listen to since it's accessible, good, and non-pretentious, yet it also features some of the greatest Wilco songs: I'm Always In Love, A Shot in the Arm, We're Just Friends, Candy Floss, etc.

Best Song: Misunderstood -- I don't think we can ever fully understand this song because it seems so personal. Tweedy is writing for himself. But the build up during the intro, the simple guitar and piano, and then Tweedy's lyrics. A masterful song and one of the greatest of all time.

These Days

2008-08-14T12:48:00.003-06:00

These Days by R.E.M.

Editor's Note: It was an innocent point that I made on a Wednesday night between rounds of Trivia. R.E.M. was the greatest American band ever. The table looked at me as if I had just called Mao a great human. Thus the debate began: Who is the greatest American band? We eliminated every singer song writer or solo performer. So Marvin Gaye, Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, etc. were eliminated. Other than that, anything went. This week I present the arguments for who I think should be in the running.

Pros: It's natural, for me, to start with R.E.M. since they are the band I called the greatest American band, and I've stood by this stance in this nearly year long debate. The case for R.E.M. is easy—if they stopped making albums in 1992 (or even in 1994), they'd probably win this debate hands down. They're first six albums were good to great, and if you're a big fan of "Out of Time" then their first eight albums are all good to great. That's an impressive feat and something most American bands can't claim. R.E.M. was incredibly flexible and fresh over this time, they never appear to try too hard (save, again, for Out of Time)... They are truly American, R.E.M. couldn't have come from any other country... well maybe Canada... they aren't the fathers of either indie or alternative rock, but you know what? Both genres wouldn't be what they are without R.E.M. the band's impact is huge. Who else can you say that about? The Velvet Underground—maybe... they're music from the 80s still holds up as fresh and new today...they sound like they're having fun, something pretty much every indie band out there should take notes and attempt to pull off.

Cons: Some people don't mind "Monster" but the album hasn't aged well. After an amazing 10 year run, they really haven't done anything that great since the early-'90s (though some people love "New Adventures in High-Fi")...They have a few too many cheesy songs that are a little too popular ("Shiny Happy People" and "It's the End of the World")... at some point they became a little too, well, generic...they're underrated? I'm not sure what that means, but I think too many GenYers have missed the boat on R.E.M. which says something right there.

Best Album: R.E.M. lacks that definitive album, which might not be a bad thing, but the home run out of the park album isn't on R.E.M.'s CV. They do have at least six albums that music fans and critics would consider classic (depending on who you ask). But if you just met someone who had never heard of R.E.M. what album do you tell them to buy? I mean, what is a must own R.E.M. album? "Automatic for the People"? "Murmur"? "Life's Rich Pageant"? I'll go with "Murmur" it might not be their best, though I'm sure many will say it is, but it's their most important album since, well, no one else sounded like this in 1983.

Best Song: These Days -- really this combines all the great things about R.E.M. It rocks, it's urgent, but not over the top, Stripe's sings the song well—maybe his most over looked ability is that he sounds so confused when he sings, yet are confusing yet awesome, But the best part of the song is the instrumental work—the guitar is great and the drum work is one of the better jobs in a rock song.

Right Here Right Now

2008-08-13T12:01:00.003-06:00

Right Here Right Now by Jesus Jones

One of the worst band names ever. Fact.

One of the more interesting songs about liberal democracy's victory over communism. Fact.

Okay, so this song doesn't have a ton going for it. It's dated: victory over communism is so passe, the opening bars of the song are cheesy, and there is an utterly pathetic bridge somewhere in there too. But hey, it's not every day that someone writes a song about the fall of communism, throws in a Bob Dylan reference, and then has such a catchy chorus that for the rest of time during any major event this song will be played during a montage. (Irony alert! Check this out about Soviet montage theory... who would have guessed?)

How much you wanta bet that NBC uses this during some Michael Phelps montage in the next week?

Listening to the song again, I now think it's underrated. Then again, I could see Pepsi using this in a commercial during the early 90s. So really... who knows... this song is too confusing. I'm going to move on before my head explodes...

Hotel Yorba

2008-08-12T16:22:00.006-06:00

Hotel Yorba by the White Stripes

The White Stripes were the first band I discovered in college... wait that isn't true. But either way, I discovered them in college while in the cafeteria. A video of "Hotel Yorba" came on and it caught my ear. I saw who it was by, went back to the dorm, fired up Napster and suddenly I had half of the songs that were ever written by the White Stripes.

I had been waiting for a band like this for years. I had been tipped about the Strokes around the same time as I found the White Stripes and in both cases it was nearly revolutionary. Where had these bands been all my life?

It was refreshing to listen to something that was a few chords, a hook, and just rock'n'roll. It was stripped down, it was simple, it was nearly perfect. "And it's 1, 2, 3, 4, take the elevator..." so simple, so perfect.

I know the Stripes still get much love from the critics, but they lost their fastball at this point. Today, they're a band that relies on junk pitches too often, that energy and the unpredictability from song to song seems to have been lost. They're a blues band at this point (and they always were at heart), which isn't a bad thing, but whenever I put on one of their new discs I'm disappointed. The in your face, fun rock'n'roll that Jack and Meg used to play is gone.

Maybe because we're all finally in on the joke. And the White Stripes aren't as much fun now that we all know the punch line.

If We Can Land A Man On The Moon, Then Surely I Can Win Your Heart

2008-08-11T14:39:00.002-06:00

If We Can Land A Man On The Moon, Then Surely I Can Win Your Heart by Beulah

I love the title to this song. It's so obvious yet so brilliant. The song itself is more fun than anything else, but the title. It really makes you think if we can put a man on the moon, then why can't she love me? After all, all you need is a pretty song. Shouldn't love be that easy? Or at least, easier than putting men on rocket ships to the moon?

I'm not often amazed about the fact that we landed many men on the moon. I don't sit around thinking about it and it doesn't blow my mind, but when I hear this song I do start to think... and it's pretty crazy. We launched men off of Earth and then some how got them to land on the moon. Putting a man on the moon has to be a much tougher feat than falling in love. So if we can as a country or society or as the human race do such a thing... then why can't I win her heart?

I think I'm repeating myself... which means it's time to go... yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah... yeah. I'll fight, if you want me to fight.

Mrs. Robinson

2008-08-10T21:30:00.012-06:00

Mrs. Robinson by Simon & Garfunkel

Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio,
Our nation turns it's lonely eyes to you.
What's that you say, Mrs. Robinson.
Joltin' Joe has left and gone away,
Hey hey hey.

About two weeks ago I said that "Born to Run" was the most American song of all time. I'm not changing my mind, but those lines above are the most iconic lyrics in American pop culture.

What is interesting about pop culture is that rarely looks to the past in a romantic way. Pop culture isn't nostalgic or longing for "way back when", instead it's about the here and now... you don't hear songs or watch movies about how great the 1970s or 1980s were. Instead we poke fun at the past and try to gain some sort of understanding of the culture then as how we got to where we are today. Sure, eventually what was popular becomes retro, but retroism isn't nostalgic. It's recycling--retroism is just trying to modernize what was cool into the present, in other words it's attempting to be cool in the present by using something that might have been somewhat forgotten.

But Simon hit on something with those lines. Simon turned DiMaggio into a nostalgic hero AND a pop culture icon. DiMaggio was no longer just a great baseball player who was married to Marlyn Monroe at one point; now he was an iconic figure and a nod to the past, a Christ like figure of late 60s popular culture (and still today). When you hear the song, you don't wonder where Joe DiMaggio went, because we all know that isn't important. We are looking for the Joe DiMaggio hero.

So how does this tie in to 1968? Simon wasn't writing the song for the times and the year itself, it was written well before everything that was to happen happened in 1968. But that's probably what fueled the song's success. In a time where everything in American society was being turned on it's head, Joe DiMaggio became the Father of pop culture. We're all searching for Joe DiMaggio, still today, in our culture. The figure that unites us and brings us closer to our past... or as Terence Mann said:
"The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again. Oh... people will come Ray. People will most definitely come."

And THAT is what Paul Simon turned Joe DiMaggio into--a reminder of all that once was good and could be again. That's what Joe DiMaggio is... the Father of Pop Culture.

Revolution

2008-08-08T15:47:00.005-06:00

Editor's Note: This week we're looking at the some of the best songs from 1968. Why? Because everyone and their mother is talking about 1968 this year. Sure it's the 40th anniversary of the most important year since 1945, but it seems like the media and old Baby Boomers want some sort of revolution this year. So to please them, we'll look at some of the better songs from 1968 and see what sort of impact they have on some Gen-Yer who was apparently named after Bobby Kennedy (even though both his grandfather and father went by Robert before RFK became a house hold name...)

Revolution by The Beatles

It's funny to think of it this way, but the Beatles weren't all that political. Seeing that Lennon would stage sit-ins or sleep-ins or whatever they were and pen "Give Peace a Chance" just a year later, but alone, not as the Beatles, it's sort of funny to think of the Beatles as a neutral band. But they were. In fact "Revolution", shockingly, was the Beatles first really political song.

Lennon, apparently changed by a trip to India in the early part of the year, wrote the song as a sort of reflection on the events of the first half of '68. Of course, Paul thought it was too political... but the song was released and the opening guitar rifts is pretty chaotic and cool at the same time... and thankfully, this is the better known of the two "Revolutions" released by the Beatles. "Revolution 1" off the White Album, while good, just doesn't carry the same punch that this plugged in 'second take' does.

This might be Lennon's finest moment as a protest or political song writer. He's basically saying, hey, you want change? You want a revolution? That's cool, we all want to change the world, but you know what? Let's take a step back and look at what we're doing. If you're going out there and cause destruction... I'll pass. You're a fan of Mao? Forget it. (Of course this maybe because Lennon was a Trotskyist, so that might be why he was telling Maoists to get lost).

But over all, this song sort lacks that finishing, almost knock out punch, that leaves you on the ground saying, wow. It's good, but it's not great.

Love Child

2008-08-07T19:12:00.006-06:00

Love Child by Diana Ross & the Supremes

This is not the first song about a bastard child, but I'm going to guess it's the first song about a illegitimate child that went to #1 and knocking the vastly overrated "Hey Jude" out of the #1 spot in the process.

The sound sounds edgy from the start, that quick guitar rift and then a ominous beat kicks in. I enjoy the bells (or triangle) in the background... Ms. Ross' voice is stellar as always. But it's the lyrics that really hit home.

If this song were to come out today, it'd be controversial. The first line "Tenement slum" seems revolutionary, and eventually we get to the chorus "Love child/Never meant to be/Love Child/Born in poverty" and then "Love Child/Never meant to be/Love Child/(Scorned by) Society/Love Child/Always second best." Those are some damning words, not to the child or even the parents... but to society.

I'm not sure that 1968 shaped the second half of the 20th century more so than any other year, it was a year of tragedy with Martin Luther THE King and Bobby Kennedy both being assassinated. We saw the protests of Vietnam, the disgrace of the Chicago Police Department, LBJ bow out of the race before it really even started, riots in many black neighborhoods in cities, the tragedy that was Vietnam really began to hit fever pitch... it was one of those years where so many truly sad and tragic events took place that when we look back we're drawn to it. But to say it was the year that shaped American society? That seems like a bit of a stretch. Events prior to and after 1968 all had a huge impact upon American: from JFK's assassination to Watergate. And neither of these events took place in 1968.

But "Love Child" highlights something else. The social ills that we see and face today; they were social ills 40 years ago. In '68, we were attempting to understand these issues and put a face on them; and we are still today. These social issues that we face today aren't new, they aren't a recent phenomon and they weren't new and recent in 1968. I'm not sure where society has gotten the idea that childbirth out of wedlock is a late 20th century and early 21st century trend... it isn't. It's been happening since humans started forming societies, if not before. In 19th century England, historians figure that up to 25% of all births were out of wedlock.

So "Love Child" wasn't ground breaking in that sense, the bastard child has always been down the block... but "Love Child" did introduce the issue to a conservative country and pop culture. Did it make people think? Probably not everyone, but I'm sure it made a few people think about the issue. And for that, it is one of the more important songs to be released.

(Sittin' On The) Dock Of The Bay

2008-08-06T21:40:00.002-06:00

All Along the Watchtower

2008-08-05T20:30:00.005-06:00

All Along the Watchtower by Bob Dylan or Jimi Hendrix

In many ways this is the most appropriate song for this year. A song, with apocalyptic references, released actually just five days before the start of 1968 by Dylan, and then covered and released by
Hendrix in the fall of 1968. It shouldn't come as much of a surprise that Dylan's original sounds completely different than Hendrix's cover.

Dylan plays and sings the song pretty straight forward. A harmonica sets the tone and then a steady guitar and drums plow forward. The lyrics are the most import part of the song, the story that Dylan sings to us is a conversation between a joker and a thief. The song closes, referencing the Book of Isaiah, as two riders approach. The end is near. Dylan's version is some what haunting, but also rushed. It's almost as if Dylan could foresee the political upheaval that the upcoming year would see.

Hendrix's cover, on the other hand, is chilling. It feels like an attempt to catch the craziness of 1968. The opening guitar work and riff might be one of the five most famous openings in all of Rock'n'Roll. It has the feeling of guns and bombs going off, and then Hendrix almost speaks, "There must be some way out of here..." I'm not sure if any of the lines of the song hit home quite like that one.

The song, when viewed from the prism that Dylan wrote it, is a classic case of life imitating art. When Dylan wrote the song, American public opinion was still in favor of the war. It was the Tet Offensive, beginning at the end of Jan. 1968 that would swing American public opinion against the war. Suddenly, by September 1968 when Hendrix sings "There must be some way out of here", it takes on a whole new meaning.

The amazing thing about this song is how two versions, released only 9 months apart, could be so different and feel so different. Dylan's feels almost like a story told by and for citizens of the Middle Ages. I always imagine the people on horses, wearing their Adam of the Road cloths, discussing the story of the Joker and the Thief. On the flip side the Hendrix version is, thanks to so many movies and TV specials, linked to Vietnam. The song sounds like a hopeless cause, no we aren't losing, but we sure as hell aren't winning. Hendrix's version meanders with guitar solos, Dylan's is direct (and naturally 90 seconds shorter).

Now, the question is, why would anyone else cover this song? Dylan's original is pretty great. Hendrix's, according to so many, is even better. So why bother? How can anyone put a new twist on this song? And yes, Mr. Dave Matthew's I'm looking at you and your craptastic cover.