A Drop of Musical Perfection

There are certain songs that so perfectly invoke a feeling or mood that you can't help but listen to them on repeat. They're like little snowflakes of sound: unique and beautiful, playful, and hopefully plentiful when the world leaves you cold. You want to feel something? Listen carefully, thoughtfully, and openly.

"You You You You You" by the 6ths and Katherine Whalen. This song is clean, like a snowflake, but also intricate. It's delicate but strong. I love the humming and I love the strumming.

"Something to Do With My Hands" by Her Space Holiday. Like Jack's Mannequin (a.k.a. Andrew McMahon and friends, Her Space Holiday is (usually) a one-man band of Marc Bianchi. He writes deliciously careful lyrics, and by careful I mean detailed to the point of obsession. Gorgeous computer static backs his lyrics.

"Who's Gonna Take The Weight" by Gang Starr. I <3 Gang Starr. Impeccable flow and ridiculously engaging lyrics make for a beautiful experience.

"Don't Lose Touch" by Against Me! I saw these Florida boys live, and although the stadium was not as welcoming as a smaller venue would have been, I definitely felt the gospel of Against Me!. I think almost everyone takes themselves too seriously. I mean so many things are funny, it's a shame that people don't laugh at themselves more often. Maturity is absolutely knowing when and where to be immature, and it's absolutely not being serious 24/7.

"...SOS Texted from a cell phone.
Please tell me I'm not the only one
that thinks we're taking ourselves too seriously.
Just a little too enamored with inflated self purpose.
Talk is cheap. And it doesn't mean much.
Don't lose touch. Don't lose touch..."

That's all for now. I'll be back later with many more thoughts on songs and sounds.

My Girlfriend's Boyfriend - Her Space Holiday

"You can't make someone love you with a song"

Youtube and Music

As anyone who reads this blog regularly can attest, I've been a little preoccupied with Youtube lately. This preoccupation could have something to do with my recent hectic schedule, or it could be my need to fill this empty, silent space with sound, or it could be connected to my current lack of interest in reading books. The last factor took me by complete surprise, because I'm usually such a ridiculous bookworm that no one can pull me from a good story. Lately, my mind has been elsewhere and I really haven't been able to focus and connect with the written language.

Not to say that I haven't been reading, because I'm absolutely one of those people who can't stop. Magazines, newspaper articles, essays, poetry, and short stories have all worked their way into my head, but I haven't picked up my own book since last Thursday. I'm pretty sure it isn't Gogol (Dead Souls is an amazing story reminiscent of Dickens), so it just must be my new attention deficit disorder or maybe the weather. I'm puzzled.

To get back to Youtube: I absolutely think that it's an amazing resource and a happy way to waste time. Yesterday, I went on for twenty minutes (when I could have been reading Gogol)and just looked for John Cusack clips. I'm not a stalker and I don't want to marry John (unlike some of the fifty-somethings commenting under the clips), I just love some of the things he says in movies. As far as music and Youtube go, they're basically a match made in heaven for us music-lovers who don't have digital cable (and who are too impatient to watch television anyway). You can search an artist and find live footage, music videos, fan videos, and random funny stuff. Plus, if you're a multi-tasking nut, you can have a Youtube window going while you do other things. I <3 the internet.

El Scorcho - Weezer

I'm so feeling this song right now. I love the strobe-light section where everything looks like it's going to blow up. Yay for Pinkerton!

Wonderlust King - Gogol Bordello

I'm such a gypsy. Rock on Eugene! I definitely feel like this song should be called "Wanderlust King", though. Maybe it's lost in translation...

The Way I Am - Ingrid Michaelson

She's so cute. This song makes me smile!

There was a time when I could breathe

But lately it seems like things are always taking my breath away. Good music is one of those things that never fails to make me gasp. Here are a few songs that have been leaving me breathless lately:

"Paranoia In B Major" by the Avett Brothers. On Myspace these brothers claim that "it costs nothing to be honest, loyal, and true", and I certainly hope that they're right because their music aspires to all of these virtues and more. Steady banjo, roughly harmonious vocals, and dizzily logical lyrics make my heart beat like a manic drum.

"...I got secrets from you, you got secrets from me
Because you’re so worried about what I’m gonna think,
Well I’m worried too
But if love is a game, girl, then you’re gonna win
I’ll spend the rest of my life bringing victory in
If you want me to"

"Silver Lining" by Rilo Kiley. I was never enamored with Rilo Kiley (or even Jenny Lewis) until I heard this song. Maybe it's my current mood, maybe it's that deep, dark place inside of my heart that longs for life to be a musical, but I can't help but get this song stuck in my head whenever it's on the radio. It's less country-rock than most Rilo Kiley songs. I love the lyrics over softly stylish synth.

"The Way I Am" by Ingrid Michaelson. This song was perfectly chosen by Old Navy to sell their new winter sweaters, and I bet it worked well. The sound is toasty and comfortable, just how you want your sweaters to be, and the lyrics are warm. "I love the way you call me baby..."

"Love You Madly" by Cake. I will always regret missing these boys play for free in Boston! What was I thinking? Well, apparently I wasn't thinking about this song. It's the shit. Choice lyric: "All the dishes rattle in the cupboards when the elephants arrive."

"Hush" by Kula Shaker. I love the Deep Purple original, but Kula Shaker takes this song to blues-soul heights that Deep Purple never ventured near. Shake it Kula!

Love in the Time of Magic Realism

I read Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Love In The Time of Cholera a couple of summers ago, and I was blown away by the imagery. The story, on the other hand, struck me as a little plain. The characters are multifaceted, the language and setting gorgeous, and the big question (can true love wait fifty years?) is really somewhat of a cliche. A love triangle spanning fifty years at the end of the 19th century in South America? Can you spell romance, because I'm pretty sure Marquez can.

Seeing as I'm not the kind of girl who's knocked off her feet by romance novels, I grew slightly bored with Fermina, Florentino, and Juvenal. The back and forth, the obsession, the pride which so often leads to prejudice, and the unsatisfactory marriages were all commonplace in my mind. Instead, I was struck again and again by the small descriptions of city streets in Europe and South America, by the childhood events and observances (for instance, Fermina's description of learning to smoke a cigarette with the lit end in her mouth), and the liberal and thoughtful use of language. These small gifts built an entire world in my head, so that even when I was tired of Florentino's constant, guilt-ridden womanizing, I was still interested in the story.

I was confused to read that the book was being made into a movie (which will be released in US theaters on Friday), because I feel that this book is one that needs to be chewed carefully and digested slowly. Fifty years of unrequited love adds up not only to a passionate finale, but also to many days of monotony and seemingly random observations that should not be swallowed whole. I doubt that I'm the only reader who required all 368 pages to even begin to understand the nuances of Marquez's poetry, and I don't know how the movie will do justice to the small earthquakes of emotion that shake the book and the reader.

If the soundtrack is any indication though, the film-makers are paying close attention to the details. Released today, the majority of the soundtrack is composed of score songs by Antonio Pinto with three delicate and bold songs by Shakira. The songs rarely break the three minute barrier, yet they encompass a spectrum of emotional highs and lows. "Love" begins softly with a dark, clockwork undertone, while "White Suit" is a playful, yet almost mournful serenade (there's always some sadness in celebration). "Hildebranda", "The Widow", and "Sex Drum" play up the sensuality of Latin rhythm. "My New Life", "1900", and "The Boat" are softer, calmer, and more mature approaches to love. I can easily imagine these songs soundtracking the intertwined lives of Florentino (along with his ubiquitous lovers), Fermina, and Juvenal. The Shakira songs add a voice to the soundtrack that's particularly soothing. Shakira acts as narrator with three tracks that are as passionate as they are schizophrenic. "Hay Amores" strikes me as a nice introduction to the film, an opening credit song that hits on all the major points. On the other hand, "Despedida" simmers and boils over like the best of Carlos Santana. Instead of being governed by a guitar solo, "Despedida" is governed by Shakira's voice, which creates sounds akin to magic realism. "Pienso en Ti" shudders with delicacy, and echoes with catharsis. I hope that this triad has been placed at the beginning, middle, and end of Love in the Time of Cholera, because they strike me as appropriate guideposts in this long journey.

I am still uncertain about Love in the Time of Cholera, and my current hope (raised by the gorgeous soundtrack) may be deflated when I actually see the movie. Still, Antonio Pinto and Shakira have made me think twice about dismissing Love.

The Perfect Mixtape

I believe in the power of mixtapes to convey all kinds of emotions, and (as described in Avenue Q) confuse the receiver. Mixtapes are also a pop-culture commodity, playing a central role in the movie High Fidelity, and taking on a life of their own in the book Hairstyles of the Damned. What defines a perfect mixtape, depends most on the sentiment you're trying to convey; but, there are a few simple rules for building mixes:

1. Pick a theme. Choose songs that work together lyrically and musically, and try not to bounce from idea to idea without a connecting thread.

2. Try listening to the beginnings of songs juxtaposed against the ends of the songs they follow. If you have a song that drops off without warning, and it's followed by a song that has a long and quiet intro, you should think about rearranging your list to create a better musical progression.

3. Start your mix with an identifiable song, but follow it up with something new and refreshing.

4. Don't place two songs by the same artist next to each other in the mix, unless you're creating an artist-specific mix.

5. The cardinal rule of mix-taping is: Don't give a mix tape with love songs to someone who you're not romantically interested in, unless you have previously defined the status of your relationship (i.e: you're definitely "friends", or the receiver is related to you).

6. Have fun and be creative! Rules are meant to be broken.

Here's my latest mix, concocted with uncertainty in my mind and restlessness in my heart. As you can see, I've broken most of my own rules:

"Tears Dry On Their Own" by Amy Winehouse

"Little Wing" by Jimi Hendrix

"Dark Blue" by Jack's Mannequin

"Boxcar" by Jawbreaker

"Rebellion (Lies)" by Arcade Fire

"A Message to You Rudy" by the Specials

"What Is Rock" by Blue Man Group

"J.A.R." by Green Day

"Time Bomb" by the Old 97's

"Clampdown" by the Clash

"Hey Hey What Can I Do" by Led Zeppelin

"Fear of Heights" by Apollo Sunshine

"Sweet Child O'Mine" by Guns 'n' Roses

"Rebels of the Sacred Heart" by Flogging Molly

"My Old School" by Steely Dan

"Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In" by the Fifth Dimension

The Roots of Malarkey

I'm not one of those people who makes a hobby out of "collecting" relatives. This is partially because I'm a New World girl, but also because I'm kind of afraid of what I'll find. In fact, almost every time I've looked into my heritage, I've realized something I didn't want to know.

Yes, it's true that if you shake anyone's family tree, you're bound to come across a few criminals and con-men, but I've realized that such types make up the majority of my ancestors. It's not that I don't want to be associated with criminals and con-men, it's more that I realize that I'm attracted to alternative lifestyles. I could be an itinerant, a bard, someone without debts. Wanderlust is not a new plague, but it's one that I'm still learning to reconcile with my current life.

Long story short, I was pleased to see this article in the New York Times tonight: "Humdinger of a Project: Tracing Slang to Ireland" by Corey Kilgannon

The creation of slang is absolutely something of which I can be proud, along with the art of a good con (on television of course), and the amazing humor of the American-Irish. Really, without the Irish there would be no "dude" or "twerp", no "gimmick" or "scam". You couldn't tell someone to "scram", or laugh at your friend for reciting an event that was a load of "malarkey".

I think this is amazing, especially since I'm a word fiend. In the spirit of American-Irish slang, I'll continue to create words like ridiculawesome (with a lot of help from my friends), while pulling out the occasional, almost obsolete word like bumbershoot and using it in regular conversation. Join me and we can change the world of words!

Why everyone should love Rolling Stone

Lately, I've been slightly annoyed by all of the Rolling Stone 40th anniversary issues. Do we really need to live in the past? Flower power and revolution were all the rage, but that's no longer the case, and most of the people who were calling for social change in the 1960s are now very happy with the money they're making on their Halliburton stock.

My cynicism just added to my surprise when I opened the cover of the latest Rolling Stone. I found interviews that don't predict the past, but that challenge our conceptions of the future. What's really interesting is that they don't just challenge the future of music (although there are a few exciting sections on the future of music), they challenge politics, the environment, globalism and international economic structure, the feasibility of peace, medicine, technology, religion, and art. Among the interviewed are political commentators/comedians Bill Maher and Jon Stewart, Professor of Religion and hip-hop artist Cornell West, Jane Goodall, William Gibson, Bono, Eddie Vedder, and Mr. Gore. I personally think Neil Gaiman was short-changed, but I was very happy that Cornell West was included. I recently saw him speak at a Black History celebration. He's a powerful orator and an articulate and educated man. His grasp of language is really quite beautiful with a certain cadence similar to music. Here's an excerpt from the Rolling Stone interview:

"RS: So you're optimistic about the future?

Cornell West: The categories of optimism and pessimism don't exist for me. I'm a blues man. A blues man is a prisoner of hope, and hope is a qualitatively different category than optimism. Optimism is a secular construct, a calculation of probability. Black folk in America have never been optimistic about the future - what have we had to be optimistic about? But we are people of hope. Hope wrestles with despair, but it doesn't generate optimism. It just generates this energy to be courageous, to bear witness, to see what the end is going to be. No guarantee, unfinished, open-ended. I'm a prisoner of hope. I'm going to die full of hope..."


If you get a chance, then you should check out these articles. They make me feel a little better about the future.

Conscious Pilot - Apollo Sunshine

"Pull our pockets inside out
Our hips have grown wings
And with the block and tackle or dumbwaiter
We'll hoist ourselves up with strings

If someone were to pull and tug
It would only make us flat
Once our pockets think they're wings
We're guaranteed to fly

We'll flutter for change
Collecting strangers
But they'll all look the same
So let's float away for good

The fighters aren't fighting
They're just dancin' round the ring
And so their butterflies have been lit off
They're in the alley, down the street

They're rallying in cardboard boxes
They're trying to find the ring
They're trusting the caterpillar instincts
That they'll soon be flown away

They'll flutter for change
And warm up their wings
Cause today is only today
Soon it will float away for good

And I remember everything
So I'll remember everything
And I remember everything
So I'll remember everything"

Ghosts of Blues Folk

I'm about a week late for haunting reviews, but I happened to stumble upon a spooky band this morning and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to pick apart their sound.

The band is the Pine Hill Haints, and they call Alabama home. Before I heard the Pine Hill Haints' new album Ghost Dance, I just thought Jim Morrison was being dramatic and artsy when he wrote "Alabama Whiskey Bar", but actually I think he was picking up on the macabre air of Alabama. The word spirited takes on a double meaning when listening to the Pine Hill Haints. On the one hand, their music is truly celebratory. Songs like "Spirit of 1812" and "Say Something, Say Anything" are the type of campfire songs that would make Morrison's ghost proud. To put it plainly, they rock.

On the other hand, there are the twin covers of Louis Armstrong's "St. Louis Blues" and "St. James Infirmary" which were a little haunting to begin with and which now seem to channel the ghost of Armstrong. This ghost isn't something to fear, per se, actually it's a kind of sad, wan shadow of a blues man with intense musical talent. I enjoy these covers, but more than anything, they make me long for the originals. The strength and exuberance of Armstrong's trumpet is missing from this campfire music, but maybe that's the most fitting way to pay homage to the master. The obvious lack of horn swing makes these songs a little lonely, echoing, and much less hopeful than the originals.

Once you get into the album Ghost Dance you start to realize that it's composed of more than just the ghosts of great musicians. There's a talent here that's still alive and it shines through all of the lurid melodrama of the album. Songs like "I Never Thought The Day Would Come When You Could Hate Me So Dearly" and "Death by Stereo" play up the ghastly theme but are also just incredibly fun songs. The former is a guitar/accordian driven Southern anthem that is filled with the sarcasm of much country music. The lyrics are playful and well-written, but not over-written. The latter - "Death By Stereo" - sounds like it was recorded in a cave, near a swamp, by a hermit. Alright, maybe I'm being dramatic, but this song is far from overproduced. I like the grit and dirt of the percussion and guitar, and I like the intimate feeling that this grime evokes.

There are more than a few great songs on this twenty-song album. I personally recommend "Raggie Taggie Gypsy", "Cuckoo Bird", and "For Every Glass That's Empty". I would also recommend that you catch the Pine Hill Haints live. They're currently on tour, and in an event of beautiful (painful) serendipity they're playing in Boston tonight at TT the Bear's, and I have no one with whom to attend this festival of folk. I hope that my lovely readers have more luck!

Mellow Crush Mix

This is for a good friend who's found herself struck by that most insidious of infatuations: the mellow crush. It doesn't smash you over the head like most crushes, it just slowly sneaks into your mind, and usually involves someone you've known for a long time. You run into said person, and suddenly their stupid mannerisms are really cute and you're not quite as annoyed by the things they say. I told you that it's sneaky! Good luck with that.

"I'm Ready" by Jack's Mannequin. Everything in Transit is my latest addiction, and it's full of equally wonderful songs for break-ups and crushes. This music is about as emo as I get, and I just love swimming through the piano ballads and the painfully introverted lyrics. For example, the interlude to this song appropriately describes the way I feel half of the time: lost and apathetic, but the rest of the song shows that yearning for life that is always adding to my restlessness and that really makes me care. Perfect mellow crush fuel in my humble opinion.

"...I come undone, oh yes, I do
Just think of all the thoughts wasted on you
And every word you say, says something sweet
Cause all I taste is blood between my teeth
As I'm finding the words... you're getting away...

...I wake up to find it's another
Four aspirin morning, and I dive in
I put on the same clothes I wore yesterday.
When did society decide that we had to change
and wash a tee shirt after every individual use?
If it's not dirty, I'm gonna wear it.
I take the stairs to the car
And there's fog on the windows.
(As I'm finding the words...)
I need caffeine in my blood stream,
I take caffeine in the blood stream.
I grip the wheel and all at once I realize:
(And you're getting away...)
My life has become a boring pop song
And everyone's singing along..."

"Head Over Feet" by Alanis Morisette. This song describes that realization that guys can be really sweet and attentive, instead of dumb and immature. It's sweet, and sweet is an accomplishment for Alanis whose music is usually pretty brutal and caustic. You just can't help falling for those guys who are thoughtful.

"Whatta Man" by Salt 'n' Pepa. The quintessential male-appreciation song. S & P make hardcore hip-hop that is female-empowerment in musical form, and that is also just awesome. Not necessarily the kind of music you want to listen to with your parents, but definitely great.

"I Will Dare" by The Replacements. The 'mats are one of my favorite bands because they took punk rock to a different level, they kept things original, and they weren't afraid to throw a few country hooks in their rockers. The lyrics to this song seem like a bit of a laundry list of personality differences, followed by a "dare" of sorts, but the chorus is what's really sweet.

"Meet me anyplace or anywhere or anytime
Now, I don't care, meet me tonight
If you will dare, I will dare..."

"Eyes" by Apollo Sunshine. With a funky bass bounce and swirly twirly guitar joy in the background, this song could be played on pop radio except for the fact that a few of the lyrics are irreverently inappropriate. "What are we doing when we're not doing each other?" always gets big hoots from a live audience. Mostly though, this song is just ridiculously cute.

"Up On Cripple Creek" by the Band. Jam band joy with a quick nod to Dylan. I love this song because of its inane observations and pop culture references. When you have a mellow crush what do you notice? Well all the cute little personality traits that belong to the person you're crushin' on.

"All The Small Things" by Blink-182. This song brings me right back to my formative middle school years. The music's not particularly challenging, in fact it's the epitome of three-chord rock, but the lyrics are sarcastic and cheeky. You know that age when boys are pulling your hair and calling you an idiot because they like you? This is the soundtrack to those years.

"Pressure Drop" by The Clash. This is my ultimate party song, and a song that I want played at my wedding (in the unlikely event that I get married). Love summed up in three words: "It Is You!".

"Til The End of Time" by Devotchka. From the painfully disfunctional dark comedy Little Miss Sunshine, this song is good for riding your camel through the desert, but the violin swirling and climbing up the percussion and the spooky whistling add a certain romantic element to the composition.

"...And everybody knows where this is heading
Forgive me for forgetting
Our hearts irrevocably combined
Star-crossed souls slow dancing
Retreating and advancing
Across the sky until the end of time..."

"A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More 'Touch Me'" by Fall Out Boy. Maybe I lied a little when I wrote that Jack's Mannequin is about as emo as I get, actually Fall Out Boy fills that category. I started listening to this song for the lengthy vampire-filled video, but I stayed attached to it because of its heart-sick lyrics and hook-stuffed melody.

"...And you're just the girl all the boys want to dance with
And I'm just the boy who's had too many chances

I'm sleeping on your folk's porch again, dreaming
She said, she said, she said, "Why don't you just drop dead?"

I don't blame you for being you
But you can't blame me for hating it
So say, what are you waiting for?
Kiss her! Kiss her!
I set my clocks early 'cause I know I'm always late..."

"Dark Blue" by Jack's Mannequin. I told you that there were lots of gems on this album. This song happens to be my personal favorite for mellow crushes. The imagery of floods and drowning are perfectly synonymous with falling in love.

"...Dark blue, dark blue
Have you ever been alone in a crowded room well I'm here with you
I said the world could be burning 'til there's nothing but dark blue
Just dark blue

And this flood, this flood is slowly rising up, swallowing the ground
Beneath, my feet
Tell me how anybody thinks under this condition so
I'll swim, I'll swim as the water rises up
sun is sinking down and now all I can see
are the planets in a row suggesting it's best that I
slow down
this night's a perfect shade of dark blue..."

Phoney Marony Live - Apollo Sunshine

...and do the phoney marony!!

The Sound of Silence - Simon & Garfunkel

Hello darkness, my old friend,
I've come to talk with you again,
Because a vision softly creeping,
Left its seeds while I was sleeping,
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence.

In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone,
'Neath the halo of a street lamp,
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence.

And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more.
People talking without speaking,
People hearing without listening,
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dare
Disturb the sound of silence.

"Fools" said I, "You do not know
Silence like a cancer grows.
Hear my words that I might teach you,
Take my arms that I might reach to you."
But my words like silent raindrops fell,
And echoed
In the wells of silence

And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made.
And the sign flashed out its warning,
in the words that it was forming.

And the sign said,
"The words of the prophets
are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls."
And whisper'd in the sounds of silence.

Howling Halloween Mix

"Thriller" is a great song, but there are only so many times you can watch Michael Jackson dance like a fool. When you need some new music for the scariest night of the year, try listening to these howling Halloween hits.

"Witchcraft" by Frank Sinatra. So his "witch" is more Samantha than Elphaba (yes, I love Wicked too), but this song is truly bewitching. Sung by "the voice" with big band accompaniment, this would be included on the soudtrack of my personal Halloween movie. When your grandparents convince you to watch Bell, Book, and Candle think of this song.

"Save Ginny Weasley From Dean Thomas" by Harry and the Potters. Nerd-core to the enth degree. "When we were young and innocent, I saved you from a basilisk, I think that that deserves a kiss, but you're all over Dean Thomas". I mean how cute can you get before you make me throw-up (apparently a little cuter, because I'm a big fan of this song).

"Hitchin' A Ride" by Green Day. I've chosen some of these songs because they're innately creepy, some because they have appropriate subject matter, and some for their ridiculous videos. This is one of the songs that I chose for the ridiculous video.



It's like a Creature Double Feature with the giant Betty Boop head and the giant insect!

"Chim Chim Cher-ee" by The Original Cast of Mary Poppins. When I was a small child, I loved to watch this movie. The part where the chimney sweeps and the children dance on the rooftops always kind of scared me, not because I'm afraid of chimney sweeps, but because their "world" was so dark. Still, with Burt on their side, nothing bad could happen. I was always much more afraid of the guys at the bank than anything else in Mary Poppins. Creepy.

"Ghost" by Apollo Sunshine. I can't begin to describe how eerie this song feels when played live. It's such a quiet song in the beginning that everyone goes silent. You remember that you're in a room full of strange people who are all experiencing the same thing. Then the guitar ressurects you and you fly towards the sunshine (Apollo Sunshine that is), and then everyone forgets themselves again and a mosh-pit is formed.

"Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead" by the Original Cast of the Wizard of Oz. By far, the shortest song on my list. This is because, in 47 seconds, it is able to convey everything you need to know about the Wicked Witch. She's dead!

"Coin-Operated Boy" by the Dresden Dolls. The band that coined the term cabaret-goth, can never overcome the sheer perfection of their first hit. They achieve a balance of pity, humor, and disgust for the main character who wants the titular boy. It's funny in the same way that Johnny Depp's Willy Wonka is funny.

"Musc Box" by Regina Spector. You may have heard parts of this song in car commercials. It's your average, absurd but honest Regina Spector song. The melody is similar to a tango, and at first sounds like it's being played inside a music box. As the song continues, Regina howls and chokes like a cat on a furball.

"Life inside the music box ain't easy
The malots hit, the gears are always turning
And everyone inside the mechanism
Is yearning
To get out

And sing another melody completely
So different from the one they're always singing
I close my eyes and think that I have found me
But then I feel mortality surround me
I want to sing another melody
So different from the one I always sing..."

"Don't Lose Your Head" by Queen. Umm, just watch Highlander. BTW: They DO mean literally.

"Fools Rush In" by Bow Wow Wow. This is a manic cover, and the vocalist isn't really trying to make the song sound pretty or enchanting or even slightly attractive. The lyrics thrown over spacey guitars and southern hemisphere drumming make for an interesting and disturbing mix of sounds.

"Ghost Town" by ZOX. Not a cover of the Specials' song, although equally ska-tastic. The bouncy bass and shrieking violin backing nonchalantly delivered but descriptive lyrics make for a fun experience. Especially strange is the fact that the scary chorus is surrounded by sing-song chanting. One of my favorite ZOX songs purely because of it's bizarre nature.

"...Well I live in this ghostown
The whispers from the walls will fall like feathers to the ground
And I walk upon these cemetery streets
I don't speak the language of the skeletons I meet.

I live in this ghostown
The acid in the architecture is burning the place down
And I look out on these solitary streets
Empty as an afterthought in purple pools of gasoline
Purple pools of gasoline

Olie olie olie ahh
The river's all in flames
Olie olie olie ahh
I can't go home again
Olie olie olie ahh
This city speaks in rain..."

For People Who've Played WAY Too Much Guitar Hero

You're tired of "Woman" by Wolfmother and pretty much everything by Wolfmother, but you still need some contemporary hard-rock that doesn't suck. Well, I've found just the thing for you headbangers: Birds of Avalon.

They sound just like the "new old", meaning they've stolen everything and produced it well, placing their anachronistic sound in a package that's more Fall Out Boy than lo-fi boy. Their album artwork strikes that weird fantasy chord that's so attractive to the World of Warcraft crowd, but you could definitely mosh if you went to a concert. Bazaar Bazaar, Birds of Avalon's first album, is a strange patchwork of psychedelic, slithering and pummeling, guitar-driven rock. "Bicentennial Baby" makes the whole world love the '80s, a difficult fete to accomplish. Chugging guitars and spurts of solos populate the song. "Wanderlust" mixes "Within You Without You" with "Battle of Evermore", and makes you feel like you could be in a world of swirly twirly gumdrops and magical elves (more chill than Candyland). I must admit that "Wanderlust" in particular is a strange aural experience, but it's followed by "Superpower" which is a shot of energy and contemporary noise after the Dark ages of "Wanderlust". "Where's My Jet Pack" is cool for a few reasons. I think it has one of the best names ever, and it's also a mix of free jazz, jam, hard rock sound. The final song "Lost Pages from The Robot Repair Manual" is a little anthem that best represents the sound of Birds of Avalon. I can't help but imagine little boys wanting to be rock stars. This album is so obviously paying homage to every "guitar hero" whose music these boys loved, but it's also a decent album to introduce these sounds to a new audience. It's nice to know that if you need an injection of rock, you can get it somewhere besides your parents' vinyl.

On Repeat: "Subterranean Homesick Blue" - Bob Dylan

I know I copied the lyrics to this song into this blog before, but I just love this video. Signs like suck-cess, and pawking metaws just add to the whole flavor of the song.

A Cause Worth Fighting For

Micro-lending is an idea that, I think, is really benefiting the World. It's something anyone can do, whether you're walking down the street and someone asks you for a buck or you're lending $25 to a widow in the Ukraine so she can jump-start her grocery store. These small donations, are the things that affect real people, and you can see the affect on their entire community. For those who don't know, micro-lending - in its most basic form - helps individuals.

Let's say a woman in Kenya needs a sewing machine for her tailoring business. This woman has no credit and no collateral to speak of, so the major lending organizations won't lend her $100 for a sewing machine, but this sewing machine would profit the entire community. The people of her commmunity wouldn't have to buy so many clothes, because they could just have their clothes mended, and the money they spent on mending would go directly back into their businesses. Still, Worldbank says no. What do you do? Apply to a micro-lending organization for a loan. With loans of $25 - $500 you can change actual people's lives, but I'm not here to ask for your money. Actually, Natalie Portman wants you to lend!

Big Change: Songs for FINCA is a new album put together by Natalie Portman for Foundation for International Community Assistance. The album is available on iTunes, and is composed of 16 alternative songs by artists like Antony & the Johnsons, The Shins, Norah Jones, and Beirut. In all honesty, the album itself isn't really my cup of tea, but for people who like the music, it's an excellent way to support a a great cause.

Other excellent ways to support micro-lending? Try going to these sites:

Kiva

and

FINCA

and read the book Banker to the Poor: Micro-lending and the Battle Against World Poverty by Nobel-prize winner Muhammad Yunus.

Hu Jintao, say it isn't so!

So apparently Hu Jintao, the current leader of China, is not a big fan of music. Don't get the wrong idea, he may have a huge Rolling Stones vinyl collection that he rocks out with at home, I wouldn't know, because I'm not his best friend. It's just that based on what I've read about the music "allowed" in China, I would assume that he's either not a fan or just enjoys controlling the Chinese people too much to let his love of music stand in the way.

The New York Times published this story: "The Sound, Not of Music, but of Control" by Howard W. French, and it got me thinking about the way our government controls us through music and the way it differs from China's attempts.

In China, the idea is to subdue directly by lulling the listener into a state of apathy. The radio stations are not allowed to play anything that could spark revolution, and so, obviously, there's a huge underground rock scene a.k.a. musical revolution.

"...Liu Sijia, the bass player and a vocalist for an underground Shanghai band called Three Yellow Chicken, said alternative music in China today is much like Western rock in the 1960s, with its frequent references to social issues like war, poverty, civil rights and generational conflict..."

This quote was taken from the above article, and I think it just emphasizes the prospect of revolution because of the way the Chinese government is treating music. Hu Jintao is causing a little revolution everyday by keeping homogenous and obvious mind-control music on the radio.

Hey, maybe he should take a page out of the U.S. goverment's book! They seem to be doing pretty well lately. (That was my obvious segue!)

I know a lot of you lovely blog readers are wondering what I've been smoking, but really I've actually read about this subject. I would recommend the book Something In The Air: Radio, Rock, and the Revolution that Shaped a Generation by Marc Fisher.

Here's my argument: The U.S. government controls us with music, but they do it in a very sneaky way. We live in what is basically a capitalist nation, and the government (in the form of the FCC) is given certain power over what we hear on the radio and really who owns the radio stations. This system is built for businesses with money, and it helps to propagate monopolies. Clear Channel and its cronies are playing the shit that sells, to make money. In turn, the government is getting a good piece of that money through taxes, and the economy is thriving, because every young hipster is out buying the new Akon cd for $15 a shot. Do you see the pattern yet?

People work to make money. They make money to pay for things like food, shelter, education, and healthcare. If they're good patriots, then whatever's left goes to the economy. People work more hours to buy more things (including the music they hear on the radio) and they have less time to actually think about what they're buying or why they're buying anything at all. You think I'm crazy? Well, next time something horrible happens listen for the sound of our President telling us to "shop" for the economy. It isn't all for our economy, it's actually a form of control. If you're worried about your debt, then you're less likely to realize all the things that are wrong with the world, and even less likely to stand up and say that things are wrong.

Let's take it further. Why do you think the government was so upset about illegal downloading? It wasn't just because it was stealing; after all, big businesses steal all the time, both legally and illegally. Actually, I think the real reason the government was so angry was that people weren't fueling the economy with their musical purchases. Music sales have gone way down and giant businesses have closed their doors, and some people have begun to realize that most of the music they were paying $20 a cd for, wasn't really worth anything. This sounds like a small revolution to me, and I think it made the government anxious.

Really communism and capitalism share the same bed, capitalism has just learned to hide its snoring.

Songs about Ping Pong

A great friend of mine sent me a note about a band called Operator Please, and I got pretty excited. That's a boring story for all you lovely blog readers, but it's one of the catalysts that synthesized my current musical mind-frame, and so I think it's an important thing to note. After all, you can't claim all great musical discoveries as your own. It's important to share.

Operator Please has a cute name, that, for some inexplicable reason, conjures visions of the 1950s. However, their music sounds like nothing you would ever hear in a sock-hop, and that's a good thing. The songs are overwhelmingly high-energy, and even the slower songs remind me of the Sneaker Pimps' "6 Underground", which has that menace-simmering-on-low-but-ready-to-boil quality. Maybe I'm going crazy (it's an obvious possibility), but whenever I listen to "6 Underground", I feel like it could just blow up in my head, and that's exactly the way I feel when I listen to Operator Please.

Operator Please is female-fronted and female-dominated (with drummer Timmy injecting testosterone), but they achieve something in their music that I've been waiting to hear for a long time: balance. Instead of writing songs about "girls and girly things", or about feminism, they just write songs. This is important to me as a woman. It may sound silly, but it's difficult to find songs that achieve true femininity without sacrificing universal connection. What I mean is that when I listen to Rancid or the Beatles or Led Zeppelin, I can emotionally connect to their music while still being aware of the fact that they are boy bands. It doesn't matter that "Old Friend" was (probably) written about a girl, because the sentiment applies to my feelings about guys. When it comes to recent girl band music, I don't feel that same ability to universally connect.

I love Le Tigre and the Donnas, but "What's Yr Take On Cassavetes" and "40 Boys In 40 Nights" don't immediately apply themselves to my life. Le Tigre is a great band, but I often feel that their music is so obsessed with feminism that it misses the important and awesome differences (yes, there are differences) between men and women. The Donnas achieve something similar, but go about it by a different route. They make cock-rock as a girl band. The male misogynism and the female objectification is reversed by the Donnas, and the men in their songs become objects. This is fun music for a girl's night out, and the point that they're making is valid, but I don't think it's the healthiest way to deal with sexism in music.

Operator Please achieves something completely different, they make good alternative music that applies to all sexes and doesn't bash any of them (outside of the ex-bashing that takes place all over the music scene). They also make music that's fun and exciting, and reminiscent of the Fratellis. "Just A Song About Ping Pong" is humorous, with it's double-entendre lyrics and hyper delivery. The video -which you can view below - reminds me of an M.C. Escher optical illusion, and has become a phenomenon in the US. "Get What You Want" is slinky with driving bass, and sounds an awful lot like songs from Hot Hot Heat's first album. "Crash Tragic" is full of the chanting found in the Go Team!'s music, a mix between childhood chanting games and cheerleading. The songs "Two For My Seconds" and "Waiting By The Car" use violin to create drama and intensity, but are also very playful. I like this music, and I like Operator Please. For anyone else who enjoys this music, look out for their album - Yes, Yes! Vindictive! - that drops on November 10th.

"The Mixed Tape" - Jack's Mannequin

"...I read your letter
The one you left when you broke into my house
I'm retracing every step you made
And you said you meant it
And there's a piece of me in every single
Second of every single day
But if it's true then tell me how it got this way

Where are you now?
As I'm swimming through the stereo
I'm writing you a symphony of sound
Where are you now?
As I rearrange the songs again
This mix could burn a hole in anyone
But it was you I was thinking of
It was you I was thinking of..."

The Sand hasn't run out of the hourglass...

Raising Sand, a collection of duets by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, may seem like Plant's new foray into adult contemporary, but it sounds like a charged and refreshing collection of offbeat tunes by two masters of music. The production is almost perfect, with the vocals at center stage and the music a chain that holds together all the charms of these songs.

This doesn't sound like Led Zeppelin, but I think that's a good thing given the fact that they perfected rock music the first time around. Plant is edging into a more alternative/country plain with vocals as strong as ever, and his guide is the beautiful Alison Krauss. They both perform well on this album, exhibiting a lot of vocal control. The ability to sing softly and to sing well is underrated, and very difficult, and these two vocal masters perform this fete over and over on Raising Sand.

"Rich Woman" is built on jazz percussion and psychedelic guitar, but really lives in the voices of its vocalists. It's a soft, and dangerously slinky song that is an appropriate beginning to an album that sneaks into your head. "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)" finds that sweet spot between the sounds of the Beatles and Elvis. This is probably the fastest song on the album, and I would bet that it's the first song to get radio play. "Killing the Blues" rests on steel pedal guitar, and lullaby-esque delivery, with the oddly comforting and fantastic lyrics of someone who has done too many drugs. "Trampled Rose" is the kind of song you could imagine haunting the desert. Does that make any sense? If it doesn't, then you just need to listen. Alison Krauss is central to this song, and I think she's made at least one new fan. "Stick With Me Baby" is a gorgeous and plaintive song that grows like a U2 anthem. "Nothin'" uses sparing electric guitar chords to chilling effect. Unlike a lot of recent rock music which thrashes throughout to express anger, "Nothin'" is angry in a quiet way. Instead of bombastic and childlike tantrums, it's an emotional implosion that drives this song home.

No, the album doesn't sound like Led Zeppelin, but it does sound like Robert Plant. It's the album of a mature man and a mature musician, and the emotion here is as raw and tangible as in any of Plant's Zeppelin work. You won't find the tireless exuberance or echoing pain of "Whole Lotta Love" and "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You", but this album strikes a chord that's equally sweet. If Plant can continue to make great music, he will have me listening for a long time.

The Best Mix

It seems like art, music, movies, and books have just been throwing themselves at me this week. I've had trouble coordinating all my senses so I can keep up with this creative maelstrom.

I recently read a book by Howard Zinn (A Power Governments Cannot Suppress) which led me to a movie about the long deceased anarchists Sacco & Vanzetti (of the same name) which led to the album Ballads of Sacco and Vanzetti by Woody Guthrie.

In another odd set of circumstances, I watched a documentary (Word Play) about people who do crossword puzzles, decided I wanted to do crossword puzzles, quickly realized I was not smart enough to do crossword puzzles, but happened upon a puzzle entitled "National Anthems" which was chock full of famous songs with punny inserts. An example? Well, one clue was "Dylan's Asian Anthem" and the answer was "Blowin' india Wind"! Isn't that awesome?

I was watching the news a day after I wrote about Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, and guess who popped up as the next big thing?

I was listening to Oingo Boingo (Danny Elfman & friends) and Corpse Bride and Beetlejuice just happened to be on TV. I think this situation is less serendipitous than due to the fact that Halloween is right around the corner, but it still made me giddy with excitement.

Oh yeah, and the Red Sox made it to the World Series during the one week I decide to start watching baseball.

My week's been full of stuff like that, and although I'm in sensory overload mode, I'm truly enjoying these happy coincidences. Here's a mix that I hope will make your week amazing:

"Two Good Men (Sacco and Vanzetti)" by Woody Guthrie. The elder Guthrie made an entire album of songs about these men, and was intensely affected by their plight and their heroism. I have to say that after watching the documentary Sacco & Vanzetti, I'm also inspired and horrified by their story. Guthrie has a somewhat dolorous and monotone delivery; still, as he lays the facts bare with little drama, he encourages the listener to see the humans that the story revolves around. One of the best folk artist ever.

"Blowin' In The Wind" by Bob Dylan. The name of the song isn't quite as cool as "Blowin' india Wind", but it's still a great song by Dylan. This is a protest song - one you could listen to while thinking about Sacco & Vanzetti - and it basically tears down all barriers, all challenges to freedom and equality. Bad things exist, but they don't have to exist. We have the power to challenge them, and to tear the wall down if the need arises.

"Capitalism" by Oingo Boingo. Throwing semi-gothic lyrics and ska horns in the same song and then making that song a cult hit really breaks the musical boundaries, and Oingo Boingo did this quite a few times. This song came before their openly gothic days, but it still pushes the proverbial envelope with a little nod to the Dead Kennedys' caustic, political lyrics. Instead of bashing capitalism, Oingo Boingo makes a good point about the people who usually bash capitalism (they've never HAD to work); but, I think the song is also tongue-in-cheek, poking fun at people at both ends of the political/economic spectrum.

"Be Easy" by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings. I do love this song. It's the proud owner of a deep, funk groove that digs into your eardrums and won't let go. It's like the mucus-man in the mucinex commercial who just won't lt go of your lungs, except much cooler.

"I'm Shipping Up to Boston" by Dropkick Murphys. The incorrigable Irish (Massachusetts Irish, that is) anthem, that has become the Boston Red Sox' theme song. Just try to watch Papelbon dance without laughing, I dare you. He's insane and embarrassing.

Threadbanger: Halloweeny Wednesdays Mummy Costume

Total Synaesthesia

Scrolling through the New York Times online this morning, I came across this article:
"Superhero Stylings From Stars of Pop" by George Gene Gustines.

Personally, this news of musicians getting involved with comic books made me excited; but synaesthetically, I was blown away by this sentence:

"Creatively, the fields [music and comics] are not that far apart, given that many musicians tell stories with their lyrics, though they use sound, not visuals, to convey mood and drama."

Interesting thought, and sometimes true, but I would have to argue that the parallel made between the art of comic books and the music of songs is incomplete and somewhat inappropriate.

Comic book fans know that the art does more than just "convey mood and drama", often the art tells the story much more than the words. When I first began reading comic books, I had to train myself to pick up on the nuances of the visuals so I could understand the story. Comic books are different than illustrated children's books; the words are often there to lend support to the drawings, not the other way around.

I would argue that music was also misrepresented in the above article. Often the instrumental aspects of music define the meaning of the song. I recently had someone point out the differences between the original recording of "Layla" by Derek & the Dominoes (Eric Clapton and friends), and contemporary live performances by Eric Clapton. In the original version, you could hear the guitar alternately screaming and crying with the fresh pain of the story; but in recent versions, the guitar chugs along at a steady, blues pace, contemplating healed wounds. The intensity of emotion is no longer present, and so the song takes on a much different meaning. In this instance, the instrumentals of a song add much more than just "mood and drama", they are instead the backbone of the piece.

I was a little pained by the sentence, quoted above, from the NY Times article. I'm not a fan of generalizations in criticism, because more often than not, critics choose to see only one side of the coin. Overall though, I'm excited by the prospect of comic books by musicians. Artists are often artistic in many fields, not only the ones in which they specialize. I think it will be good to see what music and comic books can do together. Who knows, maybe they'll be the next PB&J?

Unlimited Sunshine of the Happy Ears

No, I'm not filming a sequel to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, I'm actually just psyched about Cake's new mega-tour: "Unlimited Sunshine". With all of this dark, wet, fall weather we really need some sunshine.

I love Cake in all of its wonderful forms, and I also love the Brazilian Girls, Detroit Cobras, and Oakley Hall. The other two touring bands are King City and Agent Ribbons, bands I'd never heard of before today, but truly enjoyed when I listened to their music. I think it's marvelous that Cake can put together six diverse and peculiar bands, and create a show that still sounds like pure sunshine.

I couldn't find a discordant sound in the group's catalogue, but here are a few of my favorite songs by the bands playing "Unlimited Sunshine":

"Rock 'n' Roll Lifestyle" by Cake. After over ten years of life, this song is still fresh and more appropriate than ever. Besides the smooth jazz horn, perfect delivery, and quick guitar picking, the lyrics are hilarious and true. Take this one stanza:

"...Now tickets to concerts and drinking at clubs,
Sometimes for music that you haven't even heard of.
And how much did you pay for your rock'n'roll t-shirt
That proves you were there,
That you heard of them first?
How do you afford your rock'n'roll lifestyle?..."

"Only To Other People" by Detroit Cobras. These Cobras make up a cover band, but even though the music has a decidedly anachronistic feel, you'd never guess that they play covers. This R&B song was originally done by the Cookies, who made their harmonious sounds in the 1950s. The Cobras' cover is sultry, and booming rather than coy. The voice behind this song is strong and emotional, but also pained by the reality of love. An excellent cover, by one of the most exciting cover bands I've ever heard.

"Imaginary Girlfriend" by Brazilian Girls. If you're the kind of person who makes assumptions based on band names, then you're in for a big surprise when you listen to the Brazilian Girls. Their music is neither Brazilian nor girly in any stereotypical sense of the words. This is my new favorite song by the Girls, and it's a hidden track off their latest album Talk to La Bomb. I love the sweet sound of the music, and the sentiment behind this song, the idea of people just missing each other in terms of love.

"Alive Among Thieves" by Oakley Hall. The stop-start percussion, and lyrics ("...you've got the core of a bright comet rolling around in your eye socket...") make this song original and beautiful. Although it fails to highlight the alt-country title that is most often ascribed to Oakley Hall's music, it does pick up on a certain desert sound and feeling almost south of the border. Great song from the excellent album I'll Follow You.

Uber Linkage!

Every music fan should read this article at Slate: "The Trouble With Indie Rock" by Carl Wilson.

I think Wilson makes some valid points about the current state of music. I can see a schism just within the disparate indie factions, but the differences between the content of say The Roots' music and the music of Iron & Wine are major. We live in a country vastly separated by class (as anyone who witnessed the devastation of Hurricane Katrina can confirm), and so our music - which is such a reflective art-form - is also separated. Luckily, change is important and constant in the musical world and true music-lovers learn to appreciate music for its truth and beauty, not because it happens to gel with their patrician (or proletarian) world-views.

So bring on the funk, the blues, the emo, the screamo, the punk, the cassical, jam, grunge, showtunes, trip-hop, hip-hop, soul, hardcore, metal, jazz, lo-fi, folk, and bubble-gum pop; because in the the words of Leela James, "all we need is music!".

Links and Laughs

I have a couple links for you lovely blog readers. The first is a personal favorite, a place I go often to see what one of my favorite writers is up to.

Neil Gaiman's Journal is a place where you can read the man's musings on everything from current projects to the secret life of squirrels who steal chocolates and toys from corner markets. Sound scary? You don't even know.

This other link is a more recent discovery, something a good friend told me about. It looks to me like the future of television, with a policy of constant gratification and interaction. It's a good place to find crazy youtube phenomena of the future. The JetSet show is for those people who want their entertainment NOW!

My latest obsessions? Here's a list:

1. Guitar Hero III which isn't even out yet, but has to be great. I can't wait.

2. "Full Moon Or Infinity" by Cass McCombs. This is a weird song, but I love how much it reminds of Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow.

3. Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow. It's almost Halloween.

4. "Save Ginny Weasley From Dean Thomas" by Harry & The Potters. I want to see these guys play live. I'm such a nerd, but I love this song.

5. The fact that my local ice cream place plays Simon & Garfunkel, Paul Simon, and Bob Dylan exclusively. Listening to "The Sound Of Silence" while eating an apple crisp is total dream fulfillment.

6. Beatles solo albums...probably because of all the iTunes propaganda. I know it's subliminal.

7. "Heart of the City (Ain't No Love)" by Jay-Z. He's soooo bad, and his music is soooo good. BTW: The sample is from "Ain't No Love In The Heart of The City" by Bobby "Blue" Bland.

8. Steven Colbert's presidential campaign. I would vote for him in a second, because what this country needs - more than anything else - is a sense of humor.

9. "Bleed It Out" by Linkin Park.

10. Asking random kids if they've jumped in any piles of leaves lately. Sometimes people need to be reminded to have fun.

The Truth about Sampling

I can say that although I'm a fan of Kanye West (even though he seems like kind of a loud and pompous guy), I'm a little disappointed that he samples so frequently. Maybe I'm just old-fashioned when it comes to music, but if 15 of the 16 songs on your album (*cough,cough* Late Registration) contain samples of other songs, how much actual music are you creating?

I believe that sampling and mixing are valid and beautiful forms of art, as are lyric writing and rapping, but they are not the same art as classic musical composition? It takes different talent to write and play music, which is why I think when an artist samples music, the said samples should be "loudly" labeled as creative property of the original composer/performer. For example, instead of placing a small notice of sampling in the credits of each song, create a bibliography of songs used and thank every artist individually for their contribution. I have problems with music becoming a purely capitalist endeavor, so the idea of creative property in a legal sense has nothing to do with my objection to "quiet" sampling. I only feel that samplers are being unfair to the original artist and to the listener when they deny us the opportunity to appreciate all facets of the music. Which is why I'm now taking the time to go song by song through Kanye West's Late Registration and name the artist and song sampled. Songs are like onions, and I hope my readers will take the time to appreciate the layers.

"Wake Up Mr. West" and "Heard 'em Say" use a sample from "Someone That I Used To Love" by Natalie Cole. The original song is a strong piano ballad, with Cole's vocals sliding - in a melancholy way - over the keys. The two songs by West showcase one loop of the piano in the original song.

"Touch The Sky" uses Curtis Mayfield's amazing song "Move On Up". I wouldn't call this one a sample, because West basically takes the whole song. It is a great song. Jamming horns, and tight, latin drums, strings, and a little playful piano. The lyrics are empowering and intense.

"Gold Digger" notoriously cuts Ray Charles' "I Got a Woman", even going so far as to take liberty with the lyrics. I find this sample interesting because it takes the sentiment of a song (where a down-and-out man goes to his girl for comfort and care) and reverses the dynamic. In West's version, the woman is a gold digger who takes advantage of her man. In the final section the song reverses itself again as West tells the story of a woman who stands by her man through thick and thin only to have him run off with another woman. For anyone who doesn't know the Ray Charles original, it's a great soul song with a blues turnaround.

"Drive Slow" seems to sample "Wildflower" by Hank Crawford, although I cannot find any real evidence to back this up as the album credit only states that West samples from a Hank Crawford song. "Wildflower" is a kind of soul-jazz hybrid song with a funky coo-ing chorus over the saxophone. It sounds a little dated, making it an appropriate choice for "Drive Slow" which tells the story of a semi-shadowy figure that West knew in his youth.

"My Way Home" samples "Home Is Where The Hatred Is" by Gil Scott-Heron. Best known for the spoken word poetry of "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised", Gil Scott-Heron is an artist whose music centers around social activism. This particular song is delivered with understandable anger, and tells the story of a junky who has left a home full of pain to find a world without sympathy or compassion. The song centers around the lyrics, but the backing music is heavy on bass and keyboards.

"Crack Music" samples the song "Since You Came In My Life" by New York Community Choir. Unfortunately, I cannot find a recording of this song. I've listened to other songs by the New York Community Choir and they are spiritual in both content and character. If you can listen to a great gospel choir and tell me you don't believe in a god, then you really can't be redeemed.

"Roses" samples the song "Rosie" by Bill Withers. This is another piano ballad, but this song is very different from Natalie Cole's. In the first place, the song seems to be driven by a feeling lacking hope. When I listen, I feel like I'm being tossed around by some particularly foul weather. The piano is original, and has an almost classical feel. The song is heavy, but the lyrics are a celebration of a person. There's a bit of a disjunction between lyrics and music in this sense, which makes me feel as if Withers is singing of a great love that he has lost.

"Addiction" claims that it takes elements from the Etta James version of "My Funny Valentine". This is a pleading song really, but Etta sings it with a certain depth that reminds the listener that this is an adult asking another adult to stay. Where the Frank Sinatra version seems meant for Hollywood (and don't get me wrong, I love it), Etta sings a song that is more mature and less naive in its request for love.

"Diamonds From Sierra Leone" samples the perfect Bond song "Diamonds Are Forever" as performed by Shirley Bassey. This is quintessenital Bond, and its overproduced quality just adds to its diamond-like shine. Shirley Bassey can belt a tune, and makes the song glamorous ad not tacky.

"We Major" samples "Action" by Orange Krush. This is a funk classic with steady drums, banging bass, and the odd sassy statement thrown over the top.

"Hey Mama" samples Donal Leace's "Today Won't Come Again". I can't find a recording of this song, but I imagine it runs along the same lines as Leace's other recordings. This folk artist seems to be a fan of Buddhism, or at least of Buddhist thought, and he injects much of this philosophy into his bare folk music.

"Celebration" pulls from "Heavenly Dream" by the KayGees. Yet another song that is difficult to find. The KayGees music is 1970s funk with a heavy disco influence.

"Gone" samples the amazing Otis Redding with "It's Too Late". With a steady piano and a climbing bass-line, Otis Redding sings with flare over a minimal song. A great song.

The sampling choices read as a lesson in African American history, but the lesson would be more profitable for all if Mr. West took the time to thank his fathers and mothers in music. I hope you've enjoyed, and that you've learned a bit more about the origins of your favorite songs.

I Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In) - Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings

The original version was recorded by The First Edition, but this is an excellent cover by the surreal Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings. This was reportedly Jimi Hendrix's favorite song, and you can definitely hear the influence in the lyrics.

Shake any family tree and a few coconuts'll fall out

Which is exactly what I found when I started shaking the ol' Coppola tree. You know, Francis Ford, Roman, Nic Cage, Sofia, and...Jason Schwartzman?! Yes, actually, he's the titular coconut.

Schwartzman's one-man band (with some help from Kirsten Dunst and Zooey Deschanel) dropped its first record this year under the name Coconut Records. The album is called Nighttiming and the music is refreshing for Schwartzman whose last project was Phantom Planet. With all honesty, I can say that I've never been a big fan of Phantom Planet, and not just because their songs popularize everything warm and sunny about California (yeah California, we Northerners don't like your kind with your tepid beaches and bikinis. You make us sick!).

Umm, anyway, I am a fan of Nighttiming, even the song "West Coast" which only mentions going home to the west coast. Somehow Schwartzman accomplishes a sound that is both very 1960s Beatles and Beach Boys and also very '80s post-punk. The song "Back To You" makes me wonder if pre and post-punk are really the same melodic sound packaged in different eras, while "This Old Machine" is beautiful - almost spiritual - and minimal. "Nighttiming" and "Minding My Own Business" are both dance songs, although the lyrics of "Minding My Own Business" beg to differ with my assessment; after all, "the drinks all taste the same" isn't synonimous with "let's dance all night!". My favorite songs on the album are the incorrigable "The Thanks That I Get" ("you promised me summer, you're giving me winter, and this is all the thanks that I get"), and "It's Not You It's Me" a song that takes the form of a neurotic "Dear John" letter.

I enjoy this album, not because it's an amazing mindblast of musical genius, but because it's kind of an ADD compilation. Schwartzman is playing with all types of sound, and he's created a record that doesn't bore me. From the kitchen-table country of "Mama" to the almost hymnal "Ask Her To Dance", I'm amused for hours by Nighttiming. Let's hope the next record is just as fun and amusing.

When You're Sick of Amy Winehouse...

They tried to make her go to rehab and she said okay, so now you're looking for a new neo-soul band to soundtrack your life. Well, I've found just the thing for everyone who craves more tight sound and soulful vocals when the last strains of Back to Black have drifted out of their ears: Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings. They've been around for a few years now, perfecting their sound (which was probably first perfected before they were born), and recording albums with music just as soulful as Amy's if not as full of drug and alcohol references. Their latest album 100 Days, 100 Nights has eleven tracks that make you want to dance. Infectious is too light a word for the feeling you get when hearing the titular track "100 Days, 100 Nights" (you can just see Aretha in the lead role) and "Be Easy" brings the funk King Floyd style, while "Tell Me" combines the Temptations with the Supremes. This music is perfect for anyone who misses the beauty of simple lyrical sentiment woven into tight big band sound. The music isn't simple by any stretch of the imagination, but it's accessible to all people; anyone can dance.

Welcome to the Jungle

Who here is a fan of Disney? Well, let me make it perfectly clear that I am. Not the answer you were expecting, right? By now you should know not to expect anything from me, except unlimited musical commentary. I LOVE DISNEY! I don't care that they're a giant corporation, because the movies (at least the old movies) are pure film magic. So as the big corporate machine turns, placing all my classics in "the vault", I turn the other cheek and wait patiently for the DVD.

One of my absolute favorite Disney movies is the animated Jungle Book. It's one of those films you can sink into and believe in, because the story is great and the characters are great, and there's plenty of humor and danger. The soundtrack is also phenomenal. A perfect mix of score and character songs, and the fact that the story is already about a kid who's raised by talking animals kind of opens the door for you to suspend your disbelief of the fact that they're also singing and dancing animals. The utter perfection of pairing jazz music, that ultimate sound of freedom and rhythm, with a movie set in the jungle is too often overlooked. Plus, the casting of Louis Prima as King Louie and Phil Harris as Baloo was absolute genius.

It would be heartbreaking to have to pick favorite songs from this soundtrack of my childhood, so instead I'll elaborate on all of the songs. The album begins with a soft and slinky jazz song ("Overture - Jungle Book") by George Burns where wind instruments (I'm thinking oboe), bass, and brushes on drums set the tone for the wild of the jungle. The sound is almost as hypnotizing as Kaa, but then the orchestra breaks into our dream and gives the jungle a little light. "Baby" follows with a perfect animation soundtrack feeling that accompanies sneaking steps with sneaking music. "Colonel Hathu's March (The Elephant Song)" continues the soundtrack with probably the cutest song ever created to accompany a military. The elephant section of this movie was always one of my favorites, and I confess to marching around the house when this song was being played. We can't spend too much time on the elephants though, because "The Bare Necessities" is the next song on our journey. This song is a classic, and with good reason: it captured that beariness - that need to scratch your back on a tree or just sit around and eat honey - that everyone experiences. You can't forget the fact that "The Bare Necessities" also high-lighted horns and bass, and even had a little solo and some scat singing. Now we have the monkey song - "I Wan'na Be Like You (The Monkey Song)" - and honestly, can you think of a song that is more fun than this song? I'm not even going to try to review this Louis Prima masterpiece. Next we have three score songs which are lush and beautiful ("Monkey Chase", "Tell Him", and "Jungle Beat"). I think George Burns outdid himself on this soundtrack, not only matching the music to the setting, but almost molding the setting to the music. I'll never think of a jungle without hearing that pulsing jazz music. "Trust In Me (The Python's Song)" is the scariest and most hypotizing of any of the songs on the album, but it's balanced out by the humor of "What'cha Wanna Do" and "That's What Friends Are For (The Vulture Song)". Granted, I first listened to these songs before I knew that the vultures were thinking about eating Mowgli, but I still think these birds are a perfect and humorous addition to a section of the movie that could have just been horrifying. George Burns swoops in again to score "Tiger Fight" and "Poor Bear", which is the saddest part of the Jungle Book. The final original song is "My Own Home (The Jungle Book Theme)", and it finishes the movie with a little sadness, because you realize that Mowgli will never again be part of the jungle. Still, it's a Disney movie, so we can't end on a sad note, and "My Own Home (The Jungle Book Theme)" isn't really the end. In perfect denoument the soundtrack returns to the jungle with "The Bare Necessities (Reprise)" and all is jazz and rhythm. Let's hear it for a perfect soundtrack, executed with perfection.

The Post Where I Address my Fear of Horses

Anyone who lives a musical life will come across an album or a band that they dislike. That feeling of disconnection - complete polar opposition to a certain sound - is not novel for music lovers. Sometimes this band opens at a local venue and you find yourself yawning through their set, sometimes their music is played every hour on your local radio station, and sometimes this band happens to be the "it" band of the week (or month, or year) and you can't seem to extricate yourself from their sound.

I found myself in such a situation recently with the band called Band of Horses. Sounds benign, right? Lots of neighing, with the smell of leather polish and oats coming to mind. Wrong, actually, and my absolute polar opposition to their first album (Everything All The Time) could not be explained away by my irrational fear of horses. I really just didn't like the music: from the floating gothic romance of "The Funeral" to the wide open spaces feel and cliffhanger ending of "I Go To The Barn Because I Like the", I couldn't find anything fun or new. It sounded to me like these guys were trying to be so cool, and failing miserably. Except that they weren't failing at all. Every time I opened a magazine, the cover of Everything All The Time with it's palindromic, haunting trees was staring out at me. Let me tell you, if trees really could stare, no one would fall asleep. To get back to my point though, I can't really explain why I disliked their music, except that it seemed built upon a foundation of alternative music pretensions. So I ignored the airplay and the chatter from fellow music geeks, and went off to listen to my Rush alone.

A few weeks ago, I woke up in the early morning to hear this anthemic rock song with intense lyrics. It was one of those musical moments where you fall in love with a sound, because it captures a feeling. Any insomniac will tell you that when the sun falls away and leaves the dark there is nothing keeping away the demons, the ghosts of choices and actions that can haunt you through the night, and this song with it's three repeating lines captured all the feelings of a restless night. I sat awake listening through the dark for the name of the band, the name of the song, and then I hear a husky, tired, third-shift voice whisper "Is There A Ghost" by Band of Horses. My nemesis band, whose first album stalked me on my musical travels had created a song that completely captivated me. Not to imply that the rest of their new album Cease to Begin is my new favorite CD of the year. Actually, the rest of the album is a little too reminiscent of The Shins for my tastes; but, that first song is something altogether new and beautiful.

"Instant Karma" by John Lennon

Check out Yoko knitting blindfolded. Awesome!

"Territorial Pissings" - Nirvana

Always one of my favorite Nirvana songs. I <3 the lyrics.

Our Electrical Universe

You know that moment when you're thinking about a certain song, and when you turn on the radio, that song is playing for you? Did you ever wonder if that stuff happens because the whole universe is connected to and in your mind, conspiring to give you that song you most ardently hoped for?

Here's something to turn around in your mind: everything ever created in our world is just a manifestation of thought. All power and reality is in your head.

I found myself arguing with a 7-year old about the existence of Batman last week (I believe in superheroes, but the whole conversation was somewhat of a misunderstanding, because I never said that Batman was actually a flesh and blood person, I just argued for the truth of the idea. I don't think the kid got it, but he'll probably figure it out some day. Little kids are smart). The conversation was odd because I felt like our predesigned roles had been reversed, like I was acting as the stubborn child and this kid as the parent figure. I've always been good at creating my own reality and blocking out the reality that exists around me and that other people have actually agreed on (I'm a really stubborn kid). For example, I'm a reasonable person, and I'll agree with anyone that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry probably doesn't exist (and even if it does, I'm not invited), but somwhere deep down inside, it's still the only school that will ever win my heart and be my dream school. So whenever someone insists on asking where I want to go to school, my only honest answer is Hogwarts (I can't understand why people think I'm being a smartass. Wouldn't you go to a school of awesome magic if you had the option?).

I guess it's kind of the same with music. People often ask me what music is worth listening to (wasn't everything good made in the '60s and '70s? Ummm, no). I always answer in my most incredulous voice that you barely even have to look to find excellent music right under your nose! Granted, if you only listen to TOP 40, if you never take a flip through Rolling Stone, Spin, Paste, or any of the numerous publications that write about local music, and if you close your ears and mind to new sounds, then you're creating a world for yourself without much hope of interesting new music. The previous sentence describes a kind of life that I would not recommend to anyone, but that you'll often run into when talking to people about their musical tastes. Here's the only thing you have to remember to gaurantee that you'll come across interesting music: visualize finding interesting music! Even if you don't find someone else's great music, you can always create your own. Everything you ever wanted is in your own head.

To commemorate your introduction to a literal universe of possibilities, here's a playlist of songs that I found - with a little help from my buddy serendipity - when I most needed to hear something illuminating. Listen on!

"Black Dog" by Led Zeppelin

"Mary Jane" by Alanis Morrisette

"Ghost Town" by ZOX

"None of Your Business" by Salt-N-Pepa

"Time Bomb" by Rancid

"Rhythm Futur" by Django Reinhardt

"Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" by Angelique Kidjo

"Clampdown" by The Clash

"How It Ends" by Devotchka

"The Mooche" by Duke Ellington

"Opera" by Floetry

"The Harder They Come" by Jimmy Cliff

"They Want Us To Make A Symphony Of The Sound Of Women Swallowing Their Own Tongues" by Le Tigre

"Rockin' In The Free World" by Neil Young

"All Apologies" by Nirvana

"Cell Block Tango" by The Original Cast of "Chicago"

"Where Is My Mind?" by Pixies

"Today Is The Day" by Apollo Sunshine

"Longview" by Green Day

"Sugar Free Jazz" by Soul Coughing

"Black Panther" by Mason Jennings

"On The Radio" by Regina Spektor

"Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns 'n' Roses

"Thank You (Falletinme be mice elf agin)" by Sly and the Family Stone

Tea Time

My past experiences with Wes Anderson movies have been odd to say the least. The Royal Tenenbaums royally freaked me out (this may have something to do with the fact that I watched it when I was about 12) and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou achieved a place in my mind somewere between a movie by the creators of This Is Spinal Tap and Kafka On The Shore by Haruki Murakami (which ranks it with the strangest artistic experiences of my life). Still, I keep coming back to his movies, because there's something there, maybe hidden behind the dry humor and David Sedaris-like family commentary, that's striking and important.

So I embark on my journey through The Darjeeling Limited, Wes Anderson's latest full-length. I plan on seeing this movie in theatres, and fully engaging in the experiences of the three brothers (Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman, and Owen Wilson). I hope this adventure will be a less-depressing spiritual journey than Into The Wild. If the soundtrack is any indication, which it usually is, The Darjeeling Limited will be exponentially more enjoyable than that Sean Penn drama. Every song on the Into The Wild soundtrack is an ode to isolation, with Eddie Vedder sobbing about some kid with no common sense, while The Darjeeling Limited soundtrack is as varied a collage as India itself and soaked in humanity.

Most of the music found in the 22 songs on the album comes from other movies. These movies are Indian in origin, and not contemporary; the kind of movies that are best viewed in a theatre, where you can be immersed in the story. Among the other songs on the soundtrack are some classical pieces that lend a little drama, and a few rock songs by The Kinks and the Rolling Stones that define the experience as Western while celebrating the influence of Indian sound in rock-psychedelia. The album opener and closer are almost polar in their opposition. "Where Do You Go to (My Lovely)" by Peter Sarstedt is minimal (guitar and voice alone) with sweet, offbeat, pop lyrics and a slightly depressing folk air; an appropriate beginning to a movie that opens with a death. The finale is "Les Champs-Elysees" by Joe Dassin, a bouncy French jazz song with plenty of horn and piano, and a playful approach to music-making. In between, as I described above, are the songs and sounds of India which I've always found intoxicating and uplifting. The campy "Typewriter, Tip, Tip, Tip (From Merchant Ivory's film 'Bombay Talkie')" makes you feel like you've stepped into the 1960s and 1970s in India. "Title Music (From Satyajit Ray's film 'Teen Kanya')" is instrumental and lush. "Charu's Theme (Satyajit Ray's film 'Charulata')" sounds like an improvisation on scales from a child's music class: plain and unsteady, but perfect. "Prayer" by Jodphur Sikh Temple Congregation and "Memorial" by Narlia Village Troubadour are two locally flavored songs that are yearning and spiritual.

Overall, this album is a collage of sounds and culture, and a collage that succeeds in matching bits of the past and the present with bits of Western and Eastern culture. I ask myself what more important spiritual journey you could encounter than such a magnanimous union of disparate sounds and feelings? Where Sean Penn and Eddie Vedder celebrate Chris McCandless's inability to live in the real world, inability to embrace all of humanity and come to spiritual enlightenment by really getting his hands dirty, Wes Anderson seems to do the opposite. He throws his characters into the quirkiest, dirtiest, and most uncomfortable celebrations of human existence (albeit the most unlikely and fantastic). This is my kind of spiritual journey.

MIT Hacks Harvard!!

MIT is basically the coolest school on the planet. A school filled with merry little pranksters. Above is the latest MIT hack, where John Harvard is turned into a guy from Halo 3. How awesome is that? Check out more hacks on this website, and read more about Harvard's amazing transformation: MIT Hacks

The Shins en Espanol

Say What You Want to Say to Me by Spanish for 100 just says everything, doesn't it? Well, maybe not the title by itself, but the music has a lot to say. You'll regret not having listened to "Limerance Be" when your friendly, neighborhood blogger told you to when you hear it on the soundtrack of another Zach Braff movie. Not that it's bad to be liked by Zach Braff (we love you, Zach!), it's just that after Natalie Portman made "New Slang" a hit, and that awkward guy in your local record store tried to use the Garden State quote as a pickup line, "New Slang" lost a little bit of its poignancy. I'm not here to write about that old Shins album (so two albums ago), I'm actually here to write about the new album from Spanish for 100.

Whatever their name means, this band is making music that should be heard. I would describe the sound of Say What You Want to Say to Me as orchestral lo-fi, which seems like an oxymoron, but makes more sense when you actually listen to some of the songs. This album sounds like a collaboration between Remy Zero and the Shins.

"Attack!" has a plodding yet manic energy, with swirling guitar noise and a steady rhythm. The lyrics are similar to beat poetry, where the cadence and sound of the words is as important as the meaning. "Sangria" is the second song on the album, but a definite departure from "Attack!". Although the two songs are recognizable as album siblings, they have different personalities. "Sangria" is an orchestral song of musical highs and lows, and the rhythm and timing are experimental. " Say What You Want To Say" pulls in a little country influence, but maintains some of the coolness of Seattle alternative rock. You can imagine this band in plaid and jeans, rocking in nature or in the city. I love the fact that the vocals are almost more melodic than the instrumentals in this song. "Snakebite" and "Sweet Surprise" follow that same country line, and you can imagine these songs as the soundtrack to open spaces and starry nights. "Limerance Be" happens to be the single, and is a gorgeous song with soft but strong vocals. For anyone who doesn't know what limerence is (I had to look it up), it's a phsychological concept from the 1970s (Dorothy Tennov, Love and Limerence: The Experience of Being In Love) that is basically the idea of an involuntary attachment to a person. It isn't quite love, but more like a long infatuation. The sighing nature of the song seems to be a perfect match to the notion of a limerent relationship, and I expect to hear this song on the soundtrack to an indie romantic comedy in the near future. The rest of the album moves in an even more expiremental direction, and I think I enjoy the songs "Red", "Thought Twice", "She's a Robber", and "Quick As Ashutter" because of this experimentation. The band is playing with sound, but not to the point where the music becomes unlistenable, just to the point where the songs' interesting qualities are at their peak. I would recommend this album to any musiclover, but especially to those who have lost a little of their limerent feelings towards the Shins, but who need a soundtrack to their own indie romantic comedy.

"Drive My Car" by the Beatles

Asked a girl what she wanted to be
She said baby, can't you see
I wanna be famous, a star on the screen
But you can do something in between

Baby you can drive my car
Yes I'm gonna be a star
Baby you can drive my car
And maybe I'll love you

I told that girl that my prospects were good
And she said baby, it's understood
Working for peanuts is all very fine
But I can show you a better time

Baby you can drive my car
Yes I'm gonna be a star
Baby you can drive my car
And maybe I'll love you

Beep beep'm beep beep yeah

Baby you can drive my car
Yes I'm gonna be a star
Baby you can drive my car
And maybe

I told that girl I can start right away
When she said listen babe I got something to say
I got no car and it's breaking my heart
But I found a driver and that's a start

Baby you can drive my car
Yes I'm gonna be a star
Baby you can drive my car
And maybe I'll love you

"It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" by Bob Dylan

You must leave now, take what you need, you think will last.
But whatever you wish to keep, you better grab it fast.
Yonder stands your orphan with his gun,
Crying like a fire in the sun.
Look out the saints are comin' through
And it's all over now, Baby Blue.

The highway is for gamblers, better use your sense.
Take what you have gathered from coincidence.
The empty-handed painter from your street
Is drawing crazy patterns on your sheets.
This sky, too, is folding under you
And it's all over now, Baby Blue.

All your seasick sailors, they are rowing home.
Your empty-handed armies, they are going home.
The lover who just walked out your door
Has taken all his blankets from the floor.
The carpet, too, is moving under you
And it's all over now, Baby Blue.

Leave your stepping stones behind, there's something that calls for you.
Forget the dead you've left, they will not follow you.
The vagabond who's rapping at your door
Is standing in the clothes that you once wore.
Strike another match, go start anew
And it's all over now, Baby Blue.

Excerpt from "Flagpole Sitta" by Harvey Danger

...Been around the world and found
That only stupid people are breeding
The cretins cloning and feeding
And I don't even own a TV

Put me in the hospital for nerves
And then they had to commit me
You told them all I was crazy
They cut off my legs now I'm an amputee, Goddamn you

I'm not sick, but I'm not well
And I'm so hot cause I'm in hell
I'm not sick, but I'm not well
And it's a sin, to live so well

I wanna publish 'zines
And rage against machines
I wanna pierce my tongue
It doesn't hurt, it feels fine
The trivial sublime
I'd like to turn off time
And kill my mind
You kill my mind
Mind...

Paranoia, paranoia
Everybody's comin' to get me
Just say you never met me
I'm runnin' underground with the moles
Diggin' big holes
Hear the voices in my head
I swear to God it sounds like they're snoring
But if you're bored then you're boring
The agony and the irony, they're killing me, whoa!

I'm not sick, but I'm not well
And I'm so hot cause I'm in hell
I'm not sick, but I'm not well
And it's a sin to live this well

(One, two, three, four!)

Snap

Bold Displays of Cowardice by Easy Tease and Set the Woods on Fire by Art In Manila

These two alternative albums snap with creativity and exhuberance. For example, listen to "The Headless Horseman Rides Again" or "Set The Woods On Fire" and you'll understand the way these two bands focus their fantastic imagery around a point. The stories aren't allegories, but there's truth in these songs nonetheless.

The Easy Tease create carnivalesque jazz and folk with many instruments mixed for optimum creative output. Listen to "Blizzard a-comin'", and you can hear the soft snow falling from the piano keys while in the background the horns warn of the torrents that will fall. On "Father's Sonata" the horns play a more central role, guiding the mood of the song and twisting around each other and the rest of the instruments. "The Mad Scientists Break Into the Laboratory to Steal Solanine" is the most appropriately titled long song I've ever heard (take that Fall Out Boy!). If the hysterical hooting that takes place behind the vaudeville sounds isn't connected to a mad scientist, then I'll have to rethink my whole worldview. The whole album is rough patchwork, cobbled together with some of the oddest sounds in the musical arsenal, but forming a nice quilt.

Set the Woods on Fire accomplishes a similar final product, but the pieces that form this product are less obscure and varied. There's a lot of crooning from Orenda Fink (Azure Ray), and the lyrics are the crowning achievement of the entire album. Because of the central role of the lyrics, the songs sometimes sound like the female rock music of the '90s: sweet and sad. However, there are definite highlights on this album that make it more varied than most of the music put out by say Sarah Mclachlan. "Our Addictions" rockets back to the '80s a little, with obvious synth-influence (obvious, but not egregious), and the Orenda Fink's voice really soars on this song. "Set The Woods On Fire" adds a magnificent strength to despairing sounds, while "Spirit, Run" is a definite celebration of spiritual freedom with ghost sounds. "Anything You Love" would have been my choice for a grand finale, but is situated nearer the middle of the album. Despite its poor placement, this song is my favorite with a little Spanish guitar and a Victorian opening statement: "Believing in the living can be a dangerous thing" (by Victorian, I mean macabre). This album is spiritual, the question is whether it's celebrating the spirits of the living or of the dead.