"Half Acre" ~ Hem

My friend Doug introduced me to this band during a recent LEGO building session (LEGO is cool, don't let anyone tell you otherwise.  We were working on this Great Wall of China display for the Cranberry Library.)  Sorry, that's a bit of a non sequitur, but it's a true story.

Anyway, the band plays an incredible Americana style of music, of which this song is the archetype.  Simple, yet poignant, lyrics sung by a fantastic vocalist over beautiful instrumentation evocative of the heartland come together for a tune that will keep you hitting repeat.  The band admits to being influenced by Aaron Copland, and if you're familiar with his work you'll hear the similarities... hmm, I should post some Copland sometime... at any rate, have a listen:

If you like this track, you can find a different song on the band's website, available for free download (yeah, sorry, bait and switch... that song is also good but I felt like posting this one.)

"A man is walking on the highway

A woman stares out at the sea

And light is only now just breaking..."

2-25-12 - "Downtown Sugar" ~ The Long Time Darlings

Pittsburgh rockers The Long Time Darlings have been on the fringe of my consciousness for a while now, though I've yet to catch a show.  I picked up a freebie track ("Baby Doll") a while back and it comes up on the ol' iPod from time to time, and I enjoy it every time.  Then, I found out from my boss that guitarist Brian Sproul and his folks are long time* family friends of he and his wife.  Said boss forwarded me the link to this video, and you know what?  It's a pretty great song and a pretty great video.


* - totally unintentional, I swear.


You have to love a band whose info page on facebook includes such gems as "Record Label: Ha-ha! That's hilarious!" and "Band Interests: Beer, vinyl, hockey, whiskey, sex."  Rock bands just wanna have fun, you know.  And hockey is just plain awesome, eh?


So on to the video:

[per Brian, it's "a little risqué".  But only a little. Consider yourselves forewarned.]

"Don't bet against yourself, darling…

push your way to the front."

And you can get both Downtown Sugar and Baby Doll on Bandcamp for FREE.  So yeah, do that.  And  if you like these two tracks, then go buy their album, so they can afford to record more rockin' rock songs.  (Okay, that one was intentional, and I apologize.)

2-21-12 - "Millenium" ~ Robbie Williams

So this one is somewhat tongue-in-cheek (I mean, late '90s pop, amirite?)  But despite the cheesiness of the song, it still has one of my favorite lyrics of all time, and on Fat Tuesday, I thought it was appropriate.

Ponder, if you would, the depth of this statement in light of today's first world societies and the shallowness of the religious "sacrifices" made during the upcoming season:

"Overdose at Christmas, give it up for Lent..."

12-24-11 - "White Christmas" ~ Bing Crosby / The Drifters

This one likely doesn't need much explanation, but here's a bit of it anyway.  My family just watched "White Christmas" with Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and that other girl (the one with the brown eyes...)  It's a pretty entertaining old flick, which involves an unseasonably warm December in Vermont.  And no, a white Christmas is not looking promising here in PA this year... we'll just have to make do.  But the film features some snappy song and dance routines along with some witty one-liners:

"Well, now, isn't this cozy? Boy, girl, boy, girl..."

"You're not exactly Superman, but you are awfully available..."

"In some ways, you're far superior to my cocker spaniel." 

And of course, the finale is the titular song.  Here's Bing Crosby's famous / classic version (don't believe me?  The Guinness Book of World Records cites it as the best selling single of all time):

And here's a spiffy version by The Drifters, which you may recognize from Home Alone:

"...and may all your Christmases be white..."

12-17-11 - "Go Outside" ~ Cults

I suppose it shouldn't be shocking that a band by this name would put out a video based on one of the most chilling events in recent history - a mass suicide/murder by a group of people following a fanatical and charismatic leader.  The video's production is impressive, seamlessly inserting the band members into footage from the cult.  You can read a bit about the making of the video here.

Despite the depressing nature of the video's subject matter, I find the song itself encouraging.  The ultimate message is to live life to the fullest, not to "hole up" or "stay inside and sleep the light away..."  Take advantage of opportunities to see the world, spend time with loved ones, and don't take the little things for granted.  And especially, don't let negative or slothful people get in the way of your own enjoyment of this beautiful world.  At least, that's what I'm getting out of the tune...  

Just the song, without the NBC News commentary and whatnot:

Bonus:  The band is featured in a new holiday episode of Yo Gabba Gabba!, which apparently airs on Nick Jr. tomorrow evening.  So if you enjoy this song, be sure to tune in for that and trip out whilst watching a children's program... you know, if you're into that sort of thing.

"Yeah I know what's good 

Exactly those things night cannot behold..."

12-11-11 - "Roosevelt Room" ~ Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band

Do you ever get fed up and frustrated with the world?  Happens to me on a fairly regular basis, and it's probably no surprise that it often happens at this time of year.  November means elections, and then Thanksgiving, and then of course comes Christmas (although given that the TV commercials and department stores start on Christmas in October these days, maybe I have the order wrong.)  These annual events bring to a focus the things that make me sick to my stomach - corruption in politics, gluttonous consumerism, and the disparity between the American populace and that of numerous other countries.


This year, Occupy Wall Street has added fuel to that fire.  Do I agree 100% with the OWS movement?  Probably not, although to be honest I haven't read up enough to know all the details.  But do they have a point that the government and big corporations have been pulling a fast one on the "99%"...?  Conversely, if you take the American "99%" and compare their wealth to that of the rest of the world's population... who's the 1% now?  I'm not going into more detail because this blog is ultimately about the music, but these are things that grind my gears, when I let my mind ponder them.


This song is pretty clearly the result of Conor Oberst ruminating on the state of the world today.  Again - I'm not trying to promote any political views, and I probably don't agree with everything Oberst thinks about the government, but clearly there are things broken in the system and if people don't stand for their beliefs, nothing's going to change.


You'll certainly feel the emotion behind the lyrics and the angry guitar riffs in the song, and hopefully it will inspire you to evaluate your life and the world around you, decide what's important, and make sure you're fighting for it.


Live at Battery Park, Manhattan, Independence Day 2009:

Studio Recording:

"You give death as a consolation

you know only hate and rage

you paid a dowry for your child's rights

now she's living like a slave..."

11-12-11 - "Sequestered In Memphis" ~ The Hold Steady

In honor of a show I didn't attend in Pittsburgh tonight, here's a track about, well, falling in with the wrong kind of girl, getting picked up by the cops for questioning, and... you'll catch on pretty quick, I'd imagine.  Some of my friends really love The Hold Steady, and I went to see them a while back last time they were in town, and they're not bad, but not my personal favorite style of music either.  Enjoyable performance, just not quite in my wheelhouse.  This one was my favorite song they performed.  Catchy rock tune with humorous lyrics and a nice background piano riff.  Check it:

"In bar light she looked all right

In daylight she looked desperate

That's all right, I was desperate too

I'm getting pretty sick of this interview…"

11-7-11 - "You Really Got A Hold On Me" ~ Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

Oldie, but a goodie tonight.  A little Motown soul for you, brought by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles.  These guys were one of the founding acts on the Motown label, and Smokey was known as the "King of Motown", so I guess that means they weren't half bad.  Also, did you know that "Motown" is a portmanteau?  What's a portmanteau, you ask?  It's a blend of two or more words into one new word. (thanks, Wikipedia!)  We strive for nothing if not education here at Awesome Song of the Day... 


Oh so smoothly, they sing a tune about a dysfunctional relationship they just can't quit.  Seems like when it's good, it's really good, but when it's bad, it's... not so good.  But hey, life is pain, pain breeds art, and art makes life good, so it all works out, eh?

(looks like The Miracles had a few screws loose.... oh, sometimes I slay myself!)

"I want to leave you

Don't want to stay here

Don't want to spend another day here

Though I want to split now

I can't quit now

You've really got a hold on me…"

11-5-11 - "The 1812 Overture" ~ Tchaikovsky

"Remember, remember the Fifth of November,

The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,

I know of no reason

The Gunpowder Treason

Should ever be forgot."

It's the Fifth of November, and if you're like me, you may watch V for Vendetta tonight.  Mostly because Natalie Portman looks good even with a shaved head, but also because of Occupy Wall Street - standing up to The Man, fighting against... wait, what are we fighting against?  Hopefully something bad...


The movie is about a totalitarian government in the UK in a futuristic dystopian society, and a vigilante who fights against the evils of said government, wearing a Guy Fawkes mask symbolically in reference to Fawkes' efforts to overthrow the British government centuries ago.  There could be a lot of debate about the meaning of the film and the motives of the characters, as well as the justness of their causes.  It's interesting to note the religious side of the original Gunpowder Treason - Fawkes was part of a group of Catholics trying to overthrow a Protestant government and restore Catholicism's power backed by the British crown.  So depending on whether you consider Protestants to be tantamount to Totalitarians...


Of further interest is the use of the end of Russian composer Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture at the climax of the film.  The score has become popular in America and is often used in a patriotic sense here, and it's somewhat implicit in the movie that V is using it to stand for freedom and patriotism as well.  However, despite what most Americans likely think, the music was not composed to celebrate American victory over Britain in The War of 1812 (hmm, more irony that a British freedom fighter would use it, if that were true).  Believe it or not, there was more than one war going on in that year, and Tchaikovsky was actually telling the story of the failed attack by Napoleon's army on Moscow, and celebrating the defense of the Russian city.  Hence the elements of the French national anthem and "God Save the Tsar" within the music.


Bottom line, it's a fine piece of classical music, and the final few minutes - complete with cannon fire which is called out in the score - are spectacular.  To quote the great Calvin: "And they perform this in crowded concert halls??"

I'd love to debate the historical, political, and religious ramifications of all this information with you some time, but for now, just enjoy the music, and remember to stand for what you believe in.

And here's the last two minutes, for those of you who aren't patient enough for the whole thing:

And here's the <SPOILER ALERT> final scene from the film.

10-26-11 - "Pipeline / Diamond Head" ~ The Ventures

For several reasons, I'm giving you a two-fer tonight (and you can thank my good buddy Ben for that term, although he used it in reference to a piano duet rather than a doubleheader of songs).  First, I couldn't decide which Ventures tune to go with.  Second, I found a sweet live video of two of my top three choices.  Third, the songs are short anyway.  Fourth, it's my party and I'll cry if I want to.


Anyway, the first time I posted a song by this groundbreaking instrumental rock band, I explained just why they are awesome; so I'll just let the music do the talking tonight.  Here are two surf rock classics, performed live back in '64:

(I love the chugging riff in Pipeline, but the best part may be that their demeanor is so laid back while they are playing what was, at the time, some of the most progressive and "hard" music out there.)

10-3-11 - "Star Witness" ~ Neko Case

Once again, WYEP on the drive home comes through with a song that just caught my ear.  I'd heard of Neko Case before, primarily as part of The New Pornographers, but hadn't heard much of her solo stuff, and certainly not this moving track.


It's said to be about a shooting, and with or without that context, it gets me thinking...

And here's a pretty cool live version:

"rolling off in a crooked line

to the chainlink lots where the redials dive…"

9-30-11 - "Hayloft" ~ Mother Mother

You may find this song strange.  But you may also find that you like it.  I found both.  It's quirky (both musically and lyrically) and fun, and with it Mother Mother ushers a stern warning to frisky kids in an amusing way.  Now, there may be some deeper meaning, but the bottom line is, if you're going to fool around with the farmer's daughter, choose a spot that's not on his property.

"My daddy's got a gun
my daddy's got a gun
my daddy's got a gun
you better run..."

9-19-11 - "Ring Of Fire" ~ Johnny Cash

Two years ago, I was out of town the weekend my brother and friends went to Johnny Cash Day - a celebration of The Man, The Myth, The Music at a local Elks Club on (or around) the anniversary of his passing.  My friends were into Johnny Cash Day before it was cool, and I missed out back in '09.  Last year, I vowed not to let that happen again.  It was a great event, but word had gotten out and it was packed to the point where you couldn't get a chair and it was difficult to even navigate around the room.  But it was well worth it to hear some great covers of Cash's music, and because I won this:

(in '09, our friend Lindsay won a similar print - back to back winners!)

Hatch Show Prints are printed on Broadway in Nashville, and have been since 1879; this is a replica of an original poster, but it's pretty awesome and hangs in my music room by my piano.


This past Saturday was the 2011 JCD, and I missed it due to failure to purchase a ticket before they sold out.  I'm sure it was great like last year, and I'm sure several of the performers covered "Ring Of Fire" like last year.  (my favorite version was by Mark Williams; he did a more unique take on it and shifted some chords to minors for an interesting vibe.)  It's one of Cash's most popular songs, due to the catchy tune and lyrics to which most folks can relate.  Well, sort of - it was written by June Carter about her relationship with Cash whilst both of them were married (or divorcing) other spouses.  Tough situation, that.  So not everyone has ditched one lover for another, but the part about how love is all-consuming rings true for pretty much everyone...


Live performance 1963 (By the way, I love the Mexican horns!) - you can find other live performances online too

Record version:

"The taste of love is sweet

when hearts like ours meet

I fell for you like a child

oh, but the fire ran wild..."

9-11-11 - "The Sound Of Silence" ~ Simon & Garfunkel

I debated whether to post any 9/11 related comments on the internets today.  Wasn't going to do it, but then I saw the video of Paul Simon performing this song at the WTC site, and well, I'm a sucker for S&G, even if Garfunkel wasn't there and Simon is not quite what he used to be.  Here's today's performance, along with tons of pretty emphatic comments that range from "Paul Simon is an inspiration to all Americans today" to "the time to be 'silent' is behind me. I want to hear big bombs blowing up our enemies"... apparently the song and/or Paul Simon are quite divisive.

I won't get into the dirty details of whether Simon is a liberal/pacifist/commie lover, and whether such folk are evil, and whether it was a great or terrible choice for the memorial service.  However, I will say that I think this song has a valid and relevant meaning, perhaps not directly related to the events of 9/11 but indirectly.  The song speaks of a world where the populace are complacent and subdued ("people hearing without listening"), willing to be led like sheep wherever the powers that be would have them go.  The "neon light that split the night" conjures the image of cheap entertainment, which draws my mind to the television - the "opiate of the masses", according to the great Bill Watterson.  The singer tries to rally said masses out of their stupor, to no avail.

The events of that Tuesday morning ten years ago were tragic, and they caused most Americans (and many other folks) to get angry, get excited, and get behind putting a stop to the people responsible.  I wonder, though, how long that spike of emotion and drive lasted for most of us.  It's all too easy to fall back into the routine, to let the monotony of daily life and the opiates of entertainment take over.  I won't even get into the loss of liberties that has been a result of the counter-terrorism measures taken by the US government - if you've flown in the past decade you know what I mean.  Suffice to say, whether it be in politics, foreign affairs, or any other aspect of life, don't just sit back and let the currents take you.  Don't blindly follow, don't let your precious time on earth be consumed by meaningless entertainment.  Decide what you believe, what you stand for, what's worth fighting for, and live your life accordingly.

Here's footage from a performance back when S&G were in their prime:

And here's the album version:

"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 signs said the words of the prophets
Are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls
And whispered in the sounds of silence...."

9-2-11 - "You, Me, And The Bourgeoisie" ~ The Submarines

Here's an example of the evils of the big corporations being used for good... sort of.  I'm not gonna lie, I heard this song on an iPhone commercial a few years back; might never have heard of the band otherwise.  Ironically, the song is all about not falling prey to the lifestyle-driven "keep up with the Joneses" mentality that is so prevalent these days.  But in conjunction with my "don't judge a band by its genre" policy, I believe there's no wrong way to get your music out there.


As you might guess since it was used in a commercial for a product aimed at the young, hip crowd, the song is super catchy.  But along with the hook, there's a healthy dose of food for thought.  What is truly important in life?  Is it money, cars, climbing the corporate ladder?  Or perhaps is there something else to which we should dedicate our pursuits...?

"We're not living the good life
unless we're fighting the good fight..."

8-20-11 - "Slaughter on 10th Avenue" ~ The Ventures

If I had to describe The Ventures in one word, it might be 'slick'.  Their virtuosity with their guitars is legendary in the music world, as they were pioneers in exploring new sounds which could be made on the instrument.  Their efforts in the late '50s and early '60s paved the way for a plethora of other artists, thus earning them the moniker "The Band That Launched A Thousand Bands."  The drummer is pretty smooth, too.  They are possibly the most famous instrumental rock band of all time, and their catalog is well worth exploring.


My dad grew up learning to play guitar via songs by The Ventures and Simon & Garfunkel, which might partially explain my love for both groups.  If you want to learn guitar or improve your existing skills, figuring out some of these songs is not a bad way to pick up some new things and work on dexterity...


This one, despite the threatening title, sounds joyful to my ears, with a soaring guitar lick and a chugging riff to bring it back down, all layered over a driving drum beat and hyperactive bass line.  The segue into the muted bridge is spectacular, and then it builds right back up for the close... 

It's actually based off the score of a ballet by the same name... but this version is a lot faster paced and more fun!

8-8-11 - "Where Is My Mind?" ~ The Pixies

The Pixies were largely before my time, so to speak.  But they have some quality stuff which I've discovered several years after it came out.  I can't flash my indie cred on this one and say "I was into that song before it was all mainstream in the Fight Club soundtrack," but hey, I honestly believe it doesn't matter where or how a person finds out about good music, just that they do.  So when your favorite underground band sells out and is featured on some insurance commercial or something, just chill, and be glad that more people will start listening to and hopefully supporting a great band to help them continue to write awesome tunes.

So yeah, the song is probably a stoner song, but it also resonates with the themes of Fight Club, which is a somewhat disturbing movie but hits pretty hard for the corporate whores many of us are these days.  I'm not saying you should take the extreme measures of Edward Norton and Brad Pitt's characters in the film, but I will say that you should pursue what you love, not just punch a clock and while away your hours in monotony to afford worthless trinkets, a bigger and better TV package (to waste more of your life away), $8 a day of Starbucks, and a $70/month smartphone contract.  Life is too short to spend working for the man, and too precious to waste on the opiates shoved on us by our culture, government, and the sheer information overload of the 21st century.  I'm ashamed to say it's been months since I just sat down with a good book and read it, and probably weeks since I spent any length of time playing music myself - although I have caught some sweet live shows which revitalize my spirit during these times.  I have a good job I (usually) enjoy, and it provides me with opportunity to pursue my interests and spend time with people I care about, but it also can be mind-numbing at times... I need those live shows, evenings with family or close friends, or amazing albums to keep me sane when the drudgery starts to get to me.


Find your mind, then use it.

"Your head will collapse
When there's nothing in it..."

7-23-11 - "King of New York" ~ Newsies

We're going with a showtune tonight. Why?  Because the movie was on TV today, it's a fun film and great memory from childhood, and the song is just darn catchy.  If you haven't seen Newsies, I must recommend it - it's a chance to see Christian Bale in action long before Batman Begins, Patrick Bateman, or Pocahontas (yea, he was a voice in a Disney animated film!)  He even sings in the movie.  Of course, it was geared towards a fairly young audience, but it's a good story about poor working boys in 1899 New York who were forced to make a stand when the newspaper moguls raised prices on the "papes" which provided their livelihood.  Full disclosure, the movie didn't get great reviews, but I still like it and (most of) the songs are pretty good.


This song comes right after the newsboy union has taken a stand against the scabs who start selling papers during the strike, found themselves at a disadvantage until the Brooklyn newsies came to their aid, and have made the front page of their ally / reporter friend Denton's paper (an upstart rival to Pulitzer and Hearst's heavyweights New York World and New York Journal):

"I gotta be either dead or dreamin'
'Cause look at that pape with my face beamin'
Tomorrow they may wrap fishes in it
But I was a star for one whole minute!"

7-11-11 - "We Didn't Start The Fire" ~ Billy Joel

You may have preconceived notions about Billy Joel, or even about this song.  I challenge you to put them aside for a few minutes and give it a critical listen.  It's definitely vintage '80s style, and actually made someone's list of the "50 Worst Songs Ever".  In Joel's own words, "It's one of the worst melodies I've ever written. I kind of like the lyric though."  He's on track there - the lyrics are what make the song for me.  (to be fair, the music is catchy, in that awkward way of 80s tunes where if you're in the right mood you dig it, but if not you want to rip your ears off...)


I had a prof in college open a class session with this song.  It was an early class, and most of the kids were kind of dazed and confused and maybe didn't really get it, but I was jamming to it and knew we were in for a fun lesson.  But... you don't care about that.


Joel wrote the song when he turned 40 in 1989, and it's a three-minute rapid fire retrospective look at world history during those 40 years.  The gist of the song is that there's a lot wrong in the world; and "we" don't want to take the blame for problems which we didn't directly cause.  Humanity as a collective over the course of history has done a lot of damage, and yes, we all are responsible in some small part, but most of us are "trying to fight it..."  It plays out as a combination history lesson, morality play, and exhortation to do what you can to make the world a better place.


Surely you'll get some of the references, though if you're around my age you were just a little kid when the song came out so some of the stuff that happened before our time may not be immediately recognizable.  But if you're so inclined, wikipedia breaks down the entire song.


The video goes along with the theme, showing American families over the course of those years and some of the horrible events that occurred during that time frame.  And you have to love Joel sitting in front of a fire drumming on a table with his hands in the choruses:

"Pope Paul, Malcolm X, British Politician sex
J.F.K. blown away, what else do I have to say?

We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it..."