1-10-13 - "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Any More" ~ The Walker Brothers

Oh, just a little ditty from a band about which I recently heard someone say, "They were almost as big as The Beatles back in the '60s..."  Apparently, this American trio took the UK by storm, and (if the internet speaks truth) at one time their fan club was bigger than that of the Fab Four.  Their counterattack to the British Invasion makes for quite the tale of intrigue... hit up Wikipedia if you're looking for more details.

The song has that classic feel, and if you're dealing with a breakup or just wishing you had someone special, this one's definitely for you.

"Loneliness is the cloak you wear
a deep shade of blue is always there
the sun ain't gonna shine any more..."

1-8-12 - "Old Friend" ~ Sea Wolf

I'd talk about how it's been so long and I plan to post more frequently, but nobody wants to read that.  Here's a pretty chill song I'd heard before; caught it on World Cafe tonight driving home from work and it just hit me tonight.

 

Live-ish video:

Oh, by the way, BAM.  Free download, courtesy of Diffuser.fm.  If nothing else, I Google things for you!

"Stood upon the rooftop on a night so clear
that the lights from the city just disappeared..."

2-3-12 - "Sequel" ~ TeamMate

Here's a sweet new track from a sweet new band.  A band comprised of Scott Simons, an expatriate of West Virginia who's been living in LA, and Dani Buncher, a Pittsburgher who you might know from my ramblings about Big Hurry and Big Snow Big Thaw (the other two bands for which she is the drummer)  I'm not gonna lie, I'm a bit disappointed this band isn't called "Big TeamMate" or something to that effect...


Oh yeah, and the duo used to date for, like, ten years, so that adds an interesting dynamic.  This is their debut single, just dropped last night.  It deals with their breakup and some of their story, some pretty rough relationship stuff set to infectious upbeat pop sounds.  If this is any indication, they'll be quite a fun show at Brillobox next weekend...

Oh by the way, free download of this track on their facebook page.  Bangarang.


"Sometimes all you've got is too much
sometimes nothing's ever enough..."

12-29-11 - "Answers and Questions" ~ Earlimart

Here's a song from a few years back that I'm pretty sure I discovered just by clicking on some "related videos" on YouTube after watching some other band's song... sometimes you strike out doing that but sometimes you find a good one.  I like this song, so there you go.


Not entirely sure of the precise meaning, but it's got that wistful, melancholy vibe going on.  Kind of seems like a breakup song, only more complicated than that...

"I'm wide awake I'm watching you

all of my lies they tell the truth..."

12-04-11 - "My December" ~ Linkin Park

We've all gone through that phase where we were into rap metal, but for most of us it was quite a while ago that we got over it.  OK, so I say that tongue-in-cheek, because who ever really gets over it?  But seriously, maybe we haven't all done that, but we all experience changes in our musical tastes as we grow up and find ourselves at different stages in life.


All that to say, I haven't really kept up with Linkin Park, but apparently they have spent the last several years trying some different things stylistically, which I always appreciate in bands (as opposed to those who have one hit and spend decades writing more songs that sound exactly like that one.)  I'm not sure how well LP's first few albums have held up as I progressed out of my teen/college years, but I can still enjoy some of those tracks from time to time.  This particular song always did strike a chord for me, it's much more mellow and less intense musically than most of their stuff, but the simple lyrics pack a punch.  There's another side to the band besides the angsty, angry vibes of "Numb" and the Ecclesiastic nihilism of "In The End".


This song is about reflection, regret, and reconciliation.  The singer has made some major mistakes, which tore apart relationships.  He's realizing what he threw away and trying to make amends.  Hopefully most of you haven't had things fall apart quite that badly, but we've all said or done things which hurt family, friends, or lovers... 


Here's an acoustic / piano only version they've been doing in concert in recent years:

And here's the original version:

And while we're at it, Josh Groban (possibly the best male vocalist alive) covered the song, so you know it's legit:

(And yes, I posted this song in part to be cute and "oh snap it's a song about the current month!", like last night.  Also in part because my friend Josh tweeted some lyrics the other day.)


"This is my December

these are my snow covered dreams

this is me pretending

this is all I need..."

11-16-11 - "Houdini" ~ Foster The People

So I finally picked up Foster The People's album recently, because who doesn't love an album that's chock full of tunes just waiting for commercials to use them?  I mean, screw Corporate America and The Man, but dang is this album catchy!


After a handful of spins, this track has grabbed me the most.  The hook is off the hoo... wait I mean chain.  And the lyrics are actually fairly deep too.  It delves into the musician's dilemma - opening one's soul up to the masses. It speaks out against conforming and compromising due to fear, fostering the people (a bit of a stretch, I know, but deal with it) and encouraging them to stand strong and put their talents and skills to use.  And sometimes we all wish we could pull off miraculous escapes like Houdini...

And lest you think that they're just hiding behind all the electronic sounds and synths...

And here's a hybrid live performance from SNL which still has some of the synths, but brings more focus on the keys and vox while adding some sick horns... (hey, ah, Foster The People, you got a little, uh, Ben Stiller on your shirt...)

Also featuring Kenny G.  What.

"With the lights turned up, it's hard to hide
sometimes I want to disappear..."


(PS - Mark Foster kinda looks like Zach Braff...)

11-13-11 - "Good Day" ~ Angels & Airwaves

What happens when a raucous punk band grows up?  Well, sometimes, some of the members form a new band and start writing music like this.  And sometimes, they get back together with the original crew after a decade, when they're all closer to forty than thirty, and we all know what happens then (actually, I haven't heard any of the new Blink 182 stuff yet...)


But yeah, Angels And Airwaves are what happens when a guy like Tom DeLonge decides to write slightly more mature music than "What's My Age Again?" and "The Party Song", and I kinda like it.  DeLonge has one of those voices that can grate on you if you're not in the mood, but it actually works most of the time in this context.  Here's a song which could have several meanings on numerous levels, but seeing as I had a pretty good day, the surface interpretation implies that this is appropriate for tonight...

"Oh I need you now
the earth fell fast asleep

this room is safe and sound

will you lay here with me and feel it...?"

11-9-11 - "Old Friend" ~ The O.C. Supertones

I find tonight's track to be incredibly evocative.  Every time I hear the opening chords, I'm instantly transported to a beach in SoCal.  Wait, I've never been to California, but I can still imagine what it would be like!  The music just has that vibe of sitting around a bonfire on the beach, in the late (late) Indian summer, after one last perfect day riding the waves, enjoying the company of close friends and playing some surfy, relaxing tunes to wind things down...

 (photo borrowed from laurenmeg)

This one lacks the trademark horns and blistering ska heat of the bulk of the band's work, but it's one of my favorites from their catalog nonetheless.  As I mentioned, the gentle surf guitar and bass rhythm are just swell, the harmonies sublime, and the guitar solo in the bridge is beautiful in its restraint.

"What do I know? Somebody tell me

I've been running from you for so long…"

(photo borrowed from yan_san)

10-24-11 - "Moneygrabber" ~ Fitz and the Tantrums

Fitz and the Tantrums are apparently suffering through another nasty breakup.  This time, it seems there's a gold-digger involved.  But hey, life's tragedies lead to some of the best music:

Oh by the way, the band is offering Don't Gotta Work It Out for free right now: 


Don't Gotta Work It Out (mp3 download)

"I don't pay twice for the price of a cheap dime whore"

10-15-11 - "Sometime Around Midnight" ~ The Airborne Toxic Event

Another one from the West Coast airwaves.  These guys have a band name that, on first hearing it, will likely have you thinking "some sucky emo band" or "...hmm..."  Apparently the name is derived from a book - I'll have to read it someday, perhaps.  But I dig the song, even if the band name is strange.  I think they were gonna call themselves "The Beatles", but found out that one was already taken...

The drummer rocks a legit mustache in the video; in one shot he looks like Seth Avett.  They also have a chick who plays viola, always a nice touch. It seems like the song is about having the wounds of a relationship re-opened.  And the video has some interesting cinematography... 

"And the piano is this melancholy soundtrack to her smile"

9-28-11 - "O.C. Supertones" ~ The O.C. Supertones

Some days, no matter how important your project is at work, no matter how "disrespectful" it may be considered to those around you, you just gotta crank some ska.  Today was one of those days.  


Ska's prime was a while ago, to be sure; can't say I listen to the genre frequently these days, but if you're in the right mood it's still great.  And yes, when I said "crank", I meant "go one click higher than normal on the computer volume button", so I wasn't really sticking it to the man.  But man, hearing this album (and especially this song) just made me happy.


Give it a try and just try to stay angry or depressed or whatever unpleasant mood you may be in right now.  And if you're already feeling good, this will only expound upon your good feelings.  I promise.


"O.C. Supertones" ~ The Orange County Supertones (grooveshark link)


"Orange County, huh?"

9-15-11 - "Truth" ~ Alexander

Last time I posted a song by Alexander, I almost picked this one, but changed my mind and did "Let's Win."  Now I know why, and it's because now I can include the live performance of "Truth" from Conan the other night (see below).  This one's not as upbeat or joyful, but the shambling flow will drag you right in.  

The lyrics are weighty, dealing with the singer's struggle to break free from following the mindless crowds as an unseen force would have him do ("wanna pull me back behind the fence with the cattle").  He has been there, following the hollow "truth" put forth to lure him in, but now he is beginning to see through it.  He is discovering the true truth, and is willing to stand and fight for it, no matter the cost.  It seems the conclusion he comes to is that love is truth...

(live on Conan - a little slower than the album version, but I love that it accentuates the choral harmonies!)

(music video - it's a little creepy and weird, and adds a layer to the song)

"I've seen a million numbered doors on the horizon

Now which is the future you choosen before you gone dying
I'll tell you about a secret I've been undermining
Every little lie in this world comes from dividing..."

"I swear to God I'm only trying to be loving..."

7-26-11 - "Short Skirt/Long Jacket" ~ CAKE

Surprising that I haven't used Cake yet.  They're delightfully strange and unique... pretty much every Cake song you hear, you know it's them straightaway.  Both the vocals and the style in general give it away, but they still manage to write songs that don't all sound the same.

This one is fun and catchy, especially the "na, na" part with the trumpet.  But it's also pretty deep.  I'm not going to speculate too much, but it seems to be about seeking a girl who stands out from the crowd, who isn't afraid to be herself and live life to the fullest.  That, or the economy, if certain SongMeanings commenters are to be believed...

Music video is hilarious; they just wandered around with a portable CD player and filmed people's reactions to the song:

Oh yea and it's the theme song to Chuck which is just plain awesome.

"I want a girl with uninterrupted prosperity
who uses a machete to cut through red tape
with fingernails that shine like justice
and a voice that is dark like tinted glass..."

7-17-11 - "Let's Win" ~ Alexander

Here's a super catchy track from Alexander Ebert (he of Edward Sharpe AND the Magnetic Zeros).  No, it's not about Charlie Sheen "winning".  Pretty much just a call for love and peace, perhaps with a little bit of tongue-in-cheek praise of the American Dream thrown in...

Live/Acoustic/Solo/Guitar:

"Do you know the way, the things to say,
the way to win the game of life?
I should know better..."

7-3-11 - "End Love" ~ OK Go

Here's a fun one, with a synthy, 80s-ish feel.  OK Go are just a fun band, good for when you want to just bob your head and enjoy life and music.  Here's another interesting and innovative music video by the band who built a following in that way, this time featuring stop-motion dance moves, a goose, and some other fun and random stuff.  Watch for the kid at the bottom right around the 3:30 mark...

"Cause no one's gonna save you if you don't swim for the boat, 
No one's gonna save you if you won't take the rope..." 

6-28-11 - "Fun, Fun, Fun" ~ The Beach Boys

So it's officially summer as of last week, and tonight we're going to just enjoy a fun summer song (see what I did there)?  The Beach Boys were kings of summery tunes that embodied the spirit of American youth and adventure.  Sometimes they sang about surfing, sometimes cars, sometimes girls... sometimes all three. This one's mostly about the latter two, and kicks off with a sweet little tribute to Chuck Berry and "Johnny B. Goode"...

(OK, so maybe Brian Wilson got a little lazy, rhyming "now" with "now" with "now" here, but I think we can forgive that in light of the awesome harmonies and fun story... woops, did it again!)


"Well the girls can't stand her
'Cause she walks looks and drives like an ace now
She makes the Indy 500 look like a Roman chariot race now
A lotta guys try to catch her
But she leads them on a wild goose chase now..."

6-17-11 - "Kisses Over Babylon" ~ Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

¿Habla español?  If not, you'll have to pull up the full lyrics on freetranslation.com to fully grasp this song.  I know a little Spanish, but I had to look it up, not gonna lie.  It's a pretty interesting story, actually... and I definitely love me some Ed Sharpe!


The video is a long-form music video that's actually part two of a story sequence told through the music videos of several songs by ES&MZ.  Probably worth starting from part one if you're gonna watch it; if you just want the tune, here's the grooveshark link:


"Kisses Over Babylon"

"Parlante con el mar del cielo
pide que la sed de crecer
en todo la creacion me Dios
y el manifiesto...


Speak to the earth and sky
ask that the thirst grow
in all of God's creations
and in the manifestation..."

6-16-11 - "One Headlight" ~ The Wallflowers

It's late and I'm super tired, so you'll be spared in-depth commentary on this one, although I think the lyrics merit some attention.  And hey, I just learned that the lead singer of The Wallflowers, Jakob Dylan, is Bob Dylan's son.  How about that.


Have yourself some good old 90s alt-rock:

"I seen the sun comin' up at the funeral at dawn 
The long broken arm of human law ..."

6-7-11 - "Spiderwebs" ~ No Doubt

Going with a fun one from the days of our youth.  Well, my youth... I don't presume to know the age of the reader.  Anyway, it's just a fun ska-ish tune about getting over a dude who keeps calling, or maybe it's about the way technology has permeated our society to the point where "helpful" and "useful" things become a nuisance or even a curse...

"Communication, a telephonic invasion..."

5-29-11 - "Dare You To Move" ~ Switchfoot

So you've probably heard this one, and yes, it got overplayed on the radio and overused in movies and TV shows.  But it's been a while since I listened to it, so I'm ok going back to it now.  It's definitely a good song, and the message is solid - don't just coast through life, take full advantage of it.

"Welcome to the fallout
Welcome to resistance
The tension is here...
Between who you are and who you could be
Between how it is and how it should be..."