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..."

1-5-12 - "The Weirds" ~ Katie Costello

Heard this one on TV radio channel tonight (yea, left my iPod at work, so was listening to the Singer/Songwriter channel whilst doing some chores...)  It's a bit... weird... but pretty cool and chill.  Check it out:

I'm sure you know the feeling about which Costello coined this term and is singing.  She describes it such: " I think having "The Weirds" is a sign of growing pains... Meaning, one probably has that feeling when they are destined to somehow move forward or make a change in their life."  Happens to me all the time.

"I’ve overstayed my welcome in this life

and it seems as though time won’t tell you exactly what you’d like

I’ve given up on waving off the flies that have blackened my mind -

my sugarcoated mind..."

12-28-11 - "Sprawl II" ~ Arcade Fire

If you've been paying attention, you'll know that I love juxtaposition.  First, the word itself is something special.  Second, the contrast between joyful music and depressing / somber / provocative lyrics or imagery, or maybe satirical commentary on modern civilization, or just plain self-destructive tendencies.  This song is just that - if you listen to the tune without paying attention to the lyrics, it is inconceivable that you won't be dancing, or at least tapping your toes; but if you pay close attention, the song is about the never ending consumerism, drudgery, and mediocrity that is suburbia... not quite as cheerful as the sonic array would lead you to believe.  I choose to view the music as giving a hopeful edge to the lyrical bleakness, and lines like "dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains" do indicate the expanse of the blight, but "mountains beyond mountains" also rings of hope.  The phrase is partially a tribute to a book by the same name, by a doctor who has spent significant time in Haiti working with disaster relief efforts.  To quote the description: "At the heart of this book is the example of a life based on hope and on an understanding of the truth of the Haitian proverb 'Beyond mountains there are mountains' – as you solve one problem, another problem presents itself, and so you go on and try to solve that one too."  I have yet to read it, but it's high on my list for the new year.


If you want to dig deeper into the lyrics and their meaning, this one's a good one to pull up on songmeanings.net - complete with a plethora of comments discussing things.


Now for some fun.  Arcade Fire recently released an intense and awesome and epic (further superlatives escape me) website / interactive music video.  If you have a webcam, I highly recommend using it - and if you don't have a webcam, you can still experience (some of) the fun by clicking around during the song:

 Sprawl2.com 

(If you are lacking confidence in your dance skills and need inspiration, watch this and this first.  And if you're totally lame, you can watch the "traditional" version of the music video on the site instead of the interactive version...)


And just for you audiophiles or lovers of Arcade Fire, here are some live performances to further sate your appetite:


 (live studio acoustic session)

(New Orleans Jazz Festival 2011, with special guest Cyndi Lauper - yes, that Cyndi Lauper)

(different song, but had to include - the prelude to the above, in which Arcade Fire's encore began with a cover of Lauper's "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun"... featuring the original artist herself.  If you're clever, you'll watch this one *before* the above...)

(plain ol' music video, for you lame folks)

"They heard me singing and they told me to stop

quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock

sometimes I wonder if the world's so small

can we ever get away from the sprawl...?"

12-15-11 - "By Your Hand" ~ Los Campesinos!

Indie pop from Wales, but not Welsh (at least according to Wikipedia...)  I guess stranger things have happened in this world.  Wherever they're from, they caught my ear, and lo and behold, now they have a chance to catch yours.


This track is a bit darker than you might think from the music.  Catchy and engaging synth and upbeat major chords won't have you thinking about your untimely demise, but that's the subject matter which belies the mood of the melody.  The accompanying video has some nostalgic moments with toys from our collective youth, but contrasts these images with some twisted and morbid scenes, a juxtaposition which is quite unsettling:

"By your hand is the only end I foresee..."

12-14-11 - "Cathedrals" ~ Jump, Little Children

Here's a beautiful track from a group who are no longer together.  The subdued string section is woven together with the guitar for a tapestry to backdrop the powerful lyrics. The intensity of the longing to find meaning in life, and find "home", is staggering.  Probably you've had times when you felt that way; I know I have.  There's a lot about the world that is depressing, and even the masterpieces (man-made, like cathedrals, or natural) are prone to decay into entropy.  Yet, the beauty of these things gives us hope, and a desire to preserve the existing wonders of the world, and perhaps to create some new ones.


There are probably ties to human relationships here as well - home doesn't have to be a a physical location; sometimes it's finding the right group of people who make you feel comfortable and loved.


This unofficial fan-made video has some starkly contrasting visuals:

"In the shadows of tall buildings

Of open arches endlessly kneeling

Sonic landscapes echoing vistas

Someone is listening from a safe distance..."

12-06-11 - "Time" ~ Hans Zimmer

So I know I'm a little late on this, but tonight I watched "Inception."  It was a pretty wild ride, and lived up to the hype in my opinion.  I love a movie that works on the surface levels (action, drama, misdirection) while also requiring the viewer to think.  Christopher Nolan has proven to be adept at creating such films - from Memento to The Prestige to Inception.  The cast is pretty great; a list of actors such as Michael Caine, Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Leonardo DiCaprio - all names whose films I can't recall not enjoying, at least the ones I've seen.


Without giving away any spoilers, let me just comment that for someone musically inclined as I am, the soundtrack can be a crucial element in the satisfaction taken from a film.  Just as with the director and cast, Hans Zimmer has never let me down as a composer.  The scores comprising his body of work are numerous, including such great films as Cool Runnings, The Lion King, Muppet Treasure Island (I know, right?), Gladiator, The Last Samurai, the Pirates / Batman series... ok, you get the point, a lot of movies with great soundtracks.


So here's a live performance by Zimmer himself, and below is the recorded version:

I imagine it must be great fun to be privy to the deepest secrets of a movie script like this one, and to get paid to imagine the sounds that should accompany such events as are depicted therein...

11-28-11 - "Modern Drift" ~ Efterklang

So due to a combination of a busy holiday with family and a lack of a reliable internet connection, I skipped a few days of posting.  I bet you were outside your minds waiting for someone to tell you what songs to which you should listen.  Or more likely, you didn't miss it at all, but now you're ready for some more.  Good Lord willing, and the creek don't rise*, I'll try to work in a few bonus posts to make it up to you.


Here's a somewhat trippy tune from a Danish band.  The intentional "accidental" dissonant chords of the falsetto piano over several sets of lower notes on the keys create an unsettling, yet soothing sensation.  The song seems to deal with that feeling of lacking direction that so many of the youthful generation experience these days, and with a relationship struggling to stay afloat through these rudderless times; however, the band apparently doesn't like people posting the lyrics online so it's hard to be sure that everything is being heard correctly...


(WARNING: music video has some PG-13 imagery; kind of like "Bohemian Like You".  If you have sensitive eyes, use the second "video", which is just the music, or the third, which is live in Montreal.  Several other decent concert videos out there, also...

"When the morning dies
and I come to you
with a broken lie
that I made for you..."
_________________________


* - one of my favorite sayings, complete with some interesting history.  Also a line from a Johnny Cash song, which I might get around to posting one day... oh wait I'm already looking for bonus/makeup posts so here it is, YAY!

11-22-11 - "Paradise" ~ Coldplay

It's unlikely that tonight's post will be groundbreaking to you; most people have at least heard of Coldplay by now.  But their latest radio hit caught my ear today, so there you go.  I still feel like Parachutes and A Rush Of Blood To The Head are my fave albums by these guys, but they're consistently solid.


This track deals with the loss of youthful innocence and idealism; the realization as we move into our adult years that we're not all going to be pro athletes, astronauts, princesses, models, rock stars, the president, or whatever else we dreamed of in our youth.  Most of us end up shifting our paradigm and creating new dreams for which to strive.  Most of us endure hard times, but often we emerge stronger and discover a life that is better than the one we'd been imagining.  The truth is, life is what you make of it, and paradise is enjoying your life for what it is, not some far-off mystical perfection.


Live at Austin City Limits:

And here's an... interesting... music video.  I think you'll be able to see the correlation between the protagonist's plight and journey and the song's meaning.  Also, elephants on unicycles are arguably as awesome as hiphopopotamuses and rhymenoceroses.  Although I could do without the holding up of cardboard signs with song lyrics - that part is like some bad truck commercial.

PS - I love the dissonant chords at the end...

"So lying underneath those stormy skies

She'd say, 'oh…

I know the sun must set to rise'..."

11-8-11 - "Machine" ~ Regina Spektor

Been a while since I posted some Regina Spektor.  This one falls somewhere near the middle of the Spektor Weirdness Scale - it has some odd vocal utterances and disturbing imagery, but isn't nearly as strange as certain other tracks ("Oedipus", "Aching to Pupate", I'm looking at you.)  I think my favorite thing about Spektor is she's absolutely unafraid to try new things, be herself, and just have fun with her songs.


The song starts with a driving piano rhythm, explodes with mechanical sounds, and features a sick string breakdown for the bridge.  The subject matter here is pretty heavy; I'll leave the details for you to work out on your own but the gist seems to be an homage to / railing against the technological age, or maybe some kind of futuristic dystopian world...

Several clutch live performances are online; here's one from House of Blues (Boston) to start you off:

(look for "Live in London", "Live Paris Bataclan", and "Bonnaroo 2010" for some other sweet ones - better video than this version but this one has that intimate venue feel)

And here's the album version, coupled with one of the most fitting fan videos I've ever seen.  The scenes are from Joss Whedon's "Firefly" and "Dollhouse" shows, and although I haven't watched Dollhouse, Firefly was great.

"I collect my moments

into a correspondence

with a mightier power

who just lacks my perspective

and who lacks my organics

and who covets my defects

and I'm downloaded daily

I am part of a composite..."

10-28-11 - "Party, My House, Be There" ~ MxPx

Just a straight up fun punk tune for ya, from probably the best band ever, MxPx...

"Bring along yourself and don't forget that smile
Plan on stayin' a while
'Till summer turns to fall..."

10-4-11 - "God or Man" ~ Ivan & Alyosha

This is gonna be quick because I'm heading out of town tomorrow, it's late, and I need to rest before a long day of work then travel.  Posts for the next ten days will likely likewise be quick.


My friend Jake told me about this band who are playing in Seattle Friday; I'll be in Vancouver for work and then headed to Seattle but not sure I'll make it in time for the show.  But I checked out the band, and they're pretty great.  A lot of symbolism in the band's moniker, "Ivan & Alyosha."  Worth reading.


This song gripped me most out of their live-in-studio sessions with KEXP (Seattle), which Jake recommended to me.  Give it a go:

"somewhere I got lost along the way…"

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..."

9-4-11 - "Help, I'm Alive" ~ Metric

Actually found this song on a free download mixtape from their label, Mom+Pop Records, and iTunes, which I heard about thanks to labelmates Freelance Whales.  Didn't realize before this, but Mom+Pop actually has a few other swell artists, such as Ingrid Michaelson and Sleigh Bells.


It's a catchy track with vague references to zombies, but probably she's really singing about trying to find her way in a dog-eat-dog world.


Electro-rock original version with somewhat trippy music video:

Chillaxin' acoustic version:

"Come take my pulse, the pace is on a runaway train..."

8-14-11 - "Runaway Train" ~ Soul Asylum

Here's an early 90s radio staple with which you're likely familiar but just as likely haven't heard in a while.  We saw these guys live outside of Heinz Field in Pittsburgh a couple summers ago.  I forget what event it was, exactly, but it wasn't half bad.  We didn't really know much of their catalogue other than this one, but for a free show where you just chill and chat with friends and half listen, it worked pretty well.


The meaning of the song could be interpreted many ways, but the general concept is that life has begun moving faster than the singer can handle in a direction he's not sure he wants to go.  Working in the railroad industry, I love a good train metaphor, so there you go.

"bought a ticket for a runaway train
like a madman laughing at the rain
little out of touch, little insane
it's just easier than dealing with the pain..."

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..."

8-7-11 - "The Loneliness And The Scream" ~ Frightened Rabbit

The other half of last night's Death Cab For Cutie show was Frightened Rabbit, and they were swell.  Being the opening act, they played a fairly short set and left out a few of my favorites, but they did a bunch of my other favorites, and also caught my ear with this one from their latest album, which I have to confess hadn't previously hit me hard like it did when they closed with it last night at the show...

This one is all about those times when we are unsure of ourselves, when we feel alone despite being surrounded by people, when we need a catalyst to remind us that there is more to life than the dreary routines...

I was hoping to find a live recording from last night (I wasn't shooting video), but nobody has posted one yet so here's one from a few days ago in Detroit:

"We fall down, find God,
just to lose it again..."
______________________________________


Edit 8-9-11: Check out these sweet photos of Frightened Rabbit's set by fellow Pittsburgh music blogger Hugh!

7-13-11 - "Body" ~ Mother Mother

Wow, I went six months without posting a second song by Mother Mother.  Wrecking Ball is one of their more accessible and poppy songs; this one is not quite so much (but it's not their weirdest, either... I may post one of those one of these days...) 


The band frequently deals with issues of self image, self worth, societal flaws, mortality, etc.  There's room for interpretation here, but the gist is that the nature of our physical existence is fleeting, and our bodies are imperfect and prone to decay and fail.  I suppose they're making a statement about the true value of a person being the mind and soul, and/or looking forward to an afterlife... what do you think?

"I've grown tired of this body
cumbersome and heavy body..."

6-19-11 - "Beautiful Things" ~ Gungor

So my friend Jake's friend Scott posted this song a while ago on his song of the day blog*, and I checked it out and was impressed.  I didn't want to just go post it myself right away though, because that just seemed like copying.  But I heard Jake and a couple other friends** play the song today and it just hit me, so now you're getting it tonight. 


* - wait, you mean I'm not the only person in the world doing this?
** - friendly post tonight, eh?


Harmonies and instrumentation.  This song has them.  I like those things.  Self-described as "liturgical post-rock", Gungor's sound is rich and full.  The way the song builds just resonates, and the breakdown with the glockenspiel is great.


Live version:

Album version:

"All this earth
Could all that is lost ever be found?
Could a garden come out from this ground, at all?"

5-8-11 - "Lost!" ~ Coldplay

This is one of my favorite Coldplay songs.  The lyrics are intriguing and pack a punch, the beat drives the song, and the music just rocks.  There's also an acoustic version floating around out there (second video - somebody made a fan video set to it) that I just discovered and love as well... just the piano and Chris Martin's vocals, which allows the emotion to shine through and provides for a dirty piano interlude.  Which, of course, is one of my favorite things in life.

"You might be a big fish
In a little pond
Doesn't mean you've won
'Cause a long may come
A bigger one..."

4-3-11 - "C.S. Lewis Song" ~ Brooke Fraser

I'd heard of Brooke Fraser before, but never really heard her music until something my brother said today got me to look it up.  She's got some talent, that's for sure.  This song hit me hardest - C.S. Lewis is one of my favorite authors, and was one of the great thinkers of the 20th century.  I kind of wish Fraser had come up with a better name for the song, but other than that, it's gold.  The first verse is almost a verbatim Lewis quote, and it sets up the entire song's existential pondering.  If you listen and think, maybe you'll have an epiphany... or maybe you'll just dig the music.

"Am I lost, or just less found,
on the straight or on the roundabout of the wrong way?
is this a soul that stirs in me?
is it breaking free, wanting to come alive?
'cause my comfort would prefer for me to be numb,
and avoid the impending birth of who I was born to become..."