5-21-12 - "All The Rowboats" ~ Regina Spektor

Regina Spektor probably doesn't need the hype from my little blog, and I've already discussed a few of her tracks.  But this one, from her new album that drops next week, is just spectacular and I felt like telling you why I feel that way, so here goes.


The first several times I listened were at work with the volume low, unfortunately not the best way to fully appreciate music.  However, even in that setting, the musicianship and composition struck me.  When I got around to giving the song its proper due and absorbing the lyrics, it only deepened my enjoyment.  On the surface, the song is a lament for masterworks of various art forms as they are neglected by today's reality TV society.  If you like, you can likely find several layers of deeper meaning as well.


The most poignant metaphor, for me, is the violin.  A Stradivarius is in itself a masterpiece, but it only becomes a true wonder when in the hands of a brilliant musician.  If it's sitting in a display case, the beauty of its sound is lost... "They've forgotten, forgotten how to sing..."


Here's the track on Soundcloud:





A Letterman performance from last week, complete with a Steinway & Sons grand piano and Regina's trademarked oddball vocalizations - this time in the form of laser sound effects:

And the music video:

"First there's lights out, then there's lock up

Masterpieces serving maximum sentences

It's their own fault for being timeless

There's a price to pay, and a consequence..."

5-2-12 - "The Affair" ~ Be Honest, Ruth Bryan!

I stumbled upon Be Honest, Ruth Bryan! through The Ballard Sessions, which are Seattle's version of Pittsburgh blog Draw Us Lines' Echo Chambers.  The trio of ladies from the Northwest bring some haunting harmonies and exquisite instrumentation, and in a bipartisan spirit, let a couple of dudes play along as well.


Citing influences like Fleet Foxes, Sufjan Stevens, The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, Death Cab, Hans Zimmer, and Itzhak Perlman lends credence to my notion that this group of musicians is legit.  If you're into those sorts of things, you just might also like this band.


This track is pretty self-explanatory, but I'll give you a few brief thoughts nonetheless.  The point of view makes for quite the intriguing take on the story.  Dads don't like it when married men fool around with their daughters.  Heck, dads don't like it when any men fool around with their daughters.  And arpeggios in minor keys are a double-edged sword, but when done well, they can really hit the spot:


(Ballard Session)

(recording via Bandcamp)

"In the mornings it's quiet,

I guess even the dead need sleep..."

"And we, oh, we are not free

We are the ties we make...

(...we are the ties we break...)"

1-20-12 - "Somebody That I Used To Know" ~ Walk Off The Earth

Normally I try to avoid using covers as posts, but this one is just incredible.  Plus I've had a rough week with work and such and haven't posted, and I'm minutes away from a much-needed crash and burn marathon sleep session, so a quick one with limited need for deep, insightful commentary was needed.


Walk Off The Earth won the internet with this YouTube video two weeks ago; you've probably already seen it, but if not, watch it now before you're the last person on earth not to.  Seriously, it had something like 800,000 videos when I first saw it, and exploded to several million within like a day.  31 million views in 15 days - almost 2M / day.  I believe that's what you kids refer to as "going viral"...


The gimmick is that it features five people playing one guitar, but man do they legitimize it.  The arrangement is stellar, the voices gritty and true, and the dude on the right is so hardcore you won't be able to stand it.  


The band does lots of covers (pretty much all of them are amazing) but also has their own tunes, so check them out further if you like this:

 Here's the original, btw. 

"But you didn't have to cut me off
make out like it never happened and that we were nothing..."

12-31-11 - "Snake Hill" ~ Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band

If you thought Conor Oberst was the only lyrical master in this group, prepare to think again.  This track was written and sung by fellow MVB guitarist Taylor Hollingsworth, and it's a doozy.  Feels like a good one to close out the year, too, for some reason.


It's easy to imagine that the song is about self-destructive tendencies in general, but also quite plausible that the "poison" is the passion of love when it goes awry.  I think there's more than that on Hollingsworth's mind here, though.  The lines about being born with the poison in his body sound to me like the realization that all mankind has some evil inside, even the best of us.  No matter how hard we try, we hurt the ones we love and those around us time and again.  The challenge of each of our lives is to minimize the occasions where we harm those we care about, and maximize our efforts to heal the wounds we create.


But hey, it's open to interpretation, as are all songs.  I definitely empathize with the emotions in this one, and that's why I wanted to share the song with you all.  I hope you enjoy it, and have enjoyed experiencing a wide variety of great music over the past year.  See you in 2012!

(shout out to Jake for hooking me up with this album, and for coining the nickname "Snake Hill" for our residence after having numerous close encounters of the slithering kind whilst mowing the lawn last year...)


"And it was only self defense

but I coiled up and I bit

I let my venom run into her veins..."

12-27-11 - "Fixin' To Die" ~ G Love

I've been remiss for the bulk of this year in not posting this song.  I first heard it around this time last year, and was spinning it frequently throughout last winter, but apparently never whilst I was pondering which song to select for the day's blog post.  So here you go.

G Love teamed with The Avett Brothers (acting as producers, among other things) on his latest album, and since TAB are pretty swell in my opinion, odds were good that I'd like the collaborative effort as well.  This track is old-fashioned foot-stompin' bluegrassy rock, crying out to the good Lord as he ponders his final days and the fate of his poor children if'n he passes...

(Scott and Seth appear courtesy of their being awesome...)

"Well, I don't mind dyin',
but I hate to leave my children cryin'.."

_____________________________

PS - poke around on philadelphonic.com for some free stuff, if you so desire...

12-23-11 - "Here I Dreamt I Was An Architect" ~ The Decemberists

Oh, you know, it's December, so a Decemberists song seems fitting.  As usual, the lyrics are a tapestry, woven into allegories with likely deep and significant meaning... but I'm not going to try to break this one down for you.  Songmeanings.net has some interesting efforts at deconstruction in the comments... check it out, if you're so inclined.

This one is somewhat reflective and somber, recalling love's labours lost, or something like that...

"And I recall in spring

the perfume that the air would bring

to the indolent town..."

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..."

11-17-11 - "Barton Hollow" ~ The Civil Wars

A while back, I blogged about a track by The Civil Wars which featured reticent instrumentation and somber, emotive vocals.  This track showcases their more rambunctious side, evoking the spirit of Cash with a tale of a man running from his past.


Like their slower songs, this tune features intricate harmonies.  It also makes use of dramatic dynamic shifts to great effect.  Check out the music video and a live performance (one of many you can enjoy via the internet - also look for the live SXSW, Jools Holland, and Leno versions):

"Miles and miles in my bare feet
still can't lay me down to sleep
if I die before I wake
I know the Lord my soul won't take..."

10-20-11 - "Morning Song" ~ We Are The City

So you've already read about the band whose show I attended on Monday night.  An unexpected benefit of being there was discovering these guys along the way.  Hailing from British Columbia just like tourmates Said The Whale, We Are The City brought an engaging brand of progressive indie rock with keyboard (which of course gets them a +1 in my book).  The downside was that I really only caught their last song, due to a prior commitment.  But that was enough for me to check them out further.


Morning Song is the back half of a just-dropped EP, and happens to be the song I caught at the show.  (The front half is called Mourning song, and leads into this one quite well - check it out too!)


The piano style reminds me a bit of Keane, but the guitar and vocals differentiate them from the brit piano-pop group.  Evocative lyrics will draw you in, with imagery of the ocean and the frailty of human life.  Asymmetrical phrasing generates an unsettled mood, making the resolution all the more powerful.  The song's subject matter is the suffering in the world, and the hope that burns within us despite the pain.  


Sweet video of the band performing the song out in nature in - you guessed it - the morning:

Perhaps the best part?  You can download the track FREE on Bandcamp!  (but if you like it, I highly recommend going back and buying the $2, 2-song EP to support the further endeavours* of this talented young group...)


* - see what I did there?  I spelled it like a Canadian would, eh?


Morning Song ~ We Are The City (bandcamp)


"Do you feel fine? 

Please pull me like the moon pulls the tide 

And if I'm set to walk on land then my sandy bones will turn to glass and I'll wait for them to crack..."

10-18-11 - "Black Day In December" ~ Said The Whale

I know it's not December yet, but I'm going with this song because it's probably my favorite by Said The Whale, who played an intimate show in Pittsburgh last night.  They actually didn't have this one on the set list, but I sweet-talked singer/guitarist/songwriter Ben into an encore, and it was spectacular.  He was standing right in front of me with his acoustic guitar, and Jaycelyn added some restrained notes from the xylophone while Spencer and Andrew (drummer from fellow Vancouver band We Are The City) worked in some gentle percussion, punctuated by a single water bottle cap explosion from Tyler (songwriter/guitarist/singer of many other tracks).  I'm honestly not sure if bassist Nathan was playing for this one or just standing there looking pretty, but either way, he was a big part of the evening as well!


I'm rambling, but it was one of the most fun shows I've been to, made all the more special by the bands' willingness to talk with me and some other fans (who drove 2 hours from Punxsutawney to be there) afterward.  Their month-long round-the-continent road trip is impressive, with shows just about every night (sometimes to less than packed houses, like a Monday night in a town 2500 miles from their home), and I'm sure they were tired, but they still went out of their way to interact with the audience.


The song tells the tale of a storm in December of 2006 which ravaged the old-growth forest and other parts of Stanley Park (my favorite part of Vancouver).  It's a sad story, but there's a hopeful glimmer shining through the darkness as the mermaid and old man characters pray for the park, its inhabitants, and the city.  


Album version:

Live performance in Stanley Park:

"She sees the worst is yet to come

A big wave on the horizon

The first wind blowing in

Left Stanley's soldiers felled and broken...

Her own sisters and her brothers

And ten thousand friends and lovers

A black day in December..."

______________________________

BONUS:  I posted "The Light Is You" way back in January, and last night I got a video of the band performing it - check it out.

8-16-11 - "Blues Run The Game" ~ Jackson C. Frank

Simple but elegant commentary on the futility of life.  Kind of a downer, I suppose.  You get over it though, because the beauty of the music overpowers the depressing nature of the lyrics, and hey, what are the blues without tragedy and despair?  And if you want a deeper appreciation for tragedy and despair, read a little of Frank's life story... wow.  Makes me think twice about complaining because I was stuck at work for an extra hour today...

"Well we're living a life of sin..."
______________________________


A plethora of covers are out there, from Simon & Garfunkel to Laura Marling to Colin Meloy (of The Decemberists) to Robin Pecknold (of Fleet Foxes) to John Mayer.  I'm sure some of them are swell, but I'm sticking with the original for tonight...

7-31-11 - "Goodbye, Dear Friend" ~ Deer Tick

I don't believe I have ever listened to a Deer Tick song before today.  Not for any particular reason, just hadn't ever gotten around to it.  But today a friend posted this one on facebook, so I listened, and it gripped me immediately.  It's a pretty straightforward song, musically simple with just a piano and vocals.  The emotions of losing a dear friend are eloquently expressed in the lyrics and the way they are sung.  We may not all have lost a friend like this, but we can all empathize on some level...

"Some boys won't shed a tear
Oh, but I tell it like this here
It can break medown and get me where it hurts the most..."

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..."

6-1-11 - "Hurt" ~ Nine Inch Nails

I'm not a huge NIN fan, in fact I can't say I've ever actively listened to most of their works.  However, this song is pretty powerful and gripping.  Some say it's about Trent Reznor's addiction to drugs, others say it's about suicide, others still have differing opinions... guess it shows that art is in the eye of the beholder.  No matter how it was originally written, we can all relate to the self-destructive tendencies expressed in the song.  We all make choices in life that we regret or that end up ending poorly for us.  We all hurt the people we care about.  Life is all about getting through this and finding a way to carry on.  Reznor does seem to realize that there is more to life than what he's been doing, although the song doesn't delve into finding fulfillment but leaves you with the feeling that he thinks it's too late or that redemption is impossible...


The live music video with Reznor on keys is stunning; I've included the studio recording as well.

Studio: "Hurt"


"and you could have it all
my empire of dirt..."

5-19-11 - "Another New World" ~ Josh Ritter

I'm hitting the road, first good long trip in a while.  Pittsburgh to Vermont, solo, just me and the yellow lines and some great music (like the fresh albums I scored yesterday).  I'm quite ready for some time for introspection and reflection, so the drive time will be perfect.  Planned stops include Lake Placid - site of the Miracle On Ice, Magic Hat Brewery in Burlington, and probably Ben & Jerry's too.  


But you don't care about that, you care about the song.  This one's about a journey, so it's fitting for the day my trip kicks off.  Pretty potent lyrics; I'm quoting the beginning below to not spoil the later parts of the ballad.  It's haunting, both lyrically and musically... probably influenced by Edgar Allan Poe's "Annabel Lee" (apparently the last poem he wrote...)  Here you go, some good ol' Josh Ritter:

"The leading lights of the age all wondered among themselves what I would do next,
After all that I'd found, in my circles around the world, was there anything left?
'Gentlemen,' I said, 'I've studied the maps, and if what I am thinking is right,
There's another new world, at the top of the world, for whoever can break through the ice,'

I looked 'round the room, in that way I once had, and I saw that they wanted belief,
So I said, 'All I've got are my guts and my God,' then I paused, 'and the Annabel Lee.'"

1-18-11 - "Hear You Me" ~ Jimmy Eat World

This song is steeped in the emotions associated with losing someone dear to you.  It's all too easy to take people for granted, or to simply become accustomed to their presence and influence in our lives.  Sometimes you don't realize what you have until it's gone, and sometimes you don't adequately reciprocate the love and generosity that a person has spent on you until it's too late.  Don't take anything for granted in this life, especially not your loved ones.

"and if you were with me tonight,
i'd sing to you just one more time - 
a song for a heart so big, God wouldn't let it live..."