5-7-12 - "Never Be Daunted" ~ Jaymay

Just watched the movie "Happy Thankyou More Please" with Hermano.  (Arrested Development fans will appreciate the reference, especially given that a Bluth is in this film...)  

(source: collider.com)

While the film is far from perfect - you'll have to accept a few far-fetched plot devices and some perhaps trite & overused rom-com cliches - I found it quite enjoyable.  Maybe that can be chalked up to having a crush on Kate Mara (spoiler alert: she can sing, which exponentially magnifies any crush for an audiophile.)

One of the main themes is that we are all worthy of love.  Yes, we all have flaws, sometimes fatal ones.  We all make mistakes, sometimes major ones.  But, if we're willing to look, and willing to demonstrate love to others, we might just find that there are people willing to accept our shortcomings and love us despite them.  And heck, that might just be the inspiration we need to overcome some of those shortcomings and better ourselves.

(source: scriptshadow.blogspot.com)

(cute kid, no?)

Anyway, I've spoken before about the impact a soundtrack can have on a movie, which holds true for this track (and others from Jaymay) and its use in the film.  I'll leave it to you to decide whether to watch the film and discern for yourself the profundity of the song's usage, but the song stands alone just fine:

Don't let fear and doubt hold you back.  Don't give up on your dreams because they haven't come true just yet; don't give up on people just because they've disappointed you; don't give up on yourself even if you've screwed up colossally.  Take a chance, make a move, live your life.  You only get one, and it's beautiful despite the rough spots - make it more so by living to the fullest.

"what are you so afraid of?

why are you feeling scared?

what's the worst that's gonna happen?..."

2-11-12 - "Now We Are Free" ~ Hans Zimmer / Lisa Gerrard

Great movie, great soundtrack, great composer, great singer.  That's all I have to say about that.

Wait, I lied... I have a bit more to say.  In investigating the lyrics(?) of this song, I read that it's not an actual language, but rather, glossolalia (sometimes known as "speaking in tongues"...)  Interesting, no?  We learned a new word today!

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.

11-2-11 - "The Riders Of Rohan" ~ Howard Shore

One of my favorite parts of the trilogy of Lord of the Rings soundtracks, the theme of the Riders of Rohan is weaved into numerous moments in the score, but is first introduced with horns about halfway through this track.  If you've seen the films, you will recognize the music from the first meeting of Legolas, Gimli, and Aragorn with the Riders.  The first part of the track is full of chaotic sounds which evoke the tense mood of the meeting, until things are set straight between the two parties.  


It's amazing how a good soundtrack can enhance a movie; this is but one example.

PS - for another occurrence of this theme, this time primarily with strings, check out "The King Of The Golden Hall":

10-27-11 - "You Make My Dreams Come True" ~ Hall And Oates

In honor of my housemate Matt's birthday, and the fact that all of us except him have a crush on Zooey Deschanel, and some of us may have a man-crush on Joseph Gordon-Levitt as well, here's a sweet song which was featured in (500) Days Of Summer.  Hall and Oates have a surprising catalog - you might not realize how many of their tunes you know and love from various films over the years, or from actually living through the '80s.  They're even from Matt's hometown of Philadelphia (poor guys, the lot of 'em!)


(the music video is totally '80s and spectacular...)

(and here's the scene from the movie... kid can dance, eh?)

... and that's what true love is all about; dancing in the streets with strangers, and little animated birdies.  I think we all know that feeling, or at least wish we did...


"What I want, you got

but it might be hard to handle,

like the flame that burns the candle

the candle feeds the flame, yeah, yeah..."

10-1-11 - "How Soon Is Now" ~ The Smiths

We'll kick off October with some Smiths.  As often happens, I heard it on the radio in the car yesterday, and was like, "oh YEAH, what a great song that I haven't listened to in ages!"  So of course now I'm blogging about it.


The guitar parts are pretty intense, and you can read about how they were produced on good old Wikipedia.  Wiki also has info on the lyrics (some of which are paraphrased from George Eliot, who was actually a female writer in the 19th century using a pseudonym to be taken seriously - pretty interesting), and the covers, which include t.A.T.u. (remember them?  hoo boy.)  Lead singer Morrissey was interviewed and asked about that cover version, and hilarity ensued:


"The interviewer explained, 'They're teenage Russian lesbians.' To which Morrissey replied, 'Well, aren't we all?'"


But anyway, here's the song:

(long version)

"How Soon Is Now" normal version / music video (youtube)

"I am the son
and the heir
of nothing in particular..."

9-16-11 - "Tommib" ~ Squarepusher

I heard this song in the soundtrack for the movie "Lost In Translation."  It's used in a scene (see below) where a character is staring out her hotel room window over Tokyo, feeling alone in a big city, while her husband is off working.  I had a similar culture-shock experience in Japan a few years back - well, without the husband part, and I'm not as good looking as Scarlett Johansson.  But feeling isolated despite being surrounded by people - with that I can empathize.  As an American, the difference between visiting Europe and visiting Asia is drastic.  In Europe, I had at least a rudimentary grasp of German, Spanish, and Italian and used my recollections of high school Latin classes to decipher a decent portion of signs and whatnot in Italy.  But in Japan, ninety percent of what is written is in some combination of kanji, hirigana, and katakana.  Not as easy to get by over there.  Being the only light-haired person in a sea of black-haired folks is pretty surreal, too...

Anyway, the song captures the mood quite well, and is a very simple synthesized instrumental melody.  Check out both the scene and the original tune.

Tommib (audio):

Lost In Translation Scene (once again, YouTube and Blogger have bested my embedding skills!)

9-7-11 - "Fighting For My Love" ~ Nil Lara

Scrubs is probably in my top three TV shows of all time, and I watched it a LOT with my good buddy / housemate Ben while we lived in Ohio after college.  Just saw a rerun tonight which had this song at the end, and it's one of a plethora of sweet tracks featured in the show over the years.


Nil Lara is a Cuban American musician who has lived in New Jersey, Miami, and Venezuela, and studied electrical engineering... dude's had a pretty busy life!  This one's pretty catchy; could be interpreted as egotistical but I don't think that was how it was intended... rather a song about working hard to forge a strong bond of love and maintain it.

I know how it feels I've been burned one time before

I still feel the scars on my lips
When I touch when I love when I kiss"

8-24-11 - "Journey To The Island" ~ John Williams

We're going soundtracking tonight, and it's all because The Best Movie Ever was on TV whilst I was eating dinner.  That's right, Jurassic Park.  Okay, maybe not the best movie ever, but pretty great, no?  If you're somewhere around 25-35, you probably were blown away by the animatronics in the film like I was.  Looking back 18 years later, the dinosaurs don't look nearly as awesome as we thought they did back then... must be how people who watched Star Wars as kids feel about the effects when they watch the movies again.


I loved dinosaurs as a kid; still pretty much do.  The movie (and the book upon which it is based) is, at its heart, a cautionary tale about modern progress in science and technology.  It's full of spectacular lines, mostly by Pittsburgh's own Jeff Goldblum as Dr. Ian Malcolm.  

"Now, eventually, ah, you do plan to have... dinosaurs... on your dinosaur tour...right?"

Of course, you have the action/adventure/drama of the dinosaurs escaping and chasing the humans around.  But the real winner is the score composed by John Williams.  The soundtrack complements each scene perfectly.  The triumphant trumpet call as the helicopter approaches the island, the wondrous tone of the strings as the guests behold the brachiosaurus for the first time, the foreboding and unsettling horns as they approach the complex... the symphony enhances the film - precisely the intention.  Bad movie soundtracks can be unoriginal and uninspiring, but good ones can really deepen the experience.

____________________


As a footnote - while Google searching for Jeff Goldblum, I found some tragic news (which apparently escaped my attention for two years, for which I cannot forgive myself...)

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!

8-12-11 - "C'mon, C'mon" ~ The Von Bondies

This is one of those songs that caught my ear with the first measures, and never let go.  It's insanely catchy, with a vicious guitar lick and a beat that is perfect for a drive or an athletic warm up mix tape.  The lyrics are actually quite depressing, about a breakup from an abusive relationship, but on the surface it's a real toe-tapper.  Kind of like "Pumped Up Kicks" in that regard...

For those so inclined, the actual music video is here (I still haven't figured out why Blogger sometimes won't embed certain youtube videos...)

Live on Letterman:

 

"And on this day these deepened wounds
don't heal so fast, can't hear me croon
of a million lies that speak no truth
of a time gone by that now is through..."

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..."

8-1-11 - "Generator^First Floor" ~ Freelance Whales

It's a new month, so it seems a good time for a song that speaks of new beginnings.  Freelance Whales are more than just an epic band name.  They bring slightly unconventional instrumentation to indie pop and slather it in lush harmonies.  

The album "Weathervanes" is nonstop fun, start to finish.  Oh wait, there's a pretty sad song right in the middle... but other than that, nonstop fun.  And this track kicks it off with a bang... wait I mean a banjo:

Part of the reason I picked this song today was so I could also show you this video of the PS22 Chorus  collaborating with the Whales:

And just for good measure, an NPR Tiny Desk version which lets you watch them play their instruments (I'm not really sure what that is... a box-cordion? oh wait let me google it ~ a "harmonium".  cool.):

"We keep on churning and the lights inside the house turn on 
And in our native language we are chantin' ancient songs 
Then when we quiet down, the house chants on without us."


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In other news, I'm experimenting with a fun site called thesixtyone.com.  It's a little bit of a different take on discovering new music; I recommend checking it out.  Here's this track on the site: http://www.thesixtyone.com/s/Vx2GgH2oe9U/

7-28-11 - "Bitter Sweet Symphony" ~ The Verve

While we're on the subject of vigor and spirit or enthusiasm in tubes, here's another oneder for you (don't know what a Oneder is?  We'll get to that one of these days...)  The Verve hit it big with this one in 1997, and never really matched that peak again.  But, as a wise man once said, "it's better to go down in a blaze of glory than to rot in a state penitentiary!"


I love the soaring strings in this one, and the way they set the tone of the song - hopeful, despite the sobering aspects of the lyrics.


The song's about, you guessed it, life in general.  Most of us spend most of our lives trying to "make ends meet" and being "slave(s) to money"... not exactly a spectacular fate.  Many people in the world don't even have it that good... and yet, pretty much everyone experiences the sweetness of life along with the bitter...

"Well I've never prayed,
but tonight I'm on my knees..."

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..."

7-23-11 - "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!"

7-22-11 - "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" ~ The Smiths

So tonight I finally watched (500) Days Of Summer.  It's a pretty good film, especially if you're into soundtracks (which I am, of course, being a guy who blogs about music...)  It's not just a romantic comedy; it has something to say about our culture, the idea of "love", and how we often allow reality to be shaded by our desires - sometimes to our own detriment.

This song is what brings the boy and the girl together in the early going, and it's got some pretty great lyrics.  It blends romantic feelings with morbid humor, and, well... just check out the song (and the movie, if you haven't already.)

"to die by your side is such a heavenly way to die "

7-20-11 - "Who Let The Dogs Out" ~ Baha Men

I know, it's a terribly cheesy song.  But our local minor-league soccer team, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, uses it as a pump up song at their games, and that's where I was this evening, and you know you loved it when it came out back in 2000.  And it's been used in all kinds of movies and TV shows - catchy hook and lyrics which are easily applied to a plethora of situations... the Baha Men knew what they were doing.


So, in part due to my team spirit and in part due to my extreme tiredness, this is what you're getting tonight.  Bob your head and reminisce about the summer of 2000, and come back tomorrow for something a little more serious.

PS - Riverhounds 3 - Dayton Dutch Lions 1.  Woooo!

6-29-11 - "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) ~ The Proclaimers

This is gonna get complicated.  But hopefully also fun.  Bear with me (or just scroll down and watch/listen to the song.)


I watched an episode of How I Met Your Mother tonight with my brother.  The episode featured this song* as a cassette single that got stuck in a character's car stereo and was thus the only thing they could listen to for the bulk of 199,999 miles put on the vehicle.


This song is great.  It's also featured on a countdown list called The 100 Worst Songs Ever.  That's how you know it's legit.


My college uses this song as an icebreaker for incoming freshman classes, by making upperclassmen, faculty and staff get on stage and do a choreographed dance (teaching such moves as the prairie dog and frantic skiier to the 1000 freshmen).  Sentimental memories there for me... I wish I had this on video.  It's quite a sight to behold.


The song is not only insanely catchy and a testament to true love, it's also educational.  I just learned the meaning of the word "haver", and I bet you didn't know the definition until you clicked that link, either!


The Proclaimers are a band comprised primarily of blond Scottish twins.  Guys, not girls... and pretty dorky guys at that.  But come on, who doesn't love twins?  or dorks?  It's pretty great watching the one stand behind the other's shoulder and sing the echos / harmonies in the music video....


OH!  Did I mention that Johnny Depp is in the video?  Guess the song made the soundtrack of 1993's "Benny and Joon" starring everyone's favorite actor...

In conclusion, this may in fact be The Best Song Ever.  Or maybe it's not, but it's still pretty great, eh?


"If I get drunk well I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who gets drunk next to you
And if I haver yeah I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who's havering to you..."


* - downside of Blogger: they are in bed with YouTube and do not allow embedding of videos from other sites like Vimeo.  Why can't we all get along?

6-2-11 - "I Don't Want To Be" ~ Gavin DeGraw

So if you've been following my posting habits, you won't be surprised that I like Gavin DeGraw.  He brings a fairly unique blend of piano-based rock/pop and intriguing vocal stylings, and although some of his songs are light (perhaps even trite), some of them hold lyrical weight.


This one is kind of an anthem for the high school and college crowd.  The message is pretty clear, and yeah, some of us may be past the stage where we try to conform to the trends and cliques just to fit in at school, but I think it applies to adult life as well.  It's all too easy to compromise in the corporate world if it opens a door or even just to get through an awkward project quicker or easier.  But is it really worth it?


None of us is perfect, and we can all seek to improve ourselves; but conversely, we shouldn't be afraid to be who we are, even if not everyone out there likes it.  Sticking to one's convictions in the face of opposition is the height of courage, be it in the workplace or the halls of a high school.  Live life, but not to please others.  Live life in such a way as to be able to sleep at night, knowing you made the world a better place and did so without bowing to the will of others.

"Part of where I'm going is knowing where I'm coming from..."