Song In My Head

"Paper Planes" by M.I.A. I always thought it lacked the bite that her earlier work has ("Fire Fire" and "Galang" which incidentally was co-written by Elastica's Justine Frischmann), but it's incredibly catchy with that Clash sample and schoolyard chant, and as violent as it sounds, it's actually not about violence. Someone ought to tell that 50 Cent and Lil Wayne, both of whom ruined the song with their versions. Someone ought to tell Wayne and Curtis that there's a difference between gang-banging and the perceived notion in society that immigrants are dangerous.

Happy RUSH Hashanah !?!

These are the words that flashed across my screen as I was flicking channels and came across VH1 Classic.  Needless to say, I stayed for about an hour watching the 2010 documentray Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage.

Here's the trailer - it says it all...

The documentary was well made, filmed in HD, and featured some great and interesting musicians who all seem to love Rush.  My favorite was this one (just a snippet of his interview.)

Neil Pert's take on things was actually interesting.  I liked that he said that he never gets sick of playing "Tom Sawyer."  He feels the song is so difficult, that when he does get it right live, (which he claims doesn't happen often) he feels great about it.

Also, has there been a more male-centric audience in music than Rush?  Think hard.  Name a girl, who not only might like Rush, but could name a Rush song.  Strange, I never really got into them.  I remember in college, all my fraternity brothers were jacked to go see them, and they were shocked, knowing I was a music guy, who had no interest in them at the time.  Oh well.  I passed on other great shows too.

Lastly, in a recent comedy that no one has seen, I Love You, Man, Paul Rudd and Jason Segel find each others as "bros" and share a love for all things Rush.

Song in My Head

I cannot get much more British than this.  This is a band that 90% of America doesn't even know, yet have a place in British rock history.  Enjoy something new.  Here's Pete Doherty and the Libertines, "Boys in the Band."

Song In My Head

TV on the Radio's 2006 song "I Was a Lover". I always thought it was one of the strongest first tracks of any album of the past decade -- with that cool beat sampled from Massive Attack's "Teardrop" and then chopped up, twisted and layered with those other-worldly horns until it's nearly unrecognizable. "Teardrop" is a lovely little song -- used as the theme on "House" -- and featuring vocals by the Cocteau Twins Elizabeth Fraser (who was selected to record vocals over runner-up choice Madonna.)

Video Vault Friday!

I'm trying to be diligent!  Today’s video is an 80’s goodie, that many forget: it’s “Come Dancing” by the Kinks.  I loved the skeevy guy Ray Davies plays in the video as the sister’s boyfriend. 

Song in My Head

Ok, today's song is our 1st repeat!  This song has previously been chosen, but by a different band.  The song that has been in my head for two days now is "Common People" by Pulp.  I know Court chose the Shatner version a while back to celebrate Bill's 80th birthday, but hey, a good song is a good song.

REM calls it quits

After reading the little article about the demise of REM, I was moved to write a response.  REM seems to be a bad that will forever be overlooked for their importance of creatign alternative radio, and allowing so many other bands to find a little spotlight in the mainstream, get noticed, and hit pay dirt. 

No, they weren’t as cutting edge as New Order, Echo & the Bunnymen, the Smiths or the Cure, but they were the band that made me open that cellar door to check out what is on the other side of what I knew of as “classic rock & roll.”  The had a “sound.”  Not quite like anything else you would hear on staple FM channels, but accessible, yet quirky.  For me, it comes from Peter Buck's 12 string sound.  Songs like "South Central Rain," “Don’t go Back to Rockville,” “Superman,” and “Fall on Me” carry that sound that attracted me to them.

The group, sans Stipe most of the time, showed how tight they as a band with the highly underrated Hindu Love Gods project they tackled with Warren Zevon.; talking on blues favorites, and Prince. 

MTV & music videos helped the general public become aware of who this little Southern band was.  “The One I “Love” and “The End of The World” were somewhat in rotation on MTV, and gave them that initial radio play.  Then came “Losing My Religion,” and the whole thing blew up.

In this time, of immense popularity, REM was able to show many sides as a multi-dimensional band.  A silly song like “Stand” or “Shiny Happy People” evokes the B-52’s (and yes, I know Kate Pearson was on the latter.)  “Drive” has an eerie Pink Floyd feel, and “Orange Crush” lends a heavy rock sound. 

Much like Dylan when he “plugged in” I felt REM did the same (I know a stretch of a comparison) when they came out with the Monster album, and “What’s the Frequency Kenneth?”  Many fans turned away.  The band lost the sound that made them special - that rhythm section, and went a bit glam with “"Bang and Blame", & "Crush with Eyeliner."  I felt this was also a visible change in the band with Michael Stipe shaving his head, and Mike Mills wearing rhinestone suits. 

With the loss of drummer and contributing songwriter Bill Berry in the later 90’s, the band seemed somewhat lost and faded a bit into obscurity.  They would still put out a decent song once in a while, like “Leaving New York” but their star had obviously faded. 

Amazingly, they and U2 were the two bands that went head to toe as the leaders of the alternative movement to mainstream, yet, only one will be remembered as legendary. 

Video Vault -- Sexy Sax Man

In case you missed it, this is a great YouTube clip -- the Sexy Sax Man -- who plays that annoying sax riff from Wham's "Careless Whisper" in public places, defying rent-a-cops who threaten to have him arrested. Stick with it til the end -- it's only five minutes long. Warning: "Careless Whisper" will be in your head after watching this video.

Help Me Spend $50

Thanks to a generous in-law, I have some free money to spend on iTunes. And I'm looking for suggestions on how to spend it. Anyone hear anything good lately that I should buy? You can bet the new Das Racist release will be $9.99 of it -- so $40.01 to go. I want your suggestions.

Celebrity Sighting

I'm not one for spotting celebrities -- after all, they're entitled to their own lives free from the nosy eyes of little people like me. But I was in Urth Caffe in West Hollywood waiting for a Spanish Latte (yes that's what you'd call a comment!) and in walks a man guiding a rather heavyset man with braided hair and dark glasses right past me to the restroom. Immediate recognition on my part -- Stevie Wonder. Pretty cool. This wasn't one of those "wasn't he in that show with that guy" kind of moments. This was Stevie Wonder -- a living legend.

Song In My Head

Suede's "So Young." Maybe it's because we're not really so young anymore. Either way, Suede's debut album from 1993 was a landmark moment in British music, melding Smiths-like melodic, inventive guitars with glam rock behind lead guitarist Bernard Butler. Suede helped usher in other bands that pushed the boundaries under the so-called Britpop umbrella. But unlike some of the imitators, this track has aged well. I picked up the CD used for four bucks at a great little shop in Carlsbad, CA, last week.

2010: An Underwhelming Year

OK, It's now September. We're two-thirds through with 2011 and I realize I never burned copies of my Best of 2010 CD. That's party because I've been busy, but mostly because 2010 kinda sucked musically. Here's my (admittedly weak) list:

"Pumped Up Kicks" - Foster the People

I realize these guys broke pretty big this year, but this song was my song of the year in 2010. Just a cool mellow summer vibe, and it would be deserving on a best-of list for any year.

"Primitive 3D" - Deerhunter

Neat little piece of 60s inspired psychedelia. You don't hear too many guitar/theremin solos.


"The High Road" - Broken Bells

Danger Mouse makes good things happen. And this collaboration with James Mercer of The Shins is no exception. Maybe my album of the year for 2010 -- I really dug this record. The video's a tad weak, though.

"Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)" - Arcade Fire

I'm a sucker for songs about controlling urban growth. And turns out, I'm not alone: Arcade Fire won a Grammy. Then again, so did Lady Antebellum.


"Rill Rill" - Sleigh Bells

The best M.I.A. album M.I.A. never made. I respect Sleigh Bells for sounding like no one else, except M.I.A. of course.


"What's It In For" - Avi Buffalo

Here's an under-rated gem by a teenager-fronted band from Long Beach. I first heard this song on a flight to Houston back in January of 2010 and it stayed with me all year.


"Heavens on Fire" - The Radio Department

OK, this is a bit preachy and obvious -- I chalk that up to the band being from Sweden (Quick - Name one really good Swedish band?) But on the positive side, this song's almost got a Madchester feel to it.

"Home" - Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

This is another exceptional track -- and it would stand out on a best of the past five years list. Reminds me of the big move we made late last summer. Plus, I'm partial to concept albums about messianic figures who are sent to save the Earth but fail because they keep falling in love with girls.


"Slow Motion" - Panda Bear

Very cool track -- with one shimmery phrase repeated and built on for the over-four minute duration. Also, if you search "Slow Motion Panda Bear" on YouTube, you also get this.

"Summer Well" - Interpol

These are the guys who get the credit for bringing back the Joy Division sound. Critics might chalk them up as a tribute band, but when you're paying tribute to the very best, that's OK. I thought their previous few efforts didn't live up to expectations, but they came through last year with this one.

"Out of Tune" - Real Estate

I had my own Real Estate trouble last year, but it had nothing to do with this Ridgewood, NJ band. Sweet Byrds-like jangle pop. Very melancholy but very catchy.


"I Walked" - Sufjan Stevens

This came out late in the year and when I first heard it, it blew me away. It still does. Ranks up there with "Chicago" as Sufjan's very best work.


"The Cave" - Mumford and Sons

I'm cheating here -- this track is an afterthought -- something I got into this year and retroactively am including on my Best of 2010 because it came out last year and I was late to the game.

"Fashion Party" - Das Racist featuring Chairlift

I'm cheating here, too. I only got into these guys this year, but they broke last year so again it's a case of retroactive inclusion. This is a totally cool track -- all chillwave and not entirely like the rest of the Das Racist catalog, from which I could have chosen any number of alternatives to include here. For some reason, this is a scaled down version -- I think the production on the mixtape version was a little fuller. BTW, the new DR CD is out on September 13th!

"I Can Change" - LCD Soundsystem

Turns out this will be the last LCD Soundsystem record. Nothing on the new record can touch 2007's phenomenal "Someone Great", which I rank among the five best songs of the decade.


"Glitter Freeze" - Gorillaz featuring Mark E. Smith

You had to figure anything featuring both Damon Albarn and Mark E. Smith would find its way on this list. From the very first moment - MES snarling "Where's North from here?" - you know it's solid.



"Stick to My Side" - Pantha du Prince

Cool electronica from German producer Hendrik Weber featuring vocals by Panda Bear's Noah Lennox.



So that's it. Again, it wasn't a great year -- but as I compiled this post, I realize it was better than I thought when I started. And as always, I welcome your thoughts!!!