When I was a youngster, I used to go to Long Island twice a year to visit family. My grandparents had cable, which we did not have at home, so I took full advantage. I remember the Christmas of 1991, when I was 15, watching MTV and seeing a video that would change my life - Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit." The album had only been out a few months but was starting to gain steam, and this video was repeating like crazy. But this post is about another video I saw that impacted me - the Pixies' "Head On."
Two things I didn't know at the time - the Pixies were a huge influence on Nirvana (of course, Nirvana was new to me at the time too) and this is a cover of a Jesus and Mary Chain song (no idea who they were either, even though Frank Black/Black Francis says it at the beginning). All I knew at the time is that this song was catchy as hell and the video that made them look like midgets was entertaining. When I got home after Christmas, I immediately got the Nirvana CD (sidenote - it doesn't include the bonus track Endless Nameless, which means it was one of the first pressings...maybe 20,000 or so depending on who you ask) and the Pixies album, which of course would be there last. But it led me to find their earlier, superior albums, although I have to say that Trompe Le Monde still sounds pretty great to me (but Doolittle and Surfer Rosa...I mean c'mon those are tough to beat). While not the best song by any stretch, I still love it. Bonus: the video also is included below.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Song of the Day: Grant Lee Buffalo - Mighty Joe Moon
I've been a voracious music collector since I was a sophomore in high school and got my first CD player (a 5-disc changer, nonetheless). In college, one of my roommates was a like-minded individual, and we both loved Neil Young. I remember reading the review of Grant Lee Buffalo's Mighty Joe Moon album in Rolling Stone and it containing some NY references (in fact, I just looked it up, and it references a number of classics, including John Wesley Harding, The Band and Ziggy Stardust), and my roommate actually went out and bought it (this is the pre-Napster era, folks).
Needless to say, we both really liked this album. The comparisons mentioned in the RS review are quite apt - like those records, it really has an acoustic, campfire songs vibe. I could easily choose any song off the album, but the title track remains my favorite.
Why do I like it? I absolutely love the "oh no" at the end of each verse - his voice sounds so full of longing. Also, how his voice picks up for the second verse is genius. The imagery in the lyrics is incredibly moving - sleeping in a log house, lying on a couch...
I got the chance to see him perform a few songs last weekend at Largo, and Grant Lee Phillips still has the voice. And he's one helluva funny guy too, matching wits with Paul F. Tompkins. But I digress. Listen now:
Needless to say, we both really liked this album. The comparisons mentioned in the RS review are quite apt - like those records, it really has an acoustic, campfire songs vibe. I could easily choose any song off the album, but the title track remains my favorite.
Why do I like it? I absolutely love the "oh no" at the end of each verse - his voice sounds so full of longing. Also, how his voice picks up for the second verse is genius. The imagery in the lyrics is incredibly moving - sleeping in a log house, lying on a couch...
I got the chance to see him perform a few songs last weekend at Largo, and Grant Lee Phillips still has the voice. And he's one helluva funny guy too, matching wits with Paul F. Tompkins. But I digress. Listen now:
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Song of the Day: Local Natives - Sun Hands
One of my friends came into work a few months ago telling me they saw this awesome band the night before called Local Natives. I checked out their MySpace page and the song that immediately struck me was "Sun Hands."
The reviews have been really positive for the album, which just came out in the US yesterday despite being available in the UK last year. A lot of people are comparing them to Fleet Foxes and Dodos, which are apt comparisons, although nothing can touch Fleet Foxes right now for me.
In December, I decided I liked this band so much that I'd buy two 45s from the Rough Trade UK store, since I couldn't find them in the local Amoeba. They finally showed up a couple weeks ago, and one of the songs was Sun Hands.
Why do I like it? the intro could definitely be something from Dodos' Visiter album, but that's not a bad thing. The harmonizing is really strong, and I particularly like the background singing (sounds like the lead singer still) during the "Sun Hands" lyric. And of course the song totally rocks out for the bridge.
Check it out:
The reviews have been really positive for the album, which just came out in the US yesterday despite being available in the UK last year. A lot of people are comparing them to Fleet Foxes and Dodos, which are apt comparisons, although nothing can touch Fleet Foxes right now for me.
In December, I decided I liked this band so much that I'd buy two 45s from the Rough Trade UK store, since I couldn't find them in the local Amoeba. They finally showed up a couple weeks ago, and one of the songs was Sun Hands.
Why do I like it? the intro could definitely be something from Dodos' Visiter album, but that's not a bad thing. The harmonizing is really strong, and I particularly like the background singing (sounds like the lead singer still) during the "Sun Hands" lyric. And of course the song totally rocks out for the bridge.
Check it out:
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Song of the Day: Cass McCombs - Prima Donna
I figured Cass McCombs was a woman. Maybe I was thinking of Mama Cass, but for some reason, when I first heard his Catacombs album, I was surprised to find that Cass was a dude.
This was an album that I had seen mentioned in a few blogs, but I didn't get the chance to listen to it until I started using Lala regularly. I tend to keep my queue on Lala pretty full - it was up to about 600 songs but now sits at 238 - and I have it play on shuffle. Every couple of days I'd hear a song that I really liked, and when I went to see who/what it was, it was something off of Catacombs.
Now that I own the album, I find myself continually playing the first side, mainly to hear Prima Donna (and in spite of the fact that the album is solid from front to back). What do I like about it? The repetition, which may bother some, completely sells the song for me. I love how he sings along, sometimes drawing out the words to fit the melody, sometimes throwing out extra syllables.
I'm now totally an addict, having bought two other McCombs' records (though I'm still absorbing those) and really hoping he comes to LA sometime in the near future.
This was an album that I had seen mentioned in a few blogs, but I didn't get the chance to listen to it until I started using Lala regularly. I tend to keep my queue on Lala pretty full - it was up to about 600 songs but now sits at 238 - and I have it play on shuffle. Every couple of days I'd hear a song that I really liked, and when I went to see who/what it was, it was something off of Catacombs.
Now that I own the album, I find myself continually playing the first side, mainly to hear Prima Donna (and in spite of the fact that the album is solid from front to back). What do I like about it? The repetition, which may bother some, completely sells the song for me. I love how he sings along, sometimes drawing out the words to fit the melody, sometimes throwing out extra syllables.
I'm now totally an addict, having bought two other McCombs' records (though I'm still absorbing those) and really hoping he comes to LA sometime in the near future.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Song of the Day: Sonic Youth - Teenage Riot
My first experience with Sonic Youth was their Dirty album in 1992. They were one of the many "alternative" bands that I discovered through Nirvana, and perhaps being on DGC had something to do with me buying Dirty. I loved it, and to this day it might be my favorite SY album, despite being known for its "poppy" material (hey, it's all relative).
It took me a lot longer to get into Daydream Nation. I was in high school, my parents had company and gave me $20 and told me to get out of the house. I had read that Daydream Nation was the penultimate SY record, so when I saw it at the local record chain (for a mere $18 on CD!!), I had to get it.
It took a few years before I could get past the first two songs, but now I recognize why this album is universally lauded. Teenage Riot is probably one of the best opening tracks on any album. Why do I like it? The slow, shimmering guitar and Kim Gordon's voice that opens the track. The guitar riff that really gets the song going. And of course, the great lyric "it takes a teenage riot to get me out of bed right now." To my sixteen year old self - and even now - this lyric still gets me excited.
It took me a lot longer to get into Daydream Nation. I was in high school, my parents had company and gave me $20 and told me to get out of the house. I had read that Daydream Nation was the penultimate SY record, so when I saw it at the local record chain (for a mere $18 on CD!!), I had to get it.
It took a few years before I could get past the first two songs, but now I recognize why this album is universally lauded. Teenage Riot is probably one of the best opening tracks on any album. Why do I like it? The slow, shimmering guitar and Kim Gordon's voice that opens the track. The guitar riff that really gets the song going. And of course, the great lyric "it takes a teenage riot to get me out of bed right now." To my sixteen year old self - and even now - this lyric still gets me excited.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Song of the Day: Yeasayer - 2080
The arrival of a new album by a band I like, no matter how good it is, always make me want to listen to the band's previous album. In this case, I recently got Yeasayer's Odd Blood (or ODD BLOOD as I see it on some sites), which put "2080" squarely in the front of my brain. I like the first album quite a bit, though I can probably only name about half the songs by title.
"2080," however, has been one of my favorite songs for a while. When Indie 103.1 in Los Angeles was still being broadcast over the airwaves (sadly, it is only streaming via the web now), they let a listener take over the broadcast on the "Coup d'Etat" every Tuesday night. To enter, you had to email a playlist of 12 songs to the station. I started creating a list, spent weeks agonizing over it, and finally sent it in. Within about 10 days, I received an email that I would get an opportunity to be on the show (I believe this was mid-October, 2008 - I can't find the date anywhere, and unfortunately the link to my playlist on the website has been taken down. However, you can listen to the whole playlist through Lala - link in the right column.)
There were a couple songs that I knew right away would be included in my playlist, and "2080" was one of them. I'm not sure where I first heard the song, but I would venture to guess that I was able to download a copy from Pitchfork.
What do I love about this song?
Very psychedelic beginning, then the drums and then the bass kicking in. excellent guitar line throughout as well
The way the lead singer lets his voice get lower and lower during the line that ends "Sunday morning"
The chanting during the bridge is fantastic, and of course gets even better at the end, with the kids chanting too
"2080," however, has been one of my favorite songs for a while. When Indie 103.1 in Los Angeles was still being broadcast over the airwaves (sadly, it is only streaming via the web now), they let a listener take over the broadcast on the "Coup d'Etat" every Tuesday night. To enter, you had to email a playlist of 12 songs to the station. I started creating a list, spent weeks agonizing over it, and finally sent it in. Within about 10 days, I received an email that I would get an opportunity to be on the show (I believe this was mid-October, 2008 - I can't find the date anywhere, and unfortunately the link to my playlist on the website has been taken down. However, you can listen to the whole playlist through Lala - link in the right column.)
There were a couple songs that I knew right away would be included in my playlist, and "2080" was one of them. I'm not sure where I first heard the song, but I would venture to guess that I was able to download a copy from Pitchfork.
What do I love about this song?
Very psychedelic beginning, then the drums and then the bass kicking in. excellent guitar line throughout as well
The way the lead singer lets his voice get lower and lower during the line that ends "Sunday morning"
The chanting during the bridge is fantastic, and of course gets even better at the end, with the kids chanting too
Thursday, February 11, 2010
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