Friday, December 18, 2009

12/18/09

Hello the sun
And all this glory
The radio's on
It's playing your favorite song
I wish you hadn't died last night
I cannot bring you back
So can I come alone

I cannot bring you back
From these ladders
That you're climbing on


~Ladders
Lovedrug, Demos

Thursday, December 17, 2009

12/17/09

So John Frusciante announced that he'd quit the Red Hot Chili Peppers. What?! His justifications are heartfelt and clear, and I really respect him for going with his gut even if it may be an unpopular decision among fans who see the band's dynamic in a certain light.

His letter to fans:

“When I quit the band, over a year ago, we were on an indefinite hiatus. There was no drama or anger involved, and the other guys were very understanding. They are supportive of my doing whatever makes me happy and that goes both ways.

To put it simply, my musical interests have led me in a different direction. Upon rejoining, and throughout my time in the band, I was very excited about exploring the musical possibilities inherent in a rock band, and doing so with those people in particular. A couple of years ago, I began to feel that same excitement again, but this time it was about making a different kind of music, alone, and being my own engineer.

I really love the band and what we did. I understand and value that my work with them means a lot to many people, but I have to follow my interests. For me, art has never been something done out of a sense of duty. It is something I do because it is really fun, exciting, and interesting. Over the last 12 years, I have changed, as a person and artist, to such a degree that to do further work along the lines I did with the band would be to go against my own nature. There was no choice involved in this decision. I simply have to be what I am, and have to do what I must do.

Sending love and gratitude to you all.”

It's a good sign that there was no drama involved in his decision -- it proves that there are in fact musicians who do not hold grudges against people who they find success with. Simply, it shows respect. This is an essential tool for crafting quality music and continuing to pursue it. If you respect the people you are creating with, it will show itself in the collaboration. Proof lies in the success of RHCP and their kickass songbook. Fruscinante will no doubt go on to make incredible solo albums and develop further as a musician.

I need to listen to "Murders" over and over again, stat.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

12/15/09

But hilarious.

(Larry David is apologizing, while eating:)
Yoshi: "You can't be sincere about apologizing, then snack on pistachio nuts!"
(later)
Larry: "What, is that like a Japanese thing?"
Yoshi: "No! No, that's a human thing!"

-Curb your Enthusiasm
(This show is addictive and hilarious.)

Monday, December 14, 2009

12/14/09

So I've been all over the magazines and blogosphere lately, scrounging for the best of the best of the best lists. Not only is it the end of the year, it's the end of a decade, the first of the new millennium. This is huge for us living through it. So as music journalists go, we must analyze, catagor-ize, figure out where the pieces of music fit in a grander scheme. Who started trends, who broke the molds, who went for it and got there, no sweat?

The differences in some of the lists are astonishing. I've yet to figure out what my personal favorites have been, but I'm pretty sure it aligns with Rolling Stone's from what I've seen so far -- no doubt Kid A as their #1 pick speaks to that. As for Paste, who chose Sufjan Steven's Illinois album, I see where they're coming from because it is so unbelievably musical, but I doubt the effect he had is nearly as reaching as Radiohead's. Whatever that means. Additionally, many albums that personally changed my musical life were heard by a handful of die hard fans, like Lovedrug or Copeland or Circa Survive.

Also, from 2000-2009, I grew up from 11 to 21, most of the music I ingested WASN'T of the times. Zeppelin is still my gold standard of rock 'n' roll, and Bob Dylan is still a poet -- this is music that is not OF the times, but still greatly affected me, a product of the generation. We can't consider the times to be the only means that shape us -- what comes before is just as relevant as what's happening now in terms of music, at least. It is timeless. Such is the state of many of the records chosen by publications in their valiant listing efforts --- timeless pieces of music that sum up a generational attitude, signify a shift in musical priorities and woo their audiences through a blend of new sound and honest surrender.

But we must give any of the list makers credit where credit is due. At a time when music kind of exploded into a billion little markets, it's not easy to compare the works of seasoned artists against indie newcomers, wordsmithing rappers with guitar strumming folksters. Yet, they try, because how could we not take a look back?

Long live rock 'n' roll, so they once said. Freak folk, I've yet to see how long you're gonna last, but it's clear from these lists you made your mark. Emo, you came and went and your influence will be forever immortalized in MySpace mockery and swoopy haircuts. Bruce Springsteen, you still have not gone away, and that's just fine with me.

Death Cab for Cutie, you rocked my world, and everyone else's. "Plans" is the soundtrack of my decade, I'm pretty sure if I had to make a list it would be my number once choice. No album fits any mood better, no album reads my thoughts better, no album elicits as much personal imagery and emotion than that one. Given to me by my mother on my 17th birthday, which feels like so, so long ago, but wasn't at all. I was wearing a peach-pink prom dress and a tiara, hadn't even learned to play piano yet, and still longed to learn the opening notes of "What Sarah Said." A year later that song would mean much more to me than I could know, and four years later "Marching Bands of Manhattan" rang in my ears as I slinked along, broke and alone the subways. "I Will Follow You Into The Dark" is an acoustic gift, "Summer Skin" fits every fall afternoon. I love "Plans," and while "Transatlanticism" hooked me onto Death Cab in the first place, "Plans" has a more mature, thorough sound, and a different take on the thoughtful musing all musicians are prone to expose in the events of their life.

Anyway, lists:
Rolling Stone: 100 Best Albums of the Decade
Paste Magazine: The 50 Best Albums of the Decade
Pitchfork: The Decade in Music (enough material here for weeks of thoughtfulness)
NME: The Top 100 Greatest Albums of the Decade
Billboard: Artist picks of the decade video
Also, I am pretty much on board with Tom Morello's picks, lots of good ones in there.


Click around and stroll down memory lane.....we've come a long way from 2000, and I can only imagine what sounds the next decade will come up with. Like TV, there's bound to be the best of the best and the worst of the worst, depending on what channels you tune into. Depending who you talk to, and depending on your tastes. The past year, and the best-of-the-decade wrap-ups allude to the fact that the deep insight and musical mastery of Radiohead, Sufjan and their counterparts sings to the generation and its critics alike. That's a positive sign, folks -- no, auto-tune has not taken over good music, no, hook-y choruses and overproduced nonsense will not kill of the passionate pleas of musicians trying to say their piece. That will always make for the best of the best lists, those who take their craft as seriously as a carpenter takes their staircase. It must be aligned, it must be logical, it must have direction, and it must take you from one place to another. Such music will always, always prevail.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

12/8/09


On a Damien Rice kick lately. And hey, look, it's AOL! My fave.



Even though this song is from earlier in the decade, it really stands out to me. I think Rice's music touches a lot of people and I think it's really easy to get into. Very pretty, peaceful, emotive and soundtrackesqe. I love it, anyway. Anyone can sing along to these songs if they want. There's a collective conscious quality from sadness in music that can do that, if there's just the right balance of melody and newness. I think his music being all over TV in the past few years speaks to this.

Personally, I don't remember how I encountered Rice. Found his CD in my basement one day, enjoyed it, then heard him all over the place.

So why'd you fill my sorrow
With the words you've borrowed
From the only place that you've known
And why'd you sing Hallelujah
If it means nothing to you
Why'd you sing with me at all?

~Delicate
Damien Rice, O

Saturday, December 5, 2009

12/5/09

While this type of band -- seven piece indie group with punctuation in their name -- wouldn't normally be the kind I would seek out listening to, I heard the song "The Sea Is A Good Place To Think of the Future" by Los Campesinos! and really really enjoyed it. Enjoyed the lyrics, the style, the dynamics. Thought it had beautiful organization and beautiful tension, really captured a feeling well. Wonderful song.



The lyrics, for the verses, are that kind of sentence-y, paragraph-y kind. Example:

"At fourteen her mother died in a routine operation, from allergic reaction to a general anesthetic. She spent the rest of her teens experimenting with prescriptions, in a futile attempt to know more than the doctors.
She said one day to leave her, sand up to her shoulders waiting for the tide
to drag her to the ocean, to another sea's shore.
This thing hurts like hell,
but what did you expect?"

Song lyrics? Song lyrics! Song lyrics...I think it totally works. Cynics might say that this isn't lyrics fighting, it's just rambling. But I think the test of a good song means the lyrics need to stand on their own, or else why the fuck are you singing them? Just 'cause they sound cool? Well, I suppose that's a rationale, but I prefer my musicians to believe in what they're singing about. To feel so deeply attached to those words they want to put them out there in music-land.

Anyway, cool song, illustrates a good point, too. Must find more!!

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

12/1/09

Should you find yourself in need of new rock music, I highly recommend the new Lovedrug. I think it's a good fit for a lot of kinds of music fans, the songs are just really well-done. A step up from "Sucker Punch Show" and its abstract pounding, a step towards something more patient and powerful.

Listen here.

"Pink Champagne" and "Ladders" were the easiest to get into at first and I found myself playing them a lot. But the other three have really grown on me, too -- "She's Disaster" is hypnotic and striking, "We Were Owls" and "Dead in the Water" have a feel that reminds me a lot more of their first record, "Pretend That You're Alive," which is a stunning rock album.

I can't recommend this band enough to people, wherever I go and end up talking about music. Nor can I put my finger on what about their sound is so special to me. Maybe it's just that they have a great blend of extremely sing-able melodies, poignant, biting lyrics, excellent use of dynamics to move a song along, and some dark, dark moments. They are a band that's really come to inspire me on what makes up a good song these days, and I'm glad to see that they're producing new material that's grounded in their roots and not resorting to trying to sound like whatever Pitchfork is rating high these days.

12/1/09


You see the night is all I have to make me fear
And all I want is just a love to make it hurt
'Cause all I need is something fine to make me loose
Now it's a funny way I find myself with you

Because this song is all I have to make me feel
And all it takes is just a love to make it hurt
And every sound erased in time could make me loose
Now it's a funny way I find myself with you

But now there's nothing left to do but waste my time
I never knew where to move on, I never knew what to rely upon
Now there's nothing left to say to change your mind
And if you're unhappy still I will be hanging on your line
Should you return, should you return, should you return


-Should You Return,
Copeland, You Are My Sunshine




I'm really sad there's no more Copeland. They were a really awesome band, I loved their albums, and don't think I've ever heard a song I couldn't get into. "You Are My Sunshine" is just a moment of an album, very ambient and still and high-pitched. The songs are very sweet and honest, very unsure and loving and fragile and reflective, wrapped all up in one. Hopefully more to come from Aaron Marsh & co. in other forms in the next decade....I can't stop thinking that it's gonna be a new DECADE.
So, goodbye Copeland, I gave you a lot of posts in my blog no one reads, because I really loved you!