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!!

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!

11/27/09

Can’t afford to lose my head
Can’t afford to lose my cool
You’ll blow them all in kingdom come
Can’t afford to lose my tease
I just aim to please

Feel like a no-tell motel painting
Out of place or ignored
It’s all medals & trophies, trophies & medals
& all before the race has been run

Oh take it off now baby
Is it to much to ask?
give it up or kiss your ass goodbye

Autobiographical anonymous
A cotillion of friction on my jurisdiction
It’s a lovely disguise with the wandering eyes
I get high, now you’ve got something to look up to

Troubles a mangy stray dog
Play with it once, then it follows you home
It’s all “have not, have none, hey can I nave some?”
Until I’ve had enough, yet I’ve had none

Oh take off your mask, rip it off now baby
Lose it into the trash, throw all it away
Go on and give it a try or
Kiss your ass goodbye

Suddenly it gets easy
The sun goes down
The long arm of important things
Disappears in her gown
You finally drop the knife
Forget you ever..
It’s such a goodnight
Ain’t forever
It feels so good to give up, give in

Her arms, I know it hurts
It hurts to be young
Metamorphosis is pain, I know
I said it hurts to be young
Gotta learn every goddamn thing
You gotta hack your way through & realize
It’s almost entirely lies
But then you’ll begin to smile
Smile for me
Real wide
Then you accept what you are
The transformation is done
You’ve become… absorbed into & you know
I think I know what to do

-Warsaw or The First Breath You Take After You Give Up
Them Crooked Vultures, Them Crooked Vultures

Brilliant lyrics - they're so honest, and so smart. Written

11/24/09

I heard Straylight Run's "Hands in the Sky" on t.v. tonight. I liked that song and it worked soo well for the scene. It was on "Sons of Anarchy," an FX show that, according to their wiki, has a sick soundtrack.