A Spring Flower Garden

Toronto Music Nerds

Calling all Canadian music nerds... If you live in Toronto you should go to this. Great tunes are sure to be spun. Who knows what you will hear! My sister is one of the DJs, so I'm not biased or anything. Just know that she has a Bee Gees thermos in her possession. How could she not be awesome?

The following description & more info can be found here. Go RSVP and enjoy some good music for me, since I don't live in the great white north.


Music Nerds!

Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday!!!

Record geekery as far as the eye can see. Come listen to an eclectic (and sometimes perplexing) mix of music and solve all of your problems with a liberal application of booze.

And Cheap Trick, never forget Cheap Trick

Professor Palindrome - Converting pressure waves to 1's and 0's and back again for decades.

SuperJen - Puts the Fond in Jane Fonda.

Rockstopper - The Mid-90's converted into a 10-part BBC documentary.

The first Wednesday of the month, starting Wed. Feb 3

No Cover

Collision, 573 College St. (College & Manning)

The Future.

Hello "everyone." It's 2010, which means we're in the future now. In turn, that means it's time to start writing words in this little blog once again, perhaps semi-regularly. The focus of this blog will still be music & arts based - whether it's local, global, past, present, future, audio, and/or visual. Of course, being stuck on this miniature mountain, I am not able to post large files, so I will mostly be recommending and sharing some thoughts about things that I probably enjoy. I can't speak on behalf of my co-authors, but I am "back" and that is what I plan to do! I'm also open to hearing any feedback or advice that any smart humans might have. That would be helpful!

♥ Melissa

photo courtesy of myself.

Swayze...

RIP Patrick Swayze. You will be missed for sure.

This Swayze moment rules on so many levels. The big question is, why does he look almost exactly like Swan in The Warriors?

I'm reminded of a simpler time several years ago when I would frequently mention Patrick Swayze in conversation and make up nicknames for him. I used to always wish friends and relatives "sweet Patrick Swayze dreams". I used to also wish "sweet Richard Gere dreams" upon everyone, but that's besides the point.

Of course I listened to "She's Like The Wind" in honor of Patrick Swayze and it actually made me feel extremely sad. I advise that everyone do the same. Yes, I want you to be sad. I also want you to remember the good and fun Swayze times too though, of which there are so many. "She's Like The Wind" included.

Patrick Swayze - She's Like The Wind

A Deep Billy Ocean Of Confusion

Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Billy.
Billy who?
Billy Ocean!
I'm calling the police.

Wow I have a shitload of Billy Ocean on my computer for some reason! And I sort of hate all of them. Well, I guess 5 songs isn't really what you might think of as a shitload, but one Billy Ocean song takes a lot out of you. I don't know why I keep them on my computer when I can't stand listening to them, either, but I feel bad about deleting all of those Billy Ocean feelings. The Billy Ocean feelings I wish I could delete most of all are in "Licence To Chill".

Yes LICENCE. I can't even think of anything to say about that. There are just too many more wrong things to talk about.

It goes through three or four genres in 4 minutes, as discordant and choppy as it can. It starts off so energetic, then it drops down to more dramatic like "Billie Jean", then it gets energetic again and moves into "Let's Hear It For the Boy" territory, and the way he works in the line "And I'll be your licence to...CHILL" sounds so awkward and out of place. It really bothers me that he pauses before "chill", like it's supposed to mean something to the song or to us and therefore needs to be emphasized above the other words? The wailing saxophone solo actually becomes the best part of the song. I almost like how the "Don't stop what you do to me/ 'cause I'm gonna give you lovin' like it oughta be" part sounds, but by that point I feel so jerked around that I can't really enjoy anything. At all. Someone needs to revoke Billy Ocean's "licence to chill". Which reminds me, how does being someone's "licence to chill" translate to getting with someone, anyway? Which I'm gathering is what he wants to do? That's usually what he wants to do in all of his jams. I don't expect anyone to know the answers to these questions, of course. I just have to get them out there. I would be really surprised if Billy Ocean could answer any of my questions. I think I would probably be more confused by the answers.

In conclusion...


Is he leaning against giant crayons? Oh please let him be! I don't think "Licence To Chill" is on there, but it should have been. Everything should have been on that album. I don't actually know what I mean by that. All I know is that "Inner Feelings" is a great title for any album. I'm glad he thought of it. And whatever is going on on that album cover, I'm glad he's doing that, too.

MP3:

LICENCE TO CHILL

I've Got a Newsflash For You, Walter Cronkite

A random person noticed that it had been a really long time since I've written something here, because out of the blue, Sarah in Brooklyn, NY forced me to learn about an "inappropriately named" band called Illinois, and wished for me specifically to share the following news item with the world via Ginger Cookie Disco:

I hope you're relaxed after the three day weekend you just enjoyed (thank you Columbus) and are in the right state of mind to process what I'm about to tell you. Prepare yourself.

Our favorite inappropriately named band Illinois (from Bucks County, PA – we don't get it either) has done something crazier than Sir Ryan Adams (yes, we've unofficially knighted him). When most bands are asked to write and record a debut album, they have about twenty songs to choose from and whittle down to make it the perfect record. Illinois, not being the everyday band came at us with 114 songs, yes, you read that right, 114. That's more songs than most bands record in their entire career. So we here at +1 records decided instead of putting 114 songs on the chopping block, we'd release them all! How lucky for you – first a three day weekend and now this!

Not only are there 114 Illinois songs in your future, but there is also a short film coming your way that Illinois' passionate frontman and songwriter Arch filmed with the lovely folks at People-Food. Now, we can't give you all of this goodness at once, it's not Christmas you know!

This labor of love called 'The Adventures of Kid Catastrophe' will be released as a digital bundle, monthly, with the songs along with one chapter from the short film. It's kind of like the Harry Potter series but you don't have to wait years for it to be completed! The first release will be on election day (November 4th for those of you who are unaware) and then the following five dates:

Chapter 2 || December 2, 2008
Chapter 3 || January 13, 2009
Chapter 4 || February 3, 2009
Chapter 5 || March 3, 2009
Chapter 6 || April 7, 2009

I think it's pretty hilarious that these people knighted Ryan Adams. I'm unaware of what he did that was so crazy, though. Anyway, so there you go, Illinois. The "wackiness" of their self-written band descriptions seems a little too calculated, but that's really the only thing that stands out enough for me about them that I could report. I listened to a couple of their songs and it's pretty fluffy and unobjectionable. I can see them performing in the background on an episode of The O.C. I'm not sure whether that's a compliment or not. Probably not too much of a compliment seeing as The O.C. isn't on anymore.

MP3:  Illinois - Screendoor

 MP3:  Illinois - Alone Again

Computer apologies + Metronomy

I apologize for the lack of posts, yet again. Let's just say that computers and the internet have not been on my side as of late. For the past couple of months I have been using satellite internet that is supposedly high speed. Some days it actually is fast, but other days it is incredibly slow. Of course, every time I feel like posting a song it's on a day where it would take about 5 days (okay, maybe 5 hours) to upload. I kid you not. Here's hoping and wishing for an increasing amount of fast satellite internet days! I'll be keeping my fingers crossed. My latest computer dilemma includes the power adapter for my MacBook melting. Yes, MELTING. I just had to order a new one (for the low price of $82.95). What a bargain! I'm hoping that my computer isn't going to explode or catch on fire while I write this. Either way, let's move on to the music!

I already wrote about Metronomy semi-recently, but their lastest video output warrants a special post of its own. Even as they rise in popularity, I really don't know many people who appreciate these guys. Metronomy are definitely an acquired taste; especially when some of their songs have a sort of ridiculous falsetto worked into them. It takes some time to get used to. Even if you decide that you don't like Metronomy you will at least have knowledge of some new music that you can weird some of your friends and family out with.

Metronomy's brand new video for 'Heartbreaker' is just absolutely adorable and sweet. The song itself is a little more accessible than some of their space creature circus electro pop songs, which verge slightly more on the strange. It's a more simple and straightforward tune that always makes me want to sing along. Unfortunately, I'm pretty certain that I take on a slightly British and definitely embarrassing accent when I do sing along.



'Holiday' demonstrates the more 'space creature disco circus' side of Metronomy that I've mentioned before at least twice. Metronomy have won me over yet again, as I love both the song and the video. I honestly don't know how they manage to be so entertaining.



There you have it. I love that Metronomy have made videos for both 'Holiday' and 'Heartbreaker', because those are two of my favorite songs off their forthcoming album Nights Out.

Sorry, no MP3s today. It's thundering out, so the internet is slow yet again. Check out Metronomy's myspace and go buy some of their songs from a record store or some internet website somewhere! Or maybe you can just keep watching those two videos over and over (and over and over and over).

I've got something to Cher...

It's been a long time since I've posted, but hopefully this will make up for my absence, for I come bearing the gift of Cher. I watched her stunning Biography on Biography a couple of weeks ago and it inspired me to want to write something about how much I've always loved Cher and what an amazing human being she is (I'm pretty sure she's human, at least), and I'm finally getting around to that. It was hard to figure out what I wanted to write about since there are so many awesome things about her to say, so be forewarned that I might be breaking this up into a couple of parts. 

The first thing I would say about Cher is that everything she touches turns to gold. Kind of literally, actually. Gold with like, feathers and sequins and beads. One thing I find amazing is how she can wear the most whore-ish get-up imaginable, yet she still manages to come across as kind of glamorous.

Case in point.

Another amazing thing is how she sings songs that she didn't even write or experience, but she belts them out like what she's singing about was happening to her right at that moment. The best song to illustrate this phenomenon is "Half-Breed". This song rules so hard. It is so damn solemn, you'd think this was a page ripped straight from Cher's diary, but it totally isn't. Someone else wrote this song for her, and she isn't even an Indian. But that only serves to reinforce the overall brilliance. It would be boring in a way if it were true. Also adding to the brilliance is the grandiose orchestra blasting away in the background. It just kicks the quality of the song up at least a million notches. The part of the song that Cher most turns to gold, though, is of course the words of the song itself, and how she delivers them, particularly: "The other children always laughed at me/ 'Give her a feather, she's a Cherokee'" and "The Indians said that I was white by law/ the white man always called me Indian squaw". The best parts of the song for me are the pounding drums at the beginning that sound like a pow wow going on, and the end when she belts out "Both sides were against me since the day I was born!" The other best parts of the song are everything else in between the beginning and the end. She sings the whole song in such a glass case of fiery emotion, it is so dazzling and hysterical. The video is also apparently filmed in a glass case of fiery emotion, if the crackling flames on the screen at the beginning and end are any indication. I love this video to death: It's just Cher against a white background in soft focus wearing a spectacular headdress and a tube top and underwear made out of silver lamé, sitting on what appears to be a heavily medicated horse, barefoot and emoting straight at the camera. It demands to be seen.

I love her bow at the end, and the roaring applause. I don't think there were even any people around, I think Cher just has the sound of random applause following her wherever she goes.

Here is another sparkly Cher song with her telling a story where I have no idea what is going on at all, while looking amazing and wearing the most staggeringly awesome outfit I have ever seen.

Well, I think that might be enough praise for Cher for today, but I want to leave you pondering one sad little factoid: Before Vicki Lawrence recorded it, the guy who wrote "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia" had initially offered the song to Sonny Bono to give to Cher, but Sonny foolishly turned it down because he was afraid it would offend Southern people. Man, that is one of the greatest tragedies in music history right there. Cher was robbed.

Metronomy

I wasn't so sure about Metronomy upon a first listen, but now I'm completely hooked. I cannot stop listening to these guys. I honestly don't have the slightest inclination how to even describe what exactly they sound like. The tracks I've heard off of Metronomy's forthcoming album Nights Out have an obvious late 70s/early 80s heavy yet quirky synthesizer influence. That being said, a likely comparison might be Devo. I'm not sure I would go quite that far though...

Honestly, in my opinion Metronomy pretty much sound like space creature circus music circa 1979/the distant future; If you can imagine that. Judging by their video for 'Radio Ladio', it looks like I'm not too far off, at least with the whole 'space creature' vibe.

I wasn't completely sold on Metronomy the first time I saw the video for 'Radio Ladio'. I'm pretty sure it actually made my stomach churn initially. It has definitely grown on me since then. Even disregarding all those colors and cute little dance moves, their facial expressions alone are entertainment enough. In short, Metronomy = space creature circus music + moderately adorable + great.

I enjoy Metronomy's track 'My Heart Rate Rapid' even more than 'Radio Ladio', as cute as that song is. Give a listen in order to hear circus-y synth space disco at its finest.

MP3: Metronomy - My Heart Rate Rapid (zshare)

Also, don't forget to click here to purchase Metronomy's 'My Heart Rate Rapid' 12" while we await the release of Nights Out!!

Autolux - Audience No. 2

I apologize for the lack of new posts in this here blog. I'm hoping to get things into 'full swing' incredibly soon. There really is no reason I can think of to bother listing excuses for not having posted in over a month. Still, If I were to be allowed to have one or more excuses, the short list would include the stresses that come along with preparing to move (which still has yet to happen), as well as not being able to see well out of my right eye (I need to get laser surgery). I'm really not the complaining type, though... which actually ties in with the real topic of this post: Autolux.

Impossible day
I don't complain
I'm over it, I guess
Scattered and gray, so
I hold it back
and keep it sugarless

The aforementioned lyrics from their 2004 song 'Sugarless' have always hit close to home. I used to play that song (and the rest of the album) endlessly on repeat WAY BACK in 2004. I played Future Perfect so often that it never left my stereo, except for when I finally retired it for a spell. It's been fitting my mood perfectly lately, and I've brought it back into heavy rotation. Deservedly so, too. There just is no band right now that sounds anything remotely like Autolux. Somehow they manage to achieve some sort of absolutely unique wonderfulness through sound, melody and lyric that sets them apart from everyone else, in every possible genre.

It's safe to say that Autolux fans have been waiting a long time to hear any new material from the band. Finally, that day has arrived! Sort of. They've posted a new song, 'Audience No. 2' on their MySpace profile. The song can also be found on iTunes. The forthcoming album, Transit Transit is expected to be released 'soon enough', with no official date in sight as of yet. The new track is quite promising sounding, and I am highly anticipating the release of Transit Transit, whenever that may be.

MP3: Autolux - Audience No. 2 (zshare)

MP3: Autolux - Sugarless (zshare)

P.S. I'm pretty sure that my favorite part of the new song, 'Audience No. 2' is the lyric that goes, 'I have always been your vegetable'. There is something enticingly magnetic and fascinating about the way he say 'vegetable' that I can't quite put my finger on. Plus, the word 'vegetable' never fails to be amazing and great.

If you haven't heard Autolux's debut album Future Perfect, I highly recommend that you do so, pretty much right away.

Purchase music by Autolux here:

Farther leads to you

So today I was listening to Denali and starting to think about how they never got enough credit when they should have. The band called it quits in 2004 but they were brilliant and I think overlooked by most.

Denali formed in 2000 when the singer, Maura Davis asked her brother, Keeley Davis (member of Engine Down) if he wanted to start a band with her. Somewhat shocked Keeley agreed to do so and they formed the band, Denali, one of the best bands to hit the indie underground scene. This band was/is truly inspiring and I just found out that they recently decided to reunite as of March 26th, 2008. They decided to play some shows and see what happens from there. Very exciting news!

I wanted to post about Denali in hopes that their creative trip-hop influenced sound was still being enjoyed by others. So get re-familiar or familiar with Denali. Well worth the listen.

Hold Your Breath by Denali

Good Times Come To Me Now

Let us take a moment to address a nearly forgotten gem from the year of my birth, 1983. Haysi Fantayzee's 'Shiny Shiny' is a kooky and upbeat song about what else? The apocalypse, of course.

The garishly dressed and dreadlocked boy/girl duo scored an unlikely hit with 'Shiny Shiny'. Their one and only LP, Battle Hymns for Children Singing managed to reach number 11 on the UK charts. Haysi Fantayzee enjoyed considerably less exposure and success here in the United States. A review on All Music Guide by Ned Raggett describes the aforementioned album as follows:

"Arguably one of the most head-shaking albums ever made -- though to the band's credit, that was the whole point -- Battle Hymns for Children Singing might just be what the doctor ordered for insomnia. It's not so much for the fact that the music will put a listener to sleep as much as it will induce a listener to destroy the sound system it is playing on, therefore tiring out that person for bedtime."

Well, fortunately it does not make me want to destroy a sound system. It does succeed in making me want to get up and dance a weird partial jig, however. The same review goes on to say that 'Shiny Shiny' includes "everything from inappropriate electric guitar solos to Dexy's Midnight Runners-styled fiddles". While all of that is true, I think he forgot to mention another important element within the song: The sound of spoons being played as a musical instrument. It's pretty obvious that spoons are an incredibly essential ingredient in the attempt to create 1980s anti-nuclear new wave hillbilly hoedown pop.

'Shiny Shiny' may be arguably 'bad' by today's standards, but most reviewers and listeners are probably a little too harsh in their judgments. Just because it sounds a little kooky doesn't mean it should be forever restricted and designated as an 'ironic' guilty pleasure. I personally enjoy all of those quirky and strange sounding 'unlikely hits' from the early to mid 1980s. Although I wasn't born until the year this song was released, I grew up listening to a lot of music from that time period. Thus, I don't like Haysi Fantayzee in a purely 'ironic' way. Part of me truly and honestly likes 'Shiny Shiny'. I swear.

To be sold on this song, you absolutely need to watch the video. It's amazing. I mean, just check out those impressive special effects.

Even if you were to disregard the song completely, there is just so much greatness displayed in the video alone. First of all, they are both fucking weird looking and have dreadlocks and look androgynously similar to one another. Secondly, they both have killer moves (particularly, the jaunty hoedown dances the guy exhibits). Thirdly, their outfits resemble some sort of 1980s hobos performing in an old timey cabaret. Of course, the visual effects are stunning as well.

On top of all that, here is the best thing ever: My sister told me the other day that the guy in Haysi Fantayzee reminds her of Adrien Brody. Could you imagine if Adrien Brody had decided to have a go at being an 80s pop star with dreadlocks before he became a serious actor?

MP3: Haysi Fantayzee - Shiny Shiny (zshare)

Purchase Battle Hymns for Children Singing by Haysi Fantayzee here:





I'm sure you want to now. Bring that shit back, I say.

P.S. I just realized that the vocals in this Haysi Fantayzee song sounds eerily like some of the newer songs by Architecture in Helsinki.

Elvis Costello and The Attractions vs. The Armless Creature

Elvis Costello used to be great. Sure, he's still a talented guy, but his finest work definitely occurred within the era of Elvis Costello and The Attractions (1977-1984). I doubt many people would disagree with me on that.

I awoke today with a craving for some vintage Elvis Costello. I indulged in said craving and after a time I decided to explore and search for video footage. Of course, things like YouTube did not exist during the time period in which I listened to Elvis Costello with the most frequency (back in 1999-2003-ish). At that time, I hadn't been able to place many visuals with the music I knew so well. Regardless of how many or how few visuals one has seen, everyone knows Elvis Costello for two things: 1. his bespectacled skull and 2. his famous pigeon toed pose/stance. However, I was unaware of how just how much he worked the latter into his performances.

I just want to say this: Elvis Costello's kinesthetic quality of movement reminds me greatly of the armless creature from the film Silent Hill. That motion picture caused me to have a horrible nightmare recently, by the way. There is a part toward the end of the above video where Elvis Costello sort of chugs forward one leg at a time. This series of movements is particularly reminiscent of the armless creature. Also, he clutches his arms in toward his chest several times. Therefore, he could easily be mistaken for an armless creature. Not to mention that my sister observed, "there is one part where both his ankles are turned in severely and he looks disabled". All joking aside, this is such a classic video. It's rare that a video featuring musicians playing their instruments against a plain white backdrop can manage to be so incredibly entertaining. Plus, did you see the jacket the drummer is wearing? I want it.

For armless creature comparison purposes, here is a short video clip from the DVD extras of Silent Hill:


Hopefully you can get a vague idea of the similarities in kinesthetic quality from that clip, if you haven't already seen the film. I realize the armless creature guy moves in ways that look a bit more extreme than Elvis Costello's inverted and inward rolling feet/ankles. But then, perhaps you need to take a look at a second Elvis Costello video.


Elvis Costello is just flailing all over the place in that one. It's beautiful. Do you see any valid comparison to the armless creature yet? Even if you don't, that's okay. I have too keen of an eye when it comes to movement analysis. I was a dance major in college, so I tend to notice everything. Pedestrian movements are dance too. That is not to say that what Elvis Costello is doing is truly 'pedestrian' by any means. It's probably the antithesis of pedestrian movement, in fact. His quality of movement is actually quite interesting. I find it more enthralling than what many post-modern dance performances have to offer. In fact, you could pretty much stick Elvis Costello on a stage and let him flail his legs around strangely and call it a prolific work of post-modern dance.

Well anyway, this was all worth it to take a look at some classic Elvis Costello videos. I love when Elvis Costello still had an abundance of hair.

MP3: Elvis Costello & The Attractions - (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea (zshare)
MP3: Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Pump It Up (zshare)

Purchase music by Elvis Costello here:

Stand back, gents and ladies, I’m drunk and insane and I’ve got a gun!!

One time I got the idea to type my name into the iTunes so I could see what all songs with my name were on there, and oh, the results. First of all, everyone with access to some musical instrument seems to feel compelled to record their own special version of the Steely Dan song. I ended up buying about fifteen different songs with “Josie” in the title, and one of them was this one. Truly a diamond in the rough, no lie. I can’t believe this song exists. This is the first time in my life that I’ve been genuinely happy to be named Josie, because if I wasn’t, I wouldn’t have ever heard this song, and yes, that would be a bad thing. I’ve “studied” this song a lot, as much as any other song telling a baffling story full of plotholes, and there is so much intense emotion throughout all of it, it has me convinced that it has to be true. I like to imagine it’s true, in any case, and what’s more, I like to imagine that it’s a true story about me. But anyway, one thing I do know for sure about this song: It needs to be way longer than two minutes. There is way too much crammed in here, except for a whole lot of, well, information.

Josie went to the barroom, ordered up a glass of beer
Said, “Tell me the truth, bartender, has my true love been here?”
“He’s my man, but he ain’t come home.”
“I ain’t gonna tell you no secrets, I ain’t gonna tell you no lies.”
“But I saw your man a while ago, and I couldn’t believe my eyes.”
“He’s your man, but he won’t come home.”

Why couldn’t he believe his eyes? Was her man lying in some dark alley naked and covered in questionable bodily fluids and multiple stab wounds? Who knows, and who cares.

Josie drank her beer, ordered up a glass of gin
Said, “Ain’t it a shame, bartender? I’m takin’ to drink again.”
“’Cause he’s my man, but he won’t come home.”

Wow, it appears Josie has a serious drinking problem, and I don’t just mean she’s a problem drinker, I also mean she has a problem drinking properly. Has she never heard the old adage “beer before liquor, never sicker”? Maybe in this case it should be “beer before liquor, leads to manslaughter”.

Josie went down the street, revolver in her hand
Said, “Stand back gents and ladies, I’m lookin’ for my man!”
“He’s my man, but he won’t come home.”

Who says that, “gents and ladies”? Well, I do now, for one, because it’s hilarious. Sometimes the more I hear a song, if there was a part that used to make me laugh when I first heard it, the more I got used to the song it wouldn’t make me laugh as much, but not that “gents and ladies” part. No, every time I listen to this song that “gents and ladies” part still gets me the same as when I heard it for the first time, where I’m just doubled-over in pain from laughing so hard. Actually, the entire song still makes me laugh hysterically like it did when I first heard it. My mom was actually the one who told me he was saying “gents and ladies”. The first, like, ten times I listened to it I thought he was saying “Jensen ladies”, like the name of the town was Jensen and she was addressing the ladies of the town of Jensen. God, I was grasping so hard for some kind of reality. I still am.

Josie saw her lover, and her revolver drew
Then Josie pulled the trigger, shot him through and through
He was her man, but he wouldn’t come home.

Way to go, Josie. This song doesn’t reflect well on me as a Josie, does it? Not all Josies are highly unstable, gun-wielding drunks. I mean, sure, I am, but we’re not talking about me right now.

One thing hurt Miss Josie, one thing made her cry
Standing there in the jailhouse doors, the hearse came rollin’ by
He was her man, but he won’t come home.
Sittin’ in the parlor by an electric fan, pleadin’ with her sister,
“Don’t marry a gamblin’ man! He’ll be your man, but he won’t come home.”

Whoa, slow down, pardner. She goes suddenly from standin’ in the jailhouse doors to sittin’ in the parlor. Does she not have to serve any time for this very public murder that pretty much everyone in the whole town witnessed? Did she murder everyone in the whole town except her sister? I wouldn’t be surprised, she sounds like a pretty clear-cut sociopath.

The part with the fan is yet another part that took me a super long time to figure out what the hell words he was actually saying. I thought she was “buyin’ a ‘lectric fan” for some reason. Again, I had nothing even resembling a clue, and this seemed to make some kind of sense. Seriously, in relation to everything else, I was just like, “Well…I guess it seems plausible within this context that she would all of a sudden be buying an electric fan and that it would be a necessary detail for the story.” It was a necessary enough detail to mention that she was by an electric fan, right? I thought maybe her sister worked in a general store or something and that’s why she was talking to her sister. Speaking of the sister, I don’t think Josie needs to be giving her sister any advice on love or marriage or pretty much anything. Maybe Josie shouldn’t pretend like her situation didn’t have a few problems that might not exist in every relationship, hmm? Like maybe her man wasn’t a-gamblin’ before he married her, but she made him so unhappy with her violent, drunken ways that he just couldn’t stand being around her? Yeah, that sounds about right to me.

I've only been able to find one picture of the guy who does this song, and he kind of reminds me of a goat:

And now, gents and ladies, is the time you to listen to all of this yourself. Which you really should do, because otherwise I'll have to, you know, shoot you.

Josie.mp3

The Rapture - The Sound

I've been listening to the song 'The Sound' by The Rapture on repeat all week long. I know it's not exactly a new song, but hey, I had yet to establish this blog when Pieces Of The People We Love was released back in 2006.

The first time I had ever heard The Rapture was in either 2002 or 2003. 'Out of the Races and Onto the Tracks' was my first introduction, and I thought it was a fantastic track and a decent EP. It was raw, angular, noisy and energetic. When The Rapture's first full length album, Echoes was released in 2003 I was surprised to hear that the raw, somewhat amateur sound featured on their EP had all but disappeared and been replaced with a layer of shiny and polished studio production. Still, It managed to become one of my favorite albums to be released in 2003. If I remember anything about that year in music, it was that bands such as The Rapture received both critical acclaim but also a lot of flack from music listeners. There were a lot of bands accused of ripping off post-punk and dance-punk bands from the late 1970s. The most blatant and obvious influence on all of these new bands was Gang of Four. I've been a big fan of Gang of Four myself for years, but it didn't make me hate The Rapture. In all likelihood it may have been the likeness in sound that initially drew me to The Rapture rather than repel me from their music. In 2003, everyone knew of The Rapture, yet I didn't know anyone besides myself and my sister who liked them or had given them a chance. I'm confident The Rapture has a boatload or two of devoted fans, but I also feel they are an underrated band that is easily overlooked.

2006 saw the release of The Rapture's second full length album, Pieces of the People We Love. This is probably the most cohesive sounding and accessible release from the band, yet it manages to not sound over-produced. If anything, the album proves that these guys are immensely talented and have a great deal of staying power. Pieces of the People We Love is an amalgam of post-punk, dance-rock, disco, electronic music, and an infinite amount of other styles. I've also heard from others that it sounds like hippie music. No matter what you think the album sounds like, I think it's safe to say that The Rapture have really come into their own and have progressed their sound quite a lot over the past few years. Basically, Pieces of the People We Love affirms that these guys aren't just another Gang of Four rip-off band.

My immediate favorite off of the album was 'Whoo! Alright-Yeah...Uh Huh' aka 'W.A.Y.U.H.', which features the best and most complex cowbell utilization I've ever heard in a song. 'Don Gon Do It' amuses me because the chorus sounds like a combination of Montell Jordan's 'This Is How We Do It' and The Backstreet Boys' 'We've Got It Goin On'. I'm still trying to figure out if either of those were intentional or not. Anyway, the whole album is impressive. One song, 'Get Myself Into It' even features an excessive amount of saxophone and I still like it. Earlier this week I was listening to music and 'The Sound' came on at random and I was blown away. It's not a track that had stood out to me before. Now I can't stop listening to it. I think it's the combination of cowbell, amazing drumming, loud guitars, synthesizer, the vocals... okay, well, pretty much every single element of the song sounds great.

Here is a live performance of The Rapture performing 'The Sound' in 2006. It's sort of remarkable how great they sound live here:

Too esoteric for a Saturday night...

MP3: The Rapture - The Sound (zshare)
MP3: The Rapture - Don Gon Do It (zshare)

Purchase music by The Rapture here:

If you failed to give The Rapture a fair chance before, I suggest that you do so now. Hop to it.