Also, it's Podcast week. I'll either have the podcast up tonight or tomorrow. I haven't even begun thinking about it, so my guess is it'll be tomorrow.
Five Songs I'm Loving This Week
Maria Taylor, "Good Start"
I don't know your opinion, but I think this is an excellent start to the post. Maria Taylor has one of the most beautiful and striking voices I know of, and she could make anything sound extraordinary. Luckily, we don't have to settle for just anything. We get really good songs, too. "Good Start" is from her new album Lynn Teeter Flower (out in March), her follow-up to last year's 11:11. I remember 11:11 because it had the near-perfect song "Song Beneath The Song". I love that song so much that even now, over a year after I first heard it, I still get it in my head sometimes.
This will be another song like that. I'll start singing it when I'm vacuuming. I'll start singing it on the bus, which won't be as embarrassing as the other day when I started singing "Self-Control" by Laura Branigan. It won't be as embarrassing because hopefully I won't also be employing the broad, melodramatic, sweeping hand gestures like I do whenever I act out a Laura Branigan or Bonnie Tyler song.
To clarify: I'm not comparing Maria Taylor to Laura Branigan or Bonnie Tyler. Both Laura Branigan and Maria Taylor are superior to Bonnie Tyler, but the 12 year-old in me isn't prepared to choose between Laura Branigan and Maria Taylor. I'm just saying they've both staked a place out in my song memory for all time.
Maria Taylor's from my adopted hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, also. That's cool.
She's just so dang pretty. Maria Taylor's Label Site (with more mp3 downloads) and her Myspace (she doesn't list another website).
The Magic Numbers, "Forever Lost" (direct download)
I saw this video on Youtube and I just fell in love with the song. It's one of those really well-constructed songs that just flow. The song does not have to work hard to be a great Indie Rock song. It's just natural. I've heard of the band before--they're getting a lot of buzz. Sometimes a lot of buzz keeps me away from a band until I stumble onto them on my own, as I did in this case. Oh, and showing that I, too, get my Indie bands mixed up sometimes, I had to check and make sure this wasn't The Magic Words, a band whose songs I posted a few months ago. "Forever Lost" is from the album Those The Brokes.
I'm going to put it in EZArchive because it's a fairly high quality mp3 to begin with. This means it will be direct download.
The Magic Numbers' Myspace, Website and really cute partially animated video for "Forever Lost"
These United States, "So High So Low So Wide So Long"
It's kind of freaking me out how much this sounds like M. Ward. It really sounds like M. Ward. I like it, though, which makes sense 'cause I like M. Ward. It's got a very blues-y bass guitar; the bass guitar reminds me of some Velvet Underground/Lou Reed songs. It's also got a really weird, almost grating (but in a good way) guitar noise. Like someone's pulling at the strings wrong. I really like their description on their Myspace site:
"These United States is the songs of Jesse Elliott, flipped, forged, phased, and fermented; stolen, re-taken, elongated and elevated, beaten and bruised, occasionally imbued, by an ever-battling band of music-mad robber-barons, enthused aesthetic thieves of the long and winding subway tunnels and underground railroads of our cacophonous nation."
Someone needs to tell them, though, that they don't need to list their influences in a single file line. Their influences aren't participating in a fire drill.
If they were in a fire, though, who would make it out first? I bet Andrew Bird would fly, so he might be first. Billie Holiday would be too busy singing about the flying Andrew Bird--she wouldn't make it. I don't know who Manu Chao is, so he wouldn't make it. Aimee Mann would find a river to skate away on, so she'd make it. Wait--if she finds a river, though, maybe she could put out the fire? C'mon, Aimee! You have the chance to save thousands of musicians! The Black Rebel Motorcycle Club have their motorcycles, so they'd be okay. Maybe they'd bring some people with them...? The Violent Femmes would write an iconic, dirty song about the situation, but that doesn't speak to whether or not they'd survive. We can only hope they'd survive. I hope the Talking Heads make it because we have one of their songs coming up, and it'd put a dour note on the Five Songs post if they don't. They're just heads, so surely someone could hold them...The Flaming Lips have their spaceships and hot air balloons; they'll be fine. Bonnie Raitt will survive anything. She'll be here long after we've gone--the power is in the streak in her hair. Lou Reed will ride out on an awesome bass line. Neutral Milk Hotel will try to throw milk on the fire to put it out, but will it work? If Aimee's river doesn't work (not to mention CCR's clearwater) then I doubt milk will.
Oh well--we'll just have to see who makes it through. What was I talking about?
These United States look like they're having a really good time. Their Website.
The Exies, "Once In A Lifetime"
This sounds so different from the original that I did not recognize it until recently, after hearing it several times. I didn't even recognize it while I was listening to it--I just happened to be looking through my mp3s and realized the name of this is "Once In A Lifetime". A little tiny lightbulb went off in my head and I wondered "Is that...?" "Nah..." Ah, but it is! They've slowed it down to the point where it could be done by any one of yer singer-songwriters...your Joshua Radins, your Josh Ritters...all sorts of people named Josh. It's always great to hear a favorite song done in a new (and not sucky) way.
Ecology Alert! The Exies know something that not many people do. It's more energy efficient to use a black background than a white background. There's actually a push to get Google to change its background. I don't see it doing that, but maybe a nice blue or yellow...The Exies' Myspace and website...oh, nevermind. Their website redirects to their Myspace.
I wonder how much energy would be saved world-wide if I just calmed down, already...
Frightened Rabbit, "Be Less Rude"
Don't be silly--fright is for kids! Okay, I know. That was lame. I don't want rabbits to be frightened--I like rabbits. I want them to be hopping around like they're supposed to be. I want them to eat plants and vegetables. I want them to twitch their whiskers. I want them to be free. So, yeah, the name of the band makes me sad, but I like the name of the song. We should all be less rude. Yes, even me--though I held back very well today when my neighbor decided to do SIX LOADS OF LAUNDRY on a SUNDAY--nevermind that we all share one washer and one dryer. I was not rude--I calmly waited for her after her fifth or so load and told her that I needed to do at least one load so I could have something to frikkin' WEAR so that I could go out and do something today. I waited for two hours thinking surely no one would be senseless enough to do more than two or three loads of laundry on a Sunday when there are most likely other people waiting to use the machines. So yeah, I held back. I didn't yell or get snotty. Okay, so I'm a little sick so I was snotty. In fact, I'm sure it looked like I was crying, which is regrettable. Sure I was mad, but I don't want anyone to think I was crying because I didn't get a turn at the laundry machine. I mean, I'm not 9 anymore.
Anyways, this is a really cool song.
What's coming out the top of his jeans? Frightened Rabbit's Myspace and Website. Oohh..according to their Myspace site, they've shared bills with some awesome acts: My Latest Novel, Nina Nastasia, Mum...how cool! ("Be Less Rude" is from their album Sing The Greys).
BONUS!
Okay, there are two songs I've absolutely loved this week, and they would've been in this list, but I get a "would get a cease and desist letter" vibe from them. I couldn't find a copy of "I Still Remember" by Bloc Party because every time I found it on a blog, it was listed as "taken down by request". So, I'm going to heed the broken path in front of me and just post the video. If the lead singer from The Dears is a black Morrissey, then the lead singer of this band is TOTALLY a black Ian McCulloch. If you don't believe me, then listen to alot of Echo and the Bunnymen songs. If you still don't believe me, then at least you've heard some great music.
Bloc Party video, "I Still Remember"
Oh, it's so pretty! I will remember you, Bloc Party song! There's a live version of the song for keepsies on this site. Yes, I said "keepsies". What of it? No, I'm not crying...I just have the sniffles.
Kristen Hersh, "In Shock"
Of course there is always a special place in my heart for Kristen Hersh. Once again, not gonna go up against the label (4AD). Here's the video--a beautifully saturated piece featuring just her and her guitar. If you really like the song, you can find it online. I'm just not going to take the chance...
Kristen Hersh was of course in Throwing Muses. This is a video of Throwing Muses' from back in the day. I remember that day. I wasn't old then, or as grumpy, or as tired. I used to think I could do harmony to this song. 17 years later and I know I can't do harmony to this song--my how time allows us to accept things about ourselves. The other member of Throwing Muses, Tanya Donelly, went on to form a band called Belly. This video from Belly is a little less further back in the day, but still pretty far back. Both members of Throwing Muses have gone on to do wonderful solo work.
I love Youtube. It's the bestest. Yeah, the quality sucks, but it's better than not having the videos at all.
Wake me up when my nostalgia-fest is over, please.
*Oh God...she's watching videos by The Sundays. Someone take the Youtube away from her...I think she's crying...*
1 comment:
I totally LOVE your blog and have for well over a year. Just wanted you to know....
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