Today's gone by fast. I had intended to start on this post this morning, but I didn't, and it's no longer morning. It's not even afternoon yet; though I wouldn't call it night yet. It's solidly in the middle of evening.
I'm glad I waited 'cause a few of the songs I'm posting tonight I just found today.
For instance:
Susan Enan, "Bring On The Wonder"
I first heard this song on an episode of Bones a few months ago. It played in a moment already in a very poignant, sad episode about a young boy who had been found and had been murdered. The song sets a tone of remorse tinged with relief; a balance that's difficult to strike without trivializing the song. She sings "We pushed you down deep in our souls for so long"; in the episode the boy had been pushed down for a long time, but the details of his death were finally coming out. The singer never says what she's referring to that's hidden, but the regret and determination to make it right is evident in her voice and the lyrics. The song isn't available on cd yet, but there's a notice on her Myspace that it will be included in her first released album. She also has a website.
Susan Enan, framed by Bright Lights and a Big City
Tilly and the Wall, "Freest Man"
I found this today, though I'd heard it a few days ago (yay podcasts!). It's boppy! It's not boppy subject matter, though. The singer has the utmost respect for the boy in the song, and is genuinely concerned that's he's "too drunk to find his apartment". She says he keeps making mistakes, but the name of the song is "Freest Man", and she is telling him that he has the power to be that man instead of the boy who "lives in a bell jar".
Tilly and the Wall's Website and Myspace. They even have a You Tube channel; that shows they're truly keeping up with the times. "Freest Man" is from the album Bottom of the Barrels.
Wait--Chrissie Hynde joined Ace of Bace? How did that happen? (I'm joking. This is the fabulous Tilly and the Wall).
Cold War Kids, "We Used To Vacation"
Wow. The subject matter of this song is remarkably similar to that of the previous song. This song is explicitly about a man's struggle with alcoholism, from the perspective of the alcohilic. It's sad but it's inspiring. I hope this guy makes it. The song sounds very mature to be made by a band called Cold War Kids. There's nothing kid-like about this song. I originally found this through KEXP's Song of the Day, which rules, by the way. I rarely remember where I get songs, but I try to include a mention of the source if I do remember.
Cold War Kids, despite being children and living in the 50's, have a Myspace and a Website. This song is from the album Robbers and Cowards.
Cold War Kids do look very cold.
Darren Smith with Douglas Cameron, "Last Drive" (live, Inhouse With Jeremy Petersen)
A very pretty alt-country song; reminds me of riding through rural parts of Alabama all throughout the night. I miss doing stuff like that. I don't miss getting lost--or maybe I do miss getting lost. I miss looking up at the stars at 4 in the morning. I miss that feeling of connection you get when you talk to someone for hours. This song reminds me of all of that. I hope those weren't my last drives, though! (Or rather last rides 'cause I don't drive). This song seems to have a similar feel; he's talking about driving far to be with someone. I'm thinking of driving far just to go somewhere. The song is from Darren Smith's album Last Drive.
Darren Smith's Website
Douglas Cameron's Website (Cameron has his own album available, Remedies)
Darren Smith's Myspace
Douglas Cameron's Myspace
Yup. Darren and Douglas are just hangin' out by the water, y'know. Just shootin' it, waiting for their show that night.
The Solids, "Hey Beautiful"
Squee! Squeesqueesquee!
Hate me now? Okay, then:
Squeesqueeeeeeeee
It's the theme song from How I Met Your Mother! I love this song! I love that show! The theme is actually the last few seconds of that song, but the whole song is fantastic to me. And get this: two of the members of the band are the creators of How I Met Your Mother (on of the few funny comedies on TV nowadays)! Is that nepotism? Eh, who cares. It's an awesome theme and no one could've done better!
Hee! Their website says they're "world leaders in rock and roll since 1996". The world leaders are conquering Myspace, too.
The Solids...er, at least this photo is on their Myspace. I guess it's them...
Bonuses!!! Don't say Mama Lola didn't do nothing for ya!
(Okay, Lola promises never to use the phrase "Mama Lola". It makes her feel old and grandmotherly and she ain't that old!)
The Friendly Indians, "I Know You Know"
I was talking about finding out the theme for HIMYM is done by the creators; my friend Shane on livejournal pointed out that the theme to Psych (a great theme and also a show I adore) is also done by Psych's creators. What weird parallel universes we live in! Anyways, the name of the song is "I Know You Know" and it's by The Friendly Indians. It's a short song, but it's just as it is on their site. Heh--in a turn-around from The Solids, The Friendly Indian's website has a disclaimer that The Friendly Indians are "mostly interesting since 1991". Heh! (I don't see a Myspace for them. C'mon people! Just 'cause you're mostly interesting doesn't mean you're dead!)
The Friendly Indians refused to post a picture of all of them together, so I posted this goofy picture of one of the members who also co-created Psych :)
Guilty Pleasure songs:
These songs will never be known by 98% of NPR listeners. Pitchfork Media will never review them. That's alright, though, 'cause all that matters is I sing them incessantly, bothering other people while making myself insanely happy. That's becoming increasingly important to me.
Chugga Chugga, "I Saw The Sign" (thanks to Liza's blog Copy, right?)
I loved the original. I watched the video when it came on VH-1, as enthralled as when Sarah McClachlan or The Cranberries came on.
I didn't tell anyone, though. I was young, naive...I had a small group of friends and I didn't know how they'd react. I'd grown up being different; I wasn't sure I wanted to be different even to my different friends. Of course now I don't think of stuff like that. I know that other people will have different tastes than I do and my concern starts and ends with my taste and not other people's. It wasn't so clear cut back then. It was the 90's...it was just a weird time...a lot of experimentation---
*runs out crying*
Anyway, this is a cover of the song. I've been listening to it incessantly (I even tried to get it on my voicemail, but it didn't work) but I'm not posting it as an official "Five Songs" pick because this version has a major flaw. The singer has difficulty reaching the high notes; her voice cracks a lot. Oh well. From what I read they were a high school act and I don't think they're together anymore. They have a Myspace and their website is their livejournal :) How cute! They have a song about carbs and how they're important to give you energy. Heh heh! I love them.
Chugga Chugga (they're so cute!)
Finally, last but not least:
Robin Sparkles, "Let's Go To The Mall"
Even in 1993 my music radar was up. Yep, not many Americans knew about Robin Sparkles. We were too busy with out Kurt Cobains and our Eddie Vedders to go to the mall. We were too cool, I guess. Well, Canada wasn't too cool! Canada wanted to rock our body all the way to Canada Day! In 1993 the likes of Tiffany and Debbie Gibson were just hitting the Northern border (though Sarah McClachlan was around then and I don't remember her wearing sparkly jackets...huh...) Anyway, Robin Sparkles made a splash in the malls of Canada in 1993 (literally--I think they used a lot of splatter paint) and I just can't get the song out of my head since I was reintroduced to it through the miracle of You tube (a better version of the video is on her Myspace).
There's a Myspace, for Robin, but it's fan-driven. I don't think Robin's making music anymore. Does anyone know what she's doing now? I know she modeled before this song hit big.
The jacket made Robin Sparkles famous (in Canada, anyway. And maybe Germany).
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