Day 15 - A song that describes you

As with anyone, the words I use to describe myself can be wildly different — even contradictory — depending on my mood. I actually considered choosing a vocal-less song here, but in the end decided against it. One day I’m loud and obnoxious, the next I hardly remember what my own voice sounds like. I also tried to not pick an LCD Soundsystem song, since I don’t want to have a default setting. Then I considered picking a music-less track, spoken word. Most of that was comedy, but there was a poem in there.

I was very close to choosing A More Perfect Union by Titus Andronicus, but the repeated references to New Jersey felt wrong, dishonest.

I also very nearly chose This Charming Man by The Smiths, but I thought it was too overdone. Of course everyone identifies with the Smiths, everyone has those days, weeks, months, thoughts, yearnings. A brilliant song, but it does not open any new windows.

I can’t choose a pop song because I am fundamentally unpopular. I have to choose a song that has an under-appreciated element that I find peculiarly enlightening. I felt the need to choose New Wave because it is the style a music that I find best suits me. It needs to be, in a way, quixotic — I would never leave the door completely open.

It must be open to interpretation, but in the minds of the writers, have a clear meaning. They made it deliberately vague in order to prevent anyone from pinning them down. The true meaning obscured from view.

Finally, it needed to be about love. It is the only thing. worth singing about.

In the end, I chose Temptation by New Order. It has all of the above, and everything else that I couldn’t bear to put to words.

Day 14 - A song no one would expect you to love

Pretty tough. I like many different kinds of music, and I don’t really know what people expect of my taste. I’m well-known for being a fan of Arcade Fire, LCD Soundsystem, Talking Heads, David Bowie, the list goes on.

I could have gone with a pop-y jam, but I just went with Robin S. as a guilty pleasure, so I didn’t want to choose another chart-topper. Also, that wouldn’t be completely unexpected either.

Instead, I went with Bon Iver’s Skinny love. I usually take every opportunity to take the piss out of overly folk-y jams. For the most part, I can’t stand them. To me, they usually seem insincere, and bland. I need some drums, and definitely an electric guitar.

Skinny love, however, is good. It, to me, shines because of the lyrics. They aren’t repetitive (another complaint I have of folk music), and are simple without being simplistic. Frankly, the variety of tempos, and particularly dynamics, is what sets this folk song apart. Well done, Justin Vernon.

Now all your love is wasted?
Then who the hell was I?
Now I’m breaking at the britches
And at the end of all your lines.

Day 12 - A song from a band you hate

More difficult than from a band you love. First off, I hate a lot of bands/singers. I hate them so much I refuse to post them to this blog. Taylor Swift, I’m looking at you.

I chose the Pixies - Here Comes Your Man. Hear me out. I love this band. I love this song. I hate them for what they have brought themselves to do. They have openly admitted to going on tour recently to make money. Black Francis, the lead singer, told NME, “It’s not to say it’s not about art, but we made that art fucking 20 years ago. So forget the fucking goddamn art. This ain’t about the art anymore. I did the arty farty part. Now it’s time to talk about the money”. WHAT?! The Pixies were punk, they were cool. They had a chick bassist for Christ’s sake. How many serious bands can say that?

Now they are doing a victory lap around the world to soak up whatever is left of the love people had for their art. To put it so bluntly, as Francis did, deserves some respect. I respect the honesty. A lot of people (including myself) were never going to like it.

However, I do not respect the actual words he said.

There is a wait so long.
You’ll never wait so long.
Here comes your man.

Day 11 — A song from your favorite band

Easy. LCD Soundsystem. Honestly, though, this list is getting packed with LCD tunes. 

I have chosen their most recent work because I am currently obsessed with it. To be honest, at first listen, I didn’t quite get it. It seemed like one of those LCD songs that would be significantly better live than in my headphones (see: ‘Yeah’).

While that may be true, we will never actually find out, as they broke up. This cover, Live Alone, originally a Franz Ferdinand track, is wildly different from the original. I suppose Murphy did an FF track because they did one of All My Friends several years ago. It was quite good, and FF put their own spin on it.

I tried to come up with the influence for this song, but to be honest, I’m not nearly well-versed enough to label it properly. Definitely some New Wave in there, the bass riff suggests late 70s to me, but that could be off. Regardless, it was arranged expertly.

Final note, the song gets in at 7:29. One of the many reasons I love LCD is that they are never trapped by the 3-4 minute limit to which an overwhelming majority of bands seem to keep themselves. In fact, most of LCD’s work flies in the face of typical, in terms of length. Fortunately, since I love LCD, I’m pleased they play so long. I never do want it to end. 

So I’m gonna live alone.
I’m not saying our love is the greatest,
But I’m in love with you.
Want to stay in love with you.
So I’m going to live alone.

Yeah, I’ll be happy on my own.

Day 10 — A song that makes you fall asleep.

I find little purpose in posting a song that actually puts me and, in all likelihood, others to sleep. Music is intoxicating, music makes me feel alive.

Instead, I have posted Jackie Wilson’s (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher. If I played this on repeat for about an hour, I could possibly fall comatose due to exhaustion. The call to movement is so strong in soul that in my opinion is more deserving of the phrase Dance genre than the electronic, synthetic variety that dominates today.

Could that be me alone?

Now once I was down-hearted.
Disappointment was my closest friend.
But then you came and it soon departed,
And you know he never
Showed his face again.

Day 9 — A song that you can dance to

I don’t feel like there are any words to really justify this.

Day 8 — A song that you know the words to

First off, this is probably the broadest question thus far, as I know all the words to probably 60-75% of my entire library, a ~4000 song library. I could post obscure Queen songs, wedding staples, blues classics, Nirvana, the list goes on. It’s unreal. I picked one that I could probably sing (I’m using the term liberally here) w/o even a backing track.

Ok, I’m not quite sure I could do this without backing, but it is probably my favorite to sing. It’s lurid beyond what would commonly be played on radio, but is played unabashedly, even at weddings. I’ve heard it played in front of small children.

It’s about hiring a stripper/prostitute!

That aside, I think it’s an amazing tune. First, the guitar work is legendary, particularly the solo. Second, this is off Back in Black, AC/DC’s best album, and lead singer Brian Johnson’s first. I can’t imagine a more unlikely story, and this album could have flopped! It was a risk, but boy did it pay off.

Finally, the B-side, I recently found out, to this single is Have a Drink on Me. Is there a better title to have for a song? Second, if taken to together, the titles read You Shook Me All Night Long/Have a Drink on Me. Best single ever.

Working double time on the seduction line,
she was one of a kind, she’s just mine, all mine.
Wanted no applause, just another course,
made a meal outta me and come back for more. 

Day 7 — A song that reminds you of a certain event

Somewhat unfair, as the event was only a few days ago, but I hardly think I will forget it. A good friend of mine had been visiting London for the past few days and, whenever possible, I try to make it out to Church on Sunday afternoons. I am not talking about this church, as I hardly attend mass there anymore, instead I mean this one.

Church is an experience like none other. Anyone under 30 in London for a Sunday afternoon, who claims to drink with any real seriousness, should go to Church. First off, drinking on a Sunday at noon is generally considered poor taste. Not so at Church. The venue, in Clapham Junction, is filled with bizarrely dressed groups of twenty-somethings at what would best be described as a ‘day-club’. Everyone drinks out of pint-cans, gets really sloppy, and is embarrassed they are so intoxicated the minute they walk out at 4pm — sloshed.

The song, which began our day, is a sing-along. Like the rest of the tunes, everyone knows all the words. Everybody sings them all. I can’t implore everyone enough to attend church as often as possible.

The fact that it only exists in London is a fucking tragedy. 

Gave me gear thank you dear bring your sister over here
Let her dance with me just for the hell of it.

Ba-da-dum da-da-dum da-da-da-da-da-dum

Day 6 — A song that reminds you of somewhere

There is no band that I tie to a specific place more than LCD Soundsystem. They are from New York (city). I am from New York (state, Long Island specifically). 

LCD is easily my favorite band of all-time. No other band comes close. In fact, I think I’ve been to more LCD Soundsystem concerts than I have been to every other band combined (discounting Bonnaroo 2010).

I’ve seen them in New York twice, Tennessee, and London. I will see them again in New York twice this week. Once at Terminal 5 and then, heartbreakingly, at Madison Square Garden for their final concert ever. I’ve basically come back to NY to see these shows.

As many people know, LCD Soundsystem is breaking up following James’ warnings that he, like Danny Glover, was getting too old for this shit. I will miss them dearly.

I chose Yeah (Crass Verson) because it is a song that does not jump out at you on the disc. Frankly, it seems bizarre and doesn’t really work. Live, however, it is something completely different. The crowd adores many of the 1st album tracks that did not seem to work headphones-wise.

Yeah was written as a counter-point to another LCD track, Losing My Edge, which is about as hyper-literate as a song can be. Yeah, seemingly, is a rejection of that kind of fashionable idea, that ‘My music is better than your music’. 

Yeah works on-stage, where LCD really shines and LCD shines in no place brighter than New York City.

Everybody keeps on talking about it
Nobody’s getting it done. 

Day 5 — A song that reminds you of someone

This person knows who they are. Fortunately, I doubt they read this.

So for once in my life
Let me get what I want
Lord knows, it would be the first time
Lord knows, it would be the first time 

Day 4 —  A song that makes you sad.

I really ought to stop listening to this song. Almost without fail, this song will send me into some meaningless depressed state. Notably covered by Johnny Cash, Hurt — Nine Inch Nails, is a masterful work of self-reflection and the extreme self-criticism.

At multiple junctures of my life, this song has fueled an already poor state of affairs. Brilliant as it is, those kinds of emotions are really non-essential, and the furtherance of them can at times be very counter-productive.

However, it has a stunning space to it. The long periods of barely any sound. The guitar-work, particularly the dissonance, is perfect. Reznor outdid himself on this particularly diddy.

Frankly, though, the lyrics are the best bit. I’ve heard few songs with such honesty and forwardness. Most artists seem to try to hide their emotions in songs, but, in this, Reznor is fresh-faced in his desperation. An achievement and an extraordinarily bold endeavor, given that he probably performs this regularly to thousands of people, with whom he has practically no relationship.

What have I become, my sweetest friend?
Everyone I know goes away in the end.

Day 3 — A song that makes you happy

In general, most music makes me happy. Otherwise, why would I listen to it? Occasionally it doesn’t, but those moments are few and far between.

The song above, Uptight (Everything’s Alright) — Stevie Wonder, is a Motown classic if there ever was one. Upbeat, major chords, repetitive chorus, love, and a rhythm that could make a quadriplegic stand up and dance.

Motown in general, 50s and 60s soul, is exhilarating. After stumbling through my iTunes for 5 minutes trying to choose a song that made me the most happy, I was reminded of a Motown playlist I created some months ago. 10 songs that can, with rare exception, get my toes tapping.

Choosing one was difficult. In fact, if I was faced with the same question 10 minutes later I would probably come up with a different answer. This one seems to embody the themes of the rest, in some respects at least.

I have seen Stevie Wonder in concert (followed thereafter by Jay-Z), and the man might as well still be 16. How he managed to keep his voice so fresh after 50 years of performance is probably a testament to both his natural talent as well as his indomitable work ethic.

It was 100 degrees in the dark when I saw him, and he was on stage, with the lights beating down on him. How anyone could survive, let alone thrive, is beyond me.

PS Wilson Pickett’s Land of 1000 Dances was nearly chosen. I encourage who has not already graced their iTunes with soul, to do so immediately and without hesitation.

Day 2 — Your Least Favorite Song

Beyond anything by Justin Bieber, Rebecca Black, or any of that ilk, my least favorite song is No One Else - Weezer. NB: The joke pronouncing Ke$ha as Ke-‘dollar sign’-ha was terrible the first time. Whoever repeats this abomination deserves crickets—every time.

First, the rhythm is likable. Typically I would not hate a song w/ an otherwise non-distinct guitar/bass/drum riff. In fact, I liked this song for quite a time. However, there are two reasons that I hate this song, one leads directly from the other.

The secondary reason is that it ruins an otherwise near perfect record. Say it Ain’t So, Surf Wax America, In the Garage, I album is near-perfect (if somewhat drab). I can’t forgive the song for appearing right after another reason to love the album, My Name is Jonas. However, bad songs have appeared amidst masterpieces before, this is not enough reason to hate the song so viscerally.

Mainly, the song’s chauvinism and ignorance is baffles me. The writer apparently wants a girl who ‘only laughs for him’ and doesn’t wear make-up when he’s gone. The fact that NOW doesn’t protest routinely at Weezer concerts is shocking to me. Maybe the song is meant to be taken in jest? If it is, I am completely wrong about the song, but there appears to be a certain earnestness about it.

Anyone who wants a girl/boy who needs that kind of attention deserves it. I can’t imagine a more hellish relationship. If you cannot trust your girl/boyfriend to go out alone or casually entertain conversation with strangers or friends, I don’t think the relationship is going anywhere of significance. If it does, I trust the members of it are truly insignificant persons. Ones I would have no desire of befriending.

HATE, however, is a strong word. First, I recognize that music is an art, and there is such a thing as taste, but hate seems to go beyond rational taste. Weezer attempted to impart some kind of truth with the tune, and I didn’t like it, but I think its much to strong to say that I ‘hate’ it. In fact, the only music I really hate is that which is completely inauthentic. The Black Eyed Peas are frequently guilty of this, as is Lady Gaga.

Lady Gaga is probably more inauthentic, as she parades around as if her music is somehow artistic, whereas the BEP own their sell-out-edness. She appears to have no grasp of fashion, whatsoever. Fashion is not about choosing the most shocking thing to wear to the Oscars, it just appears desperate. Her music is not terrible pop, but it is pop. There is little question of that. The has a writing team to write her music, the fact that she is a part of the team is hardly notable. Even Taylor Swift writes a good proportion of her own tunes solo.

Regardless, hate in music usually is merely jealousy. I wish I could write both ‘shit pop’ songs or ‘chauvinist garage rock’. Unfortunately, I have no talent at writing, as evidenced above. SIC VITA EST.

Day 1 — Your Favorite Song

Its difficult to choose only 1 song as my all-time favorite, but being forced, I choose The Talking Heads - This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody).

First, the rhythm is glorious. Easily the best Talking Heads song in terms of instrumentation. David Byrne once said that this was his only true attempt at making a serious love song. If thats true, I wish that he attempted some more, because this is musical gold.

Second, the scene in the Talking Heads concert movie Stop Making Sense of the band playing this song while Byrne dances with a lamp is truly one of the most epic moments in concert movie history.

I have heard the song many times, but the first time I actually recognized it, and downloaded it, was after seeing the movie Wall Street, a cinematic achievement. It plays at the moment that Bud moves into his swanky Upper East Side apartment and remarks (after turning down an offer to see a duplex on Sutton Place), ‘This Is Home’. Bud and I share that in common.

Finally, there have been several excellent covers of this particular diddy, including by the Arcade Fire and Miles Fisher. The Arcade Fire version is straightforward and emotive, while the Miles Fisher version brings a significantly more electro-type feel to the song. As well, the Fisher video is an homage to the Christian Bale cult-thriller American Psycho. It is a superb meld of the two.