Today's Music of the Day is Tegan & Sara's So Jealous. This album came to me by way of the public library, after having listened to If It Was You so many times that it wasn't even funny.
This album doesn't stray too far from the T&S sound - it's very straight-forward rock with a little bit of a folk edge. Unlike If..., this album doesn't seem to be as laid-back; it also doesn't use the banjo that had a nice if limited presence on If....
These songs are simple but powerful. I'm surprised that T&S haven't really had much of a radio presence, as some of their shorter songs would seem well suited for the format. Maybe they don't say 'love' enough. I especially appreciate the mood of this album (and T&S's sound in general), as it's a little bittersweet. There's enough spite and loathing here to go around, but it doesn't ever dominate the album or make it difficult to listen to.
I don't know if I have a favorite song on this album - "Walking With a Ghost" is pretty good, "Downtown" and the title track are also strong. I don't know if this is the album for everyone, and I don't know that I like is as much as If It Was You, but it's still pretty good. Hopefully I can get my hands on a copy of their latest album, The Con, sometime soon.
What do you think of If It Was You for an album title? It's grown on me a little bit.
In Other News:
I'm just barely holding it together this week. Where the hell is sleep hiding?
I love it when the moon is visible in the morning sky, especially a full moon. It's just a little reminder that the previous night actually happened, as though the cosmos is saying 'hey, I was there too, it was great'. I appreciate a reminder of something that would otherwise be lost in the rush to get to the next day of work or grocery run or whatever. Plus, I love the night sky and nature in general. Mostly, though, I like the morning moon because it is out of place, and it feels like a prize for getting up early, something that I might have missed were I preoccupied. I just love secrets like a morning moon.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
More Driving
Today's Music from Grand View College Radio, as brought to you by the morning commute of one man:
Blur - "Song 2" - might get old, but not yet. Not quite the '90's that I want to remember, but still two minutes of fun.
Ramones - "Texas Chainsaw" - not my favorite Ramones tune, but let's face it, there isn't that much difference between them. They're still pretty fun, though.
Chemical Brothers - "Let Forever Be" - this song and I go way back. When I was working for the county one summer in College, doing some kind of ridiculous GPS-related survey project, one of my regular radio stations played this song almost every day. I never quite got into the Chemical Brothers, but I do like this song, even if it's a little too tightly controlled.
Some other band I didn't recognize but wasn't bad - instead, let's just say this is Cheap Trick - "Surrender". Fun! It always bothered me that Cheap Trick had to reference KISS in this song, though, as Cheap Trick didn't need to drop names and definitely reached a greater point of musical relevance than KISS. Also, Gene Simmons will put his name on anything.
WAIT. There's more!
Today's Music That Ended Up Being A Pleasant Surprise is The Heroin Diaries, by Sixx A.M. Apparently this is what Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue (? I can never keep all those godless hair-band pansies straight) is doing now. It was loaned to be as an afterthought in a Satanic ritual gone awry that involved a good deal of blood and also some rocks in my pocket.
Now, my contempt for hair bands and their ilk is well-documented, so normally I probably would have passed over this without a second thought. But because it was placed in my hands, I felt some obligation not to treat it lightly. As it turned out, this probably isn't my favorite album, but it turned out to be much better than I expected.
Some of the tracks are mostly spoken word with some instruments - these are the tracks I didn't care for as much. I'm sure they were done with dark, brooding, sinister, black metal intent, but they just came off as adolescent Tom Waits-ish posturing. However, there are a number of straight-forward rock songs that are decent! About half of this album has made its way onto my iPod shuffle, which sees exclusive use in the gym, and I don't regret adding those songs there. I suppose the moral of the story is that everything deserves a chance. The songs I like? I think "Pray For Me", "Tomorrow", and "Accidents Can Happen" are pretty tolerable. There are some others, but I'm not about to go through the album now to figure it out.
In Other News:
I love rainy days, moreso when the rain is warm enough to walk around outside.
I think yesterday was the first day in a week, maybe more, that I didn't get some kind of new bruise or scrape. Sad!
Let's go to Ledges this weekend if the weather is tolerable. Come on!
Blur - "Song 2" - might get old, but not yet. Not quite the '90's that I want to remember, but still two minutes of fun.
Ramones - "Texas Chainsaw" - not my favorite Ramones tune, but let's face it, there isn't that much difference between them. They're still pretty fun, though.
Chemical Brothers - "Let Forever Be" - this song and I go way back. When I was working for the county one summer in College, doing some kind of ridiculous GPS-related survey project, one of my regular radio stations played this song almost every day. I never quite got into the Chemical Brothers, but I do like this song, even if it's a little too tightly controlled.
Some other band I didn't recognize but wasn't bad - instead, let's just say this is Cheap Trick - "Surrender". Fun! It always bothered me that Cheap Trick had to reference KISS in this song, though, as Cheap Trick didn't need to drop names and definitely reached a greater point of musical relevance than KISS. Also, Gene Simmons will put his name on anything.
WAIT. There's more!
Today's Music That Ended Up Being A Pleasant Surprise is The Heroin Diaries, by Sixx A.M. Apparently this is what Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue (? I can never keep all those godless hair-band pansies straight) is doing now. It was loaned to be as an afterthought in a Satanic ritual gone awry that involved a good deal of blood and also some rocks in my pocket.
Now, my contempt for hair bands and their ilk is well-documented, so normally I probably would have passed over this without a second thought. But because it was placed in my hands, I felt some obligation not to treat it lightly. As it turned out, this probably isn't my favorite album, but it turned out to be much better than I expected.
Some of the tracks are mostly spoken word with some instruments - these are the tracks I didn't care for as much. I'm sure they were done with dark, brooding, sinister, black metal intent, but they just came off as adolescent Tom Waits-ish posturing. However, there are a number of straight-forward rock songs that are decent! About half of this album has made its way onto my iPod shuffle, which sees exclusive use in the gym, and I don't regret adding those songs there. I suppose the moral of the story is that everything deserves a chance. The songs I like? I think "Pray For Me", "Tomorrow", and "Accidents Can Happen" are pretty tolerable. There are some others, but I'm not about to go through the album now to figure it out.
In Other News:
I love rainy days, moreso when the rain is warm enough to walk around outside.
I think yesterday was the first day in a week, maybe more, that I didn't get some kind of new bruise or scrape. Sad!
Let's go to Ledges this weekend if the weather is tolerable. Come on!
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Good Morning
Is there any better music for a brief morning commute than the Dead Kennedys? Perhaps, but I'll be damned if "Stealing People's Mail" didn't make the day a little more interesting.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Thoughts From the Interstate
This past weekend, I had some drive time, which I actually kind of enjoy. Sure, sitting in the car gets old after a while, but the first two hours are usually kind of pleasant, some time to be alone and just listen to music without any distractions. Also I can sing in the car and nobody will tell me to knock it off.
Anyway, I listened to three albums and a little bit of radio on the road, so have some thoughts.
The New Pornographers - Challengers - Not sure why I picked this album but it was a good choice. I maintain my belief that it might be the most serious of the NP's albums, and possibly the least important, but it's still worth listening to. It only has pinches of the frantic energy that Mass Romantic (and to a slightly lesser extent, Electric Version) hit us with, and it hardly compares to the drums and seamless ambition of Twin Cinema, but it's still got something going for it.
Fiona Apple - Tidal - Now, I feel badly about this one. I think Fiona Apple is talented, and she seems to be less appreciated every year. Her song catalog is wildly uneven - there are plenty of 'oh skip this' songs on her albums, but her best songs would make an old woman steal. Having said that, Tidal has some strong moments, places in time that were once transcendent but have dried and not aged as well as I would have liked. I can't say I dislike this album, but it wasn't a good choice to listen to after Challengers, and probably isn't a good driving album in general. Sorry, Fiona. Call me.
Arcade Fire - Funeral - There probably isn't any new insight on this album, but having taken some time away from it, my perspective is strangely unchanged. I would say the album has aged a little, but it's still enjoyable if emotionally draining to listen to. The songs here are wonderful (except for the album closer, which I probably never will warm up to), though I can't say I'm always in the mood for the Arcade Fire's particular brand of bleeding-heart music. Still, an album so personal and revealing is rare, and if you listen to this and can't enjoy any of it, you might be more of a music snob than even me.
Side Note: I found Funeral one day at Best Buy for $7; that same day, I also bought Cat Power's The Greatest and Neko Case's Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, having only a passing familiarity with each album. Needless to say, I won that day handily.
Other Notes:
Why the hell does Omaha get a dedicated jazz station? I don't mean a lite/smooth/khakis-and-stupid-boat-shoes/jazz station, but a station that recognizes people like Thelonious Monk? Kiss my ass, Omaha. I want a jazz station.
In Other News:
I tried very hard to be good this weekend and failed only once, I think. I owe someone an apology; I didn't do anything wrong, but I could have done more for this person and I didn't, mostly because I second-guessed myself too much. I don't think this person is even mad at me, but I feel that I let someone down. Maybe I just worry too much.
I did some decent things this weekend, though. Just don't look at me like I ride a white horse.
Homemade banana bread makes everything better.
Anyway, I listened to three albums and a little bit of radio on the road, so have some thoughts.
The New Pornographers - Challengers - Not sure why I picked this album but it was a good choice. I maintain my belief that it might be the most serious of the NP's albums, and possibly the least important, but it's still worth listening to. It only has pinches of the frantic energy that Mass Romantic (and to a slightly lesser extent, Electric Version) hit us with, and it hardly compares to the drums and seamless ambition of Twin Cinema, but it's still got something going for it.
Fiona Apple - Tidal - Now, I feel badly about this one. I think Fiona Apple is talented, and she seems to be less appreciated every year. Her song catalog is wildly uneven - there are plenty of 'oh skip this' songs on her albums, but her best songs would make an old woman steal. Having said that, Tidal has some strong moments, places in time that were once transcendent but have dried and not aged as well as I would have liked. I can't say I dislike this album, but it wasn't a good choice to listen to after Challengers, and probably isn't a good driving album in general. Sorry, Fiona. Call me.
Arcade Fire - Funeral - There probably isn't any new insight on this album, but having taken some time away from it, my perspective is strangely unchanged. I would say the album has aged a little, but it's still enjoyable if emotionally draining to listen to. The songs here are wonderful (except for the album closer, which I probably never will warm up to), though I can't say I'm always in the mood for the Arcade Fire's particular brand of bleeding-heart music. Still, an album so personal and revealing is rare, and if you listen to this and can't enjoy any of it, you might be more of a music snob than even me.
Side Note: I found Funeral one day at Best Buy for $7; that same day, I also bought Cat Power's The Greatest and Neko Case's Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, having only a passing familiarity with each album. Needless to say, I won that day handily.
Other Notes:
Why the hell does Omaha get a dedicated jazz station? I don't mean a lite/smooth/khakis-and-stupid-boat-shoes/jazz station, but a station that recognizes people like Thelonious Monk? Kiss my ass, Omaha. I want a jazz station.
In Other News:
I tried very hard to be good this weekend and failed only once, I think. I owe someone an apology; I didn't do anything wrong, but I could have done more for this person and I didn't, mostly because I second-guessed myself too much. I don't think this person is even mad at me, but I feel that I let someone down. Maybe I just worry too much.
I did some decent things this weekend, though. Just don't look at me like I ride a white horse.
Homemade banana bread makes everything better.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
The Glow, Pt. 2
Today's Music That Jason Is (almost) Over the Moon About is The Glow, Pt. 2 by The Microphones. I have to credit Pandora for introducing me to a few of the tracks from this album, and also to eMusic for actually having it.
(An aside: eMusic, you have a pretty good catalog, but we're only going to be friends until you get some Yoko Kanno and/or Seatbelts.)
I don't really know much about the history of this album. I don't know when it was made, where the musicians came from, or what they are doing now. What I do know is this: the album is a little too long but very good. It's not exactly a pop album, or a symphonic album, but the kind of album that has fairly diverse instrumentation and doesn't overuse anything.
Sometimes I wish there were fewer songs on this album, or that the overall sound had a little more dynamic range, but as a whole, the mood and musicianship dwarf the minor faults I had with Glow Pt. 2. It's a reserved work, something that probably wouldn't suit other activities so well, but that is very rewarding for a dedicated listener. I suppose this album is like a person at a party who doesn't command a great deal of attention, but who has the best stories if you are willing to listen.
Often, I like to compare the sound of albums or bands to others that I would consider their peers. For this album, though, I had a hard time coming up with much. The instrumentation might make me think of Beirut, but the sound isn't really there. The only thing that really seems fitting is Neutral Milk Hotel's In The Aeroplane Over The Sea. This is heady praise, and probably a bit undeserved; I don't think Glow is quite the juggernaut that Aeroplane, one of the finest albums recorded in my lifetime, is, but it's certainly worth a listen. The fact that I thought Glow even warranted comparison should say something.
In short: Take this album on a drive by yourself, and never look back.
In Other News:
I worry too much about things.
"Sleep is like a kitty. It's that simple. Sometimes you just have to be comfortable and warm, and it will come to you, sometimes it will pounce on you when you least want it, and other times it will fight you and run from you, if you can find it at all." -Me, yesterday-ish.
(An aside: eMusic, you have a pretty good catalog, but we're only going to be friends until you get some Yoko Kanno and/or Seatbelts.)
I don't really know much about the history of this album. I don't know when it was made, where the musicians came from, or what they are doing now. What I do know is this: the album is a little too long but very good. It's not exactly a pop album, or a symphonic album, but the kind of album that has fairly diverse instrumentation and doesn't overuse anything.
Sometimes I wish there were fewer songs on this album, or that the overall sound had a little more dynamic range, but as a whole, the mood and musicianship dwarf the minor faults I had with Glow Pt. 2. It's a reserved work, something that probably wouldn't suit other activities so well, but that is very rewarding for a dedicated listener. I suppose this album is like a person at a party who doesn't command a great deal of attention, but who has the best stories if you are willing to listen.
Often, I like to compare the sound of albums or bands to others that I would consider their peers. For this album, though, I had a hard time coming up with much. The instrumentation might make me think of Beirut, but the sound isn't really there. The only thing that really seems fitting is Neutral Milk Hotel's In The Aeroplane Over The Sea. This is heady praise, and probably a bit undeserved; I don't think Glow is quite the juggernaut that Aeroplane, one of the finest albums recorded in my lifetime, is, but it's certainly worth a listen. The fact that I thought Glow even warranted comparison should say something.
In short: Take this album on a drive by yourself, and never look back.
In Other News:
I worry too much about things.
"Sleep is like a kitty. It's that simple. Sometimes you just have to be comfortable and warm, and it will come to you, sometimes it will pounce on you when you least want it, and other times it will fight you and run from you, if you can find it at all." -Me, yesterday-ish.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Thanks, Miles
Today I might have an album review later - The Microphones' The Glow, Pt. 2 is incredible and must be discussed - but for now, I hope you'll settle for a description of my morning.
This morning I arose with my alarm clock, which is less common but somewhat welcome - I often escape from sleep before my intended hour of waking. I managed to groom and feed myself in short order, and left my place around ten after seven.
The sky was gray and heavy this morning. One might suspect that after the rains last night, only a mild haze might remain, but the air was yet heavy and damp. Who knew what the day would bring, if there will be a torrential rain or just hints and empty threats.
I climbed into my car and deposited my lunch sack - leftover chicken, some fruit, and crackers - into its normal position in my passenger's seat. As I waited for the car to warm up, I poked the preset FM station buttons on my stereo, finding uninteresting popular music on the first few stations I went through (sometimes I listen to the news on NPR, but often I like some music in the morning). The last station, the Grand View College station, proved to be more fruitful, as it was actually broadcasting jazz! It took me a minute to identify the artist (by this point I had left my parking lot and was rolling towards the on-ramp for the freeway), but I successfully deduced that it was Miles Davis.
The song ended as I waited at a red light, and the DJ's voice took over. He said that "Kind of Blue" was to be played in its entirety this morning. YES!
Rain peppered the air as I pulled onto the freeway; I sped up so I could pass a lagging yellow school bus before I left the entry lane. The drive was fine for the first 20 (of 70) blocks, but somewhere around the 42nd St. exit, traffic picked up fiercely. I had to stop half a dozen times because of traffic congestion; the commute took me just over 20 minutes, whereas it normally takes between 5-10.
I still haven't figured out what caused the traffic backup. There was the aftermath of an accident somewhere near downtown, but there weren't even any damaged vehicles there by the time I drove by. The time baffles me more than anything; had it been half an hour later, I would have expected to share the road with as many vehicles. Thank goodness for Miles Davis, the definition of cool, the perfect laid-back (not smooth) soundtrack for this day covered in cold wool.
In Other News:
This past weekend was amazing.
Last night I went for a run in the rain - it wasn't my idea, though. Still, it was everything I had hoped for and then some.
David Alan Grier has a new show coming up on Comedy Central - Chocolate News. Please, please, please, let it not be a huge failure.
This morning I arose with my alarm clock, which is less common but somewhat welcome - I often escape from sleep before my intended hour of waking. I managed to groom and feed myself in short order, and left my place around ten after seven.
The sky was gray and heavy this morning. One might suspect that after the rains last night, only a mild haze might remain, but the air was yet heavy and damp. Who knew what the day would bring, if there will be a torrential rain or just hints and empty threats.
I climbed into my car and deposited my lunch sack - leftover chicken, some fruit, and crackers - into its normal position in my passenger's seat. As I waited for the car to warm up, I poked the preset FM station buttons on my stereo, finding uninteresting popular music on the first few stations I went through (sometimes I listen to the news on NPR, but often I like some music in the morning). The last station, the Grand View College station, proved to be more fruitful, as it was actually broadcasting jazz! It took me a minute to identify the artist (by this point I had left my parking lot and was rolling towards the on-ramp for the freeway), but I successfully deduced that it was Miles Davis.
The song ended as I waited at a red light, and the DJ's voice took over. He said that "Kind of Blue" was to be played in its entirety this morning. YES!
Rain peppered the air as I pulled onto the freeway; I sped up so I could pass a lagging yellow school bus before I left the entry lane. The drive was fine for the first 20 (of 70) blocks, but somewhere around the 42nd St. exit, traffic picked up fiercely. I had to stop half a dozen times because of traffic congestion; the commute took me just over 20 minutes, whereas it normally takes between 5-10.
I still haven't figured out what caused the traffic backup. There was the aftermath of an accident somewhere near downtown, but there weren't even any damaged vehicles there by the time I drove by. The time baffles me more than anything; had it been half an hour later, I would have expected to share the road with as many vehicles. Thank goodness for Miles Davis, the definition of cool, the perfect laid-back (not smooth) soundtrack for this day covered in cold wool.
In Other News:
This past weekend was amazing.
Last night I went for a run in the rain - it wasn't my idea, though. Still, it was everything I had hoped for and then some.
David Alan Grier has a new show coming up on Comedy Central - Chocolate News. Please, please, please, let it not be a huge failure.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner
Today's Music That Has A Long, Unwieldy Album Title But Is Completely Worth It is The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner, by Ben Folds Five. I think this is the last album the group put out before Folds went solo, and what a fine swan song it is. Apparently the Messner in the album title was a notable explorer, the first man to climb Mt. Everest without the aid of an oxygen tank. His name is also what the drummer used on fake IDs as a teenager. (Thanks, Wikipedia!)
Anyway, this album has all the hallmarks of a Folds LP: rambunctious, energetic piano, borderline falsetto tenor vocals, irreverent lyrics, good balance between jovial and serious songs. I've always loved how the mood of a Folds album can go from being melancholy and introspective to flippant and smart-assed (or vice versa) in the matter of minutes, sometimes even in the same song. And while the man may not be Dylan with respect to lyrics, they're certainly a strength. More than anything, though, I love this album because it is an album, not just a collection of songs.
While some albums are just a number of songs on a disc, these songs seem to fit together and are ordered and arranged well. Unauthorized starts out a little slow, and has these two wonderfully despondent ballads "Mess" and "Magic" in the middle, and allows songs like "Army" and "My Redneck Past" to lift the mood somewhat. And I'll be damned if "Lullabye" isn't a perfect album closer, the kind of song that sounds the way that crawling into bed and spooning with someone you care about feels. (The best all-time album closer, 40+ years and counting, is probably still the Beatles' "A Day in the Life". This is my opinion, but it's also damn near a fact.)
In short, this album doesn't really have any ringtones, but it's catchy, and well worth listening to. I think you'll get more out of it if you listen to it as a whole album, and pay attention, but the songs are good enough to stand alone if you can't sit still long enough.
In Other News:
Having a scooter is really great. Old Man Winter, you better stay away long enough for me to put some more miles on my scooter!
Tuesday night's capoeira practice was excusively devoted to throws and takedowns. Good fun but damned if I wasn't miserable yesterday.
Please don't let me screw this up.
"So I thought about the army,
Dad said 'Son, you're fucking high...'"
Anyway, this album has all the hallmarks of a Folds LP: rambunctious, energetic piano, borderline falsetto tenor vocals, irreverent lyrics, good balance between jovial and serious songs. I've always loved how the mood of a Folds album can go from being melancholy and introspective to flippant and smart-assed (or vice versa) in the matter of minutes, sometimes even in the same song. And while the man may not be Dylan with respect to lyrics, they're certainly a strength. More than anything, though, I love this album because it is an album, not just a collection of songs.
While some albums are just a number of songs on a disc, these songs seem to fit together and are ordered and arranged well. Unauthorized starts out a little slow, and has these two wonderfully despondent ballads "Mess" and "Magic" in the middle, and allows songs like "Army" and "My Redneck Past" to lift the mood somewhat. And I'll be damned if "Lullabye" isn't a perfect album closer, the kind of song that sounds the way that crawling into bed and spooning with someone you care about feels. (The best all-time album closer, 40+ years and counting, is probably still the Beatles' "A Day in the Life". This is my opinion, but it's also damn near a fact.)
In short, this album doesn't really have any ringtones, but it's catchy, and well worth listening to. I think you'll get more out of it if you listen to it as a whole album, and pay attention, but the songs are good enough to stand alone if you can't sit still long enough.
In Other News:
Having a scooter is really great. Old Man Winter, you better stay away long enough for me to put some more miles on my scooter!
Tuesday night's capoeira practice was excusively devoted to throws and takedowns. Good fun but damned if I wasn't miserable yesterday.
Please don't let me screw this up.
"So I thought about the army,
Dad said 'Son, you're fucking high...'"
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