31.3.08

Don't you know, honey, that love's a game

Jeez, it's been pretty quiet around here. The lame thing is, I haven't really been doing anything. Whatever, I guess. So, I've been listening to a bit of Neko Case this weekend. When I first began listening to her, I started with Blacklisted (which was the newest album at the time) and worked my way backwards to The Virginian. When I finally made it to that first album, I was greatly amused to see that she had covered a Queen song, and pretty much turned it into a barnburning country song.

I used to love Queen when I was a kid. These older kids at school had a copy of A Night At The Opera and that was how I found out about Queen. I got my dad to buy me the 7" of You're My Best Friend and also Bohemian Rhapsody. I swear, I played those to death. And my favorite song wasn't even either of the A-Sides, it was 39, which was the flipside of You're My Best Friend. I can't, for the life of me, remember what the b-side was for Bohemian Rhapsody.

Anyways, you can find Queen's original on their album, Sheer Heart Attack; and Neko Case's excellent cover is on her debut album, The Virginian. Check 'em out!

Queen > Misfire


Neko Case & Her Boyfriends > Misfire

16.3.08

I thought I saw you lookin' my way, so I thought I'd give you a try

I've been listening to an album, Volume One, by She & Him for the past few days. It's a collaboration of actress Zooey Deschanel and singer/songwriter (is there a worse tag for a musician than "singer/songwriter"?) M. Ward. Think of very catchy pop songs of love and heartbreak from the 60s or 70s, and you'll have a grasp of what's going on here. The album cover is fairly indicative of the music contained therein. At this writing, tou can listen to the whole thing over on myspXXX, and the album's official release date is in a couple days, on the 18th, on Merge Records. Check it out.

She & Him > I Was Made For You

15.3.08

California Love #7: R.E.M. > I Remember California

Once again, it's time for my ongoing saga featuring songs about California. In a nod to R.E.M. releasing a new album, Accelerate, next month (on April 1st, no less), we're going to listen to the track, I Remember California.

So this song is apparently being sung after a major earthquake devastates the west coast and California falls into the ocean. The music is sort of plodding and ominous as Michael Stipe reels off a list of characteristics that are supposed to be unique to (or simply define) California. Some of them are stereotypes (traffic jams, girls with tans) and others aren't (lemons, limes and tangerines; isn't that a Florida stereotype?). But hey, it's all in good fun until somebody's state crumbles and dissolves in the Pacific. I like the end when he keeps repeating "at the edge of a continent" and the song fades out, it sounds pretty cool.

If you are interested, you can find this on the Green album. This was their first album for Warner, and the one that turned them into the arena band they are now, but don't let that fool you because it's actually a pretty good album. We could probably go back and forth debating the Warner stuff vs. the IRS stuff, but some other time, perhaps.

R.E.M. > I Remember California

14.3.08

GET OUT OF THAT STATE!

Today, I was having lunch in some corner cafe in North Beach. I was sipping a Stella, waiting for my grilled cheese sandwich to arrive, when the B-52's Private Idaho came on. AWESOME! Man, I remember the first time I saw them. They were playing on SNL; it was after midnight and the rest of the family had gone to bed. They played Planet Claire and Rock Lobster. I was just a kid and I had NO idea what was going on or who those crazy chicks with the beehive hairdos were. Back then, SNL was pretty damn funny to me, but I also liked to watch the bands play. Sadly, I didn't appreciate the B-52's til much later, like around Whammy! was when I really "got" them. I knew a guy who was into them at that time, so I borrowed a few records and their absurd sense of humor caught me.

Anyway, it's kinda coincidental to hear
Private Idaho. A couple weeks ago, I ripped all of my B-52's CDs so I could listen to them during my commute. Good tunes for the walk from the bus stop to work.

I just looked at their website and they are still going! They have a new album out in two weeks! They look like they've been airbrushed several times over! Crazy! They have a myspXXX page, as well. I mean, who doesn't?

I kinda want to post Dance This Mess Around, that's probably my favorite track of theirs, but I think I will go with Private Idaho since that is the song that initiated this post. It's probably more danceable than DTMA (go figure), but they're both toe-tappable. I love the end, too, when Cindy (it sounds like Cindy) is going "I...I...I-DA-HO!" Kick ass!

PS...do you like my new banner? I wanted something different, but I'm not so sure that this is what I want.

The B-52's > Private Idaho

My heartbeat's dying, 'cause of you

The new Raveonettes album, Lust Lust Lust, is pretty sweet. I think people get down on them because their influences are so prominent in their sound. I've certainly been guilty of judging in the past, but I try not to do it so much these days. Sometimes, I even succeed. In any case, I love the screeching and fuzzy guitars coupled with the kinda 60s girl group vibe. Probably the best thing is the dynamics of the boy/girl vocals. I'd probably get bored of them if it was just the guy singing. This track is listed as a U.S. Bonus Track, which smacks of rip off. However, it's a really fucking good song and probably, in this case, worth seeking out.

The Raveonettes > My Heartbeat's Dying

5.3.08

Lobo

When I was a kid, there was a TV show called Lobo. I'm not going to look it up because I don't want to taint the memory. So, this show was about a wolf, or maybe a wild dog, obviously named Lobo. I remember seeing some scenes, maybe even a couple episodes. Lobo snarled and bared his teeth quite a bit, and I was afraid of him.

It was because of Lobo, that I was afraid to go out at night. I didn't want my face chewed off or anything like that. Of course, I also had a nightlight in my room, and slept with the door half open so my dad could hear me in case Lobo came to get me.

Why was I afraid? Lobo was a big scary wolf/dog thing. Big ol' razor sharp teeth and all that. And the worst part of it was, the night was his territory. He owned it. Fact. There was a song that told me about it. I didn't understand most of the song, but the part I did understand was when she sang, "Because the night belongs to Lobo", and that was all I needed to know.

Patti Smith > Because The Night

2.3.08

I want it all to be gone tomorrow

Hey, does anybody remember this song? Man, this is pop perfection; one of my faves from some ten or so years ago, and it's still sounding good. I like how the lyrics are kinda dark, in contrast to the music (and title). Are the Cardigans even still going? It looks like they're on hiatus, but I can't tell.

The Cardigans > Rise and Shine