Friday, May 26, 2006
summer of death through misadventure
Sonic Youth: "Jams Run Free"
It’s almost summer, and it surprisingly actually kinda feels like it in Boston today. No doubt you’re already thinking about what your summer jam will be. I’ve never really understood why people want, nay, demand a song to define their summer for them. Perhaps I’m ignorant, but that doesn’t seem to happen with any of the other seasons. But, shit, I do it too, or at least allow it to be done to me, so who the hell am I to disagree. My early odds-on favorite for the summer of ’06 (the summer of death through misadventure) is ”Jams Run Free”, by acclaimed recording artists Sonic Youth. It’s their catchiest song since I was in high school, at least, and that little three-note guitar line they play throughout is beautifully simple and insistent. It likes to hang out in my head. And the lady’s voice doesn’t sound like my grandfather gargling this time, and even the noisy bits near the end are like 73% sunshine and cotton candy, at least when compared to something like EVOL (which is still, you know, completely awesome, and better than this record, but whatever). But mostly it’s the lyrics that’ll keep this blasting all summer, or at least that one amazing lyric, “we love the jams / and jams run free”. ‘Cuz the summer’s all about the jams and freedom and love and running, and when August is winding down, and the memories of scholastic resumption kick in instinctually and ineffectually, this song will still be there to warm the unknowable nether regions deep within us all. And then it’ll be 20 degrees and snowy for six months and I’ll want to destroy New England.
Sonic Youth: "Jams Run Free"
It’s almost summer, and it surprisingly actually kinda feels like it in Boston today. No doubt you’re already thinking about what your summer jam will be. I’ve never really understood why people want, nay, demand a song to define their summer for them. Perhaps I’m ignorant, but that doesn’t seem to happen with any of the other seasons. But, shit, I do it too, or at least allow it to be done to me, so who the hell am I to disagree. My early odds-on favorite for the summer of ’06 (the summer of death through misadventure) is ”Jams Run Free”, by acclaimed recording artists Sonic Youth. It’s their catchiest song since I was in high school, at least, and that little three-note guitar line they play throughout is beautifully simple and insistent. It likes to hang out in my head. And the lady’s voice doesn’t sound like my grandfather gargling this time, and even the noisy bits near the end are like 73% sunshine and cotton candy, at least when compared to something like EVOL (which is still, you know, completely awesome, and better than this record, but whatever). But mostly it’s the lyrics that’ll keep this blasting all summer, or at least that one amazing lyric, “we love the jams / and jams run free”. ‘Cuz the summer’s all about the jams and freedom and love and running, and when August is winding down, and the memories of scholastic resumption kick in instinctually and ineffectually, this song will still be there to warm the unknowable nether regions deep within us all. And then it’ll be 20 degrees and snowy for six months and I’ll want to destroy New England.
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
delayed
(I wrote this two weeks ago; been busy, folks)
Picchio Dal Pozzo: "Merta"
Sorry for the lack of updates; the sickness had me last week. My health has returned to me now, though, and that brings us to Picchio Dal Pozzo's "Merta". I basically spent last week floating around in a daze, at least from Wednesday morning through Saturday night, or so. I've no idea if the disorientation was due to not eating for three days or because of some form of head ailment. Either way I was one confused fellow. During the nicer moments it felt sort of how "Merta" sounds, a nice gentle drifting that goes well with bedrest. Mostly it wasn't so pleasant, though.
"Merta" is the first track on the excellent Prog Is Not a Four Letter Word comp on Delay 68, as compiled by Andy Votel. You should definitely seek this out.
(I wrote this two weeks ago; been busy, folks)
Picchio Dal Pozzo: "Merta"
Sorry for the lack of updates; the sickness had me last week. My health has returned to me now, though, and that brings us to Picchio Dal Pozzo's "Merta". I basically spent last week floating around in a daze, at least from Wednesday morning through Saturday night, or so. I've no idea if the disorientation was due to not eating for three days or because of some form of head ailment. Either way I was one confused fellow. During the nicer moments it felt sort of how "Merta" sounds, a nice gentle drifting that goes well with bedrest. Mostly it wasn't so pleasant, though.
"Merta" is the first track on the excellent Prog Is Not a Four Letter Word comp on Delay 68, as compiled by Andy Votel. You should definitely seek this out.
Monday, May 08, 2006
Love Goes On, Part II
The Go-Betweens: "Quiet Heart"
The Go-Betweens: "Streets of Your Town"
The Go-Betweens: "That Way"
The Go-Betweens: "Rock and Roll Friend" (live)
SA posted this at Mesmerization Eclipse:
The Go-Betweens: "Quiet Heart"
The Go-Betweens: "Streets of Your Town"
The Go-Betweens: "That Way"
The Go-Betweens: "Rock and Roll Friend" (live)
SA posted this at Mesmerization Eclipse:
As many of you know, my favorite band ever is the Go-Betweens. I was completely shocked and sick to my stomach to read that co-founder Grant McLennan died in his sleep on May 6th, my birthday. Judging by how I'm feeling right now, it's actually a good thing that I read this devastating news on my birthday, amidst distraction. I'm also thankful that my band was able to play one of his songs that night during our set, with no practice, and play it reasonably well.
To die at 48 with no known health problems is a hard thing to swallow. He was a brilliant songwriter and lyricist and a left a great big, warm, witty, shimmering, pristine mark on the lives of myself and countless other fans. There are so many songs of his that I will love for rest of my life.
The one positive thing that my thoughts keep gravitating towards is how glad I am for their show last summer. At the time I knew it was one of the best shows of my life, and now it's firmly entrenched in the number one spot. I can see David Byrne again. I can see Bruce Springsteen.
I'll never see Grant again.
