#115: "Attagirl"
artist: Bettie Serveert
album: Attagirl (2005)
location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
interest: Lead singer is NOT named Bettie Serveert. Translated: "Bettie Serves"
(1) not profound lyrics, but i like this turn of phrase: you look like hell / you're looking for something.
(2) the main surf guitar is very cool
(3) the final chorus (at 3:08) is a nice change of pace
mp3
#114: "Home"
artist: Breathe Owl Breathe
album: Climb In (2005)
location: various locales in Michigan (Ann Arbor and Lansing)
interest: Micah Middaugh (guitar and singer) runs marathons. Trevor Hobbes (various percussion) is a geologist.
(1) and if I wear the same clothes / I wore today tomorrow / would I fool you to think / you were standing still
(2) such a clean and natural and organic recording – and yet notice how dynamic the song becomes, beginning at 2:06
(3) the way the vocals function like instruments in multiple spots is very cool, even the repetition of the word "home" accomplishes that kind of thing
mp3
#113: "Hummingbird"
artist: Wilco
album: A Ghost Is Born (2004)
location: Chicago, IL
interest: the band is giving away a free mp3 to anyone who "pledges" to vote in the 2008 election. (link)
(1) Incredible opening lyric: His goal in life was to be an echo. I'm not even sure what it means, but I love it!
(2) that bouncing piano...does it for me virtually every time
(3) i love the singing at the second chorus (1:57), starting off more whispered and ending up more dynamic
mp3
#112: "La Breeze"
artist: Simian
album: We Are Your Friends (2002)
location: Bristol/Manchester/London, England
interest: have since disbanded and formed an electro-pop band called Simian Mobile Disco.
(1) the absolute lack of any decent lyrics is made up for by the killer drum programming that begins the song and then transitions into live drumming
(2) the background singing is fantastic! in fact, i really like all the singing, especially the verses
(3) 1:10 to 1:45 is such a needed sonic break!
mp3
#111: "N.M.A."
artist: Eef Barzelay
album: Bitter Honey (2006)
location: Brooklyn, NY
interest: lead singer of alt-country/indie band Clem Snide was born in Tel Aviv, Israel.
(1) i love the opening lyric, but especially these from the second verse: what if we dipped you in gold / well at least then the outside would shine
(2) "nothing means anything" sings really well
(3) the very subtle background singing at the "chorus" is really beautiful
mp3
#110: "Bend and Break"
artist: Keane
album: Hopes and Fears (2004)
location: Battle, England
interest: In 1997, Tim Rice-Oxley (piano/songwriter) was invited by Chris Martin to join his newly formed band Coldplay, but Rice-Oxley declined.
(1) seems like such a loving sentiment, but it's really quite depressing: "i'll see you in the morning if i don't die."
(2) i really like the drumming on this track. the verses are especially helpful
(3) the soft synth that sort of over-takes the chorus is a refreshing break from the banging away of the electric piano
mp3
#109: "The World Is Yours"
artist: Ian Brown
album: The World Is Yours (2007)
location: Manchester, England
interest: Former lead singer of The Stone Roses, he had a cameo in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
(1) well you might have it all but you'll still want more / there's a law for the rich and another for the poor
(2) great musical combination: mediocre British singing and, basically, hip-hop backing track. killer strings too!
(3) the pacing of each pre-chorus is very catchy!
mp3
#108: "Pounding"
artist: Doves
album: The Last Broadcast (2002)
location: Wilmslow, England
interest: trio is made up of a left-handed bass-playing lead singer and two brothers
(1) simple line, but fits the vibe of the song so well: so why / is it so hard to get by?
(2) I love the incessant pounding (!!) of the band. I can imagine an arena fist-pumping to this in concert
(3) there are a lot of nice guitar tones throughout – especially the melodic playing starting at 3:58
mp3
#107: "Crane Wife 3"
artist: The Decemberists
album: The Crane Wife (2006)
location: Portland, Oregon
interest: Colin Meloy (lead singer) majored in creative writing and has the same birthday as his wife (October 5, 1974)
(1) the letter u is under used, especially in singing: all under the boughs unbowed
(2) that unique sound at the beginning of the song: bouzouki
(3) the drum and bass playing (starting at :48) is really unexpected, but helps effectively push this song forward
mp3
#106: "Do You Realize??"
artist: The Flaming Lips
album: Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (2002)
location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
interest: In 2002, Q Magazine named The Flaming Lips one of "50 Band to See Before You Die"
(1) you realize the sun doesn't go down / it's just an illusion caused by the world spinning 'round
(2) the lyrical shift at 1:11 kind of ruins the musical feel good party doesn't it??
(3) i love all the acoustic tracks recorded here.
mp3
#105: "Alala"
artist: Cansei de Ser Sexy (CSS)
album: Cansei de Ser Sexy (2005)
location: São Paulo, Brazil
interest: band name translated to English: "got tired of being sexy"
(1) common plight expressed so well in song lyric: I'm so worried / I bought that posh clothing / but it still looks ugly.
(2) i love the keyboard bass part! bring back the 80s
(3) the snare dropping out at :56 and moving to fills is very cool
mp3
#104: "Strange and Beautiful (I'll Put a Spell On You)"
artist: Aqualung
album: Aqualung (2002)
location: London, England
interest: song was featured in a television add for new Volkswagen Beetle in summer of 2002
(1) sometimes the last thing you want comes in first / sometimes the first thing you want never comes / but I know that waiting is all you can do / sometimes
(2) maybe the best example of romance and stalking being combined in music - this song is beautifully creepy!!
(3) the bass is very simple and spacious, almost like it's sneaking around (sort of like the narrator)
mp3
#103: "Godhopping"
artist: Dogs Die In Hot Cars
album: Please Describe Yourself (2002)
location: Glasgow, Scotland
interest: band has invited fans to remix demos of newly recorded songs for their upcoming album
(1) high-heeled they are always looking down
(2) that bouncy piano again. really unique "riff"
(3) the pre-chorus chords (:33) go all over the place and then you land at the chorus (:41) and have some needed musical space, letting the quick vocals take over
mp3
#102: "Your Nervous Heart"
artist: Rhett Miller
album: The Instigator (2002)
location: Dallas, Texas
interest: lead singer of band Old 97's is married to model Erica Iahn
(1) let me scoop you up and love you as you are
(2) the song has such a caring sentiment, combined with quirky lyrical moments – my favorite kind of song-writing!!
(3) i adore the sound of the drums on this track
mp3
#101: "Underdog (Save Me)"
artist: Turin Brakes
album: The Optimist LP (2001)
location: Balham, London, England
interest: two man song-writing team with unique first names: Olly and Gale (aka Magpie)
(1) a thirty-seven thousand foot wonderlust
(2) the opening groove is really pleasing and the way the bass enters is very musical
(3) don't hear a lot of good acoustic guitar solos anymore, but this one has a really nice one (starting at 2:36)
mp3
3 comments:
Finally! I was thinking several months ago, "Why doesn't someone write a blog about their [roughly] 115 favorite songs of the [approximately] last eight years?" It's about d*** time!
But I must say, I was thinking (during my original query a few moons back) that the songs would come one post at a time, perhaps one per day. Nevertheless, very eager to hear about the songs to come.
Troy! Thank you!!! Your thoughts & insights into music (and other arenas of life) are always welcome and challenging. I've missed that in my life. Thanks for sharing your experiences with the common folk. I'm loving it!!!
Changing my life...musically. Thanks.
Spydurgirl
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