#s 90-81

#90: "It's All In My Mind"

artist: Teenage Fanclub

album: Man-Made (2005)

location: Bellshill, Scotland

interest: band is composed of 3 songwriters who sing lead vocals on their own songs

(1) i looked into the clouds for war solutions

(2) i love the muted opening drum sound

(3) i like how the chord progressions of the verses, though repetitive, keep the listener a little off balance

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#89: "Phantom Limb"

artist: The Shins

album: Wincing the Night Away (2007)

location: formed in Albuquerque, NM and now located in Portland, OR

interest: name of the band based on a fictional family from the Broadway musical The Music Man

(1) and they could float above the grass / in circles if they tried / a latent power i know they hide

(2) such a pleasing sounding song – clean electrics and smooth singing – but that distorted bass under it all adds just the needed bit of edge

(3) it's amazing how a couple little vocal melodies get stuck in one's head for hours. the nonsense syllables do that along with the little falsetto turn in the choruses (:58, 1:59 and 2:15)

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#88: "Is A Woman"

artist: Lambchop

album: Is A Woman (2002)

location: Nashville, TN

interest: lead singer, Kurt Wagner, laid wood floors for 14 years before turning to full-time music

(1) more than a Sony / to make the words throw up / or show me the way

(2) the simplicity of the song's instrumentation draws me in – and there are a lot room noises throughout as well

(3) there is something about listening to a baritone sing. pop music wouldn't let this happen. ¡viva la indie!

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#87: "The Go In The Go-For-It"

artist: Grandaddy

album: Sumday (2003)

location: Modesto, CA

interest: lead singer, Jason Lytle, spent time working in a sewage treatment facility

(1) the broken but pretty mess

(2) so many instrumental sounds throughout – and as usual, I can't get enough of the 80's synth lines.

(3) i love how the background vocals during the choruses (:36 and 1:29) are more like a keyboard or chorusing effect than actual duet singing

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#86: "Daft Punk Is Playing At My House"

artist: LCD Soundsystem

album: LCD Soundsystem (2005)

location: New York City, New York

interest: musical project for record producer James Murphy that includes various musicians when playing live

(1) I bought fifteen cases for my house, my house / all the furniture is in the garage

(2) Murphy has done a great job of capturing the spirit of a big house party – this might be how an excited person's insides sound before the big party starts.

(3) the bass sounds Murphy gets are fantastic. the slightly distorted bass throughout is becoming a signature sound for him

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#85: "Lights"

artist: Editors

album: The Back Room (2005)

location: Birmingham, England

interest: band has gone through three name changes before deciding on Editors: Pilot, The Pride and Snowfield.

(1) if fortune favours the brave / I am as poor as they come

(2) the disco hi-hat and delayed Edge-like electric help this song feel broad and always pushing forward

(3) the song is the perfect length – it's funny how the song is only 2:31 but the singer evidently has "a million things to say."

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#84: "It Ended On An Oily Stage"

artist: British Sea Power

album: Open Season (2005)

location: Brighton, England

interest: the band generally closes their live shows with a semi-improvised song (called "Rock in A") which can often last over 20 minutes

(1) I wrote elegiac stanzas for you / I hope and pray that they come true (really? elegiac?!?!)

(2) this song could have easily been on the soundtrack for The Breakfast Club!

(3) i like how the electric guitar during the choruses (:51 and 1:57) uniquely mimics the sung melody line

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#83: "Recurring Motifs in Historical Flirtings"

artist: Say Hi To Your Mom

album: Ferocious Mopes (2005)

location: Seattle, Washington

interest: essentially a one man band (Eric Elbogen) who writes and records the songs in his bedroom

(1) but here's another chance: / I'll fight him in a dance off and I'll win / to a slow, slow BPM / or you choose the tune / my repertoire of moves it really huge / just put your selection in.

(2) and to me you say "let's just be friends" / the four worst words in our language

(3) what a unique break-up song!! one more lyric: and your cool bangs have gone off with him

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#82: "We'll Never Sleep (God Knows We'll Try)"

artist: Rilo Kiley

album: Take Offs and Landings (2001)

location: Los Angeles, CA

interest: band is fronted by two child actors: Jenny Lewis appeared on Troop Beverly Hills and Blake Sennett on Boy Meets World

(1) sailing away just isn't right / just because you're angry

(2) there's a sadness and a little desperation in this song that kind of sucks me in. When this album came out, I listened to this song hundreds of times.

(3) Jenny Lewis is one of my favorite female singers of all time. Oh that whispy and gentle voice...

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#81: "We Can Have It"

artist: The Dears

album: No Cities Left (2004)

location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada

interest: basically a venue for lead singer Murray Lightburn's interesting songs, the band is constantly changing and growing. it's made up of 4 males and 3 females these days.

(1) somewhere is the one that never will burn out/ is out there looking for a heart / looking for a home / looking for a hand to stroke its head/ you're not alone

(2) like most music collectives, the band isn't afraid to throw in a lot of varied instruments and sounds, keeping the sound unexpected and fresh

(3) the musical change at 1:59 bumps the earnest nature of the song up a couple notches and then climaxes with Murray's repeating "you're not alone" (3:07)

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