friday five - 02.01.09 - bring in the new

Ironically, I we actually had no idea how to start this blog post. Or how to follow up that previous sentence with anything of substance. Instead, seeing as how your two DJs are in the same state - nay, in the same room - we decided to record an audio introduction to this week's theme.

Click here to download! (MP3|1.05MB)



Death Cab for Cutie - "The New Year" (MP3|5.54MB)
Chris sez: Call me a morbid bastard. Go ahead. Do it. But it's something of an annual tradition that somewhere in the duration of January's first week I must listen to this song. But it's undeniably wonderful. No one -- no, not even you -- is going to argue the point that Transatlanticism is Death Cab for Cutie's defining work (don't even try to fool yourself by thinking otherwise, Narrow Stairs fans), and I daresay this song kickstarts it perfectly. Kind of like, hey, this song kickstarts my year perfectly. Oh, Ben Gibbard. You're just that good.

The Dismemberment Plan - "The Ice of Boston" (MP3|6.83MB)
Lea sez: It seems appropriate for me to follow up a Death Cab song by a Dismemberment Plan song if only for the fact that the two in fact toured together as a parade of "Death and Dismemberment," which, considering Gibbard's preferred later melodic composition, is funnier than it should be. Anyway. "The Ice of Boston" pretty much defines the mood of the entire album (called, as if you really needed to know, The Dismemberment Plan is Terrified), and encompasses a myriad of realistic feelings, thoughts, and events as experienced by your typical socially dysfunctional geek and/or misanthrope. Except for, you know, the naked champagne part. Well, at least as far as you're concerned. I will say no more.

Brand New - "The Archers Bows Have Broken" (MP3|5.83MB)
Chris sez: Call me a desperate bastard. Go ahead. Do it. This song has nothing whatsoever to do with this week's theme, but if I may direct your attention to the band's name, you will quickly notice that they are not merely new. They are Brand New. And that by itself makes the song worthy of inclusion. That, and -- for the unforunate souls who have not heard it -- the band's 2006 album The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me is one of the greatest things I have ever heard. Honestly, I could have chosen any song from it and it would've suited me just as well. "The Archers Bows Have Broken" is merely the poppiest, most accessible, least soul-crushingly dreary thing on it. Hey. That works.

Radiohead - "Lucky" (MP3|5.95MB)
Lea sez: It seems appropriate for me to follow up a great song with another great song. Wait! Isn't that what this entire blog is for, anyway? Isn't it? ISN'T IT? Well, whether you agree or disagree with the latter statement, Radiohead's "Lucky" is presented in one of my favourite combinations: contrasting lyrics and music. It's a beautiful and mournful-sounding track with some of the most hopeful and optimistic thoughts one could have for the future. Maybe my luck will change.

Interpol - "The New" (MP3|8.41MB)
Chris sez: Call me an unconventional bastard. Everyone loves Interpol. I am no exception. Believe it or not, though, this is my favorite Interpol song. That's right. This one. Over the course of their stunning debut Turn on the Bright Lights (truly a best-of-decade candidate), the band adopts two stances: the angular, rockin' Interpol and the soft, restrained balladeerin' Interpol. "The New" is the only song on the album that seamlessly combines both aspects; it rocks and it's pretty. As a result, it's pretty rockin'. Oh god I am so done.

Alias - "Resurgam" (MP3|5.93MB)
Lea sez: It seems appropriate for me, as a primarily classical musician, to appreciate the finer points of purely instrumental music. And since I've posted so damn much of it on this blog already, I figure it wouldn't hurt to throw up another one. See? I'll never learn. Alias' "Resurgam," though - and I'm confident you'll agree - is an amazing classical-electric-trance(-core?) piece that just sounds like a new beginning. From the opening rises to the background voices and the steady, carrying beat, it's definitely a good start for anyone.

Stars - "The Night Starts Here" (MP3|9.00MB)
Chris sez: Call me a straggling bastard, but I only discovered Stars in hindsight. This saddens me, because it means that there was a time when "The Night Starts Here" (one of those songs I love so much that, regardless of how many more Stars songs I heard in my life, will almost unquestionably remain my favorite) was not a part of my life when it very easily could have been. There's not really all that much that can be said about it. It's a gorgeous duet, with Mr. and Mrs. Vocalist trading some of the most swoon-worthy lyrics imaginable ("You drop a coin into the sea and shout out, 'Please come back to me.'") You will download it and like it. Even if you already have it and/or don't like it. This blog is all about NEW SHIT and I'm going to give you, like, a NEW OPINION too. I really need sleep. Good thing the night starts he--oh, just shoot me.

Voxtrot - "Future Pt. 1" (MP3|5.08MB)
Lea sez: It seems appropriate for me to not only post songs by my favourite bands, but to also post songs by those among my favourite bands who I happen to have seen live. And whose keyboardist happened to have given me a hug in the spring of 2007 BUT I DIGRESS. This is a song about growing up, and about hardship, and about being hugged by Voxtrot's keyboardist learning to live after mistakes and molding your future to suit yourself so that you, too, might be hugged by the keyboardist of Voxtrot.

Silversun Pickups - "Rusted Wheel" (MP3|8.29MB)
Chris sez: Call me an indie shoegazing bastard, but I love Silversun Pickups. To my way of thinking, their uniformly excellent debut Carnavas was guilty of having two song-masterpieces on it: the so-fantastic-it's-unfair "Future Foe Scenarios" (which is not included) and the would've-been-the-best-song-on-any-other-album "Rusted Wheel" (which is). I'm not exactly sure what it is about this song that pleases me so much, but it's ... so good. With an ellipsis for dramatic emphasis. The song takes us from summer to winter and beyond, its cyclical beauty something to behold. Also, if they had a keyboardist (do they?), I'm pretty sure I would have met him/her and hugged him/her. So take that, Lea. You are not the only person who has friendly relations with keyboardists. Of course, there's that one other keyboardist, too, but ... best not to talk about that one, lest I feel rejected. So, uh, Silversun Pickups! Pick it up! I'm so glad this is my last song, because these jokes are not getting any better.

Eagles - "Funky New Year" (MP3|5.64MB)
Lea sez: It seems appropriate for me to follow up a pile-up travesty of bad jokes and keyboardist-lovin' envy with a song that - okay, never mind. There's really no excuse for this song. There's really no excuse for me to like this song. And there's absolutely no excuse for two people to subject an entire diner full of patrons (among them, angry men in purple shirts with no sense of humour who shall remain anonymous because I don't know their names) to the song in proper jukebox-style. But there you have it. I mean, if you really think about it, there's really no excuse for us, either. (COME ON, GUYS. FUNKY NEW YEAR. YOU KNOW YOU WANNA.)

Okay. We're done now.

Click here to download the epic conclusion! (MP3|1.21MB)

Okay. NOW we're done.

friday five - 12-12-08 - piano highlights: soft and lovely

First off, it may be absolutely no surprise to you to learn that your weekly Friday Five audio consultant is no more than a dorky twenty-something college student with a full-time day job, an unhealthy love for Spencer Krug, an unhealthy disdain for prime numbers, and glasses. You may have also already assumed that most of my updates are conducted in a uniform I like to call "nighttime casual" - or, more commonly, my pyjamas.

There are two problems with the last statement. The first is the fact that I've publicly admitted my complete lack of decency. The second is that, given my state of dress is nighttime casual, I'm likely not at work (unless I feel the distinct desire to thoroughly irritate my boss). This means that if you are in the United States and work a typical eight-to-five like Yours Truly, you are probably not at work either. Being as I originally intended the Friday Five to be downloaded during the work day to ease the anticipation of leaving for the start of the grind-free weekend, posting songs after work seems to be a little counterproductive to the effort.

So, in an epic move to save face (and keep my job - see, everybody wins), the purpose of this blog is going to take a different direction. I'm still going to post five songs per week on Friday, but it's almost guaranteed that I'm going to post these songs in the evening for you to download when you get home. I'll say that it's intended to help you unwind after your workday, granted you're like me and don't actually have a social life to attend on Friday night.

ON THAT NOTE (and watch as I make this deft and smooth transition to something that's actually relevant to your interests), a musical element that's always helped me to unwind is the soft strains of a good piano. I adore the sound of the piano, especially when it's used to create quiet, flowing melodies. Mostly, though, I just love the instrument to pieces.

That's why this week's theme is one of a series: Piano Highlights. I've decided that I'm going to pepper the blog a bit with instrument highlights, and it seems natural that I should choose one of my favourites to go first. So, without further delay, I present:



Jens Lekman - Sky Phenomenon (MP3|5.58MB): This has to be one of the most wistful songs written by Swedish musical genius and beautifully insane Jens Lekman. (This is, of course, excluding such songs as "F-Word," which can be very wistful, especially if you're forbidden to swear.) The piano in this is simple and cyclic, like twinkling tones of a set of bells. Instant love. And, of course, there's this beautiful simile: it's like someone spilled a beer all over the atmosphere. Come on. If that imagery doesn't get you where it counts, then you're a robot.

Markéta Irglová - The Hill (MP3|4.25MB): I loved this movie so much. I cried so hard because I'm such a girl. Once was actually introduced to me by my co-DJ, Chris, and I will never forgive him for it for the following reasons: a) it made me cry, dammit, that needed to be said again; b) it made me insanely jealous of Markéta Irglová for having such mad piano skillz and the romantic attention of an Irishman, and c) I will probably watch it every month or so until the day I die. Anyway, this song is beautiful and sad - beautifully sad, sadly beautiful, whichever - and is the perfect song to hear while it's raining a little, but not quite pouring.

Phoenix and the Turtle - Pianos (MP3|5.31MB): Another cNet treasure. It starts off more insistent than a lot of soft piano pieces, and a little more awkward, but it resolves into a cacophony of octaves and scales that transform into what I would classify as trance if any of it sounded like electronica. (Which it doesn't.) I understand that Phoenix and the Turtle have a completely different sound now, but it's this song which completely stole my heart. (Never mind that the piano cuts out about halfway and the melody's taken up by other instruments. It's the start that counts.)

Regina Spektor - The Flowers (MP3|3.59MB): First of all, if there's any chick alive and active that can totally and utterly rock the piano, it's Regina Spektor. I was introduced to her music by one of the many messageboards I frequent, and just the way her voice melds with the way she plays - it's perfect. This song is hard to classify; it's urgent and soft at the same time - still, I'd be able to relax to it, so that's why it's here.

White Hinterland - Calliope (MP3|4.42MB): Piano-driven from start to finish, this beautiful track from their 2008 release Phylactery Factory (the subject of which what has a variety of interpretations and uses) is the main reason I love White Hinterland at all. Not that their association with the Dirty Projectors or the fact that my best friend recommended them to me held ANY weight whatsoever. Anyway. Calliope listens to everything. Right?

And t-t-t-that's all, folks! I'll catch you all next week for another Friday Five. Be good, and don't do anything I wouldn't do. (Notice how I'm narrowing your options down OH so much.)


As always, send lovemail/hatemail/anymail related to the Friday Five to fridayfiveradio@gmail.com. Requests are always considered and welcomed. See you next week!

friday five - 05.12.08 - she blinded me with science

This is going to be the shortest and most skeletal FFR post yet, excepting those dark and ominous Fridays wherein no posts were made. Not that I have a deep and crippling guilt about last week or anything. (In my defence, I was actually playing in a rock band - so it was sort of like I was giving music to people, only it was location-specific. Non-Marylanders, I promise never to betray you again.)

Now, however, it seems I've picked up the stomach flu from one of my coworkers. One thing after another, huh? Yeah, well, this blog doesn't write itself, although in the past few weeks it kinda has from my perspective (a very warm and appreciative thank-you goes out to my co-DJ, Chris, who was kind enough to pass up the opportunity to use his temporary blog-dictatorship to mock me relentlessly as I was nearly devoured by a papier-mache tentacled space monster every weekend, and who was also patient and resourceful enough to take on the Friday Five as well as his Sunday Superlative during my respite, and who also remains friends with me despite my tendency to create horrific and entirely preventable run-on sentences).

But I digress, and amazingly so!

Anyway, summaries are going to be short and sweet. Mainly, it's a download-and-enjoy sort of thing. I'm trying to remain horizontal as long and often as humanly possible, and sitting at the computer desk isn't exactly conducive to this effort. But! As always, I shall strive for a better entry next time.



DJ/rupture - Second-Hand Science: We(tm) (MP3|4.21MB): This is another classic example of me absolutely caving to the man, baa-ing on command, and having no regrets whatsoever afterward (unlike the morning after that last shot of tequila). Ganked shamelessly from Uproot - in my opinion, one of 2008's best electronic albums - "Second-Hand Science: We(tm)" is a blissful cacophony of dark, echoing synth and cave droning. Seriously, DJ/rupture and Perfume Tree should get married. No, I don't care if that isn't technically possible.

Les Rsidus Plasmiques - Donne Tes Corpse Les Science (MP3|4.38MB): Some of the most addictive songs I find are free. No, I don't mean free in the "well, it's on the internet, so no one will find out that I didn't pay for it" sort of way. I mean absolutely free, no strings attached, on cNet. This is another awesome song I discovered through one of my random clicking exploits; even though they sing in French, which I can't understand at all, they've had me rockin' for a good couple of years. (Artist information and site not found. If you are this artist, please feel free to submit your information.)

So Many Dynamos - This Can Be Useful in Rocketry (MP3|3.69MB): Not to steal the concept or thunder of this movement's leader, Amber, but I consider myself something of a Dynamovangelist (a self-appointed Bishop, I suppose). I could say so many things about this band, but none of them would adequately deliver a description of their collective Awesome. If you like the Dismemberment Plan, you'll like Dynamos. If you like Chris Walla's production work, you'll like Dynamos. If you have a beating heart, you will at least appreciate the nature of the Dynamos. This is one of their highlight tracks, if I may be so bold.

Modest Mouse - We've Got Everything (MP3|5.44MB): Okay, I admit that I just chose this one because it has "science" in the lyrics. Not necessarily describing a particular science, but comparing everything to a science, insomuch as everything can be quantified and utilised in a form not unlike actual science. If you read the previous statement, I am so sorry. Delirium loves company. Especially when Modest Mouse is involved. And yes, I saw that guitar for sale. Thanks for freakin' asking.

Thomas Dolby - She Blinded Me With Science (live) (MP3|6.24MB): Of course, I had to throw this Thomas Dolby classic in here. The post would be empty without it. God, I love the 80s. (NOTE: I didn't go the Oingo Boingo route! You thought I would, but I didn't! Ha! I sure showed you!)

Anyway, back to bed for me. Why is Pepto-Bismol pink? Universe, you are so weird.


As always, send lovemail/hatemail/anymail related to the Friday Five to fridayfiveradio@gmail.com. Requests are always considered and welcomed. See you next week!

the sunday superlative - 11/30/08

This Week: Old School Prog-Rock



We all need to start somewhere. For me, it all began with prog-rock. 7th grade. 2002. That was the moment when I finally stepped back and started exploring stuff that interested me. Yes. I was the kid who, at that tender young age, was rockin' to GENESIS and ELP and VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR and all those hip dudes. I was a tremendous dork.

But prog-rock is an incredibly dorky genre. In fact, if we're talking superlatives (and clearly we are), it is likely the dorkiest genre. That's because the people who were in prog bands were dorks. They were the kids who always got an A+ for being different, going above and beyond, and doing something creative; the music they all ultimately went on to make carries the exact same qualities. Why settle for a four-minute pop song when you can write an eight-minute one with several movements and highly literary lyrics? Or why not just fill up an entire vinyl side with one song! Or, in Jethro Tull's case, actually fill up both sides of a vinyl with one song! HELLZ. YEAH.

So it's a dorky genre. But don't be so quick to judge, all you cool indie hipster kids. Hold your horses. With each passing month, it becomes more and more clear just how influential these old-school proggers were on the bands we know and love today. In fact, it seems like prog has made somewhat of a full-fledged comeback as of late. Predictably, nothing makes me happier.

So let's check out a few choice old-school prog-rock cuts. This is the stuff entire musical foundations are built on. And I would know.

Genesis - "Dancing With the Moonlit Knight" (mp3|5.55MB)
I know. A shocker, right? Guess what: before Genesis was a big 80s pop band led by Phil Collins, they were a smaller 70s prog-rock band led by one of my musical heroes, Mr. Peter Gabriel. Fewer people know this than should (and the distinction always calls to mind that unforgettable quote from Bret Easton Ellis' American Psycho), but it's true. And while 80s Genesis is somewhat of a guilty pleasure, there's no guilt in this earlier stuff. It's damn good, and it's really not much of a stretch to say that -- from roughly 1971 to 1974 -- Genesis was the best prog-rock band on the planet. "Dancing With the Moonlit Knight" may be the single best song the band ever put to tape. At the very least, it's always been one of my huge favorites. It's deliriously complex, every member gets a little chance to shine, and somehow it all fits together beautifully. I love that ethereal "aaaah!" that comes in around 3:45. Love it.
(from the 1973 album Selling England by the Pound)

King Crimson - "Epitaph" (mp3|8.10MB)
More or less, this is where it all started. Of course there were disparate catalysts leading up to this (The Who Sell Out, Days of Future Passed, Sgt. Pepper even), but the true birth of prog-rock is generally pinpointed with the release of King Crimson's In the Court of the Crimson King. Iconic cover art notwithstanding, I can see why it left an impression. Forty years later, it's still as thrilling and as challenging as anything on record store shelves. There's always been debate over which of the five songs is the best, but I've always been partial to the yearning, minor-key "Epitaph," which may well have been the song that got me into this kind of music. The chronology is a bit fuzzy at this point, but I remember in 7th grade I heard my dad listening to this album; this song just blew me away. I promptly stole the album from him and fell in love with the whole thing on my own terms. The rest is history.
(from the 1969 album In the Court of the Crimson King)

Yes - "Siberian Khatru" (mp3|12.38MB)
I was never the biggest Yes fan. When a band is viewed as indulgent and pretentious even within the context of the most indulgent and pretentious rock genre of all-time, you know there's issues. But nonetheless, their influence is undeniable, and -- like it or not -- their '72 album Close to the Edge is something of a masterpiece. "Siberian Khatru" is both the highlight of that particular record (its shortest song, lol), and for my money the best-ever Yes track. I didn't know such a thing as "psychedelic funk" existed in 1972 (maybe they created it, who knows), but for lack of a better term, that's what this is. But it's thrilling stuff. Indulgent or no, these guys always had a keen ear for melody, and they latch onto several here that they manage to seamlessly weave in and out of each other for nine minutes without ever having it get the least bit boring. And it's fun. Prog-rock can be fun, kids. Yes! Yes!
(from the 1972 album Close to the Edge)

And if that's just not enough prog for you, I highly recommend trying the full albums for each. They're all incredibly rewarding listens.

See you all next week for more Sunday Superlativeness! Adios.

the sunday superlative - 11/23/08

First off, let's get this out of the way.



Today wasn't the best day ever. It wasn't horrible and I'm still alive and all, but a convenient series near-cataclysmic events has more or less stripped me of all energy for today. (For example, it is my professional duty on Sunday nights to close the bookstore I work at. Tonight as I was doing so, the store's database inventory program decided to screw shit up bad while self-reindexing. It shut itself down and refused to reopen due to "corrupted files." When you're afraid you've just lost your store's entire inventory -- the sum of all employees' work since 2003 -- you REALLY don't want the emergency hotline guy to say things to you like, "Hmm. Well, that's interesting" as he's walking you through a so-called recovery process. So, that happened. I eventually got everything up and running again, thank god, but it wasn't fun. At all. And then please understand that this wasn't the only not-good thing to happen to me today. So, yes.)

What I'm trying to say is, today's regularly-scheduled Sunday Superlative on old-school prog-rock is being postponed to next week. I evidently have enough energy to write this, but pounding out a whole "official" post seems a bit beyond my capabilities tonight.

But I will not leave you empty-handed, oh faithful reader. To reward your kindness and understanding, I have left you the following song. I know you'll see it my way. Enjoy, and I'll catch you folks next week!

Wesley Willis - Rock 'n' Roll McDonald's (mp3|2.23MB)

friday five - 21.11.08 - it's all a myth

Whether we realize it or not, ours is a culture founded on mythology. Or, I suppose more to the point, ours is a culture founded on a culture which founded itself on mythology. Following? Good. There will be an exam at the end. This foundation has led to a near-ubiquitous supply of mythological nods in popular culture, from motifs in literature to homages in film and references in music. Here, of course, we're concerned with that third and final medium. This week I've gone ahead and pulled out five songs of various musical styles and mythological origins (two Norse, one Roman, one Biblical, and one that -- from what I can tell -- is about staying home and watching movies), just for your listening pleasure.

Some I Didn't Include: "Wrapped Around Your Finger" by The Police, because Sting blatantly mispronounces one of the mythological creatures' names and I'd like to pretend I'm sophisticated enough to care; "Rhiannon" by Fleetwood Mac, because I figure everyone's heard it (so I included Led Zeppelin instead); "Louie Louie" by the Kingsmen, because it might be about mythology but I can't be too sure.

Oy-oh, let's go!



!!! - "Myth Takes" (mp3|3.29MB)
Yeah, I have no idea if this has anything to do with mythology. Probably not. I don't care. !!!'s most recent title track is just the kind of short, impossibly infectious song that I can't help but fall hard for (it's that spaghetti-western guitar riff. It has to be). It's so boogietastic that even those with the most stringent inhibitions would probably have to fight the urge to get up out of their chairs and shake a little booty. I only wish it was a little longer. Like, I really wouldn't mind a 20-minute extended groove version of "Myth Takes." Oh well. I guess I'll just have to play this ten times back-to-back. Not that I've ever done that or anything. *shifty eyes*

Jethro Tull - "Cold Wind to Valhalla" (mp3|5.95MB)
Jethro Tull is a band that has been through the whole spectrum. They were popular, they were completely underground. They were great, they were amazing in their suckitude. Without exception, the really popular stuff was great. The extremely recognizable "Locomotive Breath" is a classic for a reason. The underground portion of their output, however, is wildly varied in quality: some of it rocks, some of it ... really doesn't. One of the best (read: only good) songs from 1975's Minstrel in the Gallery is "Cold Wind to Valhalla." What starts off as a chilly acoustic ballad quickly becomes a full-fledged electric rocker, underpinned by Ian Anderson's always passionate vocal delivery and his signature flute-blowing (which contrasts the acoustic guitar very well, actually). Maybe it's not one of Tull's career-best efforts, but it's a decent song that slipped through the cracks. That alone makes it worth checking out.

Led Zeppelin - "Immigrant Song" (mp3|2.19MB)
I've gotten flack for this before and I'm sure I will get flack for it again, but Led Zeppelin is probably among the five or so most overrated bands in rock history. I won't argue that they were good, and on a couple occasions even great ("Stairway," anyone? "Whole Lotta Love"?), but calling them one of the best rock acts ever is so hyperbolic it's almost amusing. But I won't even begin to deny that "Immigrant Song" is really awesome. Steeped in Norse mythology (as lots of Zep was), this is a veritable Viking war cry: pumped up, energetic, and rockin'. And while I usually find Robert Plant irritating, I've got to admit that "aaaaAAAAAAaaa-AH!" gets my blood pulsing every time. Also: the Viking kittens, 'nuff said.

Shearwater - "Leviathan, Bound" (mp3|3.95MB)
If nothing else, Shearwater's tremendous "Leviathan, Bound" will go down as one of 2008's finest vocal performances. It turns out that Jonathan Meiburg, ex-not-singer for Okkervil River, has one of the best sets of pipes in all of indie-rock. His melodramatic Scott Walker-meets-Morrissey croon can take any song and instantly make it sound three or four times bigger, lending it an epic quality both surprising and refreshing. "Leviathan, Bound" is so huge-sounding that it's hard to imagine it only takes up 2:52. With its keen sense of melody and dynamic, it's not hard to wish it wasn't all over so soon, but the punch it packs is something to behold.

The Shocking Blue - "Venus" (mp3|2.86MB)
They couldn't speak English. The Shocking Blue, that is. They were Dutch, you see, and none of them ever formally learned this language. So what you're hearing is actually a really good phonetic pronunciation. It didn't hinder the song any. Perhaps more famously covered by Bananarama in the 80s, the original 1969 track remains the one to beat in my book. It's certainly stood the test of time. There's no arguing it's just as memorable 40 years later as it must have been then. Overflowing with hooks and upbeat vibes, it's just a great pop song. And when I'm in the mood for that sort of thing, I daresay "Venus" suits me just fine.

And we have reached the end of yet another edition of Friday Five Radio. And here's some great news for those of you who can't stand me: my stint as substitute is over. Barring any unforeseen future complications, Lea will be back at the helm a week from today with more great music and less dumb jokes (maybe). As for me, I'll catch you guys back at my regular position as Sunday DJ. 'Til then!

As always, send lovemail/hatemail/anymail related to the Friday Five to fridayfiveradio@gmail.com. Requests are always considered and welcomed. See you next week!

the sunday superlative - 11/16/08

This Week: Artist Spotlight: The Moody Blues.



I've been trying to figure out how to do this. Let's face it, we all have bands we like a whole lot more than others. As a direct result, these bands will produce more "omg favorite" songs. If I am going to remain true to the concept of the Sunday Superlative (and I am!) and stick to the whole "all-time favorite songs" thing, this issue must be addressed. Either I present a disproportionate amount of songs by a certain band or artist week by week, or I clump 'em all together. The solution has been reached. I'm clumping 'em all together. Or, in more poetic terms, I'm doing an Artist Spotlight.

The Moody Blues are my favorite band. At least, they're my favorite band insofar as someone who listens to as much music as I do can ever have a favorite. They were the band that got me into music, they were the first band I remember liking, and they are the only band I have seen in concert three times. They mean a lot to me. And I know they're not "cool" in the way that bands like The Beatles or The Who or Led Zeppelin are; in fact, they're the very epitome of uncool. But I don't care. I will defend them to the ends of the earth, because in my opinion they are responsible for some of the most sublimely beautiful pop music ever recorded. As far as I'm concerned, if you can write a gorgeous pop song, you've won my heart forever. In the case of The Moody Blues, they've been writing them inexhaustibly for forty years.

I have chosen for this blog my three all-time favorite Moodies songs, all of which are superb enough to be starred entries. If you've been around me long enough, chances are you've heard 'em. If not, give 'em a try. I can't guarantee you'll like 'em, though I've spent so many years in such deep love with them that I can scarcely see how disliking them could be possible, but I have a feeling you might. Just a hunch. (By the way, this isn't to say you'll never see these guys on this blog again. Oh no. There are definitely more favorites. Many more.)

*The Moody Blues - "Nights in White Satin" (mp3|7.00MB)
The Moodies' indisputable career best, and one of the pinnacles of recorded music. For my money, this song sits in constant rotation with about half a dozen others in competition for the title of Greatest Song Ever Written. And Justin Hayward was only 20 when he wrote it (so, uh, what have you done lately?). Also, any arguments against Hayward's position as one of rock music's finest vocalists can be laid to rest right here. Everything is perfect here. Everything. It's not a fantastic song; it's fucking earth-shattering.
(from the 1967 album Days of Future Passed)

*The Moody Blues - "The Voice" (mp3|4.92MB)
They didn't write rockers. Whenever they tried, they really just came out sounding like more uptempo pop songs. "The Voice" was the best of these. It doesn't rock at all, but man, it pops hard. It's catchy, energetic, and somehow it still manages to pack a melodic punch that blows 99% of its competition clear out of the water. I even hear this one on the radio from time to time, if you can believe that. The next time it happens, you'll know that the distant but intense glow is coming from me.
(from the 1981 album Long Distance Voyager)

*The Moody Blues - "Your Wildest Dreams" (mp3|4.44MB)
They never had a "big hit," per ce (other than "Go Now," which really isn't a very good song and was actually recorded by a completely different group of people than were responsible for what I consider the real Moody Blues), but I guess this was pretty successful for them back in the day. It should have been a hell of a lot bigger. This is yet another swoon-worthy creation, so overflowing with melancholic beauty that it's almost overwhelming. And it has one of my favorite lyrics ever: "When the music plays / When the words are touched with sorrow / When the music plays / I hear the sound I had to follow / Once upon a time." Indeed.
(from the 1986 album The Other Side of Life)

To reiterate: I really frigging love The Moody Blues. In case this was at all unclear.

Okay, I'm tired. It's been a long weekend, and it's going to be an even longer week. (No, really. Think about it.) I'll see you folks later!

friday five - 14.11.08 - end of the world

I love apocalyptic imagery. I'm not sure why. We all have things we're intrinsically drawn to; this is one of them. Believe it or not, I'm even taking a class this semester called The End of Days, which features as its main point of study ... well, you may have guessed it already. You're smart enough.

For better or for worse, most popular music isn't concerned with death, decay, and destruction. It's all about the party, right? The girls? The sex, drugs, and rock and roll? But what happens, as The Doors said, when the music's over? What's left? Let's take a look, shall we, at a few apocalyptic visions in popular music. For music is your only friend, until the end, until the end, until the end...



Godspeed You! Black Emperor - "The Dead Flag Blues" (mp3|22.61MB)
Forgive me. I keep posting these gigantic Godspeed You! Black Emperor tracks on this blog, and it's gotta be friggin' annoying. But honestly, when Lea sent me the topic for this week's entry, this was the first thing that popped into my head. Though, yes, it does run an epic sixteen-and-a-half minutes, it captures a certain mournful apocalyptic beauty I haven't been able to find anywhere else. This is dreary, gray, hopeless music, but there's something so alluringly gorgeous about it that, despite the overwhelming bleakness, I find myself listening to it perhaps more than I should. "The Cowboy," which lasts from roughly 10:10 to 14:25, is among my favorite stretches of music in any discipline.

The Gutter Twins - "The Stations" (mp3|6.27MB)
Speaking of bleak, few -- if any -- rock acts of 2008 have managed to equal the gloom and doom of The Gutter Twins. These are two guys with a dark, dark vision. Some would argue (and have) that it's too dark, that it gets oppressive listening to track after track of Judgment Day and Rapture-laden imagery. I respectfully disagree. Album lead-off track "The Stations" is as representative a track as there is and, once again, the apocalypse never sounded quite so inviting.

Barry McGuire - "Eve of Destruction" (mp3|3.25MB)
Finally, I get a chance to post this song. While this easily could've fit in with last week's political post, and while it would certainly come very close to being a "starred entry" in my Sunday Superlative series, it just seems to fit best in a post about the end of the world. Simply put, Barry McGuire's impassioned folk-rant is perhaps my favorite protest song of all-time. Though written as an attack on Vietnam-era America, its themes are wonderfully timeless. The lyrics are the real star here. With the exception of a couple amusingly ill-conceived rhyme clunkers ("China" and "Alabama"? Really, Barry?), the observations here are so scathing and so undeniably true that the song leaves something of an indelible imprint. (That last verse from "You may leave here for four days in space" on is wonderful.) My hat's off.

R.E.M. - "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" (mp3|3.73MB)
You knew the instant you saw that title that this song would be included, didn't you? And well it should be: in their prime, R.E.M. could've easily stood among the very best in American alternative-rock. "It's the End of the World as We Know It" is R.E.M. in their prime: one of the most hypermanic, wryly amusing songs ever to find its way to FM radio waves. It's so smart, so catchy, so brilliant that it makes you wonder how they ever managed to record anything better. Little did they know that, in 1987, it wasn't the end of the world: the next five years were going to be very, very good to them.

Jeff Wayne - "The Spirit of Man" (mp3|9.27MB)
Plunge with me, for a moment, back into the realm of quasi-esoterica. In the late 1970s, some dude no one had ever heard of named Jeff Wayne somehow managed to get some really popular, talented people together and record a musical version of H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds (which is, as you know, as fundamentally an apocalyptic story as you're likely to get). While overflowing with great songs and brilliant musical ideas, my favorite song from the album has always been "The Spirit of Man," an intense, dramatic duet between singer Julie Covington and Thin Lizzy vocalist Phil Lynott. Maybe it just has something to do with the fact that I was hooked on this thing in third grade and therefore will hold it close to my heart always, but I think it's quite the powerful piece of music. Check it out.

While perhaps not the end of the world, this is the end of this week's Friday Five. With any luck, I shall be here again in a couple nights for three more all-time favorites from the Sunday Superlative. 'Til then!

As always, send lovemail/hatemail/anymail related to the Friday Five to fridayfiveradio@gmail.com. Requests are always considered and welcomed. See you next week!

the sunday superlative - 11/09/08

This Week: Gotcha Covered



In general, the mere concept of the cover version doesn't make much sense to me. (1) If it was good the first time, what makes a person believe they can make it even better? It's like covering "Stairway to Heaven" or something. Do you really think that's gonna get you very far? Really? (2) If it wasn't good the first time, why even bother redoing it? I don't think even the godliest of musicians could salvage Limp Bizkit's "Rollin'." Though I'd like to hear Spencer Krug or Colin Meloy try.

Okay, yeah, I'd really, really like to hear Spencer Krug or Colin Meloy try.

But! Some artists have done the nearly impossible and managed to produce cover versions of songs that not only do justice to their originals, but actually surpass them in terms of quality. Though there are a few others (can we see a Gotcha Covered, Pt. II in the future? Ooooh!), I've chosen three I'm quite partial to. Let's see what trouble we can get into.

Wow. Low bandwidth this week. So, really, you have no excuse for not indulging.

10,000 Maniacs - "Because the Night" (mp3|3.40MB)
It must be kind of weird for a band's biggest hit to be not only a cover, but a live cover. Does that happen? Like, how many live cuts in general end up on FM airwaves? It's fascinating. In the case of 10,000 Maniacs, though, I'm glad it happened, or else most of us would never have gotten to experience their beautiful take on Patti Smith's "Because the Night" (which, incidentally, was written by Springsteen, though I don't think The Boss ever recorded it himself). They haven't really done too much to the song itself: they've changed a few words, smoothed out the sound, and replaced Smith's gravel-pit pipes with Natalie Merchant's much more mellifluous contralto, but aside from that it's very much the same song. But it just seems to work better in these guys' hands. It's pretty. It's passionate. It's vaguely haunting. It almost makes me want to dive deeper into the Maniacs' catalogue except, you know, I really doubt it'd be as good.
(from the 1993 album MTV Unplugged)

Johnny Cash - "Ghost Riders in the Sky" (mp3|3.39MB)
Probably the best country song ever. And not just the song overall, but Johnny Cash's version of it. Man. "Ghost Riders in the Sky," a 1948 cowboy epic, deals with some dark lyrical themes to start with (I'm a fan of this pictorial representation), but leave it to Mr. Cash to step in and turn it into one sinister, brooding piece of music. It's almost intimidating in its power, which of course is what gives it such a shattering effect. I've never fully embraced Johnny Cash as a "country musician" in the way that, say, Garth Brooks or all those other multitudinous "mah dawg got run o'er by a semi 'n' mah girl left me fer mah bud"-type singers qualify (which is probably why I like him; can you tell I'm not the biggest cuuuuntry fan?), but this song certainly gives plenty evidence enough that, given the right combination of ingredients, even this genre can be turned into something stirring and unforgettable.
(from the 1979 album Silver)

Jimi Hendrix - "All Along the Watchtower" (mp3|3.67MB)
Forgive me for being so unoriginal, but it has to be mentioned, right? This is arguably the cover version of all-time, which has always been something I've found highly ironic. Jimi Hendrix is widely considered the greatest rock guitarist who ever lived, so it seems peculiar that his finest moment should be a rendition of a fairly obscure Bob Dylan song. Because yes, not only is "All Along the Watchtower" a fantastic re-imagining, it's also the best thing Hendrix ever put to tape in his short time on earth. His secret is, instead of merely copying Dylan (which would've been, uh, weird), he truly makes the song his own. Though Dylan's signature "drugged-out literate whacko" persona is missing, Hendrix injects the affair with a vibrancy completely alien to the original. The central guitar solo is still one of the most exciting and "cosmic" I've ever heard, and the whole thing just rocks. Not to mention Jimi had a much, much nicer voice. Much nicer.
(from the 1968 album Electric Ladyland)

All right. I'm tired. I'll catch you all later. Right now, though, I'm going to go slip under the covers.

And no, I'm so tired I can't honestly tell if the pun was intended or not. If it was funny, yes. If it wasn't, heck no.

friday five - 07.11.08 - obligatory politics post

I don't know if you knew this, but there was an election earlier this week. Some guy won, some other guy didn't. It wasn't really a big deal, I'd say.

Pardon the sarcasm, if you will, but I -- like most people -- have become so tired of the affair that I'm just glad it's finally over. However, the election has provided an ideal opportunity to inject some heretofore absent political music into the Friday Five Radio bloodstream. Some of the most passionate and urgent music ever put to tape has come in the form of the protest song, and I'd like to take a few minutes to share a few with you today.

Before we go on, you may have noticed that I am not Lea. As I mentioned in my Sunday post, Lea currently has her hands full with stuff and has called me onboard to fill in for a little bit. So think of me as your substitute -- one of those days you got lucky and ended up with an actual teacher from the same school instead of one of those "professionals." So I'm not one of those weird subs who dresses in pink jumpsuits and makes you address them as Grandma Bunny (oh you think I am making this up). You know me; I'm a cool sub. I'm the dude who teaches next door. I'll write the class a good note.

That having been said, let's get political.



Arcade Fire - "Windowsill" (mp3|5.87MB)
I think it's safe to say that this would've been a huge highlight on a lesser album. As it stands, though, Arcade Fire's Neon Bible is so flabbergastingly good that "Windowsill" -- one of the most pointed commentaries on contemporary America in recent musical memory (and they're Canadian!) -- seemed to slip a little beneath the radar. This gives it a great buried treasure quality. Its melody is beautiful, Win Butler's lyrics and vocals carry their normal urgency, and its message is certainly well-taken. It's really not hard to see why these guys are beginning to acquire numerous Band of the Decade labels.

Green Day - "Holiday" (mp3|7.59MB)
I won't be the first to admit that Green Day isn't the best band in the universe, but back in 2004 the stars really aligned for them. American Idiot is indisputably the best album they've put out, and "Holiday" -- just one of four immensely successful singles the aforementioned album spawned -- is their finest song to-date. Although its anti-Bush America political agenda comes through loud and clear, what really makes it special is that it's just so dang catchy. I'm sure I lose indie cred points left and right for admitting I actually like this, but I can't help it. It's an excellent punk-pop song. That's all there is to it.

Paul Kantner - "Hijack" (mp3|11.4MB)
Blows Against the Empire was actually released in 1971 by principal member Kantner under the Jefferson Starship moniker (making it I guess the "first" JS album), but I think you'll find it bears little resemblance to either later Starship or, indeed, the more contemporary Jefferson Airplane. Basically, this is hippie music. Hardcore, drugged-out hippie music (just look at the list of people who play on it: David Crosby, Graham Nash, Jerry Garcia, Grace Slick ... the list goes on). The album's concept is intriguing: it tells the story of a bunch of then-futuristic hippies who hijack a government-built starship and fly it across the galaxy to the Promised Land. Yeah. So, like I said. Drugs. "Hijack" is, naturally, the album's centerpiece, and while the idea itself may seem a bit loopy, the musicianship here is quite good. The first couple minutes especially have a dark, ominous atmosphere that I'm absolutely in love with ("We sail out into the grasshopper night and we seek the righteous poison" -- nice). The whole affair is a bit of an acquired taste, but if yours are anything like mine, you'll find this an unusual but rewarding listen.

Tokyo Police Club - "Your English Is Good" (mp3|4.38MB)
If indie were more mainstream, all of the world's problems would be solved this would have been everywhere this election season. Perhaps as a fortunate safeguard to ensure I didn't get sick of it, it wasn't. From what I can tell, though, it is the anthemic political song of 2008. I'm not entirely sure what Tokyo Police Club is saying with it, mind you, but they've definitely got something on their plates ("You don't need to change; the future's with us"). Whatever it is, it tastes good enough to make this both the highlight of their debut album Elephant Shell, as well as one of my favorite songs of the year.

VNV Nation - "Kingdom" (mp3|8.05MB)
I suppose all of VNV Nation's Empires carries a fairly strong political undercurrent, but lead-off track "Kingdom" seems to possess the album's most direct and barbed commentary. On top of that, it's also a killer dance song that no doubt packs the floor when it comes up in rotation at goth clubs. So, wait. It's danceable and it's intelligent? I think I'm starting to see why they call this genre Electronic Body Music.

And that's it! I will see you all in my class next period for another dose of Sunday Superlative. Take care, now.

As always, send lovemail/hatemail/anymail related to the Friday Five to fridayfiveradio@gmail.com. Requests are always considered and welcomed. See you next week!