Squeeze//Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)

Well, I guess we’re having a poppy week. I hope that’s cool with you.

I’m not sure why, but today’s song and yesterday’s song are kind of linked in my head. This song is obviously a lot cooler, but it shares some elements with Nick Lowe’s sort of cheesy masterpiece, ie, that hook, those harmonies, and the what-does-it-all-mean?! factor. Pulling mussels from the shell?

New wave/power pop legends Squeeze had an ever-rotating cast of members, but managed to retain their sound throughout. Thinking about the band reminds me to check out way more Squeeze albums and songs. It’s rather sacrilegious to be a power pop fan and not be very well-acquainted with the group’s work.

This song was released on their 1980 album, Argybargy. I probably first heard it on mainstream to 40 radio when I was a kid. It really stuck with me though, namely because it is so awesome.



Pulling Mussels (From the Shell).mp3

You wish you had a motor boat
To pose around the harbor bar.
And when the sun goes off to bed,
You hook it up behind the car.

Martha and the Muffins//Echo Beach

About a year ago, on a trip to Chicago, I got Ali to give me a copy of a summer mix she had made. Filled with lots of new wavey relatively obscure late 70s/early 80s stuff, I still return to it every so often, especially in warmer months. This song is the first on the mix and it’s a great thing to listen to in a crowded subway train while on one’s way to work.

This was the band’s only hit, although they were quite prolific under their original name and a later (more 80s sounding) name, M+M.

The narrator of the song has to work a shitty office job, but she manages to make it through by falling back on the knowledge that she’ll one day return to her favorite nostalgia-drenched spot, Echo Beach, which, judging by the song’s lyrics, could actually be some kind of code word for heaven. Still, whether it’s just a favorite vacation getaway or the afterlife, there’s nothing worse than sitting in an office all day when you could be watching the sun go down on Echo Beach, amIright?



Echo Beach.mp3

From nine till five I have to spend my time at work.
The job is very boring. I'm an office clerk.
The only thing that helps pass the time away
Is knowing I'll be back at Echo Beach some day.

Kevin Dunn//20,000 Years in Sing Sing

Prison Mail, Monday Mail:
What is Monday Mail?

About a month ago, this dude Brad from Casa Nueva Industries wrote to me about some guy named Kevin Dunn. Never heard of him, but I was intrigued. Read on:

On May 18, Casa Nueva is releasing our biggest project yet: No Great Lost: Songs, 1979-1985, a definitive anthology of new-wave/post-punk provocateur Kevin Dunn. Based out of Atlanta, Dunn was one of the most influential and innovative figures on the fertile southern new wave scene. He co-founded the legendary outfit The Fans, who were among the first new-wave bands in the southeast and a favorite of REM's Peter Buck. When the Fans broke up in 1979, he went on to a distinguished career as a solo artist and producer. He co-produced the B-52's seismic "Rock Lobster" 45, as well as the debut 45 and LP by the beloved Athens band Pylon. As a solo artist, he made demented art-pop of the highest order, blending thick slabs of processed guitars, analogue synths, and deliriously unstable bass lines to surprisingly hooky melodies and ingenious, multi-layered lyrics.

Upon hearing No Great Lost, Robert Schneider of Apples In Stereo enthused: "Snotty, literate pop from this underground master of the post-punk era, sounding like the missing link between Brian Eno circa Tiger Mountain, and XTC circa Drums and Wires – while also truly ahead of its time, like it could have been recorded by kids today. Oozing with angular hooks, synth bleeps and fuzz guitar wizardry, a compilation of songs that should be – and will be, and already are – classics.”

Well, first of all, "Rock Lobster" is one of my favorite B-52s jams. And second of all, excuse me, Rob Schneider? The missing link between Eno’s Tiger Mountain and XTC? This is such a borderline obscure reference that I barely understand what you’re talking about. Or maybe "obscure" is the wrong word. Eno and XTC aren't exactly terribly obscure. Perhaps the right word is specific. That's an awfully SPECIFIC missing link. Regardless, sounds cool, right? THIS ALL SOUNDS SO COOL!

And it does sound cool because cool is how New Wave is supposed to sound and this guy was obviously some kind of underground under-recognized New Wave pioneer type. No covered wagons here, folks. Just keytars. Yes.

If you watched as much Law and Order SVU as I do, you’d know that 20,000 years in Sing Sing is a long, long time. Hard to say what exactly landed the narrator of this song in that particular upstate correctional facility for so long, but whatever it was, it was caught on tape.

Apparently Mr. Kevin McFoy Dunn is still alive and well, although no longer making music. Learn more about The No Great Lost project here.



20,000 Years in Sing Sing.mp3

20,000 years in Sing Sing,
Do you think you can last?

Adam Ant//Goody Two Shoes

You know how bad can mean good? Well, good can also be bad. This usually takes the form of being "too good."

There's something about people being or acting perfect that annoys us and turns good into an insult. Kiss Up. Goodie Goodie. Brown Noser. Goody Two Shoes. We find ourselves irked at the fact that these "Goodies" don't have any obviously discernible flaws, like us. Actually, what bothers us is that we can't believe it. We know it's a cover-up. We speculate on what shocking and terrible secret they're holding inside and we often try to expose it. This is what Adam Ant (whose act was called Adam and The Ants for a while) is trying to explain here and he does a great job.

Ant could lay into the Goody Two Shoes in this song because he definitely wasn't one. One incident, from Wikipedia:

Ant was poised to join the '80s-focused Here & Now tour in January 2002, but was unable to do so after he was charged with throwing a car alternator through a pub window and then threatening patrons with an imitation firearm. When Ant showed up, some of the pub patrons had made fun of his appearance and told him that the man he was looking for was not present. Ant angrily told them he would be back before storming off and finding the car alternator in the street.
Ant was brought to court at Old Bailey. The charges against him (which included criminal damage and threatening members of the public) were reduced to a single count of causing affray, to which he pleaded guilty. He was fined £500 and ordered to psychiatric care with a suspended sentence.

There's nothing subtle about throwing an alternator through a bar window.

Changing the subject, have you guys noticed that it's FUCKING GORGEOUSLY PERFECT WEATHER TODAY?!? Stop reading this. Go outside now.



Goody Two Shoes.mp3

Don't drink, don't smoke, what do you do?
Don't drink, don't smoke, what do you do?
Subtle innuendos follow,
There must be something inside.

The definition of a "Goody Two Shoes" is a smugly virtuous person. A little history on the etymology: After the title character in The History of Little Goody Two-Shoes, a children's book believed to have been written by Oliver Goldsmith. In this moralistic nursery tale, Margery is an orphan who has only one shoe. One day, when she gets the full pair, she runs about shouting, "Two shoes!" Eventually she becomes rich and educated through her virtue and hard work. The word goody was a polite term of address for a woman of humble social status. It's a contraction of the word goodwife and was formerly used as a title in a manner similar to the current "Mrs." More here.

Television//Venus De Milo, Friction

Homeboys and homeboyettas, I have a confession to make. My confession is that I am going to abandon you. It won't be forever. I would never do that to you. But it will be until Monday. See, way back in December, I got a present from my girlfriend for our anniversary. The present was spending a night out of the city in a quaint bed and breakfast in the country with fireplaces. And at last, that day has come.

I know it's not cool to walk away from my one-a-day promise, so now I'm giving you two extra good songs by an extra good band to make up for it. That band is Television and they are amazing.

Of course, I think Ali introduced the band to me. From the almighty:

Television is an American post punk band, formed in New York City in 1973. Although Television have never had more than a cult audience in their American homeland, they have achieved significant commercial success in Europe. Today, they are widely regarded as one of the key founders of new wave music and seminal influences on punk rock.

Television was a part of the early New York underground rock scene, contemporary with bands like the Patti Smith Group and the Ramones. In contrast to the Ramones' focus on rock 'n' roll minimalism, Television's music was much more technically proficient, defined by the dueling guitars of Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd.

Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd actually ran away from school in the 70s and "moved to New York to be poets." If that isn't a solid foundation on which to form a band, I don't know what is.

Although it is my understanding that they have some less-than-stellar albums, in my opinion, Marquee Moon is an all-time classic. Not a bad track on it. It's tough like punk but the musicianship is extra proficient. Tom Verlaine's voice comes across with the perfect mix of sensitive-guy contemplation and I-don't-give-a-fuck rock and roll sex appeal. The guitars are extra jamming, leading some critics to call them The Grateful Dead of punk. They used the comparison positively and negatively, but the title track is almost 11 minutes long. That's kinda jammy, guys.

The band got back together for a show in Central Park in 2007 on my birthday. I was there! It was awesome. DUH.

Have a wonderful weekend. Fall into the arms of Venus De Milo. See youse on Monday.



Venus De Milo.mp3

Friction.mp3

Richie said,
"Hey man let's dress up like cops, look at what we can do!"
Something, something said
You better not.

Plastic Bertrand//Ca Plane Pour Moi

I woke up this morning with this song in my head and thought, "this would be a great song for OSS today. It follows The Monks well and it kicks away the Wednesday blues." The problem? I had no idea what it was.

When it comes to figuring out little puzzles like this, I always assume that the internet will know, provide and generally have my back. However, decoding this song was a formidable challenge. I didn't know much about what it was besides the fact that:

1. it was in a foreign language. I assumed it was Western European and had a hunch it was a French song, although I thought it also might have been German.
2. it sounded kind of 60s, but then again, it could have been a later era copying the 60s.
3. it had a surf feel about it.
4. I had definitely heard it in the company of my friend Cara before, although I couldn't remember who had put it on. Also I had heard it many other places, possibly on a soundtrack. I frequently asked what it was and never remembered the answer.

After sifting through dozens of not-it Serge Gainsbourg tracks on Hype Machine and LastFM, trying that stupid site where you can tap out songs on your keyboard (which doesn't work--they kept telling me this was a Guns and Roses song) and searching "French Surf Hit," French Rock Hit 60s," "German Surf Hit" and "What is this song in my head?!?!" to no avail, I finally turned to a trusty old friend.

All Music Guide, based in Ann Arbor (rep!), might be the best music resource on the entire internet. Although their site is outdated and slow in terms of interface, you absolutely cannot beat the information they have. I went to the International section, then to the Foreign Language Rock section, then to the French Rock section, which spit out a list of top songs. Even though Plastic Bertrand was Belgian, this song was number two on their list.

Of course, AMG also has everything you need to know about it.

And so, I am pleased to present to you, the perfect song for today. I hope you find it as satisfying as I do.



Ca Plane Pour Moi.mp3

OOOOooooOOOOoooooo!
Ca plane pour moi!
(This life's for me!)

Delta 5//Mind Your Own Business

SO here I am with another post, since two people told me what they wanted to be when they grew up in the last post (not a grown-up and a studier of dinosaurs). Thanks, guys.

Today I did a little free association to get here. Here's a rough sketch: Talking Heads->Tom Tom Club->Covered by Chicks on Speed->who also covered this song.

From Wikipedia:

Combining feminist politics with a two-bass funk-punk sound (much in the style of another, more famous Leeds band, Gang of Four), they released in 1979 their debut single, "Mind Your Own Business"...Delta 5 were also important figures in the Rock Against Racism movement, and were the subject of a highly-publicized assault at the hands of a right-wing group affiliated with rival movement Rock Against Communism.

Rock Against Racism and Rock Against Communism? Seriously? Apparently these were two opposing 70s-era UK music coalitions about ending racism and white power, respectively.

This song is a good way to kick off the weekend after a particularly annoying week for me. Is "mind your own business" just a slightly more polite way to say "fuck off"? Yeah, I think so.

I actually saw CoS play this at the Majestic in Detroit, which was pretty amazing. For some reason, they were throwing colorful sponges into the audience. I should also note that this was the same show where Kot and I actually bashed our heads into a table through the entirety of Peaches set--but that is a story for another post--most likely the inevitable upcoming post featuring Tracy and the Plastics. While the live version was pretty incredible (kitchen cleaning accessories and all), I don't think they have anything on this amazing original version.



Mind Your Own Business.mp3

Can I have a taste of your ice cream?
Can I lick the crumbs from your table?
Can I interfere in your crisis?

No, mind your own business!

Talking Heads//Psycho Killer, Once in a Lifetime (Live)

I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, “Gina, you are a liar and a slacker.” Well, listen, I might be one. I didn’t deliver yesterday and honestly, there’s usually been about a day every week where I don’t lately. I’m not saying I don’t feel bad. I don’t want to let you guys down. That said, you barely ever answer me when I ask you questions. For example, a few days ago I asked everybody what they wanted to be when they grew up and no one responded. I was genuinely interested! C’mon guys! Shape up! I want to see some dedication!

While I might not actually be here every day, I will never leave you short on songs, because I really care about you guys! Let’s try to work it out!

So, listen: if you’re in NYC like me, you’re probably lovin’ lovin’ lovin’ this weird summery weather, especially after the week of intense dank doom we experienced last week. If you’re in NYC like me, you probably also went to the amazing free David Byrne show at the beginning of the summer in Prospect Park. Face it, I know you were there. EVERYONE was there. I think I saw 9/10ths of the people I know in the world that night. And Mr. Byrne looked like a the hazy light of Jesus in the distance across throngs of young hipsters, aging hipsters and Park Slope hipster parents. Someone gave you a sip of whiskey straight from the bottle. Someone in front of you was smoking a joint. The twilight fell on roaring applause and dancers in weird costumes. Remember?

While that time has passed, we can still think back on it fondly as we prepare to enter the cold hell of winter. We can also give thanks to David Byrne for his many cultural contributions to society: attractive custom bike racks (and a book about cycling), an incredible installation involving a hacked vintage organ, slightly crazy hair, Luaka Bop, the big suit, amazing work with Talking Heads, a tasteful solo career and a willingness to cover Talking Heads songs live in concert to this day. Mr. Byrne, we salute you.

Also, a random thought, I will always remember Jill’s sisters dancing to Psycho Killer, which Jill made them do in front of all her college friends, kind of against their will. Jill’s sisters, we salute you too.



Psycho Killer.mp3

Once in a Lifetime.mp3

You start a conversation, you can't even finish it.
You're talking a lot, but you're not saying anything.
When I have nothing to say, my lips are sealed.
Say something once, why say it again?

Blondie//Hanging on the Telephone

Yeah, I know I’m not the only one who adores Debbie Harry. Still, does her veritable parade of ultra-fans mean I have to stop loving her? Or that I love her any less? Helllllllls No!

Of course, Blondie’s been all over my life for years. From a childhood full of North Jersey FM radio replays to a classic tape of “The Greatest Hits,” the band will always represent inescapable “funtimes” car music. However, it wasn’t until I read Please Kill Me (fifty billion thumbs up) , the quintessential written record of the oral history of all things punk (ACTUAL punk—as in the late 70s/early 80s real deal, NOT as in the pop punk of the 90s), that I fully indentified the band right in the ranks of the radical “forefathers” of a million new music forms, from the aforementioned Punk right up into New Wave. HOLY RUN-ON SENTENCE, BATMAN; HOW DO YOU REALLY FEEL?!?! Ms. Harry and her Blondie bandmates make many an amazing appearance in this book (just see page 204) and certainly established themselves as a fresh voice in this experimental scene and subsequently in music history. Of course, the cool thing about Blondie is that they also fused the Punk and New Wave sounds with Pop, Disco and Reggae. More on the band’s history here.

This track, off the legendary Parallel Lines, was one of the first two singles, the other being “Picture This.” Of course, you’ll probably know the most famous song off PL, the band’s first US hit, “Heart of Glass.” Really, there aren’t many bad tracks on this disc.

Anyway, I’ll say it again: I <3 You, Debbie Harry!!!
Blondie rocked so fucking hard in the 70s and 80s that I’m even willing to forgive them for their horrendous 90s reunion single, “Maria.”
If that’s not true love, I’m not sure what is.



Hanging on the Telephone.mp3

It's good to hear your voice, you know it's been so long.
If I don't get your call then everything goes wrong.
I want to tell you something you've known all along.
Don't leave me hanging on the telephone.

The Stranglers//Golden Brown

I love this song! Like, really, really love it. The vibe is totally unique and the harpsichord sound is unmatched in its awesomeness.

This song has been popping up on various mixes (my own and others) over the last 8 years or so for me. I’ve been reminded of it more often recently, as it makes a prominent appearance on an older mix that has been in heavy rotation for me lately.

I was under the impression that this was the only decent song by this pioneering UK punk/post-punk/new-wavey outfit (there have been a lot of genre innovations from the 70s to today!), but a quick scan of the internet proves me (mostly) wrong. While I’m not sure that any of the other tracks I’ve heard exactly measure up to this one, the rest of the canon is certainly not bad.

This 1981 song got some extra exposure from an inclusion on the Snatch soundtrack. Apparently The Stranglers are STILL touring, which is kind of amazing, considering their drummer is now 70 years old. Tuesday’s lesson: KEEP “ROCKING”!



Golden Brown.mp3

Every time, just like the last,
On her ship, tied to the mast.
To distant lands,
Takes both my hands,
Never a frown,
With golden brown.

Roxy Music//More Than This

I went on a really awesome trip to Vermont this weekend with Anika. It was cold and snowy and perfect. We saw friends, snowshoed up a mountain and visited Magic Hat Brewery (where I got a growler of my favorite, #9!).

I love roadtrips. I love getting out of town. I love the crappy food you feel entitled to eat at rest areas. I love driving, because living in the city keeps me from doing it much these days, so I’m not ever sick of it. Most of all, I love the opportunity to break out mixtapes and CDs past, or make brand new ones for the occasion. There’s something special about being in cars. It’s a small, closed space that lends itself to the manufacturing of nostalgia-worthy moments. Of course, sucker that I am, I buy right into this.

This song came on an older mix and it got us talking about nostalgia, because the track is so thick with it. While Anika isn’t a fan, I think this is one of the best songs I’ve ever heard (and Sara agrees!). There’s something that just makes you want to die about it, in the most beautiful way possible. According to Wikipedia, the word nostalgia “is made up of two Greek roots (νόστος nostos ‘returning home’ and άλγος algos ‘pain’), to refer to ‘the pain a sick person feels because he wishes to return to his native home, and fears never to see it again.’” I think that speaks for itself.

This song goes out to Becky, who is feeling nostalgic today.



More Than This.mp3

It was fun for a while.
There was no way of knowing.
Like dream in the night,
Who can say where we´re going.

Joe Jackson//It's Different for Girls

WOW! THIS JUST IN: OSS IS A FINALIST FOR A BLOGGIE!!!
If you read and love it (or hell, if you even just like it), please take a second to vote now under the music category!
Also, worth noting that OSS wouldn't have even been nominated if not for these fine friends. Thanks, Emma!

Now, back to the business of songs:
I spent most of my day yesterday in Tiny Cup. Even though I was working, no complaints. I love Tiny Cup! Various friends stopped by! They played a series of awesome songs, including gems from Leonard Cohen, PJ Harvey and The Band.

This song, one that I’ve been thinking about here for a while, also got played.

I don’t know much about Joe Jackson, besides that he was a British new wave-ish artist. Wikipedia tells me he now lives in Berlin. My stepmom tells me that he came off as an asshole when she saw him on tour in the 80s. What I can tell you is that this song is awesome.



It’s Different for Girls.mp3

Don’t you know that it’s different for girls?
(Yes, yes I do.)

Tears for Fears//Mad World

I love Tears for Fears. I had this Tears for Fears tape in my car. I think it was The Best of Tears for Fears. It was my absolute favorite thing to blast at full volume while driving around—especially Head Over Heals, because it always reminded me so much of that scene in Donnie Darko where those first big dramatic soundscapes overtake you.

Speaking of Donnie Darko, this song is featured prominently, although it’s a way slowed-down cover version done Gary Jules. That version has its merits, but the original is truly amazing.



Mad World.mp3

All around me are familiar faces
Worn out places, worn out faces
Bright and early for their daily races
Going nowhere, going nowhere

Sounds like Wednesday to me.