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.

Fountains of Wayne//Hackensack

Will was asking me about a Fountains of Wayne song yesterday, which jogged my memory about this one.

I feel pretty 80 (Nay)/20 (Yay) about FoW, but holy shit, I love this song...and not just because it's about Hackensack aka my birthplace. I was kind of holding it back, thinking maybe someday I'd do a NJ week or something, but hey, I think it works here, so why not?

The real Fountains of Wayne, after which the band is named, is indeed a retail establishment where you can purchase various lawn ornaments off Rte 46 in Wayne, NJ. I spent much of my childhood, sitting in a backseat, driving by it. The store, which also had a featured scene in another NJ classic, The Sopranos, was rumored (in March) to be closing. Haven't been by this stretch of 46 lately, guys. Is this true?

Fountains of Wayne, the band, started in the 90s and have been rocking the purist of power pop since. The went on hiatus in 1999 and reformed in 2001, covering, wait for it, a Kinks song. Wonders never cease.

Also, something hilarious: remember that movie, That Thing You Do. Adam Schlesinger apparently wrote that song? Also, Ethan just pointed out to me that he's in this "super" group. SO weird.



Hackensack.mp3

I used to work in a record store, now I work for my Dad
Scraping the paint off of hardwood floors. The hours are pretty bad.
Sometimes I wonder where you are, probably in L.A.
That seems to be where everybody else ends up these days.
But I will wait for you
As long as I need to
And if you ever get back to Hackensack,
I'll be here for you.

Story of the Sea//Smoking

Save it for a rainy Monday (Mail).
What is Monday Mail?

Publicists bombarding you with emails about their 58973 bands can get a little overwhelming. That said, Ian from Vitriol has yet to disappoint me, as a much higher percentage of his bands are worth the while. Story of the Sea appears to be no exception. From the band’s bio:

Do brothers make bands better?
The Beach Boys? Sure. Oasis? Wellll...
No matter the verdict, in the case of Minneapolis' Story of the Sea, whatever patented sibling telekinesis a quartet can benefit from, the Prince brothers have it in spades.

Maybe I’m just a sucker for Minneapolis (and Michigan!) exports, but I’m down with these guys. The brothers Prince (presumably no relation to the other Minneapolis-based Prince of fame) make reference to genre-hopping, but what I hear in Story of the Sea is a straightforward well-executed hybrid of power pop and indie rock, which I love. The vocal quality and melodies remind me of a Jason Falkner or a Josh Clayton Felt or even a more upbeat Rufus Wainwright.

Additionally, musical composition and style aside, I think we can all identify with the idea of one stupid decision changing the course of your life. Inhale. Exhale. Empty bank account.



Smoking.mp3

If I didn’t start smoking, I might have been a millionaire.

The Loud Family//Spot the Setup

Every few years I fall head over heals all over again for The Loud Family’s (yes, that is a reference to THE Loud Family) Plants and Birds and Rocks and Things (yes, that is a reference to America’s (NOT NEIL YOUNG’s) “Horse with No Name”). I guess my two years is up, because I’ve been listening on repeat again and also forcing people (like my poor friend Emily) to listen to them as well (if I'm going down, I'm taking you with me).

While there are a lot of amazing tracks on the album (including two personal favorites, “Inverness” and “Jimmy’s On Drugs Again”), this time around I’ve become increasingly fascinated with “Spot the Setup.”



Spot the Setup.mp3

I used to go out with supermodels,
But that didn’t make my life ok.

Jason Falkner//My Lucky Day

I love Jason Falkner.

Joel had a lot of influence over my childhood listening habits. This album (used) was either a Christmas or a birthday gift that I continue to wholeheartedly enjoy.

This is also (ding ding ding!) a JB connection (Faulkner played in The Grays, another oft overlooked 90s power pop thing, with Mr. Brion). You also may remember him from Jellyfish.



My Lucky Day.mp3

Everyone knows
How the end goes
If you don’t know
Here it goes