Wolfie//Rachel Carson

So, a few days ago, I was out to Dim Sum with some friends. You should probably know that I am OBSESSED with Dim Sum and am feeling sad about losing my favorite spot for it, Jing Fong, when I leave NYC in Jan. So, I’m trying to squeeze as much Dim Sum in as possible right now.

I was explaining to Ethan and Emily about how our friends Sharon and Jon couldn’t come along on this particular outing last minute. I said, “Boing Boing wrote up their Etsy and now they have to stay home all day babysitting the laser.”

“Did that sentence really just come out of your mouth?” quipped Ethan.

“I know, it’s ridiculous, right?”

But it’s true. Keeping in the spirit of yesterday’s post, I want to tell you about Sharon and Jon’s awesome project, Heroes of Science, which, yes, was written up on Boing Boing.

When this project was in its early stages, I was over brainstorming about a Kickstarter video with Sharon (more on that later). They showed me their original designs and I immediately started humming this song.

“Rachel Carson” is by a band called Wolfie. It’s not actually about Rachel Carson all that much. Wolfie broke up about 10 years ago and never really had any hits. Still, I fucking love this track. It’s a perfect little nugget of pop.

As you can imagine, there is a Hero of Science ornament featuring Rachel Carson, although you might have to wait a few days to order—pretty sure Mr. Eavesmade and his giant laser from the 90s is a bit overrun at the moment. Lucky for me, I got sent home with a prototype.



Rachel Carson.mp3

Rachel Carson, she wrote a book
Informed everyone all about the past.

Laura Barrett//Robot Ponies

Cyber Monday Mail
What is Monday Mail?

How was your Thanksgiving? Mine was spent with family and good friends, and was fantastic as usual. Thanksgiving is a great American holiday. For the most part, it transcends religion, race and a lot of the other kinds of identity bullshit that can often trip us up. It unites us as people who all live together in this weird country. It reminds us to really give thanks for all our blessings.

Granted Thanksgiving also comes with some issues—mainly Black Friday/Cyber Monday, the beginning of the holiday shopping season. It’s as if it’s not enough just to be happy with what we have, WE NEED MORE! WE NEED DEALS! YEAH!

I would be derelict in my duties if I didn’t mention that I spent some of my Thanksgiving working, writing retail copy for various emails going out on Cyber Monday. And in celebration of this Cyber Monday, I thought I would post a song that fits with the theme.

You might remember Doug Hoyer from a few weeks ago. Well, in our email exchange, he sent me this:
ps:

I was going to ask:

Have you heard of Laura Barrett? Since we're talking about sci-fi songs...

She's a friend of mine from the Toronto area, who does her own thing but also plays in a Canadian group called The Hidden Cameras. For her solo output, she mostly plays kalimba, and honestly reminds me of Kate Bush.

But she has this song called Robot Ponies, about Christmas time for children in the year 2053. It's both beautiful and a bit spooky, I find.

She has a video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHK7XLBhsdM

Also, on her first full length she has lots of sci-fi titled songs (sometimes the theme isn't as obvious). I remember calling her out on the instrumental she named after a Ray Bradbury short story, "Escape to the Sun Dome" (along side other futuristic numbers like "To the Stars!" and "Star Seed: the Musical"

It might not be up your alley, but I think you might dig/appreciate it!

I have to say, since I first listened to this song, I have been completely obsessed with it. It’s so atmospheric. Spooky is the right word. Those kalimba sounds deliver a stark , sad feeling, perfect for a song about the consumerism of the future.

The lyrics are basically an advertisement for, well, robot ponies—the dream toy of all children in 2053. They ponies have a variety of functions. Some can swim (“we made those babies airtight”). Some are useful for cheering up old people (“the robot pony geriatric ranch”). The best part: they all whisper the affirming, “you know best.”

Witty and melancholy, wryly funny like a Vonnegut novel, this song is an amazing comment on American consumerism. You know best.



Robot Ponies.mp3

Tennis, golf and basketball,
These robot ponies do it all,
The fucking love it all.
They’ll tuck you in at night and sing to you,
“You know best.”

The Green Door Kids//Moody

Feelin' Moody: Monday Mail
What is Monday Mail?

I know, I know. MIA again. What can I say? WHIRLWIND!

Last week, I went upstate to the town where we're getting married to do some wedding stuff. Over the weekend, E. and I drove out to Pennsylvania to visit some dear friends. I've been working a lot, taking care of move logistics (at a two-steps-forward-one-step-back pace), gearing up for a big/awesome/involved cross-country art project, working on getting the last Palmyra EP together, doing my best to hang out with EVERYONE and starting to brace for the holidays. AHHHHH!

But lest you think all I do is bitch, I want to say that life is pretty rad, even if it's moving a little too fast and I'm feeling a little...well...moody about it. I wanted to choose a song that kind of embodies that feeling for today.

You probably know that I generally shy away from covers here, unless it's something really special and unique. Well, this is a great candidate. Of course, the original (by ESG) is phenomenal, but this is also pretty awesome. Andy at Optimo Music says:

Ever wanted to hear a bunch of kids tearing into the Stooges “I Wanna be
your Dog” and the sublime garage classic “Louie Louie”? Ever wondered what
it would sound like if you let an assortment of talented young musicians
from some of Glasgow finest new bands let loose in a studio to record
whatever they liked? And how about two 10 year old twins from Possil (via
Ghana) covering the infectious minimal dance grooves of New York's finest,
ESG?

Hells bells… your wait is over!

The Green Door Studio opened its (confusingly black) doors to Glasgow's
vibrant music community at the end of 2007. Set up by three Glasgow-based
musicians Emily MacLaren (Michael Dracula/The Lady Vanishes), Sam Smith
(Mother & The Addicts) and Jamie Greer (Park Attack), who, sick of using
other people’s clinical digital studios and being told by engineers “You
can't do that..”, decided to create a musician-friendly space where
“Actually you can...”.

Having filled the studio with the creakiest and crankiest analogue gear,
the studio splits its time between recording commercial clients...and free music production workshops and recording opportunities for young people and unsigned musicians sponsored by The
Scottish Arts Council.

The recordings on this album are the results of these workshops and are
split between the Green Door Kids (aged 10-16) involved in the Youth Music
Summer School and their slightly more grown up counterparts (aged 18-25)
enrolled on the Song-Crafters Production Course. The young musicians
involved helped to engineer their own sessions and were all involved in
the mixing and production - the results are staggering.

Optimo Music will be releasing a vinyl of these recordings - 'Muzikal
Yooth' on the 23rd November.

This song is upbeat, a little out of control...also, well, moody. Feeling moody, yeah yeah. Very moody, yeah yeah. Trust me. This is worth it. More info here.



Moody.mp3

Can make you feel high, feel low
,
Feeling, feel like, like this...

Moody.

Joy Division//They Walked in Line

Ok. I am going to admit it. I am overwhelmed. It's 75% good overwhelmed and 25% bad overwhelmed. I'm leaving New York in January and trying to tie up numerous creative, logistic and relationship loose ends. CRUNCH TIME.

Whenever I feel desperation start to set in, I just listen to Joy Division, because that shit is seriously depressing...and it can't be as bad as all that, can it?

The jams are, of course, also seriously awesome. This song is from 1978's Warsaw (which was also an early name for the band, along with Stiff Kittens, which sounds like a great name for a grunge band from the 90s). Warsaw, which is rough and raw and more solidly punk then most of what came after it, is an incredible album top to bottom. There's a story behind the record, which was never actually released. It was meant to be Joy Division's first album, but the band was unhappy with the post work done by RCA, so the whole thing was scrapped. Even before the internet, that didn't keep it from being circulated as bootlegs and that's what this is. It wasn't commercially released until 1994. And that's also why this track, and the others on the album, sound kinda rough. More about the album here.

As per usual, the subject matter's dark, and about the Nazis.

The weather that's been occurring over the last few days has been an exact replica of British winter. Grey, a little damp, a subtle chill in the air. If you close your eyes and sip some tea, you can almost convince yourself you're in Manchester. Do that, for me, whilst I run around like a chicken with its head cut off.



They Walked in Line.mp3

Wearing the shame of all their crimes,
With measured steps,
They walked in line.

Jamiroquai//Virtual Insanity

I drank a Starbucks coffee at 6pm last night and ended up being totally wired until 6am this morning. The result is that I'm totally weird and spacey right now, so if this makes no sense at all, that's why. Pick-me-up? Why, yes, please.

How about this classic hit from the 90s? It's smooth. It's funky. It was predictive of what was coming at the time, and what is now here. Actually, some of the lyrics are downright dystopian, touching on genetic modification and our technologies changing the way that we live and interact with others. It was kind of hard to notice how serious the song was while watching Jay Kay dancing around on that moving floor, surrounded by cockroaches, moving couches around with his mind...and that...hat? I love the 90s.

Also, did you guys know that Jamiroquai was named by combining the word "Jam" with the word "Iroquois"? I actually don't know what to say about this.

This song was an ultimate one-hit-wonder. I mean, has anyone even heard this album? Was it any good? Even if it's not, who cares? This track is amazing.

Virtual Insanity.mp3

Futures made of virtual insanity
Now always seem to be governed by this love we have
For useless, twisting, all our new technology.
Oh, now there is no sound,
For we all live underground.

Al Green//Tired of Being Alone

I'm back, again, from California. I arrived yesterday on the red eye and was met immediately with cold grey sleet. Welcome home. No coincidence that my friend who works at the neighborhood coffee shop asked me, "are you gonna make it?" when I went in to order my afternoon cuppa.

I thought I'd let America's own soul reverend express this feeling for me, as only he can.

I've had many a sweet memory to which "The Rev." has provided the soundtrack--washing dishes at the co.op where many friends lived in Ann Arbor, slow dances at late night dance parties, silly evenings at home with my family, roadtrips, the list goes on...

Green got his start as part of the Arkansas/Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Gospel quartet, The Green Brothers. In a sort of bizzare twist, his own father kicked him out of the group when he was caught listening to Jackie Wilson. From there, he formed a group called Al Green & the Creations, which eventually lead him to R+B/Soul stardom. That said, his early Gospel roots never disappeared, and after a strange domestic violence incident in the mid-70s, he returned to the church and became ordained. He has gone back and forth a few times regarding his musical style, sometimes singing Gospel, other times R+B/Soul. Regardless, it's good.

This song, released in 1971, came in at #293 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. I do tend to believe that Rolling Stone is generally irrelevant to what's going on in the music world at this time, but, I do have to acknowledge that this list is pretty awesome. Although I wasn't aware of it when I started OSS, I agree with a number of their selections which have been independently featured here.



I'm So Tired of Being Alone.mp3

I'm so tired of being alone.
I'm so tired of on-my-own.
Won't you help me, girl,
Just as soon as you can?

Red Tail Ring//Woods That I Know

Northern Music for a SoCal Friday: Local Music Friday
What's up with Local Music Fridays?

It's been a while since I was able to deliver a proper Local Music Friday and I don't want to keep you waiting any longer.

It seems a little wrong to be posting this from where I'm sitting in this Orange County 90 degree heat, since this music is so, well, northern. It's right for tbe cold-weather, perfect for cozying up in a cabin in the woods.

Dear friend Michael Beauchamp and his lady Laurel Premo have conceived of a project that provides some updates on the content of old timey folk songs, while keeping the feeling of the music perfectly intact. Indeed, the project is so dead on in execution that if not for the high recording quality, you might wonder if Michael and Laurel were singing to us directly from some remote appalachian hill in the 1930s. Keep on the sunny side. Or, maybe not. A lot of these songs are deliciously dark or at very least recontextualized in a thought-provoking way.

The song included here is actually a Premo-original, the only one on their first (and recently released) EP, August Roads. Picking a song was hard, as many of the tracks have a lot going for them. This one was selected because it's one of those songs that I cannot get out of my head once it's there. It's just there forever and ever and there's a reason for that. It's a well constructed song with a infectious banjo hook that's mirrored by the vocal melody. Laurel's banjo work constantly stands out as a highlight in the band. It's totally amazing to listen to (and watch live). I'm going to stop typing about it now. I will give you fair warning though. If you listen to it, you're going to want to listen to it again. And then you're going to be listening to it in your head for the rest of the day.

Red Tail Ring tours ferociously all over their home state of Michigan, so if you're lucky enough to live there, check 'em out. They occasionally make it out of the midwest too. You can get updates on their dates here.



Woods That I Know.mp3

I'll take my hand,
Lead myself to places only I know.

Nickodemus and Quantic featuring Tempo and Candela All-Stars//Mi Swing Es Tropical

By the explicit request of my righteous sister, I present this song, "Mi Swing Es Tropical," a collab between Quantic (AKA Will Holland, a British expat now based in Colombia) and New York DJ Nickodemus.

I'm not sure how the song first came to my attention. It was featured in an iPod ad with a particularly Latin flavor. It was also included on a mix that was given to me.

It really is a sweet song, proven by the fact that everyone I play it for instantly loves it. The drums, the trumpet, the sweet guitar lick, the general groove--it's the kind of song that makes you long for the beach, which is a bittersweet kind of song to listen to as the weather turns chilly.

Considering how awesome this track is and all the incredible hype it received, it is remarkably difficult to find information about it. It features Hector "Tempo" Alomar, presumably on vox and The Candela All-Stars (a Latin music collective), who I can only imagine supplied the original music.



Mi Swing Es Tropical.mp3

Google Translate comes up with this for the meaning of the chorus:
You dance well, he rejoices more.

The song seems to be about someone trying to teach someone else to dance and imploring them to do with with a little more passion. Within that context, it makes sense. Although I do think it sounds better in Spanish.

Phoenix//If I Ever Feel Better

I had a hard time waking up today. It's grey outside and my life is constantly oscillating from feeling "fun" to feeling "out of control," much more than usual. It's kind of interesting to be at once so conscious of this feeling and also basically helpless to change it.

This song, another I can't believe I hadn't yet gotten around to posting here yet, seems especially appropriate to my mood today. It's got a few things going for it.

The first is that it's incredibly catchy and instantly memorable. Guitars and spacey synth interweave over a quasi-funk bass line and a crisp drum rhythm. The vocals of Thomas Mars are both empathetic and vulnerable.

The second is that, against that poppy backdrop, the lyrics are very, very poignant. The song basically perfectly describes that difficult, out of control feeling. Of course, here it's in the context of a breakup, but I think a lot of the lyrics are general enough to be applied to many different situations.

My friends and I all got obsessed with this song in our early college days, which were also pretty out of control. I found myself listening to it when things felt truly insane--like during breakups, friend drama and even when I was feeling super isolated in London for half a year. It sounds cheesy now, but I think we really connected with that chorus, the same way people are really connecting with the message of Dan Savage's It Gets Better Project. Of course, I was more of a pessimist at that time, which is why it was essential for me to have that "if" in front.



If I Ever Feel Better.mp3

It's like a bad day that never ends.
I feel the chaos around me,
A thing I don't try to deny.
I'd better learn to accept that
There are things in my life that I can't control.
...
Hang on to the good days,
I can lean on my friends.
They help me going through hard times.
But I'm feeding the enemy,
I'm in league with the foe,
Blame me for what's happening--
I can't try, I can't try, I can't try...

No one knows the hard times I went through.
If happiness came, I missed the call.
The stormy days ain't over.
I've tried and lost, now I think that I pay the cost.
Now I've watched all my castles fall,
They were made of dust, after all,
Someday all this mess will make me laugh.
I can't wait, I can't wait, I can't wait...

Doug Hoyer//Lake of Mars

Lost in Space: Monday Mail
What is Monday Mail?

Hey guys. Sorry I've been so MIA. How was your CMJ? BBQLOL.

Mine was cool. I mostly stuck with bands of friends, including Drunken Barn Dance, Chris Bathgate, Matt Jones, In Tall Buildings and NOMO. Even with a relatively modest schedule, I still felt burnt or dead by the end. This old lady can't take the benders like she used to.

I wanted to chill out today, maybe listen to some recent submissions to the blog. You guys write me a lot of emails and send me a lot of songs and that is really, really cool. The only not cool thing about it is how crazy and poorly written some of those emails are. I chalk that up to inexperienced management companies who use spam to get their artists out there and bands who probably shouldn't be sending their own emails. I know it's not YOU guys. With that in mind, I want to give a shout out to the writer of today's Monday Mail, Doug Hoyer. Bands looking to promote themselves should take a lesson from him.

Doug says:

My name is Doug Hoyer, and I'm a ukulele strummin' musician from Canada, and am often compared to Jens Lekman, Jonathan Richman & Suburban Kids with Biblical Names. A Canadian label, Old Ugly is putting out my upcoming 7", and I've love to share the tracks with you.

I realize that you probably get a TON of emails, so I want to thank you for your time!

- Doug

Seriously, Doug, consider teaching a seminar, because your email was awesome. It was simple. It was polite. It featured correct spellings. It delivered the music in the way I asked.

It didn't hurt that your songs were also awesome. You do sound a lot like if Jens and Suburban Kids had a cute but slightly derivative lovechild, but that's generally a good thing in my opinion. Combine this with the fact that you wrote a song about space travel to mars and you got yourself a post here. You probably didn't know I have a soft spot for sci-fi inspired pop songs...but that was just a lucky shot for you.



Lake of Mars.mp3

I'd bring Trotsky, Trudeau, and even Trebek,
And you would act as the honored poet laureate
To romanticize every gesture suggested.
But they'd all run out of things to say
Cause they don't have much in common anyways.

Yo La Tengo//Autumn Sweater

Hi pals. Can you believe I've never posted this song before? Can you believe it's fall already? Can you believe it's actually mid-October? You know once we hit Halloween, it's all totally over. Time becomes a complete and total vacuum until New Years. Whoa. I am not really ready for it yet.

Some of you may have noticed that this blog has gotten a little...uhm...less reliable. This fall-to-winter period is bringing a lot of ch-ch-ch-changes to my life. As a result of some of these, I am sad to say that this blog is going to get a bit more sporadic. It's weird and sad for me too, but as I manage freelancing, a bi-coastal move and general life upheaval, I'm pretty sure I'm not going to be able to post an update everyday. Don't get me wrong--OSS is NOT over. It's just different. It's going to become more like your best friend who shows up without calling than your cousin who works as an accountant. It's been really fun to hang out with you guys EVERY SINGLE WEEKDAY, but we can still have fun hanging out when we both feel like it. With so many good songs in the world, we'll never run out of opportunities.

This song is the best fall song ever. It sounds like fall. It's about fall. It's lyrical focus is a girl and her sweater. It's by Yo La Tengo. It's a hipster cliche from the dawn of the hipster age, but it's still awesome. It's completely quintessential.

I've seen Yo La Tengo (one of Jersey's proudest musical exports along with Patti Smith and The Boss) twice. The second time was awful. The first time was magical and was the result of finding free tickets in a balloon emblazoned with an image of Tori Amos. But that, friends, is another story for another day.

Enjoy your sweaters before they become coats. I am enjoying mine.



Autumn Sweater.mp3

We could slip away,
Wouldn't that be better?
Me with nothing to say
And you in your autumn sweater.

Del the Funky Homosapien//Style Police

Embarrassing, I know, but I think I first heard Del the Funky Homosapien's (or Del tha Funkee Homosapien's) solo work while playing Tony Hawk with Als at some ungodly hour in East Lansing, Michigan. The track featured on the game was "If You Must," a strangely fabulous track that basically focuses on the virtues of personal hygiene.

Of course, I had been listening to Gorillaz for quite some time. I loved Del's work on that stuff, knew he had a solo career, but for some reason just never bothered to look him up. Glad the stupid game jogged my memory, because his shit is completely insane.

Dude has the craziest flow. Seriously, what is he even doing? What is that beat? It's so weird and unique. Amazing.

This track is a banger. I'll just let you enjoy it. And while you're doing that, here are some things you might not know about Del:

-Del's real name is Teren Delvon Jones.
-He's the cousin of Ice Cube.
-During the late 90s, he was a frequent psychedelic drug user. Shocker.
-In 2009, he did an album with Tame-One. This will only register with New Jersey readers. But it's still exciting.



Style Police.mp3

When I’m up to bat, it's like you trying to duck a gat.
You commonplace,
I shift time and space,
Leave your mind erased like the year 2000
And data replaces the faces.

Bellflur//Grey Sparkle Finnish Pig

Back for the Attack:Monday Mail
What is Monday Mail?

I took the red eye in this morning from LA. I really think the red eye is drugs. There's nothing quite like wandering around JFK at 5:30 AM, riding the A train pre-commuters and then watching the sun rise from Nostrand Ave.

The west coast was fantastic. It's so bright and shiny out there. I went to the beach, swam a lot and of course spent lots of QT with A. I also saw The Social Network. Did anyone else? Thoughts?

It's a little darker and cooler here in NYC so I decided to go with that for the song today. Bellflur brings it with great keyboard sounds and harsh electronic blips. This song is from a recent EP, Asleep Asleep (what I am pretty much going to be all day today), and features guests from a previously featured Monday Mail band, Deleted Scenes.

Josh from Fanatic says:

Bellflur, a long-time presence in Washington, DC scene, has been acclaimed for years for its fierce stage performance and knack for making odd musical tendencies seem comprehensible to listeners of all genres. The band’s album “asleep.asleep.” is a profound step forward for the band, demonstrating more controlled grandness and accessibility without being “accessible.”

“asleep.asleep.” was produced and recorded by Bellflur over the course of two and a half years and introduces a more vocal and dynamically challenging side of the band, with far more substantive instrumentation and orchestration than heard previously. Bellflur enlisted several contributors from fellow DC acts to help realize this vision including members of Deleted Scenes, Exit Clov, Pree, Le Loup, and Meredith Bragg. Already, songs from the record have garnered comparisons to acts such as TV on the Radio, Sigur Ros, and Battles – comparisons the band finds fitting.

Additionally, Bellflur has been likened to everything from Radiohead to a Salvador Dali painting, but whatever the comparison, the band has progressed by sculpting something unique and unapologetic. With a growing chatter about the Bellflur’s symphonic live shows and the press accolades already coming in for its new album, Bellflur has managed to push past its self-proclaimed shyness and closer to national recognition.

A final note: I am generally not too into bands wearing pretentious animal masks for shows, so let's just pretend that this band doesn't do that.



Grey Sparkle Finnish Pig.mp3

There is no future,
Just this modern world.

The Mamas and The Papas//California Dreamin'

Hey guys. I'm going to be taking a few days off. I bet you can guess why.

Until then, enjoy this:



California Dreamin'.mp3

All the leaves are brown
And the sky is grey.
I been for a walk on a winter's day.
I'd be safe and warm
If I was in LA.

The Umbrella Men//I Don't Emote

Music for a Rainy Friday Local Music Friday
What's up with Local Music Fridays?

Happy Friday to everyone. I am a little late on this one because I meant to put it up last week, but, as per usual, life got ahead of me and so here I am, having finally caught up.

This band, The Umbrella Men, played my house last Saturday. It truly was one of the most fantastic 50/50s ever--the house was packed and these guys played the shit out of their instruments, which included a guitar, fiddle and glockenspiel setup. It always makes me happy to put songs up that are made by super sweet people and the Tuss brothers are as sweet as they come. Suffice to say, the band brought a community bottle of whiskey for the crowd and had a friend doling out shots in Disney-branded dixie cups. Hot times.

Danny and David found their way to Brooklyn (they even live in my hood, which makes this Friday truly local) via Columbus, Ohio, a city I have much love for after the most recent Palmyra tour. Their music is a lovely mix of old timey and indie rock. Perfect for today, your weekend and beyond.



I Don't Emote.mp3

I haven't had any fun since the day we met.

The Lemonheads//It's A Shame About Ray

So, funny story.

Last night dear friend Michael Beauchamp came to town to play a show with his new band, Red Tail Ring (more on that later). The show was fun. We hung out for a while and then went to fetch the band's van. Problem: they couldn't exactly remember where they'd parked.

We walked around Alphabet City for a solid 40 minutes with a shitton of equipment searching for it. No luck. Finally, I said that I would watch the pile of gear we had stacked on the corner of 4th and A while they searched for the vehicle unencumbered.

A few minutes passed before a dude and some ladies drunkenly stumbled by.

"HEY!" he exclaimed, "you're in a band! What do you have here? A banjo? A hammer dulcimer? COOL!"
He's checking out the gear.
"Yeah," I say, "I am in a band...but not this one--I'm just babysitting gear while the band finds the car."
"Oh, awesome," he says, "I'm in a band too. We just played Mercury Lounge...we're called The Lemonheads. Hi. My name's Evan."
He shakes my hand and jauntily skips away as I yell, "The LEMONHEADS!? Evan Dando!? I know your band!"

A few minutes, Michael and Laurel return.
"Hey," I say, "you just missed The Lemonheads. They like your gear."
"Like...Evan Dando!?" says Michael.
"Yeah, Evan Dando."
"Shit."

So, as I desperately try to find cool things to look forward to in LA, let's not discount the awesomeness that is the quintessential New York moment.

Also, you guys do realize what this means, right? Evan Dando just got a bit part in my life!



It's A Shame About Ray.mp3

I've never been too good with names,
But I remember faces.

Harry Nilsson, Ron Sexsmith//Good Old Desk

Today is my last day at the company I’ve been working for for almost four years. Crazy. I didn’t really expect it to feel traumatic, but it does a little. I suppose I’m terribly nostalgic under this thin veneer of snark when it comes down to it.

What ended up being the weirdest part was packing up my desk, so I thought I could discuss this song, a perfect ode to the virtues of the desk, and by extension, the dependable pleasure that can come with a job well done.

The original version of this song was written and recorded by Harry Nilsson (do you guys remember the unofficial Nilsson Week?) on his 1968 Aerial Ballet album. Speaking of work, the album was named after the highwire circus act of his grandparents. Speaking of the album, it features many Nilsson gems (and one tremendously popular cover—“Everybody’s Talking”), including the fantastic “One.”

An amusing tidbit from Wikipedia:
Guest-starring on Playboy After Dark, Nilsson told host Hugh Hefner the song was really about its initials... "G-O-D". Even though Nilsson later admitted that he was just joking around, it is still commonly believed that the song actually is about God.

It’s obviously not about God. It obviously is about a desk. The most wonderful desk, in its way.

I also came across this cover and very much enjoyed it, so thought I would post it here too. My stepbrother first turned me on to Canadian singer/songwriter Ron Sexsmith when I was in high school. I accidently saw him play a solo show in a church in Montclair, NJ, which was very moving. I think he does a great job with this tune…both versions are really solid in different ways.



Good Old Desk.mp3 (Harry Nilsson Version)



Good Old Desk.mp3 (Ron Sexsmith Version)

Such a comfort to know
It’s got no place to go.
It’s always there.
It’s the one thing I’ve got.
A huge success,
My good old desk.

Redstone Hall//Get Back Jack

Another Reason to Love LA: Monday Mail
What is Monday Mail?

Hi guys. I don’t know if I’ve told you this yet, but this blog is soon to be a Southern California-based affair. Since I am an East Coaster/New Yorker through and through, I’ve been doing my best to think of reasons why living in Southern California might be cool. It hasn’t been easy by any means. Here’s what I got so far:

1. Be back with the girl I love
2. It’s warm everyday!
3. Uhm…ok…I know there’s more
4. Shows at Café Largo
5. My one awesome friend in LA
6. SF/Awesome friends a short plane ride/long car ride away
7. Which means Noise Pop Fest is also a short plane ride/long car ride away
8. Medical…uh…nothing
9. Swimming pools!
10. Fresh avocados!
11. Driving cars everywhere means listening to music in cars
12. Tech companies that need wordy nerds?

Now, I can also add this band, Redstone Hall (too bad about their name—“I know…let’s name our band after our dorm?”), to the roster. Something about the lead singer’s voice turns me off slightly (a little too earnest--I'm such a jerk, right?), which is why it’s a testament to how awesome this song is that I decided to post it anyway. Seriously, it’s super catchy solid pop. I love that lead guitar tone. I love those keys. I’m listening on repeat.

The band features Brian LeBarton aka Beck’s keyboardist, another good sign. I also hear a little inspiration from my favorite, and yours, another East Coaster turned LA’er, Jon Brion.

Naomi from Blink Interactive says:

Steven Rothstein and Zack Hall, the band’s principal songwriters, were both born and raised in LA. “I've been singing and performing as long as I can remember,” Rothstein says. “My parents were cool, so I started organizing jam sessions in my garage before I could even play guitar.”

Hall was raised in Beverly Hills. His mother introduced him to classic rock when he was a child. “She played albums by The Stones, Doors, Jimi Hendrix, and The Band. When I heard Phish, I started writing songs that broke out of traditional arrangements.”

The players were still in high school when Redstone Hall started. They evolved rapidly from a jam band to a more focused pop outfit, drawing on the sounds of the classic soul and rock of the 60s and 70s. They were soon getting noticed for the strength of their performances, with critics calling attention to Rothstein’s gritty vocals and Hall’s guitar prowess.

So while you’re driving around listening to this, could guys think of a few other cool things about LA. What are they? Any help much appreciated.



Get Back Jack.mp3

Been asleep at the wheel for so long,
Trying to figure out where it all went wrong.
Each day is another in a series of a soul crushing disease.
Gotta get back in stereo.

Was Not Was//Walk the Dinosaur

Thanks to me watching WAY WAY WAY too many episodes of Yacht Rock today, I am kind of in the mood for some cheesy 80s stuff. Thank god for Was Not Was.

Not Yacht Rock at all, Was Not Was is a super weird/very experimental band from suburban Detroit. In the 80s, they mashed together a lot of genres, including funk, jazz, disco and pop, with poetic and political lyrics. They got back together in the mid-00s for a reunion of sorts. This song, inexplicably about life in prehistoric times (where the dinosaur is obviously the family pet), is from their 1988 album What Up, Dog?.

I have a lot of good memories of dancing to this song as a very small child, usually with the other small children of friends of my dad. Actually, if you ever find yourself searching for the perfect song to dance to in the company of small children, this is definitely it. I'm into everything about this jam, except those cavemen dudes in the background. Even though I know I did love them as a child, I kinda don't love them now. Otherwise, timeless.



Walk the Dinosaur.mp3

It was a night like this, forty million years ago,
I lit a cigarette, picked up a monkey skull to go.

Gentleman Reg//How We Exit

I stumbled upon this band and track on an Arts and Crafts sampler. Like the label, the band is from Toronto. They're presumably named for frontman Reg Vermue.

I think the thing I love most about this song is all that sassyness, combined with sax for max effect of course. I feel like I'm getting told and it feels...well...like I want to be told. It's also pitch perfect in the way it elicits a late-night rowdy dramatics--not that they're ever mentioned by name...but it's certainly what comes to mind for me. I want to party to this song!

You can hear more Gentleman Reg, including a Stevie Nicks cover and a Psapp remix, here.

I highly suggest you watch this fantastic video:



How We Exit.mp3

Time to hit the trail.
Make or break,
That's how we exit.

The Smiths//There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

Recently, I realized that I have never posted a Smiths song here. To me, that’s almost unfathomable as I believe them to be one of the Best. Bands. Ever.

My biggest problem: which song? With the RARE exception of a few duds (ahem, the overdramatic vegan anthem “Meat is a Murder”), pretty much every Smiths song is perfect, amazing and beautiful. In a rare move, I went with this on the shear basis of numbers. Even though “How Soon Is Now?” was the band’s biggest single, this is clearly everybody’s favorite…and there’s a reason.

The song is about being so in love with someone and just not knowing how to tell them. It’s also about feeling utterly isolated from your home, your family, society in general. It’s about trying to find bright spots in a world that suddenly looks awfully dark. What I’m trying to say is that this song is about being a teenager—and that’s something everyone can remember and identify with.

Actually, a number of critics speculate that the song might be based on James Dean’s character in Rebel Without a Cause. Morrissey was known to lift dialog and plot from his favorite films. Lines from Rebel are directly copied in “Stretch Out and Wait” and the plot of a 60s British play/movie called A Taste of Honey is almost certainly referenced in “This Night Has Opened My Eyes.” Of course, there's also an element of teen angst in that one. Are you sensing a theme?

Finally, I really think you should watch this.



There Is A Light That Never Goes Out.mp3

To die by your side,
The pleasure, the privilege is mine.

Lou Barlow//Gravitate

Gone solo: Monday Mail
What is Monday Mail?

Lou Barlow is basically an all-star indie rock hero. He’s been a founding member in a number of amazing/high influential projects including Dinosaur Jr., Folk Implosion and Sebadoh. He’s also been putting out solo material more recently.

Jessi from Goldest Egg emailed a while back to let me know that Barlow was going to be on video series, Dirty Laundry. She said:

This week on Dirty Laundry host Malia James is joined by indie rock jack of all trades, Lou Barlow. Barlow, a member of Dinosaur Jr. and founding member of Sebadoh and Folk Implosion discusses scoring the soundtrack for Harmony Korine film Kids, his departure from Dinosaur Jr. in the late 80s and the godfather-esque J. Mascis.

You can watch it here.

Although I enjoyed his first solo release, Emoh, I really LOVE this track from his second release, Goodnight, Unknown, which features lots of guest appearances, including one by (COINCEDENCE!) Lisa Germano. Indie Folk, you’re a small, small world after all.

Barlow’s got this amazing knack for turning dark feelings into something you can actually hear, into something you actually want to hear. Soundscapes and song structure come together in “Gravitate,” to form a song that’s at once catchy and full of despair. Not an easy feat.



Gravitate.mp3

I’m way more trouble than I’m worth.

Michael Mcdonald//I Keep Forgettin', Warren G//Regulate

So, this story starts last weekend, when my parents had a little engagement party for A. and I. A lot of my friends happen to be musicians and so, parties often evolve into funny little jam sessions. Sean, a lifelong friends and Palmyra conspirator, sat down at the family piano and began playing some "beats." Another member of Palmyra, we'll call him Karl, jumped up and immediately started rapping along. The song was so familiar but I couldn't place it.

"REGULATE !!! by Nate Dogg and Warren G," Sean and Karl inform me.
"Yeah, I kind of remember."

I only kind of remember because the height of the song's popularity is 1994 aka the year I was 11 years old. I was highly impressed that Karl could remember so many of the words.

Fast forward to last night--I'm over at an honest-to-God pizza party at Sean's (another story for another post) and "I Keep Forgettin' by Michael Mcdonald (who unsurprisingly also had a stint with Steely Dan) ends up on the Youtube playlist. Again, I couldn't place it. Luckily, again, most of the people at this party were musicians. I was set straight and I want to set you guys straight too. As you will easily hear, "I Keep Forgettin'" is sampled heavily in "Regulate." These are two that I am really glad came out of my musical history blindspot.

Also, whoever wrote this seriously wins at life.



I Keep Forgettin'.mp3



Regulate.mp3

I keep forgetting we're not in love anymore.
I keep forgetting things will never be the same again.
I keep forgetting how you made that so clear.

Splendora//You're Standing on My Neck

After a hectic day of U-haul pickup trucking around and one last minute wedding venue peek, A. left this morning. Yeah, I’m bummed. But trying to make the best of it. Stay distracted. Be productive. All that fun stuff.

Last night, we started watching some old episodes of Daria. This show was always a favorite of mine and A. had never seen it. We watched the first two episodes in the first season. Daria starts Lawndale High! Daria gets invited to a popular party! Oh, the 90s of it all.

So, I thought in honor of my love of Daria and the (FINALLY!) recent release of the DVD box set, I’d highlight the fantastic Splendora theme song for you today.

I remember looking up Splendora a few years ago during another Daria downloading craze. I didn’t love their other songs, but this one is a real gem. I don’t know much about the band, except that they’re from NYC and that one of their members was also in this band.

In closing, ha ha.



You’re Standing On My Neck.mp3

Excuse me, you’re standing on my neck.

***
PS: if anybody wants to buy this for me, I would definitely accept it.

Blue Sky Black Death//Carl Sagan

She blinded me with science: Monday Mail
What is Monday Mail?

This song is named from much beloved scientist and planetary documentarian Carl Sagan.

Elliot from Sneak Attack says:

Blue Sky Black Death is a production duo made up of Ian Taggart and Kingston Maguire. The two are best known for their brand of orchestral Hip-Hop instrumentals and shoegaze influenced production which has been the backdrop for many vocalists - including members of Wu Tang Clan, Hieroglyphics, Jedi Mind Tricks and Non Phixion, among others.

After a successful debut on Mush Records, BSBD produced collaborations with rappers Hell Razah and Holocaust and produced an entire album for underground female rapper Jean Grae.

Their new album, Third Party melds synth-pop, indie rock and BSBD's own take on shoegaze backed by the oddly moving vocals of indie-pop songwriter Alexander Chen (of Boy in Static).

In my book, a song that’s actually reminiscent of the personality for whom the song is named gets serious extra points.



Carl Sagan.mp3

I’m not in pictures that your parents took.