For the fourth year in a row, I've gotten more specific than any other publication, narrowing down the best musical moments of the year to chords, lyrics, melodies and drum fills.
Together, they make the Best Song of 2008. Suck one, Girl Talk. Zipped Originals.
Human Highway - "The Sound", 0:00 - 0:28
Islands - "The Arm", 0:35 - 0:54
Nick Thorburn (Islands, Human Highway, formerly Unicorns) was certainly productive this year, but perhaps that was to his bands' detriment. Ultimately, the HH and Islands' albums turned out mediocre, but had exciting starts with these opening tracks. "The Sound" is immediate, infectious pop. Starting with lonely palm muted guitars and hand claps, then filling in voice, and, finally, kicking in a groove. "The Arm" opens with atmosphere, before the scream lets the guitar line out of its cage, along with some perfect violin callbacks. (FunNote: this riff makes a neat ring tone!)
Why? - "The Hollows", 1:48 - 2:10
It was difficult to find just one moment from my favorite album of 2008, Alopecia, to highlight, but these lyrics pretty much sum up what Why? is all about. Yoni Wolf does not write in generalities. He's sarcastic, he's got a great band behind him and, even though this is hip-hop, he always puts melody first.
The Gaslight Anthem - "The '59 Sound", 2:28 - 2:38
This isn't my favorite Gaslight Anthem song off their great album of the same name. But it marked a comeback in my musical life ...when I decided that I could start listening to punk music again. Because it's fun. Because it's big and loud. Because it doesn't make me think too much.
TV on the Radio - "DLZ", 2:22 - 2:44
So much 'tude. So much cool. How rad would it be to take a class from this "Death Professor" fellow???
Marnie Stern - "The Crippled Jazzer", 0:00 - 0:29
The coolest guitar playing of the year is all over Marnie Stern's album, but this is my favorite bit. The tapping freakout is great, but when she shifts into that anthemic riff (with drum help from Hella's Zach Hill), I feel like I could wrestle a bear.
The Mountain Goats - "Lovecraft in Brooklyn", 2:15 - 2:28
Whenever John Darnielle wants to really belt it out, I will be there. Whenever John Darnielle wants to show that he is completely vulnerable and a total badass in one line, I will be there.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy - "You Want that Picture", 0:53 - 1:11
To not use Will Oldham's voice as my best moment from Lie in the Light could be a controversial move if anyone actually wanted to argue about this list with me. But, no one will. I like the idea that relationship problems are temporary, and everything will be "alright" when you perish.
Fleet Foxes - "Your Protector", 0:54 - 1:15
This movement always transports me directly to a magical forest, and, yes, I am on mushrooms.
Weezer - "The Greatest Man That Ever Lived", 3:33 - 4:06
You could write a thesis paper on the failure of this song and the 10 disparate sections that lack any cohesion whatsoever, but that doesn't mean this melody isn't Weezer's most Weezer in 10 years. For that, I love it. And then right after this part, it's back to the suck. Rivers decides to inflict another spoken-word monologue on the follies of fame. Choice line: "Someone once said, 'All the world's a stage.'" Yeah, Riv. Someone totally did said that.
Native Korean Rock - "OOO", 0:03 - 0:36
Karen O sounds so fucking sexy here it's unreal.
Les Phoques - "Zenith", 4:24 - 4:58
Friend and songwriter Ben Turner finds just the right words. I can't think of a phrase that better reflects seriously crushing on someone than, "let's find a bar or let's find that dance floor," while "gyrate" and "freak" become the sweetest, most heartfelt verbs in the English language.
Mt. Eerie - "A Sentimental Song", 1:43 - 2:05
Using artist David Shrigley's words as lyrics, Phil Elverum finds the right balance between silly and somber. I, for one, trust the tone.
Air France - "Collapsing at Your Doorstep", 3:53 - 4:34
The best outro of the year samples voices from old children's television shows. "Sorta like a dream, isn't it?"
2007 List
2006 List
2005 List
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Karen OMFG!
Took in a show Monday night from Native Korean Rock and the Fishnets, the recently announced side-project from Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Billed as "a body of love songs written over the last two years," the "short and sweet" (Ms. O's words, but I concur) set was beautiful, both musically and aesthetically. While the stage and players were decked out nautically, the music was sincere, delicate folk songs - at times sing-song and simple, at others startlingly avant-garde.Several times during the set I felt like I was experiencing something unique and magical, as Karen's Cheshire Cat smile exposed that she was simultaneously nervous and overjoyed about wearing these songs on her sleeve for the first time.
I hope she found the reception warm enough to continue this project of hers, and perform again very soon. At the most, Native Korean Rock will be a huge success, on par with (or surpassing) Cat Power, Feist and Joanna Newsom in the current crop of great female singer-songwriters. At the very least, it was an announcement for me that Karen O had a lot more talent and, dare I say, heart than I had ever given her credit for.Native Korean Rock - OOO
Here's a couple decent YouTube vids from the show:
And, bizarrely, here is a cover of a Native Korean Rock song that was recorded last November:
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
The Superest Tuesday Ever!
NEW YORK, NY - Calling him a "beacon of hope", "the only candidate who is looking to make real changes" and a "relief of our collective white guilt", the influential pop-culture blog Scattershot has endorsed Democratic nominee Barack Obama for President.
Scattershot had also met with fellow Presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton in the last week but thought she seemed "too willing to bend her ideas for mass appeal", "a poor general election candidate against John McCain" and "a little dike-y."
Get out and vote friends!
Friday, February 01, 2008
Joanna Newsom at BAM - Concert Review
With the drama endured, and my own tickets ensured, it was finally time to take in a show: the first night of Joanna Newsom's two-night stint at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, accompanied by the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra.
I arrived to find that my tickets in the third row of the Orchestra were indeed fantastic, but, since they were stage left, offered a less than full view of Newsom on her enormous harp. Leaning to the right, practically on the shoulder of my neighbor, I had a 3/4 view of her face. Luckily, there were plenty of other people to watch.
An orchestra of 30 or so sat behind her, and two smartly dressed chaps sat to her left and right, close to the front of the stage. One switched between banjo and something similar to a mandolin, the other handled drums and backup vocals.
The first Act of the night was Ys in order, in its entirety. "Emily" has never sounded better, and toward the climax of the song I found myself smiling broadly, audibly gasping, as delirious as a child on Christmas morning (0r a Jewish kid on the first night of Yom Kippur).
"Monkey and Bear" was catchy as all-hell. "Sawdust and Diamonds", performed solo and showcasing Newsom's deft digits, was perfect, although it was rather odd to see the entire orchestra sitting on their hands for 10 minutes.
"Only Skin" and "Cosmia" are my two favorite tracks off Ys, and, of course, they didn't disappoint with such a force lifting them up. "Only Skin" will never sound as good without Bill Callahan's dark baritone backing the climax, but the live drums certainly add a tremendous bass. "Cosmia" didn't hit move into its sharp chorus as gracefully and cleanly as it does on the album, but it was still a beautiful closing to the first half, with added instrumentation making it that more intricate.
Completely blown away, I needed fresh air. As I walked out, I spotted a row of SNL members that included Andy Samberg, Amy Poehler and Seth Myers.
The second half was more casual, more fun and equally stupefying. Full band versions of "The Book of Right On", "Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie" and "Peach, Plum, Pear" were highlights, but the relatively new "Colleen" was the standout track. Also a standout? Newsom's outrageously short pink dress that made her look like some kind of angelic gypsy Barbie. There was also an awkward 3-minute Obama endorsement disguised as band banter that didn't seem to sway much of the audience. (Perhaps Park Slope is Clinton country?)
The second-standing ovation of the night drew Newsom and friend Kevin Barker for a short encore that didn't fully pacify me, but it would be greedy to ask for more than she had already given me during the evening.
In short, this was the best musical performance I have ever seen. The venue, the seats, the orchestra, the artist. My friend Derekh, who accompanied me to the concert, called it "transcendent." That's about right.
Photo courtesy of Kyle Dean Reinford, who I found on Flickr
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Overread and Understood #2
Book: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Train: L
Spot: Between Lorimer and Union Square
Time: 2:00 p.m.
(Spoilers ahead, obviously)
I couldn't believe my luck. I had sat down right next to a man who was not only reading my 2nd favorite Harry Potter book, but reading the last few foreboding, bad-ass pages of it. And he was holding the book pretty low, meaning I could read it without being caught.
As I looked down at the jacket-less novel (was he embarrassed to be reading this?), I could recall running the full spectrum of emotion in these final pages, knowing I would have to wait at least two years before I would read any new HP.
Harry plays the hero and lets his dame (Ginny) know that it's about to get down-right dangerous up in here, and he can't risk her life in the same way he risks his own. Plus, Ginny was getting a bit too "clingy" for his freewheelin' ways, and maybe he wants to dip his wand in a few more cauldrons before settling down.
In a chapter called "The White Tomb", things are obviously going to get a little sad, though. And I knew the exact passage that did it for me, the one that might make me tear up right now in this train full of hipsters.
Scrimgeour takes Harry aside and asks for his help again. The Ministry needs him, he says. Harry doesn't have to consider. He repeats his earlier declaration of loyalty for his fallen teacher, that he's "Dumbledore's man, through and through."
The book owner, in his late 20s, reaches up to briefly wipe his eye. Is it an itch? Is breaking down and balling in the subway not an option for this man's man? Is he trying to be brave like Harry?
We finished the book and he closed it. I wanted to speak to him and find out where he stands on Snape. Find out where he stands on everything.
But, alas, this was my stop and I was already three hours late to work.
Train: L
Spot: Between Lorimer and Union Square
Time: 2:00 p.m.
(Spoilers ahead, obviously)
I couldn't believe my luck. I had sat down right next to a man who was not only reading my 2nd favorite Harry Potter book, but reading the last few foreboding, bad-ass pages of it. And he was holding the book pretty low, meaning I could read it without being caught.
As I looked down at the jacket-less novel (was he embarrassed to be reading this?), I could recall running the full spectrum of emotion in these final pages, knowing I would have to wait at least two years before I would read any new HP.
Harry plays the hero and lets his dame (Ginny) know that it's about to get down-right dangerous up in here, and he can't risk her life in the same way he risks his own. Plus, Ginny was getting a bit too "clingy" for his freewheelin' ways, and maybe he wants to dip his wand in a few more cauldrons before settling down.
In a chapter called "The White Tomb", things are obviously going to get a little sad, though. And I knew the exact passage that did it for me, the one that might make me tear up right now in this train full of hipsters.
Scrimgeour takes Harry aside and asks for his help again. The Ministry needs him, he says. Harry doesn't have to consider. He repeats his earlier declaration of loyalty for his fallen teacher, that he's "Dumbledore's man, through and through."
The book owner, in his late 20s, reaches up to briefly wipe his eye. Is it an itch? Is breaking down and balling in the subway not an option for this man's man? Is he trying to be brave like Harry?
We finished the book and he closed it. I wanted to speak to him and find out where he stands on Snape. Find out where he stands on everything.
But, alas, this was my stop and I was already three hours late to work.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Overread and Understood - Literature Reviews from the NYC Subway #1
This is the first in an ongoing series where I will read what other people are reading on the subway and then write up a short review based on my assumptions.
Book: Las Cincos Personas Que Encontras En El Cielo/The Five People You Meet in Heaven (Spanish Language) by Mitch Albom
Train: F
Spot: Between 50th and 57th St.
Time: 7:30 PM
My grip on the Spanish language is loosening by the day. I took four years of advanced Spanish in high school and a semester in college, so right after that I thought I could hold my own. I wasn’t very comfortable with native speakers, but I had a decent vocabulary and could conjugate verbs like no one’s business. And my choice of “Por” or “Para” was also spot on.
Since that last college course, I’ve used Spanish only sparingly, usually in desperate Mexican food ordering situations. Coincidentally, my Spanish has steadily deteriorated at the same time.
But I can still read it well enough to get by, or so I thought.
I sat down next to the plump woman and casually glanced over her shoulder. The train was crowded on a Friday night. Although I didn’t see the the cover, I saw the name Mitch Albom at the top of the page and the Spanish language title on the opposite page. If I didn't understand the title immediately, the Albom name helped me along. I thought about how this text was definitely bullshit in any language and wished she were reading something better.
I didn’t understand as much as I thought I would. My Spanish desperately needs a refresher course. Or maybe I was just nervous since this was my first Overread, and I was glancing more than concentrating on reading.
I did pick up on a character named “Eddie"; apparently, the names are all still in English. I thought about how easy it would have been to change it to “Eduardo,” and found this choice discouraging, if not offensive. Are the publishers claiming Christianity for the white man? Or is Albom such a man of artistic principle that he could not bear to change his original vision of the “Eddie” character?
After a half-page of gibberish, the woman started waving the book around like a fan and making eyes in my general direction. Good thing it was time to get off the train.
Book: Las Cincos Personas Que Encontras En El Cielo/The Five People You Meet in Heaven (Spanish Language) by Mitch Albom
Train: F
Spot: Between 50th and 57th St.
Time: 7:30 PM
My grip on the Spanish language is loosening by the day. I took four years of advanced Spanish in high school and a semester in college, so right after that I thought I could hold my own. I wasn’t very comfortable with native speakers, but I had a decent vocabulary and could conjugate verbs like no one’s business. And my choice of “Por” or “Para” was also spot on.
Since that last college course, I’ve used Spanish only sparingly, usually in desperate Mexican food ordering situations. Coincidentally, my Spanish has steadily deteriorated at the same time.
But I can still read it well enough to get by, or so I thought.
I sat down next to the plump woman and casually glanced over her shoulder. The train was crowded on a Friday night. Although I didn’t see the the cover, I saw the name Mitch Albom at the top of the page and the Spanish language title on the opposite page. If I didn't understand the title immediately, the Albom name helped me along. I thought about how this text was definitely bullshit in any language and wished she were reading something better.
I didn’t understand as much as I thought I would. My Spanish desperately needs a refresher course. Or maybe I was just nervous since this was my first Overread, and I was glancing more than concentrating on reading.
I did pick up on a character named “Eddie"; apparently, the names are all still in English. I thought about how easy it would have been to change it to “Eduardo,” and found this choice discouraging, if not offensive. Are the publishers claiming Christianity for the white man? Or is Albom such a man of artistic principle that he could not bear to change his original vision of the “Eddie” character?
After a half-page of gibberish, the woman started waving the book around like a fan and making eyes in my general direction. Good thing it was time to get off the train.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Gladiators Ready!
A little over a week ago I put two tickets to a Joanna Newsom show up for sale on Craigslist. I wanted to go to the show, but couldn't believe how much people were willing to pay for the tickets. Mine were in the middle of the 2nd Row, the best I had seen available, and I couldn't pass up such a payoff on my $55 a ticket investment.
I put up an ad (Exhibit A, below) asking $500, or best offer. I ended up getting $450 on Tuesday. The real fun came Thursday morning though, when an irate email (Exhibit B) showed up in my inbox. Since I, by nature, cannot blindly accept criticism of my person, an email battle followed.
Exhibit A:
Joanna Newsom at BAM - Row 2 Orchestra, 2 Tickets - $500
Reply to: sale-XXXXXX@craigslist.org
Date: 2008-01-11, 4:32PM EST
I have two tickets I'm thinking about getting rid of for the Joanna Newsom show at Brooklyn Academy of Music on Feb. 1. The tickets are together in the middle of row BB, which is the second row. You will be unbelievably close.
$500 and they're yours, or you can make a different offer and they might be yours. Thanks.
Exhibit B:
From: Christopher R. (XXXXX@alum.Dartmouth.ORG)
Sent: Thu 1/17/08 8:38 AM
To: sale-XXXXXXX@craigslist.org
Unreal that you are trying to sell Joanna Newsom tickets for 500 bucks. How greedy are you? Why would you take such an absurd profit? Really cool, really in the spirit of appreciating art...
Exhibit C:
From: Nate Buchik
Sent: 1/17/08 10:22 AM
To: Christopher R.
Don't judge me. I really don't need to explain myself, because it's not my fault that people are willing to pay this much or more for these tickets, but I'm selling them because I need to pay rent in February. I wanted to go to the show, but the tickets aren't worth 500 bucks to me. They were to someone else. Sold.
If these were Paul McCartney tickets or tickets to the Super Bowl, you wouldn't care.
"Tickets? Anyone need tickets?"
Nate
Exhibit D:
From: Christopher R.
Sent: Thu 1/17/08 3:28 PM
To: Nate Buchik
But you don't get it.
People arent "willing to pay this" they are forced to by people like you. You buy tickets, then realize that people who really want to go will do whatever it takes to see them. Imagine if everyone were like you. We'd be in pretty bad shape. There are other ways to get money for rent. Dont you agree that its wrong? Its fine if you dont care, just admit that its not a good thing to do - for the artist, fans, or general attitude towards events like this.
Exhibit E:
From: Nate Buchik
Sent: Thu 1/17/08 4:57 PM
To: Christopher R.
I misspoke when I said people were "willing to pay this." I should have explained the tickets are "worth this." And the reason the tickets are worth so much is the proximity to the stage. You see, there's a high "demand" to be close to the stage, and the "supply" of tickets in the first few rows is low. Have you taken Economics? What do they teach at Dartmouth these days? Only Marxist Economics?
If I were to choose to sell the tickets at normal price, how would I decide who to sell them to? Ask people to prove who "deserves" them and "loves" Joanna the most? Please. ("Puleeeeazz") In fact, I had more than 20 people asking to buy them for $300.
I'll try to explain this in a less conceptual way. People are absurdly rich around these parts and they don't like to wake up early (10 a.m.) to buy tickets. But they don't mind paying someone else to do it. It's sort of like I'm their humble servant. And yes, they pay me a decent wage. Remember, there are plenty of tickets available at lower prices for worse seats. Some people are just desperate to be close. To have the "best" seats. Maybe they're the biggest fans or maybe they're just wealthy and feel entitled to the best and like to prove it with money. Who knows?
"If everyone was like me we'd be in pretty bad shape"? That's pretty harsh, man. I'm a really nice dude. As for whether this is a bad thing to do for "the artist, fans, or general attitude", I would say that a fan who really wanted to see the artist can now go to the show. Good for both parties. General attitude? Obviously, you're upset, but I'm super happy so it evens out.
I'm sorry I couldn't give you the tickets, Chris. But there is good news. I bought four more tickets up super close to the second show that was added, and I'm going to sell two of them and keep two for me and a friend. Feel free to shoot me an offer. Or maybe we can become friends and I'll take you! But I'd like an apology first.
Nate
Exhibit F:
From: Christopher R.
Sent: Fri 1/18/08 6:22 AM
To: Nate Buchik
Hey, yea I agree with you on a lot of points. And sorry for coming off harsh, I think I was just pissed that scalping exists in the first place. I understand that its simple supply and demand, and you may have even gotten more. But thats just the reason I was pissed in the first place. Its because at that point its kind of unfair. "Regular" people cant afford them at that point. What if the artist started charging more. She would lose some fans, but people would still go.
Anyways, I apologize for coming off harsh, didnt mean to be an asshole. Just shocked when I saw the 500 bucks. Thanks for the offer, but I actually got 2 tickets for thursday nights show.
Its an interesting discussion though I think.
Have a good one,
Chris
Exhibit G:
From: Nate Buchik
Sent: Fri 1/18/08 2:22 PM
To: Christopher R.
It's certainly an interesting discussion. I don't intend to make it a habit of profiting on the artistic abilities of others. Especially ones I respect as much as Joanna. I understand the frustration of ticket prices getting out of hand, but I just couldn't afford to keep something so valuable.
Thanks for the apology, I'll buy you a beer after the show with my newfound wealth.
Nate
I put up an ad (Exhibit A, below) asking $500, or best offer. I ended up getting $450 on Tuesday. The real fun came Thursday morning though, when an irate email (Exhibit B) showed up in my inbox. Since I, by nature, cannot blindly accept criticism of my person, an email battle followed.
Exhibit A:
Joanna Newsom at BAM - Row 2 Orchestra, 2 Tickets - $500
Reply to: sale-XXXXXX@craigslist.org
Date: 2008-01-11, 4:32PM EST
I have two tickets I'm thinking about getting rid of for the Joanna Newsom show at Brooklyn Academy of Music on Feb. 1. The tickets are together in the middle of row BB, which is the second row. You will be unbelievably close.
$500 and they're yours, or you can make a different offer and they might be yours. Thanks.
Exhibit B:
From: Christopher R. (XXXXX@alum.Dartmouth.ORG)
Sent: Thu 1/17/08 8:38 AM
To: sale-XXXXXXX@craigslist.org
Unreal that you are trying to sell Joanna Newsom tickets for 500 bucks. How greedy are you? Why would you take such an absurd profit? Really cool, really in the spirit of appreciating art...
Exhibit C:
From: Nate Buchik
Sent: 1/17/08 10:22 AM
To: Christopher R.
Don't judge me. I really don't need to explain myself, because it's not my fault that people are willing to pay this much or more for these tickets, but I'm selling them because I need to pay rent in February. I wanted to go to the show, but the tickets aren't worth 500 bucks to me. They were to someone else. Sold.
If these were Paul McCartney tickets or tickets to the Super Bowl, you wouldn't care.
"Tickets? Anyone need tickets?"
Nate
From: Christopher R.
Sent: Thu 1/17/08 3:28 PM
To: Nate Buchik
But you don't get it.
People arent "willing to pay this" they are forced to by people like you. You buy tickets, then realize that people who really want to go will do whatever it takes to see them. Imagine if everyone were like you. We'd be in pretty bad shape. There are other ways to get money for rent. Dont you agree that its wrong? Its fine if you dont care, just admit that its not a good thing to do - for the artist, fans, or general attitude towards events like this.
Exhibit E:
From: Nate Buchik
Sent: Thu 1/17/08 4:57 PM
To: Christopher R.
I misspoke when I said people were "willing to pay this." I should have explained the tickets are "worth this." And the reason the tickets are worth so much is the proximity to the stage. You see, there's a high "demand" to be close to the stage, and the "supply" of tickets in the first few rows is low. Have you taken Economics? What do they teach at Dartmouth these days? Only Marxist Economics?
If I were to choose to sell the tickets at normal price, how would I decide who to sell them to? Ask people to prove who "deserves" them and "loves" Joanna the most? Please. ("Puleeeeazz") In fact, I had more than 20 people asking to buy them for $300.
I'll try to explain this in a less conceptual way. People are absurdly rich around these parts and they don't like to wake up early (10 a.m.) to buy tickets. But they don't mind paying someone else to do it. It's sort of like I'm their humble servant. And yes, they pay me a decent wage. Remember, there are plenty of tickets available at lower prices for worse seats. Some people are just desperate to be close. To have the "best" seats. Maybe they're the biggest fans or maybe they're just wealthy and feel entitled to the best and like to prove it with money. Who knows?
"If everyone was like me we'd be in pretty bad shape"? That's pretty harsh, man. I'm a really nice dude. As for whether this is a bad thing to do for "the artist, fans, or general attitude", I would say that a fan who really wanted to see the artist can now go to the show. Good for both parties. General attitude? Obviously, you're upset, but I'm super happy so it evens out.
I'm sorry I couldn't give you the tickets, Chris. But there is good news. I bought four more tickets up super close to the second show that was added, and I'm going to sell two of them and keep two for me and a friend. Feel free to shoot me an offer. Or maybe we can become friends and I'll take you! But I'd like an apology first.
Nate
Exhibit F:
From: Christopher R.
Sent: Fri 1/18/08 6:22 AM
To: Nate Buchik
Hey, yea I agree with you on a lot of points. And sorry for coming off harsh, I think I was just pissed that scalping exists in the first place. I understand that its simple supply and demand, and you may have even gotten more. But thats just the reason I was pissed in the first place. Its because at that point its kind of unfair. "Regular" people cant afford them at that point. What if the artist started charging more. She would lose some fans, but people would still go.
Anyways, I apologize for coming off harsh, didnt mean to be an asshole. Just shocked when I saw the 500 bucks. Thanks for the offer, but I actually got 2 tickets for thursday nights show.
Its an interesting discussion though I think.
Have a good one,
Chris
Exhibit G:
From: Nate Buchik
Sent: Fri 1/18/08 2:22 PM
To: Christopher R.
It's certainly an interesting discussion. I don't intend to make it a habit of profiting on the artistic abilities of others. Especially ones I respect as much as Joanna. I understand the frustration of ticket prices getting out of hand, but I just couldn't afford to keep something so valuable.
Thanks for the apology, I'll buy you a beer after the show with my newfound wealth.
Nate
Monday, January 14, 2008
Pumped-Up Artists
As I sat chomping a bowl of Frosted Mini Spooners and making the morning Web stops, my world came crashing down.
We've known that the NBA has referees for sale. Baseball is forever tainted. Even tennis is no longer pure, with Martina Hingis getting busted for cocaine.
But this? This headline was too much for even jaded ol' Nate to handle.
Extra! Extra!
"Report: Entertainers in Steroid Report"
Yes, it's funny that "Report' is used twice in the headline, but let's get past that. The real meat of this story is that Mary J. Blige, Wyclef Jean, 50 Cent, Timbaland and Tyler Perry may have received and used "performance-enhancing" drugs.
Take a second to let that sink in. "In Da Club" still feel legitimate to you?
If Timbaland's involved, does that mean we have to wonder about JT? Are we going to have to put an asterisk next to the Number 1 ranking for "My Love" on Pitchfork Media's Top 100 Tracks of 2006?
Can we laugh at Perry's "Madea" anymore, with the chance that his portrayal of a fat old woman was only convincing because he'd been popping estrogen?
And as for 50 Cent? It's refreshing to know that Kanye's name has never been associated with any of this junk, and he can still outsell 50 any day of the week.
Obviously Blige being a 'roider comes as no surprise, even though she's denied the allegations in song, but Wyclef always seemed like an honest guy.
In times like these, it's best to take a step back and remember there are good and honest celebrity entertainers out there. Apparently, the white ones. But more and more singers, dancers, comedy actors, film directors and socialites are bound to be named in this ongoing scandal.
There have already been whispers about Soulja Boy's "super-soaking" of Hos being tainted.
Damn, I have like 100 more jokes but this has to end some time.
We've known that the NBA has referees for sale. Baseball is forever tainted. Even tennis is no longer pure, with Martina Hingis getting busted for cocaine.
But this? This headline was too much for even jaded ol' Nate to handle.
Extra! Extra!
"Report: Entertainers in Steroid Report"
Yes, it's funny that "Report' is used twice in the headline, but let's get past that. The real meat of this story is that Mary J. Blige, Wyclef Jean, 50 Cent, Timbaland and Tyler Perry may have received and used "performance-enhancing" drugs.
Take a second to let that sink in. "In Da Club" still feel legitimate to you?
If Timbaland's involved, does that mean we have to wonder about JT? Are we going to have to put an asterisk next to the Number 1 ranking for "My Love" on Pitchfork Media's Top 100 Tracks of 2006?
Can we laugh at Perry's "Madea" anymore, with the chance that his portrayal of a fat old woman was only convincing because he'd been popping estrogen?
And as for 50 Cent? It's refreshing to know that Kanye's name has never been associated with any of this junk, and he can still outsell 50 any day of the week.
Obviously Blige being a 'roider comes as no surprise, even though she's denied the allegations in song, but Wyclef always seemed like an honest guy.
In times like these, it's best to take a step back and remember there are good and honest celebrity entertainers out there. Apparently, the white ones. But more and more singers, dancers, comedy actors, film directors and socialites are bound to be named in this ongoing scandal.
There have already been whispers about Soulja Boy's "super-soaking" of Hos being tainted.
Damn, I have like 100 more jokes but this has to end some time.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
2007's Best Moments in Song
Slightly more specific than other lists, but probably not all that different, here is my list of the 11 Best Moments in Song for the Year 2007.
Download the Best Song of 2007 and have a read.
The National - "Fake Empire", 0:00-0:31
I love the way the feedback meanders for a few seconds at the very top, seemingly searching for the right chords. Then, piano gallops in so confidently. Then, Matt Berninger, his voice deep as hell, throws out a couple lines about going out and getting wasted. At first, they don't seem remarkable. Nice pictures for sure, but nothing more. But you hear the song a few more times and you remember how your friends would spike their bottles of juice with vodka rather than buy drinks at the bar. And you realize that singing the phrase "super late" is "super" funny. There's some other great moments in this song, like when the horns kick in at 2:37 and the lonely piano notes contrast spurts of violent drumming from 1:29-1:43. But the beginning is perfect. A perfect start to my favorite album of 2007, and a perfect start to this list.
Of Montreal - "Cato As A Pun", 1:39-1:51
Hissing Fauna has plenty of good moments, but for some reason this line always sticks with me. It's clever. It's simple. It's true. "..don't say that I have changed, because, man, of course I have." What's so wrong with flip-flopping?
M.I.A. - "Paper Planes", 1:43-1:54
While the chorus might be the most memorable part of this song, I wish it was just four minutes of verse. Also, anyone who reads this must only speak to me in this cadence from now on.
David Vandervelde - "Nothin' No", 0:47-1:03
A little jamming and then – Bam! – right into the chorus. Fuck the verse! If it ain't as good, then why start the song with it? I never thought it was appropriate to use the phrase "drenched in reverb" until I heard this song. The young Vandervelde sounds ancient, like he's lived 50 or 60 grizzled years, when he cries, "Nothin', no, is gonna keep us apart."
Vampire Weekend - "Oxford Comma", 1:20-1:49
Two things.
1. The dramatic and yet seamless change from verse to chorus and back again. The drums start marching. Some keyboard notes get held. And then we're back, still in the groove we left 20 seconds earlier.
2. A lazy delivery that's only topped by Stephen Malkmus. If I start trailing off at the end of words, will I sound cooler? Or does it only work in song?
Andrew Bird - "Plasticities", 1:18-1:33
The change from verse to chorus isn't as smooth here. I'm gonna guess that this song was a cut and paste job. Bird wrote a great big fucking chorus and just attached it to whatever scrap of a verse he had lying around. Listening to the song takes patience because there's long stretches of boredom between choruses. But when it finally hits? I literally feel like I'm Aladdin, soaring on a magic carpet, looking down at the Sphinx, knowing I'm gonna get laid by a Princess later in the night.
The Weakerthans - "Virtue the Cat Explains Her Departure", 2:43-2:55
My love for the bridge of a song probably has something to do with Weezer. "Say It Ain't So", "The World Has Turned", "El Scorcho", "In The Garage", "Across the Sea". Ridiculously awesome bridges. This one? Pretty good. A long, meditative part leads into it, the drums get louder and he starts really belting. It's also noteworthy that this song is written from the perspective of a cat, and it's somehow not stupid.
Patrick Wolf - "Bluebells", 3:15-3:24
The idea to have these missile sounds lead into big drum explosions throughout this song would really piss me off if it was done by Conor Oberst. I'll be more jaded in a few years and it probably won't work for me anymore, like how the boy's sister couldn't hear the silver bell in "The Polar Express" when she got older. For now, I believe in Patrick Wolf. I believe the conviction with which he yells "Ringing!" and the ringing noise that comes after it.
Animal Collective - "Fireworks", 5:05-5:18
I could have done, "Fireworks, 0:00-6:50", but that would defeat the purpose of my list. This is my favorite section of the song, I suppose. The lyrics "lift you up" come right as the song lifts up, and Avey Tare's scream is frighteningly catchy.
Okkervil River - "John Allyn Smith Sails", 2:14-2:33
The transition to "Sloop John B", and, specifically, the recognition that this motherfucker Will Sheff is actually singing "Sloop John B", might have been my favorite musical experience of 2007. As if the lyric, "My friends, I'm gone," wasn't dramatic enough...
LCD Soundsystem - "All My Friends", 6:37-7:37
Not much to say about this that hasn't been said already. I'm certainly surprised that James Murphy penned my favorite line of last year, "When you're drunk and the kids look impossibly tan..." There are many obvious reasons to love the end of this song, but my personal reasons have much to do with that section of the music video being unfathomably exciting.
2005 List
2006 List
Download the Best Song of 2007 and have a read.
The National - "Fake Empire", 0:00-0:31
I love the way the feedback meanders for a few seconds at the very top, seemingly searching for the right chords. Then, piano gallops in so confidently. Then, Matt Berninger, his voice deep as hell, throws out a couple lines about going out and getting wasted. At first, they don't seem remarkable. Nice pictures for sure, but nothing more. But you hear the song a few more times and you remember how your friends would spike their bottles of juice with vodka rather than buy drinks at the bar. And you realize that singing the phrase "super late" is "super" funny. There's some other great moments in this song, like when the horns kick in at 2:37 and the lonely piano notes contrast spurts of violent drumming from 1:29-1:43. But the beginning is perfect. A perfect start to my favorite album of 2007, and a perfect start to this list.
Of Montreal - "Cato As A Pun", 1:39-1:51
Hissing Fauna has plenty of good moments, but for some reason this line always sticks with me. It's clever. It's simple. It's true. "..don't say that I have changed, because, man, of course I have." What's so wrong with flip-flopping?
M.I.A. - "Paper Planes", 1:43-1:54
While the chorus might be the most memorable part of this song, I wish it was just four minutes of verse. Also, anyone who reads this must only speak to me in this cadence from now on.
David Vandervelde - "Nothin' No", 0:47-1:03
A little jamming and then – Bam! – right into the chorus. Fuck the verse! If it ain't as good, then why start the song with it? I never thought it was appropriate to use the phrase "drenched in reverb" until I heard this song. The young Vandervelde sounds ancient, like he's lived 50 or 60 grizzled years, when he cries, "Nothin', no, is gonna keep us apart."
Vampire Weekend - "Oxford Comma", 1:20-1:49
Two things.
1. The dramatic and yet seamless change from verse to chorus and back again. The drums start marching. Some keyboard notes get held. And then we're back, still in the groove we left 20 seconds earlier.
2. A lazy delivery that's only topped by Stephen Malkmus. If I start trailing off at the end of words, will I sound cooler? Or does it only work in song?
Andrew Bird - "Plasticities", 1:18-1:33
The change from verse to chorus isn't as smooth here. I'm gonna guess that this song was a cut and paste job. Bird wrote a great big fucking chorus and just attached it to whatever scrap of a verse he had lying around. Listening to the song takes patience because there's long stretches of boredom between choruses. But when it finally hits? I literally feel like I'm Aladdin, soaring on a magic carpet, looking down at the Sphinx, knowing I'm gonna get laid by a Princess later in the night.
The Weakerthans - "Virtue the Cat Explains Her Departure", 2:43-2:55
My love for the bridge of a song probably has something to do with Weezer. "Say It Ain't So", "The World Has Turned", "El Scorcho", "In The Garage", "Across the Sea". Ridiculously awesome bridges. This one? Pretty good. A long, meditative part leads into it, the drums get louder and he starts really belting. It's also noteworthy that this song is written from the perspective of a cat, and it's somehow not stupid.
Patrick Wolf - "Bluebells", 3:15-3:24
The idea to have these missile sounds lead into big drum explosions throughout this song would really piss me off if it was done by Conor Oberst. I'll be more jaded in a few years and it probably won't work for me anymore, like how the boy's sister couldn't hear the silver bell in "The Polar Express" when she got older. For now, I believe in Patrick Wolf. I believe the conviction with which he yells "Ringing!" and the ringing noise that comes after it.
Animal Collective - "Fireworks", 5:05-5:18
I could have done, "Fireworks, 0:00-6:50", but that would defeat the purpose of my list. This is my favorite section of the song, I suppose. The lyrics "lift you up" come right as the song lifts up, and Avey Tare's scream is frighteningly catchy.
Okkervil River - "John Allyn Smith Sails", 2:14-2:33
The transition to "Sloop John B", and, specifically, the recognition that this motherfucker Will Sheff is actually singing "Sloop John B", might have been my favorite musical experience of 2007. As if the lyric, "My friends, I'm gone," wasn't dramatic enough...
LCD Soundsystem - "All My Friends", 6:37-7:37
Not much to say about this that hasn't been said already. I'm certainly surprised that James Murphy penned my favorite line of last year, "When you're drunk and the kids look impossibly tan..." There are many obvious reasons to love the end of this song, but my personal reasons have much to do with that section of the music video being unfathomably exciting.
2005 List
2006 List
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