With the turkey scraps barely cleaned from the plates, the Christmas music is already chiming in. As an adult sharing the joys of these tunes with my children, I'm listening to them with a bit more scrutiny and realizing just how bazaar some of these songs are.
In the midst of old and new holiday songs on the radio yesterday, along came "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa" performed by Andy Williams. What a ridiculous song! The song is told from the perspective of a child who stumbles upon his mommy kissing Santa. And at the sight of this, he finds pleasure and amusement. He even muses at the notion of "what a hoot it would have been, if Daddy had only seen." What? I don't know what kind of liberal family this is, but "hoot" is hardly the term that comes to mind when think of my father walking in on mom and another man smooching. I'm pretty sure that "hoot" is not the word that would be used in the police report either.
And then there is "The 12 days of Christmas." The last time I heard there was only one day of Christmas. And this true love person has a twisted sense of what would be an appropriate gift.
12 drummers drumming? OK.
11 pipers piping? OK.
10 lords a leaping? WTF?
9 ladies dancing? I like where this is going.
8 maids a milking? Woah, woah woah. What kind of kinky freak are we dealing with?
7 swans a swimming? Aren't swans extremely aggressive?
6 geese a laying? Um, eggs are good I guess and I like birds.
5 golden rings? 5? 5 rings? Who did you rob?
4 calling birds? More birds?
3 french hens? I know that I said I like birds once, but isn't this a little overboard?
2 turtle doves? Enough with the birds!
1 partridge in a pear tree? At least it's a place to put all the birds. That's a whole lot of poop to clean off those pears, though.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
SOTD - Low - Breaker
Low are the ultimate punk band. Not in sound, but in theory. The idea of punk is to push what is expected and challenge listeners to open their minds to perceiving music in new ways. When Low formed in the 90's, there were a number of bands imitating the the sound of the original punk movement. Copying the fast tree chord rock song was very punk in the late 70's when the status quo was ostentatious rock epics, disco, and wimpy ballads. The grit and energy was original and new. Twenty years later, not so much.
Anyway, Low took the spirit of of punk and and pushing against the flow. When fast and loud and dumb were the big thing, they decided to form a band that would be slow, quiet, and smart. There songs were dead slow and painfully soft and haunting. Repeated listens would reveal the beauty of the simple harmonies and human imperfections.
Their sound developed and changed over time, but the impact has been constant. In 2007 they released Drums and Guns with the song Breaker on it. The organ hums and the track is carried by a simple hand clap, but then the lyrics are violent and even scary. the song is so provocative in its ability to take your mind all sorts of places. Then there is the video... This is one of the few videos that actually adds to the artistic impact of a song. Like Low themselves, the video is simple and straight forward, but the video creates such a level of unease that perfectly suits the song despite the fact that the content has nothing to do with the lyrics.
Breaker
Their Christmas album is one of my favorites as well. The time to bust it out is near.
Anyway, Low took the spirit of of punk and and pushing against the flow. When fast and loud and dumb were the big thing, they decided to form a band that would be slow, quiet, and smart. There songs were dead slow and painfully soft and haunting. Repeated listens would reveal the beauty of the simple harmonies and human imperfections.
Their sound developed and changed over time, but the impact has been constant. In 2007 they released Drums and Guns with the song Breaker on it. The organ hums and the track is carried by a simple hand clap, but then the lyrics are violent and even scary. the song is so provocative in its ability to take your mind all sorts of places. Then there is the video... This is one of the few videos that actually adds to the artistic impact of a song. Like Low themselves, the video is simple and straight forward, but the video creates such a level of unease that perfectly suits the song despite the fact that the content has nothing to do with the lyrics.
Breaker
Their Christmas album is one of my favorites as well. The time to bust it out is near.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Dreamology
October 28th came and delivered the two albums that I have been anxiously waiting for over the past month. I have been a huge follower and supporter of the careers of The Cure and Ryan Adams over the years.
Each time anew album is presented by these artists, it is met with the same enthusiasm on my part. Thus, I waited until I had some time to absorb them and get over the initial excitement before I chose to write about these two albums. I have been listening to both ferociously and I still can’t get enough. Neither disappoints.
Cardinology is a laid back Cardinal effort. It is akin to Cold Roses in its kind of Grateful Dead feel. It is an album that isn’t afraid to blend aspects from numerous influences in subtle ways. Every song has its hook that sticks in your head and many of them build to triumphant endings. The band sounds so natural and intimate with how the guys play together and blend their instruments and voices. It is a complex album that feels quant. It is just fantastic.
4:13 Dream is the best Cure album since Wish. Dropping Roger O’Donnell and Perry Bammont for the return of Porl Thompson was the best career move that they have made, possibly ever. The three albums that they recorded after Porl’s departure didn’t hold up to the work that they had done with Porl. These felt a little phoned in. The songs were there, but the performances lacked energy. Porl’s return brought not only his fiery guitar squalls, but also a passion in Robert Smith’s performance. The songs are familiarly Cure songs without sounding like repeating songs that they have already written. It is complex and grand. Fantastic also.
Strengths in common:
Production! Both albums present a variety of types of songs, but there is a tone and texture established on each that tie all of the songs together to collectively form a bigger movement that is the album as a whole. This is something that both artists have struggled with trying to achieve on many of their albums. Cardinology achieves it through a stripped down, live in studio feel. 4:13 Dream achieves it through dense production and layering. The latest Cure album feels like a Wish or Disintegration era album.
Weaknesses in common:
Terrible album names and artwork. Cardinology is just a cheesy title, especially for an album by a group named the Cardinals. 4:13 Dream tries to be profound in its reference to the recently scaled back band of 4 members making their 13th album, but it is not very artistic. As for the artwork… well, take a look.
Each time anew album is presented by these artists, it is met with the same enthusiasm on my part. Thus, I waited until I had some time to absorb them and get over the initial excitement before I chose to write about these two albums. I have been listening to both ferociously and I still can’t get enough. Neither disappoints.
Cardinology is a laid back Cardinal effort. It is akin to Cold Roses in its kind of Grateful Dead feel. It is an album that isn’t afraid to blend aspects from numerous influences in subtle ways. Every song has its hook that sticks in your head and many of them build to triumphant endings. The band sounds so natural and intimate with how the guys play together and blend their instruments and voices. It is a complex album that feels quant. It is just fantastic.
4:13 Dream is the best Cure album since Wish. Dropping Roger O’Donnell and Perry Bammont for the return of Porl Thompson was the best career move that they have made, possibly ever. The three albums that they recorded after Porl’s departure didn’t hold up to the work that they had done with Porl. These felt a little phoned in. The songs were there, but the performances lacked energy. Porl’s return brought not only his fiery guitar squalls, but also a passion in Robert Smith’s performance. The songs are familiarly Cure songs without sounding like repeating songs that they have already written. It is complex and grand. Fantastic also.
Strengths in common:
Production! Both albums present a variety of types of songs, but there is a tone and texture established on each that tie all of the songs together to collectively form a bigger movement that is the album as a whole. This is something that both artists have struggled with trying to achieve on many of their albums. Cardinology achieves it through a stripped down, live in studio feel. 4:13 Dream achieves it through dense production and layering. The latest Cure album feels like a Wish or Disintegration era album.
Weaknesses in common:
Terrible album names and artwork. Cardinology is just a cheesy title, especially for an album by a group named the Cardinals. 4:13 Dream tries to be profound in its reference to the recently scaled back band of 4 members making their 13th album, but it is not very artistic. As for the artwork… well, take a look.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
iLove the internet
I have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of two albums set to drop by two of my favorite artists (on the same day none the less): Ryan Adams and The Cardinals as well as The Cure. Come October 28, don't call the Vesneski house because we won't be answering. In the meantime I have been treated to numerous live recordings featuring the new songs. On top of that, The Cure played a show in Rome that featured the entire new album in order and filmed it. The entire thing is up on youtube as well as various other trading sites. Now Ryan has posted the entire new album on iLike. They both sound great. Then again, they would to me.
Check them out!
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Dead Can Dance - Toward The Within
Dead Can Dance - Toward The Within is one those albums that has been a stronghold on that list of albums to bring if stranded on a desert island. This live album is kind of like a best of (minus a few classics). The tracks are pretty evenly split between Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry songs. It is just such a beautiful album and the live versions of the songs capture a depth of sound that they never reached in the studio. They do a wonderful job blending world, ambient, goth, and ambient elements into their own sound. I have been listening to this quite a bit lately and just love it. There was a sister video released with the album that documented the same show. Here are a few of my favorites.
Rakim
Cantara
American Dreaming
Monday, October 6, 2008
... And The Other One
The other song that I just can’t get enough of will officially be released tomorrow as a digital single from iTunes and the likes. Ryan Adams and The Cardinals have been playing “Fix It” live quite a bit lately and it is classic Ryan Adams heartbreak rock.
Studio Version (cut)
The new Cure and Cardinals albums both land on October 28. Until then, the singles and bootlegs will have to do.
I absolutely love both of these bands and highly recommend either of them to anyone that loves music. They both make fantastic albums, but the real magic happens on stage. Any live recording of either of these groups comes highly regarded by yours truly. It's worth a visit to their fan sites.
http://www.ryanadamsarchive.com/? is a great spot for information and downloadable shows.
http://craigjparker.blogspot.com/ is like the bible for info on the Cure. They often put up links to cool live stuff as well. No torrents though :(.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
The Perfect Pop Song
The Ear Candy holding pattern persists. Life in Rutneski Land has been quite hectic with Carley working now and our mad scramble to make sure that we have battened down all of the hatches before the winter season is upon us. I may have been neglecting my Ear Candy duties in this time, but my time listening to music has not been compromised in the slightest.
There are two songs that I have just been in love with recently. Yes, if you know me, you can probably predict the artists. No surprises here.
Today I want to talk about The Perfect Boy by The Cure. It was the final of the four pre-album singles released this summer. I enjoy most everything that the Cure puts out, but there are some songs that just rise above. This song could easily go down as one of their best singles. Live version.
It is a perfect pop song. It’s catchy as hell. Robert is adept at capturing a moment in time as well as the euphorically gleeful sense of infatuation. Robert also loves to implore broad innuendos that run the risk of being too vague or directionless. Not so here. All the references, but one are obtuse; yet narrow enough to make their sentiments clear. (Your take on the “Laurel Kismet Hardy” line is as good as mine)
In the first verse he takes on the voice of the female hopeless romantic. Her sentiments are unapologetically optimistic and deliberately naïve. “Oh Girl, He Is The Perfect Boy.”
The second verse takes on the voice of the male that is less idealistic and plays off of the female’s confessions with just enough of a tweak to the language to turn her forever ideals into his for-now seductions. “Oh Girl, He’s Not So Wonderful.”
And in light of the dismissed romanticism our heroin sees us out with an unscathed and boundless hope of finding The Perfect Boy.
THE PERFECT BOY
“YOU AND ME ARE THE WORLD”
SHE SAID
“NOTHING ELSE IS REAL
THE TWO OF US IS ALL THERE IS
THE REST IS JUST A DREAM…
ALWAYS MEANT TO BE
I CAN FEEL IT
LIKE A DESTINY THING
WRITTEN IN THE STARS
INESCAPABLE FATE
Yeah IT’S OUT OF MY HANDS
FALLING INTO YOUR ARMS”
“AND I DON’T WANT TO GET INNOCENT
BUT I WOULD LOVE YOU TO TAKE MY TIME
WE'RE ON THE EDGE OF A BEAUTIFUL THING”
SHE SAID
“COME ON…
LET’S STAY HERE FOR A WHILE”
Oh GIRL!
HE IS THE ONE FOR SURE
Oh GIRL!
HE IS THE PERFECT BOY
“Yeah ME AND YOU ARE A WORLD”
HE SAID
“BUT NOT THE ONLY ONE I NEED
THE TWO OF US IS NEVER ALL THERE IS
THAT DOESN’T HAPPEN FOR REAL
IF IT WAS MEANT TO BE US
IT WAS MEANT TO BE NOW
DON’T SEE THE SENSE IN WASTING TIME
IF YOU’RE SO SURE ABOUT THIS
LAUREL KISMET HARDY THING
YOU KNOW TONIGHT YOU’RE MINE”
“AND I DON’T WANT TO GET OBVIOUS
BUT I HAVE TO BE GONE BY THREE
WERE ON THE EDGE OF A BEAUTIFUL THING”
HE SAID
“SO COME ON…
JUMP WITH ME”
Oh GIRL!
HE’S NOT THE ONE FOR SURE
Oh GIRL!
HE’S NOT SO WONDERFUL
Oh GIRL!
HE’S NOT THE ONE FOR SURE
Oh GIRL!
HE’S NOT THE PERFECT BOY AT ALL
“YOU AND ME ARE THE WORLD”
SHE SAYS
“NOTHING ELSE IS REAL
THE TWO OF US IS ALL THERE IS
THE REST IS JUST A DREAM… ”
AND HER HEART MAY BE BROKEN
A HUNDRED TIMES
BUT THE HURT WILL NEVER DESTROY
HER HOPE…
THE HAPPY EVER AFTER GIRL
ONE DAY FINDS THE PERFECT BOY
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