What is She Singing?

Not the people in the video, my almost-3-year-old. She sings songs. They aren't always all the lyrics, but it's actually interesting.

A few weeks ago, she suprised me with singing "EDagger" from Lagwagon. That's my girl, excellent taste. But the Ting Tings? Catchy song, yes. But angry girl-pop? She should know better. I may not let her take guitar lessons just yet.

The Ting Tings "That's Not My Name."


Next on the dock, since it is Double Friday, is the current Alt-Rock starts Kings of Leon with "Use Somebody." The tune is pretty formulaic, yet cool. Nothing special or boundary pushing, more like what Blues Traveler would have been with talent.

Have a great Friday!
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The Breakup Song

"The Breakup Song (they don't write 'em like that)" from Greg Kihn's Rockihnroll.

Totally don't write them like this any more. That may be a good thing. Seriously, it doesn't really have an end, it just fades out. Hmmm... a metaphor for something in there...


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Love the Bass Line in This Song

Completely synthesized. Over engineered. Raw and angry alt-rock from the late 90s. Just the song to drive really fast late at night. Stabbing Westward's "What do I Have to Do" from the album Wither, Blister, Burn & Peel.


Their best album, I think they work at the bookstore now. I could have sworn I saw that dude last week.

It's a little warm tonight. Damned warm. I like it colder, where comforters and blankets help on cold nights. Cozy warmth, not sweaty warmth. Need to take a drive.
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Going on a Trip...

...Gonna search the world over, for a "EuroTrash Girl." Cracker, doing the best song for a wandering boy.

Plaintive and languid, meandering song. I have to wonder (since the original is over 8 minutes long), whether or not the songwriter just had a long thought and needed to complete it. Just like when a haiku won't fit in one 5-7-5 scheme, but needs more. Trust me on this.

This is a great song. I wish I were a stoner, I think I would enjoy the song a bit more. It really makes you think, at times, about what may be if you give into ennui and start meandering. Could you end up like the character in the song? Could you end up like me? Who made liquid soap and why?

In any case, it's an awesome song. Enjoy. I'm going to bed.

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On a Road to Nowhere?

Come on inside.

David Byrne does the track from the seminal Talking Head tune, "Road to Nowhere." Feels like a tune for a Monday.

Fun fact, the beginning verse was added by David Byrne due to the fact that he felt that there was not enough chord variation in the song.

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Get a Haircut!

Haircut 100s, singing their awesome tune Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl). Better than "Love Plus One" any day.


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I Want to Make...

... Violent Love to you! How could you not? What an awesome thing to say and do. I'm headin down for the count, so oh well.

Violent Love, by Zebrahead and the Matches. A tribute to Oingo Boingo. Not bad, as far as covers go.

"...Oh baby, you drive me wild..."
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Double Friday with Paramore!

What can I say, I'm a teenage emo chick. Guitar, drum, plaintive wail? Check, check, check.

Misery Business - Paramore


Crushcrushcrush - Paramore

Wait a sec, I didn't know they were in that damned "Twilight" movie. That sucks. They had such potential, too.

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Black Coffee in Bed

Love the song. One of my favorites. Quite the sentiment. Squeeze, off of the awesome East Side Story.

For everyone that loves coffee, there may be a better place to drink it than while hunched over your laptop at Starbucks. Live a little.

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Oh, How the Mood Can Turn...

There is something about an acoustic song. Even punk rock songs have a really ethereal quality when diluted down to a guitar and some vocals.

This is from the punk greats Bad Religion, singing the acoustic version of "Sorrow." Awesome.

Huh, I guess I need some sleep. Or more Red Bull.
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Life Ain't Bad

... It is free pastry day at Stabucks. So why not? "This is the Life" from Weird Al.

Fun thing to note, this is the theme song from the movie "Johnny Dangerously," one of the most underrated comedies ever.

Enjoy your Tuesday!
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A Slow Monday Start

I felt like I was in the mood for this song this morning. Don't know why, but I wanted to hear some plaintive guitar, and twangy harmony. Kid Rock and Cheryl Crow doing "Picture" fit the bill quite nicely.

Classic American Rock and Roll. Riffs that could have been taken from any Eagles tune, baseball hats in the video, cocaine and whiskey in the lyrics. Could be played at any dive bar, drawing a tear from the barflys present.

Great song. Makes me feel good. Guess I needed this on a Monday.

Enjoy your week, kids.
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Sunday Afternoon Post

...Sadly, the song is "Sunday Morning" by No Doubt. Apologies, I was immersed in WoW.

Excellent tune for a sunny Sunday. All Sundays should be this much fun.

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Deep Underground...

...The Velvet Underground! "Sunday Morning." Kinda apt for this Saturday.

There was a great exhibit at the Young in S.F. Kinda bummed that there isn't the same expanse of exhibits here, Maddy would enjoy it. Was thinking of it today, and started listening to a lot of VU tunes while WoW-ing. Made for a fun morning.

Have a great weekend!

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Double Friday, Same Song?

Rick Astley. Rick Rolled. Riiick.

"Never Gonna Give You Up," Never gonna learn to dance...


"Together Forever"

See? They're both the same song! Essentially, he is the Kansas of Pop music.

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WTF, another cover?

Ok, some of you have been complaining that I have had a little too many covers on here. That's pretty sad. Why is that?

Ok, so you like a particular song. It's awesome, and it takes you back to a specific place in time in your life. Do you want to relive it over and over again?
That's sad.
Take the memory. Let's say it was your first kiss with your first crush. She was cute, and smiling. The day was perfect. Every bit etched in your mind forever.

Replay the memory. Kiss and crush. This time, you may be in another place, your breath doesn't smell the way you remember, and your braces don't get caught this time. Different memory, but it makes you smile. Different, but still totally cool.

Covers are this way. A different take on your favorite song. Seriously, do they play the song the exact same way when you see a band live? No. Actually, I take that back, The Cars are the exception to this rule. Well, The Cars and Ashley Simpson.

So, covers. Love them or hate them. If you never heard the original, you may actually like the cover. Blows your mind. In any case, get off my jock. I like covers. I play covers. We all do, wehether you like it or not. 99.99% of all music in any given moment has already been done.

Huh. So what am I pushing out today? I didn't think about it. Not given much thought. How about a song that's been around for about 50+ years (originally by The Drifters), covered by 35+ different people? Here's Michael Buble with "Save the Last Dance for Me."

I cheated.
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I wanted a Huey song...

"Walking on a Thin Line" won out.

In the 80s, Huey Lewis and the News were Gods that walked. Sports was a #1 album with 3 #1 tunes, 5 top ten tracks. Seriously, wailing guitar, 4/4 drumbeat, cool lyrics and thin ties ruled the day. I so wish I could have feathered my hair back then.

Aaaah, the folly of youth. Some things are still awesome. This is a great song, have a listen.

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Miles to Go...

...Miles Davis. "Blue in Green."

It's going to be a hectic day, so I thought to slow things down a bit. Enjoy the non-frenetic pace. The trumpet work is really nice, crisp without being sharp. Hard to do with a muted trumpet, but then again, it's Miles-Freaking-Davis.

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A Great Session Video

From those legends in rock, The Police. Well before Sting went green and preachy. I always liked session videos, since there wasn't choreography and director-influenced images in them.

This song's drumbeat was excellent as well. Sometime, when you are bored, take a couple of pencils and see if you can replicate the beat. Trust me, if you do, you'll find half the day slides away.

One more thing... I love it when they are dancing on the mixing board. Hysterical.
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Don't do it!

As a person who has not done this once, but twice... listen to this song. Never do what you love as a job. Unless you want to. What do I know? Happy Sunday!

Reel Big Fish: "Don't Start a Band."

Probably a cover band would have been much better. I may start a Reel Big Fish cover band. Hey, that might work....

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Peter Gabriel Request

Rebuilding Wifi. Has to be short. Apologies.

Loved this song, just heard it. Enjoy. Peter Gabriel's "Don't Give Up."


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Music and Science...

Ok, this was pretty cool. Someone created a Rubens Tube and piped the song "Still Alive" from the video game Portal through it. The lyrics are all about science, and the presentation is pretty cool. You have to hand it to those bored geeks at MIT. Excellent juxtaposition.


Nerd-gasam. Ferb, I think I know what we are going to do today.
BTW, F Double Friday.
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"Thursday," by Asobi Seksu, off the album Citrus. Asobi Seksu actually means "Fun Sex" in Japanese. Pretty apt for a Thursday. Love the layered voices of the tracks, instruments versus vocals. The lead singer, Yuki Chikudate is transcendent in her lyrical range, effectively sounding like she is weaving the melody over and through the song. Even when done live, this is a great track.


Enjoy!
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Smooth Criminal...

... I already did an MJ commemorative post. However, some of you think that I still have not done enough. I'm not putting up any more, but I give up arguably one of the best homages done to the man while he was alive.

Ladies and Gents, I give you Alien Ant Farm, doing "Smooth Criminal." Please note the pop and lock routine of the little kid. Awesome.

RIP, Michael.
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Tuesday Morning Slow Techno

Today's cut comes from Robert Miles, and the awesome Dreamland album. "One and One" features the vocals of Maria Nayler, similar to the previous song featured here (Fable). Melodic, transcendent and flowing, the styles are similar, but dissimilar enough to stand on their own.

For a great analysis of the opposite of that sentence, we can discuss that on Friday.

Happy Tuesday!

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Some Monday Morning Movement.

Out of Japan, where Shonen Knife, Tentacle Grape and Eechi rule... DJ Kentaro. "Trust," from the 2007 album Enter.

Hipe, fast and razor-like. Like driving an STi the way it's supposed to be driven.

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Respectable? Pah!

This tune is from an excellent band out of Quebec named Les Respectables. The song is named "Ma vie à l'heure (Toune de l'Ouest)." Goto Babelfish if you want to know what it says. The song should be what you are here for.

Poppy, bright, catchy. Had it English lyrics, one would have thought it would be one of the new bands from SXSW... one that had "rising star" all over it. Since these blokes are from Canada, it's taking a while to catch on down there. Sad.

Apologies for the lateness.
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God Help The Girl...

...So, I know it's the 4th, and I should put something up that's pretty patriotic.

Screw that, free spech and all. I'm putting up something new. "God Help the Girl" from the band God Help The Girl, from the album God Help The Girl. At least if you get the band name right, you can still find the song!

The song reminds me of a cafe in Paris, Belle and Sebastian (the group), and George Sand. Listen and see why.

Happy 4th!
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Double Friday, the Dissonance Cut!

The first one, from the Punk nerds The Descendants, comes "'Merican," an interesting take on America. Quick driving drums and a hard guitars are complimented by a punker that can actually sing. Strange. Excellent!



The next one is pure fun. Alpha Team's "Speed Racer." Techno, from back in the early 90s. Back when some techno tunes had lyrics. The BPM on this is high at the beginning, slows down 1/2way though, then speeds back up. It had to, this is the adult version, the one I used to play in clubs.

Enjoy your Friday!
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Violent Love. Right Now.

There are two ways to do it. The hard way, or the cool way.

Today, we are going to take the cool way. Ingrid Lucia and The Flying Neutrinos, play a remake of Oingo Boingo's "Violent Love." Cute, but not totally sexy. Sultry, but not hard.

You know what I mean.

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I Need an Escape...

...and it's not spirits. Every now and then, I get a bit low. This song kinda cheers me up. Relient K's "Be My Escape."

I know, I'm on an Alt-Rock Poppy kick right now. I'm just coming out of it. Speak with me tomorrow.

I'm giving up, and giving up slowly...
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