Little Symbols
September 5th, 2008
One of the greatest listening experiences in the world is We’re an American Band by Yo La Tengo. There are days when it is, without question, the greatest listening experience in the universe — even without headphones — and nothing else, not even Dave Atell’s “Skanks for the Memories”, comes close. Tied for first is Visions of Johanna. If Jimi Hendrix did to Visions of Johanna what he did to All Along the Watchtower, there would be no need for a top 10 songs in the world, because it would be all ten. Probably more. Top twelves would need to be invented. And Mike and I would probably have to shut down the blog, because, why bother?
None of this has anything to do with anything, but every so often I hear Yo La Tengo in the right light and it makes me very happy. Thank you.
A Brittle World
August 14th, 2008
The building I work in is about the size of a city block, and we share it with a lighting design company. While venturing into the beeping nether regions of our castle in my quest for snail mail, I heard through the walls a repeating bassline from some mix tape one of the lighting design people was playing. Through walls, the guitars, bass and vocals of familiar songs can take on quite enjoyable alien forms, especially when combined with unseen motors, roaring exhaust fans, and the continuous renovation of a workplace’s life-support system. Whatever the song was, I went away humming its bassline, which over the course of the rest of the work day evolved into what we have here for you today. Headphones are recommended, but you should really be a room apart from this one to stay in its spirit. Enjoy.
A Plug & a Song
July 15th, 2008
We recently got a nice couple of mentions from Ryan of Ryan’s Smashing Life. He plugged our recent Boston show and posted Red Jacket Orchards (from our upcoming record) as, well, a song to listen to, over at his recent guest spot at The Plugg.. Thanks, Ryan.
I’m a big Fugazi fan. Not because of the $5-$7 show thing; that was just an excuse for men who were 36 to keep dressing like 18-year olds. Believe me, I’m 36. Those baggy shorts and 20 year old t-shirts prolong your life.
In this song’s case, I was drawn to a Fugazi song lyric from ‘Red Medicine’:
“It’s cold outside and my hands are dry
Skin is cracked and I realize
That I hate the sound of guitars
A thousand grudging young millionaires
Forcing silence sucking sound”
Yeah. That line’s been stuck in my head for a long time–long enough to realize that you could build a song around a piano riff without sounding like Billy Joel, Elton John or Wayne Hornsby. At times, the piano can sound sinister.
PS Oh, and there’s a piano coda on this one, which was a complete accident. But I like to include these for my parents, who paid for piano lessons. Mom & Dad, if you’re reading, I wanted to play Sonatas for a living, before it became economically unfeasible.