Paul Davis – I Go Crazy

The Weepies – Simple Life

Can I get up in the morning
Put the kettle on
Make us some coffee, say “hey” to the sun…
Is it enough to write a song and sing it to the birds?
They’d hear just the tune
Not understand my love for words
But you would hear me and know

I want only this, I want to live
I want to live a simple life.

I dreamed you first
But not so real
And every day since I’ve found you
Such moments we steal
Like little thieves, we rub our hands
We hold our hearts between them.
But will you hear me and know?

I want only this, I want to live
I want to live a simple life.

Move on, move on
Time is accelerating.
Drive on all night
Traffic lights and one-ways.
Move on, move on
Parking violations waiting
Turn off the car, breathe the air
Let’s stay here.

I’ll kiss you awake, and we’ll have time
To know our neighbors all by name
And every star at night.
We’ll weave our days together like lace
And particles of light.

I want only this, I want to live
I want to live a simple life.

SOTD – Get Set Go “I Hate Everyone”

What 2010 Sounded Like in My World

So dimly heard over the sounds of wailing/stifled sobs/gnashing teeth in 2010, there was also some music. In looking over these 20 top-listened songs of mine, I seem to recall that they were mostly listened to when I was driving. I don’t feel like I listened to a lot of music in the house this year. So all these songs feel like travelling songs. Movement songs. And there seems to be a mix here of music that reflected how I was feeling, and music that reflected how I wished I was feeling. Which, not to throw a spoiler your way, but mostly I felt sad and wished I felt happy. Don’t want you to be all shocked at the end or anything.

So, here’s what 2010 sounded like up in my piece:

1. Spinnerette – Ghetto Love – This song reflected more how I wanted to feel. This song feels like it has a purpose, it’s strong. It’s getting somewhere. It’s kind of hopeless in a “fuck it” way. Favorite line “You never know when you love what you’ll manifest.” or maybe “I’m just a girl out looking for love.” or maybe “I’m gonna win, I’ll never give in.” All of them. OK, I just love the lyrics.
2. Spinnerette – All Babes Are Wolves – Again, more about how I wanted to feel. This song is another one that’s both strong and hopeless. Maybe… just resigned? I really love this woman’s voice, too. Favorite line “I was born on the wrong side of everything.”
3. Joshua James – The New Love Song – I saw Joshua James live this year at Blueberry Hill, and the show was breathtaking. Normally I might scoff at such a raw display of emotion from a performer. Lots of times that can make me uncomfortable. But the venue and crowd were small and it felt intimate, and as such the raw emotion transported me rather than making me feel edgy and uncomfortable. This song is about not being so fucking shallow.
4. Joshua James – Weeds –  This song is about not being such a fucking asshole. Well, about how we are all so terrible to each other, and our society really reinforces that as a way to be. No favorite line, but the lyrics are here if you’re interested.
5. Laura Veirs – Don’t Lose Yourself I saw Laura Veirs live this year too, at Off Broadway. This was a good year for live music, I guess. She’s so wee and winsome, I love her. This song is about, well, not losing yourself. Or, our tendency to do things that are beautiful and all-consuming and maybe not so healthy as they should be. And how enchanting that can be, being voluntarily blind to things. Favorite line “We see less and less all the time, dear. Just look at this mess we are in.“
6. Rasputina – Holocaust of Giants – I listened to a TON of Rasputina this year. I also saw them in concert at The Old Rock House. It was a fantastic (if very sweaty) show. This song from their newest album is ridiculous and sad, and typifies the best things about Rasputina, weirdo lyrics and music that demands you sing along lest your stomach feel funny. Favorite lyric “But they slaughtered one another in a meaningless war, thank your lucky stars that we don’t do that anymore.”
7. New Young Pony Club – Ice Cream – This is a fun song, one that reminds me of being out drinking on nights when it was fun. It’s about the promise of meaning something to someone else.
8. The Watson Twins – Just Like Heaven – I love this cover. It’s on the True Blood soundtrack and it makes me so melancholy. It’s a wonderful twist on a song that I already knew and loved, then got to know and love in a different way. I wrote a short story about it. I got to see The Watson Twins play with Laura Veirs, and I felt very lucky. This really was a good year for live music.
9. Rasputina – High on Life – don’t have an mp3 of this one to link to, but here it is on YouTube. Another great song from Frustration Plantation. The lyrics aren’t the thing with this one, really. The sound is the thing with this one. Wonderful to drive to, I defy you not to rock out.
10. Lady Gaga – Beautiful, Dirty, Rich – I think that I just wanted to feel like this. Brainless, idiotic, worried about things like not being able to party hard enough or be fabulous enough. Truly a brain-dead song if there ever was one, hence its appeal.
11. Fever Ray –Triangle Walks – I really enjoy Fever Ray. This song is so god-damned lonely that I am sure it exists only in black and white. There is no color version of this song. There is a line “Can I come over? I need to rest.” that really resonates with me. Sometimes you cannot be in your own space and be calm, even if you love your own space. Sometimes you want to go be in someone else’s space, and then you can relax finally. Is hard to explain, but is still true.
12. Rasputina – This, My Porcelain Life – Another melancholy tune but I truly love it. This was probably my favorite song of 2010. To me it’s about communication. Loneliness that you have with other people. Missed chances, conflicting personalities, things you don’t say. Favorite line “I wrote you this letter, I’ll send it/when this foul weather is gone.”
13. Rasputina – 1816, The Year Without A Summer – This one is just interesting, and based on a true story. Look it up! It’s facts! Anyway I just like how ridiculous it is, and like to sing it in the car.
14. Le Tigre – Deceptacon – I wanted to feel as bouncy and carefree as this song does. I didn’t, but when I listened to it, I pretended I did.
15. This Mortal Coil – Another Day – Another song about missed opportunities. Things lost. Or maybe more about letting things be what they are, even if they’re not what you want them to be. I think that’s been the key lesson of this year for me. Learning, or at least trying, to accept the way things are. Accept that some things are lost and gone forever, and some things you want you will never have. Even if they seem right there, they’re nonetheless out of reach. “And across the room, inside a tomb, a chance has waxed and wanes.”
16. New Young Pony Club – The Bomb – Fun song! About connecting in a good way, I think. “You really have to display information/to discover relativity”
17. Faderhead – Electrosluts Extraordinaire – This song is fun and stompy and really only about hating on other people because they are giant fucking idiots.
18. Fever Ray –If I Had A Heart – This song is a kind of magical thing you should listen to while laying on the floor in the dark. It’s about being emotionally broken. And it’s got this fantastic deep Native American sounding beat. I love it. “If I had a heart I could love you, if I had a voice I would sing.”
19. Santigold – You’ll Find A Way – This song feels like being inside someone else’s drug-addled brain, in parts. I do not know what she intended the lyrics to mean, but to me it’s kinda “fuck you” sounding, so I like it. “No way, not me/what you got, it’s not for me.”
20. Florence + the Machine – Drumming Song – And another year with F+TM in my top 20. Still love this song. I am not going to explain why, because if you don’t feel it when you listen, you will not understand it anyway.

So that’s my year in sound. 2010 has been a sad, sad year. I have felt by turns lonely, hostile, defiant and numb. There has been happy too, and moments of quiet joy—but that’s not been the default state at all. I don’t expect to be running around with the hills being alive with the sound of fracking music all the time, but for fuck’s sake if the world takes anything else away from me this year I am going to refuse to posses any more things to lose.

RevCo – Attack Ships on Fire

I wish I was young again and could get lost in music the way I used to.

Of course, I don’t really want to be young again, and probably I never got as lost in music as I supposed. But I still wish something or other.

Attack Ships on Fire (click to play)

Time and time and time again
Tossing and turning and freezing and burning
Time and time and time again
Another bad dream and another dead end

Someone somewhere wake me up!

Time and time and time again
Same old story till the night time ends
Time and time and time again
Same dark covers and the same dark lands

(please, please, oh please) WAKE ME UP!

Time and time and time again
Wake up screaming and wake up dead
Time and time and time again
Wake up sweating and out of my head

Someone somewhere wake me up!
Someone somewhere WAKE ME UP!

Time and time and time again
I’m waking up shaking and waking in fright
Time and time and time again
Same B-movie in black and white

Someone somewhere….

Shivaree – I Will Go Quietly

So softly furious. #love

Shivaree – I Will Go Quietly

I will go quietly
Don’t move your chair
Won’t even try it
Wouldn’t even dare
You come walking down
With a mouthful of sand
We better cut it out
Cause it’s out of hand
And it’s loud out on the street
So please

I will go quietly

Drive with my lights out
Won’t even tell myself when I get there
I’ll go so quietly

I swear

I will go quietly
I’ll leave my speech
Hold down the mystery
With a throat full of bleach
And I won’t go talking now
Not even a sigh
I’ll sleep on a broken bough
With a nail in my eye
And I won’t hear a beat again
I will go quietly

But I’ll stay screaming inside your sleep
I’ll stamp out the moon and I’ll shear all of your sheep

I will go quietly
I won’t brush my teeth
Won’t even change my clothes when I get there
I’ll go so quietly
No one will even see
And they won’t hear
I’ll go so quietly
I swear

Laura Veirs – Make Something Good

This song has been floating around the edges of my mind since I saw her a few months ago. So quiet and hopeful. I hope it all comes true.

Laura Veirs – Make Something Good

I wanted to make something sweet
The blood inside a maple tree
The sunlight track inside the wood,
Make something good.

I wanted to make something strong,
An organ pipe in a cathedral
That stays in tune, through a thousand blooms,
Make something good.

It’s gonna take a long long time,
But we’re gonna make something so fine

I wanted to make something pure,
Emerald field from steer manure,
A wild eyed child in a moon-lit room,
Make something good.

Oh, I wanted to make something built to last,
A bottled ship with a golden mast
And through the squall, the course stays true,
Make something good.

Make something good.

It’s gonna take a long long time,
But we’re gonna make something so fine
It’s gonna take a long long time,
But we’re gonna make something so fine.

Wednesday Playlist – Anxiety Edition

superbadgirl – Holy crap you guys, it’s the #wednesdayPlaylist! Please to submit for my listening pleasure: songs about anxiety and stress!

• jeniburns @superbadgirl I FINALLY HAVE ONE!! Harder To Breathe by Maroon5 @#wednesdayplaylist
• superbadgirl – I am submitting Queen’s “Under Pressure” #wednesdayPlaylist
• Grave_Danger – @superbadgirl Metric “Monster Hospital”
• cbellers – @superbadgirl “99 problems” by Jay-Z #wednesdayplaylist
• El_Dickman – @superbadgirl “I lost on Jeopardy” by Weird Al. #wednesdayPlaylist
• p_tea – @superbadgirl Anthem to the Estranged by Metal Church @wednesdayplaylist
• jeniburns – also, if anyone submits “Crazy” by Ms. Spears to @superbadgirl ‘s #wednesdayplaylist, you’re not only not trying, but you’re grounded.
• Lorizs_tweets – @superbadgirl Embryo by Pink Floyd #wednesdayplaylist
• hipntrendy – Billy Joel’s “Pressure” for #wednesdayplaylist
• cvbarnhart – @superbadgirl Justice – Stress. Bonus: it has an awesome video: http://bit.ly/4bn9xV #wednesdayplaylist
• CDCyr – @superbadgirl Megadeath “Sweating Bullets”
• ZSB3 – Mo Money, Mo Problems by Notorious BIG

Some Things You Should Listen To

So I saw this video the other day, and the sad little song it plays makes me want to kill myself vaguely forlorn. So I went to last.fm to see if the guy had any more stuff that I might also wander around being depressed to, and turns out he does! And it’s totally free! That’s right, this guy is trying to spread good music and crippling depression all over the internets, for free! Go get some!

And naturally, as I added these gems to my iTunes library, I see that Paste magazine, as always, beat me to the punch. I already had a song of his from spring 2009 in my library, and didn’t even know it. But seriously. They’re not all as melancholy as Tatooine, and he’s a very talented songsmith. So check him out.

I find that I want to listen to sad music in the autumn. Not that that’s necessarily good for my state of mind, but just that it fits. Once it gets actually dark and dreary out I will probably switch to more comforting things, but something about the bright and sunshiney days of fall makes me want this kind of music. I don’t know why. It’s a mystery I don’t even care to explore.

So also on my current playlist:

and

and this Thompson Twins cover is amazing. Funny how sometimes covers make you hear the actual lyrics to a song, when you hadn’t before.

I have a lot of other thoughts rambling around in my head, but mostly they’re misanthropic and potentially offensive so I am not sure if I am going to loose them on the world or not. Kill yourself to this music, instead.

The The – The Beaten Generation

This song has been much on my mind of late. It’s too bad that nothing has improved since this came out in 1989. I know I am a cynic, but I do believe our addiction to physical and mental comfort will be humanity’s downfall. And maybe our downfall is not a bad thing.

The The – The Beaten Generation

When you cast your eyes upon the skylines
Of this once proud nation
Can you sense the fear and the hatred
Growing in the hearts of its population

And our youth, oh youth, are being seduced
by the greedy hands of politics and half truths

The beaten generation, the beaten generation
Reared on a diet of prejudice and misinformation
The beaten generation, the beaten generation
Open your eyes, open your imagination

We’re being sedated by the gasoline fumes
and hypnotised by the satellites
Into believing what is good and what is right

You may be worshipping the temples of Mammon
Or lost in the prisons of religion
But can you still walk back to happiness
When you’ve nowhere left to run?

The beaten generation, the beaten generation
Reared on a diet of prejudice and misinformation
The beaten generation, the beaten generation
Open your eyes, open your imagination

And if they send in the special police
To deliver us from liberty and keep us from peace

Then won’t the words sit ill upon their tongues
when they tell us justice is being done
and that freedom lives in the barrels of a warm gun

The xx – Crystalised

You’ve applied the pressure
To have me crystalised
And you’ve got the faith
That I could bring paradise

I’ll forgive and forget
Before I’m paralyzed
Do I have to keep up the pace
To keep you satisfied

Things have gotten closer to the sun
And I’ve done things in small doses
So don’t think that I’m pushing you away
When you’re the one that I’ve kept closest

Ahh, ahh, ahh
Ahh, ahh, ahh
Ahh, ahh, ahh
Ahh, ahh, ahh

You don’t move slow
Taking steps in my directions
The sound resounds, echo
Does it lessen your affection
No

You say I’m foolish
For pushing this aside
But burn down our home
I won’t leave alive

Glaciers have melted to the sea
I wish the tide would take me over
I’ve been down on my knees
And you just keep on getting closer

Ahh, ahh, ahh
Ahh, ahh, ahh
Ahh, ahh, ahh
Ahh, ahh, ahh

Placid as I melt into the sea
(Things have gotten closer to the sun)
I wish the tide would take me over
(And I’ve done things in small doses)
I’ve been down onto my knees
(So don’t think that I’m pushing you away)
And you just keep on getting closer
(When you’re the one that I’ve kept closest)

Go slow
Go slow
Go slow
Go slow
Go slow

Protomen at 2720

So last night I went to see the band The Protomen at 2720 Cherokee. My first time seeing this band, and my first time at this venue.

The venue: have heard a lot about this place from friends. Pretty much expected it to be a cavernous barren space with suspicious liquids on the floor and a frightening bathroom situation. While the floor was sticky in places, overall the venue was a pleasant surprise. ID-checker dude, ticket guy and ‘bracelet of re-entry’ bestowing guy were all polite and helpful. The bartender was reasonably attentive (though he seemed a bit confused by the beer-pouring process) and drinks were typical South Side cheap, with mixed drinks at $4-5 (depending on who made them, apparently) and specialty beers on tap for $4. The space is pretty big, with a larger dedicated stage area than I’ve seen at most of St. Louis’ smaller venues. There are art installations and old toys scattered around and various tableaux from the Star Wars franchise adorn the upper parts of the walls, for your geeking-out pleasure. The bathroom situation was tolerable, wouldn’t want to camp out on the floor there, but neither did it frighten me into holding it all night. Overall, a pleasant surprise. Though they normally don’t book the types of acts I like to see, I would definitely see another show there. Also, I bought my tickets online, and the lack of handling/processing/”basically we just want more of your money and can’t think of a reason” fees were also nice. I’ve become so accustomed to paying an extra $2.50 or $5 or $10 for tickets that I was actually surprised to only pay the advertised price for the show.

The band: I’ve heard my friends talking about this band for a few years, but never really listened to them myself. I figured that they would not be my kind of thing, just based on the rabid fan-boyism abounding and talk of robots on stage. But any band that would inspire people I know to drive out of state for their shows, not once but multiple times—that band I have to see if they ever play StL. I mean, there has to be something there.

I wish I’d known a little bit more about them before seeing the show, because I could sense there was a lot there that I was missing. This band wanted to take the audience on a journey with them, and most of the audience was prepared to go along. I was not, however. I just could not buy into them, knowing nothing about them. Which was a pity, as it all looked like fun. Some of the songs I could really get into (the more rocking songs, or one almost operatic-sounding one) even without knowing where they fit in the overall story they’re telling. But some of them, mostly the slower ones, just seemed extremely dramatic for no reason, and I was lost.

This one I really liked. Has a very 80′s movie-montage quality about it – like… this is the soundtrack to the scene where the hero does whatever needs doing in order to prepare to defeat his enemies.

This song is available for free download at their site (linked above)

Overall, I thought they were pretty cool, but I realized while it was happening that a lot of the experience was being lost on me, so that was too bad. Anyway, I might try to listen to more of their stuff so I can understand the hype.

Overall, a successful night, introduced to new band and new venue, neither of which sucked. In fact, I got a little drunk, and I have not been drunk in a while. A few weeks maybe? A month? I can’t honestly remember the last time I was out drinking & being social – aside from maybe a single drink at dinner. Anyway, I was standing there wondering “Man, this is weird – why do I feel all happy and relaxed? This is kind of fun. Why am I enjoying everything?” and then I realized – it’s the magic of alcohol!

Wednesday Playlist – What Makes You Change the Station?

Good lord, what about some kind of a #wednesdayplaylist? What song (or artist/group) will *always* make you change the station?

agingdragqueen – @superbadgirl Pearl Jam’s version of Last Kiss.

superbadgirl - I think everyone already knows that for me this is Journey. With a side dish of Macarena. (also, thx @zsb3 for the topic) #wednesdayplaylist

ieincognito – @superbadgirl So many! “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” is a fucking anathema, as is anything that can be considered a jam band. #wednesdayplaylist

Grave_Danger – @superbadgirl Creed. They are the suckiest sucks that ever sucked a suck. Times 4.

katatomiclabs – @superbadgirl Santana. Every time.

_bunny_ – @superbadgirl Good topic! Alanis Morissette, 4 Non-Blondes, Limp Bizkit, Jimmy Buffett, Hole, Coldplay, Pearl Jam #wednesdayplaylist

H_Wallbanger – @superbadgirl Too many to list on this one. 140 characters? I could name 140 bands in this category.

El_Dickman – @superbadgirl Any songs I think paid to be on my pandora stations. Such as: Jennifer Lopez, Miley Cyrus, Nickelback, etc.

ZSB3 – @superbadgirl Yay–I pick good topics! Mine are: Mambo #5, Nirvana, Gnarls Barkley, John Mayer, probably others.

Lorizs_tweets – David.Lee.Roth #wednesdayplaylist

stevodarkly – @superbadgirl “Switching to Glide” by The Kings. Annoying song from the ’80s. #wednesdayplaylist.

drew_w – @superbadgirl Lady Gaga, Chumbawumba, Soulja Boy.

trmink – @superbadgirl Classic Rock ballads, in particular, Love Hurts – Aerosmith and Journey -Don’t Stop Believin’ #wednesdayplaylist

Guaca_molly – @superbadgirl Deep Blue Something – Breakfast at Tiffany’s, this song makes me want to die. #wednesdayplaylist

ZSB3 – @superbadgirl Any Shane Co. ad will make me change the station, as will most country songs. #wednesdayplaylist

ZSB3 – And I hate to say it, but Melissa Ethridge songs make the #wednesdayplaylist too.

soupy – @superbadgirl 93.7 The Bull. #wednesdayplaylist

sub_english – @superbadgirl “Green Eyed Lady” and “Black Magic Woman” both make me want to stab things. #wednesdayplaylist

_bunny_ @superbadgirl Poe – Angry Johnny. I will dash my own brains out rather than endure this song. #wednesdayplaylist

laurabean – @superbadgirl where to start? Sixpence whatever’s kiss me. It played constantly when I worked at schnucks. #wednesdayplaylist

laurabean – @superbadgirl actually this #wednesdayplaylist is difficult because I rarely listen to the radio. Oh! Bruce Springsteen. Hate him.

hipntrendy – @superbadgirl I’ll go with Soulja Boy for #wednesdayplaylist

butterflyfish_ – @superbadgirl Spirit in the Sky by whoever it’s by. bawwitdabawbangdabangdabangdidididi (or w/etf it’s called) – Kid Rock . Also, plz tell @trmink that godawful Love Hurts song is SO not by Aerosmith. It’s by… *googles* Nazareth …and I would shut it off, too. Bleh. #wednesdayplaylist

Weepies – Be My Thrill

So, the new Weepies album dropped last week. I expected to love it. I just didn’t necessarily expect to love it so much that I want to lay on the floor and cry all day. Usually it takes a few months with a Weepies album before I succumb to the prostrate tears. Nevertheless, it’s that good.

Above is the video for “Be My Thrill.” I have added it so you can hear the song. As cute as it is, I am not a huge fan of it. It’s odd to me that even though I feel very in tune with all of their music, most of their visual choices (album art, videos) leave me pretty cold. There is enough going on in their songs that I feel twee graphics are just a distraction. But. That’s just me.

I have been lately pondering the divide between sentiment and emotion. Thinking about being sentimental versus being emotional, and the level of authenticity that divides those two concepts. Perky, peppy, heartbroken Weepies are a thing that sounds silly and sentimental, but is actually profoundly emotional. And hence my response to them, I do believe.

Be My Thrill

Be my thrill, my little white pill,
my unpaid bill, the one who will
Be my love, my little grey dove,
my push and my shove, my heaven above

And we tumble down like Jack and Jill
and I miss all of the joy you kill
But I love you still, be my thrill

Be my one, my day in the sun,
my little pop gun, the best thing I’ve done
Be my what,my open and shut,
my everything but,my little hot slut

And every morning is like the one before
And everybody needs someone to adore
I’m counting on you
Oh baby say you will
Oh baby be my thrill

Be my youth, my kissing booth,
my little sweet tooth,my beauty and truth
Be my thrill, my little white pill,
my wait up until, the one who will

Also, unsullied by animation, I highly recommend “Please Speak Well of Me.”

Alison Krauss and Union Station “It Doesn’t Matter”

Alison Krauss and Union Station “It Doesn’t Matter”

It doesn’t matter what I want
It doesn’t matter what I need
It doesn’t matter if I cry
Don’t matter if I bleed
You’ve been on a road
Don’t know where it goes or where it leads

It doesn’t matter what I want
It doesn’t matter what I need
If you’ve made up your mind to go
I won’t beg you to stay
You’ve been in a cage
Throw you to the wind you fly away

It doesn’t matter what I want
It doesn’t matter what I need
It doesn’t matter if I cry
Doesn’t matter if I bleed
Feel the sting of tears
Falling on this face you’ve loved for years