Listened: Friday February 4
Rules is The Whitest Boy Alive’s follow-up to Dreams. It’s a lovely, jazzy, chill out or background music album. It’s one of those albums that makes me feel bad that I can’t say anything insightful or overly praiseworthy about it. I know it’s good, but it’s hard to say why. Basically, it puts me in a positive mood and begs me to sing along and tap my feet. Sometimes that’s all it takes!
Listened: Wednesday February 2
Rubber Soul is another Beatles album I remember listening to as I got ready for high school in the morning. To me, Rubber Soul and Revolver are two halves of one long album. They’re both albums where the Beatles are starting to really play around with themes, harmonies, and sounds. Like Revolver, the album starts with a funky number (Drive My Car, Taxman) and proceeds to a well crafted story song (Norwegian Wood, Eleanor Rigby).
And finally, like Revolver, it has a song that makes me slightly uncomfortable because it makes me think of OJ Simpson. That might sound a little odd, but that was the time period in which I was introduced to these albums. Let me explain – Run for Your Life is a pretty unpleasant song (I believe later John said it was pretty tasteless on his part and evidence of his immaturity at the time) about the narrator possibly killing his girlfriend if he catches her with another man. Self-explanatory. And I Want To Tell You from Revolver is the name of OJ Simpson’s book he wrote to raise money for his defense. Kind of interesting both of those things came together at the right time to make a lasting association.
Until I read commentary on it, I didn’t think about how it seems the narrator in Eleanor Rigby might have burned the house down because he his offer of sex was turned down. Naively I thought he just used the fireplace. But after someone mentioned it, I thought that probably seemed reasonable. After all, isn’t it at least the pop psychology that arsonists are sexually frustrated or repressed individuals?
The song Girl always makes me laugh both appreciatively and warily; it has a very lecherous vibe without actually articulating such in the lyrics. The teeth sucking sound is done very well by John. I get the idea that girl described in the song is driving him nuts, but he puts up with it because she’s good in the sack.
Finally, as a John Lennon person, how could I not love In My Life. It’s the perfect example of a pop song.
Listened: Wednesday February 2
How could I not like an album with a song called “I Don’t Have Time To Stand Here With You Fighting About The Size Of My Dick”? An album that can simultaneously have a song on it (We Are Past Our Dancing Days) that makes someone walk into my office and say “Oh, this is a nice song. Who is it?”
That’s why I love ballboy – a heaping spoonful of snark coupled with pleasant and/or righteous music.
Listened: Thursday January 27
I don’t remember why I decided to buy this album. I think I wanted to hear what reggae from Africa sounded like.
What I do remember is that one morning, not too long afterward, when my alarm went off and I was lying in bed listening to NPR, I heard the horrible news that he had been shot and killed in front of his children by carjackers in South Africa. It’s one of the more jarring morning news radio moments I’ve had.
After that, I started to listen to this album in earnest. The line “Crime does not pay” from Prisoner was depressingly appropriate.
I have to admit some of the production isn’t that great, and the songs aren’t super-different from each other (but I guess this could be said for most reggae) but I love the sunny tone of the music. This is the perfect music for a big happy concert on a summer day.
Listened: Thursday January 27
I was a Basement Jaxx fan before going on my trip to England and Wales, so when their new song Romeo was one of those ubiquitous songs during the trip, that was pretty cool. I imagine it was probably before the album had been released in the US as well. And I love getting the jump on new music!
I still love Remedy the most, but I do appreciate how tight the Basement Jaxx songs and albums get as they go along. They really get into perfecting their craft. Also impressive is how many guests they get on their albums, starting with Kish Kash.
The albino gorilla on the cover is just random. I can’t decide if it’s risky or brilliant.
Listened: Wednesday January 26
Even though Roots of Orchis is only an EP, I love it. I wish it was longer. It’s a fabulously moody instrumental trip through time and space. Beautiful guitars and interesting rhythms abound.
The EP is somewhere between the more straightforward rock of Red House, and the very electronic Crooked Ceilings. It seems like this EP is hard to find though – good luck with that!
Listened: Wednesday January 26
John Vanderslice’s Romanian Names is one of those wonderful random discoveries. It was for sale on Amazon, so I took a chance and I’m glad I did. It’s a well crafted modern singer-songwriter album. Just like the title and the cover photo, it reminds me of traveling in Europe. He even gives a shout-out to vacationing in Serbia.
Listened: Wednesday January 26
Listening to crumb took me back to high school. I saw them at least twice, once at Cubberly Community Center in Palo Alto (which seemed like a really long trip to make to see a show as a high schooler) and once at BFD 3 when they played the small local band stage. I still have the drumstick I caught at the end of their set. I learned later that friends I didn’t know then but know now were at the Cubberly show, and there were probably only 50-75 people there. Clearly we were meant to meet again.
This album is a little 90s, but I’ve listened to it multiple times now and it’s even better than I remember it. There’s headbangy righteousness and well-crafted screaming. It’s the perfect album for high school music nerds and maybe also for nostalgic 32 year old music nerds!
Listened: Wednesday January 26
Rodrigo and Gabriela are some of the few rightful badasses in music today. They tour like crazy, and they wail metal and hard rock licks on acoustic guitars. I think their cover of Stairway to Heaven is one of the best that has ever been done.
This album reminds me of listening to my dad’s Ottmar Liebert tape when I was a kid. It’s got a similar vibe, but somehow I don’t think Ottmar was raised on metal!
Listened: Tuesday January 25
It was an incredibly long wait for the followup to Quiet Is The New Loud, an album that was huge in my life. Finally after three years, KOC released Riot on an Empty Street. I have to admit it’s not as life changing as QITNL, but it’s still a beautiful album, especially the male-female duets. All the songs are perfectly paced and crafted.
When I saw KOC at the Great American Music Hall they turned I’d Rather Dance With You into a huge dance party, with Erlend jumping in and joining the crowd. That was a truly great show, one I’ll always remember. I went alone, but I’m so glad I did because it was worth it!
Emily's Albums A to Z 