Also, I start the second year of med school tomorrow, which is anxiety-inducing of course. One of the many worries I have is whether I'll have the time or energy to still manage a weekly blog, but I am determine to do my best! Let's do this!
Song #1: Harry Connick, Jr. - A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square
Submitted by: Holly Pivonka
Over the course of the week/UK Connection: This jazz standard was written by Brits on vacation in France, pre-WWII. Also, it's about love in London. Considering that last fact and Abby's love of this song, it's a wonder this track did not end up on our wedding mix. Another thing I love about this track, and most of the others from this week's playlist, is that you can look at its album cover and guess the exact year it was recorded.
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| Did you guess 1990? Was it the suit that gave it away? |
As soon as I read Holly's explanation for why she shared "Nightingale," I thought, "That's exactly how 'So I Finally Decided...' makes me feel!" Yet, I was still hesitant to pair the two songs because, well, Harry Connick Jr. and Ace Enders do not have much in common other than a grasp of the English language and a Y chromosome. That being said, there are some melodic similarities between the two songs. And both of them also mention the moon, so there's that! Still, every time I listen to this track, I feel like I am in college, walking outside on a crisp Fall night think deep, dramatic thoughts about my love life. So that is why these two songs pair nicely. It is incredible how two very different songs can give two different people the exact same feeling.
Song #2: Morphine - Early to Bed
Submitted by: Eric Ehlers
What he had to say about it: “Several
of the songs I picked out have a similar feels emotionally, they're about
lifting the spirits and pointing out that there is better stuff in the future.
That's not the case with Morphine. Morphine, is, if anything, often bleak.
Their song "Cure For Pain" is an artistic expression of nihilism and endless
suffering. "Early to Bed" is not that bleak, but it does propose that
sensible living interferes with hedonism, which is assumed to be preferable.
It's not the message that Morphine sends that draws me to them, however, it's
the pure artistry. While they don't make songs that are easy to swallow, the
lyrics in their whole catalog are consistently clever, and their music is even
more interesting. They have a unique sound, and it's not simply because their
instruments are different from what one would expect in a band. More than
anything, Morphine is interesting to listen to, and this song is a great
example.”
Over the course of the week: When Eric says Morphine focused on the artistry, he wasn't kidding. Morphine practically invented an entire genre of music, which they termed "low rock." It was characterized by minimalistic and uncommon instrumentation that tilted towards the low-end of sound. In this case, it was drums, baritone sax, and Mark Sandman's signature two-string bass that he would tune to either a fifth or an octave. All of this, plus Sandman's baritone, somewhat monotone singing, gave Morphine a very unique sound. The video was an MTV favorite as well, and received a Grammy nomination.
Pairs nicely with: They Might Be Giants - Ana Ng
Casual listeners of TMBG know them as a novelty act that sang songs like "Istanbul" and "Why Does the Sun Shine?" on Looney Tunes. But, TMBG is really one of the most important bands to ever grace the indie, art, or underground rock scenes. Eric is a hardcore TMBG fan, so he'd likely agree that TMBG has taken a special effort to experiment with uncommon instrumentation and songwriting styles.
If you would like to hear more of Eric's suggestions, you should check out:
Morphine - Cure for Pain: Check out for the excellent lyrics and instrumentation.
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - The Impossible Dream: "The Mighty Mighty Bosstones have been on the top of the charts before, but not very often considering how prolific their career has been. And they don't care. They are out there to play music, have fun, and send a positive message. They never try to drag you down. When I first heard this recording of them playing the best song from the musical based on what is probably the best novel ever, my brain exploded. Dicky Barrett's vocals are, as always, gruff, not the smooth sound you usually get from showtunes, but beyond anything else, they are earnest. And I think that's the key. On the surface, it sounds like many punk covers, but when you listen close, you can hear an earnestness that most bands don't have in any of their songs. The Bosstones BELIEVE this message - that the struggle of life, when engaged fully, makes the world better even if it isn't "successful" struggle - and they want to share the secret with others."
The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound: An awesome, sad rock song.
The Doubleclicks - Now I Am the Fastest: How to look on the bright side when everyone else is dead...and you are a turtle.
Shonen Knife - Banana Chips: I am not going to pretend to understand this one.
Meg Myers - Monster: Think Alanis Morissette, but more awesome. Naughty language warning.
Morphine - Head with Wings: Groovy
Betty Who - Somebody Loves You: Dance-y
American Music Club - Hello Amsterdam: Fun 90s garage rock
Beck's Record Club - Never Tear Us Apart (INXS Cover): Amazing musicianship, almost enough to make me like St. Vincent.
Tullycraft - Superboy and Supergirl: Twee! It’s a real genre, look it up! Super nostalgia.
The Kinks - Better Things: Happy dance rock.
Great Big Sea - Ordinary Day: Another joy song. Abby will like it.
Song #3: Belle and Sebastian - Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying
Submitted by: Allison Wynne Lammert
What she had to say about it: "This song always makes me happy."
First Impressions: I love the rambling nature of the lyrics, as
if the narrator just has a thousand thoughts to get through and cannot slow
them down. Think of it this way/You could
either be successful or you could be us. The melody is stuck in my head
immediately after one listen.
UK Connection: Belle and Sebastian hale from Glasgow, Scotland.
Over the course of the week: There is a significant cult following around this song, I've learned. Upon first listen, "Get Me Away From Here..." is a playful song, based on the infamous Pachelbel chord progression, with an insanely catchy melody and cheeky, self-referential lyrics. But it goes much deeper than that for its fans. I found one essay about how it represented the author's need to abandon all that held him back and to fully enter adulthood. Another painful short story connects the song to the author's struggle with her suicidal mother's mental illness. Someone else remarks on the irony of this song being played at her friend's funeral. Finally, this comic artist uses the song to open a depiction of his monotonous, 9-to-5 workday.
As we will see with today's last track and as we saw with "Hey Sandy!" from the first playlist, some songs can have this effect of generating widely differing interpretations and meanings for different listeners. Maybe it just played at the right moment. Maybe you listened to it during a certain point in your life and now the music is inseparable from those memories. Considering this song likely started from one man playing his guitar in his room, singing the first things that came to mind, that is incredible to me.
Pairs nicely with: Bishop Allen - Click Click Click Click
The truth is I've already paired the song that goes best with "Get Me Away From Here" with another song. That track would be "Rain," also by Bishop Allen, which I paired with Yuna's "Rescue." However, this one still works nicely. I was introduced to Bishop Allen and Belle and Sebastian at the same time by a friend who was educating me on the proper use of indie music after I returned from my mission (in other words, two years sans real music). The two songs are similar in sound and lyrics as well as happy and ridiculously catchy. Actually, if you use Pandora to ask what "Get Me Away From Here" sounds like, it will suggest this song. (I didn't cheat, by the way.)
Song #4: James - Out to Get You
Submitted by: Jonnie Hartman
First impressions: I
love songs that put the bass out front and center as the driving instrument;
this is a technique that The Cure have mastered. This sounds a lot like Youth
Group. I like how the other instruments breathe in and out of focus, separated
in different channels. Oh, to be 16 and listen to love songs as you fall
asleep. The crescendo makes the song. Well-played, Jonnie’s 16-year-old first
boyfriend.
UK Connection: James is from Manchester!
Over the course of the week: The album that this song opens, Laid, has come to be considered a classic. On this record, James partnered with Brian Eno, legendary for his work with U2 and in innovating the genre of ambient music. Naturally, "ambiance" played a much larger role in James' sound, hence the "instrumental breathing" I noted in my first impressions. It also gave the album a unifying theme, which elevated it above being simply a "good" record into something greater, something essential. One artist imagines each track of Laid as being its own separate Penguin Classic short novel, as seen below. You don't do that for just any album.
Pairs nicely with: Something Corporate - Konstantine
When Jonnie writes about being a 16-year-old, listening to the same song over and over every night for a month straight, well, this my "Out to Get You." It was either a love song or a break-up song, depending on how things were going for me and whatever girl I was lovesick over at the time. It's no surprise to me that Jonnie is still listening to "Out to Get You" 22 years later because "Konstantine," along with "Come Downstairs and Say Hello" and one other track that may yet end up on the blog, still remains one of my top three favorite songs to this day. You just cannot listen to a song that many times over and over without it permanently becoming etched into your musical consciousness, especially if it is over nine minutes long. My favorite part of "Konstantine" is right around 6:45 where the drums come in to drive the song forward.
Note: If you are interested in another lesser known band that actually sounds somewhat like James, check out Youth Group. I recommend "In My Dreams" and "Dying at Your Own Party."
Song #5: Mumford and Sons - After the Storm
Submitted by: Jenny Combs
What she had to say about it: “[It] was our
wedding song and reminds me of dancing with my husband at midnight in the
kitchen for no reason at all. Very much about our love philosophy: putting your
own wants aside for your significant other not because you have to, but because
you want to do that. It reminds me that my husband loves me, flaws and all.
Sappiness over!”
First impressions: I
lied on the first blog post when I said I had only heard “Play Crack the Sky” out of all the suggestions. In fact, I know and love this
song too. It’s interesting Jenny views this as a love song, as I've always tuned into its message about life, death, and the hereafter. This new perspective adds an extra depth to the lyrics.
UK Connection: Mumford and Sons is from London!
UK Connection: Mumford and Sons is from London!
Over the course of the week: I quickly learned that my straightforward reading of this song was misplaced. While many people shared my understanding of the lyrics, I found that there was a broad spectrum of interpretations. Is it really about overcoming depression or a hope in a Christian heaven? Or maybe, and a surprisingly large number of people believe this, it is the conclusion to what is actually an extended Grapes of Wrath concept album. For one Mormon woman, the song is a source of hope about overcoming the pain of her husband's disloyalty to their marriage, though the thought of what her "hill" might be scares her. Love, death, depression, heaven, infidelity, and The Grapes of Wrath, it is amazing how one song can provoke so much inquiry.
Pairs nicely with: Good Old War - Not Quite Happiness
I choose this song for a few reasons. First, it is a pretty folk song, like "After the Storm." Second, like Jenny and her husband with Mumford and Sons, Good Old War is the band that Abby and I have bonded over and privately share. They have somewhat become the soundtrack of our relationship. Third, I think the lyrics in this song share some valuable insights on mature love: I would take nothing for me/Nothing at all/Just to know I could go on/Just to have called you my lover.../You said, "What if we changed/All of our most unchangeable mistakes?"/Oh, missing everything/Our hands were tied together/It was not quite happiness/Just love.
Hopefully you have just listened to that track and fell in love all over again. Enjoy this playlist and I'll see you next week!
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