Half Gone 2013 (or maybe ...lost but not forgotten)

[Davey]

So, this isn't really done yet, I'm still putting it together, and it may have some turns to take before it gets where it's going. And some of you will undoubtedly influence the place where it ends up. So I will chronicle it in song at my song of the day link in sig, and hopefully finish it some place along the way. But it starts here ...

The song I have listened to most this year comes at number two on the CocoRosie Tales of a GrassWidow CD. I'd heard of CocoRosie before this, but never listened to any of their music. Not even sure why I did this time, the album cover is striking and may in hindsight offer some clue to the music, but nothing straightforward. I probably read some little blurb that had a catchall line like "experimental freak-folk", or to that effect. Who even knows what something like that means anymore? But it must've meant enough to me, because I did listen, and I did fall in love with Bianca's child-like sing-song-raps, and Sierra's beautiful background vocals, the otherwordly beats and rhythms, fragmented dream-like lyrics, woven of a timeless and feminist social consciousness that embodies all of their music. Anthony Hegarty lends support and his amazing vocal talents on the opening track of the Half Gone 2013 comp, "Tears for Animals".

Heart strings broken, wearily tuned to the moon
Bastard widows born marooned
(Do you have love for humankind?)
Nameless, faceless black-eyed soul
Slave to sorrow, find your way home

Do you have love for humankind?

[Davey]

Every time I see you in the world,
You always step to my girl

I tend to like when a band is open and honest about how they got where they are, and Vampire Weekend has a lot of obvious (and some not so obvious) influences. This one reworks an old school rap song from Souls of Mischief, "Step To My Girl", and in doing so they make the borrowed chorus above a celebration of all their musical influences, at least that seems the intent. And it's a fun song. The original is pretty fun too, though I'd never heard it before. Fortunately for us all, Ezra Koenig & Co. haven't started rapping on this one, but sounds like they are having fun too. Sounds kinda like they are making fun of themselves too, following up what sounds like an intentional wordsmithing reference to their first album in the chorus with the off-center "What you on about?".

So song number 2 is "Step" by Vampire Weekend from Modern Vampires of the City, this one ripped from the vinyl to pick up some much needed dynamics.

And coming next will be an assortment from Laura Marling and Kurt Vile and Low. Probably Hookworms and The National too. And a couple others. Hopefully not all too predictable.

[Davey]

To be honest, I don't know much about Laura Marling beyond the first bio paragraph. I haven't been following her since she was a teenager, I didn't really pay attention when she was nominated for the Mercury Prize, I don't have any of her earlier records, and I didn't anticipate paying much attention to her latest record either. But that has changed now.

Song number 3 is "Master Hunter" by Laura Marling from Once I Was An Eagle. One obvious reference when you first hear it is Led Zeppelin III with the acoustic guitar and pounding drums, sounding something like "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp". And then before you get over that, she is quoting Dylan's fuckoff chorus from "It Ain't Me Babe"...

You want a woman cause you wanna be saved
Well I’ll tell you that I got a little alot on my plate
You want a woman who will call your name
It ain’t me babe
No, no, no, it ain’t me babe

I like it. The record is kind of up and down, and not quite sure yet how I feel about the whole thing. Probably be awhile. Nice sound, a bit like the Fiona Apple record last year that sounds really good too. Some of that same quirky attitude that Fiona brings, so probably be disliked by a lot of the same people... in other words, listen to the whole thing before reaching for your credit card.

[Davey]

Number 4 spot on Half Gone 2013 goes to Kurt Vile, with "Girl Called Alex" from Wakin on a Pretty Daze.

Not sure if this would be any better if Kurt hired someone else to sing his songs, as our buddy Slosh suggested recently, but his style works fine for me here, kinda the same way that Lou Reed and countless others have managed to get their words out. But then again, I guess it's kind of a stretch to call it singing, and in Kurt's case, it's probably more about the guitars anyway.

In the dawn's early light
I recall a girl named Alex
She and Mark, they were happily wed
At least in my head

I think about them all the time...

So I had no idea what this song was about, and still don't really, but I like the feeling I get from it, and it's kind of like a dream. Of course, the whole record is kind of that way too. But this song has a mysterious girl named Alex, and every verse talks about fantasy and illusion, and thinking about her and Mark all the time. So I did a little search to see if there was any interviews talking about it, and did find a little light at The Rumpus ... The Rumpus Interview With Kurt Vile - The Rumpus.net ...

Rumpus: One of my favorites on the album is “Girl Called Alex.”

Vile: Yeah. Me too.

Rumpus: Is there a story behind that? A real-life Alex?

Vile: I’m not gonna tell you the whole story, but basically it’s about my friend Alex, who’s an amazing girl, and she deserves a song written about her. She’s a good friend. It got mistaken as like a jealous love thing, which was so annoying, but what can you do? I wrote it when I was feeling pretty low on the road. It gets lonely on the road sometimes. You can catch long-distance melancholy once in a while. I never was straight literal and put somebody I actually knew in a song, with the name and everything. But I showed it to her recently, I finally saw her, and she was happy.

Rumpus: She didn’t know about it until the album was out?

Vile: No, which is why she’s awesome, she had no idea. I kind of got paranoid that maybe she would have heard it and been like, “That’s weird.” But she hadn’t even heard it. It’s not like everybody is always listening, you know? [Laughs.]

Next up is probably "Just Make it Stop" by Low, which will close out the opening block, but I'll probably let this first part settle in a little first before posting that.

[noddin0ff]

Oh hey. How did I miss this thread? Great way to comment on the year so far.

I picked up that Laura Marling album. Definitely falls in the 'your mileage may vary" category. I really like it, however. The first tracks are interesting and arresting. A bit much to take in but grows on my with repeated listening.

The other 3 tracks, I'm looking forward to listening to. Thanks for the comments.

[dean_martin]

The other 3 tracks, I'm looking forward to listening to. Thanks for the comments.

Hey, Noddin. I sent you that Kurt Vile track (Girl Called Alex) by pm back in May when you were soliciting tracks for a comp. Have you abandoned that project or did I miss it?

Davey - keep it going. I recently picked up "Haw" which you mentioned in another thread. The opening track is outstanding and the rest is starting to grow on me. Thanks.

[Davey]

Oh hey. How did I miss this thread? Great way to comment on the year so far... The other 3 tracks, I'm looking forward to listening to. Thanks for the comments.

Davey - keep it going. I recently picked up "Haw" which you mentioned in another thread. The opening track is outstanding and the rest is starting to grow on me. Thanks.

Thanks guys. Not sure there's enough interest to continue commenting on every song, but the other ones are uploading now, and it went together something like this ...

Half Gone 2013
1. CocoRosie - Tears for Animals
2. Vampire Weekend - Step
3. Laura Marling - Master Hunter
4. Kurt Vile - Girl Called Alex
5. Low - Just Make It Stop
6. Hookworms - Since We Have Changed
7. Youth Lagoon - Dropla
8. The National - Humiliation
9. Hiss Golden Messenger - Sufferer (Love My Conqueror)
10. Patty Griffin - Ohio
11. Ed Harcourt - Murmur In My Heart
12. CocoRosie - Poison

Like past Half Gone comps, not necessarily the best songs from the best albums of the year, but a fun comp to put together, and there are some good ones that I really like.

[noddin0ff]

Hey, Noddin. I sent you that Kurt Vile track (Girl Called Alex) by pm back in May when you were soliciting tracks for a comp. Have you abandoned that project or did I miss it?

Why, yes, you did! I hadn't listened Davey's and didn't connect the track names. My bad. Very nice track, obviously. But, yeah. I abandoned that effort. Couldn't quite pull enough tracks to make it worthwhile. Maybe now I can think about a half-gone, if I can get some more listening time in. :-)

, and it went together something like this ...

Thanks for the update. I like the Low and The National albums too. (No Nick Cave?).

[bobsticks]

Thanks guys. Not sure there's enough interest to continue commenting on every song, but the other ones are uploading now, and it went together something like this ...

Half Gone 2013
1. CocoRosie - Tears for Animals
2. Vampire Weekend - Step
3. Laura Marling - Master Hunter
4. Kurt Vile - Girl Called Alex
5. Low - Just Make It Stop
6. Hookworms - Since We Have Changed
7. Youth Lagoon - Dropla
8. The National - Humiliation
9. Hiss Golden Messenger - Sufferer (Love My Conqueror)
10. Patty Griffin - Ohio
11. Ed Harcourt - Murmur In My Heart
12. CocoRosie - Poison

Like past Half Gone comps, not necessarily the best songs from the best albums of the year, but a fun comp to put together, and there are some good ones that I really like.

How would one obtain this work of nuance? Did I miss a linky?

[Davey]

How would one obtain this work of nuance? Did I miss a linky?

It says in the first para of the first post, but my sig is always a dropbox link for my song of the day page, and there are links on that page for the songs (and whatever else might still be there). I uploaded them individually thinking there might be some fun interaction along the way to guide the outcome, so there is no link for the whole package.

No Nick Cave?

No, I haven't heard it yet. I know a lot of people like it, but Nick's projects haven't done much for me lately, so I've been reluctant to spend the time. Not sure exactly what it is. What about you?

[Jim Clark]

I'm not familiar at all with CocoRosie. After listening to the disc I was confused because it sure sounds like the dude from Anthony and the Johnsons, which I've never really followed at all. He works really well with these tracks though. I'm gonna try to grab some more of this CocoRosie release, I like the two you hooked me up with. Thanks.

jc

[Davey]

I'm not familiar at all with CocoRosie. After listening to the disc I was confused because it sure sounds like the dude from Anthony and the Johnsons, which I've never really followed at all. He works really well with these tracks though.

It is the guy from Antony and the Johnsons, Antony Hegarty, that's what I said in the intro. He is on both tracks, which may account for why I like them so much. I also really love his The Crying Lights record from a few years ago, though it is very dark. They work together quite a bit and support each other, both musically and in some gender bending ways too I think, and are partnered in some sociopolitical causes ....

Antony has created a feminist group called The Future Feminisim which we belong. We meet regularly. This inspired us to track the problem Tearz For Animals. This song is about the demographic imbalance caused by female infanticide in China or India, it causes problems when you interfere with the natural balance. We asked Antony to sing this song. For me, the voice of Antony here is that of Mother Nature.

CocoRosie Land - Chronique Musicale interviews CocoRosie

[Jim Clark]

My bad for not reading all of the posts, I was anxious to get to the music : )

[jonnyhambone]

nice list, haven't hit your link for a listen yet but I do have a handful of those albums. That Low is most excellent. The new Nick Cave is very worth checking out - love at least half of it and prob. the best thing he's done since Lyre of Orpheus/Abbatoir Blues.

This whole Half-Gone thing may prompt me to post my version, outstanding year for new music I think!

[Davey]

My bad for not reading all of the posts, I was anxious to get to the music : )

That's OK, I'm not exactly recognized around these parts for my communication skills, and I didn't actually explain who Antony Hegarty is in my post either. I pretty much love that whole CocoRosie record, but the reviews were very much mixed, which just proves there are a lot of idiots reviewing music

This whole Half-Gone thing may prompt me to post my version, outstanding year for new music I think!

Please do. Anyone still remember the first one? From a time long time ago and a place far away .... though looking at it now, maybe not all that far away ... and I may have had better taste in music back then too

[Jim Clark]

Still have it!

[Snowbunny]

That's OK, I'm not exactly recognized around these parts for my communication skills, and I didn't actually explain who Antony Hegarty is in my post either. I pretty much love that whole CocoRosie record, but the reviews were very much mixed, which just proves there are a lot of idiots reviewing music

Please do. Anyone still remember the first one? From a time long time ago and a place far away .... though looking at it now, maybe not all that far away ... and I may have had better taste in music back then too

Yeah, still one of the best comps in my collection. That was a good year and it still holds up well (yikes!) 12 years later! I'm forever in your debt for my musical indoctrination.

[Snowbunny]

Holy sh*t, listening to Ricky Lee Jones' remake of Just Walk Away Rene! Blown away . . .

SB

[Snowbunny]

All apologies for spamming this thread, but I'm on a bit of a listening binge atm.

LOVING the band, Hiss Golden Messenger.

But feels like a guilty pleasure somehow. Am I listening to Christian Rock? I see they're from N. Carolina, is that a bible belt state?

Whatever! The lead singer's voice is deep and growlie and how can I not like a song called, "Jesus Shot Me In the Head"?

[Davey]

Holy sh*t, listening to Ricky Lee Jones' remake of Just Walk Away Rene! Blown away . . .

SB

Yea, that's a good one. As long as we're firing up the wayback machine, that Rickie Lee Jones remake also goes back to a Rave Recs golden moldie oldie thread from about the same time as that Half Gone comp ... AudioReview.com's Forum Archives

Just got the new Califone "Stitches" and the new Julia Holter "Loud City Song", and both sound pretty alright to me. Might just be sneaking up on a pretty alright year. The Califone is not officially out until Sep 3, but the vinyl preorder comes with download. And the new Richard Buckner "Surrounded" comes out that same day. And he is touring the eastern part of the US with Califone, should be some good shows out near our buddy Swish Daddy.

we're a long time
winter out the war
we are a payphone ... waiting

[Snowbunny]

That was an interesting thread! Thanks!

I wouldn't call myself a Rickie Lee fan, but one of my favourite songs "in the day" was Chuckie's in Love.

[Davey]

That was an interesting thread! Thanks!

I wouldn't call myself a Rickie Lee fan, but one of my favourite songs "in the day" was Chuckie's in Love.

Looks like the link for the list in that thread is dead, but a quick search turns it up ...

Chicago Reader September 28, 1995 Music | Music Sidebar

The 100 Greatest Moments in Rock History By Bill Wyman

100. Lou Reed in "Coney Island Baby": "I'm sending this one out to Lou and Rachel..."
99. "Satisfaction."
98. The lack of inflection in Johnny Cash's vocals on "Ring of Fire."
97. The clattery drums and gentle guitar washes in Pavement's "Summer Babe."
96. Bob Mould groaning "I'm hardly getting over it" on Candy Apple Grey.
95. "You look like you been whupped with an ugly stick" (Jerome in Bo Diddley's "Say Man").
94. The opening echoey bass on "For the Love of Money."
93. Ernie Isley's silky guitar on "That Lady (Parts 1 & 2)."
92. Shane MacGowan's dissolute vocals in the Pogues' "Fairytale of New York."
91. The key change in "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)."
90. "Wouldn't It Be Nice."
89. The explosive start to Jimi Hendrix's "All Along the Watchtower."
88. The dissonant, raspy violin--and dissonant, raspy harmonies--of the Raincoats' "In Love."
87. "Maybe someday your name will be in lights / Sayin' 'Johnny B. Goode tonight!'"
86. Tom Waits's gutter stage patter on Nighthawks: "I'm so goddamn horny that the crack of dawn better be careful around me."
85. The utterly nonsensical lyrics of Elton John's "Grey Seal."
84. Robin Zander yelling "We're all all right" at the end of the live version of Cheap Trick's "Surrender."
83. The doo-doo-doos in New Order's "Temptation."
82. The scratchy guitar sample in the Geto Boys' "Mind Playin' Tricks on Me."
81. David Lindley's slide guitar on the second Jackson Browne album.
80. Teddy Pendergrass's sultry voice in "Wake Up Everybody."
79. Keith Moon's drumming on "Won't Get Fooled Again."
78. The spaciousness of the arrangement of Stevie Wonder's "Master Blaster (Jammin')."
77. The Flaming Lips' dissonant, magnanimous take on "What a Wonderful World."
76. The French horns on Aretha's "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman."
75. Kim Deal's "How do you think it feels?" cameo in Ultra Vivid Scene's "Special One."
74. Eddie Van Halen's synth line in "Jump."
73. The wall o' guitars on Dwight Twilley's "I'm on Fire."
72. Run-D.M.C. calling themselves the "King of Rock" not rap.
71-70. John Doe and Exene's caustic Balin and Slick-style harmonies on "Johny Hit and Run Pauline"; Billy Zoom's cranked guitar.
69. "Bruce Berry was a workin' man / He used to love that Econoline van."
68. The bass line in "Stayin' Alive."
67. The box-tap drumming on Buddy Holly's "Everyday."
66. "What's Going On."
65. Elvis's "Don'tcha know I'm" interjection in "Suspicious Minds."
64. The concussive beginning of Portishead's "Sour Times."
63. Prince Be claiming his hip-hop props on PM Dawn's "Plastic."
62-61. Joey Ramone's cry of betrayal in "Bonzo Goes to Bitburg"; the glockenspiel.
60. All 18:05 of Stereolab's "Jenny Ondioline."
59. The utterly dry recording of the guitars in Led Zeppelin's "Trampled Under Foot."
58. KRS-One spitting out "Tell me what the **** am I supposed to do?" in "Love's Gonna Get 'Cha."
57. The swirling synth in Patti Smith's "Frederick."
56. Lou Reed's liner notes to Metal Machine Music.
55. Richard Manuel's tearful voice on "Tears of Rage."
54. Barry White's "Love Theme."
53. The "See the trees my forefathers hung from" line on Arrested Development's "Tennessee."
52. Johnny Marr's guitar reverb on the Smiths' "How Soon Is Now?"
51. David Lowery moaning "Just give me some tension relief" in Camper Van Beethoven's "(I Was Born in a) Laundromat."
50. The southerner listing the northern ghettos in Randy Newman's "Rednecks."
49. Mick Jones's guitar solo on Elvis Costello's "Tiny Steps."
48. Ricky Wilson's rattling guitar in "Private Idaho" by the B-52's.
47. The fax machine sound in the Breeders' "Cannonball."
46. Chrissie Hynde yelping "I got a kid / I'm 33!" on "Middle of the Road."
45-44. The dead stops in Suede's "Metal Mickey" and R.E.M.'s "Radio Free Europe."
43. The apocalyptic wails in the background of the Clash's "White Man in the Hammersmith Palais."
42. The 1:57 instrumental beginning of the Temptations' "Papa Was a Rolling Stone."
41. The anomie of the vocals in Chic's "Good Times."
40. The piano 'n' slide coda of "Layla."
39-38. Mick Jones's soft, gentle vocals on "Stay Free"; the burst of guitar at the end.
37. Sylvester wailing "You make me feel / Mighty mighty real."
36. Prince's "Maybe I'm just like my father" line in "When Doves Cry."
35. Elvis Presley's lugubrious, repulsive, mesmerizing performance of "My Way" at the end of This Is Elvis.
34. The opening thunderous bass in Urge Overkill's "The Candidate."
33. Jerry Butler singing "For Your Precious Love."
32. The floating alarm clock in "A Day in the Life."
31. The sampled squeals in LL Cool J's "Mama Said Knock You Out."
30. The last verse of John Fogerty's "Wrote a Song for Everyone."
29. Polly Harvey howling "I'm walking on water!" on Dry.
28. Chuck D's indignant "Elvis was a hero to most but not me" in "Fight the Power."
27. The rattling aridity--intellectually, atmospherically, morally--of Dr. Dre's "Dre Day."
26. "Shake Some Action."
25. The production of Tusk.
24. The on-the-three-beat thump of almost any Al Green single.
23. The opening 30 seconds of "I Want You Back."
22. The way Bob Marley enunciates "in the government yard in Trenchtown" in "No Woman, No Cry."
21. Rick Rubin's Zep sample on the Beastie Boys' "She's Crafty."
20. The harmonies in the Kinks' "Waterloo Sunset."
19. The "launderette," "leatherette," "dinette set," etc. rhymes in David Johansen's "Frenchette."
18. The four a cappella seconds at the beginning of Otis Redding's "These Arms of Mine."
17. The pedal steel and strings crescendoing in George Jones's "He Stopped Loving Her Today."
16. The earsplitting homage to "Be My Baby" at the beginning of the Jesus and Mary Chain's "Just Like Honey."
15. "Be My Baby."
14. The last verse of "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall."
13. "September Gurls."
12. Keith Richards's guitar solo in "Gimme Shelter."
11. D. Boon murmuring "Me and Mike Watt, playing guitar" in the Minutemen's "History Lesson--Part II."
10. "The record company, Rosie, just gave me a big advance!"
9. Neil Tennant singing "I love you / You pay my rent."
8. Jon Langford screaming "I'm born inside the belly of rock 'n' roll" in the Mekons' "Memphis, Egypt."
7-6. The guitars in the Replacements' "Left of the Dial"; Paul Westerberg's moan.
5. The sax break on Van Morrison's "Into the Mystic."
4. The opening chord, hit nine times, of "Anarchy in the UK."
3. Kurt Cobain singing the "My heart is broke" verse of "Dumb."
2. "Walk Away Renee."
1. The guitar falling out and the synthesizer welling up in the ninth bar of "Love Will Tear Us Apart."

[Snowbunny]

[Davey]

Hey, it worked for me! I promise I wasn't just humouring you, Davey!

Uh... what worked? The link I posted for the archive works, but the one maf posted in that old archive thread doesn't still work, does it? No matter... all's good.

[Ex Lion Tamer]

Hilarious!

I'm reading the list marveling at how fun and cool and in tune with what I like it is with no clue that it was posted by our old buddy maf. Man being over 50 is a *****. How do you recall this stuff Davey?