My Morning Commute Song du Jour

[Mr MidFi]

As soon as I hit the tollway this morning, Band of Horses came on with today’s SdJ, “I could sleep when I lived alone…Is there a ghost in my house?” I’m not even sure what the actual title of this song is, but typing the entirety of the lyrics is no great burden, so there it is. I know this song has some haters out there, and believe me…I can understand hating this song. I really can. It’s the same goddamn line of lyric, over and over again.

But I can’t help liking this song, and I can’t tell you why. It just works for me. The dreamlike intro, the surging wall of guitars, the propulsive beat & tempo…all woven around this very, very odd lyrical line. For me, this song joins the pantheon of notable one-line songs by Built To Spill (“Everybody knows that you are”) and Neil Young (“Got mashed potato, ain’t got no t-bone”).

I like the album, too, and it just missed my year-end top 10 list (and would probably supplant The Redwalls’ s/t disc if I were to post that list again). Some people say they remind them of My Morning Jacket, and I can sorta see that.

Speaking of MMJ, I picked up their newest one yesterday and have spun it one-and-a-half times so far. And it’s…quite unusual. It will either end up in my top 5 for the year, or wind up being my greatest disappointment since Cedric Benson. Only time will tell. But it definitely isn’t the same-old.

[Slosh]

My song-of-the-day today was an oldie (8 years!) : SDRE's "Disappear".

[bobsticks]

I've heard a lot of buzz about this band without ever really hearing them. So, I made sure to watch them on SNL this past Saturday (rerun) and have to say that I don't understand the buzz. I thought that they kinda sucked..

"Z" is an older album and acceptable fare by most standards. No doubt what you witnesed was something off their newest effort. I listened to a few cuts the other day and came to the same conclusion you did Autumn.

[Slosh]

I got Z several years after its release after seeing and being impressed with them on ACL. I find it to be a bit boring so I won't be picking up the new one, although I'll probably still hear it through friends. I think MMJ and MM&W should form a supergroup and call themselves My Morning Wood

NP:

[bobsticks]

Whattup Sloshy,

I doubt you'll be impressed. It's sorta a sonic wall of sludge, dissonance done poorly and mostly just annoying.

On the other hand, Yer spinnin' my morning commute disc at this moment. That Ray Davies album is easily one of my top five for the year. Solid jangle on the way in, foh sure.

NP:

[Mr MidFi]

I love that picture of Davies on the cover. Some people have an "I've-seen-it-all" kinda smirk on their face, and it's just annoying. It's perfect on Ray Davies because you know this guy really has seen it all...a half dozen times over.

And now, for something completely different. Well, not necessarily all that different, since we are talking about a wily old veteran singer/guitar player from London who has definitely seen his share or two of things as well.

Mr. David Gilmour got me misty-eyed this morning with his solo on the song "Mother". My emotions were already on the surface, I guess, because I had just bid farewell to my lovely wife and daughter, who are taking off today for 2-1/2 weeks in Italy. In my younger days, I would have reveled in the opportunity to enjoy the whole house to myself for days and days on end. Woo-hoo, bachelor life! But these days, those two gals are my primary source of joy, and I've never been apart from them this long.

But what is it about certain combinations of sounds that can stir the soul and draw out your passions and emotions, even when engaged in the most prosaic of activities (like driving on the tollway)? This has always been one of the most profound mysteries to me. Music is so ubiquitous in our lives that we can't help but take it for granted sometimes. But how can it be that this combination of notes, played by someone who really knows what he's doing, have such a deep effect...when those same notes played on those same 6 strings might leave me cold?

Anyway, very few rock artists have the ability to wring emotional substance out of an instrument like Gilmour can. His solo on "Mother" probably isn't even his best (it might not even be his sixth-best), but it sure worked for me this morning.

[Ex Lion Tamer]

But I plugged in my ipod today and had a nice mix of tunes come on. If I was to pick a song of the commute it would probably be "Janie Jones" the opener from The Clash's self-titled debut, UK edition. Probably in my top 5 or 10 all time favorite Clash songs - love the backing vocals from Mick, love the drum sound and love the momentum that is carried the whole way through the song. It was absolutely the perfect adrenaline kick to start off a beautiful Friday the 13th morning. A few other tunes that helped put a smile on my face this AM..."A Little Bit Like You", The Flaming Stars, "Range Life" Pavement, "Away" The Feelies, "superstitious" Stevie Wonder, "Celebrated Summer" Husker Du.

Love the concept of this thread, I look forward to the contributions everyday.

[bobsticks]

Josh Ritter-"Harrisburg"


Rose at the altar withered and wilted
Romero sank into a dream
He didn't make Heaven
He didn't make Harrisburg
He died in a hole in between
Some say that man is the root of all evil
Others say God's a drunkard for pain
Me I believe that the Garden of Eden
Was burned to make way for a train

Perfect tune for ramblin' and amblin' down the country highway that takes me out of the city for the day. A pilgrimage of a different sort, of course but the song has a resigned peacefulness in it's not-too-desperate melancholy.

[ForeverAutumn]

This morning I was listening to Don Henley’s, The Heart of the Matter. This song just gets me right here (softly taps her heart). Not only is this just a well written song with the lyricist’s heart on his sleeve, but Henley brings a special vocal touch to it.

During the second version of the chorus, when he sings “but I miss you baby”…ah, right here I tell you.

This is one of the best break-up songs ever written and sung IMO.

[Van Occupanther]

I got Z several years after its release after seeing and being impressed with them on ACL. I find it to be a bit boring so I won't be picking up the new one, although I'll probably still hear it through friends. I think MMJ and MM&W should form a supergroup and call themselves My Morning Wood

NP:

Do you have Morningwood's first album (maybe only album)? I think its okay, a punkish rock band with a female lead singer.

I also like the new Ray Davies CD. I haven't listened to it in over a month so maybe it is time to listen again.

[jasn]

"My Dreams" and "Blue Eyes" from Pete Shelley's Heaven and the Sea. Why do I love all the one's that get ho-hummed by the critics?

[Mr MidFi]

I didn’t get a chance to post yesterday’s SDJ, as the power was out at my office when I got there. Vicious storms have wreaked havoc in the near-western ‘burbs of Chicago, and some of us are just starting to get back on our feet. But over the weekend, I finally picked up the recent two-disc remaster set of Porky Tree’s Lightbulb Sun, which includes the standout track “ShesMovedOn”.

I now have 3 different versions of this song. The original version came to me via Jar’s Porky Tree sampler disc from about 6 years ago…to this day, the best single-artist comp I ever received. The bonus-track version from Deadwing trimmed and toned down the explosive guitar solo found on the original, and placed more emphasis on the percussion and funky-chunky rhythm guitar. The stereo version on the remastered disc gets it pretty much right, I think. Plenty of dynamics to help propel the inherent drama of the song. And the full frontal guitar solo remains strikingly freaked out, as nature intended.

That was yesterday’s song. Today’s Song du Jour is another track from around 2000…the “Homecoming” suite from Green Day’s American Idiot disc. It’s hard to imagine this wacky punk-pop outfit, faced with slowly declining sales of its catchy/kitschy albums, pulling out not one but TWO epic, 10-minute, storytelling song-cycles out of its bag of tricks for this larger-than-life concept album. Harder still to imagine that such a stunt would actually work.

And yet, there it is. You know that at some point, someone sat them down in the studio and said, “You know, guys, this isn’t really a punk album anymore. I mean, it’s more like opera now isn’t it?” To which they apparently replied, “Yeah…so I guess we need to roll some focking kettle drums in here, don’t we?” And so they did. Bom-Bam-Ba-Bom-Bam, Bom-Bam-Ba-Bom-Bam kettle drums.

Over the top? No…this is over, back under again, up the other side and over the top yet again. There’s no doubt about it; this album was either going to resurrect their career, or give it a proper Viking funeral. And this climactic suite was either going to make people ill, or hit them where they live.

And it works. Hell, it does more than just work. It swings for the fences, and gets all that ball. Touch ‘em all, boys, and head for home.

[ForeverAutumn]

Today’s Song du Jour is another track from around 2000…the “Homecoming” suite from Green Day’s American Idiot disc. It’s hard to imagine this wacky punk-pop outfit, faced with slowly declining sales of its catchy/kitschy albums, pulling out not one but TWO epic, 10-minute, storytelling song-cycles out of its bag of tricks for this larger-than-life concept album. Harder still to imagine that such a stunt would actually work.

And yet, there it is. You know that at some point, someone sat them down in the studio and said, “You know, guys, this isn’t really a punk album anymore. I mean, it’s more like opera now isn’t it?” To which they apparently replied, “Yeah…so I guess we need to roll some focking kettle drums in here, don’t we?” And so they did. Bom-Bam-Ba-Bom-Bam, Bom-Bam-Ba-Bom-Bam kettle drums.

Over the top? No…this is over, back under again, up the other side and over the top yet again. There’s no doubt about it; this album was either going to resurrect their career, or give it a proper Viking funeral. And this climactic suite was either going to make people ill, or hit them where they live.

And it works. Hell, it does more than just work. It swings for the fences, and gets all that ball. Touch ‘em all, boys, and head for home.

A classic album that will never collect dust on my shelf, for sure.

Speaking of storms, here's a pic of my neighbours backyard after a storm here on Sunday. Luckily, there was only some minor damage to the house and nobody hurt. They're gonna need a new fence though...

[ForeverAutumn]

Green Day’s American Idiot disc.

Your post made me want to hear this disk so I pulled out the old iPod, plugged it into the speakers and was listening to it when She's A Rebel came on and I caught this lyric...

From Chicago to Toronto

I thought that it was a neat coincidence that it was a guy from near Chicago that made this Torontonian want to hear this disk. I'm just sayin'...

You can roll your eyes at me now.

[Slosh]

here

C'mon, there's gotta be at least one Decemberist fan around here that hasn't heard this.

[Mr MidFi]

Your post made me want to hear this disk so I pulled out the old iPod, plugged it into the speakers and was listening to it when She's A Rebel came on and I caught this lyric...

From Chicago to Toronto

I thought that it was a neat coincidence that it was a guy from near Chicago that made this Torontonian want to hear this disk. I'm just sayin'...

You can roll your eyes at me now.

I've heard the two cities are alike in some ways...I dunno, I've never been to T-town (except a brief stopover in YYZ). One of these days, I'll have to do a long weekend there. We'll be happy to buy you a glass of wine or 5.

NP: "Time After Time" by REM. From their Reckoning album. Which you have no excuse not to own by now. Just sayin'.

[ForeverAutumn]

I've heard the two cities are alike in some ways...I dunno, I've never been to T-town (except a brief stopover in YYZ). One of these days, I'll have to do a long weekend there. We'll be happy to buy you a glass of wine or 5.

NP: "Time After Time" by REM. From their Reckoning album. Which you have no excuse not to own by now. Just sayin'.

We had a Board of Directors meeting in Chicago about three weeks ago. Unfortunately, I didn't get to attend that one. I think that you should come to T.O. for a long weekend. Swishy and his lovely wife did and we showed them a good time. We'd do the same for you.

As for the REM disk, it's sitting in my Shopping Cart. I'm waiting until next week to pull the trigger.

My SDJ today was Nothing Else Matters by Metallica. I just love this song. I can't give a nice story about it like you usually do. I just dig it.

[bobsticks]

C'mon, there's gotta be at least one Decemberist fan around here that hasn't heard this.

I'm here huckleberry, but I couldn't get playback after the dl...not even in the vaunted Monkey Machine.

Autumn, you would love Chicago. If'n y'all ever decide to do a Chitown rumble, I'm in.

[ForeverAutumn]

I'm here huckleberry, but I couldn't get playback after the dl...not even in the vaunted Monkey Machine.

Autumn, you would love Chicago. If'n y'all ever decide to do a Chitown rumble, I'm in.

I couldn't get it to play back either.

I'd love to go to Chicago. Maybe we'll come there for a long weekend.

[Slosh]

I'm here huckleberry, but I couldn't get playback after the dl...not even in the vaunted Monkey Machine.

It's in Apple Lossless, which I figured would be easier since most people use iTunes. It will play in MediaMonkey3 (but not MM2) if you have QuickTime installed.

Guess this is what happens when I try to dumb it down!

[jasn]

Lot's 'o hours in the car yesterday with the iPod on shuffle. The standout was Jethro Tull: Baker Street Muse.

[ForeverAutumn]

It's in Apple Lossless, which I figured would be easier since most people use iTunes. It will play in MediaMonkey3 (but not MM2) if you have QuickTime installed.

Guess this is what happens when I try to dumb it down!

Ahhhhhh. I'll try it again tonight. Thanks.

[Mr MidFi]

Several excellent tunes for my ride in this fine morning. Among them, Joe Jackson “I’m the Man,” Death In Vegas “Girls,” Porky Tree “Synthesia,” Rush “The Camera Eye,” and EIEIO “Andy Warhol’s Dead (But I’m Not)”.

But today’s SDJ is “The Well & The Lighthouse” by Arcade Fire. It’s not their only song with overtly religious imagery and sentiment. In fact, this number could be marketed as Christian Contemporary. It’s a little allegory about being lured into the well of sin, being resurrected and living as a beacon for others. There really isn’t any hint of winking irony to it. Unless you consider it in the context of the rest of the album.

I used to be a church-going Christian. I sang in the choir for years. I would read the Bible regularly. I was a true believer. But those days are done for me. I won’t get into the whys and wherefors…not here, anyway. I’m just not a believer anymore.

And along the way, I married a nice agnostic girl, and we settled down and raised our own nice little agnostic girl. And we’re all happy as clams, to be perfectly honest. But sometimes, I really wish I could communicate to them how traditional Christian themes in music, art, literature, etc. still resonate with me. I sometimes feel like they are missing something essential in our culture. When we go traipsing about & admiring some dusty cathedral in Europe, I can’t help but feel that they aren’t “getting it” in the same way I am.

[bobsticks]

But sometimes, I really wish I could communicate to them how traditional Christian themes in music, art, literature, etc. still resonate with me. I sometimes feel like they are missing something essential in our culture. When we go traipsing about & admiring some dusty cathedral in Europe, I can’t help but feel that they aren’t “getting it” in the same way I am.

The way you communicate it s by doing it as, thankfully, the music stands on it's own. In my own conversion away from the Cult of Man I was fortunate enough to not lose touch with some of those things. It's about separating the message fom the deliverer.I can still enjoy Spem in Alium or Berliner Messe and, of course, timing is everything. Shoot me a PM if you're really interested in hearing some stuff.

[Mr MidFi]

It's about separating the message fom the deliverer.

Well, yes and no. When you separate the message from the messenger, I think a certain quality of contextual flavor is lost in translation. This would be especially true of cultural touchstones that arise from a messianic religious tradition.

But hey, I’m not going to make a big deal over this. My wife, who was born and raised in Arizona, probably feels the same way about my capacity to fully appreciate native & western motifs (for all I know).