Number 91: Jens Lekman - Friday Night at the Drive-In Bingo
Album: Night Falls Over Kortedala, 2007.
Added 9/1/09, 34 plays.
A nice little ditty about finding something to do in a strage place. Doesn't he just make it seem like the most fun you can possibly have on a Friday night?
I love the bridge. He starts to get a little frenetic, which leads to this wonderful plan: "We could start a little farm with little white bunnies, just 'cause watching them copulate is very funny." Sounds like a plan, Jens. Yeah, it's that kind of a song.
you might also like...
Los Campesinos! - You! Me! Dancing!
The Dodos - Fools
Bishop Allen - Rain
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Top 100: #92
Number 92: LAKE - Heaven
Album: Oh, the Places We'll Go, 2008.
Added 11/14/08, 34 plays.
I can't find an embeddable video anywhere on teh interwebs, but if you go to their myspace page and hit the video on their "Sounds Like" box, that should do it. It's pretty sweet.
A pretty jangly piano romance song. It's heartfelt, if not particularly remarkable, though the chorus has a wicked hook: "You're a part of me, and I can't wait to see you again!"
you might also like...
The New Pornographers - Myriad Harbour
The Velvet Underground - Oh! Sweet Nuthin'
Communist Daughter - Not the Kid
Album: Oh, the Places We'll Go, 2008.
Added 11/14/08, 34 plays.
I can't find an embeddable video anywhere on teh interwebs, but if you go to their myspace page and hit the video on their "Sounds Like" box, that should do it. It's pretty sweet.
A pretty jangly piano romance song. It's heartfelt, if not particularly remarkable, though the chorus has a wicked hook: "You're a part of me, and I can't wait to see you again!"
you might also like...
The New Pornographers - Myriad Harbour
The Velvet Underground - Oh! Sweet Nuthin'
Communist Daughter - Not the Kid
Monday, June 28, 2010
Top 100: #93
Number 93: Nada Surf - Do It Again
Album: The Weight Is a Gift, 2005.
Added 5/21/07, 34 plays.
I absolutely love this song. I interpret it as someone getting over a depression, and using some old problems as a learning experience. The line, "When I accelerate, I remember why it's good to be alive," sounds like the narrator wasted a year or something, and is finally coming around. "Maybe this weight was a gift, like I had to see what I could lift," is one of the most optimistic sentiments ever put to song. We can't triumph over adversity without the adversity.
Also, great beat.
you might also like...
Rilo Kiley - More Adventurous
Neko Case - Star Witness
Spoon - Who Makes Your Money
Album: The Weight Is a Gift, 2005.
Added 5/21/07, 34 plays.
I absolutely love this song. I interpret it as someone getting over a depression, and using some old problems as a learning experience. The line, "When I accelerate, I remember why it's good to be alive," sounds like the narrator wasted a year or something, and is finally coming around. "Maybe this weight was a gift, like I had to see what I could lift," is one of the most optimistic sentiments ever put to song. We can't triumph over adversity without the adversity.
Also, great beat.
you might also like...
Rilo Kiley - More Adventurous
Neko Case - Star Witness
Spoon - Who Makes Your Money
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Top 100: #94
Number 94: Nouvelle Vague - Teenage Kicks
Album: Nouvelle Vague, 2005.
Added 5/21/07, 34 plays.
First, I'd love to say how awesome Nouvelle Vague's name is. Here's a French band doing New Wave songs they've never heard before in Bossa Nova. Nouvelle Vague and Bossa Nova each mean New Wave, by the way. Genius.
So, here they are covering The Undertones. This is one of the greatest rock songs of all time, done in a very cool way without turning into loungey background music, a problem for a lot of the other songs on the album.
you might also like...
Brazilian Girls - Don't Stop
Sneaker Pimps - 6 Underground
Psapp - Tiger, My Friend
Album: Nouvelle Vague, 2005.
Added 5/21/07, 34 plays.
First, I'd love to say how awesome Nouvelle Vague's name is. Here's a French band doing New Wave songs they've never heard before in Bossa Nova. Nouvelle Vague and Bossa Nova each mean New Wave, by the way. Genius.
So, here they are covering The Undertones. This is one of the greatest rock songs of all time, done in a very cool way without turning into loungey background music, a problem for a lot of the other songs on the album.
you might also like...
Brazilian Girls - Don't Stop
Sneaker Pimps - 6 Underground
Psapp - Tiger, My Friend
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Top 100: #95
Number 95: Rilo Kiley - Breakin' Up
Album: Under the Blacklight, 2007.
Added 9/3/07, 34 plays.
If yesterday's song was the plea for the return of a lover, this would be her response. She's past remorse and on to acceptance ("oh, ah, feels good to be free"). She's even to the point where she wishes him nothing but the best ("Here's to all the pretty girls you're gonna meet"). As far as breakup songs go, this is an odd one - it has extremely minimal sentiments of anger or regret, and is just about moving on. Nice.
you might also like...
Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins - Handle With Care
She & Him - Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?
Camera Obscura - Lloyd, I'm Ready to Be Heartbroken
Album: Under the Blacklight, 2007.
Added 9/3/07, 34 plays.
If yesterday's song was the plea for the return of a lover, this would be her response. She's past remorse and on to acceptance ("oh, ah, feels good to be free"). She's even to the point where she wishes him nothing but the best ("Here's to all the pretty girls you're gonna meet"). As far as breakup songs go, this is an odd one - it has extremely minimal sentiments of anger or regret, and is just about moving on. Nice.
you might also like...
Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins - Handle With Care
She & Him - Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?
Camera Obscura - Lloyd, I'm Ready to Be Heartbroken
Friday, June 25, 2010
Top 100: #96
Number 96: Shout Out Louds - Please Please Please
Album: Howl Howl Gaff Gaff, 2005.
Added 5/21/07, 34 plays.
A pretty desperate plea for the return of a lover, without being maudlin or tearjerking, but instead trying to reason and make a convincing argument. In the four stages of grief, we call that "bargaining."
you might also like...
Aquaduct - Hardcore Days & Softcore Nights
The Thrills - Big Sur
Fruit Bats - When U Love Somebody
Album: Howl Howl Gaff Gaff, 2005.
Added 5/21/07, 34 plays.
A pretty desperate plea for the return of a lover, without being maudlin or tearjerking, but instead trying to reason and make a convincing argument. In the four stages of grief, we call that "bargaining."
you might also like...
Aquaduct - Hardcore Days & Softcore Nights
The Thrills - Big Sur
Fruit Bats - When U Love Somebody
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Top 100: #97
Number 97: Thao - Bag of Hammers
Album: We Brave Bee Stings and All, 2008.
Added 3/13/09, 34 plays.
An excellent summer driving song. This is one of those songs I put in the category of "upbeat tempo with depressing lyrics." But it almost doesn't matter - there's a line in there that perfectly reflects this. "As sharp as I sting, as sharp as I sing, it still soothes you, doesn't it? Like a lick of ice cream." Ice cream, indeed! It's a fun, cool treat.
Album: We Brave Bee Stings and All, 2008.
Added 3/13/09, 34 plays.
An excellent summer driving song. This is one of those songs I put in the category of "upbeat tempo with depressing lyrics." But it almost doesn't matter - there's a line in there that perfectly reflects this. "As sharp as I sting, as sharp as I sing, it still soothes you, doesn't it? Like a lick of ice cream." Ice cream, indeed! It's a fun, cool treat.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Top 100: #98
Number 98: A.C. Newman - There Are Maybe Ten or Twelve...
Album: Get Guilty, 2009.
Added 4/14/09, 33 plays.
This is a song that begs you to come up with your own interpretation. It's about a breakup ("after that, well, I think you're on your own"), and probably not under amicable terms. I love the self-referencing lyrics here - he's particularly vague in the first and second verses, only to mention it in the third ("her eyes they were... a color I can't remember, which says more than the first two verses").
I also love his last line, "It is the devil you know that will slam the door harder." Make of that what you will.
Album: Get Guilty, 2009.
Added 4/14/09, 33 plays.
This is a song that begs you to come up with your own interpretation. It's about a breakup ("after that, well, I think you're on your own"), and probably not under amicable terms. I love the self-referencing lyrics here - he's particularly vague in the first and second verses, only to mention it in the third ("her eyes they were... a color I can't remember, which says more than the first two verses").
I also love his last line, "It is the devil you know that will slam the door harder." Make of that what you will.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Top 100: #99
Number 99: The Beatles - I've Just Seen a Face
Album: Help!, 1965.
Added 2/25/08, 33 plays.
You could say this about most Beatles songs, but it's a simple little love song. I love the quick tempo, upbeat lyrics, and simple arrangement. A wonderful representation of an early crush. Very Beatles.
Album: Help!, 1965.
Added 2/25/08, 33 plays.
You could say this about most Beatles songs, but it's a simple little love song. I love the quick tempo, upbeat lyrics, and simple arrangement. A wonderful representation of an early crush. Very Beatles.
Monday, June 21, 2010
New feature: Top 100
I just got a neat idea: I'll share with you my top 100 played songs on iTunes and give you a some thoughts on the song. It'll be my top 100 as of today, 6/21/10, and I'll start at the bottom. This could be embarrassing or awesome. I'll let you guys decide.
Number 100: Califone - Our Kitten Sees Ghosts
Album: Roots & Crowns, 2006.
Added 5/21/07, 33 plays.
Simple acoustic song with ambiguous, though clearly depressing lyrics. I've always focused on the chorus, "It's almost surgical/the way you shatter/when you hit the water." I think it's a song about falling apart, though the rest of the lyrics don't exactly support it. It's open to interpretation.
Number 100: Califone - Our Kitten Sees Ghosts
Album: Roots & Crowns, 2006.
Added 5/21/07, 33 plays.
Simple acoustic song with ambiguous, though clearly depressing lyrics. I've always focused on the chorus, "It's almost surgical/the way you shatter/when you hit the water." I think it's a song about falling apart, though the rest of the lyrics don't exactly support it. It's open to interpretation.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Summer Twenty-Ten
Putting together a summer listening mix, I realized afterwards that it was also accidentally a breakup album. Makes sense, and I don't think it takes away from the fun of these tracks. Enjoy.
1. Florence + the Machine - Dog Days Are Over
2. Sleigh Bells - Rill Rill
3. Pinback - Good to Sea
4. LCD Soundsystem - All I Want
5. School of Seven Bells - Half Asleep
6. Band of Skulls - Light of the Morning
7. Taken By Trees - My Boys
8. Toro y Moi - Blessa
9. The xx - Heart Skipped a Beat
10. Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings - How Long Do I Have to Wait for You?
11. Lee Michaels - Do You Know What I Mean
12. Taj Mahal - She Caught the Katy (And Left Me a Mule to Ride)
13. Freelance Whales - Hannah
14. Badly Drawn Boy - Silent Sigh
15. Metric - Sick Muse
16. Joni Mitchell - Coyote
17. Passion Pit - Sleepyhead
18. The Temper Trap - Sweet Disposition
19. The National - Bloodbuzz Ohio
20. Beirut - Scenic World
21. Loretta Lynn & Jack White - Portland, Oregon
1. Florence + the Machine - Dog Days Are Over
2. Sleigh Bells - Rill Rill
3. Pinback - Good to Sea
4. LCD Soundsystem - All I Want
5. School of Seven Bells - Half Asleep
6. Band of Skulls - Light of the Morning
7. Taken By Trees - My Boys
8. Toro y Moi - Blessa
9. The xx - Heart Skipped a Beat
10. Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings - How Long Do I Have to Wait for You?
11. Lee Michaels - Do You Know What I Mean
12. Taj Mahal - She Caught the Katy (And Left Me a Mule to Ride)
13. Freelance Whales - Hannah
14. Badly Drawn Boy - Silent Sigh
15. Metric - Sick Muse
16. Joni Mitchell - Coyote
17. Passion Pit - Sleepyhead
18. The Temper Trap - Sweet Disposition
19. The National - Bloodbuzz Ohio
20. Beirut - Scenic World
21. Loretta Lynn & Jack White - Portland, Oregon
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