Recently I had a few friends/co-workers who had gone through break-ups. Being married for 8 years it's really been a long time since I felt those types of emotions. I then started to think of songs that dealt with different stages of emotions during a break-up, whether you are the dumper or the dumpee. Being me, I hopped onto my google machine and look up states of emotions for a break up. Found the following list and decided to match a song to that emotion because that's the type of stuff I do. I don't really know why, but I do. Maybe you will like? Whatever.
Denial
I Already Miss You – The Kooks
Sad regretful and full of hope, this is a song about hoping you can win her back.
Anger
Song for the Dumped – Ben Folds
How can you not love the line “Give me my money back, you bitch!”
Resentment
Train in Vain = The Clash
I listened to this song a lot after one break-up. I have a very personal connection to this one. It certainly fueled my resentment towards the guilty party. It's near perfect.
Negotiation (Desperation)
Bring it own home to me – Sam Cooke
Scuing old, but it's perfect for this list. It's been covered a lot recently. I personally love Spoon's Britt Daniels version the best. It's a classic that has withstood time well.
Depression
Another Lonely Day – Ben Harper
This song makes me want to crawl under the covers and never get out of bed.
Acceptance
Wild World – Cat Stevens
I love his music. Completely under-appreciated because he got weird.
Reminiscing
Classic Cars –Bright Eyes
This isn't one of the listed emotions but I'm lobbying for it. My reason, this song that Conor Oberst wrote for Wynona Ryder.
Whole Album
Get Lonely – The Mountain Goats
I would be remiss if I didn't mention what I think is the perfect post-break up album. Every song is a deeply personal and emotional. Heartbreaking and beautiful all at once. Here's my favorite.
April 08, 2010
April 03, 2010
Funny Rant, the Squeakquel
I feel like another rant, how about you? Target of my rant? Facebook.
I have to admit that I use FB regularly. I have an app on my phone and access it throughout the day. I enjoy it because I like to know what my friends and family are up to. I can keep up with current friends, old friends, new friends and sometimes because I accept anyone who friend requests me, complete strangers.
Seriously, I have accepted friend requests from people I don't really know. Do other people do that? I have no idea. One guy is a dude from my hometown that seems to friend request every single person from our town. He's all about hometown pride. He's really fucking annoying because he consistently suggests stupid shit to me. Stuff like "Let's see if we can get Jersey to a billion fans." Fuck you! Why don't you be the first of many to lick my balls.
Another clown I have accepted a friend request comes from some guy who works where I used to work. Since I am friends with a lot of people from there, he must think he knows me or thinks he should know me. I have never met this guy in my entire life. I am certain of it. This guy is the king of friend recommendations. So basically some guy I have never met in my life is out there in cyberspace telling me who I should be friends with. How about I recommend my knuckles meet your face.
You know what's really sad, I am to lazy to hide their posts and too nervous to un-friend request them. I worry that they would find out I removed them and would send me a sad, nasty message to me. I am so pathetic like that. I want to physically hurt them but at the same time I don't want to hurt their feelings by removing them from my friends list.
There is so much more I want to rail on about Facebook but it's late and this guy has to work early tomorrow. Goodnight all (if there's anyone even out there)!
And just because, here is a lovely lullaby by Band of Horses. I get to see them in concert in a couple of months. Hooray!
I have to admit that I use FB regularly. I have an app on my phone and access it throughout the day. I enjoy it because I like to know what my friends and family are up to. I can keep up with current friends, old friends, new friends and sometimes because I accept anyone who friend requests me, complete strangers.
Seriously, I have accepted friend requests from people I don't really know. Do other people do that? I have no idea. One guy is a dude from my hometown that seems to friend request every single person from our town. He's all about hometown pride. He's really fucking annoying because he consistently suggests stupid shit to me. Stuff like "Let's see if we can get Jersey to a billion fans." Fuck you! Why don't you be the first of many to lick my balls.
Another clown I have accepted a friend request comes from some guy who works where I used to work. Since I am friends with a lot of people from there, he must think he knows me or thinks he should know me. I have never met this guy in my entire life. I am certain of it. This guy is the king of friend recommendations. So basically some guy I have never met in my life is out there in cyberspace telling me who I should be friends with. How about I recommend my knuckles meet your face.
You know what's really sad, I am to lazy to hide their posts and too nervous to un-friend request them. I worry that they would find out I removed them and would send me a sad, nasty message to me. I am so pathetic like that. I want to physically hurt them but at the same time I don't want to hurt their feelings by removing them from my friends list.
There is so much more I want to rail on about Facebook but it's late and this guy has to work early tomorrow. Goodnight all (if there's anyone even out there)!
And just because, here is a lovely lullaby by Band of Horses. I get to see them in concert in a couple of months. Hooray!
March 30, 2010
Got Sumthin'
In a world where I have no kids, minimal responsibilities and large sums money to blow I would go to and see live music almost everyday. I have always placed a higher premium on bands that perform live well. Emotions in the music are the draw for me, and hearing a song live brings out the true emotions of a song, making it more authentic.
This past Friday I was fortunate enough to get out and see a concert with my wife and two friends. We went to Radio City Music Hall to see the fantastic and highly under-appreciated band, Spoon. A great band, playing in a great venue in a great city with some great people. It was just, well, great.
We'll talk about Spoon and their performance in a bit, but one of my favorite things about concert going is the ability to discover new music. This can happen several ways. First, for me happens on the car ride to the show.
My friend, we'll call him the Swede, volunteered to drive into the city. The Swede has an extensive and eclectic music selection. I am always intrigued as to what he is listening to and sometimes he has introduced me to some great stuff. I think and hope I do the same for him. So on the car ride into the Big Apple we were constantly introducing each other to bands we were unfamiliar with.
The Swede played several songs from several bands for me. One that really stuck out to me was Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears. A soul-rock band from Texas, these guys are Sam Jackson cool. Enjoy this little diddy.
The most obvious way to discover new bands going to a concert is to catch the opening act(s). For Spoon, two bands were opening, The Strange Boys and Deerhunter. I was familiar with Deerhunter before. In fact, The Swede is a huge Deerhunter fan. He was more excited about them than seeing Spoon. I like Deerhunter but I don't love them. I was really more interested in finding out about The Strange Boys.
The Strange Boys were a complete mystery to us. The Swede did “a little reading” on them but never heard a song by them. We were all pleasantly surprised at their set. The next day I did a little research and found several of their songs very enjoyable. I think I read somewhere that their from Georgia? I'm too lazy to look it up now. Anyway, here's a pretty cool song of theirs.
Well, that's basically it for now. Oh, yeah. Spoon. They were great. The setlist was awesome. They played just about all of my favorites except the didn't play this song, and it's by far and away my favorite spoon song.
This past Friday I was fortunate enough to get out and see a concert with my wife and two friends. We went to Radio City Music Hall to see the fantastic and highly under-appreciated band, Spoon. A great band, playing in a great venue in a great city with some great people. It was just, well, great.
We'll talk about Spoon and their performance in a bit, but one of my favorite things about concert going is the ability to discover new music. This can happen several ways. First, for me happens on the car ride to the show.
My friend, we'll call him the Swede, volunteered to drive into the city. The Swede has an extensive and eclectic music selection. I am always intrigued as to what he is listening to and sometimes he has introduced me to some great stuff. I think and hope I do the same for him. So on the car ride into the Big Apple we were constantly introducing each other to bands we were unfamiliar with.
The Swede played several songs from several bands for me. One that really stuck out to me was Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears. A soul-rock band from Texas, these guys are Sam Jackson cool. Enjoy this little diddy.
The most obvious way to discover new bands going to a concert is to catch the opening act(s). For Spoon, two bands were opening, The Strange Boys and Deerhunter. I was familiar with Deerhunter before. In fact, The Swede is a huge Deerhunter fan. He was more excited about them than seeing Spoon. I like Deerhunter but I don't love them. I was really more interested in finding out about The Strange Boys.
The Strange Boys were a complete mystery to us. The Swede did “a little reading” on them but never heard a song by them. We were all pleasantly surprised at their set. The next day I did a little research and found several of their songs very enjoyable. I think I read somewhere that their from Georgia? I'm too lazy to look it up now. Anyway, here's a pretty cool song of theirs.
Well, that's basically it for now. Oh, yeah. Spoon. They were great. The setlist was awesome. They played just about all of my favorites except the didn't play this song, and it's by far and away my favorite spoon song.
March 23, 2010
Songs From My Youth Vol. 2 - Baby Killer Edition
Depending on which side of the aisle you vote with, the passage of the health care bill is either the beginning of the end for America or the greatest day in the history of democracy. I voted for good ol' Barry so I'm pleased but not ecstatic. But were not here to discuss the merits of the new health care bill, we are here to discuss a song about killing abortion doctors.
Why, you ask? Well, during the momentous vote Sunday night there was one outburst that caught the media's attention. Texan Deucebag Randy Neugebauer shouted “baby killer” while Michigan ass-clown Bart Stupak was on the house floor speaking about whatever ass-clowns speak about on the house floor. Sure, this was a punk move by Neugebauer, but he's a deucebag congressman from Texas so no one should really be surprised.
All this talk about health care, doctors, and killing babies brought me to a memory of one of my favorite Mudhoney songs, F.D.K (Fearless Doctor Killers). The song appears on their best album, My Brother The Cow released in 1995.
There maybe some people who read this who have no idea who Mudhoney are. So I guess this means it's time for an obligatory paragraph on the history of Mudhoney.
Mudhoney is made up of former members of Green River (Jeff Ament & Stone Gossard of Pearl Jam's earliest band). Mudhoney signed with Sub Pop and was the labels top selling act before Nirvana came around. To me, the were the core of Grunge music and My Brother The Cow was the last great Grunge album. They never broke it big like some of their Seattle peers, but they certainly had an influence on the scene.
In fact, I don't think there is one album that really represents what grunge was to me then My Brother The Cow. The lyrics are punk and politically influenced. The chords are thick and crunchy. The songs are short and to the point. F.D.K is all of that. It's a two and half minute song written through the sardonic point of view of an abortion doctor killer. It's a clever little punk song that points out the hypocrisy and absurdity of some on the religious right.
Here's the song, but don't stop here. MBTC is an excellent and forgotten album from the mid-nineties. To prove my point, here's another kick-ass tune from that album, Generation Spokesmodel. As the song says, listen to these songs, I guarantee you will relate!
F.D.K (Fearless Doctor Killers)
Generation Spokesmodel
Why, you ask? Well, during the momentous vote Sunday night there was one outburst that caught the media's attention. Texan Deucebag Randy Neugebauer shouted “baby killer” while Michigan ass-clown Bart Stupak was on the house floor speaking about whatever ass-clowns speak about on the house floor. Sure, this was a punk move by Neugebauer, but he's a deucebag congressman from Texas so no one should really be surprised.
All this talk about health care, doctors, and killing babies brought me to a memory of one of my favorite Mudhoney songs, F.D.K (Fearless Doctor Killers). The song appears on their best album, My Brother The Cow released in 1995.
There maybe some people who read this who have no idea who Mudhoney are. So I guess this means it's time for an obligatory paragraph on the history of Mudhoney.
Mudhoney is made up of former members of Green River (Jeff Ament & Stone Gossard of Pearl Jam's earliest band). Mudhoney signed with Sub Pop and was the labels top selling act before Nirvana came around. To me, the were the core of Grunge music and My Brother The Cow was the last great Grunge album. They never broke it big like some of their Seattle peers, but they certainly had an influence on the scene.
In fact, I don't think there is one album that really represents what grunge was to me then My Brother The Cow. The lyrics are punk and politically influenced. The chords are thick and crunchy. The songs are short and to the point. F.D.K is all of that. It's a two and half minute song written through the sardonic point of view of an abortion doctor killer. It's a clever little punk song that points out the hypocrisy and absurdity of some on the religious right.
Here's the song, but don't stop here. MBTC is an excellent and forgotten album from the mid-nineties. To prove my point, here's another kick-ass tune from that album, Generation Spokesmodel. As the song says, listen to these songs, I guarantee you will relate!
F.D.K (Fearless Doctor Killers)
Generation Spokesmodel
March 21, 2010
DJ Jimmy Jazz
The more and more I think about this blog and what direction I want to take it, the more I realize I want it to be about music. I've tried a few times in the past to do a music blog but it was always a haphazard effort on my part. This time around I am going to commit to writing at least twice a week but hopefully more if life permits me to.
So since this is the direction I am taking, let me lay a few ground rules on what to expect and not expect.
First, you should know a little more about me. I'm 31. Music is my first love. It's cliche to say in a way but it saved me. I know there are thousands if not millions of people out there who feel the same way. I'm not going to get into my personal details but I came of age during the grunge period and that had a lot of influence on me. In a way, I want this blog to be a love letter to the music that helped me get through so much as a young man.
Jeff Ament, the bassist for Pearl Jam, once said something about music that always resonated with me. I don't have the exact quote, but he basically said music is the only form of art that can change your mood instantly. You can put on a pair of headphones, crank up a song and it can instantly make you feel happy, sad, comforted, angry, aggressive.
Those songs that have an impact on how I feel are the songs that I am most interested in talking about here. I don't listen to pop radio. I don't watch MTV. I don't subscribe to satellite radio. I don't really read other music blogs aside from elbo.ws. I find my music through artists I already know and from friend's recommendations. That's basically what I'll present here. Stuff that I'm digging at the moment or some sappy nostalgia.
When I was in High School, I really considered becoming a DJ at a radio station. The idea of sharing the music I loved with others was enticing. Few things make me happier then when I help others find music that they love so it was an obvious career path. Fortunately, I came to learn that the DJ's have no say in what they play and that radio was becoming more and more corporate.
Basically what I am saying is that I want to share what I love with anyone who basically wants to listen (which maybe no one, but that's fine by me). I still plan on writing the obvious rant on whatever fires me up, but music will be the glue that holds this little endeavor.
What I am not interested in talking about is the lives of musicians or other celebrities. I don't care who is banging who. I hate gossip and will never talk about it. If there is a hell, I would like to imagine that there is a special place reserved for those who engage in the intrusion of celebrities' personal lives.
I hope I can help others discover new music. That's basically the goal here, folks. So in closing I guess I should choose a song that exemplifies what this is all about. The one song that pops into my mind is “Everyday People.” Not the original version, but Pearl Jam covering it. Why? Well, as many music lovers have done in the past, I made mixed tapes for girls. One specific mixed tape I gave to a certain women who would eventually become my wife. I would like to think that putting this song on there had a little bit to do with her falling for me. So here is Pearl Jam covering “Everyday People” at a concert in Chicago back in 1995.
So since this is the direction I am taking, let me lay a few ground rules on what to expect and not expect.
First, you should know a little more about me. I'm 31. Music is my first love. It's cliche to say in a way but it saved me. I know there are thousands if not millions of people out there who feel the same way. I'm not going to get into my personal details but I came of age during the grunge period and that had a lot of influence on me. In a way, I want this blog to be a love letter to the music that helped me get through so much as a young man.
Jeff Ament, the bassist for Pearl Jam, once said something about music that always resonated with me. I don't have the exact quote, but he basically said music is the only form of art that can change your mood instantly. You can put on a pair of headphones, crank up a song and it can instantly make you feel happy, sad, comforted, angry, aggressive.
Those songs that have an impact on how I feel are the songs that I am most interested in talking about here. I don't listen to pop radio. I don't watch MTV. I don't subscribe to satellite radio. I don't really read other music blogs aside from elbo.ws. I find my music through artists I already know and from friend's recommendations. That's basically what I'll present here. Stuff that I'm digging at the moment or some sappy nostalgia.
When I was in High School, I really considered becoming a DJ at a radio station. The idea of sharing the music I loved with others was enticing. Few things make me happier then when I help others find music that they love so it was an obvious career path. Fortunately, I came to learn that the DJ's have no say in what they play and that radio was becoming more and more corporate.
Basically what I am saying is that I want to share what I love with anyone who basically wants to listen (which maybe no one, but that's fine by me). I still plan on writing the obvious rant on whatever fires me up, but music will be the glue that holds this little endeavor.
What I am not interested in talking about is the lives of musicians or other celebrities. I don't care who is banging who. I hate gossip and will never talk about it. If there is a hell, I would like to imagine that there is a special place reserved for those who engage in the intrusion of celebrities' personal lives.
I hope I can help others discover new music. That's basically the goal here, folks. So in closing I guess I should choose a song that exemplifies what this is all about. The one song that pops into my mind is “Everyday People.” Not the original version, but Pearl Jam covering it. Why? Well, as many music lovers have done in the past, I made mixed tapes for girls. One specific mixed tape I gave to a certain women who would eventually become my wife. I would like to think that putting this song on there had a little bit to do with her falling for me. So here is Pearl Jam covering “Everyday People” at a concert in Chicago back in 1995.
March 16, 2010
National Pride
One of my favorite songs from 2007 is The National's "Fake Empire." A beautifully constructed song with haunting lyrics jolted by lead singer's Matt Berninger's rich baritone. If you are unfamiliar with the group, you couldn't hurt yourself by picking up either of their albums, Alligator and Boxer.
They have a new album due out in May. They stopped by Jimmy Fallon the other night to play a track off the new record, entitled "Terrible Love." Here is that performance. Take 4 and a half minutes out of your day to listen to this song, you won't be sorry.
They have a new album due out in May. They stopped by Jimmy Fallon the other night to play a track off the new record, entitled "Terrible Love." Here is that performance. Take 4 and a half minutes out of your day to listen to this song, you won't be sorry.
March 15, 2010
Speaking as a Child of the 90's......... Songs from My Youth Vol. 1
I want to be completely honest and upfront about this post. I am stealing a bit from my favorite radio person – Tony Kornheiser. He does this bit called “Old Guy Radio” in which he plays a song, typically from his youth, and proceeds to talk over it and about it. It's cool but since he's old I don't really relate to the songs, but I love the concept. So, here I present to you “Songs from my Youth.”
First song up, “White, Discussion” from Live. There is no particular reason I am picking this song other than the fact I was thinking about it today. I was driving in the car, going to pick up the kids at their grandmother's house. I felt like playing loud music and singing along loudly. I used to do this all the time. Now, life tends to get in the way of quality alone time.
Anyway, I was searching through my selection of music and getting frustrated at the lack of songs that motivated me. For whatever reason my mind wanders into a memory of my youth in which I would be home alone blasting music and sing along at the top of my lungs. This song, “White Discussion” was one of my favorites to sing along with.
Live, for those who are unaware, where or maybe still are a band from York, PA who hit it big with a couple of hits in the mid-nineties. They really haven't been heard from too much since. The last album I bought from them was Secret Samadhi in 1997.
Back to the song of the moment. It's certainly not one of their more popular songs in their catalog but I always loved it more than most of their other tunes. It spoke to me as an angry youth who was interested in politics and changing the world and all that stuff. Listening to it now, the lyrics are a little pretentious and heavy-handed but the music still rocks. The drums and bass work tightly as the guitar swirls around in the foreground. I am a sucker for any song that starts off calm and builds into an emotional crest that crashes into a fury. All in all, it's a decent song that can get you fired up as you shout “Look where all this talking got us, baby!!!!!”
Enjoy
Live - White, Discussion.mp3
First song up, “White, Discussion” from Live. There is no particular reason I am picking this song other than the fact I was thinking about it today. I was driving in the car, going to pick up the kids at their grandmother's house. I felt like playing loud music and singing along loudly. I used to do this all the time. Now, life tends to get in the way of quality alone time.
Anyway, I was searching through my selection of music and getting frustrated at the lack of songs that motivated me. For whatever reason my mind wanders into a memory of my youth in which I would be home alone blasting music and sing along at the top of my lungs. This song, “White Discussion” was one of my favorites to sing along with.
Live, for those who are unaware, where or maybe still are a band from York, PA who hit it big with a couple of hits in the mid-nineties. They really haven't been heard from too much since. The last album I bought from them was Secret Samadhi in 1997.
Back to the song of the moment. It's certainly not one of their more popular songs in their catalog but I always loved it more than most of their other tunes. It spoke to me as an angry youth who was interested in politics and changing the world and all that stuff. Listening to it now, the lyrics are a little pretentious and heavy-handed but the music still rocks. The drums and bass work tightly as the guitar swirls around in the foreground. I am a sucker for any song that starts off calm and builds into an emotional crest that crashes into a fury. All in all, it's a decent song that can get you fired up as you shout “Look where all this talking got us, baby!!!!!”
Enjoy
Live - White, Discussion.mp3
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