Smashing Pumpkins - Never Let Me Down Again [Depeche Mode]Album: Rarities & B-Sides [?]
not sure when this was recorded but judging by billy corgan's voice, it sounds like it's circa 1992-1994. nice 'n spacey.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
song of the day: july 18/2011
Horse Feathers - Drain You [Nirvana]Album: Cascades Single [2010]
seemingly unlikely given the genres of both bands, but horse feathers do an epic job of making it their own. i have the set list from the last time they played toronto and though it was on there as an encore, they didn't play it because their instruments kept breaking :(
Sunday, July 17, 2011
song of the day: july 17/2011
Between the Buried and Me - Colorblind [Counting Crows]Album: The Anatomy Of [2006]
north carliona's between the buried me payed homage to some of the bands that influenced them growing up with their fourth album release, "the anatomy of". far from being a one-track band drawing from a single genre of inspiration, the band have included a rather diverse range: pantera, earth crisis, depeche mode, pink floyd, smashing pumpkins, blind melon, soundgarden, motley crue, to name a few. their band name actually comes from the counting crows song "ghost train", so they're obviously big fans. complete with member liner-note commentary about the reasoning for or fan-boy love of certain songs, "the anatomy of" is a solid release that should further inspire fans unfamiliar with some of the covers to expand their own musical repertoire. it's just their way of sharing the love.
song of the day: july 16/2011
Cymbals Eat Guitars - The Ballad of Big Nothing [Elliott Smith]Album: Wind Phoenix Single [2010]
not much different really from elliott smith's original version (from "either/or") but worth sharing nevertheless.
song of the day: july 15/2011
The Golden Dogs - Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five [Paul McCartney]Album: Big Eye Little Eye [2005]
the first in a weeks worth of artists covering other artists (the heat is making me lazy). certainly one of the best, toronto's golden dogs cover a song from paul mccartney's "band on the run" album.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
july 14/2011
Robin Pecknold - Blue Spotted Tail (live acoustic)this version of "blue spotted tail" comes from a glastonbury session in 2009 and therefore was played well before the glorious "helplessness blues" was released in 2011. the band didn't add much to the song while recording it in studio, letting it's simplicity speak for itself. pecknold's version of "on a good day" sounds like it's being played during soundcheck or something - lots of reverb (as though it's in a huge, empty space) and the lack of audience accompaniment makes me think so. hoping to see lots of the group's magic tonight at massey hall in toronto!
song of the day: july 13/2011
Cuff the Duke - Rocking ChairAlbum: Way Down Here [2009]
rock has certainly evolved a great deal since the 70s and 80s, but the more things change in rock, the more they stay the same. so inevitably, there will be artists who get much of their creative and artistic inspiration from rock's past, which is what cuff the duke do on "way down here". this is an early 2009 recording from a band that didn't exist before 2001, but "way down here" leaves no doubt that their roots run deep. there is no shortage of influences here that include neil young, blue rodeo, bob dylan, the byrds, and buffalo springfield. one can characterize this album as roots rock, indie rock, and - as on this song - alternative country-rock. however one categorizes their work, they bring an attractive sense of songcraft to melodic, unassuming tracks such as "old photograph" and "rocking chair". a solid and appealing example of the inspiration that the band geta from rock's past.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
song of the day: july 12/2011
Real Estate - It's RealAlbum: Days [2011]
new jersey's real estate has released this jangly new single in anticipation of their forthcoming album, "days". strangely, it doesn't even come out until october (!!?). the lovely layered vocals, bright guitars, and all-together-summery feel add up to create a memorable track that real estate have practically made their signature.
song of the day: july 11/2011
The Lemonheads - It's a Shame About RayAlbum: It's a Shame About Ray [1992]
as with other bands that followed in the wake of melodic punk-informed groups like the buzzcocks and husker du, the lemonheads, steered by leader evan dando, gradually moved from a raw garage-band sound toward a more straightforward pop approach. the title track from "it's a shame about ray" completed the transformation. it's a wistful, melodic singalong song that has an underlying element of melancholy, but is delightfully vague in its message. the "ray" of the title seems to be someone who is gone but not forgotten, evoking an all-things-must-pass sentiment. the song features a classic three-chord structure, over which dando sings a sweet melody in a bruised but warm voice. the album was one of the first bigger-budge records by a band of the era. the treatment of the record as a bona-fide pop contender by the producers and the band's label (atlantic), as well as the recognized songwriting talent of dando resulted in the single's worldwide success at radio. it was the group's breakthrough record. however, dando descended into severe drug abuse that he curbed by the 1996 release of "car bottom cloth". however, he missed his chance at stardom - though the group retained their cult, much of their audience had already slipped away.
Monday, July 11, 2011
song of the day: july 10/2011
Plants and Animals - Lola WhoAlbum: With/Avec EP [2006]
this is about as obscure as it comes on the lazy river road. though montreal's plants and animals have carved out a respectable following over the course of their first two full-album releases (highlighted by 2008's "parc avenue"), this song comes from an EP that's very difficult to find any information on. "lola who" is immediately infectious and could easily have been a stand-out track on their much more promoted releases. it starts out rather innocently, with a steady drum beat and acoustic strum setting the pace. however, the instrumental breakdown provides a lot of little curveballs before entering the "lola, lola who" chorus-like conclusion.
song of the day: july 9/2011
Panda Bear - Bros.Album: Person Pitch [2007]
"freed from the strategic abrasions of animal collective, the solo panda bear quickly succumbs to pure loveliness. the epic "bros" drifts through several movement, all vying to outdo the last voluptuous prettiness. from sighing multi-tracked vocals to jewel-box loops to caramelized guitar riffs, each layer adds hypnotic depth to a song whose gorgeousness seems dangerously excessive from the start. doubled-over with luscious detail, the swelling arrangement shimmers like the air above the pavement on a hot day." - tim finney (pitchfork).....a review that's much too wordy and ridiculous for my liking, but you get the point. also it should be noted that you won't find much excitement after the seven minute mark of the song.
song of the day: july 8/2011
Spacehog - In The MeantimeAlbum: Resident Alien [1995]
here's a brilliantly-written 90's hit to take you to a nostalgic place where lands are green and skies are blue. it's one-hit-wonderment at its finest!
Thursday, July 7, 2011
song of the day: july 7/2011
Pixies - Where is my Mind?Album: Surfer Rosa [1988]
pixies leader black francis seems unmoored literally and figuratively on this innovative pop song from the band's highly influential "surfer rosa" album. the song is based around a swim in the caribbean where up seems down. one of the most listenable college rock albums of the 80's, this full-length debut fulfilled the promise of "come on pilgrim" and added muscular edge that made their harshest moments seem even more menacing and perverse. like the black and white photo of a flamenco dancer on its cover, "surfer rosa" is the pixies' most polarized work. for each blazing piece of punk, there are softer, poppier moments ("gigantic"). in a year that included such landmark albums from contemporaries like sonic youth and my bloody valentine, pixies managed to turn in one of 1988's most striking, distinctive records. it may not be their most accessible, but it's one of their most compelling.
song of the day: july 6/2011
Modest Mouse - Doin' The CockroachAlbum: The Lonesome Crowded West
"the lonesome crowded west", the third album from modest mouse, has something for just about everyone. they can do quiet, brooding acoustics like "bankrupt on selling," dark and pounding thrashers like "cowboy dan," and funky jump-around emo like "jesus christ was an only child". throughout the whole album is a sort of down-to-earth analysis of the state of the world, without sounding pretentious. giving a song like "doin' the cockroach" the time of day can be sure to get you singing rambling, catchy vocals in no time. it's a song about how one life is no different than any other with a very negative existential point of view. it's important to note that a cockroach is a prehistoric insect that has been around forever just doing the same thing throughout it's existence. isaac brock is saying that everyone is just "doin' the cockroach" by just living for years and years and never really changing what they're doing. when he says "this one's a doctor, this ones a lawyer, this one's a cash feed..." he's expressing that all these people are no different from each other because life is meaningless and they're all going to end up in the same place. the first line, "i was in heaven, i was in hell / believe in neither but fear 'em as well" shows that he is unsure of the existence of heaven and hell but lives as if they exist. lyrically, it's a lot to take on and a bit of a downer, but the mood of the music is anything but. one of those great modest mouse songs that flew under the radar before they became a household name in the indie (and popular culture) realm.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
song of the day: july 5/2011
Deerhoof - The Perfect MeAlbum: Friend Opportunity [2007]
at some point in the five years leading up to "friend opportunity", deerhoof perfected their hold on a sound that at times seems almost too good to be true. "the perfect me" sounds like music for a video game, with power chords that fall far from any typical power chord progression, a heavy dosage of cowbell, and pristine and soaring melodies sung over cathedral organ. it sounds like progressive rock, in under three minutes no less.
Monday, July 4, 2011
song of the day: july 4/2011
The Donkeys - I Like The Way You WalkAlbum: Born With Striped [2011]
"born with stripes", the donkeys' third album, has received numerous comparisons to pavement, both from critics and the band's own press release. while some of the noodling is reminiscent of the 90's alt-rock heroes, the similarities end there. there is nothing dark or ironic about this album, just 12 infectious tracks of breezy california rock, trotting along at the same pace as the animal that inspired the band's name. "i like the way you walk" sees the band punctuating their steady momentum with a bass solo, and all four members sing-shouting "love you with all my heart" through cracks and restrained laughter (a la local natives). musically, the album could use a touch more diversity, but vintage chops, summertime hooks, and a lack of filler are certainly something to applaud.
song of the day: july 3/2011
Nine Inch Nails - All The Love In The WorldAlbum: With Teeth [2005]
one of the highlights from 2005's mildly underwhelming "with teeth". it takes a bit of time to get going, but the heavy, industrial beats churning under trent reznor's voice pave the way for the beautiful piano-driven ending, which is highlighted by reznor's higher-octave pitch and layered vocals. it's a massive early highlight, and sadly, the album rest of the album lacks another punch as strong as this one.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
song of the day: july 2/2011
Soundgarden - SuperunknownAlbum: Superunknown [1994]
arguably soundgarden's finest hour, "superunknown" is a sprawling, 70-minute magnum opus that pushes beyond any previous boundaries. soundgarden had always loved replicating led zeppelin and black sabbath riffs, but superunknown's debt is more to zeppelin's layered arrangements and sweeping epics. their earlier punk influences are rarely heard, replaced by surprisingly effective moments of pop and psychedelia (ie. "superunknown", "my wave", "fell on black days", "the day i tried to live"). "badmotorfinger" boasted more than its fair share of amazing riffs, but here the main hooks reside mostly in chris cornell's vocals; accordingly, he's mixed right up front, floating over the band instead of cutting through it. the rest of the production is just as crisp, with the band achieving a huge, robust sound that makes even the heaviest songs sound deceptively bright. but the most important reason superunknown is such a rich listen is twofold: the band's embrace of psychedelia, and their rapidly progressing mastery of songcraft. they'd always been a little mind-bending, but the full-on experiments in psychedelia give them such a wider sonic palatte, paving the way for less metallic sounds and instruments, more detailed arrangements, and a bridge into pop (which made the eerie balad "black hole sun" and inescapable hit). the dissonance and odd time signatures are still in force, though not as jarring or immediately obvious, which means the album reveals more subtleties with each listen. a complete beast of a record and worthy of it's stature as one of the most essential albums of the 90's.
song of the day: july 1/2011
The Band feat. Neil Young - HelplessAlbum: The Last Waltz [1978]
canadian music at its finest! happy canada day!
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