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Sale, Meme, Lion Cubs, Politics
I only have four things. But since I have fancied them up with Roman numerals I expect to hear no complaints.
I. I am informed that my story, "Bear In Contradicting Landscape," will appear in Polyphony 7, which will be out in the fall. W00t! This is a story that I am both proud of and self-conscious of, so I will be interested to see the response.
II. Hayden tagged me for this, and since Hayden is much cooler than me (and I haven't acquired any new music in months), I have no expectations that my list will be as interesting as his. But I do what I'm told. Here's the sitch:
Here you are:
1. "Diesel Diesel Diesel," Jim Lauderdale. In the pantheon of trucking songs, this song might be Hephaestus to the Zeus of Jimmy Martin's version of "Truck Drivin' Man"; but the "Twilight Zone" guitar riff always makes me smile, and Lauderdale really does evoke the weird paranoia of being alone on the road late at night.
2. "Candy Man," Christina Aguilera. At times I feel like I need to explain my Christina Aguilera obsession, but then I remember that, Oh yeah. She actually has a voice, y'all, so STEP OFF. That, and with Back To Basics she took WWII-era big band/big vocals, gave it a modern twist, and stamped it with her own personality. Which is like all three Andrews Sisters rolled into one except really damn naughty. There are no actual dirty words in this song; Christina provides the rhymes, and the filthy mind of the listener completes them. I love, too, the call-and-response backing male vocals.
3. "Surgical Focus," Guided By Voices. The conventional wisdom would have it that Do the Collapse is the weakest album of GBV's career. The conventional wisdom can bite me. When I fixate on a GBV song, 9 times out of 10 it's from that album: "Liquid Indian," "Teenage FBI," "Strumpet Eye" . . . I mean, I understand that people got used to the 4-track sound, but remind me sometime to tell you a story about a guy named Dylan who used to only play acoustic.
4. "Trouble In the Fields," Sarah Harmer and Jason Euringer. This song breaks my fucking heart every time I hear it. I blame Patty Griffin, yes (see below), but it's also Harmer's voice, and the intricate harmony between her and Euringer. Someone once said to me, after I posted a review of a Harmer show, that I was obviously in love with her. I'm not sure that's true, actually, but I could listen to her continuously for months and not tire of her. And I have.
5. "Whiskey In the Jar," Metallica. Post-Cliff Metallica might have been better off just doing head-banging covers of traditional tunes. Granted, this version owes more to Thin Lizzy than it does to the 18th Century, but when Hetfield growls "And here I am in prison," he's a pissed-off highwayman and no mistake.
6. "Failsafe," the New Pornographers. I have no idea what this song is about. I don't much care. It has Neko Case who I really am in love with, and it has a weird slow build that makes it seem like a more complete journey than 2:37 seconds could possibly be.
7. "Every Little Bit," Patty Griffin. Griffin's delivery here matches the jangly acoustic as well as her lyrics; it's the voice of someone clinging to control, but losing it moment by moment. Someone with her heart in lockdown, being taunted by the thin shafts of sunlight peering through the bars. By the end part of me wants to stand up and cheer, and the other wants to avoid eye contact.
I have to tag people? OK. Alice, Celia, Hecubus, Jan, Karen, Meghan, and Richard. Play along if you like.
III. A Norwegian Zoo has put a 24-hour live webfeed in the pen of a lioness who recently had three cubs. WARNING: Cuteness ahead! (Right now they're all sleeping.)
IV. I don't usually subject y'all to political spots, but I like this one, where John Cusack asks if you can tell the difference between McCain and Bush.
I. I am informed that my story, "Bear In Contradicting Landscape," will appear in Polyphony 7, which will be out in the fall. W00t! This is a story that I am both proud of and self-conscious of, so I will be interested to see the response.
II. Hayden tagged me for this, and since Hayden is much cooler than me (and I haven't acquired any new music in months), I have no expectations that my list will be as interesting as his. But I do what I'm told. Here's the sitch:
List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they're not any good, but they must be songs you're really enjoying now, shaping your spring. Post these instructions in your blog along with your 7 songs. Then tag 7 other people to see what they're listening to.
Here you are:
1. "Diesel Diesel Diesel," Jim Lauderdale. In the pantheon of trucking songs, this song might be Hephaestus to the Zeus of Jimmy Martin's version of "Truck Drivin' Man"; but the "Twilight Zone" guitar riff always makes me smile, and Lauderdale really does evoke the weird paranoia of being alone on the road late at night.
2. "Candy Man," Christina Aguilera. At times I feel like I need to explain my Christina Aguilera obsession, but then I remember that, Oh yeah. She actually has a voice, y'all, so STEP OFF. That, and with Back To Basics she took WWII-era big band/big vocals, gave it a modern twist, and stamped it with her own personality. Which is like all three Andrews Sisters rolled into one except really damn naughty. There are no actual dirty words in this song; Christina provides the rhymes, and the filthy mind of the listener completes them. I love, too, the call-and-response backing male vocals.
3. "Surgical Focus," Guided By Voices. The conventional wisdom would have it that Do the Collapse is the weakest album of GBV's career. The conventional wisdom can bite me. When I fixate on a GBV song, 9 times out of 10 it's from that album: "Liquid Indian," "Teenage FBI," "Strumpet Eye" . . . I mean, I understand that people got used to the 4-track sound, but remind me sometime to tell you a story about a guy named Dylan who used to only play acoustic.
4. "Trouble In the Fields," Sarah Harmer and Jason Euringer. This song breaks my fucking heart every time I hear it. I blame Patty Griffin, yes (see below), but it's also Harmer's voice, and the intricate harmony between her and Euringer. Someone once said to me, after I posted a review of a Harmer show, that I was obviously in love with her. I'm not sure that's true, actually, but I could listen to her continuously for months and not tire of her. And I have.
5. "Whiskey In the Jar," Metallica. Post-Cliff Metallica might have been better off just doing head-banging covers of traditional tunes. Granted, this version owes more to Thin Lizzy than it does to the 18th Century, but when Hetfield growls "And here I am in prison," he's a pissed-off highwayman and no mistake.
6. "Failsafe," the New Pornographers. I have no idea what this song is about. I don't much care. It has Neko Case who I really am in love with, and it has a weird slow build that makes it seem like a more complete journey than 2:37 seconds could possibly be.
7. "Every Little Bit," Patty Griffin. Griffin's delivery here matches the jangly acoustic as well as her lyrics; it's the voice of someone clinging to control, but losing it moment by moment. Someone with her heart in lockdown, being taunted by the thin shafts of sunlight peering through the bars. By the end part of me wants to stand up and cheer, and the other wants to avoid eye contact.
I have to tag people? OK. Alice, Celia, Hecubus, Jan, Karen, Meghan, and Richard. Play along if you like.
III. A Norwegian Zoo has put a 24-hour live webfeed in the pen of a lioness who recently had three cubs. WARNING: Cuteness ahead! (Right now they're all sleeping.)
IV. I don't usually subject y'all to political spots, but I like this one, where John Cusack asks if you can tell the difference between McCain and Bush.
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OMG! John Cusack! I'm actually having some technical difficulties with that clip, but I won't rest until I can enjoy it.
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Also, I've never been tagged for a meme before. You have made my day. Unless you're talking about a different Alice, in which case: :(((((
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I am going to take the easy way out for this meme tag thing and just refer you to this spring's muxtape. Even though I'm already played out on most of those songs except for the Lupe Fiasco and Two Foot Yard. And hm, also -- no wait, I still like them all.
Never apologize for loving Xtina (who has made it onto a mix or two of mine, so yeah HATERS STEP OFF)
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I look forward to your list; and have a great trip!
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Hmmm, seven songs...
"I Can't Keep From Talking" - Golden Smog. A group likened to the indie rock Traveling Wilburys. Here Jeff Tweedy takes a break from Wilco to profess his love to Big Star with a perfectly gorgeous, melodic, Big Star-like song.
"The False Husband" - Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan. They have a new album out, but this is from their first collaboration. She is, of course, a Scottish indiepop waif escaped from Belle and Sebastian and he is a leathery, grunge-era surviving baritone. Here they make something that lands between Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood and Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin. But with more of a spaghetti western vibe.
"That's How Much I Need Your Love" - Chuck Prophet. Speaking of baritones and Spaghetti Westerns... This guy's local to SF and a fantastic talent. Great, great guitarist and a very sharp songwriter who also happens to have an excellent ear for production. You get all sorts of fascinating textures in his music and this song has THE sexiest groove.
"I'm Not Down" - Thea Gilmore. One of Britain's best songwriters covers the Clash. And man, she really makes you feel the lyrics on this song. Sniff. It moves me.
"Sheldon Church Yard" - Larry Jon Wilson. Hmmm, I guess I got a baritone thing going on. Anyway, cultish Swamp Rock musician and I was able to nab some of his OOP stuff off blogs and comps. Very southern gothic lyrics, with that sweaty soulful swamp groove.
"Make Me Yours" - Bettye Swann. Classic sixties soul, but not the kind of track you hear on oldies radio. Fantastic voice, sleek melody, tight groove. Just a fantastic track. Almost has a Smokey Robinson/Motown groove, but this one is rooted deeper south.
"Andy Warhol" - Dana Gillespie. Bowie represented her, and he and Ronson play on this track which was written originally for her. I've always liked Bowie's version but this version absolutely soars. She's got the voice to make it work, and Ronno cuts loose with an extended guitar solo that's just fabulously melodic and muscular.
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Wish us luck! Emmett's team is in a playoff final tonight. Wish him doubles!
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Hope that one still works.
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JSR
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