Good Timin’… (Bright Eyes’ Live Recordings EP)

Right after the Bright Eyes concerts, all I wanted was more Bright Eyes. More more more! *cue heavy utensil banging on a table and a perfectly executed pouty lip* After most concerts this is a request that, no matter how many gummy bears I sacrifice to the music gods, remains just that: an unanswered request.

Enter Bright Eyes. I always knew we had a connection. Back to the scene: me, post-concert depression, Youtube-ing videos from concerts for comfort but it’s no use- they’re just like my outlook: terrible quality, lack of focus. My cure? Today I was searching through my webpage bookmarks and found one about a little Bright Eyes EP that was released on July 4th. I haven’t the slightest why it took me so long to listen to it, but it was literally just what I was jonesing for.

In particular, “Lover I Don’t Have To Love” didn’t have the same spark anymore. Live, Conor Oberst had so much energy, made it rawer than a still mooing steak, I loved the addition of the female vocals during the chorus at the end, after having a 2.0 version of the song in my head I just didn’t want to go back to dial-up. Well, Bright Eyes took that awesome blossom (extra awesome) version in my head and digitized it, stuck it with a few other choice songs that are being featured on the current tour (Firewall, Shell Games, Arc of Time (Time Code), Bowl of Oranges, The Ladder Song), and called them “Live Recordings”.

I’m always nervous when hearing live albums; sometimes they’re just annoying, sometimes I realize there’s a reason a particular artist favors auto-tuning on their studio albums, sometimes I just get jealous that I wasn’t there. With the new version of “Lover”… not the case at all. It’s just like I remembered! Excellent quality! The whole song is there, not just random snippets like the Youtube uploads! Yes!

I always knew there was a reason Bright Eyes held a special place in my heart, and this album was an affirmation that that space their renting is as good as sold. Best tenants ever.

Listen to the album version of “Lover I Don’t Have to Love”

…And then compare it to the fancy liiiiiiiiiiiiiive version of “Lover I Don’t Have To Love”

Busy Doin’ Nothin’… (I Like Neighbors)

Neighbors: not a fan of the actual beings who live above and near me, but definitely on board with the Brooklyn band.

Today was a relatively quiet day (aside from a full day of work and a grand e-mail jamboree), and served as a little catch-up window. In addition to sorting coins and organizing my photos, I gave a listen to some new CDs I’d accumulated. One of my internships is at a music PR firm, and a couple weeks ago there was a massive clean out of old CDs that the office didn’t have room for anymore. Downside: I had to carry boxes and boxes of CDs down four floors. Upside: free music! My favorite find thus far is Neighbors, a band that I thought I’d heard mentioned somewhere sometime somehow, but couldn’t put my finger on any song or lyric or anything of theirs.

Well, I listened to their August EP, and I have to say it’s absolutely lovely. Very bubbly, lots of interesting instrumentals and sound effects, smooth as butter vocals, good summer fun. Synths are a dish best served with bells, clapping, and carrots, and Neighbors delivered on 2/3. Who needs calcium anyway? Overrated, I’d rather “Ophilia”. Tick tock, tick tick tick tock.

Track 1: August
Track 2: Ophelia
Track 3: Gone Too Long
Track 4: Bad Timing

…Ironically enough, the day I hear the lyrics “keep your porch light o-o-o-o-on” is they day that my porch light goes off. Can’t win ’em all.

It’s About Time… (Explaining My Love of the Louder Than Bombs Album)

I’ve been mentioning this Smiths’ Louder Than Bombs album, so it’s about time to really explain what it means to me.

It’s probably on my Top 5 Albums list. It’s lovely. Some of the earlier Smiths stuff was a bit too angsty for me, a bit too grungy, a bit to… ya know. Don’t get me wrong, I love them, but I wouldn’t pull out the ring for ’em. For Louder Than Bombs, I’d make polygamy legal just so I could marry it twice.

An Official Breakdown:

Is It Really So Strange? by The Smiths
Track 1, Is It Really So Strange?
“I left the south, I traveled north / I got confused, I killed a horse / I can’t help the way I feel”- Morrissey, you’re one of the only guys who can throw random acts of murder into a song and still make it upbeat and fun. I’m always conflicted as to feel proud or worried.

Sheila Take A Bow by The Smiths
Track 2, Sheila Take A Bow
Simple message: kick the world in the balls and go after love. No smoke and mirrors, just callin’ ’em like they see ’em. You don’t need a world class thesaurus or the simile of the century to make a point.

Half A Person by The Smiths
Track 5, Half A Person
One of my favorite tracks, it just feels so honest. Even though I’ve never actually looked for acceptance at a YMCA, the broader idea goes further than that. “I like it here, can I stay? I like it here, can I stay?”

Panic by The Smiths
Track 7, Panic
The bouncy beat of this song is so similar to “Sheila” that I often find myself crisscrossing the lyrics. I already talked about this song in the last post, but it’s worth mentioning again because the lyric is so great. “Hang the blessed DJ / because the music that they constantly play / it says nothing to me about my life.” Perfect.

William, It Was Really Nothing by The Smiths
Track 10, William, It Was Really Nothing
You know how there are certain words that feel good to say (sassafras, kerfuffle, pup)? This song has combinations of those and it’s a fun one to sing, especially the first few lines (“the rain falls hard on a humdrum town…”).

You Just Haven’t Earned It Yet, Baby by The Smiths
Track 11, You Just Haven’t Earned It Yet, Baby
Listen to this song any time you’re offput by a delay in results. They’re coming, but you just haven’t earned em yet baby. Simplistic. Fantastic.

Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now by The Smiths
Track 12, Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now
“In life / why do I smile / at people who I’d much rather kick in the eye?”

PART TWO TOMORROW!

Currently listening to: see above :)

H.E.L.P. Is On The Way… (How The Smiths Saved The World’s Youth)

It was really in the 1980′s when “angsty teenagers” became a thing. There had always been teenagers, there had always been unrest, but it was in that decade that they were honed in on and nurtured. The Brat Pack via The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Say Anything, Every Other Movie Made That Decade With A Heartthrob And An Unattainable Member Of The Opposite Gender With A Quip About A Homework Assignment… John Hughes had film covered (and brought with him a teen anthem in Simple Minds’ “Don’t You Forget About Me”), but it was The Smiths who took the reigns in the audio category. Obviously they weren’t alone, but they’re the guys I’m going to focus on tonight.

The Smiths formed in 1983, and were the entity that united many of England’s lost, pimple-faced souls. They prayed on fears of rejection, loneliness, sadness, etc. in a beautiful way that made sense to a lot of people. They’re relatable. They’re the kind of group where I can hear almost any of their songs, and feel like it was written for me (I was originally talking about 80′s kids then moved on to myself, but we’re really one in the same). Their lyrics are simple and powerful.

The one that really got to me today was “burn down the disco / hang the blessed DJ / because the music that they constantly play / it says nothing to me about my life”. A song can be musically perfect, lyrically genius, sung with unsurpassed tone, but if it isn’t relatable in some way, I feel it really lacks that quality that takes a song from repeat-worthy to anthem-worthy. The kids want music about being misunderstood! About resenting “the way things are”! About wearing black on the outside because that’s how they feel on the inside! And boy did Morrissey and crew deliver.

Unlovable by The Smiths
(see if you can find the line I just quoted above)

The themes that they sung about still ring true today, and hold up like a pair of suspenders. Snap! As a teenager trying to find my place in the world, sometimes it’s nice to have friends from the past sing me through rough patches or insecurities. Thanks, Morrissey.

Currently listening to: Louder Than Bombs album on repeat as my driving and train ride soundtrack

Half A Person by The Smiths
(“sixteen, clumsy, and shy / that’s the story of my life”)

PS If you couldn’t tell from the fancy links above, I got the data upgrade so now if I talk about some obscure, hip song like the trendsetter I am, you’ll now know what I’m talking about. ;)

Can’t Wait Too Long…

I’ve been putting off converting my records to a digital format since, well, I bought the turntable, but the fates sent me a signal the other day. Their carrier of choice was FedEx, and in the package was the iMic I ordered.

Ok, so maybe it had more to do with my being proactive and buying the device than the fates giving me a nudge, but that’s really neither here nor there. Either way, it’s in my house and plugged in, ready and rearing to go.

After minor grapples with cords that didn’t fit and puppy furs clinging for dear life to the record, it was game time. I chose to use Final Vinyl because I like my programs the same way was my white t-shirts: clean and simple. I also chose it because it doesn’t come with a lengthy manual, so it’s less for me to not read. ;)

My inaugural record choice? Duran Duran’s first album. Typical. ;)

Currently listening to: Duran Duran’s self titled album, and just because I’m feeling cheeky I’m not going to tell you which one ;P

Winter Symphony…

It’s too hot today, so I’m going to cool my brain down by writing about one of my favorite parts of winter’s holiday season: Snoopy’s Christmas songs with the Royal Guardsmen. That cassette is one of the things that makes me happiest, and as soon as a song starts the lyrics and tune rush back into my head, regardless of how many years it’s been since my last listen. In my elementary school years, the tape was a regular. It made the appropriate appearances during the holidays, but also most weeks of the year as well. I l-o-v-e-d that tape. I had a few stuffed Snoopies (one wearing a Macy’s sweater that my aunt / Santa gave me for Christmas- “Santa shops at Macy’s?!” exclaimed young Anne; another smaller one which I carried around with me like a third arm (and when he got misplaced this led to the 3rd Snoopy, his brother), Snoopy thimbles, old Snoopy comic books passed down from my dad and maternal grandmother, and probably more paraphernalia that’s currently hiding in the recesses of my mind. The point is, I love Snoopy.

That album taught me a lot. It taught me what no man’s land was, about camel time and the Red Baron, and how good dog houses are at flying through a WWI war zone (answer: very). ;) The cassette got safely filed away in a place remembered by none, until two Christmases ago when my Super Dad found it and reunited me with a major piece of my childhood.

I don’t know what reminded me of Snoopy’s Chrismas this evening, maybe nothing. It’s entirely possible, entirely probable, that Snoopy’s always on my mind, just looking for an excuse to climb up into my conscious, wade through my brain, repel out my ear, and onto my fingertips.

Currently listening to: The Very Best of Dionne Warwick

It’s Just a Matter of Time…

I know that if I keep practicing, success will be mine! Now I’m not talking about practicing times tables or public speaking or witchcraft- no, none of those silly things. I’m talking about my Billy Idol face.

You know the one (and if you don’t- reader meet Google Images, Google Images meet reader), that snarl, that ultimate look of “I’m disgusted, slightly mad, and on a pouting level of Victoria Beckham”. It’s a complex process: start with puffing out your lips slightly, raising the side of the top lip, death-glaring into the mirror, this isn’t kiddy stuff- pros only.

On the same “I wish I could recreate this with my face” scale are: The Rolling Stones’ lips, The Mona Lisa (more for her ability to be looking directly at you, regardless of the angle), and of course the face on Iron Maiden’s self titled (the holy grail). ;)

This whole thought process began when Billy Joel’s “Captain Jack” started playing at work, I tried to remember what he looked like, and into my mind popped Bleached Blonde Billy instead of Boring Brown Billy.

Currently listening to: Bruised by Ben Folds

(Lou Reed, I’m) Devoted to You…

“So Anne, what’d you do today? Talk to anyone interesting?”
“Oh, not really, just LOU FLIPPING REED.”
“That’s cool, never knew he had a middle name.” ;)

So, yes. Today Lou Reed was at The Strand bookstore in New York City and so was I (along with my dad). We breathed the same air. Me made eye contact. We TALKED. Let me explain…

In 2003 Reed came out with an album called “The Raven”, where he adapted parts of Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Raven” and wrote songs base on the work and its author. It received mixed reviews (along with the adaptations, he rerecorded “The Bed” and “Perfect Day”- DRASTICALLY changing their vocals), but he loved it enough to take the album’s lyrics, organize them into a book, and add pictures drawn by The New Yorker cartoonist Mattotti.

During the event this evening, Reed read sections of the book with the pictures projected on to a large screen next to him. I can’t even describe how amazing it was to hear his voice for real, in the flesh. He could have been reading the dictionary and I would have been just as entranced.

My favorite album of his is “1969: Velvet Underground Live with Lou Reed” where the gang is reunited and sings some of the old favorites. Man, that group is perfect live, absolutely perfect. I own it on vinyl, and it’s actually one of the only ones that I really had to look for (and pay more than $5!). Since it’s such a special album to me I wanted a first pressing, mint condition baby. Auctions on the internet wanted too much money, and I had almost given up hope when Record Store Day (this past April 16) rolled around and my dad and I ended up in a record store that had exactly what I had been dreaming about.

(This is the album with  post-signing!)

Back to today, Reed was nice enough to sign everyone’s books after the talk. I had brought my album with me in hopes that he may scribble on it, and boy did he. When I got to the front of the line I had my million watt smile on and thanked him for coming and personally signing all the books. Oh, and if it wasn’t too much trouble, would he mind signing a record of his I had with me. His words exactly: “Sure, why not.” Never has a more noncommittal response given me so much joy. When I showed it to him, he was impressed that I knew what vinyl was- and even that I listened to the Velvet Underground. I don’t know if he was just being polite, but DUH! He’s the man! Of course people still listen to his jams! :P I told him that I had all of his records, that he’s the greatest, and we made lingering eye contact. It was beautiful.

I’ve heard that he can be kind of a tool, but after my experience with him tonight I have to say he really didn’t live up to that reputation. He was a cool dude in a leather jacket who, though pensive and a bit sullen, was just doin’ his thang. And tonight that thang included me. :)

Currently listening to: Waiting for My Man by The Velvet Underground, the live version of course ;)

Break Away…

I’m currently on the train going to a Smith Westerns and Chairlift concert, my natural state.

I love the train, being able to get from one place to another at set times without stop-and-go traffic or turbulence. I like being effortlessly (on my part, I sure hope the train is working hard!) carried away.

Good songs can do that too, carry you to a different place. I almost always listen to the “Cassadaga” album lying on my bed, eyes closed, mind following Conor Oberst’s lead. It sounds silly to write, but I treat that album like a fine wine. As much as I love and cherish it, I’d never choose to have it nightly with dinner. It’s got to be set aside for special occasions, when I’m in the mood to really appreciate it.

Currently listening to: All Die Young by Smith Westerns

Strange Things Happen…

How are some debut albums so amazing?

I intern at a music company, and today I was alone in the office for a while. Naturally, the thing I most wanted to do was blast some tunes- the only question was what to pick. All day it’s been humid and rainy, so I needed a little soul. An extra dose of funk. My choice was James Brown’s “Live at the Apollo”. Listened to it all the way through with the door open so the hallway could hear it as well, and a woman from a neighboring office actually meandered in and stared grooving for a bit! No one can resist.

When that ended, I was so on that soul train that there was go gettin’ off- so Bill Withers’ “Just As I Am” it was. How is that a first album?! Artists spend careers looking for their “Ain’t No Sunshine” and he got it on the second track! Lucky duck.

I’m still on a bit of a Strokes kick, and “Is This It” (their debut) is definitely my favorite album of theirs: lyrics-wise, music-wise, recording-wise, everything. I love the lo-fi sound to it, how raw and wild Julian Casablancas’ voice is. On “Angles” it felt like they were taming it with the synthesizing and over-editing- not a fan. Go back to your roots, boys!

Is it better to start off with a mind-blowingly stellar first album so the following ones have a lot to live up to (and may not surpass) or begin more modestly and build? I guess you don’t really choose one way or the other, you just put something out that you’re proud of and cross those fingers.

Currently listening to: Let’s Go Surfing by The Drums