A Song A Day

Radiohead - Fake Plastic Trees

2008-08-27T08:00:00.005-04:00

Radiohead - Fake Plastic Trees

We stopped in at Royale Cafe & Pastry on the way home from dinner tonight. It was my first time there, and their "whoopi" (buttercream marshmallow filling sandwiched between two brownie-cookies) was delicious! The sprightly Brazilian lady behind the register was kind enough to throw in some free expresso cookies.

They look like the real thing.

She said in her thick accent (The cookies are shaped sort of like an expresso bean). She paused just a beat and then continued:

They taste like the real thing.

At this point I was flipping out; did she just quote the climax to Radiohead's Fake Plastic Trees? There's a special place in my heart reserved for Radiohead lyrics. Phrases like:

One day, I am gonna grow wings, a chemical reaction

have little meaning out of context, but take on a life of their own inside a Radiohead song. I just never imagined hearing those lyrics repeated back to me, in a perfectly normal situation!

Ennio Morricone - Cinema Paradiso

2008-08-26T08:00:00.003-04:00

Ennio Morricone - Cinema Paradiso

One of my favorite movies of all time, and one of my favorite movie soundtracks, is Cinema Paradiso.

Ray Barretto - Urban Dance Squad

2008-08-25T08:00:00.002-04:00

Ray Barretto - Urban Dance Squad

From Ray Charles to Ray Barretto. We were wandering around the Brooklyn Flea yesterday when I heard this familiar tune blaring from a cassette tape in a tiny little boom box. It is familiar only because I know this as an Urban Dance Squad song from way back. I loved that song growing up, and it blew my mind to learn that it was a cover.

Ray Charles

2008-08-23T08:00:00.001-04:00

Ray Charles - Hard Times
Ray Charles - Funny But I Still Love You

"Hard Times" is my favorite Ray Charles song. In his wail you can hear all the pain that the song encapsulates. "Funny But I Still Love You", funny enough, borrows the same tune as "Hard Times", but with a completely different lyrical tone.

Nick Lowe - Marie Provost

2008-08-21T08:00:00.001-04:00

Nick Lowe - Marie Provost

Vampire Weekend - M79

2008-08-20T08:00:00.001-04:00

Vampire Weekend - M79

Today's Song of the Day comes from my sister, who's been listening to this song on repeat. My sister and I have been talking more about music lately, and I'm glad to discover we have similar tastes!

David Byrne and Brian Eno - Home

2008-08-19T08:00:00.003-04:00

Everything That Happens Will Happen Today is the newest collaboration from David Byrne and Brian Eno. This highly anticipated album is also the first big release from Topspin Media. Topspin is the latest endeavor from Ian Rogers, formerly of Yahoo Music and Winamp. The company is sort of a music-label for the 21st century, providing the technology and infrastructure for artists to distribute their work.
A lot of companies are trying novel and innovative ways to distribute music (such as Amie Street and Sellaband). Topspin is too, but it is fulfilling an organic need for a viable download model in this post-In Rainbows world, and I'm curious how the timely nature of their services will play out.

The Presidents of the United States of America - Peaches

2008-08-18T08:00:00.001-04:00

The Presidents of the United States of America - Peaches

After Wednesday's Wilco show, I've been listening to bootlegs of Wilco's 5-night stand in Chicago earlier this year, where they played every song from their 6 albums and then some. The sets are just magical; you can feel the energy from playing old favorites that haven't been heard in a while for a hometown audience. Sometime during the break before the encore, this song came on the loudspeakers at the show. It was kinda disorienting; it felt like Wilco was covering this song.

I've been away for a few days so I haven't been able to post. I'm sure that's going to happen from time to time. Even the simplest posts take some time to set up. I wonder if other, simpler forms of music blogging, such as Tumblr would be easier to maintain?

Wilco - Pieholden Suite

2008-08-13T08:00:00.000-04:00

Wilco - Pieholden Suite

There's no feeling like seeing your favorite band live. My summer is complete after seeing Radiohead on Friday and then Wilco today. A horn section called The Total Pros joined the band on a few songs, and their presence just transformed the set. One example is Pieholden Suite, which just exploded at the end. Yes, this is my 4th Wilco post on this blog, and this probably won't be my last!

Bob Dylan - Make You Feel My Love

2008-08-12T08:00:00.000-04:00

Bob Dylan - Make You Feel My Love

Bob Dylan tonight at Prospect Park.

R.E.M. - Nightswimming

2008-08-11T08:00:00.001-04:00

R.E.M. - Nightswimming

I'm not sure what it is about this year's Summer Olympics, but I've been slightly obsessed with it. From the amazing opening ceremony to Raj Bhavsar making Indians-Americans proud to Michael Phelps breaking his own records; no matter what the sport, I've been watching with rapt attention.

APW Day 2

2008-08-09T08:00:00.002-04:00

Metric - Combat Baby
The Roots - You Got Me

Some more All Points West goodness to round out the weekend.

Radiohead - All I Need

2008-08-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

Radiohead - All I Need

RADIOHEAD!! RADIOHEAD!! RADIOHEAD!! TONIGHT!!

Andrew Bird - Armchairs

2008-08-07T08:00:00.000-04:00

Andrew Bird - Armchairs

The Knife - Heartbeats

2008-08-06T08:00:00.003-04:00

The Knife - Heartbeats

Grizzly Bear's Knife always reminds me of Heartbeats by The Knife; there is even a mashup of the two songs. Its not only their common name, but also the fact that both songs were two of the biggest indie hits of the past few years. Hearbeats was later introduced to a whole new audience with Jose Gonzalez' acoustic cover, which was featured on One Tree Hill and Scrubs.

Grizzly Bear - Knife

2008-08-05T08:00:00.000-04:00

Grizzly Bear - Knife

Grizzly Bear's haunting "Knife"; Grizzly Bear is another band playing at APW on Friday.

Duffy - Mercy

2008-08-04T08:00:00.002-04:00

Duffy - Mercy

The summer festival season is in full swing, with Lollapalooza and the Oseaga wrapping up last weekend and the inaugural All Points West Festival in New Jersey this weekend. I am beyond excited to see Radiohead at APW on Friday.

Another artist playing on Friday is Duffy, who seems to be everywhere lately. I just saw here on the cover of Spin, and on billboards across the city; the reviews refer to her as the next Amy Winehouse.

Arcade Fire - Wake Up

2008-08-03T08:00:00.001-04:00

Arcade Fire - Wake Up

The Arcade Fire are probably the most popular indie act out of Montreal right now.

Martha Wainwright - Factory

2008-08-02T08:00:00.002-04:00

Martha Wainwright - Factory

Martha Wainwright was born in Montreal into quite a musical family; her mom is singer Kate McGarrigle, her dad is singer/actor Loudon Wainwright III, and her brother is singer Rufus Wainwright. She recently opened for the Swell Season, and then joined them on stage for the encore to sing this song with the entire band. It was a beautiful moment.

Of Montreal - Heimdalsgate Like A Promethean Curse

2008-08-01T08:00:00.000-04:00

Of Montreal - Heimdalsgate Like A Promethean Curse

Other than the name, Of Montreal shares nothing in common with the city. But last year's Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? was one of my favorite albums of the year, and this was my favorite track.

Malajube - Montreal -40°C

2008-07-31T08:00:00.003-04:00

Malajube - Montreal -40°C

I'm out of town again for the rest of this week, this time on a short trip to Montreal. Montreal has a great music scene; in fact, the Osheaga music festival is going on there this weekend. I'm closing out the week with bands somehow related to Montreal. First up are Malajube; they are one of the few French-Canadian bands to make it big on the indie scene. I'm not sure what they're singing about, but here's a translation of the lyrics. It sounds like its so cold even polar bears are taking the bus.

Spoon - Black Like Me

2008-07-30T08:00:00.000-04:00

Spoon - Black Like Me

Dinosaur Jr. - Mick

2008-07-29T08:00:00.002-04:00

Dinosaur Jr. - Mick

Both Husker Du's The Living End and Dinosaur Jr.'s Hand It Over were rereleased on June 10th. These are two great late-stage albums from influential noise-rock indie bands.

The Rosebuds - Hold Hands and Fight

2008-07-28T08:00:00.001-04:00

The Rosebuds - Hold Hands and Fight

We went to the She & Him show on Saturday. The show was amazing, but the Rosebuds were a pleasant surprise, with a great opening set.

Pixies - Debaser

2008-07-27T08:00:00.004-04:00

Pixies - Debaser

In advance of The New Hold Steady album, New York Magazine published an article titled "I Have Seen the Future of Rock and Roll, and It Is Not the Hold Steady". I was struck by one part in particular from author Joshua Ferris:

Initially, I disliked them immensely.

I couldn’t get into Finn’s spit-spoken delivery. He floats a heavy assault over the music, like he’s staring it down in the middle of the rink just before the fight.

I can remember feeling the same way about this band. That spoken word delivery walks a fine line; pile on too much, and it can come off as preachy and pretentious. But all that turned around when I saw them live. Craig Finn is absolutely intense when he delivers those words, without a hint of irony or disdain; he has a real respect for his characters and a real joy for rock and roll.

I experienced that with the Pixies as well. I can distinctly remember buying Doolittle for Here Comes Your Man, and being almost repulsed by the loud, driving randomness of Debaser. I put the CD away for about 2 weeks. But all that time there was a little voice in the back of my head, singing "Debaser, Debaser, Debaser". I didn't understand it, but the song caught a hold of me and wouldn't let go. So I put the CD back on and gave myself up to it. And that's how I met one of my favorite bands of all time.

A lot of the songs and the art that we cherish can challenge or even repulse us at first. And this is a great thing. Its something completely new and cool entering the walls of our mind and blasting them open. I feel like this happens less and less as you grow older; I doubt I would feel the same about The Pixies if I heard them for the first time today. Which is why I think its wonderful to have found another favorite band in The Hold Steady.