March 30, 2010
#012
A weekly sampler of what we're listening to (new and old), and what we think you might like, too.
{LISTEN TO THEM ALL}
WILCO -- "I'm A Wheel"
The more I listen to A Ghost Is Born, the more I'm convinced that it's Wilco's most half-assed record. Not in the sense it's bad (looking your way, Sky Blue Sky), but in the sense that it never makes up its mind.
I mean, give every song screeching Neil Young guitar feedback like on "Spiders (Kidsmoke)" or make every song sound like some sort of not-as-good retread of Uncle Tupelo's "Sandusky" like on the Ghost song "Muzzle of Bees". But for the love of god, don't have them follow one another on the same record! Ruins the momentum, and just makes me hungry for more of one style that I do not get.
All that said, "I'm A Wheel" is the album's best middle ground between loud and rockin' and soft and pensive. Maybe it's the reason why it constantly gets stuck in my head.
CALVIN HARRIS -- "Acceptable in the 80s"
Found this song in Wes Peden's new juggling video. It's like the denouement of all things MGMT and Gorillaz.
SANTIGOLD -- "Shove It"
With an unabashed dislike for hipsters and R&B, and self-described love for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Pixies and M.I.A., I had to check out Santigold. After a few song listens I got the album and have been enjoying listening to her for the past week.
DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS -- "18 Wheels of Love"
I've been listening to Gangstabilly and Pizza Deliverance. Their personal, down-and-out narratives often call the Mountain Goats to mind, but with a twist of ironic, self-deprecating optimism. This song shows that pretty well.
QUEEN -- "Somebody to Love"
I don't care who you are, where you are, what you're doing, or who you're doing it to, "Somebody to Love" is a great song. It's that simple.
"Let's do it!"
MUMFORD & SONS -- "Sigh No More"
I've been listening to this album since [Chase] posted it last week.
WOLF PARADE -- "Killing Armies"
Exuberant, brilliant play on the phrase "If looks could kill". Plus, I love Spencer's scream in the middle section at the word "So?"
GUEST CONTRIBUTOR: Julie Ryan
Julie paused her fast-paced, Charlottesville-cosmopolitan life to contribute this week. With a flare for sarcasm, good design and photography, Julie appreciates the little things in life...like typography, driving and watching parasailing mishaps.
JOHN LEE HOOKER -- "Leave My Wife Alone"
I've liked this song for a while now. Every once in a while it pops up in my life, on an mix or compilation. This morning it popped up again when I woke up with it in my head, and it was the first song to play on my car radio this morning. John Lee Hooker is a legend with a great name. I hope you enjoy this song.
Labels: mid-week mixes
by Chase at 6:34 PM |
10 Comments:
Jack, we're going to have to have a street brawl. I think A Ghost Is Born is the best.
I like Econ's comparison of DBT to the Mountain Goats. I never even thought about it, but it makes sense. Only lyrically, of course. But Patterson Hood's a pretty clever guy if you can get past the accent and the three-guitar RAWK in the background. Which, sadly, most SadBears can't, judging from the comments of my song last week. Bummer.
Also, I like both Calvin Harris and Santigold songs. Gives the mix a very playful vibe.
I like it. I realized after I had sent Chase the write-up that I should clarify that I still enjoy it. I think it's one of those "nothebest, butstillprettygood" situations.
But, ultimately, c'mon. You think it's better than Summerteeth (their rightful apex)? No effin' way.
(Let the street brawl commence when some third a-hole tries to come in here and fight for Yankee Hotel Foxtrot...)
I looked everywhere for a video of the Gangstabilly version of "18 Wheels of Love", which I like far better than any of the live ones.
I also love how the Drive-By Truckers feed my indulgence in 90s nostalgia better than most of the bands I actually listened to in the 90s.
I know I'm going to be eaten alive for this...but I like Glee's cover of "Somebody to Love." Maybe Drew would stand by me on this...maybe not. I like it though.
Listen here.
Additional thoughts: still not crazy about Wilco (*gasp*) or DBTs.
I like Julie's pick this week a lot.
After a thoughtful second look at the subject of Chase's big divulge, and I as I listen to the original as I type this, I'm not confidant that my support can be granted.
I'm sorry my friend, but the combined power of the Glee crew can not match up to the sole soul of Freddie Mercury.
I understand. At any rate, I never said I liked it better.
I need to recant what I said about "Acceptable in the 80s." My two-day love affair with the song is over.
First of all, I couldn't think of what this DBT song reminded me of, until I thought way back to early high school, and I realized it reminded me of "Stuart" by the Dead Milkmen! Should I have admitted that? And on actually listening to "Stuart" again, the resemblance is.... fleeting. (Should I admit that I still kind of like "Stuart"? Probably not...).
Second of all, John Lee Hooker is pretty awesome.
Second-to-last of all, is it really wise for someone who, in her first music video, sits astride a black stallion while flanked by two vaguely fascistic dancing women with berets (you're damn right it's a good video), and who regularly wears sunglasses with white plastic rims to be throwing around hipster insults? Granted, as far as I've ever been able to tell, "hipster" pretty much means the affected mannerisms and tastes of somebody (anybody) else (or, more simply, x group of people whom y despises).
That said, I like Santigold. I always thought, along with everyone else, that L.E.S. Artistes and Lights Out were the best songs on the album, but, you know, Shove It might be better than either of those.
Last of all, I used to say Summerteeth, and then I used to say Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, and now I think I say Summerteeth, but I don't know. Which is odd, because almost every other Wilco fan that I know has a set-in-stone, no-compromise, absolute certainty as to which is better. Oh, and I like Sky Blue Sky. It really is dad rock, and I really don't have any defense. But there it is. I like it.
PS: I need a job.
If Freddie Mercury and John Lee Hooker had a staring contest, Freddie would turn black and John would turn gay.
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