Mike's Archive

Category: Music

  • 5 songs I love right at this very moment

    Animal Collective-Banshee Beat. I don’t alway connect with this band, but they are growing on me. This song is incredible, what a build.
    The Drones-Shark Fin Blues-Still digesting this record. This song rules.
    Okkervil River-For Real-Love this record. This song can be a little jarring, but it is what first got me really noticing this band.
    The Hold Steady-Knuckles. From the first Hold Steady record. They can do no wrong in my book. For me, one of those rare bands I seem to never tire of. This song epitomizes the energy and creativity of the band.
    Nellie McKay-David and Sari. I have yet to make it thorugh this album, but really like Nellie. It is parly because she raps and is quite striking, I think, but these songs appeal to my 3-year old as well. It is nice to include some more accessible music in my listening repertoire from time to time….

  • Comment to Mike’s take on The Hold Steady

    It seems that a lot of people don’t get it. Craig Finn’s vocals are an
    acquired taste and many seem to not be able or want to get past his
    style of singing. For me, it’s a perfect combination of raw, literate lyrics
    that interestingly draw on drug culture and disaffected youth with many
    references to rock music and the bible, frequently playing them off of
    each other AND Finn’s delivery, which utilizes timing and phrasing that are
    extremely well suited for the tracks. If you want to keep trying, the
    story below from NPR does a nice job of showcasing the band.

    Ian

    The Hold Steady: NPR Style

  • The new Strokes album

    First impressions of First Impressions of Earth: Well for starters, it’s 50 minutes and should be about 35. In one track, J.C. repetitively sings, “I’ve got nothing to say,” which becomes quite evident after a while. Songs are way too drawn out. In some respects they are branching out in new directions, which I applaud, but in some respects this album also feels kind of stale. They cautiously explore some new song structures and production tricks and this pays off – but they also maintain the now signature Strokes sound, which of course they should. However, it is a double-edged sword. Write Strokes songs and sound like the Strokes, but don’t rewrite the same Stokes songs over with different chords. Unfortunately, as they take steps forward, they also takes steps back by being stifled by formulas. Maybe we should call this the Weezer phenomenon. Knock us on our asses with two highly original creative records and then coast on fumes that gag us after. First Impressions of Earth is not a terrible record, so it is unfair to compare it to the horrid shit Weezer has been foisting on us, but it also not great or the record most of us wanted from them. I hope that they are able to exploit what is new and fresh about FIOE and come back at us with something that does not feel so reigned in, cautious, and unsure.

  • Mike’s Top Albums of 2005

    Before the high school rock holy trinity (Zeppelin, Boston, Steve Miller Band) helped me convert to rockianity in 10th grade, I listened to top 40 pop almost exclusively (it happens). New Edition was my favorite band of all time (I can still perform the “Cool it Now” rap on cue) and Michael Jackson was my favorite solo artist (watch out for this guy at weddings). And while I’ve left most of that behind for more diverse and interesting tunes, my love of the hook remains. Although I like stuff that’s all over the musical spectrum, it still needs a catchy center to reel me in. This theme pervades my my top 10 albums for 2005: (more…)

  • Ian’s Best of 2005 Music List

    As you might know, I am almost as obsessed with year-end music lists as I am with music. Let me know if you have something I need to hear or lovingly crafted your own year-end list.
    Love,
    Ian

    1. The Hold Steady-Separation Sunday
    2. Wolf Parade-Apologies to the Queen Mary
    3. Okkervil River-Black Sheep Boy/Black Sheep Boy Appendix
    4. Antony and the Johnsons-I Am A Bird Now
    5. Deerhoof-The Runners Four
    (more…)

  • (Xmas) Cover Songs

    So my hombre Gordo requested that I name my 5 favorite “cover” songs as part of a little multi-blog list collaboration. Because I’m currently swept up in the many joys of working in the retail industry during the holidays, I decided to modify this assignment and name my favorite Xmas song covers. So here goes…

    “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
    Um, the definitive version of perhaps the definitive Xmas song. Along with Father Christmas by the Kinks, set the standard for rock n’ roll Christmas songs before they were big business. Perfect.

    Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), U2
    Darlene Love’s original version is perhaps one of the finest pop vocal performances of all time, Xmas or not, but U2 amazingly creates a version that is, arguably, as good if not better.

    I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, John Mellencamp
    I’ve always loved 12-year old Jimmy Boyd’s (who later appeared on PBS’s The Electric Company) poignant original, but I definitely prefer this cover. In perhaps the most drastic re-working of a Christmas classic, Mellencamp turns a ballad into an alt-country rave up, fiddle and all.

    Last Christmas, Jimmy Eat World
    I never would have expected to like a cover of Wham!’s admittedly guilty pleasure cheesefest, but they managed to infuse just enough modern rock to make it listenable again.

    Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, Jack Johnson
    Johnson’s laid back style doesn’t seem condusive to a quality Christmas tune, but he manages to mele kalikimaka the crap out of it. With the all the stress of the holidays, this mellow alternative to a classic story is just what the doctor ordered.

  • Top 5 Christmas Albums

    Time to resurrect an old favorite, Songoose’s Top 5 Christmas Albums.

  • Memories of Sleepaway Camp

    In between 8th and 9th grade and again between 9th and 10th grade, I attended the NewSport Experience Camp in Kents Hill, Maine. Contrary to other sleepover camp experience that I had in my childhood, I loved this place. It was all about sports and many of my friends attended with me. Although I have a lot of hazy memories about what we did at camp, what it looked like, and who I met, I am able to recall a few specific facts with complete certainty:

    1) Shinehead’s “Gimme No Crack” – Previous to downloading it a few months ago (solely for the nostalgic value), I did not hear this song before or after attending NewSport even one time. I have no idea where it came from or why we thought it was such a good song, but we listened to it constantly. It’s actually a preposterous song, but one worth having around just to see if anyone you know has ever heard it (I’ve yet to find someone).

    2) Geto Boys’ “Gangsta of Love” – When I heard this years later, I was quite disappointed. It seems that blending a cheesy 70’s tune with gangster rap should produce something a bit more fun, but this song really isn’t that great. (Didn’t stop us from listening to it every frickin’ day.) I suppose, however, that this could be part of the reason I liked the Steve Miller Band so much in high school, particularly “The Joker”.

    3) Guns N’ Roses – “Civil War” – One night my camp roommate Dennie and I were listening to the radio when we were supposed to be in bed, and we heard the debut of the new Guns N’ Roses song (which we’d anxiously been anticipating for some time) on some Maine radio station. The remarkable thing about this is that Use Your Illusion I & II did not come out for some 14 months after this fateful night, and I did not hear this song again (this is pre-internet, remember) until the day I walked from my parents house to the closest record store (because my mom would not drive me) to pick up the much anticipated double release. I suppose I should have taken this delay as a sign of things to come.

    4) Lauren Young – At a dance with some neighboring girls camp (NewSport was all guys), I danced with Ms. Young for several songs. I may have claimed to kiss her to several people over the course of my life, but this is not even remotely true. I wouldn’t have had any idea how to do something like that. My friends all claimed that Lauren had purple (or green, blue, w/e) hair, but I cannot confirm this. As is common in junior high school dances, it was quite dark. I may have written to Lauren once or twice, but I really don’t remember. I can, however, picture the little scrap of paper on which she wrote her address. She had nice handwriting.

    5) Pete McKernan – He was my favorite counselor at NewSport, just an all-around great guy. He also happened to be the son of the Governor of Maine. Pete died a few years later, I heard through the grapevine. I don’t know much else. R.I.P. Pete.

    In conclusion, it sure is interesting what you remember about these experiences.

    BTW, if NewSport sounds fun, check out Camp GoodSport, run by the same guy.

  • I’m Madly in Love with Kathleen Edwards

    “She brought us pie”, said my girlfriend incredulously. I could only laugh at the complete absurdity of the situation. As we stood watching My Morning Jacket rock the TLA in Philadelphia, Kathleen Edwards — the extremely talented opening act — brought us two pieces of pumpkin pie from backstage. The most amazing thing of all? It wasn’t the first time this had happened. (more…)

  • 5 Songs

    A “chain-blog” from my buddy Gordo:

    List five songs that you are currently digging – it doesn’t matter what genre they are from, whether they have words, or even if they’re not any good, but they must be songs you’re really enjoying right now. Post these instructions and the five songs (with artist) in your blog. Then tag five people to see what they’re listening to:

    The Shins – “Gone for Good” (aka “A Call to Apathy”): Although it is close to 2 years old, Chutes too Narrow has really been growing on me for the last month or so, and this is easily my fav. track. I love the choral refrain: “I find a fatal flaw, with the logic of love, and go out of my head…”.

    Marah – “Walt Whitman Bridge”: This isn’t technically released until October 18, but I was able to score and advance through some industry contacts. I’m still not really sure about If You Didn’t Laugh, You’d Cry as an album, but I do know that WWB shows why I came to love Marah in the first place — just awesome, infectuous rock n roll that harkens back to the Kids In Philly days.

    Bloc Party – “Like Eating Glass”: The opening track to the hit or miss Silent Alarm. Man this song is so damn catchy!

    Mountain Goats     – “You or Your Memory”: A weird band and a weird song, but it just draws me in every time. “St. Joseph’s Baby Asprin, Bartles & James, and you, or your memory…”

    2 for 1 – Commerical Songs: “Easy” by Faith No More. It’s strange that these hardcore rockers would cover Lionel Ritchie, but I dig both the Levi’s commercial it resides in and the tune. Also really liking Madeleine Peyroux’s “Don’t Wait Too Long”, currently featured in a Dockers commercial — just a beautiful voice.

    Also meriting consideration: The Killers “Mr. Brightside”, Stevie Wonder “For Once in My Life”, Death Cab for Cutie “Soul Meets Body”, Joe Purdy “Wash Away”, anything by Jack Johnson.

    Since most of my friends don’t blog, I tag you if you are reading this and are not one of the originators. Feel free to post in the comments section below. Also, link back to Gordo, Wisdom, and K-Mac for their lists.