Song of the Week - April 6

By: Charbarred | in: Music |

Hurley

Every week each of our writers shares the song that made his week just a little bit brighter…

Kendall
“This Thing About You” by Miracle Fortress
I’m not sure how someone makes an electric bass sound bubbly. I’m not sure how you make a tambourine sound more important than a snare drum. Regardless of those two uncertainties, I AM certain that this is a really cool, low-fi, happy-go-lucky song.

D Thompson
“Shambala” by Three Dog Night
The truth is until a few weeks ago I’d forgotten all about this great song. Then I’m watching my favorite show, which is Lost if you must know, and Hurley finds an old VW mini-van in the jungle. Well, it won’t run and Hurley finally decides he’s going to push it down a hill that’s more cliff than hill with huge rocks at the bottom to get it started. Now, if it doesn’t start it’s good-bye Hurley and to make matters worse another favorite of mine, Charlie, decides to ride the cliff/hill with him. So, they’re tearing down the hill and the rocks are getting closer and Chrlie’s screaming “Now! Start it now!” and Hurley’s shouting “Not yet, dude!” and the rocks are almost there and oh my God they’re gonna die! And then Hurley starts it and this decrepit old car ROARS to life and this song by Three Dog Night I’d forgotten all about comes BLASTING out of my surround sound and I just thought, “WOW! THIS SONG IS GREAT!” So, I recommend, when listening, to imagine yourself hurtling towards certain death with one of the nicest guys you’ve ever known and then, CRANK IT to “yes, I live in an apartment, but just this once, screw the neighbors” volume. You’ll be happy you did.

Charbarred
“I Love Creedence” by Casiotone for the Painfully Alone
I had a great time digging into my music collection this week, making my song of the week decision very tough. Casiotone for the Painfully Alone’s Etiquette was my of my favorite albums from last year. This song just gets me every time with its poignant lyrics. “Since September I’ve been 26 years old. She’s still the only one besides my dad who’s ever said I love you Creedence“. Not many ways to top that!

Alibastard
“Amsterdam” by Peter Bjorn & John
A dream: folk heroes attempt hip-hop. This is the opening beat.Miracas and drum. Add some sonic fog, born of the same particles that made Simon and Garfunkel’s “El Condor Pasa (If I Could)”. This is the beat in full. Whistle/pan flute, bass and piano. You feel like you’re in some navy blue cave, dialated with white light. Maybe floating. Temporary heaven. The first words fit perfect. You get the drift: the situation. “Baby went to Amsterdam”. Its cool. Its so slow. So slow. Some Euro voice comes over, purposefully un-American. He clarifies. He rationalizes. “She put a little money into traveling.” Things are good. But Amerstdam is stuck in his head. Some voice far back inside makes the reality pinch. It doesn’t feel good. It feels expected. Sometimes you have to be left alone. Things will sort themselves out. Baby went to Amsterdam.

RustyCat
“Circadian Rhythm” by Son Volt
Son Volt’s new album, The Search, reminds me of so many bands mashed up together, it’s actually quite entertaining. A rough mix between R.E.M. inspired tunes to Lo-Fi tracks that sound out of a Bonnie Prince album. The reason it only made song of the week, and not a full review, is that the album sinks into ocassional songs reminding me of The Counting Crows and the “happy bouncy rock” genre, which is just plain awful.
Circadian Rhythm is a great acoustic track with over amped electric guitars similar to those of Neil Young’s on ‘Hurricane’, you know, the ones where he jams the amp’s volume dial and it forms a clean overdrive sound..those.

So what’s your song of the week?

[Subscribe to this feed]

Posted on April 6, 2007

Comments

17 Responses to “Song of the Week - April 6”

DThompson on April 6th, 2007 6:27 am

Wow, so not like me to be first off the block with a comment, but I have to get to Grindhouse today (Grindhouse! WHOOOOOOOO!) And quite frankly I CAN’T SLEEP! So, here I am at 7am telling you guys that I’ve generally liked all the past songs but this is the first week I’ve actively LOVED every song posted.
Kendall, “This Thing About You” is so low key, yet so darn happy! How do they manage that?

Charbarred on April 6th, 2007 6:30 am

I have to step in as well and say this is the best one yet. I was actually fighting Rusty for the Son Volt song.

DThompson on April 6th, 2007 6:31 am

Charbarred, I’m a sucker for electronic minimalism, that Casiotone song has been a favorite of mine for a while. Alibastard, your song doesn’t sound anything like “Tusk” but it reminds me of Lindsay Buckingham’s fascinating out there folk experimentation on that album. Rusty, you like Neil Young, don’t you? So do I, man! And that song is just SO Neil!
LOL! You guys, you made my morning

Charbarred on April 6th, 2007 6:41 am

And did I mention I envy you with the whole Grindhouse thing? It doesn’t open till June in the UK…the up side, when it does air it will be the full 4.5 hour version (or so they say)…still I’m totally bummed out.

Kendall on April 6th, 2007 6:59 am

Ok, that Three Dog Night song was a super cool suprise.

Ryan of the RSL Music Weblog on April 6th, 2007 9:32 am

Song of the Week: Don’t Let Em Take You Down - Jesse Malin
Album of the Week: Glitter in the Gutter - Jesse Malin
I am all over this. Great release - one of the best of 2007! Get in on this

Giovanna on April 6th, 2007 11:43 am

My, my, my, you guys have decided to puzzle my mind today! Stunning choices this week, maybe the best ever! I really don’t know which track to listen to one more time…
Rusty and Char’s picks are addictive, I dig both Casiotone and Son Volt’s songs…
One more quotation from bands for your choice, Rusty: the Cure. “Circadian rhythm” somewhat reminds me of a track from “Wish”…

mozzer on April 6th, 2007 12:30 pm

wow Kendall, “This Thing About You” is fantastic! I reminds of sitting outside with a cup of coffee, watching the sun rise. Very nice!

Overall, a great selection of songs. I really forward to this feature, great way to kick off a friday.

btw, Here’s my song of the week:

Antichrist Television Blues by Arcade Fire

http://www.esnips.com/playlist/a151d932-911f-4049-b62f-dafc8bacf0fe

(I hope the link works)

Rustycat on April 6th, 2007 12:53 pm

D - you got me on the Neil Young..He’s my favorite.

Ryan - Loved your post on Jesse Malin, he is good.

Giovanna - I don’t really know the album…didn’t listen to The Cure much, maybe it’s due time. I’ll start with “Wish”. THX

Mozzer - Great choice!

Kendall on April 6th, 2007 1:26 pm

Robert Smith is going to be working with Ashley Simpson on her new album.

Charbarred on April 6th, 2007 2:13 pm

Robert Smith with Ashley Simpson??? Where’d you hear that?

Keith on April 6th, 2007 2:49 pm

Definitely need to get myself exposed to more music. Great picks guys.

I’ve been listening to ‘Might Tell You Tonight’ by Scissor Sisters
It seems moderately Beatlesesque.

Kendall on April 6th, 2007 5:19 pm

It was reported in Spin!
http://www.spin.com/features/news/2007/04/070402_simpson/

Keith on April 6th, 2007 5:28 pm

Does he lend cred to her or lose cred for himself by doing this?

Kendall on April 6th, 2007 6:03 pm

I think he probably lends the cred. The Cure was big 20 years ago. Sy by law of cycles, The Cure is popular once again. Ashley Simpson, is trying to be popular. Plus she has Pharell too! She’s going to corner every market, and eventually something will stick. Maybe I should write about this…