The National - "Daughters Of The Soho Riots"
This band certainly gets their share of attention from the blogosphere, and it's all well-deserved, but I'll tack on some more. I think 2005's Alligator is pretty near perfect, and this is among the many songs that showcase Matt Berniger's conversational baritone and poetic lyrics. The lines "How can anybody know // How they got to be this way // You must have known I'd do this someday" are more evocative than your average indie rock. But what of these Soho Riots mentioned in the song and title? Well, I lived in NYC's Soho in the late 90s and I can assure you the only riots breaking out there these days are if the Prada store happens to put something on sale. Maybe back in the day? Let's consult Senor Pedia....Nada. Doesn't seem to be a reference to any actual historical event. Sounds good though.
Cansei de Ser Sexy - "Acho Um Pouco Born"
Miles Davis & John Coltrane - "Sid's Ahead"
Cat Power - "I Believe In You"
The Shins - "Those To Come"
The Velvet Underground - "Oh! Sweet Nuthin'"
I'm really digging today's playlist. Here's what I was thinking about when this song came up: If I were a band, what band would I be? The Rolling Stones, perhaps? Considered by many to be the best rock band ever... and still going strong? The Grateful Dead - - a non-stop touring party with a faithful following? Pink Floyd - - art rockers who got to experiment and make busloads of cash? You know what? I think I'd want to be The Velvet Underground. The kings of an underground art rock scene that influenced generations of bands to follow (and hopefully made enough dough along the way). Why not? Just look at them:
Does this not epitomize cool?
DJ Shadow - "Organ Donor"
The Flaming Lips - "Slow Nerve Action"
Tom Waits - "Lord I've Been Changed"
Os Mutantes - "Beijo Exagerado / Todo Mundo Pastou"
And then I got to work.
Today's Stats
Total songs listened to: 11
Total minutes of music (approx.): 47
Song with the most previous plays: "Daughters Of The Soho Riots," "Oh! Sweet Nuthin'" (tie) - 8
Miscellaneous factoid about my trip to work today: I was feeling very nostalgic while reading this article in today's Times about Record Store Day. Not only for the dinosaur of retailers, where the writing is definitely and sadly on the wall, but for my youth. There was nothing more fun than taking the train to NYC from suburban NJ (I grew up 50 minutes from the city), hopping on the subway and getting out at W4th Street for the sole purpose of browsing at records stores in the West Village. From Bleecker Bob's (still there!) to Second Coming Records (gone, I think), and everywhere in between, there was no better way to spend a Saturday when you're 15 years old, as far as I'm concerned. So, support your local record store, dammit. (He said while listening to an iPod predominantly stocked with downloaded digital music....)
3 comments:
Nothing wrong with wanting to be the VU.
I'll buy a record in your honor tomorrow. And I mean a record, not a CD or mp3.
Oh man, I tried to resist the siren call of The National, but they are too good to not love.
Also, there is something organically satisfying about holding a record in your hands. And listening to it without a computer nearby. It's just music. Not music and Microsoft Word, or music and blogs.
(Says the person blogging and listening to iTunes...)
Gotta love some Nirvana =]
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