Lou Reed - "Hold On"
So I've been uploading some random CDs recently and adding songs to the iPod. The reason is both to inject some new blood into the playlist, and also to revisit some older albums that I probably haven't heard in some time. Just few examples of these recent uploads: Sonic Youth's Daydream Nation, Sebadoh's III, Silkworm's In The West, and the album containing this song on today's playlists, Lou Reed's New York. When New York came out in 1989, it was about the same time that I was beginning to fall in love with the Velvet Underground. But Lou's solo work didn't have the same arty guitar sound that basically spawned indie rock, and it was often punctuated by his talky singing style and either a love of atonal avant gardism or 50s doo wop music or both. In other words, it was a much more eclectic beast and not as easy to love, but New York was one of his more focused solo albums. The gritty rock sounds is backed by his wry lyrics that really captured late 80s NYC - - from HIV to homelessness. The politics may be a bit dated, but I think the record really holds up both sonically and thematically. NYC may be cleaner on the outside, but Lou knows what lurks below the gleam coming off the new condos going up all over town.
Ry Cooder - "Strike!"
Illinois - "Missing a Piece" (live)
Pixies - "Nimrod's Son"
LCD Soundsystem - "All My Friends"
I already blogged a while back about the polarizing nature of online tastemakers, Pitchfork. But today I was thinking about it again, because I recalled they picked this very track as the Best Song of 2007. At the time, I remember thinking that it was an odd choice. Today, I'm wondering if Pitchfork really is smarter and cooler than me. (Okay, obviously, they're cooler but really - - smarter?) This song from LCD Soundsystem (really the work of an electronic noodler with a real sense of melody named James Murphy), starts slowly and then builds repetitively like the long lost brother of an 80s New Order tune. It never quite ends up "blazing like a house of fire" as Pitchfork claims but at 7-and-a-half minutes it is a mini-epic that does kinda get in your head. My problem is that I don't even like it as much as other tracks on the Sound of Silver album like "North American Scum" or "Watch The Tapes." Since I wasn't blogging last year, I got out of the inevitable Best Of list making. But I thought I might give it a shot in honor of "All My Friends" popping up on the shuffle. So, here then are some of my Favorite Songs of 2007 (in no particular order):
Modest Mouse - "Dashboard"
The New Pornographers - "Myriad Harbor"
Of Montreal - "Suffer For Fashion"
Feist - "1234"
Girzzly Bear - "He Hit Me"
The Arcade Fire - "Intervention"
The National - "Mistaken For Strangers"
Radiohead - "Bodysnatchers"
The Besnard Lakes - "For Agent 13"
Ryan Adams - "Two"
Rilo Kiley - "Silver Lining"
Beirut - "Nantes"
Iron & Wine - "Pagan Angel And A Borrowed Car"
What I miss?The New Pornographers - "Myriad Harbor"
Of Montreal - "Suffer For Fashion"
Feist - "1234"
Girzzly Bear - "He Hit Me"
The Arcade Fire - "Intervention"
The National - "Mistaken For Strangers"
Radiohead - "Bodysnatchers"
The Besnard Lakes - "For Agent 13"
Ryan Adams - "Two"
Rilo Kiley - "Silver Lining"
Beirut - "Nantes"
Iron & Wine - "Pagan Angel And A Borrowed Car"
Camera Obscura - "I Need All The Friends I Can Get"
R.E.M. - "Mr. Richards"
Bishop Allen - "Flight 180" (live)
The Flying Burrito Brothers - "Hot Burrito #2"
Art Farmer - "Blues March"
The Wedding Present - "Waiting On The Guns"
And then I got to work.
Today's Stats
Total songs listened to: 12
Total minutes of music (approx.): 51
Song with the most previous plays: "Waiting On The Guns" - 7
Miscellaneous factoid about my trip to work today: Really, New York Times? You Don't Mess With The Zohan?
4 comments:
Difficult performers, like Reed, are always tough to conquer, but when you do, it's so worth it. Of course, I have yet to crack the Lou Reed code and don't really have the patience right now.
What I also don't get is LCD Soundsystem. I saw them open for Arcade Fire. Rather, I felt my eardrums bleed just before AF came on last fall. LCD's performance was the loudest at an outdoor venue I've ever witnessed. It really was quite deafening. As far as their music, I can't really get a grasp on anything that falls near the "electronica" genre. (I refer to LCD's brand as prog-tronica.) It just seems that anything electronic has no staying power. Name an electronica album that has ever held up as long as a great rock record. Maybe I'm wrong or old or whatever, but I just don't get it.
Your list of 2007 singles is solid. However, what about Spoon's "The Underdog" or Bright Eyes' "Smoke Without Fire" (f/M. Ward)?
Whoever you are, O Friend of Comoprozac (to whom I owe a thank you for the hookup), I think I'm in love with you! Or, rather, your taste in music. Your best of 07 list was fab.
And to Como, and anyone else who doesn't get LCD, they rock the house down. At least my house.
Down to the foundation.
I agree with most of your 2007 list, but how about:
Setting Sun by The Aliens?
No Pussy Blues by Grinderman?
Melody Day by Caribou?
Long Limbed Girl by Nick Lowe?
Comoprozac, good point on electronica albums, it made me really think and the only ones I can come up with are Primal Scream's Screamadelica, KLF's The White Room, OMD's Archetecture and Morality and maybe New Order's Power Corruption and Lies. And even those have their dated moments for sure, and I believe it's the rockier moments that save them from being totally dated.
Thanks commenters! It's great to get 'em. (Even when they're not from people professing their love…)
So, here are some comments on the comments:
CP- I haven't seen LCD Soundsystem live, but I definitely enjoy what they do. As a genre I'm not big on electronica either - - and your challenge to name a great electronica album is pretty much impossible. Unless the Postal Service counts? Does it? And I have to say, in regards to Spoon, I know they’re supposed to be one of those bands I should love, but I don’t. There’s no real reason. I do listen to them, but they wouldn’t be on my Best Of list.
KR- Thanks for stopping by, clearly you have amazing taste.
UE – No Pussy Blues is pretty great. Also, I don’t know The Aliens (does that make me lame?), but I’m about to go seek ‘em out…thanks.
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