What's It Called?
Ben Folds Five - Draw A Crowd
What's The Story?
They're back together, and there are still only three in the Five. Draw A Crowd is a spunky selection from the band's first album in 11 years, The Sound of The Life of The Mind.
Who's To Blame?
Her mixtape's a masterpiece.
Why ♥ It?
The lyrics of this song are too great to gloss over, and dual purpose to boot. First, it's sorta written to appeal to your inner thirteen year-old. The chorus talks about drawing dicks, and lyrics about beards & vanilla thunder are there to add spice. However, the writing brings these thoughts into the tune in a way that's relevant & sorta clever; in a way that you can explain to your friends that your aesthetically appreciating this song about drawing dicks. Hell, I'm not a performer, so this song isn't even really for me. & I still love it.
The nice thing about Ben being back with his band is that the drums & bass are always so active; Ben Folds solo work is definitely different than with the band. I don't know if it's by design, but the fuzzy bass wanders all over the place and complements the piano wonderfully. The whole album sounds fuller than most of his solo work, and this lighthearted tune is a great jump-in point.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Thursday, October 4, 2012
100412
What's It Called?
deadmau5 feat. Chris James - The Veldt [8 minute edit]
What's The Story?
I don't as much want to talk about the artist as the song here--this is a really organically written tune. deadmau5 read Ray Bradbury's The Veldt and was inspired to pen a beat that had the mood he got from the story (which is dandy, btw). Then, fan Chris James heard it, and was moved to make some vocals. Very much a theme tune, and the 8 minute edit dropped on mau5's new album this past week, Album Title Goes Here.
Who's To Blame?
Not very often that any of us get to say this as fans: I watched this one happen. (Through social media, of course)
Why ♥ It?
It's a chill & introspective beat, and the vocals are really silky for a male voice.
I'll be honest, though: if the story about how this tune came together doesn't have ya listening, I don't know that there's much else I can say. It's hard to separate both the novelty of the writing & my love of that short story from the song and judge it purely on its sound without any context.
That's probably the charm about it, though.
deadmau5 feat. Chris James - The Veldt [8 minute edit]
What's The Story?
I don't as much want to talk about the artist as the song here--this is a really organically written tune. deadmau5 read Ray Bradbury's The Veldt and was inspired to pen a beat that had the mood he got from the story (which is dandy, btw). Then, fan Chris James heard it, and was moved to make some vocals. Very much a theme tune, and the 8 minute edit dropped on mau5's new album this past week, Album Title Goes Here.
Who's To Blame?
Not very often that any of us get to say this as fans: I watched this one happen. (Through social media, of course)
Why ♥ It?
It's a chill & introspective beat, and the vocals are really silky for a male voice.
I'll be honest, though: if the story about how this tune came together doesn't have ya listening, I don't know that there's much else I can say. It's hard to separate both the novelty of the writing & my love of that short story from the song and judge it purely on its sound without any context.
That's probably the charm about it, though.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
100212
What's It Called?
Focus - Hocus Pocus
What's The Story?
Focus is one of those too-bizarre 70s prog rock bands, founded by a flautist in Holland in the late 60s. Sampled and bemused by many, Hocus Pocus is the most recognizable of their tunes; an instrumental from their first album Focus Plays Focus.
Who's To Blame?
Once upon a time, someone told me to explain what I meant when calling a person "a character", and I pointed to the guy and said "him over there!"
Why ♥ It?
There are no less than two flute solos, several yodeling bursts, a classic rock guitar riff that your old man would dig, a goddamn whistling solo, and a more-than-catchy main refrain. Name me three other songs you know with those exact traits.
Seriously though; if you find yourself listening to Boston and wish that they replaced blazing vocal/guitar harmonies with outright weirdness, then this song is for you.
...& If not, listen to it anyway. I promise you'll heartily laugh once or twice.
Focus - Hocus Pocus
What's The Story?
Focus is one of those too-bizarre 70s prog rock bands, founded by a flautist in Holland in the late 60s. Sampled and bemused by many, Hocus Pocus is the most recognizable of their tunes; an instrumental from their first album Focus Plays Focus.
Who's To Blame?
Once upon a time, someone told me to explain what I meant when calling a person "a character", and I pointed to the guy and said "him over there!"
Why ♥ It?
There are no less than two flute solos, several yodeling bursts, a classic rock guitar riff that your old man would dig, a goddamn whistling solo, and a more-than-catchy main refrain. Name me three other songs you know with those exact traits.
Seriously though; if you find yourself listening to Boston and wish that they replaced blazing vocal/guitar harmonies with outright weirdness, then this song is for you.
...& If not, listen to it anyway. I promise you'll heartily laugh once or twice.
Monday, October 1, 2012
100112
What's It Called?
What's The Story?
Passion Pit are one of those bands that find themselves in the ever-trendy genre of "electro indie pop... I guess?", with the exception that they pulled a Dream Theater and are comprised mostly of students of Berklee. It was the first & most successful single from this year's release Gossamer.
Who's To Blame?
A frontwoman for another excellent indie-pop-I guess? band.
As both this genre & my personal taste often dictate, the sales pitch for this tune is an addictive & catchy hook. The beat marches, the lyrics ramble (really intelligently, if you're into that), and the overall effect is akin to a brisk walk in suburbia on a Spring day.
...I'd think that was clever if the song wasn't called Take A Walk.
Still; solid. Check it out.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
100511
What's It Called?
What's The Story?
You could almost say that their lead singer has moves like Jagger.
Miss You is from their best-selling album, Some Girls.
Who's To Blame?
Either a parent or an uncle. Who else gets at you early enough in life to beat the Stones into you?
Why ♥ It?
That refrain. Case closed. It gets played on the keys, the harmonica, the guitar, and most notably, is sung. There's some great funky bass, and I'm sure there are lyrics being sung or some such thing. But that's not why this song is one of the all-time greats.
This song is so much centered around that one part that, when a band I saw this weekend that covered it, I kept trying to exclaim to friends how much I enjoyed the band and their cover of...
...
...
What's the name of that song again?
You know, that Stones song.
I had this conversation 3 or 4 times before someone actually knew, although everyone knew exactly what song I meant when I hummed it.
It takes a special kind of song to be so ultimately recognizable without any knowledge of the title.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
100411
What's It Called?
What's The Story?
Cold War Kids are a four-piece indie rock group from California. Royal Blue is from their most recent & most successful release, Mine Is Yours.
Who's To Blame?
Hardly even know 'er.
Why ♥ It?
Royal Blue is what happens when top 40 rock grows up in the 90s and makes it to & through the Oughts.
For example, the chorus is upbeat and instrument-full like something by Counting Crows or Semisonic. Despite this drawing from standard fare from over a decade ago, this song still sounds like it was made this year. Like a Dispatch tune, the percussion is varied & neat, but you could pull it off in its entirety with a set of bongo drums and still not shame the song. The vocals in the chorus are definitely singable, and the breakdown (2:07) with all the hey-heys is short, but great.
Royal Blue is rock fit for beach bums, the airwaves, hipsters, hippies, mix CDs... whoever. I'm sorta surprised these guys don't get more mainstream radio play, but then again, that means you get to be the one to tell your friends about 'em.
Monday, October 3, 2011
100311
What's It Called?
What's The Story?
Spock's Beard is a neo prog-rock band, a mouthful that says they play music that'll satisfy prog fans as well as fans of radio rock in the 80s. Formerly Neal Morse's band, he departed after the release of their magnum opus, Snow. This is from the bands eponymous 8th album, the third after Neal's departure.
Who's To Blame?
10 to 1 odds that his finger's in a dyke as we speak*.
Why ♥ It?
Ever hear Andy, You're A Star by The Killers? The chorus of this song is nigh-identical to the verse in that one, except the melodramatic vocals and raw guitar sounds are replaced by a polished, full-band sound.
The verse, on the other hand, reeks of determination. Basic & constant percussion backing upbeat, monotonous vocals with repetitive guitar/bass/keys. Not to disparage it, it's excellent; the strength is in the rigid delivery.
They Know We Know is a ride through the country on a sunny day. Bright, peasant, and mostly unchanging--because that's what you want from it.
* = The stone kind.
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