I'm Launching. I haven't launched in ages. Launch defines an entire era for me, the Library Age (ca. 2001-2004). Once I worked fulltime and had me own computer I had no need for Launch. I moved on to just getting music from off the internet. I can't believe I've come back to it. I think I want to hear new music without it being recommended to me by a human. I've oft prided myself on finding music that I like and being the one that recommends this music to others. I'm slipping. I was entering that phase where I thought, "I don't need additional bands in my life" and that Josh managed to slip a What Made Milwaukee Famous to me and I've been hooked. Not that there's anything wrong with getting some great music from others, but I've been such a wretch about learning and discovering on my own. It's time to toss away the crutch. Toss it away. It's time to remember the rest of the great music that I discovered years ago before insulating myself in my cocoon and proclaiming, "All the great music is that which I have on CD or ipod." How's it going so far? Let's see Embers and Envelopes by Mae, My Chemical Romance, and High Rising by Suede. Where have you been? What is it about not having the song available for instant listening that makes it so wonderful? Gosh, Suede's killing me. Oh mercy, nothing NOTHING ^%% it is better than Dog Man Star era Suede except Achtung era U2. This song is off the Stay Together EP (released right before Dog Man Star) and it's just got everything going for it. Okay, emotions returning to normal. Am I a girl? Great, now we've got some Jimmy. So far, every song reminds me of the library which leads me back to making out in the Roberts Room, cursing Jaed Shaver under my breath, listening with exhausted ear to the wild and wacky dating world of Gracie and Kimberly. So, there you go. Why was I lead to Launch? It's because my wife just went to Vegas for twelve days with the kids. And I'm stuck here. And I watched or listened to football all day, and am as bored as sin (sin being boring). So, I guess I'm channeling her through Launch.
Wow, I'm glad that's out there for the world. Maybe I should be listening to the Mountain Goats new album. Geez, now Launch serves me up some prime Pulp (Bad Cover Version which has a great video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCKzAn0612o) These songs are so great because I haven't listened to them to death like I do with any new great song that crosses my path. It's like I'm a song vampire. I grab ahold of something, suck it dry through repetitive listening and then I wonder why it behaves all Zombie-like after. The final lyrics for Bad Cover Version are hilarious at the end ("It's like a bad Tom and Jerry, when the two of them could talk" Really, who references Tom and Jerry in songs, especially Brits?). As you can tell, my Launch experience is doing wonderful things. I can even listen to generic emo and it's okay. Never mind. This is too generic...and skip. I rated Bill Cosby? You're kidding. And I'm laughing??!! Stop, please, I don't know if I like myself alone.
As you probably can tell, this entry's going to be long and varied because of my listening experience. I've got the Levellers playing right now (Another Man's Cause). The best anti-war song ever. Hands down. The only problem is that everyone else hates the Levellers except for Arlie G. Capps (sounds like a made up name, no? It's not. In fact, there are four of them). I don't get why folksy angry anarchic Brits don't make it big in the US. I really don't. C'mon, who doesn't love a fiddle? I can't even get my rotten fiddler friend to listen to them. Anywho, this song speaks to me. If the democrats played this song during a commercial then I might think about voting for them. But then I'd see John Kerry dropping his business all over himself and I'd laugh and say no. Flaming Lips now. They're drummer is like big time in the band. Whenever you have a drummer who's big in the band, the band's always interesting (also see Guster). This is some old Flaming Lips, but it's not bad. Who knew? Seth knew. Seth knew everything. Except the perils of Friendster. I haven't heard about him in a while. I bet it has something to do with the 'Ster. I hope the government doesn't read this and get any ideas. Seems like they're always checking blogs nowadays. Turn away from the telescreen, Winston. Think your insurgent thoughts. P'head. Do I love them or hate them? Well, I certainly don't hate them. But they sure are weird. I think I need to get their live album. She's got quite a voice. However, the live version of Roads is ruined by people cheering and clapping. Her voice is great. Whew. If I had been 23 at the time that the electronica/trip-hop hit, I would have been sucked in and may never have gone out. I've been to a club once and they played hyper kinetic dance music like you would expect in a club. If they had played Portishead, I might have gone back. Just to soak in the vibes. If Hip hop sounded more like this, I might get into it, cuz I be diggin' da backbeats. Roseland NYC Live. Good album. I might need to get a job so I can buy it, instead of relying on someone else finding it somewhere.
Holy crap, PaloAlto sounds like Starsailor. That's it! Kind of. I can hear James Walsh singing this. Why wasn't this band more popular? There was some word of mouth buzz at the 'brary but it wasn't like the pop-punking emos were wearing Paloalto shirts. I should explore this band more. Three years too late. I think Leonard Cohen might only be good when's covered. Who knew that he wrote Hallelujah, the song that Jeff Buckley made popular? Jeff's version soars. Leonard's version sounds like he's living in a rat trap hotel by the freeway, to use a line from the Decemberists. Sounds kinda dirty. I can think of two songs that actually use Leonard's name (one by BTE - Under You and one by Mercury Rev - A Drop in Time).
The Coral's Dreaming of You has to be the most unlikely TV make out song (it was used in Scrubs). I never thought it could be used that way. Wow, this post has taken an interesting turn. Let me close this one down and I'll post hour two of Launching on another post
No comments:
Post a Comment