The SDMB Music Appreciation Society

Cafe Society
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I’ll be honest. I was hoping somebody would jump in here, but having waited a month I was hoping there would be some more contributions, So despite the fact that there is only one contribution between me and the last posted, here is my assessment and contribution:
Kings of Leon are great, I do like their music and the video was good, but I didn’t really feel it. I wish I could describe it. Not something I would put in my favorites.

In my next contribution is something I thought everyone may know. But I soon realized it was not so commonly heard. I heard it first on the new Hawaii 5 0.
Lykke Li with Get Some.

42

Never heard that. Kinda catchy at first, but doesn’t really go anywhere. The video was kinda cool but distracting. Any song that works the word “prostitute” into it can’t be all bad however. :smiley:

Here’s an earworm with no visual: Pinback - Blue Screen Life - Prog - YouTube

43

Man, I’m getting a powerful sense of deja vu with this song and it’s driving me crazy since I’ve never hear of Pinback before. Anyway, I really like this. They really lock into the groove with an awesome baseline and hooky melody. However, this song is screaming out for a Tom Morello-style guitar solo.

My own choice is this pair. For a couple of guitar players, they sure are awesome drummers!

44

Just found this thread, and I’m looking forward to playing along.

Loved the Rodrigo y Gabriela. Certainly skilled in playing, but they are much more than that. The song kept me moving and waiting to hear where it was going to go next. The percussion was a nice touch and well-done. I’d seen them on ACL a few months ago and was impressed. I usually watch Dave and hate i missed it then, but so glad you shared it.

Speaking of ACL (and somewhat keeping in-theme), i stumbled upon Calexico a few years ago. This isn’t necessarily what i would call their best, but it gives some insight into what these guys do. To me their sound is almost dirty, in that dry desert sort of way, but their original approach to the arrangements adds a bath of cool, freshness to what might be an otherwise familiar sound. I was drawn to hear more and discovered that their appearances w/ Mariachi Luz De Luna are full of sound and power, letting me appreciate a genre that i would have probably overlooked. Hope you enjoy.

To the OP… Man, you can feel the soul pouring off that track. I’d never heard it before. There’s little doubt why many consider MJ to be one of the masters. I often wonder when I hear a young artist putting his/her heart and soul into a recording, just where does it come from? Was it coached by the producer or does the kid have the ability to let-loose and feel it? Maybe a little bit of both, and one feeds from the other.

Looking forward to catching up with a lot of the above posts, too !

45

I’d heard of the band, but never got around to listening to them for some reason. The guitar gets the song off to a good start and I love that trumpet part. The drummer does a great job of keeping the song moving forward without being obnoxious like the ones I’ve heard in some other bands. I’ll have to check out more of their stuff, because this is really good.

This is from an album that Gord Downie and The Sadies released just the other day. It’s the opening track, and does a great job of setting the mood for the rest of the album.

Crater

46

Wow, that reminds me of the Wedding Present, just enough space rock and psych to keep the rock interesting. I’ll have to listen to more, and I’ll have to check out the Tragically Hip, too boot. They’re a band I’ve heard of forever, but never consciously listened to. Thank you!

My contribution was actually decided by a non-member of the board, but I had narrowed it down to two before they decided. My next post will probably be the other one, unless I am captivated by something else.

It’s Cécile McLorin Salvant’s “Nobody”.

Why? Because after seeing it, I was blown away. She shows off a great versatility in delivery. I’m surprised to find out the song is not contemporary, it’s from 1905. I’ve never heard anyone else perform it, but one of it’s credited composers said:

Which I couldn’t really say for any songs I’ve composed, but I’ve been close to those who have dreaded their own work. I understand the complaint.

47

That was beautiful. I’ve listened to that 4-5 times now and damn, that girl can sing. I liked how the song stepped along at it’s own pace for most of the time, and she used her great range of tone and pitch to accompany the style. And yes, a nice arrangement that probably is tough to keep track of during a performance. I’m going to have to listen to more of that young lady.

Speaking of young ladies (and staying with the British theme), i’ll submit Corinne Baily Rae. This is a song that she composed (as are most of the songs on her second album) and shows her talent as both a songwriter and a musician. This particular song’s a little more serious, but the girl certainly has a fun side!

In an effort to catch-up:
Enjoyed the cover of Just Got Paid that Mr. Picker shared with us. I liked the simplicity and bareness of it. It’s rougher than the “original” and that made it more enjoyable in a way. Additionally, I liked the sound of the guitar riff and fill “cascading” through the song by the Meat Pups. Interesting arrangement with this light fluffy (guitar) sound transposed against the dissonant chords that come at you (haphazardly) through the tune. Did he sing off-key in this song for effect?

And KayT, i gotta say, that BeauSoleil was fantastic! It pleasantly surprised the heck out of me. I’ve searched around to hear more from these guys and i’ll just say, wow! I really appreciate you sharing that one.

48

I thought it was good…a nice melody. Her voice is a bit scratchy during the loud high notes towards the middle of the song, but otherwise she does a good job putting feeling into the song.
You probably knew this was coming, but my selection is a Kesha song: Animal. It’s the title track of her debut album, and it’s her favorite song that she’s ever written.

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I’ll jump in and join the thread by taking this one, unless I get ninja’d by the time I’m done typing.

I’ll come right out and say I was not favorably disposed towards Ke$ha based on the several songs of hers that I’ve heard, and her general image. In fact, if I’d known the song (and known it was one I didn’t like), I would have passed. In the interests of giving her the fairest shake possible, I decided to listen to the song without watching the video. Having said that, I was pleasantly surprised! The main vocal melody was beautiful and memorable. The lyrics were much more to my taste than, say, those of “Tik Tok.”

Most impressive were the arrangement and production choices, which are things that usually pop out to me (for good or bad) as a longtime musician myself. The arrangement decision not to have the big dance beat come in until over halfway through the song was surprising in its restraint, and gratifying. Production-wise, the absence of obvious vocal pitch correction (pauses to spit on what the Black Eye Peas have wrought upon the last 8 years of dance music) was refreshing.

Basically, it just felt pretty organic and real (speaking relatively, of course, given the genre) as opposed to just another club track that pounds the same two beats for six minutes and piles on the auto-tuned vox. Pleasantly surprised by this all around. I’ll probably never be a big dance pop guy, but I wouldn’t change the channel if this were on when I started my car. :slight_smile:

Next up, how about a rock track from a few years ago that really took me by surprise: Brand New, “The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows.”

50

I don’t hear anything that really distinguishes this from all the other pop punk radio fare that came out in the mid-2000s. I certainly didn’t mind listening to it, and I wouldn’t dive for the controls if it came on the radio, but I don’t think I’ll remember it in a week.

I’m going to throw out Fjara by Solstafir. I don’t really know how to describe it, but this one of those rare songs that still sends chills down my spine every time I listen to it. It’s a little slow to start, but the payoff is worth it.

51

Damn, I love it when this thread revives. I get so much new (to me) to listen to! Thank you guys.

Wow, I have no idea what they’re singing about, but that is a nice piece of (checks wiki page) Icelandic psychedelic rock. Wikipedia calls them metal. I think that’s a stretch for this song, at least. As a bass player, I can say those bass chords come out exceptionally nice in the intro, and they set a great mood for the song to build from. It takes advantage of that with the nice echo-y guitar and electric piano they use to build the song. They even sneak in a chorus of children’s voices at the end without making my eyes roll. Thankya, I just wish I understood Icelandic now.

shunpiker, I’m flattered that you liked my selections. Ever since a close friend once asked, with derision, “What the hell are we listening to?” and I had to answer “Umm, my favorite album from my favorite band.”; I’ve known that my tastes aren’t for absolutely everyone. If you liked Rapeman, and can handle a drum machine pounding out your rock, check out Big Black. I’m still fairly convinced that every metal or industrial band pales in comparison to them.

As far as Curt Kirkwood’s singing with the Meat Puppets is concerned…hmm. He sang like that fairly consistently for the first three records. So, I’m not sure if it was a choice on the first three. After that, he’s on key when he wants to be, but he doesn’t always want to be. For what it’s worth, he sings them consistently that way live. Personally, I like how loose his vocal stylings can get.

Ok, I’ve been pretty sedate so far, no people playing screen door springs through 100W half stacks (that’s coming someday), no hour long metal songs (really, I wouldn’t be that mean). But I can’t hold back any longer. This isn’t a traditional “song”. However, it does have some elements of one.

It’s the Boredoms’ Super Are.

Why? Because it’s a work of music that defies comprehension for me, but is captivating. I don’t have any idea what it even might be about. All of the lyrics are in Japanese, a language I do not understand. It’s as complex as a short orchestral work, but it’s nowhere near that tonality. It’s dense, and it appears to be written in advance. At the time, I would not have believed that it could have been composed and not constructed, but Yamatsuka Eye’s work since then has me convinced that he did exactly that.

Before you click on that link, remember that a formative moment in my life was: “What the hell are we listening to?”. If you haven’t heard it before, you probably will think the same at some point of that song. No one is prepared to listen to the Boredoms for the first time. If this is yours, enjoy it.

52

Definitely not my cup of tea, especially the beginning that sounds a little like the instrumental break in Styx’s “Come Sail Away.” It did get a bit more interesting when the electric guitar and the percussion kicked in, but I just don’t know what to make of the whole thing.
My next contribution: “Bye Bye Baby Blues” by George “Little Hat” Jones. It’s a recording from 1930.

53

Thanks for that one Ponch. Never heard of him before. I like the old blues tracks. And here’s another old timey song that’ll get you jumpin’. Wahboard Sam - My Bucket’s Got A Hole In It.

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I am of course more familiar with The New Duncan Imperials version of this song, but the fact is that it’s a great song and Washboard Sam was one of those guys who set the standards for Chicago Blues and his version is eminently enjoyable. Put it back to back with his version of Diggin’ My Potatoes (his best electric blues song, IMO) and you’ve got a pretty-damn-near-perfect pick for your next Twofer Tuesday.

Boredoms totally fucking rock!

Of course, I’m also a huge fan of lots of Japanese artists and their various takes on noise, rock and metal stuff: K.K. Null (and his various bands, especially Zeni Geva), Acid Mothers Temple, Boris, Maximum The Hormone, Church Of Misery, Merzbow, Sigh, Rovo, Boom Boom Satellites… and of course, Ruins.

Can I assume, scabpicker, that you are a fan of Unsane? Perhaps Minsk, or Rwake? Botch? How about Pelican? Sunn 0)))? Sleep?

A good song, but I liked their previous album Köld better; 78 Days In The Desert is a great tune.

This last part is hard for me.

I’m reluctant to just pick one of my favorite or most beloved songs and bands because my tastes generally are so far out of the mainstream; many of y’all have excellent taste in music but prolly wouldn’t find much of my love for really loud screechy amorphic atonal music to be exactly pleasant, and I’d rather help people find stuff they like than show people what I like, so I look for a compromise thinking that maybe I can help people stretch their ears like an athlete stretches muscles, thus enabling an ability to appreciate more kinds of temporally ordered noises.

Of course, sometimes I just wanna say “fuck it” and post something fun.

Evil Superstars - Oh Girl

55

Hah, this song was a lot of fun. I liked the beat cobbled together out of cheesy electronic drum sounds and what appeared to be a key tone from an old telephone. The lo-fi beat, the sneakily catchy melody, and the willfully weird lyrics worked perfectly together. The thin, funky guitar line that came in later was another fun surprise.

I don’t think I could handle a whole concert- or album- length experience of this music very well, but this song was clever, made me chuckle out loud to myself, and the melody is stuck in my head. :slight_smile:

Next up, let’s bring the power pop, why don’t we? Cheap Trick, “She’s Tight”

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That’s one of the powerpop Masters, there. And that video was certainly a relic, but fun to relive. I’ve spent many hours with Cheap Trick in my headphones, but oh goodness… I had forgotten how cheesy that was! An enjoyable song, but damn that was some lame songwriting right there. Every line is predictable, and the song doesn’t really even go anywhere. Well, technically, I suppose he does get off the phone and meets her at her home so she’s not alone any longer, but c’mon. I guess Robin did a good job looking cute, however. I may sound like I didn’t enjoy this, but quite the contrary… thanks for sharing. Oh, the Brand New made more of an impression on me than this CT. I’ll agree w/ the other poster that said there’s not a whole lot going on there, but I like the groove and the effect of the fill vocals.

I’m enjoying playing off the previous post, so I’ll submit Watershed’s, Fifth of July. These guys have been around for years, but this song got me to open up and listen to more of them. I love how the little backing vocals help the crescendo fall back to the chorus/melody. And I like the picture the composition paints; I can feel myself hanging out in this story. This whole album is a powerpop gem (if you’re into that sort of thing), actually. I’d never seen the video until today, and found it unremarkable.

Good to hear the Boredoms. Not that it necessarily tickled my ear, but glad to expand my horizons. I did enjoy it, but it’s going to be tough to spin that one at my next dance party, ha! Actually, I’ll listen to that again to find the things I’m missed.

The Little Hat Jones and Washboard Sam were refreshing this morning. It’s back to the basics. The sweet playing and singing from Little Hat was smoooooth. That was contrasted with the more rough and horny sound from Washboard Sam’s song, but Sam’s lyrics were a hoot ! When I hear older songs/artists I wonder about the music “scene” they were surviving in. My only frames of reference are the 70s forward, and I like to think there was a kinder, gentler time in music.

Listened to Fjara a couple of times and didn’t fully get it, yet. I’m interested, so I’ll give it another listen.

I was glad that Mr SnowBo said, “fuck it”, and posted something for fun. I really liked that. It reminded me of an old IceCreamHands song, but more catchy and dynamic. I’d almost parrot what the **OneCentStamp **said (nice deconstruction), but could probably handle an album or 2.

To Mr. Picker; I have heard a few of the MeatPups songs, and I noticed that he’s got his own unique style. I like how you put it… (paraphrasing) he’s on key when he wants to be, but he doesn’t always want to be. And that’s damn fine because it fits the music. I’m not a MeatPups fan or anything, but I can appreciate what they’re doing.

Okay, I’m gonna run before I get ninja’ed.

57

Oooh, power pop! I’m down with this.

I enjoyed “Fifth of July”, though I was a little wary at first with the kind of mall-punk guitar and drum sound. But the melody’s infectious, which is all you can ask from the genre. The vocals in the chorus sounded a little strained, but it didn’t inhibit my enjoyment of the song.

My submission: The Names, It’s A Miracle. Definitely the best Cheap Trick ripoff/homage I’ve ever heard.

58

Well, those guys sure knew what they were trying to do, and they did it. It sounds slightly sophomoric, but still a good example of the genre. It got off to a good start… had me interested. Then it lost me a little in the middle, but brought it back when they reminded me, “it’s a miracle, it’s a miracle, etc” during the bridge. Cool tune.

Since we’ve just hit a few PP songs in a row, I’ll submit one of our local groups, The Beast, with their song, Translation. The headman of the band is the son of Jazz’s great, Nnenna Freelon. The song starts as ~Hip-Hop, but I’m not sure that’s where it finishes.

59

Cheap Trick is awesome.

Watershed was waaaay better than I thought it was gonna be when it started. I really appreciated the vocalist NOT pushing himself out of his 5 note comfort zone. Sometimes greatness comes from knowing your limitations and working within them; this was one of those times.

Aye, that was some solid late '70s FM radio rock right there. Not particularly memorable, but one of those “perfect example” type tunes like we had back on page 1 (I think).

This was excellent. Truly excellent. Creative storytelling with both music and lyrics, all with a kick-ass rhythm. This totally fucking rocks!

I’m glad so many people enjoyed my last pick. One of the things I like and admire about it is it’s restraint.

My pick this time is Yakuza - Be That As It May.

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Hey shunpicker, congratulate yourself: you sold a copy of The Beast’s album.