Day 25. I saw a meme yesterday (that I can no longer find) that stated, “society has progressed beyond the need for Weezer.” Obviously this was meant as a joke (probably). This morning, while watching YouTube music videos, Say It Ain’t So came on. It’s a great tune.
Oh yeah Alright
Somebody’s Heine’ Is crowdin’ my icebox Somebody’s cold one Is givin’ me chills Guess I’ll just close my eyes
Oh yeah Alright Feels good Inside
Flip on the telly Wrestle with Jimmy Something is bubbling Behind my back The bottle is ready to blow
Say it ain’t so Your drug is a heart breaker Say it ain’t so My love is a life taker
I can’t confront you I never could do That which might hurt you So try and be cool When I say This way is a water slide away from me That takes you further every day So be cool
Say it ain’t so Your drug is a heart breaker Say it ain’t so My love is a life taker
Dear daddy I write you in spite of years of silence You’ve cleaned up, found Jesus, things are good or so I hear This bottle of Steven’s awakens ancient feelings Like father, stepfather, the son is drowning in the flood Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Say it ain’t so Your drug is a heart breaker Say it ain’t so My love is a life taker
Looking for some great music? Check the Song of the Day (Chaotic Neutral) Spotify playlist.
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Was listening to this excellent mix by The Chemical Brothers on Mixcloud and it finishes with this incredible song. I’ve been a fan of Culture, & this song in particular, since hearing it on a John Peel show sometime way back when. Excellent decolonisation message.
What a shame what a shame For the day dat we where born We never seen the right dollar here Only the count of fear we a see oh!
Bring back the money with the sign of the Lion money Me say fe get back the money with the sign of the dragon money Dat we no use him no no Bring back the money with the sign of the Lion money Me say fe get back the money with the sign of the dragon money
For we no waaaant To hear no more about your great sir francis dread Put us slave driver like wise We no waaaant To hear no more about your great long John Silver Dat na have drop to use the sufferes dem Bring back the money with the sign of the Lion money Wat gone down can tell your friends dat i tell yu dat I jus fe take back the money with the sign of the dragon money Dats (?)even fe feed the hungry belly pickney dem me say yu Bring back the money with the sign of the Lion money
Me no waaant To hear no more about your great sir francis dread The old slave driver We no waaaant To hear no more about your great long John Silver Dat only help to colonialize our mind lord Bring back the money with the sign of the Lion money Lion dollars we want to see Inna Jamdung Take back the money with the sign of the dragon money I am so tired to hear the sufferes dem a bawll Bring back the money with the sign of the Lion money The Lion dollars can’t satisfy good wants and needs Take back the money with the sign of the Dragon money One sake one sake inna aluminum kind hehe! Bring back the money with the sign of the Lion money Clap me with the Lion but back way with the dragon Me say Bring back the money with the sign of the Lion money Back way with the dragon inna dis ya time The dragon must drop Bring back the money with the sign of the Lion money For we no waaaant To hear no more about your great sir francis dread We no waaaant To hear no more about your dreadlock John Silver… FADE…
Looking for some great music? Check the Song of the Day (Chaotic Neutral) Spotify playlist:
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In 2018, on a now defunct blog, I began a series of mini reviews based on the music that Spotify was recommending to me on my personalised Release Radar playlist. There was only one instalment of this series but I am thinking about giving it another go as I believe it is a sound concept.
Here is the original article, reproduced for nostalgia’s sake. Hopefully you’ll find something to enjoy here:
JEFF The Brotherhood – Camel Swallowed Whole
Heartwarming lo-fi Indie Rock from Nashville. Camel Swallowed Whole has a charming laziness underpinning it. The lethargically plodding bassline sets the groove beautifully for the understated guitar melodies and laid-back vocals. A recorder solo adds to the DIY charm. In the back-half of the song a distorted and discordant guitar solo brings some vague hints of Stephen Malkmus’ early work with Pavement. A
Autechre – mirrage
The IDM veterans latest offering is a swelling sea of droning synths and intense reverse reverb. The way the weird little stutters of reverse reverb interact with the bizarrely modulated higher synths lends an illusion of tape-based production, although I suspect it was recorded using the duos unique generative production software. I imagine this would be fairly underwhelming to anyone but the most hardcore fan (of which there are plenty) and unlikely to attract many converts. B minus
J Mascis – See You At The Movies
The self-described inventor of “ear bleeding country” sure knows how to write a pretty little country rock song. See You At The Movies has a jaunty rhythm that bounces along pleasantly under his trademark sad vocals and twisting lead guitar lines (not to mention his legendary grizzled Jazzmaster tone) ensure this track will sound great to even the most casual fan. The sound of a rock genius at rest. A
Barbara Morgenstern – Brainfuck
Pretty acoustic guitar picking nestles up comfortably alongside deep bass drones and stuttering cut up string samples on the intro to this dark electro pop song. The beats on this track are shuffling pops and crackles reminiscent of the crackle and pop of a vinyl record run-off groove. The vocals are sultry and warm, recorded with crystal clarity, lending the whole thing a ‘90’s Trip-Hop vibe. A
TV Smith – No Hope Street
There’s nothing new or original in ‘70’s Punk survivor Tim Smiths latest strum-along social commentary but he delivers it with such heroic underdog gusto that you find yourself nodding and singing along. The lyrics have a nostalgic air to them, with the verses written in the past tense and detailing disbelief at the many misfortunes that have befallen him and the grim determination to stand up to the shadowy establishment figures responsible. B
Cloud Nothings – The Echo Of The World
Spiky guitars and hyperactive drumming are the order of the day on this latest Cloud Nothings single. The vocals are grungily snotty, sounding a little like Billy Corgan in places. The tune has a sense of grandeur that I’ve never really heard in their other work, although they don’t seem to be able to reach the dizzyingly euphoric heights this track seems to be aiming for, ultimately writing a cheque the band are unable to cash. C
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Day 23. Damn, I’ve been very busy recently & have fallen a little behind with Song of the Day. For today’s entry I am choosing this ode to depression & social anxiety by The Offspring. It’s a great tune by a band who, it’s fair to say, have had a hit & miss career. Nevertheless, Smash! is a great album & this tune is fantastic.
Fun fact: frontman Dexter Holland completed his PhD in Molecular Biology in 2017. He is also the creator of the Gringo Bandito hot sauce.
I’m getting edgy all the time There’s someone around me just a step behind It’s kinda scary, the shape I’m in The walls are shakin’ and they’re closing in
Too fast or a bit too slow I’m paranoid of people and it’s starting to show There’s one guy that I can’t shake Over my shoulder is a big mistake
Sitting on the bed Or lying wide awake There’s demons in my head And it’s more than I can take
I think I’m on a roll But I think it’s kinda weak Saying all I know is I gotta get away from me
I tell you something just ain’t right My head is on loose but my shoes are tight Avoiding my friends cause they all bug Life is a riddle and I’m really stumped
If you reason, don’t you know Your own preoccupation is where you’ll go I think I’m being followed, I look around It’s only my shadow creepin’ on the ground
I think I’m on a roll But I think it’s kinda weak Saying all I know is I gotta get away from me
Looking for some great music? Here’a a Spotify playlist compiling the Song of the Day (Chaotic Neutral) entries so far. Feel free to browse my profile for earlier Song of the Day playlists.
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You’re probably familiar with these types of Facebook challenges that ask you to post something for seven days straight. They always start off with something like “to break up the monotony of Facebook….” I recently found a playlist of one which I did way, way back in 2016, which was a song from the ’90’s for seven days. I’d like to share that with you.
Day 1: A Tribe Called Quest – Scenario
I always seem to gravitate towards A Tribe Called Quest when I’m feeling down or angry about political issues, for some reason. Something about the laidback feel of the beats & the enthusiastic feel of the MCing always helps me to feel a little better. In 2016 I was reeling from the general election the previous year & the disastrous Brexit referendum earlier in the same year & therefore listening to Quest loads. A love of this video would have made choosing Scenario an easy task.
*
Day 2: Meat Beat Manifesto – Asbestos Lead Asbestos
I had only recently purchased their seminal album, Subliminal Sandwich, after someone compared one of my songs the second disc of bizarre, experimental soundscapes. This track, & it’s great video, is an excellent Triphop-influenced cover version of a World Domination Enterprises song. Regular readers may remember it cropping up during the Song of the Day (Covers) series.
*
Day 3: NOFX – The Decline
I wonder if I was thinking of value for money here, with this 18 minute Pop Punk epic. Sadly, there’s no video for this song. Pure & angry Pop Punk excellence. Bouncy & anthemic in equal parts. I remember thinking it was about the post-9/11 Bush administration when I first heard it (late) in the early ’00’s, but it’s pre-9/11 release (’99) rules that out. A savage diatribe against the ‘religious right’.
*
Day 4: Pavement – Here
Another song without a video, Here was my favourite Pavement song at the time of the challenge. A title which is constantly changing in my head. My most recent “best of all time” list actually placed Grounded in my top-ten. Here is a gloriously (if deceptively) simple slacker ballad with some incredibly memorable lyrics. A+ song.
*
Day 5: David Bowie – Little Wonder
David Bowie shocking & awing in equal measure with this Drum n Bass inspired tune. Great song, great video & a reminder that Bowie is one of the greatest, & most diverse, musical artists in history. I love how heavy & upbeat it is following the smooth slacker tones of Pavement’s Here.
*
Day 6: Inspiral Carpets – Saturn 5
Another awesome video & a Hammond Organ flavoured slice of ’90’s Indie, flavoured by ’60’s Psych Pop. A charmingly upbeat tribute to the band’s super heavy-lift vehicle of choice, the Saturn V rocket.
*
Day 7: Fugazi – Blueprint
A smooth & melodic tune from the Post-Hardcore pioneers. Blueprint drips with DIY, independent cool. Sadly no video again, but an absolutely superb tune form this most ethical of all Indie bands.
*
Here they are in a Spotify playllist:
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This entry is as much for the video as it is for the song. The aching nostalgia conveyed by the grainy, stop motion footage is supremely powerful. Especially when paired with the grandiose melancholy of the song.
Due to this song being an instrumental, I decided it might be both amusing & informative to quote the Wikipedia page for the song’s description of its composition:
The song begins with almost inaudible guitar, heavily delayed and reverberated, playing a descending three note melody. At (0:25), a bass riff (based around the chords of D major and B minor) enters. At (1:00), slightly distorted, heavily delayed and reverberated guitars begin playing along to the bass riff, swooping in and out. At (1:34), a relaxed, slow drum beat begins. At (2:50), all of the instruments pause for a brief second, then explode into loud guitar-driven noise, backed by a steady, heavy drumbeat (to which every snare drum beat is accompanied by a tambourine clash). At (4:28), the distorted guitars and drums end, leaving the soft bass riff to close the song, aided by the guitar melody heard at the start of song, all of which gradually fade out.
Live versions of the song are performed at a substantially slower tempo.
Looking for some great music? Check out the Song of the Day (Chaotic Neutral) Spotify playlist.
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“Kurt” (a 2014 oil on canvas painting) by Todd Bienvenu, a tribute to Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain (20 February, 1967 – 5 April, 1994)
On what would have been Kurt Cobain’s 54th birthday (for seven more minutes anyway, it’s nearly midnight as I type this) I would like to share with you the legendary sleevenotes for the 1992 compilation, Incesticide. I also hope you enjoy the oil painting of Kurt by Todd Bienvenu (above) & the video for early Nirvana single, Sliver. Much love.
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I’m not 100% sure why I chose this song. I love it & I only just saw the video for the first time today, so maybe that’s why. Either way, it’s a great example of the particular brand of Indie Rock which I love: what the press called ‘slacker’ music. Great lyrics too.
We know of an ancient radiation That haunts dismembered constellations A faintly glimmering radio station While Frank Sinatra sings Stormy Weather The flies and spiders get along together Cobwebs fall on an old skipping record
Beyond the suns that guard this roost Beyond your flowers of flaming truth Beyond your latest ad campaigns An old man sits collecting stamps In a room all filled with Chinese lamps
He saves what others throw away He says that he’ll be rich someday We know of an ancient radiation That haunts dismembered constellations A faintly glimmering radio station We know of an ancient radiation That haunts dismembered constellations A faintly glimmering radio station
While Frank Sinatra sings “Stormy Weather” The flies and spiders get along together Cobwebs fall on an old skipping record
Looking for some great music? Why not try the Song of the Day (Chaotic Neutral) Spotify playlist?
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Psychedelic Indie madness from The Beta Band today. Taken from their excellent second EP, The Patty Patty Sound, Inner Meet Me is a messy, glorious mix of frazzled lo-fi folk, subby bass & bleepy, delayed Dub sirens.
I was reminded about the band because they, & the video for this song, are the subject of a poem I have been writing over the last few days, which should see the light of day on my other blog, Slow News City.
Inner Meet Me, oh you can’t decide (repeated)
Last night I dreamt somebody fell asleep between my knees. I couldn’t help it that the facts were rejected by a boy who called me (repeated 3 times)
She said to me, keep your head up, never show up, keep it all in never dream alone Play on a star Moves too far Say what you feel Speak when you kneel Never dream alone Never dream alone
If you were feeling that the light is on the ceiling then you can’t see past your nose. Cos what you’re seeing is the man underneath the beam she’s a fool below low. I never listen but the people they were christened I wonder who was the one. A better placement for the basement when he’s chasing Mrs Mason when they’re facing on the relation
She said to me, keep your head up, never show up, keep it all in, never dream alone Play on a star Moves too far Say what you feel Speak when you kneel Never dream alone Never dream alone
Last night I dreamt somebody fell asleep between my knees I couldnt help it that the facts were recjected by a boy called me (repeated 3 times)
She said to me, keep your head up, never show up, keep it all in, never dream alone Play on a star Moves too far Say what you feel Speak when you kneel Never dream alone Never dream alone
Looking for some great music? Check out the Song of the Day (Chaotic Neutral) Spotify playlist.
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I just love this great tune by múm & was shocked to see it hadn’t made it into any of my previous Song of the Day series. It’s glorious, melancholy, Scandinavian Electronic Pop music par excellence. Skittering percussion, lush melodies & sugar sweet vocals combine to create a warm, inviting atmosphere.
Interestingly, the YouTube video titles the track as ‘Green Grass Of Tunnel’ instead of ‘Green Green Grass Of Tunnel’. A favourite band of mine, British Sea Power, also recorded a cover version of the song & they used the former, shorter title.
Down from the ceiling leaks a great noise
It drips on my head through a hole in the roof
Behind these two hills here there’s a pool
And when I’m swimming in through a tunnel
I shut my eyes inside the cupboard
I make sounds and through the tubes I send this noise
Behind these two hill here I fall asleep
And when I’m floating green grass of tunnel
It flows back down from the ceiling, leaks a great noise
It drips on my head through a hole in the roof
Behind these two hills here there’s a pool
And when I’m swimming in through a tunnel I shut my eyes
Looking for some great music? Why not check out the Song of the Day (Chaotic Neutral) Spotify playlist?
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