So I thought to myself today "how cool would it be to hit shuffle while 30,000 feet in the air?", so that's what I did. I had just finished up listening to my newest Pearl Jam playlist (making my trilogy of Pearl Jam playlists now into a saga) and was thoroughly impressed with myself. So when I hit shuffle I expected good things.
By now you all know I'm a huge LOST geek and usually I would be excited about a LOST piece coming on the ole ipod, but today there was something disconcerting about it. I'm all about ending up on the island but being on a plane when a track from the soundtrack came on kind of gave me pause. We were flying over the Colorado Rockies at the time so if the plane was to "go down" there was no way I was ending up on the island. In fact there was no water below us what so ever. So while I listened to the track in the back of my head I kept thinking "this isn't a good idea, listen to the rest when we land" and so that's what I did. I didn't want to test fate and all that.
The Night Before Vegas...
So I'm leaving for Las Vegas tomorrow for a long weekend, and ending it on Monday with a return to the east coast to see the Foo Fighters. Needless to say I don't think I'm going to be posting that much while I'm over there. As a a matter of fact I'm not going to bring my lap top (Shea will have hers so there is a slight chance but doubtful). I just wanted to give you guys the heads up so you didn't think I was flaking out on you guys again. Expect a number of posts on Tuesday. Until then enjoy todays song.
What I like about this track is there is a lot of emphasis on the bass and the drums. It's not like it's a particularly difficult drum scheme but you can always hear it. The bass stands front and center and makes like a bass-bass-drum type rhythm.
Getting back into O.A.R. has re-opened the door to a lot of bands I stopped listening to as much. Michael Franti and Spearhead sort of fall in that category. I used to listen to the Yell Fire album all the time and slowly it fell out of rotation. So when I played it for the first time in ages it was like listening to it for the first time again. Forgiving O.A.R. was one of the best things I've done musically this year.
Well off to Vegas goes I. I'll catch you guys in a couple of days.
What I like about this track is there is a lot of emphasis on the bass and the drums. It's not like it's a particularly difficult drum scheme but you can always hear it. The bass stands front and center and makes like a bass-bass-drum type rhythm.
Getting back into O.A.R. has re-opened the door to a lot of bands I stopped listening to as much. Michael Franti and Spearhead sort of fall in that category. I used to listen to the Yell Fire album all the time and slowly it fell out of rotation. So when I played it for the first time in ages it was like listening to it for the first time again. Forgiving O.A.R. was one of the best things I've done musically this year.
Well off to Vegas goes I. I'll catch you guys in a couple of days.
You Should Talk About This Album More
When people talk about Bob Marley records Survival isn't mentioned as much as it should be, but I would go so far as to say it belongs in his top three best albums (this is not including Legend because that is more or less a greatest hits album). Actually this album kind of reminds me of working at Borders (I bought it with a gift card I got for employee of the month... that's right self plug). Come on One Drop alone makes this album worth buying.
It's Time To Meet The Muppets...Queen
It's funny that this song would be selected now. Funny for a few reasons.
Reason 1- Shea and I were literally talking about this song on Saturday when I played it in her car. She told me I find the song to be funnier than it is and funnier than other people think. I thought this was kind of weird but correct me if I'm wrong here… this is the Muppets singing Queen right? It's the freakin' Muppets singing probably what is Queen's biggest song. How is this not funny or awesome (granted Shea used the word funny and didn't say anything about it not being awesome). I would think everyone would find this song to be funny. Just listen to Animal. I was curious to how the Muppets would handle some of the subject matter of the song, and the use of Animal is perfect. No one wants to hear a Muppet singing about killing a man and going to jail and yada yada yada. Imagine Kermit singing that. Well it would remind me of this painful video to watch.
Reason 2- I have been on a HUGE Muppets kick as of late. Maybe it has to do with the upcoming movie or the Green Album (speaking of which if you haven't listened to this or downloaded it what in the hell is wrong with you?! There is some really great stuff on here. For Christ sake the Fray do Muhna Muhna… and it's awesome). Whatever it is I'm all about the Muppets right now. We spent a hungover Saturday a couple of weeks ago watching two hours of the first season of the Muppet Show (the night before we danced about to bits of the Green Album… seriously people what are we waiting for here?). It was glorious. Do yourself a favor and just check out some of those old shows they're worth it for the subtle funny.
Non Muppet Related News- I saw Cameron Crowes love letter to Pearl Jam (PJ20) last night. There is so much I want to say but I'm still geeked out over the whole thing I'm not even sure where to begin. In short it was amazing. DVD comes out Oct. 25 (with a bunch of special editions being sold by the Ten Club) and I think they're airing it on PBS a few days before that. Do yourself a favor and watch it. I thought I was in love with Pearl Jam before…it just blew my mind.
When Soundtracks Go Wrong
I bought the Pineapple Express soundtrack thinking it would be pretty good. There was a good collection of songs within the movie (come on Electric Avenue!!!) and it was funny so these things seemed like they would translate well to a soundtrack. Unfortunately I was incorrect (surprised right? that hardly ever happens). The stand out tracks…well they stood out but everything else was kind of "eh". Funny within the movie not so much on the soundtrack. What can I say? We live and learn. Not every soundtrack can belong to Pulp Fiction, Donnie Darko, or Kill Bill Vol. 1 (yeah that's right two Tarantino soundtracks). Then again what was I expecting from the Pineapple Express soundtrack? You're not really going to strike gold here. It's not Empire Records or Mallrats. There's no cultural movement within the movie so I shouldn't be surprised that there isn't one on the soundtrack. I guess good soundtracks encompass a time period. A sound that instantly takes you back to movie and your life. It's like one of those cheesy collection albums without the infomercial or the cheese.
But instead today we got Pineapple Express. D'oh!
For me this song never takes off. It's that kid who you meet at the playground who seems like he'd be fun to play with then spends the next five minutes running in a circle blabbering, and you find he's more annoying then fun. That's this song for me. I don't really know what else to say about it really. It exists in a world where no one really cares I suppose. It fit inside the movie well. That's something positive right?
It's Ray Charles Y'all
I first heard Ray Charles through Billy Joel and their amazing duet, Baby Grand. To this day it's one of my favorite Billy Joel songs. As I got older I of course discovered America the Beautiful and Georgia (sweet Jesus Georgia) among many others. I have never seen the movie Ray though (although I have glimpsed bits and pieces here and there), and I can tell you that Ray Charles is the most unsuspecting heroin addict ever. Who would have thought? There are so many blind jokes that I'm going to stray for but it just didn't seem to fit.
I like these types of songs where the backup singers are involved with the lead singer or front band. James Brown would do this type of stuff all the time to the point where the backups played the role of James's conscience and he had to check in with them before he did anything else. I think it also boils down to the fact that music that requires participation from band members translates well to live shows because you can turn that participation to the crowd. And we all know that I love crowd participation.
The cool thing about Ray Charles was his passion. When the man was performing or recording you could hear it in his voice you could hear it in the piano playing…the man had passion and soul. Unchain My Heart touches on that soul. You can hear it while listening that Charles just wraps himself entirely in the song and creates almost his own little universe with himself and the band. I could easily picture him forgetting that there was anyone else in the world at that moment. That's the beauty of his music sometimes you forget too.
Five Songs I Can't Live Without (At Least This Week)
1. Truth- Alexander
2. Miss You- Foster the People
3. Waste- Forster the People
4. Kick Drum Heart- Avett Brothers
5. Given To Fly- Pearl Jam
I like these types of songs where the backup singers are involved with the lead singer or front band. James Brown would do this type of stuff all the time to the point where the backups played the role of James's conscience and he had to check in with them before he did anything else. I think it also boils down to the fact that music that requires participation from band members translates well to live shows because you can turn that participation to the crowd. And we all know that I love crowd participation.
The cool thing about Ray Charles was his passion. When the man was performing or recording you could hear it in his voice you could hear it in the piano playing…the man had passion and soul. Unchain My Heart touches on that soul. You can hear it while listening that Charles just wraps himself entirely in the song and creates almost his own little universe with himself and the band. I could easily picture him forgetting that there was anyone else in the world at that moment. That's the beauty of his music sometimes you forget too.
Five Songs I Can't Live Without (At Least This Week)
1. Truth- Alexander
2. Miss You- Foster the People
3. Waste- Forster the People
4. Kick Drum Heart- Avett Brothers
5. Given To Fly- Pearl Jam
Hell Yes 90's Aerosmith, Hell Yes
Where does one begin to start with 90's Aerosmith. Wow. For me Get A Grip Aerosmith was the start of me finding my own sound outside of my parents. Livin' On the Edge was one of those songs that I fell in love with instantly, and memorized it and sung it every chance I had, and started to realise that I could like my own bands and didn't just have to listen to what my parents were pumping. While Aerosmith didn't really fit the alternative music I was going to start listening to I never pushed them aside. In fact I was proud of my love for all things Aerosmith.
Let's be honest here too people, Aerosmith helped make the music video awesome! Yeah I said. That string of videos (including Cryin' here) staring Alicia Silverstone were incredible. She was smokin' and everyone wanted to see Aerosmith's videos because she was in them (come on need I say how hot she was on the bike in Amazing and her and Live Tyler in Crazy? Do I people?). Watching these videos now they just glow with 90's excellence, but back then they were the shit. (Side Note 1 For LOST Fans: The person who steals her bag in the diner is none other than Sawyer himself) (Side Note 2- the video version of the song is actually longer then the studio cut because they liked the footage they shot so much. Thank you Pop Up Video. Wow does anyone remember that?)
I love Cryin'. Everything about it from those opening chords to the harmonica solo to the screamin' it's one of those songs that just makes me think how exciting it was to listen to Get A Grip with my head phones on. Aerosmith helped introduce me to a lot of other classic rock bands that the grunge music was missing out on (don't get me wrong with grunge I learned of the Pixies, Sonic Youth, and the Ramones but with Aerosmith I learned of the Who's Tommy or some random Zeppelin record.) Aerosmith opened a lot of doors for me musically, and it's funny you don't hear them get referenced enough like that.
What is great about Cryin' and the whole rest of the Get A Grip album was how Aerosmith was able to adapt their sound again in order to remain relevant. I've never seen a band able to keep a float for so long even when it seems like they were dead in the water. They save themselves by re-doing Walk This Way with Run DMC and then kind of slip back into the shadows and then bam Pump hits and followed up by Get A Grip and it's like they never left. Yeah they've gone a little too pop as of late but Aerosmith does what it needs to survive. How can you fault them with that? And even if you do listen to Cryin' again and see if you feel the same way.
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