Listology Secret Santa: 2005 (Bigfoot is Captured)
Submitted by Kza on Mon, 12/19/2005 - 03:06
Tags:
- Eagles of Death Metal, "Speaking in Tongues"
- Allman Brothers, "Midnight Rider"
- Flying Burrito Brothers, "Losing Game"
- DJ BC vs. C.H.A.O.S. Productions, "Disco Mouse (50 Cent vs. Modest Mouse)"
- Boogie Down Productions, "The Style You Haven't Done Yet"
- Probot, "I Am The Warlock (w/ Jack Black)"
- The Mountain Goats, "Letter From Belgium"
- Galaxie 500, "Strange" (Thanks, dayfornight!)
- Tegan & Sara, "I Hear Noises"
- Laura Veirs, "Galaxies"
- Go Home Productions, "Lose My Toxygene (Destiny's Child vs. The Orb)"
- Paul Williams, "The Hell of It"
- DJ BC, "Whatcha Want, Lady? (Beastie Boys vs. The Beatles)"
- The Rolling Stones, "Undercover of the Night"
- Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, "Upon This Tidal Wave of Young Blood"
- Yo La Tengo, "Let's Save Tony Orlando's House"
- Foo Fighters, "Baker Street"
Author Comments:
No great theme here (not that there was much of one last year). This is just a compendium of songs I've been listening to over the past couple months. Again, I'm a pop kind of guy, and a lot of this is slanted towards not only pop, but mash-ups, soundtrack songs and cover versions as well. I'm a sucker for a gimmick, what can I say?
Dude, I lucked out and got your mix. Awesome.
Sweet! And glad you think that's awesome. (One never knows how these mixes are going to be received.)
I have to assume that mine are going to go over like a lead balloon. Or one of 'em, at least.
I'd give it more than a day... some people don't like to unwrap their Hanukkah gifts early.
Besides, the last thing to go over like a Pb dirigible went on to trash hotel rooms all over the world.
I meant to listen-to/write-upon this disc first but Christmas/Hanukkah made me forget/ignore who put up their track listing first... sorry/whoops.
Eagles of Death Metal, "Speaking in Tongues"
I thought that this was catchy, funky errr, something like that. Then I read the group's name: "Eagles" and "Death Metal" are not good signs. But I still like it and I'm very glad that Don Henley does not appear to be involved. It may just be the layered guitars and the the hand-claps but I hear Queen influence... not in the vocals. Definitely not in the vocals. I have no idea what he's saying
Allman Brothers, "Midnight Rider"
What a great groove. At first I expected it to be the loop beneath some reworked rap something. I'm so glad it wasn't. I love hearing the two (or is it three?.. 2.5?) percussionists separated right and left. I've just realized that what I have always assumed to be backing vocals is, in fact, a Gregg Allman overdub. I love the interaction of acoustic guitar and bass in the right ear. I never realized how "far away" the mix is on this. Unless it's on vinyl... but still. Maybe that is a backing vocalist. Why can't modern guitarists take such relaxed solos?
[Note to self: When listening to the Allman Bros. try to do it on the phones. Was this done after Duane Allman passed? I may sound like an idiot but I don't hear what I think of as "him."]
Flying Burrito Brothers, "Losing Game"
Well if this isn't band out on tour, riding the roads, gambling in the back of the bus, roadies and groupies, bars to clubs to theatres to stadiums montage music I don't know what is. Thinking that the beginning was the intro to "Get Back" and then realizing that it wasn't was such a charge. Fantastic.
[This makes me think of the Joe Cocker Mad Dogs & Englishmen band/tour.]
DJ BC vs. C.H.A.O.S. Productions, "Disco Mouse (50 Cent vs. Modest Mouse)"
Crikey! I have to turn down the volume. I really like the drive, pulse of the mix. I liked both songs/artists a bit before so I'm not shocked.
Boogie Down Productions, "The Style You Haven't Done Yet"
I love KRS-ONE. Is this a Clyde Stubblefield groove? Is this where I got the "on and on and on and on" phrase that goes through my mind? I don't mind this use of "ax" for "ask" in this context. Perhaps it should be "axe."
Probot, "I Am The Warlock (w/ Jack Black)"
Crikey! I shouldn't have turned the volume back up. Before I read the track listing I started praying that this was an ironic/joke inclusion. The participation of Jack Black is a good sign. So I choose to think that it's funny. Is that backward masking whispered lyrics? I now have an irrestible urge to eat chocolate ice cream. But that's par for the course. If this is music genuinely close to your heart then I have to move on.
The Mountain Goats, "Letter From Belgium"
"Recipes for cake" got my attention... and now I have no idea what's going on. I'm glad that this and "Warlock" clocked in at just over three minutes. "Lon Chaney" and "geodesic domes" I really wish I knew what this was about.
Galaxie 500, "Strange" (Thanks, dayfornight!)
dayfornight likes this? That sounded judgemental, it's not. This is not a style I'm used to. I say if it's about the lyrics, mix them (more) forward. If it's about the guitar, same thing. whoops! it's over. I have to listen to this again, it confused me.
[I'm still confused which is a good sign if it still sticks in my craw in about a week. That's how I get into unfamiliar styles of music. If my craw remains unstuck then I haven't gotten into it.]
Tegan & Sara, "I Hear Noises"
I know that I know who this reminds me of... I just can't remember. I wish more women darn! is every song following the three minute form?
[Alright, it might be the guitar foundation and the bending up of the word(s) "up" and "hear" but this reminds me of "Emperor's New Clothes"-era Sinead O'Connor. Even if it is an inapt comparison that is a very good sign.]
Laura Veirs, "Galaxies"
yeah! more women (womans?) I do not like the electronic vibrato thing in the right ear. Is that backwards guitar? Neat but too electronic-effectsy.
[I'd try to explain that but all the tracks are in the three minute range... lucky for me.]
Go Home Productions, "Lose My Toxygene (Destiny's Child vs. The Orb)"
What a guilty pleasure. If you tell anyone that I've liked anything involving Destiny's Child I will take that as a sign that we have a suicide pact and I will hunt you down. That bass bop really turns nice with the girls' (not women) vocals over the top in both the figurative and literal sense.
Paul Williams, "The Hell of It"
This is the "Just an Old-Fashioned Love Song" guy. He did the music for The Muppet Movie and therefore can do little wrong. Nice 70s professional songwriter touches. More guilty pleasure.
DJ BC, "Whatcha Want, Lady? (Beastie Boys vs. The Beatles)"
I love Beatles mash. Their songs are so familiar that I can't help mentally filling in the missing pieces. Plus I love the "So, whatcha, whatcha, whatcha-want, whatcha-want" line. That never gets old. I actually love the Beatles/piano part being pushed all the way to the left. Nifty.
The Rolling Stones, "Undercover of the Night"
Man that Charlie Watts is a great drummer. Him and whatsisname's on bass are fantastic together. The Stones have never been then same since whatsisname retired to spend time with his fifteen year-old wife (eww!)... and since Mick hit menopause. Isn't this the last great vocal performance from Mick? How long until he becomes Sir Mick, MBE?
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, "Upon This Tidal Wave of Young Blood"
I did not like learning the title of this track. I like the mid 80s(?) British vibe... not in the vocals. Definitely not in the vocals... and just when I starting enjoying it going more than three minutes it ended.
Yo La Tengo, "Let's Save Tony Orlando's House"
I loved learning the title of this track. I assume (and hope and pray) that this track came out after the Troy McClure celebrity benefit. I hope and pray that Yo La Tengo has a song "Out with Gout in '88." That would be super squishee cool. I got confused when listening with the track listing in front of me. Halfway through the song I thought to myself, "This doesn't sound like a Gerry Rafferty cover. That doesn't sound like Foo Fighters." I didn't notice but this song seems divided in two. I like Yo La Tengo but somehow I always feel that I should be liking them more.
Foo Fighters, "Baker Street"
This was ultra-excellent. Re: Rafferty. I like "Right Down the Line" better but hearing that lead guitar lick coming out of Foo Fighters ("Shouldn't you be out fighting foo?" -- David Letterman) was tremendous. Especially the grunge-bash drum style. They don't write 'em like that anymore.
What a great collection of songs. I'd say that I liked the weird ones the most but virtually every one of them was at least slightly askew. Which was, to say it again, great.
[I just noticed the substitution of "crack" for "booze" in the line, "Give up the booze and the one-night stands." Very cool]
Thank you.
Thank you, 0dysseus. That was certainly more thought than I was expecting anyone to put into my little mix CD. Your comments are greatly appreciated.
A few notes:
Allman Brothers, "Midnight Rider": I like this song, but it's here mostly because of its use in The Devil's Rejects. If you haven't seen it... maybe you shouldn't. It might ruin it for you :-)
Boogie Down Productions, "The Style You Haven't Done Yet": If you could tell me the sample in this song, you'd be my hero.
Probot, "I Am The Warlock (w/ Jack Black)": The Probot album is interesting. For the most part, it's a very reverential recreation of early 80s British heavy metal, by Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters, no less. But this is a hidden track at the end, and yeah, I think it's supposed to be a piss take of the genre.
The Mountain Goats, "Letter From Belgium": I'm not entirely sure what any Mountain Goats song is about, even when I know specifically what it's about, if that makes any sense.
Galaxie 500, "Strange": Dayfornight gave me this album, which is considered a classic of early 80s indie/alternative rock and I'd never heard before. I naturally inclined to like songs about standing in line at convenience stores and eating Twinkies.
Tegan & Sara, "I Hear Noises" I love this group. And now that you mention it, I think there is a Sinead influence. Good catch!
Laura Veirs, "Galaxies": If anyone could tell me what late 70s song has that same squiggly electronic sound that I'm pretty sure Veirs ripped off, they'd be my hero.
Paul Williams, "The Hell of It": Paul Williams is awesome. This is from Phantom of the Paradise, where he has a major role.
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, "Upon This Tidal Wave of Young Blood": Not a fan of the fake David Byrne, eh? :-)
Yo La Tengo, "Let's Save Tony Orlando's House": This was indeed inspired by the Simpsons. But read the review of it at www.allmusic.com -- the lyrics are quite (too?) clever. But that's Yo La Tengo.
Thanks again, 0dysseus! Glad you liked it!
Oh, P.S. My personal philosophy is that three minutes is the ideal length for a song -- as I've stated elsewhere, I'm a pop kind of guy. But not so great for comments-on-the-go. There's also a reason why the songs are ordered the way they are, but you'd have to be listening to it on a computer to see it. (It's not necessarily a good reason; more like a structuring principle.)
One last thing:
Allman Brothers, "Midnight Rider"
What a great groove. At first I expected it to be the loop beneath some reworked rap something.
When I first discovered this song, I was totally shocked that I hadn't heard it before in that context. It's practically begging for it. Of course, it wouldn't bug me maybe as much as you :-)
It probably wouldn't bug me at all if it was done as well as the source material. That may not be possible. I can't think of an artist who could handle the tempo, the groove, the swing or the melody that would be resounding in everyone's head.
As it is with all worthwhile pastimes: Fast is easy. Slow is hard.
Hey! It seems that Lemon Jelly has used/stolen the "Midnight Rambler" groove. This is The Staunton Lick with a little bit of syncopation taken out of an Allman groove.
Smart chaps.
I think I have (as always) more to say but... While I'm thinking of it ('cause you made me) "Galaxies" now reminds me of a tossed julienne of Wings's "Band on the Run." (Not the last third of it.) The squiggly sound on "Galaxies" sounds as if it is lifted almost directly from the intro. The guitar Veirs et al is playing sounds as if it could be the same one used in the middle section of "Band on the Run." And the prominence of the bass guitar in the mix is quite post-Beatles McCartneyesque... the playing, not so much.
Try this: start playing "Galaxies" and then, after a minute or more, fade it out as you start to sing, "If I ever get out of here / I've thought of giving it all away / To a registered charity / All I need is a pint a day..." Or am I just plain crazy?
Don't you just love Paul Williams as the piano player at the El Sleezo*insert superfluous question mark here*
I think I have (as always) more to say but... While I'm thinking of it ('cause you made me) "Galaxies" now reminds me of a tossed julienne of Wings's "Band on the Run."
THAT'S IT!
Oh my god, that's been bugging me for months. I need to get my wife's Wings greatest hits on my computer so I can play compare N contrast.
And... oh man, I haven't seen The Muppet Movie in years. But PW is always cool to me.