If summoned by glenn mcdonald to exercise a bit of gunpoint music crit, I really must comply. Plus, it’s got me subscribed to a couple more blogs of friends I didn’t know HAD blogs. The rules are as follows, the tags after that, the results at the end.
“List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they’re not any good, but they must be songs you’re really enjoying now, shaping your spring. Post these instructions in your blog along with your 7 songs. Then tag 7 other people to see what they’re listening to.”
Graham Coxon – “Click Click Click”
Jumped right off the current MOJO magazine compilation of Paul Weller-related songs. Oddly, the second time I heard it I was walking past a demonstration/installation downtown where they lined up what looked to be authentic pairs of soldiers’ boots from the Iraq war. In spite of the song’s pure sneer, I almost welled up. And so the image is pasted with the song, fitting and not fitting.
Weezer – “Take Control / Slob”
In some interview after the Green Album, Rivers Cuomo described it as having “no emotion–just pure music.” For me, that was an appealing idea for one album, but it seems to me Weezer’s just kept on with that idea ever since: Rock in quotes. Still, this one-two punch from Maladroit is udeniably appealing at high volume.
Okkervil Riiver – “Unless It’s Kicks”
I had the sense these guys were miserablists based on something I heard from the last album. I was wrong. This is one of those vocal lines where you sing it for hours afterwards, even though you don’t know the words yet. You make up words for the melodic pallette you wished you’d written.
Coldplay – “Violet Hill”
Dear God, what hooks. I cannot resist.
Mark Gardener w/ Goldrush – “Summer Turns to Fall”
I hate saying this is the best song off the overloooked solo-but-not-alone debut from former Ride frontman MG, because it’s the only one not at least co-written by him. But alas, it is. Still, the soaring vocal harmonies are representative, and they give me goosebumps.
Talking Heads – “I Zimbra”
I can’t explain why I’m listening to so much Talking Heads these days, but I am. When just about any of their songs stops playing, I immediately think, “That’s great!” they’re just candy, and I’m a kid. Something.
Bon Iver – “Re:Stacks”
Like you’re alone in the woods and rocking yourself to keep from crying. Or walking through a dead silent library after talking to the person you’re falling in love with, all the books just bricks, the words impediments. When only cooing will do, trailing after something that is sweet and no longer there.
