matt’s music blog

I really like this song. And one of th things that I like a lot about it, is I have nearly no idea what it’s about. Okay, that not totally true. I mean, as far as I can tell, it’s mostly just a bunch of verses about what this guy wants to do. Shall we get into it then?

It starts off with a solid bass line, a little bit of reverb-y guitar, and hand claps. Also a little bit of synth on the top, and some shaker. Then, the first verse. Now before I get into the lyrics of the first verse, one of the things that I really like about this song is that there ISNT a chorus, it’s really just the verse part repeated over, separated by a little bridge part.

I want to go up to Detroit
I want to lie in the shade
I want to visit the president
And then I want to get laid

Then, right on cue and perfectly timed, enter the drums!

I want to go down to Memphis
I want to talk to the king
I want to tell him we’re sorry
And it won’t happen again

What does that mean? Is he going to tell Elvis that… he’s sorry that he died maybe? I have no idea, but it’s a really cool line regardless. A little bit of lead synth, and then back to the verses. Notice, we’ve also added an acoustic guitar strum to the beginning of each phrase. And, possibly my favorite part, the amazing call and response singing.

I’ve got a photo of James Joyce
It’s a photo by Man Roy
It’s not very very much like him
But it’s not for me to say

Who’s Man Roy? That’s what I want to know. I used to think he was saying “memory” A quick jump on on wikipedia reveals… Nothing! Who is this mysterious Man Roy? Why did he take a photo of Jame Joyce? We may never know! But on to the next verse.

She sacrifices her body
Almost every night
Just like a lamb to the slaughter
And she thinks it makes him feel right

Bridge, then lead synth, with the addition of some little saxophone hits.

You gave me so many problems
You made me crash in my car
I’ll have a martini cocktail
And then we’ll see where we are

So just be nice to your brother
I’ll take your sister to bed
And I can bloc bloc bloc till the weekend
But you’d better come back soon

“I take your sister to bed!” Ahhhhh. So great! What exactly does bloc bloc bloc, mean? Once again, I have no idea. I really think it’s a song in the Bob Dylan style. Verses that are really just cryptic descriptions of things, instead of being a coherent story line. But instead of being kitschy, it’s well implemented. And kinda silly. But good. I would strongly suggest checking out the rest of this album, as it is similarly good.

-James Out

I’m sure no one is surprised to see that I’m doing another post on an Owl City song. But this one is REALLY good. Okay, so they’re all really good. But I like this one especially for a few different reasons. So, let’s get into it, shall we?

We start off with a nice little guitar intro bit, that is back by a little string synth. Then, drum intro into the verse, which is pretty much the same, except for the addition of a a little xylophone mirroring the guitar part.

I opened my eyes last night and saw you in the low light
Walking down by the bay, on the shore, staring up at the stars that aren’t there anymore
I was feeling the night grow old and you were looking so cold
Like an introvert, I drew my over shirt
Around my arms and began to shiver violently before
You happened to look and see the tunnels all around me
Running into the dark underground
All the subways around created great sound
To my motion fatigue: farewell
With your ear to a seashell
You can hear the waves in underwater caves
As if you actually were inside the saltwater room

Okay. So, I’m not really sure if I can point out singular lyrics that I like, in particular. They are all pretty good. Poetic, and they paint a nice picture. We move on then, to possibly my favorite part of the song, the chorus.

Time together is just never quite enough
When you and I are alone, I’ve never felt so at home
What will it take to make or break this hint of love?
We need time, only time
When we’re apart whatever are you thinking of?
If this is what I call home, why does it feel so alone?
So tell me darling, do you wish we’d fall in love?
All the time, all the time

I don’t know why, but every time I hear that part, it always send shivers down my spine. Literally. The trading off between the female and male vocals, is implemented PERFECTLY. We then move back into the verse.

Can you believe that the crew has gone and wouldn’t let me sign on
All my islands have sunk in the deep, so I can hardly relax or even oversleep
I feel as if I were home, some nights. When we count all the ship lights
I guess I’ll never know why sparrows love the snow
We’ll turn off all of the lights and set this ballroom aglow

Something that you’ll fine a lot in Owl City’s lyrics, which I find really interesting, is the travling theme. So once again, here is referenced a ship, and voyage. Also “I’ll never know, Why Sparrows love the snow” is a really interesting lyric, and I like it a lot.

We move back into the verse a few times, and it fades out. Another masterpiece of Owl City’s song writing ability. As always, I’d heavily encourage you to check out the rest of his music. As it is all amazing.

-James Out

Stephin Marit, in a lot of ways, is the appitomy of singer song writer to me. Being the key creative influance, and songwriter for all of the Magnetic Fields is really only one feather in his cap. And, listening to his music, it makes perfect sense that he and Daniel Handler are such good friends. If I could make a small comparison, Stephin Marit does for music, what Daniel Handler does for books, and writing. Makes them amazing.

What I like a lot about this album is that it’s totally not a 90’s album. Not in the least. In fact, if I hadn’t just looked at when it was released on wikipedia, I would have thought that it came out sometime in the 2000’s. Imagine if you handed Stephin Marit an old synthesizer, and said, “Okay, I want you to make an album,” And then let him go wild. That would be this album.

It starts off with a little intro bit, that sounds like a castlevania riff to me, and we get right into it. Distorted guitar, backed by syth drums, hand claps, and that same keyboard part. A really solid backing part, all tied together by Stephin Marit’s unique singing voice.

Sad as a painted clown, a beautiful boy in an ugly town
but when your circus closes down don’t walk away from me
you’ve been asleep too long, the birds are bruises in the dawn
the pounds of flesh between us stretch as far as you can see

Dramatic pause and Chorus time! Back by a little backing vocals.

But all you ever do is walk away and I know if you’d only go slow you could see what it means to be making the scene with me

But all you ever do is walk away and I think if you tried
you could find a little time
for the life I can see in your eyes, don’t go. Don’t go.

The song continues in a similar fashion as before, as we move on to the second verse

Sometimes you just explode and no one alive can break your code
You have a language of your own, an unconnected road
The people you called your friends, the places you won’t go again
The decades lost in finding them, you’ll have to let them go.

Then we get another chorus, repeated until the end. All in all, a simple little song, but very enjoyable. I especially like the strange and image invoking lyrics. As always, I would strongly encourage you to check out the rest of The Magnetic Fields’ work. Especially the concept album, 69 love songs. Which is, as you might imagine, 69 songs about love, in one way or another.

-James out!

I first heard about Wolfsheim, when I was listening to a song called Die Flut (The Flood). Die Flut was a collaborative effort between Joachim Whitt and Peter Heppner, both popular German New Wave artists in the 80’s. I like the song a lot, so I wanted to see if they had done anything else together, or what their separate music was like. Joachim Witt’s music was pretty good. And Peter Heppner is the lead singer of Wolfsheim. Which leads us back to where we started.

We start off with some blippy little synth parts, poppy drums, and the lyrics. I haven’t actually looked at the lyrics for this song before, so I’m not totally sure what it’s about. This will be a little experiment, if you will. Anyway, verse one is as follows.

I won’t believe every lie
just ’cause you said you’re mine.
I won’t believe that your heart’s
been cheating from the start.
I won’t believe it’s just a game.
I won’t believe it’s just the same… again.

Hmmmm. So, it kinda looks like he’s using opposing statements. I mean The first part, is kinda negative, right? Not trusting. But then, the next, is like, I don’t believe that you are cheating on me. Like, people have been telling tales. Okay, so the music starts to pick up a little, gets a bit more solid on the drums, and a solid bass line going too.

I won’t believe… you could be far away
but staying on my mind.
I’ve to believe… at last, there won’t be
anything that’s left behind, my friend…
I understand, that you just saw
the signs, but not their sense
and laid your trust in me… I won’t believe

He won’t believe that he could really be missing this person, or that he’d still have feelings for her. So maybe this is really a song about denial? Anyway, we get into a little break-down bit, and build up in intensity, with more prominent drums and guitars, the synth moving into more of the background.

I won’t believe…
that you will be there at all…
you know… that I believe…
this is what a friend is for…
I said I won’t believe, but then…
I understand that you could see
the signs but not their sense…
don’t lay your trust in me…

See, here’s where I’m getting confused. Because sometimes this song seems to be about a guy that isn’t willing to accept that his lover is like… leaving him, or moving on, or whatever. And then sometimes it seems like it’s about a guy that’s kinda synical and scorned. This last verse continues to repeat and fade. Over all, a very good track. I’d encourage you to check out the rest of this album, at least.

-James out

Okay, straight up, the song is about masturbation. Mutual masturbation, in fact. The implications start right away:

Grab a joystick and then come sit next to me
If you’ve ever held a joystick
Then I’m sure you would agree
That if your hands aren’t on a joystick
You’re not having any fun
The best of toys, for girls and boys
Good times for everyone

Okay, so that’s not so bad, right? I mean, maybe there’s some hinting going on, but it’s more of a double entendre, right?

Wake up sleepyhead, get on out of bed
So many games to play, come join in
This sensation, my fixation
What’s to think about, just have fun

So many games to play… sensation… fixation… arguing against reluctance…

Don’t go out tonight, let’s stay inside
Blow the hours away just you and me
Let’s see who will win
I’ll start, you jump in
Who will come out on top
Wait and see

‘Blow’ the hours away? Racing? Initiating? ‘who’ll come out on top?’

This song cracks me up. The cutesy synths and major key alongside the sexual innuendo is great - maybe it’s a rorshach sort of situation, but I can’t see this song being about anything other than some guy asking his friend to indulge in some circle-jerking. Right on, Super 8-Bit Bros.

Sorry it’s taken me so long to get around to this other post. So this is my favorite song off of the Passion Pit EP, Chunk of Change, that was mentioned in the previous post.

I think you’ll notice right off, that this song is a little bit more… low-fi, shall we say. Not as polished as Little Secrets. It starts out with a strange little voice clip and we are taken right into the song. Syth guitar and pads back up the song, as we get the chorus

you’re gonna drive me crazy
you’re gonna drive me mad
you got an angel on your shoulder
makin hairpins outta glass

The backing track drops back a little, there’s a cool little breakdown, then we get the verse.

i believe in believing
the things that we don’t see
and the skin violin is where the neighbors wont read meals
and the family heirloom jewelery
with sets and heaps of thieves
will cast down things
that you’ve never even seen

Suddenly the song starts building in intensity, adding a little bit of harpsichord in the background. Keep an ear out for the doubled ‘oh no’ in this part too.

ike the gods
like the glory like the stories
that your fathers set before you
ride the tiger round the kingdom
oh no (oh no)
oh no there’s a meeting in the canyons
oh no! (oh no) this is rising to the clouds

Very nicely exicuted Passion Pit. I can just imagine them members punching the air at every “oh no!” I know that I do. The chorus comes back with a little bit of electric guitar to accent it, and move directly into the next verse.

i’m shooting off the cannons
of the clouds begin to flow
and the baskets weave with your mother’s teeth but the ones we’ll never keep
just pretend that things are mobile and will never stay put
and the way we were the day we climbed to the top of the
steeple with its people spewing angels out their mouths and letting tables turn to charcoal in the lipstick and the lipstick in the evening(oh no)
oh no we were waving like the trees
oh no then they moved us to the sky

I really only take time to show you all of the lyrics, because I think they are really genious, and again, kinda easy to miss, if you don’t actually look at them. Anyway, on to the bridge. We get a little zilaphone part, and the drums back off a bit.

two or three times the bell will ring but when when we look for the better things we search for this we have not build i feel it crash upon your skin

The the drums start to come back in, and we get building hand claps,

i find it hard to believe there more
of these things behind the door
do you miss me like i miss you
do i miss you like you miss me

Then we’re thrown back into the chorus and secondary chorus for a few more times. Then it kinda fades away with a little organ part and wailing guitar.

All in all I think this is a fantastic song. It’s upbeat happy feeling, plus good us of synth, and shouting chorus parts, combined with really cool lyrics, makes it a definite winner. Anyone who enjoyed this one, I encourage you to check out the EP, and their album too (Manners)

-James out

I’ve been agonizing over weather to do this song or not. I mean, as it is, I’m not sure I really have a lot to say about it. Not because it’s a bad song. But more that it’s all built around layering, repeating sections over and over, and building on them. Similar to what we heard in David Gray’s Please Forgive Me. Only, instead of being fairly simple stuff being added, this is awash with arpeggios, synthesizers, and fun little drum parts.

But actually what I really wanted to point out is the lyrics. After hearing it once (or maybe you’re listening to it right now?) I think you’ll see that it’s really easy to just get caught up in the music and energy of the song, without really paying attention to the lyrics. When I first started listening, all I could really pick out of it, is the bridge/break which goes:

I don’t mean to seem like I care about material things like a social stats

Let me just pause to say, on it’s own, that’s a pretty great line. There’s another part after that, but I could never really make it out. Luckily for us, the internets provide us with the answer. However, we’ll address that later. Anyway,what does it all mean? How does it fit into the rest of the song? Well dear readers, that’s what we’re going to talk about today. So, let’s look at the first verse, which gets repeated bunch.

There isn’t much that I feel I need
A solid soul and the blood I bleed
With a little girl, and by my spouse
I only want a proper house

Oh. Okay. So he’s talking about wanting a house for his wife and kid. That makes sense! Wouldn’t really catch that from the song. After that it moves on to what can be considered the chorus part.

I don’t care for fancy things
Or to take part in a precious race
And children cry for the one who has
A real big heart and a father’s grace

So he’s telling us that really all he wants to be, is a good father! Man, what a sweet guy. Okay, now remember the bridge/break part?

I don’t mean to seem like I care about material things like a social status
I just want four walls and adobe slabs for my girls

Ahhhh. He’s reassuring us that it’s not actually the possession of the house that he’s worried about. More the fact that he wants a place for his wife and kids to live. Who saw that coming?

Anyway, the fact that this song is so… emersive, that you can totally lose track of what the lyrics are, is a real credit to the amazing songwriting ability of Animal Collective. I strongly encourage you all to check out the rest of the songs on this album, as they are equally as good.

-James out

This is my first post. A daunting thing to be sure. I was concidering maybe going with a strng classic track. Something that lots of people would see and be like “OH yeah. James really knows his music” But then I considered that the whole point of this blog is for people to discover new music. And so, with that in mind, I’ve settled on this amazing song, by Owl City.

There are tons of reasons I love this song, the least of which is the awesome job of instrumentation, and really good synth choice. Imagine this, if you will: if Colin Malloy (of The Decemberists) wrote a crazy sci-fi song, and it was performed by The Postal Service. In essence, that’s what this song is. I know that’s a pretty ambitious description, but it’s the truth.

Before we even jump into the lyrics of the song, let me take a second to talk about the opening section. It starts off with a cool little metallic bit and some basic syth percussion. Then, wasting no time, you get this really cool little bouncy synth lead part, back by a pretty simple bass syth. It’s very strikingly Postal Service-esc. Especially the drum parts remind me of Jimmy Tamborello (the other half of The Postal Service. Part of Dntel and The Figurines) Anyway, lets not get bogged down. Moving on.

This song is formatted really well. Starting out, like a story, with the background. Cool and very image invoking disctiptions of life in Denver.

Glamour and fashion
Models and magazines… a striking runway entrance
Beauty and passion
Stardust and high class scenes of popular teens

Then we move quickly on to the meat and subject of the song.

When I lived in Denver, I met a millionaire
With ribbons in her blonde hair
I still remember
She was like a princess straight from a dreamy castle in the air

Man. All I can say, is what a solid opening for a song. We move back to the little opening lick, and then power stright into the chorus. Which I absolutely love. Because before we were talking about just normal stuff. Meeting girls, and falling in love. But then we hit,

We played golf on the moon
And tennis on the sun
Like athletes of the afternoon
The solar flares burned my arms
And made her makeup run
On our super lunar honeymoon

Whoa, what? Now we’ve totally moved on into some crazy sci-fi universe, where there are sports happening on the moon and sun! Awsome!

Finally, the last verse gives you a little bit more description. But what I really like are the lines

I was the youngest son of a congressman
And everything was my fault…
She was a gymnast, happily swinging
On the uneven bars, tucked in a somersault

I don’t know why. But for some reason, those are both really simple, but really amazingly descriptive. And then it just falls back into the chorus, and repeats the opening synth lick a few more times.

All in all, one of my favorite songs that I’ve recently heard, by far.

-James out

The drum machine percussion is solid, as it is on most MIA tracks - a nice bouncy bassline, breathy female vocals, and then, at :23 - the string sample! Each phrase is punctuaed by a little ‘pew!’ spacey sound effect, and in the middle you get to hear a neat little bloopy arpeggio sting that always reminds me somehow of Final Fantasy 8 music.

When you go Rwanda Congo
Take me on ya genocide tour
Take me on a truck to Darfur
Take me where you would go

Got static on ya satellite phone
Got to get you safe at home
Got to get you some where warm
So you get me all alone

As usual, the song’s simplicity is offset by its extreme catchiness - it’s easy to find yourself humming the chorus:

Time and time and time and time again
You keep pushing that button but I don’t know what your sayin
You hit me on AIM tryin’ flip me on some game
Are you coming are you going are you leaving are you staying

You told me that your busy
Your loving makes me crazy
I know that you hear me
Start acting like you want me

You told me that your busy
Your loving makes me crazy
I know you can hear me
Start acting like you want me

In short, the song is about trying to get ahold of a guy - but it’s the bouncey disco groove, the string sample, and the vocals that make it all worthwhile. It’s actually a cover of a bollywood musical number - here’s the original: Disco Dancer - Jimmy Adja (which is itself arguably a bollywood version of Ottawan - T\’es OK)

Once again, songs by The Magnetic Fields are steeped in clever lyrics. This track is also notable for being a distinctly gay song - the line “I thought I was just the guy for you” makes the gender of the singer undeniable.

A plaintive little piano line makes for a great start, followed by a nice clubby dance beat and a slightly-grunged bouncy bassline. Occasional orchestral strings, backup vocals and harmony, and a nice flange effect on the accompaniment keep things interesting while the lyrics unfold - percussion enters and the music swells appropriately as the chorus plays out.

You told me you loved me
I know where and when
Come sunrise, surprise surprise!
The joke’s on me again
I know you don’t love me
You know I don’t care
Keep it hidden better
Did I say the world was fair?

I thought I was just the guy for you
And it would never end
I thought we were s’posed to be like glue
I thought you were my boyfriend

Love or not, I’ve always got ten guys
On whom I can depend
And if you’re not mine, one less is nine, get wise
I thought you were my boyfriend

“Where and when,” “Sunrise, surprise surprise,” and “I know you don’t love me, you know I don’t care” are tasty literary treats, and the rhymes don’t sound forced at all, despite their proliferation. The story starts - bitterly, the narrator establishes that the relationship that he hoped “would never end” is over. Interestingly, his comeback is that “Love or not, he has always got ten guys on whom he can depend,” which is either just an example of bitter bragging, or maybe a little bit of insight into his situation: maybe he really did have ten guys before this one left. Either way, the line “if you’re not mine, one less is nine” is incredibly clever, as is the repeated accusational rejoinder, “I thought you were my boyfriend.”

I just hope you’re happy
Stringing me along
While you’re stringing
I’m here singing
This, my saddest song
I wish I could see you
I wish I could sleep
Should I freak out?
Should I seek out
Someone I could keep?

Bitterness! Regret! He’s trying to guilt trip the other guy with this passive-aggressive behavior: “I just hope you’re happy,” obviously a lie, and “I’m here singing this, my saddest song.” Plus the alliteration of ’stringing’ & ’singing’, ‘freak out’ & ’seek out’ are more genius.

I wanted you tonight
I walked around a lot
Wishing you were here
To keep me from sleeping
With anyone who might
Want me or even not
Some guys have a beer and they’ll do anything
Anything, anything

In the bridge, I almost start to wonder if he’s actually talking to the titular ex-boyfriend, or if it’s all to himself - something about “Some guys have a beer and they’ll do anything - anything, anything.” makes me think that it could either be a taunt, or an attempt at self-reassurance.

The fade-out at the end of a string of chorus repetitions almost feels like an early-pop sort of move - think of ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’ by The Beatles, for instance. I guess this isn’t a rule, but it still reminds me of that. Also, I really want this song to be a metaphor alluding to the betrayal of Jesus by Judas in christian mythology - especially because the ‘ten guys on whom I can depend’ could stand for Jesus’ disciples, although there are traditionally twelve disciples, not ten.

If we’re willing to forgive this numeric inconsistency, things actually fill in pretty nicely. Either one could feel betrayed by the other - I’ve always liked the interpretation that Judas’ betrayal of Jesus had more to do with conflicting ideology then greed; After a heated argument, Jesus made it clear was not going to start a revolution (at least not in the violent terrestrial sense), and Judas, ashamed and enraged by being so let down by the man he had thought was the Messiah, rationalizes that if Jesus won’t start the revolution himself, he’s worth more as a bounty then he is alive - at least 30 pieces of silver can buy some weapons! Also, as the group’s treasurer, he might have suspected that Jesus was merely taking advantage of his celebrity status, especially considering the story of Mary Magdalene using an expensive bottle of perfume to wash his feet, instead of selling it and donating the proceeds to charity.

Finally, upset over his falling out with Jesus, Judas wanders off drunk into the night, and meets the people to whom he will betray his former teacher. He marches off, leading them right to the place where Jesus has gone to pray, and gives him a vindictive kiss - but his vengeance sours when Jesus reproaches him, “Judas, have you come to betray me with a kiss?”

Anyway, I think the verses could work very well with either Judas or Jesus singing lines, sometimes a duet, sometimes back-and-forth, or it could work equally well with just Judas. Anyway, if you listen to the song with that in mind, it makes for a really neat story idea - which is © matt lohkamp 2009, by the way.