Hi. I’m jimmymontreal. Thanks for inviting me to listen to music I own and then type words.
I’m actually a little nervous about this, as I’ve loads of crap on this here machine — much of which I’ve never listened to. See, I’m a whole album, front-to-end kinda guy. So the three-song shuffle thing is a little out of place for me. Fuck it. I’m divin’ in. EDIT: Let’s frisk this hamster.
[see previous posts for rules. too lazy to retype 'em.]
“The Final Push to the Sum” by Grandaddy (from Sumday)
This here’s an interesting way to start the show — with the now-no-longer Grandaddy, everybody. This album is the only one of theirs I own, and I think I’m fine with that. It shows some solid though quirky song-writing about depressed robots and workplace strife or something. Their live shows were equally quirky, as I remember. First time I saw them, they were opening up for Coldplay (rest-in-peace) at Philly’s Electric Factory — Coldplay was touring in support of Parachutes, which was awesome — and Grandaddy played so quietly. The crowd was really being good, listening to them. Meanwhile none of us had any idea who they were. The other time I saw them was, I think, at the 9:30 Club in D.C. only a few years back. Grandaddy played before a huge backdrop with video of car crashes, warehouses and self-storage lots. I liked it, but didn’t come close to being blown away. This song — The Final Push to the Sum — is a perfect example of why.
The album’s final track, it’s a beautiful ending to a solid collection of songs. It showcases their skill and emphasis on arrangement over technique — no face-melting solos here. It’s just a sweet waltz about death and decay. And right as I’m starting to fall in love with this song, they fuck it up. Right in the middle, they throw in this cheesy, Broadway-style build-up to nothing… That was the bridge? D’Alright… Okay, here’s the ending. It’s crushing, it’s beautiful. “What have I become?” sung over and over as instruments start to fade. Fantastic restraint on the drums throughout. This song is just like the whole album. Could’ve been so much better, but there are small snippets of awesomeness in every song that make the whole thing worth at least checking out.
“Lawrence Of Euphoria” by Skip Spence (from Oar)
A minute and a half of bat-shit crazy nonsense. Seriously… I have no idea what I’m listening to, here.
For those who don’t know the story, Skip Spense was the drummer from Jefferson Airplane (not that band, the earlier one) and later Moby Grape. A bad acid trip had him attempting to kill a band mate with an axe. Good times… Anyway it landed Skippy in Bellevue Hospital, diagnosed with schizophrenia. Six months later, upon his release, Skip headed on down to Nashville to record Oar, his one and only solo album. Playing every instrument himself, the songs are hit or miss. Equal parts awesome and silly. I’d place this song, Lawrence Of Euphoria, in the latter category. If you want a sample of his brilliance, check out “Little Hands,” “Diana” or “War in Peace.” That last one is fucking fantastic.
“Bird on a Wire” by Rogue Wave (from Descended Like Vultures)
I give full credit to mgdistrict for turning me onto these guys. This group is along the same lines as Grandaddy to me. Actually, Rogue Wave is almost exactly what Grandaddy could have been. The song-writing is of the same caliber and style, but where Grandaddy tried to be soft and nice with their hooks, the kids of Rogue Wave seem to go for the dirty and raw. Still, I don’t really know this band all that well, so maybe I’m talking out of my ass.
“Bird on a Wire” is more familiar to me than their other songs off of this album. Do I even have other albums by them? I dunno. Who cares? It’s a well-crafted song with a fantastic 12/8 feel, and the swaying verse flows perfectly into the B-section. That’s when they kick off the heels and start tossin’ lawn chairs! I like this song.
I can understand not typing out the rules, but at least dive into it with a “Let’s ___ this ___” line (e.g., paint/fence, light/candle, or shave/back).
I’ve never listened to Grandaddy or Skip Spence, but I love that Rogue Wave song. As you correctly note, the b-section is great.
I do love Rogue Wave. I feel terrible for them, too… they’ve had an awful string of bad luck the last year or two. I think it was their drummer who was terribly sick last year and had some intense surgery, and their bassist died in a house fire in December. Terrible stuff.
Whenever I hear that song, I think of the Leonard Cohen song. Part of me has always thought that I want Johnny Cash’s version of that tune played at my funeral: “Like a Bird on a wire / Like a drunk in a midnight choir / I have tried, in my way, to be free.” Killer.
I’ve always wanted to check this Skip Spence record out. Though schizophrenia has had mixed results in the records it has inspired. I’m a much bigger fan of bipolar disorder.
Has anyone ever made song compilations based on mental disorders? I think I’m on to something here.
Never liked Grandaddy. (Whoa… that could be a country song.)
Oh, and yeah dude… poor form on the lack of a “Let’s X this Y” comment leading in to the 3 song shuffle post. We gots rules, man.
Oh, right. My bad. Nice work on including that in your “how to do shit” email, mgdistrict. Can’t believe I missed it. So yeah, sorry ’bout the poor form. Fixed it now. All better.