Wednesday, June 16, 2004

SOTW 40.03 RJ

Blonde On Blonde

I'm infatuated with song 4 off of Nada Surf's "Let's Go" called Blonde on Blonde. Blatant Dylan references aside, the melody is beautiful, the lyrics simple but elegant, and the rhythm slowly crescendos into a frenzied knife fight. The lead singer's voice is absolutely lush when he caresses the words "blonde" and "lullaby" past his lips. The first two-thirds of the song are a lullaby, and the rhythm feels akin to being beaten with a chenille throw pillow by a three-year old with an early wine buzz. The last third of the song matures into an adult drama, replete with metaphoric flailing arms, loud, drunken voices, broken glass and crying. Think of Pat and Kristen in the Huntington parking lot circa 1999. For some reason ("?"), on my version of the cd, this song is followed by song 6, which is Hi-Speed Soul, one of the better tracks on the album. Sort of a late October, early War jam, if you're hip. Sadly, the man's voice sours, and sounds a bit like Brian Adams. Not much, but does it really need to be much? Still, the knife fight is a poetic segue to the teenage tumult that ensues on Hi-Speed Soul. I can't wait to see them in November at the Quest. Oh, yeah, and by request: My penis looks huge when juxtaposed with my scrotum, lying half-burdened on the edge of my bed after I shower. Thanks Moms [sic].

CD Release?

I think I see a cd coming out of this:

SOTW -- The Very Best of AK

I wonder if we can charge for it?

Now we need a photo of Boujiack hog-tied to an oak tree with a Viking’s tube sock stuffed in his mouth for the cover art.

~ RJ

SOTW 39.03 Stu

SONG OF THE WEEK

“Marquee Moon”---Television, Marquee Moon

Best…10-minute song…ever. I will not argue about this. There’s no point in combing the thesaurus for adjectives to describe it, because people have wasted “majestic” and “epic” and “astonishing” on lesser songs than this. Anyway, the album above was re-released with bonus tracks today, so just go get the thing.

~ Stu

SOTW 38.03 Stu

SONG OF THE WEEK

“Love Vibration”---Josh Rouse, 1972

Like the album title indicates, this song is a take on early-‘70s pop music--not Rolling Stones pop, but Stevie Wonder pop. Medium-funky bass pops, flutes, lyrics that could be from a bell bottom-era Coke jingle (“Step out into the world and love someone”) and “Theme from Welcome Back, Kotter” backing vocals. This should really, really suck. It doesn’t. I can’t tell whether Josh Rouse is sincere or winking at us, but I don’t care once he takes it to the bridge, sax solo and all. Definitely unlike anything I’ve heard lately, and it’s the better for it.

~ Stu