revisited : tears for fears

is it possible to feel dizzy lovesick, genuinely comforted, nostalgic for all things great and past, happy like a lamb and totally cheesed out at the same time? well yes, of course it is. but is there any musician or act out there that can successfully evoke all such reactions simulatneously? (obvs, or i wouldn't be posting this).

i've been in bed with what i like to refer to as north coast music flu since the fest concluded and i wound up home in bed on sunday evening, something like 46 odd hours ago. sucks ass. i've had a hacking flu complete with firey antfarm sore throat, sore/weak muscles, and an appropriate acne outbreak. basically, i'm really pretty and super happy right now. so you can all probably understand why i've been awake maybe 6 of the past 48 hours. . . .

tangent aside, i decided to dedicate the last couple concsious hours of my day to picking out some new old music for my itunes library. not talking assignment fodder or what-the-hell-is-cool-ten-minutes-ago noise, but what is comforting. what is delicious. what is genuine background tunage. i managed to pick out a few such albums (in addition to said flavor of the week noise, of course, but how could i pass up a free legal copy of the new no age and sharon van etten record? i mean. . . shit); and i spent my evening vagina'ing the night away to some aimee mann from the magnolia soundtrack (you best believe if i didn't have this sore throat, ida been belting out some 'saaa-yaaaave meeeeeee's,' but luckily for my neighbors, i'm an uninsured streppy at the moment), and also, the best of tears for fears.

tears for fears is most definitely my shit at the moment. it makes me feel transported back to the 80's. bad haircuts, gitano jeans, hot pink sneakers and huey lewis casette tapes. baggy tshirts tied at the ends. barbie dolls with brighter lipstick than my gramma. glued to the television set where i was mesmerized by every second of mtv back when it actually stood for music television. several of these songs i had no recollection of prior to copping their greatest hits album this afternoon but now im taken back. back to easy listening radio and mtv vids. these dudes were more than aquanet big hair and high pitched pipes. they were sincere, lovin' dudes, dudes. 'shout,' 'mad world,' 'head over heels,' 'everybody wants to rule the world' - yeah thats my shit. but there's a lot more going on than just these big namer hits. it's almost the filler that fills my sickly empty heart with cheese and optimism. i'm sure if these boiz found some love and compassion, it can't be too far from yours truly. in fact, ever since this sickness hit, my kit kit's been extra snuggly and a handful of pals even brought me some soup or helped nurse me back to health.

that's pretty crazy. lounging here, now, too is crazy. in my high school class t-shirt and baggy freshman college year yoga pants. rocking out to tears for fears, rejoicing in the 80's new wave cheesey ballad phase i never before fully immersed myself in. this is ok, though. maybe it's all just a fever dream, but i kinda hope when i wake up tomorrow, it's not.

if you haven't already, ya'll should really (re)visit yerself some tears for fears.

revisited : set yourself on fire.

obviously stars rules. when your band is made up of revolving members of the broken social scene collective and amy millan's your main girl, it's pretty difficult to fail. (although in our bedroom after the war is obviously the exception woopsy to the rule). the five ghosts will most definitely be making a significant appearance on my top ten albums of 2010 as well as their june performance at lincoln hall for top shows. but today on the bus after a pretty exhausting week (thus far), 'one more night (your ex-lover is dead)' played on my ipod.

i'm pretty sure the guy next to me on the bus saw my face crumple and fall into defeat. he kept looking at me as i morosely peered out the bus side window. well, dude, it's a pretty emotional song. 'specially if you've recently come to terms with a dissolving relationship. or even, if not. i've got years of memories associated with this song. i remember the first time i heard it, not even in a relationship. still listening to the lyrics, before my first love, thinking, man. i've never really cared for anyone this much, but i can absolutely decipher how much the situation sung about in this track would sting. and you know what, it does.

you don't necessarily need to be in the situation of bedding your former lover, accepting terms of its dissolution, but even thinking of a former flame and imagining the tearful emotional realization of unhealthy closure and facing fears of what could come post-honeymoon. i have a pretty amicable relationship with my ex suitors and was able to make clean breaks for the most part. but thinking of, what if it wasn't that easy? gets me a little misty. i can't imagine how much more rough it would have been had my situation with my 4-year beau been relatable to when torquil campbell sings the second verse: 'when she's breaking his heart, she still fucks like a tease. released to the sky, look him straight in the eye and tell him right now that you wish he would die. you'll never touch him again, so get what you can. bleeding him empty just because he's a man. so good when it ends, you'll never be friends. one more night, that's all they can spend.'

these are honest and raw lyrics. i truly wish i couldn't relate to what this song is saying. let's just say ouch. . .   long story short, it's a sad fucking sappy song. amy and torquil's soft sigh like melodies compliment one another superbly, and the layers of crying strings, bursting percussion and steady bass throughout are enough alone to make me misty eyed. it achieves its mission in being a perfect song. opening track 'your ex-lover is dead' is another example of an unavoidable break-up confrontation, also complete with complex instrumentation showcased with heavy stringwork, lazy harmonica and xylophone. sappy it's over lyrics comence as a former pair are introduced by a mutual friend, complete with resentful stings such as 'and all of the time you thought i was sad, i was trying to remember your name.' again, ouch.

but really, as fantastic as it is to feel sad and like shit, what makes this album absolutely timeless and a masterpiece is not the ability to waste a complete box of kleenex and a pint of ben and jerry's, but its seamless transition into absolute reverse, upbeat, delicate and joyous even, pop songs. 'ageless beauty,' i mean, man. what a fantastic song. amy millan's got such a precious, delicate and lovely voice. she is the definition of femininity, with her soft childlike speak singlike tone and soft cooing hooks. even torquil's cheesey and jittery, synth driven 'what i'm trying to say' is irrisistable when it comes to foot tapping and underpants bedroom dance parties. 'he lied about death,' another torquil synth jam, is a little heavier with more electro bass infusion, sped up chaotic drum machines and his (i cant take them seriously) threatening lyrics, 'what gives you the right, to fuck with our lives?' and the hating on bush cuz its totally 2004 and that's the hip thing to do tongue in cheek stab, 'i hope your drunken daughters are gay. you are the shadow of fear. you scare the love out of here. like an ape in a cage.'

filler tracks like 'reunion,' 'sleep tonight,' 'the first five times' and 'the big fight' are hardly filler. they're just not as magical as the other numbers. throw them on any other stars album and they're the singles. but really, the ending chapter, 'calendar girl,' is the epitamy of what makes stars so fantastic. like a peaceful dream you never want to be rousted from, amy and torquil breathlessly sigh and sing their hearts content, reflecting on their eventual demise and their peace with this destiny. maybe i'm just a sucker for big strings and soft piano, but this song is the perfect modern lullaby. epic percussion. slow guitars. very magical pop music.

it's definitely worth checking out this album. regardless of whether or not you know of stars, have any of their records, or probably like me, have this and love it, it was a pleasure revisiting tonight. i sadly reflected on past loves, clenched my fists in jaded resentment towards former flings, smiled and sang along at the top of my lungs, reminisced fondly on where i was 6 years ago and felt shaken up, near tears, happy as an 8 year old with a fresh lollipop, girly as a 17 year old in love for the first time, and most importantly, at peace. not many bands or albums can evoke one, let alone all of those reactions. that's why you should all (re)visit set yourself on fire. it's truly a masterpiece.

oh sweet mazzy. . .

today i heard regina spektor playing in the background. wasn't expecting to hear her sugary pop vocals. it was refreshing. the last few weeks have been a bit dark and hazy. blurry. busy. stressful. monotony. contradictory, yes? well, whatever. it was nice to hear some refreshing female vocal work. a very minor detail in a surprisingly productive day. made me realize i've been so distracted with 'ohmygod how hip is this new band' garbage that i forgot 'bout the basics. like, man. this song really moved me in 6th grade. i actually tried to listen to mazzy's 'five string serenade' vs. her breakout mega hit above, but it failed to have the same connection. still loved that other track, but c'mon. even in junior high i knew this was  a pretty impressive track. not sad, no girly angst. just soft vocals and light guitars. i really dig this track. it happened to play on my ipod's shuffle settings a few hours ago and i knew i needed to post about it (regardless of whether it was between wu tang's 'bring tha ruckus' and girl talk's 'play your part pt 1". anyway. enjoy this flashback, i know i did.

Revisited : Radiohead

i love radiohead. a lot. but they're also one of those bands i admit to taking for granted. assuming that because i love them as much as i do, as do a good number of my acquaintences, that everyone hearts thom yorke and his lazy eye. this isn't really the case. but even if you are a non-head, there's one particular track that always evokes some sort of emotional reaction from me. that is 'street spirit (fade out)'. i wanted to embed the video above, but guess what? major record labels are whores and disabled the ability for me to do so. so if you want to see what i'm referring to in my numerous word ramble, you can visit youtube and check this clip hurrr: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APLOFNMIabM

i'm not sure if it's the imagery. or the somber tone of this single. but i think it eloquently and simply captures everything about radiohead that makes them who they are. showcases their intricacies in musicianship without any unneeded bravado. and it's just a fucking pretty song.

when this came on my ipod yesterday morning on my bus ride, i was immediately taken back to a different place, different time. when, where, with whom. no idea. i never really had a personal moment where i connected a situation with this song. maybe that's half the appeal right there, it's a song for me without any unwelcome memories.but i still felt moved, somehow. and that's what music's supposed to be all about. that haunting chorus. anyway. i'm done raving about this jam. i just think radiohead's boss. and regardless of whether or not yer aboard the electro-trippy kid-a-ok-computer train, i think mostly anyone can appreciate this track. it's something i was really happy to revisit today.

Revisited : Jimmy Eat World

Man oh man oh man. How I get taken back whenever I pop in some of my older Jimmy Eat World cds. I'm not talking that blasphemic most recent release chase this light with fucking rainbow skittles or whatever the fuck that noise was, but more Futures, Bleed American or Clarity. Those were good ass jams. Your New Aesthetic? My fury jam. Lucky Denver Mint? My sappy jam. A Praise Chorus? My undeniable guilty pop candy addiction. (along with pretty much any other sugar pop jam on bleed american, minus the even-though-it's-super-cheesey-and-i-shouldnt-admit-it sad/nostalgic guilty pleasure cry baby jam Hear You Me.) Fuck, man. Jimmy Eat World really had the potential to keep on kickin' ass for a while there. I still have their stick radio drawing navy hoodie from the time I roadtripped it to Milwaukee for their Bleed American tour back in 2003. Good times.

Anyway, the producer who was responsible for Bleed American and Clarity (Mark Trombino) is back at it with a new attempt, Invented. I won't get my hopes up as the last time I was intrigued I nearly vomited with disgust of the over produced garbage they put out (and it's listed at a mere $10 on amazon.com), but the new track isn't complete trash and here's to hoping I can revisit my yonder pop years with a hint of optimism. Maybe? Maybe not, the new joint is here. I give it a 5.5/10, but compared to the last shit i heard which was a .5/10, this is a vast improvement. There's always Clarity. . . .

http://www.jimmyeatworld.com/my-best-theory/

revisited : rainer maria.

i will never, ever tire of this song. takes me back to the summer of 2004. trailer 8 in the parking lot trailer park behind robot world in wisconsin dells. (r.i.p. trailer 8, who fell victim to the gr8 tommy bartlett trailer park fire in summer 2007). being 21 and angsty. feeling suffocated in the small wisconsin pack. being severely sick of my fellow dells workers' music of choice (o.a.r., phish, dave matthews) and just wanting to rock out like the girl from rainer maria. this was one of my first flirtations with indie music. and rainer maria's not a bad place to start, they were from madison. too bad their last album before their breakup a few years back sucked ass, knives out (the album this song's on) and their live album both kicked ass. whenever this song hits my itunes shuffle, i'm instantly barefoot, chugging a can of pepsi, and screaming along "HAVE FAITH! IN THE BLUE, LADEEEEEY!" good times.

revisited : the smiths.

well, it's hard to say i'm really revisiting the smiths, b/c i never really visited them that much previously, but they were always one of those bands on my backburner. i knew a handful of tracks, surely, but never really had my super in depth facination phase like i did with the replacements, the cure, siouxsie and the banshees or the pixies. but of course, i knew OF them and had a couple morrissey solo cd's, (WHY i don't know, but i did and still do). anyway, in preparation for my upcoming move, i spent an afternoon sorting through my cd collection. in addition to like 5 cd wallets full of shit and 2 cd towers, i have/had like 6 or 7 blank cd spindles stacked full of burned and random mixes. needless to say, all my dashboard confessional, unwritten law and lucky boys confusion 'mixes' (yes, i was so lame the full lengths weren't enough for me, i had to make MIXES of this blasphemy pop garbage), went to the "throw out" pile. i managed to get 7 spindles to 1 1/2 of keepers. not bad. on the bottom of one random spindle, i spied an old mix cd created for me by my lovely pal mr. arlo paust somtime in early college of his own smiths greatest hits and select tracks from the queen is dead.

perfect! i had been meaning to get around to a smiths phase and here it was, ready for me. popped it into my comp and threw it on the ole ipod and it's been in heavy rotation ever since. other than what i've heard in various movie soundtracks or the occassional dance party at darkroom or debonair (i know, gross), i still had a lot to learn on these dudes. the mix i have is perfect, though. there's sad and desperate shoegazeyish dark songs that make me wanna paint my eyes in black liquid eyeliner. then there's cutesey loveydovey 80's flashback makeup montage dance party numbers. and of course, the regular hits. girlfriend in a coma. panic. how soon is now. this charming man. there is a light that never goes out. stop me if you think you've heard this one before. please, please, please let me get what i want.

it's all soooo good. and after a weekend getaway with some pals, i tried to get some smiths talk flowing so i could learn more, but to my astoundment none of my peeps were interested. instead, i got way more than my fairshare of phish, grateful dead and yonder mountain string band. i really gotta quit hanging out with hippies. ughhh. but you know what? i'd rather have the smiths as my own personal little experience. the way the new wave dark synth action gets me to hairbrush lip sync singalongs in my full length bedroom mirror make me feel powerful, like a lonewolf girl version of morrissey. (except i know i like sex, where he prefers to remain "adrogynous," aka gay, aka yearight who are you kidding dude).

whatever. it's a fun time. i like revisiting or visiting, i guess, the smiths. up now: 'girlfriend in a coma'. nice break from all the flavor of the week indie shit i've been drowning in for so long. . .

revisited : amanda palmer

so back in the day there were the dresden dolls. i mean, c'mon, as corny and cutesy as some of their tracks were (i'm looking at YOU 'coin operated boy,') they were pretty badass. the song 'sing' was a cute anthem for lonely music lovers, then there was that girl anchronism track or whatever it was called, fuck im bad with remembering song titles. but 'yes, virginia' was an amazing album. (god, i need to dust off my ddolls albums, i don't even remember if that was accurate.) but when the beautifully androgynous amanda palmer kicked shit off solo with her debut album 'who killed amanda palmer'  a couple years back, i was smitten. the ironically controversial date rape single "oasis" may have pissed off some radio stations, but i was dancing and singing along at the top of my lungs. then there was the angry 'runs in the family,' the melodic 'astronaut,' "blake says" and "ampersand." i mean, from front to back, the album pretty much ruled. (with the exception of "strength through music," i just never really fell in love with that track).

but overall, amanda palmer is a badass. and she is a wonderwoman. girl is so busy, working on a cabaret project, her evelyn and evelyn side project, and she still had time to pimp out a do it yourself release of radiohead covers. you can purchase the album for pay what you want with a minimum of 84 cents to cover radiohead licensing fees, and homegirl made 15k  in the first week or two of the release. impressive, to say the least. she's proving that artists can blow off the labels with the right amount of dedication and hard work (and fan base).

i'm just saying. she's awesome. i saw her perform radiohead's 'creep' on her lil ukelelee in person at sxsw in 09 (see video above) and it was a super fun time. i just think it's time for all ya'll to revisit some dresden dolls and amanda palmer. she's one of few left in today's music scene that hasn't let the fame or spotlight fuck with her or slow down her intentions of making rad music. i heart amanda palmer.

Revisited : Veneer

oh man. i don't know how or why, but i totally forgot how amazing jose gonzalez's debut solo lp Veneer is. of argentinian descent, this swedish folk musician composed beautiful and delicate acoustic guitar melodies topped with his soft, yet majestic vocal work. very bare and minimal, he proves you don't need a whole horse and pony show to make incredible music. this record came out in 2005, and i had discovered it my last summer working in wisconsin dells during my stint as music director at wrst. not hearing anything about him or the album, i had just picked his disc by random out of the new arrival bin. put it in not expecting anything. . . and got so much out of it it was instantly one of my favorite albums of the year.

tracks like 'crosses,' 'lovestain' and of course, his rendition/remake of the knife's 'heartbeat' (omg this song SLAYS ME) are incredible and strong enough to carry the album on their own. he's a beautiful musician. eloquently crafted, i can't give him enough praises. i lost my physical copy of the record a few years ago, but after streaming mpr the current the other day, i heard a new track from his side project junip - (who also rules, btw and you can download their entire ep in exchange for signing up for their mailing list here: http://www.junip.net/ ).

if ya'll don't know jose, you can download veneer here. it truly is a beautiful and soft jam kinda record.