Day: 2 Mar 2018

“List of Demands (Reparations)” by The Kills

“I’ve got a list of demands,
written on the palm of my hands.”

Fucking Love This Song Friday

The road has always been full of allure and mystery and dreams to me. Born with a gypsy soul, one I like to say I inherited from my Grandfather, I have always been fascinated with trips in cars as a child, and as an adult, road trips with friends and family. I love driving. The hideous Los Angeles traffic has yet to lessen that love; I’m not sure anything could. There is nothing quite like driving with the windows down and the music playing loud. Besides standing by the ocean, there is nothing that makes me feel freer and myself than being behind the wheel.

Sometimes the road calls to me, that itch that nothing else will quell, to get in the car and just go, without a particular destination in mind, or map to follow. I love the long stretches of highway, the off-ramp diner stops, the roadside attractions, the stories just waiting to be told out on the road. I would have made a great drifter, I think, backpack and journals to fill and a book to read, stopping for long stretches in tiny towns and big cities, long enough to get my bearings, make a little money, get a feel for life in each place, and then move on.

But the wayward life is hard to live when you have responsibilities and family. I live for the moments when I can take off for a day trip, or sometimes a longer cross-country adventure. It’s been too long since there’s been a reason to take one, or any opportunity, and I know that I need to find the time, because I know what being on the road gifts to me, the inspiration it feeds, the muse it represents to me, my writing, and my peace of mind.

Sometimes you just have to get in the car and go.

Top 5 Streets and Roads Songs
Friday Five

1. “Roads” (live) by Portishead

2. “La Cienega Just Smiled” (live) by Ryan Adams

3. “Mercy Street” by Peter Gabriel

4. “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” by Elton John

5. “On the Road” by Angus And Julia Stone

Juliana Hatfield has released the second Single from her upcoming Album of Olivia Newton-John Covers called Juliana Hatfield Sings Olivia Newton-John. Juliana’s take on “Physical” adds edge and crazy good guitar licks that take the Hit Song that was originally full of Pop, Camp, and Sexual Innuendos and turns it into something Provocative, Powerful, Raw, and very Indie. I never thought “Physical” could sound so ROCK.

“Physical” by Juliana Hatfield
from the upcoming Album, Juliana Hatfield Sings Olivia Newton-John (2018)

Pre-order here 

In case you missed the equally amazing first Track released from the Album, “A Little More Love”, Press Play and check it out below. I’ve been obsessing over it ever since it came out.

“A Little More Love” by Juliana Hatfield

Olivia Newton-John was everything to me as a kid. I was obsessed with her and dreamed of growing up to be her. Juliana Hatfield was a huge part of my twenties, a turbulent time where I desperately needed strong women making Music that I understood/understood me in my life. I can’t quite get over that these two amazing Women in Music, who have meant so much to me, are coming together this way. I’m enjoying rediscovering these Songs and experiencing them in a new way. Knowing all the Lyrics, backward and forwards, and finding the new ways I relate to them.

Happy Friday! Are you ready for the weekend? Are you ready to turn up Today’s Top 5 Music Obsessions? After the stress-filled week I’ve had I know I’m ready for both. So, without any delay, let’s give these 5 Songs a spin.

Song 1 is “Sadboy” by Wolf Alice. Wolf Alice is a new Favorite of mine. I’m sad to have missed them when they played recently. I’m hoping for another chance soon. Joff Oddie said about the Song “Sadboy”:

“Sadboy” was one of the latest additions to the record. Stemming from a bizarre kind of electronic Brian Jonestown Massacre demo that Ellie had created with de-tuned acoustic guitars and multiple character vocals we set about creating a live “Wolf Alice” version in our rehearsal space. The main body (or first half) was conceived fairly quickly but the later half had a few different incarnations from an instrumental version to a feature artist spot. It wasn’t until some time later when we were in a preproduction studio in LA and we were banging our heads together trying to work out what happens in that particular section when Ellie said to give her playback of the track and a microphone and she would ad-lib something. In classic Ellie form she found a part that was both musically, lyrically and contextually perfect for the section within her first two takes and had all us lads jumping around the control room setting off our airhorn apps.

from Consequence of Sound.

Next up is “This is the Last Time” by Stars. I’ve been a Stars Fan for some time now but was rather unfamiliar with their 2014 Album, No One Is Lost. It is their seventh Studio Release and is full of recurring themes of mortality and loss were inspired the cancer diagnosis of longtime manager Eoin O’Leary during the writing process. I’ve been feeling the Album lately, especially played during long commutes in my car.

Track 3 is Mercury Rev’s “Something for Joey”. I always forget how much I enjoy Mercury Rev until I stumble upon them and near immediately I’m reminded. “I’m On Standby” by Grandaddy is Song 4, and then last but not least, one of my Favorite Bear’s Den Songs, “Sophie”.

I hope you are enjoying your Friday, and that this weekend is full of good things for you. Cheers to your own Music Obsessions. I hope they are making you smile and sing-a-long. I’d love to hear what you think of Today’s Top 5 Music Obsessions down in the comments, and please share what is Musically Obsessing you, too.

Stream Today’s Five Songs, and all the rest of the week as we go here at Spotify and YouTube. Or, Press Play at the bottom of this post to stream via YouTube right here.

Top 5 Music Obsessions of the Day – March 2, 2018

1. “Sadboy” by Wolf Alice

2. “This Is the Last Time” by Stars

3. “Something for Joey” by Mercury Rev

4. “I’m On Standby” by Grandaddy

5. “Sophie” by Bear’s Den

I hope you enjoy Today’s Top 5 Music Obsessions. Turn it Up Loud and get ready for the Weekend.

Top 5 Music Obsessions for the Week of February 26, 2018

The first Song I heard today is a Song that came out today, an unexpected, brilliant pairing of Chvrches and Matt Berninger. Lauren Mayberry and Matt’s voices intersect and blend perfectly, adding a complexity and change in tone that elevates this second Track from their upcoming Album, Love is Dead. This Track has me even more excited for Chvrches new Album than I was before.

“My Enemy” by Chvrches, featuring Matt Berninger
from the Upcoming Album, Love is Dead (2018)

Before I even Pressed Play I knew I was going to love this Track. How could I not? I’m a huge fan of The National and Matt’s unmistakable Baritone Voice, and I’ve always loved Chvrches Indie Electo-Pop Sound. This is a delicious pairing of Genre and Sound that I am already obsessing over.

“And you could be my remedy,
if you could show me love.
If I could stop remembering all the time,
you used up.”

The Track is produced by Greg Kurstin, who worked most recently with Sia.

According to Salute, the collaboration of Chvrches and Matt Berninger all started with a wish and an email. Lauren Mayberry told Pitchfork about the email she sent:

“We’ve all been huge fans of the National for a long time. We had played a few festivals together but really got to know Matt when we were involved in 7 Inches For Planned Parenthood, a fundraising and awareness campaign that he spearheaded. It’s really inspiring and reassuring to meet other artists you admire and realise that they are trying to do some good in the world. We kept in touch after that and, when it came time to record My Enemy, Iain and Martin suggested I email Matt to see if he’d like to sing on it. We never realistically thought he’d have time to do it but he replied right away and recorded the track at his house the next day.”