Dealing with some acute back pain this morning, but trying to push through and distract myself with coffee, fresh berries over cereal with almond milk, and a gorgeous set of Give Me Five songs. All you can do is keep breathing, and singing.
Rough dreams often do this. They leave my body sore and tight. I carry things in my body that I’m still trying to unlock and free. But, it takes time, and it’s rough going. All you can do is keep breathing, and singing.
Header photo of Wolf Alice by Jordan Hemingway
Give Me Five – May 11, 2021
You can listen and follow along with May’s Give Me Five at Spotify and YouTube
Song 1: “The Last Man On Earth” by Wolf Alice
“And every book you take,
and you dust off from the shelf,
has lines between lines between lines,
that you read about yourself.
But does a light shine on you?”
What a wonderful thing to wake up and discover – new music from Wolf Alice. This is glorious – cinematic, chill-inducing, emotional, gorgeous.
The song was inspired by a quote from Kurt Vonnegut, and makes a statement about the ego-infused narcissism of finding everything in art to be about yourself.
The Vonnegut quote is from Cat’s Cradle:
“Peculiar travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God.” (source: NME)
This is a sneak peek to what’s coming in June, from Wolf Alice, and I can’t wait to hear the rest.
To hear more of Wolf Alice, and to help support the music, dance on over to here.
Song 2: “Gold Dust Woman” by Julia Holter
“Well, did she make you cry,
make you break down,
shatter your illusions of love?
And is it over now,
do you know how,
to pick up the pieces and go home?”
This may be my favorite Fleetwood Mac cover I’ve ever heard, or at least in the Top Five. I stumbled on to this today and was blown away. I love the eeriness at the beginning, the dreamy quality, the fantastical-ness of it. And the vocals. Wow. I need to hear more from Julia Holter.
Also, “Gold Dust Woman” has always been my favorite Fleetwood Mac song.
I’m a cover song obsessive, as anyone who reads/listens/visits this space knows, so finding a cover that I fall so hard for, so fast, is a special kind of magic – the kind I really need today.
To hear more from Julia Holter, and to help support her music, just pick up the pieces, and go here.
Song 3: “Fake Plastic Trees” by Holly Humberstone
“And, if I could be who you wanted.
If I could be who you wanted.
All the time,
all the time.”
One of the saddest songs, to me. And yes, another cover. I did mention I needed a lot of music distraction and magic today, didn’t I?
This is another stumbled on song which I’m digging this morning.
There are quite a few Radiohead covers I love. What are some of your favorites?
Holly is from Grantham, England. She came to be musically known through fellow musician Lewis Capaldi, and by performing during intermissions at his concerts. (source: Wikipedia)
To hear more of Holly Humberstone, and to help support her music, swing on a plastic tree limb over here.
Song 4: “Alive” by Drugstore
“You either die,
or you keep on burning.
And I,
and I am burning.”
This is one of my “discovered working at Tower Records in the 90’s” bands. I even went to see them play live with some Tower friends of mine, one of the two who I’d end up dating for a few years, and briefly living with.
For a long time Drugstore felt like one of those underrated, best kept secrets – and maybe they still are. I don’t see them talked about much, or mentioned very often when talking about mid-90’s music. I’m not sure why they never became more in the music-universe.
They were fantastic live, and I loved – and still love – this song, and their 1995, self-titled album.
Drugstore are a London-based band who are often categorized either as alternative, or dream pop. Lead singer, and bassist, Isabel Monteiro is from Brazil originally. She met fellow bandmates Dave Hunter and Mike Chylinski through a flat share.
They chose their band name as a tribute to Gus Van Sant’s film, Drugstore Cowboy. (source: Wikipedia)
To learn more about Drugstore, and Isabel Monteiro, and to help support their music, dream on over here – where Isabel keeps a blog, as well.
Song 5: “Stay” by Shakespears Sister
“You’d better hope and pray,
that you make it safe,
back to your own world.”
One of my all-time favorite songs. I love how it teeters between darkness and light, landing somewhere in-between. It’s haunting and beautiful, full of catchy pop-sensibilities and a juxtaposition of sounds and feeling between the two singers.
When Siobhan Fahey’s vocals come in, well, it is definitely miles away from Bananarama. So interesting and cool, and addictive. I love it.
“Stay” is said to be about a woman who is realizing her lover is near death. She’s fighting with the Angel of Death over him, trying to get Death to allow him to stay with her. And yes, Siobhan is Death. Marcella Detroit, in her sweet trills of pleading, represents the lover. (source: Songfacts)
Apparently, Marcella and Siobhan’s “roles” in the song were not the only place they tangled on opposite sides. The duo reportedly had a bad falling out shortly after “Stay” hit the charts.
.To hear more Shakespears Sister, and to help support the music, go here and “stay” for a spell.
So, what music is doing it for you today? Anything you’d care to share?
For May’s Give Me Five I’m featuring Kelly Vivanco’s piece “Creekside” as the Cover Art.
