#92
Jolene
Dolly Parton
The White Stripes
Several years ago I downloaded a live performance of the White Stripes from a British TV show (actually it may have been a Japanese TV show) and they played their hits of the time and some B-sides. The only song I remember from that performance was a cover of Dolly Parton's Jolene.
The song which is about an enchantress who the singer thinks is going to steal her man. From the description in the song I'm pretty sure Dolly was talking about Reba Macentire.
What is great about the song is the desperation in the singers words "you could have your choice of men / but I will never love again". Its so rare to see such vulnerabilty in a song. Its refreshing.
As for Jack White it seems he is in hysterics as he pleds to Jolene. "Jolene / Jolene / Please don't take my man / Even though you can". The White Stripes have such a distinctive sound they can really make any song there own. And they have done this with Jolene.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
#93
#93
Catholic Block
Sonic Youth
Sister
I think most of Sonic Youth’s music is ostentatious and art for the sake of art. Which I find obnoxious, but through all the feedback and mumbling I found a gem. It is listenable which for Sonic Youth and me is a plus.
Musically it is passionate and turbulent. And is the first song on this list with a curse word in it. But I’m not one to censor a song. It’s just a word. The song makes me think of someone who is religious finds a world outside of the church he’s been raised in and is now at odds with everything he has ever known. And yes that interpretation is ostentatious in itself, but it is a really good song.
Catholic Block
Sonic Youth
Sister
I think most of Sonic Youth’s music is ostentatious and art for the sake of art. Which I find obnoxious, but through all the feedback and mumbling I found a gem. It is listenable which for Sonic Youth and me is a plus.
Musically it is passionate and turbulent. And is the first song on this list with a curse word in it. But I’m not one to censor a song. It’s just a word. The song makes me think of someone who is religious finds a world outside of the church he’s been raised in and is now at odds with everything he has ever known. And yes that interpretation is ostentatious in itself, but it is a really good song.
Friday, March 5, 2010
#94
#94
I Don’t Wanna Hear It
Minor Threat
The Suicide Machines
The best thing about live performances is that you hear bands do cover songs and sometimes you can discover a band you end up liking more than the band you are into at the moment.
That happened when I went to see the punk/ska outfit The Suicide Machines. I loved their first album Destruction by Definition. I was a real neophyte when it came to older Punk Rock music. But I had gone to see the Suicide Machines, perhaps with the Might Mighty Bostones at New York City’s Webster Hall. The Machines were the opening act and for my money, despite the Bostones efforts, they stole the show. They finished the show with a blistering short song called “I don’t wanna hear it”. It was a rawkus, and intense expression of frustration and angst. It was only later on did I learn that this song (which is a hidden track on their album) was originally by US punk pioneers Minor Threat.
Minor Threat, is the American Sex Pistols. They built the sound that American styled punk bands emulated. It makes sense that Brian Baker one of the original members of Minor Threat now plays with Threat disciples Bad Religion.
It’s a simple song. Someone has been lied to too much. Too many empty promises to count. Pushed to hard. For too long. And they had it up to here with it. Just thinking of this song, and its cool bass line and then frenetic guitars, makes me want to jump into a mosh pit. Which admittedly is not my favorite place to be at a punk show.
I think there is a special place in my heart for bands with a short but meaningful shelf life. Minor Threat recorded less than an hours worth of music. Its fast they have a lot of short songs, this one is no more than minute and a half. Its all complied on their complete discography CD. This song is like their career, fast, smart, driven and completely unrelenting.
I Don’t Wanna Hear It
Minor Threat
The Suicide Machines
The best thing about live performances is that you hear bands do cover songs and sometimes you can discover a band you end up liking more than the band you are into at the moment.
That happened when I went to see the punk/ska outfit The Suicide Machines. I loved their first album Destruction by Definition. I was a real neophyte when it came to older Punk Rock music. But I had gone to see the Suicide Machines, perhaps with the Might Mighty Bostones at New York City’s Webster Hall. The Machines were the opening act and for my money, despite the Bostones efforts, they stole the show. They finished the show with a blistering short song called “I don’t wanna hear it”. It was a rawkus, and intense expression of frustration and angst. It was only later on did I learn that this song (which is a hidden track on their album) was originally by US punk pioneers Minor Threat.
Minor Threat, is the American Sex Pistols. They built the sound that American styled punk bands emulated. It makes sense that Brian Baker one of the original members of Minor Threat now plays with Threat disciples Bad Religion.
It’s a simple song. Someone has been lied to too much. Too many empty promises to count. Pushed to hard. For too long. And they had it up to here with it. Just thinking of this song, and its cool bass line and then frenetic guitars, makes me want to jump into a mosh pit. Which admittedly is not my favorite place to be at a punk show.
I think there is a special place in my heart for bands with a short but meaningful shelf life. Minor Threat recorded less than an hours worth of music. Its fast they have a lot of short songs, this one is no more than minute and a half. Its all complied on their complete discography CD. This song is like their career, fast, smart, driven and completely unrelenting.
Monday, March 1, 2010
#95
#95
Plateau/Lake of Fire
Nirvana
The Meat Puppets
I first heard Plateau and Lake of Fire when I saw Nirvana Unplugged on MTV. It came out near the time that Kurt Cobain committed suicide. When MTV was doing these ”unplugged” shows, bands would put away their electric guitars and plays an intimate acoustic set.
When listened to in its entirety, ”Nirvana Unplugged in New York” seems like the most natural fit, they seemed as comfortable in sitting around in a small theatre playing their guitars as they did tearing up arenas and traditional rock venues. I don’t know perhaps even more. During these shows the bands expanded their play lists by doing cover songs and slowed down versions of their hits. Nirvana brought up the Kirkwood brothers who were better known as the Meat Puppets. Well they really were unknown until that point. They played three songs from their album Meat Puppets II, including the unremarkable Oh Me. But surrounding it were these two haunting songs.
Being included on the album gave the Meat Puppets a short-lived surge, but now they are only referenced as a footnote when talking about this concert.
These two songs are such standouts because they are so different lyrically to the rest of Nirvana’s repertoire. Most of Nirvana’s lyrics were very straight forward, but the Puppets words have a lot of layers to peel through. If you listen to the instrumental portions of Lake of Fire you could swear they were about to jump into a mellower Doors tune.
Kurt Cobain killed himself a few months after these recordings, how eerie is it that he is singing a song that asks, “Where do bad folks go when they die.” It gives me chills.
This sounds weird but when I listen to these songs, I imagine the cozy orange glow of a nice campfire. What is also great is that the recordings of these songs were in a live setting and you could hear the warm swell of applause at the end. Which makes it feel just right.
Plateau/Lake of Fire
Nirvana
The Meat Puppets
I first heard Plateau and Lake of Fire when I saw Nirvana Unplugged on MTV. It came out near the time that Kurt Cobain committed suicide. When MTV was doing these ”unplugged” shows, bands would put away their electric guitars and plays an intimate acoustic set.
When listened to in its entirety, ”Nirvana Unplugged in New York” seems like the most natural fit, they seemed as comfortable in sitting around in a small theatre playing their guitars as they did tearing up arenas and traditional rock venues. I don’t know perhaps even more. During these shows the bands expanded their play lists by doing cover songs and slowed down versions of their hits. Nirvana brought up the Kirkwood brothers who were better known as the Meat Puppets. Well they really were unknown until that point. They played three songs from their album Meat Puppets II, including the unremarkable Oh Me. But surrounding it were these two haunting songs.
Being included on the album gave the Meat Puppets a short-lived surge, but now they are only referenced as a footnote when talking about this concert.
These two songs are such standouts because they are so different lyrically to the rest of Nirvana’s repertoire. Most of Nirvana’s lyrics were very straight forward, but the Puppets words have a lot of layers to peel through. If you listen to the instrumental portions of Lake of Fire you could swear they were about to jump into a mellower Doors tune.
Kurt Cobain killed himself a few months after these recordings, how eerie is it that he is singing a song that asks, “Where do bad folks go when they die.” It gives me chills.
This sounds weird but when I listen to these songs, I imagine the cozy orange glow of a nice campfire. What is also great is that the recordings of these songs were in a live setting and you could hear the warm swell of applause at the end. Which makes it feel just right.
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