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July 08, 2006
Content is king pt. 2
See previous entry...
This time, the random will only stop on songs I know off the bat. All the rules apply.
Ted Leo: First to Finish, Last To Start. Hearts of Oak
I know that not everyone is down with TL, but you can't deny that he brings it on every song. I've always had problems reconciling with the disaffected; I give bonus points to those who seem to be feeling something while singing (note: this doesn't necessarily have to mean energy). This song is no "Where Have All the Rude Boys Gone," but I like the chord breaks.
A Tribe Called Quest: Check the Rhyme, The Low-End Theory
For whatever reason, this group (more than Naughty By Nature, more than Wu-Tang Clan) was the hip-hop group that everyone from my predominately white school listened to. Scenario was given national anthem-like status. I was in seventh grade when this album hit, and, thus, it always evokes some adolescent memories. Tribe's lyrics were always wack (at least De La had some gems mixed among Me, Myself, and I) and the jazz-flushed beats don't hold up that well, but this song maintains its listenability many years later.
Flaming Lips: Race for the Prize, Soft Bulletin
I have to be a very particular mood to listen to the Flaming Lips, and this is not it. I'm trying to think of any bands that embrace such supernatural leanings in their songs that I like. I like Del tha Funkee Homosapien's album Deltron and Dr. Octagon, but not much else. The music on this is okay, but it seems like it's better on paper than in practice.
Talking Heads: Artists Only, The Name of This Band is the Talking Heads
At some point in time in everyone's life, it seems, they will have the chance to go through The Talking Heads back catalogue and come to find out just how amazing this band was. It's funny how my first exposure to the band was on VH1 when it released Wild, Wild Life (even though its better than a lot of pop, I bet we all want a mulligan on that one). This song reminds me of Talking Head's prowess. You would probably never to think to put this on a mix, but it's a clean, great song. The road is littered with bands that would maim (further littering the road) in order to present one of the Heads' lesser tracks as their masterpiece.
Tori Amos: Barons of Suburbia, The Beekeeper
Is this a good album? No. Certainly not. Is this a good song? I think so, but I've gotten into so many fights about Ms. Amos (some worthwhile, some with me outrageously claiming that Ms. Amos was more important to the women of my generation than a certain pre-Why Can't I Liz Phair) that I've ceased discussing her. But here's an interesting story about life and memory. I've told the story many times that I was once necking as an adolescent when Me and a Gunsuddenly came on the stereo. But it just occurred to me that that story might have stemmed from my fear that one day I might be necking with a girl and that song would come on. So I've ceased telling that story (or, at least, tell the story as I just did - that it either did happen or it's become engrained in my brain as a false memory predicated by fear). I should never talk about Tori Amos again. So before I close that door; I will state that I don't think an album has affected me during a certain period in time more than Little Earthquakes did when I was 14. Fin
Posted by Keith O'Brien at July 8, 2006 05:44 PM
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Comments
Your conflicts with Tori are more than clear with that "story"
Posted by: Sebastian at July 9, 2006 11:34 PM
