Nick sent me this video the other day:
Aside from the fact that (1) dancing animals always make a normally boring video 100% watchable and (2) the main guy in the video looks like Kevin Barnes if he decided to pose as the Counting Crow(e?)s lead singer for a day, this video was interesting in that it led me to this video:
Which reminded me of this M.I.A. song:
Which ultimatley begs the question: are The Clash a "hip" band again? I mean, granted, they've always been universally recognized by critics and other bands, but by "hip" I mean acceptable enough to appear in rap videos. What's next, Mick Jones laying down a guitar track for the new Wu-Tang album? (Which, come to think of it, would be AWESOME). I guess I'm just curious as to why rappers are sampling them now (this is two in the past maybe 5 months).
I can understand sampling "Straight to Hell," which is ultimatley the best ever slow jam about the Vietnam War. M.I.A. rocks it pretty well.
But whoever the hell this "Lethal Bizzle" fellow is, I'd like to ask him a few things. First, why the hell would you choose "Police on My Back" to rap over? It's gotta be the least rap-able track on Sandanista!. It's really the only straightforward "rock" song on the album. I might have chosen "The Magnificent Seven" "Look Here" or "The Washington Bullets" or any of the numerous dub songs (a particular favorite of mine is "The Equaliser"). But, even more importantly, WHY IS THERE ANOTHER BAND PLAYING THE SONG BEHIND YOU?! the song is obviously a sample. People who know the song will not be fooled into thinking they are actually playing the song with you. And third, aside from the stupid looking token white band playing behind you, could you edit this video any worse than you already have? The dogs in there seem random.
Christ, I think we need to get the RZA and Mick Jones together and drop a new joint post-haste. Prehaps Ghostface can spin a sick verse about his friend who used to cut coke and then got shot over an inspired replaying of "Koka Kola." I'm waiting, Rizz. I'm waiting.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Monkeys
I've forgotten how good this video is:
Maybe the clowns have something to do with it. I don't know. But I've recently rediscovered the virtues of the Arctic Monkeys, frontman Alex Turner specifically. Yes, I realize I'm about a year-and-a-half late on this, but I don't care.
I bought Favourite Worst Nightmare when it came out last April and thought it was a decent yet ultimatley forgettable album. I think I was way wrong.
On a whim last night I played it all the way through driving back from the airport and was astounded how...astute it is. If I didn't know any better (I don't) I'd compare songwriter Alex Turner to something of a modern day, college-aged (but not educated) Ray Davies.
Heresy, some might say. Maybe. But bear with me here. Most of his songwriting on the band's first album, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not delt with little slice-of-life moments in the lives of middle-class British kids who like to party a lot. Not necessarily anything groundbreaking, and most of the songs deal with dancing or getting beat up by bouncers or getting ready to go and party for the night. This prevails for the first half of the album, until track 9 kicks in - the few songs after this show some impressive lyrical insights.
"Mardy Bum" (which, I believe, is British slang for something or other...I'd look it up but I'm on a typing roll right now) is a somewhat simple (as far as music goes, all of their songs are straightforward punk-influenced rock) love song about some working stiff who fights a lot with his girlfriend. Don't ask me why, but I think some of these lyrics are gems:
And then, the bridge:
This rings true to me for some reason, especially when the above lines are followed by a somewhat sloppy guitar solo which brings to mind images of a fight, or sloppy makeup sex, or both.
The next song is "Prehaps Vampires is a Bit Strong But..." which is a raucus condemnation of the music press (think: NME or Rolling Stone) that seems to hound artists around every turn. Think "Rape Me" or "In Bloom" (that are about similar topics) with a sweet noisy breakdown in the middle.
Ray (and Dave) Davies, in their heyday, both wrote songs where they invented characters - maybe based on people that they knew or knew of around their hometown (think "Tin Soldier Man" or "Session Man" or "Do You Remember Walter" or "David Watts") .
Turner does the same thing. Two of the last three songs on "Whatever People Say I Am..." contain some character that Turner tells us about - albeit with less sunshine and more depression. It makes sense, though, seeing as how the Monkeys hail from Sheffield and the Kinks were from London. That's like the difference between being from Pittsburgh or Detroit and being from New York, from what I understand.
So their songs have a gritty take on life in the city. "When the Sun Goes Down" tells of a pimp who, by all accounts, "Is a scumbag, don't ya know?"
The last song on the album, though, is the kicker: "A Certain Romance". It's something of a cautionary tale: love, art, and decency are dead, and we know who killed it: jerks who think they're cool and just want pleasure. Or something like that. I don't know. I'm just stricken by the lines: "And over there there's broken bones / There's only music, so that there's new ringtones / And it don't take no Sherlock Holmes / To see it's a little different around here." It climaxes nicely with the guitars at full throttle.
So the point here is that "Favourite Worst Nighmare" is full of Kinks-y character tales. Most of it works pretty well and Turner has stepped up his lyrical game a bit - no songs about partying or dancing and he keeps the angsty relationship stories to a minimum. I like "Fluorescent Adolescent"s tale of the older housewife in heat, and how "Brainstorm" makes fun of player guys who try too hard to woo women ("Brian, top marks for not trying...We just can't take our eyes of his t-shirt and ties combination").
Maybe it's still a little rigid, and maybe the simple music doesn't make up for the lyrics, but I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. I mean, Christ, the oldest member of the band is only a year older than me! They released the first album before any of them were even 21!
I think they deserve time. And listening. And maybe a new band name, but it'll have to do for now.
Maybe the clowns have something to do with it. I don't know. But I've recently rediscovered the virtues of the Arctic Monkeys, frontman Alex Turner specifically. Yes, I realize I'm about a year-and-a-half late on this, but I don't care.
I bought Favourite Worst Nightmare when it came out last April and thought it was a decent yet ultimatley forgettable album. I think I was way wrong.
On a whim last night I played it all the way through driving back from the airport and was astounded how...astute it is. If I didn't know any better (I don't) I'd compare songwriter Alex Turner to something of a modern day, college-aged (but not educated) Ray Davies.
Heresy, some might say. Maybe. But bear with me here. Most of his songwriting on the band's first album, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not delt with little slice-of-life moments in the lives of middle-class British kids who like to party a lot. Not necessarily anything groundbreaking, and most of the songs deal with dancing or getting beat up by bouncers or getting ready to go and party for the night. This prevails for the first half of the album, until track 9 kicks in - the few songs after this show some impressive lyrical insights.
"Mardy Bum" (which, I believe, is British slang for something or other...I'd look it up but I'm on a typing roll right now) is a somewhat simple (as far as music goes, all of their songs are straightforward punk-influenced rock) love song about some working stiff who fights a lot with his girlfriend. Don't ask me why, but I think some of these lyrics are gems:
Now then Mardy Bum
I see your frown
And it's like looking down the barrel of a gun
And it goes off
And out come all these words
Oh there's a very pleasant side to you
A side I much prefer
It's one that laughs and jokes around
And then, the bridge:
And yeah I'm sorry I was late
Well I missed the train
And then the traffic was a state
And I can't be arsed to carry on in this debate
That reoccurs, oh when you say I don't care
Well of course I do, yeah I clearly do!
This rings true to me for some reason, especially when the above lines are followed by a somewhat sloppy guitar solo which brings to mind images of a fight, or sloppy makeup sex, or both.
The next song is "Prehaps Vampires is a Bit Strong But..." which is a raucus condemnation of the music press (think: NME or Rolling Stone) that seems to hound artists around every turn. Think "Rape Me" or "In Bloom" (that are about similar topics) with a sweet noisy breakdown in the middle.
Ray (and Dave) Davies, in their heyday, both wrote songs where they invented characters - maybe based on people that they knew or knew of around their hometown (think "Tin Soldier Man" or "Session Man" or "Do You Remember Walter" or "David Watts") .
Turner does the same thing. Two of the last three songs on "Whatever People Say I Am..." contain some character that Turner tells us about - albeit with less sunshine and more depression. It makes sense, though, seeing as how the Monkeys hail from Sheffield and the Kinks were from London. That's like the difference between being from Pittsburgh or Detroit and being from New York, from what I understand.
So their songs have a gritty take on life in the city. "When the Sun Goes Down" tells of a pimp who, by all accounts, "Is a scumbag, don't ya know?"
The last song on the album, though, is the kicker: "A Certain Romance". It's something of a cautionary tale: love, art, and decency are dead, and we know who killed it: jerks who think they're cool and just want pleasure. Or something like that. I don't know. I'm just stricken by the lines: "And over there there's broken bones / There's only music, so that there's new ringtones / And it don't take no Sherlock Holmes / To see it's a little different around here." It climaxes nicely with the guitars at full throttle.
So the point here is that "Favourite Worst Nighmare" is full of Kinks-y character tales. Most of it works pretty well and Turner has stepped up his lyrical game a bit - no songs about partying or dancing and he keeps the angsty relationship stories to a minimum. I like "Fluorescent Adolescent"s tale of the older housewife in heat, and how "Brainstorm" makes fun of player guys who try too hard to woo women ("Brian, top marks for not trying...We just can't take our eyes of his t-shirt and ties combination").
Maybe it's still a little rigid, and maybe the simple music doesn't make up for the lyrics, but I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. I mean, Christ, the oldest member of the band is only a year older than me! They released the first album before any of them were even 21!
I think they deserve time. And listening. And maybe a new band name, but it'll have to do for now.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
