Lyrics as Poetry

I often suffer great frustration when an amazing song is lacking in the lyrics department. Like when a colourful lollipop is without flavour or has that disgusting plastic taste and it feels as if you're licking sticky cardboard. That's just lolliPOOP. As a lollipop consumer I want colour AND yumminess. Just as a song and its lyrics should work together in perfect harmony, hand in hand. When they're not in sync I always think with a hint of sadness, "Ah, so close" and then drag said artist into the Desktop Trash and Empty the bin forever.



So, I wanna see if some of the lyrics by some of my best-loved artists can hold up on their own. I'm testing my taste.

Detour: (Like with M. Night Shyamalan, whose films I decided early on I couldn't endure with their poorly written dialogue and not to mention Mr. Night's appearance in every single one of them. He's all about exquisite imagery, perfect framing and then dialogue that doesn't hold an ounce of water. Again, frustrating and "So close".)


Quick U-Turn.

...and back to some tunes and starting off with:

Santogold - Lights Out

Lights out
Shoot up the station
TV's dead where's there to run
Watch everybody come undone
Lights out
We'll make it easy
We'll make it fun
Won't let them see now, how they had won
Still I wait another round





AND


Goldfrapp - Cologne Cerrone Houdini

Sunlight in your eyes

Driving over stateside
Left the smoke behind glass

Could we be together
In another world

I’m not your kind
I’m not your girl
See I’m in your car
But not your life



Allison Goldfrapp


Santi White (Santogold) definitely has more grime going on, opposed to Allison Goldfrapps sort of "I'm sitting in the meadow, pondering my last love affair, scribbling in my diary that has yellow flowers on it, just like the ones in my hair" approach. Yeah, sweet.

It's clear who'd win in a fight right? Unless it was a "killing with kindness" kind of fracas, then it's everybody's game. But, diversity rules!

I'm just saying.

Verdict! Both artists can proudly hold their head up high for all I care. I'd take either lyric and read'em out loud at some shady pub's open mic and call'em my own. Fer sho!

The Jape post (as promised)

Jape comes from Middle English, probably from Old French japer, "to yap, to chatter".

Jape is also and more so Richie Egan, Irishman and musician, creator of ultra cool song I Was A Man, and is currently being hailed as Ireland's freshest new talent.




His Floating video has the wow AND "ouch factor":

Jape - Floating


I say let's Jape and Jape some more.

The Last Shadow Puppets

These are The Last Shadow Puppets



And they're damn good. Their album The Age of the Understatement has been playing continuously these last few days in my flat and has been added to my summer list of obsession, along with the boom shaking Santogold. Two very different albums, two very different artist, but two damn good ones.

If you're not familiar with the Shadow Puppets, they are Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys and Miles Kane of The Rascals and their side project spawn, The Age of the Understatement, got released last April, instantly garnering them positive reviews.



I think it's a thoroughly enjoyable album and despite its creators being of a somewhat young age (Turner was born in 1986), they show immense maturity with their debut and their lyrics are a great proof of just that.

Meeting Place:

"The colder the night gets,
The further she strays.
And he doesn't like it,
Being this way.
And she tried so hard to steer away from the meeting place,
But her heart had led her there.
She clings to his consciousness,
Wherever he lays.
He struggles to sleep at night and during the day.
He's worried she's waiting in his dreams to drag him back to the meeting place.
His love had left him there.
Where her voice still echoes,
I'm sorry I met you darling,
I'm sorry I met you.
As she turned into the night, all he has was the words,
I'm sorry I met you darling,
I'm sorry I left you.
For weeks they had strolled around,
Playing the fools.
They knew the time would come and time would be cruel
Because it is cruel to everyone
He's crying out from the meeting place
He's stranded himself there."

I'm well impressed.

The duo has already made some music videos for their singles and they have a sort of Cold War, The Beatles vs. Bond feel and look about them. I know, a weird mix. Have a gander and judge for yourselves:

The Last Shadow Puppets: The Age Of The Understatement

The Last Shadow Puppets: Standing Next to Me (this song makes my heart beat a little faster).

My favorite (and I don't really do favorites) song from the album has to be My Mistakes Were Made For You, but of yet it has no video. Here's the live version:


The Last Shadow Puppets - My Mistakes Were Made For You (the title feel like an emotional kick in the butt).

Also, another favorite, very Bond if I may say so (I damn well can, this is my blog), is In My Room (yes like The Beach Boys, but nothing like them at all):

The Last Shadow Puppets - In My Room (wicked violins. Lovely).

Also, also, also, so many alsos, Calm Like You, is a brilliant song. The perfect sing-a-long song.


I have a feeling there's more goodness to come from the Puppets, and they just announced that they'll start working on new material in 2009. So clink, cheers, here's to 2009.

Finally, shadow puppets that make me happy!

Lykke Li and Kitty Cat - Dance Dance Dance

"Kitty Cat Dance" has to be one of my all time favorite online videos. If you haven't already: Seeing is believing. And now Swedish hipster Lykke Li has made a wee song titled Dance Dance Dance, which features on her new album Youth Novel and, in my not so humble opinion, is very reminiscent of my fave little dancing kitty. Foul play! Nah, but I recommend a collaboration between the two.



Here's Kitty:


Here's Lykke:


So far Dance Dance Dance is the only song I REALLY like of Li's new album, but I'm hard to please. Also, I tend to take my time taking things into acceptance, unless they SHINE, like recent favorites Santogold, Little Ones, M83 and Laura Marling.

Actually I'm listening to Youth Novel as I write this and I'm not hating it. La la la.


TGIF.

1 Year at Random Album

Time sure is a flyin'.


This pooch sure felt the punch the day after.

I just realized that I have been blogging here for a year now. It totally doesn't feel that long, but I'm happy I made it this far. My rant has definitely changed over the last few months and lately has become more personal, and thus more interesting I hope.

As long as I'm having fun with it I'll carry on and make it work. So, thanks for reading.

To commemorate this event I'm posting a video for the song that has the highest play count on my iTunes playlist:

Doves - Black and White Town. Just doesn't seem to get old.




Then, on the other end of the stick insect; something new I've just started listening to and LIKE LIKE LIKE!!! :

It's Santogold - Her album, also titled Santogold as tradition calls for in a debut album, is one excellent exclamation mark! Tis dope!

Here she is live at this years Coachella:



She's sooooo gonna be my summer obsession!





Here's looking at you kiddos. Happy summer x DOPE!

Music Meme Mourning of Spring

I've been duped into this by Miss Read (although I won't pretend that I'm not having fun with it).

"List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they’re not any good, but they must be songs you’re really enjoying now, shaping your spring. Post these instructions in your blog along with your 7 songs. Then tag 7 other people to see what they’re listening to."




Shaped my spring...


1. The Black Keys - Strange Times

There was strangeness. A lot of strangeness. The Black Keys came out with an awesome new album and I'm planning to see them play in November. Let the strange begin.


The Black Keys do laser tag - Strange Times

2. The Honeydrips - (Lack Of) Love Will Tear Us Apart

There was love, but lack of respect. Love without respect is like an Oreo cookie without the filling. Dry and hard to swallow.


The Honeydrips - (Lack Of) Love...

3. Laura Marling - Tap At My Window

The rain came and went, tapping at my window. I went outside but my shoes got wet. So I stayed inside, doodling with my mouse pal.


Laura Marling live

4. M83 - Kim & Jessie

The 80's entered my heart, but with a twist I wasn't anticipating. M83 saved my spring.


M83


5. Cut Copy - Feel the Love

Then came the 90's and I danced till I dropped. Dance is Love. Love is Great.


Cut Copy

6. Plants and Animals - Good Friend

A good friend is like winning the lottery and I consider myself to be rich, although my wealth is scattered around the world.


Plants and Animals - Good Friend

7. Arctic Monkeys - Only Ones Who Know

Knowledge is power. I know everything. I rule the world.


Arctic Monkeys live. Charming.


I'm not gonna tag anyone, but if you are reading this consider yourself served. What shaped you spring?

The La La List du Jour

The weather is strange. 18 degrees, supposedly, and gusty, which in turn puffs the heat away and makes all the tiny fluttering leaves and any loose granular substances twirling the streets seem to want to fly straight into my eyes - dare I venture outside. "Oh look" they say, "an eye! Let's go there and cause discomfort".

So I'm staying in, away from pickpockets (boring story) and unfiltered winds. I just don't carry the red eye look very well. So vanity prevails.

Here is some nice inside music I dig, (today at least):

Broken Social Scene Presents Brendan Canning. The whole album, Something For All Of Us, is great for playing Tetris on the computer, alone, shielded from the mean winds.


Brendan Canning

...

Mates of State. Well pretty much just the one song, titled My Only Offer (Album: Re-Arrange Us). Nice bedroom dancing.


Mates of State - Kori Gardner & Jason Hammel

...

Song: An Animal In Your Care, by Wolf Parade. New Album: At Mount Zoomer. the song is OK, the title is GREAT. The singer, Spencer Krug, sounds like David Bowie. Also, check out, Call It a Ritual (At Mount Zoomer). Tis good.


The creepiest tea party I ever Googled


And if you wanna throw a nice little tea party for your stuffed animals, put on some Morning Tide, á la The Little Ones and rock the tea leaves. I can't stop listening to this album. It's been on repeat. Granted, not for a tea party, but for walking with ipod-ness and bopping head between surfing the net and staring out the window, when it's windy. If it's sunny, The Little Ones provide some lovely sunshine music.


Not so little.


I recommend The Little Ones. I do, I do, I do. Listen, and tell me if you DON'T like them.

If you DON'T like them, then I won't like YOU*.




*I'm kidding. You're lovely.

It doesn't end well for the Mouse... or does it?

So it goes.

In a state of utter frustration and lack of knowledge of mouse infestations, I shook my bed until I could no longer hear the resident Mouse shuffle about inside. Maybe I knocked it unconscious or maybe I'll be smelling Death himself in a few days.

I sincerely hope that the Mouse found its way out and that it now roams the streets and meadows in a gang of equally jilted mice, searching for a place of belonging.


Gangsta MouZ on the trail of Big Foot


If you ever wondered what the perfect "Mouse-posse" tune was, here it is:

Hollow Hollered by Subtle, from their brand spanking new album, Exiting Arm. So gangsta.


Exiting Arm - Subtle


x x x

I dedicate this song to MouZ. Godspeed you Furry Emperor.