I could walk all day on the railroad tracks...

...But there's much more to it than that.


I am slightly in love with Mirah. I like her duo work with her friend Thao, but her solo stuff is just lovely and almost perfect (You Think It's Like This But Really It's Like This was just such a strong, classy debut). Great voice, and her lyrics are usually nice, thoughtful, sometimes very earnest, maybe a little sad at times.

The last line in the first verse of "Sweepstakes Prize" is what won me over. And this is the song of hers (because it was the first I heard, I think) that is often stuck in my head.

You remind me of a firework, boy,
You touch the ceiling, you touch the floor,
You sparkle and burn, but you take your time
And I bet I could carry you across state lines.

"Don't Die in Me" - an interesting handpainted fan vid...




"The Garden" - was featured on SYTYCD, I guess?




And in case you have nothing better to do, here is that performed on that show, just for the LOLZ -






More recently, she has been performing in Thao & Mirah - they are both talented and the songs are good, but I still think I prefer Mirah solo.

"Little Cup" 

I chose the strangest little cup

to drink you from and stir you up

"How Dare You"

Come out of the woodwork

... that means you, readers. Because it will be sad when this post languishes here sans any participation. Really sad.

But I can't stop listening to this song and I think it would make for fantastic movie montage music. (Yes, people already know this, it has been on like Grey's Anatomy and etc...)

The UK version of this video is more fun than the US version because she strips in a spaceship (cuter than it sounds). The US version has her 'breaking rules' which just comes off lame.





The operatic sampling, the build/climb of it... Tension, action, preparation! Regret? There are an awful lot of "I'm sorry"s...

So my challenge is - what scene in your long-cherished secretly half-written movie does this music score?

Personally, I see it as good building/action background music, as it kind of climbs and has that nice operatic sampling going on - so I see some kind of action or preparation going on. And I also read some dark but glowy evening sky and a lot of snow. Or a nice sparkly wet city scene, our heroine stalks through the city in her black trench coat while crowds flow around her and city lights cast deep shadows on her... The "I'm sorry" parts could lend itself to a tone of regret... I think the heroine maybe has to do something unpleasant - bad, or just morally grey... maybe set something in motion that she would rather not - rig something, play along with some kind of trick, find someone unsavory she needs, play a part she'd rather not to get something, revenge plot, leave something/someone behind... Admit she needs someone? Frame someone? (Someone who deserves it, naturally).

Final shot - something goes up in flames, while she stands in the background.

Cliché? Too dull? Your turn! (50 gold stars to the winner(s))

And my superfreaky memories...

...are gone without a trace.

But the earworm remains.

Ahhhh Superfreaky Memories... only one of the best songs ever. It has found its way on to many an ancient mix cd that I have made. I not-so-recently let go of my beloved truck (my first vehicle, had it from age 17, paid for it myself and everything *sniff* memories *tear*), and I had to clean it out. Then I had to sift through the assorted decade+ of crap that had been floating around in it forever. I found quite a a number of old cds (obviously my truck only had a tape player, but there are workarounds). Anyhoozle, so I've been listening to a lot of my old cds and reminiscing. I am a huge fan of a good mix tape/cd/playlist and I am always thinking of posting some here. Maybe someday.

 But for now, please enjoy this favorite of mine.

This reminds me of being a lot younger, the wonders of the internet (and getting my brother to let me use napster on his computer and leaving it running all night) and the sheer joy of music discovery. Discovering things I liked. Liked by myself, without input from others.
Like cool warm mellow indie dreampop. (And some elegant strings.)

"Superfreaky Memories" - Luna

I got the wandering blues

This song has been stuck in my head recently. I love folk/roots old-timey songs, and it feels like that kind of Sunday afternoon to me today. Love the notion of young people embracing the classics - you can be hot young and armed with every modern convenience, but the world still is full of misery! Some things never change. Something about the sad soulfulness of strings (and their happy furious joy at times as well)... resonates with me (I know, bad string pun, sorry I had to do it).


"The Littlest Birds" - The Be Good Tanyas






Also by The Be Good Tanyas:
I also like this one (no official video) -  "Only in the Past"






And then there's - "Scattered Leaves"






Even an animated video - "Human Thing" - it's so calm and quiet...





A more modern take on this style can be found in The Civil Wars (I can't decide whether I give them point for the name or points off for it... LOL).

"Birds of a Feather" - her kind of leaning-stompiness in this really bugs me. But she can sing!




"Forget Me Not" - Love the old-fashioned feel of the song... But not a fan of the just walking along thing.





"Barton Hollow" -  I do feel like they could have done more with this video, but at least it comes across very visually striking (and nicely, a little bit menacing), and has more than just them standing around!





They also cover Elliott Smith's "Between The Bars" which is one of my favorite songs. I think they do a good job. Nowhere near as good as the original, of course! But their folksy take allows for a lot of melancholy/misery to shine through. However, I can't bear to look at their smug faces singing this.




Old Crow Medicine Show also cranks out charming folk rock. I could listen to them forever... I saw them in Seattle and it was quite the show, much more energetic and wildly delightful than I would have guessed (you can see glimpses of that in the Cocaine song below). It was a pleasant surprise.

"Wagon Wheel" - This song was originally written (unfinished, the chorus part) by Bob Dylan, and then they filled it in and made it their own. I don't know about the video's sideshow setting and scantily clad ladies, but the song is great. (This video abruptly cuts off towards the end, click here to see them perform it at Coachella in full). Truly, some people were born to be fiddlers in old-time stringbands...






"Cocaine Habit" - The best YT comment on this video is:

The base player looks like a shark and the six string banjo player looks like a clown but it sounds great
IantheSuperSaiyan 

"New Virginia Creeper" - a hilarious song, but at its best when performed live (when I saw it there was much in the way of crazy train impressions, shaking about, etc... I can't really even describe it, but it was magic. MAGIC.) Partial live video:




And finally, I humbly submit that there is not much better in life than reallllllly hot string playing. Exhibit A: the classic American song "Soldier's Joy" -









"I Hear Them All" - I guess if you're old-timey, you are obligated to do a video with shots of like New Orleans streets and cemeteries? But again, great song.






I know there's TONS more great young bands out there rocking the old-time vibe - I just started with my current earworm and went from there...
But do feel free to hit the comments with your favorites/links to great songs! Bonus gold stars to anyone who digs up more hot fiddling (preferably by good looking young men, but I won't discriminate).

If I was young, I'd flee this town

Another wasted weekend of laying about and reading and drinking my weight in tea (it was all thunderstormy and I didn't feel like going out). I have been trying to scope out if I can see any good shows in the near future, but I have reached the point in every hermit's life where I am in DIRE need of a new all-purpose concert buddy. It's a sad state.

One of the upcoming shows I want to see is Beirut, as they have been in pretty heavy rotation over here for quite some time. I am kind of picky about what I want to see live (what is worth the hassle? People at shows get more terrible every time I go. I think that's a sign of getting old.)  But Beirut = so much win. Strummy, folksy, excellent use of brass (!!), a little EasternEuroGypsyTrashy... all things I adore. Vehemently. Pretty sure at this point I would brave the PacNW hipster scene to see them.

"Elephant Gun" - oooh mustachio! Love the song, but I find this video just much too performance-artsy... as if they all brainstormed the most cliched things possible - lingerie and trucks then group dancing? O RLY? That's the best they could do? I guess since there's a lot going on in the music already, that I can (kind of) see the desire to match that in visual form... Or something. I don't care. I just love the troubled face of the singing mustache horn guy (especially that opening, preciously pained).  I could just watch him and be happy. 

"Postcards from Italy" - Another great song, but an even more meh video. I don't really care too much for music videos that are done like memories/clips, but that sort of goes with "postcards"... I guess I don't hate it. I just feel like it could be more interesting, tell more of a story... Favorite part is the spanking (1:46).





"Mimizan" - This appears on the lovely compilation album "Dark Was the Night".  Couldn't find a real video for this, but it doesn't matter, the song is just too good to pass up.

You Drive Fast, I'll Do The Drugs

we're in ur backpackz

I know I have been slack in posting, but there are semi-legitimate reasons, like how hard it is to type with a lapful of kittens. Yes, I got new kitties! They are adorable and keeping me busy. They have each other to tear around the house with all day while I'm at work, and they still have plenty of energy at night to terrorize me. Also it's summer and I find it hard to post while trying to enjoy the elusive warmth. Friday started off with crazy monsoons, then warmed up, and went out with a bang. Literally. Freak thunderstorms! So strange.

Enough excuses! Post!

So yesterday I was at work and feeling the summer Friday afternoon doldrums, which are, naturally, much worse than the normal afternoon doldrums. And I was not even feeling very into my music... Just sitting there trying to work on things and feeling meh. Then this song came on, and I was like, YES. YES. YES.
Which song? Surprisingly, it was "Sleep" - The Dandy Warhols, which I have not heard in agggggeeesss. I like them, but not religiously. They have a pretty fair representation in my standard shuffle playlists and my generic party one. So this is gonna be a long post. Be warned.

Have you seen "Dig!"? It is a rather interesting documentary chronicling the relationship/rivalry between The Dandy Warhols and The Brian Jonestown Massacre. It's weirdly fascinating. The narration from Courtney Taylor-Taylor (The Dandy Warhols) comes off as kind of... you know... dickish? But not totally, you can see they are friends, but there's so much swagger involved there has to be conflict? You can see the talents of everyone involved. It's dark and troubling in a lot of ways also. It kind of made me want to listen to more BJM, even though Dandy Warhols is more my style of music.

And of course I, like every '90s teen, totally loves "Bohemian Like You" (who doesn't?). And, well, actually I really like a lot of their songs... the more I thought about it... So I dug through my iPod to listen to what I had and it was actually quite perfect for that afternoon, just what I needed. They have that slick jaded too much on purpose posturing thing down cold (which invites both love and hate).

Charming points? A) They were hipsters mocking hipsters before it was cool. That alone should win them a lot of gold stars. B) Veronica Mars theme song is their "We Used To Be Friends"... and he shows up in one ep, soooo there's that. C) They have some really stellar songs.

Not so charming points? Hipsters mocking hipsters = Smug. Trying too hard. Abovementioned dickish sort of rivalry. There is A LOT of vitriol floating around out there directed towards them. Lots of internet hate.Watching Dig! is amazing but also kind of off-putting... there are valid points to be made against them.

Looking for music videos of their stuff, one can see lots of fanvids, LOL, which I think speaks to how much people must secretly/not-so-secretly love them. Also, let's be real, a lot of their work does have that "chill" & cinematic quality that occasionally shines through. If I ever make my own twee mumblecore movie (you know that'd be my niche), I am totes putting in stuff like Sleep. But then again, if you read the comments you see both the love and the hate, people picking their sides. Is it cool, not cool, so not cool that it's cool again... etc. They have a major cred issue... But that shouldn't really matter... As long as the songs are good?  Or at least some of them are? Why do we demand so much from a bunch of musicians? They are in interesting case.

"Sleep" - The Dandy Warhols are sometimes (often) compared to The Velvet Underground in style/sound/etc. It definitely comes out in certain songs (the aptly titled "(Tony This Song is Called) Lou Weed") I think on "Sleep" they also really bring it - it gives me almost the same feeling as VU's "Sunday Morning", that soft sound, that perfect sleepy/sleepless-warm-fuzzy music-to-kill-yourself-by vibe. Let's all go to sleep in your dirty dirty distressed arms, Courtney Taylor-Taylor....
Sadly, no brooding official video to go with this. (Confession, were I making this I would shoot this vampire-y, even though that, like heroin, is so passé.)




"You Were The Last High" - As featured in the movie, 9 Songs. Track co-written by Evan Dando, if that helps some of you (huzzah; I should really do a Lemonheads post!). I have not seen the movie. But the song is quite nice. No good video.




Ok, on to actual videos - warning, some of these are almost unwatchably terrible/cringe-inducing... the outfits, the mugging... Yet, at least mostly interesting? Amusing. Trainwrecky.

"Not If You Were The Last Junkie On Earth" - an amusing confection in which I cry for the years of my life I spent wearing those babydoll tshirts, ill-fitting pants and chokers (only half kidding). And if you saw Dig! you know the drama about this song (and check out the BJM reply "Not If You Were The Last Dandy On Earth". Both rather delicious in their own ways.)





"Every Day Should Be A Holiday" - I hate videos that tie into the movie they are featured in. Gross. But I do like claymation, and the riffs in this song burrow into your brain.





"Get Off" - hmmmm, where should a video for a song with this theme be shot? Western brothel! 
(Between the standing in-front of the flag and his face, it reminds me a little of One Headlight, even though they are wildly different songs featuring wildly different singers. I dunno, they have similar eyebrows? The pouty lips, stick out your jaw thing? Jakob Dylan is like 100x hotter. Sorry. Random face digression.)





"Godless" - Sharing mainly because: hula hooping dude. The video is quietly cinematic (but ultimately dull) and the song, very very smooth. (Note: As it's a song with the word god in the title, I recommend you avoid the YT comments on this at all costs.)





"Ride" - motorcycles.





"Good Morning" - in case you needed your dose of late '90s posturing! I know I sometimes do. My favorite YT comment on this is:

"I'd start with the keyboard cutie and work my way from there.  -10 points for not knowing her name. To use West Coast dialect, she's hella wicked rad."

LOLwut?





"Plan A" - A newer offering. Still just as much face-making. Never change. Please, never change.





"We Used To Be Friends" - familiar to all the VM fans out there. His faces are so ridiculous, but I appreciate his armpit hair.




"Bohemian Like You" - the ultimate song of trying-too-hard. And their most famous. It's perfection. The video is spot-on. Exactly the kind of thing you would imagine for such a song. (Confession: I would probably stab someone in the face to be able to say I was in a video/song this hilarious. Any of you creative types out there, call me when you shoot anything so sublime/dorky.) And more hula hoop!




Random tidbits -
1) Also, well, ummm, they covered "Blackbird" after Michael Jackson died. Because they said they would in an earlier song? Yeah. I don't really like it, LOL. Decide for yourself.

2) ANDDDD apparently Courtney Taylor-Taylor has written a graphic novel? About a fantasy krautrock band? Ohhh the things I am learning today! I love this idea. ENJOY.

"Transmission" - One Model Nation



3) Somebody used "Love Is The New Feel Awful" (how can you resist such a great title) and put it with Midsummers Night Dream old footage? It's weird and delightful.



4) You. Have. To. Read. This. Blog. Post. Wherein, some guys discuss Dandys album "Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia" and say things like:

"because portland is to new york exactly what the dandy warhols are to the velvet underground"

It is not to be missed. I just laughed hysterically for like 10 minutes straight. Genius.

And most importantly,
5) Open referendum on his face & swagger in the comments! GO! (Also, you know, their talent, pop v. indie v. sellout v. Dig! struggles! And Trying too hard! v. Trying too hard to try too hard v. Trying too hard to try too hard! ad infinitum. And whether or not this is all smug or there's a sense of humor underlying? (Yes?) And Zia!)

And I decided to have a Bed In / But I forgot to invite anybody

Galaxie 500 - "Fourth of July" - I totally forgot about this song but it appeared in a great Pajiba post about better patriotic clips for your fb. Awwww Galaxie 500! One of my first indie band discoveries back in the dark dark days of dialup and leaving napster on... (don't worry, kids, I pay for all my music now.)