(THIS POST ORIGINALLY APPEARS ON THE TWIN CITIES BLOG NEWEST INDUSTRY)
Free Energy, Kate Nash, The Growlers, The Ruby Suns, Jim Ruiz Set...
Well hello again, mp3 junkies!
Welcome to Songs Of The Week #23!
For those of you who don't know the
Songs Of The Week format, here's the story. Each week we ask two of
our contributors to download and listen to The Current's Song Of The
Day podcast. Once they've had time to give the songs a good,
thorough listen, give us their thoughts, and score the songs on a 1-5
scale.
As always, we highly suggest you
swing by The Current's website and subscribe to the podcast yourself.
Playing along at home is fun for the whole family!
Each week we post a poll to the
right side of the page. We encourage you to vote for whichever song
was your personal favorite for the week. The winner of the poll will
receive a prize just as soon as this blog turns a profit.
So, let's get into this week's
songs. MinneSarah? TCDroogsy? thoughts?
01. Free Energy –
Hangin' On (from the album Love Sign)
MinneSarah:
This song is a pretty darn good Third Eye Blind cover. Wait, it's not? Stephan Jenkins had no part in this? Well, it sure does sound like it, and I mean that as a true compliment. If my life were a teen movie, I'd want this to be on my soundtrack. Although, we all know my life would be a B-list movie, and who am I kidding, this song is a B-list version of a poppy 90's ballad. The lyrics are far more blatantly desperate than any 90's song - but the guitar sure does deliver. I'll bet Rachel Lee Cook is available to play me - look me up, honey. Thanks, Free Energy.
TCDroogsma:
Quick disclaimer before getting into this song: I'm always torn about Free Energy. On the one hand, a few of the band members are from my hometown (Whattup, Red Wing!), so bonus points there. On the other hand, they used to be Hockey Night, a far, far superior band. So minus points there. So I guess we're at square one and I've just wasted your time. Sorry.
"Hangin' On" is not, I suppose, a bad song. It's certainly catchy. Sadly, it's only catchy. It's also disturbingly bland and it's clear that Free Energy came up with the hook and then scribbled out a song around it. I mean, there's nothing inherently wrong with mindless, bubble-gum pop-rock, it's just that there's nothing inherently interesting about it either. At least with bands like Weezer or Electric-Light Orchestra you got the sense that, to some extent, they were in on the joke. It seems like Free Energy can't remember if they're being ironic or not.
Final Score: MinneSarah - 3/5
TCDroogsma - 1.5/5
02. Kate Nash –
Death Proof (from the EP Death Proof)
MinneSarah:
The bass is pretty bad ass in this song - it makes you think, this is going to be a badass chick song. But, I can't really take Kate Nash seriously after her big hit about how much her boyfriend sucked. Yes, MinneSarah is a feminist, but Kate Nash is not among my favorite British nor British-sounding artists. I'm impressed by her relatively deadpan delivery and the retro surfer rock vibe.
The refrain of "I don't have time to die," reminds me of one of my favorite Kids in the Hall skits, where Kevin McDonald doesn't have time to get kidnapped - but that good memory aside, I'm not sure I really follow the lyrics. Unless death is a metaphor for a shitty boyfriend, in which case - Oh Kate.
TCDroogsma:
Even though I love all things British and am certainly partial to women, this is my first knowing exposure to the work of Kate Nash. I'm sure instantly discredits my opinion to some people, but honestly, for a column like this, maybe it's a good thing.
Anyway, to the best of my knowledge this song has nothing to do with the actual film Death Proof. Regardless, it's obvious that it was inspired by the film, as Kate Nash rides a dark, surf rock riff while cooing, "burn, burn, burn my heart, baby.... take a piece, 'cause I don't need all of it" in a mildly menacing, oppressively sexy British accent. Sold. I'm sure I've never seen the film Death Proof, but I guarantee this song is better.
Final Score: MinneSarah - 3/5
TCDroogsma - 4/5
03. The Growlers –
One Million Lovers (from the album Hung At Heart)
MinneSarah:
My mom and I could agree on how much we'd like this song. It has the funky true old school country vibe that she loves, with all the modern keyboard movement that makes me swoon. I hear The Growlers play a mean live show, and I'd love to see them float through several genres seamlessly as they do in this song. The whole vibe is upbeat with a dose of nostalgic guitar. All in all, it is a fun song and gets better the more listens you give it.
TCDroogsma:
Maybe it's just a product of listening to the songs one after the other all week, but I can't help but hear this song as a companion piece to the Kate Nash song. I realize that's a connection I've constructed in my head, but that's not really the point. In fact, for The Growlers' sake, it may be a good break.
Listening to the lead singer of The Growlers pine over a lost lover, it seems like he's lamenting the loss of a woman like the character played by Nash. "One million lovers to choose from, but none of them like her..." is a sentiment we've all felt (fuck that "plenty more fish in the sea" shit... Mike Skinner). The song has a nice upbeat melody that implies that having called this woman "lover" and then losing her is better than never loving at all. And that having he takes more joy in telling (singing) the story than he feels heartbreak for having lived it. You can almost hear him grinning through the track.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I just threw up in my mouth a little bit over that last sentence. Solid jam, though.
Final Score: MinneSarah - 4/5
TCDroogsma - 4/5
04. The Ruby Suns –
Kingfisher Call Me (from the album Christopher)
MinneSarah:
I like anything with prominent electronics and a pressing tempo. When I lived in Vancouver, I felt like the whole city was a J-Pop meets Eurotrash village. That wasn't a bad thing at all! The cascading keyboards would have fit in well with my experience of the city. As it stands, this is more of Hot Chip lite with a Steely Dan influence. Plus, the lyrics are inspirational and expound the virtues of self reliance!
TCDroogsma:
I just heard the term "PBR & B" the other day. Is this that? Or am I just old and losing it?
Regardless, this is a nice enough jam in the sense that most Yeasayer b-sides are nice enough jams. It's got some white boy soul, an "everything's going to be OK if you just believe in yourself" message, and some sythy noodling that definitely makes it sound like it was created in 2012. Personally, I think it would just be more fun to play Yeasayer's "Ambling Alp" and R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly" at the same time, but I kind of always feel that way.
Final Score: MinneSarah - 3.5/5
TCDroogsma - 2/5
05. Jim Ruiz Set –
Allison (from the album Mount Curve Avenue)
MinneSarah:
Mellow jazzy resort sounding music ain't half bad. Do you remember Beck's contribution to the Life Less Ordinary soundtrack, "Deadweight?"
“Allison” seems like a lounge-y duet, with a little punch. I like it enough to ask, where are my white pants and big sunglasses? I want to roll down to the cabana and wax optimistic with the guys from Jim Ruiz Set. While I'm sure it would get old fast, it's novel enough and different from the run of the mill singer songwriter songs that are usually featured by The Current's Song of the Day.
TCDroogsma:
Holy shit! What am I listening to here?!? A Minnesota artist who's not drenched in synthesizers or distortion? Who's not straining against his own better judgement to sing with some ridiculous hipster affectation? A lyricist who's not trying to construct some sort of mythology around being a cabin-bound folky or a rapping iconoclast or coke-sniffing, dancefloor vampire? It's just a guy singing a bouncy, horn-inflected song that's rich on hooks, genuine lyrics, singing in his natural singing voice? Delivering plain-spoken lyrics on happiness and peace of mind and banking on his personal feelings somehow transcending bullshit posturing and connecting with the listener?
Who would want to listen to that?
Final Score: MinneSarah - 3.5/5
TCDroogsma - 4.5/5
There you have
it, everybody! Another week's worth of songs downloaded, ranked, and
filed away.
As always, we'd
like to remind anybody reading that neither Newest Industry nor its
contributors are in any way affiliated with any of the artists
reviewed, The Current, or Minnesota Public Radio. We're just music
fans with keyboards and too much time on our hands.
For more of the always charming MinneSarah, be sure to give her a follow on Twitter (@MinneSarah). She doesn't tweet often, so when she does, it seems especially profound and/or charming.
For more of the occasionally entertaining TCDroogsma, be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma). He can also be found right here on Newest Industry hosting our weekly podcast Flatbasset Radio.
Newest Industry also has a home on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1). Give us a follow to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors. More importantly, we have a Facebook page here. Stopping by and giving us a “Like” is a free and legitimate way to support the blog. We swear to god, we'll turn a profit someday.
For more of the always charming MinneSarah, be sure to give her a follow on Twitter (@MinneSarah). She doesn't tweet often, so when she does, it seems especially profound and/or charming.
For more of the occasionally entertaining TCDroogsma, be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma). He can also be found right here on Newest Industry hosting our weekly podcast Flatbasset Radio.
Newest Industry also has a home on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1). Give us a follow to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors. More importantly, we have a Facebook page here. Stopping by and giving us a “Like” is a free and legitimate way to support the blog. We swear to god, we'll turn a profit someday.
