watch the songs expire

dear friends,

1. little monkey random friday selection...

bola bola - gorky's zygotic mynci

these welsh psychedelic pastoralists released a singles collection some time ago which I purchased & adored. if someone singing in welsh doesn't faze ya, & neither does twee with hidden fangs, then go for it. I heartily recommend.

freddie's dead - fishbone

for me this song will forever be the song that contributor travis did not own & therefore couldn't play when I requested it at one of his parties. of course listening to this eightified curtis mayfield cover now, I realize it would've stopped the party cold. so perhaps it's all for the best.

strings of nashville - pavement

this is one of my absolute favorite pavement b-sides. it's as close to a lullaby as malk & company ever got. I don't know what their intention was but the combination of the drum/wave/highway noise, the unobtrusive guitar work & s.m.'s tired whisper makes me think of what it's like to be alone, lonely & listening to records late at night. beautiful.

flashlight - parliament

damn! how this goes on & on. so simple but so ridiculously catchy, every time I get down to this I can't believe I'm still dancing to the same basic groove 4 minutes later. if I happen to hear this booming from a passing car, I always start twitching my shoulders to the music like a very funky little robot. I can't help it, it just happens.

the tv show, angel (yes, the buffy spin off) featured this karaoke bar run by demons where those who sang would reveal their inner selves as they croaked tunes like mandy by barry manilow. well, fantasy television universes (-si?) aside, I've always thought that people reveal their souls when they dance to this song. I'm serious. put it on sometime at a party. observe.

bear island - draculazombieusa*

ha ha ha ha. my ipod is trying to mess with me.

first time I heard this song, I thought it was about someone taking an ill-advised camping expedition to the aleutians. like that timothy treadwell guy from grizzly man. apparently, all my opinions about what dzusa songs are about are WAY off. & I'm totally fine with that. I can still enjoy the jingle bell like keyboards blips & vocal layers, even as I butcher the words. hydraphonic albacore anyone?

I'm gonna run - the fiery furnaces

sounds like your typically exciting roadhouse blues travel song. 'cept this strange woman is babbling over it in an agitated way. add a cube of beefheart. serve warm.

my drug buddy - the lemonheads

you know, I never had any love for evan dando or juliana hatfield. no love. but this song is great. I can see all the young, dumb, aimless moments that fill up this song & feel the tenderness in hatfield's back up vocals. like cold fingers interlaced with yours as you cross the street. there's an excellent kcrw version of this song, that's definitely worth searching for.

give him a great big kiss - the shangri-la's

"when I say I'm in love, best believe I'm in love, l-u-v!" that says it all.

2. sometimes I think people assume I'm braver than I really am because I tend to say whatever's on my mind regardless of whether it makes me appear ignorant &/or uncouth. I'm not brave AT ALL. having been through a few actual life or death situations, I can confirm that I crumple under pressure. no heroic antics for me. ya see, I don't like the rush of fear. now before you retort, no one likes the rush of fear, let me explain that I don't even go on roller coasters because I know I will be miserable. leisure (pronounced: lay-zurr-ay) time for me is quiet & calm as glass. I hate thrill rides! or do I?

while public performance is not life or death (usually), it also makes me clammy, nervous, nauseous, etc... however, I always manage to get myself involved with those. I actually volunteer. perhaps, they are my roller coaster rides. triple loops? falls into darkness? yetis? no problem. I'll stand in that metaphorical queue cursing under my breath. & afterwards, I sit in a corner, trying to remember how to breathe. & then, sometime later, when given the opportunity, I'll get in line again. much to my own chagrin.

SO, yes. tonight! a concert! 4 bands! a birthday party! for a label that's very close to my heart!



I'll be taking part in the shenanigans despite the fact that I a) am funny looking, b) have this much (squeezes fingers together) actual music performance experience & c) have a paralyzing fear of singing in public! whoo! no matter! all the other people involved are PROs with mad skillz! they will rock you so thoroughly that you'll forget to get your between act pizza from that place on union. you won't starve, you'll be rawk-fed.

3. in case you haven't seen it elsewhere, man in gray has a video! watch it here. I particularly like the look of the snowy rooftop. & of that handsome blond gent on the sidelines. purr.

love, d

songs to seek: bola bola/gorky's zygotic mynci, freddie's dead/fishbone, strings of nashville/pavement, flashlight/parliament, bear island/draculazombieusa, I'm gonna run/the fiery furnaces, my drug buddy/the lemonheads, give him a great big kiss/the shangri-la's

* if you come to tonight's southpaw show, you will have the pleasure of witnessing contributor tina sing this number. she will not accidentally sing about manatees or herbivores. & that's a promise!