A few years ago, Andrea and I started doing these “Best Of” mixes with all of our favorite songs of the year on them. We’d burn each other our “Best Of” CDs and then write out why we loved each song and why they made the cut. There was really no method to the madness (there rarely is with any of our schemes), and the only real rule was that you could choose any song you wanted, just so long as it was new to you in that year. I think we originally started doing these mixes because Andrea was bored at work and needed something to do, and because I am always willing to share my opinion on anything at anytime with anyone. But ever since their inception, they’ve become like a hallmark of our friendship. Every June (the halfway point of the year), we offer up our favorite 15 songs from the first part of the year, and then in December we finish things off by bumping it up to the best 30 jams of the entire year (just because we like that kind of symmetry. Wow, that paints us as way nerdier than we actually are. Maybe not…). I love these mixes. They’re invariably filled with great music, and reading each other’s comments on each song is always interesting (and often hilarious). This year, we thought we’d let you in on the fun and share our midyear “Best Of” mixes with you. And, because we’re cool like that, we’ve made it possible for you to snag the songs for yourself. All you have to do is click the song title and it’s yours to keep, just so long as you promise to go and support the artist if you like what you hear (which, oddly enough, you can do by simply clicking on the album art. We make it so easy to be a good person here, don’t we? You people are so lucky to have us.). Anyway, on to the music:
Nicole’s Best of 2007 So Far
1. “Brand New Set of Wings” by Joe Purdy: I was one of those latecomers to the Lost fandom. Andrea, on the other hand, was all about the show from its inception, and she’s the one that conned me into watching the first season on DVD. I’m so glad she did. Not only do I completely love the show (RIP Charlie, you little reformed cokehead, you), it also introduced me to Joe Purdy, whose track “Wash Away” was featured in the third ep of the first season. That’s a beautiful song, and so is “Brand New Set of Wings.” I love the chorus: “Oh Sally, don’t get down/’Cause I’ve been looking all over town/For a brand new set of wings for you.” It’s such a sweet sentiment. And the sound, the actual instrumentation of the thing, is so full and rich in a folksy, unpretentious kind of way. It’s a keeper!
2. “F*ck Was I” by Jenny Owen Youngs: There is nothing that I don’t love about this song. First of all, the lyrics (about being stupid enough to think that you won’t get hurt by a bad guy) are clever without being obnoxious. I especially dig the chorus: “Skillet on the stove, it’s such a temptation/Maybe I’ll be the lucky one who doesn’t get burned?/What the f*ck was I thinking?” The track is slow and melodic and heavy on the strings, which I love. And even though there’s nothing fancy about Jenny Owen Youngs’ voice, it’s the simplicity of it that makes it so good.
3. “Walt Whitman Bridge” by Marah: I read a review of a Marah album once that compared their sound to Springsteen, if Springsteen and the Replacements got together and made an album. I have to admit that I could never describe who Marah is to you more perceptively or more accurately than that. Listen to this song, note it’s deceptively poetic lyrics (especially right at the end there), enjoy its blue-collar, everyman-accessible vibe, and become a Marah fan. You’ll thank me later.
4. “Amazing Glow” by the Pernice Brothers: Did you ever hear a song where the lyrics did not at all match the music? This song is the exact opposite of that. The simple, melancholy tune is the perfect accompaniment to the lyrics, which tell the story of a guy who dumped a girl, only to realize too late that she was the one for him, and subsequently can’t get her off his mind. My favorite verse (though the whole song is a lyrical gem): “I changed my master plan/I changed my friends and city/I go to sleep, I still wake up screaming//A dream so full and real/You’d think I would know better/I try to stave off a new day from rising.” I think the imagery is just perfection there; he can’t escape her or his broken heart no matter what he does, and it’s no one’s fault but his own. He’s left with memories and loneliness and nothing else (take note, gentlemen – giving up a good girl is not a good idea). What a great song, and also a seriously good band - make it a point to sample their back catalog if you’re not already familiar with their stuff. You won’t be sorry.
5. “Falling Awake” by Gary Jules: I love – LOVE – everything – EVERYTHING – about this one. It’s just excellent in every aspect, from the double entendre title, to the subtle, keyboard-laced melody, to each and every cynical, hopeless lyric in between. I feel like such a glutton for punishment when it comes to this song. It’s incredibly sad, but I keep it on repeat because it’s so gorgeous, and every time I do this, I’m always thrown into a really miserable, depressive funk. This cannot be a good thing. But I can’t stop it. I just can’t. And you won’t be able to either (I apologize in advance). Also, I honestly do not know when I became addicted to sad songs. I blame Andrea. You should too.
6. “Dragon” by Tori Amos: I’m not the world’s biggest Tori Amos fan by a long shot. Most of her songs are a little too angry for my taste. But this song…this song, I love. The vibe of the song is all over the place, hitting moments of somber restraint, sweet desperation, and burning anger, but somehow it seems dynamic rather than unfocused. By the end of the track, you feel like you’ve just listened to a rock opera. Or, like you’ve just been in a fist fight. Either way, you’re exhausted. I don’t know how Tori Amos does that.
7. “Phantom Limb” by The Shins: If you know anything about today’s music scene, you know that the Shins are, shall we say, very well regarded. I don’t think I read one bad review of their latest album, Wincing the Night Away. As I see it, the success of the Shins is based on their ability to stay cool enough to keep the indie kids feeling all hip and superior while still appealing to a more mass market, commercial demographic (ie, your John Mayer fans). I think “Phantom Limb” bridges the gap between the two brilliantly (It was the first single from the album. Coincidence? Doubtful.). Even though it’s hard to find cohesion in the lyrics (which James Mercer, the lead singer, has said are about two young lesbians - to which I say, "Um, what?"), the music is undeniably lovely and incredibly addicting.
8. “Dirty Dream Number Two” by Belle & Sebastian: I am so behind the times with Belle & Sebastian, though maybe I can’t be totally to blame; after all, the in-the-know college kids were listening to them when I was still in high school. Whatever the case, I’m on board now, and it’s all because of this song. I like to think of it as the perfect addition to the soundtrack of my life, combining my slightly ebullient and vivacious side (a la Archie’s Betty), and my snarky and introspective side (a la…Emily the Strange?). A girl can dream. Dream. “Dirty Dream Number Two.” I didn’t even plan that! Nice.
9. “Young Folks” by Peter Bjorn and John: I went to two Pete Yorn shows this year. Both shows had three opening bands. They weren’t heinous…but yeah, they were kind of heinous. The only thing that made waiting for Pete better was this song, which was on the pre-show mix. I am forever indebted to his cousin/merch guy/tour historian, Max, who writes this blog and made that mix. It’s so unusual, and unusually catchy, too. How could you not love it?
10. “Sick of Myself” by Matthew Sweet: I first became aware of Matthew Sweet through my friend, Dave. Dave’s collection is, for lack of a better word, awesome. What’s even more awesome is that it’s all meticulously catalogued on one of those portable hard drives, which Dave drops off at my house every once in a while so I can scavenge for new music. The last time I had the hard drive, I snagged Time Capsule: The Best Of Matthew Sweet because I enjoyed the Thorns’ cover of the Jayhawks’ “Blue,” and Matthew Sweet is in the Thorns. Before this, I hadn’t really heard any of his original songs, but after giving the album a thorough listen, I became a full-fledged fan, and “Sick of Myself” became my favorite Matthew Sweet song. Even though the lyrics are wrought with pessimism and desperation, I still think of this as a kind of post-punk power pop love song. All I know is, whenever I hear this song, I think, “I want a guy to love me like that.” And I also think, “This sounds like it was recorded in a garage.” So there you go.
11. “Diamond Ring” by Joseph Arthur and the Lonely Astronauts: If you have never heard Joseph Arthur’s Redemption’s Son, then I feel tremendously sorry for you. It’s one of my favorite albums of all time, and I honestly can’t say enough good things about it. His latest release, Let’s Just Be, is, well…I find it hard to give it compliments. It’s weirdly meandering and sloppy, and even though I love Joseph Arthur, I just can’t get on board with this particular bit of experimentation. Its only saving grace is “Diamond Ring,” and thank goodness for it. I love this song, not only for its spot-on falsetto and great 70s rock vibe (it’s definitely Rolling Stones-influenced), but because it gives me hope that Joseph Arthur will get his crap together and give us a quality record soon. If he doesn't, I might go all Steven from "The Real World: Seattle" on his ass. I've done it once, I'll do it again. Sleep with one eye open, Arthur.
12. “Hesitating Beauty” by Billy Bragg and Wilco: As the story goes, Nora Guthrie (aka Woody’s daughter) asked Billy Bragg and Jeff Tweedy (of Wilco) to add music to some of her father’s lyrics after his death. The result was an album called Mermaid Avenue, which fused Woody’s idealistic lyrics with contemporary, folksy melodies. This is one of my favorite tracks from that album, for its twangy, straightforward loveliness. (Side note: I'm learning so much about myself while writing this list. In addition to being a person who loves sad songs, I've apparently also turned into one of those people who say "lovely" all the time. I'm like Mrs. Thurston Howell the Third or something. That's just...lovely.)
13. “Fountain of Youth” by Grant-Lee Phillips: I have been a longtime fan of Grant-Lee Phillips. We go so far back that I remember when he was called Grant-Lee Buffalo (I still don’t get what happened there. Was it like a John
14. “Clean Getaway” by Maria Taylor: I was debating between two Maria Taylor songs for this mix, this one and “A Good Start.” The latter is so, so good, and I highly recommend giving it a listen, but in the end, “Clean Getaway” won out (so I flipped a quarter, so sue me). The only word I can think of that would accurately describe the vibe of this song is “plaintive.” Also, “wistful.” And “jackhammer.” “Merciless.” “Insatiable.” Okay, veered off topic there for a sec. Seriously though, back to “Clean Getaway”: It’s all acoustic, just a guitar and Maria Taylor’s pretty voice. It's my most played song on iTunes for a good reason.
15. “Ziggy Stardust” by Seu Jorge: Yes, “Ziggy Stardust” is a classic track off David Bowie’s famously epic album of the same name. Yes, there have been many fine, interesting interpretations of the song offered up by many fine, interesting artists throughout the years. Hear me now: I don’t care about them. Hell, I barely care about David Bowie when I listen to Seu Jorge’s version, which, incidentally, is sung in Brazilian Portuguese. I’m usually such a lyric lover that you would think the language barrier would turn me off, but strangely, it does not. I’m so in love with Seu Jorge’s voice and loose, uncomplicated acoustic guitar work that it more than makes up for the fact that I have no idea what he’s saying. This song makes me feel completely content and grateful, and that's all I need to know.
So there you have it, my midyear mix. If you get your click on here, you can check out Andrea's (super cool) mix too. I hope you enjoy them! And if you don’t, well, I don’t want to hear about it. Seriously, zip the lip.
1 comment:
Very nicce!
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