Keeping Score pulls from Kevin's experience as a soccer coach and an employment lawyer; offering thoughts and observations on sports, coaching, leadership, music, and almost anything else he wants to write about. Enjoy.
We made it! Most of us mostly intact. 'Twas a slim year for me, live music-wise, but did get out a little bit, enough to see one of my favorite artists twice and an old friend at Mountain Stage once. But more about that later.
We begin my list of favorite songs of 2022 with a recent list favorite. Hope you enjoy!
23. Sidelines by Phoebe Bridgers.
"Watching the world from the sidelines
Had nothing to prove
'Til you came into my life
Gave me something to lose."
Perhaps second only to she-who-is-not-yet-named, Ms. Bridgers has appeared most frequently on the list in the last few years. I like this song a lot, but perhaps not as much as ... 22 others this past year. The release of this song gives us some hope that we'll hear more from Phoebe in 2023. But in the meantime, she's busying herself with production work - and you'll find out more about that in the last iteration of this year's list.
24. Wild by Spoon.
"Trippers and askers, they surrounded me
All them describing how they'd like me
All them wanting somethin' special
Bring 'em roses, sing them blues."
Sounds like someone's not all that comfortable with ... comfort. Always admire Spoon for keeping true to themselves, yet being fresh at the same time. Comforting, one might say. Check out their album "Lucifer on the Sofa." For the name, if nothing else.
25. Scab Song by Dora Jar.
"I've got a brain in my head
I've got a brain in my head and it thinks as hard as Einstein ever did
MC squared equals E
That's the theory of relativity
And how are you relative to me."
This year's silly pop song entry, about ... a scab on Dora Jar's leg. Don't judge me.
26. The Lightning I, II by Arcade Fire.
"I heard the thunder and I thought it was the answer
But I found I got the question wrong
I was trying to run away but a voice told me to stay
Put the feeling in a song."
So nice to hear an Arcade Fire song that sounds like Arcade Fire. Makes me feel all ... 50 again.
27. A Real Thing by The Beths.
"Picking up the tires from the side of the road
Gonna push back the coming tide
Laying down beside them like I'm in on the joke
Wake me up when the world is fried."
One of several songs on this year's list that sound like the female-lead power pop bands of the '80's. but with better musicianship. This song appears to have a decidedly un-'80's theme, though -- guessing the "Real Thing" is global climate change.
28. Talk by beabadoobee.
"A crowded place, waitin' for you
Am I lost? Why can't I find you?
A silhouette that's in my head
You don't exist, you're my imagination
You don't exist, you're just a bad decision."
Seems as though 2022 (or more likely 2021) was/were bad year(s) for relationships - love gone bad songs abound on this year's list. Another song that puts me in mind of The Go-Go's or the Bangles.
29. Soberish by Liz Phair.
"I already told you
It was love at first sight
And that's a frightening notion.
I'll hold the light
And you can read me what we owe."
A middle-aged love song. But a love song nonetheless, for a change, from "alt-rock icon" Ms. Phair.
30. Sweet Memory by Geographer.
"Sweet memory
Burning like a candle
At the bottom of the sea
I don't believe in love, and
It doesn't believe in me
All I have is my sweet memory."
One of those "happy sounding sad songs." Geographer returned to the list last year after a long absence. And now here he/they are again, a year later.
31. Reprise by The Lumineers.
"Callin' on your neighborhood
Tell me who to like
Everyone's a friend
Every now and then
Tell me who to like."
"Reprise" as in a different version of "Brightside," the first song on The Lumineers' latest album, also called Brightside. I like this version better. My friend Dave likes Brightside better. And I'm okay with that.
32. Hometown by The K's.
"Hometown, playing all his favorite songs.
In the sun, in the sun, in the sun.
Put 'em on, put 'em on, put 'em on, put 'em on."
Admittedly, I've gotten a little lazy and depend on google to tell me what the exact lyrics are for a song. Or most of them, anyone. Hometown is apparently sufficiently obscure to not warrant their publication. So the above lines are a guess. Seems clear I like this song mostly because of the driving guitar, not the lyrics, huh?
33. Stay Out of It by Michigander.
"It feels like everybody's talking
But nobody's ever listening
And it breaks my heart because I know I can't
Stay out of it."
Michigander is/are Jason Singer (good name for a singer!), originally from Kalamazoo in the Mitten State. As if the name wasn't enough to put Michigander on my radar, I love the bouncy beat, and, yes, the singing.
Stay tuned for the second edition of the list coming soon.
Over the past month or so, in addition to listening to and posting my favorite songs of 2019, I spent some time reflecting on the now-past decade's music and my favorites among all of those published over the last 10 years. Going back through my lists (which began on Facebook in 2010, but did not make it into blog form until the next year), I was struck by how much things have changed in terms of the increase in platforms on which music (especially that to which I am drawn) and the sheer volume of music being produced.
Ten years ago I was dependent on ... what? ... internet web stations as far as I can recall to hear "alternative" music in Charleston. Today I have Spotify, Apple, our local community radio station WTSQ, NPR, and KEXP to feed me, almost daily, the new music I sift through to find the songs and artists that I like. It's a daunting and exhilarating task that I alone have imposed on myself and I like to think that it keeps me young - at heart anyway.
After compiling my list of 50 favorite songs of the 2010's and having recovered from my holiday crush of posting, I decided to share the list with you. Where I don't include a video of a song, I'll provide a link in the song name, will let you know where they were ranked (if at all) when I first posted them, and provide links to those past lists. A further conceit: I will signify the artists that I've had the pleasure to see in person with an asterisk by their name.
As always, thanks for indulging me in my pursuit of new music - or, in this case, not so new.
26. Rollercoaster by Bleachers.
"We took the bones out from the road
Those endless nights that we traveled we stole
You let your clothes fall to the floor
And lit a fire while I waited for more."
Bleachers made the list four times in the decade, but this song, number 28 in 2015, is my favorite of the lot. Plus, the video had to be one of Bleachers' offerings featuring the recurring theme of front man Jack Antonoff getting his butt kicked.
27. This Life by Vampire Weekend.
"Baby, I know hate is always waiting at the gate
I just thought we locked the gate when we left in the morning
I was told that war is how we landed on these shores
I just thought the drums would all be loud warnings."
Since This Life was included in my last post (number 3 in 2019), I won't go on about my favorite Vampire Weekend song of the past 10 years ("Unbelievers" made the list in 2013 and their cover of "I'm Goin' Down" topped my favorite covers of 2019). I note that for songs from the past year, I probably underrated some since they haven't had the opportunity to stand the test of time the way that others have.
28. Grand Canyon by The Wind + The Wave.
"Don't die, you're just a baby, yeah you're way too young
You haven't lived till you've been to the Grand Canyon
It's the damndest thing
Oh, it's the damndest thing."
My favorite song of 2016, "Grand Canyon" hasn't held up quite as well as some other list-toppers have. But not for want of trying -- still makes me be-bop every time I hear it. While you're at it, check out the similarly movement-inducing "Raising Hands Raising Hell Raise 'em High."
29. Some Nights by fun.
"Well some nights, I wish that this all would end
'Cause I could use some friends for a change
And some nights, I'm scared you'll forget me again
Some nights, I always win, I always win."
While I declared it my third favorite song of 2012, it's the highest of songs from that year on this list. Perhaps I was scared off by its popularity (almost 194,000,000 YouTube views). fun. also featured Jack Antonoff (that's him playing guitar in the video, and not getting beaten up).
30. Cumberland Gap by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit*.
"I ain't cut out for war, unless I know what I'm fighting for
And there's nothing here but churches, bars, and grocery stores.
Ain't much money in the old-time mandolin
So I cash my check and I drink 'til I'm on my ass again."
My second favorite song in 2011, Delta Spirit seems to have fallen off the map, but according to the band's website, they are touring this spring.
32. Little Talks by Of Monsters and Men*.
"There's an old voice in my head
That's holding me back
Well tell her that I miss our little talks."
Little Talks is another former top song (in 2012) that hasn't fared as well over the years, perhaps influenced by the fact that I didn't much care for any of their songs that followed. I do still enjoy the interplay between the female and male singers though.
33. Light Me Up by Bronze Radio Return.
"If you’re feeling good
Is all I need to know‘
Cause you light me up
Oh, you light me up."
Another song that I can't really defend lyrically, but is impossible not to bounce to from the first chord to the last (and the little "Alright now" makes me smile every time). Light Me Up was number 13 in 2015.
35. Sprawl II (Mountains beyond Mountains) by Arcade Fire*.
"They heard me singing and they told me to stop
Quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock
Sometimes I wonder if the world's so small
Can we ever get away from the sprawl."
One of two previously unranked songs on this list, Sprawl II was part of Arcade Fire's epic 2010 release The Suburbs. I had only limited exposure to Arcade Fire before "prepping" for Bonnaroo in 2011. Their set at that festival still ranks as the best concert I've ever seen.
36. Gold Rush by Death Cab for Cutie*.
"Now that our haunts have taken flight
and been replaced with construction sites
oh, how I feel like a stranger here
searching for something that's disappeared."
Another frequent list occupant ("Black Sun" was number 22 in 2015, "You Are a Tourist" number 12 in 2011), Ben Gibbard's lament to urban renewal was both the antithesis of Sprawl II, number six in 2018, and my favorite Death Cab song of the 2010's.
37. Pretty Pimpin' by Kurt Vile.
"I woke up this morning
Didn’t recognize the man in the mirror
Then I laughed and I said, 'Oh silly me, that’s just me.'"
If Kurt truly has a disassociation problem, he is the most connected person every to suffer from it. Pretty Pimpin' was Number 7 in 2015, and has done nothing but grow on me since.
38. Riptide by Vance Joy.
"There's this movie that I think you'll like
This guy decides to quit his job and heads to New York City
This cowboy's running from himself
And she's been living on the highest shelf."
Also a former number one song (in 2014), Riptide has not aged particularly well for me, although as with almost every song on this list, I do recognize it instantly and feel a little jolt of happiness whenever I hear that ukulele start.
39. Seventeen by Sjowgren.
"If you want a second to breathe
I'll give you all of my love
I'll give you all that you need
Don't worry
I'm not in a hurry
Not going nowhere
I'm not going nowhere, yeah."
A four-time list denizen (twice in 2018, with "High Beam" at number 15 and "better off" at 29, and "Now & Then," 2017's number 13, along with Seventeen, number 5 in 2015), Sjowgren ("Show-grin") remains largely a mystery in terms of composition of the band. I like a little mystery at times ...
40. Don't You Look Back by Augustines.
"All right
This kiss ain't got no hope
But I'm gonna get it right
This kiss ain't got no hope
You see
We go up then down again
This'll be the end."
While Delta Spirit may or may not be defunct, Augustines certainly are, having called it quits in 2016. They do share something in common with Delta Spirit, however - a band name change. Delta Spirit was once known as The Delta Spirit, while Augustines were originally We Are Augustines. I regret that I never saw them live. Don't You Look Back was my third favorite song of 2014, followed by Nothing to Lose But Your Head (number 23, also in 2014), and This is Your Life (27th on the list in 2016).
41. Motion Sickness by Phoebe Bridgers.
"I hate you for what you did
And I miss you like a little kid
I faked it every time but that's alright
I can hardly feel anything
I hardly feel anything at all."
"It's time to give a little to the
Kids in the middle, but oh 'til it falls
Won't bother me."
A Grammy winner on my list? I'm nonetheless comforted by: 1. the socialist lyrics (the popularity of the song juxtaposes well with its message); and 2. The Beastie Boys reference. Feel It Still was my eighth favorite song in 2017.
43. Bondurant Women by The Texas Gentlemen.
"There was a genuine act of celebration
On the corner of the freight train station
And the sweating man gave a benediction
Said you're looking for a giant (?) foundation."
Another from 2018 (Born in Love was number 10), which trails only 2015 (12) and is tied with 2017 (7) for the most songs from one year on this list. Every list needs at least one pretty love song.
"I used to feel so strong, now I feel like a loser
This truth is hard to speak, but I could use the freedom
Oh, I can't do this all alone."
Another from last year's list, Quarter-Life Crisis was at number four. I'm long past the opportunity to have a mid-life crisis let alone a quarter-life one, but understand Judah's angst just the same.
Do you think I'd pass up the chance to listen to Rachael Price's voice another time (or six or seven)? Of course not. You Go Down Smooth was my fourth favorite song in 2014.
49. Crying Wolf by Caleb Hawley.
"You always said you wanted me to be honest
So I made u a promise to tell u the truth
I thought you'd understand so that's why I said it
But now I regret it
Baby what are we gonna do?"
No list of mine would be complete without at least one blue-eyed soul song. Crying Wolf was number 18 in 2015.
50. basking in the glow by oso oso.
"Cut me up, I've said enough
Learned this lesson far too much
It'll only bring you down
Carrying someone around
In your head, in your head."
The last on the list from 2019 (basking in the glow was number five) and the last ... period.
It's hard to believe that a year ago, as I was composing the first post of my favorite songs of 2016, the Cubs had just won their first pennant in 108 years, the U.S. Men's Soccer team was still a "lock" for the World Cup, and we had a responsible adult in the White House. The dismay that many of us feel is reflected in many of the songs on this year's list. But also hope. And hope is a good thing.
23. 3WW by Alt-J.
"Girls from the pool say 'Hi' (hi)
The road erodes at five feet per year
Along England's east coastline.
Was this your first time?
Love is just a button we pressed
Last night by the campfire."
Difficult the read anything into this song as anything other than about ... intimate relationships. "3WW" stands for Three Worn Words (as the lyrics themselves say) -- the consensus is that they are "I Love You." The official video is here mostly because of the vocals by Ellie Rowsell of Wolf Alice, a band featured on last year's list. But live versions at KEXP and other places are wonderful too.
24. Gossamer Thin by Connor Oberst.
"Ring 'round his eyes
Tracks down his arm
His fans are confused and his friends are alarmed.
His wife doesn't talk
Hates when he's gone
Counts ever skirt in his new entourage.
And they're all gossamer thin
Left of the dial, Bohemians.
And they dance, tournament style
Twirl 'round the room, curtsy and smile.
And they sit at his feet, sippin' their tea
And swoon with each word he speaks."
A more personal desperation at work here than in many other songs on this year's list.
25. Cumberland Gap by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit.
"I ain't cut out for war,
unless I know what I'm fighting for.
And there's nothing here but churches, bars, and grocery stores.
Ain't much money in
The old-time mandolin.
So I cash my check and drink 'til I'm on my ass again."
There is not currently living a better chronicler of life in Appalachia (and that's "App-ah-latch-ah" by the way) than Jason Isbell.
26. Lay It On Me by Vance Joy.
"Snow comes down everything is new and different.
I found you hidden in plain sight, why'd I take so long?
Write it on a piece of paper, honey
Put it in my coat before I go."
A former denizen of the top spot on my list, Joy's "Lay It On Me" doesn't quite reach those heights. But if you've been following for a while, you know I'm a sucker for choral crescendos.
27. Modern Act by Cloud Nothings.
"Here we are among the living
See and count your friends
Gathered in a room together
This is how it ends
Can't stand the modern act
Whose war is this, what god is that?
Feels like the tide is only
Starting to come in."
One of many songs on this year's list about despair and hope. Or hope and despair. Your choice.
28. Anymore by Goldfrapp.
"Your strange music
Like lucid dreams
The power of you
Transforming me."
A song that harkens back to when my children were young and I imposed my musical tastes upon them every chance I got - Goldfrapp's "Number One" was among them. This is about as close to dance music or synthpop as my tastes allow me to venture. But perhaps that's my problem and not yours.
29. Dear Life by Beck.
"You drove your Rolls into the swamp
You stole away like a thief, reeling from the sticker shock
Of the price they put upon your soul
You buy it back from the burning ashes of the devil you know."
Really reaching back now with Beck. If anyone can pull off a "sounds like The Beatles" song, Beck has both the chops and the pedigree to do it.
30. Everything Now by Arcade Fire.
"Every inch of road's got a sign
And every boy uses the same line
I pledge allegiance to everything now
Every song that I've ever heard
Is playing at the same time, it's absurd
And it reminds me, we've got everything now
We turn the speakers up 'til they break
'Cause every time you smile it's a fake."
I'll leave it to you to decide of whom the boys and girls from AF speak when they say that every smile is a fake.
31. Don't Matter Now by George Ezra.
"Sometimes you need to be alone
(It don't matter now)
Shut the door, unplug the phone
(It don't matter now)
Speak in a language they don't know
(It don't matter now)
Well I don't think about that stuff
No, I don't think about that stuff
It don't matter now."
One of those songs you find yourself singing in the shower or in the car on the way to work.
32. Wolves and the Water by Edward R.
"Turn back time I don't belong here
But when I turn my head time always changes me.
Take me back to golden horizons
Hell you're gonna find me anyway
Torn between the wolves and the waters
Heaven's gonna find me on the way."
It appears that Mr. R. is sufficiently obscure enough to not have his own Wikipedia page. Seems that he's from Australia, but I can't tell you much more about him than that. I do, however, like this song, particularly the "unplugged" version in this video.
33. Catch Me If You Can by Walking on Cars.
"I just got my head down
And I'm a little bit scared tonight
I need to run just far enough
So I can smile again, smile again
So i can smile again.
Chosen by my loyal Facebook listeners as their pick for the final spot on this year's list. A little Coldplay, a little The Fray. These guys and gal are from County Kerry, so what's not to like?
You may have heard about the NFL's plan to auction off the right to entertain at halftime at the Super Bowl. The latest edition of the game will be held this coming February in Phoenix.
It's Super Bowl XLIX, if you're scoring at home (or even if you're alone, as Dan Patrick used to say), slightly less unwieldy but more optically jarring than last year's XLVIII edition. Do we really care which Super Bowl it is? They don't number the World Series, or UEFA Champions' League finals.
Yep, you got it. Roger Goodell, in all his wisdom, has decided to make artists pay to entertain.
While having avoided the embarrassment of either being forced to move XLIX or hold it in a host state with an overtly discriminatory law, the NFL still has a lot of other issues on its plate that would seem more pressing. Like the fact that one of its franchises has an overtly racist nickname that is coming under increasing derision. And concussion lawsuits.
Nonetheless, Goodell has blithely pressed on with his main mission: to make NFL owners lots and lots of money.
The latest well of cash to be fracked is the Super Bowl halftime show. The NFL has reportedly asked the three "finalists" (Rihanna, Katy Perry, and Coldplay) in contention to perform to pay for the right to. While even seemingly sympathetic news sources have questioned the idea, it's the reaction of the music industry that interests me more.
They're not very fond of it.
The halftime show is undeniably a marketing boom for the performer that gets the gig (Madonna and The Who both saw huge bumps in the purchase of their music after recent appearances). Some agents have acknowledged that there may be some benefit to up-and-coming artists to have the spotlight in front of 100,000,000 viewers, but that need hardly seems to be the case for the three finalists.
But there's just something, well, smarmy about the whole idea of making artists pay to play. Not to mention the fact that the kind of artists the NFL wants (those who will keep fans glued to their sets and halftime commercials) both have the least need for the exposure and likely the biggest egos to be offended by the demand to pay.
One thing is fairly certain. Arcade Fire will not be headlining at the University of Phoenix stadium at XLIX next year, and probably not at any Roman numeral in the future. Their agent, David Viecelli delightfully summed up his response to the NFL's attempted extortion when he said that he hopes "that everyone tells them to get stuffed."
Not coming to a Super Bowl near you. (photo from Spin)
The list continues, with a repeat from this list, a repeat from the last two years, and a Ferris Bueller reference.
11. San Francisco by The Mowgli's.
"I've been in love with love.
And the idea of
something binding us together.
You know that love is strong enough."
First repeat artists on this year's list (foreshadowing). These guys and gals are infectiously good-natured and fun.
The Mowgli's at Bonnaroo.
12. The Southern Wind by Eliza and The Bear.
"When it feels like
love has passed you by.
I won't go and tell you how
to live your life.
You got a lion's heart.
You got a lion.
You got a lion's heart.
You got to find it."
A little bit of Of Monsters and Men a little bit of Freelance Whales. But, as far as I can tell from the video, no Eliza.
13. Shake by The Head and the Heart.
"Even if it was a mistake, I can't forget your face.
Even if it was just a day, you won't forget the one
who's making you shake."
Another great song from this talented group, which appears on the list for the third consecutive year.
14. The John Wayne by Little Green Cars.
"You know it's your neglect;
it's the reason that I'm so obsessed with you.
And when I asked you your name, you said
John Wayne
and I guess it's true.
'Cause then you shot me down
and I
doubled over and I hit the ground right in front of you."
A plaintive (and little bit creepy) love song.
15. Best Day of My Life by American Authors.
"I howled at the moon with friends.
And then the sun came crashing in.
Wo-hoooo-o-o-oh
Wo-hoooo-o-o-oh
But all the possibilities;
No limits just epiphanies.
Wo-hoooo-o-o-oh
Wo-hoooo-o-o-oh."
A little bit too poppy, a little bit of a fun. rip-off, but hooky as heck.
16. Here Comes the Night Time by Arcade Fire.
"They say heaven's a place.
Yeah, heaven's a place and they know where it is.
But you know where it is?
It's behind the gate, they won't let you in.
And when they hear the beat, coming from the street, they lock the door.
But if there's no music up in heaven, then what's it for?"
My favorite song (so far) on the new album Reflektor.
17. I Had Me a Girl by The Civil Wars.
"I had me a girl;
Like cigarette smoke,
she came and she went."
Apparently Joy Williams and John Paul White hit on the perfect name for their brief, brilliant collaboration, which seemingly has ended rather acrimoniously.
18. Some Place by Nick Waterhouse.
"Don't expect you to
understand it.
Not much … tryin' to speak, well
Can't help tryin' to
say it again.
Am I sounding too oblique?"
Rockabilly song in the vein of previous list resident J.D. McPherson. Awesome video.
19. Thrift Shop by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.
"They be like oh that Gucci, that's hella tight.
I'm like, Yo, that's fifty dollars for a t-shirt.
Limited edition, let's do some simple addition.
Fifty dollars for a t-shirt, that's just some ignorant b……."
I've heard it described as a "novelty song" but it strikes me more as a parody. The onesie rocks. And if I have to give you a language warning for this one, you've lived under a stone for the last year.
20. Default by Django Django.
"Why don't you hand it over,
time is up, you've had your shot.
Gather once again,
disasters in the end,
it's like a default."
Another act I was fortunate enough to see at Bonnaroo this year.
The last few years in November and December I've posted a countdown of my favorite songs of the past year on Facebook. Given the readership for my Bonnaroo post this past summer, I thought I'd republish the list here this year. Each will start with some lyrics from the song, sometimes followed by a brief comment about it or why I like it.
These are my favorite songs; not the "best" songs according to me or some critic. Some you may know, others you may not. The only rules are that it must be a song released in 2010 or 2011 and that I like it. I hope you enjoy them (or at least some of them) too.
21. Electrified by Ben Sollee.
"If your heart is unsteady, they can make it beat in time.
If you mind is confused, it can be clarified.
If you're old-fashioned, you will be modernized.
Everything is electrified."
Just a man and his cello, making great music. In what will be a recurring theme, I saw him at Bonnaroo, although not at this impromptu concert.
22. Helplessness Blues by Fleet Foxes.
"I was raised up believing I was somehow unique.
Like a snowflake distinct among snowflakes, unique in each way you can see.
And now after some thinking, I'd say I'd rather be: A functioning cog in some great machinery, serving something beyond me."
A beautiful song about . . . withdrawing from the rat race? Giving in and becoming a "functioning cog"? Discuss amongst yourselves.
23. Block After Block by Matt + Kim.
"Eat when you’re hungry and
Sleep when you’re slipping like
Tired dogs rest their paws Today we show our flaws."
A get-up-and-jump-around song if ever there was one. The whole joint was jumpin' when they played at Bonnaroo.
24. 99 Problems by Hugo.
"Looking for the prize but I don’t want blood
I order one drink then I drink the flood
Well, you can come inside but your friends can’t come."
Pretty much the antithesis of the next song on the list. Since Hugo apparently is signed with Jay-Z's label, I guess we can assume that Jay-Z approved of Hugo's partial appropriation of his song.
25. One and Only by Adele.
"I dare you to let me be your,
Your one and only.
Promise I'm worthy To hold in your arms."
More than this summer's ubiquitous Rolling in the Deep, I think this song really shows off Adele's great voice. Just a good old fashioned soul ballad.
26. We Used to Wait by Arcade Fire.
"I used to write.
I used to write letters;
I used to sign my name.
I used to sleep at night.
Before the flashing lights settled deep in my brain."
This song would be higher except that it's really a 2010 song, and even though my rules allow 2010 songs here, it should have been on last year's list. Great song, just the same. GO SEE THEM LIVE!
27. My Body by Young the Giant.
"Stop the train is riding down to the station where I lived
When I was a cool kid.
Hey, is it my fault that the fallen embers burn down in a spiral Round your crown of thieves?"
One of the few genuine rock 'n roll songs on this year's list.
28. Zorbing by Stornoway.
"Lying in your attic;
I can feel the static;
The storm has broken, heavens open. So electrifying, oh I'm nearly flying; Lost my heart between the sheets of lightning."
I have no idea what "zorbing" is but I like the song . . .
29. Mine Smell Like Honey by REM.
"If the end comes faster than we had expected;
And predictions lead us to the final fall.
If the flowers crack the grave and leave the patterns of the pavement;
I can hear you shouting over it all."
Thanks, boys, it was a great ride.
30. Rivers and Roads by The Head and the Heart.
"A year from now we'll all be gone
All our friends will move away
And they're goin' to better places But our friends will be gone away."
One of my top five favorite performances at Bonnaroo this summer.
For the second summer in a row, I recently spent several days reliving my youth and feeling rather aged. This time, the wound was strictly self-inflicted.
As you may have guessed from various references to song lyrics in some of my posts, I am a music aficionado. Not a musician in any sense, mind you, but a fan of music. As are my brother, Jeff and my son, Ethan. And, I suspect, most of you as well.
Jeff, Ethan, and I (and, technically, my nephew Lee, who neither Ethan nor I saw the entire time) spent last weekend baking in the sun, breathing dust-laden Southern Tennessee air, and having our senses assaulted (mostly pleasantly), with 80,000 other folks at Bonnaroo. For the uninitiated, Bonnaroo is a music festival held in Manchester, Tennessee, for the past ten years.
The "What" Stage at Bonnaroo with Colin Meloy of The Decemberists.
I went mostly to see musicians that are currently popular. The Decemberists topped my "must see" list as Ethan and I headed off on our seven hour car ride, with Arcade Fire, Matt & Kim, and Florence + The Machine close behind. But part of the magic of festivals is getting caught up in the excitement of "discovering" someone you hadn't heard, or heard of, before, or simply getting stuck in a crowd that makes your departure to another venue next-to-impossible, or nearly life-threatening.
So I only heard one song from Florence + The Machine, albeit the one I most wanted to hear, but that was okay. If the devil is in the details, then there are devils aplenty when there are at least five different venues hosting acts at the same time.
One of the acts I wasn't all that interested in catching was Buffalo Springfield. But my brother convincingly noted that "Neil Young can't live much longer" so he and I went to see Neil along with original band mates Richie Furay and Stephen Stills. The sound wasn't great, but we managed to scratch and claw our way through the crowd (helped by a few rolls of thunder which spooked some of the fair-weather fans) until we got good positions near the end of the set. Stills (still in great voice) sang the band's one hit ("For What It's Worth") and he and Young dueled on their guitars through several songs.
The seminal moment of the concert, and the entire festival for me as it turned out, came with the last song that Young introduced by saying "this is to show you what it would have been like had we done this" (in response to which Jeff said "he's a crazy old dude") then launched into the machine-gun-staccato guitar chords of "Rockin' In The Free World." When he got to the guitar solo bridge, the hair stood up on the back of my neck and I was convinced that: 1) Jeff had done me a huge favor by talking me into seeing them; 2) Neil would never die; and 3) like Neil, I was in the right place, still rockin' in the free world.
Here are some of my other observations from the weekend:
If Arcade Fire ever plays within 500 miles of where you live, run, drive, swim, do whatever it takes to immediately purchase tickets. Honestly the best concert I have ever seen, anywhere, anytime. Musicianship, showmanship, "big venue" sound and feel -- these guys were made to play on the big stage.
Matt & Kim are impossibly "cute," energetic, and (incongruously) foul-mouthed, which in some strange way adds to their charm. And they make music that defies you to not dance.
Dust is an unpleasant condiment, but is better than sand.
The Decemberists' Colin Meloy is our finest songwriter working his craft today. Period.
We have lost the War on Drugs (Jeff's wry, inarguable conclusion).
If Ben Sollee's day job doesn't pan out, he will apparently be available to play weddings and bar mitzvahs. The guy was seemingly at every show ready to play cello if asked (and maybe if not . . . ).
Showers are always optional.
Eminem is a better Detroit export than either Chrysler or Kid Rock.
Ninety percent of people who view little or no clothing as a viable fashion choice really shouldn't.
Iron and Wine are apparently trying to remake themselves into a "jam band" along the lines of The Grateful Dead or Phish. Don't bite.
