Velvet Night Sky

Track of the Week: Christmas Time Is Here by Mayer Hawthorne

2011-12-07T16:04:00.001-08:00

Mayer Hawthorne makes some of the best soul music today. On Tuesday he released a recording for free on his label's website. "Christmas Time Is Here" was originally recorded by the Vince Guaraldi Trio for the Peanuts Christmas special, A Charlie Brown Christmas, in 1965.

On the A Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack there are two recordings of "Christmas Time Is Here." The first is the well know jazz instrumental. The tv show Arrested Development hilariously would use it as a recurring theme when a character was depressed. Indeed, the Christmas special is rather melancholy, and rather depressing most of the time.

The second version features a children's choir singing words over the bands instrumental. I generally do not like children's choirs, but the song is so great. It is not a big deal. Hawthorne's version is similar to the vocal version in that he sings the words over the instrumental. However, I like it more because he has such a great, soulful voice.

Now that it is Christmas people will start listening to Christmas music. And usually that is a terrible thing. There are some HORRIBLE Christmas songs. But these should make you feel nice while you try to keep warm at night.

Samples
Christmas Time Is Here by Mayer Hawthorne
Christmas Time Is Here [Instrumental] by Vince Guarldi Trio
Christmas Time Is Here [Vocal] by Vince Guarldi Trio

Track of the Week: Frankie Teardrop by Suicide

2011-11-01T17:43:00.000-07:00

This week's track features the most frightening song ever recorded, by far. Of course, when your band's name is Suicide, you would imagine the songs would be scary. One of the most influential bands of the 1970s, Suicide's first record provided a sense of where music could go.

"Frankie Teardrop" is a swirling mass of drum machine, synthesizer, sound effects and powerful vocals. It tells the story of a factory worker, a normal everyday man, driven insane by his circumstances, who murders his wife and child before finally taking his own life and seemingly descending into hell. Vocalist Alan Vega screams in such a way that makes you jump in its unexpectedness and your blood curl in its passionate, insane primitiveness. Everything builds up, from sparse drums and slow-moving lyrics, to the major scream as Frankie murders everyone and himself after realizing he can not provide for them no matter how hard he works.

The most interesting thing about the song is his decent into hell. You can hear it happening rather than being told through lyrics. Sound effects paint the landscape of the new scene. It is difficult to make out what all the sounds are, but you know just where you are. And Frankie screams more.

You can feel trapped listening to this song. Everything about it makes you feel his stress and sadness and pain. I do not think any movie or book has done as effective a job as "Frankie Teardrop" does. So there you have it. Happy Halloween.

Lyrics
Frankie teardrop
Twenty year old Frankie
He's married he's got a kid
And he's working in a factory

He's working from seven to five
He's just trying to survive
Well lets hear it for Frankie
Frankie, Frankie

Well Frankie can't make it
'Cause things are just too hard
Frankie can't make enough money
Frankie can't buy enough food

And Frankie's getting evicted
Oh let's hear it for Frankie
Oh Frankie, Frankie
Oh Frankie, Frankie

Frankie is so desperate
He's gonna kill his wife and kid
Frankie's gonna kill his kid
Frankie picked up a gun

Pointed at the six month old in the crib
Oh Frankie
Frankie looked at his wife

Shot her
"Oh what have I done?"
Let's hear it for Frankie

Frankie Teardrop
Frankie put the gun to his head
Frankie's dead

Frankie's lying in hell

We're all Frankies
We're all lying in hell

Sample
Frankie Teardrop by Suicide

Track of the Week: I Walked with a Zombie by Roky Erickson & the Aliens

2011-10-24T23:09:00.000-07:00

Sorry I have not written in quite some time. I have moved, first to El Paso, Texas and then to Tigard, OR. It is beautiful out here. As we approach Halloween, I have decided this week's track will feature "I Walked with a Zombie."

Zombies are all the rage these days thanks to The Walking Dead and the general awesomeness of zombies. Yesterday I read an article that explained why zombies are so fascinating/scary. I can not remember the name of it though... I will just paraphrase what the author wrote. Zombies, unlike other scary creatures, represent a complete loss of humanity. Vampires can be sexy, ghosts can be sympathetic, but zombies are insatiable killing and eating machines with no remorse or consideration. There are no mind games with them; they want to eat you, they attack until the succeed or are stopped. And while zombies possess little reasoning ability or athleticism, their sheer numbers and single-mindedness creates a situation in which humanity is overwhelmed by something it has never seen, like the Genghis Khan-led Mongols of the 13th century, but with no need for supplies, government or infrastructure of the lands they conquer. For zombies it is all destruction all the time with no breaks. Scary.

Roky Erickson is a strange dude. Once a member of the psychedelic garage rock band, The 13th Floor Elevators, drug and mental problems have led him to various terrible low points. But through it all he has continued to make good music. In 1981, Erickson released the album The Evil One, containing "I Walked with a Zombie."

The original version begins with the same percussive intro The Ronettes' "Be My Baby" has. While simple, it is instantly recognizable. The rest of the song itself is very simple. Basic rock 'n' roll, with simple lyrics. Mr. Erickson essentially repeats the title over and over. He sounds very much like Mick Jagger throughout.

R.E.M. covered the song a few years later. It follows the same format, though it is a bit less garage rock-ish.

Elf Power also covered it in 2002. Their updated version is the "prettiest" and most mellow of all. It still retains the tempo though and does not become boring.

Samples
I Walked with a Zombie by Roky Erickson & the Aliens
I Walked with a Zombie by R.E.M.
I Walked with a Zombie by Elf Power

Track of the Week: High School by The MC5

2011-08-15T23:27:00.000-07:00

Cover of Back in the UsaThis week's track takes us back to 1970. The MC5 released their second record, Back in the USA. This was also their first studio album, as Kick Out the Jams was a live recording. The song itself is very straight-forward basic rock 'n' roll. A song about high school. The most basic rock 'n' roll you can get. I went to watch Rock 'n' Roll High School at the Plaza Classic Film Festival last week and I was pleasantly surprised to remember how much I liked "High School!"
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Track of the Week: Life's a Gas by T. Rex

2011-08-13T18:46:00.001-07:00

Image via WikipediaI obviously love T. Rex's 1971 record, Electric Warrior. My tumblr is named after a lyric from "Mambo Sun." But this week's track of the week comes toward the end of the album and is the opposite of "Mambo Sun." Whereas the opening track is about wanting to be with a girl, "Life's a Gas" is about what happens when things go wrong. It is pretty straight forward and similar to the Temptation's "Can't Get Next to You" lyrically during the verses. You have loving a girl like a planet, chaining a heart to a star, building houses, placing love in the sky, and on and on.
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Track of the Week: Never Had No One

2011-08-02T09:20:00.001-07:00

This is a song by the Smiths. The end.
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Track of the Week: I Go to Sleep by The Kinks

2011-07-30T02:08:00.003-07:00

You know sometimes you want to love so badly and you find someone you want and you think its real and it refuses to be? That is what this song is about. It is so short and simple, but is more complex when you pay attention. The emotions fly start off simple, grow, expand, explode, crash and return again. And the whole thing is just two voices (singing the same part) and one piano. It allows the emotion of the lyrics to stand out.

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Track of the Week: Uncontrollable Urge by Devo

2010-09-06T01:22:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in quite a long while. Sorry. I have been...shall we say "distracted?" (Lazy) But I am back now. This week's track is a real rocker. Since Futurama has been on tv a bunch recently I have been watching it all the time. One of the newer episodes features an appearance from Devo. That led me to start listening to them again and rediscover I love this song!
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Track of the Week: You and I (We Can Conquer the World) by Stevie Wonder

2010-06-23T02:50:00.001-07:00

I realize I am posting another lovey-dovey song. Perhaps I am just in that sort of mindset recently. This Stevie Wonder track appears on his 1972 record Talking Book. And it is one of the top five greatest pure love songs in my opinion.
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Track of the Week: Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands by Bob Dylan

2010-06-16T01:54:00.000-07:00

A Bob Dylan love song is like no other. "Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands," off of Blonde on Blonde floats along with an otherworldly waltz feel painting these amazing pictures of his love. There really is not a need to know what everything means. The atmosphere of the song is just perfection.

But if you want to read some interesting takes on the lyrics you can go to the Song Meanings discussion. The one part that really gets to me though...I mean the whole song is beautiful, but the best lines for me are, "My warehouse eyes, my Arabian drums/Should I leave them by your gate/Or, sad-eyed lady, should I wait?" Dylan's songs can be so...I guess pointed and aggressive; that he can write something so vulnerable is incredible.
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Track of the Week: Cygnet Committee by David Bowie

2010-04-14T01:57:00.001-07:00

I have yet to really delve into the whole David Bowie discography, but I doubt anything could top this week's track, "Cygnet Committee." Released in 1972 on the David Bowie (or Space Oddity) album, this epic (and that truly is the best word) clocks in at over nine-and-a-half minutes.

According to LastFM:

During 1969 Bowie and then-girlfriend Angela Barnett lived in Beckenham, where they ran the Arts Lab, trying to encourage young people to be creative. However, Bowie soon quit the Arts Lab, when he realized that most people were coming just to see him perform and not to participate. His disappointing encounter with the hippies during this time is the basis for the song, as he felt he was used and abused by the teens.

Track of the Week: Hello Hello by The Sopwith Camel

2010-04-07T00:26:00.000-07:00

The cool thing about the sixties was all the different styles of music that came out. Rock 'n' roll expanded to include all sorts of musical styles, including those of the past. San Francisco band the Sopwith Camel released a pretty little song in 1967 with some nice ragtime piano work. "Hello Hello" came off their self-titled debut album.
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Track of the Week: I'm a Loser by The Beatles

2010-03-14T16:56:00.002-07:00

Yeah. Exactly.
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Track of the Week: Mod Wolves by The Mighty Boosh

2010-03-05T01:16:00.000-08:00

I get home from work a little past one in the morning. Usually I drink a glass of milk and one of orange juice while I watch Adult Swim on Cartoon Network. One night this show called The Mighty Boosh came on and blew me away! It was incredible. The first episode I saw featured a character who called himself "the King of the Mods." The episode ends up with a confrontation with "Mod Wolves." These wolves dance and it is awesome and the song was even awesome-er, or whatever.
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Track of the Week: I Like My Toys by The Idle Race

2010-02-23T01:52:00.001-08:00

The 1960's produced some funny sounding songs. Children's songs and general nostalgia for childhood on some psychedelic records seemed to suggest a longing times when a person has little concern for the outside world (which at that time was full of war, riots, protests and difficult social changes). And beside that, the pressures of adulthood can be daunting to say the least. One of the best examples of this sentiment in music appeared on the Idle Race's 1968 album The Birthday Party. And the song in particular I picked to highlight is "I Like My Toys."
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Track of the Week: When You Smile by Dream Syndicate

2010-02-18T00:09:00.001-08:00

Love songs can be found all over the place. It's one subject most people can relate to and pop music especially is littered with all sorts of songs on the topic. How many different ways can you write songs about the same thing though? Well, Dream Syndicate's "When You Smile" from their 1982 album The Days of Wine and Roses sounds a bit different than the others.

The song sounds tired and depressed from being in love. And I love that. There are two versions presented here. The album version starts slower and is a bit longer than the Down There EP version. Both equally great.
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Track of the Week: Important Things with Demetri Martin Theme Song

2010-02-12T00:51:00.001-08:00

Image by * Janice via Flickr

My favorite television shows have great theme songs. Important Things with Demetri Martin is no different. The only problem with the song is how short it is. I don't really want to put a 20 second song on my mp3 player, so I made it longer (if you're wondering, I used magic and love).
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Track of the Week: Evening Over Rooftops by Edgar Broughton Band

2010-02-03T01:06:00.000-08:00

"How far are we from dying / Is it nearly at an end?" Chilling, this week's song, "Evening Over Rooftops" by Edgar Broughton Band from their self-titled 1971 album, cries out to be played loud and thereby to take over your mind. There are a few reasons why I am playing this song repeatedly:

The first few seconds of violins sound insane.
The lyrics are insane.
The song makes me go insane.

Track of the Week: Soul Kitchen by The Doors

2010-01-26T22:51:00.001-08:00

Have you ever just gotten tired of a band, stopped listening to their music for awhile and then stumbled upon them again, rediscovering why you loved them? That happened to me a couple of weeks ago with the Doors. But sort of in a way roundabout way.

My brother started listening to a band, X-Japan, and wouldn't stop talking about them. I was not really impressed, but I remembered some hullabaloo on the page for the punk band X on Last.FM. Some of X-Japan's tracks were on the page and people were arguing which band was better. I like the punk X, but I had stopped listening to them for, maybe, six months. So I pulled out their music and started discovering songs I had heard before but for some reason just glossed over. One of the songs was drawn to was, "Soul Kitchen." I knew the song from somewhere and finally realized it is a Doors cover. That led me to start listening to the Doors again and, wouldn't you know, I found why I used to listen to them all the time!
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Rolling Stone 500: (490) Entertainment! by Gang of Four [1979]

2010-01-08T01:22:00.000-08:00

Gang of Four's offering from 1979, Entertainment!, is in the early lead to be my favorite record of the first fifth of Rolling Stone's list. So much funk and weirdness! They throw in some political/social commentary; the end result being an amazing record that makes you think and dance. But not me. I don't dance (or think either). A lot of this reminds me of Wire's first record, Pink Flag; a record I love. It does not have the varying sounds that record has however.
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Rolling Stone 500: (491) All the Young Dudes by Mott the Hoople [1972]

2009-12-21T03:02:00.001-08:00

Everybody knows Mott the Hoople for their big hit, the title track from All the Young Dudes. But, you know, it's like, man, they made more than one song that just happened to be used in a popular movie. So based on that one song I was pretty excited to listen to Mott the Hoople's 1972 release. Expectations were almost impossibly high because "All the Young Dudes" is so good.

The story goes that the band wanted to break up, but David Bowie gave them "All the Young Dudes" and produced the album. And even though the song is and remains amazing, the rest of the album is top notch 1970's rock 'n' roll, a.k.a. classic rock. Much of it sounds like the Rolling Stones did during the same time period (also the last time the Stones would make listenable music).
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Rolling Stone 500: (492) Vitalogy by Pearl Jam [1994]

2009-12-11T00:39:00.001-08:00

Cover of Vitalogy

While I have never been a huge Pearl Jam fan (I don't dislike them though) and only knew one song from Number 492, Vitalogy was interesting and good. From my "research," i.e. a quick Google search, most reviewers saw it as an experimental album. The songs do span some differing sounds, for sure, but considering my preference for 60's psychedelic music, it did not seem to be all that experimental.
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Track of the Week: Starry Eyes by The Records

2009-11-19T01:21:00.000-08:00

I can't believe I had never heard this song until last week! Thanks LastFM recommendation radio station! This power pop classic, which I guess it is somewhere where I don't live, certainly deserves a place among the better rock 'n' roll songs of the 70's. Released in 1979, "Starry Eyes" was a near hit for The Records, peaking at #56 in the U.S. While it did not set the world on fire, it became a cult classic and eventually landed on the Pitchfork 500 (the online music critic site's list of the greatest 500 songs of the past 30 years).
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Rolling Stone 500: (493) That's the Way of the World by Earth, Wind and Fire [1975]

2009-11-11T12:39:00.000-08:00

Finally, some funk and soul! You can tell just from the fantastic album cover that these songs will groove along. And they do, but what sets That's the Way of the World apart as a funk/soul record is the song writing and musicianship. Not only a fun record, Earth, Wind & Fire succeed in making an interesting one as well. There are certainly some elements of jazz here. Fortunately, the band manages to almost completely avoid the self-indulgent side effect of most records which blend jazz and pop, soul, rock, etc.
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Track of the Week: "Stay Forever" by Ween

2009-11-10T01:06:00.002-08:00

Ween can pretty much do any music style ever and do it well. Not many bands can do that and maybe only the Beatles did it better. On "Stay Forever," Ween do the whole pretty Beatles ballad and it works. Boy does it work. Actually, I think if John Lennon hadn't been murdered and the Beatles had been able to get back together they would have sounded like the album this track appears on, White Pepper. (And if you believe an uncited source on Wikipedia, the album title is in reference to the Beatles' The Beatles a.k.a. "The White Album," and Sgt. Pepper's)
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