Some recent songs that have come my way - plus, a loose connection to this post's title (even though I don't believe any of them have anything to do with the getting of married thing).
The Sammies "Falling Out": You maybe can't quite hear it on this track, but the Sammies illustrate that it's been long enough since The Great Punk Divide of the late seventies/early eighties that bands who dig through older relatives' music collections no longer feel compelled to stick to either the Echo & the Bunnymen or Lynyrd Skynyrd sections: they can do both. Is it me, or is there something vaguely Flock of Seagulls about this one? No matter - it just grabbed me by the ears and wouldn't let go.
The Marlboro Chorus "Doctor, I'm Sick": Led by B Patric, a/k/a Patrick Stolley, who formerly led the underrated act The Multiple Cat and currently is house engineer at Future Appletree Studios, where the frequently wonderful Daytrotter Sessions are recorded. People for whom "gray" is a hair color may find themselves compelled to start singing "won't you be my girl, won't you be my girl, won't you be my be my be my girl" over the introductory rhythm figure (that's the Police, youngsters: what Sting did before the lute thing and when his ego didn't yet fill several semi-trailers). Once the verse starts get going, our younger listeners may well wonder if this is the new Shins single (the second phrase in the verse's melody line's got James Mercer written all over it), but the song also travels to several other catchy venues. And you know what? The Shins write some good tunes - and Stolley/Patric's been around longer than they have.
Great Northern "Telling Lies": A bit of a changeup here, lots of glittery production - almost like a polished-up 4.A.D. approach - but going for the big pop-song chorus, all while roiling up the waters pretty thoroughly (in a somewhat decorous, scintillatingly aesthetic way). But again: nothing wrong with big pop choruses, especially if there's just the slightest touch of Motown in the melody thereof - unexpectedly, but aptly.
Okay, Nothing Painted Blue is here entirely so I can make the pun...but damn, I still think "Campaign Song" has some of the wittiest, most on-point lyrics (and this from Franklin Bruno who's written enough brilliant lyrics to paper the walls of a medium-size house).
The Sammies "Falling Out" (The Sammies 2006)
The Marlboro Chorus "Doctor, I'm Sick" (American Dreamers 2007)
Great Northern "Telling Lies" (Trading Twilight for Daylight 2007)
Nothing Painted Blue "Campaign Song" (Power Trips Down Lovers' Lane 1993)
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3 comments:
Dumb question, I suppose, but have you heard Jenny Toomey's album of Bruno songs, called Tempting? It's a terrific pop record (not much buzzy guitar rock at all). I wasn't that much of a Bruno/NPB fan, "back in the day," but I'll probably check his music out more thoroughly now that I've enjoyed Toomey's record as much as I have.
I like the song by The Sammies. That one took me back. Farther than I care to remember.
James: Yes, I have - a great record. Also highly recommended for those who just can't manage to listen to Bruno's voice...me, I think it fits the songs, but even for me there are moments when maybe, uh, not.
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