I love power pop and a band with a sense of humor and that’s how Fountains of Wayne, who are sort of a poor man’s Weezer, makes my top 366 favorite bands list:

Your Thoughts?

Music is so subjective, but I’ve always had a fascination with cover songs. I think that fascination began just after college when I went to see They Might Be Giants and they did something that totally blew my mind. They brought a radio onto the stage and tuned to a few stations. The drummer would pick up on one song and play along, then the guitarist on another, until they all found one song they would play… live in front of an audience… with absolutely no rehersal. That night they settled on Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” and I was hooked on cover songs.

Over the years I’ve collected a few memorable covers and here, in no particular order are my top 5 cover songs of all time:

5. The Fountains of Wayne covering Britney Spears’ “Hit Me Baby One More Time”

I like a band with a sense of humor. The Fountains of Wayne took their name off a roadside fountain store in Wayne NJ, but their sense of humor extends to many of their songs. If you don’t believe me listen to “Leave the Biker” or “Hung Up on You” for an example of their style and humor. Then there’s this gem. It takes balls to cover Britney Spears, but they do it with style and bring “Hit Me Baby One More Time” to a very dark place.

4. The Gourds covering Snoop Dogg’s “Gin and Juice”

I got nothing, simply awesome rendition of a rap classic, done as a Bluegrass song.

3. Sandie Shaw covering The Smiths “I Don’t Owe You Anything”

While technically not a cover, since The Smiths are playing the music in this version, Sandie Shaw is singing in place of Morrissey. But Johnny Marr provides a completely new arrangement than what is found on the album version. Technicality aside, it’s the only time I can think of where Morrissey stepped aside and handed the mic to someone else. Smart move Moz, Sandie Shaw performs a  brilliant interpretation of this brilliant song.

2. Ben Folds covering the Postal Service’s “Such Great Heights”

OK so this video has almost a million hits on You Tube, so you may have heard this, but I’m going to guess that you have no idea who the Postal Service are and that you have a vague idea of who Ben Folds is.

1. Sungha Jung covering Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean”

This little guy is 12 years old. FYI. Chris Cornell did an acoustic cover of this song that blows monkey chunks. Check it out here. IMHO, the biggest mistake Cornell made was he strayed from the soul of this classic song. He didn’t include the bass line. Tsk Tsk Tsk. Chris Cornell got schooled by a 12 year old.

BONUS: The Punkles

I know I said I’d only list 5, but how can you not mention the Punkles? They do Punk covers of Beatles songs. Most are exactly what you’d expect, but check out their version of “Hey Jude”

Like I said, I’m a huge fan of covers songs, in particular covers of Morrissey and The Smiths (everyone has a weakness right? I did everything in my power not to include The Decemberist’s Colin Meloy’s amazing acoustic Morrissey album, “Colin Meloy Sing’s Morrissey” a sample of which can be found here if you are like me.) So please add your favorites in the comments, I’m always looking for good covers that I’ve never heard.

-Scalerious

Hello and Happy NEW Year!!!  : )

Yesterday’s Peace was brought to you by my friend and our Queen Bee, Jean! The Quilt Mamas had their annual Holiday Extravaganza/Bee Bash on Wednesday evening.  We exchanged Secret Santa gifts and Jean made the PEACE wall hanging for me.  : )  I just LOVE it!!!  Isn’t it super?!  Check out those FAB fabrics!!! Thanks SEW much Jean!

Last evening, I also wanted to link to Peace and Love by Fountains of Wayne.  I’ll give it another whirl.  Give a click and see if it works.  : )

OK, seems like the yesterday’s technical difficulties have been resolved.  I am loving 2010!  How ’bout you?!

I wanted to share a New Year’s tradition we have in our home.  Throughout the year we keep a ‘Memory Jar.’  It’s kept in our living room in a spot that’s easy to reach and in plain sight.  We place important stuff in the jar during the year…a birth announcement, wedding invitation, movie/concert/ticket stubs, color swatches, birthday cards, fortune cookie fortunes, and the like.  You get the idea.  Then, on New Year’s Eve, after dinner and with a glass of something nice, we take turns pulling memories from the jar and sharing them.  It’s our year in review.  Sometimes those memories can bring tears or laughter.  Today, we are continuing to pull memories from the jar.  Once the jar is empty, we place our Christmas cards inside and begin our New Year of memories all over again!  It is a tangible way to remind us just how good the year has been.  Together, we can express our gratitude and celebrate last year while anticipating what the new year may hold…  Here’s looking forward to the days ahead!  ; )

Piecefully, Pam

2009 Memory Jar

And no, I’m not talking about the dark film you put on car windows.  I’m talking about the musical supergroup featuring (from left to right in the picture above): James Iha (formerly of Smashing Pumpkins) on guitar, Taylor Hanson (of Hanson) on vocals, Adam Schlesinger (of Fountains of Wayne and Ivy) on bass, and Bun E. Carlos (of Cheap Trick) on drums.  I originally stumbled on this band because of Hanson, but the moment I sampled the first track, I was hooked.  The music is fun, upbeat, catchy, retro, and energetic — kind of reminds me of The Storm, particularly on the song Dead Serious.  Seeing them in concert is awesome.  Iha never smiles, and they make a point of pointing it out, which is hilarious.  Schlesinger is pretty quiet but rocks the bass.  Hanson on vocals — well, I’ll just say that, for me, no voice compares.  And Carlos on drums is awesome — sitting there in jeans and a t-shirt and wearing white gloves while he plays.  Seriously a rocking good time.  Check them out –> http://www.tintedwindows.com

Last year, I provided a selection of Yuletide numbers to help make anyone’s Christmas better/less suicidal. Here’s my playlist for Christmas 2009…please enjoy and drive safe!!!!!

Jimmy Fallon, Horatio Sanz, Julian Casablancas & The Roots – “I Wish It Was Christmas Today”

The Killers – “A Big Red Sled”

Paul McCartney – “Wonderful Christmastime”

Weezer – “Hark The Herald Angels Sing”

Pet Shop Boys – “It Doesn’t Often Snow At Christmas”

The Flaming Lips – “Silent Night”/”Lord, Can You Hear Me?”

Fountains Of Wayne – “The Man In The Santa Suit”

Band Aid 20 – “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”

The California Raisins – “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer”

Morning Musume – “Christmas Medley”

G.

Winter’s longest night arrived with little fanfare yesterday. And for the next three months, those of us living in the Northern Hemisphere will plod on through the cold and frequent snow reminding ourselves that spring is just a few short months ahead. It is the season waiting. Waiting for gifts. Waiting for spiritual nourishment. Waiting for family or friends. Waiting for change. Waiting for the unknown.

As we have for the last three years, Great River Radio will bring you the songs of the season this afternoon in our much-anticipated holiday music show. You’ll hear beautiful songs from Alison Moyet, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Over The Rhine, Mike Doughty, Mark Mothersbaugh, Tony Bennett, Low, Feist, Bob & Hilary James, Calexico, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald and many more. We’ve spent weeks getting the song selection just right … and we know you’ll enjoy our thoughtful selections.

It’s certainly a busy season, but hopefully you’ll have some time to sit back, relax and enjoy this mix of some of our favorite holiday songs. Tune in live from 4-6 p.m. today, or listen to the show later via our archive here at the Great River Radio site. We’ve had many listeners tell us that they enjoy listening to holiday show while wrapping last-minute presents … or when they finally get a chance to settle down with a favorite book in front of a fire. Whatever the time or reason, please join us as we experience the joy of the season through music.

Great River Radio will be taking our usually holiday break during the next couple of weeks, but we won’t be sitting idle. As many of you know, we’re putting together the most expansive and ambitious Great River Radio show ever – “A Decade of Influence.” We’ve been looking back at old playlists, exchanging ideas and receiving recommendations from you to determine the most influential music of the “Aughts.” There’s still plenty of time to get your selections in before the show. Just visit our “Decade of Influence.”

Catch us live today, Dec. 22 at 4-6 p.m. (CST) via the KUST stream
iChat or AIM in the studio: kustradio

Thank you for your participation and listenership all year long. We are grateful to be part of this growing music community. Peace and love to all of you and your loved ones during this time of great anticipation.

Merry Christmas and a very healthy and happy 2010.

Brian/Dan

Playlist
When River Meets The Sea-John Denver & The Muppets
Snowflake Music-Mark Mothersbaugh
I smell Winter-The Housemartins
Valley Winter Song-Fountains or Wayne
Walk Out to Winter-Aztec Camera
Carol Of The Bells-The Bird And The Bee
The Conventry Carol-Alison Moyet
Jingle Bells-Lisa Loeb
Winterglow-Grant Lee Phillips
Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)-The Raveonettes
Rebel Jesus-Kate and Anna McGarrigle
Silent Night-Priscilla Ahn
Gaudette-Medieval Babes
I Hear The Bells-Mike Doughty
Please Come Home For Christmas-Charlie Brown
All I Ever Get For Christmas Is Blue-Over The Rhine
My Dear Acquaintance-Regina Spektor
Winter Wonderland-Tony Bennett
Silent Night-Low
Jingle Bells-Duke Ellington
Lo, How A Rose E’re Bloom-Feist
Waiting-Tom Lord Remix
I Wish It Was Christmas Today-Julian Casablancas
Christmas Time Is Here Again-My Morning Jacket
The Christmas Song-Ella Fitzgerald
Christmas Eyes-Bob & Hilary James
Gift X-Change-Calexico
Christmas In Washington-Steve Earle

A plague on the X-Factor, with its manufactured music and manufactured hype to get the Christmas Number One. (Not that any of these things are new.) So a campaign to usurp it, like the previous one to get Jeff Buckley’s version of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah‘

up the charts, rather than Alexandra Burke’s, is something I would welcome.

Except I can’t really go for Rage Against The Machine’s ‘Killing In The Name‘, with its proliferation of f-words. Sorry.

But more positively, it set me thinking about what would be on my personal Christmas playlist.

Sufjan Stevens‘ 5-EP collection ‘Songs For Christmas‘ contains so many gems.  How about his version of ‘Come, thou fount of every blessing’?

For fun, you have to have Dylan. Yes, really: the old goat is laugh-a-minute. The recent ‘Must be Santa’ has to be in there:

Bruce Cockburn’s ‘Christmas‘ CD from the 1990s was pretty stunning. ‘Joy to the world’ is but one of the gems – unfortunately, I don’t seem to be able to add the video into WordPress either directly or indirectly, so click here or possibly here to see it. Anyway, you won’t be surprised to find Cockburn in this list, since this blog’s name is inspired by him!

Back to the daft, and I have an irrational affection for ‘I Want An Alien For Christmas’ by the Fountains Of Wayne:

And for real Christmas kitsch, there’s nothing like a pseudo-Phil Spector sound, so over to Bruce Springsteen for ‘Santa Claus Is Coming To Town’:

Or for the real thing, Darlene Love and ‘Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)’:

I mean, you just don’t need Mariah Carey, do you?

Of the mainstream big Christmas hits, there’s something I like about the guitar sound on Chris Rea’s ‘Driving Home For Christmas’:

But where’s the Christian stuff?  Randy Stonehill has written a couple. I can’t find a video online of ‘Christmas Song For All Year Round’, but someone has put pictures to the poignant ‘Christmas At Denny’s’:

For Christian cynicism about the commercial season, I can’t trace a video by Larry Norman himself of his song ‘Christmastime’, but here is Stonehill’s version, complete with the immortal lines

Christmastime is coming and the kids are getting greedy
They know it’s in the store because they’ve seen it on the TV

Well, that’s just some random stuff from me. What do you love at this time of year? What can’t you stand?

We’re getting close, into the Top 20 now. Music from a soul legend, a New Jersey Boss, a bunch of power popsters, an Irish powerhouse and a Canadian talent that will be sorely missed are among those in this batch. There’s only ten more to go. Care to guess what’s No. 1?

20. Don’t Give Up On Me–Solomon Burke (Don’t Give Up On Me)

A new classic from a soul legend. Powerful stuff.

19. No Such Thing–John Mayer (Room for Squares)

From the album that kicked off a hugely successful career. And he’s a damn fine guitarist, too.

18. Are You Gonna Be My Girl–JET (Get Born)

A great blast of rock n roll from Down Under. Too bad their follow-ups haven’t been as strong.

17. Little Red Light–Fountains Of Wayne (Welcome Interstate Managers)

From the album that brought us Stacy’s Mom. Great power pop with a sense of humour. Love it.

16. Not Ready To Go–The Trews (House of Ill Fame)

See No. 26. And turn it up.

15. My City Of Ruins–Bruce Springsteen (The Rising)

Fact is he wrote it about his hometown, before 9/11 happened. But when we saw him sing it on the America: A Tribute To Heroes special, it proved to be an incredibly moving tribute, and a rallying cry to rise up.

14. Gypsy Biker–Bruce Springsteen (Magic)

The E-Street Band turns out another winner. On record, Gypsy Biker simply kicked ass. In concert, however, they took it to a whole new level. Like, the moon. The guitar duel is awesome.

13. New Wave–Against Me! (New Wave)

Saw these guys open up for Foo Fighters on the Foos last tour. And now they’re the opener for Billy Talent. Always a bridesmaid, never a bride. But they rock like there’s no tomorrow. Great stuff.

12. Vertigo–U2 (How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb)

1, 2, 3, 14. Ok, so Bono can’t count. But it’s still got a good beat and you can dance to it.

11. Can’t Stop–Jacksoul (Sleepless)

This isn’t on here because of Haydain Neale’s recent passing, which is a tremendous loss to the Canadian musical community. This is on here because it’s a great song. Period.

The Fountains of Wayne are one band I don’t know much about, but have this feeling I would/should love.

I don’t know why I have never explored them in full. I of course know the “Stacy’s Mom,” which I heard on my way to work this morning; in my head that is their one big radio hit, but perhaps I am wrong about that. I remember being tickled by it when it came out — it walked that fine line of sounding not entirely unlike other things on Top 40 radio, yet possessing a distinct difference, largely in its somehow arch but not cynical sense of humor and irony. (OH MY WORD WHAT A CRAP SENTENCE TGOTS. But you catch my drift.)

ANYWAY, so I know and enjoy the “Stacy’s Mom,” and I’ve stumbled upon and likewise enjoyed a couple other FoW tunes like “Valley Winter Song” and “Someone to Love.” But that’s about it. Except:

What I really think of when I hear any Fountains of Wayne song is the movie That Thing You Do!, since FoW bassist Adam Schlesinger wrote the title song. I LOVE THAT MOVIE. AND YES THIS IS A MUSIC BLOG SO AFTER THIS I WILL SHUT UP ABOUT MOVIES FOR A WHILE. BUT OH MY GOODNESS I LOVE THAT MOVIE.

I remember seeing it for the first time with MamaKitt at a little theater across the river from our crappy apartment — the one where I would always claim the projection was fuzzy, except (as MK knew) the problem was actually that I needed glasses. I remember thinking the scene where The Wonders’ (The One-ders’) song was first played on the radio was pure, delicious joy, and I remember walking out of the theater so happy, and dying to see the movie again.

I’ll shut up about the movie now (I TRIED TO PUT IN A CLIP BUT COULDN’T FIND A GOOD ONE BUT TRUST ME IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN IT YOU MUST PS I HEART STEVE ZAHN!), but figure any band that had a part in it is all right by me. So: In 2010, I resolve to find out more about the Fountains of Wayne. Please, if any of the five of you who read this blog have any suggestions on what to check out first, please share. (MK, I have some sense that you know these fellows better than I — thoughts?)

Above: Out-of-State Plates, Fountains of Wayne, 2005

Below: …Baby One More Time, Britney Spears, 1999

“…Baby One More Time” is a great song. It’s stylishly designed, it highlights it’s original artist (Britney Spears) very well, and it was both poppy and vibrant enough to be released as the girl’s first single. It helped make her career, long before she undertook the challenge of destroying it.

That doesn’t mean I like it. I just can’t deny it’s a great song.

Fountains of Wayne’s cover, however, is better than the original. They take whatever it is about the original that I don’t like, and leave it out. This cover is largely the same as the original, but without any of the pop elements that makes the original so… Britney.
The song is track 3, disc 2, but it’s worth the price of the album all by itself.

What do you think?

As the decade draws to a close, everyone’s minds are on the changing times.  Some are concerned with the economy, healthcare reform, and our education system.  While I agree that all of those things are important, I prefer to spend my free time mulling over the more entertaining points in life.  In the coming weeks, this blog will bring you the best of the 2000’s, from music to fashion to television and beyond.  We’re kicking off the holiday season with one of my favorite topics: one-hit wonders.  The following is a list of my personal favorite one-hit wonders throughout the decade; is yours on the list?  Leave us a comment with your favorite hitter and quitter over the past 10 years and check back through the end of the month for more BEST OF THE 2000’s.

Among my favorites in the year 2000 were:  Aaron Carter (Aaron’s Party), Alice Deejay (Better Off Alone), Baha Men (Who Let The Dogs Out?), BBMak (Back Here), Bloodhound Gang (The Bad Touch), Eiffel 65 (Blue), Hoku (Another Dumb Blonde), Macy Gray (I Try), Nine Days (Story of a Girl), and Wheatus (Teenage Dirtbag).  I refuse to pick a winner for this year, so the title gets a two-way split between Macy Gray and Nine Days.

2001 proved to be less fruitful than the dawn of the millenium, but satisfying nonetheless with hits from chart crashers like:  Afroman (Because I Got High), Alien Ant Farm (Smooth Criminal), Blu Cantrell (Hit ‘Em Up Style), Crazy Town (Butterfly), and Willa Ford (I Wanna Be Bad).  My prize goes to Blu Cantrell; every hits station in the country had that jam on a ten-song rotation.

We hit a lull in 2002 that lasted through 2004 (I blame Bush), so I’m going to combine those three years here.  The Calling (Wherever You Will Go), Jimmy Eat World (The Middle), The Ataris (The Boys of Summer), Fountains of Wayne (Stacy’s Mom), Stacie Orrico (More To Life), and Eamon (Fuck It).  If you ask me, the winner is clear; Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle” was a SMASH and still gets played heavily at house parties across the country.

2005 brought a bevy of songs about the fairer sex.  Whether they were kicking ass or falling in love, girls were clearly the favorite topic in songs like:  Brooke Valentine (Girlfight), The Click Five (Just The Girl), DHT (Listen To Your Heart), and Howie Day (Collide).  One song in particular still gets a fair amount of playtime on my iPod.  My high school friends deemed it “my song” that year, two of my favorite reality stars showed up in the video, and those little band boys rocked the swoopy hair before their time:  The Click Five’s “Just The Girl“.

Coming back from the mid-decade lull, 2006 brought us a landslide of chart-toppers who then proceeded to drop off the face of the Earth (or, you know, the hits list … whatever).  Brooke Hogan featuring Paul Wall (About Us), Daniel Powter (Bad Day), Gnarls Barkley (Crazy), James Blunt (You’re Beautiful), Panic! At The Disco (I Write Sins Not Tragedies), and Saving Jane (Girl Next Door).  As much as I would like to bestow this honor upon P!ATD (kisses, Brendon Urie!) or Saving Jane (holding it down in COLUMBUS!), I would have to be a patron of the short bus to not recognize the insane hit-dom of JAMES BLUNT’s “You’re Beautiful“.  I believe I took a piss less often than I heard that song in 2006.

If 2005 was all about girls, 2007 was all about yourself as an individual.  The artists were letting us know how THEY did things.  Some could argue that we agreed, as all three of these songs were undeniable hits; others could make the point that we didn’t agree (since we never wanted to hear from them again).  Either way, these songs were all over the airwaves just two short years ago.  Baby Boy da Prince (The Way I Live), DOE (The Way I Are), and Ingrid Michaelson (The Way I Am).  While I enjoyed all three songs and listen to them still, I have to award Ingrid Michaelson’s “The Way I Am” and the one-hit wonder of the year, for her use of proper English.

I don’t feel it’s fair to claim any of the hits of 2009 as being “one-hit wonders” until another year or two have passed, as no one can predict whether they’ll come out with anything else, so 2008 will be the last year I consider.  The big four last year were:  MIA (Paper Planes), Sara Bareilles (Love Song), Shwayze featuring Cisco Adler (Corona and Lime), and Wyclef Jean featuring Akon, Lil Wayne, and Niia (Sweetest Girl).  Again, I had a tough time choosing the winner.  I personally enjoyed all four songs, so I’m going to make my decision based on my friends’ opinions (keep in mind that 99% of my friends are beefcake boys).  According to them, the clear champion is Sara Bareilles’ “Love Song“.  I’m as surprised as you are.

After settling on the top 8, I think I almost have to pick a winner.  I’ve put a lot of consideration into this and I think the best one-hit wonder of the 2000’s is James Blunt’s “You’re Beautiful” (for sheer airtime alone), followed closely by Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle” and Macy Gray’s “I Try“.

There you have it, folks.  Disagree with my winners?  Find a hole in my list?  Leave a comment below to have YOUR favorite one-hit wonder of the last decade added to this piece.

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

WORD

garrulous [gar-uh-luhs, gar-yuh-] adj. 1. excessively talkative in a rambling, roundabout manner, esp. about trivial matters 2. wordy or diffuse: a garrulous and boring speech

BIRTHDAY

John Dickinson (1732), Robert Louis Stevenson (1850), Richard Mulligan (1932), Garry Marshall (1934), John Hammond (1942), Joe Mantegna (1947), Chris Noth (1954), Whoopi Goldberg (1955), Jimmy Kimmel (1967), Steve Zahn (1967), Gerard Butler (1969)

STANDPOINT

If you put a gun to my head (and I’m by no means suggesting you do that), and asked me, given a choice, what’s my favorite leisure time activity, I’m relatively sure the answer would be watching a Philadelphia Flyers game with either my brother Jer or my best friend Harv, and preferrably both because we are all of the same mind when it comes to the game of hockey. (If I could pick a third person to be there, it’d be my good friend Joe, but he resides in Connecticut and it’s not really practical for him to drive down for games. I’m sure you realize this without me explaining it.)

I am completely certain 99% of you, in a similar circumstance, would offer a different response. (Although, that’s your loss because, even if you don’t like hockey, Jer and Harv and Joe are three solid dudes to hang with.)

Knowing what an excellent judge of character I am, I’m positive it wouldn’t be my choice of company you’d find fault with – it’d be my choice of actually watching hockey. Which no one seems to do these days.

When it comes to watching professional sporting contests, the game of hockey is fighting an uphill battle. And here’s why.

This country loves two sports the most – football and baseball. Again, you may disagree, and that’s totally fine. But for the purposes here, I’m going to adhere to the idea football and baseball are the two sports most everyone couldn’t live without as if it’s a legitimate fact. Which, despite your opinion, is completely true.

Why are football and baseball so popular? Well, lots and lots of reasons. Most everyone of you grew up playing one or both of these sports, or wishing you could. Also, you know all the rules due to the fact the commentators endlessly disect each and every at-bat/play. In addition, of all the televised sports, football and baseball simply offer the opportunity for more bathroom breaks and the chance to talk to your buddies about the game without actually talking during it. There are more, but, in the interests of space and keeping your attention, I’ll stop at those three.

With hockey, hardly any of us have ever played it. (No, NHL ‘94 for the Sega Genesis doesn’t count. Although, I’d listen to any argument to the contrary.) Unless you make a deliberate effort to do so, some of the less-obvious rules are hard to figure out. Lastly, it’s a game you need to pay attention to – talking about the game is reserved for the few commercial breaks and the two 15-minute intermissions.

For those reasons, and probably 200 more, the game of hockey just doesn’t jive with most everyone out there. And, while I’d love to, I can’t say as I blame you. It’s easy to watch a baseball game with friends, even when not everyone in the room particularly cares about the outcome because everyone pretty much knows what’s going on. Same with football games but they have the added bonus of having become excuses to eat a lot of food and drink a bunch of beers which I’m a huge fan of.  They’re major social experiences in a culture becoming more and more devoid of them. I can’t find fault with wanting to spend your time away from work, time away from your kids, time away from whatever, in a relaxing atmosphere where you can yell at the television and rarely use your brain. (That last statement was sincere, not sarcastic.)

Me? I enjoy watching a sport that encourages me to think, requires my attention and leaves me, win or lose, with a weird sense of fulfillment. I love baseball and I kinda like football. But neither give me the same thrill.

And so, I’m a hockey fan.

QUOTATION

You can’t navigate me. I may do mean things, and I may hurt you, and I may run away without your permission, and you may hate me forever, and I know that scares the living shit outta you ’cause you know I’m the only real thing you got. → Ethan Hawke (as Troy Dyer in Reality Bites)

TUNE

Admittedly, this is bad timing after my whole music snobbery rant, but I drove around all over the place yesterday, and I’m trying to become less dependent on my iPod, and attempting to revisit my vaunted CD collection. In any case, I listened to Fountains of Wayne the whole time. Not widely considered an important cog in the machinery of essential music. But, fuck it. I like the band just the same. Especially “No Better Place.”

GALLIMAUFRY

→ I’ve no idea why I like these HTC television ads so much, but I do. Here’s my favorite.

→ Joselio Hanson, a backup CB for the Phiadelphia Eagles, has received a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. Dude. Come on. You’re a backup CB. Really necessary?

→ I tweeted this last night, but for those of you not hip to the Twitter thing yet, I’m encouraging everyone I know to listen to the music of my buddy Emerson B. Go hear his tunes on MySpace. Follow him on Twitter. And get out to one of his shows. If, for no other reason, than you might be able to hang with me.

Katy Perry è stata sicuramente una delle pop sensation degli ultimi tempi, grazie ad una manciata di tormentoni frizzanti e divertenti, accompagnati spesso da look sexy e stravaganti. Una nuova aspirante reginetta del pop che aveva come unico neo le performance live decisamente debolucce dal punto di vista vocale.

Stupisce per questo la scelta di una release acustica e dal vivo per il famoso format  MTV Unplugged, dove l’intento sembra quello di riappropiarsi delle radici più indie rock della cantautrice, quando era una delle tante aspiranti wannabes e il glamour non aveva ancora preso il sopravvento.

La voce miagolante e non sempre piacevolissima si ritrova, così, esposta pericolosamente…ma, ovviamente, non c’è traccia di defaillance alcuna e il tutto risulta estremamente gradevole e suggestivo, grazie soprattutto agli ottimi arrangiamenti che valorizzano al meglio il repertorio della Perry.

Nella breve tracklist trovano spazio i successi del suo albumd’esordio  One Of The Boys: il lavoro di reinvenzione maggior (e migliore) è sulla famosissima I Kissed a Girl a cui viene dato un vestito da fumoso club jazz, più fedeli alle originali le romantiche Thinking Of You e Lost, divertente la provocatoria Ur So Gay. Decisamente meno riuscita Waking Up In Vegas, che spogliata dell’arrangiamento pop rock originale dim0stra di essere un brano davvero da poco.

Due gli episodi inediti: Hackensack, cover dei Fountains of Wayne, che sembra scelta ad hoc per perorare la causa della credibilità artistica e Brick By Brick, che chiude il live in maniera intimista e davvero riuscita.

Certo Katy Perry non è Alanis Morrissette, ma nemmeno P!nk per cercare un paragone più calzante. Questo episodio acustico scivola via innocuo: piacevole, ma senza emozioni. Inconsistente per inconsistente, meglio tornare all’easy pop da classifica ed abbandonare ogni velleità artistica. Riuscire ad azzeccare un’altra manciata di hit, sarebbe già un risultato strepitoso.

Tracklist: I Kissed a Girl – Ur So Gay – Hackensack – Thinking of You – Lost” – Waking Up in Vegas – Brick by Brick

Website: http://www.katyperry.com/

A woman who is 35+, sexually cunning, that prefers to hunt rather than be hunted…

Some urban myth busting by The Daily Mash; Cougars not as good as they sound…

Mrs. Robinson – Simon & Garfunkel Mp3

Don’t let us get sick
Don’t let us get old
Don’t let us get stupid, all right?
Just make us be brave
And make us play nice
And let us be together tonight
- Warren Zevon

It is Social Justice Awareness Week again at KUST – the twice yearly opportunity for us to explore an issue of importance to our community, nation or world in the context of music. Great River Radio has decided to tackle the very current and very hot problem of health care reform – the topic that we hear about every day, from the extremist pundits and the self interests and the sincere reformers. It is a very personal issue – if we haven’t found ourselves sick and broken and in need of healing yet, our loved ones have, and it is inevitable that we will all interact with America’s huge and complex health care system at some point in our lives.

We want to take this opportunity to bring to GRR listeners some songs that came to mind (including many requests from our listeners) as we ponder the health care debate that is underway in this country this very day. We will supplement the music this afternoon with some readings and thoughts on the situation – one which is too often obscured by rhetorical excess, misinformation and outright lies. If you have (like we have) tried to sort out the accurate information from the politics, you may have just thrown up your hands in frustration.

Unfortunately, we can’t explain the intricacies of the bill which just passed the House, or what the Senate will do to it next. We can’t tell you how the doctor and hospital you go to price their services. We can’t explain what constitutes a “pre-existing condition” and why it isn’t covered by your insurance. But we can entertain you for two hours with music about health, healing, hospitals, illness and, finally, mercy. Tune in to Great River Radio this afternoon as we tackle health care reform in our own tiny way, and catch music by Panda Bear, Fountains of Wayne, Loudon Wainwright, Tom Waits, Annie Lennox, Conor Oberst, Ben Kweller, Ted Hawkins, The Band, Mary Gauthier, The Replacements and others – songs selected by Brian, Dan and YOU.

Next week we’ll return to regular programming at Great River Radio, bringing you a mix of the music we’ve been listening to lately. Our regular feature, Confluence, will concern our best friends: dogs. Let us know your favorite dog songs and maybe Brian and I will bring Sonny and Finn into the studio!

Playlist
Chest Fever-The Band
Rockin’ Pneumonia and th Boogie Woogie Flu-Dr. John
Sick Day-Fountains of Wayne
Hurt-Johnny Cash
Everybody Hurts-REM
Rattle My Bones-The Suburbs
Everything Is Broken-Bob Dylan
How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times And Live-The Del Lords
Don’t Let Us Get Sick-Jill Sobule
Allergies-Paul Simon
Sorry You’re Sick-Ted Hawkins
Doctor Robert-The Beatles
Doctor Blind-Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton
Bitter Pill-Annie Lennox
The Healing Game-John Lee Hooker/Van Morrison
That Hospital-Loudon Wainwright III
Hospital Bed-Ben Kweller
Take Me Down To the Hospital-The Replacements
I Don’t Want to Die (In The Hospital)-Conor Oberst
When Water Comes To Life-Cloud Cult
Mercy Now-Mary Gauthier
Handle Me With Care-Travelling Wilburys

Jeerrr-zzzzz!

About 2 weeks back when I went to The Wiltern to see Aimee Mann in concert, I forgot to mention that Fountains of Wayne were the opening act.

Here’s their hit Stacy’s Mom. These lads are really good live. Dig ‘em a lot..

Fountains of Wayne’s fourth, and most recent, album is 2007’s Traffic and Weather. It’s similar in tone and content to their previous three although, for my money, the songwriting isn’t quite as strong.

Traffic and Weather continues the FOW pattern of turning life’s mundane details into pop art. The album features a song about a guy crushing on a pretty teller while waiting in line at the DMV; one about buying a ‘92 Subaru (with an “alarm system so confusing we can’t even get in”); another about a drive down I-95 to meet your girlfriend.

‘New Routine’ is a peppy gem tucked away toward the end of the album. I like how the narrative hops from one character to the next, a sort of six degrees of dissatisfaction. The references to Costco and La Quinta are typical of this album (the first single describes a man who listens to Coldplay and a woman who watches ‘The King of Queens’). As much as I love their real-world poetry, I wonder how well these songs will play 50 years from now.

Though I suspect, God willing, Costco will still be around then.

Two years after Welcome Interstate Managers, Fountains of Wayne released a double-CD compilation of B-sides and unreleased tracks titled Out-of-State Plates. The collection was a bit of a disappointment, as those things go, stuffed with novelty tracks that probably would have better off hidden.

This album backs up my observation that Welcome Interstate Managers is about four songs too long. It seems Fountains of Wayne is a band that hits big when they hit but otherwise has a little trouble connecting with the ball. To use a football analogy, they’re like a wide receiver who makes a lot of big plays but also drops a lot of easy passes. (That reminds me of Buddy Ryan’s famous comment about Cris Carter — meant as a criticism: “All he does is catch touchdowns.”)

Oddly, the song on Out-of-State Plates that I’m most drawn to wasn’t written by the band. It’s a cover of Britney Spears’ first hit, ‘…Baby, One More Time.’ This straight-faced rendition makes it clear that, Britney’s Catholic school girl outfit and thin vocals aside, this is actually a pretty good song.

If I had to name Fountains of Wayne’s best album, I’d be torn between Utopia Parkway and 2003’s Welcome Interstate Managers. Utopia Parkway is a more focused and consistent album, but many of the songs on Welcome Interstate Managers are the band’s best yet.

Managers is one of those cases, more prevalent these days it seems, of an album where less is more. It is a really good album at 16 songs. At 12 it would be amazing. The first six songs fly by in a burst of creativity and craftsmanship but things start to fall apart a few songs after that. Everything here is good but they needed an editor. Of course, in the MP3 era we can all be editors, and it’s easy enough to re-sequence the album as an iTunes playlist.

But I’ll concentrate on what’s great about Welcome Interstate Managers. While Utopia Parkway was about suburban adolescence, Managers is about the mundane details of daily life, for kids and adults alike.

The band’s biggest hit, ‘Stacy’s Mom,’ was propelled up the charts thanks to its hot video starring Rachel Hunter as a classic MILF. In fact, I think the word MILF really started taking off around the time of that video. It’s told from the perspective of a kid who’s more attracted to his girlfriend’s mom than to his girlfriend.

‘Bright Future in Sales’ is the sad-but-irresistibly-catchy tale of an alcoholic businessman:

‘Hey Julie,’ which I’ve featured on the blog already, is a sweet love song about a cubicle drone who makes it through each day because he knows the woman he loves will be there when he gets home. ‘Hackensack’ (another previous Song of the Day) is the opposite… a tune about a small-town guy pining for the girl who escaped to Hollywood.

One of my very favorite tracks on the album is today’s choice, ‘Valley Winter Song.’ It’s a beautiful Simon & Garfunkel-esque ditty about making it through the chilly times, both literally and figuratively. It’s sad but hopeful and the kind of thing I could listen to on a loop.

Most love stories are about people who fall in love with each other. But what about the one-sided love affair? If we were rational we’d acknowledge that its simply addictive emotional masochism; the more unsuitable or unattainable the object of desire, the stronger the fascination.  But when you’re madly in love with someone who doesn’t know you exist, being rational is the furthest thing from your mind. We’ve all been there. You feel like the walking wounded, the unloved one, the handicapped without the advantage of a great parking space! Charlie Brown says it best: “Nothing takes the taste out of peanut butter like UNREQUITED LOVE.”

We opened the show with THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA from one of the best bossa nova singers ever,  Astrud Gilberto, performing with Joao Gilberto and Stan Getz. There really was a girl from Ipanema – a 15 year old called Heloisa Pinto who used to walk past the Rio bar frequented by the songwriters,Vinicius Morais and Antonio Jobim.  The song is a sweet tribute to the totally unattainable as well as an ode to youth. This music video is from the 1964 film “Get Yourself a College Girl”:

KILLING ME SOFTLY WITH HIS SONG has been covered by many artists, most notably by Roberta Flack, whose 1973 version topped the U.S. pop singles charts and won a Grammy Award. We opted to play the equally successful 1996 version, simply called KILLING ME SOFTLY,  by Hip-Hop group The Fugees with Lauryn Hill on lead vocals.

Whitney Houston’s version of I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU, released in 1992,  became one of the best-selling singles of all time. It was written and originally recorded by Dolly Parton and her poignant and bittersweet version, with Parton’s trademark twang,  was my choice this week.

I had to include Billy Bragg’s gentle, yet disturbing, song about a classroom crush, THE SATURDAY BOY, even if it was just for the line: ”I had to look in the dictionary/ To find out the meaning of unrequited.” The Violent Femmes’ upped the ante with a song about repressed lust.  ADD IT UP has Gordon Gano promising himself, ‘the day after today I will stop’, but the music’s pent-up passion suggests otherwise.

When I announced this week’s theme there was lots of correspondence regarding which genre of music does ‘unrequited love’ best. Yes, I agree with BayFM’s Cowboy Sweetheart that country singers have it pretty much all sewn up, but you can’t go past a little soul music when it comes to love songs, requited or not.  A couple of examples: JUST MY IMAGINATION from the Temptations and CUPID from Sam Cooke. And I didn’t forget the soulful sound of Ray Charles with YOU DON’T KNOW ME, delivering a duet with Diana Krall, from his Genius Loves Company album.

Joe Jackson is wonderfully incredulous when he asks: IS SHE REALLY GOING OUT WITH HIM? The Cars, on the other hand,  are obsessed with their BEST FRIEND’S GIRL while  Bowling For Soup are going nuts over the  GIRL ALL THE BAD BOYS WANT. I love a band with a sense of humour. Check out the video from Bowling For Soup. By the way, the band’s name was derived from a comedy act by Steve Martin.

Now if you need convincing that country singers are the kings and queens of the lovelorn, here’s Patsy Cline with I FALL TO PIECES, from the Glenn Reeves Show, February 23, 1963.

LAYLA by the Eric Clapton’s group, Derek & The Dominos, is a tale of unrequited love inspired by Clapton’s relationship with his friend George Harrison’s then wife, Pattie Boyd Harrison. Here’s a video clip from 1984 of Eric Clapton peforming the song live with Bill Wyman on bass, Charlie Watts on drums, Jeff Beck on guitar, Stevie Winwood on piano …. have I died and gone to heaven? 

A song that elevates lovelorn moping to operatic heights is Ben E King’s I WHO HAVE NOTHING and another, possibly,  is Dionne Warwick’s WALK ON BY, written by Burt Bacharach and David Hal. It was recorded by Warwick in 1964 and became a landmark single for her.

A year later Donovan released his first single, CATCH THE WIND, and in 1967 The Small Faces recorded TIN SOLDIER, a song Steve Marriott wrote to his first wife Jenny. The song signalled a return to the band’s R&B roots after their previous forays into psychedelic rock and other musical experiments. P.P. Arnold can be heard singing back up vocals. Here’s some rare footage of The Small Faces with P.P. Arnold performing on Belgium television. The year was 1968. Go the Mods!

Written by the Bee Gees, IF I CAN’T HAVE YOU was given to Yvonne Elliman when the group became involved in the soundtrack for the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever. She scored  a #1 hit in the US with the track. 

Going a bit further back in time is the Everly Brothers version of ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM. Recorded in 1958, it was recorded in just two takes and features Chet Atkins on guitar. The B side “Claudette” was the first major songwriting success for Roy Orbison. Two years later, Orbison recorded ONLY THE LONELY, his first major hit. An operatic rock ballad, it was a sound unheard of at the time, described by the New York Times as expressing “a clenchied, driven urgency.” Here’s Roy performing the song during the Black & White Night concert. No-one does it like the Big O.

From the sublime to the ridiculous:  a teenager falls in love with a pin-up girl, in a picture dated 1929, in The Who’s PICTURES OF LILY and Fountains of Wayne sing about a schoolboy’s lust for his friends mother in STACEY’S MUM. 

And then it was a couple of classics: FOR NO ONE from The Beatles Revolver album, written by Paul McCartney and a track from one of my all-time favourite albums,  I’M WAITING FOR THE DAY from the Beach Boys Pet Sounds album.

In an effort to shake the lovelorn out of the doldrums, we closed the show with Radiohead’s masterpiece of poetic self-loathing, CREEP.

Here’s the complete playlist:

The Girl from Ipanema - Astrud Gilberto / João Gilberto / Stan Getz

Killing Me Softly  - The Fugees

I Will Always Love You - Dolly Parton

Diary - Bread

The Saturday Boy - Billy Bragg

Add It Up  - Violent Femmes

Cupid - Sam Cooke

Just My Imagination  - The Temptations 

You Don’t Know Me – Ray Charles & Diana Krall

Strange And Beautiful (I’ll Put A Spell On You) -  Aqualung

Is She Really Going Out With Him - Joe Jackson

My Best Friend’s Girl - The Cars

Girl All the Bad Boys Want – Bowling For Soup

White Flag - Dido

My Eyes Adored You – Frankie Valli  & the Four Seasons

I Fall To Pieces - Patsy Cline

Layla - Derek & The Dominos 

I’ll Kill Her - SoKo

I Who Have Nothing - Ben E. King 

Walk On By - Dionne Warwick

Catch The Wind - Donovan

Tin Soldier - The Small Faces 

If I Can’t Have You - Yvonne Elliman

All I Have To Do Is Dream - The Everly Brothers

Only The Lonely - Roy Orbison

Pictures Of Lily - The Who

Stacey’s Mom - Fountains of Wayne

For No One - The Beatles

I’m Waiting For The Day - The Beach Boys

Creep - Radiohead

Next week, we’re celebrating Halloween with SCARY SONGS FOR SILLY PEOPLE (or is that SILLY SONGS FOR SCARY PEOPLE?).  Suggestions welcome.

Listen to Lyn McCarthy at the Theme Park on BayFM, Tuesdays 2-4pm, Sydney time.  

Also streaming on http://www.bayfm.org

Tragically also on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/maccalyn

Fountains of Wayne’s second album, 1999’s Utopia Parkway, was my first introduction to the band. I heard the fabulous song ‘Denise’ on a compilation album that came with a music magazine and I was instantly hooked.

For some reason I thought they were a Christian rock band. I think I was confusing them with Jars of Clay. But when I picked up the album I realized that I was completely off base (not that there’s anything wrong with Christian rock bands… it’s just not the sort of thing I want to listen to). Thirty seconds into ‘Red Dragon Tattoo’ I knew I’d found a new band to add to my list of favorites.

Utopia Parkway is a concept album about the adolescent life of outsiders orbiting New York City. Schlesinger grew up in New Jersey and Collingwood in Pennsylvania, and they capture the suburban experience beautifully in songs both funny and sweet.

The aforementioned ‘Denise’ and ‘Red Dragon Tattoo’ are about luckless guys pining over cool chicks. ‘The Valley of Malls’ describes a trek to an outlet mall in search of a “half-off sale” when there’s “so little time for so much to try on.” ‘Laser Show’ puts you in the planetarium seat tripping out to Pink Floyd:

‘Prom Theme’ is a fascinating, schmaltzy number that perfectly satirizes the sort of music normally chosen as a prom theme while managing to strike a poignant tone by the end. I wonder if any schools have had the good humor to actually choose the song as their theme. I’m going to quote the lyrics in full even though it’s not the Song of the Day because I love what they do here:

I could have chosen ‘Prom Theme’ as today’s SOTD but I didn’t want to pass up the chance to highlight ‘Troubled Times,’ one of my favorite Fountains of Wayne songs. This is a straight-up heartbreak song about the one who got away and it really showcases FOW’s gift for melody and a soaring chorus.