Breaking up sucks. Sad to say, I've been the victim more than a few times.
Anyway, the USA Today blog Pop Candy (if you don't read it, you should check it out) ran a top 5 list of songs to listen to after being dumped, submitted by a reader.
I thought I'd come up with a list of songs of, about or relating to breaking up that I like (by far not the best five, just the first that came to mind). I'd also like to know yours. Post 'em in the comments.
"It's Cool, We Can Still Be Friends" by Bright Eyes - Wow, this song is harsh. The tune basically recounts all the stuff that you go through with a girl after the relationship ends, from still getting a kiss (but on the cheek now) to pouring a tall glass of whiskey and getting loaded. Conor sounds angry, like maybe it actually happened to him.
"Take It Easy (Love Nothing)" by Bright Eyes - Another Conor one, this time from the kinda electronic "Digital Ash in a Digital Urn" album. Starts with an, ahem, experience with a girl and then ends with him getting dumped in a note. The experience makes him "do as I please and lie through my teeth" to women he meets in the future. Who hasn't been there?
"Half Your Age" by Kid Rock - The early mornin' stoned pimp, as it were, has also been dumped. This is his anthem (presumably directed at Pam Anderson) about meeting a hotter, younger woman who does his laundry and, as it turns out, his mother approves of. Fight the good fight, Kid Rock.
"You Oughta Know" by Alanis Morisette - Thanks to Francesca F. for this suggestion. While it seems a predictable choice, it's nonetheless awesome. She sounds so sincerely pissed off and you can tell both in the lyrics and in the tone she takes. Incredible. The fact that it's supposedly about Dave Coulier (of Full House fame) is just icing on the cake.
"Song For the Dumped" by Ben Folds Five - A great tune. Folds sings about getting dumped on the front porch after he takes the girlfriend to dinner. Lyrics like "you wanted to slow it down some and have some space? Fuck you too!" and "Give me my money back, you bitch" and "And don't forget to give me back my black T-shirt." Who hasn't wanted to yell that at someone after being kicked to the curb?
Friday, October 16, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Headlines! Green Day, Flaming Lips and more
I wrote this yesterday, but screwed up and didn't post it. Apologies... Herewith, yesterday's post:
Today I got to talk to to great people: Curt Kirkwood of the Meat Puppets and the Queen of Mean, comedian Lisa Lampanelli.
Kirkwood actually lived in Omaha for a time, he told me. I had no idea. Apparently he had a kidney removed at Children's Hospital and camped out in town with grandparents and other relatives, who were from Omaha, when he was in first grade.
Lisa Lampanelli was pretty hilarious. Several words that she used over and over are not allowed to be printed in the OWH, so I'm going to have to find a way around that. Should be interesting.
Anyway, headlines!
• Monsters of Folk - Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis, M. Ward and Jim James - kicked off its tour the other night. Spin reviewed the show. Looking at the pictures, it looks like they'll be dressed to the nines, just like on their Tonight Show performance.
• If you're Elvis-obsessed, you can buy a clump of the King's hair. Sounds kinda gross/creepy to me, but whatever floats your boat.
• The Flaming Lips were on the Tonight Show.
• According to Nick Hexum's Twitter page, 311 will announce details about 311 day tomorrow. Past dates have been in New Orleans and Memphis, but it appears that they're doing something different this time around.
• Download a new track from OK Go. You know, the guys who did the treadmill video?
• Sufjan Stevens apparently is getting a little tired of his conceptual ideas and trying to think of something new.
• Blender occasionally throws out five new songs they love. Here is their latest, including Death Cab, Flaming Lips and others that I've never heard of.
• I'm excited to see the movie Pirate Radio because of the cast and the music. Check out some clips over at Yahoo.
• Kanye and Lady Gaga canceled their tour awhile ago, but apparently the Lady is going out on the road with Kid Cudi. No Omaha date is on the list.
• Paul McCartney did a show awhile ago at Citi Field, the replacement for the New York Mets' Shea Stadium where the Beatles performed those famous concerts so many years ago. A DVD is coming out and Sir Paul released the tracklist.
• Remember how Green Day was going to do a musical? About "American Idiot?" Maybe not. If you did, you might have cringed like I did. Spin gives it a so-so review.
Today I got to talk to to great people: Curt Kirkwood of the Meat Puppets and the Queen of Mean, comedian Lisa Lampanelli.
Kirkwood actually lived in Omaha for a time, he told me. I had no idea. Apparently he had a kidney removed at Children's Hospital and camped out in town with grandparents and other relatives, who were from Omaha, when he was in first grade.
Lisa Lampanelli was pretty hilarious. Several words that she used over and over are not allowed to be printed in the OWH, so I'm going to have to find a way around that. Should be interesting.
Anyway, headlines!
• Monsters of Folk - Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis, M. Ward and Jim James - kicked off its tour the other night. Spin reviewed the show. Looking at the pictures, it looks like they'll be dressed to the nines, just like on their Tonight Show performance.
• If you're Elvis-obsessed, you can buy a clump of the King's hair. Sounds kinda gross/creepy to me, but whatever floats your boat.
• The Flaming Lips were on the Tonight Show.
• According to Nick Hexum's Twitter page, 311 will announce details about 311 day tomorrow. Past dates have been in New Orleans and Memphis, but it appears that they're doing something different this time around.
• Download a new track from OK Go. You know, the guys who did the treadmill video?
• Sufjan Stevens apparently is getting a little tired of his conceptual ideas and trying to think of something new.
• Blender occasionally throws out five new songs they love. Here is their latest, including Death Cab, Flaming Lips and others that I've never heard of.
• I'm excited to see the movie Pirate Radio because of the cast and the music. Check out some clips over at Yahoo.
• Kanye and Lady Gaga canceled their tour awhile ago, but apparently the Lady is going out on the road with Kid Cudi. No Omaha date is on the list.
• Paul McCartney did a show awhile ago at Citi Field, the replacement for the New York Mets' Shea Stadium where the Beatles performed those famous concerts so many years ago. A DVD is coming out and Sir Paul released the tracklist.
• Remember how Green Day was going to do a musical? About "American Idiot?" Maybe not. If you did, you might have cringed like I did. Spin gives it a so-so review.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Headlines! Bon Iver, Weezer and more
Busy day of writing about Mannheim Steamroller and figure skating today. Yes, I said figure skating. Not my normal cup of tea, but there's a thing going on at the Qwest this weekend that I had to write about.
Tomorrow, I'm talking to Curt from the Meat Puppets and the queen of mean, Lisa Lampanelli. Should be a pretty fun day. I also have to write up a story on the Monsters of Folk. (I've been promising excerpts from my Mike Mogis interview and I'll get them to you. Promise.)
Until then, feast on headlines!
• Paste got a new website. I like it better. It's a lot cleaner than their old one.
• Bon Iver announced an indefinite hiatus. WTF?! The article explains that the full band will be apart for awhile, which leads me to believe Justin Vernon is talking about touring, not skipping out on recording more material.
• The new album from Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson (wow, that's a mouthful) is streaming. He's the new Saddle Creek guy and his record (what I've listened to so far, anyway) is really freaking good.
• Download Thom Yorke's song "Hearing Damage."
• Tonight, there's a Joan Baez documentary on PBS. Apparently, it has a Bob Dylan interview, MLK footage and a whole bunch of other stuff.
• Speaking of Dylan, he's got a Christmas album out. Sounds interesting, but apparently it's good.
• If you pay iTunes about 20 bucks, you can get the new Weezer album, "Ratitude," plus a bunch of other goodies.
• Speaking of Weezer, Rivers Cuomo is going to work with Katy Perry.
• For those excited for Pavement's reunion shows, they won't be playing new material.
• As if there aren't enough Elvis compilations out, they're putting out a 100-song boxed set.
Tomorrow, I'm talking to Curt from the Meat Puppets and the queen of mean, Lisa Lampanelli. Should be a pretty fun day. I also have to write up a story on the Monsters of Folk. (I've been promising excerpts from my Mike Mogis interview and I'll get them to you. Promise.)
Until then, feast on headlines!
• Paste got a new website. I like it better. It's a lot cleaner than their old one.
• Bon Iver announced an indefinite hiatus. WTF?! The article explains that the full band will be apart for awhile, which leads me to believe Justin Vernon is talking about touring, not skipping out on recording more material.
• The new album from Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson (wow, that's a mouthful) is streaming. He's the new Saddle Creek guy and his record (what I've listened to so far, anyway) is really freaking good.
• Download Thom Yorke's song "Hearing Damage."
• Tonight, there's a Joan Baez documentary on PBS. Apparently, it has a Bob Dylan interview, MLK footage and a whole bunch of other stuff.
• Speaking of Dylan, he's got a Christmas album out. Sounds interesting, but apparently it's good.
• If you pay iTunes about 20 bucks, you can get the new Weezer album, "Ratitude," plus a bunch of other goodies.
• Speaking of Weezer, Rivers Cuomo is going to work with Katy Perry.
• For those excited for Pavement's reunion shows, they won't be playing new material.
• As if there aren't enough Elvis compilations out, they're putting out a 100-song boxed set.
Miley Cyrus was not good
Part of my job is to review concerts. Smaller ones I'll do right here on this blog. Bigger ones, I'll do for the paper.
We've stepped back from covering every single thing that performs at the Qwest, Mid-America Center and Civic Auditorium. Notice that we didn't send anyone to Creed last week.
Well, Miley Cyrus happens to be one of the biggest things in pop culture (I mean, did you hear about people freaking when she deleted her Twitter account last week?).
So, I went. And here, dear readers, are my thoughts on the subject.
Basically, it was a gross display of the Disney machine in action. The whole thing was there to sell more Miley/Hannah Montana merchandise (which parents gladly did), topped off by a 16-year-old girl prancing around in hot pants and showing her ass and cleavage to almost 15,000 people (mostly young girls).
As for the music, it's pretty inoffensive pop stuff. Miley is no Bob Dylan, that's for sure. But she doesn't have the best voice in the world to begin with, and that was hampered even further by the fact she was running around the stage the whole time instead of actually trying to sing.
Ugh. Thank the maker she won't be back for awhile...
Image by James R. Burnett/The World-Herald
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
KoL update
A few people have commented (including some that I attended the show with last night) that the Kings of Leon performance was too short.
I agree. I said yesterday that I could have gone for another 10 songs, or at least 30 to 40 minutes. But I have to admit that they played their best 18 songs (see the set list). Were there others that I'd like to see? Yes.
But the Kings have a kind of no-nonsense approach. They don't banter with the crowd. They don't have an elaborate show. They don't fiddle around on guitar solos for 4 minutes. Essentially, they're the antithesis to U2.
Part of the quick show time has to do with that, I think. If it were Fleetwood Mac, 18 songs would have taken 2 hours, easy, because Stevie Nicks would extemporize about how they wrote "Landslide" and Lindsey Buckingham would noodle around on his guitar. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It's just Fleetwood's style, much like not fucking around and just playing some rock songs is the Kings' style.
One guy commented that Kol frontman Caleb F. was being a bit of a wuss (he used some stronger words) by complaining about his crew. If I were him, I'd complain too. Maybe not by calling them out onstage to the crowd, but I'd raise hell.
This is a band who runs a tight ship. Notes aren't out of place. Lyrics aren't flubbed. Ever. If the crew screws up, they're going to hear it.
Also, this same person commented that Caleb was bagging on the crowd by saying that the "fans in the front were real KoL fans." This is something that I've heard other bands say countless times. Don't think he was making fun of you for not crowd surfing, so cool out dude.
***
In other news, I have to go to review Miley Cyrus tonight. This should be interesting... Review will be posted later.
I agree. I said yesterday that I could have gone for another 10 songs, or at least 30 to 40 minutes. But I have to admit that they played their best 18 songs (see the set list). Were there others that I'd like to see? Yes.
But the Kings have a kind of no-nonsense approach. They don't banter with the crowd. They don't have an elaborate show. They don't fiddle around on guitar solos for 4 minutes. Essentially, they're the antithesis to U2.
Part of the quick show time has to do with that, I think. If it were Fleetwood Mac, 18 songs would have taken 2 hours, easy, because Stevie Nicks would extemporize about how they wrote "Landslide" and Lindsey Buckingham would noodle around on his guitar. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It's just Fleetwood's style, much like not fucking around and just playing some rock songs is the Kings' style.
One guy commented that Kol frontman Caleb F. was being a bit of a wuss (he used some stronger words) by complaining about his crew. If I were him, I'd complain too. Maybe not by calling them out onstage to the crowd, but I'd raise hell.
This is a band who runs a tight ship. Notes aren't out of place. Lyrics aren't flubbed. Ever. If the crew screws up, they're going to hear it.
Also, this same person commented that Caleb was bagging on the crowd by saying that the "fans in the front were real KoL fans." This is something that I've heard other bands say countless times. Don't think he was making fun of you for not crowd surfing, so cool out dude.
***
In other news, I have to go to review Miley Cyrus tonight. This should be interesting... Review will be posted later.
KoL at the MAC
Kings of Leon were quite awesome. Check out my review (and set list).
Something about those guys always makes their set seem waaaaay too short. I think it's partly that they barely stop for anything (even to drink their booze). And the other part is that they have a lot of songs that I like.
I have my favorites, but after 18 songs tonight, I felt like they could have done about 10 more. Hell, I wouldn't have minded if they played "Taper Jean Girl" twice.
Anyway, good show. If you have the opportunity to go, do it.
Anyone else at the show? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Today's Mail
I was gone for a week, so the pile of mail wast truly epic. Here's what turned up:
Bowling for Soup, "Sorry for Partyin'" - These guys play crappy, goofy pop punk full of fart jokes and cheesy lyrics. Nonetheless, I cannot help but enjoy these guys. Part of it is that I like crappy pop punk and fart jokes, but the other part is that these guys are in on the joke. They don't take themselves very seriously at all. I mean, they have a song called "My Wena." 'Nuff said.
Neil Diamond, "A Cherry Cherry Christmas" - I always find it amusing that a Jewish guy has this many Christmas albums, but they work for him. This disc features Xmas classics like "White Christmas" and "Jingle Bell Rock" but also new stuff like "Cherry Cherry Christmas." He does include a little tune called "The Chanukah Song" at the end. And yes, it is a cover of the Adam Sandler tune. And it's hilarious.
Five For Fighting, "Slice" - This guy was in town recently. I guess the show lasted 15-20 minutes. Lame. Maybe the album's good? Don't know.
Taylor Hollingsworth, "Life With a Slow Ear" - Taylor is a member of the Mystic Valley Band, as one of the group's guitarists (I think they had three, maybe four). He also penned a few tunes and sang on "Air Matress." I liked his pre-MVB stuff (like "Central City") and am interested in listening to the new one. The 10-song album will be out on (surprise!) Oberst's Team Love label.
Bishop Allen, "Grrr..." - This disc isn't new, but Bishop Allen is coming to town soon. My friend Maggie D. turned me onto these guys awhile back and we've both been anticipating their arrival. Check 'em out Nov. 3 at Slowdown.
Paste sampler - If you're lucky enough to recieve "Paste" magazine, you get a music sampler every week. It is a highlight, to be sure. The mini version of the magazine came last week and, along with it, a disc including Avett Brothers, Sea Wolf, Langhorne Slim, Lou Barlow and quite a few others.
Backstreet Boys, "This is Us" - I don't really care much to hear this album, but it's gauranteed to sell a bunch of copies after we get beaten over the head with whatever the album's first single is (I'm guessing "Straight Through My Heart" based on the sticker slapped onto the jewel case).
Toby Keith, "American Ride" - This should be interesting. Kris Kristofferson just had an album out too. Hopefully, they don't start any fights.
Brandi Carlile, "Give Up the Ghost" - The third full-length from the indie-pop-folk-alt country-whatever singer-songwriter.
Lita Ford, "Wicked Wonderland" - Who knew Lita Ford was still putting out albums? Well, here's another one.
Other stuff in the mail: "Holiday Magic" by Connie Talbot, "Music for Men" by Gossip, "Life as a Song" by Five Times August, "SpeakLove" by Courtney Fortune, "The New Seed" by Zera Vaughan, "Speak No Evil" by Tinsley Ellis, "Lost in Dreams" by Curtis Stigers, "Bright Nights Dark Days" by Cavo and "Why You Runnin'" by Lissie
Bowling for Soup, "Sorry for Partyin'" - These guys play crappy, goofy pop punk full of fart jokes and cheesy lyrics. Nonetheless, I cannot help but enjoy these guys. Part of it is that I like crappy pop punk and fart jokes, but the other part is that these guys are in on the joke. They don't take themselves very seriously at all. I mean, they have a song called "My Wena." 'Nuff said.
Neil Diamond, "A Cherry Cherry Christmas" - I always find it amusing that a Jewish guy has this many Christmas albums, but they work for him. This disc features Xmas classics like "White Christmas" and "Jingle Bell Rock" but also new stuff like "Cherry Cherry Christmas." He does include a little tune called "The Chanukah Song" at the end. And yes, it is a cover of the Adam Sandler tune. And it's hilarious.
Five For Fighting, "Slice" - This guy was in town recently. I guess the show lasted 15-20 minutes. Lame. Maybe the album's good? Don't know.
Taylor Hollingsworth, "Life With a Slow Ear" - Taylor is a member of the Mystic Valley Band, as one of the group's guitarists (I think they had three, maybe four). He also penned a few tunes and sang on "Air Matress." I liked his pre-MVB stuff (like "Central City") and am interested in listening to the new one. The 10-song album will be out on (surprise!) Oberst's Team Love label.
Bishop Allen, "Grrr..." - This disc isn't new, but Bishop Allen is coming to town soon. My friend Maggie D. turned me onto these guys awhile back and we've both been anticipating their arrival. Check 'em out Nov. 3 at Slowdown.
Paste sampler - If you're lucky enough to recieve "Paste" magazine, you get a music sampler every week. It is a highlight, to be sure. The mini version of the magazine came last week and, along with it, a disc including Avett Brothers, Sea Wolf, Langhorne Slim, Lou Barlow and quite a few others.
Backstreet Boys, "This is Us" - I don't really care much to hear this album, but it's gauranteed to sell a bunch of copies after we get beaten over the head with whatever the album's first single is (I'm guessing "Straight Through My Heart" based on the sticker slapped onto the jewel case).
Toby Keith, "American Ride" - This should be interesting. Kris Kristofferson just had an album out too. Hopefully, they don't start any fights.
Brandi Carlile, "Give Up the Ghost" - The third full-length from the indie-pop-folk-alt country-whatever singer-songwriter.
Lita Ford, "Wicked Wonderland" - Who knew Lita Ford was still putting out albums? Well, here's another one.
Other stuff in the mail: "Holiday Magic" by Connie Talbot, "Music for Men" by Gossip, "Life as a Song" by Five Times August, "SpeakLove" by Courtney Fortune, "The New Seed" by Zera Vaughan, "Speak No Evil" by Tinsley Ellis, "Lost in Dreams" by Curtis Stigers, "Bright Nights Dark Days" by Cavo and "Why You Runnin'" by Lissie
KoL live DVD
The day of their concert in good ole Council Bluffs, Kings of Leon announce a new DVD.
It's official: They've hit mainstream status. You can tell because they're not focused on just doing albums any more. The group is now keeping up a steady stream of non-album releases to keep fans interested in between records.
Don't get me wrong, this is going to be cool. Their live show is freaking great (at least, they were when I saw them in Chicago). This will be nice to replay and relive the memories, so to speak.
Tracklist:
Notion
Be Somebody
Taper Jean Girl
My Party
Molly's Chambers
Red Morning Light
Fans
California Waiting
Milk
Closer
Crawl
Four Kicks
Charmer
Sex on Fire
The Bucket
On Call
Cold Desert
Use Somebody
Slow Night, So Long
Knocked Up
Manhattan
Black Thumbnail
I'm back
My weeklong vacation was a much-needed one. I am now back in the office with nearly 400 e-mails to read, quite a few missed calls and voice mails and a pile of CDs and press releases to go through.
The blog will be back in the swing of things today and I'll be checking out Kings of Leon at the Mid-America Center tonight. A review will be posted on Omaha.com and here later on.
Anything I missed on my week off? Let me know in the comments.
The blog will be back in the swing of things today and I'll be checking out Kings of Leon at the Mid-America Center tonight. A review will be posted on Omaha.com and here later on.
Anything I missed on my week off? Let me know in the comments.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Hahaha
Today, feast on this funny music-related comic from the genius R. Stevens over at Diesel Sweeties:
Go to Diesel Sweeties' site for more hipster robot comics, funny t-shirts and the like.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)