February 28th 2008 12:09 am
Daily Random 10, part 4
- Liz Phair - Explain it to me. 4 stars. This is one of the songs where Phair’s speak-sing style of vocal presentation really works perfectly for the song, adding a layer of sad defeatism to the lyrics.
- Amy Winehouse - Love is a Losing Game. 3 stars. I thought “Rehab” felt artificial from the first time I heard it, catchy, but artificial. This feels a lot more genuine, even though I’m still not a huge fan of her voice.
- Pulp - Fairground. 2 stars. They try for a cool creepy vibe, like the guy at the county fair with way too many tattoos and a handlebar mustache, or a good scary movie about clowns, but they hit an annoying creepy that would make me hold a loaded shotgun at a barricaded door, just waiting for zombie clowns from Mars to come busting through.
- Kristin Hersh - Winter. 4 stars. Bells that make me think of Christmas Carols? Non-traditional (for pop/rock) stringed instruments? Kristen Hersh? I’m so there. And it’s less than 3 minutes long, so even if I’m not in the mood for it, it’ll be over soon enough.
- Smoking Popes - Adena. 4 stars. I thought about giving this only 3 stars, but, no. I love the Popes too much to deprive myself of even their mediocre output. I’m now going to listen to this again. Also, can we get one of their songs on a Guitar Hero/Rock Band game? I know it’d be on the earlier set of songs, but that’d be awesome, thanks.
- Live - Waterboy. 3 stars. I used to love Live so very much, but then I listened to Mental Jewelry for a few days straight. Now I’m content to hear a song or two and then forget them for months, even years, at a time.
- Jem - 24. 3 stars. I was initially intrigued by the insistent violin section and her quick, low voiced delivery. Then Generic Hard Rock guitar sound intervened (think Evanescence), and I got bored. Within two chords.
- R.E.M. - New Orleans Instrumental no 1. 3 stars. Okay, but it could have been a lot better had they tried to do anything at all with the melodic line.
- Old 97’s - Streets of Where I’m From. 4 stars. “It’s not funny like it is on T.V./and it’s not smart like it is in books”
- Kings of Convenience - Know-How. 3 stars. These guys should give John Mayer a clinic in how to be soft without being tedious. Their playing always manages to sound both simple and intricate. The only reason this song doesn’t get a four star rating is the overly repetitive lyrical content.
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