Songs Thirty-Two through Thirty-Seven

Another catch-up edition, I'm afraid. I've been working on other things and then went to a two day quilting master-class. In this class, we had to abstract and stylize a flower and then realize our design in fabric. (While I really like my project, it will be a while before I want to look at red tulips again.) I worked on "opening up" my design, since I tend to pile stuff on, and I'm usually very folky in my work--so I was pushing myself to use VIBRANT color as opposed to the repro muddy and acid colors I gravitate to. As the teacher walked through the class, she did mini-critiques of our work, always with a very positive spin--though she still really struck some nerves. (I let her pull my whole piece apart and restart me in a new direction--it was really quite liberating!) At one point, I made an offhand comment about how the class and the process reminded me of last week's Project Runway, and boy howdy, this may have been a class in which I was considered a 42 year old "youngster," but about 2/3 of these women watch that show RELIGIOUSLY. I'll bet Bravo doesn't realize its strongest demo is quilters 55+. And, they all hate Santino and were really sad that "super sweet Hispanic gay guy" (translation, Nick) got voted off. Plus, apparently last episode, you could completely see Heidi's panty-line (I must have missed it): "You would think she, of all people, could get someone to design her a dress that fit." "Who wants to see that on a pregnant girl?" And, another admitted that--like me--she cried at Jay's collection last year because it was so beautiful. Fabric . . . the great uniter!

So, on to this week's four song catch-up, plus today's tune, and one to grow on for tomorrow.

Song Thirty-Two: The Magic Numbers, "Gone Are the Days." Starts simply and layers on and then pulls the layers off at points for emphasis. The drumming rolls the song forward in a nice way. Lead singer Romeo's voice is sweet, a bit breathy but not treacly--during some phrasing he actually sounds a bit like a peppier Neil Young. The song has a slightly sad feeling--nostalgic break-up. I'd definitely listen to more Magic Numbers' songs.

Song Thirty-Three: The Sleepy Jackson, "Miniskirt." Has kind of a country-rock vibe that feels a bit 70s AM radio--jangly and Chevy-van ready; and at points, it also has a Replacements kind of feel. Thus, to no surprise, there's a drunky slowness to the pacing: I can envision everyone who's playing sitting on pushed back chairs surrounded by empties. In the middle, there are instruments in here I can't completely identify at points, maybe something Australian-y like a wobbly board? It also has a megaphone background voice like in that Wings song about Uncle Albert. Fun retro that clearly doesn't take itself too seriously: "If I was a girl, I'd wear a miniskirt into town." Good luck with that!

Song Thirty-Four: The Pushstars, "Minnesota." Fast and poppy, with a mandolin, I think. The lead singer has an "I have a permanent cold" voice. Here's an odd observation: you can really hear the separation in the tracks between the vocals and the instruments. There's something about this song that sounds too much like the Rembrandts' Friends theme. You can really see this as the theme to a show about a fresh-faced Minneapolis native who's moved to the big city to make it big: a Mary Tyler Moore for the aughts.

Song Thirty-Five: Kings of Convenience, "I'd Rather Dance With You." Smooth, well-crafted pop from Norway, of all places. This is the place all you Swing Out Sister listeners can safely land (I'm right there with you!). The song moves along at a fast clip with clever lyrics about solving the trials of courtship by simply getting out there and shaking your booty-butt (as we say at our house). This is a very well-made song--think Volvo not Ikea (yeah, I know, but all those Scandanavian places merge together).

Song Thirty-Six: Citizen Cope, "Bullet and a Target." Clarence Greenwood (the voice behind CC) has a wonderful lazy delivery that does a great job of underselling the import of the lyrics so that you groove along and then think, "What did he just say?" Which I think is part of the power of the song--it kind of draws you into that space between the bullet and the target without your knowledge. I like this song, a lot. It has a great "clapping" chorus that propels things forward with a sense of urgency that contrasts with Greenwood's slowhand vocals. Interesting!

Song Thirty-Seven: Air, "Playground Love." This is the Air song we all know and love from the Virgin Suicides soundtrack. I don't own that CD, but loved the book (which I read years ago when my parents still lived in GPW, a suburb perfectly captured by the claustrophobic narrative) and the movie (wonderful). I thought I'd finally buy the song. There is a real density to it--everything is muffled and fuzzy, like you're listening to it through a heavy blanket. It has a narcotic-ly beautiful feel: dangerously slo-mo.

328 more to go.