In my younger days

I finally got to listen to the Eels new song (see yesterday’s post for the video and song).  It resonates, even got a little teary eyed.  While I liked the energy of the songs on Hombre Lobo, this is the kind of song that made me stand up and take notice of the Eels and E.  It has the feel, to me at least, of my favorite Christmas song from last year:  ”I’m going to stop pretending I didn’t break your heart.”  I also enjoyed the video to “In my younger days” – it has Bobby, Jr. for starters and E looks relaxed and not as self conscious as he has looked when he is trying to “act.”  And the music is beautiful – I’m not a musician but I enjoy the electronic tones and for lack of a better description I’m going to call them seagull-like noises that weave in and through the song faintly, in the background.  I know that doesn’t sound right but I don’t have the vocabulary to describe what I enjoy about the music.  Anyway…

I wonder if there’s a limit as to how many times one can place a youtube video on a blog – what the heck – its Christmas, enjoy  (at least this a different version of the song – in the past I’ve put up the version the Eels did on the Craig Ferguson show)

El Hombre Lobo…

I’ve read some rather snarky reviews about the new Eels CD “El Hombre Lobo” and some very glowing ones. My opinion is that Hombre Lobo accomplishes what it sets out to do – capturing the pain of the outsider – that little person in all of us that feels like it doesn’t quite belong.  Yes, there are some songs that are intentionally out and out creepy and some that are fuzzy and sad but you know it can’t all be flowers and sunshine and Donkey by your side now can it?  I enjoyed the album – go to the Eels Myspace page where you can listen to the whole album for yourself and form your own opinion.  EELS HOMBRE LOBO

Here’s one of my favorites from Hombre Lobo:

Music of Glass

I once again had the good fortune of catching something on PBS last night that I wasn’t expecting to see – a documentary from 2007 on Philip Glass directed/filmed by Scott Hicks  (who also directed Shine).  I had forgotten just how much I like his music.  My first introduction to Mr. Glass’ music was through the Paul Schrader film ”Mishima.”  The movie was visually stunning and the soundtrack was glorious.  It is a biography of sorts on the life (and death) of the Japanese writer Yukio Mishima.  To be honest, all I remember of the film is the score and the theatrically perfect visual designs of Eiko Ishioka.  I found this at YouTube but you really need to see the whole film to get the sense of beauty.  Take a look and a listen:

Glass’ music is mesmerizing.  His work has graced many films, operas and I think even Sesame Street.  Here is a link to his website where you can hear more of his work:  Glass Audio  (my recommendation are the “Etudes for Piano”  and Koyaanisqatsi - another film worth seeing and hearing). I had the privilege of seeing him perform in person many, many years ago – just him and the piano on a wooden floor.

 I’m not sure why I’m being drawn to music as of late, and a variety of music at that (Elton to Eels to Glass).  Most usually I am a visualist – I become engaged with images and colors.  Go figure – perhaps I’m trying to hear as much as I can before I totally lose my hearing?

Below is some Glass from Mishima:

Jugaremos en el bosque

The Eels are releasing a new CD – “Hombre Lobo” in June and have released a song from that album “Fresh Blood” – click on the image below to go listen to it… Do it…. I’ll wait here and then we can discuss….go ahead.. I know it looks scary … go…..

(I found out about the release at  Rock Hard Times)

As a relatively new Eels fan and one whose going deaf to boot, I’m not sure whether my review of Fresh Blood carries or should carry any weight, but I’ll give my opinion anyway.  Much like many of the other reviewers of this song, on first listen I wasn’t jumping up and down with enthusiasm.  First of all I don’t jump with enthusiasm, ever, …well, hardly ever … and then frankly the theme and lyrics just scared me (but then I scare very easily).   I was drawn back for another go round — its got a good percussive  hook and it pulls you in with those synthesized howls.  On second and subsequent listenings, I realized how much I enjoyed it.  What first comes off as stalking and intimidating turns into a depiction of the human experience of needing, the putting on of bravado (howling) and in the end just asking for what you want.  The last lyrics, which even with my impaired hearing I can make out state:

Whatever trepidation you might feel
In your heart, you know its not real
In a moment of clarity,
Summon an act of charity

There is also something  in the song that reminds me of a childhood game I used to play “jugaremos en el bosque meintras el lobo no esta” (We will play in the forest while the wolf is away).   A group of kids sing the song as they dance in a circle and when they stop, they ask the “wolf” who is usually hiding behind a tree if he is ready and the wolf-player will say something like he is putting on his socks or combing his hair and this goes on until the “wolf” decides he is ready and runs out and tags whoever he can catch who then becomes the next “wolf.”   Its mock ferociousness but its a lot of fun.  I’m looking forward to all the new songs.

Who cares what games we choose….

Little to win but nothing to lose.  Those lyrics have been rattling around my head.  They even pushed the Eels right off their perch on my frontal lobe.  Those lyrics originate from “Incense and Peppermints” by the Strawberry Alarm Clock.  They were the only lyrics I rememebered of the song (except of course for “incense and peppermints”) – I was a wee, wee lass in 1967 when this song came out  (wipe that smirk off your face, I was a wee, wee lass).  Anyway, in searching for the lyrics of the song – I found some very weird variations on the words.  This is what I think the lyrics probably are:

Good sense, innocence, cripplin’ mankind
Dead kings, many things I can’t define
Occasions, persuasions clutter your mind
Incense and peppermints, the color of time.

Not the deepest or most grammatically correct but what I assume the true lyrics to the song are.  Below is another version of the same verse from another website that will remain nameless (I don’t want to embarrass them):

Good sense, innocence, cripplin’ and kind.
Dead kings, many things I can’t define.
Oh Cajun spice, sweats and blushers your mind.
Incense and peppermints, the color of thyme.

There is a certain poetic quality to “cripplin’ and kind” but “Oh Cajun spice?”  Really? It never occurred to anyone that those might not be the lyrics?  All the different lyric sites agree on the words to this part though:

Who cares what games we choose?
Little to win, but nothing to lose.

Here  - take a listen for yourself.  I’ve put in the YouTube version that’s straight off of the record (that’s that black thing going round and round) with the original lead vocals by Greg Mumford. He only sang with the Strawberry Alarm Clock for this one time and never performed it with them again (at least that’s what I read here –  I wouldn’t know first hand because I was a wee, wee lass when all this was occurring…..)

Just goes to show you – don’t take every thing you find out there as being correct.  You need to do a little work to get at what is true.

I’m going to tell you

…. what you need to hear….  The Eels have become my most favored band – they just kind of crept into my head, found a comfie spot and every so often start playing music and singing.  This song, “I’m going to stop pretending that I didn’t break your heart” maybe one of their best….

(PS – here’s the link to E singing the song on the Ferguson show.  I think I like the live performance a bit better:  I’m going to stop pretending…

And here’s another one for good measure “Saturday Morning”

P.S.:  The Eels’ music is so much better than most of the videos they make to accompany them (sorry to who ever makes the vids – I do sort of like the Saturday morning video – except for the zombie thing at the end ….. ) Check out their music at Songza 

I think I may be Finnish!

Its a bit long but very well done and it just goes to show you that we all have the same problems.  Altho’ I think those of us who have dipped into Northern European/Slavic genetic pools have a natural aptitude for complaining.  Here is the St. Petersberg Complaints Choir:

Give a moment or two to the angry young man….

Billy Joel’s “James.”   A favorite from when there were turntables and vinyl to play on them…

And here’s another one of Mr. Joel’s songs:

Although his later stuff just doesn’t appeal to me as much, the early  music of Billy Joel provided the musical score for a lot of  life moments.  Each song can take me to a particular mood or event.  There are so many others that I won’t place here but if you’ve never heard the early Billy Joel albums, Songs in the Attic, Turnstiles, The Stranger – you owe it to yourself to go have a listen.  Try going to Songza and type in Billy Joel.  By the way, Songza is a great site especially when you just want to hear a song, not buy it – its like an on demand radio station.  While you’re there check out Angry Young Man.  

These are the lyrics to the song (in today’s society, the “angry young man” would no doubt be suspended from school, shunned by peers and most probably arrested for probable cause.  

There’s a place in the world for the angry young man
With his working class ties and his radical plans
He refuses to bend, he refuses to crawl,
He’s always at home with his back to the wall.
And he’s proud of his scars and the battles he’s lost,
And he struggles and bleeds as he hangs on the cross-
And he likes to be known as the angry young man.

Give a moment or two to the angry young man,
With his foot in his mouth and his heart in his hand.
He’s been stabbed in the back, he’s been misunderstood,
It’s a comfort to know his intentions are good.
And he sits in a room with a lock on the door,
With his maps and his medals laid out on the floor-
And he likes to be known as the angry young man.

I believe I’ve passed the age of consciousness and righteous rage
I found that just surviving was a noble fight.
I once believed in causes too,
I had my pointless point of view,
And life went on no matter who was wrong or right.

And there’s always a place for the angry young man,
With his fist in the air and his head in the sand.
And he’s never been able to learn from mistakes,
So he can’t understand why his heart always breaks.
But his honor is pure and his courage as well,
And he’s fair and he’s true and he’s boring as hell-
And he’ll go to the grave as an angry old man.

Field Mice, Head Lice…

I had this little snippet of music going through my head – listen:  Flyswatter   I knew it was an Eels song but I had to go through every dang Eels video on YouTube to find it.  I have a tendency towards OCD-type behavior doncha know.  Anyway, it is such a wonderful little riff (if that’s the right terminology – I’m no musician).  That little pattern of music just feels like a fresh splash of water on the face and opens up the mind to all sorts of possibilities – is catchy but not insipid yet has a certain fairy tale-ish kind of quality – like a remembered song from childhood.  The lyrics are equally as mesmerizing – almost makes me want to break out the old cels and animate (I won’t – too labor intensive and I’m just lazy these days).  Below is the “official” Eels video to the song:

Its fun, and Mr. E is cute as all get out but I think the images detract focus from the song itself  - a little too, and I hate to be critical but then who the hell is reading this stuff anyway but me – the video comes off as too young teenage boy (nun shedding habit, etc.).  I know all videos are aimed at teenage boys and this one is really very mild by comparison.  I would have liked a more surrealistic approach to the video .  I think the illustration on the cover is closer to what I perceive is the spirit of the song – but then what the hell do I know.  

Here’s just the song without the “official video” and some of the lyrics underneath (I’m OCD’ing again aren’t I…) … I may yet end up doing some illustrating if not animating …

Little field mice
Living under the house
Never eating much
Tough life for a mouse
And if you think you’re
Gonna be spared
You’re wrong

Field mice, head lice
Spiders in the kitchen
Don’t think twice ’bout
Whatever keeps you itchin’
Ice water, flyswatter
Gonna get you through
the day

Okay to be thoroughly anal about this – here, this is the quality that is missing in the Flyswatter video.  This is kind of steampunky before steampunk:  Last Stop: This Town

Contrary to what Mick says, you can get anything you want…

Well, I wasn’t going to do it, ’cause you know, its been done and done and then done again but I took a look at the video that Jackie Guthrie put together for this and it just made me smile.  Part of my Thanksgiving tradition is listening to Arlo Guthrie sing Alice’s Restaurant.  I hope you all know who Arlo Guthrie is – if not here – Arlo. 

The video includes clips of a very young Arlo in the movie based on the song and clips of Arlo singing now.  He was so cute and looks like he was 12 years old in the movie and he is still cute now in an old hippie kind of way (I’m kind of partial to old hippies). 

So, here is Alice’s Restaurant performed by Arlo Guthrie, who I had the extreme pleasure of seeing in concert earlier this year.  If you ever have a chance to see Arlo, run and get tickets fast before they sell out.  Here take a listen – mind you its long – 18 minutes or so but it is worth it.  Click on the link (Mrs. Guthrie doesn’t want it embedded):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8DtpdXZi0M

And do yourself a favor and think about what Arlo is saying – the draft is not just a thing of the past.  Young men are still required to register for selective service when they turn 18.   I find that kind of frightening.