Valentine's Day is right around the corner, spend some time with your beau or alone and enjoy this now expanded playlist of Magnetic Fields songs I have complied. If you were ever thinking about giving The Magnetic Fields a try I must say this is a pretty good place to start. Love is an endless subject for Stephin Merritt and there is no better songwriter on the subject at the moment. Hell, he wrote a triple album of 69 Love Songs for crying-out-loud! Happy Valentine's Day.
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Frank Ocean made waves with last year's Nostalgia, Ultra but 2012 he really stepped out into the limelight with one of the most formidable records of the year. It's safe to say that channel ORANGE is an instant classic and Ocean a confident ambitious artist. There are many bright moments in this album but the one song that towered above them all was the epic "Pyramids." Clocking in at nine minutes and fifty-three seconds this song is massive. I am going to make the audacious claim that this is the best long playing R&B song since The Temptations' "Papa Was A Rolling Stone." This song is a perfect example to show how far soul music has come since the early days. "Pyramids" is broken up into a few different parts. It starts off with allegorical mystical lyrics about Cleopatra during the times of the pharaohs. But then with a key change it is revealed that Cleopatra is a stripper and the pyramid is the club. The song lyrically switches from ancient to modern times seamlessly. It's a song that is too slow to be a club banger but too fast to be a slow jam. With "Pyramids" Frank Ocean put himself in a league of his own.
2. Fiona Apple - Werewolf
Fiona Apple had been away for seven years, but she returned with a bare-bones and brutally beautiful record with the impossible to remember title: The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do. While everytrack on this album filled with perfectly crafted stories of love and love lost the album seems to be centered around "Werewolf" and it's thesis, "Nothing wrong when a song ends in a minor key." Fiona really opens up her heart on this song which makes it immediately accessible. The song culminates with the sounds of children playing at recess in the background. Apple has said in interviews that she struggled to find a powerful background noise to add to this song until she heard these kids playing outside her apartment in New York.
3. The Magnetic Fields - Andrew In Drag
"Andrew In Drag" The lead single off of Love at The Bottom of the Sea reminds us all of singer songwriter Stephin Merritt's impeccable wit. This song is scandalous on so many levels. It's the tale of a man who realizes he's gay when his friend Andrew does a drag show as a joke at a party. This story is told in the most tongue-in-cheek way imaginable. "Andrew In Drag" is reminiscent of "Lola" by The Kinks. It's a shame songs with this much jest seem to be a dime a dozen.
4. Hot Chip - Flutes
With LCD Soundsystem hanging it up, Hot Chip has assumed the role of most important dance band on Earth. They returned with a good but not great record called In Our Heads. While I thought overall this record was a step down from their previous release One Life Stand, this record did yield one tremendous song called "Flutes." This track is a nod to the 80s house music style Balearic Beat. A laid back but extremely infectious groove, "Flutes" allows Hot Chip to show off their confidence as a band and really sink their teeth into the song. Hot Chip are certain this one will get your body moving. Hell the chorus itself is dance instructions! A great song to let loose to and one of my new go-to tracks for party playlists.
5. Kendrick Lamar - Swimming Pools (Drank)
While I don't want to get too much into Kendrick Lamar's album Good Kid, m.A.A.d City (we'll save that for next week) What amazes me is that months before the album came out Kendrick released Swimming Pools as a single and it gained a bunch of attention and radioplay. When the album came out he reworked the song and added another verse. This shows me how much of a perfectionist Kendrick Lamar is. He's not afraid to take something that is already recognized as being great and rework it until it's perfect in his eye. What I love about this song is that while the chorus is obviously a party anthem that celebrates drinking "Nigga why you babysittin' only 2 or 3 shots? I'ma show you how to turn it up a notch First you get a swimming pool full of liquor, then you dive in it." The song's verses are actually a sobering look at the pressure and consequences of that lifestyle. "Some people like the way it feels, Some people wanna kill their sorrows, Some people wanna fit in with the popular, That was my problem." Kendrick is not afraid to show both sides of the coin which is what makes the album but in particular this song tremendous.
6. Beach House - Lazuli Beach House follow up Teen Dream with Bloom by sticking to their formula of painting lush beautiful landscapes and it certainly paid off. "Lazuli" is what the rest of the record was built around, it is the heart of Bloom. There's just no other way to put it, it's just a beautiful piece of music.
7. Killer Mike - Reagan
Killer Mike delivers what I have wanted for years, especially from Hip-Hop; timely and in-your-face protest music. Mike uses the deceased President to show the political injustice that is happening in our communities as well stating how Presidents are puppets in the hands of corporate interest. I haven't heard such frank political-protest since Rage Against The Machine. Of course this song will be on pretty much nobody's radar since at the peak of the track the beat bottoms out and Mike belts "I'm glad Reagan's dead." It's a shame that many musicians shy away from politics in their music since it's alienating but, people are hurting out there and Killer Mike isn't afraid to take a controversial stand that some people can rally behind.
8. Here We Go Magic - How Do I Know
Here's another overall disappointing record that had a few gems in it. Here We Go Magic are a band that have released several great tracks on several decent albums. It seems like the band can never decide on what they want to be, and thus constantly release inconsistent LPs. However when they do get it together they can make some truly magical music. Case in point the blissful strumming of "How Do I Know" a joyful song perfect for long car rides with the windows down. Also check out the music video to this, one of the best of the year.
9. Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Walk Like a Giant
The first time I heard Walk Like a Giant was when Neil played it live at The Hollywood Bowl. The record hadn't even been out yet but I knew that this song was one of the better jam songs he had ever written. It was the highlight of the concert and the highlight of the album. This song stomps along with gigantic guitar solo breaks in between Young's lyrics of trekking across a desert. It's a song that only Neil Young could ever get away with.
10. Animal Collective - New Town Burnout / Monkey Riches
If someone were to ask me what Animal Collective sounds like I would direct them to the songs "New Town Burnout" and "Monkey Riches", which I treat as one piece since they seamlessly transition from one to the other and they even play these songs live as one mega track as well. If you didn't know already Animal Collective has two singers that each have their own unique approaches to music. On "New Town Burnout" we have Panda Bear at the helm. Panda Bear's songs tend to be very melodic with a strong emphasis on his powerful Brian Wilson-like voice.While Avey Tare tends to be the more animalistic and yelpy of the two. His song "Monkey Riches" focuses on the cacophony of sounds and the beat of the drums. These two songs serve as some of the best material these two individual artists can do. How these two very different sounds come together and blend is what is at the core of what makes Animal Collective so great.
Make sure to stop by next week as I reveal my top 25 albums of 2012!
Awhile ago I made the announcement that this site would no longer be a
weekly update on current musical trends and instead turn to more
introspective periodicals. This week I continue to deliver that promise
with a three part introspective about the music that shaped
my life through key stages of growing up starting with "Elementary
School-Middle School" through "High School" and ending with "College and
Beyond." Today we conclude with Part Three: College & Beyond.
Loyola Marymount University I think part of the reason why I never really got into techno was that I already had LCD Soundsystem in my life, and they made my feet move more than any dubstep artist ever could. To me they are the ultimate dance band, ever. I started listening to them in high school, I remember listening to LCD Soundsystem with my dad as we were driving through a blizzard in Montana. For some reason the mix of James Murphy's infectious grooves and the fact that we couldn't see ten feet in front of us created such a vivid and exhilarating experience in my head. However, it was not until recently when I look back and see how much they dominated my college years. I saw them three times during college, more than I saw any other artist during those years. I saw them upstage Arcade Fire at The Hollywood Bowl, I saw them get the vast Empire Polo Fields to shake ass during Coachella and I saw them lastly at The Hollywood Palladium where they absolutely burnt the motherfucker to the ground. LCD are a band that humbly takes all the influence from their predecessors and channel it into something brand new and exciting. By the time LCD Soundsystem broke up they were immensely popular, even headlining Madison Square Garden for their now historic four hour long farewell. It was such a joy to follow them from their humble beginnings to where they ended up. Mark my words, LCD Soundsystem will be seen as one of the most influential bands that were active during the '00s.
Is this really a surprise to anyone? Arguably the most important rock band for more than a decade, I hold a high esteem for Radiohead. They are able to shed their skin and present a varied sound with each LP all while maintaining a familiar aesthetic. If you were to look at my Last.fm charts you would notice that I listen to Radiohead a few hundred plays less than The White Stripes. I listened to them during High School as well but not with the same frequency as I did during college. I remember buying In Rainbows for a cent off of their website thinking how wonderful it was and how big of a "fuck you" it was to record labels.
I saw Modest Mouse open for R.E.M at The Hollywood Bowl a few years ago and I thought they sucked. Sure seeing Johnny Marr was fun but they lacked any sort of stage presence or fire about their performance. I hadn't listened to much of them before than other than their hits like "Float On" and "Dashboard." However, something happened I decided to give them another shot and gave their discography another try. I still have Lonesome Crowded West in my car and can say with confidence it's one of my top ten favorite records. Something about Modest Mouse clicked for me in college that hadn't in previous attempts. I couldn't get enough of their raw erratic take on rock. Issac Brock's voice is like a rat under duress and I wouldn't want it any other way. Since then I haven't been able to go a few weeks without listening to Good News For People Who Love Bad News, The Moon & Antartica, Lonesome Crowded West, or We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank.
Wilco is a group that my younger self would have slapped me for liking. Their mid-tempo "dad" rock is definitely for a more mature audience. However, that's what I love about Wilco. They have been through a lot as a band, through breakups and even death yet they still manage to record some of the most beautiful folk-rock around. Tweedy is an extremely gifted songwriter and he pairs quite well with guitar virtuoso Nels Cline. They also put on quite a solid show and I was fortunate to see them a few times during college. They know how to kick out the jams occasionally, check out "Art of Almost" and "Spiders (Kidsmoke)" for examples of that. However, I appreciate Wilco for the mix of different kinds of songs they manage to put together. Any Wilco record will do, but I highly recommend Being There as a prime example of their range.
My Morning Jacket is another band that I couldn't get into during high school yet has grown into being one of my current favorite bands during college. People who get to witness Jim James' voice in person tend to have an out of body experience. His voice is a chameleon, it can be the sweetest falsetto that quickly becomes a banshee's scream. I have enjoyed all of their releases although At Dawn is easily my favorite, especially the title track.
Dr. Dog are a group that slowly grew on me and now Shame Shame is one of my most heavily rotated records. They just know how to create a really good hook, they remind me of The Beatles in that regard. They harmonize very well and can craft a memorable song. All of their records are immediately accessible and are great for singing. That is one element I don't feel enough critics give enough credence to, the ability to make a song that makes someone else want to sing along to is an incredibly hard yet rewarding thing to accomplish, and Dr. Dog make it look easy.
The Magnetic Fields helped me get through a really rough breakup. I feel like we all tend to lean on music during rough times, and Stephin Merritt was my buddy during that time. I recommend 69 Love Songs for anyone. It's really a huge achievement for a songwriter to write an a triple album about one topic. Yet Merritt did and showed the vast and wide varieties of love. The highs, the lows, the little insignificant things "Papa Was A Rodeo" and even big picture ideas like "Grand Canyon." I can't thank The Magnetic Fields enough and next time they're in town I will be front and center.
Sufjan Stevens was the soundtrack to my summers during my college years. During roadtrips home Illinois would be playing with the windows down through the California desert. I regrettably haven't listened to any of his other stuff that often because that one record is so important to me. There was a study done once that showed people who listened to Sufjan Stevens were the smartest music listeners. It's no surprise to me, his orchestral chamber-pop is so complicated and takes the listener down so many different paths that it really takes a dedicated listener to really enjoy him. That being said "John Wayne Gacy, Jr." is the most hauntingly beautiful song I have ever heard.
It seems as I look back that there has always been one stand out hip-hop artist that defined certain periods of my life. Elementary school it was Eminem, high school the Beastie Boys and college it was without a doubt Hova. Jay-Z is the Elvis of our generation like it or not. What I love most about him is his confidence as a performer. He knows he's the best and doesn't have to do a goddamn thing except keep on being himself. He was the most electrifying performer when I was at Coachella. However the one memory I will never forget is going for an early morning jog in New York City listening to Jay-Z, it just felt so right.
I unfortunately just missed Sleater-Kinney when I first began to listen to them. I have a vivid moment of hearing "The Fox" on the radio for the first time and stopping in my tracks. These three ladies from Portland created some of the feistiest rock I have ever heard. They are in my mind the best of the feminist Riot Grrrl scene that started in the 90s and has continued today most notably with Pussy Riot in Russia. I also have a mad crush on Carrie Brownstein. She is in my mind the perfect woman. She's not only one of the best guitarists alive (go see a Wild Flag concert and prove me wrong) but she's also one of the funniest, as a main cast member of Portlandia. In fact it wasn't until Sleater-Kinney went on their indefinite hiatus for Brownstein to come out of her shell as a well known individual artist. So on one hand I'm sad they're not around, but if they hadn't broken up I probably would have never found my one true love.
Fugazi are a 90s D.C. punk band that I completely missed until my college years. They are now my favorite punk band. Their music isn't necessarily the fastest of their brethren but in my mind they are the most intense and formidable band of that era. They just did it right. They would rather play in high school gymnasiums or in some basement and charge their fans $8 rather than some big concert hall that costs an arm and a leg. Fugazi hasn't done anything for about a decade but they still say they are together. Here's hoping they come roaring back to life soon.
There's a bar on the outskirts of Culver City in Los Angeles called the Cinema Bar that I used to go to during college. It was a completely unpretentious place, a diamond in the rough of all the douche bars in Los Angeles. It's a total dive filled with nightly regulars that pile in to drink and listen to some of the best live music around. At that time I was already a bluegrass fan, but hadn't yet given Country-Western a try. This bar is what won me over to the genre. Country is like every genre, the shit artists float on the top while the really good stuff seems to be at the bottom of the barrel. There are some great country and southern rock artists out there today, you just have to dig a little deeper. The one band that has been pointing the light in the right direction for quite some time now is Drive-by Truckers. These guys have been steadily on the road since the early 90s. They are the ultimate bar band, and some even say they are the saviors of the entire southern rock genre. I have never been to the south, though I desperately want to so Drive-by Truckers are sort of like a window for me to see into that world.
I say "College & Beyond" because I'm still actively seeking out new music even after college. Case in point, Ty Segall. If you haven't heard of Ty Segall this year you've been living under a rock. He is the poster boy of the San Francisco slime-garage rock scene. This year he's released three albums and has done two world tours. The guy is a machine that churns out some of the most exciting rock I have heard in a long time. I'm seeing him in December and cannot wait.
Finally, we come to Reggie Watts. Whenever someone asks me for new music recommendations he is at the top of my list. I respect him on so many levels, as a musician, as a comedian and as an improviser. He improvises all of his songs! He loops his own beatboxing as percussion and uses occasional keyboards for added effect. The man is able to improvise on a whim better pop hooks than most pop bands can make. In my mind he is the most creative, innovative and inspiring artist currently working today and it's baffling why he isn't a household name. Listening to him doesn't do the man justice. You have to see to believe.
So this concludes this trip down memory lane. It's always fun to look back and see how far you've come as a person and I believe music is a good way of staying connected to one's past. Still, the main question I have is, what was the music of the day that you listened to when you were in College?
Late Discoveries is a new periodical for ST&SP. It has been created because we're only human and can't be up on every band on the planet. Sometimes we arrive late to a great album.
For myself 2012 is the year I discovered The Magnetic Fields. Their hit "Andrew In Drag" from Love At The Bottom Of The Sea is easily my favorite song of the year thus far, I decided to delve into their catalogue andit wasn't long until I found myself tearing through 69 Love Songs their epic triple album comprised of, you guessed it, sixty-nine songs about love. Yet, saying this album is just a collection of love songs is putting it too simply. What Stephin Merritt has done is composed a musical version of a doctoral study on love. Each song is told from a different character's point of view and deals with love in different frames of light using many different subjects of love. The way he writes love songs reminds me of early tracks by The Beatles. So simple, so catchy and concise yet such a hard accomplishment to achieve. Merritt isn't just a singer and lyricist, his lyrics are poetry. Here are just a few of my personal favorite lines from this record:
"You need me like the wind needs the trees to blow in Like the moon needs poetry"
"Pack bags, call cabs and hurry home to me"
"Let this be the epitaph for my heart Cupid put too much poison in the dart"
"The book of love has music in it In fact that's where music comes from Some of it is just transcendental Some of it is just really dumb"
Since this album covers an array of topics concerning love, it's no surprise that at least one song has a "oh man, I've been there" moment for every listener. In fact this album has sort of evolved into the hipster wedding/breakup record by containing ample tracks about both subjects. All in all 69 Love Songs is already seen as a classic and a monumental achievement in creative writing. It's no wonder Stephin Merritt is referred to as the Cole Porter of this generation.
Check out this Spotify Playlist I made featuring my favorite tracks from 69 Love Songs
I must confess I rarely ever listen to The Magnetic Fields. They are one of those bands who have such a big collection of music that it's frightening. However there is no doubt that Stephin Merritt is a cult figure in the songwriting world and it's easy to see why. Songs like "Andrew In Drag" are so witty that it's impossible to ignore. When I first heard "Andrew" on the radio I was immediately drawn into this ambiguous sexual tale. I've attached a few other examples of his better work including the aforementioned song.
Download via Mediafire: Andrew In Drag You Must Be Out Of Your Mind Too Drunk To Dream
