Month: July 2010

Random 10 7-2

Last week. This week:

  1. “World Go ‘Round” by No Doubt
    The old blueprint no longer manifests itself
  2. “Raining in Baltimore” by Counting Crows
    These train conversations are passing me by
  3. “10538 Overture” by Electric Light Orchestra, guessed by tammy
    Did you see that man running through the streets today?
  4. “Cornflake Girl” by Tori Amos
    She’s putting on her string bean love
  5. “Like a Rock” by Bob Seger, guessed by Kim
    My walk had purpose, my steps were quick and light
  6. “Sarah” by Ray LaMontagne
    Eyes closed tight, throwing punch after punch at the world
  7. “My Maudlin Career” by Camera Obscura
    Now this kiss is giving me a concussion
  8. “I Get a Kick Out of You” by Frank Sinatra, guessed by Kim
    Fighting vainly the old ennui
  9. “My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys” by Willie Nelson, guessed by Kim
    I learned all the rules of a modern day drifter
  10. “There’s Hope for You” by William Elliott Whitmore
    But through your actions truth will carry on

And so it goes. Good luck!

Thursday? Figures.

As predicted, I didn’t go to that reading in Manhattan this evening. I had a surprisingly long afternoon, fighting with some poorly formatted and confusing Word documents, and I was just looking to come home at the end of it. I have to go back into it tomorrow, but at least we got the word that the office is closing early, at 3 PM, for the long 4th of July weekend.

Song of the day

Yesterday’s Tom Waits song led people to recommend Leonard Cohen, who, while not as raw or as raspy — at least not early in his career — is maybe the Canadian equivalent. Certainly, the man is a phenomenal songwriter, and I’ve long been a fan of his considerable talent.

As it happens, today is Canada Day, which seems like a perfect excuse to post this song from one of the country’s favorite sons. As with Waits, there’s a lot to choose from, but you really can’t go wrong with one of his biggest (and certainly earliest) hits, “Suzanne.”

I think I first heard the song — and I know I first really became aware of it — as an undergraduate at Penn State, listening to it in one of my Integrative Arts classes, Popular Music in America. So thanks, Professor Kelly!

June in song

So, if you’ve been breathlessly waiting for news of what I was listening to last month, you can finally breathe a sigh of relief:

  1. “Love Reign O’er Me” (live) by Bettye LaVette
  2. “Crash Years” by the New Pornographers
  3. “Oh, the Divorces!” by Tracey Thorn
  4. “Monster” by Bronwen Exter
  5. “Freddie’s Dead” by Curtis Mayfield
  6. “Sound and Vision” by David Bowie
  7. “To Travels & Trunks” by Hey Marseilles
  8. “Beautiful People” by the Books
  9. “Black Mirror” by Arcade Fire
  10. “Road Regrets” by Dan Mangan
  11. “C’mon Baby Say Bang Bang” by Jane Vain & The Dark Matter
  12. “Wide-Eyed, Legless” by Laura Veirs
  13. “15 Years” by the Soft City
  14. “The Weakness in Me” by Joan Armatrading
  15. “Counting Back to 1” by Beautiful Small Machines
  16. “Find the Torch, Burn the Plans” by Paul Weller
  17. “Please Don’t Leave Me” by Pink
  18. “Sweet Disposition” by the Temper Trap
  19. “Television” by Baaba Maal
  20. “The Cave” by Mumford & Sons

By the way, my offer from last month still stands: one mix of 10-20 songs for this month’s songs, plus and my “Band Songs” mix.