Random 10 for Jan. 17, 2008
1. LCD Soundsystem, “New York, I Love You, But You’re Bringing Me Down.” Of all the songs from Sound of Silver, “All My Friends” gets the most attention, and by all means, it’s one of the best songs written about real life and friends getting away from you while you were busy building yourself up. But “New York, I Love You, But You’re Bringing Me Down” is a ballad, which would appear to be something definitely outside James Murphy’s wheelhouse, except that he shows himself to be a master. The lyrics are some of the best I’ve heard in years, not just in content but in their meter. This is Cole Porter level stuff, or at least Randy Newman in his Sail Away prime. (Sven, that’s your cue.)
2. The Field, “Everyday.”
3. Kings of Leon, “Ragoo.”
4. Echo & the Bunnymen, “The Yo Yo Man.”
5. The Flaming Lips, “Bohemian Rhapsody.” An early highlight during the New Year’s Eve show at the Cox Center, “Bohemian Rhapsody” was done perfectly, with karaoke sing-a-longs on the half-moon video screen. Magnificent. (Photo by Matt Strasen, The Oklahoman)
6. Papas Fritas, “Guys Don’t Lie.”
7. Metric, “Poster of a Girl.”
8. Tahiti 80, “Changes.”
9. Le Tigre, “Hot Topic.”
10. Lovage, “Sex (I’m a…).” This is a cover of the 1982 Berlin song that caused such a stir in PMRC days for its libidinous moaning and such. In this case, the lust noises are committed by Mike Patton (Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, Fantomas, Peeping Tom, etc.) and Jennifer Charles, the lead singer of the avant-goth band Elysian Fields, and produced by Dan “The Automator” Nakamura. And yes, of course it’s better than the original. And yes, Mike Patton makes scary sex noises.
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Comments
Cue is right!
I just finished listening to the LCD tune on youtube. Yeah the lyrics are OK, but the songwriting….hmmm. This guy doesn’t really write songs so much as come up with minimalist pop compositions. They seem to cycle the same idea musically over and over and over, building the intensity, but without enough variation to make it interesting. He should listen to “Coconut” by Harry Nillson if he wants to hear somebody do it really well. But hey! i’ll listen again.
I will say this though. James Murphy is more marketable than Randy Newman. or Cole Porter. He ties with Harry Nillson.
“I didn’t get a harummph out of that guy !”
“Give the governor a harummph!”
“Harrumph.”
“You watch your ass!”
- “Blazing Saddles,” 1974
Hey, I LIKE the Berlin original. Terry Nunn was extremely marketable. Of course, Jennifer Charles makes Nunn look like New Coke in the marketability game.