41 One of my goals in life is to write a book about singles that reached #41 on the Billboard charts, particularly with bands that never went any higher. Almost-hits, not quites. I’ve always loved the numerology of popular music; when I was in 8th grade I’d keep a compendium of #1s week by week [...]
Tue, March 16 2004 » Music » No Comments
btw, have you heard of my band? (this is probably bad blogging narcissism form to discuss this kind of stuff. but…what’s scary is Ptarmigan comes up #1 for searches of the word “DeNiro.” I understand, I guess, this blog coming up #1 for searches of the word ptarmigan. That kind of makes sense in terms [...]
Thu, January 15 2004 » Music » No Comments
I’m surprised how solid the latest Blur album is. I really expected to hate it. I guess that’s all I have in the tank today. 1 post a day keeps
Wed, November 19 2003 » Music » No Comments
This made my day: [Starship] is a hip version of the Archies; make no mistake about it. One of the great counter-culture bands evolving into Jerry Garcia’s worst nightmare. But it works. It is the Archies’s for adults, some kind of clean pornography. Hey, “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” got into both the Mannequin film [...]
Wed, August 20 2003 » Music » No Comments
Fri, August 8 2003 » Music » No Comments
Fri, August 8 2003 » Music » No Comments
Now that I think about it, the bridge and chorus of “Pour Some Sugar on Me” is more bracing and honest than 75 percent of indie rock. Or something like that.
Fri, August 8 2003 » Music » No Comments
Sun, July 13 2003 » Music » No Comments
Now that the Lords of the Rhymes have hit it big… How many years do we have to wait until Shannara Hip Hop unleashes upon the world? Then those fuckheads from the Belgariad to lay down some tracks…
Fri, June 13 2003 » Music » No Comments
Imaginary Albums Leaders of the New School Right–A Future Without a Past, 1991. Check. T.I.M.E., 1993. Double check. But wait, when did Busta leave the Leaders? Was it 2000? When the anarchy come a year minus one? Don’t forget the Leaders’ classic taken from that, the uh, the name of that Delany novel. 1996, I [...]
Tue, June 10 2003 » Music » No Comments
My ELO post ushered in the fact that Volkswagen is using an ELO song for their next songly commercial! I am a prophetic. Seriously, what’s next? Using Beatles songs for commercials? Using “Fortunate Son” to sell jeans? Raiding the old Motown vaults? I mean, come on. ELO is only the beachhead. What’s next? Don’t worry, [...]
Mon, December 2 2002 » Music » No Comments
I’m not sure who invented ELO. But it is a good emulsifier. I once met Jeff Lynne at a family barbeque. Over the ole sweet n’ sours, he told me a great secret. The secret is this: the classic, twilight album Secret Messages (1983), when played backwards, contains no messages. That’s why the MI-5 loves [...]
Mon, November 25 2002 » Evening/Quail, Music » No Comments
