This song should be studied as an archetype of perfect form. Simple lick, sincere and soulful lyrics, and plenty of room for embellishment and creativity. And Sara's got the chops to really make something of it without over-Beyonce-ing it. I love how she and the guitarist don't make a big deal out of the chorus; it's not more connected or louder, but it balances the verses. With such a stripped-down sound, there's no need to overemphasize.
Have a great weekend all!
I was introduced to this song yesterday. I have listened to it approximately 14.5 times since then. It's beautifully simple, and I dare you not to get the hymn-like chorus stuck in your head.
The band must have realized this too, because this was their first single off their self-titled debut album in 2008. They released a second album last month. I haven't heard it but everyone from Rolling Stone to The A.V. Club to Spin says it's pretty good, so maybe we should check it out.
Hang on, I need to listen to this one a few more times first...
It's Tuesday, but I'm dreaming of Sunday. Best day of the week.
I adore Maroon 5. They're the exact right balance of pop and rock, and Adam Levine's voice is unique and pitch-perfect. He's pretty much the reason I started watching The Voice (the newest American Idol knock-off) and now I'm sort of obsessed. Don't be surprised to see some performances from that show making their way to this blog; the array of characters they've got is both astonishing and refreshing.
This song is a classic, off Songs About Jane (2002), which in my opinion is one of the best albums released in the last decade. It's solid all the way through, and the live performance is just as soothing and musically entertaining as the studio version. Adam's got more than a little soul in him. And he can rock the skinny tie.
I haven't had much time lately to find new music. It's a part-time job, searching out and finding suitable artists to obsess over. My three-month Weezer love affair was relatively short-lived, but man was it intense. Last week my friend sent me a link to download the bootleg of the live show that initiated my passion in January. So I've been revisiting a lot of what I already listen to.
The exception is Bonnie Raitt, who I'd heard of but I had no concept of what kind of music she made or her role in the industry. Turns out she's a pretty epic blues singer-songwriter and activist, with nine Grammys to her name. And now that I've looked her up, I do recognize one of her big songs, "Something to Talk About," which is just as sassy in live performance as on a recording.
Moral of the story: I need to find me some more Bonnie Raitt.
It's Thursday. It's summer. According to an astrology site on the Internet, it's the year of radical empowerment. Live without regrets.
And yes, this is the song from Inception. It's so much more than that though; Piaf's striking vibrato is so satisfying. Plus the song has a history with the French Foreign Legion (insert joke about the anemic French military). Also Marion Cotillard, who played Leonardo DiCaprio's wife in Inception, won an Academy Award in 2010 for her portrayal of Édith Piaf in a different movie. It would be a coincidence if it weren't so intentional.
SERIOUS BLOGGING FAIL. This is supposed to be Daily Jams, not Weekly Jams. Blaming finals week is so cliche, so instead I'll blame my social calendar. They were equal culprits this time.
I still have a longer post percolating (hint: it's MJ!), but today we're going with my man Bill Withers. I'd never heard this song before my friend Laura sent it to me a month ago, but it's gotten under my skin in the worst way. That is, in a good way. That is, I like it a lot. What?
The band (which I don't know anything about) develop this awesome slow groove from the start; Bill's voice nestles in and lays back. There will be no rushing today, Bill says. And the lyrics -- so full of soul and...is that mirth? He's positively MIRTHFUL about being used by this woman. The chorus sums it up nicely: "I wanna spread the news that if it feels this good getting used, you just keep on using me until you use me up." Everyone wins.
I direct you to the top-rated YouTube comment on the video for further elaboration. My brain is fried. I think I'll just play this song a few times on loop and sway for awhile. Yeah, that sounds nice.
"Creep" was released in 1992 as Radiohead's debut single. It was re-released the following year on Pablo Honey, and people noticed the song and started a continuous freak-out over its awesomeness that has yet to subside. "Creep" so defined the band in the 90's that they stopped playing it live for a few years at the end of the decade. They were just sick of it, apparently. (I think Fountains of Wayne feels the same way about "Stacy's Mom.") So because it's so rare to hear, especially in the last 10 years, the crowd's enthusiastic reaction to the opening chords are an understatement of how flipping epic this must have been in person.
I love how guitarist Jonny Greenwood just completely rips the percussive notes that set off the chorus.
Thanks, YouTube, for making every day feel like Christmas.
P.S. Apologies for the lack of post yesterday. I'm working on a long one for later this week that will hopefully make up for it.
