Sufjan Stevens

This is my favorite love song by Sufjan Stevens. So beautiful and sensual. I love how the focus is blurred and the story of love takes on new meanings as it unfolds.

I would swim across Lake Michigan…
To be alone with you.

This sure feels like physical love between two humans. But then it turns and feels more like sacrificial love — the Christ story. It’s a love song to the Spirit left behind. But the song turns again, and finishes with an almost homoerotic longing. It’s a love song for a man. I’ve never known a man who loved me. This is a song about intoxicating love. Every form of it. ❤️

The Walkmen

We caught them when they were touring with their record BOWS + ARROWS. This was one of the more unique sounding bands — who borrowed from the early nineties but sounded fresh and new with Hamilton Leithauser’s giant vocals and interesting production choices. It still sounds great and this track in particular is a beauty that keeps giving almost 20 years later.

I'm waiting on a subway line
I'm waiting for a train to arrive
I'm thinking of a dream I had
I'm thinking of a dream I had
Maybe you're right

Camera Obscura

This tune came out of nowhere this morning and I’m not sure why. Yes they’re from Glasgow, but I think it has more to do with school beginning this week. We saw Camera Obscura play Neumos in Seattle back in 2004 when Carey Lander was still alive. It was right when we were finishing post on our short film Wow and Flutter. Great memory. I love clever, self-deprecating songs like this with a sense of humor. This one’s about high school crushes — misfits following their hearts and infatuations. ♥️

Teenage Fanclub

Needed something lighter today, but I still managed to keep us in Scotland. What is it about this country? So many unbelievable bands. I remember playing Bandwagonesque to death in ‘91. The perfect summer record that’s loose, jubilant and full of hooks an harmonies and these big, crunchy electric guitars. The kind of music that just looks fun to play. The drum fill and harmony bridge just after the three minute mark is so gorgeous with that big guitar solo taking us out. What a tune on a fabulous album.

Frightened Rabbit

So this piece of advice from Scott popped in my head at 1AM. It’s a great phrase that’s helped me over and over the last few years. It’s good wisdom that feels more true the older I get. Wait ‘til the morning. Before you feel too deeply about something personal. Before you jump to conclusions about yourself, your life, your relationships, your work. Don’t trust the self-pity. The doubt. The unkind things we want to tell ourselves.

On the ugly side of midnight without a script…

I love Dessner’s production and mix on this song. What a perfect fit for Frightened Rabbit music. As good as all their records are, it’s this one I reach for most often, and it’s not just because of the song writing — it’s how they sound on PAINTING OF A PANIC ATTACK — the last full record we got from Scott. And I can only hope that the songs he was working on when he passed will see the light of day soon from the rest of the band. ❤️

Frightened Rabbit

This one’s a killer — so I won’t end this Frightened Rabbit detour with this, which guarantees at least one more track from this terrific band. Kind of brilliant to listen to a song that shows Scott literally keeping his suicidal tendencies at bay. He does this by imagining how he would die in great detail. Even those he’d leave in its wake. I find it moving to see him save it for another “day” — then another “year”. This song was important to many suicidal people out there — giving them strength to say no and postpone it. Just read the message boards. And it’s cruel and ironic that Scott eventually took his own life in the Forth. But while he was alive? He made tiny changes to earth by writing songs like this one. Love the studio version on THE MIDNIGHT ORGAN FIGHT. But this live OWL JOHN version feels right today. 💔

Frightened Rabbit

Still going down the rabbit hole here…🐰 I love the humility in Scott’s songs — but also his swagger and confidence. He was fearless and wasn’t afraid to tell his truth. He believed certain things and had enough faith to articulate them in his songs. This is a brave, beautiful song — a kind of “mission- statement”song that resonates with me. And this video kills me with Scott singing so seriously with the kids dancing in their little classroom. Hard to believe I first watched it fourteen years ago.

Frightened Rabbit

This is the greatest song I’ve ever heard about addiction. I love that it’s in 1st person and not 3rd — so confessional, honest, poetic, heartbreaking. Beautiful restrained vocal from Scott and what an arrangement and mix from Aaron Dessner. And this video just kills me.

My love you should know
The best of me left hours ago so
Shove it right into my mouth and let me smolder

Fallout and the damage done
I can't un-sing the things I've sung
Still not giving up though I wish that i was sober

Forgive me I can't speak straight
Forgive me I can't
Forgive me it's far too late

Frightened Rabbit

Some bands are difficult for me to write about. I have so many complicated feelings around Scott Hutchison because I love his music and find it meaningful and cathartic. The memory of hearing about his death is still fresh in my mind. We were in production on our movie PHOENIX, OREGON in May of 2018. I had difficulty accepting the news because the story we were trying to tell was about a man who manages to pull himself out of the dark hole he’s in. But so many people are unable to do this. Some are so far down, they never make it out. While Scott was alive, he wrote, sang and played with such beautiful passion. And he told the truth — laying out his darkest thoughts and feelings. But somehow the music of FRIGHTENED RABBIT always felt like overcoming. This song is an anthem about escaping the darkness after a close call. ❤️

Matthew Sweet

From GIRLFRIEND — one of the most stunning albums of the 90’s. This opening track is a killer that really connected with me. High school was over and college had me thinking philosophically about where my life would go. Was there really a kind of divine intervention that would steer my ship to safety? My young mind was beginning to doubt this was true. Somehow this track feels like a Saturday song because I still find it uplifting and fun. It seems to celebrate the unknowns. Even though I’m full of doubt, I still find myself hoping for some sort of divine intervention as I go into each day and face an unknown future.

Broken Bells

The human voice can sure mean a lot to great pop music because it’s often where the emotion is. This tune is pop perfection with haunting lyrics and mood — a sad song about the “slow decline”. But somehow the past being remembered remains magical. I love hearing Mercer’s great vocals against this great music — it keeps the beautiful, trippy, electronic production human and emotional.

Death Cab For Cutie

This new Death Cab tune came out a few weeks back and really landed with me — like so many Ben Gibbard songs have. It’s from their forthcoming record, the oxymoronic-titled ASPHALT MEADOWS. I love this bass line and how the verse sets up the chorus — both musically and lyrically. And I love where the song’s coming from — searching for meaning. It’s one of my personal obsessions. How do we make life fulfilling every day? How do we get the most out of life while we’re here? And I dig the video too because every artist has been there. 😅 I’ve got boxes of DVD’s and BLURAYS in my basement like that. No one cares about your work more than you. And most don’t care about it at all.

Crowded House

I’ve put this incredible song on at least 10 random playlists this year. Even the thought of escaping to an island is healing right now. And the whole record DREAMERS ARE WAITING is a huge achievement. You could say they don’t make ‘em like they used to, except this one came out last year. And, it might even be a top 3 Crowded House album for me. I just love the songs, and the way it sounds — the arrangements and mixes. A lot of credit goes to producer and music legend Mitchell Froom. And of course to Neil, who wrote the song. Those choruses are so damn good with Neil’s call and responses layered in. And I love the little “hey, ohhh” bridge that begins the song and is revisited throughout. It’s a perfect little piece of vocal arrangement and melody.

Let me move you (the cities covered in smoke)
Come to the island (the whole system's broke)
Where we can save our souls
It's just the right size (for me)
The world is beyond us (let's not get into a fight)
It's too enormous (Irene, goodnight)
But oh, the island is just right
It's the perfect size
Just right
It's the perfect size (for me)

Crowded House

I love these little Leterman time capsules and was giddy to see Dave holding a vinyl copy of TEMPLE OF LOW MEN like the one I’m spinning right now in my office. Hard to believe this masterpiece was the follow up to their S/T debut. This is a dark album full of personal songs and great production. It might be my favorite CH record, although don’t quote me on that. I’m not sure what this tune is about exactly, but it feels like power, ego and greed. A powerful person stepping on people for their own gain. Watching Paul Hester play with brushes in this video has moved me to tears. RIP sir. You were a big part of this group and I always remember your energy and your smiles on stage. 💔

Billy Bragg

And how many great artists had their network television debut on LATE NIGHT? I’m sure there is a list somewhere, but this one is a favorite of mine. Watch 30 year-old Billy Bragg here sing this great song he wrote — backed by the World’s Most Dangerous Band. Somehow Bragg could combine politics and emotion and write songs this good. When people call a song a BANGER — this is the kind of song I personally think of. A song that rouses my spirit and makes me feel something human, emotional. A song with lyrics that make me want to change the world. Watch the performance and the interview after!