Song of the Day
Each day in 2022, I chose a song. Sometimes it chose me.
What Happened to My Brother
Mark Kozelek & Jimmy LaValle
This track is from an underrated collaboration called PERILS FROM THE SEA. Alas, it was not the huge success that The Postal Service was. Still, it’s terrific and it’s a record I go back to a lot.
Love this song and it makes me think about friends I knew, loved, admired and lost. It’s worth reading the comments below the video on YouTube. It’s a track that has moved a lot of people to comment.
Ålen
Amason
Today I was in a strange mood after being out of state filming…and I wanted to break my current pattern. I wasn’t feeling 2022 this morning and so I decided to take the time machine back to 2014. I found my top 60 songs of that year and hit shuffle. I know very little about Amason, except they are a Swedish super group who I played a lot in 2015 when their debut LP SKY CITY came out.
I am mostly Swedish but can’t speak it — so I love hearing these amazing vocals from Hajen (!) in the language my ancestors spoke. This song jumped out and I’m now remembering certain Amason songs I will revisit. It’s been awhile and she can really sing. What a melody. I get why they are called a super group — you can feel it. Love the bass and choir-humming chorus. Great tune that surprised me this morning since it’s the last track on their Flygplatsen EP that came out quietly after their major release. By the way, Ålen means Eel in English and I had no idea what the song’s about, until I found this live version on YouTube. So great, worth a watch! You can follow along with translated English burned-in captions.
A Little More Free
Random Rab
Long way to say this song brings to mind that idea. Each day, small moves towards what we desire. If we can be even just a little more free? Then it’s a victory. Love Rab’s subdued, melancholy, deep register vocals in this. This is one of those tunes that gets stuck in my head. ❤️
I don’t want to fall / I think I might want it all / I just need to be / A little more free
I Alone
Random Rab
This was the first Rab song that hit me: this guy is really good. And I mean amazing-good and allwhile living right here in Ashland. Mind blowing — because I’m hearing Depeche Mode and Lou Barlow and something new, fresh and original. It was this particular single that brought me in. It felt almost post-punk, electronic. Melodic with a groove. Great vocals. A masterful single that still sounds really amazing. Just put it on my weekend travel playlist. ❤️🔥🎬
Beyond the Garden of Earthly Delights
Random Rab
Often score and needle drop music play a big part in creating powerful subtext in good filmmaking. And this Random Rab song was always about the Aliens in our film Phoenix, Oregon — just the simple idea that maybe they are on our side instead of against us. I love the little bit of sampled dialogue in the track at 3:35 —
These instruments detect the unseen forces that swirl around these distant worlds.
I love this groove — the danceability, the mix, the electronic instrumentation. It’s a little melancholy, like Bobby is, but mostly it just makes you feel good. I’m so grateful that Rab allowed us to use it in the film. For me it’s a perfect bit of song casting.
Apparently
Random Rab
This song is so beautiful and perfect. The final “I’ll be letting go now” refrain is an all timer for me that I go back to often. It can be so healthy and empowering. Whether its an opportunity or expectation, or letting go of a painful thought or memory.
It’s a song I’ve played so many times over the years. It’s landed on dozens of playlists. If there’s one good thing about artists working under the radar like Rab, it’s that so many people out there can still discover this song and his numerous records.
Bigger Than Love
Benjamin Gibbard
I often think of this song which is about F. Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda’s correspondence detailed in their book of letters called DEAR SCOTT, DEAR ZELDA. It’s a book I became very excited to read at one point, but now we have this incredible song. And I think it’s enough for me. This back and forth with Aimee Mann is devastating and paints quite a picture of their doomed relationship. The story’s right here in five minutes and it still moves me — sad, beautiful, tragic.
It's bigger than love
Brighter than all the stars combined
It's dwarfing the sun
Burning within my heart and mind
Your Name’s Not Ned
Sioux Falls
I sense a kind of fearlessness to their songwriting and record making. I own ROT FOREVER on cassette and often play it LOUD in my car. They seem like good people too and were generous enough to let me license this amazing track for my fourth feature Phoenix, Oregon. So love this song and have sung along with it too many times. ❤️ the na-na-na-na-na-na’s and the oo-oooo-ooo’s and that great bass line taking us out.
Mystery
Turnstile
Love the cinematic video and this big song is easy on the ears — great sonically and Brendan Yates is a true frontman with a nice voice. I love how these guitars are big but the production is complicated with emo, electronic music and pop sounding elements woven into their hard rock canvas. These lyrics almost feel like a call to action. Is all the mystery gone? No, it isn’t. So don’t lose it. Hold on to real life. A simple call, yes — but necessary to say it out loud, right? Because how quickly things become dull or boring and we fall into a rut. Before we even realize it, we’re off track and being pulled down into a kind of mediocrity. We get into these funks where we lose the mystery for hours. Days even. Sometimes months and years.
Things are going to my head
Are you going in a rut?
And I believe in holding onto love
But I'm afraid to
And it's been so long
Is all the mystery gone?
And it's been so long
All the mystery
All the mystery
Holiday
Turnstile
One more from GLOW ON just to celebrate these sub-genres colliding against their unique hard rock landscape. Love the way it begins — the little bass riff and electronic percussion drips before those big metal guitars and vocals hit.
Now what about that Beastie Boy-esque verse at :38? And at 1:17 I’m getting serious Ad-Rock vibes.
HOLIDAY begins this little 11 and a half minute video (movie?) TURNSTILE LOVE CONNECTION — which is absolutely worth your time — my favorite piece of music filmmaking since PTA made Anima with Thom Yorke.
Concealer
The Afghan Whigs
Had to go back to HOW DO YOU BURN? for thirds today because this song and melody has been making it’s way through my mind and stirring my emotion. Not even three minutes, this still might be the stand out track on a record with many stand-outs. I love the little classical guitar at the beginning and how some of these lyrics feel like real hope, uncontrived. It reaches for the spiritual, the sublime —>
I’m going to take you where the consciousness bends
I love the transition at 1:30 — those little pianos + electric guitars — then that kick bass carrying us all the way out. A jewel of a song that feels like an awakening, a transformation and one of the most hopeful in the Whigs canon.
In Flames
The Afghan Whigs
Greg Dulli has never gone away, really — not with the Twilight Singers, his solo records, Gutter Twins, etc. But this specific record feels like he’s newly inspired and focussed with an impressive batch of songs that deliver. And I love the call back to the album title IN FLAMES, the final track. This beauty follows a nihilist, almost film noir character who’s alone and hellbent on staying out all night and having a good time on the dark side of town. The wild light sent to save him is FIRE which may be his final purge. 🔥
The sun is sinking
On the ten
Not even I can buy a friend
I know you know that you will be
In flames with me
In flames with me
A wild light
Sent to save me (sent to save me)
Set me free (set me free)
Set me free (set me free)
Domino and Jimmy
The Afghan Whigs
This is the magic of art and music. Right here, released yesterday! I’m speaking of this track from HOW DO YOU BURN?, the new Whigs record. He brought back Marcy Mays to sing this new song — which feels like an unofficial sequel to yesterday’s MY CURSE from GENTLEMEN — a record that is nearly thirty years old. Love how this song somehow makes a piano ballad with major chords feel original, fresh and new. Hard to do. And these vocals from Marcy are glorious. And what a suprise to hear Dulli take on some verses too and come clean about his own regret and feelings in this storyline. Something gorgeous I wasn’t expecting as I thought he’d remain silent.
My Curse
The Afghan Whigs
Their landmark album GENTLEMEN is closing in on its 30 year anniversary. So I just gave that one a listen and it’s still wonderful — still as honest, beautiful and disturbing as I remember it.
And it was MY CURSE that stood out — a confessional song about a woman who finds herself in a toxic relationship — cursed, confused, stuck. The sadness of the song today was a gut punch. 💔 Says a lot about Greg Dulli that he could write this entire record back in ‘93. He’s never been afraid to chase, expose, exorcise demons in his music. This is dark, painful territory and I sure love the way Marcy Mays sings this harrowing song. And this live version’s incredible!
The Queen is Dead
The Smiths
It’s true. Sad day, regardless of what you might think of the British Monarchy. Queen Elizabeth II’s reign began in 1952. RIP Queen.
So this album has been on my mind today after hearing the news. I’m playing the record now and it sure takes me back to ‘86 when I abruptly acquired a ravenous taste for British alternative rock, punk and post-punk. I remember taking the city bus out to Tower Records to buy this on vinyl back in the day.
The Smith’s third studio album begins with a little music hall tune and then those big drums kicking in for the electric, opening title track. What a record that still sounds amazing today. Ten songs, five each side. With a running time of 36 minutes. I love those records with brevity and this one is one of the best.
Stonemilker
Bjork
Hard to wrap my head around VULNICURA being 7 years old already, as I’m still discovering its riches. This opening track is one of my favorite Bjork singles, with an intimate 360 VR on location in Iceland. These opening strings are so gorgeous and I can’t resist the drifting melodies that follow.
Out of the gate she sings the six syllable juxtapositioning with such beauty and confidence. All these lyrics seem to showcase Bjork — not just her songwriting and art-making, but the kind of human being she is. ❤️
Hyperballad
The Twilight Singers
Good luck covering Bjork because there’s a solid chance it’ll just make people turn you off and play her original. This is the one exception I know of — an extraordinary cover, because somehow Greg Dulli hijacks the song and makes it his own. It’s as if he wrote it and you experience the song from a completely different lens — which is like a magic act. It’s what a great cover can do. I love the chiming, grinding electric guitars and this loose arrangement. The way Dulli’s vocals almost mirror Bjork’s is completely unexpected and thrilling.
I’ve Seen It All
Bjork
It’s been a Bjork Labor Day weekend and my mind drifts back to the devastating DANCER IN THE DARK. This song is so good — the strings, the call and response, how the train sounds create the percussion & tempo. And Bjork’s soaring vocals? This musical is her ONLY film role and she’s sublime in it. And I’m still blown away watching the filmmaking in this clip. No Thom Yorke singing here, but the Lars Von Trier cinema version is irresistable because it features some dialogue, the dancers, the chorus and Peter Stormare. It’s absolutely the right version to celebrate from this unforgettable film. ❤️
Human Behavior
Bjork
The opening track from her amazing debut — still a stunning song. I love it so much — the lyrics, the vocals, the music. How human beings are irresistible with no logic and so much confusion. There’s no map. How we can suddenly turn happy. 😂 So great. And I marvel that this tune was played non-stop on KROQ back in ‘93 when I first arrived in Los Angeles. I really loved KROQ. It carried me for awhile before I started listening to Morning Becomes Eclectic.
Birthday
The Sugarcubes
I was thinking about Bjork today. Good Lord, what a talent right out of the gate. As a combined artist, performer, singer, songwriter she ranks near the top. I remember being stunned by this song in high school. The lyrics. The bass line and vibe, the vocals. Still sounds amazing. And for some reason I remember the critics and their backhanded compliments. They seemed amused by her. They didn’t come out and say it necessarily, but I could tell they didn’t quite get her and she was ahead of her time. I think the fans got her, though right away. Even as a little kid I realized she would eventually take over the world.