The Way You Make Me Feel – Michael Jackson

This morning I decided I’d join in the Michael Jackson mourn-o-gasm that’s gripped the nation and bring up a song I’ve always loved, The Way You Make Me Feel.  This song is amazing for a lot of reasons, more than I could ever list here. It’s diabolically catchy, sticking in your ear like gum under a third grader’s desk. The song is relatively unusual for Jackson as well, being an unabashedly poppy shuffle, and has a video that’s pretty low key. The Way You Make Me Feel supposedly came about after Jackson’s beloved mother asked him to write a song with a shuffle feel, and I’ve always found songs that begin with a parameter like that intriguing. I was also under the impression this was one of the late king of pops lesser known hits, but given that it is  currently his second best selling single on itunes and that the shockingly adorable Jordin Sparks and Jesse Mccartney apparently close their tour shows by singing it as a duet, this idea seems a touch delusional. I love this song because the instrumentation makes no attempt at sounding organic, with a lion roar to kick it off and a massive, towering synth solo in the middle. Jackson is singing at his best here as well, relaxed and focusing on making the song groove not his usual vocal pyrotechnics. It’s a simple lyrical idea driven by talented musicians and great production, which is at the heart of it all why Michael Jackson’s untimely passing is getting so much media coverage. Thanks for the music michael, sorry we made you crazy.

(The song starts 1:00 in)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEU9Q8NlOiY

Two Weeks – Grizzly Bear

Grizzly Bear is the most interesting band making Indie pop music today. They don’t shy away from genre hopping, being unabashedly earnest, or grooving like their lives depend on you bobbing your head. The vocal part of this song is beautiful and haunting, meshing the lead vocal with unobtrusive but powerful back up harmonies. The keyboards and guitars build a strong sheet of sound around the vocals in the chorus, but leave enough space during the verses and bridge for there to be a nice and ebb and flow. These elements of the song are important and ear catching, but at the end of the day this would be just another exercise in decent indie pop without the towering groove the drums bring forth. Ok, maybe that’s a little grandiose, but seriously the drums make this song memorable, whether you noticed them or not. The fantastic shuffle grove of the intro and chorus give the song that bouncing, lighter than air feeling. The stripped down verse feel allows the band to shine while still injecting life into the song.  Finally, the last chorus out is a ten ton shuffle filled with interesting accents and fills, probably one of the most interesting drum parts i’ve heard in the last few years. Even if you aren’t a drummer, or a musician for that matter, you have to admit that the rhythmic quality of this song is what’s making you, or at least me,  dance in your chair. Listen!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cXJkghrysI

Aerial Boundaries – Michael Hedges

Every so often, maybe once or twice in a generation, a musician comes along who completely revolutionizes the way we look at an instrument. Michael Hedges was one of these musicians.  There had been many great acoustic guitar players before him, and there are bound to be many more since his untimely passing, but no one will ever be able to capture the ethereal beauty he found with those six steel strings. Michael Hedges didn’t play the acoustic guitar, he became it, he spoke through it, he made it look as easy as taking a breath. With a fierce combination of taping, harmonics, and and some very unique picking, he managed to create a whole symphony of sounds all by himself, with no effects or electronic assistance needed. The real beauty of Michael’s playing was that he sounded great on stage and in concert halls, but he could sound just as great on a bus. This song in particular showcases not only his technical ability, but his compositional skills. With waves of sound crashing against each other, low end melodies balancing out high end ostinatos, and intense dynamic shifts, he transports the listener to his own world with every note. This man was one of the most talented musicians to walk the earth in the past fifty years, and he is worth giving a listen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JE7eVfIAkkE

Cath… – Death Cab For Cutie

Ben Gibbard of Death Cab For Cutie has the uncanny ability to capture moments we can all relate to.  While this song is specifically about an unhappy bride at her own wedding, we’ve all been trapped in a bad situation with well intentioned people. I like these lyrics not just because they eloquently set a scene, but because there’s no judgment of anyone in the situation. No one here is the bad guy or the hero, everyone is doing their best, like many situations in life.  Gibbard also does a great job with the pacing of his vocal, slowly unwinding  the story in a pseudo question and answer style which matches up well with the classic indie rock sound DCFC has down to a science. The thumping, metronomic drums propel the song forward while the  layered guitars and bass provide a good melodic counterpoint to the vocal. Great emotional impact, thought provoking imagery and fantastic music? Sounds like a winner to me.

Enter the site then click next on the audio player until ‘Cath…’ comes up!

Somalia – K’naan

By some minor miracle it appears MTV has finally embraced a decent, socially conscious artist. Playing snippets from K’naan’s new album ‘Troubadour’ between shows like ‘The City’ and “The Real World’  creates a hilarious juxtaposition, but at least they’re trying. K’naan is a Somalian native who learned to love american hip-hop before he learned english. He spends most of his second record speaking in broad protest anthems, and in fierce terms about what we think of as the third world. Sounding like a Nas and Wyclef Jean love child, with a political vision more MLK than Malcolm X, K’naan has found a way to educate without becoming preachy or accusatory.  He manages to sing the hooks, wax poetic about overcoming obstacles with love ad respect, and tastefully counterpoint his guest artists. “Somalia” to me is the thesis statement of the album, with K’naan’s cadence at it’s hardest grooving, and the simple song structure allowing him to spin an elegant story with the theme “Do you see why it’s amazing when someone comes out of such a dire situation?!”. Maybe I like K’naan because he has a great story. Maybe I like him because he makes catchy, non-violent rap music that isn’t dorky. Maybe he just wears a hat well, regardless you should check it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lCPXEARpE8

Dark Was The Night – Various Artists

AIDS is a problem that most people seem to find easy to forget these days. With the economy in the shitter and so much violence erupting around the world, it can be hard to remember that this disease is still ravaging much of the world as we know it. Luckily 4AD records and two founding members of The National have not forgotten, and they’ve enlisted about 40 of independent musics elite to create a powerful charity compilation. While the collection has no theme per se, the artists on this two disc collection represent the bulk of the best songwriters working today, often in one off collaborations, and all with an emphasis on song writing craftsmanship. While highlights are hard to find in this album due to the high standard held throughout, some songs do manage to stand out. The Ben Gibbard and Feist collaboration “Train Song” showcases Feist, allowing Gibbard to play the supportive vocal role he executes so well with the Postal Service.  The minute long contribution “Die” by Iron & Wine is one of the most concise pieces I’ve ever heard, and  Jose Gonzalez brings his plainspoken, earthy voice to by far the best instrumental work The Books have ever done. Andrew Bird turns in a gorgeous ballad “The Giant of Illinois” chock full of  heart swelling strings and perfectly poignant verses, proving yet again that a simple formula can be just as enriching as a complicated one. With other fantastic work from Beirut, The Arcade Fire, Spoon, The New Pornographers, Sufjan Stevens and many others, this is a charity compilation that satisfies the ears just as much as it satisfies the heart. Go get it in stores, on iTunes or on Amazon. Do it!

Yahoo

Every Day – Rogue Wave

It feels like part of this song has been in half of the movie previews I’ve seen recently, and for good reason.  Rogue Wave are true craftsmen when it comes to the emotive pop song, and they certainly pull heart strings with this Buddy Holly cover. The simple refrain of the chorus allows the melody to take center stage, and the rolling, ethereal layers of acoustic guitars create a sonic pillow for the listener to fall into. This song is ideal for the movie preview medium because it has so many perfect moments; the instrumental bridge with the glistening bells, the heart wrenching verse/chorus combination, and the simple, transcendent lyrics espousing true love.  Cinematic in it’s vision and wide spread in it’s appeal, this is definitely a song to sell movies with.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MOt5usKjEY

G.N.O – Miley Cyrus

Seriously.  Coming from a 22 year old male this may sound ridiculous, or possibly creepy, but Miley Cyrus has released some excellent music.  Is it deep?  No. Is there anything remotely organic about it? Certainly not. Does this girl know her way around a pop song? Hell yes. This song employs what I think of as the constant chorus technique.  Every part of the song is rise and plateau, question and answer, a mini anthem in and of itself.  While the spoken word breakdown is moderately  cringe worthy, the rest of this song is spotless pop perfection. The melody  is endlessly repeatable, familiar  and comfortable.  The band is pushing disney rock to it’s most layered level in recent memory, sounding like Bruce Springsteen’s E. Street Band on pixie sticks. Even the lyrics, while ludicrously g-rated, are at least sending a positive message to girls about self worth and female camaraderie. So what if this is the sonic equivalent of going to in-n out burger, junk food tastes good because you know it’s bad for you and music can be the same way.  So while listening to this guilty pleasure song may not be widening your musical horizons, it is certainly an excellent way to binge on some pop.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbn1o-ByWGU

Watermelon Man – Herbie Hancock (Headhunters)

An oldie but a really damn goodie, this version of  Herbie Hancock’s jazz standard turns a catchy 16 bar blues into a timeless funk odyssey.  The tune opens with the unique sound of air blown into beer bottles, sounding not unlike an african flute. This may lead the first time listener to believe the song is a world music piece, but the second that greasy bass slides in, there’s no doubt this is pure uncut funk.  The intro to this song is it’s signature, with every instrument making the perfect opening statement, but what follows is utter groove mayhem.  With drumming smooth as butter, an undeniable bass line , and Hancock’s genius keyboard work uniting, you’re head is bound to bob.  Add to that Hancock’s tasteful arrangement, changing sections at just the right time, shifting moods and bringing it all back at the end, and you have a song to launch a genre with.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo5GcYeh7XA

White Winter Hymnal – Fleet Foxes

Fleet Foxes are one of a number of new bands I refused to check out for a while because so many dirty hipsters gushed about them, and for this I am repeatedly kicking myself. This song seems akin to a fantastic entree  at a fine restaurant. Starting with great ingredients like gorgeous harmonies, a ‘Pet Sounds’ era wall of sound, and a wordless chorus akin to the Shins early work, things are bound to taste good. Then Fleet Foxes throws everything into a slow cooker with more reverb than you can shake a stick at and create a transcendent musical experience.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCzIw4W7fdQ