"We Hold On" / Rush / Snakes & Arrows

Well, here I am back from a long sabbatical. And what a way to come back - the moment some of you have dreaded is finally upon us. After 80 posts here, I've finally landed on a Rush song. You'd think having 176 songs of theirs on my itunes (plus owing them the title of the blog) would have made them come up a bit sooner, but maybe it's appropiate that they lead my blogging comeback, especially with this song.

I really don't know how to offer up any context about this band. You either love them or you hate them, and I'm not going to change anyone's mind; God knows I've tried. Over the years I've had to defend myself from attacks by haters, even going in the closet about them, but that time seems to have passed. Against all odds, Rush has become, if not loved, grudgingly respected by the rock world. It's safe to say that when you get slobbery wet kisses from the likes of the Judd Apatow crew The Colbert Report, it's OK to break out the T shirt again

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The first time I really stated getting into them was back in 1986. I would spend most weekends with some other buddies at Trey Watson's house, eating, wasting time, listening to music, all the monotonous stuff kids do before they are able to drive. He put on Rush's best-known classic Moving Pictures, and once I heard Geddy Lee's voice hit the high note on "...what you say" in "Tom Sawyer", I was enthralled. After that, I began buying their tapes at KMart in the $4.99 rack and loved them all - Hemispheres, Fly By Night, Rush, A Farewell to Kings. Permanent Waves (still my favorite of theirs) was the first CD I ever bought after I got my first CD player in 1989.

I caught up to the bands back catalogue pretty quickly in time for their first release as a new fan, 1989's Presto. On my eighteenth birthday, May 1st, 1990, I saw them in concert for the first time, pretty much cementing their all-time #1 status with me.

I can't really describe why I like the band the way I do. Rush fans are pretty much known for being obsessive about the band, exalting them to near-deity status. I think being a musician helps, as they are very much a band loved by other band / guitar geeks. For me, a big part is Neil Peart's lyrics. He gets lots of shit for pretentious navel-gazing and has a bad rap for writing Dungeons and Dragons nonsense he can't seem to shake (Rush hasn't written lengthy narrative songs in years), but I like the fact that this band addresses the spectrum of human existence and human interaction - not just love.

Now having praised Peart's lyrics, I have to admit this particular song doesn't come off without a couple of missteps. "Hold On" is the final song off of their most recent album, Snakes & Arrows. It's the best album they have done in twenty years, in my opinion, maybe even more. They have really stripped down their sound these days, sounding much more organic and comfortable. "We Hold On" is a classic Rush album closer, as they are known among fans as some of the strongest tracks on their albums over the years.

It begins with a slow build - Geddy's voice over Alex Lifeson's arpeggios and a simple beat from Peart. The music is low to highlight the first verse:

How many times
Do we tire of all the little battles
Threaten to call it quits
Tempted to cut and run
How many times
Do we weather out the stormy evenings
Long to slam the front door
Drive away into the setting sun

Then at :39, the song takes off - kicking up the tempo and introducing Lifeson's little riff (really, if you follow this band, Alex Lifeson is the clear star of this album). Unfortunately, as previous mentioned, I find one line in the chorus a little painful:

Keep going on till dawn

(Ouch. Really, Neil, you're better than that.)

How many times must another line be drawn?
We could be down and gone
But we hold on

Yeah, the second line in the chorus saves it - I love the determination behind it. The second verse is even better:

How many times
do we chaff against the repetition
Straining against the faith
Measured out in coffee breaks
How many times
Do we swallow our ambition
Long to give up the same old way
Find another road to take

See, here's why I love this band. That couplet - "Straining against the faith / Measured out in coffee breaks" is a clear allusion to a line in T.S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock":

I have measured out my life with coffee spoons;

This adds another layer to the song's meaning. It's not merely about longevity, it's about putting your foot down (not "drawing another line" as the song puts it), and as Prufrock does in the famous poem, breaking out of a mundane, everyday existence.

There are, literally, hundreds of these types of intricacies to Preart's lyrics .I can listen to a song I've heard thousands of times before and sometimes I will suddenly figure out a lyric I've puzzed over or never payed attention to. It's a band that rewards careful listening, and I appreciate that they respect themselves and their audience that way.

The song carries on through a short bridge then back to the chorus at which point they are locked in instrumentally. (In particular, listen so Peart's stops, starts, off-beats, rolls, and the like at the end of the bridge - 3:12 to 3:17. There's a reason "The Professor" might be the most famous rock drummer....ever). The only thing that bothers me about this song is the tempo. If is was just a hair faster, it would be a new Rush classic. As it is, it's still great for a bunch of dudes pushing sixty, thirty years into their career.

There. That wasn't so unbearable, was it? Now listen to the song. It's not going to kill ya.

"Back To Basom" / Ween / White Pepper

Ween, for me, works on multiple levels. I definitely enjoy their snide senses of humor and over the top outlandish manner, but in the end, Dene and Gene make some damn fine songs.
(Yeah, I have to include this. Still holds up)

This song, off the fantastic White Pepper album, would be completely cringeworthy if anyone else had recorded it. It sounds like a cross between Pink Floyd and a great 70's AM radio song. When you begin a song with an earnest line like: "Reaching out now and I touch your face", and back it with soft acoustic strumming, you are challenging the listener from the get-go. If almost anyone else began a song this way, I probably would have laughed it off and skipped to the next one, but because it's Ween, you do a spit-take. It couldn't possibly be taken at face value. It's their "love song", if my use of quotes there makes sense.

You can tell what I mean about these dudes being pop auteurs in listening here, though. It's a very mellow tune with a great chorus that sticks in your brain. My favorite part actually comes in that chorus, the funky little guitar riff in the background (listen for it after "Calm the light" at about :50). Then there's a Ween trademark in there too- the weird, distorted vocal part ("should you carry what you are is cooked until it's done" Uh...sure guys.) You find yourself getting over the joke and humming along, immersed in the song...which means, I guess, the joke's on you.

Suddenly at 1:20, this turns into a cousin of "Welcome to the Machine" or something. A completely trippy keyboard instrumental break lasts for half a minute, then we're back in Bread land with another verse.

One reason I've liked Ween and bought every new CD since the seminal "Push 'th Little Dasies" is their musical diversity. I love albums in which the artist tries out different styles with each song, while still retaining the essential "themness" which made you like them in the first place. Seriously, "Chocolate and Cheese" has to be one of my favorite albums ever, and I like it for many more reasons than the laughs. In that CD they explore Faux-Vegas swinging, Philly soul, electric pop, and far out instrumentals. (Not to mention, it was in heavy, heavy rotation at the infamous "baseball house" in the mid 90's. But I digress)

Ween is still putting out quality product today, in 2007 they released La Cucuracha, which stands up there with the best of their work. These guys, while pretty widely beloved, never get quite the credit they deserve for their solid musical chops. Lyrics like "Friends in life are special / Do you want me as your special friend?" while appearing to be straight cheese, , actually dare you to look deeper to be rewarded. And when you do, you find yourself laughing less and grooving more.

"My Superman" / Santogold / Santogold

Santogold is one of the newest additions to my library, and it comes via the perusal of the "best of" lists which I've mentioned before as a good way for me to figure out what was good over the past year.

This CD came out in Spring of 2008, and was so consistently high on all the lists I read that I figured I'd give it a go. I've been really pleased with it. One thing that I love about my favorite albums is that the artist can cover a multitude of styles while still sounding like themselves. It makes for an interesting listening experience, and Satntogold definitely fits that bill.
Bees!


Santogold often gets compared to M.I.A, which is, in my opinion, lazy and not a little bit racist. People see "eclectic ethnic pop singer female" and somehow think the two are analogous. M.I.A is much more dance / club oriented, while Santogold is pretty entrenched in New Wave pop. Check out the best song off this CD - "Lights Out", which sounds like a lost collaboration between The Cars and Blondie circa 1981:


"My Superman" (to my point about stylistic diversity) apes another New Wave / Punk sound. It's practically a tribute to Siouxsie and The Banschees, one of the originators of Goth.
Here's "Red Light" by Siouxsie and the Banschees

and here's the song of the week - "My Superman" by Santogold:
Uh, yeah. In fairness, she herself acknowledges her song as "based on" "Red Light" and gives them credit in the liner notes.

This, honestly, is not one of my favorite songs on the album, but I still recommend getting it. I like it for it's obvious tribute to its influences, but the lyrics are pretty vague and mostly just seem obligatory. The purpose here is to get the sound of S & TB, which she does well, and approximate Siouxsie's vocals, of which she does an outstanding job. It's spot on, really. I like the loping bass in the track (reminds me a little of Concrete Blonde's "Bloodletting", actually) and the sparse instrumentation. It gives it an eerie feel, which I guess it what she's going for after all.

Be back next week

Sorry I've been off schedule: snow, Spring Break, etc. Hope to have a full post next week.

In the meantime, here's a video called "Cannibal Queen" from a band called Miniature Tigers. I went to see Ben Folds at the Tabernacle last Friday (2/27) and these guys opened for him. I liked them right off - rare that that happens to me with an opening band (the less said about the other opener - the UGA a cappella group - the better). Their CD is a steal for $7.99 on itunes.

"Running Up That Hill" / Kate Bush / The Whole Story

I was too young to really experience the first time Kate Bush was popular, so I came to buy this CD in a roundabout way. When I was a Senior in high school, MTV would play the"Love and Anger" video off "The Sensual World" from time to time (Can you imagine that now? Seriously. MTV playing a Kate Bush video). I liked it OK, but had no idea of her backstory as an English alt-pop experimental artist.

99X started not too long after in 1992, and they heavily played this and her other early 80's hit, the ridiculous, awesome "Wuthering Heights". That was enough to convince me to give her greastest hits CD a shot, and I enjoyed it very much.

The early 90's was something of a mini-Renaissance for Kate Bush, as she put out a brand new CD "The Red Shoes" (which I also bought) and was sampled on an out-of-left-field hit in 1993 "Something Good" by the Utah Saints. Also, when Tori Amos came out in 1991, I was cool enough to immediately peg her as a Kate Bush rip-off (but I do love you, Tori! Call me!)

Kate Bush has really kept a low profile since then. She put out a new CD in 2005 ("Aerial" - I didn't buy it, but did download the single "King of the Mountain") and I can remember a couple of references popping up over the years - Big Boi of Outkast (!)professed his love for her:

She was so bugged out man! But I felt what she was talking about in the songs. "Mother Stands for Comfort", "Running Up That Hill". My uncle would explain what the songs stood for. Like "The Man WIth the Child in His Eyes" and all that s***.

"I thought, 'Wow! She's so f***ing deep! I was infatuated with her, still am. I gotta track her down! I just found out that she was producing all that s*** herself! She's so f***ing dope and so underrated and off the radar.

And there was a cool cover of her song "Hounds of Love" by British band The Futureheads:

Supposedly, "Running Up That Hill" is about the female orgasm. That probably comes from the chorus:

And if I only could,
I'd make a deal with god,
And I'd get him to swap our places,

And then later:

C'mon, baby, c'mon darling,
Let me steal this moment from you now.
C'mon, angel, c'mon, c'mon, darling,
Let's exchange the experience

It's plausible, I suppose, and I think it's a very sensual song, so I could see that reading. There are layers and layers of overdubs which create an incredibly lush atmosphere, and the soft backbeat of the drums contribute to the mood as well. I love the quirky keyboard squiggle which you hear at the beginning and which appears at odd times throughout. Bush's voice is incredible. I wouldn't describe it as "beautiful" as I would Neko Case or Kelly Hogan (it's a bit thin and doesn't have much presence, in my opinion) but it's certainly unique and instantly distinguishable. And you can't really tell it in this song, but she can hit the hell out of some high notes (check out "Army Dreamers")


Bonus - in checking YouTube for this song, I found out Placebo, another band I enjoy, covered it. Check it out, too.

"Cigarettes, Wedding Bands" / Band of Horses / Cease to Begin

This band is one of my favorite discoveries of the past year or so. I believe I heard their song "The Funeral" from their debut album on an indie-rock internet station, and I began to take notice of them. When Cease to Begin came out and was getting great reviews, I went ahead and took the plunge. Since then, I've been one of their biggest apostles, talking them up to almost anyone that will listen (in fact, I couldn't help but pimp them a bit ago on a random post here). I even got my wife to really like this band, which is a feat as she's really slow to take to new music.

I was really happy, though, when I found out recently that "Is there a Ghost?", the first single off this album, is one of Isaiah's favorites. The family was tooling around somewhere and we were listening to music, when Izzy asked me for "the ghost song". I had no idea what he meant, then my wife explained to me that she listens to that song a lot with him in the car and he loves it. It's the little things that make you giddy as a parent, really.

This album will forever remind me of a trip I took to Saint Simon's Island with Quinn last year to attend one of my best friend's wedding. I had just bought it, and put it on leaving Athens. Once I got to Greensboro, it was flipping over to start again...and I let it play. I did this over, and over, and over. Something about this music seemed to fit early Spring among the marshes and Spanish moss of coastal Georgia. Maybe it's because, as I found out later, although the band is based in Seattle (thus explaining the song "Detlef Schremph"), their singer is from South Carolina.

Speaking of Ben Bridwell, I knew later that they were destined to be a favorite of mine when I found out he's a HUGE Georgia football fan. I've read several interviews in whihch he, unsolicited, professes his love for the Dawgs. How cool is that? Check ou, for example, this one from Pitchfork:

Favorite TV Show at the Moment

Hard to say, because I'm not sure if a football team counts as a TV show, but when the University of Georgia Bulldogs are playing on Saturdays or whatever, that's my favorite show that could possibly be on television. Tomorrow versus Tennessee at 3:30 eastern!

Pitchfork: Well, the Vols being my home team, I guess I'll have to watch that.

So, it's not exactly football, tailgatin' music, but it's cool to see an indie band that doesn't treat the idea of sports in general as a haven for beefheaded mouthbreathers.

Here's the tune:


I love the heavy opening crash leading into the verse. Bridwell has a very distinctive voice, and he and his band have often been compared to My Morning Jacket, and I can see that for sure. They certainly have that same kind of jammy, etheral, reverb-ery sound to their music. They work the heavy / soft dymanic really well in this song, giving the verses and the accompanying lyrics lots of room to be heard. The heavy comes back in on the chorus, with the "While they lied at night, they lied at night, while they lied" refrain. Speaking of the lyrics, I'm having a bit of a time with them. There are definite themes of alienation, broken relationships, and death for sure there, but I can't piece it all together. I'm getting a real Flannery O'Connor, Southern Gothic kind of feel from them, though. Maybe someone could be brave enough to give it a go in the comments?

By the way, here's a really great live version of this song too. They really translate well live, and have impressive facial hair

"Shining Star" / Earth, WInd & Fire / Let's Groove

Man, remember when R & B used to be about real stuff, positive, serious, stuff, and not just about doin' the booty?

I'm talking about uplifting, socially conscious stuff like Marvin Gaye, my man Curtis Mayfield, or even Pubic Enemy (Admittedly I'm stretching the defintion of R&B). Not modern R & B like "My Neck, My Back". Maybe that's a good thing, as you could argue that maybe the social status of folks has risen as such that it doesn't need to be a part of music anymore. I sure miss it, though.

I really don't remember the heyday of E, W & F, but like much 70's music, it has over time seeped into my consciousness. "Shining Star" was released in 1975, when I was three, but it's probably their most famous song and has been used over and over again for soundtracks, commericals, and soundtracks, unfortunately to the point that it's almost lost any effect it once had. Although, who can forget Elaine Bennis' dance to it in "Seinfeld"?


And don't you remember Stryper covering it back in the day? One of the all-time classic WTF? moments.


Listening to it again, it's a lot shorter than I recall - not even three minutes. The part of the song that I remember most as a kid is the last few seconds, the "Shining star for you to see / What your life can truly be" that fades the song out and ends in a cappella. I thought that that was the chorus, but it only appears at the very very end. I love so may parts of this song, though. The groovy little guitar lick at the beginning, the Earth, Wind and Fire patented horn fills, the falsetto chorus, the rhythm guitar in the verses, it's all good stuff (and I always like the voice Philip Bailey uses in "Make your body big and strong at 1:27 too). And, as mentioned, I do like the message of the song. Confident, uplifting, positive, and fun. This is one that has gone in mixes I've made for the kids.