Music
This Week’s Heavy Rotation #20
I climb where I can see
Note: Each week I take a look back at my playlists and share songs that were either played the most, got stuck in my head, or just stood out. Many are new to me, but there are old faves mixed in as well.
Below is my Top 5 of the last 7 days:
LCD Soundsystem-Tonite
It’s easy to love LCD Soundsystem, and hard to pick a favorite. Lead singer James Murphy is a small god among the hipsteratti, and it’s easy to see why.
Crafting catchy stream of consciousness rants set to great beats are his superpower.
Come laughing at everything we thought was important While still making mistakes that you thought you had learned from And reasonable people know better than you That cost in the long run but they don’t know the short game And terrible people know better than you They’re used and abused of the once so dear listener So you will be badgered and taunted until death You’re missing a party that you’ll never get over You hate the idea that you’re wasting your youth That you stood in the background oh until you got older But that’s all lies That’s all lies
Depeche Mode- People Are People (Live)
I dusted off Depeche Mode’s 101 album (okay, CD) earlier this week. I was surprised at how good it still sounds — and not a little disheartened to be reminded that it’s now over 30 years old. It also hit home one more time how excited I am for live shows to begin again.
Live albums can be hit and miss — especially when the instruments are keyboards and sequencers (side note: I saw DM live when they were supporting Violator — they were great. Opener Nitzer Ebb was disappointingly awful).
101 not only hits all the marks musically, but it also captures the energy of a full Rose Bowl perfectly.
Front 242-Headhunter
Front 242 is a whole-a$$ mood.
Speaking of shows, the band recently announced a set of tour dates for later this year.
LoneLady- Cries And Whispers
Covering a song be also hit or miss. Fans of the original version usually have sky-high standards, and dismissals come lightning fast. This is doubly true for bands with devoted followings (See Also: Paul Young attempting “Love Will Tear Us Apart”).
When redoing a track, it’s tempting for artists to put their own mark on it. But the line between stamp and stain can be a thin one, and it’s easy to trip over. Luckily that doesn’t happen here. LoneLady (Aka Julie Campbell) does this New Order track justice. It’s a little more up-tempo while still honoring the original.
Semisonic- Singing In My Sleep
Semisonic is another Minneapolis band that never quite escaped the shadows of larger groups from the same era. Sure, they had a big hit with “Closing Time,” but to dismiss them as a 1 hit wonder would be a huge disservice. The band used to play Closing Time to end their shows. The setlist leading up to that was packed with great songs like this.
6th Man: Yo La Tengo- From a Motel 6
I tend to listen to Yo La Tengo in bursts — and it’s rarely a full album. I’ll grab one song, play it into oblivion, and then set it aside for a while. The cycle then repeats itself. “From a Motel 6” is no exception, and makes this week’s list thanks to this great read by Terry Barr.
What made your lists this week? Anything new I should check out? Let me know in the comments!
As always thank you to the over 600(!) people at The Riff. It’s an amazing community, and it’s great to be a part of it.
If you haven’t listened to The Riff’s new podcast yet, grab it here! You can also follow the page and connect with me on Twitter.
In case you missed last week’s list: