I have a list in my head of things to do the next time I find myself unemployed and on that list is the item “Memorize all lyrics to every one of the Avett Brothers songs”*
I love the Avett Brothers. They play the kind of music I would write and play if I could either write or play music. Nice guitar stuff, some banjo, really good harmonies. It’s all there.
And this is quite the nice sentiment: We came for salvation We came for family We came for all that’s good that’s how we’ll walk away We came to break the bad We came to cheer the sad We came to leave behind the world a better way
This month’s song is also by Bleachers. Will I end up buying this album song by song? Time will tell.
I read somewhere that this album is inspired by 80s movies and this song really captures the feeling of some of those movies, like the ones John Hughes made.
I’ve just watched the video for the first time. It was very 80-esque. I found myself amused at the very WASP-y, classic ice queen beauty playing the object of Jack Antonoff’s affection. Mostly because in real life he’s with incredibly normal looking Lena Dunham. Anyway, I think the twist at the end is the “rollercoaster” part. Also, I think you could do some sort of physics assignment to figure out how fast the van was going when they were playing on top of it.
Also in the running: Adele’s “When We Were Young”, which I like much more than “Hello”, but don’t hear as often. I’m buying that song too. I think I first heard this on regular reader Kathleen’s blog.
Of note: for most of this month, the song on endless repeat in my head was Vance Joy’s “Riptide.” I have no idea why as it has been out for a long time. I don’t like or dislike that song, but I really didn’t need to be on endless loop in my head.
Nothing has popped out this month as a song I’m crazy about (except for Jan’s song*) so I’m going to play catch up.
This song will always remind me of two things: my 40th birthday and the resignation of Oregon’s governor. This was the song I wanted to sing at my big karaoke blowout, but Voicebox didn’t have it. I discovered this after I’d been practicing for a week, so that was a bummer.
This is a very loud song, and I love it for that. The back-beat that plays through most of it has a rhythm that is kind of claustrophobic, in a depressed sort of way. They lyrics are good too.
*But she already wrote a blog post. I’m totally going to buy that song though… And I just did.
My monthly pick for a song of the moment which I will then purchase.
Nothing new popped up this month, so I’m picking a song I was obsessed with before December: S.O.B. by Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
This song is so much fun to sing along with. You can sing lead, you can sing backup, you get to swear, it would make an awesome karaoke song, you can clap along. It’s about the DTs! I love music with a horn section, and in my obsession with this song, I watched a live performance from a few years ago, and Mr. Rateliff looks to put on a good show. That version has a different arrangement too, which was interesting to hear.
New feature. Once per month, I will feature a song that is “of the moment” for me. Usually because I have discovered it and can’t stop playing it repeatedly on YouTube. Because I never buy any music, (and that is very wrong) I will then purchase that song.
This song popped up on Pandora the same night I watched the movie Brooklyn. Brooklyn is an incredible movie and perfect in many ways, but I left with the feeling of “I will never be that young ever again.” It’s a feeling I’ve had intermittently this year, especially this summer. I feel it deeply, while at the same time understanding its ridiculousness. My twenties were in many ways not that great and I would prefer not to return to them. But some part of me longs to be that age again. Overlaid with this internal struggle, is my future 80-year-old self saying, “You thought 40 was old? Try being an octogenarian!”
And then this song played and the chorus caught me:
Yeah, those will be the days that I’ll be missing
When I’m old and when I’m grey and when I stop working
I hope that I can say
When all my days are done
We were just having fun
It’s a good song, and one I’d like to work into my song repertoire. Because eventually I’m going to have a songbook of songs I can play and sing. You know. Someday.
The video is classic “band on the road”. The band seems to have an impossibly good looking lead singer–the kind of guy who spells trouble for the girls and trouble for the band. I wish all of them well.