I don't know how to say this...but here's Roky Erickson

Ok, well I couldn't finish out this year without a Roky post so here it is. I had an extremely hard time deciding which of his many awesome songs to to post here, but I finally narrowed it down to these two. I think that these songs pretty well show Roky's different sides, a catchy rocking song about imagining demons and a quiet and heartfelt love song. It's kind of amazing that the same person could be so sincere about both subjects, and pull it off convincingly. When you consider what Roky has been through, being in the foremost psychedelic band in the 1960's, going to an asylum for drug rehab, dealing with schizophrenia, and then having his record label trying to screw him at every turn, its definitely amazing. If you have never heard Roky before, I envy the experience you're about to have. Learn more about Roky here.


Roky Erickson - I Think of Demons

Roky Erickson - I Love the Living You

examining the link between suicide and mandolin use

Today's songs are a little out of order, I actually heard the cover before I heard the original, but it seems after doing some reading on the internerd that that's how most people came across it as well. Superchunk's cover of 100,000 fireflies was included in their Incidental Music 1991-95 b-side collection, which was a cd I listened to countless times in high school. The original song was one of Stephen Merritt's first acclaimed successes in defining himself as a musician, and is still quite popular. The chiming minimalist track perfectly complements the lyrics dealing with lonliness in a endearing and humorous way.

Superchunk - 100,000 Fireflies

Magnetic Fields - 100,000 Fireflies

stealing from enya? come on guys...that's low.

I am sure that most of you will know this song, it was all over the radio when The Score came out. I heard it too, but never really listened to it much until last year, when for some reason I became strangely infatuated with it. I really liked the beat alot, and listened to it over and over. I procured the instrumental version of it at some point and listened to it just as much. Then one day I searched for the song, wondering what sample they had used, and to my chagrin found out that it was Enya. Yes, the same Enya that provides aural relaxation for strip mall illuminati while searching for energy leaks in their psychic awareness. Oh well, strike two for music credibilty. The funny part about the whole thing was that they took the sample from Enya's song without asking, her daughter heard it on the radio and recognized it. Apparently she didn't sue, which is cool because suuing is wack. Anyways, here are all the ways you can listen to this song:

The Fugees - Ready or Not

The Fugees - Ready or Not (Instrumental)

Enya - Boadicea

death's ebon dart

Here is my favorite song by this doom-metal band, which is funny because this isn't a metal song at all. The song is a beautiful composition of strings and spoken word. As I'm sure you can perceive by the title, the song is about the death of a lover. The lyrics are slightly melodramatic, it's kind of apparent that these guys like being sad and actually work at it, but hey practice makes perfect. Or whatever. Anyway, I don't really listen to the lyrics as much, I just like the deep drone of the singer's voice against the flowing accompaniment. This song is perfect to listen to late in the night, as the shapeless darkness around you fills with layers of melancholic brilliance.

My Dying Bride - For My Fallen Angel

gateway music

Even though I don't personally smoke, that doesn't mean I don't have an immense appreciation for smoking-related music, some of which I would like to share.

Black Sabbath - Sweet Leaf

Gotta start with the basics, this is probably my favorite Sabbath song of all time as well.

The Beatles - Got To Get You Into My Life

I read an interview somewhere where Paul said that he wrote this song about marijuana.

Dead Meadow - Sleepy Silver Door

Local masters of psychedelic riffing, fantastic song.

High on Fire - Eyes and Teeth

Slow starting opening track from Surrounded By Thieves, this song is a perfect example of why these guys are so well respected, they have massive groove. I saw them last January and my ears rang for the next day.

Valkyrie - Endless Crusade

Saw these guys from Shenandoah Valley play in town a week ago, very friendly guys and very talented.

Dub Sweet Leaf

Ummm...definitely worth a listen.

crimson flames tied through my ears

Beautiful weather folks, which in turn, (turn, turn ha ha get it? ahhhhh), calls for a beautiful song! This Dylan cover done by the Byrds fits the bill most definitely with it's warm harmonies and cheerful guitar jangle. The lyrics aren't too bad either, Dylan was reflecting on the purist tendencies of his audience and the motivations behind the begining of his career in a very poetic and articulate way. It's funny the way that when Dylan wrote songs they were more prophetic about the way the culture in the 60's was going, and when the Byrds got around to covering them the songs were actually descriptive of the time. They did a good job covering his songs too, as this one was a top 20 hit for them and others were quite popular as well. Everytime that I have listened to this song recently, I keep thinking that it was in a movie I have seen...anyone know the one I'm trying to think of?

The Byrds - My Back Pages

nothing seems to phase me and this one still survives

This is the first song by the Ramones that I actually liked, and I probably still like it the most. My brother and I shared a room in high school and he would always get to his cd player first in the morning, and play the Ramones or the Misfits every freakin day. So, as a result, I hated both bands, not because of their inherent musical ability but because I was forced to listen to them. Anyways, this is the first song that I liked by the Ramones, I think my brother and I were driving somewhere and he had it on a CD, for some reason it just hit me the right way. Since then, I have gained quite an appreciation for both bands, all thanks to this song!

The Ramones - Poison Heart

where are we now?

Alright, as some of you have probably guessed the last song for Allison week is indeed the Pixies' most exellent song, Allison. Not only is this the best song, in my opinion, but it's the only one spelled with a double l, which I think looks better. Those are picky details though, mainly the song rocks. I love the lyrics, "and when the planet hit the sun / i saw the face of allison," I'm guessing that it's a reference to a solar eclipse, or it could be the destruction of the solar system. Either one would encapsulate the odd brilliance that the Pixies so effortlessly and charismatically infused into their music.

The Pixies - Allison

P.S. - Does anyone else also feel strange not hearing the next notes of "Is She Weird" rambling in after playing just this song?

i guess she's out there somewhere

Good afternoon! Today's song about Alison comes to you from the happily hazed out Slowdive, off of their seminal shoegazer album Souvlaki. If there is any song that could convince you that it was a good idea to have a drug addict for a girlfriend, I am sure this would be it. Hey, I'm half convinced myself! But, maybe I'll just listen to this song a couple times and leave it at that...less commitment and cheaper. And it is a beautiful song no doubt, I can almost see the spinning TV covered walls glowing as Neil Halstead murmurs along blithely.

Slowdive - Alison

well elvis, that sucks

Moving right along for Alison week, we have today Elvis Costello's sad tale about a girl named Alison. Chock full of his famous witty wordplay, this song definitely one of his best. For you who don't know, the line "my aim is true" was also the title of his debut album from which this song comes. When I first heard this song, I wasn't entirely impressed, but it really took root in my mind and I think you will also admit that it is rather subversively catchy.

Elvis Costello - Alison

alison week's starting to happen!

Okay, this is exciting! My first theme week in the snow. Every song this week has Allison in it. This here song is by the Lemonheads, and it's from their 1992 album It's a Shame About Ray, probably their most well-known release because of the cover of "Mrs. Robinson" that was added on, (against their wishes), by the record company. Anyways this song is a perfect example of Evan Dando's ability to write awesome little pop ditties, when he was on, he was on.

The Lemonheads - Alison's Starting to Happen

wait until darkness

I first heard this song in the movie Waking the Dead, which also features an amazing original soundtrack done by tomandandy. Unfortunately, they never released it, because they couldn't pay the royalties, which is horrible because it's hauntingly beautiful music. This song fits the movie very well, it kind of inhabits that area between your consciousness and everything else. I never thought very much of Peter Gabriel before I heard this song, and most of his other songs don't really affect me at all, so it's funny that I like this one so much. Go here for a very complete analysis of the song, and its' intriuging inspiration.

Peter Gabriel - Mercy Street

surfer girl

The song today comes from the Pixies third proper album, Bossanova. This album for me is less of another group of songs that I know well, and more of a place that I go. So far I haven't posted much music from bands that mean a lot to me, I have posted single songs that stand out. However, with the Pixies, I wish that I could just post up their entire catalouge and talk about each song in detail, but that would just be turgid. So instead I am posting this song, and I hope you like it. The glimmering melody rocks back and forth while Frank Black blissfully articulates his acrostic poem:
She's my fave
Undressing in the sun
Return to sea - bye
Forgetting everyone
Eleven high
Ride a wave
Apparently, Black thought that this was an anagram, thus the name...but it's an acrostic poem, I guess "acros" isn't quite as good a name for the song. Either way, here's the song already.

The Pixies - Ana

the clock is slow

I am not going to lie, I have only known about this song for a couple of days...so subtract what music credibility points you will. Ok, my friend told me about this song, apparently she was named for it when she was younger. I was intrigued, finding out about a part of Dave Grohl's catalouge that I hadn't heard so I procured this copy of it, compliments of Google. The song was written and sung by Dave Grohl, (go to songmeanings.com for an inane debate over the instrumentation), and was a b-side for the Heart Shaped Box single. It really is a beautiful song, and it has been stuck in the back of my mind for the last few days. Fun fact, apparently that weird noise toward the begining of the song is a chair moving.

Nirvana - Marigold