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Quintessential Songs of the ’00s: #10 “Here It Goes Again”

July 17, 2010 /

When looking for the 10th song to round out my first collection of Quintessential Songs of the ’00s — by the way, I’m dubbing this playlist “The Rock Set” — I had a few different contenders, but settled on OK Go’s “Here It Goes Again” which typified the decade in that it became a hit after the band posted its unique video (a.k.a. “The Treadmill Video”) on YouTube.

The video became an internet sensation (even spawning this rendition from a group of industrious students at a high school talent show) and it doesn’t hurt that the song is catchy as hell, either.

According to the song’s wiki page, it took 17 takes to finally nail the video.

So that wraps up the first Quintessential Songs of the ’00s set. Here’s an overview:

1. The White Stripes: “Seven Nation Army”
2. Franz Ferdinand: “Take Me Out”
3. Modest Mouse: “Float On”
4. Jet: “Are You Gonna Be My Girl?”
5. Kings of Leon: “Use Somebody”
6. The Killers: “Mr. Brightside”
7. The Strokes: “Last Night”
8. Spoon: “The Way We Get By”
9. The Hives: “Hate to Say I Told You So”
10. OK Go: “Here I Go Again”

See all 10 posts here.

Best of 2000s, External Music, Songs

Marc Cohn: Listening Booth: 1970

July 16, 2010 /


RIYL: Eric Clapton, Sting, Jackson Browne

Will everyone who feels like they need to hear another version of “Maybe I’m Amazed,” “After Midnight,” or – God help you – “Make It With You,” please raise your hand? Thank you. The rest of you may be excused.

As covers projects go, Marc Cohn’s Listening Booth: 1970 has an admittedly nifty concept; it focuses strictly on songs from the year of its title. But the minus in this equation is that any song popular enough to survive the last 40 years has been played to death. There’s no doubt that Cohn really loves “Wild World” and “Long As I Can See the Light,” but so do millions of other people, which is why you’ve been able to hear the originals (as well as not a few covers of the songs on this album) on classic rock radio every day for at least the last 20 years. If you aren’t going to add something new to add to these songs, why bother?

It’s a question Cohn never really provides a satisfactory answer to here, aside from the obvious one: Because people from Cohn’s generation are suckers for nostalgia, and if they aren’t going to purchase his generally excellent original material — which, incidentally, does a far better job of synthesizing his influences than anything here — then he might as well cash a check and cut a slowed-down version of “No Matter What,” suitable for the next time Adam Sandler or John Cusack decides to film a romantic comedy.

Thoughts this cynical are depressing when you’re listening to classic songs like “Into the Mystic” and “The Tears of a Clown,” but they are, sadly, more interesting than anything that happens during Listening Booth: 1970. The performances are tasteful, the production is finely burnished, and Cohn’s voice remains a marvelously soulful instrument, but this is a hollow exercise. Like a musical Slanket, it’ll put your mother-in-law to sleep with a smile on her face. If you want more, look to Cohn’s albums of original material — or, better yet, the original recordings of these songs. (Saguaro Road 2010)

Marc Cohn MySpace page

CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Pop

Automatic Loveletter: Truth or Dare

July 16, 2010 /


RIYL: Pink, Alison Iraheta, Paramore

Rock band Automatic Loveletter is a bit of an anomaly. On the one hand, this sounds like one of those Warped Tour, Fuse-era bands that winds up on those tween TV shows. But on the other, this female-fronted outfit is just a damn good rock band with a singer that is clearly gifted. That singer is Juliet Simms, who has one of those voices you just can’t peg – it’s equal parts Janis Joplin and a female Butch Walker. Sound interesting? It is. But it’s more, because this young band has some killer songs on Truth or Dare, their debut album on Sony’s SIN (Sony Independent Network). That said, Simms’ voice can be shouty and one-dimensional at times, and that can distract a bit. But for the most part, this one is worth checking out. Among a solid set of 12 tracks, the best of the bunch are the opening anthem “Heart Song,” which is like one of those Pink/Butch Walker hybrids; “Fade Away,” which sounds like one of those teen summer romance songs; and “Day They Saved Us,” which is a combo power ballad/balls-out rocker. Yes, at times Automatic Loveletter defies description – you just have to hear it for yourself. But it’s all good. (Sony Independent Network 2010)

Automatic Loveletter MySpace Page

CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Power Pop, Punk, Rock

Elogy: One

July 15, 2010 /


RIYL: Coldplay, Aqualung, Passion Pit

Not everyone can lead. It’s just a fact of life. Some will lead, and the rest will follow, and you will find no greater place to observe this behavior in action than in the world of music, where every band who scores even a sliver of attention inadvertently gives birth to a gaggle of copycats. Most of which, naturally, suck hard.

However, just because someone is a follower does not mean that they’re not bringing something new to the table, and California trio Elogy is a good example. From the first breath that singer Derek Cannavo takes on One, the band’s debut album, it’s clear that he really, really likes the way Chris Martin sings, executing both of Martin’s trademark moves (the aching baritone, followed by the aching falsetto) in a matter of seconds. And yet, for all the tricks the band may have stolen from other bands’ playbooks, One is a consistently engaging listen, stuffed to the gills with anthemic choruses and slice & dice programming that will make Passion Pit green with envy. The soaring “Eager We Are” will surely land in a CW show in the next six months, while “Welcome to Inertia” out-Aqualung’s Aqualung, skillfully blending major keys with full-blown melancholia. The band’s true star, though, is drummer Nick Lyman, who positively bashes his set when he’s not unleashing drum samples that sound like Everything but the Girl’s Walking Wounded set on puree.

If they can stay away from overblown power ballads like “Rest Your Senses” (think Staind’s “It’s Been Awhile” for the bedroom pop set), there should be little preventing Elogy from jumping to the next level. It may not be the most unique first step a band’s ever taken, but it would not be at all surprising to see Elogy evolve into a band that others want to copy. (Elogy 2010)

Elogy MySpace page
Click to buy One from Amazon

Ambient, Artists, CD Reviews, Electronica, Emo, Melodramatic, Pop

Big Head Todd & the Monsters: Rocksteady

July 15, 2010 /


RIYL: Gin Blossoms, Train, Robert Cray Band

Rocksteady is the title of the eighth studio album from Big Head Todd & the Monsters since 1989, but it also serves as the mantra for the Colorado band. Although 1993’s Sister Sweetly was spectacular, the rest of their records have been good efforts with plenty of pleasant moments. Nothing they have released since Sister Sweetly has approached that masterpiece. Rocksteady joins a very workmanlike catalog, complete with a gem or two along with a forgettable song here and there. The album sails nicely through 11 tracks and acts as a sorbet, nicely cleansing the palate and leaving an agreeable taste behind.

The usual blend of pop, light jazz and bluesy riffs fill the record while the production is pristine as Todd Park Mohr’s voice and guitar take center stage as usual. The record stretches a bit in the blues direction when Big Head channels Howlin’ Wolf on “Smokestack Lightnin’.” This is nothing new for the band, who memorably dueted with Johnny Lee Hooker on “Boom Boom” from 1997’s Beautiful World. The Monsters cover the Stones on a light-as-air version of “Beast of Burden” that lacks any kind of bite. Mohr’s lyrics about Muhammad Ali on a record released in 2010 seem oddly out of date, making the track of the same name seem dated. The record ends on a high note with the eloquent “Fake Diamond Kind,” which contains the best lyrics on the record and seems to stay in the listener’s head well after the disc has finished playing. (Big Head Todd & The Monsters 2010)

Big Head Todd & The Monsters MySpace page

CD Reviews, Rock

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