Cashing in more caps

Round Two:


The second disc from continued Sync purchases was made rather quickly. A few tracks from that last disc ("Shoulda Known" and "She Left Me For Jesus") were largely thanks to reading Andy Langer's suggestions in his Esquire. So with this disc, I did a quick bit of backtracking via the magazine's website and found three back years of columns usually titled something along the lines of "Best Songs You Didn't Hear."

Here's the first 14 I happened to download:


1. "Jingle Bells" — Julian Koster

ANDY SAID:

"It's been said that the violin is the closest instrument to the human voice, but we're going with the singing saw. In a perfect world, Koster's ultracreepy take on this yuletide standard would be in heavy rotation at Home Depot. Best of all, no bells, just saw."

I SAY:

"I give myself for props for finding a 'reason' to post that on the Tumblr in the middle of the summer. Way to go me."

2. "The President's Dead" — Okkervil River

ANDY SAID:

"Whether you hear this meticulously detailed assassination anthem as a protest song, a revenge fantasy, or just a rumination on know-where-you-were moments, it's a ballsy piece of songwriting."

I SAY:

"This song is totally tits. The small details of the day are wonderful enough, but when the three snare pops correspond to the lyrical 'three shots to the head,' the groove really kicks in."

3. “Hush, Hush” — Omar Kent Dykes & Jimmy Vaughan

ANDY SAID:

"In Texas, they say, 'Simplicity don't need to be greased,' which goes a long way toward explaining why this all-star Austin collective's low-down, no-bullshit take on a Jimmy Reed classic is so instantly spellbinding. Just add pulled pork and a Shiner."

I SAY:

"The kind of song I wished they played more often at Lone Star, but luckily I don't hang out there very often anymore."

4. “One Last Round” — Ron Sexsmith

ANDY SAID:

"Rarely has the notoriously meticulous Sexsmith crafted a better melody and narrative than this one -- in which what seems like a gorgeous drinking song on first pass reveals itself as a sharp comment on American consumption."

I SAY:

"I'd be willing to listen to other stuff this guy's done. Good tune that sticks with you longer than you'd imagine on first listen."

5. “Body Baby” — Pharoahe Monch

ANDY SAID:

"Upstaging and outshining Jay-Z on the remix of Amy Winehouse's 'Rehab' may have been this Queens MC's highest-profile moment of the year, but that cameo only hints at the genius of this retro-themed, Elvis-bashing, juke-joint-styled single."

I SAY:

"One of my favorite shower songs when I'm in a hurry. Gets me moving almost as much as Mocean Worker."

6. “Fat Children” — Jarvis Cocker

ANDY SAID:

"The British have a grand tradition of unleashing relentlessly sneering rants, and this ex-Pulp leader is gamely carrying the torch. On a Stooges-meets-Cheap-Trick anthemic blast, power chords and snappy drums belie a narrative so snippy, Cocker outright calls children "maggots," accusing them of trying to kill him for his cell phone."

I SAY:

"I really liked 'This Is Hardcore,' so this track (the reviews don't hurt either) will probably make me pick up 'Jarvis.'"

7. “Up To The Mountain” — Solomon Burke

ANDY SAID:

"The self-proclaimed king of rock 'n' soul has impeccable taste in duet partners: It would take a Ray LaMontagne/Emmylou Harris pairing to find two better voices."

I SAY:

"It really is a beauty."

8. “One Of Us Is Gonna Die Young” — The Ark

ANDY SAID:

"This quirky hand-clapper has more spunk in one chorus than the Killers manage to muster on their entire new record."

I SAY:

"A Swedish glam rock band? Really?"

9. “Auctioneer” — The Broken West

ANDY SAID:

"There's a glut of fashion-obsessed L. A. bands. This one uses the piano, hand claps, tambourines, and lush choruses -- but only in short bursts. Any remaining Matthew Sweet and Jellyfish fanatics will fall for this tale of an intimidating chanteuse."

I SAY:

"I can always appreciate a little good piano, and that's some damn fine piano."

10. “Grounds for Divorce” — Elbow

ANDY SAID:

"As it should, this tightly wound Zeppelinesque foot-stomper reeks like a bartender's rubber mat; it's about a bender at the corner pub, in which the 'seldom-seen kid' in the chorus is the dead friend they're toasting. Cheers."

I SAY:

"Yes, it seems like this might be the time in their careers for me to begin paying attention to them."

11. “Rag and Bone” — The White Stripes

ANDY SAID:

Called it "the summer song we needed" on the June 19, 2007 edition of The Andy Langer Show.

I SAY:

"Did Jack White just get done owning this decade or what?"

12. “Punkrocker” — Teddybears (featuring Iggy Pop)

ANDY SAID:

"A sneering condemnation of Hot Topic--inspired faux punk that resonates almost wholly because it's coming from Iggy Pop."

I SAY:

"Another Swedish band, but probably the one I'm less likely to remember to look for more from since my liking of this song is heavily based on Iggy being a part of it."

13. “Kick, Push” — Lupe Fiasco

ANDY SAID:

Gave the "brilliant skateboarding anthem" Best Chorus for The 2007 ESKY Awards.

I SAY:

"Surprisingly effective storytelling for a tune that feels so light, and yes, that chorus is pretty sweet too."

14. “James Alley Blues” — Wilco

ANDY SAID:

"A seven-year-old live recording of an 80-year-old tune, and the best Wilco recording you've never heard."

I SAY:

"I've been putting off actually buying anything from Wilco for a variety of reasons, but mostly just because so many people I know love them and still listen to them all the time, so I basically hear a lot of their stuff in different backgrounds. But I know the time is coming soon when I finally break down and purchase 'Summerteeth,' 'Yankee Hotel Foxtrot,' and whatever else everybody insists I must have. I certainly enjoy them, but the amount of overpraising fans I know sort of makes me resentful for no really good reason."

Progress, not perfection.

Anyway, a few other things I'd like to post this month before football season begins and, well, writing about anything else has to wait for a real lull. I'll try to keep posting.