Playlist Sunday September 20th, 2009: Four Songs
Since I’ve begun this blog I’ve been listening and reporting on so much music I haven’t had time to listen to anything but whatever I was working on at any given moment!! But this weekend I discovered four songs in heavy rotation. Here they are…
Say It All – Sondre Lerche – The Norwegian singer-songwriter gets in trouble because his lyrics are off center (they sound Abbaish -not quite right) and his songs are a little too clever for there own good. This 2007 single answers both complaints and particularly the solo acoustic version on Daytrotter.com. I don’t know what he thinks “if you ever need forgiveness, I give” mean but if it doesn’t sound right the very next line “I have done so many incomprehensible things” is the best use of a six syllable word you’ll ever hear.
Sparkle – Aretha Franklin – This is one of the most glorious ballads ever written but it has a depth belied even by those words. “Submission isn’t easy for me,” Franklin warns on this glorious and very Curtis Mayfield song. It is a confused song because the emotions are so raw and sometimes contradictory. In the middle instrumental Mayfield loops “Many A Tear Has To Fall” in a full orchestral swoop and when the chorus returns Franklin sounds a little unhinged and voice is high and sweet and tender. The very end, the yeah yeah yeah yeahs would be repeated many years later in the last song she would sing with the ” gentle giant’ (as she called him Friday) “Back To Living Again”. A masterpiece.
Powerstrip – Tigercity – Two years ago there was a very next big thing buzz about these blue eyed soul boys yet there they were stuck at the Bowery Ballroom a coupla weeks ago. This song is so good you think it would’ve taken off like a “Cut The Cake” type thing and I can’t help but believe at some point they must reach their natural audience which is NOT trendsetters in Williamsburgh.
Pursuit Of Happiness – Kid Cudi – I know you’re sick of me telling you how good this song is but I was right about Dirty Projectors and I’m right about “Pursuit Of Happiness”. I’ve actually been streaming the mix tape that got in the hands of Kanye West and had Kanye giving a completely unknown rapper the chance to co-write four songs with him. Didja hear that Kanya West haters? Any way, ratatat are just brilliant here -it is ratatat who are playing the shock electronic zonks (MGMT behind the drums and bass). Single of the year…?
