Dan's Shadow: Comments to Shadows

I've been falling regularly behind on comments and all the while starting to have a general feeling that, by spending upwards of four to six hours in commentary a month, I am engaging in a major instance of "wanking off into the void."

This month I begin a new area of scaling back on the cross-referencing of past posts (aside from the Creators'), hyperlinks, and dissecting of minutiae (which generally seem to be off-putting, as much as anything else). Forgiveness is asked of anyone that liked to read through my lengthy past posts, and payment is requested of anyone who is grateful they will now be short.

Overall:
Stephen, thanks for the personal look into your journey of the past decade and a half; one of which we've heard some general recounting but, for the most part, to which we've not been there for. As expected (and I think as Mixdorf alluded), this collection reads almost like a "who's who" of artists for which I've always felt on the outside looking in. Either that or some sort of semi-independent film soundtrack. In the former view, however, it's definitely a valuable look into these artists of which I otherwise may have remained ignorant/intimidated indefinitely. So thanks for that.

1. Havalina: Funny, that it's ultimately the name of a pig. Even if it's about somewhat exotic places, the name definitely conjures the images of seaside breezes than it does anyplace in Arizona. For me, anyway. Dreamy, almost "Sleepwalk"-like guitar beginning. Unexpected chord change at around :30, and great one as the vocals come up, around 1:20.

2. Replacements: In addition to avoiding this group for the earlier reasons (out of the loop to begin with and a little intimidated), I gotta say that I've always avoided everything to do with the Replacements just cause they have such Godlike status in the hipster review circles in the Twin Cities. It's like if someone called into Cities 97 and announced a Replacements Reunion Tour, the disc jockey's boner would come right out of the radio and poke me in the eye. And then, the post-Replacements years, GOD! Enough with Paul Westerberg!!! So, getting past all that might have been expected to be challenging. But this song was great! I can see the appeal. Just pounding it out, sounding almost like a frat party with a chorus of partiers joining in on the "I don't knows." And I just LOVE the chorus. Great sax - especially from the years where sax was used wrong so often. Relentless!!! Note: I love your appreciation of the balls it took to release "Let It Be."

3. Way Down Now: Like a couple of the other guys, I know Ship of Fools, from that same Greenpeace collection of Gibbs'; and it is a song I like. this one, I recall from radio back in the years (where Stephen & I may have actually been both setting up video equipment, unbeknownst to one another), but one that I have never listened to with an attentive ear. I certainly didn't know it was World Party at work. The song is OK - but nothing really grabs me. Even as I am not gushing over it, I can appreciate the type of music that was at work there, and how it might have stood out, given its context in time. I do know Stephen has a history of sitting up an noticing when pop separates itself from the pack. To this day, I do not really know what elevated Fine Young Cannibals' "She Drives Me Crazy" to such status, but I seem to remember something about it being "just a great pop song."

4. Futterman's Rule: Unbelievably funky and driving. WONDERFUL, and perhaps the best use of the organ in rock music since Inna Godda Vita. Bass that I can imagine having played, in my heyday. I love the elevated guitar bridge part, the fills - all of it. I also love the actual "rule." Was that from the album with "Heart Attack Man?" Beyond the freeing of Tibet, they also seem to have some sort of side mission of lowering chloresterol. On a side note: Working out to show tunes? Listening to this song must have been like the Rapture for you (like, from the lucky ones' standpoint).

5. Pool: I really like this song. Another, yet of a different style, bassline I almost could have seen myself playing. A somewhat low, subdued, masculine voice elevates itself to a pretty range right after 1:00. Catchy & lovely. A bit of a cheesy guitar solo - and also that synth part around 3:00, but probably par for the time/place. Regardless of the unkown words, just a nice pop song, overall. And I love imagining that their entire catalog is just a series of "songs about taking flight, mysterious feelings and straightforward love."

6. On Earth: Like anyone who kind of came into their own during and in conjunction with the rise and fall of alternative rock in the 90s, I knew well and loved "Here's Where the Story Ends." Wheeler's voice - remarkable, pure, and truly a gift to the world. A pity she hasn't done more (or just more I know about?). That said, this song - while not objectionable - does little for me. It just kind of pleasantly meanders along, and then ends.

7. I See Monsters: I know this is a guy that A. Johnson likes quite a bit. So make of that what you will. Pleasant guitar work - almost a little "Dear Prudence" descent, but also a quality that makes it seem a little like an arena rock departure ("Dust in the Wind"?). I like some of the lyrical phrases, though I don't totally see what he's getting at, overall. This song, too, doesn't really knock me out.

8. Automatic Stop: OK. Here's my song. This one knocks...my...socks...off. The musical progression. The musical progression. Part one, with the main synchopated guitar hits & the singing, the part two with the fuzzed out guitar that departs on a little counter melody over the main riff, then the unexpected little disco section that takes off. Brilliant! And also - if'n I may be excused for yet another Dan/44 reference, this definitely seems like the type of production upon which vintage 44 may have embarked - to whatever degree of success. A combination of fond reminisces and appreciating from a songwriter/contributor vantage working together to bolster my enjoyment of this song. Just a little "Cake" like, isn't this song? Oh, and brilliant ending.

9. The Shadows: Yo La Tengo definitely going into the same category as Death Cab for Cutie, as indie-rock warlords to whom I've never tithed (GREAT Onion article, by the way. I remember it well from when it first came out). This song was going to fall into the "pleasant, but not knocking me out" category, but has been growing on me. She has a fairly lovely voice, and the song dreamily drifts along. The muted trumpet really gives a little welcome sparkle and lift. Some unexpected & sophisticated chord changes that I may not have completely gotten my head around yet.

10. Cleaning Windows: Definitely a change of pace, here. An OK song - pretty straightforward, easygoing blues. I've never been a huge VM fan, but I can appreciate the vastness of his body of work, only a small fraction of which I've (admittedly) ever sampled. As far as being the window cleaner in this song: that's what (in some discussions over "what the hell are we doing?" conversations with Gibbs in times past) I've come to refer to as "The Danny Glover" trick. Being the window cleaner, or janitor, or shelving guy in Walgreens who was found inner peace and who dispenses knowledge to protagonists seems pretty great in the movies, but I don't recommend that route for those who are living real lives.

Overall: A couple of songs in there I am really happy are now a part of my life. I also really appreciate this unveiling of the mystery of a few artists I may have never gotten around to, and a few more fragmentary stories from the Mysterious Lost Years of Stephen. Thanks!