Monthly Archives: December 2013

My iPod #206: Paul McCartney – Coming Up

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What’s up everyone! New year, new me, new year, new me. How are you all? I’m very well.

So it has come to this. Only a few more hours until the new year. I never thought when I started the blog in February that could have the energy or the mental capacity to write about one song each day (more or less). It has been good fun. I may have sounded repetitive on many occasions; you have to give me a break though. Has anyone done anything like this before? Probably. But I haven’t seen it, so it hasn’t as far as I know.

How’s the change in design? Thought the blog needed some spice and crap. So it will stay like this for the foreseeable future.

“Coming Up” by Paul McCartney was released as the first single from his second solo album “McCartney II” in 1980. It is a track of pure optimism. The ascending melodies played on the bass and the keyboards along with McCartney’s manipulated vocals combine to produce a cheerful tune about looking forward to the times ahead. If you need a friend, McCartney tells you it’s coming up. You want a love? Paul says it’s coming. You want peace? Paul says it’s coming… like a flower. We just have to believe! I made that up, I don’t know what I am saying anymore.

Have a happy new year!

My iPod #205: Panda Bear – Comfy in Nautica

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A very recent addition to my iPod. Maybe one or a couple weeks ago, I took on the experience of listening to “Person Pitch”, the third album by Panda Bear. Panda Bear is a cool guy, who performs with a cool band called Animal Collective. He also made an appearance on Daft Punk’s new album. Do check out Animal Collective in your spare time though.

Getting back to the subject, “Comfy in Nautica” starts “Person Pitch” off with a sample of some sort of tribal chant which repeats throughout. While this is all happening, Mr. Bear sings a mantra on how to live your life. He doesn’t really sing, he changes the pitch of his voice on a new syllable. Which is further accentuated by a large amount of echo. That echo doesn’t go away for the rest of the album. It is still very effective, and a very simple melody that you’ll never forget.

The only bad thing I about the track is the really long and out of tone note at the end. But that’s about it really.

My iPod #204: Feeder – Comfort in Sound

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The title track from Feeder’s fourth album is one that has an ambiguous effect on me. Sometimes, it fails to raise a positive emotion in me. Sometimes I hear the song and I feel sad for no reason and quite dispirited. Other times it’s a song I would play when I’m with my friends or family and think “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else than where I am right now, at this point in time.”

I told you the context of the album already with “Come Back Around”. Whilst that song (although having somewhat of a similar message to this) excites me with its pace and forceful instrumentation, “Comfort in Sound” stops me where I am and makes me think about life… about what I’m doing presently, about making most of the time I have.

I do love the song. Lazily looking upon the lyrics now, it has a positive and heartwarming aura. It is about finding solace in the things that surround you. Mostly in the things you hear. Its mid-tempo pace and the key(which was altered for the single release, and is the version I have) make me feel at home… and really warm inside.

My iPod #203: The Beatles – Come Together

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When I come to a Beatles song, I always approach it quite apprehensively. What could I possibly say about their songs that hasn’t been said on Wikipedia, on the countless fan sites dedicated to the band, or even YouTube comments where the person copy and paste everything and try to post it as their own original facts?

I can’t. That is my answer. All I can tell you is that this track is one of the most grooviest, laid-back and badass tracks to ever exist through time. Also a contender for one of the best tracks to start an album.

“Come Together” is the opener for The Beatles’ “last” album “Abbey Road“. Every time I see that famous album cover, that track always pops into my head. I think the track just sums up everything when your eyes witness it. The four guys all in time… in unison. Never missing a beat right up to the end.

I was walking to my friend’s house in my suit earlier this year when it was prom day, and I felt so cool listening to this song on my iPod. I have never experienced such a feeling since.

One theory about the song, written by John Lennon, is that each of the four verses describe the members of the group in their own abstract and surreal way. Another theory is that all the verses are about John himself. Lennon, apparently, stated that it was inspired by American politics.

I’ll carry on believing that it’s the first option, because to write those verses and then back it up with such tight instrumentation – with each member being at their best too – it’s almost as if they are saying “Yep, we’re good baby we know it”. Even though they weren’t getting along so well at the time. But still. Listen to it.

My iPod #202: The Offspring – Come Out and Play

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I was born a year after “Smash”, The Offspring’s breakthrough album came out. I first heard “Come Out and Play” when its video played on MTV2.

One main thing went through my head whilst watching it. That was why Dexter Holland thought that having dreadlocks was a good look. All the time I saw an Offspring video, he had spiked up hair and to see the previous hairstyle he had before was a bit strange.

Apart from that the song was much different to any Offspring song I had heard before. I was a big fan of songs like “Pretty Fly”, “Hit That” and “Original Prankster” to name a few, and they were all songs with quite comedic and sarcastic subject matter.

“Come Out and Play” is more menacing in tone, but is made cooler by the Arabian-sounding guitar that plays during the instrumental break. The song is simply about gang culture, I can’t say anymore on that. It is a song of a very serious matter, no matter how engaging the song’s title is.