Author Archives: The Music in My Ears (by Jamie Kyei)

Unknown's avatar

About The Music in My Ears (by Jamie Kyei)

Just one man who's making his way through life one day at a time writing about the songs he has on his phone. And other things at some points.

#872: The Wombats – Moving to New York

Leave a reply

The music video for this song isn’t that great. I thought that in 2007/8, and I still hold that opinion today. A lot of awkward staring and just a very low-budget tone to it. Song’s good though, always enjoy hearing it whenever it comes up on shuffle or something. ‘Moving to New York’ was a single from The Wombats’ first album, and its various appearances on MTV2 was how I came to know of its existence. It was also another reason for me to request that album as a present, birthday or Christmas, either/or, I can’t remember that well.

The track carries on a theme of self-deprecation and doubt that goes on throughout Love, Loss and Desperation. On here, the narrator generally seems to be down on their luck. They’ve had a bad week, they don’t know whether they’re coming or going, so they decide to move to New York in order to get some good sleep. Ah, but you see the joke here is that New York is known as the city that never sleeps, so it’s safe to assume that this person won’t have the greatest success with the decision they’ve made. It’s all a very sarcastic, ironic affair going on lyrically.

Despite the dismissive tone in its lyrics, it’s a thoroughly enjoyable track. Matthew Murphy sings it really well, and the thing to look out for the most is the bass guitar which really carries the melodic backbone. My favourite part is probably the outro, not because it means that the song is ending, but the chord progression during that part seems to come out of nowhere. Overall, the track’s pretty harmless. I think it’s one that reminds a lot people of the mid-00s where there were so many bands in the UK making music like this. Some of them were terrible, but I’ll always have a bit of a soft spot for the Wombats. Especially that first record.

#871: The Cribs – Moving Pictures

1 Reply

‘Moving Pictures’ was released as the second single from the Cribs’ Men’s Need’s… album, back in 2007. I guess I was a fully formed human being by that point, so I have an almost clear recollection of the hype around the band at the time. It was the first album of theirs on a major-label, and its first single became a UK indie dancefloor classic almost immediately.

When the video for ‘Pictures’ started making its rounds on MTV, I’m very sure I preferred the track over its predecessor from the get-go. Being 12-years-old, or whatever my age was back then, I think felt that the track just sounded a lot nicer. Bassist Gary Jarman takes the lead vocal on the majority of the song, with twin brother Ryan on the guitar laying down this really cool guitar pattern that alternates between the higher-pitched strings and the lower ones. Always appreciated that guitar during the verses. Ross Jarman lays down the beat on the drums which are very predominant in the mix, but I don’t say that in a way to complain.

Though I’ve known this song for about 14 years, I’ve no clue what it’s about. That goes for a lot of many other songs that I came to knew when in my first few years of secondary school. Thinking about them now, it may just be another song about a relationship or something… one where both people involved may not even share the same interests but still appreciate the time they share together? Just a guess. If I haven’t thought about it that deeply up to now, there’s small chance that I will from this point on. But no matter how I feel about its subject matter shouldn’t deter you from listening to it for yourself.

#870: Supergrass – Moving

Leave a reply

Anyone remember hearing this song in a TV advert somewhere during the early 2000s? That question is mainly aimed to any British readers I may have. Because I’m sure that I’d heard ‘Moving’ somewhere before I properly listened to the song many, many years ago now. When it comes to a lot of Supergrass’ singles, I wouldn’t be able to exactly pinpoint when and where I was when I heard them for the first time. Their music videos occasionally popped up on various channels back in the day, and just through those I found that Supergrass were actually quite great. Seeing as singles receive the music video treatment, and ‘Moving’ was one of those from Supergrass’ self-titled album from 1999, the track falls into that category.

And what is ‘Moving’ about, you might ask? Why, it’s a good ol’ song about the strain of touring. Moving and moving until you barely know who you are anymore, and trying to keep your sanity by thinking of the people back home. Especially your loved ones. The band describe these feelings in two kind of sections. There are the wistful verses, led by acoustic guitars, what sounds like an organ and strings. Then there are the busier chugging choruses where the band come in together and lay down a bit of a funky rhythm. There’s a great dynamic between the two things. Makes for some attentive listening, when those verses are left lingering at their end, you can’t wait for those choruses to kick in.

When I recently read a YouTube comment somewhere saying that the track takes its intro from Pink Floyd’s ‘Dogs’, I have to say I did start listening to it just a bit differently. There is quite the similarity. And there’s another thing I’m starting to wonder. Is there a hint of– not Auto-Tune… well, maybe it is Auto-Tune… but I’ll say pitch correction on Gaz Coombes’ vocal? Because there are many live performances of Supergrass performing the track and he definitely doesn’t hit those notes as smoothly as he does on the album. Think there’s some studio trickery going on. Sounds so great though. Definitely one of those ones for a long train journey, watching the scenery pass you by. Always like a good travelling song.

#869: Blur – Movin’ On

Leave a reply

Think I read that Blur’s ‘Movin’ On’ was meant to be the final track on the band’s self-titled album from 1997. But then that changed when one day they made ‘Essex Dogs’ and decided that that track would take its place. ‘Movin’ On’ does have that “see you later, we’re out of here” sort of feel about it though. I just get that sense from its musicality, it’s hard to explain. What I do know is that it’s one of my favourites on this album, though I’m sure many wouldn’t bat an eyelid at it because there’s also ‘Beetlebum’, ‘Death of a Party’ and, you know, ‘Song 2’, among many other tracks that people may arguably find more substantial.

What got me hooked immediately to this one was its opening guitar riff, played by Graham Coxon, that goes back and forth with that fuzzy keyboard, presumably played by Damon Albarn. Those two are basically the melodic core of almost the entire track, then when the rhythm section of Alex James and Dave Rowntree join in, well, then it’s just plain sailing from there. The track is meant to be the band’s sort of declaration that they were done with the whole Britpop movement that they seemed to be a major force behind, and were going to continue to make simple indie rock, real band music. Of course, you wouldn’t assume this from the lyrics in the verses where Albarn is really just singing nonsense. Not like stupid things, but I feel they are words that are generally meant to fir the music rather than have a deep meaning behind them. Again, quite similar to what he would be doing with Gorillaz a few years later. Though there’s not much meaning, they’re delivered with a lot of feeling, and that’s all I ask for when it comes to this music stuff.

Some musical highlights in this to look out for… I mean I already mentioned the back and forth between the guitar and keyboard that happens throughout. I’d like to shout-out Dave Rowntree’s drum pattern during the choruses. I’m not a drummer, but there’s something emphatic about the way he switches between the hi-hats, tom-toms and crash cymbals alongside those rising ‘aah-aah’ backing vocals from Graham Coxon. Those sections are very uplifting. And then there are those moments where the band let loose. The keyboards freak out for the entire instrumental bridge, and the song’s end is just the four guys making as much noise as possible. I think it all just reflects the freedom the band must have had, particularly Coxon, now that they were changing their style up a bit. I give this track two thumbs up.

#868: Beastie Boys – The Move

Leave a reply

Some time in 2018, I went through the discography of Beastie Boys through Spotify while at work. It was the type of place where no one really looked at what you were doing, pretty much as long as you showed up. But I did it. One album each day, though I think I skipped The Mix-Up. All I can say is when it comes to a Beastie Boys album, you never know what you can get because the three members (MCA, Ad-Rock and Mike D) decided quite soon that they would make anything they wanted when making a record. Hard rock, dub, slow acoustic jams, those were always on there. But what they excelled at was hip-hop and their raps, bouncing off each others words with excitement and enthusiasm.

Their 1998 album Hello Nasty starts off too strongly. First comes ‘Super Disco Breakin” which’ll get its own post way later, and then the second punch arrives with ‘The Move’. The title phrase isn’t mentioned in the lyrics, or in any verse rhymed by a member, but I’d like to think it’s called as such because this track doesn’t stick to one beat. For a good chunk, it’s straight boom-bap, then a harpsichord comes in for a brief moment, the boom-bap starts again, then the beat changes into one led by this double bass groove, followed by a lengthy period where the last few words uttered by the three echo into the distance that unexpectedly turns into an interlude of ‘El Rey y Yo’ by Los Angeles Negros. You can’t say it’s not entertaining. All in three and a half minutes.

Overall, the track is yet another braggadocious offering by the trio. The Beastie Boys were back, it had been four years since their last album at that point, and they’re just as good as ever. There was never any need to doubt them. Some one-liners that always stick to me when listening: “I’m intercontinental when I eat French toast”, “Dogs love me ’cause I’m crazy sniffable”, and I particularly like the delivery on “‘Cause I’m that fool that broke the kEeEy”. Always brings a smile. There’s also a small part where the three exchange syllables in one line, which I never even properly realized until I saw a YouTuber’s reaction to this the other day. Good, good track. Fair to say that it’s overlooked in the Beasties catalogue? I would say yes.