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

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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.

My iPod #384: The Magic Numbers – Forever Lost

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So The Magic Numbers apparently released their fourth album this year…. I didn’t even know. Whether the band were still together was a question that popped into my head, before I went onto Wikipedia and saw that they, in fact, are. The group might not have so much mainstream success now, but about ten years ago – when guitar music had a greater chance of chart success – The Magic Numbers put the work in.

“Forever Lost” was the first single released from the band’s debut self-titled album in 2005. I distinctly remember the track’s music video appearing almost every day on MTV2, and every time I saw that first frame of that cartoon clock I switched the television to another channel. I did this countless times. The video never seemed to go away. So I gave in. I gave in, and found out that the song wasn’t actually that bad after all. In fact, it was a very sweet and pleasant song to listen to. And I had to admit that the video was a bit cute too. I was ten, don’t judge.

This cheery, upbeat tune about someone who doesn’t know where they belong anymore got the band their first top twenty hit. And for good reason. If you don’t feel anything listening to those soft vocal harmonies, general calm vibes and the melodica usage then…. this clearly isn’t for you. Come back tomorrow, though.

My iPod #383: They Might Be Giants – For Science

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“For Science” is a small yet dramatic track, briefly about the sighting of a UFO and soldiers being sent to meet the aliens even though it will end with their inevitable deaths but mostly about a man who begins a relationship with a female alien, knowing that he will be a slave to her love all eternity. This is all done in the name of science.

A track that was created during the making of their first album, “For Science” was first released on the “(She Was a) Hotel Detective EP” in 1988, and then re-released on the groups B-Side compilation “Miscellaneous T” (which is the album I first heard the song on).

Linnell plays the announcer at the start of the track, Flansburgh takes the role of the love-struck man, and “Lt. Anne Moore” – as she is known as on the EP – provides the female vocals.

It’s a funny little track, one that has apparently only been played live by the band three times. They’ll have their reasons as to why that is.

My iPod #382: The Killers – For Reasons Unknown

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One time when I was in year seven, just starting life in secondary school, a friend of mine randomly started singing “there was an open chaaiiiiiiir” and kept on repeating that line again. This forced me to question what was wrong with him as I joking began to question him about his mental health.

It all made sense a few months later, when the video “For Reasons Unknown” started showing on MTV. The line makes up a funny second verse in the track where Brandon Flowers wails: “There was an open chaaaaaiiiir/We sat down iiiiiiiiiin/The open chaaaiiir”, before going into the pre-chorus again. Still, that track was played over and over again that I eventual began to start liking it. I had no choice to be honest; the lyrics were permanently etched into my brain to the video’s excessive air time.

The song was released as “Sam’s Town”‘s final single, before the band went away for a year or so preparing their third album. The track is different from many other Killers stuff, as Brandon Flowers actually takes bass duties while Mark Stoermer plays the second guitar (as is shown in the video). I did not know that the track was a narrative based on Flowers’ grandmother who suffers/ed from Alzheimer’s disease. Kind of brings me down thinking about it, actually. But it is a very bold and forward-moving track, with a very passionate vocal performance from Brandon. And an overall solid performance by the four guys.

My iPod #381: The Beatles – For No One

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A slow song about the gradual ending of a relationship, “For No One” written by Paul McCartney and performed by The Beatles is one of the saddest tracks in the group’s catalogue.

McCartney was going through a rough patch with a girlfriend many many years ago, and this is one of many songs that he wrote about that point in time. This seems to detail the eventual end of that ‘patch’ ‘cos from “Sgt. Pepper” onwards he didn’t write those types of songs anymore. In fact, it seemed to be getting so much better for him from that point onwards. Still, “For No One” is details McCartney’s regret and sadness caused by the situation.

Accompanied by only by drums (courtesy of Ringo Starr) which you can barely hear and a mournful French horn that gets its own solo and appears again near the song’s conclusion, “For No One” is the one track from “Revolver” that will have you tearing up and feeling Paul’s pain. John Lennon was a fan of this one too, but probably not because of that reason.

My iPod #380: Big Boi ft. Vonnegutt – Follow Us

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Honestly, I got nothing to say about this track. I heard it when I was listening through “Sir Lucious” for the first time, and it sounded like a highlight to me.

On a lot of tracks on the album, Big Boi is very boastful and is always eager to tell you just how sick he is. It is no different on this one, going on to compare his rhymes and rapping to a vicious pitbull attack and sending a message to those who thought he wouldn’t do so well solo without his Outkast partner André 3000. Well he proved them wrong, and along with fellow label act Vonnegutt (or at least that group’s lead singer) he calls to you to follow him and listen to this song and other good music in general, because that is the only way you will learn.

This is a good hip-hop song, from a great hip-hop album. Admittedly, I don’t know all the words to the verses and only sing along to the chorus…. but I still know good music when I hear it. This qualifies.