Tag Archives: my ipod

#883: Ween – Mutilated Lips

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Many would consider ‘Mutilated Lips’ to be a clear highlight from The Mollusk. For the longest time though, I didn’t. When I heard the album the first time in 2014, it was obvious that it was a record like no other. The tracks were strange, the cover surreal… The Mollusk is a weird package, but the music was phenomenal. For the longest time, ‘Lips’ stuck out to me as the ‘weird’ song that was made for the point of being weird. The backward reverb before each line, the alternate tuning, the high-pitched voice during the ever-going sentence that makes up the song’s chorus. It all just gave an impression to me of “Yep, this is the weird one.”

So I didn’t care for it for a few years. I had my choice cuts from the album set in stone. But then I watched the band’s 2003 Live in Chicago DVD on YouTube where they performed the song, and it sort of clicked from that. There’s a skinny, potentially strung out Gene Ween on the acoustic guitar, eyes bulging out of his skull, changing the pitch of his voice automatically whenever the song requires it… he’s just owns his performance. And here the song is performed in a different key which I think suited it much better. But those aforementioned things that put me off the track up to that point, I suddenly rated quite highly. Except that backwards echo thing, that doesn’t happen in the live take. But hearing that performance made me listen to the album version with open ears. It’s been an favourite in my music library ever since.

As arguably the strangest song on the album, you’d think it wouldn’t be the track that record labels would want the people to hear when they find out a new Ween album was arriving. Well, Elektra Records did, and selected the track to be the first single released from The Mollusk, much to Gene and Dean Ween’s confusion. I maybe would have chosen the album’s title track, but I’m not a label rep, so what would I know? Below is that Live in Chicago performance, just so you don’t have to open another tab and search for it yourself.

#882: They Might Be Giants – Museum of Idiots

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Another gem from They Might Be Giants’ The Spine. I wrote about another track from that album earlier in this ‘M’ section. While I think I came to some sort of conclusion as to what ‘Memo to Human Resources’ was about, to this day I’m still a bit flummoxed when it comes to ‘Museum of Idiots’. I do remember an interpretation saying that it was from the point of view of a tree in a forest, but I was left even more confused after reading that than before. The track is the first on the second half of The Spine, beginning a run of tracks until the album’s end that may just be one of my favourites in the band’s whole catalogue.

In comparison to ‘Memo’, written by John Flansburgh, ‘Museum’ is another of John Linnell’s offerings – a composition in waltz time marked by moments of quiet keyboards juxtaposed with a blaring wall of horns. If there’s a guitar present here, it’s definitely buried in the mix. And there’s nothing wrong with that. There’s a joyous and uplifting feeling I get from those triumphant brass instruments here, like there’s this big parade going through town or something. Linnell arranged all of the horn part Though the lyrics seem to be from the perspective of someone or something that’s a bit of a dimwit. Or an idiot, if you didn’t already get that from the song’s title.

Actually, come to think of it. This song might just be another example of a sad but funny moment in They’s discography. This person holds out hope that their “Honey” will need them at some point, and they’ll be ready waiting for them whenever that happens. But the likelihood of it is very low. Maybe the museum contains all those heartbroken people who would do anything for the person who won’t reciprocate those feelings, and because they can’t get over them they’re left feeling like idiots. I don’t know, it hurts to think about these things. But I ask you to at least listen to this one before making some sort of decision for yourself.

#881: Muse – Muscle Museum

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Muse. Muse, Muse, Muse. I’ve written about a few songs of the band’s in the past. A couple of those that I’ve linked to, I don’t listen to them as enthusiastically as I once did. I’ll let you guess which two they are. Why don’t I listen to them anymore? Just the way Matt Bellamy sings sometimes, I guess. It’s too much for me to listen to now. A bit melodramatic. Doesn’t seem as cool as I thought it was when I was a teenager. I really did like Muse for a while back in those times, and then I think I found the Beatles and went in a totally different direction. Although my interest for Muse may have waned, whenever ‘Muscle Museum’ comes on I can’t help but think that it might just be my favourite song by them. And you’ll probably think, “Well, this song is just as dramatic as any of their other stuff”. And to that I’ll say that’s fair enough, but this one hits harder to me.

It’s likely that the first time I was introduced to this track was back in 2006, when Black Holes and Revelations was about to be released and MTV2 dedicated various slots of their programming to Muse. The track’s music video features a lot of people crying, and not like sobbing or sniffles, I mean ugly crying, sweat glistening on their faces, while they’re brushing teeth, washing the car, or getting a hair cut. The music to ‘Muscle Museum’ is heavy, sounds like something really sad has happened/is going to happen, and its whole minor key, tension-building delivery perfectly accompanied the visuals of its video. It kind of creeped me out, especially back then when I was 11, but I knew then that it was definitely a good song. 15 years on, the music video makes me laugh a bit. And if there was only one Muse song that existed, I would probably want it to be this one. It packs a punch like many others, but there aren’t any crazy guitar riffs or over the top vocalizations. It just seems a lot more subtle. But it’s still so heavy. It rules.

Again, never thought about the meaning of the track that much. I thought it was about the ending of a relationship. It very well could be. But I also read that it’s meant to be a kind of commentary on the band’s lack of success when they were starting out, and how they were giving their all in their live performances to people who frankly didn’t care. The ‘muscle museum’ title comes from the fact that they are the two words that respectively precede and follow the word ‘muse’ in the dictionary. At least, at the time the song was written. And that is meant to signify the past and future of the band. That also may be the case. Whatever it is, it doesn’t matter that much. I just know that I always feel a huge weight when I hear this song. Puts me in that screwing face, head nodding mood.

#880: Dananananaykroyd – Muscle Memory

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Ten years ago, Scottish band Dananananaykroyd released their second album, There Is a Way. The day it was released was the beginning of the final week of my GCSE exams. But I didn’t even know that the band were even making any new music until the video for ‘Muscle Memory’ – as you can see up there – was shown on Channel 4’s breakfast music show Freshly Squeezed about a week later, I want to say. It might have even been on the last day of my final exam. Anyone remember that show? Freshly Squeezed? Anyway, I thought the track was great from the moment I saw it. Helped that the band looked like they were all having some good times in the video too. Right before it got into the shouty bridge, the video cut out and the show presenters moved on to something else. But I was left with enough. The knowledge that D’Kroyd were back with a new album. And an urge to see how the track actually ended.

By the time I saw that video, I was now a free 16-year-old who didn’t have to go to school for three months. The world was my damn oyster. So I watched the rest of that video on YouTube and downloaded There Is a Way as soon as I could. And I loved that album too. It was probably my album of the summer. And ‘Muscle Memory’ was always one of the highlights from there. The ascending riff that starts it off just sets everything in motion, and when all the other instruments join in the track is given this extra bounce that always gets my foot tapping. Vocalists Calum Gunn and John Bailie Jnr sing in unison, harmonise and alternate the lines they sing. It’s all generally a very fun listen. And what is about? Well, after some consideration in the past few weeks, I think it’s a song that’s meant to explore the relationship of a band/artist and its fans. How fans want to get closer to a band by trying to decipher their lyrics, reading their reviews, or playing along to their songs by learning them on the guitar. Dang, I think this tune’s so great. Hasn’t lost its energy ten years on.

So taking you back to 2011. There Is a Way had been out for a few months. There I was, excited for any new music videos from the band if they decided to release any more singles from it. And then out of the blue, they announced that they were to split up after their UK tour. Have to say, I was just a bit bummed out. But then again, listening to the last song on that album, the clues were there. The band had felt that they’d done their part, and from some articles I’ve seen they didn’t think they could go on with a band name as strange as theirs anyway. I miss ’em. But they have two albums that captured that essence of pure energy and joyous noise that the band were all about. And for that, I can’t be too sad.

#879: Mos Def – Ms. Fat Booty

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Another “M” titled track from Yasiin Bey’s Black on Both Sides album. Wasn’t too long ago that I was writing about another, and this time round is no disappointment either. ‘Ms. Fat Booty’ was the first single released from Mos Def’s album, and one of the best hip-hop tracks I know. From its Aretha Franklin-sampling beat to the rapper’s storytelling skills, delivering on all fronts with humour, cultural references, rhyme schemes, visuals, you name it, ‘Ms. Fat Booty’ is a true highlight of its genre.

What’s it about? Well, it’s better coming from Mos’ mouth, but I’ll lay down the story. He sees ‘Ms. Fat Booty’ on a night out who’s is something of a familiar face around his area. (We later find out her name is Sharice, but this is besides the point.) She catches him staring. He tries to chat her up, but she leaves him hanging. Some time later, by coincidence, they meet again at a mutual friend’s party. This time round they hit it off pretty sweetly and a relation ship blossoms. After weeks of dating, they have sex at his place. After this, she pretty much disappears. It’s apparent that Mos truly caught feelings for this woman, and after one last meeting where she tells him that she’s not cut out for commitment, she leaves. He’s heartbroken. Then out of the blue, he gets a call from one of his friends saying that he’s seen Sharice at the strip club dancing with a hot Asian lady. And just when Mos reacts with incredulity to this revelation, the track ends and goes straight into the next one on the album.

I told you, it’s not so great when you’re just reading it. Again, it all comes down to Mos Def’s delivery. In the Aretha intro, you’ll hear him reminiscing about how much he was in love with this woman and what could have been. Then the beat switches, and boom he just starts telling the story straight to you. The way that each verse or situation is preceded by “Scene 2” or “Scene 3” is a fantastic way to properly layout everything that’s happening. There’s no way as a listener that you can get lost in the narrative. He breaks out in song for some few seconds at some points before carrying on as if nothing happened. All of this while that Aretha Franklin beat is going on in the background. I’m telling you, this is one of those tracks that just showcases everything that’s good about hip-hop.