Tag Archives: my ipod

My iPod #331: The Streets – The Escapist

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“The Escapist” was the first single released from The Streets’ fourth album “Everything Is Borrowed“, from 2008.

At that point in time, Mike Skinner hadn’t been heard from for about a year and a bit, so when that opening shot of the video came on MTV2 one day and the words “The Streets – The Escapist” appeared onscreen I was pleasantly surprised. What would the wordsmith from Birmingham pull out this time?

Well, what came next were five and a half minutes of wonder. This was like no other Streets track I’d heard before. This was something much more introspective and reflective. I’m very sure I watched the video without moving or blinking once. It isn’t even that interesting, it’s just Mike walking through France until he reaches a beach. But the music and lyrics were really something to admire and absorb. Makes you wanna think about life, how insignificant we are in the grand scheme of it all and how you just want to escape from it all sometimes.

Or maybe that’s just me.

My iPod #330: Does It Offend You, Yeah? – Epic Last Song

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I had a friend who like “Does If Offend You, Yeah?”. I don’t think he’d actually heard their songs before, he just liked the band’s name because of how confrontational and threatening it sounded. That phrase was actually chosen when the synth player and lead singer were watching The Office one day, and Ricky Gervais said it when they turned on the TV. Quite funny.

This was in 2007 when the group was considered to be one of the ‘next big things’ to come by NME. I didn’t know what to expect from the group because I had never their songs either. “We Are Rockstars” came out….. thought that was alright but it wasn’t anything amazing. NME made a big deal out of nothing, I feel. Never followed the group so much afterwards.

Still, my sister borrowed the album from a friend of hers just because she liked “We Are Rockstars”. I still haven’t listened to “You Have No Idea What You’re Getting Yourself Into” to this day. How can I talk about “Epic Last Song” if I didn’t bother to, you may ask. Well, it was released as a single. The video played on MTV2. I liked it. Here I am now.

If you weren’t able to guess, “Epic Last Song” is the final song from “You Have No Idea….” Whether it’s epic or not is for you to decide. It isn’t even the longest song on the album. But it is a very happy song, one about feeling lucky to have been in a relationship for a long time. And being surprised that they’ve stuck with you for that long.

My favourite part is the last minute or so when the singing finishes (not saying it’s bad), leaving the guitar and synthesizer playing in unison with some very heavy drums. Really hits you that it’s all gonna end soon at that point.

My iPod #329: Enter Shikari – Enter Shikari

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Enter Shikari were a big thing back around 2006-07. Hadn’t known anything about the band until the video for “Sorry, You’re Not a Winner” was played constantly, and it was clear that even then the group had already gained a few dedicated fans who loved the band enough to join them in a cramped, sweat-filled room and mosh along with the track. The band then released the singles “Anything Can Happen…” and “Jonny Sniper” both of which I enjoyed. So I thought why not just buy the album when it comes out?

Eventually I received “Take to the Skies” as a birthday present; I was very happy to get it. Listening to it, I thought there was a storyline to it. The cover art with the alien and human fighting over the earth set that off, really. If it was to be a concept album, “Enter Shikari” is where it all begins with the aliens invading. Do I sound crazy for suggesting this? Sounds pretty plausible to me.

I mean, the way the song starts with the word “SHIT” yelled twice and sounds of people screaming, threats like “Your life’s about to flash before your eyes…..” Something crazy is happening, and the band add great dramatic effect with Rou’s ever-adapting vocals – singing one second before executing guttural howls the next – and bassist Chris Batten’s vocals which sound quite angelic at times.

This song is hyper.

My iPod #328: Mercury Rev – Endlessly

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“Deserter’s Songs” is an album that I have only listened to quite recently. A few months ago, I think. Seeing that it was called one of the best albums of 1998 by a few websites increased my curiosity.

It is a lovely one to listen to. The instrumentation varies from one track to another. One minute you will be listening to three minutes of flutes and twinkling harps, the next you’ll be hearing to raspy saxophones and loud electric guitars.

“Endlessly” is a song that makes use of the lush, woodwind, acoustic atmosphere. I have never really paid attention to the lyrics just because of how damn sweet it sounds. Reminds me of something from a Disney film. I don’t mean that as an insult, but I could really imagine this, “Tonite It Shows” and “Hudson Line” all being sung in a Walt Disney Picture. Like Aladdin or something.

My iPod #327: They Might Be Giants – The End of the Tour

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“The End of the Tour” was a track I heard around the same time as I heard “AKA Driver“, “Dinner Bell“, “Ana Ng“, “Destination Moon“, and many other They Might Be Giants songs for the first time. And that was when, if you’ve read my posts on those few songs you will know, when I was on Yahoo’s Launch site.

I’ve never really cared to think about what this song is about, or what it could mean. I feel very sentimental when I listen to it. Even though I wasn’t alive when this song first came out in 1994, it somehow makes me want to reminisce about friends from the past and other unforgettable moments.

This song is about the end of something…. not just a tour. I think the whole ‘tour’ is a metaphor of life, actually. Whatever. Nothing to care that much about.

It’s a very relieving and comforting way to end the hour-long smorgasbord that is “John Henry”, especially as it comes after the monster “Stomp Box” where you wonder where the album could possibly go afterwards.