Tag Archives: my ipod

My iPod #321: Green Day – Emenius Sleepus

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This is “Ememius Sleepus”, a song by Green Day on their classic album “Dookie“. It’s one that has lyrics written by the band’s bassist Mike Dirnt, and according to their Rock Band contains some of the most difficult drumming in a Green Day song. Being part of those four under-two-minute tracks near the end of the album, the track may be overlooked and underestimated by some. I actually really like this song. I don’t even have “Basket Case” on my iPod, that’s how highly I regard this track.

The track is from the point of view of a person who sees a childhood friend after a period of not seeing them. They have changed…. for the worst. The narrator is disgusted by this, and wants to go home. I haven’t experienced this as of yet, but I get the feeling that when I’m much older I definitely will. In the end, the narrator ponders on whether anyone tried to help the friend, but forgets about it and decides to actually go home.

So, like every other song on “Dookie”, there is probably only four/five chords on this song. All very typical on punk albums like “Dookie”. I think all the magic is in the rhythm section. Tré Cool goes ape on the drums as per usual as you can see in that Rock Band video above (even though doesn’t really represent real drums), and Dirnt plays his trademark bass lines where he plays on the low strings before skipping to a higher one for a brief second before returning to the low ones again. His playing during the bridge section is quite nice too.

It is a short track, that is very true. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s just as important as all the other thirteen (fourteen?) tracks that accompany it on the album.

My iPod #320: Hot Hot Heat – Elevator

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“Elevator” was Hot Hot Heat’s newest album back in 2005. It took me about five years to eventually listen to the thing in full. Why did it take so long after hearing tracks like “Goodnight Goodnight”, “Middle of Nowhere”, and “Island of the Honest Man”? I’m not quite sure of that myself. But after hearing it for the first time in 2010, I thought it was alright. Some critics thought it was a bit of a let down after the hype built up after their first album, especially as “Elevator” was their first on a major label. Whatever, I maintain my statement that I think the album is alright.

The title track is the last song on the album. It may be the only track to feature a piano on there which you can blatantly hear in the song’s introduction and other various parts, so you know there’s got to be some real emotional depth to the track’s topic. The track is about a relationship in which the song’s ‘protagonist’ is apprehensive on taking it to the next step with their other half,  instead wanting to keep things simple and not so serious. They that if the former happens, it will only lead to disappointment. And all these commitment issues are compared to an elevator going up and down, possibly to symbolise the instability of it all.

Yeah, this song’s alright too. If you haven’t heard it, or listened to anything else by Hot Hot Heat for that matter, the lead singer’s vocals may irritate you. They don’t for me, I think they’re funny sometimes. But to each their own.

My iPod #319: Pavement – Elevate Me Later

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After the opening track “Silence Kit” from Pavement’s second album “Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain” is “Elevate Me Later”, a song which I believe is Stephen Malkmus’ critique of celebrity lifestyles and other things that are considered to be of higher statuses. He clearly doesn’t give a shit about those, and the song title shows that he’d rather pass on being associated with them.

It took me a while to get into it. Didn’t think it was that great of a track. But the ascending guitar riff got stuck in my head one time and I just wanted to listen to it repetitively.

The song itself is very laid-back and easy to listen to.  There isn’t a lot to it except two verses, both of which are sung with a very simple but enjoyable melody and a part where the band execute this faux big rock ending where they ploughing in as much noise as they can from their instrument, with Malkmus yelling something which is buried deep in the mix….. only to begin playing the guitar riff again until the song actually ends and the album continues with “Stop Breathin'”.

It sounds simple. That’s not a bad thing. Simplicity is all you need sometimes.

My iPod #318: Tame Impala – Elephant

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Didn’t know what Tame Impala was until a sample of “Elephant” appeared in adverts for a new Blackberry product. Why Blackberries are still being made is beyond me because I don’t know anyone who uses them anymore. But you can’t say that the people behind that advert have bad taste in music. Wouldn’t have listened to “Innerspeaker” or “Lonerism” because of them, so I probably have to say thanks to them.

For those of you who don’t know, Tame Impala is an Australian psychedelic rock project led by Kevin Parker. He plays almost every instrument on the two albums so far, and he also sounds a bit like John Lennon when singing. The whole thing sounds like if The Beatles and Pink Floyd got together and made babies, or something similar to what I saw in YouTube comments one time. Overall, he is a very talented guy. As are the other members who play with him on the live shows and stuff.

“Lonerism” is the album on which “Elephant” can be found. The majority of tracks on it contain a significant use of synthesizers, and then adding effects to make everything sound wavy and colourful. That isn’t the case for “Elephant” though. The track’s really groovy, carried along by its chugging, bluesy guitar line and shuffling drum beat. Yeah, there’s a bit of synthesizer and stuff in the middle section but that’s about it in this song. It does make it seem like the odd one out on the album, but if it wasn’t on there “Lonerism” wouldn’t be the same.

My iPod #317: Radiohead – Electioneering

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I haven’t listened to this song for a long time. Not because I don’t want to, but only because it hardly ever comes on when I put my iPod on shuffle.

Honestly, I can’t say much about the track. I do like it. I like it a lot. Hasn’t had an impact on my life so much. Just added it because of its sound. It’s a really bouncy 12/8 rock tune, with great playing by the members all around. The jangly, out of tune introduction by Thom (or Ed, not quite sure), the piercing lead guitar work provided by Jonny and the solid rhythm section by Phil and Colin all come together to produce one of the rougher, hard hitting tracks on “OK Computer”. Everything is relentlessly delivered from Thom’s vocals to the overall instrumentation, leaving no room to breathe and even when that chance arises when everyone stops playing for a few seconds, a thunderous drum roll brings everyone back in again.

Yeah. A fine track. From a very good album.