Don’t ask me why I obsessively look to rock ’n’ roll bands for some kind of model for a better society. I guess it’s just that I glimpsed something beautiful in a flashbulb moment once, and perhaps mistaking it for prophecy have been seeking its fulfillment ever since.
- Lester Bangs
Showing posts with label Almost Killed Me. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Almost Killed Me. Show all posts
My love for the words of Craig Finn and the music of the Hold Steady knows no limits. I think a lot of it has to do with my Midwestern roots. So much of what they sing about revolves around growing up, living, and just trying to figure life out in middle America.
Finn has the most amazing way of naming names and naming places that gives his songs instant credibility. He is a fantastic story teller. There music alwyas sounds to me like a great mesh of Bruce Springsteen and Social Distortion...and it always has so much heart. Can't wait for another Hold Steady record.
I love musical name-checking. You know, when a band name or song title are dropped into a lyric. Snow Patrol's 'Chicago' springs to mind. But this song, 'certain songs'...is the name dropping grand champion! A love song to songs.
This video is brought to you by boredom and my love of the Hold Steady. Reason number #429 that I love this band so much...Craig Finn graduated with honors form Boston College and still moved back to Minneapolis to start his band...sidestepping the road more traveled. For my money, he is the most intellectual rock star on the planet...and just when I thought I couldn't love the guy anymore, i read this quote:
"When I started Lifter Puller it was some of my earliest singing, and I set out to create a vocal style that was very close to my speaking style. That seemed natural. I hate nothing worse than when vocalists sing in a voice entirely different from their real voice. Dave Matthews comes to mind, unless he talks like that. I doubt it."
...or my email is anyway! Hey, it's me Blair...the Certain Songs staff of one. I just do this for the love of the music and am in no way trying to rip anybody off, so if you are an artist or a record label and you are not happy that I am promoting your music, or you want me to take a song down, just shoot me an email and I will most definitely oblige.
And please support the artists I post here in whatever way you can if you do download a song...go to a show, buy some merch, buy an album...these songs are the soundtrack to my life and I just love to share them. But I can only do that if the insanely talented artist responsible for said songs are able to eat.
I also love hearing new stuff...so any submissions can also be sent to my email, I will try my bestest to listen to everything and get back to you all...peace,love,rock n' roll.
csmusicblog@gmail.com
Monthly Mix Tape
Mission Statement
I guess you're old enough to know. Kids out on the east coast. Roughly twenty years old. Got coaxed out by a certain perfect ratio. Of warm beer to the summer smoke. And the meat loaf to the billy joel. Certain songs they get so scratched into our souls.
She goes low on the seats when she gets high in her car. She looks shallow but shes neck deep in the steamy dreams of the guys along the harbor bars. She's pulling out her shirttails and jacking up her socks. Stern and stoned and confident, coming up towards the jukebox. Born into the only songs that everybody finally sings along. B-1 is for the good girls. It's only the good die young. C-9 is for the making eyes. It's paradise by the dashboard light. D4 is for the lovers. B12 is for the speeders. And the hard drugs are for the bartenders and the kitchen workers and the bartender's friends. And they're playing it again. Ellen Foley gives us hope. Certain songs they get scratched into our souls.
I guess you're old enough to know. Kids out on the west coast are taking off their clothes. Screwing in the surf and going out to shows. They get high and ride around in gtos. I guess you're old enough to know. CERTAIN SONGS THEY GET SCRATCHED INTO OUR SOULS. - The Hold Steady
