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
Consider my weekend made. Finally, some new Lucero music for these ears. Listening to the impending band's forthcoming '1372 Overton Park', which drops on October 6th. I am such a huge fan of this band, a review would be futile, as it would be SO biased! But if you are a Lucero fan, you will love it. More of that beautiful bar room poetry from Ben Nichols and a fuller, deeper sound...augmented by horns on several tracks.
Not to worry, the trademark 'cow punk' sound of Lucero is still VERY much in tact. Here is a track to give you an idea of what you can expect...it's a scorcher.
I keep passing you on the way to the fridge. I'm sure you've noticed me - I think you're looking at me out the corner of your eye when I get in and out of the bed we share. I waved at you several times over the weekend as we were sitting down to meals. At breakfast this morning you ate the oatmeal I made, but didn't seem to notice my gesticulating. I know it's unlikely you'll see this, but if you do and something clicks, get back to me. We don't talk much anymore.
Yea, I'm looking for a good fight. I'm 31 and I've been a coward all my life, and I'm sick of it, I know some guys like to fight, so maybe we could meet have a drink, and then go outside and duke it out, I don't want to just start a fight with someone because I don't want to be an asshole about it... I'm not looking to end up in the emergency room either. E-mail me, jsn_nwsm, directly at Yahoo.
******
Uh oh, I think somebody was drinking and watching 'Fight Club' last night.
Just before the holiday, Ben Nichols - lead singer and songwriter of one of my VERY favorite bands, Lucero - puts out a new acoustic seven song EP, 'The Last Pale Light In The West.' I am happy.
You were my ex boyfriend's roommate. You were my coworker. You were a good friend. We lost that somewhere in my drama between men that didn't include you. I always knew you had a thing for me... do you remember that night we walked around the corner to my ex ex boyfriend's house to finish a keg and you kind of professed your love to me on the way back? I do. Look, I'm sorry at how things happened because you could always relate to me a bit better but we were always off limits to each other. Now I... I'm probably more off limits than I ever was considering all of that drama. I'm sad we don't talk anymore.. I miss those nights a lot. I'm sorry I was too drunk and had to leave that one night. I'm sorry I couldn't get you off. You were more fun than either of your friends I dated. Why didn't I go for you in the first place? Would we have ever had those problems?
That night on the dock in Florida with a few beers was one of the best nights of my life. If you ever read this... just.. I don't know. Just know I love you... as a friend, as a lover, as something. I don't know what it is but you just mean a lot to me and I hope when I come home we can rekinle at least our friendship. I miss it a lot.
******
She is the most college-y girl EVER. Kegs, ex ex-boyfriends, Florida...so, so college. This scene is probably played out about 1000 times every weekend on college campuses all across America. Which brings me to the song...brought to you by Ben Nichols and Lucero:
"running down a busy street she was drunk when she kissed me i know better than to be falling in love so easily"
All of the heartache and despair of a break up song filtered through the bar room wisdom of Ben Nichols and Lucero. This one is an absolute soul crusher. Brief yet devastating.
she never says hi to me no more and that's a pretty good way for her to even the score things went bad, I guess it don't mean much she used to say I was the only one she never says hi to me no more she never even looks my way no more and I can hear her talking through the bedroom door she's not here for me, cause we're all done I know damn well I was the only one I know damn well I was the only one she never even looks my way no more she never even looks my way no more She never even looks my way no more and I can hear her talking through the bedroom door "The Only One"
I think I need to be more clear. New Age music makes me sad, not because it has any sort of overwhelming emotional affect om me, no....not at all. It makes me sad just knowing that it exists. It makes me sad to think that anyone, after a hard day or an trying episode would turn to this stuff for comfort. It's horrid. Beyond bad. It has all the emotional wallop of a pat on the back. All the flavor of a rice cake. It's hollow. Empty. Utterly useless.
I turned on the NPR new age show last night in an attempt to help me fall asleep. Bad move. Instead of the dulcet sound lulling me to sleep, I sat there in awe of how bad this stuff was. I found myself actually staying awake longer, waiting to hear each new song to see if it could possibly be worse than the one before. And of course each one was ALWAYS much worse than the one before.
So anyway, in my effort to fight the good fight and spread the word I have posted this missive. And as a soundtrack I will pick one of my favorite band, and the musical opposite of new age music, Lucero. Both of these are off of the LP 'Nobody's Darlings'
My love for this band has no limits. Is that dramatic enough for you? Seriously...some people hear Lucero and only hear a bar band, or boy rock, songs about drinking and girls...which is at the core of what they do. But Ben Nichols has such an amazing knack for telling stories. I just love this band and nearly everything they have ever released. I was lucky enough to see them again last week at the El Rey here in LA and as usual, I was blown away. Lucero songs are pure poetry to me...I never get tired of them...
"Tonight...ain't gonna be good." When a band starts out there set with these words... you know they have to have a certain swagger about them. And Lucero does. You would never know by watching them that they are 4 country boys based out of Memphis, Tennessee.
What a great night of rock n roll! Ben Nichols and company were absolutely on fire! I am not sure if I have ever seen an audience MORE into a show than I saw tonight. Lucero has that effect on people though. They play songs about drinking and girls...songs that EVERYONE relates to. Songs that you can't help but to sing along to. Songs you know by heart.
Just an amazing show...i really don't feel like rehashing the entire night in painstaking detail...just a beautiful, beautiful night of rock n roll.
If I could, I would have this coming week saved and ready for multiple viewings.
Starting with Rilo Kiley on Monday night(Monday nights don't get much better)...Matt Pond PA will be my mid week fix...and then I will close the week in grand fashion, with my old friends Lucero on Saturday night...and Bobby Bare Jr is opening up that show...and for me, that is a big deal. My liver may not be prepped for the grand finale...that's a drinkin' show if ever there was one!
...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
