Songs of the Week #8- Editors Pick
“delicately massaged by strings”
CARRIE:
"Purple Rain" – Prince
Even the extreme melodrama of this song cannot touch the excellence of it in its entirety. It builds so well, and releases into that intense guitar solo halfway through. By the time the 'hooooohooo's start just after 5 minutes into the song, it's like they squeal straight into your soul. The lullaby/twinkle keys bring in a celestial tone, which is then delicately massaged by strings until the end.
Purple Rain by Prince & The Revolution on Grooveshark
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SHENYAH:
“The Youth” – MGMT
I feel this sense of hope and openness when I listen to this song. The lyrics are optimistic of the world today and how it's changing in a more positive direction, “...to live and love and sleep together...We could flood the streets with love or light or...”. It's about time there's some positive light shed on how wonderful things are rather than how fucked up everything is. Emotions like these are not commonly expressed in music. It's not the lyrics or meaning that gives me the experience of ecstasy though, it's the key change during the second chorus. The sound of the entire chorus shifts a half step down, adding a feeling of dissonance yet completion and it totally does something to my insides. It's fucking brilliant! It amazes me how certain notes can just play you as if you're the instrument.
The Youth (Album Version) by MGMT on Grooveshark
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JOHN:
“Fire” – Home Body
"I do, I know I hurt you
I know, I hurt me too"
I saw this electro-clash-dance-emo band at a Variety Show hosted by Nailed Editor, Shenyah Webb. Immediate comparisons came to mind, but I try and squash them as soon as possible and allow space for just their music. I was into them a lot more than I expected myself to be. Then they played this song, which sort of knocked me out, mostly for how I personalized the lyrics. It is an amazing feat for a band to make such a personal/emotional connection with me (or any new random listener) that I felt there was something special in them. They helped my mood immensely and I have been living inside this song ever since. Also, they were enormously generous in their conversation and joyful attitude.
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ROY:
"Rub 'Til it Bleeds” – PJ Harvey
This song really, really wants to fuck you. No, really, baby, it does. Why would this song lie to you? "God's truth . . ."
Rub ’til It Bleeds by PJ Harvey on Grooveshark
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MATTY:
"Back in the New York Groove" – Ace Frehley
Don't be confused. KISS owned the world for a while, and they were entitled to do certain things like this. In September of 1978, each of the four members of Kiss put out simultaneous "solo" albums, named after themselves. Ace Frehley's album, Ace Frehley, featured future David Letterman band drummer Anton Fig, a nice piece of rock n' roll trivia. "Back in the New York Groove" was actually a cover of a song originally recorded in '75 by the band Hello. Not sure if this represents a low-water mark for a "rock" band, as there are clear nods to disco (it was 1978), but I love the damn thing, and refuse to apologize for it.
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