popwreckoning updates

Posted: 11 Mar 2009 02:39 PM PDT

Musically speaking, it is love (and the lack thereof) that is responsible for some of the greatest rock songs ever created. Do you think Phil Collins would have ever written "Against All Odds" if his wife hadn't left him? Would Ricky Martin have felt compelled to pen "She Bangs" [Ed. note: "She Bangs" was written by Desmond Child and co-writer Walter Afanasieff; it was only performed by Martin. Collins, on the other hand, did write his own songs] if his love interest who "looks like a flower, but stings like a bee" was totally lame? Apparently, songs like these just don't write themselves! Although psychologists would agree that love means the same thing to everyone, there are still different forms of it in existence that often present themselves in different stages.

This week I focus on my three favorite stages: Euphoria, Desperation, and Stalking. Pseudo disclaimer: This post is intended for humorous purposes only and these views do not necessarily reflect those of Popwreckoning staffers. Some of the events may or may not have happened in real life and reader discretion is advised. And now… Welcome to Under Cover: The Love Edition.

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Stage 1: Euphoria
This is the phase when your friends are just about sick of you and there's been considerable talk of defriending you on Facebook. You can't stop smiling, giggling, or talking about how perfect your significant other is, something funny they said/did, or even how shiny their bike is. Instead of annoying just about everyone (apart from your love interest, as he/she is probably the only other person enamored by all this), stay in your room and dance around to this song since it was written for people like you.

Fleetwood Mac – "Everywhere" (original, 1988)
If you know me at all, you know I love writing about Fleetwood Mac (see: here). Every time I hear "Everywhere", I feel like I'm dancing around in this enchanted forest in a pastel gossamer petticoat when the love of my life rides in on a unicorn with animated blue birds on his shoulder and asks me to get into the sidecar for a little joyride… but then I wake up, of course. The message of the song is pretty simple: I dig you, can we hang out more often?
When it comes to love, I say keep it sweetly simple and straightforward. No muss, no fuss, "Oh I…, I wanna be with you everywhere" basically sums up that internal need to waste all your time doing absolutely nothing with him/her because it never really feels like a waste of time. This is when playful conversation during a mundane trip to the grocery store can honestly feel like the best day of your life. With her dreamy delivery, wistful and fun background vocals, and that magical constellation of keyboard sounds, this song embodies all those wondrous feelings of love. It's just a shame this wasn’t released until a year after the ever-charming movie The Princess Bride; perhaps, one of the most delightfully quirky love stories ever made, "Everywhere" would have been a great selection for the closing credits.

Vampire Weekend cover (2008)
Taking a break from singing about Ivy League pretense and Mansard roofs, Vampire Weekend took it old school and added a male perspective to "Everywhere" with this, dare-I-say, super cuuuuuuute cover. Singing about the same euphoric world of puppy dogs, ice cream and rainbows, it just goes to show that even though “men are from Mars and women are from Venus,” we still engage in the same giddy and sappy expressions of love. This rendition shares all the innocence and purity of the original with cascading keyboards, soft background vocals, and that punchy little bass line that makes you want to hop about in a forest with furry little rabbit friends. Lead singer Ezra Koenig's voice couldn't be anymore adorable here and I think its this boyish vocal delivery that makes this song as good as it is. As far as indie band covers go, this one definitely topped my "Best of 2008" list.
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Stage 2: Desperation
This is the phase when things stop being perfect, your hormone levels have calmed down, the enthusiasm starts to wane, the calls aren't as frequent and you're not quite sure why. Perhaps there's this overwhelmingly unsettling feeling that strange things are afoot. The ubiquitous goofy look and incessant giggling have now turned into marathon phone calls to friends analyzing the future of your relationship, if there even is one left to salvage. You're getting closer to being defriended on Facebook, but your friends resist doing so and instead urge you to tell your significant other that you're not ready to throw in the towel just yet. Here's a song to play if you have issues getting those words out.

Pete Townsend – "Let My Love Open The Door" (original, 1980)
If you don't know who the great Pete Townsend is, I urge you to seek professional help immediately at the nearest Guitar Center or classic rock radio station. In the movie of my life, this song would most definitely be on the soundtrack, perhaps even in the trailer. "Let My Love Open The Door" is one of my favorite love songs that basically spells out the reasons why you should be with Townsend or anyone else in his position: quit being idiotic and miserable already, I love you, so let's be together and let me show you how wonderful your life could be with me in it! He holds the key to your heart and is planning on coming over, so consider this ample notice to clean up and get that heart ready along with those hors d’oeuvres. His plea may be a desperate attempt to open the eyes of the heart, but he sings so sweetly that it becomes genuine, endearing, and very hard to ignore. When tragedy befalls you / Don’t let them bring you down / Love can cure your problem / You’re so lucky I’m around / Let my love open the door / To Your heart. He's cocky. Sure of himself and his honorable intentions. And persistent. And I like it!

M. Ward cover (2005)
To be honest, the first thing I thought upon hearing this cover was "Hmm, it's good, but I could totally picture it being played at a Starbucks or something" (not that there's anything wrong with that). And lo and behold, my research ironically proved I was correct in my assumption! Rants of all things hokey aside, this song actually gave me a few tingles. M. Ward put out a fantastic cover version of Townsend's classic number that is folksy, bluesy and definitely kinda-sorta gave me some goose bumps as a very pleasant surprise. There's just something about his husky and soulful vocals that I'm having trouble putting into words, so maybe you just need to hear him to understand why he’s so good. Wildly creative in its production, M. Ward features this twangy guitar riff that is definitely not from the original but totally breathes new life into the song. This version makes me want to lay in a hammock on a beach, clumsily strum my guitar and hope the imaginary animated music notes I'm producing float in the air near a potential love interest and summon in their heart a desire to be with me too.
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Stage 3: Stalking
This is the phase when obsession starts running the show and a madness sets in that completely takes over your otherwise rational brain. You were once a National Merit Scholar, for Pete's sake! You have yet to notice that you were defriended on Facebook by all your family and friends since the time you now spend stalking your once love interest makes it hard for you to log on as much. But you don't care because isn't stalking just another way of saying "I love you," anyway? Honestly, stalkers get such a bad rap; albeit a tad misguided, they are regular people like you and me. This one-track mindedness needs no judgment since we've all been there at one point in our lives or another. Well, actually I was talking about you, not me. I'm not a stalker. Eww. All kidding aside, stalkers also deserve love or at least their own anthem.

The Police – "Every Breath You Take" (original, 1983)
I think the funniest part about this song is that most people assume The Police penned a romantic number vowing to be monogamous with the potential love of your life. Lead singer Sting himself has said that when married couples would tell him they played "Every Breath You Take" as their first dance number, he would chuckle and say "Good luck." This is certainly no Bollywood love song; instead, it's a dark, thinly-veiled reference to lovelorn stalkers everywhere.< No offense to anyone who didn't pick up on this, but I find it rather surprising. When I first heard this as a child I found the ambiguity of this song fairly obvious after the "Every move you make, every vow you break, every smile you fake, every claim you stake, I'll be watching you." And even when he sings "Oh, can't you see / You belong to me," something told me he wasn't about to ask his girlfriend to wear his ring and go steady. There's something sinister here in his need to control and he's clearly flirting with the dangerous levels of obsession that can accompany love. Maybe the best indication of this insanity is Sting, with a ferocious and smoldering look in his eye, who plays his double bass so intently he may as well be carrying a hacksaw and waiting for his estranged lover to come home so they can "talk." All hope isn't lost since all of these issues can be worked out in couples counseling because at the heart of this display are genuine feelings of love. Personally, I've always enjoyed the: Since you've gone I feel lost without a trace / I dream every night, I can only see your face / I look around, it's you I can't replace / I feel so cold and long for your embrace. And let's not forget the "I keep crying, 'Baby, baby, please!'" that follows. It's such a simple way of putting such powerful emotions into words and I find this verse to be the best-written (and my favorite) expression of yearning I've ever heard.

Millencolin cover (1992)

One of my favorite Swedish punk bands to listen to as a kid, Millencolin prove that even punk rockers fall in love sometimes. The differences from the original are incredibly obvious as clearly this would be considered the quintessential "punk cover" as it features a sped up version that cuts the original song time by half, rocks harder and is rougher around the edges. Gone is the smooth huskiness of Sting as lead singer Nikola Sarcevic is known for more stoic, vibrato-less vocals, but this works well with his own band's original material. There's nothing romantic about this version but then I thought that may not have been the original point of covering this song; essentially, this version is likely intended as their unique interpretation in paying homage to The Police. And for those who love fun facts, I was once told Millencolin coyly changes the lyrics at the end in one of the ennumerable "I'll be watching you" choruses to say "I'll be f-cking you." If you listen really really closely, I actually do think I can hear that. Hmm. Not the most romantic or original sentiment I've ever heard, but it certainly still gets the point across.

December 30, 2008 — Top ‘Ten’ Albums of 2008 (0)
October 1, 2008 — Austin City Limits, Day 1 (5)
July 27, 2008 — She & Him @ the Trocadero, Philadelphia (0)
February 17, 2009 — Sasquatch! Music Festival 2009 Line-Up, Ticket Info (0)
February 12, 2009 — Under Cover: Sophie B. Hawkins’ “Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover” (3)
February 4, 2009 — Under Cover - WTF!? Edition, Part II (0)
January 29, 2009 — Everything, Now! - Spatially Severed (2)
January 28, 2009 — Under Cover: Britney Spears’ “…Baby One More Time” (6)
January 28, 2009 — Mark Kozelek - The Finally LP (1)
January 16, 2009 — New M.Ward Download from ‘Hold Time’ (0)

Happy [Belated] Birthday!

Posted: 11 Mar 2009 12:52 PM PDT

Happy [belated (sorry!)] birthday to Popwrecker Mona Sheikh!!

January 8, 2009 — Happy Birthday Nick! (0)
August 12, 2008 — Happy Birthday! (0)
July 19, 2008 — Sub Pop 20 @ Marymoor Park, Seattle — Day 2 (5)
July 16, 2008 — Sub Pop 20 @ Marymoor Park, Seattle — Day 1 (0)
May 21, 2008 — Happy Birthday! (0)
January 2, 2008 — Happy birthday Josh! (3)

Blitzen Trapper @ The Jackpot Saloon, Lawrence KS

Posted: 11 Mar 2009 12:00 PM PDT

Last night I was forced to come to a very difficult conclusion: Lawrence rocks. As a graduate of Mizzou, the rival of Lawrence's Jayhawks, I've always had to restrain my affection for this town. But that facade has been lifted.

In fact, any town that can turn out several hundred people on a blustering cold Tuesday night to see a little-known band, even one as good as Portland's Blitzen Trapper, wins a spot in my heart. I'm positive that Kansas City, even with around 20 times the number of people, would turn out a much smaller crowd.

Even with a tiny stage in a tiny venue and almost no lighting, lead singer Eric Earley commanded the room and put on a great show for the audience. His Dylanesque voice alternated between folksy crooner and lush harmonies, bridging the various musical styles the band employs (their Myspace categorizes them as "Indie/Country/Electro").

Be sure to check out Blitzen Trapper when they come to you, or catch them opening for fellow Portlanders Fleet Foxes, beginning April 12.

Blitzen Trapper: website | myspace | @ sub pop 20 | Furr review | @ wonder ballroom

Furr
Price: USD 11.99
55 used & new available from USD 9.46

February 17, 2009 — Sasquatch! Music Festival 2009 Line-Up, Ticket Info (0)
December 15, 2008 — Blitzen Trapper @ Wonder Ballroom, Portland (0)
December 9, 2008 — Limbeck acoustic show @ Jackpot Saloon, Lawrence KS (0)
November 28, 2008 — Blitzen Trapper - Furr (3)
November 6, 2008 — Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks @ The Slowdown, Omaha (3)
September 23, 2008 — New Music Tuesday (0)
August 8, 2008 — Monolith 2008 Line-Up: Saturday 9/13 (2)
July 19, 2008 — Sub Pop 20 @ Marymoor Park, Seattle — Day 2 (5)

Fujiya & Mijagi, Pop Levi & Project Jenny Project Jan @ Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR

Posted: 11 Mar 2009 07:55 AM PDT

Project Jenny Project Jan’s Jeremy Haines is my new dance hero. Although I primarily went to see Pop Levi and Fujiya & Mijagi, PJPJ killed their set. From the moment Haines awkwardly started singing “Dia de Los Niños” in Spanish and dancing with the mike stand, his kinetic energy never flagged. With his head bobbing, arms swinging, and back bending, Haines dominated the tiny stage, mixing in plenty of dramatic posing to the beat of the music.

PJPJ are just two guys with a mic and a laptop, but they are more fun to watch than many bands I’ve seen. Haines kind of rap-scat-sings humorous and often random lyrics that seem ideal for turning a room into a party. On the one hand, PJPJ are kind of wasted on the early crowd, as I am pretty sure songs like “320″ and “Marsupial” would have everyone dancing and otherwise acting stupid if they were drunk and uninhibited. On the other hand, they definitely got the crowd warmed up and ready for a good time.

Pop Levi’s set caught me off guard, especially after the mellower 80’s influence of “Never Never Love”. The Doug Fir has great acoustics, so I was excited to hear his unique and glammy voice there. However, for tonight at least, they ditched the glam for a much heavier sound, turning favorites like “Sugar Assault Me Now” and “Wannamama” into psychedelic hard rock. When Levi wasn’t jamming on his guitar, the banging drums were the most prominent sound. Although I wish I could have heard more of his vocals, it was a solid performance that left me looking forward to hearing more of their new material.

Fujiya & Mijagi delivered another stellar set that had the crowd bobbing along from start to finish, the small basement club being the perfect setting for their “face melting” music, as Haines described it. The crowd was livelier than the last time I saw them, with more people moving and less people just staring. That might be because the hypnotic background visuals were less likely to transfix, as they were relegated to a much smaller screen and were slightly askew. Or it could be because everyone likes David Best’s restrained guitar playing as much as I do. Either way, their set went by fast, seemingly riding a single solid groove.

Project Jenny, Project Jan: website | myspace | interview with
Pop Levi: myspace
Fujiya & Miyagi: myspace