That Song From That Car Commercial

Chances are that if you've watched TV any time in the past couple of months, you've probably seen that shiny, luxurious, and sleek car commercial where the shiny, luxurious, sleek car hurtles towards the earth like an apocalyptic comet.
Or maybe you don't really remember that commercial 'cos you don't pay attention to commercials like me. But you probably heard the computerized voice sing "4..3..2..1" and have referred to it since as "that-car-commercial-with-the-countdown." Or something like that.

I knew it was a car commercial, but not until I FINALLYYYYY looked it up this week did I know that it was a commercial for the Lincoln MKX. (Nor do I care.) I just really liked the song they used in the commercial--beautiful voice, danceable beat, catchy melodies--I'm sold. And it's such a tease because the commercial ends right when the chorus climaxes.

But anyways, for all of those other curious cats out there, the song is a fantastic cover of Peter Schilling's (who?!) 1983 song "Major Tom (Coming Home)" by the equally fantastic band Shiny Toy Guns. They're one of those bands you've never heard of, but once you listen to some of their songs, you realize that you've definitely heard their (very marketable) music in movies, commercials, TV shows, etc. Just take a listen to "Le Disko" -- you've heard it somewhere before.

But I'm definitely making room for Shiny Toy Guns on my summer playlist. Just the kind of fun and rocking music that I like in the summertime.


Oh, and just as a side note, this isn't the first time that Major Tom (a character originally created by David Bowie) has been featured in a Lincoln car commercial. Indie-music-queen Cat Power recorded a beautiful and quite haunting cover of David Bowie's "Space Oddity" and was featured in a commercial last year. People of my generation know this classic song better from the short Friends clip below:

"I'm not a jerk. I'm Suzie."

3 more reasons to love The Narrative:

Wait. There's guys in The Meg & Dia Band?

I'm obsessed--addicted--to Meg & Dia. They're two sisters from Utah and they've got a wonderful new CD coming out next Tuesday, 4/21. Oh, and there's guys in the band too (Jonathan, Carlo, & Nick; equally awesome, but less beautiful than the front women. Sorry.) And okay, so maybe I have a bit of a crush. Or two.

But seriously, Meg & Dia are a catchy, talented pop rock band, on the verge of stardom. Don't be surprised if a song or two off of their new CD Here, Here, and Here becomes a hit this summer. If you wanna be cool, Here, Here, and Here is currently streaming in its entirety on the band's Myspace page. (I've streamed it 2 and a half times already.)

Here, Here, and Here is a bit of a departure from the sound of their last CD Something Real. There's a lot less acoustic stuff in their new CD, and the rock influence is a lot more evident. First single "Black Wedding" is more like the album version of "Monster" and less like the sweet innocence of "Nineteen Stars." I caught Meg & Dia a couple of summers ago at the Nassau Coliseum stop of Warped Tour, and there was a sublime greatness to their performance. Quite intimate for a festival show at the parking lot of Nassau Coliseum.

And best part? They'll be playing Warped again this year, and I'll definitely be there. I expect--nay, demand--that they play the main stage this summer. And I'll be right up against the barricades 5 feet away from them with the biggest, dorkiest smile on my face. ::Sigh:: But for the meantime, watch their new video, "Black Wedding" below.



Songs to check out from Here, Here, and Here: "Black Wedding," "What If," "One Sail," "Hug Me," "Bored of Your Love"

Building the Ultimate Summer Playlist: "Trouble Hunters" by Astronautalis

Music often defines my summers. There's really nothing like hanging out with friends, driving around, or going to the beach as one signature song plays. And when you hear that song months or even years later, it takes you right back.

It happens every summer: Rihanna's "Umbrella," Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie," and even the goddamned Baha Men's "Who Let the Dogs Out?" They take over the radio, and it's what you hear everywhere you go. But it's not always what

It's entirely subjective, and it's really more about capturing the moment--pure escapism--rather than finding a deep meaning connected to the music. Last summer, Cobra Starship's "Guilty Pleasure" and 3oh!3's "Don't Trust Me" dominated me and my friends' aimless romps around Long Island. The sentimentalism of Paramore's "Franklin" (pre-"Misery Business") and the declaration of perpetual youth in Brand New's "Soco Amaretto Lime" marks the summer I graduated high school (2007). And the infectious music of The Hush Sound and Death Cab for Cutie was the obsession of 2006.

This year, I've already got my ears tuned for those songs I'll be playing on repeat once finals are over and I am once again free from schoolwork. And there's already one song that's got me anticipating those summer nights. "Trouble Hunters" by Astronautalis is just the kind of catchy tune I'm inclined to listen to while just hanging around with some friends. It's what I'll be listening to as I wreak mild, innocen havoc this summer. And check out the music video--it's clear he doesn't take himself too seriously, and it's just fun to watch. Don't be surprised if I dress up as a vampire at least once this summer recreating this video.

8tracks Playlist: For the Week of 3/30/09 - 4/5/09

Several months later, and I'm still mourning the digital loss of the original Muxtape site. Muxtape allowed anyone to upload songs and create a digital playlist that could be shared with friends, family, enemies, minions, etc. But alas, digital copyright laws, confusing as they are at this point in time, forced the original site to shut down. R.I.P., Muxtape.

But enough of that. 8tracks* is not my favorite thing, but it operates in the same way, though it does it legally.

So I'll be using 8tracks to share more songs both old and new, of all different genres, from artists of varying successes (and even talent, to be honest). My aim is to feature on a weekly basis a mix of songs that will make some people think, Why isn't/wasn't this a hit?

This week, there's a mix of rock (The Gaslight Anthem, Straylight Run), hip hop (Sufjan Stevens/Tor feat. Aesop Rock), indie (The Narrative), and pop (The Killers--back to their old selves!, Sam Sparro, The Ting Tings, and The White Tie Affair). I needed some variety this week. Hope you enjoy!



[*8tracks has many legal restrictions. It operates like the radio--there's a list of songs ready to be played, but they play randomly so the listener doesn't know which song plays next. For further details, check out the site's legal page.]

Band on the Bubble: Did You Hear the '59 Sound?

Rock music seems to be slowly fading into obscurity. Our generation just doesn't seem to have a defining rock sound--no Mick Jaggers, no Roger Daltreys, no Bonos to guide us. Some will argue that Coldplay and Radiohead are contenders, but then some just dismiss both bands as pretentious. But c'mon, we can't have Lil' Wayne take over rock music, especially not with his very underwhelming, and Auto-Tune heavy first rock single.

But no worries, because The Gaslight Anthem is giving the rock scene in America a much-needed jolt of life. They released their album The '59 Sound in August 2008, and the buzz about this NJ band has been growing ever since. Though they received a lot of critical acclaim (they were included in Rolling Stones' and NME's "best of" lists, among many others), the public didn't pay much attention to them.

Fortunately, those that gave The '59 Sound a chance became Gaslight Anthem converts, and the band now has a very loyal and strong fan base generating some buzz for them. It's one of the most cohesive albums to be released as of late, and each song on the CD is catchy and edgy, yet poignant and sophisticated, too. On top of being Jersey natives, lead singer Brian Fallon's gruff vocals plus the subjects of the songs he sings all hearken back to Bruce Springsteen's glory days. If you're a fan of good rock music, no band is as good as the Gaslight Anthem right now.

It's hard to choose which song to recommend for people to listen to first because they're all excellent. Embedded below is their latest music video for the single "Great Expectations".



And if you enjoyed that, or if you need a little more convincing, try: "The '59 Sound" & "Old White Lincoln" (Or just get the CD--you don't wanna miss out on "Here's Looking at You, Kid.")

Goddamnit, I LOVE this band. There. I said it. They're the only ones that can rival my unhealthy obsession with Brand New. And trust me, that's saying a lot--I actually still go out to ye olde record shoppe to buy Brand New's actual CDs.

Let My People Hear Free Music

Here's some links to great and FREE music you can legally download:

Hip-Hop and Folk music re-made: Illinoize: The Remix Tape - Sufjan Stevens/Tor (Download this NOW. An unlikely combination that works really well, and gives new life to both genres. Look out for a longer post about this in the future because it is just too damn good!)

Infectious Pop Rock: The End Is Not the End EP - House of Heroes (For those looking for some good pop rock music, along the lines of the All-American Rejects. This band can breakout onto the mainstream someday.)

I'm all for a little variety: "Pitter Pat (Acoustic)" - Erin McCarley (If you're still praying for another Lilith Fair tour, or if you remember Anna Nalick and that song "Breathe (2 AM)," then this song is for you.)

Free Download Overhaul: Bright Light Fever (Type "absolutepunk" in the space and hit "Submit." A little band that's been out for a while, but you can catch up on their music with this link. They're a pretty good rock band; "Crowded Street in May," "Lost Las Vegas," and "Telephones" from the "Rarities" collection are excellent standouts for me. Thanks to AbsolutePunk for this, by the way.)

Some of these won't be free for long, so download them before you miss your chance!

Ernest Hemingway Wishes He Wrote Songs Like This

Who needs a Kindle 2 when you can just listen to The Narrative?

Before the airwaves were conquered by breathy moaning, groaning, and "oh-oh-ohs"; or littered with countless songs bragging about money, bling, and junks in trunks, there was a time when songs told stories through music.

Just take a few minutes out of your day and give "The Moment That It Stops" a spin. Really listen to it, take it in, groove to it if you feel it in you. It's a fresh song, with a catchy drumbeat you could sway to, that tells a story of a relationship in the middle of a breakdown. The song sounds like a confessional; it's almost like we're eavesdropping in on this couple.

The male-female harmonies of lead vocalists Suzie and Jessie really elevate the song, even setting it apart from all of those other indie bands experimenting with male-female harmonies. There's an exchange after the second chorus where Suzie and Jessie take turns singing some of the most honest lyrics put to music in a while:

"[Jessie] I think a change is what I need
[Suzie] I thought you needed someone you knew you could trust entirely
[J] I've always been fine on my own
[S] I thought that you were growing tired of always feeling alone"

Ouuuccchhh. If you listen really closely during this part, you can hear hearts breaking in the background. Not really, but it's hard not to feel the hope leaving Suzie's voice after each line she sings, as her pleas are shot down one after the other, and punctuated by the unaffected tone to which Jessie responds to her. He even pulls an "It's not you, it's me" kind of line. I think that qualifies him to be a "douche." Grey's Anatomy wishes they had scenes this deep.

These guys know how to write really well. The lyrics to their songs are absolute poetry. It's just as wonderful to read The Narrative's lyrics as it is to listen to their music. If one thing is for certain about this band, it's that they won't be writing the next "Popozao." And like a good story, there's a tension that rises throughout the song and is wonderfully capped off with one perfect line that serves as the emotional climax, quickly followed by a resolution...of sorts. Think along the lines of Brandy and Monica's "The Boy Is Mine" (you know you love it).

Suzie, Jessie, Charlie, and Brandon can craft songs like it's nobody's business. Their Just Say Yes EP is their first release, and it's an impressive debut. It's filled with six songs that show a lot of promise. Think Death Cab for Cutie in its early days. With this debut, The Narrative proves that they can certainly gain a following the way that DCFC has. They're a local band (as their MySpace profile says, "We live on Long Island, we live in Manhattan, we live in Brooklyn"), and I believe that they have a lot more to offer us. I'll definitely be keeping an eye on them for years to come, and I'll be keeping track of them on here. According to their MySpace profile, they're still unsigned. Somebody get on that, please?

Listen to The Narrative's entire Just Say Yes EP on Facebook, MySpace, or purevolume.