Summer loving had us a blast summer loving noticed an interesting thing worth taking note of!

Alas, the summer of ’08 is rapidly coming to an end. It certainly has been a hot and expensive one (darn you opec!). It was a summer of flip flops; such as the changing stance of an effective energy solution from both presidential candidates, as well as the god of Wisconsin football Brett Farve deciding to yet again try another year in the nfl, after vowing earier this April that this past season was his last. It was a summer of darkness; This coming from Christopher Nolan’s truly great film “The Dark Knight” which has broken just about every box office record, and truly gave us a glimpse of the genius which was the late Heath Ledger……sorry i got a bit sentimental….deep breath…..and (exhale)…I’m ok. But one thing that really struck me late this summer (other than falling debree from trees, i helped landscape as a summer job) has been the impact a film can have on a song, or the impact a song can have on a film. I’m sure if your reading this your thinking, “man JC I’d like you to explain this ‘impact’ phenomon in greater detail” well guess what, I think I will.

First, I will start with the impact a film can have on a song by highlighting the song by Savage known as “Swing!”. Now this song has become very popular in the last three months. Yet as I recently began hearing it on the radio, I thought I recalled hearing it somwhere earlier. And guess what interested reader.  I had heard it earlier. To be more precise, I heard it exactly a year earlier in the film “Knocked Up”.  But the song wasn’t popular last year when Knocked Up was orginally released…hmmm why did it just recently gain in popularity? Upon thinking about how I remembered the song, I came up with a hypothesis: the song “Swing!” was played during the dvd menu for Knocked Up.  So if I’m waiting to start the dvd, the song will continually loop over and over again. Well this summer, it must’ve gotten stuck in a lot of peoples heads as they bought/rented the dvd when it came out in december, and requests probably started getting made for local music stations to play this song. And four months later you have a massive snowball effect and a hit song due to a film.

Now ironically the song I’m highlighting that has made an impact on a film is another Seth Rogan movie and it is this years’ Pineapple Express. I have not seen the film and don’t plan to until it comes out on dvd, but what I can say is this is what most people looking at seeing the film have said to me in regard to film. “Yeah Pineapple Express looks funny in the previews, and I really like that song.”  I have literally heard this from well over five individuals. The song is M.I.A.’s Paper Planes that has taken off by hitching itself to a highly anticapated film. But I genuinely feel that the likablitly of this song will impact peoples decisions on whether or not they want to view this film. I mean just look at the impact the symbiotic relationship had for the film Gardenstate, and look what Gardenstate did for The Shins!

Ok, so it’s not rocket science. Songs help films.  Films help songs.  But heck, I thought it was somthing worth taking note of. Oh and I want to aplogize to my readers for the lack of posting.  I’ll be writing more reguarlly from now on, be looking for an album review of this summers hottest rap album Tha Carter…yeah that will be interesting until then, enjoy the summer olympics.

The Shins – Caring Is Creepy (removed 2/13/09)

M.I.A. – Paper Planes (removed 2/13/09)

Colin Meloy Covers Morrissey

A couple of months ago that title wouldn’t have meant a whole lot to me. It still would’ve gotten my attention. But only because I am a huge Decemberists fan. I actually had no idea who Morrissey was. I had heard of the Smiths (the band Morrissey was the frontman for in the 80′s) but had never really gotten into them before.

Now let’s all thank the Lord for cover songs. I just think they are so great. I realize that my posting pattern does not really agree with that statement. But you can feel free to expect cover songs from me more frequently in the future. Because I just love what you get when an artist takes another man’s song and makes it his own. When they take their own artistic creativity to the piece you really end up getting something special. Not only that, but with covers you are often introduced to a band you have never heard of before, or you are able to find something beautiful in the artwork of a band you really couldn’t get into before.

So today I thank Colin Meloy for introducing me to a great artist, that I had never heard of. And I also thank him for his gorgeous reinvention of an already great song. Here is one of six songs written by Morrissey that Meloy has released on an EP that he sold on his first solo tour. Since then Meloy has released a couple other EP’s in which he covers the artists that have influenced him the most, each of which will most likely be featured on here in the future. But for now enjoy this timeless tune rediscovered.

Colin Meloy – Every Day Is Like Sunday (Morrissey Cover) (removed 2/13/09)

New From Franz Ferdinand

No remixes this week.

Sorry, I’m listening to a bunch of new stuff to try and find something new and great. So I’m crashing my column to write the kind of stuff you don’t normally hear from me. And what might that be? Normal music blogging!

My #1 all-time favorite band is Franz Ferdinand. I did a report on them in 10th grade for crying out loud. Anyways, I was made aware of a new song by them earlier today, and I can’t not (grammar?) share it.

The song is called “Lucid Dreams”. This is something else that struck me. I’m big on lucid dreams. I’ve been trying all the different methods to invoke lucid dreaming for years.

For those unfamiliar with lucid dreams:

A lucid dream is a dream in which the person is aware that he or she is dreaming while the dream is in progress, also known as a conscious dream. When the dreamer is lucid, he or she can actively participate in the dream environment without any of the limitations that otherwise would feel natural to persons who incorrectly believe they are in the “real” waking world. Lucid dreams can be extremely real and vivid depending on a person’s level of self-awareness during the lucid dream. [wikipedia]

So it’s pretty trippy stuff. Anyways, I have to share this with you.

Franz Ferdinand – Lucid Dreams (removed 2/13/09)

Here’s to hoping my editor doesn’t kill me, and that your ears bleed. Ω

Olympics Playlist

There are a few things that get me to sit on my butt and stare at a television set all day long and not regret doing so.  And on that short list along with March Madness and the World Cup, is the Olympics. The Olympics is the most recent addition to this list, because 2004 was the first time I really watched the Olympics.  And then I only really watched it because I wanted to spend time with this really hot girl I liked (who I later decided to marry). Anyway I decided that this event was worth of a post.  So here is my post in honor of the opening ceremonies for the Olympics.

So China in my opinion really raised the bar when it came to  the opening ceremonies.  I really enjoyed watching the theatrics of it all.  They continued to just wow the crowd and the millions watching all over the world.   So in honor of the events that have taken place and are going to be happening for next couple of weeks, I have created a little olympic-style playlist for you all. If you like you can leave a comment and vote for your favorite songs and then maybe I’ll hand out some medals. Anyway. Here is the playlist. Hope your ears bleed.

1. The Neighborhood – China Boy (removed 2/13/09)

2. Counting Crows – Holiday In Spain (removed 2/13/09)

3. Beirut – Postcards From Italy (removed 2/13/09)

4. James Taylor – Mexico (removed 2/13/09)

5. Five Iron Frenzy – Oh, Canada (removed 2/13/09)

6. Wilco – Impossible Germany (removed 2/13/09)

7. Jets to Brazil – Sweet Avenue (removed 2/13/09)

8. The Shins – Australia (removed 2/13/09)

9. Spoon – My Little Japanese Cigarette Case (removed 2/13/09)

10. The Beach Boys – Surfin’ U.S.A. (removed 2/13/09)