Track Review

Grimes – “Oblivion”

Here’s my experience with Grimes’ lead single, “Oblivion”:

  • Read all the hype about Grimes, downloaded the album.
  • Heard “Oblivion” about 3 times, didn’t think much of it.
  • Watched the video, thought it was cool, then promptly forgot about it.
  • Heard the song on my iPod again on the way to work 2 weeks later, thought it was pretty dang catchy in a mysterious way.
  • Watched the video again and LOVED IT. Oh the dissonance! Oh the male/female dynamic! Oh the awkwardness of an indie geek in a jock’s terrain!
  • Watched it yet again and developed favorite moments: when she courteously allows that guy to walk through the camera shot at 0:41; the two black dudes at 0:52 who are like “This song is super weird, and this chick is SUPER MORE WEIRD, but I’m down”; the ultimate bro doing the YMCA at 1:12; the lisp at 1:39; the return of the bro at 1:46, this time with his arm around Grimes, a chick that he NEVER would have even acknowledged in high school; whatever that dude is doing in the back at 1:58; everything that’s happening at 2:55; the collision and smile at 2:57; the swag at 3:26; the black dudes’ return at 3:30, with the guy on the left looking amused, the guy on the right looking awkward, and Grimes loving every second; and the general attitude of “These people probably think I’m insane but I don’t care, this is awesome” displayed throughout the video, but encapsulated at 3:45.
  • Watched this interview, realized the lisp was not a fluke, and thought she was so weirdly cool in a natural kid of way.
  • Blasted “Oblivion” non-stop ever since. Sick song, sick video.

Santigold – “Disparate Youth”

I’m not going to go about trying to analyze this song, other than to say this: I can’t wait to BUMP this song with the windows down in the summer. If you don’t think this is a worthy summer jam, then you need to get your ears fixed. Santigold’s album Master of My Make-Believe comes out April 24th.

The Definition of Youth: Japandroids – “Wet Hair”

Japandroids’ 2009 debut album Post-Nothing grabbed me from the start, especially “Wet Hair,” and it was originally hard to pinpoint why. All I knew was that it was three minutes and thirteen seconds of music that hit me like a rock and then resonated with me. Then I realized that the sounds in “Wet Hair” are certainly exciting in themselves, with the track’s aggressive guitar and frenetic drumming, but multitudes of songs can be described the same way. There’s more to this track than just the sounds you hear. It’s about the feeling you get.

I know, you’re probably like, “Whoa dude, cool it on the sappy cliches there.” But I’m serious. This song has an incredibly potent feeling–one that, to me, encompasses both the optimism and angst that comes from youth. Music truly transcends when it creates an atmosphere in which you can let your mind go to town, whether it’s recalling real memories or yearning for memories you wish you had. On “Wet Hair,” there’s no time for beauty or melodic instrumentation, which may put off many who listen to it, but that’s not what it’s about. It’s about creating an atmosphere that recalls the sweet, destructive turmoil of youth.

“Wet Hair” sounds like an adrenaline rush. It sounds like a Friday night with endless possibilities. It sounds like graduation and finally escaping your prison-like high school. It sounds like getting over the girl (or guy) that dumped you last week. It sounds like a party on a hot summer’s night. It sounds like messing around with your friends in the parking lot behind the movie theater and deciding what the night still holds in store. It sounds like the urge to “get to France so we can French kiss some French girls!”

The Most Underrated Beatles Song: “It’s All Too Much”

Yellow Submarine was easily my favorite movie at the tender age of 6. Either that or Space Jam. One of my clearest memories from first grade was asking my teacher, Mrs. Moore, if she “had heard of John Lennon before,” which might as well have been rephrased as “Mrs. Moore, did you live under a rock your whole life?” But I was 6. And I really liked John’s mustache in the movie. Anyway, “It’s All Too Much” is a George Harrison composition that made it onto the Beatles’ Yellow Submarine film soundtrack in 1969. It was the last song of the movie, making a perfect psychedelic sendoff for the whole affair. Due to the song’s placement on the Beatles’ often-disregarded Yellow Submarine soundtrack, it’s often forgotten, which is a shame. I think it’s one of their catchiest, and definitely one of George’s best. “All the world is birthday cake, so take a piece, but not too much.”

Sleigh Bells – “Comeback Kid”

Sleigh Bells pummeled the music scene with their debut Treats in 2010, introducing the world to their combination of hip-hop beats, metal guitars, and pop vocals. Their newest release Reign of Terror is not as immediately catchy as a whole, but that characterization does not apply at all to its lead single “Comeback Kid.” I can’t get this song out of my head. Warning: Some of you may hate this kind of stuff, either due to its abrasiveness, genre-bending, hipster pretentiousness, or all of the above. Doesn’t stop the fact this song completely energizes you.