Listen: Rainbow Arabia, THE BASTA

New music genre learned: ethnotronic.

Listen: Kele Okereke

Kele Okereke (live at the BBC), EVERYTHING YOU WANTED

a good pop song grabs you like a pretty face: superficial enough make you want to ask his name; attractive enough to make you maybe want to make out.

then, as you spend more time with it, a good pop song becomes more than something to dance naked with. you listen and begin to see that there’s substance there, something that surprises you because all you thought you had was a pretty face.

and as you get to know it further, it means something to you you’ll carry with you from that initial chance meeting to where now it’s comforting as a towel just out of the pool.

and it changes flavors and textures with each new person you come across. because a good pop song changes and becomes something new even though the dance beat doesn’t ever leave you.

a good pop song grows with you, with everyone. most people take pop music to be something banal and to not be listened to, just heard. but, no. a good pop song makes you dance and sing and laugh and reminisce and long and happy and tears you apart and puts you back together in a new configuration that maybe still tastes like you.

[cross-posted]

Godspeed You! Black Emperor

It's been nearly ten years since the last proper Godspeed You! Black Emperor record (the verily beautiful YANQUI U.X.O.), and two years back, seemingly, there'd be no more. Really, a terrible situation if you're a music fan the way I am (I'm more of a nerd I guess). Tonight, while unable to sleep yet again, this.

Listen: EAST HASTINGS, ROCKETS FALL ON ROCKET FALLS.

Now: who's taking me when they return to the USA?

Love Your Life...

Now, how many times must you prove you're an angel?
How many more demons do you have to strangle?
How much longer must you remain in this dream
Before I finally figure out if you're insane or a genius?

--Atmosphere, LOVELIFE