Action speaks louder than words but not nearly as often

Language is for liquid that we're all dissolved in. Great for solving problems, after it creates a problem. - Lyrics from Issac Brock's Blame it on the Tetons, a Modest Mouse classic.

Tie your Tongue, a look at the lyrics of the songs we love.

So what makes for great lyrics? The words themselves or the thoughts they convey? The way the sound when sung or the way they make you feel when you hear them? Do they find a way to connect to the song or do they connect with you? Whatever the reason, we all have lyrics that hit us right, linger in our lives and become part of our vocab.

What are some of your favorite lyrics?

I'll start with some of my favorite lyrcis:

I found myself face down in a ditch, Booze in my hair, Blood on my lips, A picture of you holding a picture of me In the pocket of my blue jeans.
– Jolene, Ray Lamontagne

And I’ve heard of pious men And I’ve heard of dirty fiends But you don’t often hear Of us ones in between
-
For I have never seen the sun That did not bury his head in the side of the world When the day is done.
– Us One In Between, Spencer Krug, Sunset Rubdown

I don't want what you want I don't feel what you feel See I'm stuck in a city But I belong in a field
– Heart in a Cage, Julian Casablancas, The Strokes

I’m only waiting for the proper time to tell you That it’s impossible to get along with you, It’s hard to look you in the face when we are talking So it helps to have a mirror in the room.
–There’s No Home For You Here, Jack White, White Stripes

Do You Realize - that everyone you know Someday will die -And instead of saying all of your goodbyes - let them know You realize that life goes fast It's hard to make the good things last You realize the sun don'-go down It's just an illusion caused by the world spinning round
– Do You Realize?, Wayne Coyne, Flaming Lips

I been drifting along in the same stale shoes Loose ends tying the noose in the back of my mind If you thought that you were making your way To where the puzzles and pagans lay I'll put it together: It's a strange invitation
When I wake up someone will sweep up my lazy bones And we will rise in the cool of the evening I remember the way that you smiled When the gravity shackles were wild And something is vacant when I think it's all beginning
– Jackass, Beck

She wore a Raspberry beret The kind u find in a second hand store Raspberry beret And if it was warm she wouldn’t wear much more Raspberry beret I think I love her
– Raseberry Beret, Prince

and of course...

Hide your soft skin, your sorrow is sunshine Listen to my eyes
– Company In My Back, Jeff Tweedy, Wilco

They Go to 12

The White Stripes - House of Blues, Myrtle Beach, SC 8/29/07

A bolt of lightning can travel at a speed of 45km/s, with temperatures upwards of 50,000 degrees F, carrying with it an electric current of 40 kA or about one billion volts for a bolt of lightning 300m long. Harnessing that kind of energy is dangerous, commanding and invigorating. Man’s passion to obtain and use power has twisted the world and defined its history. Franklin, Volta, Galvani, Faraday, Ampere and Ohm were obsessed observers and pioneers in the abilities of the electric current, its relation to the atmosphere around and its relation with man and with itself. Ultimately, these men would stop studying the potential of electricity and began to practice its applications - sharing their discoveries and in so doing changing everything previously known, currently done and soon to be obtained. The perception, innovativeness, acute sense and understanding of an unknown begin their definition; but it’s their willingness and dedication to ask questions and uncover the answers to those very questions that closes their definition. Even with such foresight, these men of genius surely never imagined what use Jack White would find for that little spark that set the world aglow and were they on hand as I was this past Sunday, well, let’s just say they would have been shocked.

The House of Blues SC finds it’s setting amid the never-ending sea of American capitalism and commercial conglomerates known as redneck Mecca, or if you prefer, the formal given title of Myrtle Beach. This cesspool is geographically located under a 100miles north of Charleston, SC along the eastern seaboard. When it comes to class and character however, its metaphorically located light-years away. I had spent the better part of my weekend in the sophisticatedly snobby city to the south, and of that time most was spent under the constant barrage of torrential downpour and the electro-clapping of the skies; with at least five beers in my system at all times. Rolling into the Johnny Rockets’ Burger adjacently located to the venue, drained from the weekend and spent from an afternoon attempt at an outing the Scottish term ‘Golf,’ I was in need of a jolt to zap me back to life. The crap burger, Euro wait staff and song and dance routine did little to aide my cause, but the two tallboys I downed during a less than electric set by Dan Sartain did manage to send a spark and by the time Jack and Meg’s first notes blasted from the amplifiers the buzz of the room set the hair aback my neck on end. In a flash, the electrical phenomena of the White Stripes broke loose and sought to test the boundaries of known electromagnetism and its application to a strung instrument.

Ohm’s law states that I = V / R; where I = current in amperes, V = potential difference in volts and R = a known constant.

But we’re in the house that Jack built and here laws don’t apply, as the only thing that stays constant is the amplitude of intensity. The Stripes surged into Icky Thump sending a massive unrestrained charge into the crowd. From there the energy stored within ‘the White light’ dispelled through You Don’t Know What Love Is You Just Do As You’re Told and Effect and Cause…a power trio from the new LP, one they set light upon many more times over the course of the night.

The color of lightning should be red at oxygen rich low troposphere…I’m no meteorologist, but I take it the contained atmosphere of the HOB is drenched to the core in oxygen, as for the low troposphere, that would seem natural as well.

Red and White color scheme with rhinestones to boot, the Stripes’ use of ‘image’ as a force of nature is electric in its own right. The sparking persona and fizzling dynamic of the duo is the stuff of legend and should someday be made to law in the annuals of rock history. Searing white beams thrust ominous shadows to dance upon red backdrop, truly making Meg and Jack larger than life. It took no time to see why Rolling Stone ranked this garage rock Detroit twosome atop the list of The 20 Best Live Bands Playing Right Now. The moments when jack was standing one leg atop amp, screaming into the mic at Meg’s station with the intense rapid flicker of the white strobe effect burned an image in my head.

A martyr for my love for you, now A martyr for my love for you

Nature may have orchestrated power ballads throughout the weekend via its ability to bring the gusts, the rainfall and the thunderous clouds, but it was Jack who brought the lightning. Ripping through material with no set list, Meg and Jack open the skies and let it rain with Fell In Love With A Girl, Dead Leaves on the Dirty Ground, Take Take Take, My Doorbell, Hotel Yorba, I Just Don’t Know What to Do, Denial Twist, The Hardest Button to Button, You're Pretty Good Lookin' For A Girl, 7 Nation Army, Little Cream Soda, I’m Slowly Turning Into You, Bone Broke, A Martyr For My Love For You, I’m Bound to Pack it Up so on and so on…and I just stood there soaking it up.

And if you're testing God Lying to his face You're gonna catch hell

Highlights, high points and hot flashes were a plenty as the storm raged on. Jack White is the best guitarist I have ever seen live and to witness the pedal work, the use of his Digitech (which gives his playing the falsetto bass line), the timing, the transitional work from standard time, to 7/8, 12-bar, 12/8 all the way to 50,000/1 (that’s when his guitar is set ablaze) was a scientific experiment unfolding before the eyes of a captive audience. There was adlib (a bit mocking Jessica Simpson, Paris Hilton and Lindsey Lohan, telling them to ‘wake up before they throw up’) but little in the way of banter as most of the talking came from the instruments. The nonverbal communication between the two is a show in itself as Meg watches intently through jet black strands of hair to key in on the timing, determining the song Jack is playing…a task not easily done as Jack constantly rotates out his guitars, teases songs (Hello Operator, Ball and a Biscuit, Why Can’t You Be Nicer to Me…). It’s so complicated that Jack even threw himself off, stumbling through the opening vocals of We Are Gonna Be Friends, having to take a moment to recompose and start again fresh. But even in his faults the crowd was in awe as the decibels of approve grew even louder in support of Jack trying again and getting it right…I took some comfort in knowing that he is only human after all.

And with every chance to set himself on fire, He just ends up doin' the same thing

The AC/DC of the blues, hard rock, folk ditty’s and Zappa-esque tunes were all thunderous in their on right, but it was the polar opposites of the night that truly lit the house. The sultry, moody and sexy In the Cold Cold Night with Meg on vocals and Jack perched on the stage hidden behind Meg’s drums with back to crowd was one of the more intimate moments of the night…a stark contrast to the surprise metallic explosion of Catch Hell Blues, which blew me and my friends away with its sheer exuberance and blitz of raw power. At times Jack was content standing face to face with his mic stage center, but when the current took hold he needed to find other ways to conduct the energy, leaping around the stage at the speed of light to various mics and instruments, creating a electromagnetic field of rock. With room at beyond full capacity we found ourselves pressed up near the bar stage left, which was good vantage until Jack would disappear around the corner, working hard on an instrument I never caught sight of…which was very disappointing, but the mystery made the study all the more engrossing.

The show came to a blasting finale at the end of a scorching encore with Let’s Build a Home, incorporating call and response from the crowd, improvised lyrics and a request for us to join Jack in the home he builds for us. When it was over the two stood middle of the stage allowing the electricity of the crowd to flow through them and as the barometric pressure rose and the static energy grew, searching for a spark, the yells of invigorated fans made their way through the air becoming polarized, building, growing and then crack…the sky lit up and the room went to black.

Sorry Zeus, your reign will come again, but for now Lord White sits upon your throne.

But I can't help but wonder if after I'm gone will I still have these three hundred mile per hour, finger breaking, no answers makin', battered dirty hands, bee stung and busted up, empty cup torrential outpour blues

Stripes end Canadian tour on a good NOTE

The White Stripes are cooler than you,

Wrapping up the sweet red maple leaf to the north the Stripes, in effort to visit every province and territory in Cananda as well as every US state they have yet to visit, kept it simple and closed out strong. It was going to be tough topping the antics of the tour up to this point, but as they say, sometimes less is more...and yes every other blog has this, but I couldn't resist.


I can only hope they bring this much enthusiasm to the States, especially to Myrtle Beach, where I'll have the honor of seeing them firsthand...OMFG!

This Onion article is great as well, give it a gander: America's Top Single

LTME Semi - Annual Album Review '07...holla!

I learned a few things while composing this list. First, I am glad to see my active readership has ballooned to 3, that's good news for the folks in the ad department. Second, Mordecai listens to far too much Dance-Pop music. Lastly, this year is off to one heck of a start and we haven't had one album from a former Idol!

Without further adieu;

T ~ #12 Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? - Of Montreal
This probably would not have made my list normally, but I gave it some thought after the rec and although it's a little too, well 'gay,' the album is amazingly constructed and contains the group's best effort to date. Possibly the most upbeat album I've heard in a while.


T ~ #12 Beyond - Dinosaur Jr.
The two to three guitar solos contained in some of these songs is enough to appease any fan of the instrument, and the throwback sounds of grunge makes this my favorite post grunge-grunge album to date. It's amazing how tight and successful the sound is on this album given the extended hiatus the band was on prior to recording. A triumph for a classic band.

#11 ~ The Good, the Bad and the Queen - The Good, the Bad and the Queen
Super groups often fall well short of aspirations, but that is once again not the case for Damon Albarn. This low-key, constantly melodious and smokey album flows extremely well and although I could have used more percussion at times, it delivers when it needs to. There are already rumors of a Blur reunion, but here's to hoping it doesn't come before a second effort with TGTBandTQ.

#10 ~ Ash Wednesday - Elvis Perkins
Simply the most beautiful songs of the year. The gut wrenching lyrics and honest voice carry the listener along an intent and at times treacherous path. Elvis has a craft with words, and his imagery supersedes the songs themselves at times, which are brilliantly composed over simplistic yet engaging instrumentation. The adjoining EP together delivers some of the years finest.

#9 ~ Icky Thump - The White Stripes
They're back, and this time they brought the noise! I was among the few that enjoyed the musical reaching and perhaps shortcomings of GBMS, but I am thrilled to hear the heat of the duo aflame again. Still exploring new realms with trumpets, bagpipes and a narrative story, this album is not simply a remake of a previous effort, it shows real growth as well and in the same a comfort with their sounds of old. The Stripe's rank among my all time favorite's and this album is testament to their stellar portfolio.

#8 ~ Emotionalism - The Avett Brothers
I might have jumped the gun calling Elvis's album the 'most beautiful' of the year, for it might be tied with this miraculous composition from one time hillbilly bluegrass boys turned masters of the trade. The introduction of new instruments, arrangements and all together focus proved a fruitful venture for the brothers. Although far diversified from their previous sound, the Bros. have not forsaken their fans, rather given them more reason to praise one of the best kept secrets in music.

#7 ~ We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank - Modest Mouse
I admit, I am biased on this one, but I can't help it I love this band. This album had all the markings of the beginning of the end after the success of Good News as well as the addition of Mr. Marr, but instead of finding a more middle of the road, radio friendly sound, Brock and Co. dug deep and created their hardest album yet. The bizarre, the complex and the relentlessly foot tapping are all there and although bigger, bolder and more produced than any album to date, it still is a welcome addition to the catalog.

#6 ~ Wild Mountain Nation - Blitzen Trapper
I really do not understand how these Portland fellas can throw their hat into so many genre's and still create such a cohesive and amazing album. It may not click the first listen or two, but when it does, watch out, because you're hooked. I am a true sucker for the sounds of alt-country mixed with the stylings of punk and I may well have found a safe place in this album. It's just Wild!

#5 ~ Neon Bible - Arcade Fire
With the weight of the world on their shoulders the muse for the Indie world took the pressure in stride and shocked us all with a dark, moody but ultimately wonderful sophomore effort. Dabbling in the same religious, lover soul searching lyrical treatment of Funeral, the Fire venture away from the uplifting sounds and bring the gloom and the earnestness of folk music. Perhaps the best guerrilla marketing for an album in years as well as one of the more exciting live shows around, this band is making all the right moves.

#4 ~ Armchair Apocypha - Andrew Bird
Bird and Dosh join forces once again and in so doing laid down track after track of the most rewarding material Bird has ever performed. Always heavy on the metaphors the lyrics set the mood for this 'thinking man's' album as the violin, whistling and tinkering of Dosh bring everything full circle. I had very high hopes for this album and boy did it deliver. Phenomenal.

#3 ~ Mirrored - Battles
I imagine some of you (any of the 3) are growing tired of my rantings about Battles, but after listening to this album once again yesterday, I feel I am just in my ways. This album took me so off guard the first time I played it that I thought it could never live up to the thrill of the first listen. Countless listens later and post live performance I am finding more and more reasons why this is one of the most exciting sounds to break out of the norm in years. Challenging in so many ways, but rewarding in so many more.

#2 ~ Friend and Foe - Menomena
No question about it, my most listened to album of the year, nothing even comes close. Subtle, bold, coated, revealing, aggressive, submissive, amazing. Critics were quick to tag this effort as 'faux mature sound for a former dance-pop group.' I take it for what it is, freakin' awesome. Oft times the more bizarre a band's sound is the more inclined I am to explore and more often than not I am overwhelmed with delight when I 'get their sound.' This album has many strengths, but in a lot of ways its the weaknesses that that reveal it's true character. Congrats gang!

#1 ~ Boxer - The National
I think I made my thoughts on this album pretty obvious earlier in the year, but this is my forum and while I am still working the mic at the podium, here we go again. Maybe its just the production treatment on the vocals, but I feel like this album is swallowing me whole with every listen. Like thick molasses, the songs ooze, drip and smoother making everything it touches delicious. There is not a weak track on the entirety of the work, just some of the tastiest treats this Nation has to offer. If you haven't listened to this album yet, do yourself the favor.

-Hope this list lends itself as a source to discover some new bands and thanks to Mordecai, Pickle and Luke for helping out. On that note, I have not listened to Apples in Stereo and I think Animal Collective is better than Panda Bear, hence the omission.
Looking forward to some more stellar releases in '07 with Spoon, Interpol, Kanye, Josh Ritter, Band of Horses, Tapes N' Tapes, Radiohead etc. still to come.

Roooooooo

I was already mad that I missed Bonnaroo this year...and then I watched this and now I am furious!

John Paul Jones, Ben Harper and ?uestlove...need I say more?


THE Flaming Lips - Do You Realize???


The White Stripes - Death Letter


Tool with Tom Morello - Lateralus


Clip of The Whigs killing it at Roo...
Clip of The Black Keys doin their thing

Cause: Meeting you, again Effect: A royal pain

'Ol Jack and Ms. Meg Discuss the Icky Effect and Cause of love


The Brothers of the Chemical sort, simply put, Do It Again

Momma wolf'll give you anything, if you want anything

Aussie 70's rock recreation, Wolfmother drop new single - Pleased to Meet You for the Spidey flick, visit the site to hear the track and take a look at the Making of video.

Feelin' Eel? Try not being such a pain all the time

Eels journey back into the enchanted forest once again, this time they're causing Shrek a Royal Pain. I did hear when it was all over everyone lived happily ever after.

Eels - Royal Pain ...

Conchords Take Flight, Picking a Fite, Monkeys Sound Alright…Also, Battles, Beasties, Stripes, Tap and Amazing Videos

“New Zealand's 4th Most Popular Gangster Folk Group” is on the brink of things that are bigger than what they have previously been doing; something they hope they can say again this time next year, like they did last year. One of the better Alternative Comedic Satire Duo’s who play guitar and sing about the “issues” from New Zealand I have seen in years (Bret and Jermaine, names pronounced much like they read), Flight of The Conchords, building off the success of a run through the elite comedy fests, an HBO special and a BBC miniseries, are now currently filming a 12 part series to air on HBO starting this summer (June 17th), also scheduled is a new album for later in 2007; later in this post, more run on sentences
Don’t you want a little taste, to see what it tastes like?


Jermaine aka "Justice" is also in his feature debut, Eagle Vs. Shark, which has great potential:

TIM FITE, HILLBILLY WITHA' CAUSE

The simpliset way to discribe Tim Fite’s sound is to imagine The Good ‘Ol Boys playing as Beck’s supporting band from his first two albums, singing Tom Waits meets Ween covers, who happen to have put out a hip hop album that sounds a lot like Eminem. Then take that and mash it up and pour whiskey on it. In other words it’s not easy to descirbe this New Yorker by way of Pennsylvania’s sound, and that’s what makes him so gosh darn intriguing.

Standout compositions and heartfelt lyrics make this oddball come to life, sounding like nothing else on the barren landscape of common pop music. “Heavens to Betsy, the man’s out to get me. He’s raisin my rent and takin my money. While the rich get rich, us poor don’t get shit. Except shit on by rich men, and shit on by women and shit on by everyone shitting.”-Away From the Snakes
After establishing himself as the next alternative folk star on his amazing debut Gone Ain’t Gone, Fite surprised fans and critics alike by releasing a flat out assualt on modern society and the hip hop culture by making a. . . hip hop album. Over the Counter Cuture, a COMPLETELY FREE ALBUM, is at times extremely clever, poignant and aggressive and always self aware. “I want you to buy my record, So I can sell out in 60seconds; At the Best Buy, I wanna be the best guy, You know that I’m better than the next guy; Even though we sound exactly alike, Is that Jadakiss or is that That Tim Fite?"- It's All Right Here.
http://www.myspace.com/timfite


Amazing videos from amazing bands. Director Vincent Moon captures bands out of the confines of studio or venue, takes them to Paris and puts them on the street… and in elevators. The series is called The Take Away Shows from La Blogotheque. The live films are shot with hand held camera and the final product is some of the best footage available. Highlights include: The Shins, Andrew Bird, Arcade Fire, Tapes ‘N Tapes, Cold War Kids and Islands. There are several other Eurobands on there as well, but I am ignorant and never learned to speak a foreign language so I kinda miss out; better luck to you.
Blogotheque

…another intimate look at great bands; Sophie Muller directed and Nigel Godrich produced From the Basement. These videos can be purchased on iTunes (White Stripes, Thom Yorke(Radiohead), Kieran Hebden and Steve Reid…Beck etc. to come.
From the Basement
More from Steve Reid… TAP THIS

ARCTIC MONKEYS
Speaking of Euro’s, the UK’s Favourite Worst Band dropped their new album this week, will give it another whirl and start on a review, so far its pretty solid. For now here’s something to think about…

BATTLES
For fans of “math rock,” Battles are about to release their much aniticpated new album Mirrored. The band features an assembly of gents from various other projects of wide background, most notably John Stainer of Helmet. The beats are unreal, the vocals take some time and may never work for ya, regardless this one of the coolest videos out there.

WHITE STRIPES
White Stripes new single Icky Thump hits the stores and iTunes this week. There are three versions of the single, with different B-sides on vinyl 7”, white vinyl 7” and CD. The new album also titled Icky Thump is being bought by me on June 19th, you can also buy it then. There is also a new Raconteurs album in the making…my man crush of Jack White grows stronger with each passing day. '07 Tour dates: Canada and the US states they have yet to visit.

BEASTIE BOYS
Awesome: I Fuckin' Shot That, the award winning film of a Beastie Boys concert shot by 50 fans with handheld cameras airs until May 21st on Showtime; here’s the trailer . New album out in ’07 as well as a slew of fest appearances including instrumental only shows; which would be awesome to see. Info on the The Mix Up, going back to the Paul's Boutique/Check Your Head sound.

THE GREATEST BAND EVER IS BACK, AGAIN!!!!!
Spinal Tap To Save the Planet. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6591253.stm

My EYES will have something to say again soon, so keep LISTENING