He doesn't travel well. He's like fine shrimp.

Anya ,'Touched'


Buffista Music 4: Needs More Cowbell!

There's a lady plays her fav'rite records/On the jukebox ev'ry day/All day long she plays the same old songs/And she believes the things that they say/She sings along with all the saddest songs/And she believes the stories are real/She lets the music dictate the way that she feels.


Matt the Bruins fan - Jan 30, 2016 12:33:06 am PST #6118 of 6436
"I remember when they eventually introduced that drug kingpin who murdered people and smuggled drugs inside snakes and I was like 'Finally. A normal person.'” —RahvinDragand

Hell, anything by Bob Seger except "Beautiful Loser" and "Against the Wind." (Which are great, just not cheery.)

Outkast - Hey Ya!

The Darkness - I Believe in a Thing Called Love

Elton John - Step into Christmas, Island Girl


Jesse - Jan 30, 2016 2:25:50 pm PST #6119 of 6436
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.

My "fun" playlist includes things like Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, Poison (BBD), Brass Monkey (Beastie Boys), Shining Star (Earth Wind & Fire), If I Was Your Girlfriend (Prince).


Frankenbuddha - Feb 02, 2016 8:36:35 pm PST #6120 of 6436
"We are the Goon Squad and we're coming to town...Beep! Beep!" - David Bowie, "Fashion"

Ack, another great weirdo gone. RIP Paul Katner. Definitely preferred the Airplane to the Starship, but at least he knew when to get off (and prevent them from using Jefferson in the product that produced "We build this city"). "After Bathing at Baxter's" is a long time favorite of mine of whacked-out psychedilica that's less than well known. Doesn't hurt as much as Bowie for sure as the vital years were long gone, but still a bit of a kick in the teeth.


dcp - Feb 06, 2016 10:01:44 am PST #6121 of 6436
The more I learn, the more I realize how little I know.

Google Play price for the Hamilton OC recording is $0.99


Frankenbuddha - Feb 20, 2016 1:12:14 pm PST #6122 of 6436
"We are the Goon Squad and we're coming to town...Beep! Beep!" - David Bowie, "Fashion"

I've been working my way through the Bowie catalog (in my car) in reverse (mainly so I can pick up some earlier stuff I only have on vinyl). Interesting to pick stuff up like that he took the chorus of a song on HEATHEN to use as the main part on the song Lazarus from his last album/musical title track. Not the words but the music. I'm curious how conscious that was, but it's wonderful. Those later albums (and I don't mean just Outside or Earthling) have a lot going on I missed before.


flea - Feb 20, 2016 2:03:55 pm PST #6123 of 6436
information libertarian

Here's a question that has been bothering me. I've read reviews of, for example, Justin Bieber's new album, that talk about the messages he's sending with his songs - redeeming his public image, relationship commentary and stuff. But obviously Justin Bieber does not write his own songs - he's not a singer-songwriter. And I read about how these star pop song producers - mostly from like Norway for some reason - write songs and shop them around to various pop stars. So, why do music reviewers talk about a new album by one of these pop stars as if it's revealing personal truths about the artist's life? Am I missing something?


Tom Scola - Feb 20, 2016 2:14:23 pm PST #6124 of 6436
Mr. Scola’s wardrobe by Botany 500

All the top-tier pop stars will get a co-writing credit for all their songs (and a cut of the royalties), regardless of how much they contribute.


Frankenbuddha - Feb 20, 2016 2:16:04 pm PST #6125 of 6436
"We are the Goon Squad and we're coming to town...Beep! Beep!" - David Bowie, "Fashion"

Honestly, I think the bigger question is why we care about a mega-twerp like Bieber in the first place.


Amy - Feb 20, 2016 4:06:13 pm PST #6126 of 6436
Because books.

So, why do music reviewers talk about a new album by one of these pop stars as if it's revealing personal truths about the artist's life? Am I missing something?

Maybe because it's assumed that he's choosing songs that speak for him?


Liese S. - Feb 20, 2016 7:01:12 pm PST #6127 of 6436
"Faded like the lilac, he thought."

I think at that level it's a highly curated process, where songs are selected by fiat in service of the artist's image and narrative. But I also think it's reasonable to assume that at that level the artist has enough pull to be in on the process of selecting music that says something they want to say.

And cowriting is the thing dujour, so there are basically no tracks getting written solo these days, and many of the artists do participate in the writing process. You're always going to get a Robin Thicke who takes the cut, but wasn't in the room. But you're also going to get a Taylor Swift, who is genuinely involved in the crafting of her material.

Speaking from the other side of the process, as a songwriter who is pitching to artists, I try to come at it as someone writing from a point of empathy. If I were pitching to a Bieber, I would strive for a commonality of experience that I could write authentically from, that might resonate with the artist in a way that they want to express. It may seem a little bit of a stretch, but if you look at a song like "Sorry," it's a pretty universal theme.