Fun fact: I grew up about fifteen miles away from Dan Auerbach around the same time. I am pretty sure we played soccer against each other, and let me say, that looked nothing like my teenage years, unlss you count watching Dazed and Confused which took place before me or Dan were even born. And wait, is that the chick from The Goldbergs? She just cannot do anything in present day can she?
Drink Up – Train
Well Train recruited the weirdest group to do a Wedding Crashers reboot.
Too Much to Think – 311
Oh hey, 311 are still a thing. It is weird these bands who were huge at one point just keep chugging along. Apparently this song has even charted on the Alternative Songs charts. Who knew there was still and Alternative chart? Oh yeah, that is a stupid name for a song.
I Was Born – Hanson
Speaking of relics from the nineties that never actually broke up and are still at it, Hanson is celebrating their twenty-fifth anniversary this year. Goodness that makes me feel old. Oh yeah, and all those kids in this video are the band members.
There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.
Sure the new Train song kind of sucks in a jumping on the folk rock trend two years too late kind of way but if you are going to release a bad song you might as well pay Danny Trejo copious amounts of money to lip-sync your lyrics making an actual entertaining video. So congratulations to Train, you almost got me to almost like your crappy Mumford and Sons rip off simply by getting me to watch the music video multiple times.
Just when you think John Legend was going to release yet another music video based around his Sport Illustrated it turns into a very real look at the various types of women that populate the nation. It is empowering and heartbreaking at the same time. Seriously, if you did not break out crying at the breast cancer victim, you very well may not have a soul.
If that is not enough real women for you Colbie Caillat takes that John Legend idea one step further (to be fair, Try hit YouTube two days earlier and is exactly what the song is about; I just put You and I first because it is a much better song) as Colbie and another group of ethnically diverse strip themselves of all their numerous beauty products.
We have hit that time a year when people start posting their silly half-year lists. One thing that stuck out to me on these lists is that music so far this year kind of sucked. Making things worse is that are not many good new artists. Around this time last year there were already great albums or EPs from Lorde, Haim, Kacey Musgraves, Daughter, and Chvrches. It is depressing to think Iggy Azalea is probably going to get a Best New Artist nomination basically there is no one else (granted since Ed Sheeran got nominated in the category last year, maybe Lorde will get nominated this year) even though she only has only been on two songs anyone cares about and is the worst part of both songs. Sure there have been a couple songs by new artists that have piqued my interest this year but I really not interested in full albums by Hozier, Bleachers, Jamie N Commons, or X Ambassadors (I have not even been bothered to see if the last two are the same act or two separate ones collaborating on Jungle; which is not to be confused with the new band Jungle that I do not really care for that much) but there is only one group that I am looking forward to hearing more from and that is Broods. They put out a solid EP earlier this year and next month they are releasing their debut album Evergreen (apparently it will not be released stateside until October but sometimes these foreign releases show up on Spotify here before we Americans can buy them). The first single from the album is actually better than anything on that original EP and shoots the album up my list of what may be a crowded most anticipated fall albums (even though many of the biggest names do not have a release date as of now).
There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.
Ever since I started watching Treme, I became fascinated with the Second Line to the point that I have it written into my will. I do not know what the tradition never got exported from New Orleans but it is nice to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers incorporate it into the song written about their fallen friend.
Even though everyone was content with Lana Del Rey to fade into obscurity after her abysmal performance on Saturday Night Live earlier this year, she is stick kicking and screaming trying to stay relevant like anyone one else with minimal talent does: with shock. So she is playing Jackie O (and Marilyn Monroe?) to a black JFK. Alrighty. And I am back to ignoring Lana Del Rey.
Every once in a while a band comes along and you are convinced will be a one hit wonder and are surprised that they managed to get another hit. Train is one of those bands. Meet Virginia sounded it like one of those songs, a catchy folk rock hit at a time when soft rock was huge with quirky lyrics about a girl who wears high heels while exercising. Then a couple years later they broke any chance of them being relegated to one hit wonder status with the epic Drops of Jupiter that showed they were more than just the quirky lyrics band and could make a grand music statement and have been a permanent fixture on the adult contemporary charts ever since where they have alternated between the quirky of Meet Virginia and grandness of Drops of Jupiter.
They finally made it back on the pop charts with their last album with ukulele assisted Hey Soul Sister and look to continue that success with the first single off of their new album California 37. Drive By is a Hey Soul Sister clone if there ever was one and the band even break out the ukulele again for Sing Together. And Drive By is not the only blatant clone on the album because You Can Finally Meet My Mom sounds like the sequel Marry Me also from their last album (which is odd considering one would introduced their mom before asking their hand in marriage so maybe the song is actually meant to be a prequel). But You Can Finally Meet My Mom also and weird lyrics that go well beyond their typical quirky songs by ending the song with randomly name checking Steve Job and Whitney Houston (it is unclear if the song was written and recorded before both of their untimely demises or not, but still kind of creepy either way).
But lyrics on the album do not get weirder that when the album starts off with This’ll Be My Year where Pat Monahan delivers rapid fire about everything that has happened since 1985 in chronological order like a amendment to Billy Joel’s We Didn't Start the Fire (the newer song even includes the line “Russians leave Afghanistan” which I am going to go ahead and assuming is an allusion to Joel’s “Russians in Afghanistan” line from his song). Train does add a personal flavor to the historic moments but they could have done a better job picking events because I would not consider “Barcelona has the games” a very momentous occasion.
Like almost every other adult contemporary artist of the past decade, Train even goes country for a song on the album with the folksy Bruises, a duet with the severely underrated Ashley Monroe who is probably best known as one third of Pistol Annies. It is songs like this and When the Fog Rolls In where Monahan shows his vulnerability which makes me wish Train would tone down the silly lyrics, because their music is much better when they play it straight.
There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.
A month ago Neon Trees released an animated version for this video, but I definitely the Zombie Bikers from Hell version much better. But this begs the question, why are there not any drive-in movie theaters with roller skating waitresses?
Another week, another new K'Naan music, this time with 100% more Nelly Furtado. And I am all for anti-bulling sentiment, but how about not defacing property with profanities?
As a dude, I have naturally never seen an episode of The Bachelor, but I guestimate that the latest Train video is basically every episode of the reality show but with twenty extra chicks hanging around.
There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.
The new Cee-Lo Green song seems like nice version of (Expletive Deleted) You with its Motown style delivery and even the cartoony video. Of course it is not as fun to sing “It’s Okay” at the top of your lungs like his previous hit.
It is weird in a time whenever a movie features someone smoking we first have to watch an anti-smoking PSA to see Adele start out her video smoking a cigarette for no apparent reason. I do like that she has continued to name her album after her age. I wonder if she will keep that up when she goes on the wrong side of forty.
All these Christmas tunes that radio pulls out every year are decent enough, but do you know what they are all lacking: violin playing Elvi. Now I can fully get into the Christmas spirit this year thanks to Coldplay.
Train is also getting into the holiday mood (coming to a Coke ad near you soon) and my favorite part of the video is the crowd bum rushing the door after the barricade gets knocked down. As if a four foot barricade was stopping them before. As a former amphitheater usher, whenever a large group tried to get past me, I totally pulled the if you can’t stop them, join them routine. Unfortunately I still was never able to get a hand on a member of Duran Duran.
There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.
As a white dude I am not sure what I am more offended by: that when Alicia keys thinks of a token white dude, she thinks Chad Michael Murray, c’mon, when you are such a bad actor that you are not even good enough to star in One Tree Hill anymore you should just give up the profession, or when she thinks white dude in the eighties, he has to have a mullet.
You rarely the live performance spliced with non-live and miniskits, but Undo It - Play On gave it a try for some reason. And as much as I want to dislike this song, it just gets stuck in my head for way to long.
Wait, another storyline to live performance video? I guess this is a beginning of a trend. Not so fun fact: the latest music video by Train was directed by Pete Wentz. Why? Who know, or cares.
A couple days ago during my review of the new Train album (see my review - The Days Are Better, the Nights Are Still so Lonely) that it was surprising that the band landed a second hit because it seemed like they were destined for one hit wonder status after Meet Virginia. Sometimes it’s almost sad to see a band get another hit because being a one hit wonder is a lot more interesting then a two hit wonder. The Bloodhound Gang may have been regarded with some of the best one hit wonders after Fire Water Burn, but they had to taint that legacy by having a second hit with The Bad Touch. Oddly enough there is some revisionist history as Vanilla Ice is considered a one hit wonder even though Play That Funky Music was almost as big as Ice Ice Baby. But anyways. Some song when you hear them you just know they are going to be one hit wonders, but here is a list of the most surprising artist that were able to make a career of it after that hit.
5. Radiohead
One Hit Wonder Candidate - Creep
Surprising Second Hit - High and Dry
English bands have a long list of one hit wonders here in America and Radiohead looked just like another band to be added to the list with a song that is highlighted by the chunk-chunk guitar sound right before the chorus. But the band was able to regroup and become one of the most critically acclaimed bands of the past decade.
4. Train
One Hit Wonder Candidate - Meet Virginia
Surprising Second Hit - Drops of Jupiter
Quirky songs are another indicator of one hit wonder and the quirky lyrics were just icing on the cake. But with help from the Counting Crows pianist, the band was able to return three years later with Drops of Jupiter and have been a adult contemporary radio regular ever since.
3. Collective Soul
One Hit Wonder Candidate - Shine
Surprising Second Hit - December
In the mist of grunge, the band released an uplifting southern rock with vaguely religious overtones. They were able to get another hit with the weird December and continued racking up hits in the nineties. Mmm, "uplifting southern rock with vaguely religious overtones," if any of the members of the Los Lonely Boys are reading this, there’s hope for you yet.
2. Eminem
One Hit Wonder Candidate - My Name Is
Surprising Second Hit - The Real Slim Shady
More than any other genre, rap seems to be littered with one hi wonders and Eminem seemed to be no different. He came back later with the more entertaining The Real Slim Shady. He continues to pump out the hits even though today he just seems like a parody of himself.
1. Beck
One Hit Wonder Candidate - Loser
Surprising Second Hit - Where it’s At
There was no bigger surprise of a second hit then Beck. Loser was a quirky pop song with inane sing-a-long lyrics, like get crazy with the Cheese Wiz or suggesting to get a drive-by body piercing, and for some reason Spanish words that made my classmates clamoring to sign up for the foreign language. The video was even weirder with the low budget looking vibe with coffins and skeletons. Yet even with all the indicators of a one hit wonder he was able to squeeze more life out of his career by utilizing two turntables and a microphone.
So there you have it, that’s it, that’s the list. If there were any artist that surprised you that they were able to manage a second quality hit, feel free to leave it in the comment section. As for the Super Bowl, I know I should pick the Steelers because I ever team I picked to win has lost and lost bad, and there is nothing more than I’d like to see more than Pittsburgh to get crushed. But I still have to go with Seattle. They have the better quarterback, running back, and coach. As for a score, I’ll say 24-10.
Back in 1998, it was safe to say that Train were headed towards One Hit Wonder land with their very catchy, if not somewhat odd, Meet Virginia. But just around the time everyone forgot about them, they surfaced three years later with what could be one of the best songs this decade, Drops of Jupiter and landed at number two of my Best of 2001 list. That song along warranted the band to release a couple more albums.
After the somewhat disappointing 2003 release of My Private Nation, the band is back with the stronger effort of For Me, It's You. The album starts off with All I Ever Wanted a song about realizing maybe a little too late what you want and is highlighted by the line “You gave me everything I ever wanted except for you.” The album also features the band’s best song since Drops of Jupiter in Cab another piano driven song with a backing orchestra but where Drops captures that summer feel, Cab does a great job catching the essences of being in New York City in the dead of winter.
Sadly Train goes back into bland rock radio clichés for most of the rest of the album. “Skyscraper, you define the skyline,” could be one of the most boring lines ever written and shows the band should stick with the more inane lyrics featured in Meet Virginia or Drops of Jupiter. Pat Monahan’s amazing voice is able to salvage some of the songs from going into Nickelback type triteness and the additions of Bandon Bush on keyboards and Johnny Colt of The Black Crowes on bass help re-energize the band somewhat, but there is still a few songs that should have never made the cut.
Stuck in the middle of the routine rock songs is the funky Shelter Me. Also stick around for the title track that is stuck at the end of the album. The romantic song, with lines like, “Everybody got something that they want to sing about, laugh about, cry about, it's true, for me it's you,” is a jazzy song that Monahan’s voice shines on. Maybe in another album or two, Train will have compiled enough great songs to put together must own “Best Of” package.
, I became fascinated with the Second Line to the point that I have it written into my will. I do not know what the tradition never got exported from New Orleans but it is nice to see the 
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anymore you should just give up the profession, or when she thinks white dude in the eighties, he has to have a mullet.
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