ooooo weeee oooo i look just like

My Dad’s love for lyrics, which I mentioned in a previous post, had an interesting affect on the way he listened to music from the fifties. For the most part my Dad agreed with the sentiments coming out from early hippies that most of the music from the fifties was just a sugar frosted coating for the real stuff that was happening in the world. Songs like “Little Darlin” are undeniably classic but definitely weren’t the first thing my Dad reached for when he put on some music.



Of course, there were a few exceptions. In typical Taryn’s parents fashion, the songs from the fifties that I grew up on came from the people who were rocking the societal boat in some way - Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, etc. One of the people you would have found a miniature Taryn singing along with and dancing around the house to was Buddy Holly.



Knowing that, it’s easy to understand why I was beyond excited to hear about a new Buddy Holly Tribute Album coming out June 28th: Rave On Buddy Holly.

Songs keep leaking into the radio waves and onto the interwebs like little teases - you can generally catch Fiona Apple and Jon Brion’s awesome version of “Every Day” at some point during Morning Becomes Eclectic these days. Everything I’ve heard so far is supremely good.

Tribute albums are interesting to me because it’s essentially buying an album of songs that you very likely already own. Why would I listen to Fiona’s version of “Every Day” when I have Buddy Holly’s version already? Obviously the two songs sound different but is it different enough that I might prefer to listen to that version over the original sometimes? At the other end of the spectrum, is it too different - just different for the sake of being different - and I’m attached to the old version so I don’t like the reinvention?

Producer Randall Poster put it nicely when he called gathering the tracks for the album a process of finding “pieces of a complex and original puzzle.” I haven’t heard the album from beginning to end, but what I’ve heard seems to walk the above described line between different enough to be new and similar enough to be recognizable extremely well.

I cannot wait until June 28th to hear the album as a full beginning to end story but until then I’m content savoring the little gems that are starting to pop up. One of the standout tracks I’ve heard is Florence + The Machine’s version of “Not Fade Away.” Check out the fun little video for the song...

the ram feels high

So I went to Yeasayer last night with few expectations. It’s funny - Yeasayer is a band that I know I like, but before last night I couldn’t have named any of their songs. What I knew about them prior to last night is that I heard lots of buzz about them from our DJs when their last album came out and they seem to collaborate with people I love (i.e. their Florence + The Machine remix on Lungs - listen below). All my favorite music people were making promises yesterday that it would be a great show - so I went knowing it would be good but with little explanation as to why they felt so assured.

Dog Days Are Over (Yeasayer Remix) - Florence and the Machine by Mar-Y

Before I say any more about Yeasayer, I HAVE TO talk about one of the opening acts Hush Hush. I tweeted after the show that I’ve never felt so fascinated and violated at the same time. I think that’s how I continue to feel as I look at his bandcamp page. Hush Hush has Sleigh Bells style heavy distortion and down beats going for him except this time he’s singing about things like, “drinking from my pussy cup.” That’s right. I kept turning to my friend saying, “He’s really saying what I think he’s saying.” His whole set had a SNL skit feel to it which, I think, is why he got away with everything without offending anybody - he played an applause track at the end of each song saying, “Oh wow! Thank you guys so much - it’s too much.” I’m not going to lie - I loved every second of it. There were lots of things said about this guy last night - that he was from Germany, that the members of Yeasayer found him homeless, that he’s a pervert - I can only qualify the last one. Who knows where Hush Hush is from but all I can say is wow...

WARNING - I’m cognizant of the fact that some of you may sometimes be in the presence of little innocent ears...I wouldn’t listen to the below until they’ve gone to bed and will never have to be corrupted by the insanity of Hush Hush.



Then Yeasayer took the stage and it was on and cracking for over an hour and a half. I had my first Coachella experience this past April and being at the Music Box last night was the closest I’ve felt to being totally enveloped by music since being in the tent for Leftfield and Cut Copy. With a crazy light show and bass you could feel in the floors and on your chest, music was suddenly living on my skin and in my eyes.

I’ve seen shows like this before and have been sadly disappointed. Sometimes, being a band like this, with a sound that appeals to all of your senses and makes your body move means that the urge is there to perform directly to your often heavily altered fans. While I totally enjoy this as part of the experience of going to see somebody like Animal Collective, there have been times that I’ve felt a bit left out - like I couldn’t enjoy it because I wasn’t quite altered enough.

Yeasayer did an excellent job living in all worlds. There was plenty there to find trippy - in sight, in sound, in feel - and instead of needing to be on drugs to enjoy it, being at the concert made me feel utterly high. I was dancing in ways that, in retrospect, I’m glad nobody was taping. I was screaming along with “Ambling Alp.” And at times I just sat there with my mouth open, soaking in the experience - feeing tingly through to the ends of my hair.

I can’t say it enough friends, go see Yeasayer. They’re currently touring and have dates lined up everywhere from San Fran to Houston to DC (that’s right I’m talking to you, my AU Alum Friends) to New York. Check out their myspace page for a full list of dates.

Yeasayer "ONE" By: Radical Friend from ODDBLOOD on Vimeo.