Pieces of Tape

Warning: The following was written by a music nerd who considers music (especially recorded music) to be one of the driving forces that keeps this planet spinning. This entry may come off cheesy and overly zealous about things you could care less about. However, try to take it seriously if you can. It was written that way.

It's happened to you, too. I know it has. You're sitting there, listening to a record for the first time, and something comes out of your speakers that just grabs you by the face and commands you to pay attention. You're mesmerized, and you probably even get up and rewind the tape/CD/record/MP3 to hear that one more time. Maybe it's something beautiful, or haunting, maybe it's eerie, or just plain disturbing. Maybe you get goosebumps and just know that it's one of the best pieces of recorded music you've ever heard. However it hits you, you remember it. At least I do.

I've compiled together ten of my "favorite pieces of tape" as I like to call them. Not whole records, necessarily, or even whole songs, but snippets of music that kill me every time I hear em. Enjoy.

And by the way, none of these records suck. Some are even in my canon of must-haves. You can buy them just to hear the "piece of tape" without being disappointed in the rest of the album. So do it.

The first one that always comes to mind is from one of my favorite bands of all time (although they don't make the top five list). *Note: I'm big on making top five and top ten lists when it comes to music. Read Nick Hornby's High Fidelity to understand me.* So, back to the music. Zao are responsible for my #1 pick. This miracle occurs at the :43 second mark of Fifteen Rhema, track 7 on Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest, and continues until the end of the song. Seriously. Every time I hear this, I can't help but start moving. It starts out with a slowed 1-2-1-2 type rhythm with the vocals coming off in drawn out syllables, and one of the catchiest guitar riffs I've ever heard. Then the drums speed it up, and it goes on to a straight up funky beat (most strange for metal... but it works) with plenty of low-tuned guitars combined with high, noisy chords. The rest of the song alternates between several ideas, slow and fast, high and low, and makes one of the most interesting metal songs I've ever heard. Zao's particular brand of metalcore has never been standard or boring. They are one of the most innovative bands to ever have played rock and roll. I mean that.

The rest of my list is in no particular order. I know, it's not like me, but it would be too exhausting to try. Next up, we have Fugazi. (My #2 favorite band of all time, by the way). Fugazi have the talent of sounding like ten different bands on a ten-song record. It's really amazing, and if you haven't ever listened, I command you to pick up any Fugazi CD, because they're all excellent. This particular recording is on Epic Problem, track 3 of their latest release, The Argument. Partway through the song, an instrumental part begins. This has some of the most energetic drumming I've ever heard. That combined with melodic guitars form something that makes me grin and start nodding my head every time I hear it.

Next up are two things from my #1 favorite of all time, Elvis Costello. The first occurs on Secondary Modern, track 4 of Get Happy!!. The lyrics of this song are rather cryptic in the first place, but in the second verse, he comes right out and says it: Nobody/makes me sad like you/now my whole world goes from blue to blue. When he says "blue to blue," his voice rises into a falsetto that makes for a truly moving, touching moment. I have been known to listen to that part many many times over consecutively. It's just so beautiful. The other contribution from Mr. Costello is from All This Useless Beauty. The first track, The Other End of the Telescope is one of my favorite songs of all time. The lyrics, the music, the way it was recorded. It moves me in a way that I really can't describe. In particular, listen to the part at the end that begins So late in the evening/as I sit here moping. At the end of that part, he takes a breath between every word. It's really brilliant.

I reviewed Sparta's Wiretap Scars for Blogcritics a while back, but I want to re-emphasize how great this record is. Listen to track 4, Collapse over and over. When he sings, He listens in the dark/to the records turn/I'll never learn, and then the song explodes back into the chorus, my pulse quickens every time.

The Bouncing Souls make my top ten favorite bands of all time. Gone, track 13 on How I Spent My Summer Vacation is catchy, upbeat, and strangely melancholy. Listen to it and try not to cry.

I considered making a list of my top ten favorite hardcore breakdowns of all time instead of this list, and if I did, Norma Jean's Creating Something Out Of Nothing Only To Destroy It would definitely make that list. It's track 4 on their latest, Bless The Martyr and Kiss The Child. While their vocalist screams, It's like bringing a knife to a gunfight, low chugga-chugga guitars rip into high noisy chords played in rapid fire. The drums are loud. It's intense. If you catch them live, you may want to move away from the pit during this song. I know the kids just murder each other.

When I first got Pete Yorn's Musicforthemorningafter, I didn't take it out of my car's CD player for weeks. Literally. It makes my top twenty-five records of all time list. Now that's serious. The thing that always sticks out in my mind when I think of this record is his reserved singing on track 5, Lose You. He doesn't overdo it or try to conjure up emotion that isn't there. But it still comes off as a heck of a powerful song. Pete Yorn accomplished something on this record that most artists never do, and that's to convey an emotional theme that carries you through the whole thing. You get to know his personality just by listening to these songs. That's impressive.

I couldn't decide which Smiths record to reference when I talked about There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, so heck, I'll just suggest The Singles. Morrissey is one of my top five favorite vocalists of all time. He's dreamy, smart, mysterious, and ... oh yeah... he can sing. When he croons I don't care/I don't care/I don't care the second time on this song, my head gets all fuzzy. Quit being a poser, and go get some Morrissey and Smiths records. It will probably be better than anything you own right now.

I'll finish up with my #4 all time favorite band, Radiohead. They have put out five amazing studio albums, as well as playing some of the greatest live music I've ever heard. The beginning of Everything In It's Right Place, track 1 on Kid A is one of my favorites. There is a lot going on in this song, and you can tell that each note, each sound was well thought out and planned. To me, it just feels like I'm underwater. A sea of noises. I don't know. Like I said, I'm a music nerd. So take it as you will, but trust me, if you get a Radiohead CD, you won't be disappointed. Ever.

So what are you waiting for? Start clicking and buy some records. NOW.

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Article Author: Amber Nussbaum

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