The Listening Room is once again alive and kicking. I can't remember why we took the brief hiatus, so best not to think too much about it. We're back with more musical musing and recommendations. This week, there are five steps to instant cool- and a suggestion I can only hope is a very guilty pleasure (I'm trying really hard not to glare in your general direction, Brewster).
They may not be the best songs ever, they may not even be our favorites, but they kept us entertained last week. You could do worse than to try a few of them out and see what they do for you.
Josh Hathaway: “Given to Fly” from Yield by Pearl Jam
I wrote about this song over at Confessions of a Fanboy today because two separate, recent events coaxed it from my memory. I'm going to avoid re-hashing those reasons other than to say I'd love it if you decided to find out what they are for yourself. For those of you who can't be arsed to follow that link, here's a little bit more about the song (it's all about the standalone here at BC Magazine):
I'm kind of amazed Jimmy Page didn't call his lawyer, because the verses to this song could hardly resemble “Going to California” any more without being a cover version. There's a thin line between influenced and derivative, and if you keep walking you cross over The Great Ripoff Reef. Don't let that discourage you from discovering, or rediscovering, this song because this song gloriously departs from the Zeppelin classic and – the cliché police will crush me for this one – takes flight, streaking across the sky in a blaze of soaring emotion. “Given to Fly” is authentic even if it's not completely original- authenticity is more important.
Pico: "Foreplay/Long Time" from Boston by Boston
Well, I'm finally holding my personal Brad Delp memorial today by revisiting Boston's debut album. This LP may hold the distinction of being the only album where every baby boomer knows every song without having to own the record. In fact, it pretty much introduced the whole concept of "album rock" (and arguably, "arena rock").
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Article comments
1 - Pico
Hey Mat: guilty pleasure confessions go on the Culture page. So sez Skeeter ;&)
2 - Mat Brewster
What can I say? Blame my parents. Blame my Oklahoma upbringing. Does it help if I say that alongside Garth in those days was Fugazi, Dinosaur Jr and the Replacements?
3 - Josh
Not really. Let me check again. No.
We've all got those guilty pleasures, and Brewster will always have me to mock him when he cops to one.
4 - Mark Saleski
Garth Brooks a guilty pleasure? bah! i can do better than that.
besides, real men wear their guilty pleasures with pride (plus some disdain for music snobs). hardy-frickin'har!
5 - Mat Brewster
Notice I'm not the one calling Garth a guilty pleasure. In fact I don't feel guilty about it at all. I won't be wearing a cowboy hat anytime soon (or one of those bright, obnoxious shirts for that matter) but I can still stand up and proclaim I dig his swagger and intensity without an ounce of guilt.
And no worries Sir Hathaway, I've got plenty to make fun of you over.
6 - Josh
You may not use the words "guilty pleasure," but you sure don't waste any time putting a disclaimer in there. Instead of a guilty pleasure, we'll call it a remorsefully joyous.
And... if you don't have anything you'll just make something up, so no worries here, Sir Brewster.
7 - Mat Brewster
Yeah, like I could mention the summer you constantly wore that Mariah Carey t-shirt that read "I'll be your dream lover." Pathetic that was.
But I'll be the better man and not mention it at all.