More Quaran-tunes...

As the most unexpected battle in centuries continues to rage on, a few more artists, such as Jackson Browne, Mavis Staples, Andrew Bird, and Death Cab for Cutie's Benjamin Gibbard, have offered up their opinions. Here are those songs (plus one more):


"A Little Soon to Say" by Jackson Browne: Jackson Browne - rocker, singer/songwriter, activist...and unfortunately, recent Coronavirus victim. Being in his '70s, Browne is on the more vulnerable side of the Coronavirus spectrum, so this decade (or year) may be his last, but while he's still alive, he wants to offer us his own perspective on our potentially perilous predicament. Well, actually, the song was written prior to the pandemic's impact, but Browne decided now would be the perfect time to release it. This sad song, which could also end up being his swan song, was inspired by young activists, including heroic Aspie, Greta Thunberg, and how they have spoken out against people not taking action against threats to future generations, such as climate change. This six-and-a-half minute song is one of the most melancholy that Jackson Browne has done since "Fountain of Sorrow" in 1974. Actually this song is even more melancholy than that one was, lacking the light but noticeable rock and roll drums and electric guitar soloing in the background that "Fountain of Sorrow" had. This year has not been kind to some of my favorite musicians, which also include power pop singer Adam Schlesinger, folk-rocker John Prine, and soul musician Bill Withers, two thirds of whom died from Coronavirus. I've never said R.I.P. to three musicians in one post, but since none of them have released (or likely WILL release) any new material, this seemed like an appropriate time to do so.


"All In It Together" by Mavis Staples: Yet another song dedicated to fighting COVID-19 by a revered musician, Mavis Staples' "All In It Together" is a plea for unity during a time of separation. Having now entered her octogenarian years, it's quite remarkable that Mavis is still alive, and I am hoping with all my might she doesn't become victim to the Coronavirus. With her can-do attitude, optimistic outlook, and almost spiritual vibes, it doesn't seem very likely, but one never knows in this day and age. Mavis realizes, as we all should, how the virus is not "blind" in who it affects. One's financial status, gender, race, and other such factors become irrelevant in this song where the only race that matters is the human race itself and how it will cope with unprecedented disasters like our current situation. As human rights activist (and all-around model musician) Bob Marley once said in one of the last songs he recorded, "the darkness must amount to light". "All In It Together" seems to share the same message, one we have all needed to hear and heed right now!


"Capital Crimes" by Andrew Bird: Like the Jackson Browne song I reviewed earlier in this blog, Andrew Bird's "Capital Crimes" is a song written before our present pandemic that is now being connected with it. The song was originally meant as a protest song against capital punishment, but has now become a protest song against the way COVID-19 is being handled as well. And what a protest song it is! If you can imagine Bob Dylan collaborating with King Crimson and a classical music string orchestra, you've got "Capital Crimes" in a nutshell. This epic, six-and-a-half minute song is both lyrically and instrumentally agitated. The instrumental agitation slowly creeps in and is made apparent by the time the song is halfway over. Violin hasn't sounded so violent since John Cale played it furiously in The Velvet Underground's Heroin" back in 1967! Both the music and lyrics of "Capital Crimes" are somewhat Dylan-esque, with Bird essentially spending the song interrogating the government about whether or not they are truly protecting their citizens. A song like this perfectly captures the anguish and despair of the present day in a way that is deliciously dark!


"Held Down" by Laura Marling: Yet another song about a pessimistic, desperate situation, although this one seems more personal than universal. Still, there is no denying all the sadness and disappointment Laura Marling must have experienced in writing her latest song, "Held Down". The song seems to encapsulate feelings of being cheated and let down by whoever her current lover is, though it could also extended to just feeling cheated and let down by everything that's been going on around her. The song itself is as bittersweet as its lyrics would suggest it is. No one seems to know what to do with their lives anymore, and it's a theme expressed in all five songs of this week, but this one stands apart from the others with its more intimate, personal subject matter.


"Life In Quarantine" by Benjamin Gibbard: Death Cab for Cutie, as well as lead singer Ben Gibbard's solo recordings, have always sounded a bit melancholy and stark. But this song, consisting solely of acoustic guitar and Ben's vocals, might just be his saddest one yet. In this three-minute song, the theme of quarantine is expressed quickly yet sorrowfully, with places of entertainment such as bars and cafes being described as "empty", while more essential services like airports and train stations are "full of desperate people". Wow, how sad! Life just isn't what it used to be. Mercy, mercy, me!! I weep for humanity just hearing songs like this one. I'm trying to get over my current state of sadness, but it's been very hard lately. At least music is here to tell me, as always, that I'm not alone!

beware the Ides of March...

As the world panics over a virus that no one I know personally has contracted, no one seems to know how to deal with the results of its befuddling statistics. This includes musicians. Here are four entries for this week (as if by eerie coincidence, "four" is considered a bad luck number in Japan). Here are this week's entries:


"Caution" by The Killers: "Caution" is what we all need to be taking during this unprecedented time in our lives! The fact that the song has the title it does and was released on the week that it was is pure coincidence, though. Whether that's good coincidence or bad coincidence is a bit hard to say, but what I can say is that it sure sounds good! Fans of groups like The War on Drugs will probably dig this song, dominated by synthesizers in a distinctly Springsteen-ian manner circa the '80s. The lyrics of the song are neither political nor apocalyptic, but rather surrealist, which lead vocalist Brandon Flowers is no stranger to in terms of the words and phrases he puts into his songs. Adding to the already gung-ho dynamic of the song is the song's surprise guitar solo that it ends on, played by none other than Fleetwood Mac's Lindsey Buckingham! When the going gets tough, the tough certainly get going here!


"Domino" by Nicole Atkins: It's the end of the world as we know it (so far), and Nicole Atkins feels fine! In the sleek, funky song, "Domino", she lets the world know she's not gonna go down without a fight! "I'm not gonna play safe and sound when the world comes tumbling down", Nicole sings during the chorus. Partially inspired by musicians like Prince, "Domino" could be for 2020 what the song "1999" was to 1984, a disaster warning disguised as a fun party song. The title of the song comes from how Nicole feels watching society "fall, like dominoes". Two songs into this week's blog, and my anxiety is through the roof already. Not exactly a good thing, is it?! I suppose that's what music is for, though!


"4 American Dollars" by U.S. Girls: This song was actually released a few weeks before the world went into panic mode, but this song still deals with rather dark subject matter nonetheless. Like our previous entry for this week, this song is also a funky party song on the surface with a bleaker message underneath. "You can do a lot with 4 American dollars", lead singer Meg Remy sings during the chorus, before going into how, "No matter how much you get to have, you will still die and that's the only thing". Wow...ummm...thanks?! I suppose this serves as a good reminder to all of us that even if we are poor, a few scraps of money is better than none at all, but as the whole WORLD heads into poverty, this message isn't exactly the most comforting thing in the world. Perhaps that was intentional, though.


"Temple" by Thao with The Stay Down Get Down: Our last entry for the week still brings us no comfort during increasingly dark times. This song is about how lead singer Thao Nguyen lost her city. She goes into great detail to describe her loss, too, mentioning helicopter blades, thick smoke, and even war. A mere 40-ish years ago, the radio was blasting songs about how we built this city (WHICH city is unknown, though) on rock and roll...now we have lost our cities with rock and roll. Electric guitars set to a funky beat tell the saddening story of Thao's struggle to survive. The year mentioned in the song was 1973, but it seems even more relevant now, sadly.