130 posts tagged with pop and rock.
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My Chemical Brain
I don’t know crap about this topic but it hasn’t stopped me from having my interest piqued. Specifically, I’m talking about brain chemistry. Both the mechanics of it and the way we manipulate what those mechanics do these days are super interesting. Even more amazing to me is how people’s emotions (usually negative emotions) can be a simple result of a chemical imbalance in their brain. Wow. I realize the drugs we have today are both amazing relative to nothing and very blunt instruments relative to what we’ll have down the road. And while I haven’t tried any of them, I sometimes wonder what people did before they existed. Mostly suffered I suppose. :| [more inside]
winter - vampire deer
2nd song on my rpm album - this is a kind of mellow song
68 percent
A happy-sounding very sad song. [more inside]
come here (aberdeen)
This started as a weird tune with pseudo-Indian wailing/cat meowing vocals, guitar feedback, and a one-note sitar solo. It still has those elements, but the track ended up being an almost radio-friendly, catchy (?) pop-rock thing. [more inside]
Never Gonna Bring You Down
A mashup of ELO and another well-known artist. [more inside]
I Don't Want to be Here
Recorded back in '01 for the Chalkhills.org King For a Day XTC tribute compilation CD. Written by Andy Partridge, but never recorded by XTC. This was a one-off project, but eventually led to the formation of my XTC tribute band, and we played it live once or twice. [more inside]
(This Is) The Dream Of Matt And Harriett
A song about my favorite failed Aaron Sorkin show.
My good friend Jessica sings Harriett's part.
You're Not The Only One
My Talking Heads-y song, with tons of autotune!
Brookline
(Note: NSFW-ish if f*** and a****** are a problem where you work.)
For the bulk of the years of growing up that I actually remember, what I would consider the “formative” years, I lived in Brookline, Massachusetts. (Not to be confused with the super irritating Brookline, New Hampshire that would show up in school closing announcements only to leave me extra disappointed.) During and after college I didn’t think much of my high school years at Brookline High School. And in fact, I ended up losing touch with every friend I made there. But thanks to the internets I have reconnected with many of them, some very recently. It’s been super positive, and it’s stirred up all these great memories of my time in Brookline. That’s what this song is about. These three incidents in particular: [more inside]
Take the Picture
I tend to take a lot of pictures. I found out early on in my photo-taking tenure that the more pictures I took, the more likely that some of them would come out nicely. Of course, I’m always the one behind the camera. As a parent, I also have wondered just how much of the time I spend with my kids they will remember (if any). My father recently asked me if I remembered how we used to watch Star Trek together. I honestly couldn’t remember. He was crushed. It occurred to me that many years down the road when my kids look at our family pictures they won’t see me in any of them because I was the one behind the camera. Something tells me that this detail will be lost on them as they repeat the cycle and tell me they don’t remember me being there. ;) [more inside]
JMC (Election Remix)
John McCain meets Barack Obama in a chance enounter, post-election but pre-inauguration. Recorded by the 7-piece Seattle band "Awesome" at my studio in sunny West Seattle. [more inside]
Gold Star (Feel Like A Ghost)
Not a ghost story, but some spooky moments nonetheless. A cranky pop rock + alt-country-ish tune I wrote for FAWM 2008... [more inside]
Creature From the Deep
I bought an old box of Fruit Brute on eBay last week and it had one of those paper records attached to it. The song was so rad, I had to digitize it to share with MeFi. [more inside]
Dear Editor
Awhile ago I spent way too much time reading a thread on the always excellent Marginal Revolution blog discussing possible tactics for dealing with sudden and unwelcome time-travel to 1000 A.D. Clearly the thread needed to be put to music. (OK, it was clear to me at least.) That was so much fun that I thought it might be fun to do it again. And Tyler over at Marginal Revolution was nice enough to participate for another round.
Then Tyler announced the topic - “Are Books Overwritten?” Ruh ro.
[more inside]
Days Like This
It seemed time for an uncomplicated pop song (not that any of my songs are super complex in the first place). But in this nice little package you get everything you’re looking for in a standard radio-friendly pop song (does anyone listen to the radio anymore?)... [more inside]
SkyMall (Jonathan Coulton cover)
A few months ago I decided I wanted to try and do a cover. Based on the result, it was clearly a bad idea. I probably should have been discouraged but instead, after months of therapy, I decided to try again. The victim this time was one of my favorite artists - Jonathan Coulton and his excellent song SkyMall. [more inside]
Victor's a Dictionary
Written back at the turn of the millennium (oh the good old days) this song is about our old friend Victor. He’s an ethnic Chinese, Australian born doctor who abandoned medicine (and Sydney) to embrace the “structured” world of computer programming and the United States. Once you understand the laws that govern Victor’s existence you can compile him quite reliably. [more inside]
Private Island
Wrote this a few years ago. An introspective song about a place to be introspective. [more inside]
Terry (The Probably Drunk and Definitely Angry Stewardess)
Song about an unreasonably angry stewardess. Everyone's written one of these. [more inside]
Rule 34
If you don’t know what “Rule 34″ is, just pull out your trusty Urban Dictionary and look it up. Go ahead, I’ll wait. [more inside]
Let's Sneak Off
Polygamy (or more accurately - group marriage) gone awry. [more inside]
School Bus
A new song this summer. I had a postable semi-instrumental version of this, but decided to wait until I fleshed it out. Thus, this is a pretty fleshed-out version, with vocals and about 12 tracks. [more inside]
Betty (Sugar Fix)
This song is about a love rectangle. The singer is in love with Betty, she’s in love with a boy who treats her like crap. He is in love with Betty’s rich best friend who treats both him and Betty like crap. Everyone’s pretty much miserable except possibly for the best friend who’s oblivious to people’s feelings. [more inside]
1000 A.D. (Sugar Fix)
Inspired by the Marginal Revolution thread giving advice on what to do if you find yourself suddenly transported back to Europe 1000 years ago with nothing but the clothes on your back. [more inside]
Things I Used to Know (demo)
"Our minds are permeable to forgetfulness; I myself am distorting and losing, through the tragic erosion of the years, the features of Beatriz."
-- Jorge Luis Borges [more inside]
Landing Song
The Olivers are on some rough seas right now, but here's something to guide us all to better shores. [more inside]
Beauty of Love
This song is from the band I have been with for the longest, LOX-P, and was recorded at the same studio and under the same conditions as the last song I posted, War Waltz. On this recording I am the bass player, however I wrote the guitar line as well. Hope y'all like it. [more inside]
Jetpack
This is the first song off our new album, The Continuing Adventures of the 23rd Century in ... The 23rd Century. [more inside]
Erase It
gone
I think this is one of the catchier songs I've come up with in a while, though I never seem to be a good judge of that. At any rate, it's a short and simple track about intense love gone missing... or something like that. [more inside]
Surfer Girl
No, not that Surfer Girl. I wrote this years ago back when the internet was still pretty new and AOL chat rooms were becoming popular. Recorded on my first Mac with no bass and a drum machine that I had absolutely no idea how to work.
Angel Waltz
In the grand tradition of rock and roll waltzes, I bring you Angel Waltz.
Not Anymore
A poppy ditty about a girl's good fortune thanks to yours truly.
Save the Fattest Girl for Me
A pop-rock song about bypassing the supermodels and going straight for the solid girls. Tried to write it catchy, melodic and rockin. Feedback would be much appreciated.
February Third (album version)
A Metafilter exclusive! This is the studio version of my contribution to the meficomp. It's the second track from my new album, which is available now.
There is a Light
The final song from The Olivers' slap-happy EP. Complete with bald-faced Beatles and U2 references. Listen, Comment, Favorite, and Add To Playlist. Enjoy!
crazy
A cover of the first verse and chorus of the Gnarls Barkley song, primitively recorded live a while back when I had a cold. My wife was really into the song and I recorded this for her as a goof, but it came out kinda good.
The Road (album version)
The opening track from my upcoming LP. Handclaps, ooh bop bops, fiddles, and flutes.
you've been awake
Lyrically naughty, musically atmospheric. Features guitars, vocals, brushed drums, African thumb harp, clothes hangers, and a shy half of a fake symphony orchestra.
Summer's Ending (album version)
This is the closing track of my debut LP, Steve Goldberg and the Arch Enemies, to be released 4/20/07.
the vase
My wife accidentally broke a vase. This song resulted. It was recorded in a couple of days inbetween other projects. I used no clicktrack, metronome or drum beat, so the timing is nice and loose (in a good way, I hope). It's short, so listen twice!
Tidal Girl
The Fourth installment by The Olivers, my band with Afroblanco and a few other guys. (Previously 1, 2, 3.) This is another fairly earnest pop-rock song that we think is pretty hot, but without your opinions, we have no real way of knowing, now do we? We thank you all for any thoughts or suggestions you might have.
John Hughes
The first song off of The Olivers' EP Cleveland Panda Rampage, though the third one to post. (Previously (1, 2)) Afroblanco and I play in a band together. This is a song, well, not about the noble '80's director so much as inspired by his cheesy yet touching brand of passionate sincerity. As always, we want to hear from the people/spambots. Especially the spambots.
Thank you.
No Title
This is a live version of a song I did with Video, a band I'm no longer in.
Summon My Jesus
The second song to post from our new EP. (Previously) This is my band with Afroblanco and some other guys. We're called The Olivers, and are giddy for your comments, snarky or otherwise.
Big Ideas
So Afroblanco and I have a band together with some other guys. (I am on guitar, he on doumbek and other percussion.) Here is the first of a few songs to come over the coming weeks. Cheers.
Postcard From A Volcano
A bouncy pop song from my old band New Blind Nationals. This song always reminded me of The Promise Ring
Regicide Solution
Here's an unfortunately prescient political power-pop tune I penned in '02, as recorded by Detroit's own rock foursome LISBOA at our (then) modest home studio in our first collective foray into DIY recording. RIFYL: The New Pornographers and dudes/lady-dudes in that vein. Honky tonk piano (emphasis on the "honky"), a Hammond, some e-Bow, a little vibraphone, and a few too many "nah-nah-nah-nahs," but whaddya gonna do, right? Hope you dig it, friends.
Confession
True story. Kid owes drug dealers money, so he tells them his aunt is on her way home from cashing her tax refund check. She is gunned down on her porch in front of spouse and kids.
Take It From Me
The Archers of Loaf meet the Bay City Rollers in this humble contribution to the grand tradition of cheeky break-up tunes. Terrible puns abound, but you've been warned. From LISBOA's 2003 EP Either Origami, available here for five lousy clams. Crank it up, friends.