Pop Culture Blog: Music, Movie and Humor

Leveraging low-hanging synergies outside the vertical fruit box since 1999.

Wednesday Wadio: The Doves’ ‘There Goes The Fear’.


in Wednesday Wadio

“A seven-minute outburst of pure joy… I’m certain I will not hear a better song for the rest of the year. I dare any artist to top this one. It won’t happen. – PopMatters.com, 2002

I first heard There Goes the Fear whilst sitting on my couch and instant messaging with Moynihan. “You’ll love this song” he said. “NME voted it the single of the year , and you already like the Doves. So download it.” Not one to have my music spoonfed to me, I reluctantly obliged, fired up the long-irrelevant but once magnificent AudioGalaxy and sat alone in my living room waiting to be friggin’ gobsmacked by this remarkable song I’d heard so much about. I wasn’t.

“One of the bouncin-est seven-minute verse/chorus/verse brit-rock epics with a jungle-percussive outro Radio 1 has ever spun.” – Pitchfork

I listened to it a second time while writing an article for the website I was working for at the time. And then again while making dinner that same night. I wasn’t crazy, I decided – the song really wasn’t all that special and I filed it away mentally alongside all the Flaming Lips Mike’s been trying to get me to listen to for the past decade. But the next morning, as if possessed, I put it on as soon as I got up and probably listened to it 20 times that day. I wish I were joking. Who am I kidding? I still love it and am listening to it right now.

“A fantastic anthem where the excitement builds with each twist and turn before exploding with the chorus: ‘Think of me when you’re coming down, Dont look back when leaving town’. These lines reveal the album’s theme; admitting wrong and refusal to regret. Resolutely look to the future instead.” – BBC

Something miraculous happened in those 8 hours I was asleep – I ‘got it’. And for the next 3 years (and still counting) I would listen to the song at least once a day without fail. It’s been on 90% of the mixes I’ve made since that fateful moment, and I’ve continuously pushed the song on all of my music-loving friends like a crack dealer with an overdue Lexus payment. But what is it about the song that makes it so special to me I’m asking myself right now? How do I relay it originally without just pasting in a bunch of quotes? Um, like this gem, for example:

“Personally, I think the song’s about taking a big bag of Es and dancing elatedly and completely uninhibitedly through the night and next morning.” – DrownedInSound.com

If I had to pick a word to associate with it, that word would be ‘euphoric’. This song is Friday night. It’s driving long distances with your best friends. It’s the adrenaline rush of a jetski ride. It’s fuck off work and hello Newport. It Ebbs and flows with many different layers, details and influences. I can count triangles, a wa-wa pedal, cowbells – and some tribal insturment right at the end that sounds like a monkey being wanked-off – amongst the sounds buried in the mix. It shares the slow e-brake pause of a Pixies verse with the catchy sing-along chorus of a Celtic drinking song – all the while powered by a Brazilian rhythm so intricate that I can never accurately remember it for the purposes of air-drumming – even after literally thousands of listens.

I feel like I’ve pulled my pants down somewhat having now admitted my unhealthy obsession and unnatural love of this masterpiece. But if you’re nothing else after reading this, you’re very fucking curious. Have a listen on Radio Pye in the left-hand column. There Goes The Dave.

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On Giving Your Seat Up On The T. On Donner. On Blitzen.


in

Rarely do I relinquish my seat on any form of Boston public transportation, with good reason. In a litigious, bleeding-heart stronghold like this – clean cut white males like myself run the risk of being called racist, sexist or ageist before their bum is even out of the seat. “What, you think that just because I’m an older, Latino woman that I’m lazy and need to sit down!?” “No ma’am, you just shat yourself.” No one really fouled themselves this morning, but I did have yet another attempt to be thoughtful and considerate to others swatted down and vilified by a patronizing ‘do-gooder’.

An older gentleman got on the train at Government center, and as he walked past my seat I noticed he was having a hard time navigating and holding on the the rail. I readjusted the laptop, coffee and gym bag I was burdened with and got ready to stand up and suggest he take my place. As I looked up towards him, a 20-something hipster chick with Buddy Holly glasses and an iPod was shooting me a look from across the car that couldn’t have been nastier if I’d just badmouthed Interpol. I ignored her and sat the very gracious old-timer down.

Chivalry is not dead. It’s doing 5-10 in Fulsom for choking someone to death with a Nano cord.

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How To Ruin A Pop Career In 4 Easy Steps.


in Musical

1. Marry a guy who’s only God-given ability is to wear hats that Sinatra would have referred to as “faggotty”. The guy in question should also have been previously married very unsuccessfully. This is key.

2. Make sure said spouse already has two kids from a previous marriage whom he never sees. Cause things will be different this time around, and the second time is always a charm. No wait… yes that’s right. The second time.

3. In the tradition of Posh Spice (Brooklyn) and Madonna (Lourdes), name said baby well before it is born and after a city you’ve been to once yet pretend to have a deep connection with. I have a bigger connection to London and can’t even fit into a half-shirt.

4. On the subject of half-shirts, since your career was basically founded on them, make sure that the eventual birth results in a cesarian section scar so enormous that Islamic fundamentalists begin to pray in front of it.

Yes, kids. My former imaginary girlfriend, Britney Spears, gave birth today. I’m not saying anything every other man, woman, child and dungbeetle on the planet isn’t also thinking today. When I moved back from England in 1999, Spears had just broken onto the scene and was poised to embark on a long and lucrative career. But she’s shat it away in a short year like an Arby’s roast beef sandwich which was eaten too fast and had horsie sauce all over it.

Even Madonna waited until she was 40 to pop out a sprog. You can be goddamn good and certain certain there was no need to give her a C-section. She could have easily given birth to a gas truck by that pont. She timed the pregnancy extremely well, though – as she’s happily married, pushing 50 and set for life with a long exciting career behind her. And at least one vagina.

But age 23? Kevin frigging Federline? Girl – you could have committed suicide. You could have been killed by overzealous paparazzi. You could have overdosed. Britney – I’m very disappointed in you. Because you see, Brit and I have this little arrangement. I provide her with wisdom and guidance – and in return she doesn’t know who the hell I am.

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The Big Haunt 2: Gettin’ Scary In The Suburbs.


in Heartwarming

“Just when I think I’m out – they pull me back in“. – Michael Corleone.

I wasn’t going to try and duplicate the naughty nightmare that was last Halloween’s The Big Haunt, but the people have spoken and we’re going to do it all over again. The people have also requested a change of venue, and an offer just fell into my lap. I believe they call this sort of coincidence a harmonic convergence or something. For the sake of my karma and chi, BH2K5 is officially a GO! And this year – it’s taking place in a real live haunted house!

In addition to the genuinely spooky suburban fall atmosphere, there will be a DJ, food, booze, prizes and games. There will be plenty of non-alcoholic options for the designated drivers, and plenty of places to sleep for those who think that designated drivers are for pussies. We haven’t worked out exactly what the costs to you are going to be, but they will be well within reason and certainly worth the short drive to Concord.

Will the Victoria’s Secret angel and the rest of the Canadians return? Will the gay biker drop in to beat the frig out of another kid in the living room? Will I actually spend more than 10 minutes on my costume? I don’t know – but I promise it’s going to be fucking legendary. I also promise not to drink an entire bottle of pucker and crap myself. Stay tuned for the Evite tonight, and keep Saturday, October 29th open for the Haunt. This is going to be one for the ages/Concord PD.

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The Doves At Avalon In Boston.


in Uncategorized

For a Monday, last night was especially fun, silly, sonic and special. I can finally scratch ‘see The Doves play There Goes The Fear live‘ off the list of things I have to do before I die. Now if I can only get around to ‘sleep with a woman without paying her’ and ‘break into FBI headquarters and destroy a certain batch of DNA evidence’ – I’ll be able to shuffle off this mortal coil once and for all. Or at least live out the rest of my days knowing there’s no way I’ll ever be tied to that mouthy, missing stripper. I’ve said too much already.

Dead sex industry workers aside, this is an amazingly talented band from Manchester England who are quite huge over in the UK. To see them at Avalon was a treat, as they play venues 10 times the size across the pond. When Jimmi walked out on stage, after a great opening set by Longwave, he made a remark about feeling like the ‘house band’. After they got over themselves, they put on a long, amazing show which J-Rock, P-Cips, Yuki and myself fully dug. Check out the associated gallery here, and look for my full explication of ‘Fear’ tomorrow on Wednesday Wadio.

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