Six Month Stickies # 9
September '11 - February '12

As usual the tracks of music that got stuck in my head in the last six months, in order.

Apologies that it's a year overdue...

* Click image to download a ZIP of the compilation:

Just Can't go to Sleep - The Kinks

This song was stuck in my head for weeks. I think it started in Seattle while I was painting my friends portriat.

Cannibal Resource - Dirty Projectors

What a splash of cold water to the face this is. So refreshingly fresh and exuberant. The strange backup singing, kaleidoscopic guitar, un-syncopated claps, the strangely ascending/descending vocal harmonies are so awesome.

Stillness is the Move - Dirty Projectors

Great! Such fun and freedom in the vocal arrangements. More refreshing than cucumber salad and lemonade in summer!

Nico

These Days

Fairest of the Seasons

I'll Keep it With Mine

Such a distinct approach to songwriting and singing! I really, really, really wish I liked more than just these three songs. I tried really hard to like her other songs, but it's really only these three. Still, they're wonderful. Her deep Germanic voice against the rising background of gauzy, light strings are a pleasure.

Sam Cooke

  

Touch the Hem of His Garment
(What A) Wonderful World

Sugar Dumpling

A Change is Gonna Come

The narrative of the woman wanting to touch Jesus is so vivid. Sam Cook's voice is amazing. And his poise, intelligence, and self awareness saturates every note. Lending such credibility to his emotional expressiveness. There is no need to brace myself against his maudlin indulgencies, so when he sings with such strong, hopeful sadness in A Change is Gonna Come, I feel the authenticity and justice in his plea/hope.

Lean on Me - Bill Withers

One of those songs you can't help but sing out loud to yourself and feel great about life. With Mozart quality melody and lyricism.

TMNT Mask - Chad VanGaalen

Gotta love those silly Canadians.

The Flaming Lips

Fight Test

Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots

One More Robot/Sympathy 3000-21

Are You a Hypnotist??

I've always felt bad I didn't like Flaming Lips more.  They seem like such a great bunch of guys, and they're always trying interesting stuff, put on amazing live shows, and are everything you could possibly want from down to earth, wacky, fun loving musicians. Then suddenly after listening to them for almost twenty years, I began to like them to the degree I always wanted to. It's great. Go get 'em Yoshimi!

Low

(That's How You Sing) Amazing Grace

Witches

I Remember ( From a Lifetime of Temporary Relief)

I'm pretty sure I've already spoken at great length about Low. So I'll restrain my gushing praise. Needless to say I have tremendous respect for their music. I really like the unhurried dark emergence in Amazing Grace:

I knew this girl when I was young
She took her spikes from everyone
One night she swallowed up the lake
That's how you sing amazing grace

Amazing grace
Amazing grace

Witches is unusually rock'n. Such attitude, underscored by the heavy grunts and stinging banjo. Got to love the narrative: 

One night I got up and told my father there were witches in my room
He gave me a baseball bat and said here's what you do
When you have finally submitted to embarrassing capture
Take out that baseball bat and show those witches some pasture

Gm-03 Image Of The God Of Space And Time - 

Masami Ueda, Misao Senbongi, Masato Kouda

This song first got stuck in my head as a teenager playing the videogame Devil May Cry. I never forgot it, and finally got the soundtrack to the game, and sure enough, still love this track. Most of the rest of the album is an embarrassingly bad/cheesy blight in my music library...