What We're Listening To - 8/26

Compiled (with love) by TNG's music contributor, Rocky.

My goodness! Is it Tuesday again already? Well that can only mean one thing: a fresh installment of What We're Listening To! This is TNG's roundup and rundown of the music that, at the moment, is causing us to enjoy this unseasonably pleasant DC August just that much more. On the menu this week, we've got Pinback, Bee Gees, Michael Jackson, Magnetic Fields, Al Green, Fiona Apple, Emily Bezar, Damien Jurado and Cao Fang. As always, check it all out below the fold...



Pinback—"Good To Sea"

I've been meaning to listen to Pinback for awhile, but just never got around to it. Then last year's single, "Good to Sea," off of the album Autumn of the Seraphs got critically stuck in my head. It makes sense that this album has a seasonal motif; "Good to Sea" is an adroit little see ya later to anything that's changed your life for the worse. It's the kind of hopefulness I associate with the fall. Last week, I finally crowbarred open my wallet, bought the CD, and burned some of the older stuff from friends, mostly to pre-game for their October 1st show at Black Cat. Play Pinback if you are down with the mellow fellows not afraid to dabble in a little laptop pop. - Coach

Bee Gees—Size Isn't Everything

Bee Gees started as psych-rocker/balladeers so close to the Beatles in sound that they were mistaken for them on the radio. This was, however, before their second act as the only all-white band with sufficient soul-singing ability to earn respect in the early days of disco. Main Course and Children of the World are strong albums in a genre known for singles. A latter day comeback culminated in their best post-1970s album, Size Isn’t Everything (1993). There were great moments in the late ‘80s (“One,” “You Win Again”), but Size Isn’t Everything has it all: close-harmony ballads (“Blue Island”), thumping dance tracks (“Fallen Angel”), and their funkiest song since the mid-1970s (the over-the-top “Paying the Price of Love”). If you find Bee Gees a guilty pleasure or, like me, are happy to trumpet your allegiance on a publicly accessible blog, get this album. - Philip

Michael Jackson—"Heal The World"

Sometimes I fear that if Michael Jackson stays on the DL, and we don't hurry up and find a new King of Pop who sings about things other than heartache and sex, then inspirational mixes will become extinct. This week, students in DCPS, Prince George's Country, and school systems all over the country are heading back to school. Sometimes I joke about how I'm not really passionate about anything, but joking aside, underneath it all, I live for education. More specifically, I am passionate about individual happiness, and believe that education is the best way to ensure that all people have the power to make themselves happy. As anyone in the field of education can tell you, educating children and teenagers is not easy, but it must be done - and done well - because they deserve it. Last year, my school was one among many in DCPS to prove that when educators bust their asses and students work hard, it is not impossible for any child to make significant gains. Anyway, Michael Jackson's "Heal the World" always does a good job at reminding me how important my students are, and why I can't give up. Good luck to everyone heading back to school. - Stephanie

Magnetic Fields—Get Lost

As the comments on my review of the most recent Magentic Fields album have indicated, no one can agree which of their albums is the best. I've recently started listening to the 1995 release Get Lost again, and after a few listens it might be vying for the coveted favorite-Mag-Fields-album-ever spot. It's packed with great songs and clever lyrics, with a dancable twist and a hint of sadness. Cue up "Famous," "You and Me and the Moon," and "The Village in the Morning" if you want to shake your booty to some really smart music, or get down-tempo and introspective with "With Whom To Dance?," "Love Is Lighter Than Air," and "All the Umbrellas in London." - Michael

Al Green—Lay It Down

As you may know, in the 70s, Al Green quit singing R&B and turned to God after having hot grease thrown on him by a jilted lover. He became a preacher at a Memphis church (still is), and resolved to record only gospel tunes. Forward nearly three decades to Al walking a street in downtown B'more, and from out of nowhere, he hears the voice of God tell him, "Al, bring the damn music!" Well, in spite of his schizophrenia, he did. After an average first attempt in 2005, three years later, he gives us "Lay it Down," and good lawd, does he gives it to us. This is the album for making love. - Ben

Fiona Apple—"Sleep To Dream"

In college, I waited until 3 hours before class to complete a paper. This rule stood whether the paper was 5 pages or 15 pages. "Yeah, this paper is due in an hour. Don't worry. I'll get it done." This habit did not make me feel like a lazy procrastinator; it made me feel like a bad-ass. Part of the reason I felt this way was that Fiona Apple albums had become my "paper-writing" soundtrack. I must have listened to her album Tidal hundreds of times throughout my college career. "Sleep to Dream" was often put on repeat, maybe because of my lack of rest and zombie state of mind. - Allison


Emily Bezar—Exchange

Imagine if Kate Bush studied opera, and fronted a band that sounded like the Sun Ra Arkestra. Then you would have indie San Francisco singer-composer Emily Bezar. While she's capable of catchy jazz pop songs, like 'That Dynamite,' and 'Climb' much of her work is such a complex mixture of jazz, rock, electronica and classical that it's impossible to take in on just one listening. Suite-like songs like 'Winter Moon' and 'Strange Man' bewitch with their rhythmic permutations and seismic changes from classical arias to floating free jazz freakouts. - Craig

Damien Jurado—Caught In the Trees (Sept. 9)

Don't you hate it when an album's first track is its best one? "Caught in the Trees" opens with the upbeat toe-tapper "Gillian Was a Horse" and then slides into the autumnal singer/songwriter music that seems to be all the rage these days. (See also: Jose Gonzalez, Bon Iver, et al.) This album does distinguish itself with a slightly faster pace than the other guys, and a frequently present female backup singer also improves the mood as well. - Zack

Cao Fang—"In Summer"

So if you watched the Olympics for even five minutes, you'll probably recognize this song from that ubiquitous "Re-imagining Healthcare" commercial where that ridiculously hot guy falls in love with that ridiculously hot girl, and he's all cute running around trying to get her attention, but, of course, ends up knocking over some scaffolding and ruining everyone's day. But then, at the end, he's in the hospital and it turns out she's his doctor and they recognize each other and, trust me, the whole thing is just very, very cute. (No check, no link, GE...) However, what bewitched me (aside from the attractiveness of the actors, of course) was the song in the background and after a few listens I suddenly found myself desperate to know more about it. Well, it turns out it's "In Summer" by Chinese indie darling Cao Fang and the first track off of her 2005 release Meet Me. Now the rest the of the album is a little too gooey and Colbie Callait for my taste, but this song - just her wistful, child-like voice, like a kid making up a song in the backyard, over a plaintive acoustic guitar - is so simple, sweet and lovely, it reduces this big ol' cynic to a big ol' pile of mush. And clocking in at just over a minute, it's a perfect little reminder in the middle of a busy day to take a moment to breathe in deep and enjoy life. - Rocky