Music Diary, Vol. -9

For the rationale behind this mad effort, explanations here. The full series of Music Diary posts are here. Full playlist above and here.

Week of Nov. 6-12

Lyrics: Kirsty MacColl, "There's a Guy Works Down in the Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis"

Song: My fave thing about this luxe Faye Webster ode to languor, apart from the woozy pedal steel, is the half-hearted high note she saves for the end of the chorus, on her sixth “I should get out more,” which conveys, “That’s enough effort for now.”

Album: Strong Kruangbin vibes on this lovely, companionable record from Greek popster Σtella.

Lyrics: Flight of the Conchords, "Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros"

Song: The Fleetwood Mac instrumental that apparently inspired the sound of The Beatles’ “Sun King,” which I can definitely hear (though I hear a fair amount of “Don’t Let Me Down” as well).

Album: This gorgeous record by German singer Sybille Baier was made in the early 1970s and not released until 2006, but unlike the similarly belated Connie Converse records, its heavy Nick Drake vibes actually make it sound startlingly contemporary.

Lyrics: Steve Earle, "Oxycontin Blues"

Song: Roger Miller isn't the only reason Disney's ROBIN HOOD (which turns 50 today) rewards rewatching (and relistening), but his homespun country sound is an inspired bit of musical casting and it's definitely central to the film's lasting appeal.

Album: The one-act puppet opera that opens this record is a compelling curiosity, but for me the real draw is Manuel de Falla’s galvanizing, joyous, polytonal harpsichord concerto—probably my fave neoclassical piece not by Stravinsky.

Lyrics: Beck, "Soul Suckin' Jerk"

Song: I understand why Liz Phair’s lyrics have always drawn so much attention, but not enough people talk about her distinctive guitar voicings and hooky melodies. This deep cut is a fave on all 3 counts.

Album: I only recently discovered the sweet-gritty joys of Southampton band Delays, starting with Greg Gilbert’s transfixing falsetto but also including their guitar-and-keys sound and first-rate songcraft; I love every track on their 2004 debut.

Lyrics: Alvvays, "Very Online Guy"

Song: Tom Waits credits Kathleen Brennan for Morricone melody and Fred Gwynne for the evocative title, but what makes this spidery tune stick with me is the judicious slap of the tambourine, only after the word “skies”—a thunderclap in the fog.

Album: I've heard very little music by Jay Som that I don't love (including Bachelor), but the best collection of her lush, angular guitar-pop craft so far remains this great you-could-live inside-its-sound record from 2019.

Lyrics: Gram Parsons, "Hickory Wind"

Song: Justin Warfield first recorded this logorrheic riff on NAKED LUNCH in a rap-rock version with Bomb the Bass, but it was LA Funk Mob’s spacious, sinuous remix that introduced me to the track, and it remains a favorite.

Album: Once the retro gimmick of Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings wore off, what you had was a great singer and a cracking band that could have succeeded in any era. This is still my favorite of their records.

Lyrics: George Jones, "A Man I Always Wanted to Meet"

Song: Did my best with this great Leonard Cohen/Jennifer Warnes co-write last week at Greenpoint Reformed Church. I don’t have her voice, by a long shot, but some songs the spirit moves through, no matter who’s singing; it seemed to go over well.

Album: This James Cleveland gospel classic, recorded live at a New Jersey church just days after the Birmingham church bombing, sounds as vital and as urgent as ever. A highlight: the solo by 11-year-old Geraldine Griffin on “I Had to Talk With God.”