Comments on: 7 Songs Shaping the Summer

By: Walter Biggins

Walter Biggins — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 22:30:46 +0000

Hot damn! It’ll take me a couple of weeks, but I promise to respond to this.

By: plok

plok — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 21:03:10 +0000

Oh my God, great! A bunch of links on one handy post!

This is kind of what I was hoping for from you, Prof: a little musical primer for the PF aesthetic. I’m usually extremely lazy with clickthroughs, you see…and always a bit jealous of your guys’ tuned-in-ness. So: manna!

By: Darren

Darren — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 01:38:32 +0000

I’ll do it, but I’m just warning you . . . I’ve totally entered the Bob Dylan phase of my life, apparently, so all seven songs might have a nasally twang about them.

By: gorjus

gorjus — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 15:59:36 +0000

Am I a bad Westerberg fan for not knowing that’s a cover? But what a ripping little gig: I love the descending sleaze of the chorus, the beaten-down “AAHHHHhhhhh” of it all.

I knew exactly nothing else in this list! (Who is this Springstein fellow?). As a longtime Dean Martin fan, I can say this presses all the right buttons: breezy, impeccable phrasing (there is so much pre-Elvis in here—Elvis loved him some Dino), and basically inane subject matter.

Hadn’t heard “Security” in a while. It is so rowdy it sounds like it’s about to break.

Also: you troll Mountain Goats message boards for rare live versions of obscurities, and THANK G-D for it!!

By: Joe

Joe — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:39:14 +0000

I’m digging the Dean Martin tune. Though I’d never heard this version, I was familiar with Stan Kenton’s. What I love about the Kenton version is the suave trombone part (sung by Martin in this track) before the army of trumpets stomp all over the song at the end (as they do in seemingly every Kenton arrangement). Not sure if we’ve talked about this but I played jazz trombone in another life (aka college).

But what I love about this track is the image of summer that you get straight out of 50-60s advertising. You know, tiki sticks and plastic glasses and plates in loud fruity colors. Oh, and Hawaiian shirts, naturally.

Good call.

By: d-ashes

d-ashes — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 13:54:50 +0000

Maybe my 7 will be all the songs I hear at the Super Regional games this weekend at the Box. Just kidding, just kidding.

By: Conversely

Conversely — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 13:36:16 +0000

I’ll do it, but you’ll have to wait a couple of weeks—we’re off to Wisconsin…but that means other good ulmlls material.