SOUNDTRACK: LUCY DACUS-“In the Air Tonight” (2019).
For 2019, Lucy Dacus has been releasing songs that correspond with the holidays (to be pt out on an EP soon). For Halloween she decided to cover Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight.” I have heard the original song a million times. I loved it, then I got sick of it and then started to really hate Phil Collins and really never wanted to hear it again.
So it’s fun that Lucy has dug it from its grave to release for Halloween.
In a n interview she was asked why on earth it was this song. She said that she knew this song from her childhood–it was one of the first songs she remembers hearing with her mom (who used to sing along with the radio in the car all the time).
Lucy–like everyone–could never hold back on air drumming to the big drum part in the middle. Her band was listening to it one day when everyone air drummed along and they knew then they had to record it.
She also said you never realize quite how dark the song is until you really listen to the words.
Well if you told me you were drowning, I would not lend a hand
I’ve seen your face before my friend, but I don’t know if you know who I am
Well I was there and I saw what you did, I saw it with my own two eyes
So you can wipe off that grin, I know where you’ve been
It’s all been a pack of lies
Lucy’s version is pretty great–understated and whsipery.
It starts with the drum machine and some distant keys. Lucy’s voice is quiet with a soft echo–possibly with a different take in each ear?
The synths stay quiet and subtle throughout the verses.
By the midpoint the music grows louder–to good effect–and there’s some creepy echoing on her voice. Her delivery lets me understand lyrics that I never knew before (and her vocal processing is much more subtle too).
The big drum part is pretty great and the live drums continue throughout to the end. I don’t honestly recall what the music of the original end part sounds like (apart from that prominent bass) but Lucy throws in some cool distorted guitar noises throughout to add just some more chaos to the proceedings.
And then the chilling matter of fact ending.
[READ: October 20, 2019] Fake Blood
Lots of times I don’t know what graphic novels are about before I read them. Usually if someone in my family likes it, I’ll check it out.
I didn’t really even give much thought to the title (and cover) of this book before reading it. I just read it because my daughter liked it. So I didn’t really think to much about how vampires would appear in this book until people started talking about them.
AJ is entering sixth grade and he believes things are going to be different. But things aren’t. As he heads toward the bus his friends Hunter and Ivy race past him–seeing who can be first–because everything is a competition with them. Like always. When they reach the bus stop, Hunter is thrilled to be first but AJ is upset because they actually missed the bus…again.
As they walk to school, Hunter tells his story about his wild summer bungee jumping. Ivy talks about hiking to the top of Mt. St. Helen’s. And AJ… read like ten books. (more…)