SOUNDTRACK: WAVVES-King of the Beach (2010).
I feel like I shouldn’t like Wavves. There’s os much to dislike about them (or him, I should say, since it’s almost entirely the product of one guy). He’s bratty, fans seem to dislike him (do a search for Wavves live), and in the first live show that I downloaded, he seemed a bit disdainful of the audience.
And yet, I really like this album. It’s fast and punky and reminds me of some of the best summer punk music from my high school days (Surf Punks anyone?).
So Williams plays all the instruments (with a few exceptions), and the sound is consistent through: a trebly guitar (the perfect sound for surf music, although he doesn’t play surf music at all). Fast punky drums and William’s voice which is not so much whiny as bratty–the lyrics play out this bratty idea too:
bet you laugh right behind my back/I won’t ever die/I’ll go surfing in my mind/I’m not supposed to be a kid/but I’m an idiot/I’d say I’m sorry/but it wouldn’t mean shit
or
My, my own friends/Hate my guts/So what? Who gives a fuck?
(from “Green Eyes,” which sounds like a ballad but soon rocks out).
Of course, it’s not all just punky tracks, “When Will You Come” has the drums of a 50’s doo wop song (no one would mistake it for a doo-wop song, though) including his falsetto’d voice. And “Baseball Cards” has a similar inspiration–although again, sounding nothing really like that style of music. Even “Mickey Mouse” opens with what sounds like the music from “Da Doo Ron Ron” (indeed it is a sample from the song, but manipulated slightly).
“Convertible Balloon” sounds like a quirky Japanese pop confection. And, “Post Acid” which is a punky bratty song has a wonderful part where the song stops and they make crazy grunting sounds which I like very much.
It’s not smooth summer music by any means, but it is fun and energizing. Perfect punk beach soundtrack.
[READ: July 11, 2011] “Married Love”
This story had me fooled from the outset.
Recently we listened to Judy Blume’s Fudge-a-mania. In that story Fudge, who is 5, says that he is going to marry Sheila Tubman, his big brother’s arch nemesis. Everyone laughs, and we ultimately learn why he wants to marry her (I won’t spoil it). In this Tessa Hadley story, Lottie, a nineteen year old girl (who looks about thirteen) announces that she is going to get married. As in Fudge-a-mania, the family is bemused by the idea and laughs about it, until Lottie reveals that she is quite serious.
Things get even “funnier” when the family learns who she is planning to marry: Edgar Lennox, a former teacher who is forty-five years older than her and who is currently married. Ha Ha Ha, says her family until, Oh, she is serious.
The story surprises even further when they go through with the wedding (about half way through the story). (more…)
SOUNDTRACK: THE REPLACEMENTS-Pleased to Meet Me (1987).
My friend Al introduced me to the Replacements with this disc way back in 1987. He was so in love with the song “Alex Chilton” that he must have played it all summer. And for me, this album is the soundtrack to our summer house at LBI (along with the Surf Punks’ My Beach). As such, this is my favorite Replacements album. Whether or not I would feel that way objectively, I can’t say. But to me this disc is perfect, even without Bob Stinson (blasphemy I know!)
I Just Read About That... 