This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)” by Talking Heads

I think an essential love song has to be true. I think the ingredients of it have to be real. Just as the best love is real love. I also think that love song ought to deal with more than feeling, just as love plunges deeper than emotion and reaches deeper than the heart. I think that song should also make you want to dance. Whether a slow, close dance or a swing-your-arms-around-because-you’re-so-darn-happy dance.

This has long been one of my favorite love songs for all these reasons. It’s seriously true and sincere (there doesn’t seem to be any irony at all). It includes, but goes far beyond, the feelings. And just try not dancing (or at least tapping your fingers) to it.

I know these words. I know these sounds. Deeply. They reveal what I’ve experienced about love. It gives voice and groove to a part of my soul. And love songs don’t have any better job than that.

Here’s the live version from one of the best (if not THE best) concert films ever made:

What!?! You’ve never seen Stop Making Sense? Shut up! Do it now:

“Zorya” by Floex

Oh, yes!

And speaking of Floex, here’s one from Machinarium…

What!?! You don’t know Machinarium?

“The Fire Theft” by The Fire Theft

The Greeks tell of a great champion of humanity, a Titan, Prometheus. In a great act of revolution, Prometheus stole the fire that Zeus had withheld from mortals, and gave it to them. His punishment was to be eternally chained to a rock, alone in the mountains, while a giant eagle visited him each day to feast on his internal organs.

“I wanna hide in a cave, when I can grab hold of love if I want it.”

If I were chained to a rock, alone, being eaten by a big bird, I would have all the time I needed to brood on my misery, my loneliness, my anger, and my fear. And It would probably sound like The Fire Theft. Jeremy Enigk’s voice pierces with every word, straining, emoting. He screams as if he can’t be heard. He whispers as if he’s hiding.

“Wheels keep spinning around, still figuring out just where to begin. Head still sissy, in clouds, still figuring out where to fit in.”

The album’s almost ten years old now. And it hasn’t aged at all. It’s still as fresh as when I first heard it. It still calls to the isolated part of me, still screams at the fearful part of me, still soothes the worried part of me.

“Raise your arms and we’ll lift up this sky, holding stars.”

This is one of those albums that, the louder I play it, the more I recognize that the voice is my voice as well. That what strains so greatly to break out of the song has root in me as well. It’s one of those albums that’s as much a mirror as it is a thrill to listen to.

“I can’t see the day now that I’ve buried my life away. Can I dig it out again?”

Speaking of Prometheus…

Yeah, it’s Ridley Scott and it’s science fiction. So I can’t wait!

“The Vice and Virtue Ministry” by The Happy Bullets

This one’s been a favorite for years. And if you don’t know it, you need to.

Try not singing along. “You’ll move up socially, fall in love with aristocracy. Wear the right clothes, say the right things, then you just might meet the Queen!”

It’s like a page out of the Kinks’ songbook!

Yes.

Speaking of The Kinks…

“Lay Low” by The Church

I think it’s pretty important to ask yourself what the real battle is. And I don’t think the answers are easy or pretty.

They say it’s unavoidable. They say it’s necessary.

“Hold on to the Metal” by Royal Canoe

It’s just fun like that.

I wish the self-titled album sounded like this. Wow. Don’t get me wrong, I really dig the album as it is. But, wow. This is how it’s done.

“Floratone II” by Bill Frisell, Matt Chamberlain, Lee Townsend, and Tucker Martine

So, Bill Frisell’s been my favorite guitarist for quite some time. He’s back again with the improvisation-group-jam-project, Floratone.

I would love to sit in on these sessions. I’d sit in a corner and drool and they wove this magic.

Here’s how the first Floratone went down:

Yep. And here’s Bill Frisell with Nels Cline:

Speaking of Nels Cline, here he is with Wilco taking care of some business:

Yeah this one’s possibly my favorite guitar jam/solo in recent history. Wonderful.

“This Is Where I Come From” by K.S. Rhoads

So, K.S. Rhoads has a new album releasing this year. That’s something to look forward to. Last year he dropped a teaser on us in the form of the Cannons EP. And that had the song “This is Where I Come From” on it. Short and sweet. Simple and true. And, he’s committed to his beatboxing.

And here’s why I’m looking forward to his new album:

Bring it on.