I wish that this video, or any recorded version I've heard, did this any justice.
There I was at the Jackpot Saloon in Lawrence, Ks... waiting. I had listened to the Mountain Goats obsessively for the previous year (maybe more?) and was going to witness this magic live. Excitement, palpable. Observed both sound check and Mr. Darnielle playing video poker. I was on the edge of my seat. Just had to make it through the opening act (under normal circumstances I'd be excited to see anything performed live but I. could. not. wait. ) and, then... this.
delicious gypsy angels.
mountain what?
of course Mountain Goats did = amazing, astounding, ohmywow.
but for about an hour I was completely captivated by this.
So let me tell you a story. I was single this time last year. Then I decided to not be single, and post a personal on the trailer park of online dating sites (like all young professionals these days). My screen name was "O Valencia", because I was going through a major thing with The Decemberists. If I could have dated them, I would have. So I had lots of scary replies from not very interesting guys, and only a couple knew the reference that my screen name was making. Not that screen name recognition was a prerequisite for dating me, but it certainly helped.
Then this guy, this wacky guy sent me a snarky comment about my music taste, and asked if I had ever listened to Nickelback. This then led to a conversation about the Nickelback sex tape. Then we went out a short time later, in hopes of preventing a build up of expectations.
The expectations were indeed crushed. Smashed. Obliterated.
If forced, by threat of taking my hearing away - a fate surely worse than death, I am certain, to name my favorite song of all time this would be it. It just does something to me. If I make a musical anthology, this will be song number 7 ( the highest honor in my mixed tape making methods). If I could only hear one song for the remainder of eternity it would have to be this. I have discovered I'm not alone, either. This crystallizes my thoughts:
jordanevolz(youtube): The chord progression-key progression-mode progression that they use in this freaking blows my mind. Absolutely brilliant! I want to touch myself right now... bad... just because of how ridiculous this song is. I wish I could eat this song and make it part of me... or make shoes that play this song out little speakers everytime I walk around. Wow, talk about an eargasm. If I could produce music like this, I would be in constant bliss.
Of Montreal, "Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games"
So I saw these guys last night at a free concert, because my city is cool like that. And the concert was good I guess, but what I enjoyed the most was listening to them all day yesterday; I do my concert homework. This also involved reading their Wikipedia page and looking up lyrics.
I mostly enjoy this song because of the lyric "We'll be Tristan and Isolde, but make sure I see white sails". For those of you that don't know, Tristan and Isolde (and Isolde's husband, King Mark) predate the King Arthur/Guinevere/Lancelot love triangle, and in my opinion is way sexier because Tristan and Isolde actually get it on- but because of a love potion (so that makes the adultery okay)! The white sails part is in reference to a portion of the story where a friend of Tristan's is trying to bring Isolde to him by a ship, and it was agreed that if he had Isolde with him he would put up white sails, and if she was not with him, he would put up black sails. Tristan's jealous snake of a wife (thinking that Tris and Isolde were going to hook up again-duh) lies and says the ship has black sails. Tristan, decides in Romeo fashion that it would be better to off himself. So Isolde sees her dead Tristan, and dies as well.
How romantic. And how silly to hear in a poppy upbeat song. But I love smart lyrics, and these are a win for me.
Oh, and they used the song (edited) in an Outback commercial. Ridiculous.
Here's the actual song, with cute little violent animals.
How do I love thee, Cold War Kids? In all the ways.
I can't think of a situation that wouldn't be made more pleasant by CWK. Even my angry post- roller-derby-tail-bone agrees. As much as it can. For a tail bone. An angry tail bone.
also, I've had this conversation twice (with the same person):
me: blah blah blah cold war kids blah blah
her: cold orchids? wha???
didn't even lose my patience. such is the joy CWK brings to me.
