Song of the Week #3

 

 Song of the Week #3: 10/22/22

    This week, I'm being a bit more timely. That's not to say there haven't been certain challenges I've had facing this blog post. I have been in one of those musical slumps where you listen to the same eight crappy songs over and over again, so it is rather tough to determine an apt Song of the Week. I don't want to pick something I've been super into for a long time, and I don't want to pick something I've only been listening to for a day or so. I need something that's been in constant rotation for about a week. There's one song that fits the bill for that, and although I feel like it's a bit bland since I've written about this band before, I'm going to go with it. This week's SOTW is none other than "Faithless the Wonder Boy" by Radiohead. This cut was a b-side on the "Anyone Can Play Guitar" single back in 1993 or 94. Unpopular opinion, but I love "Anyone Can Play Guitar," so it makes sense that I'd enjoy this track so much. If you didn't already know, this is my favorite Radiohead era by far, even if it didn't produce their best tunes. They were so raw and immature and their take on the noisy grunge-pop of the period was really, really fresh. I don't care what anyone says, the 'head were doing it different, even then. The songwriting isn't deep, sure, but it doesn't feel like it's trying to be, either. So many groups were trying to be different. Radiohead wasn't trying to be anything they weren't when they made Pablo Honey. It's simple and it's stupid, and that's the point! I think so many critics get it wrong about the debut in that regard. Is it Radiohead's worst album? Probably. Is it a bad album? Not by any means. If any other alternative band had released Pablo Honey, critics would be ruling it a classic of its time. Duh, it doesn't hold up to Kid A whatsoever, but does it really need to? Ok, ok, I'm getting caught up in this argument, but that's not the point of this post. "Faithless the Wonder Boy" is a really simple song in the group's discography. The lyrics are childish and incredibly repetitive (Thom can't put the needle in), the instrumental is basic as far as Radiohead goes, and there is absolutely nothing about the song to write home about. I don't say these things as criticisms though. I don't think there's a need to overcomplicate things. I think it is a catchy, fun, and enjoyable pop tune and that's all that matters. I think it would be idiotic to look any deeper into this. I like to think Thom Yorke was having fun, and if you don't like this song because it's stupid, that's a-okay. I'm going to keep on listening.

Selected Listening:

Song of the Week #2

 

 Song of the Week #2: 10/15/22

    Alright, alright, I'm a bit late on this (last) week's SOTW,  so I'm marking it as October 15th. After a lot of deliberation (two extra days worth), I have settled on a song of the week. This tune is from Elliott Smith, or more specifically, the album Elliott Smith. I have a very special spot for this album in my heart since it is my second favorite album of all time. Literally any song on this record is a contender for the "Song of the Week" title, but only one can be chosen. With that being said, I'm going to have to go with "Christian Brothers." It's the one song off the record that I come back to the most. This one is a classic and if you haven't heard it yet, you are missing out! It's one of the greatest songs in his entire discography, and I've been listening to it a lot lately. It's catchy, it's heartbreaking, and it's emotional, it's literally everything you could want in an Elliott Smith song.  The odd chord progression and unsettling lyrics make it to be one of the most haunting songs from the singer-songwriter, and the lo-fi qualities certainly don't help. I don't think I could say anything about this song that hasn't already been said before, so just go give it a listen! Even if you've heard it before, it never hurts to listen again. 

Selected Listening:

p.s. I've been brainstorming some new posts, so be on the lookout for that. I've got one or two posts about film/television so if that's interesting at all, stay tuned!

Song of the Week #1

 Song of the Week #1: 10/7/22

    We've got a new segment on the Farewell Transmission. Every week, I'm going to give some brief thoughts on a special song I've been listening to for the past week. This week's song is none other than "I Miss That Feeling" by Tennis. I have known about this song for a couple years now, but haven't heard it in a while. I was reminded of it thanks to XMU (who plays them all the damn time), and I'm so thankful for that. It is an excellent song! Anything else I've heard from them does not stand up to this song's elegance, grandeur, or smoothness. Sonically, Tennis sounds like if ABBA and the Carpenters had a millenial child and that millenial's life was changed when it heard Tame Impala's Lonerism in college. As to be expected when compared to the likes of ABBA or the Carpenters, I really do think it's a beautiful song. I can't get over just how smooth and lovely it is, which makes the lyrics even weirder. Alaina Moore, lead singer for the duo, claimed she wrote the song as a love letter to her anxiety, which gives the song such an interesting tone. It's a crazy juxtaposition! A smooth, dreamy, modern soft pop tune, with lyrics detailing an anxiety attack. Whew. That's my song of the week! Give it a listen if you're into that new Psych-Pop stuff, or listen to it anyway because I'm definitely not.

 Selected Listening: