Maine Soundtrack

By Jack Stephen

In the middle of a beautiful forest in Maine, my father-in-law passed away on August 3, 2024.

My wife and I headed to Maine. What did we listen to?

One thing is for sure, Maine is very difficult to get to from Colorado. There are no direct flights, and we must always get on a bus or train, and/or rent a car, especially given that my in-laws were in a camper, set up on their friend’s land, in the middle of a forest. We got into Boston about 2 in the morning; the bus would leave for Portland, Maine, about 6 AM, so we had 4 hours to wait. This was the only math I could do at this point. We pushed a couple of faux leather sofas together to make a crash pad. As I was tossing and turning, I heard some faint music on the speaker.

What were they playing? No idea. In the cacophony of this hour and setting, I couldn’t hear much. It was just a collection of noise, sort of mashed together.  

What they should have been playing? “Zionsville” by Khruangbin. This Houston band has put together something awesome. They have a real smooth crisp guitar player. They have some great albums including the collaboration Texas Sun with Leon Bridges. Hearing this track would have made things okay, or at least for a little bit.

Waking up in the Boston Airport, at the ungodly hour of 4:30 or 5:00 AM, is not amazing. As I peered up from our nook, I noticed some other travelers were sprawled about, possibly jealous of our set up. I smelled the coffee from the shop, where there was already a massive line. We hoped in line. Then we headed to the exit to catch the bus to Portland.  

What were they playing: “More Than a Feeling” by Boston. It’s only fitting right? I would say this is a pretty good band with some fucking excellent songs. Tom Scholz started this band and allegedly worked tirelessly in his basement studio, mixing, re-mixing, and tweaking these songs to the point of obsession. I guess there was some CBS lawsuit that kind of derailed the band’s production for a period, I think mostly because Scholz took so long to finish a record. A better way of putting it is “…its been such a long time…” since we’ve seen a record. But whatever, this is how it goes with artistic expression, books, art, movies, and especially music; eventually you must abandon the project knowing that you (the artist) will never be satisfied with the final product. I also really enjoy the tracks “Foreplay/Longtime” and “Peace of Mind,” but I didn’t hear them in the Boston Airport that morning.

We finally made it to the in-law’s RV camper on the Maine Coast. We were close to the town of Boothbay Harbor. This was where my wife and I got married. It was a beautiful day in September, with a slight fog dusting the morning water. I was wearing a cape and a western tie. I watched my wife stride down the deck of her parents’ house escorted by her father also wearing a cape, as well as black-and-white checkered Vans made famous from the movie. They were both smiling and glowing. She looked so beautiful; I thought I was going to cry. How did I end up here? I guess I was lucky and patient because today everything seems perfect.  

What was our wedding song? “Hallelujah” by Jeff Buckley (originally written by Leonard Cohen). Jeff Buckley was one of those session guys, who after many years cutting licks in Los Angeles, finally decided to make the album Grace. Incredible album. His unique singing and fantastic guitar are timeless. He sort of slows the song down on his version; he lets it flow. It’s almost a rendition better than the original, but with this song written so well who’s really to say. For my wonderful wife, Hallelujah! Love you.   

We went into town, such a wonderful scene, New England coast in the summer—the line out the door of the ice cream store where my wife had her first job; the smell of seafood; and the feeling of ease. Pure summer bliss, not a care in the world, and I am enjoying this place and time.  Everyone young seems to be staring at their phones; all the old people look like they’re thinking. If we could slow down time a bit, it would be nice to have these types of days go on forever.

What song was in my head? “Summertime” by Miles Davis. What to say? This fucking guy took out a trumpet and turned the music world upside down. His ability to produce, innovate, and reinvent himself were unparalleled, which is pretty incredible considering his massive heroin, cocaine, and alcohol addictions at various times. He had so many style iterations. His album Kind of Blue is widely considered to be the best jazz album ever. (By 2019 it was certified at 5 times platinum.) While the track “So What” is probably the most well-known track on that album, I was always a bit more partial to the track “All Blues.” The harmony gets going with John Coltrane on tenor sax, then almost out of nowhere, here comes Miles with the melody. The wheels just come off this track, in good way. The musicians take their cues and deliver some bad ass improv riffs. Then there’s the track, “Summertime,” from the Porgy and Bess album. It’s got an easy vibe with a splash of melancholy. It’s great, it’s relaxing, but summer’s not going to go on forever.  

Driving around Maine, it was easy to notice what a wonderful place it is. There was a pair of bald eagles swooping above the woods. 

What was on the radio? “Cult of Personality” by Living Color. I’m gonna say it, this is the greatest rock song ever. Prove me wrong. The hook, the intensity, those lyrics—add it up—it’s a crusher.  This song feels like it could almost fit with any generation, but maybe it is even more poignant in this era of the internet with its fast news and spin that skews and blurs. This world seems like it’s all just the status quo, the rich people calling all the shots while the rest of us poor schlubs try to sort it all out. Do you think a fucking rich person gives a fuck about the price of bacon? I guess we get what we pay for, at the grocery store and in the government. Then there’s this song, it really needs to have more airplay—especially right now. “They tell you one and one makes three!” and we believe it whatever it is. Fuck it all, but at least this song is greatness.   

We were sitting in a restaurant on the water, getting ready to enjoy some fresh Maine Lobster, as it was our farewell dinner to Maine. Not sure when we’re coming back. My wife asked me, “Do you recognize the waitress?” I looked over at the portly looking waitress who was kind of showing us a wry grin. “She’s the bartender who banged the caterer after our wedding.” I guess she looked vaguely familiar, difficult to say, as this would have been about 16 years ago. I was glad she did, who cares about rain on your wedding day, did the bartender bang the caterer?  

What was on the radio? “Escape” by Rupert Holmes. This is a timeless song—always easy and always familiar, known to most folks of my generation. Who doesn’t like pina coladas anyway? This is one of the great things about music and art—it is the timelessness of the whole thing because greatness is forever.  

An important aspect of my appreciation of music is my acquisition experience. Allow me to illustrate. I remember listening to Casey Kasem on Sunday nights breaking down the top 40 songs in America. I would hear something that would catch my ear, maybe a song called “Escape.” I would remember the song and maybe the artist and would then pop into the Sam Goody record store in Twin Peaks mall in Longmont and start digging. I love digging through piles of music. Often, I would not find “Escape” on a 45, but I might find something else, maybe something that I was sort of familiar with or that had a cool cover. The record store experience was not complete until I had been through it all, including the cassettes. Or maybe I would pop into Twist and Shout records in Denver and slide into the back room and see what “used” records, CDs, or cassettes were available. Or maybe I would slide into Good Records in Dallas and pick up some old country album. Or maybe I would wander into one of my favorite record stores that no-one knew about “Harry’s Head Shop” on Ferguson Road in East Dallas, right by my house. I would dig and dig and eventually decide to purchase “The Point” by Harry Nilsson. Throw in some rolling papers and I could get out of there for around $6. I don’t think this album ever made it to the top 40, but it didn’t matter, this was something I discovered after all the time I spent in record stores. This album appeared and captured my interest for some reason. I went home, put it on the turntable and just listened. By the time I was on side 2, I felt tears rolling down my cheek. The track was “Life Line.” Such a fucking beautiful song. You can still find me digging through crates in a record store somewhere, it’s makes music mean something a little bit more because it’s not just the listening. A big part of the experience is to get out and discover the music as well, because you never know what you might find. 

“Unless this dream which seems so real, is just a fantasy.”

A vignette: It’s a musty morning. I’m in the middle of a thick forest that is difficult to navigate on foot without a trail, especially after last night’s downpour. A pair of bald eagles glide and swoop as they hunt over the estuary, in hopes of catching a fish out of balance in the brackish water. Two seals poke their heads out. My best friend stops by, and we share a beer on the wood deck we built last year. “Finest Kind,” he says on his way out. My wife mills about in our RV, and I put my head down and go to sleep. I dream about my boat, as I sail away. 

What song is in my head? “Shiver Me Timbers” by Tom Waits. 

For Kris Kristofferson

 

By Jack Rafferty

“I’ll only live ‘til I die.”

Kris Kristofferson recently passed away. To me, his voice and lyrics conveyed a level-headedness, self-assured demeanor, that was full of compassion, and always with the wink of mischief. I didn’t know him, so I don’t know if any of these qualities reflect who he was as a person, but I will always remember seeing when Sinead O’Connor was booed at Madison Square Garden in 1992, Kristofferson came on stage and embraced her and whispered, “Don’t let the bastards get you down.” That seemed to tell me a lot about him.

This has only been expanded on over the years as I learned of his vocal support for Palestine and his staunch antimilitarism. I’ll always love the clip of him with Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Johnny Cash, where on the topic of American chauvinism he states, “it reminds me a lot of the flag-waving and the choreographed patriotism that we had in Nazi Germany.... We got a one-party system…lapdog media that’s crankin’ out propaganda for the administration that’d make a Nazi blush.”

I resonated a lot with Kristofferson’s tongue in cheek sense of humor in his writing, and his brazenness. The lines below from “Good for Nothing Blues,” illustrate one of my favorite things about his worldview, which is how he expressed not wanting pity from others, 

I prefer your condemnation to your suckin’ sympathy

Baby good for nothing’s good enough for me.

“Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down” is in my top five country songs of all time, which is not a statement I make lightly. Kris was nearly unmatched when it came to his songwriting. 

He had a master’s degree in English, and he could quote William Blake from memory, which checks out, as I have often felt his lyrics were both gruff yet literary. They were conversational, yet full of simplicity and truth.

Duvalier was a bitter man who cursed the morning sun

That brought a new betrayal every day

He shunned the world of mortals and the sound of human tongues

And blessed the night that chased their sight away

A disillusioned dreamer who would never love again

Who’d tried of it and found that it was rotten

Preferring perfect strangers to the company of friends

Because strangers are so easily forgotten.

—“Duvalier’s Dream”

I could go on all day about the songs and lines I love, but another standout to me is “Best of All Possible Worlds.” It is a type of comedic anti-cop/prison song that reminds me a bit of the tone of Cool Hand Luke, in which each line is more irreverent and cleverer than the last. 

Well I woke up next morning

Feelin’ like my head was gone

And like my thick old tongue

Was lickin’ somethin’ sick and wrong

And I told that man I’d sell my soul

For somethin’ wet and cold as that old cell

That kindly jailer grinned at me

All eaten up with sympathy

Then poured himself another beer

And came and whispered in my ear

‘If booze was just a dime a bottle

Boy, you couldn’t even buy the smell’

I said I knew there was somethin’ I liked about this town.

Much like John Prine, who Kristofferson helped put on the map, Kris explores themes of darkness, alienation, abandonment, and seeking freedom in a world where that seems like an impossibility, and he often did so with a certain humor, kindness, and lightheartedness. Kris could also be more serious with a lot of his writing. One of my favorite examples of this is in “Casey’s Last Ride,” in his descriptions of the desolation of a person’s alienation and despair in an industrial capitalist world.

Casey joins the hollow sound of silent people walking down

The stairway to the subway in the shadows down below;

Following their footsteps through the neon-darkened corridors

Of silent desperation, never speakin’ to a soul.

The poison air he’s breathin’ has the dirty smell of dying

’cause it’s never seen the sunshine and it’s never felt the rain.

But Casey minds the arrows and ignores the fatal echoes

Of the clickin’ of the turnstiles and the rattle of his chains.

Overall, Kris seemed like a beautiful person full of contradictions, like us all. There have been few that equaled his songwriting capability in his lifetime, and I’ll always be glad to have his songs to listen to. Leonard Cohen wrote that Kristofferson told him he wanted the lines from Cohen’s “Bird on a Wire” on his tombstone, so it only feels fitting to include it here, 

Like a bird on a wire

Like a drunk in a midnight choir

I have tried, in my way, to be free.

Hunger Artist, Who Changed? (1988) and Samsara (Rabbit Rabbit Records 2023)

By SoDak

The best place to find good records in Rapid City, South Dakota, in the late 1980s was the Dissent house. Todd Smith, the drummer of Dissent, had boxes of seven-, ten-, and twelve-inch records, from the various bands he met while on tour, as well as from the network of punk rockers who started labels, published zines, and booked shows. It was a joy to flip through records at his house and to get his recommendations, as this provided a way to discover music by small bands from across the country. One of the countless gems that I picked up was Who Changed? (1988), a seven-inch record by Hunger Artist, from Rochester, New York, released by Hippycore Records.

Hunger Artist caught my attention, as they had a unique hardcore sound. The recording on Who Changed? is a little bright and raw, yet the mix is great, as all the instruments are clearly heard. On the song “3 to 4,” the bass jumps to the front, with notes that pop here and there, adding a nice texture to the song. Throughout the record, the two guitars have a slight buzz and brightness to them. On several songs, clean chords ring out, adding an emotional touch that grabs my attention. The drums propel the songs forward, generating excitement. The vocals are fascinating, as the singer’s voice is slightly strained, yet retains a melodic touch. The songs include interesting changes, rather than consisting of simply two parts. 

The lyrics on this seven-inch record, written by several band members, address isolation, frustration, personal struggles, doubts, and anger—all of which is captured well in the vocals and music. The chorus of each song always grabs me, as I like to sing along. On “Who Changed?,” there is a strong rhymical aspect: “I am/What I think/You think/That I am/I damn myself/To the/Hell I plan.” I picture a crowd filled with friends singing along right before the breakdown. On “Samsara,” the words and instruments create a swirling feeling: “The fight still continues/Without an end or a beginning/Everyone plays the soldier/But no one knows who’s winning.” My favorite song on this record is “Empty Feeling.” The drums are hypnotic, relentless driving the song with a wonderful beat. The guitars and bass kick into high gear, and the vocals add to the propulsion with the opening lines: “Why do we hurt the ones we truly love/Why an iron fist in a velvet glove/Why kick and whine for the things we don’t need/Why push and shove when we could gently lead.” The bridge and breakdown, which has a slight ska-element to it, allows me to catch my breath. I have danced around the room many times while listening to this song. 

In 1989, Hunger Artist recorded a full-length album that was never released—that is until now. These recordings were rescued from being lost forever and then buried in a closet for decades. Fortunately, the band ended up with the tapes, as it is a real treat to finally listen to their record Samsara (2023). The sound is rich and dynamic, adding a nice depth to each of the songs. The band’s growth is evident. They retain their unique sound, while the songs are more refined. There is a late 1980s D.C. influence, along the lines of Ignition, in the music. This is especially true in the opening track, “Inside Down,” which I think is especially captivating. Each of the eight songs has driving, catchy guitar lines, great punchy bass runs, and powerful drums. I love the melodic, emotional, strain in the vocals. The song “Samsara” is on both the seven-inch and the full-length. Both versions are great—the former is raw, whereas the latter is more controlled. I love having both versions in my life, as I do not prefer one over the other. I get chills each time I hear the guitar parts on “Just Listen” and “I’m Off.” They are magical in how they create a feeling of being propelled forward, similar to how Verbal Assault accomplished this feat. Samsara is a gem.

Thanks to Hunger Artist and Rabbit Rabbit Records for making this release materialize. 

Order the record at: https://rabbitrabbitrecordspress.bigcartel.com/.

Great Soundtracks/Compilations Vol. 2: Songs from Under the Floorboards, Vol. 1: A Compilation Benefitting Planned Parenthood (Accident Prone Records, 2018)

 

By Null 

Imagine it is 1990. You will be graduating from high school in a few days. It is late at night, and you find yourself at some party in a house in the woods. Some person hands you a mixed cassette tape. You head out to the car, light a cigarette, and slap the tape in your car’s cassette player. As you slowly roll down blackened country roads, the music begins to ooze from the speakers. You hear the influence of The Cure and Joy Division in great bass lines and some sprinklings of early Siouxsie and the Banshees minimalism. You smile. Some songs evoke motifs from 1980s goth bands, but it all sounds fresh. Nothing is overproduced. It all sounds very DIY, but all the tracks are recorded well. Occasionally, you hear male and female voices dueting on songs, which you’ve always had a soft spot for. Most of the lyrics seems solid. There is a continuity in the sound of the mixed tape, which is sort of shocking because the tape is full of 10 different bands you’ve never heard of. 

Above, I have described exactly what it felt like the first time I ever heard Songs from Under the Floorboards Vol. 1. The story above actually happened to me, except the cassette tape was a demo by the band Naming Mary, as opposed to a compilation by Accident Prone Records. Nevertheless, it felt the same.

All the bands on this record are contemporary, but I’ve never heard a compilation that sounded so late 1980s underground in my life. It is derivative, but it sounds authentic. How did Green Noise find so many good underground “goth” bands to fill this compilation? It’s fucking crazy. I loved this record instantly, and I am not a push-over for the myriad of “goth” bands that bore me to death. Did I mention that Mike Watt even shows up on this record? This compilation also feels a little punk rock. I love it.

Only 500 physical copies (vinyl) were made; however, it is also available as a digital download. Pick up a copy at the label’s bandcamp site: https://accidentpronerecords.bandcamp.com/album/songs-from-under-the-floorboard-vol-1.

Also, the proceeds go to Planned Parenthood, which is reason enough to buy it in whatever form.

Give it as a gift. Whatever. This compilation is unusually great.

Nice job, Accident Prone Records. 

Nice job.

Track list:

Shadow Age, “Youth.”

Annex, “Modern Age.”

Perralobo, “Suelo de Cristal.”

Otzi, “Zebra Cruiser.”

Vice Device, “Litanies & Lies.”

Golden Apes, “Voykova (The Healing).”

Ghost Noise, “We Are Not Lovers.”

Sculpture Club, “Not Impressed.”

Bernays Propaganda (featuring Mike Watt), Nisto Nema de ne Razdeli.”

Forever Grey, “Trespasser.”

Maui Soundtrack

By Jack Stephen

We headed to Maui for a nice summer vacation break. What would we be listening to? Kani ka pila! (Hawaiian for play music).

Monday: The music of George Helm—Hawaiian music fueled by slack key guitar, ukulele, and mellow moods. Listening to his compilation on Spotify sounds almost religious in a sense. George Helm, who I didn’t know much about, had quite the scene working. He has one of the most unbelievable falsetto voices I have ever heard. Some cursory research revealed that he was an activist. In the 1970s, he and some buddies were incensed by the U.S military bombing practice on the smallest of the Hawaiian Islands, Kahoʻolawe. They protested the destruction of what was a beautiful island. At one point, he was concerned about a couple of his activist friends who were hiding from the U.S. military on the island for over 35 days. He set off from Maui on a surfboard to try and help find them. He was injured and disappeared into the ocean, never to be seen again. But this music lives on, slack key guitar supporting his amazing singing, recorded in some local bar. Pretty incredible and a great way to set up this vacation week. From the lanai of this condo, I can see the island of Kahoʻolawe, undeveloped and uninhabited today, ravaged by the U.S. military and littered with unexploded munitions everywhere. Mahalo George Helm, thanks for the efforts.

It’s Friday now, and I haven’t written anything about this trip all week. There’s something about this place called Maui, not sure what it is, but there’s a tendency to just sort of check out and not really want to do anything. Its freaking beautiful. Go to the beach, go to the pool, take a walk, sleep in, take a nap, or even just sit somewhere outside and stare at the greatness of the ocean. When I was here with my father right before he died, that’s what we often did. He was pretty sick with brain tumors. But, he was still happy, and why wouldn’t he be, here he was at the end of it all—he had arrived. We just sat and talked. I remember he remarked how Maui was “such a gentle place.” Yes indeed, you can feel it. You can hear it especially. Maybe this is the soundtrack of this trip after all, the crash of the waves, the birds chirping, the doves cooing, and the wind rustling the palms. Easy sounds—sounds of comfort and memories. Is that what music is about? I don’t know. But I do know this, this island “music” are the sounds that remind me of my dad and the time we had. I can see his smile. As I look over Napili Bay, a soft rain falls, bringing a new sound in the air. Mahalo. 

What would he be listening to? “Superstition” by Stevie Wonder. My dad always liked Stevie Wonder, who was big when he was in college. Plus, my dad’s name was Stephen, so “Stevie” seem to be an appropriate nickname—at least as far as the Delta Tau Delta’s at Texas Tech were concerned. This song was a collaboration between Stevie and the great guitarist (albeit maligned) Jeff Beck. What a song it is. It reached number one on the Billboard 100 in 1973. It is goddamn funky, a quality Stevie was accused of for most of his career.  

What I would have played next? “Visions” by Stevie Wonder from the Innervisions album.  Lyrically, the irony of both these tracks is palpable. Think about it, he was freaking blind! His whole world might have seemed like a superstitious vision for god’s sake. But somehow in all his talent, he was able to cut through and communicate his experience in a great soulful way. This was a great album, he really started to hit his stride and experiment with what he could do as a musician.  

“…today’s not yesterday, and all things have an ending…”

It feels pretty eerie being this close to Lahaina (we were staying just north) as the community is still reeling from the fires that burned the town to the ground last August. You drive around and see memorials everywhere. You still cannot enter the town almost a year later, as military-style checkpoints line the entry points, pedestrians and cars are banned. What you can see is horrifying, foundations are the only thing standing in neighborhoods. There are random stoplights outside the city limits so truck after truck can continue to move out the debris. This was a horrible tragedy. We heard on the news they had just identified another body in the rubble. The total lives lost are over one hundred. You can feel the heartbreak in the air. This disaster will reverberate for years to come.  

Friday afternoon, grabbing a few groceries at the Napili Market for our final weekend here, what’s on the speaker?  

“Rocky Mountain Way” by Joe Walsh. (Speaking of 1973) I’d say this was a pretty good choice, especially seeing how I was visiting from Colorado. This is a pretty great “Colorado” song. Walsh is one of those super talented session guys whose successes in a few different band iterations were not surprising to anyone. Initially blowing up with the James Gang (check out tracks such as “Funk #49” and “Walk Away”), he was one of those guys who, once he got going, never really stopped. Well, at least until he finally dried out, probably saving his life. He sure had an epic career though. This is the guy who played the guitar solo on one of the most played rock songs ever, “Hotel California,” along with Don Felder. I did a bit of digging and discovered Walsh lived in Boulder for a little while. He was one of the first musicians to record at Caribou Studios up near Nederland. Caribou was a renowned studio where several artists went to the mountains to record albums, including the lesser-known Elton John album Caribou. Walsh had a young child who died in an accident, and I guess that was about it for his Boulder career stop. Caribou Studios later burned to the ground in 1985. I got to give it to Walsh though, enjoyable catalog and some great guitar licks.

“Working My Way Back to You” by the Spinners. This version was a cover of the original hit by the Four Seasons back in the 1960s. It was pretty popular and might have charted higher than the original. I can tell you one thing about this song: This guy has really fucked up this relationship. I mean, when you have to “work your way back,” you are deep in the shit for sure. I guess this song would be a fun way to get back in the mix with this lady, but the tone is just a little too jovial. Maybe it would help if he sounded a bit remorseful or sad? But he just seems like whatever he did is not really a big deal. It’s a strong choice to have that bass vocal line come in on the line “been paying everyday.” I’m still not giving this guy much of a chance. The Spinners are pretty cool, I guess. Check out the songs: “I’ll Be Around,” “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love,” and “One of a Kind Time (Love Affair).” I’m glad they had this comeback hit. Not really my top in the R&B game however, as they are a bit too “poppy” and lacking in funk. The real question I have: Was Frankie Valli able to “work his way back?” This song makes me think he was probably a pretty good philanderer. His solo track “My Eyes Adore You” is pretty solid.

“Infatuation” by Rod Stewart. Here’s some classic 1980s Rod Stewart, tailor made for chart topping even though it seems such tracks of this era don’t have much of a heart. “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy” would be another example. It just feels like he’s checking off the boxes as he’s writing these songs. I probably wouldn’t be so dour if I wasn’t such a fan of his earlier stuff.  Songs from his earlier albums (The Rod Stewart Album, Never a Dull Moment, and An Old Raincoat won’t ever let you down) are deep with the passion (listen to “Lost Paraguayos” and “Handbags and Gladrags”). On these albums, he sounds enmeshed in being authentic and really letting in all out in the studio. The mid-career albums are fun and probably made a pile of cash, but at what point of “just because you can do it, doesn’t mean you should do it” thinking creep in. What I’m trying to say is, I’m glad he made that money and probably had a great time with the cocaine, but I wish he would have done an album with Joe Walsh instead.  

Back home in Colorado, on Wednesday, I sit and reflect on our trip. It’s pretty exhausting getting back but whatever. In my fatigue, I feel grateful for the chance to experience Hawaii once again. Don’t have much to say about this trip; Hawaii sort of consumes you. You just try to be present with the magic of this island paradise. Waking up in the morning, plunging in Napili Bay, floating as the sun rises—this is what it’s about. A chill rolls up my spine as I write this; everything seems alright in the world.  

What song is in my head?

“Cheap Silver” by Silverada. These guys used to be Mike and the Moonpies, but they recently changed their name. Bold move, let’s see how it plays out. I loved this song when it came out a couple of years ago on their album Cheap Silver and Solid Country Gold. This is just a country song done right; everything is working for these guys on this one. The string section is a great production choice, as it makes everything smooth and nice. This is a song that really nails what it’s like getting old, for me anyway. 

I hear the lyrics. I feel the music. In the silence of this morning, I think of my dad, the spirit of Aloha in my heart. 

Great Soundtracks/Compilations Vol. 1: The Virgin Suicides, Various Artists (Emperor Norton, 2000)

 

By Null

Just to clear up some potential confusion, The Virgin Suicides has essentially two great albums related to the film. First, there is the brilliant score made by the French ambient band Air, officially known as The Virgin Suicides (Score). It is excellent. Second, there is The Virgin Suicides (Music from the Motion Picture), which is comprised of various artists. Though both are great in their own right, I will be referring to the second, Music from the Motion Picture.

A truly great soundtrack should be able to stand on its own, independent of any background knowledge of the film that birthed it. A truly great compilation, or soundtrack, should have some sense of continuity, or narrative, however vague it is bound to be. Like any great mixed tape, it should take one on a journey without necessarily announcing a departer or destination. Like any album I would label a masterpiece, it must evoke a bit of mystery and magic, as this is what drew me to become a person obsessed with the album as an art form. The Virgin Suicides (Music from the Motion Picture) is just such an album.

In 1993, Jeffrey Eugenides published his first novel, The Virgin Suicides. As a life-long fan of literature, I must admit that it is one of my favorite novels. It is haunting, and often other-worldly, yet it is also a brutal portrayal of adolescent longing, desire, and disappointment set in the 1970s in suburban Michigan. I found a great uneasiness in a text that examined sexism, economic class, voyeurism, and the seemingly endless cycle of empty consumerism in late-stage capitalism, American style. Like the absurdity inherent in such a system, there is a suffocating and subtle doom that pervades the text. The book is rife with subtext and begging for examination. There is a lot to un-pack in these 243 pages.

In 1999, Sofia Coppola made her directorial debut as she adapted the book to a film. Though, obviously not as detailed and dense as the novel, she made a masterpiece of a film. It is perfectly cast, and juggles the spring of puberty with the autumn of death.

Likewise, the soundtrack itself is a perfect combination of youthful lust and hopeless suffocation. It embodies the bipolar nature of teenage reality, half other-worldly daydreams, and fantasies curtailed by harsh realities.

Here’s the track list:

Heart, “Magic Man.” 

The soundtrack includes two big hits from Heart’s debut album. Being born in the 1970s, I should be rather board of these radio hits, but somehow in the context and sequence of songs on the album, these familiar songs sound surprisingly fresh and urgent. 

Todd Rundgren, “Hello It’s Me.”

Rundgren fell under my radar, but I do remember this song as a kid; however, I never realized how great it was—lazy summer loneliness. 

Sloan, “Everything You’ve Done Wrong.” 

These contemporary Canadian pop-rockers lighten the mood somewhat and keep the record flowing. Though it was a song recorded in 1996, it has the seventies all over it. It has horns bursting everywhere, which evokes a very strong Chicago vibe.

Air, “Ce Matin La.”

Air, who also provided the score of the film, deliver this instrumental dream-like song that sounds like it was born in the 1970s. Excellent horn work.

The Hollies, “The Air That I Breathe.”

This is a simply beautiful song that hits me ever since I first heard it as a child—dreamy.

Al Green, “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart.”

This is a classic that settles the emotional excitement for a moment and brings us back down to earth. It’s a slow burner.

Gilbert O’Sullivan, “Alone Again (Naturally).”

I vaguely remember this melody on the radio all those years ago, but I never really paid much attention to the lyrics. Now, listening to in more closely, I consider this a true masterpiece and one of the most beautifully depressing songs ever—remarkable and dark.

10CC, “I’m Not in Love.” 

Similar to the Heart songs, I have heard this track a million times, but sandwiched in this soundtrack’s sequence of perfection, it takes on new meaning, life, and depth. Again, we are gone and dreaming in melancholia.

Todd Rundgren, “A Dream Goes on Forever.”

This song might be the least memorable on the record, melody wise, but it is good to have a few Todd Rundgren songs on heavy rotation. I’ve never fallen in love with his albums, but I do have musical heroes who love him.

Heart, “Crazy on You.”

I always loved this song, but it sounds the best on this soundtrack. It feels desperate and hungry.

Air, “Playground Love (Vibraphone Version).”

This is a good example of the mood and tone of the original score of the film. It’s mostly instrumental, thoroughly haunting, and yes, beautiful. As the “theme” of the film. It evokes a potpourri of emotion.

Styx, “Come Sail Away.”

I’m gonna just say it. This is one of the greatest songs ever written. It originally appeared on Styx’s The Grand Illusion album released in 1977. That album is a masterpiece in itself, but that is another discussion. Placing this song at the end of the soundtrack provides a climax to the dreamy isolation of the album. It feels like an orgasm, an exorcism, freedom, or, in this case, suicide. It marries a great escape with a painful “goodbye.” It is the ultimate triumph of failure. This song encapsulates the whole album, and it is the point where confusion arrives like goosebumps and the line between love and hate, or pleasure and pain, become indistinguishable. It pierces the heart of the unknowable, but does not answer any questions. 

I lied. The fact that I love the book and the film do, in fact, influence my feelings about this collection of songs. For me, this soundtrack isn’t “standing on its own,” as I mentioned in the beginning of this review, as it is clearly wound up with my feeling of the novel and film. Even the album artwork gives me the feelies. However, I believe that it could stand on its own, as it is simply a great collection of songs that demand to be played over and over again. Then again, my normal disposition is melancholic.

I have listened to this album for days on end. I’ve put it away, rediscovered it, and listened to in once a day for weeks. It’s got a hold on me. It also allowed me to spend an extended period of time with songs I took for granted, or never really knew at all. This soundtrack can exist on its own like a found mix tape, but the movie helps.

Highly suggested listen.