Cha Cha Changes (7 Days, 7 Songs Series)

Hi There

After a long time without writing about music (Benn to Prague and Dresden on a vacation), it's time to get back to business. This week issue will be changes, hoping that it'll happen to you too.

Monday: Over The Rhine - Changes Come


Never Heard about OTR (a.k.a Over The Rhine) until I first listened to their Seventh album (Their best so far from my point of view...), Ohio (2003). Changes Come (Youtube, Lyrics), A beautiful piano Ballad acompanied with Karin bergquist's great voice who sings: "There is all this untouched beauty, The light the dark both running through me, Is there still redemption for anyone?". Don't miss the Youtube link which presents a great gig by this band


Tuesday: David Bowie - Changes


Going back to 1971, while David Bowie released his Forth album Hunky Dory. Changes (Youtube, Lyrics) wasn't a big hit at that time but became one of Bowie's famous songs with the immortal lines: "Time may change me, But you can't trace time". A timeless song...

Wednesday: The Thermals - I'm Gonna Change Your Life

After one acoustic song followed by a Classic one, it's time to Rock out. The Thermals, ,sings I'm gonna change your life (Youtube, Lyrics) on their openeing track taken from their Fifth studio album, Personal Life (2010). A simple Rock song which declare they're going to change someone's life, hoping they made it...


Thursday: KT Tunstall - Change


While the Scottish origin singer, KT Tunstall sings: "And if I change am I denying what was said?
If I remain the same, am I creating greater problems instead?" on her song Change (Youtube, Lyrics), you cannot stay calm. Such a beautiful track taken from her Acoustic Extravaganza (W/Dvd) (2006), makes me look at the world differently, reminds me that there are other persons around us.

Friday: LCD Soundsystem - I Can Change


James Murphy and LCD Soundsystem said goodbye to the music world on April 2, 2011 while performing at the Madisson Squere Garden, NY. I chose to put I can change (Youtube, Lyrics) inside this mixtape From their last release before break-up, This Is Happening (2010). With unforgettable scream from Murphy's deep throat and great lyrics like: "And love is a murderer, love is a murderer. But if she calls you tonight, Everything is all right"


Saturday: She & Him - Change Is Hard


Zooey Deschanel and M.Ward's collaboration was fantastic since I first heard their debut album, Volume One (2008). On Change is hard (Youtube, Lyrics), Deschanel sings: "I'm all out of luck, But what else Could I be? I know he's yours And he'll never belong To me again" about a lost lover. Seems like it was taken stright from the Fifties....

Sunday: Scorpions - Wind Of Change


There's no need to introduce This power Rock Ballad taken from Crazy World (1990). Wind of change (Youtube, Lyrics) was the right song at the right time. I don't think that the Scorpions thought how shortly after thier visit to Gorki's park, the walls of Communism will fall. The best selling single in Germany ever is the final song for this mixtape

Enjoy, may you all change somehow this week...

Late Night Song: The Airborne Toxic Event - Sometime around midnight (2008)

Last week I listened to few randomal albums which I've been stumbling upon on Grooveshark. Suddenly, I bumped a band called The Airborne Toxic Event, which sounds to me like a Brit-Pop kind. Then, on track number seven, Sometime around midnight (Lyrics), I thought it was Jarvis Cocker from Pulp singing. Mikel Jollett's voice sounds great and the song moves from quite melody at its start towards a brilliant Rock song which collaborates elements of U2, Coldplay and Black Rebel Motorcycle club. Jollett's sings about his Ex-girlfriend and it feels so real and heartbreaking while he screams: "Then she leaves, with someone you don’t know. But she makes sure you saw her. She looks right at you and bolts."


Good Night

Album Review: The Antlers - Burst Apart (2011)

After an impressive debut concept album, Hospice, which dealt with cancer, lost and medical treatments, I was afraid of the second album fall. How can this band create another masterpiece or create at all something after hospice? Seems that I was wrong... and I'm so glad about that. Burst Apart don't fall short of hospice. Of course, this is not a concept album, it's a bit more electronic but I find it more Optimistic (If we can find that kind of word after hospice).

I find Peter Silberman's soft voice amazing. I don't want love (Youtube, Lyrics) gives a clue for what goes next as Silberman's declare: “If I leave before you, Then I walk out alone. Keep your hands on your side, When you follow me home, I don't want love”. Feels like The Antlers aren't looking for the love of the audience but searching for new adventures through this album. Rolled Together (Lyrics) and Tiptoe are good examples for experimental tracks on this one. 


While I go on and on, over French exit (Lyrics), one of the weakest tracks here, gloomy Every night my teeth are falling out ( Lyrics) and Parentheses (Lyrics), it feels like The Antlers never left Hospice, they only changed the issues around it. 

Hounds (Lyrics) sounds like a collaboration between The Antlers and Beirut while Silberman says: "They want to conquer you, abandon you. I want to burden you, belong to you" while Putting the dog to sleep (Youtube, Lyrics) makes an analogy between human and dogs as Silberman writes: "Put your trust in me, I'm not gonna die alone...I don't think so...".

No widows (Youtube, Lyrics) is a perfect song, starting with the lines: "If I never get back home, There's no garden overgrown. No widows on the wall, no widows left alone", which could be part of the previous album as well as beautiful Corsicana (Youtube, Lyrics). Wow, What an album, I need to buy it, so do you...

The song you should purchase the album for: "No Widows", "Corsicana" and "Putting the dog to sleep"

The Judge Decision: Get out of Hospice and run to purchase this one! 


Ranking:  (9/10)

Album Review: Dum Dum Girls - He Gets Me High EP (2011)

I've heard about Dum Dum Girls, a Indie Pop band from California, only a year ago. I must admit that I haven't had enough time to listen to some songs of that band that ambitiously declares itself as the result of "what would have happened if The Cure met The Bengals...". So I've found a few seconds to hear their last Release He Gets Me High (2011), an EP which contains only 4 songs.


It starts with Wrong feels right (Youtube, Lyrics), which sounds like of a female version of The Drums' song... but it's still comfort to my ear.
On He gets me high (Youtube, Lyrics), Dee Dee sings: "I hold my breath till you come back, The picture's black, the picture's black. I promised not to call you back But heaven knows I can't keep it", a basic Rock love song, which makes your legs wanna move...


As the leading singer, Dee Dee, mentioned before, it seems that the inspiration of Mazzy Star lays on the lovely song, Take care of my baby (Youtube), which sounds like a collaboration of Hope Sandoval and Patti Smith. I don't know if The Smiths have heard the girls cover version to There is a light that never goes out (Youtube, Lyrics), which sounds fantastic and leaves me with passion to hear more...


The song you should purchase the album for: "There is a light that never goes out" (The Smiths cover version)

The Judge Decision: I could have get much higher if it was a bit longer....

Ranking:  (7/10)

A Man Called E: Eels Collection (Vol. 1)

This week I listened to one of my favourites songs ever written, A line in the dirt (Youtube, Lyrics), by Mark Oliver Everett, which is known as E... And what a life story this 48 years old singer song-writer have got, losing one by one all of his family members left bright marks on his lyrics.

I chose to put inside this collection 3 songs of his second album End Times (2010) in a Trilogy which contains Hombre Lobo: 12 Songs of Desire (Dig) (2009) and Tomorrow Morning (2010). This album foucosed on divorce and aging and is the best of this Trilogy. Together with A line in the dirt mentioned above, I featured In my younger days (Youtube, Lyrics) which looks back on the past with a bit of romantic scent and Sentimental I need a mother (Youtube, Lyrics), where he mentions: "I need a mother, I'm sorry but it's true. I need a lover, Not someone like you". From the last part of this Trilogy I've put inside this collection I'm a hummingbird (Youtube, Lyrics) which got a dark sound of orchestra in the background.

I love his album Blinking Lights And Other Revelations (2005) from which I've chosen In the yard, behind the church (Youtube, Lyrics). My Beloved Monster (Youtube, Lyrics) is taken from the following tour preformed live on With Strings Live at Town Hall (Dig) (2006) and the Last stop: This town (Youtube, Lyrics) is taken from Electro-Shock Blues (1998) as well as Elizabeth on the bathroom floor (Youtube, Lyrics) which was inspired by his mental ill sister diary. She wrote: "Laying on the bathroom floor, Kitty licks my cheek once more And I could try, But waking up is harder when you want to die", and I can't remove this image from my head when I hear this song. 

Also you can find here a great cover (The best I've met so far...) for Sophie B Hawkins hit single, Damn, I wish I was your lover (Youtube, Lyrics) in contrast to the songs above, it feels like E was in a fine mood while singing it. Daisies of the Galaxy (Youtube, Lyrics) is taken from his Oh What A Beautiful Morning (2000). On the rare part you can find birdgirl on the cellphone (Lyrics) taken from Useless Trinkets: B Sides, Soundtracks, Rarities and Unreleased 1996-2006 (2CD+DVD) (2008), previously released on i-tunes store exclusively.

Man Called E. (1992) was his debut album were he used for the first time his pseudonym E. Hello cruel world (Youtube, Lyrics) gives a clue of E's future writings but Looking out the window with a Blue hat on (Youtube, Lyrics) is more optimisitic than the previous. I think that Novocaine for the soul (Youtube, Lyrics) was his greatest hit, but I don't think it's one of his best (Taken from Beautiful Freak).

Enjoy this one and stay tuned for the next...

I Will Follow (7 Days, 7 Songs Series)

Hi There

On Every Sunday, I'll Publish (Hoping I'll make it happen for a while...), A set of 7 songs, each for a day, All songs will be connected to each other by one issue which they give it different perspective. So Here It Goes, This week issue is Following (last Week, The Mixtape was about Morning)

Sunday: Death Cab For Cutie - I Will Follow You Into The Dark

Today it's the memorial day in Israel so I couldn't find other song than I Will Follow You Into The Dark (Youtube, Lyrics), Which appears on Plans (2005), thier Sixth studio album. This is an acoustic Ballad preformed by frontman Ben Gibbard who sings: "Love of mine some day you will die But I'll be close behind I'll follow you into the dark", How Romantic.

Monday: The Twilight Singers - Follow You Down

Follow You Down (Youtube, Lyrics) is taken from the second album of The Twilight Singers called Blackberry Belle (2003). I didn't know that the album was a tribute to Ted Demme (The Director of "Blow"), a close friend of Greg Dulli who died suddenly while playing basketball. The result is a sad album from which I find this one as the most inspiring. 

Tuesday: Lykke Li - I Follow Rivers

Lykke Li is a young Swedish Indie singer named Li Lykke Timotej Zachrisson (Wowww). From her second album, Wounded Rhymes (2011), I've chosen her second single, I Follow Rivers (Youtube, Lyrics) that's got a bit of African spirit with light Electronics. Seems we'll hear a lot more from this talented woman. 

Wednesday: U2 - I Will Follow

Going back to the early 80's, where we find a young band from Dublin, which we'll become one of the world greatest bands by the next decade. On their first album, Boy (1980), U2 were a fresh Irish band which sung simple rock songs like this one, I will Follow (Youtube, Lyrics), the openning track of that album is now the most frequently performed by them...

Thursday: Skunk Anansie - You'll Follow Me Down

Back to the end of the 90's, we can find Skunk Anansie's song, You'll Follow Me Down (Youtube, Lyrics) sang by Skin with her powerful, warm voice. This one appeared on their third studio album called, Post Orgasmic Chill [ENHANCED CD] (1999) and was the last release by them before they broke up ('till reunited on 2009). 

Friday: Bang Gang - Follow 

The less familier group on this mixtape is Bang Gang, an Icelandic dream-pop act which makes melodious music. Out of their second album, Something Wrong (2003), I've got Follow (Youtube, Lyrics) which represents the group style. Esther Talia Casey and Bardi Johannsson doing great job there...

Saturday: James Murphy - Please Don't Follow Me 

The weekend has come and it's time to lay back and listen to James Murphy's brilliant track taken from Greenberg Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2010). It starts with a lonely piano playing and collaborates with Murphy's soft voice into a thrilling ballad about loneliness. Please Don't Follow Me (Youtube) is one of Murphy's favourites from my point of view. 

Enjoy This mixtape, Have a nice week...