Seven Song Playlist: Get a Bigger Minotaur

U2 "I’ll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight"

The truth about Frankenstein is that he didn’t have that many stitches. IGCIIDGCT is a harlequin patchwork of different corpses of a U2 song. Starting with a riff reminiscent of Journey, the song reverbojangles through a series of earnest prechoruses and awkward rhymes before getting to the titular hook. It’s all thoroughly embalmed in Brian Eno’s sonic amber; U2’s done some fine work with Eno, (A palindromic example: Eno,"One") but it’s time to ditch the partnership. They should have amputated two thirds of this song, used the parts somewhere else, and stuck to the chorus, and little else, and roughened up the sound for God’s sake. It’s way too sane tonight.

Nancy Sinatra "Leave My Dog Alone"

Nancy Sinatra’s 1966 record Boots has been hanging around in my “recent albums” playlist, a collection of songs that are neither all that recent nor listened to as albums. The Lee Hazlewood arrangements come from outer space and a particularly idiosyncratic patch of the cosmos while the all American likeable tough girl spills the deal, man. Horns and buzzing guitars coil as chimes play like church on mars, man. This B-side is a doofy political allegory of nonsense masquerading as whimsy. I still love it.

Nick Lowe "You Inspire Me"

Buyer’s remorse? Elvis Costello’s buddy makes a bid for his own “Almost Blue.” “You Inspire Me” is more reverent to the classic piano jazz rulebook, and unfortunately cops the melody from “In My Solitude,” setting it up for the fall. Goes for cocktail lounge and ends up in a coffee bar.

The Cure "Close To Me (Closet Remix)"

I got a hold of a Cure greatest hits package “on the cheap” but you get what you pay for. Remixes are one reason compilations suck. Yes that snare drum does sound nice and big, but now I want to hear the original recording. So The Cure win—I have to drop a 99-cent piece in the slot. Nice horns here; have I been too hasty?

Minotaur Shock "This Plane Is Going To Fall."

These guys and Au Revoir Simone hang out at the same wine bar. Needs more shock, and a bigger minotaur.

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
"Mr. Bojangles"

Here’s that seventies sunbeam and gentle breezes vibe. Gentle, friendly good old boys pickin’ and plunkin’, at the piano, singing sweet songs about old minstrels. Might make you want to do a little soft shoe.

Beck "Youthless"

I like when Beck brings the party, but I don’t like when he sings low. Serious Beck. There’s more attention to fluid melody these days, which is auspicious, but 2008 brought us some Beck which for the first time is not something that could ONLY be Beck.

--Dan Kilian
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