Random song post, Volume 7

Songs I’d forgotten about, or overlooked, but now can’t stop listening to:

Silverchair – “Straight Lines” (Young Modern, Eleven/Atlantic/Independent, 2007): One may recall Silverchair from their success in the mid-to-late 90s, a time when this band of Australian teens rode a wave of success created by hit singles such as their early, grungy, “Tomorrow, ” and the sounds-even-more-like-Nirvana, “Ana’s Song (Open Fire).  ”  After releasing Diorama in 2002 and taking a bit of a hiatus throughout much of the remaining decade, the band returned in a big way with Young Modern, their fifth (and most recent) full-length, led by the single, “Straight Lines.  ”  Though frontman Daniel Johns’ lyrics tend to lean a bit towards the absurd (the line about a sex change, in particular, comes to mind), it’s clear he’s exorcised any demons that haunted him during his unfortunate anorexic period and emerged a new man.  The music is superb, from the piano overtones that support the song, to David Gillies’ thunderous drums, to Johns’ guitar, which never gets too out of hand and appropriately fits the song’s mood.  By the time the bridge rolls around, and the end nears, the song has reached a fever pitch that relentlessly assaults the senses thanks to a near over-the-top mix of instruments that’s incredibly pleasing to hear-this is what it sounds like when a band comes back to life.

Death Cab for Cutie – “I Will Follow You into the Dark” (Plans, Atlantic, 2005): In what might be the most unbelievably beautiful song Death Cab has released to date, frontman Ben Gibbard strips everything down to an acoustic guitar and voice, again focusing in on a rather dark element-this time, it’s death.  However, the song manages to capture a hopeful, almost uplifting feeling with lyrics that focus on having someone join you, whether it’s a friend or loved one, as you transition over to that other side.  Imagine if there were nothing waiting for you after you passed on-wouldn’t you like to have someone else there to keep you company as the darkness of eternity envelopes your soul?

Foo Fighters – “Band on the Run” (Radio 1 Established 1967, Universal Music TV, 2007): Although I’m sure I’ll devote a number of posts to Foo Fighters at some point (being my favorite band and all), I had to take a moment and focus on this Paul McCartney/Wings cover, released during their Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace era on the BBC cover/compilation album Radio 1 Established 1967.  Holding true to the excitement of the original, Dave Grohl and Co.  put a modern rock spin on the arrangement-while the intro and opening verses remain relatively the same, we’re soon launched into a fierce rock breakdown, with crunchy guitars and drums, as Grohl breathes new energy into McCartney’s legendary words like the plea, “If I ever get out of here.  ”  It’s apparent the song hasn’t even come close to peaking yet, as we’re then hit by the rest of the song, which is so faithful to the original yet so different.  The guitar solo is pure classic rock, the drums continue to propel the song forward, and the vocals of Grohl and drummer Taylor Hawkins perfectly fit the overall mix.