If there's anything I care for right now, its nothing more than the wonderfully sublime and youthful escape of New Order's "Age of Consent". I wonder, as the song pumps through my ears on repeat, how it is that I could have gone my entire life knowing both New Order and Joy Division and never having found this song until the other night... At the end of Wayne's World 2, among all movies.
As Wayne Campbell chased through town, he was accompanied by a score that was comprised of the most romantic guitar riff I think I have ever heard. At one point, I had wondered if it was something by Paul Westerberg, or at the very least, an instrumental inspired by Paul Westerberg.
That riff led me to a hunt, a romantic chase (I stress the word "romantic" strictly in the classical sense)through the vast scape of cyberspace. My first stop was the Wayne's World 2 Soundtrack, which wasn't there. I finally settled on a list of all the songs that were used and referenced in the movie and previewed each song until I found it... It was called "Age of Consent", and it w
as a New Order Song.
Apparently, the producers of Wayne's World 2 had wasted so much money on Aerosmith that they couldn't afford the rights to the actual song. So instead, they did an instrumental cover that was just alternative enough to fit in with the times... No wonder it reminded me of Paul Westerberg!
"Age of Consent" itself is just so captivating. The moment you hear that opening riff and bass line, you fall in love. Its literally like falling in love for the first time and feeling a rush of all these different and wonderful and spellbinding emotions that just feel all too real.
The riff and bass line repeat and it provides much of the song's hook and its just addicting. Its supplied by an inspired guitar solo and two synthesizer solos that just add an ethereal atmosphere to the song's power.
The lyrics are certainly fitting as they deal with a young boy who's suddenly found himself falling for an older woman, who he's been obviously intimate with.
Every once in awhile, I come across a song that just takes me and that sound finds its own special spot on my heart and on my all time top-five. New Order's "Age of Consent" has become one of them.
Its no secret that one of the last voices of any amount of common sense left in this world belongs to Henry Rollins, who, as the front man for Black Flag, championed College and Alternative Rock in the eighties.
Now, a lot of people are going to disagree with me on this, but I completely agree with Henry Rollins. What's sad about this was that here he was, ten years ago, talking about these things, and here we are now, ten years later, and nothing's changed. If anything, things, musically, have just gotten worse.
If you appreciate good music; music made from years of practice and listening to acquire an understanding into what goes into crafting a good song, then I urge you to open your minds and give this a good listen.
It can be pretty mean, but if you're willing to allow yourself, you'll nod because this man makes a lot of sense.
It's 1992 and the album's called Walking In London, with my favorite track off that album playing around me. The air's humid and it might just give way to some rain, if I'm lucky. And I'm alone in my room, smoking with a hot cup of coffee, content.
After spending the night watching some old Liz Phair videos on YouTube, I happened to chance upon this cool little video Liz made for Spinner.com.
It takes a lighthearted jab at the Matrix, the songwriting team responsible for many of Avril Lavinge and Hillary Duff's hits. Phair was forced to work with the Matrix for her 2004 self-titled release, which featured the singles, "Why Can't I" and "Extraordinary", both of which were co-written between Phair and The Matrix.
Once again, Liz is given the chance to be Liz.
Well apparently she released it over the weekend on her website and I only found out about it last night!
The aptly titled, Funstyle, is Phair's long awaited sixth studio release. After years of delay and rumored hassles with former label, ATO Records, Funstyle marks what has to be a return to her considerably eclectic past.
The thing about Liz Phair is that she can never catch a break. In the nineties, there was pressure from the indie rock community to release the sequels to her first album, Exile In Guyville. And in the god forsaken past decade, she was scrutinized for her attempt at breaking into the
mainstream.
I think what set this was the fact that for a debut album, Exile In Guyville, was so groundbreaking, that it set a level of artistic expectation that no person could ever meet. In short, Liz Phair was never given the allowance to simply be Liz Phair.
Like many fans of Liz Phair, I've been waiting for this album for a long time. It's not for everyone, but if you're familiar with how eclectic Liz can be, then nothing here can surprise you. If anything, the songs are amusing, and fun, and in some ways as sharp and satirical as much of her old stuff. Funstyle is definitely angry, but it has a lot fun with that anger, and it takes it in the best possible way.
Take "Bollywood", the album's lead single. It's a hip hop song! It's Liz Phair rapping! And again, any cynical bastard can take a listen at the thing song, turn away, and make some stupid little smirk about how's past her prime and trying to attract another new audience. To that, I say, its a fun, satirical song that basically details all the problems she's encountered with all the different labels that have hindered her growth as artist.
All in all, this is the album Liz Phair should have released years ago. In many respects, it the long deserved follow up to 1998's Whitechocolatespaceegg. The best thing about Whitechoclatespaceegg is that is showcased how Liz Phair could balance her eclectic charms with age and motherhood. Funstyle could easily be Whitechocolatespaceegg Part Two, but instead of dealing with motherhood, it tackles on the subject of a passionate artist who's tired of being told what to do. And I love it.
Liz Phair is free and she's finally got the chance to her herself, to be Liz Phair.
It never ceases to amaze me the number of amazing artists I seamlessly find myself chancing upon every once in awhile. I remember a discussion I once had with a friend which pretty much had my explaining why the music produced decades ago will always be far superior to anything produced today or in the past decade. And then, she shot me with a conundrum.
"What's gonna happen when you run out of old bands?", or something like that. I can't bring myself to remember what exactly she said to me, but that's pretty much the gyst of it.
Back then, I was stumped, I did wonder what would happen. And the thought did scare me.Of course, in the years since we've had that pretty heated talk, I've been able to prove her wrong time and time again. Two months ago, it was the discovery of the Smithereens, and as of this afternoon, its Marshall Crenshaw.
(Photo Courtesy of: Last.Fm) Now, the name Marshal Crenshaw's a name I've encountered quite a few times before. I had know him as the Meter Man from The Adventures of Pete & Pete, who joined Little Pete Wrigley in his quest to find his favorite song through Little Pete's garage band The Blowholes, that also featured Radio Free Pop favorite, Syd Straw. Marshall's name also came to through the Gin Blossoms, as he co-wrote their 1995 hit, "Until I Hear It From You".
It wasn't until last night, upon watching The Adventures of Pete & Pete season one episode, "A Hard Day's Pete", that I decided to look up Marshall Crenshaw. I came across a live cut of one his first singles, "There She Goes Again".
Long story short, the moment I heard this song I fell in love with it and the moment I did, I knew that this was a song that I couldn't ignore. Like each new discovery, I had to hear more. And not long after, I was blessed with Marshall Crenshaw's self-titled debut album which made some pretty strong waves at the time of its release in 1982.
The album is amazing blend of power-pop (akin to that of the genre's maestro, Alex Chilton) and rockabilly with a touch of the jangle that marked the landscape of 80's college rock (the genre that's blatantly refereed today as "Indie"). The songs woven wonderfully with a lyrical matter that always seems to affect idealistic young men like myself: girls.
Marshall even takes a shot at tackling a rare gem from 1962 in "Soldier of Love". His cover turns the song into a hell of riot, while maintaining all the right emotional qualities that belonged to Arthur Alexander's original take.
If there's anyone I can compare Marshall Crenshaw to at the moment, it would have to be Elvis Costello. Those two took their love for 50's Rock'n Roll and 60's soul and ran off with it and created something of their own entirely.
It's music like this that makes me wish that I was born a decade earlier. How I would have love to have been a teenager in the eighties, with all these amazing artists around me. I'm talkin' about R.E.M., The Replacements, The Church, The Meat Puppets, 10,000 Maniacs, Syd Straw, Hüsker Dü, Elvis Costello, The Hoodoo Gurus, The Del Fuegos, and the Violent Femmes. Throw in other amazing bands like Fishbone, the Specials, The English Beat, the solo stuff Pete Townshend did during the era; hell, I'll even throw Big Country somewhere in there.
I guess I'm trying to convey two points here. The first is that Marshall Crenshaw is my new favorite artists. And two, why settle for the crap being produced today when there are literally hundreds of thousands of old gems floating around the world, being played somewhere, just waiting to be discovered again! And one of them is Marshall Crenshaw, who's self-titled first album has instantly become one of the few albums that I can listen to over and over again full (believe you me, I've been playing it non-stop since I got it earlier this afternoon). I can't imagine skipping a track on this album, there are no cheap fillers here. Every song is a wonderfully crafted work of power-pop and its an album that continues to stand the test of time... It's one of the few lucky LP's that's managed to remain in print for the past thirty years.
As an aspiring songwriter, I can tell that Marshall Crenshaw's music is going to have a huge impact on me, so much so that as early as now, I find myself being influenced by him. There's a lot to learn in the sense that he can take all these different subjects, related to girls, and write wonderful lyrics to it, while at the same time, keeping the songs light and fun.
If you can listen with open ears, I warmly invite you to listen to Marshall Crenshaw. And if by chance, Marshall Crenshaw happens to read this one day, I ask him this, "Where has your music been all my life?!".
as a New Order Song.
