Category Archives: random weekends

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Song of the Day #3,319: ‘Big John Shaft’ – Belle & Sebastian

Belle and Sebastian’s 2002 album Storytelling is the soundtrack to the Todd Solondz film of the same name. However, the relationship between the band and Solondz was so poor that only about five minutes of their music made it into the film’s final cut.

As a musical release, this is by far the band’s weakest effort. It contains only two or three actual songs interspersed with brief instrumentals and snippets of dialogue. I believe it was released mostly as a contractual obligation, as this was Belle & Sebastian’s final album on the Jeepster label. Continue reading →

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Song of the Day #3,313: ‘The Teacher’ – Paul Simon

Paul Simon’s tenth solo studio album, You’re the One, was released in 2000 to general acclaim, especially coming off the disastrous Broadway run of The Capeman three years earlier.

I haven’t listened to this album much since the early 2000s, but perusing its track list now I’m reminded how good it is. ‘The Teacher’ is a song I’d forgotten about entirely, but it’s quite exotic and lovely. Continue reading →

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Song of the Day #3,312: ‘Jesus & Mary’ – Guster

Every time I hear a Guster song, I like it. I own their five most recent studio albums (two earlier releases are out of print) and each of them is chock full of thoughtful, melodic pop.

Even the best acts release a bad song once in awhile, but these guys are remarkably consistent. They remind me of Ron Sexsmith in that way. You can always count on him (and them) to deliver, even if no particular song stands out head and shoulders above the rest. Solid, dependable. Like a well-made car.
Continue reading →

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Song of the Day #3,305: ‘Million Miles’ – Bob Dylan

1997’s Time Out of Mind was Bob Dylan’s first album of original material in seven years, and the first album of good original material in eight.

This return to form was celebrated both critically and commercially and went on to win several Grammys, including Album of the Year. It’s been 20 years since that career renaissance, two decades that have seen Dylan release his most consistent streak of quality work since the 60s. Continue reading →