by

Song of the Day #5,386: ‘Jon Batiste Interlude’ – Lana Del Rey

Continuing my track-by-track appreciation of Lana Del Rey’s newest album, Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd…

Track 7: ‘Jon Batiste Interlude’

Last week wrapped up with ‘Candy Necklace,’ a darkly mysterious song featuring Jon Batiste on piano and background vocals. That track segues neatly into this one, a short instrumental number that finds Batiste and Del Rey seemingly improvising in the studio.

The joy and exuberance in the room is palpable. Batiste has a natural charm and energy that really shine through on this track and bring out a playful side in Del Rey.

Continue reading →

by

Song of the Day #5,385: ‘Ticks’ – Brad Paisley

It looks like the Random iTunes Fairy wanted to get in on the April Fools’ Day fun because here she is serving up a song by another “Weekend” alumnus, Mr. Brad Paisley. Paisley Weekends followed Sexsmih Weekends back in 2011.

After suffering through the groans of my regular readers over those two choices, I followed them up with Simon Weekends, which chronicled the work of Paul Simon both as a solo artist and with Simon & Garfunkel. That went over considerably better.

Continue reading →

by

Song of the Day #5,384: ‘When Our Love Was New’ – Ron Sexsmith

A couple of weeks ago, I joked that I would put Random Weekends on hiatus and return to the controversial Ron Sexsmith Weekends of yesteryear.

But the more I thought about it, I couldn’t understand why weekends dedicated to a talented, thoughtful singer-songwriter should be a laugh-worthy concept. Sexsmith is an undeniably great songwriter, one held in high esteem by fellow artists even as he toils in relative obscurity commercially. He is exactly the sort of performer who deserves a wider platform.

Continue reading →

by

Song of the Day #5,383: ‘Candy Necklaces’ – Lana Del Rey

Continuing my track-by-track appreciation of Lana Del Rey’s newest album, Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd…

Track 6: ‘Candy Necklaces’

This song features the first of two collaborations with recent Album of the Year Grammy winner Jon Batiste. Batiste’s contributions here include some sweet piano playing throughout and a rather eerie recitation of the title phrase in the outro.

‘Candy Necklaces’ is one of the most lyrically oblique songs on the album. References to “Rockafella” and “my umbrella” suggest Jay-Z and Rihanna, right? But why? Del Rey also alludes to A Tribe Called Quest, the Young and the Restless, and the Bible.

Continue reading →

by

Song of the Day #5,382: ‘Judah Smith Interlude’ – Lana Del Rey

Continuing my track-by-track appreciation of Lana Del Rey’s newest album, Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd…

Track 5: ‘Judah Smith Interlude’

The fifth song on Lana Del Rey’s new album is likely to be the most controversial and divisive thing on it. This is a five-minute sermon by megachurch pastor Judah Smith set to lovely piano and guitar accompaniment by Jack Antonoff.

Continue reading →