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Song of the Day #2,041: ‘Far From Any Road’ – The Handsome Family

true_detectiveI’m sure regular readers of this blog have figured out that I love crime stories. In film and on TV, crime has long been my favorite genre.

So I’m predictably thrilled with True Detective, the new HBO series starring Matthew McConoughey and Woody Harrelson.

True Detective is unique in its concept and execution. It will run only eight episodes, and if it returns for future seasons it will feature an entirely different cast. All eight episodes are written and directed by the same two people (Nic Pizzolatto and Cary Fukunaga, respectively).

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Song of the Day #2,040: ‘Long Hard Times to Come’ – Gangstagrass

justifiedNow that Breaking Bad has disappeared into the New Mexico sunset — following a final season that has deservedly won every year-end award in the universe — I’m left with a giant Walter White-shaped hole in my TV heart.

Breaking Bad might be my favorite show ever, but what will replace it as my favorite show currently on the air?

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Song of the Day #2,039: ‘Stumble’ – R.E.M.

chronic_townAnother early R.E.M. track, this one as early as they get (at least when it comes to their studio releases). Chronic Town is a 1982 EP that was released before Murmur, their full-length debut.

The band hadn’t quite found their groove on this EP, but all of the elements are in place. And the release does feature ‘Gardening at Night,’ a classic R.E.M. track.

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Song of the Day #2,038: ‘Know’ – Nick Drake

pink_moon_nick_drakeLyrically, this might be the shortest song I’ve ever featured on the blog. Just four lines, no more than five words in each.

And yet I uncovered a wealth of conversation about the meaning of those four lines.

The most compelling analysis I read was that this is a song about God, told in a call-and-response style with God speaking the second and fourth lines.

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Song of the Day #2,037: ‘Q.U.E.E.N.’ – Janelle Monáe (ft. Erykah Badu)

janelle_monae_queenMy final entry on the village Voice Pazz & Jop poll features #19 on that list, Janelle Monae’s ‘Q.U.E.E.N.’

I like Janelle Monáe even though I don’t listen to her music. Something about her look, her style and her ambition rub me the right way. I love the weird sci-fi concepts she works into her music (including the video for this track).

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