Closing The Circle

Diving deep into the depths.  Swimming in the currents amongst the ocean's voluptuous secrets;  the varying waves whisper against our skins.  Sometimes warm, sometimes arctic; an exploration like no other.  One forgotten.  No, not forgotten; one placed in the memories of the oceanographer.  Old and frail, he spends his time categorizing the depths he once felt in a sunshine youth.

Remembering the careful and quiet coral curves, the delicately violent flip of a shark's fin, the watery effervescence of solitude, of togetherness.  While marking the geographic undulations of hills, valleys, currents and oceanic life; there is a closing of the circle.  A love that no one can understand; that no one can map.  Not even the divers.



Catherine Wheel //  Fripp // Chrome // 1993

A Drop On My Tongue

Salty, savory, sweet, coma-inducing.  It's the day of thanks here in my neck of the woods and most people will douse their taste buds with these flavors.  In lieu of caloric intake, a gluttony of aural treats will see me through.  Hope you all enjoy.

The geniuses of Drape are at it again.  Latest release is a delightful gem of 60's pop meets Kraftwerk-esque melodies with guitars.  Can you hear it? Yum.



Drape // Round & Round // Relax/Relapse // October 2015



This track has everything I love.  Dream pop and psychedelic drums all peppered with gazey guitars. I'll be gorging on their debut album later today.

Talk In Tongues // Still Don't Seem to Care // Alone With a Friend // April 2015



DIIV // How Long Have You Known? // Oshin // 2012

DIIV floated into town a few weeks ago (with No Joy and Sunflower Bean) and with any instrumentally heavy sounds, I lost myself in the music and lusty greed took over.  The set seemed very short so like a true jerk, I alone clamored for more.  Encore, encore.  Always amazed at the blah-dom of show goers in this city.  Zero passion or excitement; everyone is so dopey.. "Oh?  It's over now?  Oh... like ok... let's like go do stuff" and then they just anticlimactically shuffle out of the building.  A collective wet noodle.  Sooo booooring.

Their loss - I was in a lovely haze.  Openers Sunflower Bean were a pleasant surprise.  No frills.  Guitar, bass and drum with a very compact organized sound.  It'll be interesting to see how their latest release is received in February.  Also, they played some tracks that bordered on divine cerebral gaze, which I hope will be on the new album.  The track below is a teaser from the new album and not a personal favorite.  It's a bit too accessible in comparison to the other tracks that grabbed me that night.



Sunflower Bean // Wall Watcher //  Human Ceremony // February 2016



This ep really does it for me, in particular Somebody Call a Doctor, 2013, Ok Mr. Man and Bread.

Sunflower Bean // Show Me Your Seven Secrets EP // January 2015

*Can anyone catch their influences?  Some might scoff at direct flattery but I'm pretty excited about all the neo gaze happening at the moment; all the bright shiny whippersnappers discovering sounds and creating something from them.  There are only so many times you can listen to Loveless, Souvlaki and others of the ilk.  Think about the Russian czars...inbreeding begets hemophiliacs.

Trains, Trains, Trains

It's an elusive and attractive thing, the train metaphor.  I bend to you and to you and to you.  My inner self acquiesces.

Suede // Modern Boys // Sci-Fi Lullabies// 1997
Come unto me my sickly thing
We could lie on the rails
But to really win
We'll just drive away, drive away 



Soul Asylum // Runaway Train // Grave Dancers Union // 1992

Can you help me remember how to smile?
Make it somehow all seem worthwhile
How on earth did I get so jaded?
Life's mysteries seem so faded



This person would turn anyone homicidal.   Did I mention I've nicknamed my boss Satan's Barbie? 



 

Always, Always

All bad work days aside, this month marks two years since my lovely grandmother passed and seventeen years since my mother left.  There are plenty of posts written here about grief, love and loss on this blog, feel free to rifle through them... Crank The Shiny Tune is no stranger to drama and emotion and she's said more than enough.

Tonight let's raise our glasses to the glory of Always.  Whatever that means to you.  

Everyone wants to be cool; it's a pointless exercise if you ask me.  So many of the music snobs are content to box themselves into very specific genres.  Let loose kids... you can't take cool with you when you die.



The Stranglers // Always The Sun // Dreamtime // 1986



Alvvays  // Party Police // Alvvays // 2014
Don't have to leave
You can just stay here with me 



Erasure // Always // I Say, I Say, I Say // 1994

This wasn't chosen for comedy or irony; adore the lyrics and the video is pretty hilarious but also sad when you think about it.  This is one of my favorite bands and I fiercely stand by my choice. 

Alive & Kicking

I'm still alive, clawing for the sky and emoting in typical dramatic Crank The Shiny Tune fashion. 

Simple Minds //  Alive & Kicking // Sons of Fascination/Sister Feelings Call // 1981

What you gonna do when things go wrong?
What you gonna do when it all cracks up?
What you gonna do when the Love burns down?
What you gonna do when the flames go up?
Who is gonna come and turn the tide?
What's it gonna take to make a dream survive?
Who's got the touch to calm the storm inside?
Who's gonna save you?

Incidentally, another misheard lyrics with this one.  Instead of alive and kicking, I always thought it was I love to kick it.  You know, because the lyrics aren't in the song title or anything.  So, happy Wednesday - hope you're all kicking it real nice.

(Best said in a really thick southern drawl.  Just search it online, there are lots of cringe-worthy examples to choose from).

Image: Unknown, open sourced

Shit Hail Storm

Yesterday was shit.  Today was even bigger shit.  I liken it to a rainstorm of shit, an actual bacterial infested brown schmutz on my face, across all the hard work that I do.  Everywhere is covered in this decomposing, slimy shit.  I'm in a hail storm of this shit.  This is my life right now and I'm a piss poor example of positivity.

 

Annie Lennox //  Saddest Song // Bare // 2003

When I feel, I feel deep.  Super deep.  Feel free to ignore this post; I wish I could.  Also, I think it's funny to say shit as many times as possible.  Leave me alone, it's my one happy place right now.

Denial

Worst day.  I will crawl into my bed, muzzle the monster voices and try to let the salty wetness on my cheeks lull me into a state of denial.  Today did not happen.


If I said, I've lost my way
Would you sympathize? 
I'm jumbled up
Things are wrong, things are going wrong
Don't know what I want anymore... 
Is this the blues I'm singing?

Echo and the Bunnymen // Rescue // Crocodiles // 1980 



My Bloody Valentine // When You Sleep // Loveless // 1991

Oh Happy 24th Birthday Loveless.

Dreaded Crossroads

We've all been there, that moment we realize we've reached it.  The Dreaded Crossroads.  A place of unknowing, one made worse when it means you're responsible for others.  Which way?  What if you fuck it up?  The slice between tendon and fascia... it's a bitch.  Well, yeah, surgeons have nerves of steel for a reason.

If yoga has taught me anything (and it's taught me a lot), it's that at any moment one is uncertain, pissed off, confused, unbalanced, sad, raging or whatever; then that's a good time to go inward.  But what does that fucking mean?!  To the uninitiated, it means a lot.  Certain poses create introverted emotions, certain breathing techniques do the same.  When we go inside, we find protected spaces, boundaries, kindness, freedom.

Now is that time.  Things are about to get real weird here in Crank The Shiny Tune's pants and mind; as if they haven't already.  Internal for this loony means some deliciously beautiful, celestial and thoughtful tunes.   No lyrics posted this time, just listen to the melodies and fucking breathe.  Because for heaven's sake, we can all use a break.

But do please listen in order since there is a method to my madness, after all.



The Magnetic Fields // The Dreaming Moon // Get Lost // 1995



The Sundays //  Joy // Reading, Writing, Arithmetic // 1990



Catch this uploaded video before it's gone.  It's commercial free for those that can view it.

Cocteau Twins // Heaven or Las Vegas // Heaven or Las Vegas // 1990