SOTM: 22 by Lily Allen

I finally got the new Lily Allen album last week (It’s Not Me It’s You was released at the beginning of February) and I’ve chosen the fourth song off the album as my song of the moment.
It doesn’t seem that long ago that we were bopping along to smile, and hearing tales of people getting robbed in LDN. In each there was a crude note of truth, a revelation of the terrible nature of human society—each and every vice. Well I’m happy to say that this latest album is exactly the same. In fact the album opens with Lily Allen singing about how everyone is on antidepressants. One of my favorite songs off the album is 22 (coming in a very close second in F*** You, which might equate to how sesame street would tell someone to go F*** themselves in a song). Well 22 is like all other Lily Allen songs in that it tell a story, this one happens to be about a girl who, even though she’s only 22, her life would seem to be over. ‘She’s got an alright job, but it’s not a career.’ The song itself is upbeat, starting with a humming organ and moving into a finger snapping beat. The sung lyrics of the verses are nicely contrasted with descents and ascents in the music behind. You’ve also got to love the electric-xylophone type sounds (or perhaps the piano in the bar of old western films) that make up the background of the verses. Overall it’s a very sing-along-able song, and despite its ‘down’ sort of nature is very ‘up’.
My only complaint about the song is how it ends. The song is in a nice little solo, and all of a sudden its over (I guess a bit like the life of the character).

Song of the Moment: 20 Dollar Nose Job

Despite my affinity for totally over produced songs and brass sections in songs, this is my song of the moment.
Like I just said I love songs that a produced way over their need to be, and Fall Out Boy never fails to succeed in doing this flawlessly. This song, the penultimate song on their new album is a prime example of definitive over production gold. Not to mention brass—the superb horns in between chorus and verse and in the breakdown.
Getting away from the actual sound of the music, the lyrics are really good to. The second verse, par example:
It feels like 14 carats but no clarity When I look at the man who would be king The man who would be king goes to the desert to sing war his dad rehearsed came back with flags on coffins and said we won, oh, we won.
I’m fairly sure this is a complete dig at bush as he was on his way out, and it’s written so well. Which is another thing Fall Out Boy never fails at (for the most part)—writing good song lyrics.
Stepping back from the overload of Fall Out Boy Fandom there, its great to here Brendon Urie’s (Panic at the Disco) voice paired up with Patrick Stumps. They make an excellent combo which really adds to this awesome song.
Melodies and lyrics, this song has everything I like in a song. Best song on the album?

SOTM: ‘Talking to Myself’ by Readymade Breakup

This first Song of the Moment is especially pertinent because it was the band I went to see last week. My mate Harris got an invite to go see them at ‘The Space’ in Hamden, CT. So while I was up in Connecticut we decided to go, hearing them on Myspace and them sounding fairly good. Long story short, overall they sound better live than recorded, but their sound and songs are both really good.
Readymade Breakup is a band from Asbury Park, New Jersey made up of 4 members all of whom are male. The lead singer/guitarist has a really good quality voice that really projects (even if he has to dance like a dinosaur to get it out there). Overall the sound of the songs is carried by the melodies of acoustic guitar and piano—both of which played by the lead singer. Their tempo can be related to the killer’s second album, slow yet somehow upbeat…but they sound nothing alike. Running something like KT Tunstall in the feeling of the songs, especially the song ‘Talking to Myself,’ the songs are lead by the steady drums, accented by short riffs from the electric guitar and carried by the vocals of the lead singer. Overall the melodies are something that you can get along with, while not feeling that you’re putting up with it.
My only complaint of the band is that the majority of the band (save the lead vocal-dinosaur) seam dead, tired or bored on stage—just not with it.

…of the Moment

Knowing what a disaster a weekly type update would be, I’ve opted to start something slightly different with the same core values. The ‘… of the Moment’ series will be things that a pertinent or prominent in the time that I chose to right about them. Much like a ‘song of the week’ operates, ‘Song of the Moment’ will describe a song, why I like it and what makes it special. ‘Flash of the Moment’ will operate in much the same way, when I find a Flash movie or game that is worthy of recognition I will mention it in one of these segments. The beauty of this is that I’m not tied to a schedule for updates. I can do them when and how I choose without having to worry that today is Friday which is song of the week day.
Here’s to hoping that this lives past its infancy, and the very first Song of the Moment will follow this post.
You can also catch a listing of all the SOTM and FOTM by clicking on those respective links thanks to Blogger’s labels system.