#stansky

[oneawkwardcookie]

You're growing tired of me And all the things I don't talk about Sorry, I don't want your touch It's not that I don't want you Sorry, I can't take your touch

[flamingredskyes]

This is my all-purpose tumblr so here’s some weird stuff I made

[tales-of-the-red-room]

Tales of Suspense #53, 1964

[oneawkwardcookie]

Set fire to your helplessness To the conflict of never being together If your love becomes a poison I'll drink it all

[bowdoinorient]

Literal House Music

Musical Notes: Themed Playlists 

by Kevin Stansky

According to Wikipedia, “House Music” originated in Chicago during the 1980s and may have received its name from “The Warehouse,” a Chicago nightclub. I’m not much of a fan of pulsating synth riffs and repetitive instructions like “Don’t stop,” but I thought that people referred to this genre of dance music as “House” because it was played at house dance parties and the characteristic electronic drum lines were so loud that they shook the floorboards. My naïve definition was definitely too literal.

If I took a shot at the etymology of the broader genre of “Electronic Music” using the same approach, I would have landed upon a definition hinged upon sounds produced by something that uses electricity and anything that requires amplification would fit under this ridiculous definition. Defining “Heavy Metal” would involve the periodic table and a welding iron.

It’s tough to organize music according to genres, when the genres are hard to define. Take the stupidly silly genres that iTunes assigns to your music: Alt Folk, Post Punk and the best of all Other. Although literal definitions of musical genres are, in most respects useless, they at least leave little room for interpretation.

In the theme of literal music genre definitions, here’s a “House Music” playlist—DJ Tiesto wouldn’t play/mix most of these songs.

"Daft Punk is Playing at My House" by LCD Soundsystem

A dance song that’s literally about a dance party at someone’s house.

"Brick House" by The Commodores 

Although the song title is actually a metaphor, the song is too good not to include in the playlist.

"Our House" by Crosby Stills Nash and Young

CSNY paint a picture of an actual house, ideal for a late afternoon nap with windows, “illuminated by the evening sunshine.” “Our House” may not the best song to clean a house to, but undoubtedly a song about a “very very very fine house.”

"Our House" by Madness

The indelible chorus chant “Our House in the Middle of our Street, our house that was where we used to sleep” backed with '80s synth horns is the perfect song listen to while doing some spring-cleaning. Who would have thought a song about ironing shirts and a father wearing his Sunday vest would be so catchy. I’m not even sure what a Sunday vest looks like—it’s probably something fathers wear in England.

"The Old Apartment" by The Barenaked Ladies

Like Madness’s reminiscence of their house with a central location on the street, nostalgia for their "Old Apartment" and upsetting the ornery lady in the apartment below consumes the witty Canadians of the Barenaked Ladies. 

"Red House" by Jimi Hendrix

A blues song about a house over yonder.

[bowdoinorient]

The Two Ricks, Joe and Lucky Gary

Musical Notes: Themed Playlists

 by Kevin Stansky

The Boston band The Cars led by Rick Ocasek is best known for its muted guitar riffs, synth noodling and a song about a friend’s girlfriend. Recently, The Cars completed its first album since 1987. In light of Ocasek’s musings about the significant other of a friend, I realized that there is a suite of rock songs that deal with girls lost to friends, friends named Jessie with good-looking girlfriends (actually only one song with the previous theme, coincidentally written by another guy named Rick) and more generally creepy dudes liking other dudes’ girlfriends.

Rick Springfield’s “Jessie’s Girl” is one of the most well-known girlfriend songs. Too bad for him, I think most people don’t know who he is; with a name like Rick Springfield I think John Smith may be the only name that’s more forgettable.

I have to admit I thought he was a made-up character in the Showtime series “Californication”—he played himself trying to reconnect with his aging fan base, not too far off.

I did a little research about the origins of Jessie’s girl. Turns out it was Gary’s girl and Mr. Springfield meet Gary and Co. at a stained-glass class—you couldn’t make this stuff up.  Although the alliteration of “Gary’s Girl” may have satiated the pop fans, the former Soap Opera Doctor made the right decision by bypassing Gary and using an asexual name in place of one that evokes images of gym teachers and receding hairlines.

In honor of The Cars, here’s a playlist of songs about friends, girls and the two.

“My Best Friend’s Girl” by The Cars

Boston’s boys reminisce atop a hand-clapping '70s dance tune.

“Is She Really Going Out With Him?” by Joe Jackson

“Pretty Women out walking with gorillas down my street…there’s a lady I used to know.” Although best friends are substituted for gorillas, Jackson’s inquisitive song has a similar vibe to that of The Cars' hit.

“Alison” by Elvis Costello & The Attractions

Costello in his slow dance number tries not to get “too sentimental like those other sticky valentines,” but can’t resist asking about what happened with her “party dress.” 

“Do You Know What I Mean” by Lee Michaels

Michaels “just saw her with [his] best friend.” He should look to the two Ricks and Joe for consolation. 

“Who Is He (And What He is To You)” by Bill Withers

This is probably the most confrontational of the songs on this list. Finally a guy with a generic name steps it up.

“Jessie’s Girl” by Rick Springfield

Stupid Gary. 

[bowdoinorient]

End of the World Music

Musical Notes: Themed Playlists

by Kevin Stansky

Over winter break I watched National Geographic—or as habitual viewers abbreviate it, Nat Geo—to such an extent that I considered myself an expert in several endangered species of frogs as well as a pseudo-dog whisperer. Near the end of break, there was an entire week dedicated to the end-of the-world and as a fan of NG, to further abbreviate the station’s name, I had to watch.

I thought it would be useful to know when various cultures, experts and insane people thought the apocalypse would come. As far as information goes, I think info on the end-of the-world is up there on the list of important stuff to know.

After the end-of the-world week ended, I was not full of useful doomsday knowledge, but instead was thoroughly depressed. So I decided to watch “Whose line is it anyway?” re-runs for the remainder of the break and everything was fine.

After a “Whose line,” (the abbreviation used by fans of the ABC Family classic) recovery, I could reflect on the end-of the-world. I realized that if Dave Matthews sings about it then I’m cool with a major asteroid collision, alien invasion or some resurrection event (not really, but I’d rather listen to “When the World Ends” than “Real World” by Matchbox Twenty as the world implodes).

The following is a playlist of songs that reference the end of the world. Enjoy...until 2012.

“When the World Ends” by Dave Matthews Band

This bass driven crowd pleaser frequents the set lists of DMB perennial summer concert tours. Live versions of the song feature the following line that gets the bleary-eyed crowd excited: “When the world ends, we’ll be burning…one.”

“End of the World” by Clear Conscience

A rap-reggae rant on gas masks and the year 2006.

“It’s the End of the World as We Know It (and I Feel Fine)” by R.E.M

An indelible ’90s tongue twister. 

“World Wide Suicide” by Pearl Jam

A great way to rock out with a glass of Cool-Aid.

“I’ve Just Destroyed the World” by Willie Nelson

An introspective metaphoric love song off of Mr. Nelson’s reggae album. 

“Questioned Apocalypse” by Dispatch

The NESCAC jam band “learned how to think in college” and its members have decided to analyze the apocalypse. 

[bowdoinorient]

NESCAC Music

Musical Notes: Themed Playlists

 By Kevin Stansky

I like the band Dispatch despite their name evoking images of Natural Light, man-hugs and boat shoes. People scoff at the intro lick of “The General” and mockingly recite lines from “Two Coins” in an exaggerated bro drawl.

Personally, I have no problem with cheap beer and a slip-free hug out on the water, but I can see where Dispatch critics are coming from. Issues with Brooks Brothers aside, Dispatch is a great band whose popularity is a testament to college radio and evidence that promotion avenues independent of major record labels are highly effective.

During a Wikipedia-aided procrastination session, I read that Chad Urmston, Brad Corrigan, and Pete Heimbold formed Dispatch at Middleburry College or "Club Midd," in bro-speak. After following several Wikipedia tangents, I realized a number of famous and pseudo-famous artists (i.e. Sam Adams, the self proclaimed “Boston’s Boy” and Trinity Soccer bro) were formed at NESCAC schools or by 'CAC alumni.

Although Bowdoin doesn’t have any widely popular “notable music alumni” according to Wikipedia, neither do Colby and Bates, so there’s no problem there. The title of “most musical NESCAC” must be split between the frequently forgotten NESCAC Tufts University and Wesleyan University—I guess graduate schools augment creativity.

In the spirit of Dispatch and college, I thought I would go with the flow and make a playlist of songs by NESCAC alumni.

Middlebury College

“The General” by Dispatch

Wesleyan University

“Electric Feel” by MGMT

“L.E.S Artistes” by Santigold

Tufts University

“Demons” by Guster

“Revolution” by Tracy Chapman

Williams College

“Stacy’s Mom” by Fountains of Wayne

The rationale for putting the above songs in this playlist is self-explanatory. The same is true for Fountains of Wayne’s cougar fantasy. However, I couldn’t help commenting on this one—this song makes me proud not to go to Williams.

Great song Williams…if you consider a song like “Scotty Doesn’t Know” by Lustra a game changer.

Connecticut College

“The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth” by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

Trinity College

“Driving Me Crazy” by Sam Adams