Music Mondays: Songs by Islands, Mudhoney and Scarlett Johansson
Published 3:06 pm Friday, May 16, 2008
This week, I reviewed the Islands’ new album “Arm’s Way,” Mudhoney’s “The Lucky Ones,” and Scarlett Johansson’s collection of Tom Waits covers, “Anywhere I Lay My Head.”
Here’s a look at some tracks that, for one reason or another, jumped out at me from the albums. Click on the album and group name to buy the disc or click on the song title to hear the song in a new window.
“The Arm” — After a string section warms itself up, singer Nick Thorburn starts singing a characteristically grim song about how the arm is going to come for someone who was in a car crash. Hard to say that means, exactly, but it sounds good, no?
“Creeper” — Probably the danciest song on the album, this catchy song finds Thorburn singing that, “Right from the start, I was stabbed in the heart.” That’s no metaphor for love. He’s been stabbed in the heart. Literally.
“Abominable Snow” — A more straight-up rock number, this song includes the nice little play on words about how Thorburn thought he “saw a Yeti, yet I didn’t die.” Get it? Yeti? Yet I? Eh? Ah, forget it.
“I’m Now” — Hands down my favorite song on Mudhoney’s new album, this song emphasizes the worth of sites like iTunes. The group’s new album isn’t worth $10, but this song is worth a buck (even though the game show buzzer that goes off halfway through is obnoxious.)
“Inside Out Over You” — This song ain’t bad, but it sort of shows you what the rest of the album sounds like. The group apparently recorded the entire record in 3 ½ days. Maybe there would have been more variety if they’d spent a full week.
Scarlett Johansson – “Anywhere I Lay My Head”
“Anywhere I Lay My Head” — Let’s play compare and contrast. After listening to Johansson’s version, which is decent but dull, give Waits’ theatrical original a spin. My money’s on Waits.
