The genius of Mitski- a tiny case study

 The bridge in Your Best American Girl is one of the greatest bridges (or series)  in popular music history IMHO. Both musically and lyrically it does exactly what a bridge is supposed to. Musically it is dramatic and bold, but arises completely naturally from the song. It takes the song to a whole new, unforeseen but inevitable plane. The lyrics are so moving they still hit me every single time. She is working out her issues with her mother and insecurities about her place in the world in real time… figuring it out, showing her work, then freaking proclaiming it. I feel like she’s starting the bridge in that awful, insecure dampening of ourselves we do when young to fit in, but immediately gathering strength and casting that shit off- almost aggressively but certainly confidently and very, very beautifully. And this new found confidence is coming not from her figuring out this romantic relationship in front of her, but by reflecting and figuring out her relationship with her mother. She gives use chapters of backstory with the efficiency of a master poet. In the brief progression of this line and the reprise, we get the the previous doubts, blaming, shame  and confusion around that relationship resolved epiphany style and she immediately uses it to walk into that romantic encounter (that we *thought* the song was about) from a position of power. For the first time? 

“Your mother wouldn't approve of how my mother raised me

But I do, I think I do…”

Then, at the end of the song, “…But I do, I * finally* do.” And we don’t even have time to get into the plaintive turned superhero powerful guitar the bridge! Or the delicious cacophony barely bridled! Chef’s kiss and misty eyes! 

https://youtu.be/BjGB9hc5huk?si=daCC0Xw4wYSq6yFc

This is how we roll

:)

Best of 2011

1. Nine Types of Light – TV On The Radio
2. Goodbye Bread – Ty Segall
3. Whokill - Tune-yards
4. SBTRKT – SBTRKT
5. Father, Son, Holy Ghost - Girls
6. Fucked up – David Comes to Life
7. XXX – Danny Brown
8. Wounded Rhymes – Lykke Li
9. Yuck – Yuck
10. Gloss Drop - Battles
11. What were you hoping for? – VanHunt
12. In The Grace of Your Love – The Rapture
13. Relax – Das Racist
14. What Did You Expect From The Vaccines? – The Vaccines
15. Domino – Cass McCombs
16. Past Life Martyred Saints - EMA
17. Strange Mercy – St Vincent
18. Stone Rollin – Raphael Saadiq
19. King of the Party – Big Sam’s Funky Nation
20. Dye It Blonde – Smith Westerns
21. Never trust a Happy Song - Grouplove
22. Days – Real Estate
23. Smoke Ring For My Halo – Kurt Vile
24. Nostalgia Ultra – Frank Ocean
25. The Pains of being Pure of Heart - The Pains of being Pure of Heart
26. Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Unknown Mortal Orchestra
27. Undon – The Roots
28. Burst Apart - Antlers
29. Build A Better Rocket Boys - Elbow
30. Celestial Lineage – Wolves in the Throne Room
31. Parallax – Atlas Sound
32. King of Limbs - Radiohead
33. Raven In The Grave - The Ravonettes
34. The Year of Hibernation – Youth lagoon
35. New Brigade – Iceage
36. El Camino – The Black Keys
37. Rome – Danger Mouse & Daniel Luppi
38. Codes and keys - Death Cab For Cutie
39. 21- Adele
40. Own Side Now - Caitlyn Rose
41. Let England shake – PJ Harvey
42. Helpless Blues - Fleet Foxes
43. Anna Calvi – Anna Calvi
44. 12 Desperate Straight Lines – Telekinesis
45. Slave Ambiant – The War On Drugs
46. 50 Words for Snow – Kate Bush
47. The Hunter – Matodon
48. Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming – M83
49. Conatus – Zola Jesus
50. The Rip Tide - Beirut

The 5 songs that saved my musical life

As a young music fan, I was heading down a very narrow road of nothing but hard rock, pop soul and testosterone. Aside from “Beth” by Kiss, if it didn’t rock – and rock hard! – I wasn’t interested. Don’t get me wrong, I still love my Zeppelin, Sabbath and Judas Priest, but if it weren’t for these songs I would have missed out on so much incredible music and some really good times.
Take me to the River – The Talking Heads. The first time I heard this song I was stopped dead in my tracks. I had the feeling I was experiencing something big that I didn’t quite fully understand. Like I was over-hearing an important adult conversation. I had never imagined white people could make music so funky, soulful and deep. This song made me feel down to my core how rhythm is just as important as melody. But what still blows me away is how this song simultaneously sounds fresh and brand new and deeply rooted - and almost anointed - by the oldest of American music traditions. The Talking Heads were the first non-rock band I feel hard for and they opened up the world to me. And who was this David Byrne character? A nerd to be sure, but in total command. Was he serious? Was he a joke? Was he crazy? Whatever he was, he was the man!
Rock Lobster – The B52s. The first time I heard this song I was in my friends front yard goofing around and something very strange came wafting out the window of his older brother’s room. We all looked at each other wondering, “What the hell is that?” I took my music very seriously in those days, and it was a mortal sin to hear “There goes a dog fish – woof woof…” But the disturbing part was I liked it… a lot! This song helped me realize music was supposed to be fun and freaky. It filled me with a sense of abandonment I don’t think I was nearly secure enough to find on my own. And, oh yeah – it ROCKED!
Five Years – David Bowie. I was probably in about third or fourth grade when I first heard Ziggy Stardust and at the time, I completely associated rock with machismo. Here came an androgynous, wafer thin, wanna be spaceman, ass-kicking drama queen to cast the first doubts in my rock-god worship.
Search and Destroy – Iggy Pop. I didn’t quite know what to think of punk at first, but Iggy made it crystal clear to me – it’s just rock and roll. He stripped away the circus and the excess and brought me back to the core of rock.
Meat Puppets – multiple songs live.

Country music was my last musical prejudice. By the time I saw my first couple of Meat Puppets shows, my musical horizons had expanded pretty much every direction except South. It took me a while to figure out that one of the things I liked best about this incredible band was their bastardized country influences. My walls came down and I found some great music. Imagine, I might have lived a life without Willie Nelson!