Heart on a Stick
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Stronger. Faster. Can Spell.
posted 03/02/2007
I’m about to make you a happy little bunch of fuckers.
Don’t start thanking me all at once.
This morning was awful, wasn’t it? Sky shitting down, flooded streetcorners, soaked socks. It’s Friday. You’re ready to bounce off the walls. Lucky for you, I got the best song you’re gonna hear this week(*). Brace yourself. I’m gonna splooge Bazooka Joe all over your Converse.
The Dollyrots (myspace) are a trio based around a pair of Floridians – Kelly Ogden, Luis Cabezas – who fled the sunny, sleazy Tyranny of the Hanging Chad for the equally sunny, equally sleazy Land of Lala. They’ve got a new record – that’s the title track you’re loving, right now – coming out in a couple weeks on Joan Jett’s label.(**)
Wait here a sec. I’ve got to listen to that song two thousand more times.
“Awesome” hits the perfect pop-punk sweet spot. There are those who’d argue that “pop” and “punk” don’t belong together; those folks help make this song work. Is there anything more disposably pop than anarchy? Punk was built for brats. Debbie Gibson, Tiffany – playing concerts in the mall, how punk rock is that?
Words are empty, concepts useless. Everything is its own opposite. We’re French-kissing the looking glass here, people. It’s the complex simplicity of this song, the clever dumbthink, the earnestness of its ironic assertions, the refusal of all conflict that give it its bubblegum oomph. While frothy power chordage rages on, The D’rots’re droppin’ mots like “I don’t need you/cuz I’m neato?”
WHERE’S THEIR FUCKING PULITZER?
Okay, listen: We’re supposed to hate the narrator, right? We’re supposed to hate how in-yo-face they are about how awsum-they-is? Then why does it work so effectively as an affirmation? Because you’re so sure that you’re better than this asshole who’s going on about how great they are.
You want to argue that it’s no great shakes because it’s formulaic and familiar? I’d argue that its familiarity is one of the things that makes it special. Not a position I really feel like defending. But I don’t have to. Cuz I’m awesome.Do it, do it now: Kick off those wet socks, bounce around the cubicle screaming this shit. “Because I’m Awesome” shoves cake down your throat while helping you to burn off the calories.
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It’s a hell of a lot better than that new Avril Lavigne song.
*
There’s good stuff on the rest of the Awesome CD – you can stream most of it here – though nothing ever nears the awesome heights of “Awesome.” Pop-punk’s regular beat and full sound guarantee some monotony; it helps when the band gets spare (and at times Ogden’s bass sounds like Kim Deal’s). The ‘rots spice stuff up with 60s homages (“This Crush”), a gen-YTube “We Didn’t Start the Fire” (“A Desperate SOS”), and an appropriately chipmunkish cover of – are you sitting down? – Melanie’s “Brand New Key” (as in “I’ve got a brand new pair of rollerskates, you’ve got a...”). The closing track’s called “Tummy Tum Tum.” It’ll put a spring in your step and cause four out of five dentists to shake their heads disapprovingly.
The band’s last album, 2004’s Eat My Heart Out, came from Lookout! Records; that can be streamed here. It’s a sweeter, simpler thing. I like their takes on the girl group sound. Somewhere, Joey Ramone (who fronted the very first pop-punk group) is smiling.
For a band with a record coming out, they have almost nothing in the way of tour dates. There will be at least a couple shows at SXSW, info on their myspace. [UPDATE: A bunch of shows just showed up on their myspace, including a May 11th NYC date at the Knitting Factory. Ticket info to come.]
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Lavigne is credited with spearheading the current wave... but a year before Avril’s sk8terade hit the radio, the repulsive, self-satisfied Josie and the Pussycats movie had already predicted that pop-punk would banish The Boy Band from the charts. Fall Out Boy should thank its lucky stars for... The Counting Crows?The movie’s awful, but the soundtrack is great: Pussycats features songs written by Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne), Anna Waronker (that dog.), Kay Hanley (Letters to Cleo) and, yes, Adam Duritz. Hanley’s the singing voice of Josie.
“If you think that’s cool... whatever, dude.” This one was written by Hanley and her partner, Lettersman "USA Mike" Eisenstein. Having been a fan of Boston alt-rockers Letters to Cleo ever since Melrose Place clubbed me to death with “Here & Now,” it was nice to hear her voice again.
(The comfort of a knowledge of a rise above the sky could never parallel the challenge of an acquisition in the here and now. You’re welcome.)
Indulge me, here (I’m awesome, remember?); I was going to get giddy with girly pop-punk, but instead got a bit curious about Kay.
I saw Hanley at the Mercury Lounge last year, and her set consisted of mostly new (to me, at least) material. A bit frustrating, a bit exciting. Cleo’s last record came out in 1999 (they called it quits in 2000 after making an appearance in 10 Things I Hate About You), and it’s comforting to know that folks who fall off the radar are making it, somehow, somewhere. Hanley lives in L.A. now with USA Mike and their two kids; in addition to her solo stuff (she’s released a full length and an EP), she’s got a side-project with Michelle Lewis called The Dilettantes and has done some cartoon and video game music.
(She also seems to be at the center of a convergence of 90s female singer/songwriter one-hit wonders; a quick perusal of her site turned up the names of friends Jill Sobule, Lisa Loeb, Tracy Bonham, and Nina Gordon.)
That’s from her Babydoll EP. Letters to Cleo was never – not on record, at least – punk; alt-rock, power-pop, whatever. And it only makes sense that Hanley’s stuff has gotten a little slower as she’s gotten older. But the rock is still there, and Hanley’s voice has always been a bratty one. It’s just strange to hear it offer any kind of wisdom.
A few new songs have been added recently to her myspace, but the real treat is the video below. The song’s missing an ending, but it rocks. It’s not bubblegum. It’s microwave popcorn. And not really something one should listen to while job-hunting.
Scoot-scoot, shabba-shabba, scoot-scoot. Cuz it’s awesome.
(*) Because Local H rotated “Michelle” off their myspace. That record better come soon.
(**) I rarely read PR e-mails, but somehow – I figure it has something to do with this very mixed review – wound up on Jett’s firm’s mailing list. And when a mail boasts that something is “Little Steven’s ‘Coolest Song in the World’ this week’” I’ll probably listen to it.
*
I haven’t been paying full attention to American Idol this year, mostly because no one so far has demanded it. The folks I’ve warmed to haven’t had voices strong enough to keep them in the competition; the ones with talent lack personality.
And I’m better off not caring. I got sort of excited over Taylor Hicks last year; it was painful to watch him get processed into an acceptable product. So there’s no rooting, this year. Just casual interest in the process itself.
But: The other night, Melinda Doolittle gave a performance that was too good for this program.
That’s just really, really good. Not mannered in the least. Nicely shaped. The judges went gaga; hopefully people at home did, too.
Doolittle’s a professional back-up singer and has spoken about being unsure whether she’s good enough to step out from the shadows. She has a very endearing humility. Endearing, but not winning. I’m not a believer in the whole Nice-Guys-Last rule... but on some level I think singers have to be a bit mean. Or at least a little touched. And I just don’t sense we’re going to discover a wide emotional range to Melinda.
Her Idol questionnaire had – in addition to bits about lucky Bibles and such – this wonderful tidbit:
[Yup.]
And remember the rule: American Idol doesn’t ruin music; the people who do nothing but sit at home watching it do. For every episode you watch, you should try to get out and see one band (I saw David Vandervelde at Pianos Tuesday night, and will hopefully cough up a write-up soon). Even if it’s some yokels in a bar. Because thems’ll be your yokels. All your next American Idol will give you are a middling record and an overpriced tour.
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Speaking of:
La Laque (and assorted other Franco-centric stuff), Thermals, Fucked Up, Young Knives(rescheduled). Those people want you to see those things.
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How does exacting Korean director Park Chan-wook follow his “Revenge Dodecahedrology” (Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Oldboy, Sympathy for Lady Vengeance, Free Checking for Uncle Vengeance, A Fistful of Hot Older Sister Vengeance, Mother Vengeance Jugs and Speed, My Cousin Vengeance, The Abominable Dr. Vengeance, Revenge of the Vengeance Seven, Vengeance Me This, The Vengeance Monologues, Jonah: A Vengeancetable Tale, My Bloody Vengeancetime, The Vengeance of the Lambs, Boy Did I Get a Wrong Vengeance, The Devil Wears Vengeance, Vengeance Takes a Holiday, Die Hard: With a Vengeance (remake), Vengeance Potter and the Vengeance of Vengeance, O Heavenly Vengeance, Stop! Or My Mother Will Vengeance, Ballistic: Vengeance vs. Vengeance, Operation Vengeance Drop, Herbie: Vengeance Loaded, Inherit the Vengeance, Eat My Vengeance!, Grand Theft Vengeance, Snow Vengeance and the Vengeance of Doom, Snakes on a Plane (Special Vengeance Edition), Steel Vengeance-nolias, Vengeance and Vengeancer, Gigli, I Vengeance Huckabees, V.E.N.G.E.A.N.C.E., Mother May I Sleep with Vengeance?, It’s a Vengeful Life, Cabinboy, It’s a Vengeful Vengeful Vengeful Vengeful World, Vengeanceqatsi, L’Avvengeance, In the Mood for Vengeance, Why Has Bodhi-Dharma Left for the East? (To Get Revenge), How Green Was My Vengeance, Sunset Boulevengeance, eXiveNgeancE, V.T. the Vengeance Terrestrial, Saving Private Vengeance, V for Vengeance, La Dolce Vengeance, Mr. Smith Goes to Vengeance, Singin’ in the Vengeance, Little Miss Vengeanceshine, Vengeance & Gromit Cut Your Fucking Head Off and Feed it to Your Pet, Van Vengeance: The Rise of Taj, The Man Who Shot Liberty Vengeance, Doctor Zhivengeance, Se7engeance, and more than eighty others you can enjoy with your entire family!)?
With a romantic comedy, natch!
Dave Kehr points us to the new site for Park’s I’m a Cyborg and You’re OK. It’s a magical romance that takes place inside a mental institution. Meet cute!
The site (which takes forever to load) is pretty nifty, though.
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ATTENTION HOLLYWOOD: Should Zodiac have a huge opening weekend, do NOT take that to mean that America WANTS a THOUSAND MORE SERIAL KILLER MOVIES. ASHLEY JUDD, do NOT answer your phone this weekend. THANK YOU.
YES? YOU THERE IN THE BACK? (2)
2. Louise7 left...
07/19/2008 10:13 am
Melinda Doolittle will released her first album in fall and working also on
Holiday CD. www.mdstreetteam.com new website to support Melinda's career
you very welcome to join us.