Introduction
Five Songs, 5/16/2018
Five Songs

Five Songs, 5/16/2018

Today!

Daft Punk, "Give Life Back To Music"

As a teenager, I took it for granted that disco sucked. Everybody knew it sucked, right? It was shiny and for dancing! I didn't really interrogate the reasons why there was a cultural backlash against disco, it was just a thing that happened, and obviously it had to happen to pave the way for what followed. It took a while for me to really think about it. Why were so many people so dead set against disco? That they were willing to not just dislike a genre but adopt hating it as part of their identity. And, of course, the penny finally dropped one day: disco was a haven for people outside the rock mainstream, a place where gay folks, people of color, and just loads of diverse folks could be accepted and be themselves. It was a scene that wasn't just welcoming of these differences, but embraced them. So, of course it had to go. People couldn't just ignore it if they didn't like it. That scene had to be destroyed.

Daft Punk, of course, were not part of that original scene. But I'm glad that they're part of a disco revival. And we should all listen to more disco, more original disco. I don't know a ton about it yet, but I'm going to fix that.

Yo La Tengo, "Oh Bondage, Up Yours!"

Another track from Yo La Tengo Is Murdering The Classics. And, well, it's a bit of a mess.

John Zorn, "Hank's Other Tune"

John Zorn, along with with trombonist George Lewis and guitarist Bill Frisell, decided to explore a bunch of jazz compositions without any traditional rhythm instumentation, exploring the interplay of...hang on, my phone is ringing.

uh huh. yeah. i know. ok.

Uh, the FCC says I can't go any further. Something about a license?

(NB: The song in question starts at 56:16 in the linked video.)

Buck-O-Nine, "Here We Go Again"

How unfair is it that I can talk all I want about forgotten third wave ska acts, but the minute I stray into jazz, it becomes a federal case? Anyway, Buck-O-Nine were a ska-punk band out of San Diego, and they nail the things that you have to nail for that combination to work: limitless energy and catchy, fun tunes. That's all you really need. For a couple albums, they got it right.

Rogue Wave, "Falcon Settles Me"

What did I say last time? (looks) Yeah, OK, covered it last time. Rogue Wave undeniably existed. Good job, folks!

Joshua Buergel
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