Introduction
Five Songs, 9/19/2021
Five Songs

Five Songs, 9/19/2021

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Andrew Bird, "Pathetique"

Bird Songs collects all three of Andrew Bird's early records, when he was still recording as Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire. The first two records, Oh! The Grandeur! and Thrills, have a very old-timey feel, very similar to what the Squirrel Nut Zippers were making. The third record, The Swimming Hour, was really his breakthrough record, melding his older sensibility with more modern songwriting, with pretty special results. If you haven't heard the records, this collection is a monster deal. If you, say, already have all three records and then pre-ordered this compilation without knowing what it was, it's less of a bargain.

Jazz Spastiks, "Jazz Party"

squints I'm probably not allowed to say anything about a track with "jazz" in both the artist and song name.

Black Flag, "TV Party"

One of the original punk party songs, the "we've got / nothing better to do!" chorus goes through my head unsolicited pretty often. And it's really hilarious that this album shouted out Saturday Night Live forty years ago.

Clem Snide, "Fill Me With Your Light"

The last Clem Snide record before "hiatus", it was the logical end of the course that they had charted across five albums. The songs had evolved from spare and kind of haunting all the way to fairly lush pop arrangements, and it made sense that Eef Barzelay wanted to kind of reset the progression with a simpler record. That said, it's a lovely album, even if maybe it doesn't have quite the same spark as some of the earlier stuff.

Pigs, "Give It"

Love me a big drum intro! This is like an AC/DC song where somebody found the dial that said "FUCKED UP" and cranked it way up for the vocals and guitars.

Joshua Buergel
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