A band I've liked for years has recently come back to my mind, and I've been listening to them a bunch.
The Violent Femmes are well known for their song Blister In The Sun, and probably Kiss Off, but I've listened to so many of their tunes and they have some great ones.
Add It Up (live) - Violent Femmes
The video and sound quality of this song is great, and while I don't usually listen to live versions of songs, as I find it's hard for them to outdo their studio recordings. This version of the song however, is one of the only ones I listen to.
Of course the studio version is great too, but after listening to this, the studio version feels as though there is something missing.
For a three piece they make a whole lot of noise, and I've always had admiration for anyone who can sing while also playing their instrument. I used to play bass and sing, but I found it hard to play anything basic while playing.
The bass player of this band steals the show so many times during their recordings. The whole band has a very rough around the edges feel to them, and even when something initially sounds like a mistake, you quickly realise that it isn't, and is instead a happy accident that is then incorporated to the song.
Crazy (Gnarls Barkley Cover) - Violent Femmes
I was blown away the first time I heard their version of this song, and it quickly became one of my favourites of theirs, and I actually like it more than the original.
There's something about it that has this haunting feeling, while also feeling happy. I suppose that duality in the vibe of this tune fits well with a song about craziness.
It's great too that the recording is so clean, to the point that every single instrument and addition is clear and it's easy to focus and pick out certain things in the mix.
Also, it's cool that Gnarls Barkley done a cover of Gone Daddy Gone by the Femmes. I really like the original version, but similar to the Violent Femmes cover of Crazy, I actually nearly like this version of the song more than the original.
It's nice to hear two groups cover each others music, and do it justice; bringing something new to the table. Unlike the Rancid NOFX split, where NOFX done great versions of Rancid's songs, while Rancid screwed up and gave birth to a musical mutant that should have been aborted.
Look Like That - Violent Femmes
"I like his shoes. I like his hat. I'd like me better if I looked like that."
I like that you can hear that they're having fun with it. There are moments where you can hear the singer laughing, and I love that kind of stuff, and the fact that they left in says a lot about them.
Are they the greatest musicians in the world? Well, maybe not, but they're damn good at what they do, and not only are they good at what they do, the fun they had/ have with their songs, bleeds through in the recordings. For me, that's a plus, because I don't like overly series players who beat themselves up for making mistakes.
It's music, it's meant to be fun.
My dad once said about the band that we're in together - Dangerous Dave and the Side Effects - "I do this because it's fun to me. If it ever stops being fun, I'm out."
I share the same attitude towards music; play with dirt on your sleeves, and have fun. If it becomes work/ a job, what's the point?
It's the same attitude I have about Hive and just about every other endeavor - creative or otherwise. If I'm not having fun, I wouldn't be doing it.