Category Archives: men at work

I am defined by my failures.

Posted on by
Reply

I need you to remind me to relax. I’m a work-aholic by nature. That’s not quite right. I’m super fucking lazy, but there is a guilt inside me that keeps me working. Working quiets the voices that tell me I am a failure, that I never reached my potential.

I need someone to tell me to take a vacation. That it’s time to kick back. Otherwise, I burn my vacation days working from home, or perhaps staying home sick because I burned that candle too long at both ends.

I probably just gave you some anxiety. It’s gonna be ok. I am going to give us a bit of aural vacationing in this post. Get your sunblock…

There are certain tracks that remind me of being poolside with my lady. Head full of alcohol and some great tunes isn’t a vacation, but it can help you get some sanity back. I have an album to throw on your device of choice to provide a Gretzky to your pool day. Los Angeles band, Foster the People, has a new LP out out entitled Torches that is full of perfect summer tunes. It makes sense, where everyday is like a beach day in LA. You may have heard the song I’m sharing, it trended on radio quite a bit. I don’t listen to much radio these days, so you tell me.

Click to play Foster The People – Pumped Up Kicks

All the above was written a week ago. I was so busy that I couldn’t even finish my post. Here I am a week later trying to finish it. This last week has been especially tiring. Besides all my workouts and running around town to get things done, I’ve been using my brain way too much. When your body and mind are both completely spent at the end of the day, it’s important to just take one day to recharge. I decided to come to my local coffee shop to finish the post. The coffee is excellent here, the staff friendly and competent, and the vibe is good. I’m sitting here, feeling the lift of my Nutty Cow Latte and listening to song playing over the speakers. I look it up with Shazaam and find that it’s the song “Little Hell” by the band City and Colour. Loving the vibe of this song. It’s putting my mind at ease. Which is good, because while I’m at the coffee shop I’m getting phone calls that almost allow the anxiety of all the things I should/need to do. Breathe. Listen.

Click to play City and Colour – Little Hell

City and Colour is the side project of Dallas Green (Get it?) who is the singer and guitarist for a post-hardcore band that I like, Alexisonfire.

Take it from the band The Young Veins, it’s time to “Take A Vacation!” Until then, I’ll still be here hustling…

is it truly hip to be square?

Posted on by
2
You like Huey Lewis and The News?

Their early work was a little too new wave for my tastes, but when Sports came out in ’83, I think they really came into their own, commercially and artistically. The whole album has a clear, crisp sound, and a new sheen of consummate professionalism that really gives the songs a big boost. He’s been compared to Elvis Costello, but I think Huey has a far more bitter, cynical sense of humour.

The Definitive Collection

A few weekends ago I had an evening in with friends. We ate, drank, played table games, and eventually broke out the record player. Before I go any further I should explain that my vinyl collection is a strange mix, mostly gathered from thrift stores and working at a library when they were phasing out their media. As much as I enjoy LPs I wouldn’t be called a collector by any stretch. Just wanted to get that out of the way so you’ll (maybe) be less likely to judge me.

The group rifled through my records, everyone putting together their own little playlist. When we started the music I noticed a shocking trend: the albums everyone agreed on most as “top plays” were far from what I would have expected. We had Air Supply, Huey Lewis, Men At Work, and Bonnie Tyler. Stevie Wonder’s Innervisions made the cut but Willie Nelson did not. We had Wham on reserve while Cat Stevens sat lonely in the discard pile. Maybe this isn’t that strange objectively, but this group is primarily plugged into indie rock and a step away from the mainstream, with the exception of the one hardcore rap fan. Huey Lewis wouldn’t even seem a viable option until we all realized at once that we did indeed need a new drug.

I suppose there’s no real point to this post, other than the impact of nostalgia and finding a common bond in music that may not otherwise make your playlist. It makes for strange bedfellows. Or maybe having a more finite, random playlist brings people to an unexpected common ground. Or maybe I just wanted an excuse to post some pop music from days of yore.

I guess what I’m really saying is this: Never underestimate the power of Air Supply.

This video is louder than the rest. Watch the volume and protect your ears.

I actually kinda hate putting that song in with the others because I think it’s really, really good. I’m just running with the theme here. Go buy some Men At Work albums if you don’t know them well: their music still stands up today.