Music is Happiness

Since today was actually a pretty great day, especially compared to the past two days, I thought I would talk about something not related to my health. I will say, however, that plenty of sleep, lots of fluids and yoga have worked wonders to make me feel better. Who need pain pills? I sure don't.

Another thing that has helped, other than the support of loved ones, has been music. There have been three albums in particular that have helped distract me from the various upsets life has thrown my way.

The first is Wilco's self-titled album. Wilco has been one of my favorite bands since my older brother introduced me to them. But I listened to this particular album streaming a few weeks before it came out and wasn't impressed. It took listening to it three times, all the way through, for me to realize how brilliant it is (just like all of their other albums). Every season, I tend to find a new album I get hooked on (particularly after a breakup). Wilco (The Album) is my summer/breakup album for 2009. I had been looking for something to break my musical rut, and that album did it for me. Wilco (The Song), One Wing and Bull Black Nova are particular favorite tracks. But it's beautiful from start to finish. I love Wilco's poppier side. Summerteeth is my favorite (possibly second favorite now) Wilco album. But you mainly here the Beach Boys and the Beatles on that record. On Wilco you can also hear Television (which makes sense because they're one of Tweedy's favorite bands and Tom Verlaine recently gave him guitar lessons), ELO and the Kinks. But every track is still clearly a Wilco song.

The second album is Dark Night of the Soul, by Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse. Sparklehorse (Mark Linkous) wrote the songs and Danger Mouse provides the beats. Vocalists on the tracks include Gruff Rhys (Super Furry Animals), The Flaming Lips, Vic Chestnutt, Iggy Pop and David Lynch (who also made a book of photographs to accompany the album). Currently, the album is on hold because of a dispute with EMI. But until then, the book is available at Amazon.com and you can listen to the album streaming at NPR.com. I've only given the album one listen, but my favorite tracks thus far are Star Eyes (I Can't Catch It), sung by David Lynch, and Just War, sung by Gruff Rhys. The album is what you would expect from a melding of Danger Mouse's beats with Sparklehorse's lyrics and ethereal musical sensibility. It merits the attention it's been getting. I hope it actually comes out, and soon.

The third album is by The Thermals, a punk band from Portland, Oregon. I must say that over the past couple of years they have increasingly become a favorite of mine. Now We Can See came out in March, but I just got around to (legally) downloading the full album. I'm glad I did. The album, like their others, is chock full of infectious beats and hooks. Hutch Harris' vocals and guitar are powerful and clear and Kathy Foster shows off her multi-instrumental talent by covering drums, bass, piano and backing vocals. As far as I'm concerned, The Thermals are power pop/punk at it's very best. The lyrics have deep meaning, but the music is so catchy that it keeps the songs fun. The tracks I especially love on this one are the title track (with its handclaps and "oh we oh we oooohs"), Liquid In, Liquid Out and Let It Go. But really the whole album is awesome and, like Wilco, bears repeated listening. It also makes you want to dance in your underthings (or maybe that's just me).

All three of these albums are pretty perfect altogether. I can't find one track I feel the need to skip over. That's why they make my list of current musical obsessions. Here's to more blogs about happy things like music. And here's to the talented people who make that music.