2008 – Like Fishes Swimming

Go to this page if you want to add the album artwork to iTunes.

✧   ✧   ✧   ✧   ✧

Hello Bonjour
Michael Franti & Spearhead
Yell Fire!

Once again I am going to this album for songs to put on my CD. This is still one of my favorite albums, and after owning it for nearly two years I still listen to it on a regular basis. This song carries a theme of peace and understanding as most of the album does.

✧   ✧   ✧   ✧   ✧

Wondering Where The Lions Are
Bruce Cockburn
Dancing in the Dragon’s Jaws

I’m going back a few decades for this album. Cockburn is a Canadian singer songwriter who has been around since the early 70’s but hasn’t achieved much more than cult status in the US I’m not sure what draws me to this song, but I always find myself singing along at the chorus.

✧   ✧   ✧   ✧   ✧

Walk On Water
David Byrne
Look Into The Eyeball

I’m starting to discover that David Byrne doesn’t seem able to put out a bad album. I like how this song progresses to its celebratory ending. This song also contains the lyric for this year’s CD title.

✧   ✧   ✧   ✧   ✧

Never Here Alone
Collective Soul
Afterwords

While these guys have not been putting out some of their best work lately (I highly recommend any of their first five albums), 2007’s Afterwords holds some pretty good songs. Always well produced, there’s plenty of hooks on this release.

✧   ✧   ✧   ✧   ✧

Frog
Vast
April

It’s not easy being green. Love the horn section on this song.

✧   ✧   ✧   ✧   ✧

L’Enfant Roi
Noir Desir
des Visages des Figures

This French band could probably cross over to the US market if they did a few songs in English, but I suspect that wont happen, and it’s a loss for us. Not understanding French certainly takes nothing away from this album, and this song in particular showcases more how the human voice is used as an instrument. L’Enfant Roi literally translates to The Child King.

✧   ✧   ✧   ✧   ✧

The Perfect Crime #2
Decemberists
The Crane Wife

Every time this song starts I’m reminded of a Talking Heads’ tune whose title I can’t recall just now, but the similarities end there. I like the layers of guitars on this song.

✧   ✧   ✧   ✧   ✧

History Repeating
Propellerheads
decksandrumsandrockandroll

I like the retro sound of this track and you got a love the sound of Shirley Bassey’s voice.

✧   ✧   ✧   ✧   ✧

Step Right Up
Tom Waits
Small Change

I’ve never been a huge fan of Tom Waits (I leave that honor to Susan) but you gotta love the simplicity of this song with it’s bass, sax & drums backing the lyrics mocking marketing hype. Still sounds fresh 35 years after it was released.

✧   ✧   ✧   ✧   ✧

Hey Man (Now You’re Really Living)
The Eels
Blinking Lights and Other Revelations

I’ve always liked the sound of this guy’s voice. The Eels have managed to maintain their “below the radar” status for years, despite having their songs used in many high-profile movies and television shows (just heard a song in an episode of Numb3rs this week).

✧   ✧   ✧   ✧   ✧

Le Vent Nous Portera
Noir Desir
des Visages des Figures

Translating into “The Wind Will Carry Us,” this is the song that first drew me to this band. I had planned on using this on last year’s holiday CD, but it just didn’t fit into the mix.

✧   ✧   ✧   ✧   ✧

Closer
Kings of Leon
Only By The Night

Once I heard the first single from this album on the radio (“Sex On Fire”) I knew I had to get it. The album does not disappoint, and this song has a great sonic quality that I tend to like.

✧   ✧   ✧   ✧   ✧

Nina
The Durutti Column
Keep Breathing

This song is deceptively subtle. When you’re not paying attention you suddenly realize there is a wonderful guitar solo going on.

✧   ✧   ✧   ✧   ✧

Hey World (Don’t Give Up Version)
Michael Franti & Spearhead
All Rebel Rockers

Swore to myself that I would not buy this new album until I had finished my holiday CD, but I weakened while wondering the isles of a local CD store. While not as solid as his previous record, it’s still better than most of the CDs I hear today.

✧   ✧   ✧   ✧   ✧

Afterlife All-star Game
Dan St Paul

These baseball bits that Dan St Paul does are always hysterical. Recorded again on the Bob and Tom show – one more thing that I really miss from back east as there are no local radio stations in the Chicago area that carry their show. Sigh.