listen closer

and words can't kill me.

cake "friend is a four letter word"
cake is one of those bands that even if i didn't like them, i'd be happy about their existance because it shows that occasionally bands that sound basically nothing like what's on the radio, can make it there anyways. "the distance" was huge and "short skirt, long jacket" did well too. this comes off of fashion nugget which has no fewer than seven songs i could have stuck on here and been pleased to talk about (notably "frank sinatra" and their cover of "i will survive"). when i first heard this song i thought it was inferring was a swear, but after awhile i sussed out "love" to be the four letter word. the song's about being in love with his friend, and he needs the friendship to end to start something more. and oh the trumpet is so laidback and cool.
--from fashion nugget [1996]

say hi to your mom "let's talk about spaceships"
say hi to your mom named themselves after "midwestern dairy queen civility" and not "your mom" jokes. i just love these jaunty electronic indie pop songs. i love cute lyrics like "let's talk about spaceships or anything except you and me, okay?" i guess it's the indie version of easy listening, music like this, only without the negative connotation that carries. it just makes me think "could someone dislike this?" the whole album is a breath of fresh air, replicated in ones and zeroes.
--from numbers & mumbles [2004]