"THE WAY WE GET BY" SPOON (2002)

For the next 30 days, I’ll be taking the #AprilAcrossAmerica challenge, picking one song a day as I make my way across the country and across genres at the same time.

Day 19: Austin, TX

Growing up, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to take piano lessons. Looking back, I realize it was one of the inroads that led to my deep passion for music. The way those keys could be played together to make beautiful sounding things, it was therapeutic. I played celebrated composers like Bach and Brahms and did piano renditions of movie soundtracks like Rocky and E.T. But I think I would’ve stuck with piano longer and enjoyed it more had I been given the opportunity to play it like Spoon does on “The Way We Get By”.

The unusual sound of Spoon is characterized by an inversion of the standard rock formula of guitar as lead and piano or keys as secondary. Spoon has carved out a prolific and incredibly consistent catalog over the years with the piano at the forefront, sometimes with guitar as a rhythm instrument or, in some cases, no guitar at all. With “The Way We Get By”, they string together these piano chords and hand claps to create something that feels like it could’ve been written in the 1950’s. I have a handful of favorite Spoon tracks, and this one’s near the top of my list.

“We found a new kind of dance in a magazine. Tried it out, it's like nothing you ever seen.”

"TRUCKIN'" GRATEFUL DEAD (1970)

For the next 30 days, I’ll be taking the #AprilAcrossAmerica challenge, picking one song a day as I make my way across the country and across genres at the same time.

Day 18: New Orleans, LA

One of the most iconic of Dead songs, it’s easy to dismiss this song because it’s perhaps a little too on the nose. But I’m fascinated by the facts. “Truckin’” was recognized by the United States Library of Congress as a national treasure. At least that’s what Wikipedia says. It’s also the 8th most-performed Dead song. The band played it 520 times, which is mind boggling on a few levels. First, that’s a lot of performances. Second, it’s even more when you consider how often the Dead changed up their set lists.

These facts say something undeniably true about “Truckin’”: you can’t ignore its ubiquity. And that’s saying something for a band that has more cult status than mainstream appeal. “What a long, strange trip it’s been” is one of the most recognized song lyrics from any genre. And then there’s the story line. The song focuses on a a drug raid on the band’s hotel room in New Orleans, but name-checks a variety of cities, alluding to the band’s non-stop touring schedule. One of the quintessential American road trip songs.

“Busted - Down On Bourbon Street. Set Up - Like A Bowling Pin Knocked.”

"JACKSON" JOHNNY CASH (1968)

For the next 30 days, I’ll be taking the #AprilAcrossAmerica challenge, picking one song a day as I make my way across the country and across genres at the same time.

Day 17: Jackson, MS

Johnny Cash had a way of taking other people’s songs and elevating them to the point where his version was stronger and more profound. He’s done this over and over again. In the 21st century, you don’t have to look any further than his cover of Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus” and Nine Inch Nails’ “Hurt”. But Cash was creating unforgettable covers since the 60’s from the At Folsom Prison album and others. “Jackson” is probably one of his more well known examples. But Cash was just half the equation.

All due respect to the man in black, but June Carter pretty much stole the show on this one with her raspy, fiery vocal parts. Together, Johnny and June were a force to be reckoned with. They were in and out of Jackson like a freight train coming in full steam. It was enough to instill a sense of hope and joy to the jailbirds on the song’s live recording at Folsom Prison. The rousing applause and cheering heard on the recording is all the proof you need.

“I'm goin' to Jackson. You turn-a loosen my coat 'Cause I'm goin' to Jackson. Goodbye, that's all she wrote.”

"ALABAMA SONG (WHISKY BAR)" THE DOORS (1967)

For the next 30 days, I’ll be taking the #AprilAcrossAmerica challenge, picking one song a day as I make my way across the country and across genres at the same time.

Day 16: A rompin’ whiskey bar somewhere in Alabama

I’m running into the whiskey bar and stumbling out w/Jim, Ray, Robby and John. What a trip. What a mindblowing debut album. Such a powerful clash of rock, blues and psychedelia. “Twentieth Century Fox”, “Back Door Man”, “Soul Kitchen”, “Break On Through”, “Back Door Man”, “Crystal Ship”, “The End”, “Light My Fire”, every track is a classic. For obvious reasons, I’m going with their cover of “Alabama Song” today.

Listening to the song, we enter the whiskey bar. But this bar feels different. Spearheaded by Morrison’s vocals and Ray’s spritely keyboard flourishes, it feels like we stepped into a freak circus, lost in a drunken haze with these blues rock legends. “Alabama Song” is a perfect cover selection that seems to fit perfectly in the #5 slot on the record and is resolutely 100% Doors in its stylings. My only complaint of the song is that it ends at around three minutes. It seemed ripe for an epic “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida”-length rendition.

"FINEST WORKSONG" R.E.M. (1987)

For the next 30 days, I’ll be taking the #AprilAcrossAmerica challenge, picking one song a day as I make my way across the country and across genres at the same time.

Day 15: Athens, GA

This one feels less like a stopover and more like a destination. A musical pilgrimage. Document is still my favorite R.E.M. album, and Side A is one of the best sides of the decade in my opinion. Document was an about-face for the band. They found a new producer and added more muscle even while staying in their mid-tempo comfort zone. It all started with “Finest Worksong”, which did everything you want and expect from an opening track.

In just the first 10 seconds of “Finest Worksong”, R.E.M. set the agenda for Document and signaled the next stage of their evolution, led by Peter Buck’s ferocious guitar riff. It’s hardly one of Buck’s more complex jams, but it drew you in immediately and somehow the repetition doesn’t get old. At the 3:23 mark, the song peters out with power on the heels of Mike Mills’ slap and pop bass outro, leaving you wanting more.

“What we want and what we need has been confused.”

"ROSE QUARTZ" TORO Y MOI (2013)

For the next 30 days, I’ll be taking the #AprilAcrossAmerica challenge, picking one song a day as I make my way across the country and across genres at the same time.

Day 14: Columbia, SC

Continuing my journey down south with a stopover in Columbia. It’s Chaz’s hometown. Where he went to high school - and formed a band. He also stayed local for college, majoring in graphic design at the University of South Carolina, before turning his focus to music. These are not the kinds of sounds you expect to come out of the region. Chaz didn’t just borrow the template. He’s one of the first names I think of and associate with chillwave and ambient.

Toro y Moi has always surprised me with what he’s able to accomplish with a synthesizer, extracting sounds and arrangements I’ve never heard before. “Rose Quartz” is maybe one of the best examples of his experimental side. It explores. It grooves. The synth orchestration washes over you in one instance and delicately brushes past you in another. It’s one of those tracks that defies genre labeling because there’s simply nothing like it.

“And if I fall into the sea, don't let me go.”

"PRETTY GIRL FROM RALEIGH" THE AVETT BROTHERS (2003)

For the next 30 days, I’ll be taking the #AprilAcrossAmerica challenge, picking one song a day as I make my way across the country and across genres at the same time.

Day 13: Raleigh, NC

Seems so rock ‘n roll to write a song about a girl. “Layla”, “Roseanne”, “Amanda”, “Roxanne”, “Michelle”, “Maggie May”, “Sweet Jane”, the list goes on and on and on. Most of these songs obviously focus on the girl and the persona. Which is what makes The Avett Brothers ongoing “Pretty Girl…” series so unique. These are nameless girls. The songs are largely focused on the stories and the place that the girls come from. As I head south on the journey, it seemed as good a time as ever to pay a visit with The Avett Brothers.

“Pretty Girl From Raleigh”. Who is she anyway? Just a local girl? College student? Budding tech guru? Does it even matter? The song isn’t about her. It’s about the memories that were forged between her and the lucky, selfish man. One thing’s certain. The Avett Brothers love pretty girls. And they’ve been able to pass along these anecdotes rather well with their crossover appeal – from bluegrass to folk to indie rock audiences.

“Who sold you this anger? I suspect it was your friends. Or was it a stranger Convincing you that this was the end.”

"BEWITCHED, BOTHERED, AND BEWILDERED" ELLA FITZGERALD (1956)

For the next 30 days, I’ll be taking the #AprilAcrossAmerica challenge, picking one song a day as I make my way across the country and across genres at the same time.

Day 12: Newport News, VA

When most people think of Ella Fitzgerald’s residence, they usually think of New York. Harlem, more specifically. And later, a move out to the west coast in Beverly Hills. But it all started in her birthplace: Newport News, VA. There are few singers that possess such a high standard in terms of both tone and technique. When it comes down to it, her voice is just so easy to listen to her warm tone, unique diction, and her ability to improvise like her voice is an instrument.

Ella’s rendition of the show tune classic “Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered” is one of her first recordings that I had the pleasure of hearing. Pure beauty coupled with technical prowess. There have been dozens of renditions recorded over the years, but what’s striking is how far superior Ella’s version is compared to the others. It belongs in a separate class of its own, making the others – from the likes of Doris Day, Mel Torme, The Platters, Barbara Streisand, Rod Stewart & Cher, among others – feel almost like karaoke.

“Love's the same old sad sensation. Lately I've not slept a wink Since this half-pint imitation Put me on the blink.”

"TOUCH ME I'M GOING TO SCREAM, PT. 2" MY MORNING JACKET (2008)

For the next 30 days, I’ll be taking the #AprilAcrossAmerica challenge, picking one song a day as I make my way across the country and across genres at the same time.

Day 11: Louisville, KY

There are typically two characteristics of a good morning jacket. First, a good one keeps you warm, and second, a good one serves its purpose early with no need to keep it on for the remainder of the day. That’s it. It isn’t complicated. In many ways, My Morning Jacket’s music has played that role for me, including this unique song from one of my favorite MMJ albums.

The aspects in “Touch Me I’m Going to Scream, Part 2” that get me going are both foundational and ornamental. At the foundation is a peculiar melody and song structure. It grooves early and then strangely fizzles out as if there’s a power shortage in the recording studio. On the peripheral is Jim James’s voice dancing seamlessly between high tenor and falsetto and an alien-like synth riff that sounds like it’s trying to communicate with us. I simply can’t get enough of it.

“IT'S BEEN SO LONG, SINCE SOMEONE CHALLENGED ME. AND MADE ME THINK, ABOUT THE WAY THINGS ARE. MADE ME THINK, ABOUT THE WAY THEY COULD BE.”

"CONCERNING THE UFO SIGHTING NEAR HIGHLAND, ILLINOIS" SUFJAN STEVENS (2005)

For the next 30 days, I’ll be taking the #AprilAcrossAmerica challenge, picking one song a day as I make my way across the country and across genres at the same time.

Day 10: Highland, IL

Sufjan Stevens’ Illinois album is one of my favorite records from the 2000’s. Combining Stevens’ unique storytelling ability, orchestral musicality, vulnerable exploration of Christian themes and the promise of a state project (which turned out to be a joke), Illinois had this sense of gravity and boldness that’s missing on so many albums of that era. It wasn’t trying to be great. It just was. A perfect example is the understated and subtle opener, “Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois”.

Google says there was an actual UFO sighting in Highland five years before this song was released. Whether you believe that or not, “Concerning the UFO” is probably Sufjan Stevens at the height of his state project. The song welcomes you into the moment. One of the most imaginative vignettes on the Illinois album, there’s a quiet wonder to every musical layer—vocals, piano, flute, recorder. Play it outside at night and the music might be just enough to help you imagine the sighting.

“INCARNATION, THREE STARS DELIVERING SIGNS AND DUSTING FROM THEIR EYES.”

"SMALL TOWN" JOHN MELLENCAMP (1985)

For the next 30 days, I’ll be taking the #AprilAcrossAmerica challenge, picking one song a day as I make my way across the country and across genres at the same time.

Day 9: Bloomington, IN

Time to drive westward – from a small city in Ohio to a small town in Indiana. When John Mellencamp wrote this song, he wanted to capture the notion that you didn’t have to live in a big city to live it up. “Small Town” was about his simple, yet idyllic experience growing up in Bloomington. More than that, it’s a song about embracing your roots and community instead of trying to escape it.

I remember the first time I heard “Small Town” was seeing the video on MTV. It was a big year for music. And John Mellencamp’s heartland-fueled rock wasn’t exactly my cup of tea. But I loved this song right away – and I never ever got sick of it. In some ways, it’s one of the sincerest, most unpretentious rock songs ever written and recorded. And that means something. It’s human. And, with that, somehow it seems “Small Town” is like the definition and antithesis of rock ‘n roll all at once.

“Educated in a small town. Taught to fear of Jesus in a small town. Used to daydream in that small town. Another boring romantic, that's me.”

"BLOODBUZZ OHIO" THE NATIONAL (2010)

For the next 30 days, I’ll be taking the #AprilAcrossAmerica challenge, picking one song a day as I make my way across the country and across genres at the same time.

Day 8: Cincinnati, OH

I have no direct ties to the state of Ohio. And I still have no idea what exactly a bloodbuzz is. But from the first time I heard it, I’ve always had a strong affinity for “Bloodbuzz Ohio”. It’s one of my favorite National tracks of all time. This is a song that I’ve never grown tired of. It never lost its luster after all this time. And when I see the band play live, it’s one of the songs I look forward to hearing the most on the setlist. But, why?

“Bloodbuzz Ohio” is actually not a song about Ohio. While that’s where The National hail from originally, the song is so much more than that. It’s actually a coming-of-age narrative. It’s about how when we return home after a long time away, it’s not just the place that has changed, we’ve changed so much as well. The song reminds us to look back for a larger perspective on our lives. And to see that, while the place we call home may change, there’s always a deep affinity and love for the places we came from.

“I WAS CARRIED TO OHIO IN A SWARM OF BEES. I NEVER MARRIED BUT OHIO DON'T REMEMBER ME.”

"SELLING THE DRAMA" LIVE (1994)

For the next 30 days, I’ll be taking the #AprilAcrossAmerica challenge, picking one song a day as I make my way across the country and across genres at the same time.

Day 7: York, PA

When I went off to college, grunge exploded. Everyone and their non-fanatic roommates were listening to Nirvana and Pearl Jam. But the true music fans, we’re devouring Smashing Pumpkins, Jane’s Addiction and Live. Throwing Copper is the album that I remember my college years by. Not Ten. Not Nevermind. It was still rock ‘n roll to me, but it was relatable. And the song that reeled me into the full album was “Selling the Drama”.

The thing that Live mastered as well as anyone at the time was the quiet-loud-quiet dynamic. Several of their songs on Throwing Copper have it as their blueprint, including “Iris”, “All Over You” and “I Alone”. But “Selling the Drama” stood out with its R.E.M.-esque mid-tempo melody before exploding into the chorus. The highlight, for me, was a self-fulfilling prophesy. Being able to see Live play “Selling the Drama” live. They were damn good in the live setting, and you better be with that band name.

“AND TO CHRIST A CROSS. AND TO ME A CHAIR. I WILL SIT AND EARN THE RANSOM FROM UP HERE.”

"ATLANTIC CITY" BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN (1982)

For the next 30 days, I’ll be taking the #AprilAcrossAmerica challenge, picking one song a day as I make my way across the country and across genres at the same time.

Day 6: Atlantic City, NJ
There may not be an artist more associated with their home state than Bruce Springsteen. His passion, pride, and music are intimately tied to his love for New Jersey. It’s undoubtedly part of the charm with his music. What we get from the lyrics and music often feels like a slice of life from his old haunts. It feels local, not like the global sensation that an artist of his stature deserves. That said, “Atlantic City”, to me, is his crowning achievement and, in many ways, the quintessential Springsteen track.

The storytelling form of song lyrics doesn’t get much better than Springsteen’s Nebraska album. Music and production was stripped down to their minimalist form, putting the lyrics and vocal performance at the forefront. “Atlantic City” is one of the more memorable tracks from the record. On it, Springsteen. sang of love, escape, risk and organized crime. As we listen to the story of this couple driving to Atlantic City, I can’t help but root for them, hoping they find a better outcome than the Chicken Man.

“Everything dies baby, that's a fact. But maybe everything that dies someday comes back. Put your makeup on, fix your hair up pretty and meet me tonight in Atlantic City.”

"DON'T TALK" 10,000 MANIACS (1987)

For the next 30 days, I’ll be taking the #AprilAcrossAmerica challenge, picking one song a day as I make my way across the country and across genres at the same time.

Day 5: Jamestown, NY

When In My Tribe came out, I couldn’t stop playing it. Those songs ushered me into a different world that I could get lost in over and over again. “What’s the Matter Here?” and “Like the Weather” got all the recognition and airplay, well, at least on college rock stations. But the really good stuff revealed itself halfway through the album with Track 6, an unassuming, but peculiar song called “Don’t Talk”.

While every song was gold on In My Tribe, there was something a bit more magical about “Don’t Talk”. Each of the other tracks seemed to move along at one pace and were characterized by a single persona. But “Don’t Talk” shifted back and forth between three tempos. It was constructed with multiple movements. While most of the album had a very straight-ahead folk sound, this song took some more risks, marrying the aforementioned folk elements with a swirly, shoegaze-inspired sound.

“THE DRINK YOU DROWN YOUR TROUBLES IN IS THE TROUBLE YOU'RE IN NOW.”

"PORCELAIN" MOBY (1999)

For the next 30 days, I’ll be taking the #AprilAcrossAmerica challenge, picking one song a day as I make my way across the country and across genres at the same time.

Day 4: Fairfield County, CT

My early experience with Moby’s music consisted of devouring “techno” CD compilations and attending the occasional rave. These middle-of-the-night dance parties were fueled by Moby’s electronic vision. They were fun times. But it wasn’t until Moby released Play that I appreciated not just how his music made me move, but how it made me feel. From the first moment I heard Play, I just thought it was one the finest, fullest albums ever recorded, from top to bottom – rewriting elements of soul, funk, gospel and classical, just to name a few of the genres. “Porcelain” is one of the standouts from this breakthrough album.

This is the one track I always want to hear first. Delicate. Gorgeous. Soulful. Not rave Moby. This was a totally different side we hadn’t heard before. And it almost didn’t make it onto the album. Moby’s manager had to convince him this song was more than just “average”. Moby reluctantly agreed to include it. Thank God. Unlike many of the other tracks on Play, “Porcelain” relies mainly on its original synth compositions, not samples. There are still samples, but it’s Moby’s angelic keyboard wanderings and symphony-like chords that steal the show every single time.

“IN MY DREAMS I'M DYING ALL THE TIME. THEN I WAKE IT'S KALEIDOSCOPIC MIND. I NEVER MEANT TO HURT YOU. I NEVER MEANT TO LIE.”

"PULLED UP" TALKING HEADS (1977)

For the next 30 days, I’ll be taking the #AprilAcrossAmerica challenge, picking one song a day as I make my way across the country and across genres at the same time.

Day 3: Providence, RI

They’ve come a long way since their days at RISD, haven’t they? Last year, I saw David Byrne’s American Utopia, a brilliant show that combined a series of essays that allowed Byrne to truly connect with us in an honest, simple way. In between these treatises on the human condition was essentially a mini Talking Heads concert. I was in heaven. The show was a testament of two things: the resiliency of the band’s music after more than 30 years and the unique, yet highly relatable perspective of David Byrne. One of the longstanding testaments of this is their debut album’s closing track, “Pulled Up”.

Most of the songs on that record were overshadowed by the Talking Heads menacing anthem “Psycho Killer”. But to overlook “Pulled Up” would be a bad mistake. The song is one of the early blueprints of new wave. The instrumentation and demeanor was unlike anything else out there. Like on several other Talking Heads songs, Byrne’s paradoxical tendencies are on full display, most notably in the chorus. He seems simultaneously out of control and in control. He’s not just singing lyrics, those are emotions and expressions coming out of his mouth. Musically, we get a taste of the unique, boisterous bass playing of Tina Weymouth in lock step with boyfriend Chris Frantz’s ready-steady drum style and Harrison’s guitar riffs that cascade like little electric currents inside our brains.

“I DRIFT AWAY TO ANOTHER LAND. SLEEPING DREAMING SUCH A SIMPLE THING. I THINK OF THINGS THAT I MIGHT BE. I SEE MY NAME GO DOWN IN HISTORY.”

"WHERE'D YOU GO" THE MIGHTY MIGHTY BOSSTONES (1992)

For the next 30 days, I’ll be taking the #AprilAcrossAmerica challenge, picking one song a day as I make my way across the country and across genres at the same time.

Day 2: Boston, MA

For many of us, college is where we experienced some of our fondest encounters with music. When I first headed off to university for my freshman year, the alt rock landscape was going through a monumental shift known as the grunge era. Everyone was listening to Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins and the like. But, because I was in Boston, I also got exposed to a thriving era for ska punk through the local outfit The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. My best friend from college – who later became one of my groomsmen – was a big-time Bosstones fan. The culmination of our experience with the band was a concert at Boston’s The Middle East, a basement club that seemed to only book excessively loud, hard rocking bands. I had my first experience in the mosh pit there, but there were also plenty of afternoons in our dorms where we’d crank up the Bosstones on our stereos – and “Where’d You Go” was one of our go-tos.

I’ve never seen the movie Clueless, and I likely never will. But I’ll tip my hat to whoever was in charge of the music. There are some gems on that soundtrack. “Where’d You Go”, even at its peak, was a bit of a minor alt rock hit. But for those who knew it, it has become an endearing song. Repetitive as hell, you can’t help but sing along to it. “Where’d You Go” doesn’t do anything unusual for the ska punk genre – but everything it does it does extremely well. Dicky Barrett’s vocals are practically swimming in gravel. The dueling saxophones and trumpet fly high, while the unforgettable trombone takes nosedive after nosedive.

“Any minute you will show and I'm wondering where did ya go?”

"NYC" INTERPOL (2002)

For the next 30 days, I’ll be taking the #AprilAcrossAmerica challenge, picking one song a day as I make my way across the country and across genres at the same time.

Day 1: New York, NY

The first two albums from Interpol comprise one of the greatest two-year stretches in modern music history. That’s not an exaggeration. Turn On The Bright Lights is universally viewed as one of the finest albums of the 21st century. And many Interpol fans would argue that Antics is even better. More cohesive. More confident. Antics is a sign of a band firing on all cylinders. Musically, “NYC” is not my favorite Interpol song. However, it’s the one track that I’ve felt most attached to. NYC, after all, has been my home for the past 25 years. And it’s where the band met and first made a name for themselves by playing at small venues in the Lower Eastside. This is a song about my city that I truly get and can relate to.

The song begins like an ending. It doesn’t depict the city’s bright lights. If anything, it shines a bright light on the dark underbelly of the city. The opening line is one of Paul Banks’ finest: “I had seven faces. Thought I knew which one to wear.” Anyone who’s lived in the city for a few years can understand this honest sentiment. Daniel Kessler’s grating guitar riff is an outpouring of emotion. And on the original recording, Carlos D and Fogarino man a rhythm section that reminds me of walking city streets where, with great effort, we manage to put one foot ahead of the other. My love-hate relationship with this city, expressed beautifully and hauntingly in one of Interpol’s signature tracks.

“I HAD SEVEN FACES. THOUGHT I KNEW WHICH ONE TO WEAR.”

"DON'T YOU (FORGET ABOUT ME)" SIMPLE MINDS (1985)

This month, I’m looking back at movies and tv shows to rediscover songs that graced the screen. The scenes and the music are inseparable. They’re engrained in our heads and our hearts. And they’re proof that the best music we have doesn’t exist in isolation. It attaches itself to a moment or an experience. #SceneSongs

Movie: The Breakfast Club

Few movies turned the high school experience upside down better than The Breakfast Club. It introduced us to all the cliques, spent nearly three quarters of the movie going through all the stereotypes, and then it flipped the paradigm on its head. The movie ends with Anthony Michael Hall’s character reading his note to the principal out loud: “Each of us is a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess and a criminal.” Then one of the most iconic 80’s songs comes on as Bender walks through the high school football field, pumps his fist and we go to the closing credits. “Don’t You” was the exclamation mark for the whole movie.

Instantly recognizable from that first hit of the snare. “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” was a turning point in the commercial trajectory of Simple Minds. Up until then, they wrote a fair amount of great music, but not many in the States knew about them. The Breakfast Club changed all that. This was one of the original brat pack anthems. This was one of our anthems. No matter how you saw us. In the simplest terms. In the most convenient definitions. A brain. An athlete. A basket case. A princess. A criminal.

“DON'T YOU TRY AND PRETEND. IT'S MY FEELING WE'LL WIN IN THE END.”