Hatchet Reporters Patrick Rochelle and Emily Katz share their latest musical obsessions.
Patrick Rochelle
Chiddy Bang: “The Opposite of Adults”
I don’t know much about rap, Chiddy Bang, or Philadelphia, but I do know that this song is awesome. The duo’s Myspace page says they’re touring all over the country and stopping at all sorts of colleges. I’m sure I’m not alone in thinking this would have made a great Fountain Fling performance. Oh, well. Maybe next year.
Joan Baez: “Diamonds and Rust”
Feeling nostalgic? I remember listening to this song as a kid while driving in the car with my mom, but I didn’t hear it again until a couple of weeks ago. Baez’s songs always remind me of childhood, and her folkie guitar parts make me smile.
Two Door Cinema Club: “Something Good Can Work”
If you don’t like this song, it’s probably because you recently found yourself strung out and trapped in a closet somewhere in Wyoming. There have been a lot of remixes of this song circulating around the Internet, but nothing quite beats the cheery electro-pop of the original. So if you’re a hater, come into the light. The water sure is warm!
Emily Katz
This version of the song is really low-fi, making this already wonderful song even more wonderful. St Vincent’s clever lyrics and sweet, high voice give “Marry Me” a softer and more romantic tone than usual; it’s significantly less brash than others like “Marrow.”
LCD Soundsystem: “I Can Change”
This song, while repetitive, is catchy, with an 80s synth-pop opening. But in spite of its poppy undertones, this song carries a feeling of sadness, as the vocals chant, “I can change, I can change, I can change – if it makes you fall in love.” This is one of the more poetic songs to come from LCD Soundsystem.
Released in 2008, “Crimewave” is hardly new, but rediscovering it has given me a new understanding of both the song and the band. Not only did I figure out that the lyrics contain more than awkward syllables (yes, those are words!), but Crystal Castle’s beats remain one of the more unique sounds in the music scene today, even in the wake of newer and more-produced techno.
