Case File #7: "Admit It!"

Say Anything
"Admit it!"
...Is a Real Boy
(2004)




The need to know: A bi-polar, socially anxious frontman and one of the best young guitarists in the scene are, oddly, just two reasons why Say Anything have emerged as pop-punk's most promising band of rogues. Frank lyricism matched with furious guitars is just too good a combination to pass up, even though mental illness and rumored drug addiction, which singer Max Bemis often divulges in song, nearly sidelined the band as their true 2004 debut ...Is a Real Boy got a second lease on life, and a bonus disc, in rerelease by J. Records two years later. A manic, epic double album,  In Defense of the Genre, found the band back on its feet (and Bemis once again exorcising his demons) and their eponymous third album appeared in 2009. 

Why it's worthy: Part spoken-word diatribe, part loud, fast guitars, "Admit it!" finds Bemis at his vicious and honest best. But it's not so much a song decrying the bullies of his youth or the plague of hipster elitism as it is a victorious fist pound of underdog triumph. Far from the whine typical of the emo scene, "Admit it!" is a loser anthem without the loser and sticks to humorous and harsh criticism rather than devolve into a complacent whimper.  Ever insecure, Bemis aims his snarky crosshairs at himself as much as at his enemies and at many points it's hard to tell which is which. Either way, Bemis never apologies for his scathing mockery because, well, it's kind of the truth.

Quotable lyric: "Prototypical non-conformist/  You are a vacuous soldier of the thrift store Gestapo"

Where you've heard it: Blasting from my car windows circa 2005.

Get obsessed:

Case File #6: "Things the Grandchildren Should Know"

Eels
"Things the Grandchildren 
Should Know"
Blinking Lights and Other Revelations
(2005)


The need to know: After finding modest mainstream success with 1996's Beautiful Freak, Eels receded to the underground ranks, crafting unabashedly honest, explorative albums that have only gotten better with time. One of those bands most people have no doubt heard without actually having heard of, Eels have always hovered just under the proverbial radar, lending tunes to soundtracks as varied as Scream2, Shrek, Knocked Up and over 25 more. The band's penchant for tongue-in-cheek sarcasm even drew the misplaced ire of the Bush administration with 2000's Daisies of the Galaxy album for its innocuous storybook-style cover and the politician's misunderstanding of the albums lyrics. One of indie rock--and, indeed, all of music's--most intriguing personalities, Mark Everett (aka E) penned a tome of memoirs telling his strange, unrockstar life in 2008, also titled Things the Grandchildren Should Know.

Why it's worthy: Nobody mixes heartbreak with optimism like E. And nowhere does he do it better than here. The closing track to his semi-autobiographical two-disc epic Blinking Lights and Other Revelations, "Things the Grandchildren Should Know" is both E's love letter to life and his legacy. No stranger to writing about his life ("Elizabeth on the Bathroom Floor" from Electro-Shock Blues is notoriously about his sister's failed suicide attempt), this song is more a confession than a retelling. He lays bare his coming to terms with who he is, his final understanding of and love for his detached father, and his struggles to connect with the world outside his own head. For a songwriter never afraid to be unflinchingly honest, "Things the Grandchildren Should Know" puts E out on a wire with no safety net, which makes this album's final revelation feel like finally meeting the man we only thought we knew.

Quotable lyric: "I knew true love and I knew passion/ And the difference between the two/ I have some regrets but if I had to do it all again/ Well, it's something I'd like to do"

Where you've heard it: Although this particular song wasn't included, the bulk of Blinking Lights was commandeered for the score to 2008's Jim Carrey/Zooey Deshanel comedy Yes Man.

Get obsessed:

Case File #5: "Paparazzi"

Lady Gaga
"Paparazzi"
The Fame
(2009)




The need to know: If you're a pop culture conscious individual, you've no doubt seen Lady Gaga...probably before you've heard her. Gaga excels at out-wierding the competition and even though her songs aren't exactly anything new or edgy, she has still made the mainstream pop scene a bit more interesting. Not just anybody can dress up like a planet, guys, and still walk away with five of the years biggest hits.

Why it's worthy: When not using stupid euphemisms like "disco stick," Gaga can actually be downright clever--a distinct reason why "Paparazzi" is the only one of her singles to get an obsession-worthy thumbs up. A slave to its title, the tune turns the tabloidal groan on its head, spinning a stalkerish love tale from behind the camera lens. And the chorus? Catchy enough to keep you up at night. True story.

Quotable lyric: "We're plastic but we still have fun!"

Where you've heard it: All over the usual suspects.

Get obsessed:

Cover Case File #1: "Don't Stop Believin'"

Glee Cast
"Don't Stop Believin'"
Glee: The Music, Volume 1
(2009)




The need to know: A musical dramedy with as much cheese as sincerity, Glee walks the line as a high school sitcom stereotype, but mocks itself with every step. Decidedly more Mickey Mouse Club than Gossip Girl, its combination of reality and ridiculousness help to serve up one of 09's best new shows. Music-wise, the show strives to make showtunes seem kinda cool but usually ends up making popular hits--like Kanye West's "Gold Digger"--safe for old, stuffy, white people. And I'm not sure how, but so far it's working.  

Why it's worthy: As the flagship tune of the series, "Don't Stop Believin''" might be the happiest cover song ever recorded (except for maybe The Polyphonic Spree's take on "Lithium"). Journey's original version is hardly lactose free, but the Glee cast embraces the cheddary side full force. And that's not a bad thing, here. It's a fun, refreshing and unbelievably catchy take on a song we've all heard way too many times to count.

Quotable lyric: "Some will win, some will lose/ Some were born to sing the blues/ Oh the movie never ends/ It goes on and on and on and on"

Where you've heard it: The centerpiece to the pilot episode of Glee, it became the group's theme song for making it to sectionals. 

Get obsessed:

Case File #4: "Snake Drive"

R.L. Burnside
"Snake Drive"
Mr. Wizard
(1997)



The need to know: With an intermittent recording career dating back to the late 1960s, it wasn't until he signed to Fat Possum Records (the current home of The Black Lips, Andrew Bird and Wavves) several decades later that R.L. Burnside would get his due. The Mississippi native caught the attention of the indie rock set in the late 90s through collaborations with Jon Spencer (of the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, amongst other projects) and proceeded to release compilations of his early recordings as well as new, studio records into the 2000s. He passed away in 2005. 

Why it's worthy: Burnside's electric charged country and Delta blues are nothin' to sneeze at, and "Snake Drive" is the pennacle to 1997's Mr. Wizard. Slurred lyrics and searing guitar squeals meander along this near 7-minute jam, while a rhythmic riff keeps the tune from devolving into a messy ramble. I first heard this song as a teenager (my dad caught one of Burnside's shows. NOT fair.), and the repetition hooked me. I still can't stay away for long.

Where you've heard it: The original, and much shorter, version of "Snake Drive" appears on the 1996 Jon Spencer appearing A Ass Pocket Of Whiskey.

Get obsessed: