Classic D Man

Not too long ago, Evan Dando was an alternative music pin-up--and for good reason. His guitar-pop with a sometimes country twinge produced at least a dozen hook-filled tracks that never grow tiresome. The D Man has recently been re-living summers past and cannot stop spinning The Lemonheads. The sweet meloncholy that permeates Dando's songs taps into a vein that has nothing to do with the drugs that he often laments. Enjoy "Confetti" or check out "Rudderless" and "Backbone" here. Or maybe a back-porch version of "It's About Time." Because I know you've probably only heard this and this.

Speaking of that subtle country vibe, if someone in Nashville covers "It's A Shame About Ray" they will finally be cool or at the very least would have a justifiable hit. Yep, that's Johnny Depp in the video. He is pretty cool too.

Five Things

Some shared thoughts and musical moments from the past week.

• Last weekend The D Man saw Sting in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand for his Symphonicity Tour. As always, the Englishman sounded great and the clan had an excellent time. Sting's arrangements were fantastic (as expected) and the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra extended a richness to the songs that was refreshing and almost heavenly (unexpected). The concert's atmosphere was relaxed as Sting discussed aspects of each song he played, developing a unique backstory that was interesting even to longtime fans. The D Man especially enjoyed performances of some of his favorite songs from Sting's solo material, including "Russians," "Mad About You," "Shape of My Heart," and (giving me chills) "Why Should I Cry For You?"
• Has a song ever sounded better on the Vegas strip? Maybe. But it wasn't this cool, and The D Man wasn't with you.
• Check out Passion Pit's cover of "Tonight, Tonight" by Smashing Pumpkins. Yes, that is a dude singing.
• Rumination incarnate. For the inward search.
• Sting also performed "End of the Game" and it was lovely. None of us had heard the song before. Apparently a Brand New Day B-Side.

Song of the Week

Jack Tatum sounds like the name of a linebacker. But this dude from Blacksburg, Virginia, pays sensitive homage to that starry-eyed vein of dream pop first perfected in the Eighties by some of indie-rock's finest. Check out Wild Nothing's "Summer Holiday" from debut Gemini, complete with reverbed falsetto vocals and an introspective guitar line. Sounds just like it should--nostalgic and gorgeous.

Classic D Man

Sufjan. Stevens. New. Album. The four words have stumbled around The D Man's brain for the past several days. Apparently, Sufjan has not only been gigging with his friends from The National, but he has been hard at work in the band's Brooklyn studio recording a new album. Bryce Dessner explains that Sufjan is "very solitary in what he does" and that the new material does not sound like his older records. "It's going to be incredible," Dessner adds. "It's probably going to blow people's minds." With my mind already blown, Sufjan will just need to (gently) pick up the pieces.

Enjoy this goofy fan video for "He Woke Me Up Again," from 2004's masterful Seven Swans. The song contains the best banjo lead/organ accompaniment of all time. And it somehow manages to sum up The D Man's feelings for Sufjan's music, the Divine, and years of patient waiting: I was asleep. And He woke me up again.

Five Things

The D Man is another year older. But still in his prime. The best songs from his June 8 birthday.

• Mark Kozelek's cover of "New Partner" (driving to work 7:15 a.m.)
• Wild Nothing's "Summer Holiday" (at work 10:25 a.m.)
• The Very Best's "Chalo" (driving to play golf 1:15 p.m.)
• Beach House's "Zebra" (driving to dinner 8:05 p.m.)
• Beach House's "Lover of Mine" (driving to movie 9:30 p.m.)
• Bonus: AC/DC's "Highway to Hell" (Iron Man 2)

Song of the Week

Stars slay the summer again with a killer single worthy of "Ageless Beauty." Check out the video for "Fixed" from the Canadian band's fifth album, The Five Ghosts. Amy Millan's vocals breeze over a shoegaze-lite pop arrangement and nestle their way into a bed of synths. That means good listening, folks.

Music and Memory

The D Man purchased August and Everything After in early spring of 1994 at a baseball tournament in St. George, Utah. Largely driven by the emerging airplay of "Mr. Jones" on MTV (who is this white dude with dreads? why his belly hanging out? why is this a breath of fresh air after everything else on the radio?), The D Man walked down the street to K-Mart and picked up the album. When I returned home and told my older brother about my new tunes he protested and said I should have picked up The Cocteau Twins. Typical.

Regardless of what hindsight haters might say, Adam Duritz' songwriting was brilliant on Counting Crows debut release. There was not a weak song on the record and the sing-along choruses were cathartic. Duritz' lyrics were supple and descriptive in a derivative (albeit melodically-worthy) Dylan vein. "Round Here," "Omaha," "Anna Begins," "Rain King." You know them all.

Perhaps tapping into some faux-junior high desperation, my favorite track (aside from the obvious ones) was the angst-riddled and nostalgia-fueled "Sullivan Street." I'm almost drowning in her sea / she's nearly falling to her knees. Pretty straightforward, sure. But The D Man loved the way Duritz added the buh-ba-buh-ba after singing take the way home for the second time. Loved the way the chorus changed (as with most of Duritz' best songs) to tell an ongoing story. Loved the gorgeous, live-feel production (thanks to T-Bone Burnett). The D Man listened to this track countless times in his basement bedroom. And he can primarily thank the Crows for being the gateway to artists like Dylan that he would discover later in high school. Take the way home, indeed.