Track 8

(Mark Kozelek of Sun Kil Moon)

On Sun Kil Moon's superb new album, Among the Leaves, Mark Kozelek pokes fun at the difficult task of writing an entire album's worth of great songs.  To write half a dozen, some guys lay back / and rest on their laurels like lazy old hacks / well, I wrote this one, and I know it aint great / we'll probably sequence it Track Number 8.

So this got me thinking: what is the best track 8 of recent memory?  Obviously, it takes a great record to set the table for a great track 8.  And I am not just talking about a solid album cut from Side Two, but arguably the best song on the record.  On lesser records, of course, the few decent tracks are usually front loaded, otherwise, a great track 8 is merely a happy accident.  The track 8s below are no accident.

• "Calgary" by Bon Iver (2011).  On last year's sublime self-titled album, Justin Vernon and friends produced this spare, pulsing stunner.
• "Start A War" by The National (2007).  Detailing the quiet, earnest pleas of a broken relationship, this track from Boxer underscores the record's paralyzing insecurities found in adulthood.
• "I'd Rather Dance With You" by Kings of Convenience (2004).  After the bliss of the quiet, this cleverly joyous song jumps out at you and, well, gets you moving.
• "Detroit, Lift Up Your Weary Head! (Rebuild! Restore! Reconsider!)" by Sufjan Stevens (2003).  A majestic high-point from Michigan's spiritual journey.
• "Ball and Biscuit" by The White Stripes (2003).  Arguably Jack and Meg at their peak: an earth-quakin', soul shakin', seventh-son preachin', electric Elephant blues-guitar stomp.
• "Duk Koo Kim" by Sun Kil Moon (2003).  Kozelek knows a thing about potent track 8s, after delivering the blows with this aching epic.
• "Idioteque" by Radiohead (2000).  Kid A's centerpiece.  The center cannot hold.
• "Waitin' For A Superman" by The Flaming Lips (1999).  Too heavy for Superman?  Too, too sad.

Song of the Week

The D Man has told you about Sweden's Kristian Matsson before.  The Tallest Man on Earth has a new album coming out in June.  The first listen is incredibly lustrous for a folkie.  Check out "1904" from There's No Leaving Now.  The golden guitars bubbling up in the background could make my day over and over again.  Check the song out here.

Song of the Week

Feels much better now that he's a black chick.  That was the text The D Man sent to Stark the Vinyl Shark after listening to Alabama Shakes the second time.  The first time listening to the band's debut record, Boys & Girls, I actually thought the singer was a stringy-haired white dude from the South.  Nice to have that cleared up.  And nice to have this notable achievement from Stark:  This is the best text I have ever gotten, no matter the context.

Check out Brittany Howard and the boys doing some serious soul-shaking and self-affirmation.  "Hold On" is the album's first track and just a positively great groove.

Five Things

(Patrick Carney and Dan Auerbach from The Black Keys)

• Rip and The D Man hit the Black Keys concert on Wednesday night.  I do not recommend giving blood before attending a rock show--not suprisingly, I felt a little depleted after saving a life or two.  That said, The D Man finds a way to rock even when there appears to be no way.  And the Keys played a hard, tight set to make it happen. The duo's last few songs ratcheted up the shredding and decibels, culminating with this massive-sounding final number.
• George Lewis, Jr. aka Twin Shadow is releasing his second album, Confess, in July.  The D Man is quite excited about it, especially after his phenomenal (and constantly-played) debut, Forget.  Check out "Five Seconds" from the new album.
• The D Man really enjoyed The Very Best's self-titled debut.  Milawi-born singer Esau Mwamwaya and London-based producer Radioclit produced a heady Afro-Western collection of songs, and even garnered a perfect guest spot from Vampire Weekend's Ezra Koenig.  Check out the awesome video for new single "Yoshua Alikuti," apparently a take on a Lil' Wayne clip.  Shot on location in Nairobi, the video is simply third-world gangsta.  That is how tru playas roll, yo!
• Just days away from receiving my pre-ordered copy of Sun Kil Moon's Among the Leaves.  Check out a couple new tracks titled "That Bird Has A Broken Wing" and "UK Blues."  Undoubtedly, we have never heard before this brand of humor and candor in Kozelek's songwriting.
• Band of Horses is touring with My Morning Jacket this summer.  Yeah, a match made in Americana heaven and, due to the schedule, I will be left standing outside the gates.