Have you seen “Lady” Gaga’s latest “music” video? If you have, you should really try to avoid the next one because you’re a part of the problem. It’s quite simple. There’s music and there’s trash and an intelligent person should be able to distinguish between 14 minutes of provocative PR driven garbage and real music that’s created by real musicians. When you’re talented you don’t have to dress up (or down) to attract attention. All you need are good songs. Examples? Check out these three videos courtesy of Baltimore indie folk duo Wye Oak. No nudity or stupid costumes. Sorry. Just good music:
Please Concrete
Lyrics
I can please concrete by walking
But you’re not hearing
What I’m saying, when I’m talking
I always think I’m right
I’m all rightI can teach the street by guessing
When the holes are not exactly where I’m stepping
Go in and knowing where, not over thereAnd I can touch TV by looking
But you’re spading at three colors system failing
We see red, yellow, blue not maroon
We see red, yellow, blueI can please concrete by walking
But you’re not hearing
What I’m saying, when I’m talking
I always think I’m right
I only said goodnightCivilian
Lyrics
I am nothing without pretend
I know my thoughts
Can’t live with them
I am nothing without a man
I know my thoughts
But I can’t hide themI still keep my baby teeth
In the bedside table with my jewelry
You still sleep in the bed with me,
My jewelry, and my baby teethI don’t need another friend
When most of them
I can barely keep up with them
Perfectly able to hold my own hand,
But I still can’t kiss my own neckI wanted to give you everything
But I still stand in awe of superficial things
I wanted to love you like my mother’s mother’s mothers did
Civilian
CivilianFish
Lyrics
They who made you, they made me too.
Quiet like you, violent like you.
i’ve seen you live wild in my dreams.
When you return, go to the sea.
Air is your permanent struggle to breathe.
When you return, go to the sea.
Gone, gone gone. You were never alone.
I’ll come home and raise you up to what’s left.
Ghost of your voice, finally rests.
Open your eyes now to all that is next.
Don’t be afraid now, you won’t need me.
You’ll be at peace now, at last from the sea.
You will forget, eventually, the life that you wasted that led to the sea.
Gone, gone gone (picking up your human pieces) you were never alone.
I’ll come home and raise you up to what’s left.* * *