We glossed over so much in this year’s mix.  Apologies especially to multi-talented artist Blood Orange (Devonte Hynes), whose song Sandra’s Smile and video still mattered much at year’s end.  The song is a moving requiem to, among way too many others, Sandra Bland (the 28-year-old woman found dead in a jail cell in Waller County, Texas after being detained for a minor traffic violation in mid-July).

Musically, Sandra’s Smile is flawless, appropriately-moody R&B, with the heart of the matter found (for us) in the saxophone moments.  Lyrically, devastation, inquiry and resolve (lyrics at bottom).  That’s all.

The black and white video is superb.  Bravo!

Sandra’s Smile:

“Who taught you to breathe, then took away your speech,
Made you feel so loved, then shook your hand with gloves?
You watched her pass away, the words she said weren’t faint.
Closed our eyes for a while, but I still see Sandra’s smile.

Can you see it in my face?
Had enough for today.
It’s hard for me to to stay in place unless I force myself awake.

Look, an hour ago, I read Sybrina’s quote.
I mean, why should she forgive?
D’we lose you if, we don’t?”

While we anxiously await the next Radiohead album, the band has (re?)-gifted the world its eponymously-titled theme song written for Bond’s film Spectre.  About the song, brilliant singer Thom Yorke tweeted: “Last year we were asked to write a tune for Bond movie Spectre. Yes we were. It didn’t work out…but became something of our own which we love very much. As the year closes we thought you might like to hear it. Merry Christmas. May the force be with you.”

Check the “tune” out below.  That voice and sweeping strings!  Brilliant!  Sam Smith who?

The Spectre-apropos lyrics are at bottom.

“I’m lost, I’m a ghost
Dispossessed, taken host
My hunger burns a bullet hole
A spectre of my mortal soul
These rumors and suspicion
Anger is a poison
The only truth that I could see
Is when you put your lips to me
Futures tricked by the past
Spectre, how he laughs

Fear puts a spell on us
Always second-guessing love
My hunger burns a bullet hole
A spectre of my mortal soul
The only truth that I can see
Spectre has come for me”

Three years ago we were invited to Santa (Sufjan) Stevens’ wondrous Christmas Sing-A-Long pageant/concert at the Fonda Theater in LA, and it was without doubt the best Christmas show we have ever attended.  Though the night was littered with confetti and highlights, the apex of the evening was Stevens’ rapturous performance of his (and Joy Division’s) Christmas Unicorn (Love Will Tear Us Apart).

As we wrote about the performance:  “Sufjan and crew ended the set with a Revelatory rendition of new song Christmas Unicorn.  Donned in bike helmet affixed with apropos unicorn horn, and with balloon wings on his arms, Stevens led his band of merrymakers in a true “celebration” of Christmas.  Midway through the song the confetti cannons went off and large red balloons were put into play (veering dangerously close to Flaming Lips territory).  As the confetti rained down, the song transitioned to its (for us) highly-emotive Love Will Tear Us Apart (Joy Division) sing-a-long segment and back again.  And all was right with the world.  Heaven on earth.”

Stevens recently released a new lyric video below, and we’ve had it on repeat for the last week.  The song has it all about the holiday:  a critique/explique of the Christmas phenomenon, but ultimately ends with a euphoric, season-appropriate, restorative refrain of l-o-v-e and it’s tearing of us “apart” (see lyrics at bottom).

Christmas Unicorn is from Sufjan Stevens’ Silver & Gold Christmas Unicorn: Songs for Christmas, Vol. 10 (that’s right, Vol. 10–all of which are highly recommended), which you can pick up HERE, HERE, or HERE.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

Christmas Unicorn:

“I’m a Christmas unicorn
In a uniform made of gold
With a billy goat beard
And a sorceror’s shield
And mistletoe on my nose

Oh I’m a Christian holiday
I’m a symbol of original sin
I’ve a pagan tree and magical wreath
And a bowtie on my chin

Oh I’m a pagan heresy
I’m a tragic-al Catholic shrine
I’m a little bit shy with a lazy eye
And a penchant for sublime

Oh I’m a mystical apostasy
I’m a horse with a fantasy twist
Though I play all night with my magical kite
People say I don’t exist

For I make no full apology
For the category I reside
I’m a mythical mess with a treasury chest
I’m a construct of your mind

Oh I’m hysterically American
I’ve a credit card on my wrist
And I have no home nor field to roam
I will curse you with my kiss

Oh I’m a criminal pathology
With a history of medical care
I’m frantic shopper and a brave pill popper
And they say my kind are rare

But I’ve seen others in the uniform
Of a unicorn just like me
We are legions wide and we chose no sides
We are masters of mystique

For you’re a Christmas unicorn
I have seen you on the beat
You may dress in the human uniform, child
But I know you’re just like me

I’m the Christmas Unicorn (Find the Christmas Unicorn)
You’re the Christmas Unicorn too (It’s all right, I love you)

I’m the Christmas Unicorn (I’m the Christmas Unicorn)
(Find the Christmas Unicorn)
You’re the Christmas Unicorn too (You’re the Christmas Unicorn too)
(It’s all right, I love you)

I’m the Christmas Unicorn (I’m the Christmas Unicorn)
(Find the Christmas Unicorn) (apart, my friend)
You’re the Christmas Unicorn too (You’re the Christmas Unicorn too)
(It’s all right, I love you)

Love, love will tear us apart, again
Love, love will tear us apart, my friend

I’m the Christmas Unicorn (Find the Christmas Unicorn)
(Love, love will tear us apart, again)
You’re the Christmas Unicorn (It’s all right, I love you)
(Love, love will tear us apart, my friend)”

There’s a lot of joy in this season. But there’s a ton of hurt too.  We are still on a Tish Hyman high following yesterday’s report, and today brings another beauty: Hyman’s just-released counter-tribute to the season, Home For Christmas.  Over a superb melody, Hyman words about the other side–the one that spotlights the hurt for many in the holidays. While the lyrics tell truth, the song belies the beauty that remains. Have heart y’all.

Learn something every day.  We recently discovered the Bronx’s battle-rapper Tish Hyman and her heartrending, empathic, somehow-seasonally-appropriate song/video Subway Art, and have been hopelessly mired in its riches since. While resounding like some others (old school Lauryn Hill in particular), Hyman stamps her copious personality on Subway Art and its affecting people-in-glass-houses lyrics (see below).  [People: reach out and touch lonely people this season (and year-round).  Never enough of these reminders.] And there will be harmonica.  Nice touch.

Hyman has collaborated with Alicia Keys, Diddy, and Kanye West, among others.  But clearly her own stardom is imminent.  We look forward to Hyman’s debut album, Dedicated To, which is to be released in early 2016.  Keep your ears and eyes out.

Afterwards, listen to another gem, the Jamaican-ish All I That I Can Do.  So very good.

Subway Art:

“I’m not gon’ cry this time so it sounds better
There is life in New York
Underground in the coldest hearts
Lonely people are subway art

Lonely people cast away
For the crimes they committed
And the love ones they pain
Hope for redemption on a crowded train
Can you spare some change? Cause my baby need some diapers
I just got out of jail and nobody wants to hire
My mother just died and I have nowhere to go now
Got hurt on the job, got laid off and I’m broke now
I could be robbin’ you but I’m tryna sell this candy
I need to feed my family, somebody help me

There is life in New York
Underground in the coldest hearts
Lonely people are subway art
Lonely people
In the coldest hearts

Lonely people whose broken dreams
Slowly became distant memories
Most of their prayers fall on dead ears in this crowded train
Hooked on drugs and I can’t get sober
I’m only 18 and my whole life is over
I’ve done been to jail 5 times, give me a dollar
I’m just hungry, I’ll take food if you got some
Anybody wanna buy my mix CD?
I need to feed my family, somebody help me”

David Bowie has gone through hell and back over the last decade.  Having overcome major heart issues in 2004, Bowie made a strong comeback in 2013 with his critically-acclaimed album The Next Day.  Is it any wonder he’s now singing from heaven?  Bowie will release his 25th(!!) studio album, Blackstar, on his 69th birthday on January 8th.  This week Bowie broke new song Lazarus, and we love it, but especially the weighty lyrics (see way below) and the mournful horns set against the math rock mien and melody.  Check it below.

Bowie’s long-time producer, Tony Visconti, recently said that the new record was in part inspired by rapper Kendrick Lamar.  To which we say: what or who isn’t?  Visconti has said this about the new album: “We were listening to a lot of Kendrick Lamar. We wound up with nothing like that, but we loved the fact Kendrick was so open-minded and he didn’t do a straight-up hip-hop record. He threw everything on there, and that’s exactly what we wanted to do. The goal, in many, many ways, was to avoid rock’n’roll.”

Lazurus bodes incredibly well for Blackstar.

Afterwards, watch actor Michael C. Hall (and the cast of  Lazarus, Bowie’s new theatrical adaptation of The Man Who Fell To Earth) adopt Bowie’s persona and voice, and perform Lazurus on the Colbert Late Show.

Lazurus:

Look up here, I’m in heaven
I’ve got scars that can’t be seen
I’ve got drama, can’t be stolen
Everybody knows me now

Look up here, man, I’m in danger
I’ve got nothing left to lose
I’m so high it makes my brain whirl
Dropped my cell phone down below
Ain’t that just like me?

By the time I got to New York
I was living like a king
Then I used up all my money
I was looking for your ass
This way or no way
You know, I’ll be free
Just like that bluebird
Now ain’t that just like me?
Oh I’ll be free
Just like that bluebird
Oh I’ll be free
Ain’t that just like me?

While we’re on the subject following Dawes’ All Your Favorite Bands video yesterday, listen below to Jason Isbell’s song To A Band I Loved off his critically-acclaimed album Something More Than Free. Isbell ostensibly wrote the song about the influential, much-loved band Centro-Matic (Will Johnson), which Isbell fell in love with while touring as a part of another favorite band, Drive-By Truckers.  Isbell left the DBTs a while back, and we just can’t avoid also reading into this song some remnants of DBTs’ demise.  Regardless, Isbell nails it in this tremendous ode to lost, loved bands (The Wrens, The Ass Ponys, Husker Du, etc.).

To A Band I Loved:

“Though everyone tried to ignore us
We’d scared them all off by the chorus
There you stood looking proud
What was left of the crowd at our show
And I was 22 backwoods years old
You were singing that night by yourself
And I thought I was the only one left
From an old southern town
New ideas bouncing round in my head
And I thought everyone like me was dead

And somehow you put down my fears on a page
When I still had nothing to say
And how I miss you today
May you find what you gave, all that hope
Somewhere down at the end of your rope

Now I know you’ll be fine on your own
And your families all need you at home
And the dream was just smoke
At least you all got the joke off the bat
And you were alright with that

And somehow I’m still out here burning my days
Your voice makes the miles melt away
I’ll be guarding your place
In the lights on the stage of my heart
I guess we’re all still finding our part

And somehow I’m still out here seeing your faces
In likely and unlikely places
Somewhere playing too loud
Or in what’s left of the crowd at our show
Hanging out when it’s past time to go
Hanging out when it’s past time to go”

Earlier this year, long-time faves Dawes released their critically-acclaimed album entitled All Your Favorite Bands.  The album, produced by the gifted Dave Rawlings, is yet another in a string of well-wrought and well-rendered albums from the under-appreciated LA band.  The album and its songs are naturally showing up on lots of Best Music of 2015 lists.

The title track is alone worth the price of admission.  Late in September Dawes released the heartwarming track’s official video, and we plum forgot to feature it on these pages.  No mas.  Check the video out below, which was directed by Kevin Hayes and features vignettes of Dawes’ musical pals mouthing/singing-along to the song.  It’s a heartwarmer (as is the song).  Watch for Rawlings and Gillian Welch, My Morning Jacket, Conor Oberst, The Killer’s Brandon Flowers,  M. Ward, Blake Mills, Delta Spirit’s Matt Vasquez, Deer Tick’s John McCauley, and John Moreland, among others, finishing off with a cute bunch of school kids singing along.

About the video, the band’s lead singer-songwriter Taylor Goldsmith (one of America’s best) said this about the video:  “This is really a video made by our friends. All we told everyone is that we wanted some footage of them singing our song. All of their different settings and situations were completely their ideas. We had no idea what to expect. But we really love how it came together and for us, it really seems to suggest the musical family we feel lucky enough to have been a part of over the last six years.”

Afterwards, watch the band perform an acoustic version of this great song (lyrics at bottom). Sweet harmonies gratis.

All Your Favorite Bands:

“Late night drives and hot french fries
And friends around the country
From Charlottesville to good old Santa Fe
When I think of you, you still got on that hat that says let’s party
I hope that thing is never thrown away

I hope that life without a chaperone is what you thought it’d be
I hope your brother’s El Camino runs forever
I hope the world sees the same person
That you’ve always been to me
And may all your favorite bands stay together

Now I’m just waking up and
I’m not thinking clearly so don’t quote me
Of what I hope when I’m writing you this song
Ain’t it funny how some people pop into your head so easily
I haven’t seen you in there for so long

I hope that life without a chaperone is what you thought it’d be
I hope your brother’s El Camino runs forever
I hope the world sees the same person that you always were to me
And may all your favorite bands stay together”

We wrote in late June about the fine Warren Zevon/LA homage from Lucero entitled Went Looking For Warren Zevon’s Los Angeles.  And then we completely missed the official lyric/video released by the band at the end of September.  Check it out below.  It’s a great tribute to the great Zevon (and Big Star and The Replacements) and a cool video travelogue of some of Zevon’s Los Angelesian touchstones (Dan Tana’s at the Troubadour).

‘Tis the season to be short on time. So a quicky from Colbert’s Late Show below. Watch as Colbert and Henry Rollins (Black Flag, etc.) give a winning compare-and-contrast performance of ye ole chestnut Carol of the Bells.  Gonna be a hardcore Christmas.

In case you’ve also missed it:  Rollins’ weekly radio show Sunday night on KRCW is a musical treasure trove, particularly for the punk within.  Check it out HERE.