Art is the music we make from the bewildered cry of being alive. ~Maria Popova
04 Jul 2017 Leave a comment
in Video of the Week Tags: dan wilson, home
01 Jan 2017 Leave a comment
in Songs You May Have Missed Tags: andy sturmer, bleu, could be worse, dan wilson, jellyfish, semisonic
Bleu: “Could Be Worse” (2003)
Bleu (a.k.a. James McAuley III) got help on his second full-length album from fellow power pop sympathizers like Semisonic’s Dan Wilson and Andy Sturmer of Jellyfish, who co-wrote and sang backup on “Could Be Worse”.
A fine point to note here is this example of top-notch songcraft: the melody accompanying the words “could be better” in the chorus mirrors the pitch pattern of the phrase commonly used when it is spoken.
A careful listener will catch this bit of cleverness now and then in a pop song. It’s usually the mark of a real pro.
17 Jul 2015 Leave a comment
in Video of the Week Tags: closing time, dan wilson, semisonic
Dan Wilson, singer and songwriter of the band Semisonic, reveals the true meaning behind the band’s biggest hit at his 25th reunion at his alma mater, Harvard.
08 Nov 2014 Leave a comment
in Songs You May Have Missed Tags: dan wilson, love without fear
Dan Wilson: “Love Without Fear” (2014)
Semisonic front man and main songwriter Dan Wilson’s creative and commercial peak may be a couple decades in the rear view at this point, but he can still turn an appealing melody and lyric phrase. Actually, his writing always seemed a bit “mature” for the grunge-influenced era of Semisonic’s peak anyway, so it fits nicely into the AOR slot which will inevitably be the market for his latest solo LP.
His too-infrequent releases always find welcome where melodic, coherent and heartfelt music is still appreciated.
Do check out the other recommendations below. Semisonic’s Great Divide is truly one of the most unjustly overlooked albums of the 1990’s.
See also: https://edcyphers.com/2013/08/09/songs-you-may-have-missed-457/
See also: https://edcyphers.com/2013/06/23/recommended-albums-50/
Every Moment Has A Song 