New England's Got the Foliage

I don't think I was born in a bad mood. It probably happened about an hour later.

Being the wallowing misanthropist that I am, I've always maintained that the best chance at forcing happiness on any given day is that in that brief period in the morning before you must come into contact with the rest of the world. And the best way to bring it on is with some carefully chosen music.

I got the music right this morning, twice. The first was Pornography by The Cure over breakfast. Amazing album, even if you never did weird things with your hair. If I was a young music writer, I might say something about the trancelike, slowly building beat being primeval, or almost tribal. Listening to it reminds me I must go out and buy Faith again soon too.

Then on the train, where Tokyoites were doing their usual head-in-the-sands routines, I got it right again, with this song. How about these for lyrics to cheer you up on a crowded Tokyo train of a Thursday morning:

Soho's got the boots
Noho's got the crack
New England's got the foliage
but I ain't going back

Anybody know the band without googling? And if you do, do you remember the band before the band?

I'll give you one clue. It's not Jonathan Richman.

And I'll tell you one more song you could try the next time you're choosing the music: Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands.

Three guaranteed fleeting-moment-of-morning-happiness catalysts all in the one post. That's a bargain. Feel free to add your own. If there's one thing I want from other people, it's recommendations for good music.

The genre doesn't matter as long as it's not something Pat listens to. (Note to grammar fiends: There's no way I'm writing "to which Pat listens." I sound too much like Jane Austen as it is.)

Posted by Setsunai at October 7, 2004 9:56 AM | TrackBack