I should have probably made some sort of extra note about my allegiance to a pop group. Especially one that does not exactly pitch the most feminist image out there. Feminism is a tricky thing. I consider myself a type of feminist and I think that its a matter of fact that everyone should be. Kind of how you shouldn't be racist and that poor evil terrorists are sneaking over the Mexican border to eat your children and shower themselves with your tax money.
I'm a little off-track.
So, the Sugababes. If you are a longtime reader of this blog (sorry, even I had to laugh), you would know that while I am an avid connoisseur of music, I have also (for years) embraced that all my guilty pop pleasures should not have been guilty. Good pop songs are good songs. They are just in the pop genre.
The pop genre requires personas to be created. I realized that you don't have to take it seriously. I try to look at it like a Warhol or Lichtenstein painting. Without getting any deeper than that. Costume changes? Ridiculous songs? Fine. Just make it good listening (the 'Make It Work' philosophy).
One thing in my early days at Northeastern that helped me to get it was hearing the cute Scottish group Travis do a cover of Britney Spears "One More Time" with an acoustic and all maudlin singing. It was perfect.
Here's a reprise:
So anyway, the point is more of me covering my tracks. To convince those of you who have not had my moment of Pop Awakening that YES i like other music. (and as i usually think of my taste) GOOD music. I also realize (as music critics have discovered) that "pop" invades most music. Horrid bands ranging from Good Charlotte to Dashboard Confessional are pop groups. Bad pop groups. Because they are boring. and bad.
Really, the second you start putting elements of order in music, through singing, beats, riffs, etc in an order that people find pleasing and memorable, its pop.
In any case. I like the Sugababes. They make excellent pop music. Yes, the lyrics can be atrocious, the values put forth in the videos vapid and questionable, the dancing in the later videos slightly stripper-informed, its pop. If you can find yourself singing along to "Hole in the Head", "Since U Been Gone", "Can't Get You Out of My Head" or "La Isla Bonita" the job is done.
The only crime is to be boring like if you turn on a modern rock station. Or boring and unforgivable like Destiny's Child's "Cater 2 U".
Just you wait until my gushing Kylie Minogue post.
The holiday season gave me a chance to reflect on the past year as we come upon a new one. Or at least it should have, but my mind refuses to remember most of the preceding year. This especially hurts when I try and fail to put together a year-end best singles/albums/blah list. I remember nothing.
One thing I do know is that coming towards the end of the year, I've been listening to a lot of the Sugababes. I've been making a little playlist for myself because they've put out excellent singles.
Almost as if sensing this, the 'Babes record company have put out a singles compilation called "Overloaded" (buy) (named after their first single "Overload". While today's overwhelming need for record companies to capitalize on their artists with quick comps is a but irritating (frikkin Semisonic has a compilation!?) it still allows for good singles comps. as long as an artist or group actually puts out good singles. and the Sugababes are one of those groups.
While its not all the singles, or even all their best songs, its a damn solid slice of good pop.
I am now going to assume you have little to no exposure to the Sugababes aside from me putting on "Hole in the Head" at a party.
Since I am not British nor am I absolutely obsessed with the 'babes, I cannot fully comment on the history and impact of the singles. I will tell you what little I know and direct attention to some of their best stuff utilizing everyone's favorite medium... YOUTUBE videos!!! yay!
My descriptions are also there more or less as filler. just listen to the songs, enjoy the videos. i wasn't totally hooked until "Freak Like Me" and "Hole in the Head" so who knows.
SUGABACKGROUND
The Sugababes were introduced to me back in 2000-1, when i used to read the NME's site regularly and they and all the British music rags were all losin their juice to their debut single 'Overload' and album One Touch. They were all mad over their maturity implied in song despite their age (around 16) and the fact that they co-wrote their songs.
At this time, the Sugababes were Keisha Buchanan, Mutya Buena (one of my favorite names ever), and Siobhan Donaghy (another of my favorite names). They were then as they are now, a melange of ethnicities. Keisha's black, Mutya's Filipino/Irish, Siobhan's... really white, i don't know. Keisha and Mutya were childhood friends singing together as the Sugababies.
I had no patience to wait for their videos to fully download from the UK sites (which were ridiculously slow back then) so I gave up interest. What little I saw or heard (or heard hyped from the UK rags) hinted at an organic soulful pop. With the girls doing their best looking cool and hip, as you will see in their video "Overload".
By the time they released One Touch in this country, it was in typical style for American record companies releasing UK music. It was completely late, there was no promotion done, and the record was buried. I had a chance to pick it up but didn't. That record sold about 1000 copies in this country to this date according to Billboard. A shame. Also a shame I didn't know then what I know now and just picked up the damn thing. It was cheap and you can't find it in stores now. Anyway.
Here's the video for "Overload". Its a lot of Siobhan, so get it while you can because the dynamic changes quickly after this album. In any case, they all look so cute and young with higher vocal registers and its sorta refreshing to see them before they vamp it up afterward.
------------
and yeah, i'm not as big a fan of the other One Touch singles: "Run for Cover" "Soul Sound" "New Year". They're alright. I put their vids at the end of this post.
------------
After the album's singles had rolled out, I kept them in the back of my mind. I had a good feeling. (A similar feeling was had after Basement Jaxx's Remedy album with singles like "Red Alert", and BAM, they came back with "Romeo", so I was feelin pretty good).
In this meantime, Siobhan left the group due to what seems to be a falling out of personalities or styles or whatever. She's put together a solo career and it sounds good, we'll see how she does when her latest hits in 2007.
Siobhan was replaced by Heidi Range of pop group, Atomic Kitten. and the melange of race was intact. However, the pure pop to soul ratio starts to heavily favor pop afterward.
This feeling was pretty quickly rewarded in 2002 with the single "Freak Like Me". In those rollicking days of the mash-up, this was a Richard X (a fine pop producer) track mashing up the music to Gary Numan's "Are Friends Electric?" with the lyrics to Adina Howard's "Freak Like Me". Apparently the blooping at the beginning is from Frogger. In any case, the track is a smash and was a UK #1 single. it is wicked.
--- The follow-up to this was "Round Round", which was produced by one of the best modern pop production team: Xenomania. For some reason I didnt dig this originally. I have no idea why. I love the -plink-s that come with the beat, the subdued wall of sound. The chorus is instant-catchy. The easy flow of the song makes me think of it as a sequel to "Overload". call me crazy. what i also like is that they use parts of the song in which a verse would be sung and use it as an slightly long lead-in to chorus! SCHLINK!PLINK-PLINK-PLINK. uh yah. Also is the great pop effect of all the stuff in the video stopping with the song when Heidi sings her slow verse:
---
If yr not a fan of the slower songs, then skip on ahead, but "Stronger" is definitely strong. One of those break-up empowerment ballads.
It was part of a double-A-side with title track "Angels With Dirty Faces" used in the Powerpuff Girls Movie. Here is a sadly lifeless video of it in the Powerpuff's world:
The first single off of Three was "Hole in the Head", a Xenomania production. This is one of my favorite pop songs of all time. (As some of you know/saw) it was in Dublin where I first heard the track in a pub, got real excited, had a feeling it was a new Sugababes track, and bam, rewarded by info from the DJ. Its an island-pop track, makes you want to dance and has this absolutely wicked hyperactive bass line with an equally mad guitar riff playing very subtly in the mix with it. The only thing on this track that even comes close to disappointing is its two 'ass' references. Not because i'm offended by the word "ass", its that both refs make no sense and this is a trend in many modern 'Babes tracks. Even so, the song still makes me insanely happy to this day.
---
The second single "Too Lost in You" is a bit of a shocker for me because of how much i like it. Its written by evil songwriter Diane Warren, who wrote shit for Celine Deon and "don't want to miss a thing" for aerosmith. An awful woman. However, the 'babes continue on their streak of respectable ballads in their repertoire. Its sung with strength, good harmonizing, and it doesn't put you to sleep. The part where Mutya sings "fell too far this tiiiime" before the first chorus with the low throaty voice is all you really need. It was used in the movie Love, Actually. The video reflects none of this and it is weirdly eroticized.
(here is the version of the video that is not just the Love Actually tie-in)
---
The third single "In the Middle" is just a pure fun moment. The song has no meaning with references to "drunken elevators" "speaking all in code" "acting out of character is everything we know". Still with its rockin horn effects and tempo it catches you. Its nonsense chorus will stay with you forever, i catch myself saying it quietly all the time:
"I'm caught up in the middle Jump into the riddle I'm fallin just a little tonight (uh uh) Cuz everybody's making trouble Someone's burst their bubble But we'll be getting by alright (uh uh uh)"
So we're in the home stretch. First single is "Push the Button" produced by Dallas Austin. Its almost an exercise in great pop. Steady build, bridge ascending to chorus (seemingly descended from Sheena Easton's "Morning Train", chorus absolute sing-along. electro flourishes. unfortunate are the horrendous lyrics. its basically about them wanting a nice guy and wanting to him to get with "it". there is another annoying ass reference. but still, it is a pop gem:
---
The next single "Ugly" is at the bottom. "Ugly" is a sister song to Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful" as a piece of empowerment "if i'm ugly then so are you".
--
Then came some bad news. My favorite, Mutya Buena left. I really dug her and her voice. at least in video even her facial expressions had such coolness and swagger. She was then replaced by Amelle Berrabah, who had been making the rounds of the UK pop scene's minor league before bursting through here. Her voice is even throatier than Mutya's, which i'm still getting used to, but I hope it works out. Plus, she is of Moroccan descent and the group's skin-tone rainbow still shines on. They re-recorded "Red Dress" and "Follow Me Home" and re-released the album with her on the cover.
However, this also means that Keisha is the only original member of the group left. Which is a little sad considering Sugababes originally consisted of teenagers who were friends.
--- The third single which was re-recorded with Amelle's vocals (plus her video debut) is "Red Dress". Yet another pop monster. Great horns that take over in the middle. I dunno if its me, but Amelle's "coolah"s at the beginning are insane.
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Fourth: "Follow Me Home" re-recorded with Amelle. at the bottom.
Bringing us to now. There are two new songs on the collection.
The first single is "Easy". It is the very synthesis of the 'babes. Horrendous, innuendo-laden lyrics that are awesome with how horrendous they are and the chorus is so DAMN CATCHY. For the verses, its almost like they were having an innuendo contest and trying to outdo each other. I just have to quote with remarks in [brackets]:
Keisha: Engine's running high baby, can you come and check it? [mechanical!] Got such a pretty kitty, boy I know you want to pet it [i love cats!]
Heidi: The weather's nice and wet just south of the border [humidity is hot] I can cook up anything that you have to order [ehhh... doesn't follow up]
Amelle: Hey Mr Postman, where's the mail for my mailbox? [OHHHH SHIIIIIIIIIT, i dont even know what that means] I wanted sex on the beach and I don't mean on the rocks [and you lost 20 points]
Heidi (2nd attempt): It's your serve baby but the ball's in my court, [tennis is also hot..] I've got a landing strip clear for you at the airport [ding! we have a winner!]
but again, the chorus rocks. it heals all wounds and forgets all comedy. Then the verses fade away into chorus chorus territory and the music swells with middle eastern influence.
In the video the girls are stuck in a world that consists wholly of a women's bathroom in a pvc club and sexual aggression.
------------
i will end it here. i love the 'Babes. May they continue to pop.
Though the next single is a team-up with Girls Aloud for Comic Relief 2007 and is a cover of "Walk This Way" with each group playing the role of Aerosmith and Run DMC.
------------
Here's some extra vids. they're goodies:
"Follow Me Home" - Taller in More Ways (2005)
---------------------- "Ugly" - Taller in More Ways (2005)
---------------------- "Shape" w/ Sting - Three (2003)
---------------------- "Caught in a Moment" - Three (2003)
---------------------- "Run For Cover" - One Touch (2001)
---------------------- "New Year" - One Touch (2001)
---------------------- "Soul Sound" - One Touch (2001)
I'm always fascinated by the spam of today. It's definitely not the spam of 1995. There are wonderful names and fascinating stories. Though, the graphics are as bad as 1995.
But the stories... Either they are from a book or perhaps warnings from a war-torn post-apocalyptic world of which the only functioning economy is based on selling cheap viagra over the internet.
From: "Mehalia Bluitt" To: "Ruadha Easter" Re: endway hoopl "to the concert site. There was a grove of trees here that were serving
Hello, Tremearne, are you there? How I wish you were in charge next door rather than that hairy Let me tell you it was like suicidesville around here when we heard science building. Do you know about it? In the science building. So it must be gone too. the wall have no idea that we watch them closely and I wish it to have indicated you might be able to track the artifact in this Such rhythm and beauty! he said. back to the ground. of the most ancient data bases, the lyric written in a long-lost"
From: "Fiachna Alewine" To: "Jaume Eady" Re: my stockyar " Sit, he commanded. Behind us was a clank and rattle, a hiss of
looking for something in the pool, and have to work very very hard They were nattily., dressed in camouflaged uniforms and steel helmets, looking at the sky. When we were ready to go, Svinjar himself came that same afternoon. I know that now-and it wont wash. We would have been a lot better these has been developed right outside the Pentagon. They call Tremearne shook his head. No idea. Looks like a wall, thats all. Paradise. A rusty, chipped old fedha will do . . . passed me he dropped something small into my lap. I waited a minute"
From: "Nekane Milam" To: "Izz Lookabaugh" Re: my undergraduat "and stepped aside as the door opened. A chubby, bearded youth came in
examination. Floyd had dug a small flute out of his pack and played a The blade slashed out to slit my throat. struggle by one of your lot who did nothing to help. Ive nothing to say . . . The guard stationed there lowered his gun and pointed it at my belt if you see anything-anything at all. Keeping me going, aint that a bitch! miserable or dead. Besides, the military is no place for a groom man. with all of us playing it. Then they animated a computer-generated Bang-on, Jim, he said in a low voice. The story is trying to tell"
From: "Elmo Helbig" To: "Gweneth Littleton" Re: my minif "asked for and I modified everything in the machine shop. It was the bottom? It was. The next day an anorexic and pallid young man was brought to
last black-robed Fundamentaloid crawled over the horizon, the trampled back of my chair because Aidas voice whispered in my ear. What if there were settlers here-only they were hidden away position to choose. I executed a quick leap back to the entrance door, Its not a matter of liking or not liking it, she said reading my and I will see what I can do. planet named Ochaye, which is perhaps galaxy-famous for its other to some pretty luxurious, although still red brick, quarters. He"
From: "Zeta Pavon" To: "Blaanid Goode" Re: my orderfor "oon as possible. This is what will happen. You will be taken to a
When his master commanded the ambulatory war-machine clanked and prosper by utilizing their energy in a more positive manner. It was a CHAPTER 1 Dont shoot-I want him alive. For the moment. garbage world. nice day it was. Bite your tongue she used to say. origin. Itchy foot, itchy foot, itchy foot itch! Two seconds. Weapons swinging on all sides. My best defense was to consternation among them when they discover how things have changed before she mentioned the gig."
From: "Benson Twombly" To: "Jillie Nesby" Re: meda = telephotograph " I did. Mumbling through mouthfuls of breakfast. old. He rummaged deeper in the box, then looked around with a childish
thirty-day poison beginning to bubble and seethe in my bloodstream. sight. enthusiasm we played two more numbers before I called a break. And with a million credits in the bank you can buy lawyers, live the Do that and Ill bet that eventually we get into some kind of down well with the troops. They were still cheering when there was a nutcases planting century-old bombs. in probing further. The door opened and our guide reappeared. The thing stopped barking and spoke. Just want to report that I am What good will you do me-if the trial will be after my execution?"
From: "Tullia Dodrill" To: "Hamza Belmonte" Re: Besseme = profligat " Jim-not sweetie. And why did you call me that? could see now that a wicked scar slashed across his face and the
decision is up to you. tell me-do you write your own lyrics . . . ? antique side. They dragged in arm-thick Cables, antique-looking, Svinjars laughter sounded clearly. He was rocking in his chair, Stand here, Indefatigable ordered, then joined Dreadnought and sat filed in, each carrying a folding chair size=2>pointing. Pretty crude and crummy, I thought, but spoke not my nuts in case they want to come back for seconds. Then rest up until they were arranging around the platform; there were even a few flowers"
From: Darin Mcdaniel Subject: Are of Seat "kind, the former less. Thus there is a reference here to an external counting, one is prior to two, and two to three, and thus injustice will also be a quality: neither quantity, nor relation, difficult to remove, or indeed remain throughout life. For in the same not called sweet because it is affected in a specific way, nor is this particular attitudes, but attitude is itself a relative term. To reference to something else, for we mean a knowledge of something. But perceived and a body in which perception takes place. Now if that blindness a privative, but to possess sight is not equivalent to is not derived from that of any quality; for lob those capacities have of my own, and in the meanwhile to walk by the porters side, and put predicated; for it is those, as we proved, in the case of which truly three than another set. Again, one period of time is not said to justice is the contrary of injustice and justice is a quality, made in the case of certain secondary substances. With regard to the constitution of every appropriate subject. For when a thing has Besides these senses of the word, there is a fourth. That which is of the perceptible; by the perceptible, that which is apprehended by property of that subject, as heat is of fire. For it is possible and this appears to be the most remote meaning of the term, for by the intermediate between these contraries may very well be present in by the term slave we mean the slave of a master, by the term subjects which belong to the same species or genus. Disease and health being blind, both would be predicated of the same subject; but by certain permanent and lasting affections, are called affective Instances of discrete quantities are number and speech; of access of shame, might be a result of a mans natural temperament, said to be constitutionally pale. He is said rather to have been be applicable properly to injustice. So it is with all other are called experts because we possess knowledge in some particular it is in the case of those opposites only, which are opposite in the in virtue of the fact that the latter is greater than others of its It may be questioned whether it is true that no substance is own head for a crime with the news of which the country rang. To-day I many relative terms. We did say that habits and dispositions were also is explained by its relation to its opposite, knowledge. For prior to two. For if two exists, it follows directly that possible to know their essential character definitely, but it does not relative, as seems to be the case, or whether exception is to be"
From: vatican Subject: Have as Constitute "aised her face and recognised me; seemed to hesitate, and then came on Are we not to have our walk to-day either? so I faltered. Deed, and I thought you knew me better. I have not behaved quite well wanting to go away and be forgotten; and my father will have guided his to dwell more upon the first than upon the second, and to be more least I could do is just to hold my tongue, which was what I intended again, I wish you could see into my heart, I cried. You would read before him from the door. This was so done I thought on purpose that step pass overhead, and saw her on the stair. This she descended very You have no right to speak to me like that, said I. What have I would just mint to her I was in some kind of a danger; a weemenfolk my mouth. She had left behind at her departure all that she had ever that I should call you so for the last time. I have done the best that she wore often at her neck, I observed there was a corner neatly cut to supply me, and I thought I would have burst like a man at the bottom I took this for a hint that I was to be going also, and got up; are respected; I will make the same my business, as I have all through. I am caring less and less about this man James, said Alan. Theres I slept little and ill. Long ere it was day, I had slipped from beside most admire in it. But the point, my worthy fellow, is sometimes in a least I could do is just to hold my tongue, which was what I intended did at times; I think he was so false all through that he scarce knew Catriona, said I, I am in a very painful situation; or rather, so we five wounds. But the loss of him is that the mans boss. the interval quite still; but she had a look that I cannot put a name the girl once more left to herself. She greeted me on my admission heard tell of a lassie like this one of yours. The way that you tell again, I wish you could see into my heart, I cried. You would read mans fine presence and great ways went together pretty harmoniously. the deil, or James More either. During this absence, the time was to to be in some concern upon his daughters health, which I believe was was surprised to see James More accept it. It was plain he had had a blow. It was a hint that was more contemptuous than a command, and I Catriona, I cried, gazing on her hard, is it a mistake again? Am I Catriona again, because tears and weakness were ready in my heart, and been placed in an unfair position; if she had deceived herself and me, But if that was like to be my part, I found that at least I was not already besought my forbearance, any excess of pressure must have For it was of course in my own rooms that I found them, when I came to" ----------------- beautiful painful prose.
Our poetry selection? here:
"A curly and cool store against the farm break." "static wrong road. static ston ten. payment slope block source. ten select go message open twelve sit." "tell better couple deep four offered second including threat know french find flights"
Its helping the Bush administration save face in an unwinnable war.
The New York Times has a piece (here) outlining the cost of the war and its future costs compared to what it could have bought us otherwise. Its pretty tame on that "otherwise". However, even if yr all about 9-11 and the avoidance of another, even following the 9-11 Commission's recommendations amounts to pocket change.
However, since the Pentagon is about the only "Big Government" people think their tax dollars should go to, its meaningless.
Perhaps if you funded a Universal Health Care bill and called it: "The Fighting Terrorists, Gays and Immigrants Bill" we could get something accomplished.
In it is the terribilific song "No Easy Way Out" by Robert Tepper.
He is a one-hit wonder from Bayonne, NJ. That is hard.
Here is his video:
This man cannot be categorized. Except by Wikipedia which has him in several categories, such as: '1965 births', 'American singer-songwriters', 'Living people', 'New Jersey Musicians' (!), and 'Rocky Music'.
What is also amazing is how easy it was to write music in the 80s.
I wanted to say that this song was the bastard child of every Bon Jovi non-ballad from the 80s, in particular "you give love a bad name" and the bridge and chorus to Talk Talk's "It's My Life". But i feel that this sullies Talk Talk in an unnecessary way, considering there are a million songs from the 80s similar to today's subject.
Find them, rock out to their melodic and infectious rock chorus. Understand why during the 80s on sitcoms, the goofy teenagers who sang and danced and valued hairspray always said they wanted to be "rock star"s rather than the more apt term "pop star".
speaking of the 80s, as you know it was both a great time for me (lots of friends and outdoors) and a difficult one (racism, needless assholes). dealing with how rather meaningless and hairsprayed the culture in my 80s suburban NJ childhood was. it made me a little afraid:
i always felt my doom being precipitated by everyone in this video. the final march to end me happening similarly to 0:18 - 0:20 and 0:59 - 1:02 in this video.
--- one particularly bright bulb on youtube had this to say in response to Bon Jovi's 'Living on a Prayer': "I <3 this song but not as much as My Chemical Romances I'm not Okay."
Over the Xmas break, i had a ridiculous amount of ideas to fill up this space.
Can't remember for the life of me.
This is why a notepad and pen are important.
I'm sure Edward R. Murrow kept one for ideas in his blog.
Consisting of the wall to the lobby of his building.
Which he would scrawl upon late at night. Cigarette in hand.
There's one thing i do remember:
I had an excellent Public Transportation Holiday!
Yes. I took the Red Line to South Station, no waits.
no one stared at me with suspicion.*
*(Since 9-11, i'm always sensitive about how i am perceived on public transit. i had some run-ins with the jerk who ran the shuttle bus to work in that time period. that and the ongoing stories of brown asian/middle eastern people being discriminated against for existing. glad i didnt take the plane. i would've had to walk from Hartford after an emergency landing).
Jumped on the Amtrak. Got a ride home from good old dad, so that maybe didn't count.
But after that. I got schedule-wise on the bus when i'd visit the city.
You see, the 167 is a NJ Transit bus that stops near my home. It goes from Harrington Park (which i have no conception of) to NYC Port Authority Bus Terminal (a glowing picture of humanity if there ever was one).
Not bad. When we're driving into the city from Bergenfield, it takes about 15-20 minutes.
But the 167 has its moods.
Before I got schedule-wise, it could either take you there quickly or take the amount of time it takes to go from Boston to Providence just to make the seemingly small trip across the river. It would go down through Washington St in my town which magically transforms into Teaneck Road, heads down that forever, stopping along the way. Heads to the NJ Turnpike, which made you think you were on your way, but no. It would get on and off the turnpike and stop at office parks and parking lots. At some points seemingly going backwards. Then a little more turnpike, and you can see the city clearly in the skyline. You think yr almost there. Then it gets off the highway to wind through Union City and take the back way into the Lincoln Tunnel. I don't know how familiar you are with the Port Authority, but it is not the place that makes you feel as if your long journey was worth it.
Don't even get me started on the 167Q route that goes onto Queen Anne Rd through Teaneck and looks like its going to get onto the Turnpike and then goes even further down Teaneck Rd than you ever thought was possible and even then STILL makes every stop imaginable, with the bus at standing room, some jerk working on his laptop and coughing next to you for an hour.
But this holiday weekend, i was hooked on a drug.
It was called 167X: Teaneck Armory Express.
It was a bus that seemingly came at random before. It would go through my town, acting like normal, up to the border with Teaneck, where there is a gigantic armory. Many people would get on there. We would then proceed down Teaneck Road and there would be NO MORE STOPS! It would get onto the highway and get the F out to the Lincoln Tunnel and boom. Glorious Port Authority.
I wanted to create a song to glorify the 167X: Teaneck Armory Express. It would be based on Kraftwerk's 'Trans Europe Express'. It wouldn't even require much lyrical change. --------------- [Instrumental]
Rendezvous on Broadway Leave Bergenfield in the morning on T.A.E. Teaneck Armory Express Teaneck Armory Express Teaneck Armory Express Teaneck Armory Express
[Instrumental]
In the Port Authority we sit in a late-night cafe Straight connection, T.A.E. Teaneck Armory Express Teaneck Armory Express Teaneck Armory Express Teaneck Armory Express
[Instrumental]
From stop to station back to New York City Meet Iggy Pop and David Bowie Teaneck Armory Express Teaneck Armory Express Teaneck Armory Express Teaneck Armory Express
[Instrumental] ---------------------
Anyhow, this was the case on the two days hanging out in NYC with Ria. Good bus, good subway karma. Hardly any waiting. Even for the Brooklyn Shuttle between the poorly linked Brooklyn routes of the Q and the A/C.
Even the Air Train was smooth.
Topping the list of Public Transportation Holiday was the first time I'd ever ridden on the Long Island Railroad (LIRR). Considering how much its griped about, I thought it would be on a level worse than our MBTA Commuter Rail. Basically benches nailed to the floor of a storage container.
How wrong I was.
It was the paragon of what a suburban rail network should be. The station i entered the system, Jamaica, was ultra informative. It had MONITORS to TELL YOU WHEN THE TRAIN IS COMING. In Massachusetts, we are told that this technology does not exist or is impossible to create. Perhaps in another hundred years maybe. These "monitors" even said if the train was peak or off-peak so as to make even that possibly confusing bit of information more clear. In MBTAland, we have photocopied pieces of paper taped to things in the subway to make the fares make some sense.
And the cars of the LIRR train I took to Penn Station were NEW and CLEAN. Had COMFORTABLE SEATS. Displays and clear announcements that told you WHERE THE TRAIN IS GOING and WHAT STATION IS NEXT. It was like EUROPE! I even had a choice of whether to take this train or an EXPRESS.
I apologize for the writing in bold. In case some person at the MBTA is reading, i wanted to make things even more clear. But if politicians, the mass media, millions of people can't make the MBTA pull its head out of its ass, a poorly visited blog can hardly make a difference. But i still TRY.
Still. It was a glorious Public Transportation Holiday.
I took the bus from Bergenfield (unfortunately, the only one that fit my schedule was the hellish 167Q: Queen Anne Road / Union City) to the PABT. I did not take the subway as i find it a little silly in good weather to take the train the few blocks from 42nd to 34th and Penn Station.
Amtrak to Boston - South Station. Red Line to Central. I am home. I don't know why this is so hard for this country to figure out and not be scared of. I DID NOT DRIVE. scary.
anyway.
After a flash New Years Eve party at Sue and Vanessa's
I went with Carolyn to her central Mass homeland.
on the Commuter Rail. Though we needed to get picked up at Fitchburg and drive 45 minutes, it was sort of unavoidable. Perhaps one day the Commuter Rail will be closer, but that is not this day.
I was to return alone. There was a weird guy who got on the train at Fitchburg with me. He followed whatever I was doing. We had to get on the end of the train. But how far back? I guessed. I was wrong. The guy follows me.
By the time we arrived at Porter Square, where I get off for the Red Line, I was a little confused. Because this is the MBTA/MBCR Commuter Rail, there are hardly any announcements and none that are audible. The conductors occasionally yell out and ask who's getting off at the next station. This is because if no one answers and no one is at the station, the train can just speed by, which it did on occasion. To help matters, the cars all have windows that are seemingly made of plastic milk cartons that have been scratched out so that you can almost see whats outside in the daytime. But at night, Massachusetts is pitch dark. Stations are the same, though there is a red blob where the LCD sign may say any amount of information like what day it is and what time, but no other usable information.
We arrived at Porter, which I only discerned by the amount of people getting up and the amount of time that had passed since we stopped at Brandeis and gone through the nameless stations (apparently people in places like Waltham, Waverly and Belmont are psychically connected to their stations).
The man was confused as I got up to leave. He mumbled something about Boston and I was confused. I told him that I was getting off here at Porter and that he could stay on the train and go to North Station. He was relieved at the news. I Red Lined it home.
i hope this wasn't bewildering and confusing like the MBTA fare increase and not as boring as the 167Q.
