Where Sufjan Stevens fell short in his quest to do 50 records for 50 states, the wonderful band Netherfriends re-focus the goal into track form. Over the next months all 50 state tracks will be rolled out, but we start with the sonic magic of "Angry East Coast". I was so impressed with these songs that I asked to give away two 7"s on the site and was approved.
To win a free 7" @welistenforyou or leave a comment with what song best describes the state you live in currently. Also include why. On Monday we will pick the two winners. Good luck and as always, if you like what you hear, support the band.
New Jersey
ReplyDeleteBeach Comber by Real Estate
Living just outside of Atlantic City and working in AC exposes one to a world of ungrateful guests.They keep coming and gambling hoping for a big win. Winning never happens here, nothing ever happens here.
Its not like AC is a glitzy resort with a legendary strip, a la Vegas. It's basically the slums of Philly with a card table in a hotel. Minus the sport venues, local culture, and interestingly rich history.
"... you won't be happy"
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMichigan
ReplyDeleteDenison Witmer - Are You Lonely?
Yeah, I know Denison's a Pennsylvania native, but there's something about the line "the Midwest feels so tired and scattered" that perfectly describes the feeling of a grey, rainy drive through the Great Lake state just as good as any song from Sufjan.
Of course it's not always grey&nd bleary here in MI (in fact, that's just about the opposite of what I'd describe things as nowadays), but for the moments when time feels a bit heavier and you're looking for a place that's familiar, it's easy to relate to the sentiment "The drive to Michigan holds weight in me / I thought of someplace I could be myself."
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, being a Chicago native, the song that best describes Illinois would have to be by Chicago natives Chin Up Chin Up entitled We’ve Got To Keep Running.
ReplyDeleteLiving in the Midwest in general is dreary due to the lack of substance anywhere outside of major cities. The vast amounts of nothingness aren’t appealing whatsoever (surprise, surprise). The extremities of the weather we are forced to live in catches up to us sometimes. As Chin Up Chin Up best put it “as our minds get shorter, the frost gets bolder and we've got, we've got, we've got to keep running.” I feel that my life is being slowly sucked dry by the lack of everything in Illinois. As Illinoisans (much like with anyone else), we all long for some sense of an escape whether it may be in substances, material objects, or in a different location. With that being said, who would want to live here, right? There’s always a source of redemption in these types of situations. That source and redemption would have to be Chicago.
Chicago is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before. Chicago makes living in Illinois (and the Midwest for that matter) completely worth it. There is just an essence to this atmosphere that makes everything seem beautiful. I will always find everlasting beauty in everything that I’ve seen, felt, and done in Chicago and I will continue to always see the beauty in this glorious city. No matter which day I experience in Chicago, whether I am going to a record store downtown, buying vinyl records, going to Millenium Park, visiting the Sears Tower (Let’s face it. There’s no Willis Tower to true Chicagoites), or looking at the sunset from the Ferris wheel at Navy Pier, I will never stop loving this city and seeing it for what it actually is and thinking about how fortunate I am to have experienced something unexplainable like this.
While every day approaches dusk, there comes a night and that dreaded walk home. Chin Up Chin Up best puts the feeling that is evoked as “the walk there was better than the walk home.” The walk there is always better than the walk home only because the anticipation of attending anything or just even walking around aimlessly in Chicago is beyond every sense that I’ve ever experienced. Even if Illinois is mostly a corn-ridden piece of flat land, I still feel that Chicago makes up for those disappointments. If I could use just one word to describe Chicago, just one word, the only word that comes to my mind that can even remotely describe Chicago in the correct manner is home. Chicago is my home and I can never consider anything else my home ever again.
For me lately it has been "Aura" by Blackbird Blackbird. The single decipherable line "pack up my bags and leave this town" has been in my head since SXSW and I still can't seem to get over the concept given the cold winters and gloomy spring rain.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to 1000xpm and Rainbuxer, you guys won! All these were great, thanks for commenting. Please e-mail me your address to send the 7". welistenforyoublog@gmail.com
ReplyDeletegreat site, keep it up the good work.
ReplyDelete