At the Top of My Lungs

I just drove back from Philly back up to Boston after a great visit home to see some friends and family. Didn't get to catch a show at the First Unitarian, unfortunately, but I did see the Mutter Museum of Medical Oddities, which is gross and awesome. Woot.

The car ride home was standard fare - me belting out tunes at the top of my lungs out of tune until I got a sore throat. I sang everything from old school Dispatch to Celtic standards to James Taylor, and had a blast while doing it. Something awesome about singing in the car alone.

The main offender that kicked off this singing spree is a track from Belle and Sebastian's Stuart Murdoch, off of the Dark Was the Night compilation that was released today. It takes Wild Mountain Thyme - a traditional Irish song about going somewhere with a lass, building a bower, and then finding a replacement lass - and puts new lyrics over the familiar tune. It's really an exceptional song.

Stuart Murdoch - Another Saturday (YSI) (filesavr)

I also found myself shouting along with Tunde Adebimpe's brilliant cover of Neil Young's "Unknown Legend" from the Rachel Getting Married soundtrack. It's an a cappella take that was apparently recorded in Tunde's trailer on set, and it's beautiful, haunting, heartwrenching. I love this track.

Tunde Adebimpe - Unknown Legend (Neil Young Cover) (YSI) (filesavr)

Finally, another track from the Dark Was the Night compilation that dropped yesterday. The Books are really good at making calm electro music, and Jose Gonzalez is really good at singing. They let their powers combine like Captain Planet, and completely dominate this track. Buy the full record here to fight AIDS and support the Red Hot Organization.

The Books and Jose Gonzalez - Cello Song (YSI)