Shriek of the Week, Vol. 5

The not-so-randomness of my iPod yesterday inspired today's Shriek. While there were those freaky occurrences with the Wu and Gorillaz, it also managed to play two songs from Voice of the Beehive. It's a bit of a flashback, no new material to shriek about, but I heard Monsters and Angels and the lyrics just resonated so much, it was a natural choice. For my single gal readers who are sick of music about women and their feelings being borderline submissive a la Britney or militantly independent a la Ani, VOTB is welcome relief. They acknowledge that yes, we do want love and maybe can't do everything alone, but dammit we hate what we have to go through to get it. There is so much to choose from here... but here's Exhibit A, from I'm Shooting Cupid:

"Cupid you promised that you would give me a break
You said I could make my own choice.
Stupid of me to think I could avoid you again, escape all of your little voices
You've gone and made me want someone I can never have
And don't think I don't hear you laughing.
Cupid you've got yourself a brand new enemy."

Exhibit B would be all the lyrics of Scary Kisses, but here's part:

"And if we break or if we bruise, it won't be the worst of news
We will just get up again - start over on the count of ten
And if we scar or if we break, it'll be our own mistake
Put it down to what we know, then have another go"

And the song that got this post going, Monsters and Angels:

"I'm nobody's wife, and I'm nobody's baby
I like it that way, well then again, maybe..."

It's not just the love thing either, what are we up to now, exhibit D? From What You Have Is Enough:

"You're upset because your TV is on the blink
Now you have to watch in the living room, life is rough
In this world of plenty it is easy to forget
That darling what you have is enough."

And I have to mention I Say Nothing, since it's one of my favorites, so if you are selectively downloading, get that one too.

The best part is that all of this is set to ridiculously catchy pop music. It's great, feel good music because of honesty. They're not blinded by false hope nor closed off from the reality of their vulnerability, it's a fine line they straddle and the right balance is hard to find in pop culture these days.

Their Web site's discography lists a gajillion singles, but there are really just three albums, Let it Bee, Honey Lingers, and Sex and Misery. The site also says all three are out of print, but they are available on iTunes, and well worth the price of admission.

And since he got me all those albums back when I was in college, I bet this post just made George v. happy. Later kids...