Anthems for Seventeen Year Old Girls - Broken Social Scene - You Forget It In People - 2002

It was probably this song that really cemented the idea that Broken Social Scene was more than a weird Canadian hippy collective. It shouldn't work on any level, all of the elements should be terrible. Emily Haines effects an appropriately girly voice to chant the sing-songy lyrics with their hypnotic rhythm, while the backing track consists almost entirely of a banjo and violin until the end when the drum and guitar kick in. Girly voice! Strings! BANJO! This sounds terrible, right?

But it's absolutely hypnotic and nearly perfect. And beyond that, without being salacious or judgemental, it actually paints a fairly realistic portrait of whatever the hell goes on in the minds of teenage girls, by simply chanting a few phrases over and over. By the time she reaches "Park that car/Drop that phone/Sleep on the floor/Dream about me" you totally get it.

Almost Crimes (Radio Kills Remix) - Broken Social Scene - You Forget It In People - 2002

They say that music, along with scents, is one of the biggest triggers for memory...which is certainly one of the reasons I love music. But I can distinctly remember the first time I heard this song. Nothing extraodrinary happened, and it's not like the hearing of this song was a life changing experience. I mean, I like this song but...it's not like it "changed my life" or anything.

I was sitting in what was then my new apartment in Greenpoint in 2003. It was before I would come to realize what a total clusterfuck that place would be, so I was still excited about my new pad. My friend who is also named Josh came over and put this album on the stereo. The first couple of songs are mellow atmospheric pieces but this song comes along with it's 30 second tune up...and then that drum beat kicks in.

I find this album very hit and miss, but when it hits...it hits just right.

Ageing Faces/Losing Places - Kevin Drew - Spirit If... - 2007

So, a week or so ago one of my female friends was mugged. She lives out in the aluminum siding district in Bushwick and got jumped coming off the subway. As a result she suffered a broken wrist and a pretty nasty black eye.

Now, surliness aside, I'm still a good catholic boy at heart, so I volunteered to help her on a run to the Container Store to buy a new closet thingy. We're standing in line and getting assistance from the CS dude...he asks her what happened. Understandably, she didn't want to go into it so she just says "I fell". Well of course the guy spends the rest of the transaction giving me the stink eye. If I had thought my friend wouldn't have minded I would have just told the guy "Yes, I beat her. I throw her down the stairs for fun..."

Look, mother F-er...I'm doing a good deed here...don't look at me like I'm Connie Corleone's first husband...geez. A guy just can't win...

Anyway, this is Kevin Drew trying to recapture the magic of Anthems for Seventeen Year Old Girls. He doesn't quite pull it off...but not bad.