Music Is My Favorite Mistress

Is it my imagingation, or is commercial music getting better? Music in commercials, that is. I'd like to think that it's a by-product of people with hipper tastes getting old/powerful enough to hold key positions at major ad firms. Versus it just being that I am getting old, and that they're selecting music for said spots to appeal to my demographic, whatever it may be.

To be clear, I'm not talking about things like the crap-ass re-recording of Three Dog Night's "Joy To The World" (Glade), or even the inescapable Pantene onslaught of Natasha Bedinfield's "Unwritten." I find the latter particularly sad, since "These Words" has actually been a favorite of mine since before the US release of same.

Some recent tunes that clicked with me (more so than the product they're pimping):


1) PAS/CAL: "Wake Up Wake Up Wake Up" (Payless Shoes)

Pas/Cal hails from Detroit ("Day-TWAH"), and has a wonderful poppy Beach-Boys-for-today's-America sort of sound that I'm digging on. Eff the shoes they're trying to sell. As what's been referred to as "indie-pop's least prolific band" they're allowed to have sold out twice (2002 for Saturn) in just three EPs when they sound as good as this. Looks like they have their frosh LP slated for Feb 2008 on the Le Grand Magistery label, titled I Was Raised on Matthew, Mark, Luke & Laura. Delightful. I'll buy it, just like I iTuned all three EPs after hearing them on the Payless spots. Whoever made that deal happen for you, boys (and lady), it's working.



2) LANDON PIGG: "Falling In Love At A Coffee Shop" (A Diamond Is Forever)

Firstly, what's not to love about a mug like that and a name like 'landon pigg' on a boy whose mom still cuts his hair?!? Ridiculous. This song is so delightfully plaintive that I had to pick it up -- it's finally available as a single. Album pending, allegedly. Looks like RCA is is label -- not bad. Diamonds, schmiamonds.



3) DEVO: "Watch Us Work It" (Dell)

Yes I know this is the cover for 1980's Freedom Of Choice LP, but not only is it one of my favorite albums ever, but the band is historically underrated. Check out their wikipedia entry if you disbelieve. Frontman Mark Mothersbaugh is also a god, having composed music for most (all?) of Wes Anderson's films, being a minister for the Church of the SubGenius, and having selected A Face In The Crowd as one of his films when acting as guest programmer on Turner Classic Movies. "Watch Us Work It" capitalizes on the current '80s nostalgia, while proving that DEVO still rocks, even today. Bought the single; own an HP.


Honorable mentions (songs that swept me up, but risk becoming "you know, that one song from that _____ commercial?"):

CSS: "Music is my Hot Hot Sex" (iPhone)
Sara Bareilles: "Love Song" (Rhapsody)
Feist: "1234" (iPod)
Flaming Lips: "The W.A.N.D" (Dell)