Tokyo Trawler Recommendation #21

Artist: Tom Paxton

Tune: The Last Thing on My Mind

Record: Ramblin' Boy (1964)
 

Category: A sunny Sunday breezerider

Unfortunately, when it comes to being 'pure and simple', there is often much less of the 'pure' and much more the 'simple' (just ask Paris Hilton). In this tale* of complacency* in love, however, both are in abundance*, and Tom Paxton's emotive* and clean vocals beautifully accompany a fingerpicked, fluid* guitar melody. The one lingering* feeling from this song is that while it serves it's purpose wonderfully, it's so simply constructed, that it leaves one with the feeling that Paxton never ventures* out of second gear throughout. Whether or not this effortlessness* is a good thing is up for debate, I suppose.

The Tokyo Trawler’s message to the people: As effortless as persuading Paris Hilton to come back for coffee.

To download or not to download?? 3/5 (IT'S GOTTA BE DONE)
iTunes available: Yes
勉強のキーワード: tale, complacency, abundance, emotive, fluid (形容詞), lingering, to venture (動詞), effortlessness

The Last Thing on my Mind URL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voqL5ksOuoo

Video Interviews, Roppongi (#5)

Tokyo Trawler Catch of the Day: Pierre, France

Artist: Bob Marley & The Wailers

Tune: Bad Card

Record: Uprising (1980)

Pierre's essential rating: 5/5

Pierre's Message to the People: "It's a fucking good song, by a fucking good artist" (English translation)

The Interview:

The Tokyo Trawler’s Essential Review:

Category: A sunny Sunday breezerider

Bob Marley was a walking set of ideals*, standing by and actually having faith in not only his politics, but also his musical roots* and his lifestyle. Focused on the 'dancehall' movement which emerged* in 1970s Jamaica, 'Bad Card' emphasises* the political importance of the scene as a means of communication with the youth of the time. Despite citing the importance of recognition* through 'noise politics' ('I want to disturb* my neighbour'), for the listener, the laid back rhythm and trademark 'kitchen' percussion certainly do not conjure* images of anything that could be remotely* described as noise, let alone* disturbance.

The Tokyo Trawler's message to the people: 'I'm so angry about.... oh, wait, I love this song...'

To download or not to download?? 4/5 (ESSENTIAL)
iTunes available: Yes
勉強のキーワード: ideal (noun), roots, to emerge, to emphasise,, recognition, to disturb, to conjure, remotely

Bad Card URL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHDUdk0bApc

Video Interviews, Shibuya (#4)

Tokyo Trawler Catch of the Day: Travis, USA & Alex, UK

Artist: Scouting for Girls

Tune: She's So Lovely

Record: Scouting for Girls (2007)

Travis & Alex's essential rating: 4/5

Travis & Alex's Message to the People: "It's easy to remember, you should know it, learn to love it"

The Interview:

The Tokyo Trawler’s Essential Review:

Category: A sunny Sunday breezerider

POP. This is the word that immediately springs to mind when you listen to this song for the first time, and also probably what happens to your head after you listen to it for the sixth time. For all the raucous* pleasantry* of the piano and hand-claps in this song's intro, it is impossible to think of them as anything but a false dawn*. Delve* a little further into the song, and you begin to realise that it is lyrical weakness and gratuitous* use of rhyme which truly let this song down ("Shes pretty, a fitty, she's got a boyfriend though and that's a pity"). Karaoke song? Perhaps. Essential listening? No.

The Tokyo Trawler's message to the people: The start glistens*, but when you listen, you'll find out there's a little somethin' missin'...

To download or not to download?? 1/5 (ONLY IF YOU'RE DESPERATE)
iTunes available: Yes
勉強のキーワード: raucous, pleasantry, a false dawn (idiom), to delve, gratuitous, to glisten

She's So Lovely URL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_Xkj6xRKio