I don’t like listening to music on the radio.
That is a generalization. The more specific version is that I have all of the good song that the radio plays on my iPod already sans the lemons and commercials, so why bother? It’s not as if DJs are any more useful than the random function these days.
I make an occasional exception for Philadelphia’s Radio 104.5, because they are an unusual station. They’re alt-rock, but they’re the first station in Philly I heard playing “Fuck You,” and they actually debuted “Rolling in the Deep” to me last year – and, you’ve got to be pretty up on your new releases to get the drop on me hearing an awesome song like that.
Essentially, 104.5 is more alternative than it is rock. Yes, they play their share of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Foo Fighters, but they’re also playing bands fronted by women, and acoustic stuff, and obscure artists not getting play across the country – because Philly likes all of that.
Case and point: a few weeks ago this song came on and immediately became my #1 “I Wish I Wrote That” of 2012. Behold, “Live and Die,” by the Avett Brothers.
I have been vaguely aware of the Avett Brothers, but not especially a fan. Whoa, boy, has that changed.
A few thoughts:
1. Wow, how did this get on the radio? This is like… Folk/Americana music. But not. It’s a pop song played in the Folk/Americana style.
2. He has this awesome squareness to his voice. Like, I highly doubt it is auto-tuned (but, who knows), yet listen to the wonderful control of the descending melody on “I want to love you and mo-oh-oh-ore.” Such perfection.
3. Wow, this kind of sounds like how I want the new Arcati Crisis record to sound.
4. There is nothing wrong with writing a treacly sweet love song. They’re catchy. People like them.
That last one is mostly directed at me.
“Live and Die” is from The Avett Brothers’ forthcoming LP The Carpenter, out on September 11th.