The Vibe by DJ Veekay - To Cover One's Tracks (05/27/2023)

Welcome back to The Vibe, ladies and gentlemen. Another collection of songs to help get you through the day.

I’ve been kind of lazy recently. Not just towards writing but more so in general. Lethargic. April and its gloomy weather are likely the culprit. No one ever feels like doing much with the cold rain and the grey skies outside. Demotivating really. But with Summer on the way, I’ve kept some of my motivation up trying to get through the rainy days. Listening to music has always been a way to relax and let the laziness flow out of my body instead of being consumed by it. This week I’ve got another collection of songs that have kept me pushing through, whether that's at the gym or cleaning up around the house. The grind never stops if the soundtrack is right.

Without further ado, these are the vibes this week to help you get out and enjoy the rest of those May flowers.

Kiwi - Harry Styles - Harry Styles (2017)

Produced by Tyler Johnson, Alex Salibian & Jeff Bhasker - Written by Harry Styles, Mitch Rowland, Ryan Nasci, Tyler Johnson, Alex Salibian & Jeff Bhasker)

I am lucky enough to have so many people in my life that love music and who share songs with me that they think I would like. I’ve been slowly getting into Harry Styles for the last couple years. Kiwi was a recommendation from my brother. Out of everyone who sends tunes my way, he has his finger on my musical pulse like no one else.

“She’s driving me crazy, 

But I’m into it,

But I’m into it”

Sleeping Powder - Gorillaz - Sleeping Powder Single (2017)

Produced by Gorillaz - Written by Damon Albarn

First time I saw the Gorillaz was on the Humanz tour in 2017. I had listened to the album cover to cover, but I didn’t know that Sleeping Powder existed until they played it live. I’ll never forget seeing the 1980s drug PSA pop onto the jumbotron and thinking “What the hell is this?”. Turns out, it was the music video for this song.

If you’re a Gorillaz lore addict, this song is about 2-D’s drug abuse. The character was addicted to painkillers, and this song is about him coming in and out of drug stupors. To me, this song could also be interpreted as infatuation, and how coming down from being overly in love with something can make you lose track of yourself. Lyrics about missing all that you used to know and living in cages, being gone. Plus in the fade out, I make out that one noise as something saying “It’s her” or “It hurts”. Song is a banger for sure, though.

Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High? - Arctic Monkeys - AM (2013)

Produced by Ross Orton & James Ellis Ford - Written by Alex Turner

From the themes of drug abuse in Sleeping Powder, we slide right into one of my favourite Arctic Monkeys tracks. 

I won’t speak for everyone, but a lot of people have been here. Either drunk dialling or drug dialling someone who you miss or more specifically, someone who you want to get with. I’ve been there. It’s about getting that person you want to be with you for the night, or even for the rest of your life. You think “If I can just call one more time and they pick up, maybe they’ll see it like I do” or if you get that answering machine one more time you think “This time I will just word it differently and they’ll understand”. 

“Left you multiple missed calls

And to my message, you reply

‘Why’d you only call me when you’re high?”

There is a second thing that this song reminds me of. Being introverted. I am not one to make bold moves or do something that I am going to immediately have anxiety over. Get a couple of drinks into me or a couple of edibles though? I’m bold. I’ll do things like call someone at 4 in the morning to pour my heart out. Whether that’s stupid or not, knowing full well that I am going to regret it in the morning. I adopt a “Damn the torpedoes” type attitude and throw caution to the wind. It's called liquid courage, after all.

Sundown - Gordon Lightfoot - Sundown (1974)

 Produced by Lenny Waronker - Written by Gordon Lightfoot

We lost a Canadian icon last month. Gordon Lightfoot was born in Orillia, Ontario. About 20 minutes North up the highway from where I write these articles. One of the truly great artists who kept lots of good company, and influenced many of the artists of the last century. Robbie Robertson of the Band, Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, Johnny Cash, and Neil Young accounted for some of those famous names that had high praise for Gord. The most coincidental part of someone so famous? He went to school with my grandparents.

He was a couple of years older than my grandfather, but he remembers Gordon in school. Total rockstar by what he can recall. He would come to class at Orillia District Collegiate with his guitar, sing and play in class, and head home at the end of the day. “Four Chord” Gord, my great-grandfather called him.

Sundown is a song about unfaithfulness. It’s about him believing that his wife is being promiscuous behind his back, thinking that she is lying to him when she gets home. He apparently was supposed to be in the company of his then wife when he wrote this song, but she went out on a “Girls night”, and that inspired Sundown. A classic folk tune. Rest easy, Gord.

Haunt Me - Samsa - Haunt Me Single (2017)

Produced by Eiiwun - Written by Samsa

I’ve talked about Mac Miller, and how his more chill, lo-fi rap style is what made me get into him. Samsa was another huge push for me to fall in love with lo-fi.

Haunt Me is a song about loss, and playing those mental games with yourself on why that person is missing. Sure, the song makes it sound like his partner has died, but think about the lyrics. Sounds like a breakup to me. I’ve made the same mental connections about people I used to see, thinking things like “They’re just a text away”. It’s a way of thinking where you’re stuck in something that has passed and trying to reason that you can go back to how it is. It sucks sometimes. It gets better, though and you stop thinking like that as much as you used to. Time heals all wounds.

“Look, I won’t pretend I understand it, babe, the afterlife and all

But as you died, you promised me that you would try to write of call”

It also strikes me that this song could be about the act of getting ghosted, whether by a friend or a potential lover. Things are going great and hanging out and such, then they stop texting back. Either they get busy or you get busy and drift away from each other. Or they just lose interest. Losing people is never fun, but I am one of the lucky ones who could always flow into another circle. If it’s friends that disconnect from you, remember that just because you don’t talk, they are still your friend. That’s how friends work!

Super Rad! - The Aquabats! - The Fury of the Aquabats! (1997)

Produced by Jim Goodwin - Written by The Aquabats!

“Step off, homie!”

The Aquabats are that perfect ska sound. Goofy, horns, surf rock-ish sounds. All to an upbeat tempo and rhythm. I had ska described to me once as “The music that plays in a 11-year old’s head when you tell them they can have free pizza at”. It does remind me of something that could be played at a Chuck E. Cheese or in the background of a Scooby-Doo monster chase. It’s just fun music!

First, I have to shoutout my barber. Before writing this article, I was looking for another song to really write about and popped in for a shave and trim. They were blasting ska music that day and we always have a good time talking about music when I’m over there. Above the chair and mirror sits an autographed Tré Cool drumstick, for instance. That’s Wayward Barbershop in Barrie if anyone is looking for a cut!

Something important about this album though. That one guy on the cover, bottom row on the far right? That’s Travis Barker. Yes, Travis Barker of Blink-182. Barker was a member of The Aquabats while Blink-182 opened for them on the SnoCore tour in 1988. The Blink-182 drummer at the time, Scott Raynor, left the band after that tour, and Travis filled in. After watching a few sets with Travis behind the kit playing for Blink, The Aquabats knew it was time to look for a new drummer. Travis found where he belonged.

Sag My Pants - Hopsin - Raw (2010)

Produced by Hopsin - Written by Hopsin

I remember this album coming out and it was one of the first rap albums I really listened to. I wasn’t even in high school yet. I remember having friends come over to my house and all of us crowding around my family computer, and blasting these tracks in my living room. Primarily, Sag My Pants and I’m Not Crazy off of Raw were amazing and still to this day have a solid place in my playlist.

“Your parents hate me ‘cause I love you

Tell ‘em I said ‘Fuck you!’

Yeah I said ‘Fuck you!’ 

Yeah yeah”

“Your parents hate me ‘cause I love you

Tell ‘em I said ‘Fuck you!’

Yeah I said ‘Fuck you!’ 

Yeah yeah”