David Polochanin in the Boston Globe mentioned Todd in realtion to great work / anti-work songs. " Many of us listen to music on the job, but it's surprising that relatively few songs have been written about the subject of work. However, over the years, a few classic antiwork anthems have become part of our culture songs like Todd Rundgren's "Bang the Drum All Day" or Loverboy's "Working for the Weekend." You're bound to hear one of these songs or perhaps both if you tune into your local pop music station on Friday at 5 p.m. But these become quite outdated. We need new work songs celebrating the places we spend more than half of our waking hours. I'd like to hear musicians get creative with some of these titles: "Who stole my 401(k)?"; "My two-hour lunch break"; "I'm happy over Happy Hour"; "Just expense it!"; and "My boss makes six times my salary." We're talking instant hits, here. Don't get any ideas, though, country artists ...
Whilst the Decemberists have been around for a number of years, and a friend of mine is a big fan, I have to confess - a few tunes aside - they have never really made much of a splash with me. With their fifth album - 'The Hazards of Love' - a 17-track concept album that sort of tells a story about a fair maiden ravished by a shape-shifting demon (no, really) - however, I am suddenly find myself surprisingly won over. On some levels - like most concept albums - it is utter tosh, but with its repeating musical motifs and reprises, making you quickly think that actually there are only about five actual songs on the album - a clever trick. Like with all good concept albums this makes listening on shuffle not the ideal way to digest this album - especially as their are short 'interlude' pieces joining all the songs too. Added to all this the fact that the band seem to have a love for early 70's British folk/prog/heavy metal and this walks right up my street - and will ...
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