OHZ’s SONG OF THE MONTH: June 2010 (#1)
In line with the varied projects already achieved within the seldom-updated music hub of OHZ, I have decided to introduce a new feature: A Song of the Month Award. Spawning from a desire to document my own various cycles of music tastes, each month I will post up a video clip of the song I have listened to most over the course of the month. Representing a break from the pages of text and theory, this feature should hopefully offer the site something different as well as presenting yet another interesting topic of debate.
With June coming to a close the elected track of this month is Rufus Wainwright’s catchy pop/cabaret effort, “Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk”. Being the opening song on his critically acclaimed album Poses, the track addresses personal addictions while hinting at just how much our compulsions rule our everyday lives.
Ironically I first discovered Rufus Wainwright when listening to Antony and the Johnson’s I Am a Bird Now. With Wainwright appearing on one of the album’s standout tracks “What Can I Do”, there was something about his emotive yet flat, clumsy drone that instantly compelled me. Despite this instant fascination with his voice, it wasn’t until this year that I finally began to fully explore his own solo catalogue. While somewhat belated this experience overall has been very much satisfying, as the monotony of his vocals never really seems to climb within the dreaded realm of overriding boredom.
Containing a catchy, sing-along melody together with a simple but effective piano backing, the song is charming, seductive and above all a great selling-point for the Canadian-American’s distinct, intoxicating, aching vocals.
