Yes, Menomena, like the Muppets tune.

The tune that has been permanently lodged in my brain today is by a Portland, Oregon-based group, Menomena. The tune “Weird” appeared on a music blog, and I just sort of half-listened for a moment. Then the tune knocked me out and since then any spare moment I have has been spent listening to it. This tune is amazing.

Turns out that there is a great live version on Youtube, via Juan’s Basement, a Plum TV program:

[flash http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhlv1dKDo7k]

One incredible thing to think about is the reach of Mark Sandman. Ok, it’s probably just the use of the baritone saxophone, and the just-the-basics-thank-you-very-much approach to the harmony and groove. It could even be the bass drum sound (which is unbelievably great, by the way). I mean, it could all be a coincidence, but it doesn’t really matter. This band sounds like they have benefited from knowing the music of Morphine.

No, Mark* probably would not have used the synth sound throughout. He also probably would have slowed the tempo down a little bit, or probably a lot. And I’m not hearing the same backup vocals approach. I have no idea if Mark would have used a dulcimer, but if he did, the line surely would have been more simplistic (check the studio version via the aforementioned music blog).

The music is great. The studio version starts with a lovely fade in with, what, Taurus pedals? The groove, with the bass drum on upbeats is fantastic. I love the call/response approach in the vox, when the band drops out during the verses. When the baritone sax first comes in it’s a nice foreshadowing for the prominent role it plays in the rest of the arrangement. And notice the slide guitar doubling the melody. The dulcimer is so unexpected, but it sounds great. And the out of tune horns at the end are gorgeous. Really. I’m serious. Equal temperment is overrated…

As of now (July 8, 2007), Menomena has 15,980 friends on MySpace.
Artist website: http://www.menomena.com/
Artist MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/menomena

* Yes, I called him Mark in this post. I’m sorry to say we never met, but I have worked with many of his colleagues over the years, and I was honored to be the bassist in Morphine’s first gig after his passing, just prior to the creation of Orchestra Morphine.