Song Encyclopedia Index

Tuesday, October 30, 2018

Masokissed


RELEASED
Days Of Abandon, 2014 (Yebo)
Sensible Record Labels compilation, 2014 (Alcopop!)

PLAYED LIVE
2014

FACTS
Cited as a personal favorite by Kip, this song appeared as an album track on Days Of Abandon. It appears to have had a rather short time in the live repertoire, potentially retired before the Days Of Abandon tour continued into 2015.

 Written and demoed on a day when work was ongoing on the ill-fated "I Will Love You Perfectly." After a day of reworking to the aforementioned song to little satisfaction, Kip wrote "Masokissed" quickly. The new song came together so quickly and easily that the old one was discarded.

QUOTES
Kip to Under the Radar, 2014: I think on our records there's always a lot of wordplay. Like on "Masokissed." "A constant aversion to forgo perversion." It's a very serious song and very heartfelt and sad. But there's something funny about that lyrical construct to me, that doesn't impact the song, which is one of my favorites on the album. Stuff like that, there are these little hidden gems of humor or shout-outs.

OFFICIAL LYRICS
MEDIA
Studio/album version:
WFUV session, 2014
Live acoustic at Banquet Records

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Eurydice


RELEASED:
Days Of Abandon, 2014 (Yebo)
PLAYED LIVE
2014, 2015, 2017, 2018

FACTS
One of the advance singles from Days Of Abandon, though only released digitally - no vinyl 7" and no B-side. A very popular live song, played at nearly every show in both Days Of Abandon and Echo Of Pleasure eras. Included on writer Kieron Gillen's favorite tracks of 2014 list.

QUOTES
Kieron Gillen: "You know that thing where an male indie pop record shimmers along creating its soft atmosphere, setting it up for the woman’s voice to arrive three minutes in and tear the record apart? Still not over that. Still would die for that."

OFFICIAL LYRICS

MEDIA
Studio/album version:
KEXP session, 2014
WNYC session, 2014
KHDX session, 2014
JBTV, 2014

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Coral And Gold



RELEASED
Days Of Abandon, 2014 (Yebo)

PLAYED LIVE
2014, 2015

FACTS
An album track from Days Of Abandon. In an interesting twist, this song (sung by Kip on the record) was often given to Elspeth Vance to sing on the late 2014 tour opening for The New Pornographers. Thus far, it has not been heard live since the Days Of Abandon touring wrapped up in 2015.

OFFICIAL LYRICS


MEDIA
Fan video (Kip sings lead)
Fan video (Elspeth sings lead)

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Monday, October 29, 2018

Beautiful You


RELEASED
Days Of Abandon, 2014 (Yebo)
PLAYED LIVE
2014

FACTS
The longest Pains song released thus far (excluding remixes), this album track from Days Of Abandon has largely been skipped over as a live set inclusion, which Kip has attributed to its length. The exception to this rule was an Ottobar show in Baltimore, at which the band debuted its Days Of Abandon touring lineup and several new songs.

OFFICIAL LYRICS
MEDIA
Studio/album version
Audience video of (only?) live performance

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Kelly



RELEASED
Days Of Abandon, 2014 (Yebo)
Kelly promotional single, 2014 (Yebo)
Abandonment Issue, 2014 (Yebo)
PLAYED LIVE
2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018

FACTS
A song played in 2012 as a precursor to Days Of Abandon. It evolved considerably between the initial stages and recording, as it became one of the album's two lead-vocal showcases for Jen Goma (aka Showtime Goma, of A Sunny Day In Glasgow and others). A "Winter Station Demo" with Kip singing lead was released on the Abandonment Issue EP and deluxe versions of Days Of Abandon. Whether the song is has been played live in 2014 and after tends to be based on whether there is a vocalist available to sing lead. That role has been taken by Jen Goma, as on record, as well as by Jess Weiss (of Fear Of Men) or Elspeth Vance, depending on the tour.

QUOTES
Kip to Indie Cindy, WMBR, 2014: "For the most part, it’s just me singing, but for the new record, it was cool because Jen Goma from A Sunny Day in Glasgow recorded with us and she’s such a good singer. So she really brought songs like ‘Kelly’, ‘Life After Life’ to life. And there’s another one we just put out on the EP called ‘Poison Touch’ that she sang as well. And she’s super talented, but she wasn’t able to tour and make a big commitment, but she was able to come by and work on the music. I feel like had I been ‘Only people officially in the band can be on the record’, it wouldn’t have turned out as good. "

"My friend Kelly played horn on the record too. Songs like ‘The Asp at My Chest’, ‘Life After Life’, ‘Kelly, ‘Simple and Sure’, have horn parts that add a little to them. Even though it’s subtle, it makes the record sound a little fuller and more diverse."

Kip: Well, the ‘Kelly’ song was about part of her letter saying that there aren’t any good Kelly songs out there. I guess there’s ‘Kelly Watch the Stars’,but there’s a song called ‘Fat Kelly’s Teeth’ by Hefner. She was a huge Hefner fan, but it’s not really the most romantic song if your name is Kelly. She was lamenting that there wasn’t any good Kelly songs, so I thought, “well, there should be a good Kelly song”.

Cindy: That’s okay, there are a couple good Cindy songs. Actually, Jen Goma is on one of them with People Get Ready. It’s called ‘Windy Cindy’

Kip: People Get Ready! That’s right, they just broke up, which is too bad… But Jen Goma is a really busy lady; she’s done so much good stuff. Anyway, the Kelly song was sort of cool to respond to a letter. It was also really exciting because so few people write me a letter. To get a letter to your house that’s a fan letter? It’s really exciting, it doesn’t happen that much. Maybe if I were really famous, it would feel annoying, or like an intrusion into my life. But I was like, ooh, a letter from someone who really likes our music and wants to say that they do and made a mix! It was a really nice thing. I’m glad we wrote this song.

Kip to SPIN, 2014: "I got a mixtape and a fan letter from someone about once in my life so it's a really big deal. It's from someone called Kelly, so I wrote a song called Kelly for her. Because she said 'The only songs that ever mention my name seem to be terribly unflattering.' There's this band called Hefner that has a song called Fat Kelly's Teeth. Not that there's anything wrong with people of different body sizes, but if your name is Kelly, you probably want another song with your name in it."

OFFICIAL LYRICS


MEDIA
Studio/album version/official video
KEXP session (Kip Berman lead vocals), 2012
KEXP session (Jess Weiss lead vocals), 2014
WNYC session (Jen Goma lead vocals), 2014
Pandora Whiteboard acoustic session (Jen Goma lead vocals), 2014
Twist & Shout Records (Jess Weiss lead vocals), 2014
KHDX live session (Elspeth Vance lead vocals), 2014
In-store performance (Kip solo), 2017
JBTV (Jess Weiss lead vocals), 2014

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Art Smock


RELEASED
Days Of Abandon, 2014 (Yebo)
PLAYED LIVE
2014, 2017

FACTS
The first song on Days Of Abandon, partially released with a one-minute teaser video to promote that album. The video of a solo Kip was some of the first confirmation of the band's new lineup. With no bass or drums parts, the song is often played live as a show-opening song, or to begin an encore. It appeared in this capacity in 2014 and 2017.

QUOTES
Kip to Under the Radar, 2014: "I think it's one of the best songs on the record. It's natural. It's not forced. It's not longer than it has to be. It's one of the songs where you write, and you don't even know how you wrote it. It just comes out of the facet."


MEDIA
Studio/album version:
Album teaser:
WNYC, 2014
Paperezko Kontzertuak session, 2014
Out of the Ordinary session, 2014
Twist & Shout Records, 2014
Lars Rock Fest session, 2015
JBTV, 2014

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Until The Sun Explodes


RELEASED
Days Of Abandon, 2014 (Yebo)
Until The Sun Explodes promotional single, 2014 (Yebo)
PLAYED LIVE
2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018

FACTS
A song that, per interviews around the release of Days Of Abandon, was almost cut from the album due to its prototypical Pains-ness. As that album represented a sonic break with the past, having such a quintessential Pains song on it seemed odd at first. First debuted alongside Kelly and Simple And Sure at 2012 tour dates, the song's melody evolved over the next 2 years before ending up on Days Of Abandon. It received a semi-live music video as part of MTV Iggy's Artist To Watch series in 2013, but following the band's lineup changes (and the shuttering of MTV Iggy) it received a new, animated clip for its studio version in 2014. Included in video game Guitar Hero Live as a playable track. The song has been played live consistently since its introduction.

QUOTES
Kip to Under The Radar, 2014: It's not that we're a band that doesn't write bad songs; we're lucky that we haven't put the bad ones on the record. Or figured out early in the process what's good and bad. You rely on your friends, too. I didn't want to put "Until the Sun Explodes" on the record. But then people were like, "Why? That song is so immediate." "But it doesn't reflect, mentally and intellectually, my art!" "Yeah, but it should be on the record. It sounds like other songs that people have liked." "But I want to break free!" Sometimes you do need a perception outside your own to make sure that you don't get your head too far up your own ass. If you write something, you don't think it sucks. But you need to know that most of the stuff you write sucks. You have to at least try to think critically. "What is really worthwhile? What do I really say on this record?"

OFFICIAL LYRICS
MEDIA
Studio/album version/official video
KEXP, 2012
Das Kuma acoustic session, 2012
MTV Iggy, 2013: Full clip
MTV Iggy, 2013: Teaser
MTV Iggy, 2013: Behind the scenes
KEXP, 2014
Napster soundcheck session, 2014
Amoeba, 2014
WNYC, 2014
Twist & Shout Records, 2014
KHDX, 2014
Guitar Hero chart
JBTV, 2014

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Impossible



RELEASED
Simple & Sure single, 2014 (Slumberland)
Abandonment Issue, 2014 (Yebo)
Days Of Abandon, Japan release, 2014 (Octave)
Days Of Abandon, Chile release, 2014 (Club Secreto)
Days Of Abandon, Deluxe Edition, 2015 (Yebo)
PLAYED LIVE
2014

FACTS
The B-side of the Simple And Sure single. As with other extra material from the Days Of Abandon sessions, it also appeared on the Abandonment Issue EP, as well as overseas and deluxe editions of the album. The song was cut from the main album late in the recording process, and was played live once in tribute to Days Of Abandon producer Andy Savours, who was present.
(Only?) live performance

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Simple And Sure


RELEASED
Twee Grrrls Club, 2013 (Bad Feeling, Violet And Claire)
Simple & Sure single, 2014 (Slumberland)
Days Of Abandon, 2014 (Yebo)
Magic Digital Sampler, 2014 (Magic)
PANDA21, 2014 (Fierce Panda)
PLAYED LIVE
2012, 2014, 2015, 2018

FACTS
The first official single from Days Of Abandon. Played on tour in 2012, before the album was recorded. These early performances, when the song was known as "Sure", were a little faster than the album version ended up being, and they lacked the vocal/keyboard hook. This version of the song is preserved on a Twee Grrrls Club compilation issued with a book in 2013. After the release of Days of Abandon, the song was played consistently on tour. It was then dropped from early Echo Of Pleasure-era shows before returning in 2018.

QUOTES
Kip to Under The Radar, 2014: You shouldn't force it. It's what these songs are about. But then there's a song called "Simple and Sure" which is a different sentiment altogether. It's a love song but it's saying that the things in life that are seemingly most easy are actually really difficult. It's harder than it looks. Fidelity and all that stuff. In the beginning there's a guy who can't make up his mind and he's so complex. But it just involves a fucking cold sore on his girlfriend's lip. But she's in love with a complicated man. No! He's just a dick and the thing he thinks is simple is just more complicated over time. But it's lighthearted and fun. I don't think the message is heavy-handed. It's a pop song.

Kip to Indie Cindy, WMBR, 2014: "My friend Kelly played horn on the record too. Songs like ‘The Asp at My Chest’, ‘Life After Life’, ‘Kelly, ‘Simple and Sure’, have horn parts that add a little to them. Even though it’s subtle, it makes the record sound a little fuller and more diverse."

"Well, when we were recording the record, we had some kind of oddball references in terms of the sound we wanted. Taylor Swift’s last record ‘Red’ was really good and I wanted things to feel immediate and crisp and have the lyricism and the story telling at the fore of the songs. So that was kind of an idea we had, it should be more like Taylor Swift: it should be really crisp, poppy, and good. We were also thinking about that Outkast song ‘Hey Ya’ a lot. It’s a really famous song, Outkast is a lot more well-respected, they probably wouldn’t want to be reduced to being the band that did ‘Hey Ya’, but I love that song. They were so innovative in hip-hop and underground music in the late 90s and 2000s. Incredible band. The crispness of how that song is was what we were trying to get at with ‘Simple and Sure’. Obviously we’re a really different band than Taylor and Outkast, but they’re both great in their own way and their approach to music. Even if you wouldn’t expect a band like ours to be listening to that, we are. Always trying to learn new things and find new ways to make pop songs better. So why not learn from some of the best out there?"

OFFICIAL LYRICS

MEDIA:
Studio/single version/official video
Belong-era live performance, 2012
Live WFUV, 2014
Live KEXP, 2014
Live WNYC, 2014
Live KHDX, 2014
Take The Blows acoustic session, 2014
Out Of The Ordinary acoustic session, 2014
Twist & Shout Records, 2014
FD acoustic session, 2015
JBTV, 2014

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Thursday, October 25, 2018

Lost Saint



RELEASED
Say No To Love single, 2010 (Slumberland)
S/T album Japan reissue, 2012 (Yoshimoto)
NOT PLAYED LIVE

FACTS
The B-side of Pains' summer 2010 single, Say No To Love. While the A-side became a common live inclusion, often played as an encore, Lost Saint was seemingly never played live.

MEDIA
Studio/single version

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