Guster is one part pop, one part alternative, one part folk and one part acoustic.
The concept is simple: take a song’s title or meaning and relate it to a storyline or team in college basketball today. Let’s get to it. Your suggestions are welcome: editor@collegehoopsjournal.com
Matt Bouldin and Steven Gray / Pavement, “Cut Your Hair”
The story: Rob Dauster (the guy has such a friend-you-knew-in-college name) over at Ballin’ is a Habit put together a nice list of follicle-loving players. Bouldin and Gray get the shout-out because they’re teammates, and Gonzaga has had a history of this kind of hair on display.
The song: Hey! It’s sort of like the PTI song! Did PTI rip Pavement off? Probably. But PTI is the best thing about ESPN, Bob Ley included. Pavement is über hipster music. Feel the condescension wash over you.
North Carolina and Connecticut / Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, “Breakdown”
The story: It’s all coming apart very quickly for two of the 10 biggest programs in college basketball. It’s not too late to turn it all around, but both clubs have shown the intestinal fortitude of a 17-year-old who was just dumped for the first time.
The song: Giving you a live fix, because the song was originally going to be about eight minutes long on the record before the band decided to take out nearly everything (imagine the jam, dude). The harmonies here aren’t as nasty as they are on the album version, but I love a good groove with some crunch. Definitely get some of that here. Tom Petty is the reason so many young men think they can become rock stars. Look at the man.
Tournament expansion / Guster, “The Beginning of the End”
The story: Who knows when we’ll get a definitive answer on whether or not The Tournament is going get bloated to nearly 100 teams. To be honest, I could do an all-expansion Tunes for Tuesday and bring 15 different songs and angles. If this nightmare comes to fruition, I just may have to.
The song: Not one of the stronger Guster tunes, but it the lyrics ring true to what’s probably being talked about behind closed doors.
Cole Aldrich / Field Music, “A Gap Has Appeared”
The story: Aldrich is proud of the gap in his teeth, and we’re not sure when he’s going to get it fixed for good. More characters are always welcomed in hoops, I say. Keep it until the NBA!
The song: It’s not only instrumental — the song takes a different direction 45 seconds in. Field Music doesn’t sound like any type of music you’d expect to hear in a field. The band consists of two brothers doing their thing. They used to play with The Futureheads, another quality band from England. These guys don’t sound English, though.
