#365songs (157 / 365)

This is a great fucking straight up rock and roll song. It's the opener from Deerhoof's album Offend Maggie, the first featuring a new second guitarist Ed Rodriguez after their first second guitarist (?) left and they suffered through a whole album, Friend Opportunity (actually still one of my favorites) with only one. My headcanon is that that album's name was a statement of intent about seeking a new fourth bandmate, because on Offend Maggie the band seems reinvigorated and like they're having a lot of fun. It's still typical "harsh and boxy" Deerhoof in a lot of ways but it's also one of their most straightforwardly rocking and digestible albums ever. I could have picked several songs off it for #365songs but what pushes "The Tears and Music of Love" over the top is this performance of it from an old Pitchfork series "Juan's Basement."

Deerhoof is one of my favorite live bands and they're in fine form here, and they all (Ed in particular) seem to be having an absolute blast. Drummer Greg Saunier, maybe my favorite drummer of all time, is always incredibly energetic and unpredictable and this performance is no exception. It's the smash cut from the intro to the actual performance that brings a goofy grin to my face every time I see it, though. I'm not explaining it here. You'll just have to watch (or even just listen to) it.