A Bad Tendency To Fizzle

Sometimes I wonder why certain songs never catch on. Highly addictive and sing-along ready songs that were released as singles and did receive a bit of airplay, at that. But then they just fizzle and are never heard again.

Here’s one from Semisonic, of 1998’s “Closing Time” fame, from a follow up album in 2001. It’s nothing revolutionary, but, as jangly pop songs go, is a tasty summertime three chord gem. I heard it a few times on WXRT here in Chicago, and this song would seem to fit right into their ongoing rotation, but as happens never seems to get played outside maybe a Saturday morning flashback show for 2001.

It’s almost like U.S. radio wants to ignore stuff like this so they can keep bands like Semisonic in perpetual one hit wonder status.

In any case, this is a clever little romantic pop song with a Rube Goldbergish themed video and it deserves better than the dust bin into which it was summarily thrown by U.S. radio.

Semisonic – “Chemistry”