Elastica - "Car Song": "This song covers a lot of the cars I saw on the road, while singer Justine Frischman delivers cheeky lines like 'let's go siesta / in my Ford Fiesta' with a cocked eyebrow. Lots of fun to drive to."
Depeche Mode - "Behind The Wheel": "Another track for the road, this one from Depeche Mode, even if 'Never Let Me Down Again' also comes to mind ('I'm taking a ride with my best friend')."
Cake - "Stickshifts And Safetybelts": "So, I admit, I am cheating and filling in days in reverse here - but as you may not know, dear readers, I have been in the process of moving to SF. And, now that I'm here, I would like to fill in my missing song days with songs about driving and/or the road, to celebrate the long cross-country drive I just finished. Here's the first song."
Guided By Voices - "Mute Superstar": "Jagged riffs + handclaps + squaling synths = magic. It's not even a minute and a half long, but some of the best Guided By Voices songs aren't!"
The Black Crowes - "Sometimes Salvation": "A surprisingly powerful, slow-burning blues-rock number. Even if the song starts out with elements of so much 90s rock posing, by the time the song's half-way in, Chris Robinson is already burning the house down. Probably one of the best things the Crowes ever did."
Spoon - "I Turn My Camera On": "For being such a die-hard Spoon fan, I feel weird blogging about what is (arguably) their best-known song, partially because of its recent use in a Jaguar commercial. But yet I am blogging about it because the crisp drum and bass rhythm (not to be confused with drum'n'bass) and the Stones-y swagger make it sound like what 'Emotional Rescue' would have been if it was recorded about ten years earlier in the Stones' career, minus a guitar lead. It's deceptively simple, which makes little things like the tambourine and the odd keyboard hit give the track a deeper character. And, yes, I love Spoon more than anything. I want to have their babies and I can't believe I've blogged about them as little as I have!"
a-ha - "The Living Daylights": "Okay, I know I'm going to get teased for this, for several reasons:
1) It's from the guys who are only known for 'Take On Me'.
2) The James Bond franchise had a huge hit with the Duran Duran theme for "View To A Kill." They then picked a-ha to do the theme for the next movie, to try and replicate the huge Duran Duran chart success - and clearly failed.
3) It's kind of cheesy (but as my readers know, this doesn't always stop me).
That said, I've always been drawn to the fact that it is clearly modeled on 'View To A Kill' - yet it takes more of a queue from Euro-synth, where Duran Duran looked more to American rock and funk elements. And, really, there's something cute about how a-ha tries to sound so cool and bad-ass here."
Shea Seger - "Last Time": "From a record that (major label) time forgot, this is a chestnut that really deserves to be re-discovered. From the stuttering snare beats through the 'Nashville' strings juxtaposed with the bouncing bass line, this song involves a kaliedoscope of elements, blended together into a smooth, cool groove. This song should have been wiping the floor of pop fluff like Natalie Imbruglia, but it sadly never happened. Bonus point: I've always been curious about the part at the end when she murmurs '...I'm just real sorry...but I don't think I can tell you that.' out of the blue. Strangely intriguing."
Steely Dan - "King Of The World": "Simply because I'm 'the king of the world, as far as I know.' That's about all I can say about that today."
DNTEL - "(This Is) The Dream Of Evan And Chan": "Before The Postal Service, there was this DNTEL record, in which DNTEL (Jimmy T.) invited his friend from Death Cab For Cutie (Ben G.) to sing on a track...and created something far more amazing - and yet vastly more unheard - than anything on the Postal Service record. Not that the PS record is bad at all - it's pretty great - but that's just how amazing this track is and that's why it needs to be heard."
Idlewild - "A Modern Way Of Letting Go": "On this track from The Remote Part, Idlewild takes their more mature and developed sound and matches it back up with their earlier, thrashier sound to make this rawkus, sharp rocker. The throat-shredding way Roddy Woomble shreiks 'go!' at the end of the song still gives me chills."
Swervedriver - "Harry & Maggie": "There was more oddness going on in Times Square today (as usual) and all I could think was 'I don't wanna know...' - which made me think of this song, which contains that line in the lyrics ('And I don't wanna know / I'm glad I don't know'). There's also so much going on that I need to deal with, that I need to keep myself focused solely on all the various tasks at hand, so it's kind of my theme for the day."
The Chemical Brothers - "Out Of Control": "This track is probably my favorite Chemical Brothers song, as well as the best non-New-Order New Order song (as the song features vocals from NO's Bernard Sumner). This song pulsates with a mean energy for nearly seven relentless minutes - a club classic, or at least it should be."
Rock Kills Kid - "Back To Life (Rolling Stone Original Version)": "Being flagged as new wave revivalists, I actually prefer Rock Kills Kid's acoustic turn on this song from their new album. The quiet strum with the still-prominent bass line creates a more delicate and intriguing take on the plugged-in version."
Chef - "Chocolate Salty Balls (P.S. I Love You)": "Listening to an Isaac Hayes collection this weekend, I was reminded of this South Park tune. It's completely ludicrous and crude - I mean, it's half recipe and half blatant double-entendre - but it's strangely potent funk-rock all the same. I just wish there were was more of the backing vocals - wicked 70s falsetto in effect!"
Sonic Youth - "100%": "Sonic Youth is this Friday's Rock Song. This song freakin' shreds me. It's a blur of Thurston's swagger, Kim's muscular bass, Lee's cutting guitar noise, Jason Lee skateboarding and everything that was 'alternative nation' in the 90s. I miss that."
Snow Patrol - "You're All I Have": "I loved the previous Snow Patrol record...so why is this the only song on the new album that really sticks in my head? (*disclaimer: At least on my initial two listens.) Either way, it's a great song."
The Faint - "Your Retro Career Melted (Ursula 1000 remix)": "Ursula 1000 takes the original song and reconfigures it as a Go4-styled funk party, circa `79. I think there's only four lines from the original song in here, but they kept some of the best musical elements and added in this kind of garbage-can/handclap noise that's straight out of the Flying Lizards' cover of 'Money (That's What I Want). You can't beat that.'"
Rosanne Cash - "Black Cadillac (Rolling Stone Original Version)": "There's something simple and powerful about this acoustic version of the title track from Rosanne's latest record. The song is inspired by her father's passing, but the chorus aches so much that you don't even need to know that to feel the pain."
Guv'ner - "Wounded Birds And Vampires Own The Edge": "It may take a while to learn to love this song, but it's worth it. I too was originally frustrated by how this song takes 10 amazing catchy pop elements and throws them in a blender - but that's the same rickety charm that makes this song so uniquely endearing. And, besides, it has amazing handclaps and amazing handclaps just cannot be denied. I dare you to try."
Karl Hendricks Trio - "The Worst Coffee I've Ever Had": "Wow, with so much bitterness and bile in the lyrics, it should be unlistenable, but the KHT take it to the next level with some first-rate Built To Spill-meets-Dinosaur Jr. guitar theatrics and driving drums."
Portastatic - "You Know Where To Find Me": "This song sounds like people in love in the 70s - in a good way. It's non-movie-style love in a song and it sounds so good."
Butterglory - "She's Got The Akshun! (Mark Robinson Remix)": "Mark Robinson of Teen Beat / Unrest / Air Miami fame tweaks the lo-fi original to sound like classic 60s rock-pop layered with some Stereolab-y 'ba ba ba ba's. One of Mark's six great remixes from the Merge 100 celebratory release."
Lambchop - "Love T.K.O.": "We're getting a ton of the Merge back catalog into Rhapsody this week and, to show my utter glee about it, I'm declaring this Merge Week for my blog. Let's start off with this killer live track from Nashville's own Lambchop. Bands with pedal steel guitar and often-hushed vocals should not be able to take on a Teddy Pendergrass song and make it sound this good. There's a kind of laid-back simmer to the tune and Deanna Varagona's sax lends a sultry air without making it cheesy. (Also worth checking out is Lambchop's cover of Curtis Mayfield's 'Give Me Your Love' on What Another Man Spills, now also in Rhapsody.)"
Dirty Power - "Gone": "Faithful readers, it's Friday, so you know how this works: Friday deserves a rock song to bring us all into the weekend. And this week, I present 'Gone'. If you don't like this song, you don't really get the rock. I love the lead guitar part in the last minute or so of the song, make sure to check it."
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Way Out": "I'm going to say it: this new Yeah Yeah Yeahs record does show the band growing musically - which is great...but less interesting somehow. This song, however, still gets stuck in my head as the acoustic strum matched up to their jerky rock sound pulls the melody through."
The Raconteurs - "Intimate Secretary": "Blissfully fuzzed-out power-pop about bunnies and secretaries that you can almost pogo too. (Remember pogoing, kids?) This is the good, dirty side of Brendan Benson and the less serious side of Jack White and, as it turns out, that ads up pretty nicely."
Editors - "Bullets (acoustic)": "I actually think I might prefer this acoustic version to the album version. It seems like the way they perform their songs get Editors publicly beat with the post-punk bat, but this unplugged arrangement reveals the strong song that lays underneath."
Idlewild - "Too Long Awake": "Wistful melancholy rising out of a sea of feedback-drenched guitar. Man, I love that Roddy Womble."
Radio 4 - "Start A Fire": "As seems to be my theme every Friday: it's Friday, rock it out."
ABC - "Tears Are Not Enough": "Just one of those songs that I love and I can't really explain why. Just something about the way he bellows 'tears are not enough!!!' before lauching into the falsetto of 'teeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaars!' Blue eyed soul disco magic."
Liz Phair - "Love/Hate Transmission": "I can't help but still love Liz, even after she went pop, went gloss and all that stuff - this song is still a great pop song and I can't slight her for writing it. It's catchy like things on the radio should be and I accept her for that now."
Ex-Boyfriends - "Willingly": "I just noticed that my friend's band is finally in Rhapsody. It rocks. It will rock your a$$ off. Listen to it."
South - "A Place In Displacement": "OK, I know this is essentially New Order...OK, it might as well BE New Order outright...but it's still the best of what I like about New Order, so I can't help but enjoy this song anyway."
Ramones - "I Just Want To Have Something To Do": "It's Friday, rock it out."
Manhattan Transfer - "It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference": "OK...I know this should be 'bad' but it's so wonderfully 70s...and thus, arguably, becomes good. Take the Manhattan Transfer, then still in a pop phase, have them cover a lush Todd Rundgren song and you wind up with this. The lead vocals attempt to present the hurt behind the lyrics, but the elevator gloss of the whole arrangement colors a mannequin-like fakeness over the song...which makes it wonderful."
OK Go - "Invincible": "I've decided that these guys don't get the credit they deserve - too slick to be indie rock and too quirky to be radio stars, but I'm starting to think they're the Cheap Trick of the `00s - two handsome guys and two geeks playing rockin' power pop? Am I off base here?"
OK Go - "A Million Ways": "I can't blog OK Go without adding a link to this song too. So good."
The Cure - "Primary": "This is not the Cure with the expansive sound that most people think of - this is so stripped for them, yet still so electric, that it sounds basically primal."
Six Finger Satellite - "Rabies (Baby's Got The)": "This song is audio mayhem. It's shrill, but rockin', but harsh, but funky. It's Six Finger Satellite."
The Comas - "Invisible Drugs": "A little gleeful noisepop for you today...happy Friday!"
Ministry - "Revenge": "I know I blogged Ministry pretty recently, but I had to share my amusement at finding this album in Rhapsody - it's virtually impossible to reconcile this release with anything that Ministry did afterwards. I mean, this is goth-y synth pop at its most pure, so it's hard to imagine that this is from the man who soon would blow up Industrial music. A total guilty pleasure."
Fat Boys - "Fat Boys": "Yesterday should have been my friend Joe's birthday, but it isn't anymore. I know this is a funny song to remember someone by, but I'll always remember when he used The Fat Boys as a very loud wakeup call when I was crashing on his couch years ago. I miss him."
Nada Surf - "Do It Again": "I can't explain this, but I think I just got a postcard from Matthew from Nada Surf... from France. I can't be sure if I'm right either...so, what the hell, just enjoy this Nada Surf song."
Harry Nilsson - "Cuddly Toy": "...in honor of this song actually coming up in conversation during a party I was at on Saturday night! To be honest, I prefer the Monkees version (because it's what I grew up with), but I have to tip my hat to the song's writer, Harry Nilsson, with his version instead."
Queen - "Stone Cold Crazy": "OK, so it's American Idol that's (disturbingly) brought them back to the forefront again, but since Queen's back (in one way or another), I figure I should highlight one of their more rockin' songs (and my easy personal favorite). I also have a great Trent Reznor remix of this on a promo CD, don't know if it ever saw the light of day in a commercial release, but it takes the greatness of the original and makes it just a little bit sharper."
Rachael Yamagata - "Collide": "I have to admit that I first saw Rachael perform this song at a label conference - not even a showcase - but this song still grabbed me immediately. From the slippery piano intro to aching chorus, the song bleeds a dreamy sadness. Pretty and sad."
Courtney Love - "Mono": "I've been catching a lot of random Love lately - from an old special on her on CourTV (!) to her appearance on the Pam Anderson Roast on Comedy Central to her selling part of her stake of Nirvana on the news - it just seemed appropriate to pull this song back out. I hate to give her any kind of credit (partially for the aforementioned appearances) but this song actually rocks out. Besides, there are little girls with chainsaws in the video and she gets points for that too. (Although I will ALWAYS question the lyric "I wanna hear you say that I'm so much better than him" because I can't figure who "him" is, if it's not Kurt. Although I do hope it's Billy Corgan or something...)"
Spank Rock - "Sweet Talk": "Sounds like being in the middle of a big party - the frantic guitar pickings, the chanting female vocals, the percussion - all with Spank Rock's rapping leading the rhumba line through the whole thing."
Built To Spill - "Conventional Wisdom": "Yay! New Built to Spill! My friend Ted played me this in his car last Friday and it reminded me to check out their new album - this is one of the new tunes."
The Damnwells - "While You Can": "Continuing yesterday's theme of "new to digital" - very excited to see this EP go up online because it's so solid and it's gone out of print physically. So much of this EP sounds like two people trapped in a doomed relationship with a Replacements-like soundtrack (if the `Mats were more sober and solid) but the guitar twang, loops and horns on various tracks give their sonic palate a deeper texture."
Ministry - "Stigmata": "My favorite Ministry song. All the yelling in the song is kind of cathartic - especially with great lines like 'my favorite weapon is the look in your eyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees!!!!' I never get tired of it."
David Bowie - "Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)": "It's 26 years old now, so can I finally call this a rock classic? From the chugging acoustic strumming over the metallic guitar riffs up until the end with the most amazingly atonal - yet still wonderful - group hollering, this bridged Bowie's 70s weirdness with his 80s gloss and still sounds like he could have recorded it just yesterday."
R.E.M. - "Crush With Eyeliner": "Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore steps in to give R.E.M. a little bonus cool, the video turns the band into Asian hipsters (including a female member!) and R.E.M. jumps as far away from Automatic From The People as they possibly can. I'm back in 1994 reading all about it in SPIN magazine..."
Prince - "Black Sweat": "From his new album - this isn't the best of Prince by any means, but at least he's sounding more like his old funky, dirty self than he has in years. Welcome back, we missed you!"
The Who - "A Quick One While He's Away": "Back to the Rolling Stones Rock 'n Roll Circus again. When I first heard this track, I wasn't that into it - mainly because I'm not so much a fan of the 'rock opera' scene - but all the different parts of this track are so catchy that it's hard to dismiss them. And then when factoring this all being played live, running from one part to another - well, it's pretty impressive. Also impressive is the Keith Richards introduction that invites you to 'Dig The Who' - outtasite!"
Al Green - "Love Ritual": "I'm sure Al's speaking in tongues for the Lord, but here it sounds like some crazy voodoo - but with all the disco strings, organ and percussion, it's certainly understandable."
No Knife - "Riot For Romance": "The kind of menacing song you'd expect from a band named No Knife...except they just wanna riot for romance and what's so wrong with that? Not only that, but the great atmospherics touches on the track, leading up to the big finish, are first rate."
Marianne Faithfull - "Something Better": "I watched the Rolling Stones Rock 'n Roll Circus on DVD the other night and my real discovery was this song. I have never been very familiar with early Marianne, but this number has a certain grace and fragility that's truly captivating."
Delays - "Hey Girl": "One of the songs that gets this band compared to the La's - it's just a pretty, strummy pop-rock song with soaring vocals."
Frumpies - "Whatshisname Hearts The Frumpies": "Even though I know it's really not, I group this in as one of my favorite 'riot grrrl' songs, mainly just because of the vocal delivery. That plus I always liked the idea of her screaming out 'IT'S MY BOYFRIEND!!!' over and over, even though she was really screaming 'East Bay Boyfriend!' Still, it's as much fun as you can have in 72 seconds."
Grace Jones - "Love Is The Drug (Long Version)": "There's something in this long version that ups the ante on both the 'short version' Jones cover as well as the original original by Roxy Music. A lot of it comes from the great keyboards and a lot of it is the magic of Grace herself."
Team Dresch - "Fagetarian And Dyke": "Another song I'm glad we have in Rhapsody now - a fave of mine from the `90s. Classic indie rock/pop versus colliding into a screamed chorus - sweet and sour together in one."
Kiss Offs - "Dream Date": "Yay! So happy this album is in Rhapsody now... This is like the punk B-52s - male/female vocal tradeoffs over dirty guitar/organ riffs...but definitely more naughty and at least as fun."
Metric - "Monster Hospital (MSTRKRFT Remix)": "'SXSW Week' continues, as it were -I saw Metric do an acoustic set at SXSW and I was very impressed - I didn't think they could do it and they totally pulled it off! This is a great electro/disco remix of one of their songs by MSTRKRFT, who includes half of Death From Above 1979."
The Magic Numbers - "Love Me Like You": "I like this band better live because it's a little rougher, a little less polished 60s pop - but either way, the chorus of this song still gets stuck in my head like crazy. (I'm still picking bands I saw last week at SXSW, can you tell?)"
Giant Drag - "My Dick Sux": "I featured their track 'YFLMD' shortly after I launched the blog, but after seeing them at SXSW, I felt the need to show off another hot and dirty track of theirs...and here it is."
I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness - "According To Plan": "I know I just blogged them the other week, but I love this album so much I had to share another song from them! (Plus they were amazing live at SXSW!)"
The Replacements - "Can't Hardly Wait (The Tim Version)": "This is the version I love, the rough, raw and true version over the slick version that made the record. It's a rockin' dose of heartbreak."
Michael Nesmith - "Cruisin'": "After recently watching Tapeheads, I thought I should check out another Michael Nesmith-related video project, Elephant Parts. It was a freakshow, but for some reason, this 70s faux-funk-rock tune and its bodybuilder/rollerskate girls video has definitely cheesy appeal. And Mike always was my favorite Monkee..."
The Presets - "Girl And The Sea": "...and if you liked Cut Copy, here are their darker brothers - labelmates and fellow (Australian) countrymen, The Presets."
Cut Copy - "The Twighlight": "The breakdown in the 3rd minute of the song - all bass and guitar jabs - leading into the guitar breakout around 4:15 is post-punk brilliance."
N.E.R.D. - "Lapdance ": "Rock-styled stripper pole action! It's all about the chorus (seriously) and the the white rapper interlude from Lee Harvey about 'the cockpit' (not seriously). Bangin'."
Peter Gabriel - "Growing Up": "Gabriel almost kills this song with the kind of over-production and heft that he slathered on the entire Up record, but this song has a great driving energy to it that even its slickness doesn't matter. I would love it if there was an instrumental remix of this track too..."
I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness - "The Ghost": "I love their Britt Daniel-produced debut EP, but this new album blows even that out of the water. This just came out this week, so it's brand new to me...and WOW! This is the kick-off track on the album and if you dig it, it's worth it to listen to the whole thing."
Kahimi Karie - "What Are You Wearing? (Shinco remix)": "This song is essentially a looped groove, but the way this remix transforms the fluff-pop of the original into a swingin' Beck 'Odelay' tune is an acheivement in of itself. Just goes to show how changing up the tune can change everything - in this remix, Kahimi's 'rhymes' go straight up Shibuya street, instead of the teenager's bedroom mumbling it sounds like in the original version."
The Juan Maclean - "Shining Skinned Friend": "This track harkens back to "Juan"'s time in Six Finger Satellite, except now in the new context of his DFA association (LCD Soundsystem, etc.). Strange and groovy.
Also, here's a Six Finger Satellite track post from the past.
Morrissey - "You Have Killed Me": "I know Morrissey is a jerk. And I know that I should hold it against him...but how can I when he makes songs like this? This is a preview from the new album, btw...as is "I Will See You In Far Off Places" - also great."
Elastica - "I Want You": "The best Elastica song to ever slip through the cracks...as far as I know, this is a lost song recorded during the long slow period between the first and second albums - but which never made it to the second record. (I think because it feels like a Donna song and she bailed on the band sometime after this session was recorded.) It simmers and you can damn well bet that if the second album sounded like this, a lot more people would have cared about it."
Curtis Mayfield - "(Don't Worry) If There's A Hell Below We're All Going To Go": "I guess I'm in a 70s soul mode this week, eh? This song is so bold - musically and lyrically - that it blows me away, especially when I think of how long ago Curtis put it out. I could listen to that intro section with the fuzz bass and the girl talking about the bible on a loop. If that bass line hasn't been sampled somewhere, then all the sample-happy fools out there have truly missed out on a gem. (And if it has been used, someone should drop me a line and let me know where to look.) It doesn't even matter that he's gone now - Curtis is still brilliant and more people need to hear his music."
James Brown - "Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine, Pt. 1" - : "This is my favorite James Brown song. It's smooth, it's tight and it's on freakin' fire. And it's only Part 1! He's "movin', doing it, you know", you know? Like a sex machine!
I also have to note 'I Got Ants In My Pants, Pt. 1' because HE'S GOT ANTS IN HIS FREAKING PANTS!!! AND HE NEEDS TO DANCE!!! It's like the song title equivalent of Snakes On A Plane, which I think you internet cats know about already."
Willie Hutch - "I Choose You": "While cleaning up the house over the weekend (much, much overdue!), I rediscovered this great compilation cd I have of tracks from 70s blaxploitation movies, Pimps, Players and Private Eyes. 'I Choose You' is from that comp, having originally appeared on The Mack soundtrack. Just a real solid and smooth 70s soul track from an equally solid soundtrack."
Editors - "Munich": "I realize I've been so tied up in flashbacks that it was time to spin out some new music - so here's one for you, from U.K. act Editors. For fans of Interpol, Echo and the Bunnymen, etc. Play it now! "
Lindsey Buckingham - "Trouble": "Just One Of The Guys was on cable the other day (but isn't it always???) and it reminded me of this great solo Lindsey Buckingham track. Lindsey clearly held this track back from Fleetwood Mac - it screams Mac all over it, even if Lindsey played everything on the track and did all the vocals. The backing vocals during the chorus are particularly lush and the guitarwork is ace, as usual. With someone this good, it's no wonder why the Buckingham/Nicks/(Christine)McVie triumvirate was such a powerhouse for that band."
Steve Miller Band - "Abracadabra": "I love that guitar solo section! Now I just need to find the video with the dancing girl and the slight-of-hand magic...
Oh, and to my one reader, this is the single edit version, non-"remix" ending."
Electric Six - "Danger! High Voltage": "I finally just heard the new Electric Six record and, given how much I love their first album, I can't tell you how dissapointed I am with it. Of course, it's from a much different band lineup, so I'm not surprised, but the weaker songs can't hold up against their stronger jokes and it's all soggy. So, instead, I am reflecting on their earlier glory with this rockin' track from their debut instead."
Jesus & Mary Chain - "Far Gone And Out": "Probably the first song to bring me into the JAMC camp, before sending me backwards (and forwards) into their catalog. I still have the holographic UK CD single for this track..."
Starflyer 59 - "Sundown": "I feel like i haven't posted a SF59 track in a while, so I must be long overdue. Here's a good one."
Chris Brown - "Yo (Excuse Me Miss)/Run It!":
"Yo: Every so often, a pop/R&B track comes along and totally suckers me in...this is one of them. I don't know what it is, but I have the chorus stuck on my mind. Also, I prefer this live version to the album version because I think it sounds better with the live instrumentation, instead of the programming.
Run It!: Also insanely catchy. Two great tastes together in one. Even if it's totally from the Guilty Pleasure file."
Lovage - "Strangers on a Train": "...and speaking of Mike Patton, here's another totally different kind of project he's been involved with. Lovage is an amazing concept record about sex and the art of seduction, courtesy of Dan the Automator, Mike P. and Elysian Fields vocalist Jennifer Charles. This track is one of Jennifer's - the smooth groove and double entendres are a great example of the sultriness and humor that runs through this whole album. If you like this, you need to hear the whole album - it gets better!
Kind of by accident, but this track is also very appropriate for Valentine's Day, so enjoy this for that too."
The Dillinger Escape Plan with Mike Patton - "Come To Daddy": "Totally devastating in its original version (by Aphex Twin), so turning it into a fully live, electric version is almost mindboggling - making a totally schizophrenic song even moreso! Of course, it helps to have the maestro of mayhem, Mike Patton, on board. Proceed with caution...
For those of you unfamiliar with the original version, here it is."
Spiritualized - "Medication": "I'm not the huge Spiritualized fan that most of my friends seem to be, but I've always liked this song. Starting out with a quiet Jesus and Mary Chain vibe before shifting into a multilayered modern psychedelic freakout, there's just something magestic and expansive about this track."
Steely Dan - "Pearl Of The Quarter": "The last time I heard this performed was by a jazz-styled group at Disneyland. They said it was being performed in tribute to New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. While that's all well and good, I know Steely Dan and I'm pretty damn sure that this song is about a HOOKER. I just know it. And if I'm right, knowing this song was performed for the kiddies at Disneyland is pretty hot."
ZZ Top - "Sharp Dressed Man": "Synths! Guitars! Beards! It's a magic combination. There's this one chord shift during the really long guitar solos at the end of the song that I love every time i hear it. Blogged today in tribute to me being in very close proximity to ZZ Top last night but being too chicken to come up and talk to them."
Year Of The Rabbit - "Rabbit Hole": "It rocks hard, it's catchy, it's short enough to make you want to play it more than once - so the fact that this wasn't a huge radio hit (or a radio hit at all) confirms either that radio sucks or people's taste in music blow or something. Another song in my Ken Andrews pantheon (he of Failure, On and Replicants fame as well). "
Minnie Riperton - "Inside My Love": "I figure after posting 'Sugar Walls' last week, I should offer a more genteel take on the same topic, something a little more tasteful (relatively) and sultry.
Bonus trivia: Minnie is the mother of one of my fave SNL performers, Maya Rudolph."
U2 - "The Fly": "Bono bugs the hell out of me nowadays, but I still have to pick this song today in special tribute to T.K.S.F."
Snoop Doggy Dogg - "Who Am I (What's My Name)?": "Snoop Doggy Doooogggggg!! Something at work today brought this jam back for me and I just had to share it."
Sheena Easton - "Sugar Walls": "This song is freaking dirty! I can't even believe this song used to get played on the radio... but so, so good."
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