Soft Cell - "Chips On My Shoulder"

Soft Cell - "Chips On My Shoulder": "Another great song from a band who should be known for more than 'Tainted Love'. I could dedicate this song to a bunch of folks today, but I'm going to be nice instead..."

Curtis Mayfield - "(Don't Worry) If There's A Hell Below We're All Going To Go"

Curtis Mayfield - "(Don't Worry) If There's A Hell Below We're All Going To Go": "Putting aside my obvious (tongue-in-cheek) reason for posting the track today, let's talk about the reasons this song is amazing: the fuzz bass intro (one of my favorite bass lines ever), the contrast of the girl talking about the Bible with Curtis' incendiary call-outs in the intro section, the drama of the orchestra strings and horns, the inherent funkiness of the rhythm section...ok, really, everything in this song is great, as is Curtis for having the guts to put it out in the first place. A great song should make you think and illicit a clear reaction, whatever it may be."

Urge Overkill - "Effigy"

Urge Overkill - "Effigy": "The grit is closer to Exit The Dragon than Saturation and Eddie 'King' Roeser's vocals have become even more sandpapered than before, but this is a tight, rocking number from their new album, their first in 16 years, and much better than one would expect."

The Psychedelic Furs - "In My Head"

The Psychedelic Furs - "In My Head": "Apparently, there's not a lot of love for the final Psych Furs record - it's out of print physically and only available digitally - but it's an undervalued blend of melancholy rockers (like this one), ballads, electro-tinged snarled tunes and more. It's perhaps still a bit polished like their middle-period records, but balances the energy of earlier works (if not as outright punky) with a certain maturity in viewpoint and songwriting."

Suede - "Animal Nitrate"

Suede - "Animal Nitrate": "Definitely one of my Coachella highlights. I was wary of what present-day Suede would be like, but Brett worked the stage like his life depended on it, belting out classics like this one like it was still 1992. As fey as he may be, he had massive stage presence and the only thing that made me sad was that there weren't enough people there to see it, because it was magic.
[Coachella - Saturday 3/16]"

Soul Coughing - "How Many Cans?"

Soul Coughing - "How Many Cans?": "I hadn't listened to Soul Coughing's Irresistible Bliss in quite a while but, after a re-listen last week, I realize it's a tighter, more solid listen than I remember it being - to the point that it's over much too fast. But since it does have to end, this is a great closing number - all late night rattle and atmosphere, kicking in a bit harder near the end after a subtle build, and then fading away. It's slightly ominous in an intriguing way, almost presaging the darkness to follow on much of the follow-up, El Oso."

Peter Bjorn and John - "Tomorrow Has To Wait"

Peter Bjorn and John - "Tomorrow Has To Wait": "The great opening track from their new Gimme Some, which sounded equally great live in S.F. on Friday night at Great American Music Hall. I was expecting a quick 1 hour show or less, but got an epic 1 hour 45 minutes instead. I was impressed with how PB&J streamlined their need for loops and backing tracks by reworking the tunes either slightly ('Nothing To Worry About') or completely ('It Don't Move Me') to make the show more raw, more rock and less studio recreation. Certainly a lot of bang for the buck."

The Spinanes - "Lines and Lines"

The Spinanes - "Lines and Lines": "I don't even know where to start: Not only did Rebecca Gates just play in S.F., but she did this amazing Spinanes song (which sounded great solo acoustic), but she also did new songs and a cover of 'St. Ides Heaven' (which is sort of not a cover, since she was on the original), but she also talked about her band and new music perhaps even maybe this year, but she also talked about coming back to S.F. in a couple of months with her band, but she also made me realize that Ted Leo was in her Arches & Aisles band before I knew who he was, but she also gave me a hug!!!! [HEAD EXPLODES DUE TO EXCESS OF AWESOMENESS]"

Lamb - "Trans Fatty Acid"

Lamb - "Trans Fatty Acid": "This was supposed to be a post from the other night, as a great 'late in the night' track...except, as I was listening to it - late in the night! - I was too tired to make the post. So here it is. (Sam - for you and, technically, from NARM, one of the 'exotic places' you seem to think my SOTD comes from.)"

The Smiths - "Hand In Glove"

The Smiths - "Hand In Glove": "This is a slightly belated post in honor of The Eagle, my favorite bar in SF that is very sadly (and very recently) no more. Putting aside the great staff, great rock'n'roll DJs, an amazing patio and lots of other great features, there was an electic mix of live music every Thursday night that is hard to duplicate, even in SF. You could get up and coming bands, you could get drag torch singers, you could get hardcore metal...it could be anything. On The Eagle's last live music night, this song played between bands and the thrice-repeated line 'I'll probably never see you again' suddenly, sadly jumped out at me. There is indeed a void now left in my SF lifestyle that I don't know how to fill. I realize something unexpected may surprise me and pick up where The Eagle left off - but, for now, I'm just sad."

The Drums - "I Need Fun In My Life"

The Drums - "I Need Fun In My Life": "I know a lot of people who love this album and lots who love them live. I don't think either is bad, but I have to say I don't quite 'get' them either. Something just hasn't clicked with me yet. But I will admit that this track does have a nice lo-fi charm and is catchy in the same way similar lo-fi ditties grabbed me in the 90s. And I agree with the song's message too!
[Coachella - Friday 4/15]"

Interpol - "Success"

Interpol - "Success": "Was their Coachella set a good one? No, not really - something was just kind of off with them (although I've since heard that their drummer had faulty monitors for the whole show, so that would explain a lot) and their pre-hyped multi-media display was rather tepid. That said, the set list would have had a nice slow build, had it been able to keep the intensity that I'm sure they expected to bring. I heard a lot of folks were not happy with this as their opener track (probably expecting 'PDA' instead?), but it made me remember this as an overlooked track from their recent, self-titled release and it's been popping in and out of my head since...so that was one win from their set for me.
[Coachella - Friday 4/15]"

Arcade Fire - "Wake Up"

Arcade Fire - "Wake Up": "Okay, so everyone knows by now about the amazing AF Coachella show and the synchronized LED light-up balloons they dropped over the crowd, but it really was just epic to see, especially in tandem with the huge swell of emotion coming back from the huge crowd at the same time. A really great show overall with an inventive climax.
[Coachella - Saturday 3/16]"

Duran Duran - "A View To A Kill"

Duran Duran - "A View To A Kill": "Where to begin - how awesome this song is? The great James Bond movie opening title sequence that features it? The extra-cheesy video at the Eiffel Tower with 'Bon, Simon le Bon' and telescopes that turn into guns? Any one of those would have been enough of a reason to send me into a full froth when I finally got to see Duran Duran perform it live this last weekend... BUT when DD added a live orchestra introduction, joining a white-tux'ed Simon in a bravado vocal performance, in tribute to 'View' co-writer (and legendary Bond composer) John Barry...well, I pretty much damn melted.
[Coachella - Sunday 4/17]"

The Kills - "Future Starts Slow"

The Kills - "Future Starts Slow": "A little sad, a little gritty, a little sexy - it's pretty classic Kills in that respect, not to mention that it's pretty much their stripped-down core of Alison, Jamie, a guitar and a drum machine. Is it wrong to consider this a (slightly downer) rough indie bump'n'grind tune?"

Urge Overkill - "Sister Havana"

Urge Overkill - "Sister Havana": "So excited this is finally in Rhapsody. I have a pretty large soft spot for this record, certainly more than most it seems. I don't care who 'actually' played on the record or if their Touch and Go records are 'better' - I just care that this record ROCKS...and, man, it does."

Telekinesis - "Coast of Carolina"

Telekinesis - "Coast of Carolina": "It's been less than a month since I saw them live at SXSW and I've become a full-fledged fan already. After John A. pointed me at their self-titled debut this weekend - I had only been listening to their 2nd and most recent album - I've now fallen in love with that too. The songs, particularly this one, are sing-along-chorus catchy but still with a nice emotional underpinning. It's kind of what I first loved about Superchunk (even if they don't sound the same), so no surprise they're on Merge.
(Should also thank Bob M. for first playing them at Distortion+ some months ago and putting John and I on their trail in the first place.)"

R.E.M. - "Circus Envy"

R.E.M. - "Circus Envy": "I like Monster. While more maligned R.E.M. records followed this one (Up, anyone?), at the time Monster came out, it certainly felt like a release that longtime R.E.M. fans greeted with a bit of 'WTF?'...which is probably why I feel like it's still a bit of a statement to say I like it. It's not pretty or jangly or whatever R.E.M. was 'supposed' to be, but it still has moments that are intimate ("Tongue"), touching ("Strange Currencies") or angry - like this track - that are worth embracing. Maybe it's the angry Michael Stipe that frightened people off, but I don't mind it one bit."

True Widow - "Skull Eyes"

True Widow - "Skull Eyes": "Even putting the band name and song title aside, the song still sounds like a metal tune at first, all low and heavy. That continues through the song, but more as as a base under a swirl of dark dream pop, cresting with overlapping boy-girl vocals leading into a pleasantly disorienting swoon. Yeah, you've heard a lot of these elements before, but this song puts them together pretty well."

TV On The Radio - "Second Song"

TV On The Radio - "Second Song": "I don't know how a song that starts off sounding so aimless manages to slowly compose itself at the end of the first minute, kicking into an increasingly urgent groove, moving into a bouncing, joyous chorus. I guess it's just more of the strange balancing act of art rock and pop that TVOTR seem to do most of the time."

Peter Bjorn and John - "Second Chance"

Peter Bjorn and John - "Second Chance": "'Young Folks' aside, I liked both of the last two PB&J albums, although I admittedly liked Writer's Block a bit more. So it's not shocking to me to hear them come up with more awesome songs, like this one - even if the wordless "oohs" are the catchiest part and will definitely invite some comparison to 'Young Folks' for that reason alone."

Superchunk - "Untied"

Superchunk - "Untied": "This popped into my head tonight as I was cleaning up after dinner, although I'm not sure why. I'm almost more distracted by Mac's Hemingway-strength use of "and" in the first verses than when I first heard the song, but the guitar melody deserves to be in the Indie Rock Hall of Fame - it's that classic - and the simple sentiment of the song is about as complicated as it really needs to be. I love it and I still can't imagine my life without Superchunk."

The Naked and Famous - "Eyes"

The Naked and Famous - "Eyes": "Overlooking some moments that veer into synth-led 80s rock territory, I prefer the majority of the song, which resembles a more aggressive version of M83's 'Kim and Jessie' (also recontextualized here via joint male/female lead vocals) - which is just fine by me.
(I missed them at SXSW too, so I'm not giving this post the 'SXSW 2011 Recap' tag. Also, thank you Nick.)"

Toro Y Moi - "Light Black"

Toro Y Moi - "Light Black": "I have to admit that, when I saw them live, it was hard not to be struck primarily by the breezy 70s quality of the music - enjoyable if with obvious influences. (I kind of pictured them knife-fighting with Phoenix over the retro-swinging vibe.) Still, I like how they can mix it up with tunes like this, which echoes Stereolab with an extra touch of psychedelia and chaos.
[3.18 @ Klub Krucial / SXSW]"

DOM - "Living In America"

DOM - "Living In America": "Lo-fi electropop, blending fuzz with bouncy keys, plus a catchy (if probably tongue-in-cheek) chorus. I'm bummed that I missed these guys at SXSW - despite them playing 8 times, I swear - but hope to make up for that at some point."

BONUS SONG: Starflyer 59 - "The Big Idea"

BONUS SONG: Starflyer 59 - "The Big Idea": "I already did a song of the day today, so consider this the song of the afternoon. It's rocking and a little abrasive (if not a little mean: 'you come on like a feeling that I never wanted') - from the harder side of SF59 - but it's where I am right now."

Washed Out - "Feel It All Around"

Washed Out - "Feel It All Around": "What would you call this - a new wave dream pop slow jam? That kind of does sum it up. Their sound and their set kick out the new wave space jams - plus this song is the theme to IFC's 'Portlandia', for those of you who have seen that.
[3.12 @ The Mohawk - Ning Party / SXSWi]"

Telekinesis - "Car Crash"

Telekinesis - "Car Crash": "Music so energetic you'd never know their frontman wasn't pogo-ing around with his guitar if you never saw them; but he's actually the drummer. I don't know if the album captures the energy of the live show (though it's still very good), but the blend of power pop with new wave elements is solid and the 'whoa-aooh's in songs like this make it irresistible.
[3.18 @ The Parish - Merge Night / SXSW]"

James Blake - "To Care (Like You)"

James Blake - "To Care (Like You)" - "One of the buzz artists at SXSW this year. Vocals that start out in the vicinity of Antony (of Antony and the Johnsons), except often digitally processed and pitch shifted, accompanied by piano and skittery drums - all things that wouldn't seem to work live - but, in the intimate setting of a church at 1 A.M. (!), it not just worked - surprisingly - but it was hypnotic.
[3.17 @ Central Presbyterian Church / SXSW]"

Small Black - "Search Party"

Small Black - "Search Party": "I already loved their tune "Photojournalist" going into SXSW this year, but when they played our Rhapsody Rocks Austin party (and totally RULED), I fell in love with this song too - and I haven't been able to stop listening to it since. It's bouncy without being saccharine and it's been putting me in a damn fine mood.
[3.18 @ Club De Ville - Rhapsody Rocks Austin / SXSW]"

Starflyer 59 - "When I Learn To Sing"

Starflyer 59 - "When I Learn To Sing": "Wistfully hopeful or perhaps just wishful - another gem from the softer side of SF59."

My Bloody Valentine - "Sometimes"

My Bloody Valentine - "Sometimes": "For the times where I want to say this album is overrated, no matter how much I love it, I come back to songs like this in the middle of the night and I am overwhelmed by their simple elements, translated into waves of sound, yet washing out as a plaintive, emotional tune. Wow."

Ringo Deathstarr - "Kaleidoscope"

Ringo Deathstarr - "Kaleidoscope": "RD continues to be a chameleon of shoegaze-inspired bands from days of yore. If the abrasive roughness wasn't so relatively dialed down, I'd swear this was from the first, self-titled Starflyer 59 record - which is not a bad thing, it's just surprising to hear."

Calla - "Play Dead"

Calla - "Play Dead": "Nice dramatic flow coming from a subtle start-and-stop groove paired with a bit of brooding and it's no surprise why these guys used to play shows with Interpol (mostly in NYC) some years back."

Soho - "Hippychick"

Soho - "Hippychick": "I see dirty hippies in SF all the time, so who knows why this song popped into my head this time. Points if you actually remember this song, or just the "no hippychick!" chorus."

On - "When The World Is Running Down"

On - "When The World Is Running Down": "Failure's Ken Andrews (under his On moniker) takes on the bouncy Police tune, spinning it into something subtly darker, slinkier and certainly edgier. Arguably, it now sounds closer to a Gary Numan paranoia track than Sting, but such is the magic of Ken Andrews."

Superchunk - "Like A Fool"

Superchunk - "Like A Fool": "Sometimes it would be nice to turn the clock back..."

Afghan Whigs - "Conjure Me"

Afghan Whigs - "Conjure Me": "I don't know if this is a good thing or not, but I am really feeling the Afghan Whigs right now. This song is one of their finest - even though I like their whole body of work, this track lacks the pretension of their later work, leaving their bile more raw and very immediate."

Longwave - "I Don't Dare"

Longwave - "I Don't Dare": "I love the bass and drums on this song in particular - the drums, so militant, and the bass, so muscular. It helps give a nice contrast to the chime-y guitars floating in the high range of the mix. My favorite song on this record."

The Monkees - "Sweet Young Thing"

The Monkees - "Sweet Young Thing": "I've been reading a book on the Monkees (Monkee Business) that my friend Stephanie gave me - and also helped lay out - so I've had a lot of their songs in my head recently. This is one of the great early ones - agressively rocking yet somehow slightly country, all in under two minutes, making it more complex than they usually get credit for."

Placebo - "Slave To The Wage"

Placebo - "Slave To The Wage": "'Spite & Malice' first popped into my head this morning and was originally going to be the topic of today's post. Unfortunately, as much as I like the song, the 'rap' part doesn't hold up so well now and I realized this song was the better pick, especially since I'm posting from work right now! :)
[And, as I mentioned long ago, this may be the best (if only) song to sample Pavement, and one of the best Pavement songs at that.]"

Elliott Smith - "Alphabet Town"

Elliott Smith - "Alphabet Town": "Nick inspired this post with his own Elliott Smith post and totally agree with the late-night quality of it. Some of the lyrics seem determined, but they feel broken. Is it weird that it's my favorite Elliott Smith song when it feels so strangely hopeless?"

I Was a King - "The Wylde Boys"

I Was a King - "The Wylde Boys": "The intro could be Rocket From The Crypt, with the horns and the full on rock drumming, but suddenly the chaos breaks and it's 60s style pop somewhere between Lilys (in their own 60s pop phase) and Olivia Tremor Control. The chorus is pure money and my only complaint is that the song ends too soon."

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Bang"

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Bang": "Like yesterday's song equation, but switching the handclaps for drums...and it gets a lot messier, but it gets a lot more electric too. It's a rough and tumble number, but really the first thing anyone heard from the YYYs, so it's funny to think about how big they got down the line."

The Kills - "At The Back Of The Shell"

The Kills - "At The Back Of The Shell": "So minimal that it could be a demo, but I really don't see what you would want to add to this song. It's simple boy, girl, guitar and handclaps and that's all it needs."

The Spinanes - "Valency"

The Spinanes - "Valency": "Hearing songs like this, I am instantly reminded of my near-obsessive love for this band (and frontwoman Rebecca Gates) in the mid/late-90s. They could rock like this, but Rebecca always sounded so laid back and - dare I say it - sultry, or at least casually welcoming. I miss them so much."

Momus - "Nikon 2"

Momus - "Nikon 2": "This song kept popping into my head in France, when I meant to post it, so I'm just catching up now. If you don't know Momus, you should catch up too."

Nine Inch Nails - "The Only Time"

Nine Inch Nails - "The Only Time": "I haven't listened to this in ages...so of course it makes me flash back to when I first heard it. I always loved the drum part around 02:42 - and, in fact, often used my time on a real kit at drum lessons to figure out the part for myself. Kind of funny to think back that far, to remember I ever played the drums (sorta)...and realize how (sadly) old this record is. At the time it felt edgy, but it's so much lighter than anything that followed from NIN - but who would have known that at the time?"

Nancy Sinatra - "You Only Live Twice"

Nancy Sinatra - "You Only Live Twice": "One of my favorite James Bond movie themes and for a solid Bond movie at that. R.I.P. Bond composer (and co-composer of this theme) John Barry."

Queens of the Stone Age - "Auto Pilot"

Queens of the Stone Age - "Auto Pilot": "...as in: I am, today, given the degree of jetlag I'm working with, not because I want to be."

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - "Heart In Your Heartbreak"

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - "Heart In Your Heartbreak": "The last few songs I heard from TPOBPAH, released after their last album, seemed to suggest the band was going in a lighter, twee-er direction...one that I wasn't particularly excited about. This new single is a welcome pivot - still very airy and sweet in parts, but a little more guitar and drums to give the song a a touch more punch, a little tartness in the saccharine. Very nice."

Small Black - "Photojournalist"

Small Black - "Photojournalist": "Subtly catchy within it's synth-powered wall of sound, this is the kind of textured dreampop that's admittedly my catnip."

Best Coast - "Crazy For You"

Best Coast - "Crazy For You": "For DWU. Miss ya."

Lene Lovich - "New Toy"

Lene Lovich - "New Toy": "Arty but poppy, classic new wave without sounding totally dated...but, really, it's just fun. And they used to play it on the radio! Guess all those (new) cool songs like this find their exposure out on the internet now..."

Wire - "A Flat Tent"

Wire - "A Flat Tent": "33+ years in, Wire really have no business sounding this good. This track (from their brand new album, Red Barked Tree) certainly recalls Pink Flag, their debut, but blends in fresh elements to create a fully modern interpretation of their original sound. And, have no fear, the whole album has an array of sounds and moods, so they're no one trick pony here, nor a simple rehash of their older selves."

Tina Turner & Barry White - "In Your Wildest Dreams"

Tina Turner & Barry White - "In Your Wildest Dreams": "Listen to Tina and Barry try to out-sex each other with suggested panting and thrusting in this a/c slow jam. It's a little too radio-polished and borders on cheesy in moments, but it is nice to hear two legends having some fun...and, for the most part, it works. For some reason, Tina also says 'hearts' as one would say 'Chassidic', with the hard 'ch', which has amused me ever since the first time I heard this song."

Class Actress - "Journal of Ardency"

Class Actress - "Journal of Ardency": "80s synth shuffle updated with a more modern aesthetic. Simple, but it's what's been helping me get through the last few days."

Those Bastard Souls - "Spaced Out" (demo)

Those Bastard Souls - "Spaced Out" (Demo - Darla 100 Version): "I was trying to find a song to end 2010 and kick off 2011 and I just couldn't find anything that summed things up, other than songs I've already posted (i.e. Breeders "New Year" or Walkmen "In The New Year"). So, instead, here's a mostly-solo rendition of "Spaced Out" (as otherwise performed by both The Grifters and Those Bastard Souls, full band). It's perhaps a little rough, but it has a certain naked straightforwardness to it."

Teena Marie - "Lovergirl"

Teena Marie - "Lovergirl": "A slightly belated R.I.P. for Teena Marie. Such sad news!"

Soul Coughing - "Screenwriter's Blues"

Soul Coughing - "Screenwriter's Blues": ""It's funny how much I disliked this song when it came out - I think my thought was "who are these self-indulgent NYC snobs who think they're King Missle?" - and how much I love it now. It apparently just took some time for me to come around to it, probably sometime after "Down To This" made me give them a second look. While it kind of fails as a poison love letter to Los Angeles, it does paint a pretty good picture of tongue-in-cheek sweetness as cynicism. It also contains one of what became one of my favorite song lyrics: "We are all in some way or another going to Reseda...someday...to die." That's a comment on life and/or The Valley - and I'm not sure which, but it works either way."

Bear In Heaven - "Ultimate Satisfaction"

Bear In Heaven - "Ultimate Satisfaction": "There's a certain intensity from the busy drumming and the the looping keyboards during the verses that is almost overwhelming, but that just leads to the jazzy (if not almost prog) openness of the chorus and a sudden feeling of drifting in water. The contrast helps to heighten each section of the song. Spacey and powerful."

Ryan Bingham - "Depression"

Ryan Bingham - "Depression": "Not the downer song you might expect it to be, even if it's certainly rough in ways, generally earthy in others - that's what makes it just feel natural, more than anything else. Also, I'm not posting it for an particular reason, so don't fret - even if the holidays do seem to have a hectic, overwhelming quality to them this year."

The Smiths - "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before"

The Smiths - "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before": "One of my favorite songs of all time. Restrained in delivery, but bubbling with dark emotions just under the surface; I'm not sure if it's bitterness or pain or what exactly, but when Morrissey sings "I still love you / but only slightly less, slightly less than I used to" in a way that only he can, it speaks volumes. It shares a similar vibe with another of my favorites - Michael Penn's "Out of Its Misery" - also a dark/rocker number - but this song also has the classic bike-riding video that makes it almost iconic."

Electronic - "Disappointed"

Electronic - "Disappointed": "The Smiths' Johnny Marr, New Orders' Bernard Sumner and Pet Shop Boys' Neil Tenannt? It was magic 80s nostalgia before enough time had even passed for it to have set in. Still, this is one of my favorite Pet Shop Boys songs that technically isn't."

Starflyer 59 - "Play The C Chord"

Starflyer 59 - "Play The C Chord": "This is just how I'm feeling today."

Better Than Ezra - "Alison Foley"

Better Than Ezra - "Alison Foley": "I think that my liking of this song comes from it's less-mature-but-more-rocking Michael Penn vibe. I normally wouldn't call a song like this under-appreciated, but I feel like BTE is pretty maligned for their accidental role in the late 90s co-opting of 'alternative' radio by crunchy radio pop as it all rode it into the mainstream, so it's worth pulling out something so truly catchy for a bit of re-appreciation. (I'll even go a step further: Semisonic and Fastball had some really good songs too.)"

Daft Punk - "Derezzed"

Daft Punk - "Derezzed": "Okay, I admit...I am excited for the new Tron movie. Shocker, right? (This is a track from the soundtrack.)"

INXS - "Suicide Blonde"

INXS - "Suicide Blonde": "Just woke up with this song in my head but I have no idea why...I haven't heard this song in a while, at least not that I was consciously aware of..."

Missy Elliott - "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)"

Missy Elliott - "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)": "Seriously, does it have to rain everywhere I go? Enough, already!"

Helium - "Pat's Trick"

Helium - "Pat's Trick": "This is a belated 'thank you' to Doug H for playing an awesome Matador Records DJ set at the SF Eagle the other weekend, including this excellent Helium tune, in celebration of the Matador Records Vegas weekend. Not to be dopey, but it's so nice to have good friends at a good place listening to good music!"

The Apples in Stereo - "High Tide"

The Apples in Stereo - "High Tide": "Jangly and pleasantly mellow, but the high point (no pun intended) is when frontman Robert gets into his higher register to sing 'will the years roll out on tide?', particularly as he's joined with harmony vocals as the chorus repeats. Good stuff."

Julio Iglesias - "Drive"

Julio Iglesias - "Drive": "I don't know what I like better - Julio tackling The Cars - or that he does it on his album Romantic Classics. Decir lo que???."

Arcade Fire - "Ready to Start"

Arcade Fire - "Ready to Start": "This definitely shook out as my favorite song on the new Arcade Fire record. I've read around that this is supposed to be an uplifting song (I suppose the 'now I'm ready to start!' ending), but the song - and the chorus in particular - read really dark to me, outside of that one line. There's something really sad about the 'if I was pure / you know I would / and if I was yours / but I'm not' lyric, but it still comes together as a really powerful song and that's why I like it."

Best Coast - "When I'm With You"

Best Coast - "When I'm With You": "Take a bunch of Aislers Set girl group lo-fi and mix in a touch of Giant Drag sharpness and you get this Best Coast song. It pulls off a great blend of sass and melancholy, the way the best 60s girl group rock songs do."

Jane Krakowski - "Muffin Top"

Jane Krakowski - "Muffin Top": "It's from 30 Rock, so of course I love it."

Sonic Youth - "Sweet Shine"

Sonic Youth - "Sweet Shine": "I remember the first time I heard this song -
I was shopping at Tower Records (R.I.P.!) in Orange County and the store had an advance copy of this album they were using for in-store play. Someone must have scratched the CD because the track would make it through to a certain point before skipping back near the beginning...only to make it back to the scratch and skip backwards yet again. It didn't sound so bad, given the sleepy nature of the track, like hopping around in a dream. This must have gone on for twenty minutes before someone stopped the CD but, by that point, the song was burned into my head, especially the part where Kim Gordon hoots 'wooo-hooo!'. Kind of funny that I remember that so specifically, but I do."

The Jealous Sound - "Hope For Us"

The Jealous Sound - "Hope For Us": "Yeah, I guess it's kind of emo, in the more classic sense, but damn it's good."

SOTD 5 Year Lookback: Culture Club - "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me"

SOTD 5 Year Lookback: Culture Club - "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me" (Original Post Date: 07.08.09): "I think it says volumes about me that some of my more vivid and excited posts draw from videos I saw as a kid in the early days of MTV, either in inspiring me to the post - or, like this one, where I try and recap the video...in my own way."

SOTD 5 Year Lookback: Yo La Tengo - "Blue Line Swinger"

SOTD 5 Year Lookback: Two Versions of Yo La Tengo's "Blue Line Swinger" - Your Choice! (Original Post Date: 06.03.08): "This is deeper music analysis than I usually employ in the blog, but the two versions compelled me to take the dive."

SOTD 5 Year Lookback: Olivia Newton-John - "Physical"

SOTD 5 Year Lookback: Olivia Newton-John - "Physical" (Original Post Date: 10.25.06): "The only thing better than this post is when I played "Physical" at top volume from my phone while walking around in SOMA earlier this year after a bit of, um, partying. Check it out."

SOTD 5 Year Lookback: James Brown - "Get Up"

SOTD 5 Year Lookback: James Brown - "Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine, Pt. 1" (Original Post Date: 2.28.06):
"Kicking off this look back at five years of this blog, it's Mr. James Brown. This post is kind of a cheat, since it references two JB songs, but it makes me want to listen to them both. Check it out."

Song of the Day 5 Year Anniversary!

Joy Division - "These Days": "So it's been five years to the day that I started my 'song of the day' blog. While hardly daily in posting, I've racked up almost 900 rants, raves, stutters and random thoughts in that time...and, somehow, it keeps chugging along. My first post was New Order, so it seems fitting to offer some Joy Division to mark the anniversary. Hardly the band to pop open some fancy champagne to, I suppose, but this isn't a champers kind of blog anyway. Instead, raise your drink of choice and peruse the archives (they're all there, on the right side of the page), perhaps starting with the blog introduction, also from 11/1/05.
I'll be spending the rest of the week highlighting some of my favorite entries from the years, so stick around!"

Elliott Smith - "Ballad Of Big Nothing"

Elliott Smith - "Ballad Of Big Nothing": "Years ago, when I worked at getmusic.com, we had been trying to get Elliott to do a performance and/or an interview for the site but - after some time - when it finally came through, I was unable to go to the taping. I seem to recall that I could have pushed some commitments around to make it, but didn't - and I wish I had, since this was obviously something I wouldn't have the chance to do later, but there was no way to know that then. At least I had the pleasure of seeing him several times in LA and NYC, both solo acoustic and full band, and there are his wonderful records still around.
I am also making this my Halloween post because of the time I saw Elliott in NYC, just before Halloween that year (internets saying this would be 10.29.00) and he closed the show with a cover of BOC's "Don't Fear The Reaper'. A little creepy in retrospect but, at the time, it was a lot of fun."

Royksopp - "Poor Leno"

Royksopp - "Poor Leno": "At Brandy's suggestion, although this will always remind me of being jetlagged and watching this video in the middle of the night on MTV Netherlands from my hotel room in Amsterdam. It was the first time I had seen the video and my travel-mate Brendan and I both rooted on the 'leno' to escape capture. I've been a fan of the song ever since."

Les Savy Fav - "Sleepless In Silverlake"

Les Savy Fav - "Sleepless In Silverlake": "These guys are such NYC stalwarts, it's hard think that they're doing anything other than taking the piss out of L.A., but it sounds so good, it doesn't matter. Besides, I'm more disturbed that it's been a decade since I first saw LSF wildman/frontman Tim Harrington literally climbing the walls at Bowery Ballroom in NYC. Where did the time go?"

The English Beat - "Best Friend"

The English Beat - "Best Friend": "It's interesting how mixing and mastering can change a song. I'm used to hearing this track on the excellent (and sadly out-of-print) What Is Beat? English Beat retrospective - which is admittedly 80s mastering on CD or cassette - as opposed to this modern-day digital master. It's a great song either way, but this mix sounds 'nicer', if slightly more soft and jangly, bringing out all the different elements into a more distinct mix, as opposed to the general blended noise of the 80s master that feels a bit more agressive."

The Breeders - "Mad Lucas"

The Breeders - "Mad Lucas": "On hour after hour of conference calls today, watching the traffic going back and forth on the 80 freeway out the window..."

Portishead - "Strangers"

Portishead - "Strangers": "As I did my Shawn of the Dead zombie march to work today (it being a Monday morning and all), this song was the only thing that helped to amp up my shuffle, even if it still was a zombie shuffle. Granted, there's nothing nice about this song, but it did keep me moving along and the music switch at the 02:11 mark is a nice, 'wake up' slap in the face. Besides, I don't know if I need to be nice today, so much as I need to be productive.
On a different note, I am still in love with this entire record, more years on from its release than I'd like to admit. I don't want to sound like a curmudgeon, but I wish there were more records like this coming out, ones I love from start to finish, the way I used to think there were."

LCD Soundsystem - "Yeah (Crass Version)"

LCD Soundsystem - "Yeah (Crass Version)": "Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah."

The Walkmen - "Juveniles"

The Walkmen - "Juveniles": "The Walkmen still have a certain 60s quality to them, but they feel much more modern this time out. There's a certain lazy afternoon (or early morning?) charm to this tune, between the solitary, sadly playful guitar lead and the dragging drums."

Film School - "p.s."

Film School - "p.s.": "I know it's a bit weird to post this track, from Film School's first EP, right around the same time they're putting out a new album that sounds so different, but I guess that's just my way. This tune suggests a certain shared vibe with American Analog Set, mixed in with a bit of the languid pace of Lilys' Eccsame The Photon Band and some slight indie brattishness to the vocals, but also with a slight, steady build as the song goes along to keep it interesting."

Bettie Serveert - "Tom Boy"

Bettie Serveert - "Tom Boy": "I had the pleasure of seeing Amsterdam's finest, Bettie Serveert, last week in SF. Not only did they sound great, but they seriously rocked, with a great energy flowing through their whole set. Everything from their new album sounded great, but it was so much fun getting hear old favorites like this."

Aimee Mann - "Guys Like Me"

Aimee Mann - "Guys Like Me": "I recently had the pleasure of seeing a stripped-down Aimee Mann set, with Aimee on acoustic guitar and backed only by bass and keyboards on most tracks. While she bypassed many of Lost In Space's obvious choice tracks ("Humpty Dumpty", "Pavlov's Bell"), she surprised me with this subtle, yearning tune instead. I didn't expect her to play it, in the midst of her fairly large catalog, but maybe it just fit better with her more minimal arrangement - and, either way, I was sure happy to hear it, as this song has oddly always struck a chord with me. I particularly love the guitar solo in the second half of the song."

F*cked Up - "Son The Father"

F*cked Up - "Son The Father": "If I have to pick a 2nd MVP of the Matador Lost Weekend, behind Ted Leo, I think it's Damian from F*cked Up. Not only did he blaze through a riotous live set on Friday night (complete with crowdsurfing and a live version of this track that's way better than on the record, which is great already) but FU did double duty by coming back out even later on Friday night to face off with Ted Leo and the Pharmacists in a virtual covers-off. While all the hard work was out of the way after that, Damian still stuck around and was seen running around all weekend, going to all the shows - with his young son in tow in a stroller - clearly excited by all the bands and music there was too see. Ever the good father, his kid was wearing industrial-strength headphones, which was a good move, as all of us with hearing damage can attest. Anyhow, good job, Damian!"

Guided By Voices - "My Son Cool"

Guided By Voices - "My Son Cool": "The last time I saw Guided by Voices was in NYC, during their (2004?) goodbye tour (with special opener Chavez, who reformed for one night then too) - but I have to admit I never saw them during the Alien Lanes/Under The Bushes period, or at least with that band lineup - until now. Drunk as ever (except for Tobin Sprout, who could still stand upright) but charmingly so, GbV flashed a neon "The club is open" sign and plowed through dozens of lo-fi hits, including this one. So much fun. They still had so many songs they didn't play, I hope they make it `round one more time before they call it quits again."

Chavez - "Unreal Is Here"

Chavez - "Unreal Is Here": "Back to my Matador "Lost Weekend" recaps -
While I've already celebrated the pummeling drums of Mr. James Lo in previous posts - which were also a real highlight of the live show for me - Chavez was so tight in all ways, they also delivered mightily on this arena-ready ballad. You wouldn't know that this was basically their first show in a half-decade and one of their only in the last decade overall. Guys, remind me why you're not together full-time anymore? Ask the folks who were in Vegas and almost everyone will agree this was one of the best sets of the weekend."

Debbie Harry - "Feel The Spin"

Debbie Harry - "Feel The Spin": "Don't worry kids, more Matador weekend highlights still coming - it's been a busy week since I've been back - but just a simple TGIF song for today. Pretend it's an 80s dance party!"

Weezer - "Hang On"

Weezer - "Hang On": "No offense meant by this, but is it weird that I can totally hear Taylor Swift doing this song? And that this thought occured to me during only my second listen to this tune? Weird. Don't know what it means."

Ted Leo - "The Mighty Sparrow"

Ted Leo - "The Mighty Sparrow": "There will be lots of Matador "Lost Weekend" Recap posts to come, but I have to start off with Ted Leo. Ted was definitely the MVP of the weekend, rocking all the way from Night One to Night Three. Starting off with a late night, pseudo-Battle-of-the-Bands with Fucked Up, both bands threw down some great (mostly punk) covers, but Ted had a choice entry with a solo, electric version of Liz Phair's "Fuck and Run"...which he then dueted with her on during Night Three. Night Two saw Ted showing up at the Karaoke Underground party, where he did Beat Happening's "Cast A Shadow". Night Three also saw Ted perform a blistering set of mostly Ted Leo originals during the main night's showcase, but still popped back up to take some good-natured abuse from MCs Sharpling & Wurster during one of their introductions. In other words, he was in it to win it.
I ran into Ted's drummer this morning and told him how great they were, but now I'm taking the news public. Good job Ted and keep up the good work. (You too, Pharmacists!)
Almost forgot to mention - even though it's one of the songs he didn't do this weekend, "The Mighty Sparrow" is the great lead-off track from the equally great new album The Brutalist Bricks. Check it out."

Soundgarden - "Birth Ritual"

Soundgarden - "Birth Ritual": "I love love love Chris Cornell's high-pitched wail in 'ritu-aaaaaaaal!!!' I think more hard rock/metal needs higher register singing like that, especially when paired with the deeper, heavier riffs."