Ministry - "Effigy (I'm Not An)"

Ministry - "Effigy (I'm Not An)": "There's something about Al J dressing up in faux-goth-Brit trappings that makes me think of Halloween dress-up...thus my Halloween post today."

Mahogany - "One Plus One Equals Three Or More"

Mahogany - "One Plus One Equals Three Or More": "I know I'm breaking my own rules by blogging the same song twice (a first!), but I'm obsessed with this song and couldn't stop myself. Plus they were owed bonus points for making phrases like "inverse the arc with positension" sound cool. This is the way to the new connectivity..."

The B-52's - "Funplex"

The B-52's - "Funplex": "This song from the new B-52's record is classic Kate and Cindy - especially the catchy chorus - but, although I am usually a big fan, it could have done with a little less Fred. Still, the nonsensical call-and-response exchange of "'Hey lady!' 'What?' 'What lady?' 'That lady!'" tickles me. (It sounds better in the song, trust me.)"

Grace Jones - "Warm Leatherette"

Grace Jones - "Warm Leatherette": "I felt compelled to post a Grace song after seeing Vamp this last weekend, as part of an October-long study in horror movies. The movie isn't great, per se, but Ms. Jones left me speechless, as usual - which is funny, since her character doesn't even speak in the movie. Then again, after she writhes around nearly naked, outside of Keith Haring-applied body paint, she really doesn't have to."

Blue Man Group w/Venus Hum - "I Feel Love"

Blue Man Group w/Venus Hum - "I Feel Love": "...and, while nothing can top Donna Summer's masterful tranced-vocals-vs.-Kraftwerk-future original, Blue Man Group and Venus Hum's aggro-percussive take on the track is also worth noting. The original depends on a strangely icy cool, while this version throws all abandon to the wind. They also get extra credit points here for replacing the key synthesizer line with odd percussion, somehow playing the same role in the song while giving it a different tonal quality."

Donna Summer - "I Feel Love"

Donna Summer - "I Feel Love": "...and you can't talk about Moroder without this song, so here it is."

Giorgio Moroder - "Chase"

Giorgio Moroder - "Chase": "Classy Euro-disco, from the movie Midnight Express, no less. I think the SF Muni system would be much more enjoyable if they played this on the buses, etc., 24/7...not like it isn't already a mega-loop on its own already.
(This track does also recall Giorgio's later Never Ending Story score as well.)"

Juliana Hatfield - "Universal Heart-Beat"

Juliana Hatfield - "Universal Heart-Beat": "I freaking *love* this song - rock me, Juliana!
An aside: I used to have the Only Everything poster in my bedroom when this record came out. In the photo, Juliana was posed with her wrists pointed up to the camera - which, in my morbid interpretation of the photo, was her offering her wrists up and crying 'I've given you only everything'...which was kinda goth, don't you think? Kinda goth for me, anyway. I'm sure the photo was completely light-hearted to anyone else..."

The Jesus and Mary Chain - "Something I Can't Have"

The Jesus and Mary Chain - "Something I Can't Have": "JAMC had a great skill for making songs like this that could be up-tempo, distortingly loud, catchy - and yet completely melancholy. This song has bounced around compilations for a while (I believe it's originally a b-side), so I'm glad to see it find a home on the new JAMC box set."

The Crystals - "Girls Can Tell"

The Crystals - "Girls Can Tell": "Allegedly the inspiration for the title of Spoon's Girls Can Tell LP, this is a tasty slice of girl group harmonies."

The Psychedelic Furs - "So Run Down"

The Psychedelic Furs - "So Run Down": "Well, I'm not so run down, but I am definitely under the weather."

Blondie - "Sunday Girl (French Version)"

Blondie - "Sunday Girl (French Version)": "This popped into my head while I was getting my lunch, for no reason at all. And, yes, specifically the French version, again for no reason at all."

My Bloody Valentine - "Only Shallow"

My Bloody Valentine - "Only Shallow": "Last night, My Bloody Valentine played S.F. and washed away all the fears of them not being able to pull it off live, despite the many years out of commission. "Only Shallow" was a particular highlight, sounding even more aggressive than it does on record, with the 'distorted whalesong' (I can't explain it any other way) reaching even more extreme heights. Of course, this did not compare to their set closer which, as one fan in attendance recalled in a press article, sounded like a jet crashing at 300 miles per hour for 20 minutes. It was literally 20 minutes of noise that is hard for me to put into words and I'm sure I'll never hear anything like it again."

Jack White and Alicia Keys - "Another Way To Die"

Jack White and Alicia Keys - "Another Way To Die": "I think this is definitely one of the hipper Bond themes, but I think Jack White oozes through the music so much already that I wish he wasn't singing and let Alicia Keys have her own rock-belting, Lisa Kekaula moment instead."

Liz Phair - "Nashville"

Liz Phair - "Nashville": "I can't quite explain why, but this song sounds like what I feel like right now - well, at least the sleepy, quiet part up until the horns at the end. That part, not so much."

Spoon - "Nefarious"

Spoon - "Nefarious": "A classic song from Spoon's under appreciated first record (Telephono) that I had resigned myself to never hearing live again. I've been seeing Spoon live since 1998 and, for reasons unknown (although I assume it has to do with their acrimonious split with their original bassist who appears on Telephono), they hardly did songs from that record then, let alone anytime afterwards. Then, last night, hell froze over and they did "Nefarious" live at The Fillmore. I almost died - it's still amazing."

Spoon - "Me And The Bean"

Spoon - "Me And The Bean": "...as heard last night, live at the Fillmore. It's amazing how this can be such a classic Spoon song when they didn't write it - it's a cover that originally pre-dates Girls Can Tell - but it always carries so much emotional heft that you'd never know it. There's something very sad about this tune, but I still think it's a love song."

Spoon - "Advance Cassette (alternate)"

Spoon - "Advance Cassette (alternate)": "In advance of my two nights of Spoon at the Fillmore, I wanted to highlight this exclusive alternate version of "Advance Cassette", originally from Series of Sneaks. Here, it's Britt solo and it's a strange take of the song, but still captivating. Can't wait to see them live tonight!"

Skee-Lo - "I Wish"

Skee-Lo - "I Wish": "It got played out at the time, but it's kind of nice to hear again after all these years."

Land of Talk - "Some Are Lakes"

Land of Talk - "Some Are Lakes": "New Land of Talk - finally! It's a bit quiter and more mellow than I would have expected, after their first EP, but it's still tastily bittersweet. I look forward to the full-length."