Mike Patton - "Deep Down"

Mike Patton - "Deep Down": "'Deep Down' is the lead song from Ennio Morricone's kitchy, classy soundtrack to the decadently Eurocool 60s action flick Danger: Diabolik (highly recommended, even if it's more style than substance). Almost impossible to find except as an import - with the rest of the D:D soundtrack allegedly lost to the ages - the last person I thought would ever revive the tune would be Faith No More's Mike Patton...which is exactly who did it. It's largely faithful to the original, which is not only somewhat impressive, given Morricone's arrangements, but it's also perfectly fine since most folks will never hear it any other way."

Ken Andrews - "Secret Things (Live)"

Ken Andrews - "Secret Things (Live)": "Ken Andrews' live record is more of a best-of from his various bands (Failure, On, Year of the Rabbit - all worth checking out!) than anthing else, but it's nice to hear his (sometimes) overly-pristine studio work dirtied up live like this, particularly this track."

Dio - "Holy Diver"

Dio - "Holy Diver": "Sadness at the thought of a world without Dio in it! Dio, the horns are at half-mast for you."

Torche - "Sundown"

Torche - "Sundown": "Heavy with a touch of sludge, but melodic with a surging chorus, it's hard rock that indie kids can love. (Somewhere in Rhapsody, I think I saw the term "stoner pop" get used and that might work too.) Either way, I wish this song was twice as long as it is, it's that awesome."

Talking Heads - "Found A Job"

Talking Heads - "Found A Job": "I'm sure David Byrne was just being silly, but it's pretty easy to imagine that this song's absurdist tilt presaged reality TV, in a way. Possible intent aside, it's a sprightly little jam that already shows growth from the first Talking Heads record to this, their second (More Songs About Buildings and Food)."

Jeff The Brotherhood - "Heavy Damage"

Jeff The Brotherhood - "Heavy Damage": "It seems like it's been a long time since I did a "it's Friday, rock it out!" post - so, here you go. Do it."

Local Natives - "Warning Sign"

Local Natives - "Warning Sign": "Normally, I have no interest in Talking Heads covers. They're one of my favorite bands and I don't feel the need to hear re-interpretations, particularly since part of the Heads' appeal is in their performance, along with the song itself. But here, Local Natives capture some of my favorite musical elements of the original song, while introducing some very different elements that make the song distinctively theirs, like the vocal harmonies. Thanks to Andy B. for pointing me at this."

764-HERO - "Sunburnt"

764-HERO - "Sunburnt": "I first discovered 764-HERO opening up for the Spinanes in L.A. in the mid-90s. They were the reverse versions of each other - both only guitar/drums, but female/male in the Spinanes and male/female in 764-HERO - but both equally dynamic for their limited instrumentation. While my favorite 764-HERO songs come later in their catalog, when they shifted to include a bassist, this is a great early song for them - jaded and emotional, quiet and loud, rocking all the while.
Also, a bit of trivia - "764-HERO" is the number to call in carpool lane violations in Washington, where the band was from.
Bonus - the rest of the 764-HERO catalog is finally hitting Rhapsody shortly, so there will be more choice songs from them in the near future."

Portastatic - "The Great Escape"

Portastatic - "The Great Escape": "I can't believe it's been so long since I've listened to this album. Once one of my faves, it somehow fell off my playlist, but it popped back into my head tonight and it's like an old friend I've missed. Simple and pure, it's the Mac I fell in love with."

Veruca Salt - "Volcano Girls"

Veruca Salt - "Volcano Girls": "I admit that even I am guilty, like most, of thinking only about "Seether" when I think about Veruca Salt...which is so wrong because this song ROCKS. Please expand your Veruca Salt world by listening to this song now."

Placebo - "Infra-Red"

Placebo - "Infra-Red": "One of my favorite songs from the more recent Placebo period. It's got a radio-ready chorus without compromising Placebo's quirks, so it's unfortunate that alt-rock radio still didn't pick up on this tune when it came out."

Bear Hands - "What A Drag"

Bear Hands - "What A Drag": "For fans of Modest Mouse, as this track pulls from both their jangly and groovy parts melded together, but there's nothing wrong with that. Totally enjoyable."

Duran Duran - "Sound Of Thunder"

Duran Duran - "Sound Of Thunder": "No wonder they gave these guys a James Bond theme to tackle - even on their first album, they ooze equal parts danger and bravado, with a touch of edgy cool. As always, John Taylor's propulsive bass trades off with Nick "Lipstick" Rhodes' synths, mixing heavy and light sounds. Also nice to hear the new remaster, a needed improvement over the previous "first generation CD master" mix that's been in circulation for so many years."

Drawn Together (soundtrack) - "Black Chick's Tongue"

Drawn Together (soundtrack) - "Black Chick's Tongue": "Wow. I'm not sure if this makes sense without the visuals (hard to say, because I saw it on the TV show first), but it's still pretty jaw-dropping in its melding of Disney and debauchery. Pretty much NSFW."

Muse - "Undisclosed Desires"

Muse - "Undisclosed Desires": "Muse reminds me of U2, in the sense that they started out cool and underground and suddenly wound up playing stadiums...or, in the case of Muse, at least huge stages...but all very quickly, in an almost 'how did that happen?' moment. Then again, it's hard to say that dramatic (but not bombastic) songs like this don't deserve a big stage - and, when coupled with lots o' lazers - which Muse did bust out at both SXSW and Coachella...well, it's pretty impressive."

The XX - "VCR"

The XX - "VCR": "I want to clarify my recent (verbal) comments that The XX are the indie-rock Sade. I do not think they sound anything like Sade. What I do mean is that, like Sade, they provide a fairly consistent (and often sultry) vibe for a whole album, create a good mellow mood and I think it's safe to assume you can do it to this album. Sade's recent record has made me realize more hipsters like her than you would expect, but a lot of those folks still (perhaps subliminally) want an album of the same nature, except "cooler"...and The XX fill that void. Not that they tried to, I'm sure, and not that any of this is a dig - it's not - but I still think the comparison is valid.
(This came up a couple of times at both SXSW and Coachella, where they brought the album's groove with them, despite the daytime sun.)"

Pavement - "Frontwards"

Pavement - "Frontwards": "Pavement at Coachella was really as good as I could have hoped for. Perhaps a little sloppy still, maybe a little awkward, but isn't that part of their charm? When you have a set list that includes songs like this, it still would have been magical, even if they played half as well as they actually did. Even better, 'defining' Pavement songs like this one feel as true as when they came out, no snark or attitude to taint it."

Grace Jones - "Pull Up To The Bumper"

Grace Jones - "Pull Up To The Bumper": "La Grace might have broken my heart by dropping out of the Coachella 2010 lineup early on, but Beth Ditto and the Gossip clearly missed her too. They showed it in the best way possible by bringing out LCD Soundsystem to jam out a hot cover of this Grace Jones classic, capping off what was already an electric (if hot and sweaty show). Yet another reason why Beth Ditto is awesome."

LCD Soundsystem - "Us V Them"

LCD Soundsystem - "Us V Them": "This song set the crowd on fire at Coachella (Friday night). Their set was unfortunately a little stop-and-start with frontman James Murphy semi-rambling between songs, but with out-of-control barn-burners like this one, all is forgiven. Can't wait to hear the new album..."

David Bowie - "New Killer Star"

David Bowie - "New Killer Star": "A really solid tune from the later Bowie catalog. There's some interesting sonic layers to give it texture, but it's a straight-forward melodic rock song with bite at its core and the bold exuberance of the chorus is a pleasure to hear. (Pretty sure Bowie mainstay Gail Ann Dorsey deserves some thanks for the latter.) Bowie, it's been years, so where the hell are you hiding?"