Ickmusic’s Friday Five: March 14, 2008
by Michael
I don’t know how the celebrities do it, winging from coast to coast to coast and never looking worn a minute for it. I’m back, nicely jet lagged and California Dreaming for this week’s five.
Last weeks “very special” pre-taped five covered everything from the cure for “Purple Ear Fatigue” to my penchant for my love of NWOBM bands with a ride on the A train along the way. Our Friday Five regulars (should we call you guys Fivers?) chimed in with everything from Sweeny Todd to Robert Cray. To join the elite Fivers club you need only stop by on Friday’s and submit your random five in the comments.
Now, on with the, albeit sleepy, show…
Here are this week’s tracks:
1. Einstürzende Neubauten – Sie (from Tabula Rasa)
For those of you paying attention, I’ve kinda got a thing for Industrial music and it does not get more industrial than Einstürzende Neubauten. Loosely translated into “buildings that are collapsing” the group eschews the traditional format (and often instruments) of western music and creates movements in lieu of songs. I highly recommend the linked record as an introduction to the bands 90’s output.
2. Miles Davis – Spanish Key (from Bitches Brew)
As much of a seminal record as ‘Trane’s Giant Steps, this record truly put the jazz world on its ear. For me this was my introduction to Miles and opened my mind to the world of fusion and jazz outside the box. As I’ve gotten older I’ve learned to appreciate the risk that was taken putting this out. If there is any doubt in how much Mr. Davis has influenced me I named my son Miles in his honor.
3. Whale – Hobo Humpin’ Slobo Babe (MP3) (from Hobo Humpin’ Slobo Babe)
I’m pretty sure this one may be burned into the skull of at least a few Ickmusic readers who have likely managed to erase the memory from their brain. No apologies here enjoy the awfulness!
Bonus: This one is not complete without the video!
4. The 24-Carat Black – Mother’s Day (MP3) (from Ghetto: Misfortune’s Wealth)
I stumbled across this record in the last year and have to say that I’m all the better for it. I’ve not been able to find much information on the record outside of the fact that is boasts an all-star Staxx Records cast. It also contains a bevy of breaks that have provided the backbeat to more than a few Hip-Hop hits.
5. Bruce Springsteen – Girls in Their Summer Clothes (Winter Mix) (from Girls in Their Summer Clothes)
While I much prefer the version on Magic, this track is still like a perfectly sun kissed coda to today’s five.
Okay, so what’s keeping you awake through the last hours of your workday?
March 14, 2008 - 6:45 pm
Friday evening here in the Midwest, and this is what’s easing me into the weekend:
1. “Flies in the Bottle” by Ian & Sylvia from “The Great Speckled Bird,” 1970. One of the good duos of the 1960s folk boom does a sweet country album with oh so nice harmonies.
2. “Baby, Let’s Wait,” by the Royal Guardsmen, Laurie single 3461, 1969. The Guardsmen were more distinctive singing about Snoopy and the Red Baron. This is a weeper that sounds vaguely like the Brooklyn Bridge’s “The Worst That Could Happen.”
3. “Moon When Four Eclipse” by Redbone from “Beaded Dreams Through Turquoise Eyes,” 1974. Rebone cashes in on its Native American legacy for the sound of this album track. Not bad, overall, but the title is needlessly cryptic.
4. “La Fille Du Nord” by Hughes Aufray, probably from “Aufray Trans Dylan,” 1995. “Girl From the North Country” in French — a nice version, nicely arranged with some swirling strings and a sweet harmonica solo. My sister brought an Aufray record home from France forty years ago, and I’ve liked the sound of his voice since then.
5. “Coming Back” by Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes from “Better Days,” 1991. The best bar band in the universe lets go, and if you’re not dancing by the time this one gets to the 1:00 mark, something is very, very wrong.
Have a good weekend, all!
March 14, 2008 - 7:50 pm
I actually stole this idea, because I love it so much for a group on Facebook. One of my more Luddite friends posted his favorite John Prine songs off an album instead.
Here’s my five from the car on the way home from work.
1. Into Your Hideout – Pilate
A good Canadian band with some pretty serious U2-esque leanings. The video for this tune was awesome, using leftover crap from Battlefield Earth’s filming.
2. Space City – Drive-By Truckers
I’m a huge fan of these guys. A few songwriters and singers in the band. This one is a Mike Cooley song, and I personally think it sounds like something Gordon Lightfoot would’ve recorded had he lived a much harder life. (As a Canadian, I am obligated to drop as many Canadian references as possible into things – especially a list that is 3/5 Canadian content!)
3. Devil’s Haircut – Beck
This song just rules. This just takes you back to where you might have been when this song was everywhere. It reminds me of a picture I have of an old drinking buddy wearing an unspooled cassette tape as hair.
4. Bad As They Seem – Hayden
Great Canadian singer-songwriter. I had already blown my concert budget by the time I found out he was coming through. Mega bummed about that!
5. Somethin’s Gonna Die Tonight – Hard Core Logo
More Canadian content. A track from the soundtrack to a fake documentary about a fake Canadian punk band based upon an awesome Canadian book, starring a Canadian modern rock legend of sorts and where a Canadian chart topping current band stole their name. Trust me…rent the flick, buy some Headstones music, and check out the tribute album as well!
I’m going to buy more music in the city tomorrow!
March 14, 2008 - 9:37 pm
Back home after a long week in the workplace. My full iTunes library can now take control of the night….
“Back On Line”, INXS, from Welcome to Wherever You Are (1992) – “back online” meant something completely different when Michael Hutchence was singing this. But here I am again, in front of the ol’ Mac, back online. My iTunes shuffle speaks to me.
“This Morning I Was Born Again”, by Slaid Cleaves, from Broke Down (2000) – I keep meaning to listen to more of this guy’s stuff. This one’s a nice, loping, country blues number.
“Honeybee” by Papa Mali, from Do Your Thing (2007) – Papa Mali comes from Louisiana, and sounds like the young bastard child of Dr. John and – and – umm, a Bourbon Street harlot (?) – and that’s a compliment.
“Onomatopeia” by John Prine, from Sweet Revenge (1973) – Hey Jay, if your Luddite friend likes John Prine, then he belongs over here! Send him over. I’d like to hear those fave Prine tunes of his…
“Wind Chimes” by Brian Wilson, from Smile (2004) – my former boss turned me on to this long-hidden gem from Brian’s catalog when it was finally released back in 2004. It’s never totally clicked with me, but I can appreciate his talents… and I do really enjoy Pet Sounds.
March 15, 2008 - 2:37 am
Okay, here goes:
1. “How Do You?” by Radiohead, from “Pablo Honey”, 1993. Not one of the best songs from this album, but still pretty catchy.
2. “Ain’t Got Nobody” by Stereo MC’s, from “Supernatural”, 1994. A very underrated album of hip hop with a strong Jungle Brothers vibe to it (maybe because Afrika Baby Bambaataa co-produced!) – this is one of the most upbeat tracks and still sounds good.
3. “Hot Water” by Level 42, from “True Colours”, 1984. An all-time classic track from one of my all-time favourite bands – just listen to the bass!
4. “I’m Free” by The Who, from “Tommy”, 1969. One of the most straightforward tracks from the rock opera, this benefits from its simplicity and can stand alone without needing the story behind it.
5. “Fake Tales Of San Francisco” by Arctic Monkeys, from “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not”, 2006. Quite simply the most exciting band in this country in the last 10 years imho, this has a great lyric and should hook you in to want to hear more.
March 15, 2008 - 6:59 am
1. Crazy Love by Van Morrison from the “Moondance” album, 19770. I haven’t really gotten into newer Van Morrison but his older albums are just incredible to me.
2. Alloway Grove by Paolo Nutini from “These Streets”, 2007. This is the last song on an OK album.
3. Without Me by Eminem from “The Eminem Show”, 2002. Guess who’s back, back again! Funny, a different one of his songs came up while I was working out earlier today. I don’t really have too much from him.
4. Biggest Fan by Voxtrot from “Your Biggest Fan”, 2006. Three song EP. The great thing about EP’s is that generally, there are no bad songs in them since they are so small. I like Voxtrot’s EPs.
5. Fiery Crash by Andrew Bird from “Armchair Apocrypha”, 2007. This is an amazing song from an equally amazing album. In my completely uneducated opinion, Andrew Bird did everything perfectly on that album.
March 16, 2008 - 9:35 pm
I’m late again. I even missed a week last week. Forgive me, I just spent the weekend acting in “West Side Story”, playing the one old guy with a bunch of high schoolers. (Which was a blast, by the way.)
I love reading everyone’s comments, and I’m sure to get some new ideas from you all.
Okay, here’s mine:
1. Georgia Satellites / Battleship chains (1986, from “Georgia Satellites”) – I wore this album out in the ’80s, and have no idea what happened to the band afterwards. A good old-fashioned guitar-slammin’ bar band. Great chorus for this one: “You got me tied down with battleship chains / Fifty foot long with a two-ton anchor”.
2. The Raymond Scott Quintette / Dinner music for a pack of hungry cannibals (from a 1996 anthology) – the master of improv-free jazz (a contradiction in terms if I ever heard one). Scott’s music is brilliant and quirky, and instantly familiar because of Carl Stalling’s liberal use of it in old Warner Brothers cartoons.
3. John Lee Hooker and Canned Heat / You talk too much (1970, from “Hooker ‘n’ Heat) – Canned Heat’s over-the-top electric blues turn out to be a perfect fit with Hooker’s vocals. Acolytes worshiping at the feet of a master.
4. Denny Laine / The note you never wrote (1996, from “Wings at the Sound of Denny Laine”) – By 1996, Paul McCartney’s former sideman had been reduced to recording an album of Wings covers. Sometimes, though, when it’s a Laine composition like this one, it actually transcends the original. Not often enough for the album to be worthwhile, though.
5. Zookeeper / Snow in Berlin (2008, from SXSW Showcasing Artists) – This year’s crop of freebees from the SXSW Conference is in my shuffle now, and this song was the first one that grabbed me. Basically they’re just playing the same eight bars over and over, but I haven’t heard a band generate such joy doing so since the Lovin’ Spoonful.