• Friday Five

    The Friday Five: February 3, 2012

    Friday Five

    Friday Five : ‘frī-(,)dā,-dē ‘fīv : On the sixth day of every week, I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes, then share the first five tracks and thought for each track. Sometimes there is a playlist involved, occasionally we’ll have a guest, but most of the time it’s just me. The rest is up to you, our friends and readers! Fire up your media player of choice and share the first five random track of your shuffle in the comments.

    The Five:

    “Like a Virgin” by Madonna (from Celebration, 2009)

    Goddamn it, Madge. I want to run that Seth Myers skit where he rattles off a rapid-fire salvo of insults followed by the quizzical “really?” So, tell me, Madonna: why do you find it necessary to include your name in your lyrics, is it because you are worried someone might mistake it for an Avril Lavigne or Gwen Stefani tune? Oh, and M.I.A. and Nicki Minaj? Really? REALLY?

    “Picture in an Exhibition” by Death Cab for Cutie (from Something About Airplanes, 1998)

    Is anyone else looking forward to the next Death Cab for Cutie record?

    “Deep” by Pearl Jam (from Vault #1: 1992-01-17: Moore Theater, Seattle, WA, USA, 2011)

    This is an amazing show. Well worth seeking out.

    “1901 (Alan Wilkis remix)” by Phoenix (from 1901, 2009)

    It’s been awhile since we’ve visited with Alan Wilkis! If you haven’t been keeping up, he is in the midst of a new project called PRINTS, where he shares his funk with the likes of Bay-area rapper, Lyrics Born. Hit the link and dig in!

    “A Letter to Elise” by The Cure (from Wish, 1992)

    “And every time I try / to pick it up like falling sand / as fast as I pick it up / it runs away through my clutching hands” No one, but no one, does resigned desperation like Robert Smith. i can’t quite say why, but I’ve always held this song as the example of why I love The Cure as much as I do. Along with the equally forlorn “Pictures of You,” it ranks among my favorite songs, period.

    What’s on your shuffle today?

  • Friday Five

    The Friday Five: July 15, 2011

    Friday Five

    Friday Five : ‘frī-(,)dā,-dē ‘fīv : On the sixth day of every week, I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes, then share the first five tracks and thought for each track. Sometimes there is a playlist involved, occasionally we’ll have a guest, but most of the time it’s just me. The rest is up to you, our friends and readers! Fire up your media player of choice and share the first five random track of your shuffle in the comments.

    The Five:

    “Behind the Wheel (Vince Clark remix)” by Depeche Mode (from Remixes 2: 81-11, 2011)

    Both Vince Clarke and Alan Wilder make appearances on this second remix collection from Depeche Mode.

    “Kept” by Matt Nathanson (from Modern Love, 2011)

    I first discovered Matt Nathanson through his appearance on Live From Daryl’s House; and no sooner completely forgot about him. Save for his big hit “Come on Get Higher,” I’d be hard pressed to name another song. His new record, however, is quite good.

    “Baba O’Riley” by Pearl Jam (from Live at the Gorge 05/06, 2007)

    This is probably my favorite Pearl Jam cover. I remember buying a bootleg import back in the early ’90s that closed with an insanely raw version of the tune.

    “Colonized Mind” by Prince (from Lotus Flow3r, 2009)

    ZZzz …

    “Michelle (1965 stereo mix)” by The Beatles (from Rubber Soul, 2009)

    Let me take this space to express my extreme jealousy of those of you getting to see Macca at Yankee Stadium this weekend.

    What’s on your shuffle today?

  • Friday Five

    The Friday Five: June 17, 2011

    Friday Five

    Friday Five : ‘frī-(,)dā,-dē ‘fīv : On the sixth day of every week, I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes, then share the first five tracks and thought for each track. Sometimes there is a playlist involved, occasionally we’ll have a guest, but most of the time it’s just me. The rest is up to you, our friends and readers! Fire up your media player of choice and share the first five random track of your shuffle in the comments.

    The Five:

    “Last Chance” by Maroon 5 (from Hands All Over, 2010)

    I was severely underwhelmed by this record. Given its pedigree, you would expect more, but I found myself pondering that age-old question: “where’s the beef?”

    “Severed Hand” by Pearl Jam (from Pearl Jam, 2006)

    I listened to this record earlier this week and was reminded just how much I dig it.

    “Welcome to the Club” by The Brothers Johnson (from Blast!, 1982)

    Get down with the git down!

    “Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthing ta F’ Wit” by Wu-Tang Clan (from Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers, 1993)

    Form like Voltron!

    “The Marrying Kind” by Prince (from Musicology, 2004)

    This one is incomplete with out it’s funkier sister “If Eye Was the Man in Ur Life.” As a matter of face, I’m switching off the shuffle now.

    What’s on your shuffle today?

  • Friday Five

    The Friday Five: May 20, 2011

    Friday Five

    Friday Five : ‘frī-(,)dā,-dē ‘fīv : On the sixth day of every week, I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes, then share the first five tracks and thought for each track. Sometimes there is a playlist involved, occasionally we’ll have a guest, but most of the time it’s just me. The rest is up to you, our friends and readers! Fire up your media player of choice and share the first five random track of your shuffle in the comments.

    The Five:

    “Touch of Madness” by Night Ranger (from Midnight Madness, 1987)

    Discussion around the Popdose water cooler has been buzzing about Night Ranger’s upcoming release, Somewhere in California, touting the return of “classic Night Ranger.” Perhaps predictably, Matt Wardlaw and Dave Steed are in a tizzy and Jeff Giles (Y’all) has to replace his monitor.

    Oh, and will you look at that; Matt even wrote about it!

    “Dance the Night Away” by Van Halen (from Best Of, Volume 1, 1996)

    Since we’re all doomed in the next 48 hours, I might as well go ahead and let you all know that this is, hands down, without a doubt or question, my favorite Van Halen song. It’s the perfect example of the band’s ability to balance pop perfection and hard rock hooks.

    “Can’t Buy Me Love” by The Beatles (from A Hard Day’s Night, 1964)

    I’m debating listening to Abbey Road, Let it Be and Purple Rain all day Saturday. I’m not buying into this rapture bullshit, but if something is going down, I might as well go ahead and listen to my favorite records, right?

    “Porch” by Pearl Jam (from Ten, 1991)

    “What the fuck is this world running to?” Okay, enough of this end of the world crap.

    “The Best of My Love” by The Eagles (from The Very Best of The Eagles, 2003)

    When I heard the first strum, I was reminded of a story I read once. You should go and read it, but make sure you come back and leave your five!

    What’s on your shuffle today?

  • Friday Five

    The Friday Five: May 6, 2011

    Friday Five

    Friday Five : ‘frī-(,)dā,-dē ‘fīv : On the sixth day of every week, I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes, then share the first five tracks and thought for each track. Sometimes there is a playlist involved, occasionally we’ll have a guest, but most of the time it’s just me. The rest is up to you, our friends and readers! Fire up your media player of choice and share the first five random track of your shuffle in the comments.

    The Five:

    “Cantara” by Dead Can Dance (from Toward the Within, 1994)

    I was listening to Dead Can Dance’s 1993 release Into the Labyrinth the other day while co-working from home with my wife. During the day, when we’re both listening, I tend to lean towards singer/songwriter fare, and save everything else for when I’ve got the headphones on; so you can imagine the quizzical looks that were coming across the desk during some of the more ethnic tracks. “What is this,” she asked. I think it only confused her more when I explained it was an Australian couple recording in an ancient church in England.

    “Chubby’s Goodnight” by Poppa Chubby (from Booty and the Beast, 1995)

    It took me longer to type the name of this tune than the tune lasted. Next!

    “No Money” by Kings of Leon (from Come Around Sundown, 2010)

    Sure, Come Around Sundown would have been better titled Only by the Night: Part Two, but I feel like that isn’t giving it a fair shake. For all its formulaic arena rock, it’s actually a solid record. There really was no pleasing anyone—be it the old fans, or the new—and the Followill clan did the best they could to shoot straight down middle and make a decent rock and roll record.

    “Black” by Pearl Jam (from Black and White, 1992)

    This is the MTV Unplugged performance, also known as the moment that I declared my undying love for the band. Eddie’s impassioned plea of “we, we belong together,” driving home the utter desperation of the tune.

    “Convocation / The Purple Lagoon” by Frank Zappa (from Hammersmith Odeon, 2010)

    “Welcome to show number four, de la London, England. Now, I’m going to warn you right now, we’re recording this. And for your own good, you had better make a lot of noise tonight, because this thing is going on the radio in the United States, and I don’t want those people in my country to find out how lame you suckers are.”

    I miss Frank, dearly.

    What’s on your shuffle today?

  • Friday Five

    The Friday Five: January 22, 2010

    Friday Five

    Friday Five : ‘frī-(,)dā,-dē ‘fīv : On the sixth day of every week, I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes, then share the first five tracks and thought for each track. Sometimes there is a playlist involved, occasionally we’ll have a guest, but most of the time it’s just me. The rest is up to you, our friends and readers! Fire up your media player of choice and share the first five random track of your shuffle in the comments.

    Editor’s Note: The nightmare of recovering my hard drive continues, so I’m still relying on my iPod to provide the shuffle. Hopefully I’ll be back up and running by next week’s Friday Five. – Michael

    The Five:

    1. “Buddy Holly” by Weezer (from Weezer, 1994)

    My 11-year old son absolutely loves Weezer, so much so that he’s taken to belting out “Say it Ain’t So,” spontaneously.

    2. “Each Year” by Ra Ra Riot (from The Rhumb Line, 2008)

    I never get tired of hearing this record. With any luck, we’ll get something new from the band in the next year.

    3. “WWXII” by The Damnwells (from One Great Century, 2009)

    A somber view of the secondhand victims of war, the refrain of this song stings like nails; “We don’t feel no shame / And we don’t take the blame / Men on TV tell me there’s no other way / We’ve got to take mama’s baby away.”

    4. “I Love U in Me” by Prince (from The Hits/The B-Sides, 1993)

    One of the most beautifully dirty tunes in the Prince’s catalog.

    5. “Black” by Pearl Jam (from Ten, 1992)

    I finally purchased 2008’s “Legacy Edition” of Ten just before the holidays, and found myself wrapped back up in the impact of this set of songs had on my life and “Black” is definitely a high point of that.

    What’s on your shuffle today?

  • Miscellaneous

    Austin City Limits 2009 Lineup Announced

    https://ickmusic.com/pics/ACL2009Lineup1.png

    If you’ve been hiding under a rock for fear of contracting the Swine Flu, you might have missed the lineup announcement for this year’s installment of the Austin City Limits festival (Official Link) – and it looks to be a hell of a lineup. They are clearly going for a certain demographic (which I am fairly certain that I belong to), and at $185 for a 3-day Pass it comes in less per-day than seeing any of the headliners solo. The festival takes place October 2-4, 2009 at Zilker Park in Austin, TX.

    https://ickmusic.com/pics/ACL2009Lineup2.png

  • Friday Five

    Ickmusic’s “Black Friday” Five: November 28, 2008

    If you are a minority of one, the shuffle is the shuffle.

    Now that everyone has slept off their L-tryptophan induced coma and quite possibly spent the morning hunting down the best deal on the latest greatest gizmo it’s time to relax and what better way to do that than with a shuffle through some tunes. And in celebration of the day, we’re limiting the results to only tunes with the word “Black” in them.

    For those who have not joined in the Five, here’s how it works: … I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes and share my five with a bit of insight for each track.

    Then it’s your turn! Just share the first five random track of your shuffle in the comments and see what your fellow readers are listening to as well.

    Here are this week’s tracks:

    1. Weather Report – Black Market (from 8:30)

    An absolutely masterful live performance highlighting the genius of Joe Zawinul, Peter Erskine, the brilliant Wayne Shorter and the incomparable Jaco Pastorius. Jaco’s bass percolates along the afro beat rhythm as Shorter blows hard bop lines that are out of this world.

    2. Metallica – Fade to Black (from Ride the Lightning)

    It has always been my theory that the entire Black Album is a vein attempt to capture what the band did in what is easily one of the bands most significant tunes. From the opening movement to the fade it is Metallica at their best.

    3. AC/DC – Back in Black (from Back in Black)

    Classic.

    4. Pearl JamBlack (mp3) (from Ten)

    This is easily one of my favorite songs from the 90’s period. Eddie Vedder is a master of conveying the depths of the human condition and this is by far one of his finest moments.  Up for grabs is the classic MTV Unplugged version.

    5. Prince – Black Sweat (from 3121)

    This is as close to the funk as he’s come in ages.

    What’s saving you from long lines and aggressive shoppers?

  • Ickmix

    Ickmix 3

    ickmix 3

    ‘Tis time for another Ickmix. This is my best one yet, if I may toot my own horn. Toot.

    Take a little trip with me, yah? Oh and check my fancy intro.

    Download Ickmix 3 (57MB, 41:38)

    Playlist after zee jump…