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:
“Girls on Film” by The Wesley Willis Fiasco (from The Duran Duran Tribute Album, 1997)
I’m now racking my brain, trying to recall how Wesley Willis came up in a recent conversation with Jeff Giles and Mike Heyliger.
“Toothache (Chemical Brothers remix)” by The Charlatans (from The Jackal, 1997)
Another track from 1997? This track is like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, two great tastes that taste great together.
It almost looks like there is a thread of logic running through today’s Friday Five. 1997 Tune; 1997 soundtrack tune; 2010 soundtrack tune; okay, I’ll admit it is a bit of a stretch. As for this tune, I don’t have much to say other than how odd is it to say OSCAR award winner, Trent Reznor?
… And back to the ’90s! During said decade I harbored a secret affinity for all things techno. Specifically the ambient sub-genre, which this track falls solidly under. I’m not sure what the hell I was doing that would enable me to sit for long sessions … oh, wait, yes I do. Anyhow, I still have a small collection of my favorites from the likes of BT and Aphex Twin that I’ll spin once in a while.
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:
A quick Friday Five for all you patient girls and boys. It’s also the first Friday Five shuffled up from Spotify!
“Cold Day in the Sun” by Foo Fighters (from Skin and Bones, 2006)
“Tame” by Pixies (from Wave of Mutilation: Best of Pixies, 2004 )
“You Left a Long, Long Time Ago” by Willie Nelson (from One Hell of a Ride, 2008)
“Down incognito” by Winger (from The Very Best of Winger, 2001)
“Not the Red Baron” by Tori Amos (from Boys for Pele, 1996)
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.
“And now the song so happy, Todd had to sing it.” Who can resist a sappy love-lorn tune in 3/8 time?
“Both Sides of the Story” by Phil Collins (from …Hits, 1998)
This tune always seemed a bit like Phil trying really hard to sing a Peter Gabriel track. I realize the irony in that statement, but listen to “Biko,” and “Come Talk to Me,” and come back to this track and tell me that you don’t hear it. Go ahead, I’ll wait here.
“The ’59 Sound” by The Gaslight Anthem (from The ’59 Sound, 2008)
I haven’t listened to this record in over a year, I’ll have to cue it up over the weekend. I think I burned myself out on it, and didn’t care at all for the follow up; causing me to unintentionally shun the band for a bit.
“If I Can’t Change Your Mind” by Sugar (from Besides, 1995)
From the live portion of the set, I was always amazed at how fast these tunes were played live.
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:
“Everyone Knows It but You” by David Mead (from The Luxury of Time, 1999)
I hear strains of Don Henley in Mead’s voice, but that is where the comparison ends. I have not given this record enough of a listen, guess it’s time to do so.
“Dear Old Nicki” by Nicki Minaj (from Pink Friday, 2010)
I think I was wooed by this record when it was first released. Subsequent listens have proven otherwise. It is still, however, one of the hottest hip-hop records of the last few years.
“It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me” by Billy Joel (from Glass Houses, 1980)
Hearing this tune is a powerful nostalgia churning experience. As much as I’ve listened to this record over the years, I’m still the little kid in the back seat—with no seat belt, mind you—with my head titled backwards, looking up towards the sky, daydreaming about a galaxy far, far away.
Here we are again, the final week of another year, and in true procrastinator’s fashion, I’ve put off my year end music recap until the final few days. Now, every music blogger and their uncle has a year end list – the top tens, twenties and fifties (!). Me, I’m keeping it simple for my own sanity and for the purpose of keeping a reader’s attention. Here’s a blast of my top 5′s for the year 2010…
Top 5 Songs
5. “Monster” – Kanye West | I’ve never been one of those in awe of Kanye’s music. I tend to steer clear of jackasses. But I did use my Rdio subscription (see below) to get into his new album. And when I heard “Monster”, I was hooked in pretty hard. And the main reason wasn’t Kanye himself – it was Nicki Minaj. Nicki’s multi-personality attack floored me. I was running when I first heard her spit these rhymes, and I got bona fide goosebumps. Amazing. [Amazon]
4. “No Reason To Cry” – Tom Petty | My sentimental, sappy side always wins in the end – I have a soft spot for the slow, sad songs. There are a lot of great tunes on Mojo, but none hit me as hard as Tom’s plaintive “No Reason To Cry”: “So overtake me my sweet lover / let me kiss your honey lips / could be the only thing that’s real / could be that when you get sad your memory slips / there’s no reason to cry”. Certainly one of Tom’s best love songs ever. [Amazon]
3. “I Gotta See” – Ronnie Wood | Speaking of running and goosebumps, I was also jogging when I listened to Ronnie’s new record for the first time. Track 4 came on – the bluesy, soulful, affair-of-the-heart ballad called “I Gotta See”. Ronnie and co-writer / co-vocalist Bernard Fowler absolutely nail it on the head. “I’m goin’ out / don’t wait for me / don’t bother calling my friends / they won’t know where i’ll be / I hear a voice / it’s calling me / I gotta go now / I gotta see”. It inspired this Ickmix. [Amazon]
2. “It’s Hard To Be Humble (When You’re From Alabama)” – Phosphorescent | I knew nothing of this Brooklyn band at the beginning of the year, and I wish I could pinpoint exactly how I first heard this song – but I’ve listened to it in so many settings since, that I can’t recall. Sweet, folky, soulful rock – you could almost picture this in the setting of late 60′s / early 70′s country rock – maybe something that Gram Parsons and Keith Richards would have gotten together to do. [Amazon]
1. “Harlem River Blues” – Justin Townes Earle | I’ve never sung and clapped along so joyously to a song about drowning oneself, but that’s where I found myself by the second chorus, after hearing Justin’s “Harlem River Blues” for the first time. Rootsy, gospel-flavored, and catchy. Steve’s son is doin’ his dad proud. [Amazon]
Top 5 Albums
5. Here’s To Taking It Easy – Phosphorescent | As I mentioned above, I didn’t know Phosphorescent from a hole in the wall when this year started. But when “It’s Hard To Be Humble (When You’re From Alabama)” hit my ears, I needed to hear me some more Phosphorescent. The album is a laid back blend of folk/country rock featuring the great vocals of Matthew Houck. His voice has a delicate, genuine, earthy feel to it, and it really draws me into the songs. Instantly catchy tunes like “Heaven, Sittin’ Down” and “Nothing Was Stolen (Love Me Foolishly)”. And beautifully crafted songs like “We’ll Be Here Soon” and especially the lovesick feel of “The Mermaid Parade“, another album highlight for me. [Amazon]
4. Mojo – Tom Petty | What a blast of fresh air from Petty and his Heartbreakers. For this record, Tom scrapped their formal studio sessions of years past for a more informal jam session vibe. The guys hung out in Tom’s warehouse studio and played music, at ease, letting it flow. Lucky for us, the tape was rolling. There’s no rushing on this record. If it takes seven minutes to jam it out, like the blissful stoner groove of “First Flash of Freedom”, then so be it. If Mike Campbell wanted his Jimmy Page moment, then he found it in “I Should Have Known It”, which bleeds blues rock in that Zeppelin vein, with a dash of 21st century Jack White vibe thrown in. I still have so much to discover with this album. It feels like I haven’t even cracked the surface. [Amazon]
3. I Feel Like Playing – Ronnie Wood | It was a Stonesy year. Keef’s new book, the Exile on Main Street reissue, the DVD release of Ladies and Gentlemen, the Rolling Stones. On top of all that, Mr. Wood was busy with a new radio show and a brand new record. Featuring guests like Slash, Bobby Womack and Lenny Kravitz, Ronnie keeps it loose and unpredictable with I Feel Like Playing, just like the man himself. I’ve already expressed my appreciation for “I Gotta See”, but there are so many other great moments on this album: the opener, “Why You Wanna Go And Do A Thing Like That For”, with its cool, sly groove; the R&B-infused “Catch You” with Bobby Womack; the fun reggae of “Sweetness My Weakness”; and one of the best tunes to get a good chuckle out of your young kids, if you have ‘em: “Fancy Pants”. I love this record because it doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s a loose, carefree, fun hour of music – all qualities shared by Ronnie (and me, for that matter). [Amazon]
2. Infinite Arms – Band of Horses | I fell hard for Ben Bridwell and his merry Band of bearded Horses after they released their stellar second record, Cease To Begin. My expectations were very high for Infinite Arms, probably too much so. I was first struck by how much of a departure it was from Cease to Begin. But then my focus shifted to the wide variety of songs on the record, and those songs began to take hold. “Laredo”, “Blue Beard”, “On My Way Back Home” are just some of my favorites now. It’s one of those albums you can keep revisiting and finding something new you like about it every time. [Amazon]
1. Tin Can Trust – Los Lobos | The living legends from East L.A. roared back this year with a vengeance, releasing Tin Can Trust on August 3rd (my 40th birthday, no less). From spaced out blues (“Jupiter or the Moon”) to traditional Mexican (“Yo Canto”, “Mujer Ingrata”) to loose jam rock (their cover of the Dead’s “West L.A. Fadeaway”), the album is brimming with what Lobos do best: crossing genres and flavors as flawlessly as any band playing today. [Amazon]
Top 5 Live Shows
5. Pixies – Mesa Ampitheater (Mesa), Sept. 24 | During college spring break 20 some odd years ago, I was introduced to the Pixies through their album Doolittle. I loved the angst, rage, power, and melodic hooks of the songs. This year, the band took the album on the road, performing it straight through. Sure, it was a nostalgia trip, but that’s my favorite part about music – its transformative power. Even the dense cloud of cigarette smoke couldn’t ruin the effect of seeing songs like “Debaser”, “Monkey Gone to Heaven”, “and “Wave of Mutilation” performed in sequence.
4. Phish – Austin City Limits Music Festival, Oct. 8 | Almost a dozen years had passed since I last saw Phish. When I saw that they were rumored to play ACL, any doubts I had about attending were quickly squashed. It was a shortened festival set, but it was packed with old school favorites of mine like “2001″ (“Also Sprach Zarathustra”), “Possum”, “Cavern”, and of course, “You Enjoy Myself” – which, of the sixteen shows I’ve seen spanning back to 1990 – I’ve seen performed at least a dozen times. Set in the backdrop of a great music festival in one of my favorite places – Austin, Texas – it was a special experience for me.
3. Gov’t Mule, Marquee Theater (Tempe), Nov. 3 | I decided to go see Gov’t Mule on a whim with my brother. I’d seen them in a festival setting a few years ago, but not in a small venue with two full sets. Our jaws hit the floor. Led by guitar virtuoso Warren Haynes, the band tore through tasty blues like “Need Your Love So Bad”, acid jam/jazz (“Devil Likes It Slow”), and Mule staples like “32/20 Blues”, “Broke Down On The Brazos” and “About to Rage”. It was pure musicianship. Gov’t Mule are a group of pure talents that fly just under the radar, but blow the minds of their audiences wherever they play. Great show.
2. The Eagles – Austin City Limits Music Festival, Oct. 10 | Surprise of the year, by far. I’d always been a fan of the greatest hits. I mean, how can you not like “Desperado” and “Peaceful Easy Feeling” and “Lying Eyes”? And in the ACL festival setting, with tens of thousands around me, and a great spot close to the stage… well, I was primed for a good time. And the Eagles delivered. Hit after hit after hit. I absolutely loved it.
1. Los Lobos – Compound Grill (Scottsdale), Feb. 20th | The intimate Compound Grill hosted two shows by Los Lobos this night, an early dinner show and a late night show. My wife, some friends and I were there for both. Four hours plus of live music from one of my favorites in an intimate setting? Yes please! Highlight of the night: dancing at the foot of the stage with my lady to a cover of Shep & the Limelights’ “Daddy’s Home”, an old doo-wop ballad. It felt like a 50′s sock hop with Los Lobos as the house band.
Top 5 Music Odds & Ends
5. Prince | This year, Prince released another album for free in UK newspapers: 20Ten. While it doesn’t rank up there among his best work, it’s certainly superior to his last few efforts, as he takes a more retro approach with some old school effects like his 80′s friend, the Linn drum machine. The funk is alive & well in tunes like “Sticky Like Glue” and “Laydown” (his self-referencing “Purple Yoda” song). [Amazon]
Even more significant is his return to U.S. arenas in the last month, his first arena dates in years. In the past couple weeks, Prince has unleashed a greatest hits barrage in New York and New Jersey with his Welcome 2 America tour. Fans like me can only hope that it means more tour dates next year around the country. I have a feeling it’ll finally happen.
4. Dawes | This young band out of L.A. has a bright future. Their debut album, North Hills would have challenged for a top 5 spot if it had come out this year, but it was released in 2009. I was made aware of the band when I saw them open for Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros in June. They have a southern California 70′s folk-rock vibe, and they are amazing live. “When My Time Comes” is anthemic, sing-along folk/pop music at its finest. I’ll be watching this band closely.
3. Bruce Springsteen – The Promise: The Darkness on the Edge of Town Story | This takes top billing as the best box set I’ve owned. The remastered Darkness album (CD); The Promise (2-CD’s), a double album set of material from the Darkness sessions that somehow mostly stayed buried in the vaults all these years (“One Way Street” and “Candy’s Boy” highlights for me); The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town (DVD) – a documentary showcasing Springsteen’s meticulousness and perfectionism in the studio (read slave driver!); Live at the Paramount Theater, Asbury Park, 2009 (DVD) – Bruce and the band perform the album start to finish in an otherwise empty theater. Raw and intimate; Houston ’78 Bootleg (DVD) – a full, not previously released concert from the Boss’s prime; and ALL THIS packaged in a notebook / scrapbook that replicates Bruce’s notebook of lyrics and notes from the Darkness days. Alternate lyrics, song ideas, album sequences… interspersed with photographs, flyers, and newspaper clippings from the era. Truly a treasure trove for Bruce fanatics like myself. [Amazon]
2. The Rolling Stones – Exile on Main Street Reissue and Ladies and Gentlemen, the Rolling Stones | The 2-disk Exile reissue featured a full disk of outtakes and extra tunes from the famed Exile era. Also this year, the 1974 concert movie Ladies and Gentlemen, the Rolling Stones saw the light of day as a proper DVD release. It captures the band at its creative and performing peak: 1972′s U.S. tour supporting Exile. Filmed over four shows in Houston and Dallas, you get Mick in all his glam frontman glory, Keith the ragged and true rock n roll star, and you get to see Mick Taylor shine on lead and slide guitar. An amazing document – pick it up or rent it if you haven’t seen this. [Exile Deluxe | Ladies & Gentlemen The Rolling Stones]
1. Rdio | This year, the method in which I consume music changed significantly. I subscribed to a paid streaming service, Rdio (http://www.rdio.com), over the summer. For $10 a month, I can now stream on demand virtually any album or song I want to hear, both on the web and through their iPhone app. Every new release I’m curious about, all the back catalogs of artists I’ve never explored (e.g. Warren Zevon, Harry Nilsson) – anything I want to hear – it’s there on Rdio. Sure, there are similar services – Mog and Rhapsody to name a couple – but it was Rdio’s clean and uncluttered interface, and their interaction with its users in social forums like Twitter and Facebook that made me select them.
I’d say I’m about 50% Rdio and 50% iTunes these days. My concept of music ownership is shifting. I still buy a lot of music, mostly in mp3 format, but with most albums now, like, for instance, James Brown’s or Bill Withers’ back catalog, or the new Kanye West or Nicki Minaj – why buy the records if they’re available on Rdio any time or place I want to hear them? Rdio makes me feel spoiled – like I’m living in the most comprehensive record store in the world. I 100% recommend them, and suggest you check out their free trial if you’re curious. Search for me and “Follow Me” if you subscribe, I’ll return the favor.
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:
I’m a bit short on time this Friday…
“Word Up” by Cameo (from Sounds of the Eighties: 1986)
In a word: funky!
“Fake Plastic Trees” by Amanda Palmer (from Amanda Palmer Performs the Popular Hits of Radiohead on Her Magical Ukulele, 2010)
I wish I had more time to write about this record. Perhaps I’ll come back to it.
“Cry Tough” by Poison (from Look What the Cat Dragged In, 1986)
Oh my.
“We Go Together” by John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John (from Grease, 1978)
I respect artists who understand and appreciate their own legacies. Artists who identify that their music means so much to so many people. One of the coolest phenomenons of recent years is the full album live show. Springsteen’s last tour ended up with several shows where he and the band played straight through classic albums like Born to Run, Darkness on the Edge of Town, and The River. Similarly, Boston’s Pixies realized that they can give the people what they want with a classic album of their own – 1989′s Doolittle.
I’m one of the many people the album connected with back in the day, so I damn sure wasn’t going to miss this year’s Pixies tour, which features the full album front to back, from “Debaser” to “Gouge Away”. Friday night at the Mesa Ampitheatre, I got Doolittle’d.
So Mesa has some strange early curfew ordinance where shows have to end by 10pm, so by the time we rolled in at 7:30, opening band Fuck Buttons were almost wrapping up their set. We stepped into the general admission, multi-leveled grass amphitheater, aka “the smoking section” – an immense cloud of cigarette smoke hovered stagnant in the air – and in we went.
At 8:15, a video montage began, and the Pixies took the stage, opening with some tunes from their Complete B-Sides album: “Dance the Manta Ray”, “Weird at My School”, “Bailey’s Walk”, and “Manta Ray”. Then, without any further fanfare, it was Kim Deal’s opening bass riff of “Debaser”, and the Doolittling began.
The crowd seemed pretty evenly split between those in my age group, who grew up with Doolittle, and the younger twenty-something set – the smart ones who’ve developed an appreciation for a great band.
The large video background featured odd movie clips, interesting visuals, and funny/endearing shots of the band members. The crowd energy was pretty amazing at times, with raucous applause and cheers for the band, which genuinely seemed to touch each one of them. I’m sure they get a similar reception at every stop on the tour, but it’s something special to be in “that moment” when an audience and band are connecting with such intensity. What a rush that must be for a band.
And what a rush to have the Pixies playing the entire Doolittle album straight through for us. The “album” experience is such a wonderfully subjective thing – each person connects in a multitude of different ways to a great album. Experiencing Doolittle with a like-minded crowd, looking around and knowing that – for a lot of people – the album taps into those same nostalgic places in the mind & heart – that was truly a special feeling.
The band kept the live versions very close to the framework of the studio versions. We all have our Doolittle favorites – and for me, the highlights were “Wave of Mutilation”, “No. 13 Baby”, and “Monkey Gone to Heaven”. ‘Twas great fun on “Monkey” to sing the “Man is Five”/”Devil is Six”/”God is Seven” part with the Pixies and a live crowd.
“Then GOD is Seven!! Then GOD is Seven!! Then GOD is Seven!!” Great fun indeed.
Frank Black, Kim Deal, David Lovering, and Joey Santiago were all in great spirits throughout the night – Kim being the most talkative of the bunch (probably normal for the band). They wrapped the night with a slowed down version of “Wave” called “Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf)”, a smoky and intense “Into the White” (see below), “Velouria”, and the night finale, “Where Is My Mind”.
My group of friends and I sauntered off into the night, completely satisfied, and decided to enjoy a drink or two at a bar across the street. Not soon after we sat down, in walked Joey Santiago and David Lovering. Pretty cool twist of fate… my buddies Jason and Cecily, who drove all the way from Albuquerque to catch the show, got some face time and a couple of pictures. A nice bookend – along with some tasty Guinness – to a great night.
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.
Simply put, this is one of my favorite early ’90s jams. Lacking any inherent ability to sing myself, I have a long history of envying those that can. Join that with a great tune, killer harmonies and you’ve got yourself some magic.
“Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf)” by The Pixies (from Pump Up the Volume, 1990)
I’m sure I’m not alone when I claim 1990′s Pump Up the Volume as a pivotal film in my teenage life. The story of Mark Hunter, and his pirate radio alter-ego “Happy Harry Hard-On,” fascinated me and fueled my desire to enter radio. The soundtrack has proved to be a testament to the teen angst that so many of us suffered.
“I Hate U (Quiet Night remix by Eric Leeds)” by Prince (from I Hate U, 1995)
Less remix, more a spotlight piece for Prince’s longtime sax player Eric Leeds, this usually is met with a quick tap of the skip button. I let it play, this time. It manages to take all the venom out of the otherwise contemptible track.
I have not had a chance to listen to this record yet. If this track is indicative of what is on the rest of the record, I’m going to have to remedy that this afternoon. I never was a huge fan of the Dixie Chicks, but I would never turn the dial if they came on the radio.
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would have challenged for a top 5 spot if it had come out this year, but it was released in 2009. I was made aware of the band when I saw them open for Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros in June. They have a southern California 70′s folk-rock vibe, and they are amazing live. “
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album: “Dance the Manta Ray”, “Weird at My School”, “Bailey’s Walk”, and “Manta Ray”. Then, without any further fanfare, it was Kim Deal’s opening bass riff of “Debaser”, and the Doolittling began.
