The Friday Five: September 4th, 2009
Hallo. Pete here, filling in for Michael on the Friday Five!
Michael said his ass was kicked 10 ways from Sunday, and he’s not gonna be able to deliver in a reasonable amount of time today. So I’m giving him the day off, poor fellow.
I’m gonna hit you with 5 random tunes that came through my air space today, then you do the same, okay? It’s a deal? Good.
1. Megadeth – “Mechanix” -I am by no means an expert – or even a fan- of Megadeth. But when I came back from lunch today, a co-worker (I’ll call him Jeff, ’cause that’s his name) brought up a Megadeth song with some very difficult to understand lyrics. Some of the words he perceived to possibly be German. So he sent over the mp3, and by utilizing Google and my ears, I discovered that this is indeed the English language, only with Dave Mustaine singing as nonsensically as possible. Cool tune, and I guess it’s the same as Metallica’s “The Four Horsemen” – though I’m too confused to comprehend it at the moment.
2. Linton Kwesi Johnson – “Hurricane Blues” / Always happy to hear LKJ come on the iTunes. You want politically charged talking reggae poetry, Linton’s your man.
3. Bap Kennedy – “Drunk On The Blood of Christ” / A reader, Brad, recommended Bap’s Lonely Street album a few weeks ago, and I’m glad he did. Great stuff.
4. Kraftwerk – “Computer Love” / Just picked up this classic album recently, along with some other pioneering electro stuff (like Cybrotron’s ‘Clear’ album).
5. Roadside Graves – “Valley” / Greg over at Captain’s Dead recommended this album just yesterday. I listened to this sucker 2 times straight through. Rootsy, raw rock ‘ roll. Just the way I like it. Track down the album ‘My Son’s Home‘.
What’s shuffling in your corner of the world? Do share…
13 Comments
azecho
while at lux: dj set w/zep, fleetwood, etc.
drive to work: earth/sun/moon by love and rockets
drive across town: earth crisis by steel pulse
at work: hometowns by the rural alberta advantage
drive home: tbd but likely creator by the lemonheads
…you wanted comments, you gotta comment! Keep up the good work.
D
Pete
haha – thanks D! Whining on Twitter is yielding its first results….
KathyB
This week’s is even stranger than last week’s, if you can believe it.
1. [i]Othello,[/i] Act I Scene 3, with Paul Robeson, from 1943.
2. “Girlfriend in a Coma” by Joshua Radin from “First Between 3rd and 4th.” A folk/pop Smiths cover.
3. “When You Dance” by The Turbans. Classic R&B that I had never heard of before someone gave me this track. [insert embarrassed-looking emoticon here]
4. “Wishing You Were Here” by Chicago
5. “Voice Poetry” by Ornette Coleman from “Body Meta” (1975). Because this group of tracks apparently didn’t look random enough without some avant-garde jazz.
Anne
1. Wikkid Lil’ Grrrls–Esthero. Such a great sexy song.
2. Back 2 Good–Matchbox 20
3. Viva La Gloria? (Little Girl)–Green Day
4. Baby did a bad bad thing–Chris Isaak. I was a huge CI fan in the 90’s.
5. Cannibal Rays–Throw Me the Statue. This is from their new album.
Rob Smith (EightE1)
E.L.O: Evil Woman. Jeff Lynne is overrated as a producer of others (Petty, Harrison), but I truly love late-70s/early-80s ELO.
Stone Temple Pilots: Sex Type Thing. That guitar riff can melt metal. Probably the only time Scott Weiland has ever truly come off as threatening, and that’s because we didn’t know him yet.
Sarah Harmer: Around This Corner. A terrific singer/songwriter on the leadoff track of her best album. Great use of clarinet.
James Taylor: Song for You Far Away. A mid-80s JT tune that has always struck me. “Open the door, it takes me back.” True dat, James. True dat.
Crowded House, “She Goes On.” Reminds me of a long train ride from Philly to Boston in ’91, when I realized I was in love with the woman I would eventually marry. “Owe it all to Frank Sinatra / The song was playing as they walked into the room.” I owe it all (or at least some of it) to Neil Finn.
Pete
@Anne
I had to locate this “great sexy song” you spoke of. Indeed it is…and Esthero’s a rather sexy lass if I may say so…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBYDT8WgeD4
@Rob Smith (EightE1)
Lynne may be an overrated producer as a whole – but Full Moon Fever was a masterpiece.
Michael
I fell asleep before I could post this last night… this shuffle was courtesy of the iTunes Genius.
Huey Lewis & The News – If This Is It
England Dan & John Ford Coley – I’d Really Love to See You Tonight
Journey – Who’s Crying Now
Billy Joel – Just the Way You Are
Rupert Holmes – Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
Rob Smith (EightE1)
@Pete Yes, very good record, true. I was thinking more of Into the Great Wide Open, which had great songs, but they were trapped underneath a plastic sheen that didn’t suit them.
Anne
@Pete Great video! Thanks for sharing.
Kristi
My Five:
1) Pieces – The Bridges
2) One (U2 Cover) – Johnny Cash
3) Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh – Say Hi
4) The Ocean – Barefoot Truth
5) Golden Age of Radio – Josh Ritter
Slappy
Not sure if you were being sarcastic about Mechanix or not but it’s a really easy story:
Mustaine wrote the music while still a member of Metallica. Metallica used the music as the base for Four Horsemen. Mustaine made Mechanix.
This presume one knows that Mustaine was an early member of Metallica before being fired.
Pete
@Slappy
Actually Slappy, I wasn’t being sarcastic. I think I was just confused by the Wikipedia entry – AND I had forgotten that Mustaine was once in Megadeth. Thanks for setting it straight.
Slappy
@Pete
Cool! Didn’t want to come across as a know-it-all-ponce 🙂