The Friday Five: January 8, 2010
Friday Five : ‘frī-(,)dā,-dē ‘fīv : On the sixth day of every week I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes and share my five and drop a little knowledge and insight for each track. Sometimes there is a playlist involved, sometimes there isn’t. 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 File:
1. “6 Underground (Filla Brazillia remix #1)” by Sneaker Pimps (from Abstract Vibes 2 More Vibes, 1997)
Is it possible that the ’90s produced more one-hit wonders than any previous decade? Sometimes, it certainly seems like it. Case in point; British trip-hop group Sneaker Pimps, whose 1996 track “6 Underground” was inescapable. Adopted by mainstream pop and alternative radio, not to mention being featured in a slew of movies and television shows, the track was and still is the most homogenized distillation of the genre. File this one under my “guilty pleasures.”
2. “Mean Mr. Mustard” by The Beatles (from Anthology 3, 1996)
One of the great things that the Anthology series provided was a peek behind the curtain, showing — warts and all — the recording process behind some of the Fab Four’s greatest songs.
3. “The Little Things Give You Away” by Linkin Park (from Minutes to Midnight, 2007)
Despite their entire discography lurking in the corners of my library, I rarely listen to anything from Linkin Park. I’d say this track is pretty indicative of the reason why.
4. “Work for the Working Man” by Bon Jovi (from The Circle, 2009)
This is just plain awful. It’s not bad enough that the band has recycled the bass line from “Living on a Prayer,” but to add insult to injury, they’ve done so behind an shamefully disingenuous attempt to play on the struggles of the “working man.”
5. “Fifty Years After the Fair” by Aimee Mann (from Whatever, 1995)
Add Roger McGuinn’s signature 12-string chime to Aimee Mann’s beautiful voice and you’ve got the recipe for magic. I have not listened to this record in probably six or seven years, time to rectify that.
What’s on your shuffle today?
The Friday Five: January 1, 2010
Friday Five : ˈfrī-(ˌ)dā,-dē ˈfīv : On the sixth day of every week I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes and share my five and drop a little knowledge and insight for each track. Sometimes there is a playlist involved, sometimes there isn’t. Sometimes we have 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.
Editors Note: For the first Friday Five of 2010, I’m taking a look back at five of my favorite records from the last decade. Placed in no particular order, these are the records that I found myself coming back to time and again. Happy New Year, to all of you. – Michael
Amy Winehouse – “Tears Dry on Their Own” (from Back to Black, 2006)
Is there an artist that better embodies “The Noughties” than Amy Winehouse? The slight, awkward girl from Southgate, England with the voice that could topple buildings; yet it was her personal battles with drugs that the media focused on. An amalgam of classic soul, vocal jazz and ska, Back to Black earned Winehouse six Grammy nominations and five awards, and was the best selling record in 2007. The track “Tears Dry on Their Own,” for me, stands out above the rest; capturing the best of Winehouse’s powerful vocals.
The Gaslight Anthem – “Great Expectations” (from The ’59 Sound, 2008)
You can take the band out of New Jersey, but you cannot take the New Jersey out of the band. The Gaslight Anthem provided the end of the decade with a much-needed shot of straightforward rock & roll. The songs on The ’59 Sound are rife with stories of life in small town America; quoting everyone from Bon Jovi, Counting Crows and even The Boss himself, all while sounding fresh and vital. The record kicks off with the barnburner “Great Expectations,” which contains as many literary movements as you would expect from a song titled after the Charles Dickens classic.
Chromeo – “Bonafied Lovin’ (Tough Guys)” (from Fancy Footwork, 2008)
The self-described “only successful Arab/Jewish partnership since the dawn of human culture,” Chromeo is holding the torch for ’80s inspired electrofunk. Their album, Fancy Footwork, is one of the best dance records of the last decade. They also turned in one of the most memorable appearances on Daryl Hall’s web series, Live from Daryl’s House. Selecting a single track from the record proved nearly impossible, so I put my trust in the shuffle button, which served up the new jack swing of “Bonafied Lovin’ (Tough Guys).”
Band of Horses – “The First Song” (from Everything All the Time, 2006)
There is a certain understated majesty to the opening of the aptly titled “The First Song,” the lead track on Band of Horses 2006 debut Everything All the Time. Indie rock with a decidedly southern bend, the band — led by Ben Bridwell — caught flack for allowing their anthemic, “The Funeral,” to be used in marketing campaigns for Ford as well as in slew of movies and television programs.
Prince – “Call My Name” (from Musicology, 2004)
The last decade has been an uneven one for Prince. As a performer, he toured the world twice over, commanded a Las Vegas residency, 21 nights at London’s O2 stadium, and perhaps one of the most memorable Super Bowl halftime performances; as a recording artist, he was hit or miss. However, the one exception was the incredibly funky Musicology, which rocketed Prince back into the spotlight. From funk to soul, his purple badness proved that he still had the juice to create a commercially viable, yet funky as hell record.
So tell me, what is soothing your aching head today?
The Friday Five: December 25, 2009
Editor’s Note: In light of the holiday, the five will return next week. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.
For Vic, Rest in Peace.
The Friday Five: December 18, 2009
Friday Five : ˈfrī-(ˌ)dā,-dē ˈfīv : On the sixth day of every week I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes and share my five and drop a little knowledge and insight for each track. Sometimes there is a playlist involved, sometimes there isn’t. Sometimes we have 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:
Ani DiFranco – “Hell Yeah” (from Out of Range, 1994)
It’s been a while since an artist has appeared two weeks in a row. I lost touch with Ani somewhere after Revelling/Reckoning, but never lost love for her frank and beautiful songs. Out of Range was a record that came along at a turning point in my life, providing solace within its reflective songs.
Richard Hell & The Voidoids – “Love Comes In Spurts” (mp3) (from Blank Generation, 1977)
My memory of this song is tied entirely to the 1990 film “Pump Up the Volume”. I remember spending weekends at my friend’s house and watching marathons of it over and over.
Ugly Kid Joe – “Cats in the Cradle” (mp3) (from America’s Least Wanted, 1992)
I’ll admit to having this album primarily for the track “Everything About You”. When Tesla took their take on the Five Man Electrical Band track “Signs” all the way to number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, it became customary for the pop metal acts of the day to include a slightly obscure folk song in lieu of a power ballad. Ugly Kid Joe topped Tesla by taking the Harry Chapin classic all the way to number six.
Radiohead – “Karma Police” (from OK Computer, 1997)
This record took nearly 10 years to connect with me. When released in 1997, I was far too preoccupied with the Third Wave Ska and Indie Rock bands of the day to be bothered with Radiohead. I came back to the record after hearing the brilliant Kid A and now consider it to be one of my favorite records of all time.
U2 – “Get on Your Boots” (from No Line on the Horizon, 2009)
Every time I hear this track I can’t help but think it’s just a sub-par version of The Escape Club track “Wild, Wild West”. This release was disappointing to me, more for its lack of the caliber of songwriting that I’ve come to expect than anything else.
I showed you mine, what is on your five?
The Friday Five: December 11, 2009
Friday Five : ˈfrī-(ˌ)dā,-dē ˈfīv : On the sixth day of every week I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes and share my five and drop a little knowledge and insight for each track. Sometimes there is a playlist involved, sometimes there isn’t. Sometimes we have 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:
Ani DiFranco – “Hide and Seek” (from Living in Clip, 1997)
Steve Perry – “If Only for the Moment, Girl” (mp3) (from Street Talk, 1984)
The Smashing Pumpkins – “Cherub Rock” (from Siamese Dream, 1993)
Joe Jackson – “Tiger Rag” (from Tucker: The Man and His Dream, 1988)
John Mayer – “Perfectly Lonely” (mp3) (from Battle Studies, 2009)
It’s still Friday, right? What are you listening to this evening?
The Friday Five: December 4, 2009
Friday Five : ˈfrī-(ˌ)dā,-dē ˈfīv : On the sixth day of every week I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes and share my five and drop a little knowledge and insight for each track. Sometimes there is a playlist involved, sometimes there isn’t. Sometimes we have 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:
Great Lake Swimmers – “Unison Falling Into Harmony” (from Lost Channels, 2009)
Largely overlooked in favor of the indie folk-pop of Fleet Foxes, Canada’s Great Lake Swimmers released one of the most lush, yet intimate folk-rock records of the past year.
U.S.A. for Africa – “We Are the World” (from We Are the World: U.S.A. for Africa, 1985)
I’m fairly certain I could fill an entire page writing about “We Are the World”, what hearing it again reminded me of was the time in which Michael Jackson could do no wrong and how, even at eleven, I was in awe of his considerable talent.
Miles Davis – “All Blues” (from Kind of Blue, 1959)
To say Miles is a force in my life and my musical DNA would be an understatement, I even named my son after him. Part of Davis’ magnum opus, “All Blues” is eleven and a half minutes of pure bliss.
The Notorious B.I.G. – “Sky’s the Limit” (feat. 112) (from Life After Death, 1997)
I never connected with the tunes on Life After Death nearly as much as I did Ready to Die.
Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention – “Happy Together” (from Fillmore East, June 1971, 1971)
It occurred to me as this track started – and it is a brilliantly crass take on The Turtles classic – that only one of the artists featured on the Five this week is still with us. Not the thought I want to leave you with on a Friday, so I highly suggest hitting play on the track above and regaling in the joy. Baa-Ba-Ba…
Okay, so who’s next!
The Friday Five: November 27, 2009
Friday Five : ˈfrī-(ˌ)dā,-dē ˈfīv : On the sixth day of every week I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes and share my five and drop a little knowledge and insight for each track. Sometimes there is a playlist involved, sometimes there isn’t. Sometimes we have 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: My tryptophan-addled brain completely failed to realize that it was Friday until just about an hour ago, despite the fact that I’m working! Here’s a ‘live’ five for you to enjoy this weekend!
The Five:
Sunny Day Real Estate – “Pheurton Skeurto” (from Sunny Day Real Estate, 1994)
A quiet island in a stormy sea, “Pheurton Skeurto” is a jaunty sea shanty with impossible lyrics and one of my favorite tracks on the seminal emo band’s self-titled debut.
The Beatles – “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away” (mp3) (from Help!, 1965)
Lennon’s attempts at incorporating the folk influences of the day (specifically Bob Dylan) provide us with one of the most beautiful tunes in The Beatles catalog.
Marky Mark and The Funky Bunch – “Good Vibrations” (from Music for the People, 1991)
Occasionally the shuffle button betrays me. This could be one of those occasions.
Bush – “Machinehead” (from Sixteen Stone, 1994)
I’m going to go on record here and say that I never disliked Bush, but I never liked them all that much either. Of all their post-grunge (lite) tunes, this one was always a favorite.
Anthrax – “I’m the Man (Def Uncensored version)” (mp3) (from I’m the Man, 1987)
I’m so bad, I should be in detention.
What’s keeping you going on this Black Friday?
The Friday Five: November 20, 2009
Friday Five : ˈfrī-(ˌ)dā,-dē ˈfīv : On the sixth day of every week I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes and share my five and drop a little knowledge and insight for each track. Sometimes there is a playlist involved, sometimes there isn’t. Sometimes we have 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:
Foo Fighters – “This Is a Call” (mp3) (from Foo Fighters, 1995)
From the “Fraiser” of spin-off bands, this single was the official death knell for Grunge and the launch of a wave of the radio-friendly post-grunge alternative music that still rules the airwaves today. The thing that gets most often overlooked is the fact that, outside of some small guitar parts by Afghan Whigs mastermind Greg Dulli, the entire record was written and performed by Dave Grohl himself.
Prince – “Temple House Dub (fade)” (from Thieves in the Temple, 1990)
Once upon a time Prince would release singles. These singles would include, at minimum, three to four remixes and alternate versions, not to mention b-sides. The b-sides were often as good (see: “Love or $”, “17 Days”) and oft times better (see: “Erotic City”, “How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore”) than the single itself. By the early ‘90s he was swept up with the advent of the ‘CD Maxi Single’ and used the format to its fullest extent creating EP length masterpieces. I miss those singles.
Joan Osbourne – “Midnight Train to Georgia” (from Breakfast in Bed, 2007)
In his last installment of Chart Attack!, Jason Hare exposed the true inspiration behind the Motown classic. I’m a huge fan of the original and had the pleasure of seeing the Indigo Girls perform it with Spearhead and (ironically) Joan Osbourne as guests. This version, however, is far too mellow and feels forced and utterly lacking in the soul that is tied to the very fabric of the tune itself.
Gary Moore – “Still Got the Blues” (mp3) (from Still Got the Blues, 1990)
Okay, listen to this (Ex. 1). Now, listen to this (Ex. 2). Sounds a bit similar, no? I remember learning this song earlier on in my bedroom rock star days and thinking “how the hell did he get away with that?” And in researching the track for this post, it turns out that he didn’t. What’s worse is it wasn’t even Lionel that took him to court, rather an obscure German band who claimed – and won a settlement in 2008 – that their 1974 single “Nordrach” was the track that Moore allegedly plagiarized.
Band of Horses – “Our Swords” (from Everything All the Time, 2006)
As the hordes of decade end lists come pouring in – you can follow the action at largehearted boy – the one omission that I’m most consistently surprised by is the debut record by Band of Horses. Taking elements of country, folk, southern rock and an indie rock ethos the band were darlings of the music blogs in 2006, and their follow up Cease to Begin only cemented them as a band to watch in the coming years. Perhaps their upcoming release will bring them the mainstream success they so richly deserve.
That’s my five, what’s spinning you right ‘round this week?
The Friday Five: November 13, 2009
Friday Five : ˈfrī-(ˌ)dā,-dē ˈfīv : On the sixth day of every week I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes and share my five and drop a little knowledge and insight for each track. Sometimes there is a playlist involved, sometimes there isn’t. Sometimes we have 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: While short on time it occurred to me that I always have time for some twitter-sized goodness so once again, this week’s five is all in 140 characters or less. @michaelparrThe Five:
Prince & The Revolution – “Paisley Park” (from Around the World in a Day, 1995)
Paisley Park is in your heart. I’ve spent a bit of time considering my ‘Desert Island’ discs lately, and I keep coming back to this record.
The Damnwells – “Down With the Ship” (mp3) (from One Last Century, 2009)
My earliest contender for album of the year, this record delivers on every level. You can help the band fund their next release here.
Weezer – “Buddy Holly” (from Weezer, 1994)
Save for “Say It Ain’t So” and playing “Undone – The Sweater Song” on Rock Band, I rarely listen to Weezer. I do still love those songs.
Janet Jackson – “Control” (mp3) (from Control, 1986)
This really should have been billed as Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis – “Control” (feat. Janet Jackson), I’m just saying.
Camera Obscura – “French Navy” (from My Maudlin Career, 2009)
Another contender for album of the year,My Maudlin Career is the happiest group of utterly depressing songs you’ll ever listen to.
What’s next on your shuffle?The Friday Five: November 06, 2009
Friday Five : ˈfrī-(ˌ)dā,-dē ˈfīv : On the sixth day of every week I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes and share my five and drop a little knowledge and insight for each track. Sometimes there is a playlist involved, sometimes there isn’t. Sometimes we have 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: While short on time, it occurred to me that I always have time for some twitter-sized goodness so this week’s five is all in 140 characters or less. @michaelparrThe Five:
The Jimi Hendrix Experience – “Little Wing” (From Axis: Bold as Love, 1967)
While possibly cliché, this is my favorite Hendrix tune. Simple, soulful and beautiful, this is easily on my desert island song list.
Enuff Z’Nuff – “New Thing” (mp3) (from Enuff Z’Nuff, 1989)
Day-glo attire and pop-metal leanings aside, Enuff Z’Nuff were one of the most underrated power pop bands of the ’80s and ’90s.
Bryan Adams – “Heat of the Night” (from So Far So Good, 1993)
Does anyone truly dislike Bryan Adams? If pressed to name the essential ’80s records, Reckless would always be mentioned in the top 10.
Counting Crows – “Angels of the Silences” (from Recovering the Satellites, 1996)
I recall seeing the band on the Recovering the Satellites tour and how powerful this track is live. Adam is dynamic when he wants to be.
Bon Jovi – “Never Say Goodbye” (mp3) (from Slippery When Wet, 1986)
The ultimate prom song, I look at this record and wonder how it is that 23 years later this band is still flogging the same dead horse.
What’s your Five?