Ickmusic’s Friday Five: November 14, 2008
Ah Friday it’s time to relax and you know what that means a glass of wine, your favorite easy chair and of course the Friday Five shuffling on your home stereo. So go on indulge yourself, that’s right, kick off your shoes, put your feet up, lean back and just enjoy the melodies. After all, music soothes even the savage beast….
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. Effcee – Purple Rain (from Electro Goth Tribute to Prince)
Imagine Garbage covering Prince with a less adept lead singer (Shirley Manson is amazing) and that is about the sum of this. To illustrate just how bad this collection is, Rebecca Romijn (yes, that one) performs “Darling Nikki”. For a much more fitting (and listenable) tribute head over to Psychotic Leisure Music and check out Dump‘s That Skinny Motherfucker with the High Voice, it’s well worth the time.
2. Diana Ross & Lionel Richie – Endless Love (from 80s Gold)
I’m not sure what frightens me more, the fact that I have no less than 4 instances of this song in my iTunes library or the fact that I actually genuinely, in my heart of hearts, like this song.
3. Ra Ra Riot – Too Too Too Fast (from The Rhumb Line)
A record that is sure to place highly on my year end list, The Rhumb Line by indie pop darlings Ra Ra Riot delivers 10 undeniably catchy and sprite tunes. If you don’t have this record yet, you should.
4. Jellyfish – The Ghost at Number One (mp3) (from Socrates, Pathos, and Plato)
This is the demo of the tune from the bands power pop opus Spilt Milk. I’ve been revisiting my power pop past lately and this is always at the top of the list. The quality is not all that great but this one absolutely deserves to be played on 11.
5. The Jackson 5 – I Want You Back (from Greatest Hits)
This is the first bass line that I ever tried to learn. So damn funky!
What’s kicking you into the weekend?
Ickmusic’s Friday Five: November 7, 2008
A quickie this week…
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. U2 – Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses (from Achtung Baby)
Apparently a young bikini-clad lady is the current answer.
2. Ani DiFranco – Providence (feat. Prince) (from To the Teeth)
I know that it’s a stretch, but listen to Ani‘s “You Had Time” (from Out of Range) and then Prince‘s “Eye Love U, but Eye Don’t Trust U Anymore” (from Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic, which Ani provides guitar work) and then this track and tell me that it does not form an unholy trinity of a single story arc about relationships gone sour and the unhealthy way we handle them. One of the most demure and restrained Prince guest performances I have ever heard.
3. Jay-Z – Can I Get A… (feat. Amil of Major Coins and Ja Rule) (from Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life)
Mmm-Hmm…
4. Mike Reno and Ann Wilson – Almost Paradise (Love Theme From Footloose) (from Footloose)
So do you think that they’ll get David Cook and Carrie Underwood to perform this tune for the upcoming remake of the film? Cheese factor be damned, I like this song a whole lot.
5. Trivium – Dying in Your Arms (from Ascendancy)
I could do without the cookie monster vocal during the breakdown, but outside of that this song is rather kick-ass.
Tag, you’re it!
Ickmusic’s Friday Five: October 31, 2008
I thought it only appropriate to celebrate Halloween with a special playlist:
Match ANY of the following conditions
NAME contains Halloween
NAME contains Trick
NAME contains Treat
NAME contains Haunt
NAME contains BlackiTunes only came back with a measly 180 tunes, at least ¼ of which were “Black Sweat” or “Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?”. I will readily admit to skipping each of these tracks at least once in the course of this shuffle. 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 some words (and on occasion the song itself) for each track.
Then it’s your turn! You can play along with the themed playlist or just share the first five of your shuffle, either way the fun is in playing musical voyeur for the day.
Here are this week’s tracks:
1. AFI – Bleed Black (from Sing the Sorrow)
This is certainly a fitting start to the Halloween edition of the Friday Five. Creepiness abounds in the atmospheric info and acoustic breakdown mid-way through the tune. Off to a good start!
2. Billy Bragg & Wilco – Black Wind Blowing (from Mermaid Avenue Volume 2)
While I own both volumes of the Mermaid Avenue series they do not see the light of day very often. I’ll have to make a mental note to bring them out of hiding more often.
3. Dave Matthews Band – Halloween (mp3) (from Before These Crowded Streets)
This song is definitely in my Top 10 DMB tracks. Live, there are not many other tunes that can touch the focused energy that goes into the performance. While it’s true that Dave usually mangles the lyrics and just sings nonsense save for specific lines (think of it as Dave’s “Yellow Ledbetter”) there is something to hearing him spew the venomous lyrics (“Tell us are you satisfied with f**king?”, “Love is Hell, My Love is Hell“) written for the woman who turned down his proposal of marriage three times.
I’ve only heard the song live once on 12.21.2002 and it came as a the first encore after a blazing set featuring a 15 minute jam with James Brown on “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine”. Dave walked out wearing a Santa hat and the crowd expected “The Christmas Song” (it was even on the printed set list), he must have been possessed by the devil that night as he tossed the hat across the stage and the band kicked into a sick version of the track. And since it’s Halloween and you all deserve a treat, here is a recording of that very version.
4. Run-D.M.C. – It’s Tricky (from Can’t Hardly Wait)
Back in the day (or is it’s tha day) this was my jam! One of the first rhymes that I learned from start to finish and could flow unaccompanied, this is still one of my favorite hip hop jams.
5. AC/DC – Back in Black (from Back in Black)
Man, this shuffle kicked all sorts of ass. Short of “Hell’s Bells” or Type O Negative’s “Black No. 1 (Little Miss Scare-All)” I can’t think of a better track to close this Halloween Friday Five.
So what’s keeping the lil ghosts and ghouls busy in your neck of the woods?
Happy Halloween!
Ickmusic’s Friday Five: October 17, 2008
The days are getting noticeably shorter and the foliage here in New England has sprung to life with its blazing colors as autumn kicks into full gear. Creating a soundtrack to excursions around the area usually involves hours of scouring through the collection looking for the perfect tunes to provide a backdrop to the visuals. This also means I’m ready to take a break and let the shuffle drive.
Last week the shuffle racked up some great commentary from the usual crowd and a new face or two. 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. Tesla – Love Song (mp3) (from Time’s Makin’ Changes: The Best of Tesla)
This one showed up on last week’s Chartburn over at Popdose where it was promptly skewered. And while I may agree with some of the commentary (specifically the theory about the bands tour bus) I have to say that in it’s time this song f*cking ruled. I still to this day play the intro bit anytime I get my hands on a 12-string guitar.
2. Hammers of Misfortune – The August Engine Part 1 (from The August Engine)
The Hammers of Misfortune are one of two current generation heavy metal bands that I actually enjoy (the other being The Lord Weird Slough Feg, which shares a lead singer with the Hammers) and can listen to for more than a few minutes. Smart and straight forward and heavy as hell if you are a fan of classic heavy metal (Sabbath, Early Maiden, Judas Priest) I highly recommend checking out these two groups.
3. Earth, Wind & Fire – Wait (from I Am)
Who can resist a swinging ballad in 6/8 time? Seriously, this is by the numbers awesomeness. Huge 70’s brass section, vocal harmonies for days and a sickly sweet sentiment makes this a classic.
4. Foo Fighters – My Hero (from The Colour and the Shape)
Credit: WFMU’s Beware of the BlogWait, you mean to tell me that this song isn’t’ about presidential hopeful John McCain? Dave Grohl is my hero.
5. Band of Horses – Ode to the LRC (mp3) (from 2007-09-06: KCRW Morning Becomes Eclectic)
From the audio associated with the video that Pete shared a couple of weeks back. It astounds me how perfectly they pull off the dynamic of the original track from my top record of 2007, Cease to Begin. I have to echo Pete’s gushing man-love for this band.
So what has got you shuffling towards the weekend?
Ickmusic’s Friday Five: October 10, 2008
This week was almost the first Five-less week since the inception of the shuffle happy column. I’m a bit under the weather this week and am saving up my energy to go and see Jason Mraz tonight. Rather than cancel the Five, here’s a quick five (with two downloadable tracks this week!) as I’m resting up.
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. The Beach Boys – Little Deuce Coup (from The Platinum Collection)
Not my favorite
2. Donny Hathaway – Misty (from Everything Is Everything)
A torch song from the master, I love everything about this record.
3. Apollonia 6 – Sex Shooter (mp3) (from Apollonia 6)
Let’s see some action, let’s have some asses wiggling, I want some perfection. Whawhak!
4. Dink – Green Mind (mp3) (from Dink)
I used to spin this one weekly as part of my “Alternative Night” DJ set.
5. Van Halen – Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love (from Van Halen)
One of the most recognizable riffs in the history of Rock n’ Roll.
So what’s making you feel better this week?
Ickmusic’s Friday Five: October 3, 2008
Is it October already? I swear it was just August a few minutes ago. One thing that I’ve found since I started The Five is that I am hyper-aware of the passage of time. And time in the final week of the quarter is even more precious so with that I’m going to keep this brief!
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. Destroyer – “Sick Priest Learns to Last Forever” (from Destroyer’s Rubies, 2006)
I picked this up on the suggestion from more than one of the popular blogs of the day and can’t say too much about it as I’ve only listened to it three or four times. It’s not even that I dislike the record; it’s just a matter of time vs. desire.
2. Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble – “Pride and Joy” (from Greatest Hits, 1995)
There’s always time for some Stevie Ray Vaughan.
3. The Notorious B.I.G. – “Mo Money Mo Problems (feat. Mase & Puff Daddy)” (from Life After Death, 1997)
I’ve been watching the VH1’s 100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs (see the entire list here) series this week and have been pulling up and listening to my favorite Hip-Hop tracks of the past 20 years. This is on my list (though it’s not on VH1’s) without a doubt. Play this one in a club to this day and everyone knows every line of Biggie’s rhyme.
4. Snoop Dogg – “Who Am I (What’s My Name?)” (from Doggystyle, 1993)
Another classic Hip-Hop cut, this time from the Westside courtesy of one Cordozar Calvin Broadus, Jr., better known to you and I as the one and only Snoop D O Double G. 15 years on this George Clinton fueled track still inspires some serious ass wiggling.
5. Metallica – “Harvester of Sorrow” (from …and Justice for All, 1988)
That should read from the last decent record Metallica produced, but I digress. …and Justice for All is the last Metallica record that I truly enjoyed beginning to end. The Black Album was alright, but it was Bob Rock‘s version of the band and therefore not as good.
That said, what’s playing in your shuffle today?
Ickmusic’s Friday Five: September 26, 2008
When the world seems set to implode on itself we look to different forms of media to distract, entertain and overall escape from the reality of our situations. Whether personal or global, no problem is too big or too small to escape for a bit with the Friday Five!
Last week the ladies of the Friday Five held court on their own. 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. DJ Cam – Success (MP3) (from The Beat Assassinated)
I went through a rather obsessive trip-hop phase in the mid to late 90’s, and while I’ve outgrown that phase there are a few artists that stuck with me. DJ Cam is one of the few that were able to blend Hip-Hop, Jazz and down tempo and not make it seem contrite.
2. Frank Zappa – Jewish Princess (from Sheik Yerbouti)
Classic Zappa at his satirical height, Music is indeed the best!
3. Jason Mraz – Details In the Fabric (feat. James Morrison) (from We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.)
This tune opens to an answering machine message from Mraz cohort Bushwalla clearly dealing with a bad day. The song itself is a lilting yet uplifting message “Everything will be fine, everything in no time at all, Hearts will hold”. The song closes with a second message where he strikes the single oddest metaphor I’ve ever heard “I feel like you’re an island of reality in an ocean of diarrhea. And I love you buddy. Ok. Bye.”
4. Dryden Mitchell – Friday, I’m in Love (from 50 First Dates)
Dryden Mitchell is the lead singer of alt-rockers Alien Ant Farm. For this track he drops the rock and brings a quirky electro pop tilt to The Cure’s classic ode to our favorite day.
5. John Lennon – Love (from The John Lennon Collection)
“Love is free, free is Love”
What’s getting you through today?
Ickmusic’s Friday Five: September 19, 2008
The mark of a truly great song is the ability to make minutes seem like seconds making time itself seem almost irrelevant. When used as a tool to make time fly it not only serves the purpose, but makes it all the more enjoyable. I’ve found myself counting units of time in measure of how many songs I can listen two. My commute to work used to be 6-8 tunes long depending on the traffic. My dentist appointment last week was 5 songs (one of which was that Miley Cyrus song “7 Things” which somehow made the work being done seem less painful by comparison). So it should come to no surprise to anyone that the Friday Five is my way of counting the minutes down to the end of the week and the start of the weekend.
Last weeks shuffle exposed my geeky soft spot for sci-fi soundtracks and confirmed that I’m not alone. Our regular cast of participants chimed in with everything from show tunes to a bit of heavy metal. How’s that for disparate genre representation? 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. Black Sabbath – Paranoid (from We Sold Our Soul for Rock ‘n’ Roll)
Pete may have his AC/DC but for me it’s all about Sabbath. Would you believe that this tune was intended to be a filler track after the record company complained about the records length? Not bad for a throwaway track, eh?
2. The Toasters – Johnny Go Ska (from Thrill Me Up)
100% Ska from NYC’s The Toasters. Much in the same way that Sabbath defines the roots of Metal, The Toasters are, in my opinion, the defining Third Wave Ska band. This Five is really taking shape!
3. Toad the Wet Sprocket – Pray Your Gods (from Fear)
I’ve written at length about my love of Toad the Wet Sprocket and this song is one of the finest examples of why.
4. The Roots – Rising Up (feat. Wale & Chrisette Michele) (from Rising Down)
I geeked out on this track when it first was hot and I’m still feeling it every single time it comes on. I have to stop to give thanks to The Roots for introducing me to the brilliant Chrisette Michele who’s record will definitely fill the top spot on my year end “Best ‘New to Me'” chart.
5. Leona Lewis – Bleeding Love (from Spirit)
I’ll admit that I really did not like this song when I first heard it. It’s inclusion in a brilliant number on So You Think You Can Dance brought me around though.
It looks like Billy Joel was denied the first Friday Five Triple Crown, maybe next time Billy! What’s passing the time in your neck of the woods?
Ickmusic’s Friday Five: September 12, 2008
Ah Friday it’s time to relax and you know what that means a glass of wine, your favorite easy chair and of course the Friday Five shuffling on your home stereo. So go on indulge yourself, that’s right, kick off your shoes, put your feet up, lean back and just enjoy the melodies. After all, music soothes even the savage beast….
Last week’s Five (and ½) brought back the straight shuffle with turns from every genre and era. 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. Billy Joel – Matter of Trust (from The Bridge)
I can’t put my finger on exactly why, but this is hands down my favorite Billy Joel tune. It brings me back to being a young man and living for the radio on Saturday afternoons. I realize looking back at the last few weeks that Mr. Joel popped up last week as well. We’ll have to see next week if he can take the Shuffle Triple Crown.
2. City and Colour – The Death of Me (from Bring Me Your Love)
I just picked this up from emusic last week and have not had a chance to give it a proper listen. I was a huge fan of Dallas Green‘s first record Sometimes. For those not familiar City and Colour is the mostly acoustic and decidedly singer-songwriter slanted side project of Canadian post-hardcore band Alexisonfire‘s singer/guitarist Dallas Green (the name comes from his own name as he felt uneasy “putting the album out under the name Dallas Green”).
3. Joey Scarbury – Greatest American Hero (Believe It or Not) (from America’s Greatest Hero)
I wish I could say that I dislike this song. I don’t and I suspect that many of you dig it too.
4. John Williams – The Imperial March (Darth Vader’s Theme) (from Star Wars Trilogy: Anthology)
Performed majestically by the London Symphony Orchestra this is easily one of the most instantly recognizable sections of movie score ever. My sci-fi geek roots are certainly showing today!
5. Jshua – Forever (from The Rose Line)
Occasionally I get the opportunity to listen to music well before its release date, and this is one of those cases. Multi-Instrumentalist Jshua blends Soul, Funk, Beatlesesque progressions and a certain sense of grandeur usually reserved for compositions by a certain diminutive fan of purple. I truly cannot wait to share this one with the rest of the world.
May the Shuffle be with you…
Ickmusic’s Friday Five: September 5, 2008
As I’ve said before four day work weeks always throw me for a loop. This week had the added pleasure of a computer move leaving my music on one while I get the other ready for day to day use. Needless to say, I’m in need of a Friday Five fix to get me through the rest of this day.
Last week we wrapped up the “The Theme Days of Summer” with a send off. This week we’re back in the swing of the general shuffle. 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 some words 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.
This week’s Friday Five is courtesy of Last.fm.
Here are this week’s tracks:
½. The Beach Boys – Little Saint Nick (from Christmas with the Beach Boys)
Apparently Last.fm does not know it’s not Christmas yet, this was quickly skipped but I thought I should include it here.
1. Rihanna – Umbrella (feat. Jay-Z) (from Good Girl Gone Bad)
For as overexposed of a track as this was I still genuinely enjoying hearing it and have not reached for the ‘skip’ button any time it’s popped up in a shuffle.
2. Prince – When 2 R in Love (from The Black Album)
Featuring the beat Justin Timberlake lifted for his all-too-obvious Prince inspired track “Until the End of Time”. I’m rather ambivalent about this track in particular as it always seemed out of place on the raunchy Black Album. While it’s a great song it’s no “Cindy C.”.
3. Billy Joel – The River of Dreams (from River of Dreams)
I think that this might be the first Billy Joel track to appear on a Friday Five. I have an odd relationship with Billy Joel in that I do truly appreciate and enjoy his music, but own relatively little of it and have not ever really looked to change that. I actually do not even own this record, rather the greatest hits package that covers this period of his career.
4. Eric Johnson – My Back Pages (from Bloom)
While I prefer his instrumental work, this is a great cover of the Dylan classic.
5. Led Zeppelin – Fool in the Rain (from In Through the Out Door)
I know that this may be blasphemy and an act of music-snob hari-kari but this is hands down my favorite Led Zeppelin song. It never fails to lighten even the darkest mood and I’m always up and dancing about during the Samba breakdown.
So what’s bringing you joy this Friday?