The Friday Five: July 1, 2011
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:
“Everything Is Fair” by A Tribe Called Quest (from The Low End Theory, 1991)
I don’t know if this cut stands up well on its own, but when listened to in the course of the record, it’s all sorts of hot. The Low End Theory is a record that just reminds me of summer.
“Village of the Sun” by The Mothers of Invention (from Roxy & Elsewhere, 1974)
Music is the best!
“Edge of the Blade” by Journey (from Frontiers, 1983)
Pretty standard, early ’80s AOR fare from the masters of the craft. I dig Schon’s guitar playing here.
“Good Ol’ Fashion Nightmare” by Matt & Kim (from Grand, 2009)
New school summertime jam!
“32 Pennies” by Warrant (from Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich, 1989)
I’d be embarrassed, but I dig this tune.
What’s on your shuffle today?
The Friday Five: May 6, 2011
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?
The Friday Five: May 14, 2010
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:
“Get It Together” by Beastie Boys (from Anthology: The Sounds of Science, 1999)
One-Two, One-Two, Keep it on!
“Valerie (feat. Amy Winehouse)” by Mark Ronson (from Version, 2007)
Realizing this came out in 2007 stings a little. Hopefully we will hear from Amy again.
“Eruption” by Van Halen (from Best of Both Worlds, 2004)
Perhaps the most recognizable guitar cadenza known to man.
“Anotherloverholenyohead” by Prince & The Revolution (from Parade, 1986)
A classic, 4 sure! I much prefer the guitar heavy version he was playing in the late ’00s.
“Don’t Eat the Yellow Snow” by Frank Zappa (from Apostrophe (‘), 1974)
Sage advice.
What’s on your shuffle today?
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: May 1, 2009
For those who have not joined in the Friday Five here is all you need to know; each Friday 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 more the merrier!
The Five:
“Beautiful” (mp3) by Flickerstick (from Causing a Catastrophe – Live)
They may have played their last show, but this band will live on as one of my favorites of the first decade of the new millennium.
“Daughter of the Everglades” by Rory Gallagher (from Big Guns: The Very Best of Rory Gallagher)
Armed with his ‘well loved’ sunburst 1961 Stratocaster Rory brought common man earnestness to every tune that poured from his soul. In doing my research I found this quote, which I think is quite telling… “How does it feel to be the greatest guitarist in the world? I don’t know, go ask Rory Gallagher.” – Jimi Hendrix.
“Watermelon in Easter Hay” by Frank Zappa (from Joe’s Garage: Acts I, II & III)
Behind “Pink Napkins” this is my favorite bit of Zappa guitar bliss. The composition itself is simple, the delivery is sublime.
“Mystify” (mp3) by INXS (from Kick)
I’ve been on an INXS kick the past few days. See what I did there? I never did understand how this wasn’t a single.
“Anotherloverholenyohead” by Prince (from The Holy Casino)
I so want to share this excellent live version of the Parade classic, but alas, the purple one (rather his lawyers) would kick my ass. Just trust me; it’s a really good version.
I’ve shown you mine, now show me yours!!
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?