Start Your iPods

Five songs, randomly selected, briefly described:

  1. Gastr Del Sol - Ursus Arctos Wonderfilis. Gastr was one of the big names in 'post-rock', which is the scrappy, lo-fi, indie- version of prog-rock. And so, this two-guitar instrumental - with a tiny bit of drum action in the middle - is cerebral and angular, but not as technically dazzling as you'd see in a King Crimson (for example) tune. And it doesn't do a lot, so it feels a bit long for four minutes.
  2. Q-Tip - Gettin' Up. Smooth modern-R&B flavored. Q-Tip does his thing, the chorus is hooky. I like it in the background.
  3. Neil Young - After The Gold Rush (live). This is from the awesome "Live Rust". I always prefer live Neil to studio Neil; his studio recordings just seem muddy and flat, by comparison.
  4. Tokyo Police Club - La Ferrassie. Starts off a-typically slow and pensive for a TPC song: minor key, atmospheric. A nice change. Transforms about halfway through into a standard TPC sound, but with chaotic, unintelligible vocals. An interesting experiment.
  5. Sea And Cake - Four Corners. Interesting structure here too. It's basically the same chord sequence all the way through this nearly-six-minute tune. Energy is high for the first few minutes, backs off when the vocals come in, then tapers to nothing for the last minute or so. It's on the first of what I consider their modern-era records: where they seemed to lose a lot of their spark. But this song has been growing on me for the past few years. And recent listens to the other modern-era records makes me think I maybe dismissed them too quickly. John McEntire, drummer here, was also the drummer for Gastr Del Sol (above). Bookend.

Now, you do it.

8 thoughts on “Start Your iPods

  1. The Modesto Kid

    Every time you open your mouth, all that comes out is lies. — Fashion, “Sodium Pentothal Negative” is the last song I was listening to before the shuffle started… (off IRS Greatest Hits)

    1. I haven’t listened to the studio version of “Balloon Man” in a long time, it sure is a mellow tune, almost to the point of blandness. Though there is lots that would be mellow by comparison to Fashion.

    2. Last time I saw Robyn Hitchcock, Ken Stringfellow was the opening act. Here he is playing “Dawn of the Dub of the Dawn” — it is a little spacey for my tastes. But probably good if I were in the mood. Mercifully short.

    3. Robyn Hitchcock again — now he is singing “Don’t kill the sweetness in your heart”, a demo from the Perspex Island sessions. Still mellow but a little more of an edge than “Balloon Man” — the ragged Hitchcock voice, the naked vulnerability. Blame it on your parents’ kid, don’t blame it on yourself.

    4. Los Shakers otoh are bright and poppy. “Picking up Troubles” is not as precisely similar to the early Beatles as are most of their songs, but there are definitely some recognizable riffs.

    5. Speaking of brightness and pop, Kimberley Rew is still walking on sunshine. Here he is singing “EC Blues” off of “Grand Central Revisited”. Do the bop. Rock around the soda shop. Yeah, yeah, yeah. This song makes me happy.

  2. Rob Caldecott

    Had a migraine today – get three or four a year. Couldn’t see properly so had to lie down for an hour. It’s the weirdest feeling and not one I like to repeat. The actual headache wasn’t as bad as I’ve had before but the visual disturbances were worse. Lucky I was working at home today as driving back from the office would of been a challenge. So I’m keeping it a little shorter today.

    Radiohead – Killer Cars
    Fan favourite, various versions exist, this is the ‘Mogadon’ version and is found on the ‘Just’ single (1995). Great song, even though it’s about crashing your car. Love to play this on the acoustic.

    The Kinks – Where Have All The Good Times Gone?
    Sounds like a Bob Dylan song. The recording I have is pretty shitty but it was 1965 so the production might have to take some of the blame. Pretty cool all the same.

    Tom Petty – Feel A Whole Lot Better
    Byrds cover found on 1989’s ‘Full Moon Fever’. Back when I got this album I had no idea it was a cover. He does a good job.

    David Bowie – Changes
    This is a live version from the simply spectacular ‘Bowie At The Beeb’ 3 CD set. It sounds like it was recorded yesterday, but it’s 39 years old. What a talent – he’s a bloody national treasure!

    Suffice To Say – Yachts
    This is from a collection I have called ‘1 2 3 4 Punk And New Wave 1976-1978’ and is bloody awful. If I never hear it again then I’ll die a little happier.

    I need an early night.

      1. The Modesto Kid

        That’s a super-straight cover. I’m listening to the original now, the two performances sound almost exactly the same. Petty is even imitating Clark’s voice. Solo is a little less jangly on the Petty track.

    1. cleek

      The Kinks – Where Have All The Good Times Gone?
      took me many years to learn that Van Halen didn’t write this.

      Couldn’t see properly so had to lie down for an hour.
      yipes!

  3. platosearwax

    Migraines suck. Feel better, Rob!

    1. Ian McCulloch – The Flickering Wall
    Nice little song from the singer of Echo & the Bunnymen. What this does is bring to mind how my aunt, who is totally lost in New Age land, was the one who introduced me to the Bunnymen. She went to London in the early 80’s and met some guy who gave her two records to take back with her. One from the Bunnymen and one from the Psychedelic Furs. She hated them so gave them to me. And I am forever a fan of both bands. So I would like to thank some London guy named Clive for that!

    2. Sinead O’Connor – I Want (Your Hands on Me)
    Really nice song from her first album. I was totally infatuated with her at that point, what with the bald head and that awesome voice. She got rather weird eventually and grew some hair which lessened her weirdness appeal. But that first album was terrific.

    3. The Psychedelic Furs – Sometimes
    And here are the Furs! This is not as good as their early stuff but still has that wall of sound they are known for and Butlers voice is just so awesome in its scratchiness and depth. I could listen to him sing just about anything.

    4. Foo Fighters – The Colour and the Shape
    Didn’t even know I had this one. From a single, the namesake of the album but not on that album. This is one of the Foo’s noisy, screamy ones, which I rather like. Reminds me of some of Nirvana’s early stuff, but different somehow. Pretty sure there will be a Foo record on my favorite albums list, just not sure which one at this point. They are all favorites!

    5. Wire – One of Us
    I LOVE this song. It just pushes all of my musical buttons. This song is just killer, and amazing that a band that has been around this long can still put out a song this stellar. Not only is the music great, with that great bass and jagged guitar and the sublime melody but you have the lyrics…”One of us will live to rue the day we met each other…” Fantastic turn of phrase. I could burn a CD with a dozen copies of this one song and name it one of my favorite albums.

    Speaking of favorite albums…still working on my list. Off to do that.

  4. JPK

    1. Bob Wills, “Corrine Corrina” You can never count this guy out. Band is always great and I love all his weird asides. http://youtu.be/iHQdFVUYiyU

    2. Yeah Yeah Yeahs, “Mystery Girl” From a 2002 CD-5 that’s also got “Bang,” “Art Star,” “Miles Away,” and “Our Time.” Karen O’s unmistakeable vocals and a whomping rhythm section. Not quite there yet, I think, but worthy enough. http://youtu.be/qD3mr1qAewo

    3. Dolly Parton, “Just Because I’m a Woman” Dolly Parton’s early, great ringing statement of ethos. It’s startling still. I can’t imagine what it sounded like in 1968. A real great one from a real great one. http://youtu.be/b723maOPOaU

    4. Bobby Charles, “Let Yourself Go” I don’t know a lot about Bobby Charles beyond what Wikipedia tells me (Louisiana native, pioneer of swamp pop, author of the Clarence “Frogman” Henry hit “(I Don’t Know Why) But I Do”) and what I know from his 1972 self-titled album, which is great. This is not the best thing from it, that’s probably “I Must Be in a Good Place Now,” but it’ll do. Not much on YouTube, but here’s his version of the hit he wrote for Bill Haley: http://youtu.be/BDiA7PeYMm8

    5. Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five, “You’re on the Right Track, Baby” As with Bob Wills, you can’t go wrong with this guy. But where Wills serves up the western swing, Jordan delivers the slick jump blues. Two different animals with similar DNA profiles. This one’s not on YouTube but here’s one that is: http://youtu.be/lM7NApOc6Sw

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