It's the most wonderful time of the week...
Crank up your music shuffler, let it play five songs, then describe them to us! Enlighten us!
- Judas Priest - Victim Of Changes ("live"). This is actually two songs glued together: a hard rocking one formerly called "Whiskey Woman" which precedes the slow-building, dreamy, "Victim Of Changes". And it's not really "live", as much of the album was redone in the studio after the initial live recording. But, it's my favorite JP song, and it's off my favorite JP album. The Smashing Pumpkins could have done a credible version of this in the mid-90s; it's got that Pumpkins feel.
Take another look around
You're not going anywhere
You realize you're getting old
And no-one seems to careYippee!
- Andrew Bird - Trimmed + Burning. Just Andrew and his violin, live. It's a ragged, dark thing, from his first "Fingerlings" disc (a series of releases that he uses for outtakes, experiments and such). His first "Band Of Fire" records were full of this old-timey fiddlin, but he doesn't do much of this stuff on record any more.
- Rogue Wave - Right With You. It's a poppy little song. Not exceptionally catchy, though it tries to be, with its big, bright chorus and simple sing-song verses. It does not grab me.
- Paul Simon - Saint Judy's Comet. This is a very mellow, very mid-70's tune. It's a lullaby to a little boy, and Simon's voice is barely louder than a whisper. And while the song is actually a little on the quick side, the playing is subdued and muted, so it all seems to breeze on past. I can't find a link to it... apparently Simon's one of those artists who hates YouTube.
- Marah - Barstool Boys. The Marah boys love them some down-on-your-luck ballads, and this is one of their better ones. Fairly short, right to the point. Most of the versions on YouTube are live with just guitar and piano, but this one is the studio version with banjo (? maybe a dobro), drums, bells, three or more guitars, backup vocals, etc.. Luckily, it manages to avoid sounding crowded. Nicely done!
OK, your turn!
King of Limbs!
… is one gnarly-looking oak tree !
:)
I drive through Savernake forest on my way to work. It’s about 14 miles from home.
I want to go to sleep and wake up on Saturday morning. The next 5 days are going to drag. Unlike other Radiohead albums, none of the material for this new one has been road-tested on tour.
That is a sweet version of Trimmed & Burning.
Monday’s have been kicking my ass lately.
1. Suicidal Tendencies – Institutionalized
I remember back in the day this was not considered “real” punk. This was like pop-punk or something. This was what the posers were listening to. Real punks listened to Dead Kennedy’s and Fear and MDC. I listened to both. Nowadays, this is a classic of the genre. I can still post to Facebook, “All I wanted was a Pepsi” and get a bunch of comments recalling this song.
2. Kraftwerk – The Robots
Listen to this thing! 1977! There is synth stuff from the 80’s, 90’s and today that aren’t as nice sounding. It’s funny to me that stuff that came out a decade later sounds almost primitive today and this just keeps on killing it. On mostly homemade equipment no less. Kraftwerk are just a seminal band and a couple of years ago I finally got to see them live. It was every bit one of those life moments. I was a breathless sixteen year old sitting in my basement bedroom with headphones on, amazed by what I was hearing.
3. Bill Nelson – The Real Adventure
Bill Nelson (not the senator!) is a renaissance man. He started off his career as the virtuoso guitarist of Be-Bop Deluxe but eventually created a huge solo catalogue of a vast array of different genre’s of music. this was from the early 80’s during his electro-pop phase, where he abandoned guitars. He is still creating music, mostly a sort of jazz/rock/electro kind of thing where he is really playing guitar again.
4. The National – Guest Room
I don’t even know for sure what you call the music The National plays. I guess it is just rock. All I know is they blow me away and I can’t totally pin down why. This song is a good example. It’s got a new wave-ish or Smashing Pumpkinesque busy drum beat (which I really like). His voice is part of it, it’s sort of like Nick Cave on Quaaludes. His lyrics, too, are personal. I like the chiming guitar as well. It’s the combination of it all I guess, and they just keep getting better and better. Some of the cuts on their latest are among the best things they’ve done. I hope they keep it up.
5. Madrugada – The Kids are on High Street
Norwegian band, but somewhat known around Europe. Probably totally unknown and unheard in the States, which is a real shame because listen to this song!!! It is one hell of a good rock song and his voice is just fabulous. I have a mancrush on his voice! I could listen to him sing all day long. At about the three minute mark in this video, when he starts singing after the solo, is when I usually get that hair on the back of the neck thing. really good band, whose guitarist died of an overdose so is no more. The singer, Sivert Høyem is still making solo records though, which is a good thing.
Also looking forward to the Radiohead release on Saturday!
speakin o’ Radiohead… nice version of National Anthem.
Kraftwerk – The Robots
that video is awesome :) !
I remember back in the day this was not considered “real” punk. This was like pop-punk or something.
totally.
Nowadays, this is a classic of the genre.
yup.