Welcome to 2013!

1. "Motorist"--Jawbox, For Your Own Special Sweetheart (1994):
Jawbox is one of my all-time favorite bands.  I saw them live multiple times in the 90s and love their music.  J. Robbins, the lead singer/guitarist, is now leading Office of Future Plans, who put out a great debut album in 2011 on Dischord Records.  I discovered Jawbox through Dischord and came on board with their second full-length album. This album is considered one of their better albums and was their first major label release.  This song was inspired by the novel Crash, by J.G. Ballard.  A great way to kick off 2013 and my return to the blog with SHUFFLE GOLD!!

2. "Predictable"--Avail, Satiate (1992):
My good friend Todd loved Avail and still loves them more than anyone I know. This song is off of their first album.  It is not a real raging song but solid for sure.  SHUFFLE GOODNESS.

3. "Stray Heart"--Green Day, Dos! (2012):
The second part of the most recent trilogy from Green Day, I am still in the process of digesting this album.  But, let's be honest, Green Day is not really breaking new ground.  They do their thing, and I dig it.  I am more history with their older stuff and think of their newer stuff, it will be awhile before they match what they did with American Idiot, but SHUFFLE GOODNESS for sure.

4. "Plumbline"--Archers of Loaf, Seconds Before the Accident (live) (2000):
All of Archers of Loaf's catalog was just re-mastered and re-released by Merge Records last year.  They were all packaged with bonus discs and are excellent.  The one exception is this album. This was their last release, a live album recorded in 1998 at Cat's Cradle in Chapel Hill, NC.  This song is one of my favorite Archers song, though this live version is a bit slower than the studio version. Either way, definitely SHUFFLE GOLD!!

5.  "Bodhisattva"--Steely Dan, A Decade of Steely Dan (1986):
Steely Dan was always a radio band for me that I knew but did not pay much attention to.  However, while in college, a friend of mine shared this album with me, a greatest hits collection that brought me a greater appreciation of the Dan.  I find this album to be great driving music.  I definitely do not get all of the musical intricacies of the Dan's nerd rock, but I dig it.  That being said, this song is not one of my favorites but is still absolutely SHUFFLE GOODNESS.