1. "Indigo Eyes"--Peter Murphy, Love Hysteria (1988):
I accidentally saw Peter Murphy on this tour. He opened for the Church on their Starfish tour. I had no idea who he was. There were tons of kids there with Bauhaus t-shirts on who were clearly there for him. I was still catching up on a lot of music that I missed when I was focused on 80s rock, so I got a quick lesson from a friend who was at the show with me. It's fair to say that Murphy blew the Church off the stage. To be honest, it was not a great pairing. Murphy has a strong stage presence. As good as the Church are, they did not bring the same energy. I became a fan of Murphy's solo work and got a little bit into Bauhaus. This song is easily the best on this album and is definitely SHUFFLE GOLD!!
2. "Lectric"--Film School, Hideout (2007):
I may have to create a new rating for "WTF is this?" The most common question about this blog is "how can you have music on your ipod that you don't like?" So, here is my chance to answer. I do select what I put on my ipod manually but tend to do so in broad strokes. I have always been more of an album person, so I tend to put whole albums on my ipod, which explains why there may be songs that I don't necessarily like on the ipod because they are by bands that I like. I also like to listen to new music in the car, so I put music on the ipod that I don't necessarily know and then may not ever pull it off. In a case like this one, I can only guess that this song was on a mix CD that I received from a friend as I don't know the band or the song. It is the only song that I have by this band and it is not doing much for me. I am certainly not ashamed or embarrassed to have this song, but don't see any reason to keep it on my ipod. MEH.
3. "Incense and Candies"--Prince, 3121 (2006):
I'm a huge Prince fan. I saw him live on the Lovesexy tour. He was incredible and was still a big deal at the time. This album is one of his more recent. I missed a lot of the albums in between. I have maybe listened to this album all the way through once. I suppose if I am going to forgive anyone for experimenting with auto-tune it would be Prince, but this song has too much of it. It's not a bad song, but the auto-tune ruins it for me. MEH.
4. "Harlem House"--Booker T. Jones, The Road from Memphis (2011):
I am sad to say I just learned about Booker T. Jones. Luckily my obsession with listening to Marc Maron's podcast, WTF, paid off. Maron recently interviewed Booker T., and I was amazed with how humble this extremely accomplished and influential musician is. If I try to list his credits here, I will do him a major disservice. I will just say start with Stax Records house band. Once I started listening to some of the Booker T. and the MGs' songs, I recognized them. This album is his recent collaboration with the Roots. He also just put out another album this passed year called Sound the Alarm that is on my list. Go listen to Booker T.'s music and get your hands on some of his interviews. He is amazing!! SHUFFLE GOLD!!
5. "Bewitched"--Luna, Bewitched (1994):
I am not a huge Luna fan but love this album. They should have been right in my wheelhouse, but since I was never a Galaxy 500 fan, I did not pick up on Luna either. However, a few years ago I read Dean Wareham's memoir. That book is the single best music memoir I have read. I am not sure why it struck such a chord with me, but Wareham is honest and self-effacing while still hanging onto his ego. Maybe I was more objective since I did not know the music, but I highly recommend the book. Since reading it, I have definitely grown to appreciate his music, though I would not count myself as a huge fan. SHUFFLE GOODNESS.
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Friday, January 17, 2014
Entering the Twitterverse! (Follow @blakeshuffblog)
1. "Achin To Be"--The Replacements, Don't Tell A Soul (1989):
I believe this was the second single off of this album and was a big hit in the dorm when it would come on "120 Minutes" in the t.v. lounge. The album took a lot of heat from old school Mats' fans but I like a lot of the songs on this one. While a bit more straight forward rock, I think Westerberg's songwriting is still solid here. To be fair, I was just getting on board with the Replacements at this point so at the time I was not comparing it to earlier stuff. I really love this song and it reminds me of a girl I had a crush on at one point. She was a bit like the woman described in the song. SHUFFLE GOLD!!
2. "Fat"--Archers of Loaf, Icky Mettle (1993):
You can't go wrong with this album, the band's studio debut. This one is on the short side, running just a little over a minute, but it brings the AOL sound. Originally on Alias Records, the album was reissued on Merge a couple of years ago. Great stuff start to finish and pure SHUFFLE GOLD!!
3. "Apache Rose Peacock"--Red Hot Chili Peppers, Blook Sugar Sex Magik (1991):
This album broke the RHCPs wide open with "Under the Bridge" in heavy rotation on radio stations and Mtv. Rick Rubin worked his magic, and the band has never looked back. At the time, I was a huge fan and enjoyed the new direction. As suggested in earlier posts, I feel like the band became a bit more formulaic from this point forward. I'm still a fan, and this song is definitely SHUFFLE GOODNESS.
4. "Backroads"--fIREHOSE, If'n (1987):
I got on board a bit late with fIREHOSE. I did not hear this album until much later. They were a great live band and carried on beautifully from where the Minutemen left off (Watch We Jam Econo if you have not!!). I saw the band live in 1992. I actually left an earth day festival concert in Dallas, missing the headlining Pearl Jam, in order to drive back to my college town for the fIREHOSE show. Even though the Dallas festival show is considered epic in Pearl Jam lore, I had already seen them before and had never seen fIREHOSE. For me, it was the right choice. A slower jam, but still SHUFFLE GOODNESS.
5. "The Nurse"--the White Stripes, Glastonbury 2005 [live] (2005):
I'm pretty sure I got this live recording from my brother in law. He is a huge fan of all things Jack White. Like many live recordings, this one is hit or miss. This song does not resonate with me in this recording. I dig their studio albums and would love to see him live at some point (I think I've missed the boat on the band) but this song would not necessarily be on my list. MEH.
I believe this was the second single off of this album and was a big hit in the dorm when it would come on "120 Minutes" in the t.v. lounge. The album took a lot of heat from old school Mats' fans but I like a lot of the songs on this one. While a bit more straight forward rock, I think Westerberg's songwriting is still solid here. To be fair, I was just getting on board with the Replacements at this point so at the time I was not comparing it to earlier stuff. I really love this song and it reminds me of a girl I had a crush on at one point. She was a bit like the woman described in the song. SHUFFLE GOLD!!
2. "Fat"--Archers of Loaf, Icky Mettle (1993):
You can't go wrong with this album, the band's studio debut. This one is on the short side, running just a little over a minute, but it brings the AOL sound. Originally on Alias Records, the album was reissued on Merge a couple of years ago. Great stuff start to finish and pure SHUFFLE GOLD!!
3. "Apache Rose Peacock"--Red Hot Chili Peppers, Blook Sugar Sex Magik (1991):
This album broke the RHCPs wide open with "Under the Bridge" in heavy rotation on radio stations and Mtv. Rick Rubin worked his magic, and the band has never looked back. At the time, I was a huge fan and enjoyed the new direction. As suggested in earlier posts, I feel like the band became a bit more formulaic from this point forward. I'm still a fan, and this song is definitely SHUFFLE GOODNESS.
4. "Backroads"--fIREHOSE, If'n (1987):
I got on board a bit late with fIREHOSE. I did not hear this album until much later. They were a great live band and carried on beautifully from where the Minutemen left off (Watch We Jam Econo if you have not!!). I saw the band live in 1992. I actually left an earth day festival concert in Dallas, missing the headlining Pearl Jam, in order to drive back to my college town for the fIREHOSE show. Even though the Dallas festival show is considered epic in Pearl Jam lore, I had already seen them before and had never seen fIREHOSE. For me, it was the right choice. A slower jam, but still SHUFFLE GOODNESS.
5. "The Nurse"--the White Stripes, Glastonbury 2005 [live] (2005):
I'm pretty sure I got this live recording from my brother in law. He is a huge fan of all things Jack White. Like many live recordings, this one is hit or miss. This song does not resonate with me in this recording. I dig their studio albums and would love to see him live at some point (I think I've missed the boat on the band) but this song would not necessarily be on my list. MEH.
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Shuffling into 2014
1. "Some Small History"--Portastatic, Some Small History [Disc 2] (2008):
Portastatic is Mac McCaughan's side project when he is not fronting Superchunk or helping run Merge Records. This 2-disc compilation contains the b-sides and rare tunes that did not make any of the studio albums from 1990-2007. This song is the title track of the compilation and a solid Mac tune. Portastatic is definitely a bit broader in range than Superchunk. Though Mac's voice is distinctive, Portastatic songs are clearly not Superchunk songs. SHUFFLE GOODNESS.
2. "Last Ride In"--Green Day, Nimrod (1996):
I am definitely a Green Day fan going back to their album Kerplunk! and seeing them live in small venues with just a few hundred people. Of all the bands that I saw in small clubs, they rose to the greatest heights. I don't know this album as well and this instrumental tune doesn't do much for me. Green Day has potential for real gold but this one is just a MEH.
3. "Milk and Honey"--Wye Oak, The Knot (2009):
Wye Oak is a two-piece band on Merge Records. This song has appeared on some Merge samplers. Jenn Wasner's voice has an amazing quality. They have a big sound for two people. This song is a bit slow and not a favorite. I would highly recommend checking out their more recent album Civilian. SHUFFLE GOODNESS.
4. "Skinny Sweaty Man"--Red Hot Chili Peppers, Uplift Party Plan (1987):
Here is another band that I got to see in some smaller venues before they blew up. If you only know the Red Hot Chili Peppers from their radio hits, you need to go back in their catalog. This album was the last for Hillel Slovak, the original guitarist. Unfortunately, he died of a heroin overdose on this tour. They were definitely less polished and more juvenile, but this record is excellent. It may be my bias, but their songs seemed more distinct on their earlier records. I think they have become formulaic but am still a fan. SHUFFLE GOLD!!
5. "California Roll"--Times New Viking, Dancer Equired! (2011):
Described as lo-fi and sometimes as "noise rock," this album on Merge Records has been the band's most accessible. I think it was one of the most under-rated albums of 2011 as it is solid from start to finish. SHUFFLE GOODNESS.
Portastatic is Mac McCaughan's side project when he is not fronting Superchunk or helping run Merge Records. This 2-disc compilation contains the b-sides and rare tunes that did not make any of the studio albums from 1990-2007. This song is the title track of the compilation and a solid Mac tune. Portastatic is definitely a bit broader in range than Superchunk. Though Mac's voice is distinctive, Portastatic songs are clearly not Superchunk songs. SHUFFLE GOODNESS.
2. "Last Ride In"--Green Day, Nimrod (1996):
I am definitely a Green Day fan going back to their album Kerplunk! and seeing them live in small venues with just a few hundred people. Of all the bands that I saw in small clubs, they rose to the greatest heights. I don't know this album as well and this instrumental tune doesn't do much for me. Green Day has potential for real gold but this one is just a MEH.
3. "Milk and Honey"--Wye Oak, The Knot (2009):
Wye Oak is a two-piece band on Merge Records. This song has appeared on some Merge samplers. Jenn Wasner's voice has an amazing quality. They have a big sound for two people. This song is a bit slow and not a favorite. I would highly recommend checking out their more recent album Civilian. SHUFFLE GOODNESS.
4. "Skinny Sweaty Man"--Red Hot Chili Peppers, Uplift Party Plan (1987):
Here is another band that I got to see in some smaller venues before they blew up. If you only know the Red Hot Chili Peppers from their radio hits, you need to go back in their catalog. This album was the last for Hillel Slovak, the original guitarist. Unfortunately, he died of a heroin overdose on this tour. They were definitely less polished and more juvenile, but this record is excellent. It may be my bias, but their songs seemed more distinct on their earlier records. I think they have become formulaic but am still a fan. SHUFFLE GOLD!!
5. "California Roll"--Times New Viking, Dancer Equired! (2011):
Described as lo-fi and sometimes as "noise rock," this album on Merge Records has been the band's most accessible. I think it was one of the most under-rated albums of 2011 as it is solid from start to finish. SHUFFLE GOODNESS.
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