Week of March 19, 2012

1. "The Words"--Lungfish, Necrophones:

Lungfish is a Dischord Records staple. They were very prolific and were great live. The best quote about Lungfish is in the booklet from the Dischord 20-year box set: "Critics have complained that Lungfish seem to only play one song over and over, but those in the know say this: 'yeah, but what an incredible song!'" NO SHAME.

2. "Glueman"--Fugazi, Live Series, Volume 7, Ft. Lauderdale, FL:

The perfect follow up to Lungfish is always Fugazi. Another from the live series. "Glueman" is, without question, SHUFFLE GOLD!!

3. "Fix Up, Look Sharp"--Dizzee Rascal, Matador at 21 [Disc 4]:

I love my box sets, but that means I often get stuff on the ipod that is a complete mystery. Wikipedia tells me this is an English rapper. He is blending lots of different styles here, including a pretty sweet sample of Billy Squier, which I can definitely get on board with. However, the song is mostly annoying. MILD SHAME.

4. "Mod Lang"--Big Star, Live:

I got into Big Star because of the Replacements' song "Alex Chilton." I bought this album since it served as a sort of greatest hits. I like almost all of the songs. When "That 70s Show" became a big deal and were using a Big Star song for the opening credits, I felt pretty cool that I already had some Big Star in the catalog. NO SHAME.

5. "If I Can't Change Your Mind (Solo Mix)"--Sugar, Besides:

A great way to end the shuffle this week. Besides is Sugar's b-sides and previously unreleased album. This solo mix would be familiar to anyone who has ever seen Bob live when he is doing a solo set. This song is originally off of Copper Blue and, like most songs on that album, is SHUFFLE GOLD!!

Week of March 12, 2012

1. "Hailee's Song"--Eminem, The Eminem Show:
I like some Eminem songs but do not listen to his whole albums. I tend to like the "hits," as it were, and confess that I like the movie 8 Mile. However, I have never heard this song before and would typically skip this song in a shuffle. Not sure why I have this full album on my shuffle. MILD SHAME.

2. "Spy of Love"--INXS, Shabooh Shoobah:
INXS was about as "alternative" as I got in high school. I was a hard rock dude and really thought I was exploring some 80s new wave when I cranked the INXS. This album was popular when I was in high school. Some of my classmates had a cover band that played the school dances and always covered "Don't Change." This song is a deep cut on the album and is good. NO SHAME.

3. "It's on the Rocks"--The Donnas, Spend the Night:
The Donnas are an all girl band, following the trail of the Runaways and ripping off AC/DC riffs (in a good way). Making the rock their own and carrying off all the sexual innuendo, they are a great party band. However, you just need one Donnas album. The songs all run together a bit. NO SHAME.

4. "I Miss the Girl"--Soul Coughing, El Oso:
As stated in previous posts, I have come to appreciate Mike Doughty's more recent solo work more than the Soul Coughing. There are a few Soul Coughing songs that stick, but this is not one of them. MEH.

5. "Kracked"--Dinosaur Jr., You're Living All Over Me:
Old school Dinosaur saving this shuffle on the last song! You're Living All Over Me is definitely on my top 1o album list. The greatest thing about Lou Barlow returning to the band is that they played a lot of these songs when I saw them live a few years ago. Anything off of this album is automatic SHUFFLE GOLD!!

Week of March 5, 2012

1. "Hot Hot Hot"--The Cure, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me:
In high school, I was NOT a fan of the Cure. It was too soft and too weird. My freshman year in college I started opening up to different music, and this album was one of my gateways. It had just come out, and "Just Like Heaven" was all over the place. I could not resist that song and bought the cassette. I remember laying on my bed in my dorm and reading the lyrics while listening from start to finish. Even though this song was one of the singles off of the album that received some radio play, it was not one of my favorites. But any song off of this album definitely takes me back to that beginning. NO SHAME.

2. "Sight, Flight"--Wye Oak, The Knot:
Wye Oak has been on my radar for a few years since they are on Merge Records, a label that I follow religiously. However, I did not lock into this duo from Baltimore until last year's album Civilian. The Knot is the previous album and their sophomore release from 2009. I just bought it recently and have only given it a few listens. This song is one of the more familiar, so it must have gotten my attention. Good stuff that will get more listens. NO SHAME.

3. "Free to Go"--Dwight Yoakam, Tomorrow's Sounds Today:
I associate Dwight Yoakam with the last of the old-style country singers. I have a decent amount of his music but don't listen to it very often. I don't know this song or album very well. The next road trip to Texas may require some more Yoakam on heavy rotation. NO SHAME.

4. "Heart Attack Man"--The Beastie Boys, Ill Communication:
Old School hardcore from the Beasties getting back to their roots. SHUFFLE GOLD!!

SKIP: I have GOT to get this Cal Ripken, Jr. book on tape off of my ipod!

5. "Zak and Sara"--Ben Folds, Ben Folds Live:
One of my top 5 favorite Ben Folds songs. Great Folds storytelling and great live version. SHUFFLE GOLD!!

Week of February 27, 2012

1. "Eye-5"--Jawbreaker, Unfun:
I was a big Jawbreaker fan. I came on board around the release of Bivouac, which followed this particular album. I like listening to Jawbreaker but don't remember the names of their songs. This is a solid song. I saw them a few times live, and they were great. I have not been as big a fan of Schwartzenbach's other ventures, like Jets to Brazil, though it is fine. Good stuff, but this song is not necessarily gold. NO SHAME.

2. "Whatever"--Ani Difranco, Living In Clip (Live):
I have seen Ani Difranco live 3 times. She is a great performer, and this album captures her at her best. It is two-discs of her best music. If buying just one Ani Difranco album this would be my recommendation. She is extremely prolific. I prefer the earlier releases. That being said, this song is nothing special; it is more of an instrumental (with some moaning/groaning instead of lyrics for filler). NO SHAME.

3. "Invisible"--Modest Mouse, We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank:
This was the last full-length album from Modest Mouse and was notable because former Smith's guitarist Johnny Marr was a member of the band. This is a good track, though one of the deeper cuts. I'm not sure how having Johnny Marr in the band impacted their sound, but the album holds together pretty well. As far as I know, he has moved on to other things. NO SHAME.

4. "Make Some Noise"--Beastie Boys, Hot Sauce Committee Part Two:
This song is the opening track and first single off of the latest Beastie Boys album. It just came out last year and has been in heavy rotation for me. If you did not see it when it came out, the video for this song is a must-see. The full mini-film version is amazing. From Paul's Boutique to present, I have been a huge Beastie Boys fan. I've only seen them live once and have a scar above my eye to prove it. SHUFFLE GOLD!!

5. "You Could Be Happy"--Snow Patrol, Eyes Open:
Another song from this album came up before. This song is decent but kind of blends into the background without much bite. It sounds like a song for a commercial or "Gray's Anatomy" (see previous post). MEH.

Week of February 20, 2012

1. "Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights go out on Broadway)"--Billy Joel, Songs in the Attic:
First ever repeat! Check it out here.

2. "The Angels' Share"--Ted Leo and The Pharmacists, Shake the Sheets:
Awesome! One of my favorite Ted Leo songs off of my favorite Ted Leo album. This album was recommended by a friend from Peace Corps. After returning stateside, we were sharing music finds with each other, and Ted Leo was the best to come out of that exchange. I have been a huge fan ever since and own most of his catalog at this point. I generally dig his politics as well. I saw him live once, and he was solid. Without a doubt, SHUFFLE GOLD!!

3. "Shut the Door"--Fugazi, Repeater + 3 Songs:
While the other Fugazi songs that have come up on the blog to this point have been good, this song is a bit more representative of my love for the band. I actually borrowed Repeater from my friend Deb when it first came out and gave it a listen. I suppose I wasn't ready for it. I didn't dislike it, but it did not stick at the time. About 2 years later, after the release of Steady Diet of Nothing, I sought out the rest of the Fugazi catalog. A great song, a great album, and definitely SHUFFLE GOLD!!

4. "Katatonic"--Los Dynamite, Greatest Hits:
My friend Rogelio turned me on to Los Dynamite. They have a full-on 80s vibe going on, ala Franz Ferdinand. In particular, the bass lines are awesome. They are from Mexico City and are solid. NO SHAME.

5. "I Wanna Know Girls"--Portastatic, Some Small History:
Portastatic is Mac McCaughan's solo project when he is not the front man for Superchunk. I'm a huge fan of Mac's songwriting and dig most of the Portastatic. This song is off of the album Bright Ideas, but is an acoustic version on this b-side and unreleased 2-disc compilation. It is one of my favorite Portastatic songs and served me well while waiting for a new Superchunk album. SHUFFLE GOLD!!

Week of February 13, 2012

1. "Looking For A Way Out"--Uncle Tupelo, Still Feel Gone:
As mentioned before, I liked some Uncle Tupelo. I was never a huge fan. This song is clearly one of Jay Farrar's songs. Even though I have become a fan of Wilco, I always preferred Farrar's voice and songs to Tweedy's. NO SHAME.

2. "2000 Light Years Away"--Green Day, Foot in Mouth (live):
One of the first songs that I heard by Green Day. I love the early stuff and became a fan of theirs before they hit it big. I saw them multiple times in clubs. They were awesome live, and this album captures it pretty well. I am still a fan. A great song, the opener of Kerplunk, and definitely SHUFFLE GOLD!!

3. "Wasteland"--Artificial Peace, 20 Years of Dischord (Disc 1):
I love box sets, and this box set celebrated Dischord Record's 20th birthday. I have no particular memory of this song. It sounds like pretty standard D.C. hardcore. I've read about Artificial Peace but only know their music from compilations like these. MEH.

4. "Sameday"--J. Mascis & The Fog, More Light:
J. Mascis & The Fog was the Mascis vehicle between essentially being Dinosaur Jr. with hired help and reforming the original band with Murph and Lou Barlow. I believe there are a couple of Fog albums, but I only own this one. This album came out while I was overseas, so I was not aware of this venture until he was about done with it. It is pretty standard Mascis fare. I like it, but it is not Dinosaur. NO SHAME.

5. "Boston"--Vampire Weekend, Vampire Weekend:
I have listened to this album a handful of times. It is hit or miss for me. They kind of have a minimalist ska thing going--kind of ska without any real edge to it. They work in some strings on this song, and he does some pretty singing. I find that I keep coming back for more listens, but can't fully decide if I am a fan. Until I can figure it out, NO SHAME.

Week of February 6, 2012

1. "Best of Both Worlds"--Van Halen, Live Right Here Right Now:
Unbelievable! The week that the first studio album from Van Halen in 14 years is coming out, and we get some VFH. Of course, this is one of the better songs off of the first album featuring Sammy Hagar on vocals. As I've said in the past, I'm not too big into the singer debate, though Cherone was definitely a disaster. I'm excited but realistic about the new album. The old stuff is too deeply imbedded to be overshadowed by this new album. Needless to say, especially this week, this here is SHUFFLE GOLD!!

2. "Fight Like a Brave"--Red Hot Chili Peppers, Uplift Mofo Party Plan:
FINALLY! A solid RHCPs song shows up on the shuffle. This was the first album that I listened to by the RHCPs. A friend put a different song from this album on a mix tape for me, and I was hooked by this album. By the time I came on board, Hillel Slovak had died, and they were releasing Mother's Milk. I saw them live multiple times over the next 3 years. These are the RHCPs that I love and miss. SHUFFLE GOLD!!

SKIP: An "intro" to a Fugazi live album. Just a couple of people introducing the band.

3. "Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights go out on Broadway)"--Billy Joel, Songs in the Attic:
This is the opening song on Billy Joel's first live album. Not sure that I have listened to this all the way through. Based on this opener, I need to. Great sound and solid representation of Joel live. NO SHAME.

4. "Arlandria"--FooFighers, Wasting Light:
This song is one of the strongest on the most recent Foo Fighters albums. This album has been in heavy rotation for me for the better part of the last year--it was released last April. I'm definitely a fan of the Foo Fighters. They are a consistent, solid rock band. I think it is fair to say that Grohl is not known as merely the former drummer of Nirvana. He has made his own name and, in my opinion, surpassed Cobain in many respects. NO SHAME.

5. "The Days of Wine and Roses"--Oranj Symphonette, Plays Mancini:
This song is just under a minute and does very little for me. However, the story behind this band holds a special memory. My wife and I honeymooned in San Francisco. We sought out some live music and found this band. They played all Mancini covers. The band's claim to fame is that they were Tom Waits's band at one point. Dave Brubek's son, Matt, was the bassist/cellist, and Joe Gore, who also played guitar for P.J. Harvey, were two of the bigger names in the band. They were great live, and we bought this CD as a souvenir. NO SHAME.