R.E.M. — Christmas in Athens (again)

edit: For any of you keeping score, this post may seem quite familiar. Due to some anonymous persistence, I've decided to re-post the files and spread a little Christmas cheer. The version I have of "Christmas Time is Here, Again" from the 2000 Holiday Package is truncated, so if any faithful readers has this song, I'd be much obliged to replace my copy of this song.

---

I was a member of the R.E.M. fan club for many, many years. Somewhere along the way I let my membership slide and I keep forgetting to renew my status before the Holiday Fan Club packages are sent out. This year, once again, I lived up to my potential and forgot to re-up in time for the annual Christmas package.

But that doesn't mean I don't have a slew of Christmas-themed R.E.M. goodies from yesteryear's packages. Pipe these babies into your ears and drown out that holiday muzak that the malls push on you. You know better than to listen to that pap.

Without further ado:

+ R.E.M. — Ghost Reindeer In The Sky (1990)
+ R.E.M. — Parade Of Wooden Soldiers (1988)
+ R.E.M. — Toyland (1992)
+ R.E.M. — Christmas In Tunisia (1994)
+ R.E.M. — Good King Wenceslas (1989)
+ R.E.M. — Christmas Griping (1991)
+ R.E.M. — Christmas Time Is Here (1993)
+ R.E.M. — Silver Bells (1993)
+ R.E.M. — Jesus Christ (2002, Big Star Cover)
+ R.E.M. — Christmas Time Is Here Again * (2000, originally a Beatles Fan-Club Only single)
+ R.E.M. — Deck The Halls (from a 1988 Warner Promotional CD)

* If anyone has a complete version of this song, please let me know.
This one seems to be truncated, and there's no need in spreading a lousy file around.

Merry Christmas!

Reason No. 194 to Love NPR

Glitter And Doom: Tom Waits In Concert
Hear A Stunning Performance, Recorded At Atlanta's Fox Theater
By Robin Hilton

NPR.org, July 28, 2008 - A trip through the world of Tom Waits can be disorienting. His ramshackle story-songs, with their creaky instrumentation and dusty poetry, usually leave listeners with more questions than answers, and his persona outside of his music revolves around a playful but guarded mix of fiction and reality.

[continue reading from NPR.org]

The concert will be available at 12 a.m. ET.

Listening to Otis Redding at Home During Christmas

Driving home for Christmas was a welcome slow-paced drive this year. Just me in the VW, with the Christmas songs of Sufjan from the iPod filling my car. After I made my way through that playlist, I gravitated to listening to the soothing strains of Otis Redding. I don't know, there was a warm comfort in listening to those soulful songs that resonated with me on this year's drive home.

There's a song by Okkervil River called "Listening to Otis Redding at Home During Christmas" that prompted me to dial in Otis. I can certainly identify with the sentiment of that song, where the singer finds himself back home, in his old hometown, at Christmas time. Some of the same feelings he was singing about were washing over me. As I neared my parent's house, I found myself going slower and slower, wanting to finish the song. I even drove around the block once, creeping along (a fact that might have caused an overzealous neighbor to think something was amiss) only to allow the song a chance to play all the way through.

It's funny, the houses in my neighborhood all seem so small now. The hills I recklessly piloted my bicycle down seem so insignificant now that I'm older. All the old neighborhood kids are gone--scattered like proverbial seeds cast upon the wind. The only real visible change to the landscape are the trees. Those that have remained have been allowed to tower, while other neighbors have chosen to clear-cut huge swaths of land, creating a very different skyline than that of my youth.

So yeah... home at Christmas. There's nothing like it. At least Otis doesn't change, eh?
Incidentally, Otis died 40 years ago this month, 10-Dec-1967 when the plane he was traveling in crashed into the icy waters of Lake Monona in Madison, Wisconsin.

Merry Christmas to all my faithful readers. Let me hear from you in the comments... it gets lonesome sometimes in the blogosphere.

+ Okkervil River — Listening to Otis Redding at Home During Christmas

+ Otis Redding — These Arms of Mine
+ Otis Redding — Try a Little Tenderness
+ Otis Redding — My Lover's Prayer
+ Otis Redding — That's How Strong My Love Is
+ Otis Redding — Security

Fill in the Blank Playlist

Alice — Tom Waits
Alison — Pixies (Live)
Go Amanda — Steve Earle
Amy 88 — The V-Roys
Angelita — The Backsliders
Bob Dylan's 49th Beard — Wilco
Carrie Brown — Steve Earle and The Del McCoury Band
Casey Jones — Grateful Dead
Cecilia Ann — Pixies
Claire — Morphine
Clementine — The Decemberists
D. Boon — Uncle Tupelo
Danny Says — Ramones
Daria — Cake
Elaine — 6 String Drag (includes my favorite local musician: Kenny Roby)
Eleanor Put Your Boots On — Franz Ferdinand
Eleanor Rigby — The Beatles
Emma — Richard Buckner
Evangeline — The Band (w. Emmylou Harris)
Henrietta — The Fratellis
Ingrid Bergman — Billy Bragg
Goodnight Irene — Tom Waits
Hey, Jack Kerouac — 10,000 Maniacs
Jack & Tina — Morphine
Jackie, Dressed in Cobras — The New Pornographers
Jane — Golden Smog
Sweet Jane — Cowboy Junkies
Janine — Soul Coughing (best song in the world feat. an answering machine)
Jesse James — Bruce Springsteen w/ the Sessions Band
Joey — Bob Dylan
John Walker's Blues — Steve Earle
John Wayne Gacy, Jr. — Sufjan Stevens
John Wesley Harding — Bob Dylan
Jolene — The White Stripes
Karen — The National
Karoline — Neko Case
What's the Frequency, Kenneth? — R.E.M.
Lisa — Morphine
Leslie Anne Levine — The Decemberists
Lloyd, I'm Ready to Be Heartbroken — Camera Obscura
Lola — The Kinks
Loretta — Neko Case
Lucinda — Tom Waits
Madaline — Catfish Haven
Madame George — Van Morrison
Mary — The V-Roys
Melissa — Hayseed
Michelle — The Beatles
Ophelia — The Band
Ruby's Arms — Tom Waits
Samson — Regina Spektor
Sheila — Morphine
Sheila, Take A Bow — The Smiths
A Boy Named Sue — Johnny Cash
Suzie Blue — Ben Harper
Sylvia Plath — Ryan Adams
Tom Ames' Prayer — Steve Earle
William, It Was Really Nothing — The Smiths
Willie — Cat Power
Oh Yoko — John Lennon
Yuri-G — PJ Harvey

Fiery Furnaces on KCRW

Just a shade over a month ago, The Fiery Furnaces recorded a set with Nic Harcourt of the excellent "Morning Becomes Eclectic" on KCRW, in Santa Monica, CA. I missed the actual broadcast, but thanks to the wonders of bit torrent, I was able to hear this broadcast in its entirety.

01. Intro
02. Duplexes of the Dead
03. Automatic Husband
04. Ex-Guru
05. My Egyptian Grammar
06. Japanese Slippers
07. Widow City
08. Interview
09. Navy Nurse
10. The Philadelphia Grand Jury
11. Clear Signal From Cairo
12. Outro

It's clear that Matt and Eleanor have a great time making music together. If you download just one of these tracks, choose wisely: Navy Nurse will rock your freakin' socks off. I know— I'm sitting here at my desk, typing in my bare feet.

Special thanks to Priscilla, who turned me on to The Fiery Furnaces. It's been a wild nonsensical trip, but I love it.

If you're lucky enough to have an account on DIME, here's the link.
[Widow City @ Amazon]

R.E.M. — Christmas in Athens

I was a member of the R.E.M. fan club for many, many years. Somewhere along the way I let my membership slide and I keep forgetting to renew my status before the Holiday Fan Club packages are sent out. This year, once again, I lived up to my potential and forgot to re-up in time for the annual Christmas package.

But that doesn't mean I don't have a slew of Christmas-themed R.E.M. goodies from yesteryear's packages. Pipe these babies into your ears and drown out that holiday muzak that the malls push on you. You know better than to listen to that pap.

Without further ado:

+ R.E.M. — Ghost Reindeer In The Sky (1990)
+ R.E.M. — Parade Of Wooden Soldiers (1988)
+ R.E.M. — Toyland (1992)
+ R.E.M. — Christmas In Tunisia (1994)
+ R.E.M. — Good King Wenceslas (1989)
+ R.E.M. — Christmas Griping (1991)
+ R.E.M. — Christmas Time Is Here (1993)
+ R.E.M. — Silver Bells (1993)
+ R.E.M. — Jesus Christ (2002, Big Star Cover)
+ R.E.M. — Christmas Time Is Here Again * (2000, originally a Beatles Fan-Club Only single)
+ R.E.M. — Deck The Halls (from a 1988 Warner Promotional CD)

* If anyone has a complete version of this song, please let me know.
This one seems to be truncated.

"Little Friday" Mix — It's Instrumental

01. Sinthtro — The Dears
02. Junior Kickstart — The Go! Team
03. Blake Carrington — Shark Quest
04. The Birth and Death of the Day — Explosions in the Sky
05. The Observer — The Flaming Lips
06. Race Out — Battles
07. Dub Latina — Calexico
08. Oscillate Wildly — The Smiths
09. I Heard You Looking — Yo La Tengo

Thumbing towards destiny

An on-line acquaintance of mine (a fellow Straydog, as it were) is thumbing his way across these great United States. His journey actually began in our great white neighbor to the North, and at present, he's somewhere in Ann Arbor, MI.

He's not homeless, but he's taken on a bohemian existence, and traveling on the über-cheap. In his blog, he's mentioned a metaphorical casting off of the comfy existence and that he has embarked on this adventure because he's "finished with the trappings of the material world for some time."

His name is Shawn, and I gotta say, I have nothing but admiration for him. He's out there, living a dream. On the threshold of adventure and perhaps misadventure. Some might say that he's running away from someone or something, but I'm more of the opinion that he's running toward something entirely new. Be that as it may, Shawn is out there, some where. His ongoing odyssey is being chronicled every day or so... whenever he has access to the local public library.

If you see him thumbing, be kind, and pick him up. And Shawn, you're more than welcome to three hots and a flop if you make it to my neck of North Carolina.

+ Tom Waits — Straydog
+ Tom Waits — Walk Away
+ Tom Waits — Bottom of the World
+ Tom Waits — Jack & Neal (California, Here I Come)

[Shawn's blog: Windswept Thumb]
[buy Tom Waits: Orphans]

"Table Top Joe"

If you could spend an evening with one character from a Tom Waits song, which character would you choose and why?

As for myself, I would choose to spend an evening with none other than Table Top Joe. We'd go to one of those fancy pants martini-piano-bar-type places, where I would get him pretty nigh drunk on G & T's. It wouldn't take much... then I'd grease the hired piano player to take an extended break, and then "TJ" (my own pet nickname for him) and I would play the piano together. I would stick to the bass end, and of course, cover the pedals.

If you could spend an evening with a fictional character from a song, who would you choose, and why?

---

+ Tom Waits — Table Top Joe.mp3

Scout Niblett

Instant sonic comparisons to Cat Power aside, I'm really anxious to discover more from Scout Niblett.

here's a sweet duet courtesy of her website:

+ Scout Niblett — Kiss

"Little Friday" Mix — 'Scuse Me, Mister

01. The Life & Death of Mr. Badmouth — PJ Harvey
02. Mr. November — The National
03. Mr. Ambulance Driver — The Flaming Lips
04. Frankly, Mr. Shankly — The Smiths
05. Me & Mr. Jones — Amy Winehouse
06. Mr. Tough — Yo La Tengo
07. Mr. Grieves — Pixies
08. Hey Mister — Suzanna Choffel
09. Mr. Henry — Tom Waits
10. Mr. Columbus — Grace Potter & The Nocturnals *


* Happy Columbus Day! Monday, 08-OCT-2007

"I feel as though...

... we should move right into the religious material."
—Tom Waits, preface to "Way Down in the Hole" from Big Time.

Waits has a religious streak in him a mile wide, and has shown it for many years. I don't know if it was the influence of marrying Kathleen Brennan, or if he was raised in church. None of that matters, really, and is none of my business. I love the body of work they both have created* and have especially paid attention to those off-kilter hymns, if you will, that have peppered his back catalog and especially his current release Orphans.

Much like a fire-n-brimstone preacher of yore, Tom has buried nuggets of eschatology in songs such as "Jesus Gonna Be Here" and "Earth Died Screaming." Other songs such as "Take Care of All of My Children" give voice to a departing believer, who pointedly asks the LORD to take care of those they are leaving behind at the moment of death.

I recently came across an article written by a pastor who happens to share my appreciation for Tom Wait's Biblical bent, and it's definitely worth reading.

Stay tuned for some mp3 goodies to come. (I'm lunch-hour-bloggin'.)

+ Tom Waits — Way Down in the Hole [Live]
+ Tom Waits — Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet

Artwork by Trevor Grove

* most, if not all of his work since marrying Kathleen credits her as co-writer in the liner notes.

John Vanderslice | Bishop Allen Redux

John Vanderslice
Duke Coffeehouse Durham, NC
21-SEP-2007

It's hard to follow up such a bolus of music that ACL provides all at once. It's like eating a Thanksgiving dinner, three days in a row, and then going out for a snack a little while later. Be that as it may, the much-blogged and much-loved artist known as John Vanderslice was coming to Durham and I was bound and determined I wasn't going to miss him. I was literally shocked when I found out that he was playing at Duke Coffeehouse, a student-run venture that serves no alcohol, and will allow maybe 200 people inside, only if they don't breathe or move around so much. The number is probably closer to 175 or less. So yeah, I was not going to pass up the opportunity to see an artist of such big renown in a small intimate venue.

Bishop Allen opened up the night with a really great set. Drawing most recently from their stellar release The Broken String they really got the crowd's blood flowing with songs such as "Click, Click, Click, Click", "Flight 180" and "Rain". The touring version of the band I saw was a sausage party. Much to my dismay, this cutie did not come with the piano. But no matter, these boys rocked, and put on a very energetic set to prime our ears for JV.

John Vanderslice opened with my favorite song from the new record: "Kookaburra". I have grown to really embrace this song and all its metaphors for that fateful day in September, 2001. You know the one. Vanderslice has captured an emotional time-capsule from those events in the envelope of not one, but two albums. Other songs that speak openly of these events "Exodus Damage" and "Trance Manual" were also in tonight's set.

The aforementioned "Exodus Damage" is just as powerful today as it was two years ago. Consider the lyrics:

So you hope that one person
Could solve everything
And for me, that's you
Sometimes that dream
Is a sad delusion
But sometimes it's true

There's loads of truth in its simplicity.
Hear for yourself: John Vanderslice — Exodus Damage.mp3

At the close of the show, JV with acoustic guitar in hand, along with entire band, left the stage and brought the music to center of the audience. He himself stood on a coffee table next to me, and I couldn't resist firing off a couple of shots with the digicam. He's an intense performer, as illustrated here.

After the show, he was available to chat at the merch table and was amiably greeting fans and signing records. It was an intimate venue, and an intimate show, which I greatly appreciated after coming off of ACL. It had a house-concert feel to it, and I was very glad to be there. I only hope John Vanderslice makes his way back in town sooner than later.

For more 'Slice:
check out the video performance of "Kookaburra" courtesy of JV and Stereogum.

on Amazon:

[John Vanderslice – Pixel Revolt, 2005]
[John Vanderslice – Emerald City, 2007]

ACL Day Three - The Poet Laureate of Rock and Roll

Austin TX, Austin City Limits Music Festival
Day Three, 16-SEP-2007

There was a sea of people in motion crowding around the AT&T stage nearing the close of ACL 2007. Having just left the Wilco set, I considered my hunger for a moment, and realized it would be a shame if I left Austin without having a BBQ sandwich from Stubb's. After satisfying my hunger, I tried making my way close, but it was painfully evident I would be nowhere near the stage, and the screens would likely be the size of postage stamps, but I was there, I was going to hear Dylan, and that was good enough for me. I opted instead to hang back, and enjoy the show from afar, and in doing so, preserve some semblance of personal space around me.

photo by: Jay Jenner, Austin American-Statesman

I could barely make out that Dylan was playing guitar, but there was no mistaking that it was him in the center of the stage, playing his Fender Strat at least at the beginning of the show. Dylan's re-working of essentially his entire catalog is well-documented. Anyone who has ever seen him live in recent years can attest that oftentimes his songs are unidentifiable until he begins to sing. Tonight was no different.

Dylan's set included a pair of songs from my all-time favorite: Blood on the Tracks. Rumour has it that Bob played "Buckets of Rain" at the pre-show set the night before at Stubb's BBQ. Highlights for me included "Summer Days" during which I watched a couple of older couples swing dance on the lawn very playfully. I rather enjoyed seeing that spark of spontaneity. "Ballad of a Thin Man", "Things Have Changed" and the closer "I Shall Be Released" were other high points for my ears.

For those who were unable to attend the show, or want to relive the concert experience, I offer the show to you. The mp3's are encoded at the highest bit rate possible. The only thing I ask is, don't circulate burned copies for trade— such copies pollute the gene pool when it comes to trading shows. If you are torrent-savvy then look for it at the Trader's Den. That said, Enjoy!


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Bob Dylan
16-SEP-2007 Austin City Limits Music Festival

01. Intro
02. Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
03. It Ain't Me Babe
04. Watching The River Flow
05. Spirit On The Water
06. The Levee's Gonna Break
07. Tangled Up In Blue
08. Things Have Changed
09. Workingman's Blues #2
10. Highway 61 Revisited
11. Nettie Moore
12. Summer Days
13. Ballad Of A Thin Man
14. [crowd noise]

Encore:
15. Thunder On The Mountain
16. Like A Rolling Stone
17. band intros
18. I Shall Be Released

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

ACL Day Two

Austin TX, Austin City Limits Music Festival
Day Two, 15-SEP-2007

With yesterday's fire a distant blip on the radar (and maybe after delivering some replacement Port-a-Sans) today's lineup proved just as white-hot. Actually there was a fire today, at the Arcade. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

For me, the day started with a set from Steve Earle. A longtime fan, I have missed more than one opportunity to see him live (even had a ticket for a show once that I never used - long story) but it was good to hear such classics as "Ft. Worth Blues", "Tom Ames' Prayer" and the perennial crowd favorite: "Copperhead Road." Earle was joined on stage with his wife Alison Moorer for several numbers. A surprising closer to the set was a cover of Tom Waits' "Way Down In The Hole." Perhaps the most notable thing about Earle's set was that the first 1/2 of it was just him and his acoustic guitar, and the other 1/2 included a DJ on stage. This is the direction he has taken on his latest album; I'm not sure I like it. Be that as it may, I'm glad I finally got to catch Steve Earle live.




















photo credit: flux-rad

The next act for me was a "sleeper" hit for me: Andrew Bird. Aptly named, Bird can whistle and warble like a bird. It's an instrument all on its own. A talented multi-instrumentalist, Bird primarily stuck to the violin and plucked the strings on this instrument, as if it were a tiny 4-stringed guitar, and alternated with a rosined bow as well. I had never heard any of his songs save for "Imitosis" but I'm glad I took a chance and caught his set. The ethereal "A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left" from 2005's Mysterious Production of Eggs translated well to the large festival audience. Having seen Andrew Bird live, I can now say I am an instant fan of his work. I look forward to catching a full set from him in the future. Here's a free mp3 from his website:
Andrew Bird — Heretics.mp3

photo credit: Mark C. Austin

Just up the hill at the AMD stage, Sheffield, England's finest export: Arctic Monkeys took the stage. These young lads rocked the crowd with their wholly British observations. I was further back than I wished, but thanks to the giant screen left of the stage, lead singer Alex Turner's expressions were not lost. Particular song highlights were: "Fake Tales of San Francisco" and "When the Sun Goes Down" which they played coincidentally, as the sun was going down. I expect the Arctic Monkeys arc of fame to continue to rise.

Now to the fire I alluded to earlier... Arcade Fire took the stage after the Monkey's departure. There was a sea of people vying to get close to the stage for this one, which didn't surprise me at all. Having seen them 2 years prior, I knew that they would bring an unrestrained energy that would blow us away. Drawing heavily from their latest record: Neon Bible the 11+ (I'm still uncertain just how many musicians there were) members of Arcade Fire made the very most of the 75 min. set.

photo credit: Jay Janner, Austin Statesman

Particular highlights of their set were "Keep the Car Running", "Intervention", "Windowsill" and "Rebellion." Win Butler didn't smash his acoustic guitar (like he did on the SNL appearance) but it did have the same Creole proverb lettered in tape: "Sak Vide Pa Kanpe." [An empty sack cannot stand up]

One thing that I need to point out– all these musicians are really talented, and are proficient in several instruments. Case in point, Régine Chassagne played keyboards, accordion and even rocked a full drum kit. (In fact, she looked as comfortable as Meg White behind the drums.) Near the end of the show, one of the rotating percussionists jumped into the no-man's land that separated the crowd into left and right hemispheres and banged on his drum up and down the strip while ardent fans tried their best to touch him. A nightmare from a security standpoint, but this guy just banged on his drum with reckless abandon up to the very end. Absolutely amazing energy. If they could have swung from the rafters, they would have.

Day Three on it's way...

Saving Grace

I received the most glorious treat in the mail today. It was the sort of package that can actually change the mood of one's day. Yes, dear reader. Great mail can change the outlook on a day. It can add a bounce to one's stride and provide that much-needed light at the end of the proverbial work-week tunnel.

For me, that light, just happened to be a nocturnal sort of light... as in Grace Potter and the Nocturnal's latest release: This is Somewhere.

Though but twenty-four, Grace has the presence and vocal range of a seasoned musician twice her age. The album's opener, "Ah Mary" is a politically-charged rocker, but only revealed as such near the end of the song when ah, Mary becomes 'America.' Brilliant!

Fans of Tift Merritt's brand of vocal stylings would instantly fall for Grace Potter. Her voice easily lends itself to rockers or piano-type ballads, as evidenced by the opener "Ah Mary" (see video below) and "Apologies" a love-gone-awry ballad that is tender, but firm.

"It hurts me that I didn't figure it out before,
and now it's too late for a soliloquy
way too late for dignity
it's time for apologies."

The album brims with a blend of genres, ranging from roots-y blues rock to gospel. A very solid offering from a band that is really turning this newfound fan's ear on its edge.

I look forward to catching their set at Austin City Limits Music Festival next week. They play 2:30-3:30 at the WaMu stage on Sunday, 16-September. Put the sunscreen on, and show up early. I promise you it'll be worth getting there early. See you there.

+ Grace Potter & The Nocturnals — Ah Mary.mp3

Grace Potter performing "Ah Mary" on Leno:



[Grace Potter & The Nocturnals on MySpace]
[buy the record, already]

Woody on the Wire

Although Woody Guthrie succumbed to Huntington's disease 40 years ago, he is still very much hard at work.

It seems a wire recording (a pre-cursor to the cassette tape, where sound was magnetized onto metal wire) was made in 1949 by a young student named Peter Braverman, at Fuld Hall in Newark, NJ.

The result is the substance of Woody Guthrie's first ever live album: The Live Wire: Woody Guthrie in Performance 1949.

In addition, artists are continuing to give life to the 2,400 songs that Guthrie wrote but never put to music. I personally became acquainted with the stellar collection of songs Mermaid Avenue in 1999, a project driven by Billy Bragg and Jeff Tweedy of Wilco, in collaboration with Nora Guthrie, Woody's daughter and caretaker of the archives.

For those lucky denizens of alphabet city, Billy Bragg and Wilco will be performing together for the first time in seven years to play a benefit show to raise money for Huntington's Disease on Oct. 17 at Webster Hall in New York.

Don't snooze on tickets, as this one will surely sell out early.

More Guthrie Goodies:

+ Billy Bragg & Wilco — Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key.mp3
(w. Natalie Merchant)
+ Billy Bragg & Wilco — Hoodoo Voodoo.mp3
(A deliciously non-sensical song, that is said to have been written for Guthrie's children.)
+ Billy Bragg & Wilco — She Came Along to Me.mp3
+ Billy Bragg & Wilco — Do You Remember the Mountain Bed?.mp3
+ Billy Bragg & Wilco — Someday Some Morning Sometime.mp3

A clip from the documentary "Man in the Sand" which documented the Mermaid Avenue sessions with Bragg and Wilco. Jeff Tweedy with the dread-locked Jay Bennett on piano accompaniment performing "Another Man's Done Gone."

Woody, you may be gone, but your music is still very much alive.

[New York Times] Article on 02-SEP-2007.

Green Monkey Music Project — Snotty-Ass Rock-n-Roll

Spotchy, over at I, Splotchy has cooked up a killer music mix project entitled "Green Monkey Music Project." In short, Spotchy came up with a theme, and those who wanted to participate came up with 5-8 songs that fit the bill. This weeks' theme: Snotty-Ass Rock -n- Roll. Participants in this round included:

Chris
Bubs
Flannery Alden
Splotchy

Rock and Roll has always been about attitude. In my humble opinion no genre exhibits more attitude than punk. All the songs that I featured have a decided punk flavor to them, or have some serious roots in the genre.

Follow this link to download the following songs, as well as the selections from my Snotty-Ass musical mix comrades. It's also available as an all-in-one zip file.

+ to be played l o u d +

01. I Would Never Wanna Be Young Again - Gogol Bordello [buy]

My first experience with this band was seeing them live at SxSW 2005. I was up front with my Dutch comrade, Hans, and we were amid a throng of moshers. At one point one of the tiny adorable Asian girls "surfed" the crowd on top of a big bass drum. You can hear these girls scream in this track, and it's precisely the reason I chose this song to kick start the mix. And no, I don't think I'd ever want to be young again.

02. Beat on the Brat - The Ramones [buy]

Whenever I find myself driving along and feeling the effects of traffic, I like to play the Ramones. Louder than I should, mind you. I love 'em. This is a classic track off the stellar compilation: Anthology. It takes the edge off after that asshole cuts me off for the second time.

03. Who the F*ck? - PJ Harvey [buy]

PJ Harvey. I've had a RSGF* crush on her ever since I saw her perform in Atlanta in 2000. I've followed her career since I first heard her "breakthrough" single: "Down by the Water." This song is all about attitude, and pretty much epitomizes a woman scorned by her man. Or her hairdresser. I don't know which, but I sure wouldn't touch her lovely curls. No way, man. Let those curls be!

*RSGF—Rock Star Girl Friend

04. Debaser - Pixies [buy]

Oh, the Pixies! It was a girl by the name of Susan, that turned me on to Doolittle. I had a used copy of Trompe le Monde in college, but it wasn't until Susan played this album for me that I truly became a disciple. I have since caught the Pixies on their reunion tour in 2005. Front row, right in front of Kim Deal. She had a smile on her face the entire night. I did too. This album is one of my desert island discs.

05. Guns of Brixton - The Clash [buy]

"When they kick at your front door
How you gonna come?
With your hands on your head
Or on the trigger of your gun?"

What attitude! I love The Clash, and though this release came out when I was just 4 years old, it still holds up. The reggae beat of this song combines with the just barely restrained angst to form a potent anthem for the youth of any era. London Calling seems to get "re-discovered" about every ten years or so.

06. Sharks - Morphine [buy]

It was another girl, Mary that turned me on to Morphine. Alas, it was too late to see them perform live, as Mark Sandman had already passed through the veil, but the songs they recorded still remain. It still amazes me how much sound that this trio was able to accomplish. This is a fast number, and one that I can listen to on repeat.

"Don't let your fingers dangle in the water...."

07. Rich - Yeah Yeah Yeahs [buy]

Karen O. of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs has more attitude in her pinky finger than most performers have in their entire bodies. Known for her stage presence and "tics" Karen O. is totally punk rock. In this track from their 2003 album Fever to Tell she unleashes an uninhibited furious assault upon the listener. Did I mention she was totally punk rock?

08. I Predict a Riot - Kaiser Chiefs [buy]

These lads are from Leeds— formed in the summer of 2003. They have a certain wry wit that is only bourne in England. They're insanely catchy, but that doesn't mean that they aren't oozing with British snottiness. They've got it in spades.

And if the entire sum of the mix wasn't snotty enough, Splotchy charged us with one more task: pick your snottiest. I had to look no further than this track from 1978...

Bonus: Rock-n-Roll Nigger - Patti Smith Group [buy]

Patti is the matron saint of Punk, and it just didn't seem right not to include her in this list. Now, before y'all cast the first stone, Patti isn't using this epithet in a inflammatory manner the way that many readers might automatically assume. I interpret this usage to refer to anyone who refuses to be labeled or boxed in by societal constraints. Consider this lyric:

"Outside of society, they're waitin' for me.
Outside of society, if you're looking,
that's where you'll find me."

Amen, sister.

Adopt-An-Actor: Michael J. Anderson

The ubiquitous Splotchy has tugged at my heart strings and convinced me I should do my part and adopt an actor. I've chosen an actor that despite his stature, commands quite a presence on the small, and big screen.

Michael J. Anderson, perhaps best known for his role as "The Man from Another Place" from David Lynch's Twin Peaks and more recently as "Samson" from the creepy dust bowl series Carnivàle is one of those unsung heroes of the screen. And I'm proud to call him mine.

In all seriousness, Anderson is quite an inspiration. Born with a genetic bone disease, he grew up in a wheelchair and had over 100 broken bones by age 20. I bet you didn't know this: he worked as a computer expert for NASA, in support of ground operations for the Space Shuttle. [M.J.A. on IMDb]

Should you feel the need to bring an actor into your home, see Splotchy's post for details.

And just to put myself in a Twin Peaks frame of mind, I offer this sweet piece of finger-snappin' free-form jazz from Angelo Badalamenti — Dance of the Dream Man.

Groove on Michael J. Groove on.

"Little Friday" Mix — Covers Vol. I

01. Uncle Tupelo — I Wanna Be Your Dog (Iggy Pop)
02. Ryan Adams — Wonderwall (Gallagher)
03. Seu Jorge — Life on Mars? (Bowie)
04. Rodrigo y Gabriela — Stairway to Heaven (Led Zep)
05. Johnny Cash w. Joe Strummer — Redemption Song (Marley)
06. R.L. Burnside — Everything is Broken (Dylan)
07. The Magokoro Bros. — My Back Pages (Dylan)
08. 10,000 Maniacs — Peace Train (C. Stevens)
09. Jeff Buckley — Hallelujah (Cohen)
10. Cat Power — I Found a Reason (L. Reed)