Normally, I make some snarky comment about the album cover of the week, but this time ... I've got nothing. Nothing except a growing sense of being really, really creeped out.It's probably best if we just move on to the Friday Random Ten. Let's do this thing.
1. Fugazi, "Waiting Room" -- What a nice start. The very finest in Do-It-Yourself punk, from a band that defined fast, cheap and out-of-control. It's starts with a killer bass line and only gets better from there. 10/10
2. Billy Bragg and Wilco, "California Stars" -- From the fantastic Mermaid Avenue album. This is a song that somehow sounds sunnier than anything either Bragg or Wilco would do on their own. 8/10
3. Irma Thomas, "Time is on My Side" -- I forgot to include this in yesterday's post on original songs that were better than the more popular versions, but this predecessor to what would become a Rolling Stones' classic is just phenomenal. She belts out the lyrics like a woman scorned, a woman that Mick Jagger could never be, no matter how much lipstick and hot pants he tries on. 9/10
4. Radiohead, "Everything In Its Right Place" (live) -- Normally, live albums are fairly weak reflections of the original work, but the excellent I Might Be Wrong strikes a nice balance between capturing the quality of the album versions and livening them up before an audience. Great stuff. 8/10
5. Carl Cox, "Phuture 2000 (Deepsky Mix)" -- I have no idea where this boring bit of techno came from, but I'm pretty sure it was delivered by a rave kid dressed up in a fur hat and glowsticks, with enough Ecstasy in his system to stroke out the whole crowd an Oakenfold concert. Get a job, spazz! 1/10
6. Yo La Tengo, "Cherry Chapstick" -- Hoboken's finest deliver the goods here on a nice strummy bit of indie rock. I think the entire And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out CD is terrific, and this song is certainly no exception. 7/10
7. Dresden Dolls, "Pretty in Pink" -- A terrific song and a horrible cover. 1/10
8. ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead, "The Rest Will Follow" -- Not surprisingly, a band with the balls to use that as their name also throws a wall of sound at you too. Two drummers and what sounds like a half dozen guitars lead to a nice driving rocker. Solid stuff. 8/10
9. Blackalicious, "Powers" -- This song has everything you'd expect from Blackalicious, a driving beat and mile-a-minute vocals, but it also has something a little different for them, some tongue-in-cheek sassiness. Daddy likey. 9/10
10. Allen Toussaint, "Soul Sister" -- And a nice finish. A sweet bit of New Orleans soul, even a little poppier than Toussaint's normally catchy stuff. Excellent all around. 10/10
Alright, that gives me a 7.1 average. Yet another installment in a string of mediocrity. At this rate, I'm a shoo-in for a Presidential Medal of Freedom.
I'm sure you folks can do better, so drop your own Friday Random Ten in the comments below, with or without the Coolness Self Audit.
10 comments:
Dude. Fugazi. Before I hit the randomizer on the iPod, let me bow to the mightiness that is Fugazi.
1) "Closer to the Heart," Rush. You know, out of all the Rush songs, this is near the bottom tier of what I enjoy. But it gets points for being Rush. 6/10.
2) "I've Got my Love to Keep Me Warm," Ella Fitzgerald and Loius Armstrong. Well, it is 1/2 degrees F here in Michigan today, but this song just ain't doing it for me today. Just not in the mood, otherwise, I'd score it higher. 6/10.
3) "Yesterday Don't Mean Shit," Pantera. Hell yeah. 8/10.
4) "Every Morning," Keb' Mo'. Keb' Mo' plays incredible blues. I try to see him any time I can. He sings this song simply and believably. 8/10.
5) "Do Your Duty," Rory Block. Rory is of the guitar-picking style of blues like Keb' Mo'. The difference is that she sucks a little. She plays the Hell out of the guitar, for sure. But she has the gaspy voice that she tries to inject with a sort of forced masculinity that is totally of-puittng and out of place. 6/10 (the guitar is good).
6) "Dead Embryonic Cells," Sepultura. Sweet. They released this song in the early 90s. Little did they know how big of an issue this would be in 2004 and 2006 in America! 8/10.
7) "Meet Me @ 11," Organissimo. The founder of this band is a guy I know who refurbishes Hammond B-3 organs. He plays a vintage organ both with this band, and the blues band he plays with named Root Doctor. The concept of this jazz band is more of an instrumental funk/jazz. No lyrics. Just the B-3, a guitar and drums. He plays the entire bass line with his feet on the bass keys. 10/10.
8) "Standing at the Crossroads," Roomful of Blues. This is a pretty cool band that plays the more Ray Charles style of blues with a full brass band. This song, though, is merely okay in an otherwise really fun CD. 7/10.
9) "Born Under a Bad Sign," Albert King. Nothing like the original song from the guy who played it first (or at least recorded it first...). Been down since before I could crawl...8/10.
10) "All For Me Grog," the Clancy Brothers. Somehow, an entire CD of Irish Drinking Songs made it onto my iPod. But hey! It's Friday. SOunds like Fish and Chips and Guinness Day! Aaaaaannnnndddd iiiiit's all for me grog, me jolly jolly grog, all for me beer and tobacco! For I spent all me tin on the lousy sippin' gin, so across the Eastern Ocean I must waaaaanderrrrr...9/10 'cause it makes me want a Guinness.
7.6 this week, and I end with a Pint o' Plain.
Roomful of Blues? Wow. That's a flashback for me. Growing up in Connecticut, these guys were a local mainstay. Think they're out of R.I.
They were the band behind Pat Benatar on her "True Love" album. Her foray into big band blues/swing.
Speaking of Fugazi... have you guys seen/heard this?
Was never that into the hardcore or punk scene. I have the Minor Threat Anthology and I'm covered.
My appreciation of that early hardcore scene is purely after-the-fact due to age, stunted musical development (see the Rush comment soon to follow), and general un-coolness in high school.
(Then college was so smoke-filled that the Allmans/Dead/Jimi/Santana/Floyd/etc combo took up any time that might've been used discovering that more up-to-date scene.)
And . . . awww, c'mon Smitty! Closer To The Heart is pretty good. Plus, bonus points because it was one of only two pre-Permanant Waves/Moving Pictures songs I ever heard on the radio back in those jean-jacket-wearing, Grand Prix-friving high school days. Fly By Night was the other.
And back in high school hearing a Rush song other than Tom Sawyer/Spirit of Radio/Limelight was a treat far greater than hearing a non-Casey Jones/Truckin/Touch of Grey Dead tune once I was in college. And that got me psyched too.
Finally, my astonishing uncoolness is proven by knowing just about nothing from Otto's list. What can I say? Bums me out.
1. Sonic Youth – “Silver Rocket,” from Daydream Nation
This song gets a 100. And the doctor is out. Peace, peoples. Enjoy your weekend.
Is this song about sex? It might as well be, since it’s from the best record ever, and since sex is the best thing ever. 100/10
2. PJ Harvey – “Yuri-G,” from Rid of Me
Hot or not? Some pics yes, others not so much. Must see concert. New album coming. And speaking of coming… this song is hot! 9/10
3. Radiohead – “No Surprises,” from NYC Live 12/19/97
This song’s okay… is what Milt would be saying if he was the King of Understatement, and much to his chagrin he currently boasts no crowns of any sort. 9/10
4. The Fiery Furnaces – “I’m Gonna Run,” from Gallowsbird’s Bark
They’re hit or miss in this camp, but when they hit, that shit flies out of the park, over the bleachers and onto the far sidewalk of Waveland. You even doubt this is hitting? Didn’t believe in momentum for the FRT… until today. 8/10
5. The Beach Boys – “Karen,” from TV Theme Songs
Didn’t believe in the jinx for the FRT… until today. Not awful, but it’s a TV theme song in the vein of a Beach Boys tune that makes one wonder, “How did the same band make all that brilliant tunage too?” 5/10
6. Bright Eyes – “At the Bottom of Everything,” from I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning
Exhibit A in the case of The State of Indie Rock v. Conor Oberst, charge: pretentiousness. The first 1.5 minutes of the album is dude telling a story. Very un-dude. -2. Otherwise, one of his better songs. 7/10
7. The Ark – “Let Me Down Gently,” from State of the Ark
Given to me after telling someone Wolfmother blows the joint out and describing them as a 70’s rock anthem throwback. Def in there and the Darkness’s throwbackedness, but they’ve got a hint of the Scissor Sisters keyboard thing going here. Not bad, but this ain’t yo’ ‘mother. 6/10
8. Rilo Kiley – “Variations on a Theme (Science vs. Romance),” from Takeoffs and Landings
Such a great album! Pisser to get an interlude track. 5/10
9. Keane – “We Might as Well be Strangers,” from Hopes and Fears
The wheels have officially come off! Save yourselves! Tracks 1-4 disgustingly promising for a PB. Some of Keane’s hooks are impossible to shun. This one’s a little too emo. 5/10
10. Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Fire,” from What Hits!?
Saw them at Lolla this year. Flea still does drugs. I don’t care what anyone says. 6/10
65. Skull crushingly disappointing. The first four songs outscored the last six. Kiss my grits, suckas!
And "Waiting Room," by the by, somehow manages to top the "Silver Rocket" start. Incredible. If you haven't heard it, the good doctor considers TV on the Radio's "Wolf Like Me" the best indie rock anthem since "Waiting Room." Yeah, it's that good.
If you like the Fug', check out the Evens, Ian Mackaye's new band. First disc is great (more chill than Fugazi) and second is due soon.
Anyone know if this Borat movie thing is supposed to be funny? Haven't heard a word about it....
Anyone know if this Borat movie thing is supposed to be funny?
Feh. Supposed to be, but I have my doubts. Count me in the camp od Ali G being pretty overrated, and I cannot imagine sitting through a hundred minutes of the Borat routine.
smitty and Mr. F--Roomful of Blues! Woo hoo! I'm from CT, too. Spent many a messed up night boogieing with ROB.
1. The Long Goodbye--A Girl Called Eddy--sorta like Cat Power except this kid's not so messed up as Chan. 7/10
2. Song in the Key of Chance--Augie March--a lot of their stuff is sorta dorky, but this song sounds really pissed off and so is much better. And I don't even like Saul Bellow, and I like these guys. 8/10
3. World In My Eyes--Depeche Mode--Dedicated to Pastor Ted Haggard. Not my fave Depeche tho. 7/10
4. Pushover--The Long Winters--I really like this guy's voice (can you tell I'm a singer?). 8/10
5. Suit of Lights--Elvis Costello--Boy, does he get what performing in bars for assholes is like in this song, cuz it's what his dad did for a living, I suppose. Nobody does contempt better than EC. Usually there's an EC song in any shuffle I do because he is a god and I am his disciple. 10/10
6. Trouble Man--Marvin Gaye--It's Marvin Gaye. 10/10
7. Shake You Donkey Up--XTC--It's got a great beat, bet you can't dance to it. ;) 10/10
8. Amor Ate O Fim--Elis Regina--Samba! Well, bossa nova, really. Not one of my faves, but still pretty damn good. 7/10
9. Twilight--Elliott Smith--I like Elliott Smith. And I like Sufjan Stevens, too, so there. Shut up. This is not one of his best, though. 6/10
10. The Fat Girl--Lyle Lovett--Such a tiny little song, so much venom. Love it. And I'm not even fat. 8/10
8.1. Three tens in the middle put me over. I know I'm still not cool, but I had an awesome shuffle this time, IMO.
Home from the hospital, and I am in awe of the FRTs that came before me. And I must throw my hat into the ring of those who have praised the Fugazi. I wish I'd gotten into those guys when they were putting out albums and doing shows, instead of trying to go through the back catalogue and regretting.
1. Cold, Cold Heart - Lucinda Williams. I like Lucinda Williams a lot, and this is a good Hank Williams song, but it's a lackluster cover. 5/10.
2. Don't Care Nothin' - Rancid. ...And Out Come The Wolves is still my favourite Rancid album. This song's not the best one on there, but it's good. 7/10.
3. Los Sitio' Asere - Afro-Cuban All-Stars. This album's good; not as good as Buena Vista Social Club, but not much is. A good son, with a lot of good work from the musicians. 8/10.
4. Coax Me - Sloan. If they had played this song at the concert last week, I would have screamed like an underage girl. There were many around, so I wouldn't have been that noticeable. Contains the best Sloan lyric ever written: "It's not the band I hate, it's their fans." A+++++. 10/10.
5. February Stars - Foo Fighters. This song just doesn't have the impact it does without the songs that come before and after it on the album. A nice song, but that's about it. 6/10.
6. Higher - K-Os. I like K-Os. This is a decent song, nothing to write home about. 6/10.
7. Everyday I Start To Ooze - NoMeansNo. Dance-able, punk rock, crazy lyrics. What's not to love? 8/10.
8. Just - Radiohead. Undeniably cool. I can't help but think of the video, which is some ways limiting, but the video is so damn cool too. 10/10.
9. Tennessee Stud - Johnny Cash. Johnny Cash makes this seem more than just a novelty song. The crowd likes it, so who am I to argue? 8/10.
10. Piazza, New York Catcher - Belle & Sebastian. OOOH! A fun little number. Thinking this should be ranked a little higher than it is, but I'm trying to keep myself honest. 7/10.
That gives me 7.5, which is pretty good, considering the company I'm in here. Have a good weekend, y'all: I'm off to see The Prestige.
Just!!!
That's Radiohead at their ass-kickingest. I love that tune. Hell, I love the whole album.
11 years and many albums later, I'm convinced The Bends is their best effort.
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