After this week's debate for the Republican presidential candidates, this album cover seemed strangely appropriate. Between the symbolic elephant, the shameless selling out, and a dress that I believe was once worn by Rudy Guiliani, this album cover is everywhere the GOP wants to be. If only they could attach electrodes to the elephant's genitals and prevent the woman from having an abortion, this would be a Republican wet dream. Except, of course, that wet dreams make Baby Jesus cry.
Anyway, time for the Friday Random Ten. Let's roll.
1. Mos Def, "Got" -- Not one of my favorite tracks off Black on Both Sides, but still fairly solid stuff. 6/10
2. Massive Attack, "Heat Miser" -- These kids get serious points for naming a song after a certain Mr. Heat Miser, a.k.a. Mr. Green Christmas, a.k.a. Mister Sun, a.k.a. Mister Heat Blister, a.k.a. Mister Hundred and One. Seriously, whatever he touches, starts to melt in his clutch! He's too much! 7/10
3. Muddy Waters, "Evil" -- Apparently, today's random ten has been brought to us by the letter "M" -- just like James Bond! This is another classic Chess-era tune from McKinley Morganfield (more M's, Grover!) which is the gold standard of electric blues. 8/10
4. Beastie Boys, "Son of Neckbone" -- This tune is one of their many instrumental homages to 1970s porn. While I'm intrigued about what the "son of neckbone" maneuver looks like, I'm afraid to ask. Eh. 3/10
5. Dinah Washington, "Long John Blues" -- Speaking of sex, this is one of the sultriest dirtiest jazz tunes ever recorded. "He took out his trusted drill / And he told me to open wide / He said he wouldn't hurt me / But he'd fill my hole inside." Man, now my pants are chafing me. 10/10
6. South, "Paint the Silence" -- Light, late '90s Brit pop that's indistinguishable from Travis, Coldplay, and all the other bands that sprouted up to make Oasis look edgy. Pffft. 2/10
7. Dusty Springfield, "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" -- She should go ask the son of the preacher man. 6/10
8. Liz Phair, "Stratford-on-Guy" -- Ah, remember what Liz Phair was like back at the beginning? This whole album is phenomenal, but this is one of the better ones. Come back to us, Liz! Come back to the light! 9/10
9. Modest Mouse, "People as Places as People" -- And we're back to the M theme. The new album is really growing on me, and this is proving to be catchier every time I give it a listen. Nice. 8/10
10. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, "Castles Made of Sand" -- One of the trippier tunes Hendrix put out, this song lacks the scorching guitar work. But I guess Hendrix wasn't really known for that, right? 5/10
Alright, that's a 6.4 average on the day. I was all over the place, but somehow managed to find my way back to my usual spot. Welcome to Mediocrity, Population: Me.
Let's see what you've got. Drop your own random ten in the comments below, or else discuss Bobbi Baker's desperate plea for an intervention.
9 comments:
Well, as OM knows from my joint, I gots me an I-pod, and I dids me a Random Eleven.
(Because all contrarian and all).
Here it is (with whittled down comments & added self-audit scores):
1. "Things We Said Today" -- Beatles.
Pretty solid early Beatles song. Paul sings, but this seems to have John's imprimatur all over it. 7/10
2. "Let The Devil In" -- TV On The Radio.
I like this album (Return to Cookie Mountain) a lot, but but I think this one lacks that sublime quality the best ones have. 5/10
3. "Oh, Atlanta" -- Little Feat (Live).
Waiting For Columbus is a fantastic live album. Rock solid grooves, and enough creativity to keep things fresh, but it's still tight. Not a lot of noodling & wacking-off. This cut's a good one, but there are far better ones on the album. 7/10
4. "Changes" -- Sugar.
Copper Blue is one of those albums that gets lost in the huge late-80s/early 90's rock shuffle. I always liked this album, even if it wasn't quite in the "leave the jewel box on top of the CD player" category. 7/10
5. "Strange Loop" -- Liz Phair.
How's about this, OM? This song follows Stratford-on-Guy, doesn't it? The last cut on Exile Of Guyville, this one's the cigarette after the action. Good lyrics, as usual. Man, early Liz was great. 8/10
6. "Daniel & The Sacred Harp" -- The Band.
An ok song. It has the Band's standard roots music + mystical lyrics combo, but it lacks that special something the boys had on their first two albums. 5/10
7. "Dos Gardenias" -- Omara Portuondo.
Eh. I love the album this is on: a Cuban music compilation I picked up at a street fair a couple years back. But this one is one of the two or three songs I always skip: slow, not very rhythmical, and a cheesy 80's synth production sound. 4/10
8. "Rats" -- Pearl Jam
This song's pretty good. There's a line -- about "The Rats" -- where Vedder says they "lick the dirt of a larger one's feet." Back in the day I thought he said, "Licks the dirt off "Olajuwan's feet." 7/10
9. "State Of Love & Trust" -- Pearl Jam.
Whoa. That's really fucking random (which is the point of a Shuffle, right?). This is off the Singles soundtrack. 7/10
10. "Walkin' After Midnight" -- Cowboy Junkies.
Yes! The Trinity Session is one of the true underrated albums of that late 80s/early 90s era. Margo Timmins voice is sooooo alluring. And on an album filled with unique covers of great songs, this one really stands out. It's no "Sweet Jane" (which is only one of the two or three best covers ever), but it ain't shabby. 8/10
11. "Hallelujah" -- Django Reinhart.
Ohhhh, Django. As OM says, "That Belgian gypsy could play some guitar." Yes he could. And that Frenchman with the Italian last name could rock the violin a bit too. 8/10
Ok, a 6.6 for my first effort. Not bad (I won't be handing out this 9s and 10s cheaply).
*sniff* Our little boy's all growed up.
I'll thank you in my yearbook blurbs.
Back in the day I thought he said, "Licks the dirt off "Olajuwan's feet."
LOL! Me too! I knew that couldn;t be it, but that's sure what it sounds like.
It's no "Sweet Jane" (which is only one of the two or three best covers ever)
Abso-smurf-ly. On the alluring, and the ranking of that cover. Make sure you check out "Lay it Down", my favorite Junkies—frequently used as a hi-fi audition disc, back when I wasted money on such frivolities.
Everyone, everyone’s mom and a select few Inuit folk remember last week’s saga: the good doc, fresh off a new portable music device purchase and with a limited library uploaded, all but guaranteed a PB. Needless to say that operation violently derailed. This week may (i.e. will) be different.
1. The Roots – “The Lesson Pt. 1,” from Do You Want More?
One of many beautifully, sexy, fellatable advantages to the mp3 era is not having to worry about nicking up your CDs and having songs skip. Unless the ripped CD skips. Which this one does. Violently. Honestly, this is a first for Milt and as this is a solid album he’s sure it’d be a 7 or 8, but it’s unlistenable and can’t be quantified. N/A
2. !!! – “Space Island,” from Louden Up Now
This year’s Myth Takes release is highly recommended. Their live show equally highly rec’ed. This guy’s uneven. 5/10
3. Rilo Kiley – “Pictures of Success,” from Take Offs and Landings
MEXICO CAN FUCKING WAIT! Everything that’s right about Rilo is right with this song, which makes everything right with the world. If their new album, dropping later in 2007, isn’t better than the take-a-step-back and decidedly less adventurous More Adventurous this guy ain’t gon’ be pleased. 10/10
4. Bloc Party – “Plans,” from Silent Alarm
What a bizarre new album they put out. Never before has a group so flagrantly tried to mature so much for their sophomore record. The frosh effort remains more pleasurable here, though this tune is one of the few ever so subtly hints at what’s to come. 7/10
5. Low – “Streetlight,” from Long Division
Milty gave a yelp for joy from his cubicle after landing tix to Wilco/Low in Brooklyn’s delightfully cozy Warsaw, but this album has yet to frequent the rotation. Give Low many listens, however, and the payoff pays off proper. 5/10
6. Sleater-Kinney – “Entertain,” from The Woods
Best song of 2006. Makes Milt want to do a Kook-Aid Man impersonation and jump through a brick wall. 10/10
7. Rage Against the Machine – “How I Could Just Kill a Man,” from Renegades
Oh sweet mercy Milt did they absolutely kill at Coachella. These eyes shan’t never bear witness to something like that. Past. Present. Or future. It was the good doc’s first go at moshing in a decade, and happy to report he hasn’t missed a step. This album’s hit or miss (like most covers, they hit when they reinvent, flounder when they straight cover). This checks out. 8/10
8. LCD Soundsystem – “Losing My Edge,” from LCD Soundsystem
Sound of Silver is an early fave for album of ’07, and LCD live will be a top 5 liver of ’07 (most years it might be #1, but Arcade Fire and the aforementioned Rage reunion….). 8/10
9. Spank Rock – “Competition,” from YoYoYoYoYoYo
Hard to know what to expect from that album title, but the package delivers in spades. This, the Clipse and Ghostface all put out tip top hip hop in the last 365. Jump on it. 7/10
10. Cansei de Ser Sexy – “Off the Hook,” from Cansei de Ser Sexy
Ton of fun album, ton of fun show. At Coach’ the lead cutie drew glasses on her face. Hotness. 8/10
7.6 average. Probably a PB but not the hit parade Milt envisioned. Just goes to show you can’t trifle with the shuffle, just like you can’t trifle with pimpin’ hos.
Sorry--if the elephant wasn't born here, it has no place in the GOP.
Now, on to randomness:
Happy Mondays - Step On (8/10 - extra point for the 'twisting my melon, man' sample)
Ennio Morricone - The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly (10/10 - well, duh)
Nick Cave - Loom of the Land (8/10 - nice and lugubrious)
Roxy Music - Out of the Blue (9/10 - absolutely impeccable)
Angelo Badalamenti - Twin Peaks Theme (8/10 - he's no Morricone, but he does well enough)
Material - Don't Lose Control (8/10 - the coolest track on their sell-out album (and I mean 'sell-out' in a good way))
Chris Isaak - Can't Do a Thing to Stop Me (8/10 - the guy was born to be a lounge singer)
Sorry Bomba - Porry (7/10 - catchy enough)
Lene Lovich - The Night (9/10 - Lovich at her absolute gloomy best)
Pine Box Boys - Mr. Skeleton (7/10 - rollicking fun, but they've done better)
wet dreams make Baby Jesus cry
Not milky tears, I hope.
Oh, yeah...I remember Liz. WTF happened to her?
And Milt...OH YEAH!!!
Nice work, people. Take the rest of the day off.
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