"Sorry, we (I) can't accept tips."
True story.
1. White Zombie - "Creature of the Wheel"
Back in the day, I was a goody two-shoes, semi-preppy, dorky-as-t--- honor roller -- and this is what I was listening to in the backseat of my parents' minivan. Gotta love that image!
2. Danzig - "Hand of Doom" [Black Sabbath cover]
When an established artist breaks from tradition and really shakes things up, I'm usually in the minority, digging their (new) action. For example, when Guided by Voices went hi-fi, I loved it. I absolutely loved it. When Danzig flirted with industrial rock, it was a revelation. Garth Brooks doing the alternative rock thing with Chris Gains? Now, that was the definition of ... wait, what?!
3. CSS - "CSS Suxxx"
It goes without saying but ... not true.
4. The Psychedelic Furs - "Goodbye"
A very-necessary jam for any respectable '80s dance party.
5. Eels - "Bus Stop Boxer"
This one, not so much.
6. The Strokes - "Someday"
Back when I worked at Disc-Go-Round, this group was so controversial: the saviors of rock 'n' roll or overrated pieces of s---? Despite the obnoxious buzz surround this group's debut, I fell for them truly, madly, deeply. (ha ha ha)
7. Sondre Lerche - "Sleep on Needles"
My boy from Norway's finally getting his due! <- Re: Providing the music for the underrated Steve Carell movie "Dan in Real Life."
8. Dressy Bessy - "Sindy Says"
Just one of the reasons I'm regretting moving away from Denver. [HINT: Download some free tracks here.]
9. King Size - "Gravity's Bed"
Paranoia never sounded so effortless.
10. Nickel Eye - "Dying Star" [MP3]
In case you haven't heard this from a million different hipsters: Nickel Eye is the cheekily named new project from Strokes bassist Nikolai Fraiture and, against all odds, it's good stuff.
11. Rivers Cuomo - "Cold and Damp"
From the "Alone II" liner notes, which, if you haven't read them yet, are the most insightful ones ever penned: "... The relatively low sales and critical reviews of the uber-personal 'Pinkerton' convinced me that I had to learn to write songs that worked without personal meaning; I had to construct songs that were so compositionally perfect that no one could deny them. This was how I saw Nirvana's and Oasis' songs, the lyrics of which seemed largely impersonal and incomprehensible to me. So I kept trying."
The Weezer frontman called "Cold and Damp," just one of his myriad song-experiments, "somewhat Oasis-sounding" with its "loping bar chords and bluesy solo."
12. Les Savy Fav - "Hey Tonight" [Creedence Clearwater Revival cover] [Live]
Good, sweaty fun.
13. Five-Eight - "Shouldn't Be Here"
One of the best songs I've heard in some time. Kinda makes me want to learn how to ... play crunchy power chords.
14. The Dead Trees - "Twin Cities"
Well, maybe I spoke too soon with that last one. This dirge-like "ode" to cool kids will stick with you.
15. Wilco - "Hummingbird" ["The Wilco Book" vers.]
Though the "official" version is stapled to my heart, this one deserves prominent placement as well.
16. Here We Go Magic - "Only Pieces"
Here We Go Magic's resident magic man Luke Temple = one to watch.
17. The Walkmen - "Canadian Girl"
Like "Twin Cities," this beauty kind of just shuffles around in the shadows. A little lo-fi, but full of sounds that will keep you coming back.
18. Cotton Jones (Basket Ride) - "Gone the Bells"
One of my coworkers turned me on to this after hearing it on KUMD every day for a week. I was hooked right away, too -> thanks, KUMD! [HINT: Download this group's Daytrotter.com session -- which includes this song and three others -- here.]
19. John Hermanson - "Thomas of Twelve"
I love everything the Storyhill boys do, and this will never change.
20. Ho-Hum - "Pretty Ugly"
Love that intro -- like the Who in their early '70s prime.
21. AM Radio - "Dream Girl"
Sorry to dwell on "Alone II," but here's what Rivers Cuomo wrote about this group's frontman, Kevin Ridel, in those already-legendary-in-my-mind liner notes: "Kevin had been my friend since we were in the same band in high school. He had also been one of the main sources of inspiration for me to start writing melodic pop songs instead of heavy metal guitar compositions. I had always been amazed at Kevin's ability to churn out emotional, personal and catchy songs so effortlessly. In 2001, when AM Radio and Weezer both recorded a batch of new demos at the same time, I listened back to all the recordings at once and painfully told myself that Kevin's songs blew mine away."
Fittingly, when I saw Weezer on tour in support of "The Green Album" in Fargo, AM Radio was the opening act (along with Pete Yorn). At the time, I didn't think AM Radio was blowing anyone's songs away, but I've since grown to love their records. An underrated gem, to be sure.
22. Fenix*TX - "Flight 601 (All I've Got is Time)"
Reminds me of my friend Wendy, who always makes me smile. (How are you, "Small Wonder"? It's been too long.)
Thus concludes your forty-first dose of SHAKE*YOUR*SHORES, the awesome mix tape series formerly known as "Don't Tell a Soul."
True story.
1. White Zombie - "Creature of the Wheel"
Back in the day, I was a goody two-shoes, semi-preppy, dorky-as-t--- honor roller -- and this is what I was listening to in the backseat of my parents' minivan. Gotta love that image!
2. Danzig - "Hand of Doom" [Black Sabbath cover]
When an established artist breaks from tradition and really shakes things up, I'm usually in the minority, digging their (new) action. For example, when Guided by Voices went hi-fi, I loved it. I absolutely loved it. When Danzig flirted with industrial rock, it was a revelation. Garth Brooks doing the alternative rock thing with Chris Gains? Now, that was the definition of ... wait, what?!
3. CSS - "CSS Suxxx"
It goes without saying but ... not true.
4. The Psychedelic Furs - "Goodbye"
A very-necessary jam for any respectable '80s dance party.
5. Eels - "Bus Stop Boxer"
This one, not so much.
6. The Strokes - "Someday"
Back when I worked at Disc-Go-Round, this group was so controversial: the saviors of rock 'n' roll or overrated pieces of s---? Despite the obnoxious buzz surround this group's debut, I fell for them truly, madly, deeply. (ha ha ha)
7. Sondre Lerche - "Sleep on Needles"
My boy from Norway's finally getting his due! <- Re: Providing the music for the underrated Steve Carell movie "Dan in Real Life."
8. Dressy Bessy - "Sindy Says"
Just one of the reasons I'm regretting moving away from Denver. [HINT: Download some free tracks here.]
9. King Size - "Gravity's Bed"
Paranoia never sounded so effortless.
10. Nickel Eye - "Dying Star" [MP3]
In case you haven't heard this from a million different hipsters: Nickel Eye is the cheekily named new project from Strokes bassist Nikolai Fraiture and, against all odds, it's good stuff.
11. Rivers Cuomo - "Cold and Damp"
From the "Alone II" liner notes, which, if you haven't read them yet, are the most insightful ones ever penned: "... The relatively low sales and critical reviews of the uber-personal 'Pinkerton' convinced me that I had to learn to write songs that worked without personal meaning; I had to construct songs that were so compositionally perfect that no one could deny them. This was how I saw Nirvana's and Oasis' songs, the lyrics of which seemed largely impersonal and incomprehensible to me. So I kept trying."
The Weezer frontman called "Cold and Damp," just one of his myriad song-experiments, "somewhat Oasis-sounding" with its "loping bar chords and bluesy solo."
12. Les Savy Fav - "Hey Tonight" [Creedence Clearwater Revival cover] [Live]
Good, sweaty fun.
13. Five-Eight - "Shouldn't Be Here"
One of the best songs I've heard in some time. Kinda makes me want to learn how to ... play crunchy power chords.
14. The Dead Trees - "Twin Cities"
Well, maybe I spoke too soon with that last one. This dirge-like "ode" to cool kids will stick with you.
15. Wilco - "Hummingbird" ["The Wilco Book" vers.]
Though the "official" version is stapled to my heart, this one deserves prominent placement as well.
16. Here We Go Magic - "Only Pieces"
Here We Go Magic's resident magic man Luke Temple = one to watch.
17. The Walkmen - "Canadian Girl"
Like "Twin Cities," this beauty kind of just shuffles around in the shadows. A little lo-fi, but full of sounds that will keep you coming back.
18. Cotton Jones (Basket Ride) - "Gone the Bells"
One of my coworkers turned me on to this after hearing it on KUMD every day for a week. I was hooked right away, too -> thanks, KUMD! [HINT: Download this group's Daytrotter.com session -- which includes this song and three others -- here.]
19. John Hermanson - "Thomas of Twelve"
I love everything the Storyhill boys do, and this will never change.
20. Ho-Hum - "Pretty Ugly"
Love that intro -- like the Who in their early '70s prime.
21. AM Radio - "Dream Girl"
Sorry to dwell on "Alone II," but here's what Rivers Cuomo wrote about this group's frontman, Kevin Ridel, in those already-legendary-in-my-mind liner notes: "Kevin had been my friend since we were in the same band in high school. He had also been one of the main sources of inspiration for me to start writing melodic pop songs instead of heavy metal guitar compositions. I had always been amazed at Kevin's ability to churn out emotional, personal and catchy songs so effortlessly. In 2001, when AM Radio and Weezer both recorded a batch of new demos at the same time, I listened back to all the recordings at once and painfully told myself that Kevin's songs blew mine away."
Fittingly, when I saw Weezer on tour in support of "The Green Album" in Fargo, AM Radio was the opening act (along with Pete Yorn). At the time, I didn't think AM Radio was blowing anyone's songs away, but I've since grown to love their records. An underrated gem, to be sure.
22. Fenix*TX - "Flight 601 (All I've Got is Time)"
Reminds me of my friend Wendy, who always makes me smile. (How are you, "Small Wonder"? It's been too long.)
Thus concludes your forty-first dose of SHAKE*YOUR*SHORES, the awesome mix tape series formerly known as "Don't Tell a Soul."
No comments:
Post a Comment