Wednesday, July 15, 2009

sys58 :: A LIGHT MISTING


Having successfully pissed on everything sacred with "God Bless Mom," I thought I'd take it down a notch with this endeavor. Ladies and gentlemen, I humbly present ... "A Light Misting."



1. Wilco - "Wilco (The Song)"
I love it: Having purchased Wilco (The Pre-Order) from Wilco (The Web Site), I, Wilco (The Fan) received in the mail Wilco (The Album) on vinyl, Wilco (The Tote), Wilco (The Shirt) -- complete with Wilco (The Iron-On Set) and, to top it all off, a download code for Wilco (The Album).

Am I forgetting anything? Oh yeah, Wilco (The Joke) hasn't been funny since I started using and abusing it....

2. Pete Yorn - "China Girl" [David Bowie cover]
Oh well, for here's a surprisingly enjoyable cover that probably shouldn't work as much as it does.

3. Scarecrow Boat - "The Pit" [Free MP3!]
This band from NBC's seriously underrated "Parks and Recreation" is probably fake, but this is seriously a funny song! Sounds like Creed when they're not singing about Jesus -- or Hinder when they're not giving their backward baseball cap-wearing fans (85 percent of whom are undoubtedly in a fraternity) advice on how to take advantage of [REDACTED BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO FIGHT FRIVOLOUS LAWSUITS].

Anywho, from the potentially fake band's Web site: "What if Dave Matthews joined the Counting Crows? How much would you pay to see that supergroup? Fifty dollars? A hundred dollars? Two hundred dollars? Think about it."

"Think about it" is right.

4. Super Furry Animals - "Inaugural Trams"
Rants related to D-bags aside, SFA has never been one to let me down. This simple little is, well, charming.

5. Ill Lit - "Beating the Daylights Out of My Nightlife"
Like a more-approachable (after the show) Neutral Milk Hotel ... in fact, I kind of want to beat myself up for trading my Ill Lit disc last week.

6. Atmosphere - "Feel Good Hit of the Summer 2" [Free MP3!]
No matter: The karma gods (otherwise known as Sean Daley and Anthony Davis) were quick to pay it forward with "Leak at Will," another free EP that's better than 90 percent of anything you've ever laid down money for.

7. Jay-Z feat. the Roots - "Big Pimpin'" [Unplugged]
This, though, belongs to that 10 percent society of songs you absolutely cannot live without. The original was great -- got me back into rap -- but, backed by the Roots? Transcendental.

8. Aceyalone feat. Treasure Davis - "Can't Hold Back"
A random guest shot on Abstract Rude's "Rejuvenation" disc turned me on to this guy, and for that I am forever grateful. Kinda makes you wanna dance.

9. Black Gold - "Shine"
As someone who listens to KOOL 101.7 religiously (when I don't forget to listen to Starfire and Walt Dizzo, of course), I'd like to be the first to point out that this beauty successfully bridges the gap between the new stuff I listen to and, as far as I "know," what I would've listened to had I been born three decades earlier.

10. Dirty Projectors feat. David Byrne - "Knotty Pine"
Like a chance meeting between Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and Best Friends Forever at a hotel bar in Honolulu, this is simply a refreshing song.

11. The Very Best feat. Ezra Koenig - "Warm Heart of Africa"
As is this, which actually kind of sounds like some of David Byrne's solo explorations.

12. Of Montreal - "Computer Blue" [Prince cover] [Free(ish) MP3!]
Yes!

13. Skibunny - "Miles iz Ded (Revisited)" [Afghan Whigs cover] [Free MP3!]
Starts off like a laughable Miami Sound Machine "scorcher," but, just before your finger hits the "f--- this s---" button, something snaps and ... it just works.

14. Muse - "Fury"
Yes, holy hell! (Read: With the right system, this out-of-the-way track -- according to some probably unreliable Internet source, this song was originally slated for the "Absolution" album, but was dropped in favor of "The Small Print" -- will pummel your senses.)

15. Phoenix - "1901"
Phoenix is proof that not all bands cool enough to get their songs on iPod commercials are disposable. This is shiny, glimmery, slightly futuristic pop at its finest.

16. Ambulette - "Seconds Until Midnight"
Excuse me, missus, did you escape from the "Romeo + Juliet" soundtrack? ... And where were you when we needed you/to replace that Des'ree track?

17. Roy Orbison - "The Comedians"
A big thanks to Tony Rubin for telling me all about this song, which the great Elvis Costello wrote for the late, great Roy Orbison. Pretty epic, no?

Yes, you're right, it is, and that's what makes the fact that Tony's group, AM rubin, covers this occasionally even cooler.

18. Peter Gabriel - "On the Air"
Another regretful action of the last month: Swapping out "Scratch" for ... well, at the second, I can't find anything terribly embarrassing, but I'm sure I'll find that one I chucked at the cat the other night.... (Kidding! Much love, PETA!)

19. The Thermals - "Now We Can See"
Sounds so much like Piebald it's not even funny -- just awesome.

20. Robert Pollard - "Dancing Girls and Dancing Men"
Guided by who? If there's anything to help you forget, it's this meaty, beaty, big and bouncy eargasm. (Ha, gross!)

21. The Beta Band - "To You Alone"
Like Muse's "Fury," this track's low end will seriously piss off that old crow that's already fed up with you for knocking over her little statue each time you try to deliver pizzas to her modestly upscale mansion in the Chicago suburbs. Oh, wait, I've somehow confused my going-nowhere joke with a minor running gag in "Home Alone"....

Thus concludes your fifty-eighth dose of SHAKE*YOUR*SHORES, the awesome mix tape series that isn't afraid to chase skirts and smoke cigars on train tracks.

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