Random 10 for March 11, 2009
1. Ane Brun, “To Let Myself Go.” A pure voice and entirely undeniable voice that sounds as perfect in a live setting as it does in the studio. For more, check out her second U.S. release, Changing of the Seasons, which hasn’t gotten nearly the play it deserves. She brought us a bunch of sweets!
2. Jim Noir, “Look Around You.”
3. Kings of Leon, “Black Thumbnail.”
4. Cat Power, “Could We?” “Sad and groovy, sad and groovy.”
5. The Blow, “Hey Boy.”
6. Radiohead, “Black Star.”
7. Josh Rouse, “Givin’ It Up.”
8. Patton Oswalt, “The World’s Most Amazing Father.”
9. Vince Vaughn, “Hava Nagilah.”
10. Robbie Robertson, “Somewhere Down the Crazy River.” From Robertson’s first solo album, notable for: the Daniel Lanois atmospherics that became de rigeur for artists of a certain age, sensibility and stature for about three years after So and The Joshua Tree; Sammy Bodean’s background vocals; some awkward lyrical passages toward the end; and the brain-fryingly hot, thorough and lengthy makeout session between Robertson and Maria McKee at the coda. All they needed were some ice cubes and strawberries and it would be “9 1/2 Weeks.” ”Wait — did you hear that? Ah, this is sure stirring up some ghosts for me.”
Static, Episode 4: Ali Harter
Interview
“All Over Me”
“Untitled #3″
“Never Any Good”
Video of the Day: The Boy Least Likely To, “A Balloon On a Broken String”
The new BLLT disc, The Law of the Playground, was finally released this week after much label-related delay, and delivers much in the way of naive melodies and lyrics to match. Look for a review next week.
Random 10 for March 4, 2009
1. Creedence Clearwater Revival, “I Heard It Through the Grapevine”
2. The Poster Children, “King for a Day”
3. Talking Heads, “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)”
How can you not help but love this song?
4. Duke Ellington, “Come Sunday”
5. Rancid, “Journey to the End of the East Bay”
6. Skeeter Davis, “The End of the World”
One of the earlier country singers to cross over into mainstream pop success, Skeeter had a humongous hit in 1963 with this very cornball — but endearing — slice of broken-hearted teen angst.
7. The Rolling Stones, “Let’s Spend the Night Together”
8. Pearl Jam, “Mankind”
9. Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five, “Five Guys Named Mo”
Mercy, but those cats can swing.
10. We Are the Fury, “Now We Know”
– Chase
Video of the Day: The Guggenheim Grotto, “Her Beautiful Ideas”
The Dublin, Ireland due of Mick Lynch and Kevin May released their second disc, Happy the Man, in January, and will be performing live next Thursday at the Blue Door, 2805 N McKinley. But before that, they will show up to play in the NewsOK studios for an upcoming edition of Static.
Video of the Day: Winter Gloves, “Let Me Drive”
Flip-book frenzy! I don’t know if this is completely manual in the “draw goofy stuff in the corner of your history book” sense – there might have been technical assistance somewhere in the process — but even if some computers helped in the replication process, this is no mean feat.
Static, Episode 3: Matthew Alvin Brown
Interview
“Miles Around”
“Cupcake”
Video of the Day: Phil and the Osophers, “High Art”
Lasik surgery rocks! It doesn’t necessarily sing on key, but it rocks.
Video of the Day: Late of the Pier, “Heartbeat”
Samuel Eastgate takes his punishment and can’t stand up for falling down in this mind twister. Well, not so much a mind twister as a brain-blower. There’s proof at the end.
Random 10 for February 24, 2009
1. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, “Dig, Lazarus, Dig.” The title track from Cave’s best disc in years, and that’s saying something. Not many people from his generation are making career-peak music at 52, but between Grinderman, the revitalized Bad Seeds and his soundtrack work, this man is absolutely killing.
2. Led Zeppelin, “Over the Hills and Far Away.”
3. Tori Amos, “A Case of You.”
4. The Flaming Lips, “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (Japanese Version).”
5. The Futureheads, “Hounds of Love.” The Sunderland band that took its name from a Flaming Lips album (!) recasts the Kate Bush classic as an angular rocker.
6. Northern State, “The Man’s Dollar.”
7. This Is Ivy League, “Celebration.”
8. Os Mutantes, “Ando Meio Desligado.”
9. Jimi Hendrix, “Izzabella.”
10. Northern State, “Better Already.” Sort of Luscious Jackson: The Next Generation, 2007 saw the trio led by former Hillary Clinton campaign staffer Hesta Prynn land at Mike Patton’s Ipecac Records, which released the Adrock co-produced Can I Keep This Pen?
