I have a smart playlist called Random CD #68, which is just what it sounds like: 79 minutes worth of tunes, ready to burn to CD on a moments notice. I find I end up making my own CDs when I rent a car, easier than hauling around iPod connective gear which may or may not work anyway.
Here's today's list. Can you tell I don't want to actually work on the year-end financials?
- John Lee Hooker- I'm Bad Like Jesse James (Live)
Live At The Cafe Au Go-Go (And Soledad Prison) - Sonic Youth- Pacific Coast Highway
Sister - Buffalo Springfield- On The Way Home
Retrospective - Lightnin' Hopkins- Jackstropper Blues
All The Classics 1946-1951 - Dylan, Bob- Lenny Bruce
Shot Of Love - Talking Heads- Uh-Oh, Love Comes To Town
Talking Heads 77 - James, Skip- Cypress Grove Blues
The Complete Early Recordings Of Skip James - Vances Tennessee Breakdowners- Washington County Fox Chase
Roots N' Blues - The Retrospective (1925-1950) - Young, Neil- Mr. Soul
Year Of The Horse - Professor Longhair- She Walks Right In (Bonus Track)
New Orleans Piano - Shonen Knife- Secret Dance (Live In Osaka Japan 04/17/82)
Pretty Little Baka Guy + Live In Japan - Radiohead- Morning Bell
Kid A - Timon- The Bitter Thoughts Of Little Jane
Nuggets II British Empire & Beyond - Waller, Fats- Honeysuckle Rose - solo piano
The Very Best of Fats Waller - Galaxie 500- Maracas Song
Uncollected - Led Zeppelin- That's The Way
How The West Was Won - My Morning Jacket- Bermuda Highway
At Dawn - Death Cab For Cutie- Company Calls Epilogue (Alternate)
The Death Cab for Cutie Forbidden Love E.P. - Johnson, Linton Kwesi- It Noh Funny
Forces Of Victory - Blue Öyster Cult- Stairway To The Stars
Workshop Of The Telescopes (Disc 1)
“Live At The Cafe Au Go-Go (And Soledad Prison)” (John Lee Hooker)
damn, what hypnotic menace in Hooker's voice. I saw him perform live a couple times, both at Antones, both in full electric guitar freakout mode. Great artist.
“Sister” (Sonic Youth)
I especially love this song's second part, after a staccato rocking opening, the melody opens up into dreamlike vistas full of delicious feedback before bringing back the lyric (Kim Gordon chanting). Maybe because it was the first Sonic Youth album I bought, maybe just because, Sister is still my favorite Sonik Tooth release.
“Retrospective: The Best of Buffalo Springfield” (Buffalo Springfield)
needs more Neil Young, especially since he wrote the song, but not bad.
“1946-1951” (Lightnin Hopkins)
on the surface, many of Lightnin' Hopkins songs sound the same. But they're not. And go ahead and play a few of his compositions if you think it is so easy. Single note blues runs are tricky sometimes.
“Shot of Love” (Bob Dylan)
piano tune, from a lost-in-the-weeds Dylan period. Not worth seeking out, but not horrifically bad. Faint praise for the Bob.
“Talking Heads: 77” (Talking Heads)
Wouldn't it have been cool to see these Talking Heads perform at CBGB, circa 1977? Not my favorite track on the album, never skip it though, maybe because it's the opening song. Plus the faux Caribbean steel drum break always makes me smile.
“The Complete Early Recordings of Skip James” (Skip James)
another voice that oozes charisma. Falsetto, playing off his guitar riffs. Great stuff.
“Roots N' Blues: Retrospective 1925-1950”
Fiddle and guitar instrumental. Toe-tapping good fun. Where's my moonshine, biatch? Listening closely, this would be a good song to learn to play on electric guitar.
“Year of the Horse” (Neil Young & Crazy Horse)
meh. Get Weld instead, or Live Rust.
“New Orleans Piano” (Professor Longhair)
Fuck George Bush, New Orleans will rise again! Man, I love this record, tracks recorded between 1948-1953, and they swing! boogie-woogie piano and sax-a-ma-phones.
“Pretty Little Baka Guy” (Shonen Knife)
raw, and kind of shitty “grunge-pop” sound. I still have an unrequited crush on them though. Bought this album (the Rockville Record label version) for 99¢ when some record store was going out of business.
“Kid A” (Radiohead)
haven't heard this in a while, brings back memories (of being unemployed, unemployable, massively in debt, and then not being in debt).
“Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts from the British Empire and Beyond” (Various Artists)
Garage rock is my guru. This is a bit more twee than some other cuts on the seminal Nuggets collection.
“The Very Best of Fats Waller” (Fats Waller)
I would have loved to blow some gage with Mr. Waller and joked until dawn.
“Uncollected” (Galaxie 500)
reverb is an instrument too.
“How The West Was Won” (Led Zeppelin)
acoustic Zepp. Bert Jansch should get royalties on every Jimmy Page acoustic song. The DVD of these performances is excellent too.
“At Dawn” (My Morning Jacket)
speaking of reverb....
Acolytes of Neil Young, and students of The Velvet Underground.
“Forbidden Love” (Death Cab for Cutie)
shoe-gazer music. I get depressed as much as any introvert, but this band never speaks to that emotion, seems more self-indulgent than interesting.
“Forces of Victory” (Linton Kwesi Johnson)
late 70s politically tinged reggae from Britain. If you've never heard Linton Kwesi Johnson, this album is a great place to start.
“Workshop of the Telescopes” (Blue Oyster Cult)
from their debut album (collected on this 2 disc compilation). Not as good as Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll, but still fun.
Aren't you glad you asked? All pretty good albums, with the exception of the Death Cab For Cutie. Never made an emotional bond with this band. The sounds pass my ears, but leave no mark on my soul.
Tags: music
