Friday Random ten or Twenty

Depending on how the morning goes...we'll see how many we get up here.

Norbizness is taking a stab at establishing a modified FRT meme in honor of the Queen (Lauren at Feministe) Not being able to do it this week. Something about a coolness self audit.

Alright, I'll take a stab. This is from my desktop computer, iTunes, 55.6 gigs of music: 13,942 songs.




The Mekons - d.p. Miller - I know it's going to be a GOOD day when I can get a Mekes song right off the bat. Level of coolness: 10/10, because they were Lester Bangs favorite band.
Blue Oyster Cult - Dominance and Submission - Cowbell cracks will be terminated with extreme prejudice. This song is from the days when Heavy Metal still had not been named, the original Led Zep and Black Sabbath were still active, and BOC had the most literate lyrics of anybody going. Written by Albert Bouchard, Eric Bloom, and Sandy Pearlman, the best song about S&M since Venus in Furs. 7/10
Aimee Mann - Little Bombs One of the most underrated artist of today, she has been working free of major labels since Til Tuesday broke up, and consequently been able to record and release the music she wants. Non commercial but beautiful and elegant. 8/10
Green Day - Long View 2nd gen punks with fake english accents playing an MTV hit. Oh well, at least it's about stoner apathy. Another Guilty Pleasure. 5/10
The Clash - Somebody Got Murdered Sandinista is longish and tends to be overwrought when compared to its predecessor, London Calling. But repeated listens shows a punk band growing up and challenging itself, admittedly sometimes unsuccessfully. This is one of the better songs, and the band is still at its height; before the decline of Combat Rock and fall of Cut The Crap. 6/10

The Cure- Faded Smiles Obscure outtake from the first album from these proto-goth punk rockers. Not a great song, but I get plus points from the record-geek-collector- completist standpoint. 6/10
Arlo Guthrie- Highway in the Wind bland folkie song from the reissued and updated Alice's Restaurant. See, I'm being honest about these songs, and not editing! For Older Hippies only; but Arlo gets a pass because he wrote Alice's Restaurant. 3/10
Black 47 - Forty Deuce The best Irish-punk-hip hop band from New York, ever. One of my favorite live bands- legendary shows. More literate lyrics: the songwriter's also an uthor and playwright. 8/10
Tom Tom Club Genius of Love As if you didn't know, side project from the Talking Heads rhythm section. Funky AND New Wave. How cool is that? Damn cool. 7/10
Wonderlick - The Roadie Sings wow. Wonderlick consist of half of Too Much Joy, formed after TMJ broke up and the members developed 'real' jobs. An obscure studio band based on an obscure punk band from New York. TMJ live shows were raucous, hilarious romps; besides, their second album name-checked Die Kreuzen. In addition, the band went to Florida after 2 Live Crew were arrested for obscenity, and performed THE EXACT SAME SET as 2 Live Crew. And, of course, ended up in jail also. this has got to be 10/10.

Cheap Trick - Dream Police Cheap Trick is the everyman's rock band. Who doesn't like at least one Trick song? Still cranking after 30 years. 6/10
The Futureheads - A to B cunningly retro band who have been playing hteir early XTC albums A LOT. 7/10
Oingo Boingo - Only A Lad Before he bacame everybody's favorite movie soundtrack composer, Danny Elfman fronted this punk/new wave/ska band playing songs about lizards and death. This was the title track off their first album, frenetic and jumpy. 7/10
Monty Python - The Castle Aargh/The End One of the few soundtracks on my HD. Monty Python and the Holy Grail- what needs to be said? It's not music, but it's a good start to a Friday. "You tiny-brained wipers of other people's bottoms!" and "Make castanets of your testicles already!" 8/10
Blue Oyster Cult - Monsters More BOC. I like it. But the jazz break in the middle is pretty forced. 4/10

The Futureheads - He Knows You would think that with nearly 14,000 songs to work with, iTunes could avoid repeating a band. Good song, but let's try some variety, hey? 4/10
Blondie - The Thin Line More NY New Wave from the 80's. Debbie Harry is the coolest chick who would have nothing to do with you. 5/10
The Minutemen - D's Car Jam/Anxious Mo-Fo Double Nickels on the Dime. d. Boon; Mike Watt. Punk with a jazz attitude, and the occasional BOC song. The Anti-Clear Channel. 8/10
Metallica - Master of Puppets Speed metal performed with an orchestra. Okay, it's pretentious, forced and unnecessary, but I like it. I love the idea of the the string section trying to keep up, all sweaty in their tuxes and gowns...5/10.
Stan Ridgway - Our Manhattan Moment Jazzy bit from the former singer of Wall of Voodoo. Not his best song. 4/10



Well, there it is. Not only was I truthful, but I actually listened through all of these songs. Not as painful and embarrassing as it could have been, I assure you. If ITunes had been feeling malicious, we could have ended up with some April Wine, or Romantics. Or Taco.

Average score: 6.4. My computer decided to make my music selection look WAY cooler than it actually is.