Friday Random Ten

Just following the lead of stalwarts Lauren and Norbizness.

Skipping the self-audit, cuz I got a Mickey's hangover, and really, how many of you give a shit? We know that I'm no longer cool, and neither are you, in the cold grey light of dawn.

If you want to check, go Ask an Insufferable Music Snob


Desktop random, 14,219 songs, 56.59 gigs:

1. Power of Moonlight - Tiger Army. Punk from the Hellcat! label. They do these great mashup CDs of punk, ska and reggae labelmates; like the Clash and Rancid, it works.

2. Face It - Moby.

3. Take The Skinheads Bowling - Camper Van Beethoven. Yes! this is the kind of music on this kind of Friday. Absurdist bit of post-punk genius. They may never have reached this height again, but fuckin Cracker never got close. If I was scoring, this would be a solid 9, even if it was in that Michael Moore movie. Post modern irony still has a place.

4. In The Name of God - Dream Theater. guitar heavy prog. In high school, I would have loved these guys. Seems awful timely, though, doesn't it? Check these lyrics:

How can this be?
Why is he the chosen one?

Saint gone astray
With a scepter and a gun

Learn to believe
In the mighty and the strong

Come bleed the beast
Follow me it won't be long

Listen when the prophet
Speaks to you
Killing in the name of God

Frankly, though, a little too much scale-based noodling. Definitely not cool.

5. Point Shirley - Rhett Miller. Of the late Old 97's, this guy should be receiving the accolades and record sales Ryan Adams is receiving. Definitely worth checking out.

6. Will Tomorrow ever Come - Dance Hall Crashers. I don't care whether it's cool or not, IMS, but I always like the ska, first wave, second wave, or third wave.

7. Leaving New York - REM. High point, subtle piece, from the latest album. Bittersweet parting, with a chorus that is one big hook. And I love overlapping vocals like toward the end. All you folks that argue about what album killed REM can just send your damn tickets to me. I saw them on the Life's Rich Pageant tour in a theater of about 2500 people (Camper Van opened! Yes!) and on the Green tour in a shed of 40,000. Probably one of the only bands I would still go see in a big shed or barn, if they ever come by again.

8. No Hiding Place - The Boomtown Rats. I started listening to punk and new wave with Elvis, the Cars, the Clash, the B-52's and the Rats. Never made it big in America, due to a backlash from radio critics. Bastards.

9. My Girl - Madness. Back to the second wave ska. definitely a theme going here.

10. Black Blade - Blue Oyster Cult. Ahh, HERE's the embarrassing track. Again, I loved these guys in high school; still like them, and in recent years, they've reverted to what I call 'the Cheap Trick Phenomenon' ; where they've re-discovered the fun of playing rock n roll, no matter what size of crowd, and in the end, it's better than working. So I still like 'em, and fuck you. I think Norbizness likes 'em too, although he won't admit it, and if it's good enough for HFPST, it's good enough for this low-rent district.

Bonus tracks: let's see how much more embarrassing iTunes will get on me:


11. Always There - UB40. Recent stuff. They used to be great, before they became AOR easy listening for suburban emigres who like to think they're still cool. The UBs deserve the benefit of the doubt, though, just for writing One inTen as well as taking their name from Britain's unemployment Benefit form.

12. The Real Sheila - Game Theory. Scott Miller (again) I think ITunes likes his stuff; I wonder if the computer knows that Miller is now working as a UNIX uber-geek since the music career petered out. I blame Warner Brothers; when the revolution comes, I claim dibs on WB music execs. Their screams shall be as of the Damned.

And we'll just go with a baker's dozen today:

13. Inspector Gadget - Ska King Crab. Third Wave.