I Love Having Birthdays

Here's more info on the tracks found in my latest podcast, I Love Having Birthdays, a mix done for me this February by my incredible friend Jim.

1. The Johnny Depth "I Love Having Birthdays" Who doesn't love having birthdays? Not this guy. This is one of my favorite songs that Jim's ever recorded. He's got the built-in lo-fi from his four-track working for him on this, even though the vocals are a little squished. Then there's the rap/ skat in the middle section. And the iPod reference, just like in one of my first posts. Jim's got a dark side, and when it comes out in a song like this, it's pure gold.
2. Lady Sovereign "Love Me Or Hate Me" Oddly, this version has the "fuck you" censored. What the?
3. The White Stripes "Walking With a Ghost" I sit on the fence with the White Stripes. Jack White is clearly a brilliant performer and musician, both technically and technologically (I love the use of his pitch shifting whammy pedal). But as much as I dig me my messed-up, no bass, lo-fi bluesy garage noise bands (see: The Gories, Pussy Galore), I think what really ruins the WS for me is Meg White's GODAWFUL WEAKASS DRUMMING. I will post a track off an Upholsterers single soon, which finds Jack in the familiar two-person line-up, but this time with a real drummer. It freaking rocks. And no, I have not listened to the Raconteurs yet, nor am I particlurly interested.
4. The Coup "We Are The Ones" This track totally sounds like a cross between Vanilla Ice and AC/DC's "Big Balls," doesn't it?
5. Le Tigre - "Mediocrity Rules" Le Tigre kicks so much ass. Kathleen Hannah has got the best female punk rock vocals in the biz, hands down. No one else can anyone scream in perfect pitch like her (not, however, showcased in this song). This tune's off Le Tigre's first, damn near perfect, album. Unfortunately, I really don't care for their last effort, but I keep out hope for the next.
6. Gustavo Santaolalla "The Wings" From, I believe, Brokeback Mountain. Jim didn't tell me how this fits in to the mix, nor did I ask.
7. Low "Pissing" Low was one of those bands I heard lots about and never got around to, despite the fact that even Steve Albini recorded them once. Then I heard their Optigan-backed track off of their Christmas EP on my buddy Scott's podcast, and realized these guys rule. This song is no exception. Beautiful harmonies + meloncholic melody + dramatic build-up + lush guitar feedback = great music in my book.
8. Nina Simone "How I Feel" I vaguely remember Simone's cover of Screamin' Jay Hawkins' "I Put A Spell On You." I remember it being pretty good, although, really, how can you top the original? I mean, that song is just INSANE. I one of the few who believe that CCR's version of that song was patently wretched, even though Fogerty really screamed that sucker out.
9. Noonday Underground "Put You Back Together" Hm, driving 60's style beat, Peter Gunn guitar, and four octace Nancy Sinatra-esque vocals? OK, I'm in. I understand these guys are club darlings. I'll have to investigate further.
10. The Paragons "The Tide Is High" The original, although I'm sure you're much more familiar with that very famous version by, who else, Atomic Kitten. Some other band had a hit with this too.
11. Copycat "Fade To Pretty Vacant" As a freshman in college I was convinced that the Sex Pistols had the same impact on contemporary music as The Beatles. While there is some merit to the argument, I've since revised most of those opinions. I like the tasteful use in this song of Steve Jones' guitar riff and Lydon's original chorus. I also enjoy the perverse marriage of Mr. Rotten and cheezy 80's glamsynthpop. But that's the whole point, innit?
12. Tegan & Sarah "Walking With A Ghost" I assume the only reason for this song from the White Stripes catalog earlier and the inclusion of Tegan & Sarah at all was for the nice bookending of this mix.
13. Unknown "Love Me On The Wild Side" And again with tasteful bookending. Well played, Jim. I'm not familiar enough with 80's buttrock to know for certain, but the original "Wild Side" was Motley Crue, correct? Fortunately, this version of Lady Sovereign's song includes the all important F word. As foretold by the prophesy. I don't know what that means.

Totally Without Feck

As promised, here's a brand spankin' new podcast of not brand spankin' new music, Totally Without Feck. I've been itching to post one for some time but, well, I'm not going to get into it.

I mixed this baby on Audacity, which was really my first time using that application for a soup-to-nuts mix. I used to use the now crippled Roxio Creator Classic for my transitions, then make a disc image and convert it to mp3 with Audacity, but this was actually way easier in the long haul. I had better control over the tracks and could edit them down as needed. As I get my chops down I'll start adding some effects and dialogue and such, like my ol' mix tapes, but with less hiss.

UPDATE: I had done a preliminary mix of this the other day and thought that I had messed up the levels, so I zeroed them all out and now the mix is really choppy, volume wise, particularly after that damned Hospitals song, which is apparently 10x louder than the Joy Division track that follows. I may remix and repost, time and family permitting. Sorry 'bout that.

Like I said yesterday, I got to more in queue for ya, so c'mon back, y'hear?

Here is the track list and useless commentary. Please, enjoy!

1. Throbbing Gristle "Hot On The Heels Of Love" Off the accessible Throbbing Gristle album, 20 Jazz Funk Greats. I don't know why nor do I really care, but this track imported as mono. It shouldn't be, but there ya have it. Go buy the record if you want your fancy "stereo separation," you elitist snob. Anyway, in mono it sounds like an unreleased Kraftwerk demo.
2. Killing Joke "Wardance" I love bands that can be this bombastic without irony and make it work, as opposed to astonishingly stupid bands like The Alarm. First two Killing Joke albums: priceless.
3. The Hospitals "Rock and Roll Is Killing My Life" Sadly, this Suicide cover is the best song off The Hospital's first noisefest. I trimmed a lot of crap off the start and end. You're welcome.
4. Joy Division "Warsaw" This version is much more rockin' than the one that appeared on JD's first release, An Ideal For Living. Not that Joy Division couldn't rock (see "Interzone" for example), but they make this song swing!
5. Tom Waits "Heigh Ho" My obligatory Optigan inclusion and a nod to my friend Scott's podcast, Fraidy Hole, which doesn't seem to be downloadable any more. Whassup, Scott?which, quothe Scott, "is still available here: http://files-upload.com/137140/FraidyHole.mp3.html." So go out and listen up.
6. Future Bible Heroes "Mr. Punch" From the (inexplicable) tribute album to comic book writer Neil Gaiman, Where's Neil When You Need Him? I'm ashamed to say I have yet to read a Sandman comic. Yet another Stephin Merrit "band."
7. The Magnetic Fields "Take Ecstasy With Me" Speaking of Merritt, this is an alternative version of this tune with former lead vocalist Susan Anyway and drums lifted right from 69 Love Songs' "I'm Sorry I Love You." Neat.
8. Klark Kent "Office Girls" I have a soft spot for typewriter solos. KK was Police drummer Stewart Copeland's cheeky solo alter ego. These are rumored to be rejected songs he wrote for the Police. While I love the fact he plays all the instruments, the Klark Kent stuff was ultimately not nearly as good as Copeland's perfect soundtrack for Rumble Fish. Then he began a lucratice career of making crap (i.e. soundtrack for TV tragedy The Equalizer).
9. Thee Headcoats "Help" Again with the covers, but this one is pretty unique. Hilarious and virtually unlistenable. Too bad you can't skip to the next track.
10. Metric "Wet Blanket" I assume Metric gets compared to Elastica in the press. That would be unfair as they have better songs and don't make obvious thefts from Wire, The Stranglers, and every other English post-punk band.
11. Blondie "Once I Had A Love (aka The Disco Song)" aka "Heart of Glass." I still prefer the drum machine and synthesizer hit we all know and love, but this has its own special charm.
12. Public Image Ltd. "Blue Water" Off the banished Keith Levene's unauthorized pressing of The Commercial Zone, which would eventually be re-recorded as This Is What You Want…, heralding PiL's rapid descent into mediocrity. I probably like this because it reminds me of "Careering,"my fave PiL song.
13. Cabaret Voltaire "Silent Command" Karl Stockhausen and Lee "Scratch" Perry's illegitimate love child.
14. Portishead "All Mine" You like John Barry? I LOVE John Barry!
15. Au Revoir Simone "Through The Backyards" Sweet pop songs from a trio of Casio-lovin' gals. The verse melody is totally lifted from Eno's "St. Elmo's Fire."
16. The Evens "All These Governors" Customary Ian MacKaye sighting. I probably picked this because it's the most Fugazi-ish song on the album.
17. Vangelis "Tears In Rain" From one of my top 10 movies.
18. Pixies "Into The White" - The Pixies apparently used this frequently as their closer. Total cop-out on my part but I don't care. It's a rockin' outro.

Shake It Like A Baby

First I start a blog, now I got a podcast. What's next? Home videos on YouTube? Not likely.

You can check out my podcast over here at linoleumblownapart.podomatic.com. I was inspired by my friend Scott, whose podcasts can be heard over here at babyfeet.podomatic.com. As a music junkie, I've been thinking for awhile I'd like to do a What I'm Listening To list, but that seemed weak and uninteresting. But, a podcast/ mix-tape? OK, now we're on to something.

Just to get my feet wet, I uploaded a mix I made in August for my buddy Jim's birthday. Aside from the birthday song I performed and recorded for him, I thought it was one of my better mixes. So, sans birthday song, I elected to share that with the greater public as podcast #1. The track list is as follows:

1. New Fangs - "Paper Skulls" from their debut, Bayonets. The guitarist, Dave, and bassist, Karlis, are both veterans of local bands The Blow Up and Tractor Sex Fatality. I like TSF, but boy howdy were The Blow Up great. Find and purchase True Noise. Karlis was an old buddy of mine from college, but we haven't talked in ages. You out there, Karlis?
2. Go-Betweens - "Lee Remick" I think this is their first single. I got turned on to these guys after hearing The Wedding Present's cover of the their beautiful song "Cattle and Cane."
3. Suicide - "Fast Money Music" off Suicide's second album. God, I love these guys!
   
4. DJ Frenchbloke and Son - "Sexy Model" A mash-up of Kraftwerk's "The Model" and Right Said Fred's "I'm Too Sexy". Nice.
5. Cheap Trick - "He's A Whore" Bonus points for those of you who know why this song is here. And no, it has nothing to do with the title.
6. Unnatural Helpers - "Your Way Back Down" from The Funhouse Comp Thing. There's at least one guy, the singer/ drummer, from Popular Shapes. If you don't have Popular Shapes' Bikini Style, go get it. While you're there, pick up anything by The Intelligence, especially Boredom & Terror on vinyl, because you get a bonus CD with more music. A couple guys from Popular Shapes now play in that band. Then snag anything by A-Frames and get The Dipers album. Both feature Lars, who is basically The Intelligence. That's a good start. Go ahead, go. I'll wait.
7. Stephin Merritt - "Ukele Me!" Merritt is the man behind The Magnetic Fields, Future Bible Heroes, The Gothic Archies, and The 6ths. This track is one of two songs here from his "Showtunes" album, a collection of music he penned for three different theatre productions and performed by the casts.
8. Delta 5 - "Mind Your Own Business"
9. E.S.G. - "My Love For You" The Dirtbombs did a bang-up cover of this tune.
10. Puffy Amiyumi - "Can-Nana Fever" from the Guitar Wolf tribute album, I Love Guitar Wolf...Very Much. Guitar Wolf song with an accordion solo? I'm in.
11. The Wedding Present - "Shivers" A B-side from The Wedding Present's recent work with Steve Fisk. Fisk's 448 Deathless Days is one of the best records ever made. This is the second of two tracks the Weddoes did using Steve's Optigan. "Spangle" off their other Fisk-produced and out-of-print record, Watusi, was the first.
12. Peter Gabriel - "The Book Of Love" A Magnetic Fields song. Taken from the (gag) "Shall We Dance" soundtrack. My wife and I had the lyrics to this song read at our wedding. Awww.
13. Stephin Merritt - "What A Fucking Lovely Day!"
14. The Country Teasers - "Please Ban Music/ Gegen Alles" What a fantastic band! This is off their latest, The Empire Strikes Back.
15. The Fiery Furnaces - "I'm Leaving" from the Sunday Nights: The Songs of Junior Kimbrough tribute album.
16. Optiganally Yours - "Empire State Human" More Optigan magic. This is from the Reproductions: Songs of the Human League album (which I think Stephin Merritt put together). I'll post this group's outrageously good cover of OMD's "Genetic Engineering" in a future podcast.
17. Beck - "Everbody's Gotta Learn Sometime" I still have the Korgis' single of this song I bought when it came out in the 70's. I was thrilled when I heard Beck's cover of it at the end of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, more than anything because someone else had heard of it. I'll post the original later.
18. Duran Duran - "The Chauffeur" I'm not a fan of Duran Duran. I like Japan much better, whose music and hairstyles (!) Duran Duran clearly ripped off. But this song is a stand out from their album, Rio. Sexy, lush, and super creepy. I love it.