February 24, 2004
1) Millionaire – Songs For the Deaf – Queens of the Stone Age
R.I.P. QOTSA. The idea that Homme and Olivieri won’t be around to get high and drop the heavy shit anymore just kinda depressing.
2) Tell Me What You See – Pawn Shoppe Heart - The Von Bondies
The new Von Bondies records roars, although I think the vocals seem a little too polished sometimes. This track is one of the exceptions, as the dude that got beat up by Jack White has some fun and lets his voice run ragged.
3) Waffle House – Nothing New - Chisel
Great song, although I think there could be more lyrics about the Waffle House itself.
4) Joneses Rule of Sport – Secaucus - The Wrens
I’ve been listening to the two Wrens records a lot this month, and I still can’t seem to get a good grasp of what they’re trying to do. This older track grabbed my attention most just because it seemed vaguely British… I think it’s about soccer.
5) The Dark of the Matinee – Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand
Anointed by the Brit press as the Next Big Thing, Franz Ferdinand has just enough chops to not fall flat on their face. For this track, I particularly like the slowdown bridge.
6) Get Over You – The Undertones – The Undertones
This came up on random. Still catchy as fuck.
7) Busy Signals – B-Side – The Exploding Hearts
I think I saw this pointed out on the ‘Fork. It’s not quite as vibrant as the stuff that made it onto record, but it’s still a fun listen.
8) I’m Gonna Run – Gallowbird’s Bark – The Fiery Furnaces
I caught some of their set live and really couldn’t stand it. On record, it works a little better. The opening lines to their ode to office work are terrific:
“Slit my wrists with my Swingline/copied myself 500 times/pierced my ears with a three hole punch/ate 12 dozen donuts for lunch”
9) The World Isn’t Fair – The Randy Newman Songbook – Randy Newman
It’s not quite a Newman classic, but it’s got a wry sense of humor and the beautifully awkward piano lines. And it’s about Karl Marx. That’s worth points.
10) Deep Dark Truthful Mirror – Mighty Like a Rose Bonus Disc - Elvis Costello
This is the “unplugged” version, with an arrangement pretty similar to the last few times I saw him perform it. The only difference is that this one doesn’t have a segue into “You Really Got A Hold on Me,” which is a bummer. Costello’s Motown medley’s are stunning… have you heard the one where he does “Alison/Living A Little, Laughing A Little/Tracks Of My Tears/Tears Of A Clown/No More Tearstained Make-Up/Clowntime Is Over?” That one’s a jawdropper too. Man, I shoulda put that one on here instead. Maybe next month.
11) The Long Grift – Wig In a Box – They Might Be Giants
The Wig In a Box tribute album has a lot of gems, but the falsetto chorus in “The Long Grift” hits me right in the angry inch. Subtle and bittersweet, and honestly not what I would have expected from TMBG here.
12) That Dress Looks Nice On You – Seven Swans - Sufjan Stevens
Steven’s soft spoken folk just tends to hang in the air like cobwebs, beautiful and barely there.
13) 99 Problems - The Grey Album – DJ Dangermouse
Dangermouse’s remix of Jay-Z’s
Black Album and the Beatles’
White Album has become an internet flashpoint thanks to EMI. This treatment of “99 Problems” worked around swirling snippets of “Helter Skelter” is chaotic genius and handfuls better than the original.
The entire album remains available for download here.14) Dirt Off Your Shoulder – The Black Album – Jay-Z
While I like The Grey Album a lot, this track shows you what’s really missing. Nothing on the Grey makes you shimmy your shoulders like Timbaland’s beats here, and once it gets in your head it’s absolutely unshakeable.
15) Paid In Full (Coldcut Remix) – Paid In Full – Eric B. and Rakim
This popped up on some TV show or something in the background. The “seven minutes of madness” remix was probably the greatest old-skool remix back in the day, and it holds up pretty well. I forgot how “Pump Up the Volume” by M/A/R/R/S is basically 15 seconds of this cut on infinite loop. Oh yeah, and Rakim’s pretty good too.
Posted in Mixtape
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