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Guilty pleasures. We all have them. Actually, I never had any until recently, because I figured that if I didn’t feel any shame about liking a song, then it wasn’t a guilty pleasure. Ah, what a naïve child I once was. I surely should have known that music would turn on me and become something I didn’t like, and then that something I didn’t like would create something I liked (ahem, “I Want It That Way”).
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No one asked for it, but here it is, anyway: a new feature on ESDMusic which, hopefully, will become a regular reason for you to visit the site…provided, of course, that we can come up with enough material to maintain it. But, frankly, when you hear the premise, I think you’ll agree that with all of the music geeks we’ve got around here, that shouldn’t be an issue… Borrowing on the same general concept as Bullz-Eye’s Mix Disc Monday, Flashback Friday will allow our writers to venture into the depths of their possibly-embarrassing personal histories by pulling out old mix tapes and writing about them. In theory, this should reveal a lot about where we were musically at the time we made the tapes; in reality, however, it may just indicate how limited our budget was at the time…or, at least, that’s what this tape of mine shows. That’s right, as the person who came up with this idea, it’s only fair that I get the ball rolling, and lemme tell ya: I was attending Averett College in Danville, VA (go, Cougars!), and it was a real rarity for me to buy anything that wasn’t on its second or third markdown in the cut-out bin…and, believe me, you can tell. Title: Greetings from Averett, Vol. 2 Side 1:
“Main Title / Rebel Blockade Runner,” John Williams and the London Symphony Orchestra (Star Wars: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) I’ve always been of the mind that every mix needs to start off with something witty, clever, funny, or just, y’know, something memorable. Given that this was 1991 and we were on what would turn out to be a 16-year drought between new “Star Wars” films, beginning the tape with the familiar main titles from the original flick – now known as “Star Wars: A New Hope” – certainly qualified. Unfortunately, the title theme segues directly into another track, ”Rebel Blockade Runner,” and as a result, the whole thing ends up going on longer than most normal people would ever maintain interest. I mean, I love that soundtrack, and even *I* started to get bored. By the way, while I’ve attributed this to the actual “Star Wars” soundtrack, given my budget, I have to believe that this was much more likely taken from an el-cheapo recording done by, say, the Generic Philharmonic Orchestra…which means it’s almost certainly not John Williams conducting but, probably, his non-union Mexican equivalent. (Juan Williams?)
“Losing My Religion,” R.E.M. (Out of Time) This is the track on Side 1 which most definitively dates the tape for me. As noted, I was a man with limited funds, and most of my purchases were CDs and cassettes that I’d rescued from the cut-out bin at the record chain in the local mall, but I sucked it up and bought Out of Time on its first day of release. I still remember writing a review for the Averett College newspaper, The Chanticleer, and declaring that this song’s lyrics sounded like a parody of the band’s style. (“I think I thought I saw you try” is the one that leaps immediately to mind.) I must’ve made this tape within a day or two of the album’s release and only known this song; otherwise, I almost certainly would’ve put “Texarkana,” “Near Wild Heaven,” or “Shiny Happy People” on here instead.
“This Is the World Calling,” Bob Geldof (Deep in the Heart of Nowhere) Wow, did this album get reamed when it was first released. I’m sure Bob didn’t expect much else, though; after you’ve been held up as the pop star who fed the world, you ought to know that the press is going to tear your next LP a new center hole. Yeah, that’s right, Geldof’s fallible. So what? And, anyway, Deep in the Heart of Nowhere wasn’t nearly as bad as everyone said; it just wasn’t as good as, say, your average Boomtown Rats album. I still say the first half of the album is pretty damned good, and this song, which leads off the record, is definitely a highlight. Filed under: Rock and Pop and Alternative and Deep Cuts and Songs and Artists and Playlists and External Music and Mix Disc Monday and Flashback Friday Comments: 1 Comment |
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Quick show of hands: does anyone really like Valentine’s Day? For single people, it’s an unpleasant reminder that you’re single (and therefore, in the eyes of the good people at Hallmark Cards, a loser). For couples, it’s yet another obligation to go out and do something special for your sweetie, despite the fact that you’ve already done that at Christmas, your anniversary, Mother’s/Father’s Day, his or her birthday and, if you really go overboard, your date-iversary as well. Enough already. While everyone at Bullz-Eye is either happily married or happily involved (except for our fearless leader, who is happily neither), we see both sides of this dilemma, and have assembled a mix disc for the lovers and another for the fighters. There’s plenty of joy and pain (but not sunshine and rain) to go around. Dig in. Mix One: Ain’t Love Grand Ah, love. Love rules. It’s a scientific fact that when you’re in love, the sun shines a little bit brighter, people are nicer, and your car gets better gas mileage. People in love, according to a song by the Feeling, get special treatment. They know of what they speak. And yet, so few truly great songs have been written about the subject. For every “We’ve Only Just Begun,” there are ten songs like “Everything I Do (I Do It for You).” Because of that, this is officially declared a Bryan Adams-free zone. Feel better already, don’t you? “You’re the Best Thing,” The Style Council (My Ever Changing Moods) “La La Love You,” The Pixies (Doolittle) “(They Long to Be) Close to You,” The Carpenters (Close to You) “Here, There and Everywhere,” The Beatles (Revolver) To see the rest of Mix One, click here. Mix Two: Love Bites If love is supposedly the most wonderful thing in the world, then why the hell does it hurt so much? There’s an old saying that it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. Try telling that to someone who has just loved and lost. From invincible to unlovable in seconds flat, nothing will make you feel as unworthy as a failed relationship, especially when it’s capped with a crushing one-liner like “I like everything about my life except my relationship with you.” My college girlfriend actually said that to me, no joke. And in return, I sang a number of these songs to her. “House of Love,” Squeeze (Play) “I Believe She’s Lying,” Jon Brion (Meaningless) “Say Anything,” Aimee Mann (Whatever) “Good Luck,” Basement Jaxx w/ Lisa Kekaula (Kish Kash) To see the rest of Mix Two, click here. Filed under: Rock and Pop and Alternative and Songs and Lists and Playlists and Mix Disc Monday Comments: None |
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While we find it downright creepy that radio stations are flipping to all-Christmas-music playlists before Thanksgiving, it doesn’t diminish our love of Christmas pop. This list could easily stretch out to 30 tracks, but we will stick to the 15-song limit, if only to make it easier to justify our glaring omissions. We’re leaving off album titles because these songs are available on about 60 compilations each. “Fairytale of New York,” the Pogues w/ Kirsty MacColl “Christmas Wrapping,” the Waitresses “Do They Know It’s Christmas?,” Band Aid “Christmas Day,” Squeeze “December Will Be Magic Again,” Kate Bush “Christmastime,” Aimee Mann & Michael Penn “O Come All Ye Faithful,” Twisted Sister “Thanks for Christmas,” XTC “Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel,” the Cast of “South Park” “Donde Esta Santa Claus?,” Guster “Twelve Days of Christmas,” Bob & Doug McKenzie “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/Medley,” Barenaked Ladies w/ Sarah McLachlan “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight),” the Ramones “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” Whirling Dervishes “Blue Christmas,” Collective Soul Filed under: Rock and Pop and Alternative and Lists and Playlists and Mix Disc Monday Comments: 5 Comments |
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Russian-born Regina Spektor makes quirky, piano-driven music for the hipster set. She scored a minor hit this year with “Fidelity” from Begin to Hope, her fourth full-length release, but her catalog features several great songs. Where possible, I included links to a live performance or the proper video for each song (hosted by YouTube). I also included links to iTunes and/or Amazon for convenient purchase. Let’s get to know Regina Spektor. Filed under: Rock and Pop and Alternative and Rock Babes and Songs and Artists and Playlists and External Music and Get to Know Comments: None |
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As I recently reviewed U2’s 18 Singles – a collection hoping to tap into the kind of success that The Beatles 1 had a few years ago – it occurred to me that I could put together a better 18-song playlist. Remember, I’m going for the band’s hits; so bigger in this case is probably better. First, I must identify the “must-haves.” Here is my list: “Angel of Harlem,” “Beautiful Day,” “Desire,” “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” “Mysterious Ways,” “One,” “Pride (In The Name of Love),” “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” “Where the Streets Have No Name” and “With or Without You.” These are the band’s signature songs. (Only “Angel of Harlem” was excluded from 18 Singles.) Now, I need to identify the best of the rest: “All I Want Is You,” “Bad,” “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me,” “I Will Follow,” “New Year’s Day,” “Sweetest Thing” and “Vertigo.” Are there better songs not yet mentioned? Probably, but you’d be hard-pressed to find something bigger or more popular. That leaves room for one song. Regrettably, I’m only choosing amongst the singles, so personal favorites like “In a Little While,” “Hawkmoon 269,” “So Cruel” or “A Sort of Homecoming” do not qualify. Nor does “Flower Child,” an All That You Can’t Leave Behind castoff that I’m utterly convinced would be a huge hit for the band if they would only release it as a single. Looking at the list of the band’s singles, “Discotheque,” “Staring at the Sun,” “Numb” and “Stay (Farwaway, So Close!)” jump out. Of the four, the last two didn’t chart as well as the first two, so the final spot goes to either “Discotheque” or “Staring at the Sun.” Listening to each as I keep my criteria in mind, I can envision the band opening a concert with “Discotheque.” “Staring at the Sun”? Not so much. So here’s the final 18-song tracklist, in chronological order: 1. I Will Follow How’s it look? |
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Welcome to the debut of our newest installment, Mix Disc Monday. It is exactly what you think it is. We won’t even bother to insult your intelligence by explaining the concept to you. In this age of iTunes playlists and podcasts, we know that you’re a step ahead of us. Fifteen songs about…well, whatever inspires us that day. It therefore seemed fitting that we kick off this weekly event with a timely list of songs whose titles evoke images of All Hallow’s Eve. Most of the songs aren’t dark or scary, but do they have to be? If that’s what you want, listen to the main theme to “Requiem for a Dream” over and over again, if you have the guts. Oh, and feel free to pepper the proceedings with “Bring out your dead” quotes from “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.” Ministry: “Everyday Is Halloween” (Early Trax) The Jazz Butcher: “The Devil Is My Friend” (Bloody Nonsense) Bow Wow Wow: “I Want Candy” (We Are the ‘80s) Squirrel Nut Zippers: “Hell” (Hot) The Killers: “Bones” (Sam’s Town) Oingo Boingo: “Dead Man’s Party” (Dead Man’s Party) L7: “Pretend We’re Dead” (Bricks Are Heavy) Concrete Blonde: “Bloodletting (The Vampire Song)” (Bloodletting) Dead or Alive: “Something in My House” (Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know) Book of Love: “Witchcraft” (Lullaby) B-52’s: “Devil in My Car” (Wild Planet) Jellyfish: “The Ghost at Number One” (Spilt Milk) Roger Joseph Manning, Jr.: “Creepie People” (The Land of Pure Imagination) Gnarls Barkley: “The Boogie Monster” (St. Elsewhere) Divine Comedy: “The Happy Goth” (Absent Friends) P.S. To see the most unintentionally funny Goth clip ever on YouTube, click here. Filed under: Rock and Pop and Songs and Lists and Playlists and Videos and External Music and Mix Disc Monday Comments: 1 Comment |
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Be sure to check out my review of the recent Black Keys show at the Avalon in Hollywood, CA. Filed under: Rock and Alternative and Songs and Artists and Blues and Playlists and External Music and Get to Know Comments: 1 Comment |
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I recently watched U2’s concert film, “Rattle & Hum,” and it was better than I remember. Over the years, I’ve read several reviews that used words like “disastrous,” but I thought it was an interesting, if mostly staged, look at the group as they were evolving into the “Biggest Band in the World.” I think the soundtrack suffers a bit because it’s all over the place. I would rather have seen two separate discs - one consisting of new material and one live album. Considering all of their output during those years, the disc of new material would have looked something like this:
That’s a nice playlist. I realize that a few of those songs (“Sweetest Thing,” “Hallelujah (Here She Comes)” and “Silver and Gold”) were released as B-sides to singles from The Joshua Tree, but had they been “Americanized,” recorded in the same spirit as “Desire” and “Angel of Harlem” were, they would have fit right in with the rest of the material and the band would have had three great albums in a row instead of two and a half. The second disc could have compiled the band’s live greatest hits up to that point; it would have been perfect for a fan like myself, who got into U2 during The Joshua Tree years but didn’t have the fortitude (or the finances) to dig into all the previous albums to find their better songs. Oh well, I guess they did all right without my help. |
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That “Separate Ways” video (on YouTube.com) inspired me to listen to some Journey, and I have to mention the band’s two most underrated songs. “Anytime” was one of the band’s first hits from Infinity, and peaked at #83 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart. It is now usually played on classic rock radio with “Feeling That Way,” which is a slow building rocker that showcases Steve Perry’s unique vocals, the group’s patented harmonizing and one of the band’s better guitar solos. After hearing the pair played together a few times, the ending of “Feeling That Way” screams for “Anytime,” another groovy rocker with a slow beat and an infectious chorus. The two songs were left off of the band’s Greatest Hits compilation that came out in 1988. With clunkers like “Be Good To Yourself” and “I’ll Be Alright Without You” and a running time of just under 62 minutes, Columbia Records has no excuse. Sony had the chance to correct the mistake in 2001, but failed by leaving “Feeling That Way” off of The Essential Journey, which was a double-disc compilation. What a slap in the face. Listen to a song clip here. |
 My love affair with the music of Tom Petty began in 1989 when I saw his video for “Free Fallin’” on MTV. Like many in my generation, the song really struck a chord with me and I ran out to buy Full Moon Fever, which goes down as one of the best CD purchases I’ve ever made. Much like U2’s The Joshua Tree, which I talked about as part of my U2 Deep Cuts article, Full Moon Fever has absolutely no weak spots – every song is good. Two years later he and the Heartbreakers released Into The Great Wide Open, and after hearing “Learning To Fly,” I knew I was hooked. I started to explore Petty’s back catalog a bit more and found familiar Heartbreaker tunes like “American Girl,” “Breakdown” and “Refugee.” Luckily for me, in 1993 the group released its first Greatest Hits compilation, which still serves as a fantastic introduction to the band. As time went on, Petty released the terrific Wildflowers and contributed all of the tracks to the She’s The One soundtrack, which was completely overlooked. It was during these years that Petty cemented himself as one of my all-time favorites, a moniker that he and his band will continue to hold as long as I draw breath. 1) “The Wild One, Forever” – Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers 2) “Insider” - Hard Promises 3) “A Woman in Love (It’s Not Me)” – Hard Promises 4) “Change of Heart” – Long After Dark 5) “Straight into Darkness” – Long after Dark Be sure to check out Bullz-Eye.com’s full list of Tom Petty Deep Cuts, and then read more about the aritst with their list of Tom Petty Essentials, an entertainer page, and a book review of Conversations with Tom Petty. |
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So my wife has been working late this week, and the duty to put our four-month old daughter to bed has fallen to yours truly. When 8:00 PM rolls around, it’s time to take her into her nursery, put on a CD, and rock her to sleep to the music. Normally, I’ve been sticking to the tried and true - Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson - but, this week, I’ve tried to branch her out. The soundtrack thus far has been… Monday: XTC, Skylarking. She was out by the time “The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul” came on. Tuesday: Colin Hay, Man @ Work. Somewhere around “Looking For Jack,” I felt the telltale twitching of sleep. Tonight: Tears for Fears, The Seeds of Love. Clearly, the kid was tired; we weren’t even all the way through “Sowing the Seeds of Love” before she had passed out enough for me to carefully transition her from my arms to her crib. I don’t think Jenn works late tomorrow, so I probably won’t have daughter duty…but, if I do, I’m considering The Blue Nile’s Hats. |
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“If your exposure to the Dave Matthews Band consists of the 40,000 times your girlfriend forces you to listen to “Satellite,” you probably can’t stand them. That’s fine. But if you’ve gone to one DMB show, you know that Dave is anything but some lone crooner softly singing sweet nothings. Dave’s a man possessed on stage. Every photograph of Dave in front of a microphone shows him either coiled like a snake at the ready, or the moment immediately after, where he’s literally attacking it, leaning into the crowd like a thrill seeker on a beach in a hurricane leaning into the wind, almost held upright by the energy of the crowd which leans in equal dependence forward onto him. He is an aggressive front man, shouting out his music as if to shout harder would kill him. It’s in that spirit that Deep Cuts DMB features a lot of live recordings. There are some studio cuts…most notably from 2002’s Busted Stuff, regularly cited as DMB’s best studio album. But to appreciate DMB, you must listen to them live, on stage, creating an incredible place that is, to paraphrase Dave, “better than this” to find “the best of what’s around.” Founded in 1991 in Charlottesville, VA, DMB takes its spiritual lead from Dave, born in South Africa, a musical influence evident throughout the music. The best musician in the band, by far, is drummer Carter Beauford, who is regularly named as one of the greatest drummers who have ever lived. A musician friend of mine, asked to compare Carter to guys like John Bonham, Keith Moon or Stewart Copeland, once said that Carter is capable of executing riffs that none of those guys ever even attempted. At one show, I watched in amazement as he blasted out a solo more complicated than I could imagine, all the while smiling like this was the most fun he’d ever had…oh, and he was also chewing on bubble gum, and blowing bubbles. With violinist Boyd Tinsley, bassist Stefan Lessard, keyboardist Peter Griesar, and saxman Leroi Moore, DMB creates a unique sound as identifiable as any rock band of our time. So here are my DMB Deep Cuts. Be prepared: if you put all this on one CD (it’ll probably require two), you may be listening to it for months. “Don’t Drink the Water” – Concert at Central Park “#41″ / “Say Goodbye” – Crash “You Never Know” – Busted Stuff Take a look at the rest of Tim Russo’s DMB Deep Cuts along with his Dave Matthews Band profile. Filed under: Rock and Alternative and Deep Cuts and Songs and Lyrics and Artists and Concert CDs and Playlists Comments: 3 Comments |
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The Joshua Tree was the very first CD I ever bought – can you believe that? It wasn’t Europe or Huey Lewis & the News or White Lion; it was arguably U2’s greatest album and maybe the best album of the decade. I listened to the disc over and over and when it became too scratched and my prehistoric CD player couldn’t play it, I went out and bought another copy. In those days, I didn’t explore a band’s back catalog like I do now. I think I may have bought a copy of Under a Blood Red Sky just to hear “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” but I didn’t go out and buy The Unforgettable Fire or War to see what the boys from Dublin did before they delivered this beautiful work to me. In the last few years, I’ve had the opportunity to explore the band’s back catalog of album releases and most of their B-sides as well. Much like my Rolling Stones Deep Cuts article, I’ve compiled a list of all of U2’s best music that I feel is underappreciated. Take a listen to these album cuts spanning U2’s entire career and maybe you’ll discover a few new songs. Be sure to check out Part II of our U2 Deep Cuts, which features live tracks, non-album tracks, remixes and covers. Also take a look at the list of essential U2 and the band’s biography. 1) “An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart” – These two songs from Boy are listed as separate tracks but are seamless on the record. The group resurrected these tracks and performed them at many of the shows on their last tour. Both tracks are certainly raw, but you can hear the classic U2 sound starting to form. “An Cat Dubh” is Gaelic for “The Black Cat” – the song is apparently about a woman that Bono had an affair with after a falling-out with his longtime girlfriend and future wife. There isn’t much to the lyrics of “Into The Heart,” but they seem to be about growing up. 2) “Out of Control” – First released on the three-song single Three, this song was re-worked by producer Steve Lillywhite before appearing again on Boy. Bono has been quoted (Hot Press, 1979) as saying that this song is about “waking up on your 18th birthday and realizing…that the two most important decisions in your life have nothing to do with you – being born and dying.” Certainly one of the catchier songs off Boy, this track is largely ignored by casual fans. 3) “Fire” – This song from October was released as a single in parts of Europe, but not in North America. Despite being one of the more memorable songs off of the first two albums, it wasn’t really a hit for the band and was subsequently left off their Best of 1980-1990 greatest hits compilation. 4) “Gloria” – The second single from October was also never officially released in the US, though the import sold well enough for it to peak at #82 on the US singles chart. This track features great guitar work by the Edge and a rare bass solo from Adam Clayton before it kicks into high gear. 5) “Wire” – Released on The Unforgettable Fire, this song is about heroin addiction. U2 has stayed mostly drug free throughout their career, but had friends who died from various addictions. It did chart as a single, but it still remains unknown to a lot of casual fans as it rarely gets radio airplay. Listen for the growing U2 sound in Bono’s vocals during the chorus and the Edge’s stuttering guitar throughout the song. I included 21 songs in Part 1 of my U2 Deep Cuts playlist, and another 16 live tracks, non-album tracks, remixes and covers in Part 2. And don’t miss my U2 Essentials and U2 profile. Filed under: Rock and Pop and Deep Cuts and Songs and Lyrics and Artists and Playlists Comments: 1 Comment |
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