I decided to do an experiment tonight and simply listen to my iPod on shuffle for an hour and make notes about the songs that pop up. Enjoy!
10:04 – Davíd Garza – Drone (alt. take) – Underdub
This is an exclusive track to the vinyl issue of Underdub. The story: for Davíd’s 2001 album, Overdub, he first released a vinyl called “Underdub” which was demos for the upcoming studio album. Attached with the CD of Overdub were the Underdub tracks on the CD-ROM portion…except for 3 tracks. 3 songs were exclusive to the vinyl. But then, after more research, it was found out that the version of Drone from the vinyl was different than on the CD-ROM. This is that version. It’s a lot more “bare bones” than main version, but I dig it. A nice blueprint.
10:07 – Bruce Dickinson – All the Young Dudes – Tattooed Millionaire
Bruce Bruce doing a version of Bowie’s song. I really like this version, much better than Mott the Hoople did. Janick Gers has some nice guitar playing on here – surprisingly melodic for him. Bruce sounds great on this.
10:11 – Rush – Resist – Test for Echo
One of the good tracks off this album, which is half-good and half-crap. This is a *very* pop song, but I’ve always liked it. I don’t mind when Rush goes into pop territory and does a ballad-type thing like this. I can’t remember which tour it was, but they did an “unplugged” version of this with both Geddy & Alex playing acoustic guitars. Neil got a break, I suppose. A nice and unexpected treat. It’s been a while since I’ve heard this song and it’s good to hear it again.
10:15 – Bill Frisell – Remember – The Intercontinentals
Very mellow track from this cool album. I absolutely love Bill Frisell’s guitar tone on this album. Maybe he has this tone all of the time? I don’t know, this is the only album of his I’ve ever heard. The album’s weirdly eclectic – he brought together musicians from all over the world and they created some very interesting music. Great track, but too short.
10:17 – Bryan Dunn – Postmodern Love Song – Shackle Melodic
Oh man, I love this EP and this song especially. It’s a typical Bryan Dunn song, but it manages to be outright excellent while being traditional. I LOVE the organ on this song. It totally makes it. I think Shackle Melodic is a hell of an album. The production on it is freakin’ stellar. Bryan’s voice sounds great on this song.
10:20 – Mike Keneally – Party Poopers – Pup!
Holy crap, this song cracks me up. It sounds like a commercial for some business called “Party Poopers”, but after a minute of comedy it devolves into overall weirdness. I love the line, “it smells like a basketball”. Weird-ass track, but totally Keneally. I dig this little EP thing – it was a bonus CD from the Dog album.
10:23 – John Coltrane – Countdown (alternate take) – Giant Steps
If such was possible, one of the cooler tracks off Giant Steps. The main version of the song just smokes, but this alt version, while great, can’t hang with the take that went on the album. The beginning part of this song, where Coltrane solos in his super-speedy way, is extended in this version before the band hits the melody of the song. Once the bass comes in, look out, the band takes off. I think this alt version is twice as long as the main take. Great playing on this, even if that transition to the melody part is a bit jumpy.
10:28 – Frank Zappa – Zoot Allures – Zoot Allures
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. I *love* this track. Instrumental guitar-led title track from this otherwise disappointing album. But this song? Holy crap, one of the most beautiful things he ever composed. No one plays guitar like he does on here. Both Terry Bozzio & Roy Estrada play a fantastic background counterpoint to FZ’s perfect playing and graceful feedback experiments. Such a beautifully-composed song.
10:32 – Stevie Ray Vaughan – May I Have a Talk with You – The Sky is Crying
I think this is my favorite SRV album. This is a nice slow and dirty blues and of course it features some great guitar playing. His tone sounds great on here. Man, I just love that deep, slow-ass grove that Tommy Shannon does on the bass. Oh man, SRV’s solo is excellent. He’s really reaching down and grabbing some dirty-ass notes. This isn’t a “pretty” track one bit. This is pain. Beautiful.
10:38 – Mike Keneally – Never Ever Wrong – Wine and Pickles
W&P is an album of outtakes and rarities from Mikey. I believe this track was a left-over from Dog. There’s some nice guitar playing on here, but it’s not my favorite song. I don’t think it really works as a song. It’s a ballad, which is kind of odd for Keneally to do. I think the lyrical transition to the “never ever wrong” feels a bit forced. I just think it’s a weak track. Most Keneally fans love it, but I’m not in that camp.
10:41 – Led Zeppelin – Tea for One – Presence
Ah, a rare Led Zep song. I don’t care for that beginning, but once it gets to the slow and bluesy part, watch the hell OUT! These guys could just nail the blues in a way that a lot of people can’t imagine doing. I’m not a huge blues guy, even considering my love for SRV and this stuff…but when it’s done right, it’s excellent. This is a great song that’s forgotten by most people, and never played on the radio, but it’s definitely a cool track. I mean, Presence is almost a forgotten album by them. Some great music on there, esp. this one. Love Page’s guitar playing on here.
10:50 – Tori Amos – Hotel – From the Choirgirl Hotel
I really liked the experiments she did on this album. It’s got a strong techno/dance influence which produces some interesting results. This song has a very interesting structure and composition. I dig the techno/electronica elements in this song, but it also has some good slinky guitar parts that I like. This is a very weird song if you’re just used to hearing the “female singer with a piano” stuff that comprises much of her early material. This entire track is out of left field it its construction. She seamlessly drops the electronica and the full band comes in, before everything but her voice and the piano drops out. Very, very interesting stuff.
10:56 – Van Halen – One Foot Out the Door – Fair Warning
That surely doesn’t sound like Mike Anthony on the bass here! Sounds like Eddie to me. This is a weird track in that the guitar doesn’t come in until half way into it – it’s just bass, drums and David Lee Roth. This song is almost like filler in that it’s just under 2 minutes. Kinda cool, I like it.
10:57 – The Who – Call Me Lightning – The Ultimate Collection
I dig the track, but I don’t care for that “dom dom dom durrain” refrain that the background vocals do. Nice bass solo that emulates My Generation. Actually, this track is WAY similar to My Generation, with the multiple key changes in the exact same spots. Oh well.
11:00 – Stereolab – Contact – Switched On
Last song of the experiment tonight. I have to admit, I haven’t really listened to this album but a couple of times so this track is a bit of a mystery for me. Very Doors-like in the beginning. Ah, now I remember it. I really like the haunting vocals on this one that come in after a few minutes. It’s very meditative. Of course, after 5 minutes of the same riff it gets a little bit old. It still has that meditative quality, but I’m ready for it to be over so I can get to bed. It’s making me sleepy.
Posting music: XTC – Earn Enough For Us – Skylarking…LOVE IT.
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