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Shuffle of the week #3

This is an ode to the shuffle. How better to get a good insight in your digitized album collection than by a classic shuffle? Finally discover the albums you never got into, finally throw the ones away you will never get into and worship those classics that never grow old again. The Shuffle of this week:

1.    Lambchop – The Militant (How I Quit Smoking, 1996) [singlepic id=61 w=80 h=50 float=left]
It started with the band I can never put a style or genre on. Got the first two records of them, of which this one is the second. Started to listen to it again the past few days and I have to say I really like it. Tips about later work are welcome.

2.    dEUS – Suds & Soda (Worst Case Scenario, 1994) [singlepic id=58 w=80 h=50 float=left]
Already an all-time classic in several end-of-the-year-lists in Belgium. Hearing this album again since many years made me realize that it’s actually a very rough one comparing with their later work. Good album.

3.    Beatles – Carry That Weight (Abbey Road, 1969) [singlepic id=56 w=80 h=50 float=left]
It’s always strange and a little bit disappointing to hear this song out of its album context. Still awesome nevertheless.

 

4.    Buddy Holly – Rave On (single, 1958) [singlepic id=57 w=80 h=50 float=left]
Another very short song, although something completely different. That’s about it.

 

5.    Yes – The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus) (Fragile, 1971) [singlepic id=63 w=80 h=50 float=left]
And once more a short interlude, which could not have been more different from the last one. The song appeared on Yes’ fourth studio album, the first one featuring Wakeman on keys. The albums consists of some epic prog suites together with a couple of semi-solo contributions from the band members. This instrumental song was written by bass player Chris Squire, performing most parts of the song together with Bill Bruford, the later drummer of King Crimson.

6.    The Ocean – Rhyacian (Precambrian, 2007) [singlepic id=62 w=80 h=50 float=left]
The shuffle really likes to mix up things this week, continuing with an eleven minutes during piece from this Berlin experimental metal band. It appears on a double album, of which the first disc contains some real pure and rough metal, while the second one is more symphonic with contributions from members of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

7.    Fleet Foxes – Mykonos (Sun Giant, 2009) [singlepic id=60 w=80 h=50 float=left]
Really one of my favorite songs of the past ten years. Brilliant.

 

8.    Aretha Franklin – (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman (Lady Soul, 1968) [singlepic id=54 w=80 h=50 float=left]
One of the big hits on this huge soul album. Just like The Beatles’ ‘Chains’ which was shuffled earlier, it was written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin. It was covered a gazillion times later on, even by Rod Stewart. Really Rod?

9.    Beastie Boys – Eugene’s Lament (Ill Communication, 1994) [singlepic id=55 w=80 h=50 float=left]
Another short intermezzo. Good album, not a huge fan.

 

10.  Dire Straits – The Man’s Too Strong (Brothers in Arms, 1985) [singlepic id=59 w=80 h=50 float=left]
Same goes in fact for this one, although I can still appreciate this song. This album was of course loaded with hits (making it one of the absolute best all-time selling albums), with this song probably being one of the least known. However, it remains the most interesting one after you get tired of the rest.

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Shuffle of the week #2

This is an ode to the shuffle. How better to get a good insight in your digitized album collection than by a classic shuffle? Finally discover the albums you never got into, finally throw the ones away you will never get into and worship those classics that never grow old again. The Shuffle of this week:

1.    Death Cab For Cutie – 405 (We Have the Facts and We’re Voting Yes, 2000) [singlepic id=47 w=80 h=50 float=left]
The shuffle started with the fifth song from the second album of this American indie rock band. Not much to add, hardly listen to their albums anymore.

2.    Pixies – Here Comes Your Man (Doolittle, 1989)
[singlepic id=53 w=80 h=50 float=left] It continued with an absolute alternative rock classic from the Pixies’ second album Doolittle. At first I thought my shuffle had hit The Beatles’ ‘A Hard Day’s Night’, using the same opening chord. The Byrds-riff that follows keeps this one a favorite.

3.    Beatles – Come Together/Dear Prudence/Cry Baby Cry (Love, 2006)
[singlepic id=45 w=80 h=50 float=left] With a small delay, the Fab Four play at last. Having the most songs of all artists in the collection, it’s no surprise to hear them again. This is the Love version of Abbey Road‘s opening track, mixed by George Martin and son. The transition to McCartney’s ‘Can you take me back where I came from’ certainly adds value to this Lennon-classic.

4.    Pink Floyd – Money (Delicate Sound Of Thunder, 1988) [singlepic id=52 w=80 h=50 float=left]
Another classic rock evergreen in an edited release, as Pink Floyd plays their Dark Side of the Moon classic live in New York. With an extended intro and solos, it contains ten minutes of guaranteed joy.

5.    Beach Boys – Here Today (Pet Sounds, 1966)
[singlepic id=44 w=80 h=50 float=left] Probably my favorite Pet Sounds track after, obviously, ‘God Only Knows’. The music written by Brian Wilson is just absolutely genius, filled up by  Tony Asher’s sad lyrics, sung by Mike Love. It starts with just a little glance now!

6.    Cotton Mather – Aurora Bori Alice (Kon Tiki, 1997)
[singlepic id=46 w=80 h=50 float=left] Now this Texan rock band deserves a much broader appreciation. This album in my opinion is one of the most refreshing guitar albums from the past 15 years. The lead singer makes you think Lennon is still alive now and then, and the guitar licks just keep coming!

 

7.    Moody Blues – House of Four Doors (In Search of the Lost Chord, 1968) [singlepic id=49 w=80 h=50 float=left]
Legendary song from a legendary album of a legendary band. Amen.

 

8.    Morrissey – You Know I Couldn’t Last (You Are The Quarry, 2004) [singlepic id=50 w=80 h=50 float=left]
Took me a while to get into The Smiths and in the end I succeeded. Curious if the same will apply to Morrissey, till now it does. It takes me a while.

 

9.    Paul McCartney & Wings – Helen Wheels (Band On The Run, 1973) [singlepic id=51 w=80 h=50 float=left]
Talking about legendary albums, huh? This track did not even appear on the UK versions as it was released as a single long before all the other hit singles kicked in. The album is without any doubt McCartney’s absolute solo masterpiece.

10.    Mogwai – Secret Pint (Rock Action, 2001) [singlepic id=48 w=80 h=50 float=left]
The shuffle closes with the closing song from the third album of Scottish post-rockers Mogwai. That album goes on the mp3 player right away, long time since I listened to it.

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Shuffle of the week #1

This is an ode to the shuffle. How better to get a good insight in your digitized album collection than by a classic shuffle? Finally discover the albums you never got into, finally throw the ones away you will never get into and worship those classics that never grow old again. The Shuffle of this week:

1.    The Beatles – Chains (Please Please Me, 1962) [singlepic id=33 w=80 h=50 float=left]
Although it ended up to be a shuffle dominated by recent music, it flew a long way back to start. This is a 1962 song from the Fab Four’s debut album Please Please Me. It’s actually written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King and was a former hit for The Cookies, before being released by The Beatles as a typical short sixties rocksong.

2.    Fruit Bats – Blue Parachute (Echolocation, 2001) [singlepic id=36 w=80 h=50 float=left]
Fruit Bats is a folk-rock band from Chicago that debuted with Echolocation in 2001. Pleasant album, time to listen to this one again. Tips about their recent work are welcome.

3.    Phish – David Bowie (Junta, 1989)
[singlepic id=39 w=80 h=50 float=left] I discovered this band from Vermont thanks to an American friend that highly recommended it to me. Given the fact that this guy also is a real Deadhead, you get an idea of what to expect in case you never heard of the band. This song (counting 11 minutes) comes from their debut studio album (again!), which contains a healthy portion of improvised jams and prog suites. The band is also known for covering classic rock albums live.

4.    Bright Eyes – At The Bottom Of Everything (I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning, 2005) [singlepic id=34 w=80 h=50 float=left]
No debut this time, but the sixth album by this indie folk band from Nebraska. This is the opening track, which starts with a spoken recording. See Fruit Bats.

 

5.    The Avalanches – Extra Kings (Since I left you, 2000) [singlepic id=32 w=80 h=50 float=left]
Another debut and actually the only studio album from this Australian electronic group. Said to be one of the best albums of the 2000’s, should give it another try.

 

6.    Arctic Monkeys – Fluorescent Adolescent (Favourite Worst Nightmare, 2007) [singlepic id=31 w=80 h=50 float=left]
I could ask myself ‘Where have those guys gone?’, but then I would ignore the fact that I ignored their last albums.

 

7.    Girls – Saying I Love you (Father, Son, Holy Ghost, 2011) [singlepic id=37 w=80 h=50 float=left]
Californian indie rock band. An album I got this year, as it was praised as one of the best of last year in several lists. Still don’t know about that. This one very much sounds like Elvis Costello.

 

8.    Echo & the Bunnymen – Crocodiles (Crocodiles, 1980) [singlepic id=35 w=80 h=50 float=left]
Another debut album, from the British post-punkers. I like their classic Ocean Rain, don’t know if I should give this one another try or search for their later work.

 

9.    Tortoise – Monica (Standards, 2001) [singlepic id=40 w=80 h=50 float=left]
A nice 6’30” lasting surprise from the shuffle towards the end with this song of the post-rock band from Chicago. Standards is their fourth album and truly recommended for all the fans of the genre.

 

10.     Kyuss – Tangy Zizzle (…And the Circus Leaves Town, 1995) [singlepic id=38 w=80 h=50 float=left]
No better way to close a shuffle than with two and a half minutes of dynamite by this Californian stoner band. Perfect album to blow off some steam.