My iTunes library, as of September 15, 2010, has 20,343 songs in it. Some are novelty downloads, some i have because i'm a completionist, some i rarely (if have ever) listened to. So, in this new blog segment, i will let shuffle pick out random songs (without personal editing to hide embarrasing and/or lame songs), and i will write about what i think of them, plus any details i an give about how it was procured. At current rate (and if my iTunes never repeats a song...) this will be the first in at least a 4,000 part series.
Song #1 - "Sweet Samsara Pt. 1" - Miho Hatori
Miho Hatori was once a member of Cibo Matto, who i investigated due to their association with Sean Lennon, who i really dig. I enjoy just about everything associated with the band, and this is no exception. If memory serves, i bought this at the second, and final, location of Rock and Groove records, in Bergenfield, NJ. At this point, the store was a hidden, basement office turned into specialty shop. I believe i bought this from the $1 promo box. Totally worth it. Lots of cool percussion on this song, Hatori nails the vocal as well. Certainly an album that deserves me going back to and listening to in more detail. Oh, and yes, there is a Pt. 2.
Song #2 - "Good Golly, Miss Molly" - Little Richard
I had tweeted earlier this summer that Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis might be the two artists i've gotten into the most this year. LR just sounds so unbelievably raw and in the moment on this song - i'd be hard pressed to name a vocalist i'd rather hear sing anything (well, maybe Neko Case...) - whoever his backing band was at this time, bravo. Downloaded Little Richard's Greatest Hits earlier this year.
Song #3 - "Cohesion" - Minutemen
An instrumental, nylon-stringed guitar interlude from Double Nickels on the Dime. It is pleasant, and works really well in the context of the record, and would probably be a nice pallet-cleanser on a future mix of mine - just long enough at 1:57 - any more would get boring. Bought this album in college, although have gone back and downloaded various other versions to try and Frankenstein together a "complete" version, as the CD and vinyl have differing tracklistings.
Song #4 - "Room 13" - the Dirty Projectors
The short version: DP frontman Dave Longstreth hadn't heard Black Flag's Rise Above record in approximately 15 years, and decided to reimagine all of the songs from memory, without consulting the original record. So, this "song by song" cover record is missing a few songs, and sounds nothing at all like Black Flag. This is the record that got me into the Dirty Projectors, but after last year's amazing Bitte Orca, everything else they've done sounds like stepping stones to that. This song features lots of lovely harmonies and ethereal vocals, and then the distortion comes in. This band plays with rhythms better than almost anyone else this side of the Bad Plus, and the tail end of the song is disjointed rhythmically, but still works, that is until the synth strings come into play. One of many eMusic grabs.
Song #5 - "Yes" by Morphine
Morphine is a band that i've been slowly getting into for 15 years now, with last year probably being the height of my Morphine fandom. Many of my friends hate this band - i don't know what's not to like - amazing drums and sax, 2-string slide bass, and the magnetic Mark Sandman - one of the most distinctive alternative rock voices ever. Just barely over 2 minutes, it gets in and gets out before you can ever properly groove to this. Bought this album on CD in high school (i think from Soundtrack Records in Dumont).
I like this! - Jeff
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