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Friday Random Ten, “three strikes” edition

Friday, May 11th, 2007 | Music | 3 Comments

yea yea, i promise this hasn’t become a blog solely devoted to FRT, but i started a new job a few weeks ago and i’m just finally settling in to my new routine… more and better posts to come, but in the meantime, this is what i have for ya:

1. “Goodnight Elizabeth,” Counting Crows
2. “Crystal,” New Order
3. “Porcelain,” Moby
4. “Pitseleh,” Elliot Smith
5. “Rebel, Rebel,” David Bowie
6. “Radio Free Europe,” REM
7. “A Long Day,” The Polyphonic Spree
8. “No Pictures, Please,” Rod McKuen
9. “Threadbare,” South
10. “Vera,” Pink Floyd
Bonus: “Could it be I’m falling in love,” The Spinners

Yay!: 1, 6, bonus
Blech!: 7 - wtf? 37 minutes of white noise. i only let this play all the way through b/c its friday & i was filing
Seen Live: 1, 5, 6, 7, 9
Swooniest: 9 — the whole band wins, just for being british.
Most Annoying (whose music I still kinda like): 3

Loosen your hold:
howard (this ain’t no disco)
marisa (losers are the winners)
jeff (this the beginning of forever and ever)
brian (it was only a test)
ben(Oh Lord, what have i done to myself?)
rachel (the more we talk about it, only makes it worse to live without it)
kb (i have nothing to offer but confusion)

Friday Random Ten, take it or leave it edition

Friday, May 4th, 2007 | Music | 2 Comments

1. “Side by Side,” Earth, Wind & Fire
2. “Into the Fourth Dimension,” The Orb
3. “Come and Find Me,” Josh Ritter
4. “Sweet Little Duck,” Kathleen Edwards
5. “Cock/Ver 10,” Aphex Twin
6. “Almost Afternoon,” Joe Jack Talcum
7. “Beeswax,” Nirvana
8. “Color of Water,” M. Ward
9. “Young Americans,” David Bowie
10. “Simmer Down,” The Mighty, Mighty Bosstones

Yay!: eh, I’m not particularly thrilled by any of this weeks tunes
Blech!: … then again, none of them really disgust me either — I’m just sort of apathetic.
Seen live: 2, 9, 10, and 6 (if you count that Joe Jack=Joe Genaro the weeist and swooniest little imp of the Dead Milkmen)
Swooniest: see above… oh, and kurt cobain was kinda cute too.
I’d rather be listening to:
Hem or the Roadside Graves… seriously can’t get enough. Or… almost any of the other lists out there in FRT list. Mine just feels lame this week.

Everybody’s got nice stuff but me:
howard (sixteen candles down the drain)
rachel (I keep a close watch)
jeff (I wanna be a lion, eh, everybody wanna pass as cats)
brian (they’re free to fly away)
lauren (we stayed a long long time)
marisa (you lie that your life’s unappealing all the time)

Friday Random Ten, “woe is vista” edition

Friday, April 27th, 2007 | Music | 6 Comments

1. “Take on Me,” a-Ha
2. “Another Green World,” Brian Eno
3. “Glamorous Glue,” Morrissey
4. “Maquilladora,” Radiohead
5. “Angelica,” Duke Ellington & John Coltrane
6. “Boner Beats,” The Dead Milkmen
7. “Dub Driving,” Angelo Badalamenti
8. “Both Sides Now,” Joni Mitchell
9.  “The Postman,” The American Analog Set
10. “Toxygene - Las Vegas Mix,” The Orb
Bonus:  “I hope I get old before I die,” They Might Be Giants

Yay!:  1, 3, 6, 8, bonus
Blech!:  I don’t particularly hate anything on this list.
Seen live:  3, 6, 10, bonus
TMBG lyric of the week:  since they seem to be landing on this list at least once a week…
It’s a long long rope they’ll use to hang you soon I hope.
And I wonder why it hasn’t happened… why? why? why?

Windows needs your permission to perform this function:
brian
howard
jeff
lauren
marisa
rachel

oh vista… why won’t you let me download rhapsody, so that I might find new favorite songs among those that aren’t currently in my collection.  no, no, I’m not saying that i’m not grateful that you let me download iTunes… of course, yes, you’re right, that was very generous of you.  thank you vista.  thank you very very much.  no, please don’t get mad and take it away.

Friday Random Ten, “last day of freedom” edition

Friday, April 20th, 2007 | Music | 7 Comments

1. “Workin’ on Leavin’ the Livin’,” Modest Mouse
2. “Four-Day Interval,” Tortoise
3. “Round Here (live version),” Counting Crows
4. “Hard to Tell,” Old Crow Medicine Show
5. “Beachball,” R.E.M.
6. “Jesus Built My Hotrod,” Ministry
7. “Alienation’s for the Rich,” They Might Be Giants
8. “No More ‘I Love You’s’,” Annie Lennox
9. “Hey DJ,” Quad City DJ’s
10. “Black Steel,” Tricky

Bonus: “Why Won’t You Tell Me What,” Josh Rouse

Yay!: 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, Bonus
Blech!: 6. Way better Jesus songs: “I Dream of Jesus” by the Dead Milkmen or “Jesus is a Friend of the Family” by the Roadside Graves.
Swooniest: Michael Stipe… I’ve spent the better part of the last few hours scouring the internet for the What’s the Frequency Kenneth video, or at least a good still of Stipey, in mid hip swivel wearing that little star t-shirt… this is the best I could come up with. Oh, swoon!
Best Lyrics:
I got a letter from the government the other day.
Opened it and read it, it said they were suckers.
They wanted me for the army, or whatever.
Picture me giving a damn. I say never.
~Tricky

Other friends of the family:
howard (no, we’re never gonna survive)
jeff (young boy done me bad, and I went and did you wrong)
ben (quiet, don’t tell anybody)
brian (oh has the world changed? or have i changed?)
lauren (i slowly wilt and die)
rachel (i’ve quit this a million times, can’t quite stay away)
kb (i wouldn’t give a hoot in hell for the journey now)
marisa (So why not stop trying to run and hide)

Friday Random Ten, “older and wiser” edition

Monday, April 16th, 2007 | Music | 1 Comment

So, Saturday was my birthday. (I’m now this many…oh wait, you can’t see how many fingers I’m holding up. I guess it remains a mystery). But that meant that my whole weekend, from Friday on, was befuddled. I did this FRT on Friday morning, but didn’t get the chance to post it (Would I lie?!?). Oh, and in case you’re new to this game. I just put my iTunes on random, with my whole music library queued up and jot down the first 10 titles the come through. No skipping or omitting.

Here they are:

1. “Dark Center of the Universe,” Modest Mouse
2. “Fishin’ 4 Religion,” Arrested Development
3. “Take me to the river,” Annie Lennox
4. “Super Magic 2000,” Chris Isaak
5. “Spent,” Filter
6. “Summer Days,” Bob Dylan
7. “You’ll Miss Me,” They Might Be Giants
8. “Life in the Factory,” Drive-By Truckers
9. “Kitten Intro,” They Might Be Giants
10. “The Precious Jewel,” Charlie Haden and Pat Metheny

Yay!: 1, 2, 7
Blech!: 5 – I totally zoned, I barely even heard this song playing.
Would have preferred: Something off of Decoration Day, by the Drive-By Truckers… the Southern Rock Opera albums just don’t do it for me.

So bring you’re good times and you’re laughter too:
howard(baby, instant soup doesn’t really grab me)
marisa (i tried so hard not to be the cryin’ kind)
ben (the mind that knows itself has a mind to serve the other)
brian (everyone’s happy when the wizard walks by)
lauren (minutes take so long to drift away)
jeff (i’ll tell everything i know)
rachel (if you’ve got love in your sights, watch out)

Friday Random Ten, “shameless plug” edition

Friday, April 6th, 2007 | Music | 8 Comments

1. Last Train to Trancentral, The KLF
2. Inside, Moby
3. Parachutes (Funeral Song), Mates of State
4. Don’t Think of Me, Dido
5. Come Back to Camden, Morrissey
6. Why Won’t You Talk About It, The Radio Dept.
7. About Me, They Might Be Giants
8. Complexity, The Roots
9. Piccadilly Palare, Morrissey
10. A Punch Up at a Wedding, Radiohead

Yay!: 3, 9
Blech!: 5… You are the Quarry was not the Moz’s finest, by far.
Seen Live: 3 (surprisingly the worst show I’ve ever been to), 7, 5/9
Swooniest: Morrissey, of course (second week in a row!) But let’s be clear, I’m talkin Bona Drag Moz, not You are the Quarry Moz… Sure, he’s still pretty swoony, in a lounge-singer, I’m-losing-my-balance-swinging-this-mic-cord-around sort of way.
Just because they’re not on the list doesn’t mean I won’t make a pitch:
The Roadside Graves, a most excellent alt-country band based outta our beloved neighbor state of refineries and big hair (what could be more alt than that?) released a new album this week, No One Will Ever Know Where You’ve Been (from Kill Buffalo Records). Seriously, the album is great. I was lucky enough to get a pre-release copy a while ago, and I love it. I’m gonna write a genuine review in a few days, when my new copy arrives, complete with liner notes and what not. But in the mean time, you can listen to their stuff here, here, and here. Do it. Go now. What are you waiting for?

Oh, hold on a sec… fellow speakers of this silly slang:
Andrea (apparently, it’s a mozzer kind of week in FRT land)
Ben (that’s my kinda Jesus)
Brian (where jellyfish go, to get away from mormons & drunk Eskimos)
Howard (I *heart* toad the sprocket, a lot)
Lauren (”there’s even a full rapsheet included”…oh, young Carlton…)
Marisa (don’t know many of the songs, but am intrigued by the titles)
Rachel (making her Random Friday debut)

Okay, go now.

Friday Random Ten, “jury duty” edition

Thursday, March 29th, 2007 | Music | 3 Comments

In the criminal justice system, the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups: the police who investigate crimes and the district attorneys who prosecute the offenders.

This is their FRT.

…a day early: I have to report @ 8.15a, and I just don’t function any earlier than that. And I can’t count on doing it tomorrow evening, because what if I get sequestered!?!??! (*cross fingers*)

1. Creep (Acoustic), by Radiohead
2. Turn the Page, by Bob Seger
3. Mr. Moonlight, by Clinic
4. From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea, by The Cure
5. Downtown Lights, by Annie Lennox
6. Pale September, by Fiona Apple
7. The End of an Act, Team America Soundtrack
8. The National Front Disco, Morrissey
9. I Palindrome I, They Might Be Giants
10. Gut Feeling, Devo
    Bonus: Cuando Floresca El Chuno, by Colca Punko

Guilty (of sucking): not-a-one, kids… okay, maybe 2 & 4… jury’s still out.
Guilty (of awesomeness): 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, Bonus
Guilty (of causing swooniness): ….um, if I even have to answer this, you’re obviously not looking at the dreamboat over there on the cover of Your Arsenal.
Guilty (of lyrical excellence):
I Palindrome I:
“Someday mother will die and I’ll get the money.
Mom leans back and says ‘My sentiments exactly,
You son of a bitch.’
I Palindrome I…”
and
The End of an Act:
“Why does Michael Bay get to keep on making movies?
I guess Pearl Harbor sucked
Just a little bit more than I miss you.”

It’s too early to know who’s rollin’ with this weeks FRT posse, but my money’s on:
howard
marisa
ben
brian
lauren
andrea

Friday Random Ten, “my scone is still warm” edition

Friday, March 23rd, 2007 | Music | 5 Comments

1. XTC vs. Adam Ant, They Might Be Giants
2. Feeling No Pain, Josh Rouse
3. Smell the Coffee, Joe Jack Talcum
4. Mighty Mighty, Earth Wind & Fire
5. Parabol, Tool
6. Tell Mama, Etta James
7. Space Dog, Tori Amos
8. Twilight, Josh Rouse
9. Don’t Cry, Guns N’ Roses
10. On a Plain, Nirvana

Bonus Track: Foolin’, Def Leppard

Yay!: 1, 2, 7, 9, 10, and obviously the bonus track (otherwise, there’d be no bonus, right?)
Blech!: 5… Tool just doesn’t do it for me.
Swooniest: Josh Rouse, for the 2^nd week in a row. Obviously my ipod agrees, dishing up a double-helping of Rouse this week. Oh, and Tori Amos is a pretty swoony option for the fellas.
Would have preferred:
September, Let’s Groove, or Boogie Wonderland off the Essential Earth Wind & Fire. Que sera…

Who else should be so active this early in the day:
howard (oral surgeon + Sweetness Follows = ipod irony)
ben (regina spektor is winning me over)
marisa (daybreaker is a great album)
brian (i want to join the polyphonic spree!)
lauren (i just love that this is the “wah wah bar” edition)

Friday Random Ten, the great news edition

Friday, March 16th, 2007 | Music | 9 Comments

1. Dead, by They Might Be Giants
2. Piggy (Nothing Can Stop Me Now), by Nine Inch Nails
3. The Scoop, by The Beastie Boys
4. It’s the Nighttime, by Josh Rouse
5. Buckingham Rabbit, by Silver Jews
6. Send in the Clouds, by Silver Jews (I *swear* this was totally random!)
7. Comin’ Under Fire, by Def Leppard
8. Falling for You, by Weezer
9. One of My Turns, by Pink Floyd
10. My Cosmic Autumn Rebellion (The Inner Life as Blazing Shield of Defiance and Optimism as Celestial Spear of Action), by The Flaming Lips

Yay!: 1, 4
Blech!: 2
Seen live: 1, 4, 8
Swooniest: Josh Rouse
Would have preferred: “The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song” by the Flaming Lips, “Sometimes a Pony Gets Depressed” by Silver Jews

Other players on the FRT team:
howard
ben
marisa
brian
lauren

Friday Random Ten, the late afternoon beer edition

Friday, March 9th, 2007 | Music | 5 Comments

I almost completely forgot it was Friday… but as soon as I realized, I cracked open a beer and put the ole itunes collection on shuffle.

1. Express Yourself, by Madonna
2. Overjoyed, by Magnet
3. The Boogie That Be, by The Black Eyed Peas
4. Love My Way, by the Psychedelic Furs
5. Wicked, by Ice Cube
6. Reflection, by Tool
7. Sister Christian, by Night Ranger (awww yeah!!!)
8. I Put a Spell on You, by Marilyn Manson
9. Rocket, by Smashing Pumpkins
10. Copache, by the Melvins

Bonus: Z Twig, by Aphex Twin… ah! One minute and 37 seconds of pure, ambient bliss.

Yay!: #7, #5… perfect Friday afternoon, beer-drinkin’, dancin’ in my swivelly desk chair music
Blech!: #3… I still feel like the BEP did the ole bait & switch with their first single “Where is the Love”… b/c the rest of the album just blew!
#8… I just never got Marilyn Manson, never)
#10… another one I just don’t get
Inherited from the Little Mister’s music collection: #2, #5, #6, #8, #10

Where everybody knows your name:
howard (”why not smile” is great, late REM)
ben (I think Keane is one of those bands that I shouldn’t particularly care for, but there’s just something about ‘em)
marisa (representin’ the love this week)
andrea (yay! more REM!)
brian (josh rouse is dreamy)
lauren (I *love* the video for Ya Mama!)