With a name like Shuffle-a-gogo, it has to be good

MP3 player set on random, first ten songs...

1. the DUKES OF STRATOSPHEAR - Collideascope (Psonic Psunspot 1987) - XTC perfectly captured the spirit and sounds of the psychedelic era without sacrificing any of their songwriting quality, which is what keeps the Dukes records from being novelty records that only stand up to a few plays.

2. AL GREEN - I'm Still In Love With You (Greatest Hits 1995) - Growing up we had neighbors that had a big living room with shag carpeting and loads of beanbag chairs and giant furry pillows. They loved the slow, sexy soul, so I'm sure I heard this song coming out of their place at one point. And even if I didn't, it's how I'd prefer to remember them.

3. NED'S ATOMIC DUSTBIN - Throwing Things (God Fodder 1991) I recently ripped the debut Ned's album to my MP3 player. I forgot how many Ned's songs I loved. I wrongly remembered them as a one song band ("Kill Your Television").

4. MEAT PUPPETS - Backwater (Too High to Die 1994) I guess this was their big "radio hit", but it probably is my favorite song by the Meat Puppets.

5. ATHLETICO SPIZZ 80 - European Heroes (Do a Runner 1980) Herky jerky post punk new wave goodness from Spizzz and company.

6. the MIGHTY LEMON DROPS - My Biggest Thrill (Happy Head 1986) the Mighty Lemon Drops often get dismissed as a second rate Echo & the Bunnymen, but Happy Head is one of my favorite and most played albums of the 80's. And as big of an Echo fan as I am, I think Happy Head is stronger than any individual Echo album.

7. FRANCINE - Pop Warner (Forty on a Fall Day 2000) My favorite song about being at a football game with Kim Deal, drinking beer and telling her your favorite Amps songs. This Boston band made some decent but mostly forgettable quirky pop, but this debut album has two songs that were mix disc staples for me for years (this one and "Jet to Norway").

8. PETER IVERS - Even Stephen Foster (Terminal Love 1974) If most people know who Peter Ivers it's usually as the host of the weird early 80's video show New Wave Theater (a staple on Night Flight) or the guy that wrote "the Lady in the Radiator Song" for David Lynch's Eraserhead. But he also made a few really interesting albums that, while not for everyone, are full great little eccentric pop songs.

9. OFF BROADWAY - Automatic (Quick Turns 1980) Classic Midwest power pop from the Oak Park band's second album.

10. DIDJITS - Barely legal (Que Sirhan Sirhan 1993) Shuffle takes us about 200 miles South of Oak Park for another Illinois band, Didjits. This turbo charged rocker is from the band's final album.

MP3 Shuffle-a-gogo

1. HUSKER DU - Don't Want to Know if You Are Lonely (Candy Apple Gray 1986) I love that drum into that kicks off almost every song on this album.

2. CAST - Promised Land (All Change 1995) - I had high hopes for John Power's post La's band Cast. They came out of the box with a few stellar singles and solid debut album, but fizzled pretty quickly. Still, anything from All Change is always welcome on a shuffle.

3. GARBAGE - Milk (Absolute Garbage 2007) The slow sexy closer from their 1995 debut.

4. KING CRIMSON - 21st Century Schizoid Man (In the Court of the Crimson King 1969) I'm hit and miss with prog (more miss than hit, actually), but I've always been a fan of this monster of jam. I’m especially fond of Greg Lake's distorted-as-shit vocals. Plus this song is on my short of list of rock songs actually made better by wailing saxophone.

5. TOM ZE - Vai (the Best of Tom Ze) A cassette of the first Brazil Classics comp on Luaka Bop got a lot play at the Rose Records I worked at, which led me to pick up this comp as soon as it came out.

6. the SWINGING BLUE JEANS - Gotta Draw the Dance (Sydney) (Hippy Hippy Shake: the Definitive Collection) A nice twangy number from one of the more harmless bands of the Merseybeat invasion.

7. BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD - Pay the Price (Buffalo Springfield 1967) One of the Stephen Stills numbers from the band's debut.

8. AC/DC - Problem Child (If You Want Blood You've Got It 1978) Was this live album sweetened in the studio? That guitar solo sounds awfully clean. And the crowd sounds potted up out of nowhere at one point.

9. MICHAEL NESMITH - Harmony Constant (the Older Stuff: Best of Michael Nesmith) - One of my favorite post wool cap Nesmith songs. It’s just Mike on guitar and vocals and Red Rhodes on pedal steel.

10. CHRIS MARS - I, Me, We, Us, Them (Horseshoes & Hand Grenades 1992) For my money Chris has the best two post Replacements albums of the bunch. At least the two I play the most...by a long shot. I tried not getting caught up in the Replacements reunion hoopla, but after seeing that setlist and hearing songs from the first show, I'm reconsidering my "don't get your hopes up" stance.

My MP3 player has been on a major new wave kick the past few days, which you'd never guess from this shuffle. I recently added almost 2,000 more songs to the library and yet not a single one came up here. Maybe next time.

Shuffle-a-gogo: MP3 Player Random Fun

1. BREAKING CIRCUS - Home of the Brave (7" single) This somber Naked Raygun cover is really just Steve Björklund with a keyboard and drum machine. The fanzine came free with an issue of the Pope fanzine.

2. MAMAS & the PAPAS - That Kind of Girl (All the Leaves are Brown: Golden Era Collection) A peppy done-wrong song with big harmonies and wicked little fuzzy guitar solo.

3. FALCO - the Sound of Musik (extended rock & soul mix) (the Sound of Musik 12" 1986) - An absolutely ridiculous and over-the-top song that always makes me smile (and usually hit repeat). It's one of the rare songs that I have multiple mixes of on my MP3 player (in this case, three of them). This one clocks in at almost ten minutes and I'd be happy if it went on aanother ten minutes.

4. WILCO - Nothing'severgonnastandinmyway(again) (Summerteeth 1999) I like Wilco and recognize how incredibly talented they are, but Summerteeth is the only album of theirs that's ever in regular rotation for me.

5. JOAN JETT - NAG - (I Love Rock n Roll 1981) "Run down to the butcher shop and buy me a roast". Joan Jett has the absolute best taste in covers, as evidenced by this ripping fun cover of the Arthur Crier song.

6. AC/DC - Rocker (Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap 1976) He's a rocker AND a roller. Man.

7. the HITMEN - Private Eye (Aim for the Feet 1980) New wave pop with that sounds like it could be Graham Parker produced by Clive Langer. Without knowing the year it would be pretty easy to peg this a s a 1980 song based on the production alone.

8. the MOTHERS OF INVENTION - Any Way the Wind Blows (Freak Out 1966) One of my favorite record buying stories involves this record. One of my former co-workers was a young record buyer when this album first came out and he and his friend had heard good things about Zappa but neither of them could afford the double album. So they pooled their money together and bought the album, then tore it in half in front of the record store and each took their album and half of a cover to their respective homes. It was a few days later before they swapped copies, and both became big Zappa fans, but one of them always favored Zappa's shorter, silly songs and the other ended up preferring the longer, weirder pieces - which corresponded to the half of Freak Out that they each first went home with.

9. EUGENIUS - On the Breeze (Mary Queen of Scots 1994) This album would be in my top five of underrated albums of the 90's. Great big guitar pop.

10. CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG - Trick Pony (IRM 2009) Fantastic production from Beck really puts this album over the top.

It's, it's, a shuffle blitz! MP3 Shuffle-a-gogo

MP3 player set to shuffle. Let 'er rip!

1. SOCIAL DISTORTION - Ring of Fire (Social Distortion 1990) A million artists have covered this, but Mike Ness and company manage to nail it and make it seamlessly fit in with their originals.

2. TRIO - Broken Hearts For You and me (Trio 1981) - I get a little bummed when Trio get dismissed as a one song novelty band ("Da Da Da"), since they packed their short career with quite a few catchy songs.

3. the CLEAN - Big Soft Punch (Clean Anthology) "Big Soft Punch" was orignally released on 1990's Vehicle, which strangely was their first proper full length album recorded after their first reunion tour. New Zealand indie bands don't seem to follow the same rule book as American indie bands.

4. HELTER STUPID - Helter Stupid Prologue (Helter Stupid 1989) Negativeland didn't want to tour so they made up a story about being involved in a murder case, which the media picked up on. Negativeland took the news coverage and turned it into a fascinating album side of weirdness.

5. MICHAEL and the MESSENGERS - Romeo and Juliet (Nuggets box) A decent garage cover of the Reflections one hit, 1964's "(Just Like) Romeo and Juliet".

6. BIG BOY PETE - the Treacle Dance (Homage to Catatonia 1966-69) Eccentric pop from a charming San Francisco weirdo. I was turned onto Big Boy Pete by Kelley Stoltz, who not only covered a BBP song when he opened for Echo & the Bunnymen, but went out of his way to praise him and urge people to pick up one of his records. I'm glad I took his advice.

7. AC/DC - Shoot to Thrill (Back in Black 1980) My shuffle has been on a BIG AC/DC kick the past week, which isn't a bad thing.

8. YOUTH BRIGADE - Blown Away (Sink With Kalifornia 1984) My first two concerts were the Who, but I'm pretty sure that my third show was Youth Brigade at a Sunday Night punk show at Cubby Bear.

9. FALLEN ANGELS - Bad Woman (Pebbles Volume 1) A great slab of garage from 1966.

10. the DARLING BUDS - Burst (Pop Said... 1988) This Welsh band weren't very original, but they sure did make some catchy guitar summer pop with stellar harmonies and big hooks.

Mother told me, yes she told me, I’d meet Shuffle-a-gogoers like you

Once again - it's shufffle time. MP3 player device of choice set to random and the first ten songs...

1. the ROLLING STONES - Sympathy for the Devil (Beggars Banquet 1968) I love absolutely everything about Sympathy, from the "whoo woo" backing vocals to Keith's cool-as-shit guitar to Bill Wyman's fabulous maraca shaking.

2. JERRY REED - Guitar Man (the Essential Jerry Reed) Jerry's semi-autobiographical 1967 single, which was later appropriated by Elvis.

3. the TEARDROPS EXPLODES - When I Dream (Kilimanjaro 1980) I'm pretty sure that this was the first Julian Cope song I ever heard and it's still my favorite. The song clocks in at over seven minutes, but the last four minutes are really just an incredibly gradual fade out. And I wish it sent on for ten more minutes.

4. the RAMONES - I Don't Care (Rocket to Russia 1977) I love Joey's faux aristocrat vocal. He's trying to sound snobby, but he still sounds like he's from Queens.

5. the POGUES - Boat Train (Peace and Love 1989) This is one of my favorite Shane MacGowan vocals and about the point that I sort of gave up on him. Everything after this seems a bit uninspired.

6. the BEATLES - You're Going to Lose That Girl (Help! 1965) The Beatles were contemporaries of Freddie and the Dreamers and the Hullaballoos and are probably best remembered today for having Barbara Bach's husband on drums.

7. the WILLIS BROTHERS - Alcohol and # 2 Diesel (24 Great Truck Drivin Hits) Take a truckful of oranges and truckful of watermelons and add alcohol and you end up with a great country song.

8. ELVIS PRESLEY - Clean Up Your Backyard (Elvis at the Movies) From the 1967 film the Trouble with Girls, this Mac Davis/Billy Strange song was the song that brought me back to Elvis. I was sick of Elvis kitsch by the time I got to college and broke bad on the king, but at my college radio station I randomly played this cut off of one of the many suspect Elvis comps that came out in the 80's and was absolutely floored.

9. CROWDED HOUSE - Pineapple Head (Together Alone 1993) Neil Finn's overdue for another album, right?

10. JACCO GARDNER - Watching the Moon (Cabinet of Curiosities 2013) This will most likely be a 2013 top 20 album for me. Jacco is a Dutch multi-instrumentalist that plays chamber pop ala the Left Banke or Sagittarius. Or, in the case of this song, Syd Barrett.

SHUFFLE-A-GOGO - MP3 player randomness and unchecked music nerdage

MP3 Shuffle-a-gogo: Set your MP3 delivery device of choice on shuffle and post the first ten songs. Simple as that. Here's what I got:

1. BUZZCOCKS - Palm of Your Hand (Trade Test Transmissions 1993) Buzzcocks show up on my shuffles all of the time. I'm not complaining. In fact, I'm bragging.

2. CHUCK BERRY - Rock and Roll Music (the Chess Years box) Other than WLS, most of the music I listened to in grade school came via my older brother's surf and drag 8-tracks or his multi tape Wolfman Jack oldies collection. When I hear this I still hear the Wolfman Jack intro - "It's Chuck Berrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry, baby!"

3. MARVIN GAYE - One For My Baby (Moods of Marvin Gaye 1966) My favorite version of the Arlen/Mercer classic, and one of Marvin's best early vocals.

4. OIL TASTERS - Emma (Oil Tasters 1982) If I could only have one Milwaukee bass/saxophone/drum trio it would be Oil Tasters. This was one of the records I bought strictly because it was pictured in the International Discography of the  New Wave (aka Volume), which, along with the Trouser Press guide was my bible during my formative music years. This is a fabulous version of the Hot Chocolate song.

5. VAN HALEN - Where Have All the Good Times Gone (Diver Down 1982) I think out of all of the original DLR Van Halen albums Diver Down is the one I play the least. I forgot about this song. I might have to go back and put the album on again.

6. the dB's - Far Away and Long Ago (Falling Off the Sky 2012) A nice quiet Chris Stamey number from the band's excellent comeback record from last year.

7. the REPLACEMENTS - Waitress in the Sky (Tim 1985) "Big deal you get to fly". Makes me laugh every time.

8. KIRSTY MacCOLL (with the Pogues) - Miss Otis Regrets (Galore 1995) A lot of artists I love have died, but Kirsty MacColl is one of the few that years after their death I still get sad thinking about every time one of their songs comes up on a shuffle.

9. BEE GEES - Turn of the Century (Bee Gees' First 1967) If you like 60's pop and don't own Bee Gees First you should do yourself a favor and go pick it up right now. This album plays like a singles collection, with several of my favorite songs from the whole decade appearing.

10. PETE SEEGER - Summertime (American Favorite Ballads) A Cole Porter cover from Kirsty, and now Gershwin via Pete Seeger. Such a great, mournful version with just Pete and banjo. And some whistling. Even though he still makes an occasional appearance, I think I missed my window to see him live, which kind of bums me out. Until recently I took Pete Seeger for granted.

Shuffle-a-gogo: some random MP3 player action

SHUFFLE-A-GOGO: Set your MP3 delivery device of choice to shuffle/random and write down the first ten songs.

1. the STRANGELOVES - I wan Candy (Best of the Strangeloves) 1965 single from some New Yorkers pretending to be Australian, including future Blondie producer and Sire records co-founder, Richard Gottehrer.

2. ECHO & the BUNNYMEN - the Idolness of Gods (the Fountain 2009) An enjoyable later Echo cut, but by this point  Ian McCulloch and Will Sergeant seem to be coasting.

3. the KINGSTON TRIO - Corey, Corey (At Large 1959) This was in my parents record collection, so it was one of the first albums I ever played. Other than the Kingston Trio and Bob Newhart the options were limited; my other choices were the Ben Hur soundtrack or Banjo at the Gaslight Club.

4. SMASHING PUMPKINS - Here Is No Why (Mellon Collie and the blah blah blah 1995) Pumpkins are one of the most bands I skip when they come up on a shuffle, yet I still can't bring myself to just pull them from the player.

5. TOM ROBINSON BAND - Better Decide Which Side You're On (Power in the Darkness 1978) Tom Robinson is due for a resurgence - he made some fantastic records.

6. GO HOME PRODUCTIONS - Work It Out With a Foxy Lady (GHP Complete) A mashup of Beyonce vs Hendrix. Like many modern mainstream pop artists, I think the only Beyonce songs I actually know are from mash-ups.

7. the TING TINGS - Day to Day (Sounds from Nowheresville 2012) I loved their debut We Started Nothing, but this second album was an incredible disappointment. Time to delete it from the library.

8. LEO SAYER - I Think We Fell In Love Too Fast (Endless Flight 1976) Yeah, that's right. Leo Fucking Sayer.

9. PORTER WAGONER - Nothing Between (Rubber Room comp) - I'm always amazed at how twisted and messed up Porter lyrics are. Seems too weird to get mainstream attention, which makes me miss the country music world of the Sixties even more.

10. DOVES - The Sulpher Man (Best of the Doves) I think the Doves are going to be the band I play rest of the morning.

MP3 SHUFFLE-A-GOGO

I'm in the mood for some Shuffle-a-gogo. You know the drill: set your MP3 player of choice to shuffle and write down the first ten songs. Here's what I got.

1. JULIAN COPE - Reynaard the Fox (Fried 1984) The lead track from Julian's second album hints at much of what come from throughout rest of his career. In just over six minutes he goes from super catchy pop to a bizarre dramatic reading to a crazed garage instrumental freakout.

2. ROBYN HITCHCOCK - Out of the Picture (Black Snake Diamond Role 1981) A straight forward Byrdsian pop song from Robyn's debut album featuring some wonderful jangly guitar.

3. E JOSEPH and the PHANTOM HEART - Changing Trains (All the Medicine in the World 2009) Pleasant power pop from a Baltimore guy that had previously worked with Splitsville and Myracle Brah .

4. EDWYN COLLINS - Dilemna (Understated 2013) Wonderful pop from Edwyn's new album, which is a lock to make my year end best of list.

5. GUIDED BY VOICES - Go Rolling Home (Lets Go Eat the Factory 2011) I love GbV when they make melodic pop. This isn't one of those songs.

6. GARBAGE - Cherry Lips (Absolute Garbage) New wavey electro pop from 2001's Beautiful Garbage. I didn't realize how many Garbage songs I loved until this hits collection came out.

7. WHITE RABBITS - Percussion Gun (It's Frightening 2009) Indie rock from Brooklyn.

8. the EQUALS - Fire (First Among Equals) British R&B pop from Eddie Grant's fabulous and woefully underrated first band. In my quest to own every song from the band's 60's output I've had to buy a few comps to pick up another song or two, which was the case here.

9. FRANK SINATRA - Come Fly With Me (Sinatra 80th) A swinging number from Frank's Capitol era. I've always loved that vocal pause he inserts into "down to Ac.......apulco Bay".

10. OPAL - Supernova (Happy Nightmare Baby 1987) Brooding psychedelia from David Roback (Rain Parade) on guitar and Dream Syndicate's Kendra Smith. Sadly this was the band's only album. This is high on my list of late-night headphone faves.

Shuffle-a-gogo: MP3 randomness

I'm in a shuffle mood. Pretty simple concept: set the MP3 player on shuffle and post the first ten songs.

1. PRETENDERS - Private Life (Pretenders 1980) The Pretenders debut is about as perfect as a record gets. One of the best debuts ever.

2. QUEEN - Another One Bites the Dust (the Game 1980) I remember walking to Rainbow Records in Darien to buy this single and being very bummed they didn't have it in stock. I think that's what prompted me to finally join the Columbia Record club since the Game was featured in their current ads.

3. DAVID BOWIE - It Ain't Easy (Ziggy Stardust 1972) For some reason this song is sounding even more awesome than usual this morning. It might be a Ziggy morning once this shuffle is over (Bowie's Ziggy, not the pantless Tom Wilson cartoon character).

4. the RIFLES - Peace & Quiet (No Love Lost 2006) High energy pop from London with ringing guitars and oversized hooks. This was one of my favorite albums of 2006 and I was pretty confident this band was going to be huge. I can't imagine them not being insanely fun live.

5. the dB's - Live is For Lovers (Like This 1984) Pop perfection - this is up there with "starry Eyes", "Radiation Vibe", and "Yellow Pills" as one of the all time great pop singles.

6. the dB's - the Fight (Stands for Decibels 1981) A dB's twofer! This Peter Holsaple song is a big fave from the first album. Actually, I can call anything from the first 3 dB's albums a big fave.

7. ARCWELDER - Remember to Forget (Pull 1993) This underrated Minneapolis trio is one of my favorite American bands of the era and I've never understood why they didn't get more attention. The have a powerful rhythm section and a slightly dissonant wall of sound, but with hooks worthy of any great power pop band. Wearing my Arcwelder t-shirt has been rationed to extend it's life - I'll be sad when the day comes that it's gone through the washer one too many times.

8. the COLURFIELD - Take (Virgins and Phillistines 1985) Maybe the Ziggy morning will go on hold for a Terry hall day. Hmmmm....

9. TOMMY KEENE - Nothing Happened Yesterday (Places That Are Gone EP 1984) Sorry Terry Hall, now it's going to be a Tommy Keene morning. Tommy is one of the most reliable musicians out there.

10. the RECORDS - Keeping Up With the Jones (Music on Both Sides 1982) Another power pop fave. This is from the band's third album, which is actually the one I play the most. Critically this album gets dismissed, but many of my Records faves come off of it.

Shuffle-a-gogo: the random goodness of the MP3 player

Time for another round of MP3 Shuffle-a-gogo. Set the MP3 player on shuffle and let 'er rip! First ten songs...

1. the RANDY FULLER FOUR - The Things You Do (Bobby Fuller Four Never to Be Forgotten: the Mustang Years) After Bobby's death the Bobby Fuller Four was briefly retooled around brother Randy and released a few decent singles that have the BF4 sound, but in a lesser version.
2. the HOT RATS - Big Sky (Turn Ons 2010) From the all covers side project from Gaz and Danny of Supergrass - this fuzzed out take on the Kinks was one that worked the best for me.
3. X - Johnny Hit and Run Paulene (Los Angeles 1980) From the fabulous debut, this is one of my favorite American rock/punk songs from the era. Love the ripping great Chuck Berry opening riff and the exceptionally perfect John Doe vocals.
4. EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL - No Difference (Like the Deserts Miss the Rain) Tracey Thorn's vocals and the hypnotic trip-hop drums really make this song for me. From their final album, 1999's Temperamental.
5. KINGS OF CONVENIENCE - Leaning Against the Wall - Bamboo Soul remix (Versus 2001) I wasn't originally a fan of the band's sleepy new folk sound, but this album of remixes was a staple through my headphones for quite a while, which eventually led me to going back and loving their proper records. Now I don't understand how I didn't fall for them right out of the gate.
6. LOUDON WAINWRIGHT III - Motel Blues (Album II 1971) Loudon's tale of lonely desperation on the road and his attempt to lure a girl back to his room.
7. the SUBURBS - Cows (Ladies and Gentlemen, the Suburbs Have Left the Building) "I like cows. And they go "moo"!" Beej Chaney tells it like it is from the Minneapolis band's herky jerky new wave debut.
8. the VAPORS - Spiders (Anthology) From the band's underrated second and final album, Magnets.
9. the DUCKWORTH LEWIS METHOD - the Nightwatchman (the Duckworth Lewis Method 2009) If you're only going to listen to one cricket themed band featuring members of Divine Comedy and Pugwash, I'd suggest you start with the Duckworth Lewis Method.
10. the AFGHAN WHIGS - Night By Candlelight (Black Love 1996) This is the side of Greg Dulli I'm not a fan of. I prefer my Dulli less precious and more rocking.

That shuffle actually played a bit like a good mix tape. I like when that happens!

MP3 Shuffle-a-gogo

I did a shuffle for MetaChat and am cross posting it here.

1. ECHO & the BUNNYMEN - Lost On You (What Are You Going to Do With Your Life? 1997) The later Echo albums pale in comparison to the first four, but the songs still sound great coming up on a shuffle. 
2. the PRIMITIVES - Thru the Flowers (Lovely 1988) I played this album nonstop when it came out, Still sounds great.
3. KIM WILDE - Kids In America (Kim Wilde 1981) Another album I played nonstop when it came out. This is one of my favorite new wave songs, but rest of the album is quite good as well.
4. the KNACK - Good Girls Don't (Get the Knack 1979) Maybe the first power pop album I ever bought. Although at the time I think I liked the Alvin and the Chipmunks version from Chipmunk Punk better.
5. the DOVES - Black and White Town (Best of the Doves) Love the larger-than-life production on this song. Sounds like a Motown record with pounding drums and modern British vocals. Actually, I never thought about it before, but this sounds like later Jam.
 6. JASON and the SCORCHERS - Both Sides of the Line (Fervor 1983) A killer blast of American rock and roll. Live this song was an absolute monster (as the video linked shows).
 7. the SCREAMING TRIBESMEN - Igloo (Bones + Flowers 1987) For a few songs I was sure that Screaming Tribesmen were going to be my favorite band, but they lost steam pretty quickly. This song always reminds me a bit of Mitch Easter vocally.
8. the MABUSES - Cubicles (Mabuses 1993) Syd Barrett influenced psychedelic pop that came out on Kramer's Shimmy Disc.
9. DAVID BOWIE - Seven Years in Tibet (Earthling 1997) I really like Bowie's mid 90's forays into industrial and techno and I think they've held up quite well. Earthling and Outside have their share of filler, but both have enough strong songs to get me to return to them on a regular basis.
10. the DISTILLERS - Hall of Mirrors (Coral Fang 2003) 2003?!? I guess I can't refer to this as "one of my favorite punk albums of the past decade" anymore. I absolutely love Brody Dalle's shredded vocal style. Hadn't heard from her in a while so I looked her up and am glad to see she's making a new album with Alain Johannes (Spinerette) Michael Shuman (Queens of the Stone Age) and Shirley Manson.

Shuffle-a-gogo - some random MP3 player action

It's time for a little MP3 Shuffle-a-gogo action. The rules are simple: MP3 delivery device of choice set to shuffle/random, first ten songs, post em. Here's what I got today:

1. the CRAMPS - Faster Pussycat (Smell of Female 1983) Cramps do a killer version of the swinging theme song of the Russ Meyer film, recorded live at the Peppermint Lounge in LA.
2. X - I See Red (More Fun in the New World 1983) The fourth X album is my favorite, and pretty much every song is my favorite until the next one comes on.
3. the SPECIALS - Do the Dog (Specials 1979) Not the donkey!
4. IDLEWILD - There's Glory in Your Story (A Distant History: Rarities 1997–2007) One of the b-sides to "These Wooden Ideas" from the band's second album.
5. DURAN DURAN - Drowning Man (Duran Duran aka the Wedding Album 1993) I was never actually a big DD fan until their surprisingly great comeback in 93. This is an album that still gets regular play from me, although I always have to skip that horrifically misguided cover of "Femme Fatale".
6. the SINCEROS - Socially (Pet Rock 1981) This skinny tie new wave pop song from the London band's second album sounds like equal parts Greg Kihn and Joe Jackson
7. the ANGELS - I'm Scared (Darkroom 1980) Australia's Angels could always be counted on for at least a few great rockers on each album, but thanks in part to Doc Neeson's distinctive lead vocals even a basic pub rock song like this one sound great.
8. JETS TO BRAZIL - One Summer Last Fall (Four Cornered Night 2000) For me the 2nd JtB album is Blake Schwarzenbach's masterpiece. Everything clicks - the song writing, the playing, his vocals. Over a decade later it still sounds great.
9. BEACH BOYS - God Only Knows (Pet Sounds 1966) Hey, speaking of masterpieces!
10. MADNESS - Swan Lake (One Step Beyond 1979) Tchaikovsky is skanking in his grave.

MP3 Shuffle-a-gogo - where she stops no one knows

Shufffle-a-gogo: MP3 player set on shuffle, hit play, first 10 songs - no skipping.

1. EMITT RHODES - Somebody Made For Me (Emitt Rhodes 1970) This is one of the great DIY home studio albums - with Emitt delivering an album of Paul McCartneyish songs that out McCartneyed what McCartney was doing at the time.
2. LOUDON WAINWRIGHT III - the Doctor (History 1992) If you had to explain Loudon to someone and could only use one song as an example, this wouldn't be a bad choice for the task. For me History was the album where Loudon seemed recharged and stepped up his game after a series of decent but undistinctive albums. 
3. SWERVEDRIVER - Sci-Flyer (Raise 1991) Huge guitars from the Oxford band's band debut. They venture into Sonic Youth territory a bit in the guitars, but with a much heavier groove than SY dabbled in.
4. NAKED RAYGUN - Camarilla (Raygun...Naked Raygun 1990) A mostly forgettable song from the only Raygun album I don't love.
5. RANK AND FILE - Pistol Dawn (Rank and File 1987) By the third album R&F had lost much of the charm of their first 2 albums and were making more generic radio friendly rock. The big meaty guitar intro here sounds like something Drivin & Cryin would have success with five years later.
6. RANDY NEWMAN - Lover's Prayer (Randy Newman Live 1971) Damn South park has tainted my enjoyment of Randy Newman. Now when I hear him I think of "Fatty Doo Doo". Hopefully this doesn't long and I can go back.
7. LOUDON WAINWRIGHT III - I'm Alright (Career Moves 1993) Recorded live after the album mentioned just a few song earlier in this shuffle. Just Loudon, a guitar, and a very appreciative audience.
8. DODGY - Intro (Free Peace Sweet 1996) A 45 second instrumental - not much to speak of really.
9. the SUBURBS - Goggles (Ladies and Gentlemen the Suburbs Have left the Building) Hey look Cudahys - you aren't the only ones with Suburbs loaded on the MP3 player! 
10. SPARKS - Rockin' Girls (In Outer Space 1983) I used to play this album quite a bit when it came out, but this and it's follow up Pulling Rabbits hardly get any play from me anymore. I didn't even remember this song when it started. I think I need to go back and give those two albums another listen.

MP3 Shuffle-a-gogo - now with Retsyn!

Simple rules: Set your MP3 delivery device of choice on shuffle, write down the first 10 songs. No skipping. Let's shuffle!

1. TALK TALK - Living in Another World (the Colour of Spring 1986) A luxuriously rich song from the third Talk Talk album (the one with the hit "Life's What You Make It"). I'm a big fan of Mark Hollis' voice, which sounds extra fab on this captivating mini epic of a song.
2. HUSKER DU - Something I Learned Today (Zen Arcade 1984) The lead off cut to the band's second studio album. Remember when Bob used to scream with wild abandon? I loved that.
3. DAVE ALVIN and the GUILTY WOMEN - Boss of the Blues (Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women 2009) A jazzy walking blues tune about Big Joe Turner with some nifty guitar from the former Blaster. I wasn't blown away by this album when it came out, but I love every song off it when they come up on a shuffle.
4. MANASSAS - Down the Road (Down the Road 1973) Off the second album from Stephen Stills short lived twangy side band. The record is erratic, but this song is pretty likeable even though it sounds sort of like it could have come off of a Dr Hook album.
5. the SUBURBS - Black Leather Stick (Ladies and Gentlemen, the Suburbs Have Left the Building compilation) Quirky Minneapolis new wave - this one was originally on the band's 1980 debut. I sometimes forget how weird their early stuff really was.
6. X - White Girl (Wild Gift 1981) I had a song off of this album on last week's shuffle, which is OK with me. You can never have too much X.
7. the dBs - Nothing Is Wrong (Ride the Wild Tom Tom 1993) My shuffle seems to love this and the other non essential dB's album (Paris Avenue). There are 5 stellar dB's releases, but my shuffle loves those 2 weird collections.
8. BIG BLACK - the Model (Songs About Fucking 1987) Big Black absolutely kill on this cover of the Kraftwerk song. And the cover of the 7" single is one of my favorite album parodies ever.
9. XTC - The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul (Skylarking 1986) The CD player just turned 30 years old last week and there was some talk around the web about "what was your first CD?". Mine was Skylarking, which I bought almost a year before I got my first CD player just so XTC could be my first CD purchase. As a bonus, I think a Mummer import ended up being the first used CD I ever bought.
10. MANASSAS - Rollin' My Stone (Down the Road 1973) This isn't bad, but it's sort of generic. Two Manassas songs on one shuffle? 

MP3 Shuffle-a-gogo

And now it's time for another round of Shuffle-a-gogo. You know the drill: set your MP3 delivery device of choice on shuffle, hit play, write down the first ten songs. No skipping. This week I'm working off of my Creative Zen, which means 6,851 songs to pull from. Let's shuffle...

1. ANY TROUBLE - Growing Up (Girls Are Always Right: the Stiff Years) A bouncy new wave Springsteen cover from the band's debut album. 
2. CHINA CRISIS - Christian (Difficult Shapes & Passive Rhythms, Some People Think It's Fun to Entertain 1982) This song from the band's debut sounds like a light synth pop take on Roxy Music's Avalon.
3. SAD LOVERS & GIANTS - Man of Straw (Feeding the Flame 1980) SL&G play moody post-punk that mines much of the same ground as Joy Division. But they did it better and more convincingly than most of the other bands that tried to pick up where Joy Division left off.
4. the POSIES - 20 Questions (Frosting on the Beater 1993) For album #3 the Posies recruited Don Fleming of Velvet Monkeys and Gumball to produce, which resulted in surprisingly heavier album than the first two. Now it seems perfectly in line with what the Posies were doing at the time, but I recall at the time it being a pretty jarring listen the first time I heard it.
5. JETS TO BRAZIL - One Summer Last Fall (Four Cornered Night 2000) This was my #9 album in 2000. but twelve years later it's easily the album I play the most form that year. For the second JtB album Blake Schwarzenbach abandoned most of his punk angst in favor of a more optimistic album with the keyboards up front and the guitars more restrained. 
6. X - When Our Love Passed Out on the Couch (Wild Gift 1981) Thirty plus years later Wild Gift still sounds fresh and exciting. Actually, I'd say that about the first four X albums. Billy Zoom's guitar is stellar as always here, but the Doe/Bonebreak rhythm section absolutely kicks and this is one of my favorite John Doe/Exene harmonies.
7. XTC - Ten Feet Tall (Drums and Wires 1979) A fine Colin Moulding song from the band's third album. For me this song is the bridge where Colin went from trying to write in Andy Partridge's style to writing uniquely Colin Moulding songs.
8. ENGLISH BEAT - Night and Day - 1983 Kid Jensen session (English Beat BBC Sessions) A throwaway take on the Cole Porter song with a goofy lounge singer style vocal.
9. the EQUALS - the Skies Above (Black Skin Blue Eyed Boys Anthology) I take every opportunity I can to convert more people over to the wonderfulness of Eddy Grant's first band, the Equals. They're one of my favorite bands of the 60's - playing a nice mix of British Beat, maximum R&B, and pop (and on occasion dipping their toe in the bubblegum pool). If you don't have one already - pick up an Equals comp.
10. LEE SCRATCH PERRY and the UPSETTERS - Drum Rock (Upsetters 14 Dub Blackboard Jungle 1973) One of the first dub albums - hypnotic and weird, which is par for the coarse for Perry.

Well, I quite like this shuffle. I think all 10 songs put a smile on my face when they came up and made me want to break out the whole albums, which doesn't happen often with shuffles.

it's another Shuffle-a-gogo - more fun with MP3 player randomness

Yup - time for another shuffle...

1. FLASH and the PAN - Walking in the Rain (Flash and the Pan 1979) This is from the debut album by the studio only project of the Easybeat's Harry Vanda and George Young. The band is best known for their hit "Hey St Peter", but this song got a bit more attention when Grace Jones covered it.
2. JOAN ARMATRADING - Romances (Walk Under Ladders 1981) This was Joan's new wave album - produced by Steve Lillywhite and included guests like Andy Partridge, Thomas Dolby, Sly & Robbie, and Tony Levin.
3. SHOES - Snap! (Bazooka 1976) Recorded before their legendary debut DIY Black Vinyl Shoes, the Bazooka album was never officially released until it was included on the double rarities collection As Is. A little weirder and more eclectic than what would follow, there are some great pop gems here.
4. SCREAMIN JAY HAWKINS - (She Put the) Wamee (On Me) (Voodoo Jive: the best of) I remember hearing Screamin Jay for the first time, sitting at the Hillside Theater watching Jim Jarmusch's "Stranger Than Paradise" and instantly becoming a fan. As Eva says in the movie, "It's Screamin' Jay Hawkins, and he's a wild man, so bug off."
5. HALL & OATES - "Johnny Gore and the "C" Eaters" (War Babies 1974) This is the from their third album, which has to be the oddest record in the H&O catalog. Produced by Todd Rundgren and using Utopia as the band - they abandoned blue-eyed soul in favor of hard rock. This song sounds to me like a cross between Utopia and Funkadelic's Warner Brothers era. My friend Randy had been looking for this album for ages, which is what prompted me to seek it out. I'm really glad he did - a wonderfully weird listen.
6. SWERVEDRIVER - Duress (Mazcal head 1993) I tend to prefer short songs, but I don't think this epic would work so well  without using all eight minutes. The wall of guitar wah-wah is just stunning.
7. the dBs - You Got It Wrong (Ride the Wild Tom Tom 1993) This Chris Stamey song is one of the highlights of this dB's odds and ends collection.
8. MAGNETIC FIELDS - Quick! (Love at the Bottom of the Sea 2012) From the new album, which doesn't sound as charming as it did a few months ago.
9. the CHURCH - Is This Where You Live (Of Skins and Heart 1981) From the debut album - loaded with fine psychedelic tinged pop with ringing guitars. This one has a wonderfully hypnotic drone  and a slow build melody, capped off with a great Steve Kilby vocal and some of the band's best guitar work.
10. CARDINAL - Radio Birdman (Hymns 2012) It took them 17 years, but Richard Davies and Eric Matthews finally followed up their much loved debut with a damn fine album of eclectic pop. 

MP3 Player Shuffle-a-gogo

Here's another round of Shuffle-a-gogo.:

1. BLACK FLAG - Out of this World (In My Head 1985) This is one of the bonus cuts tacked onto the CD reissue of the last Black Flag album. Rhythm section is super tight, some great guitar lines, and Henry sounds a bit like Keith Morris in his delivery. To my ears it holds up a bit better than much of the material from the actual album.   
2. NEW ORDER - True Faith (20 Years of New Order) I always thought that this 1987 single was pretty bland, but I think I'm in the minority on that one.
3. the MARMALADE - Lovin Things (the Very Best of Marmalade) On this 1968 light pop single with big string and horns production the Scottish band mines the same territory as the Buckinghams.
4. MESSER CHUPS - Sentimental Bass (Black Black Magic 2002) Spy guitars, theremin, and weird sound effects. Par for the course for one of Russia's oddest and most fun exports.
5. PEREZ PRADO - Mambo del 65 (Al compas del Mambo 1950-52) From a stellar comp of early Perez singles - it's always a treat when anything by the King of the Mambo comes up on shuffle.
6. MYRACLE BRAH - Faux American (Plate Spinner 1999) Barroom power pop from Baltimore.
7. CHIC - Dance Dance Dance (Chic 1977) Yowsah Yowsah Yowsah! Straight ahead disco from the first Chic album. But in the hands of Niles Rodgers and Bernard Edwards even a straight ahead disco song became so much more. Chic disco holds up much better thirty plus years later than most of their contemporaries.
8. the HANDCUFFS - I Just Wanna Be Free, Man (Electroluv 2008) Fun pop from the band's second album. Brad Elvis' drums sound absolutely huge on this song.
9. the POLICE - Too Much Information (Ghost in the Machine 1981) Cha!
10. PET SHOP BOYS - Was That What It Was (Alternative) As much as I love the Pet Shop Boys singles, the record I play the most by them is this collection of 30 b-sides. This was one of the "Opportunities" b-sides. There are several bits that sound like Art of Noise - enough so that I had to double check and see of Trevor Horn produced or mixed it (he didn't). 

Nothing embarrassing or that I felt the need to explain this round! Whooh whooh!

MP3 Shuffle-a-gogo

And now we shuffle...

1. the TROGGS - Summertime (Archeology 1867-1977) This is not the George Gershwin tune (which was a standard for many of the British Invasion bands to tackle). Instead, it's an easy going ode to the joys of Summer, with Reg Presley's vocal delivery that makes everything sound just a little bit naughty.
2. JON LANGFORD - Hard Times (All the Fame of Lofty Deeds 2004) The former Mekon in full blown Johnny Cash mode.
3. TENPOLE TUDOR - Fashion (Wunderbar: the Best of) Edward Tudorpole could hardly carry a tune, but he had a grand sense of sing-along fun. And thanks to his association with the Sex Pistols (namely for singing "Who Killed Bambi" in the the Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle) he achieved enough notoriety to get a few records out.
4. REM - the Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight (Automatic for the People 1992) Not one of my REM faves.
5. DISPOSABLE HEROES of HIPHOPCRISY - Water Pistol Man (Hipocrisy is the Greatest 1992) One of the more laidback tunes with a hypnotic groove from Michael Franti's post Beatnigs/pre Spearhead band. Michael always has a bit of Gil Scott-Heron in his delivery, but here it seems extra Gilesque.
6. the BEACH BOYS - I'm the Pied Piper (Holland 1973) One of the bonus cuts from the Mount Vernon and Fairway EP. This is probably my least favorite Beach Boys record of their first decade and a half.
7. SAM the SHAM & the PHARAOHS - (I'm in With) the Out Crowd (Best of) Dumb fun 60's pop. "We don't have fancy clothes and cars but we're as groovy as can be"
8. the STOOGES - LA Blues (Fun House 1970) The crazy-ass freejazz closer to the band's second album with Iggy kicking out some even-more-freaked-out-than-normal howling.
9. the SHOP ASSISTANTS - Nature Lover (Will Anything Happen collection) A manic and delightful number from the Edinburgh band's self titled 1987 debut.
10. POP WILL EAT ITSELF - She's Surreal (Box Frenzy 1987) From the band's debut.

Shuffle-a-gogo (MP3 player plus random)

It's time for another shuffle.

1. BUZZCOCKS - Isolation (Trade test Transmissions 1993) This catchy-as-all-hell Steve Diggle cut from the Buzzcocks first album after a decade plus silence fits in nicely with anything off of Singles Going Steady without sounding like a retread.
2. XTC - New Town Animal (in a Furnished Cage) (White Music 1978) A herky jerky number off the first XTC album with some kooky Barry Andrews new wave keyboards.
3. GEORGE MICHAEL - Praying for Time (Listen Without Prejudice 1990) I actually have nothing against George Michael, but I do not remember ever putting this on my MP3 player.
4. SUPERSUCKERS - the Schmooze (La Mano Cornuda 1994) The ending to the band's second album, it's a phone message from Jack Endino trying to get into the big Mudhoney/Supersuckers show.
5. the JAM - Pity Poor Alfie swing version (Direction Reaction box set) One of the "Bitterest Pill" b-sides - is there actually a non-swing version of this? This is the only version I know.
6. the DISTILLERS - Drain the Blood (Coral Fang 2003) Something from Coral Fang coming up on shuffle two weeks in a row? Any excuse to mention Brody Dalle is OK with me.
7. KELLEY STOLTZ - Words (Below the Branches 2006) A gentle tune with a 60's California pop feel from the underappreciated San Francisco singer/songwriter.
8. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - Fade Away (the River 1980) Yyyyyup. Springsteen. OK.
9. CHRIS MARS - Popular Creep (Horseshoes and Hand Grenades 1992) As great as I think Paul Westerberg is, the first two Chris Mars albums are my favorite and most played of all of the Replacement solo ventures. These songs are tailor-made to be heard in a bar, which bums me out that he never toured. I vaguely recall him planning to send a Chris Mars cover band on the road to support the album, but I don't think that ever actually happened.
10. the CANDYSKINS - Friday Night, Saturday Morning (Death of a Minor TV Celebrity 1998) This is not a cover of the fabulous Specials song. 

Shuffle-a-gogo - some random MP3 player action

Shuffle-a-gogo: MP3 player device of choice set on shuffle, the first 10 songs that pop up (no skipping!), and posted.

1. STEREOLAB - Wow and Flutter (Mars Audiac Quintet 1994) For a few years Stereolab seemed like one of the coolest bands in the world, and then one day for no apparent reason I just stopped listening to them. It was around the same time I moved the Ultra Lounge CDs to the garage. And then recently I ripped a few Stereolab albums to the MP3 player and was pleasantly surprised at how great they sound again. Maybe I just needed an extended Stereolab vacation to recharge my love of them.
2. TOMMY KEENE - Light of Love (Based on Happy Times 1989) From one of Tommy's two major label albums. The production is more beefed up and the guitars are a bit more muscular, but it's still unmistakably Tommy Keene.
3. the DISTILLERS - Die on a Rope (Coral Fang 2003) From the LA band's last album - which is one of my favorite punk albums of the past decade. Featuring the raspy, pushed-to-the-max vocals of Brody Dalle.
4. LE SERA - I Can't Keep You In My Mind (See the Light 2012) Le Sera is the solo project for Vivian Girls' bassist Katy Goodman. Real nice girl-group sounding indie rock. Currently a 2012 Top 20 contender.
5. TED LEO & the PHARMACISTS - Woke Up Near Chelsea (the Brutalist Bricks 2010) Ted Leo is so damn consistent that I often have a hard time singling out a few songs as favorites, but this one off of his 6th album is up there.
6. IGGY POP - the Passenger (Lust for Life 1977) La la la la La la la la. La la la la LA la la la!
7. ROGER DALTRY - Avenging Annie (One of the Boys 1977) Roger's take on the Andy Pratt song - but since he was so macho he chose not to sing it from the point of view of Annie.
8. DISAPPEARS - Hibernation Sickness (Pre Language 2012) Post punk from a Chicago band that obviously owns at least a few Fall albums.
9. SCREAMING TRIBESMAN - Dream Away (Bones + Flowers 1987) Australian band with a vocalist that sounds quite a bit like Mitch Easter.
10. JAMES - Come Home (Gold Mother 1990) I remember this sounds was absolutely huge live when I saw them at Metro and it just kept going and getting larger and larger. James were a great live band.