Song of the Day

I had never heard of The Fugees before until a couple of days ago at work. A co-worker and I were upgrading some mic input plates a big old luxury hotel in Kansas City called the Intercontinental. Dan, my co-worker, likes to bring his Bluetooth speaker and throw on tunes when he can. We were working and just doing our thing when this song popped on that I had never heard before. It was the type of hip-hop that I am a huge sucker for; an old sampled beat that loops and paves the way for whoever is rapping to just let loose and start flowin. The beat sample sounded like a bit from " I Only Have Eyes For You " by The Flamingos, and upon further research...it is! I don't know much about the Fugees. But you should check this song out. I can't stop listening to it.

Melbourne, Australia is absolutely killing it in modern psyche-rock music these days. You might have heard of bands like Tame Impala , King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard , and Courtney Barnett . Maybe it's the hot temperatures and the sun...who knows. But whatever it is I hope it stays that way and killer music continues to be made. The Murlocs, as you might have guessed, hail from Melbourne. Their Bandcamp page describes them as " Five skinny kids with roots firmly placed in their own blown-out, distorted brand of soulful RnB." They're trippy, they're funky, and they're pretty psychedelic. Check out "Loopholes".

I have been wanting to post this song for while. I heard of this band, and song, from a Volcom demo. I remember the demo was just about to start. I was in my way out to grab some beer when I’m y way to y car I hear this grimy, classic rock sounding song. I was really digging it and hopefully puled up Shazam and held my phone up to try and snag the song. I figured I was too far away or the song was too obscure for Shazam to notice. But to my surprise the song and artist popped up. “Clawstrophobia” by Iron Claw. I got in my car and pulled up the song. From there I was hooked. To my surprise, upon researching the band, I found that they have actually been a band since 1969! They just have always flown under the radar. "Clawstrophobia" comes from there self-titled album. When you start listening to the album one this is very clear...the production is terrible. The songs are muddy and just not recorded very well. However, good craftsmanship and exceptional songwriting prevails...

Things have gotten a bit crazy today so it’ll be a short one. Here’s “Go it Alone” by the multi-instrumentalist, weirdo, hip hop/folk blending mastermind...Beck. This song comes from, in my opinion, one of his most underrated albums, “Guero”.

It's interesting to reflect on your own taste in music. Experiences, friends, family, and so many other factors come into play. As I've stated many times before, the foundation of my interest in music came from my parents. They both loved and still love music and always had it playing around me. I spent a lot of time with my dad; my pops. We would drive to wrestling tournaments and listen to Santana or work on projects jamming to Led Zeppelin and Lynyrd Skynrd. But there was one band that he listened to and knew more about than any other band... and that band was ZZ Top. For some reason the Houston, Texas monster trio that was ZZ Top never really jived with me. It wasn’t that I disliked them, I just preferred most of the other bands my pops would play. Maybe it was their patented southern rock style or the numerous times I had heard “Cheap Sunglasses”. Whatever it was, my appreciation didn’t come until many years later when my pops and I were either working on one our c...

Damon Albarn and his pack of “Gorillaz” have always been a mysterious crew. Appearing as cartoons that appear in early all of their videos, they have maintained a rather elusive career. Their music has tackled many genres in the past and present but has always kept close to a hip hop, beat driven effort. You might recall their massive early 2000’s hit that featured Del Tha Funkee Homosapien, " Clint Eastwood "; a timeless song that introduced many people to Gorillaz, including myself. Here we have another “Clint Eastwood” referenced song called “Dirty Harry”. I’m not sure if there is some sort of fascination with Clint Eastwood or if he just happened to pop up again in a later song but the use is intriguing. The song, which many believe has a strong reference to the war in Iraq during the Bush years, is a fun and funky beat driven song, regardless of the undertones. “ I need a gun, to keep myself among, the poor people burning in the sun " the lone Damon Abarn sing...

I never really took a whole lot of time diggin' into The Who. Of course they have some solid hits like " Baba O'Riley " and " Pinball Wizard ", as well as a handful of others. But much like many other great rock bands...those songs get worn out and overplayed. When I first moved to Kansas City and hadn't yet started my journey into vinyl , I would cruise through the used cd section of Half Priced Books. There was one particular store near me that had a huge section of two dollar cds. I probably bought close to 40 cds from that section. Albums that I already had, albums I wasn't sure about...hell if I had any interest in the band or album I would buy it. I mean for two dollars! Why the hell not? Anyways, I remember running into The Who's "Who's Next" album and not even thinking twice about buying it. Popped that sucker into my good ole' cd player in my car and started jammin'. I remember running into one song on there t...

So I'm sure most have you heard the terrible news by now. And if you haven't, allow me to be the bearer of bad news. Dolores O'Riordan, the lead singer of the Limerick, Ireland 90's pop-rock sensation The Cranberries, passed away this last week. Pretty sad huh? The Cranberries had quite a handful of hits during their run throughout the 90's. Most of you probably remember " Zombie " or " Linger ". Or...in my opinion, their absolute best song, and one of my favorite songs of all time..."Dreams". We all have those guilty pleasures. And for the majority of my life I had considered this song a "guilty pleasure". And perhaps I still do. But regardless, I will always back this song. It's absolutely gorgeous, and in my opinion a perfect exhibit of the pure voice that Dolores had. She carried such a natural talent and a completely sincere voice. It never sounded contrived or as if she was churchin' it up. It just came nat...

The first song by War on Drugs was this one  right here..."Comin' Through". It is still, by far, my favorite song by the band. The swelling sound that surrounds the instruments was an early glimpse into what the band would soon become. Started by Adam Granduciel and Kurt Vile (who left after the first full length "Wagonwheel Blues), the band took has developed into an "ambient", cavernous arena band that sounds bigger and more omnipresent than any other band. "Comin' Through" was off an early EP called "Future Weather", a small collection of songs that blended folk rock with the beginnings of the band's establishing arena sound. "Future Weather" was the sneak peak into what the band would eventually become. And to be honest, I wish they had stuck with this sound. Their follow up full length album "Slave Ambient", to me was the peak of their career. It blended the blatant "ambient" tones with th...

Torche is a different monster. It's not...metal...but it's not...man, I don't know. I hate to call it this but...let's call it "pop-metal rock". As much as I hate the "pop" association with music and the general boundaries it confines; I can't think of a better term for this music. I want to make clear though that it is by no means any sort of sugary, pre-pubescent, teenage-angst type of shit...this is some straight up loud, in your face, sugary metal shit. But perhaps I'm reflecting on their third full length album "Harmonicraft" which littered the album cover art with rainbow colored beasts flying through purple skies. "Minions", from the following album "Restarter", displays Torche in a more mature and focused manner. Their strong and loud guitars, with sweet-tooth metal instrumentation still exists. But the riff is more serious and direct. It's one of those riffs that you can't get out of your h...

So, I've stated recently that The Walkmen have been and still are my favorite band. So of course I went out of my way to find out and listen to as much of their music as I could. Years ago, on Record Store Day, I was talking to one of the employees at a CD Warehouse I frequented about The Walkmen. We chatted and he eventually asked me if I had ever listened to Jonathan Fire*Eater. I had never heard of them and was curious as to why he brought them up. I was quickly educated on their association with The Walkmen. I found out that three of the five members from Jonathan Fire*Eater later formed The Walkmen after they had called it quits! Pretty cool huh? So of course I had to buy their album. I popped that sucker in and could instantly see the influences and qualities of The Walkmen. However, there were definitely some differences. The music was loose and not nearly as cerebral as The Walkmen. Hamilton Leithauser, who wasn't apart of JF*E, and his raspy croons were sung by Ry...

Have you ever day dreamed about running away? Forgetting all the expectations, requirements, and every obligated adherence life demands? I have. In fact, I would say I consider it every day. To some this might sound alarming. But I think it would be alarming if there were individuals who didn't dream about leaving it all. Cellphones, social media, mortgages, student loans, car loans, credit card debt, taxes, bank accounts, spouses, girlfriends, boyfriends, birthdays etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc .etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc .etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. Sometimes it's just too much. It's absolutely exhausting. And while I hate to sound like a cynical person...these things are required. Yes, they teach us responsibility. Yes, they keep us functioning and able to live "comfortable" lives. Yes, they are the social norms that allow us to operate congruently with ...

I've always been a fan of surfy-jammers and on Girls Names' 2011 release "Dead to Me" delivers album wide. However, according to the lead singer Cathal Cully , " Dead to Me literally was dead to us by the time it was committed to wax ". Which is quite a bummer to hear. I'm not exactly sure why he and his bandmates feel this way toward such a solid album but only they can know why. Regardless, it's still a great album packed with reverb-laden, sunny jams. "Bury Me" was my introduction to the band and remains my favorite song by the group. The song starts off with a funny little lead guitar intro that misdirects expectations. The intro sounds almost like a joke; as if what you are going to hear for the rest of the song is a shitty punk, garage band...but that's where the band explodes in unison and blasts you with a warm, loud, rock jam. I was blown away the first time I heard it and was absolutely pleasantly surprised. The bass thu...

I heard about his song from a “ Whats In My Bag ” episode featuring Kurt Vile. If you haven’t heard of it you should check it out. They pick musicians and follow them as they pick out a bunch of records. Kurt Vile picked one up by Bert Jansch and mentioned something about “that song Poison” being on there. So of course I had to check it out. It’s Kurt Vile man! And of course he was right... it is a killer tune.

Remember Ty Segall ? He’s truly a “jack-of-all-trades”. I remember finding out about Fuzz and listening to them for awhile before I made the connection...”The lead singer sounds just like Ty Segall” I remember thinking to myself. Come to find out after a bit of research, it is Ty singing! But that wasn’t the the biggest surprise...he’s actually playing drums too! Holy smokes! In pretty much all of his other projects: Ty Segall, Ty Segall Band, and his associations with other weirdo, psyche rock bands like Sic Apls, The Perverts, and White Fence, Segall has always shredded the guitar. So I was pretty flabbergasted when I found out he was drumming and singing in Fuzz. I’ve played the drums since I was probably 12 years old, and let me tell you, singing while playing drums is very difficult. But as I listened to more-and-more of Ty’s music, after I found out about Fuzz, I eventually fell upon his first full length album. Released on Castle Face Records, started by psychedelic rock h...

Space rock. What comes to mind? Trippy synthesizer bloops and bleeps layered over drum machines and programmed hi-hats? Maybe some ambient wind sounds? But it's "space ROCK" so there's got to be some guitars and bass in there too right? Hawkwind might as well have been the founders of "space rock". Starting from the collaboration of artists with a mutual interest in "electronic music", the band had formed and had help from other notable musicians such as Ginger Baker, who founded the little band called Cream, and even Ian Kilmister, or as most people know him by, Lemmy, the founder of Motorhead, who played bass in Hawkwind for sometime. Their music ranges from psychedelic to even instances of folk. But there was always a sci-fi nod and "space" theme. Like"Silver Machine" one of their most renowned singles, all of their songs explored the subjects of space, time, and other sci-fi topics. From the start of "Sil...

I apologize for lack of posting here lately. I told myself from the start that I wouldn't let "life" get in the way. But lo-and-behold..."life" happened...and I failed to post anything for a couple of day. But I will get back on track and get songs posted everyday. Here's a tune by the band Guess Who called "Undun". Randolph Charles Bachman  t he founding member and lead guitarist of the Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive apparently wrote this tune after witnessing a girl trip acid at a party and then go into a coma. I was trying to form my own understanding on this song before I read about it and wasn't really getting anywhere. But a girl tripping acid makes sense given the lyrics. " She found a mountain that was far too high,  and when she found out she couldn't fly, It was too late" Despite it's rather morbid subject matter, the song is a fun tune and almost kind of jazzy. I've been jammin to thing for q...

Sometimes we need to just sit back and relax. Life, and the multiple hurdles it holds can become pretty draining at times. We all have different situations and different circumstances. But regardless of how much money, time, or resources we have...we all run into something. And that’s why it’s important for us all to take time and just...rest. Explosions in the Sky can help you do just that. While there are no words or vocals, the musical landscapes they create don’t need words. Their music takes you on a journey. This song right here, by far my favorite EITS song, which concludes my favorite album by them “Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Live Forever" is a song that takes you through a lot. It's a long song and it your emotions will fluctuate as each chapter unfolds. But they know they take you through a lot and at the end...they give you rest. As much as I hate the word "epic"... this song is truly epic.

Recently heard this song on the opening of the new Dave Chappelle feature on Netflix. I'm a huge Dave Chappelle fan; the dude is one of the realest people in media. He is an absolute genius, pairing gut-busting humor with very real issues. So it makes sense, and I can almost guarantee you it was Chappelle's choice, to use Mos Def's Ecstatic track "Revelations" for his special. Chappelle has mentioned his interest in Def's music as well as many other east coast rappers such as Nas, A Tribe Called Quest, and Wu Tang. Mos Def has a lot in common with Chappelle. His music may not exist in the realm of humor, but his content and subject matter certainly parallels that of Chappelle. But that doesn't mean Def is any stranger to humor or that he isn't interested. He has appeared in some of the absolutely hilarious and incredibly popular Chappelle Show episodes such as the " The Racial Draft " (one of my favorites) and the independent comedy film ...

This is probably the only song by The Duke Spirit I've ever heard. But it's one that has stayed with me since early high school. It's a fun light-hearted sounding song backed by a fast rhythm guitar and lead guitar bouncing from low to high back and forth. The lyrics however, paint a quite different scenario. " These eyes are screws they hold down tears that would just pour out" Lead singer Leila Moss is obviously troubled and has been holding it in. Perhaps about a toxic relationship? She is speaking (singing) to someone who she cares about. " My eyes are holes they have warm treacle that just pours out Well you know nothing about me and how would you ever find out? " I always loved the atmosphere of this song and the guitar play on it is very unique. There's also a fun little harmonica part that helps play out the song at the end.  

I want to apologize for the lazy posting. I'm still having a lot of trouble with my car and it is consuming me. Once I get this figured out things start evening out I promise I will put everything into these posts. Thanks for hanging in there with me. Here's a song by a band called Big Troubles. The song is called "Misery". The lead singer sounds strikingly similar to Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins. Hope your new year is going well!

So today I awoke to find my car wouldn't start...which made for a "great" day. I've already been having problems with it overheating among other smaller problems. I've literally been working on it all day to try and fix the problem and have been stressing about posting a song. I'm not trying to throw a pity party by any means, for I am certainly not the only person who has every experienced car problems. But damnit they are annoying! Car problems always seem to ground me in a way. You don't think about them when your shit is working...because, well it's working! But when it is not working you reflect on what it's like to have a car that works. And it really is something I think a lot of people, DEFINITELY INCLUDING MYSELF, take for granted. So here's a nice little tune by a great Canadian band you might have heard of once or twice by the name of Arcade Fire. "No Cars Go" a song, I believe, is about a place where no machine or ve...

Here's an old jam from Chris Laufman's solo project Wise Blood. This EP, "+", dropped in May of 2010 and I couldn't get enough. Much like the Avalanches and Air France, Wise Blood is a sample based project. However, the vocals you hear are, most of the time, Chris'. "STRT SRNS" was the first song I ever heard from him and still probably my favorite. Another song off this EP is " B.I.G. E.G.O ." which actually samples Led Zeppelin's famous drums from " When The Levee Breaks ". His other samples aren't as recognizable however; but this is on purpose . Always dug this song and the pounding sampled drums. The little female voice singing " It's a beautiful daaaay"   is pretty fun too! It'd be cool if some rapper would rap over this beat. Just a thought?