The Vaselines - Son of a Gun

This song is catchy as hell, and I just don't know any good soccer songs, so I'm going to pretend this is my no-World-Cup-until-Friday-what'll-we-do-til-then? post.



(I thought about nominating The Sporting Life as the Ballad of Cristiano Ronaldo, but I can't even tell you how much I hate that song, which is of course what makes it so perfect.)

Brian Jonestown Massacre - Whoever You Are

Well, I didn't think we'd be in port for me long enough anywhere to have a long enough moment of clarity to post one of these things, which is why I thought for certain "Seed of Memory" was going to be the last post of the year, but I've been noticing the "Occasional Tuesdays" tag Aaron likes to use and thought I'd include my two cents' for a change (Aussies don't use anything smaller than nickels. Strange.)

I don't know why I didn't post something about when I randomly picked up Who Killed Sgt Pepper? when it came out around the same time Tyles' BRMC post came around about Beat the Devil's Tattoo. Maybe it was because I was disappointed that this sounded nothing like the early BJM stuff from the 90s, which was to me some angsty guitar with other stuff mixed in like an improved version of grunge. Most of the new record was some eccentric drum and bass, with a couple moments of clarity that stood out but by no means were representative of the whole. What the hell am I talking about? I'm probably still drunk. When this post is finished, I will be partaking in a pub crawl that might make international headlines if my buddy's harbingers of doom about him not wanting to participate tonight hold any water.

Sun Ra- Pink Elephants

Did you know that most Sun Ra tracks were actually about the Chilean National Team? It's true.

Wild Nothing - Live In Dreams

Hi guys,

Today I am actually doing a serious-business song (from Craig's neck of the woods, btw)



but also one little silly-time thing

Sukhwinder Singh & Sapna Awasthi - Chaiyya Chaiyya

This was just brought to my attention today, and it's incredible. I can think of few comparable American musical scenes (and I promise you, I LOVE American musicals; I am not trash-talking here).

Donovan - Hurdy Gurdy Man

So you've all been waiting with bated breath all morning for a post from me, and this is what you get. Jokes on you, suckers! Mostly I would like to apologize to Landon Donovan for thinking he was kind of a nancy. Forget the Algeria goal, the first goal against Slovenia was the tits.

One of the things that I really enjoy in this world is when (good) movies take innocuous and semi-famous pop songs and reappropriate them for sinister purposes. Probably the most famous modern example is "Stuck in the Middle With You" by Stealers Wheel. I'm also partial to the "American Girl" scene in Silence of the Lambs and this one, which figures fairly prominently in Zodiac, a film that I'd be willing to defend as one of the best of the aughts.

Hank Williams; Patsy Cline - Lovesick Blues

After the U.S. victory, I went to Walter's for serious hot dogs. Later, I wandered around my hometown and I listened to Hank Williams. I sat in parks, I took off my shoes, I peered at my old middle school.



At home, I also found a Patsy Cline version. America, you guys.

Jimmy Silva and the Empty Set - Big House

I've got a special vinyl-bin discovery to share today. I knew nothing about Jimmy Silva when I found this record, "Fly Like A Dog," in the New Arrivals bin at my local record store, and at $15 for one platter, it might have stayed that way. But the album art -- featuring a deliriously grinning child pilot and a biplane (yes, a biplane) soaring out of the sun -- caught my eye. I gave it a spin on the store's listening station. Can't say I was expecting the explosion of garage rock/power pop you hear in the clip, but I took it home either way.

There's not much I can tell you about Jimmy Silva -- he doesn't have a wikipedia page. From what I can gather from liner notes and scant entries on blogs, he was from the Bay Area and lived in Seattle, and died suddenly in 1994 at age 42 (possibly from a run-in with shingles). His last.fm page doesn't add much detail. And then there's the music, which is pretty great.

William Elliott Whitmore - There Is Hope For You

It's nice.

Ennio Morricone- Tema di Ali

Edo G - Wishing

And a bonus thing.

Tupac feat. Nas - Thugz Mansion

This past week would have been Tupac's 39th birthday. I always felt like the biggest issue with 2pac's songs is that he wasn't really particularly grounded; while Biggie dealt with the day-to-day indignities of his own life, Pac tried to address the broader problems of the country and the world. Biggie was successful at being intimate, and his personal became political. But 2pac was uninterested in shades of gray, and his universal themes tended toward the maudlin.
BUT, like the best heavy metal, the more ridiculous, the more accidentally insightful. In his Thugz Mansion, he describes a glorious afterlife for gangstas, and honestly, it's how I'd like to end up. Nas' involvement on the song seems kismetic (YUP, KISMETIC), since his weaknesses tend to manifest themselves somewhat like 2pac's (though I think he's stronger overall).

The Kinks - Mr. Churchill Says

This is the 70th anniversary of the "Finest hour" speech and, well, this is just a kickass song. The Kinks usually wallow in irony and sarcasm, but Churchill's 1940 speeches to the British people? Those are sacred, even to them.

Sahara All Star Band Jos - Enjoy Yourself

From the Nigeria 70 African funk comp that Tyles found, in honor of group stage computations.

I've been listening to this comp a lot this week, I don't have much African music, and this song is a really good rumination on mortality. Ruminations on mortality are my favorite kind you guys.

Marty Robbins - Running Gun

I love Marty Robbins.

Shad- Rose Garden

Shad's pretty nice. This is nice. The video is kind of fun, moreso if you're familiar with the one it's sort of referencing. Anyway. I think I've successfully managed to compliment this in the faintest way possible. Which is also cool.

Cox & Combes - George Washington

Have you guys seen Wizard People, Dear Reader? It is amazing and I think you would all like it, regardless of what you think about Harry Potter. I mention this because (1) why not? and (2) the other day I went and saw Brad Neely do a live reading/screening of it, and it was great, so I figured I'd do a Neely shoutout post. So yeah, he is lots of fun. You guys should all watch the thing when you get a chance.

Here is another bit of Neely goodness.



And a clip from Wizard People. (This link might still work to download the whole thing, hopefully maybe possibly.)

DJ Earworm - Like, OMG Baby

Lot of ups and downs this week, so it's time for a pop-culture seasonal mashup.

The Business - Maradona

Because he is. (Sorry it's some English wankers. Good luck finding an interesting American soccer song. Just count your blessings I didn't post "World in Motion" again.)

Robert Johnson - I'm A Steady Rollin' Man

Been listening to Robert Johnson these last couple rainy days.

The Beatles - Helter Skelter

So I went out to a sports bar last night to watch Game 3 of the NBA Finals with a buddy of mine, and our waitress at one point said "I got a blister on my finger," to which I couldn't help but reply with a Helter Skelter joke. And then nothing. So I went home and found my girlfriend was watching Glee. I am telling you guys, this music snobbery is a lonely existence.



(And I realize this exact clip has already appeared on our blog place.)

The Isley Brothers- Time After Time

I was told to "fucking post some Isley Brothers, man", so I guess I'll go ahead and do that.

Coconut Records - Microphone

Yes, it is Jason Schwartzman's band, and yes I do find it catchy.

Kiki & Herb - No Children

This is the drag act Kiki & Herb, whom I love, covering The Mountain Goats' "No Children," and turning it into an incredible duet. I made the video.

Placebo - Humpty Dumpty

So funky.

Nick Cave - There She Goes My Beautiful World

I am getting to be jitterous about this, and there's still a week to go. Excited hugs.



PURE SEX

Peter and the Wolf - Safe Travels

I heard this song playing as I walked through Frogner Park in Oslo, and I couldn't for the life of me figure how Redding Hunter had found his way to Norway.



(Norwegian chocolate)

The Morning Benders - Excuses

There's this. But the song is just hanging there, doing nothin'.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS UP.
People keep trying to get me to go bowling with them, but shit, every ball is so heavy and it makes my wrists hurt. I don't know what else to suggest, so I just end up going anyway. But what the hell, what about miniature golf? Right? That shit is amazing, its all artistic and deep, and bowling is just all straight ahead, you know what I mean.

*opens box*

YOU DO KNOW WHAT I MEAN!