Free Music Friday: Girl Talk (Thanksgiving Edition)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

This Thankgsgiving, I am thankful for free music.  I am thankful for Greg Gillis and Girl Talk.  I am thankful that Girl Talk makes some of the best running mixes ever.  I am thankful that Girl Talk makes some of the music I can't stand...actually listenable.

Have a great holiday and be sure to celebrate America with Black Friday.

Get Girl Talk's new album...All Day.  For free.  Absolutely free...no strings attached.

The 11 Best Songs By Kanye West

Is Kanye West an asshole...or just a rock star?  Or, is it a requirement that a rock be an asshole?  How many lead singers are introverted, shy guys?   It takes a certain personality to want to be on stage in front of the thousands of people wanting them to cheer for them.  If you really thing about it, all singers are narcissist to some degree.  Yet, we find it so surprising when a lead singer acts like a narcissist.  Big personalities make big music.  Small personalities don't make it at all.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By Kanye West:

1. Diamonds From Sierra Leone Remix w/ Jay-Z (Late Registration)

2. Stronger (Graduation)
3. Jesus Walks (College Drop-Out)
4. Touch The Sky (Late Registration)
5. Golddigger (Late Registration)
6. Never Let Me Down (College Drop-Out)
7. Roses (Late Registration)
8. Heartless (808s & Heartbreak)
9. Homecoming (Graduation)
10. Amazing (808s & Heartbreak)
11. Through The Wire (College Drop-Out)

Buy Kanye West's new album, Dark Twisted Fantasy...now! (only $3.99...for a super limited time)

The 11 Best Bruce Springsteen Songs of the 00s:

There are certain albums that come along in a band's career that are above comparison.  For me, these would include The Cure's Disintegration, GNR's Appetite For Destruction, Michael Jackson's Thriller, and Pearl Jam's Ten.  These artistss have all had good careers and churned tons of great music, but these albums remain their zenith of perfection.  Each an untouchable album of pristine quality.  Bruce Springsteen's The Rising would also fall into this category.  That may be a surprising thing to say considering the momumental albums that the Boss has given to the world...Born To Run, Nebraska, Born in the USA, Darkness.  Each great.  Each an amazing album.  But to me, the Rising was something else.

The Rising was a moment in time.  America was reeling in post-tramatic stress from the 9/11 hijackings.  We didn't know how we felt and we didn't know how to feel.  One man said it all for us perfectly.  Bruce Springsteen put out an album of emotions that embodied what everyone was feeling.  Everything that we had bottled up, he let out.  He didn't shy away from hurt, from pain, or from anger.  He said everything we felt, and he felt everything we said.  Musically, it soared.  Lyrically, it was grounded.  There has really never been any other rock album in history that managed to capture a moment in American history as much as this album by Bruce.

How do you compare his other music to this?  You can't.  That doesn't mean he didn't make other good contributions.  This past decade was one of his busiest decades of his entire career.  He put out 9 albums!  While, everything was very overshadowed by The Rising...he still had some great music that should not be overlooked.

Just as epic as Darkness on the Edge of Town is...the songs that didn't make the album, have just as much going for them.  Be sure to check out the Promise...even if you're just a casual Bruce fan.  You won't be disappointed.

The 11 Best Songs By Bruce Springsteen:


1. 41 Shots (Live in New York City)
2. The Hitter (Devils + Dust)
3. Eyes on the Prize (We Shall Overcome)
4. Magic (Magic)
5. Outlaw Pete (Working on A Dream)
6. Radio Nowhere (Magic)
7. Devils + Dust (Devils + Dust)
8. Last To Die (Magic)
9. The Wrestler (Working on A Dream)
10. All The Way Home (Devils + Dust)
11. Life Itself (Working on A Dream)

Buy Bruce Springsteen's new release, The Promise...now!!

The 11 Best Songs By Cee-Lo Green

I was discussing...more like debating...with a friend the merits of  Cee-Lo's hit song, "Fuck You!"  I personally think it's an awesome song.  I think the profanity perfectly exhibits that frustrated high school sentiment of sitting in your room learning that the girl you have a crush on is going out with the biggest douche bag in your class.  We've all been there.  My friend disagrees.  Though he likes the music and the tone of the song...even the sentiment, he thinks the profanity ultimately ruins the timelessness of the song.  It goes from potentially be a smash hit to a novelity.    He used the example...imagine if Michael Jackson's "Beat It" was really called "Fuck It."  Would the song be huge?  For sake of conversation, let's say he meant "Fuck off" not fuck it...since Fuck it and Beat It have two totally different meanings.  That said...how would that affect the song?  It's a valid question.  I don't think the song would be as good.  But that's because that song didn't need the profanity to be a good song.  Just as the Beatles "I Want To Hold Your Hand" didn't need it.  Or U2's "Pride" didn't need it.  But there are times that profanity actually makes a song better.  Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" is just that much better because of the speed-mumbled line "harmless little fuck."  And that's a classic.  Rage Against The Machine uses the line "Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me" for the song "Killing in the Name Of..." and turns that phrase into a timeless anthem.  And NWA's "Fuck Tha Police" is a cultural battle cry.  Would the song have been better if it went... "Screw the police, coming straight from the underground, young brother got it bad cuz I'm brown?"  Just not the same.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By Cee-Lo Green:

1.  Getting Grown (Perfect Imperfections)
2.  When We Were Friends (Soul Machine)
3.  Let's Stay Together (Soul Machine)
4.  What Part of Forever (Twilight Eclipse)
5.  I'll Be Around (Soul Machine)
6.  Closet Freak (Perfect Imperfections)
7.  Georgia (Single)
8.  Ophidiophobia (Snakes on a Plane)
9.  Die Trying (Soul Machine)
10.  Under The Influence (Perfect Imperfections)
11.  Stranger in the Crowd (Coke Single)

Buy Cee-Lo Green's new album, The Lady Killer.  Now!!!

The 11 Best Songs By N*E*R*D

When I was younger, hearing a band exhibiting a throwback sound always instigated a feeling of disgust.  I was instantly appalled by the incredible lack of creativity that the band was ripping off someone else's sound instead of creating their own.  I preferred completely unique and original bands like Guns N Roses and Depeche Mode. 

It wasn't until I was older that I realized that Axl Rose was just trying to be Rob Halford and Slash was merely mimicking Brian May.  While David Gahan and Martin Gore were trying their best to do their Roxy Music meets Kraftwerk impression.

Now, I get it.  There is nothing truly original.  So, when a band employs a quality throwback sound.  I think I enjoy it a lot more than someone trying to sound different...just to sound original.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By N*E*R*D:

1.  Run To The Sun (In Serach Of...)
2.  You Know What (Seeing Sounds)
3.  Lapdance (In Search Of...)
4.  Tape You (In Search Of...)
5.  Laugh About It (Seeing Sounds)
6.  Maybe (Fly or Die)
7.  Things Are Getting Better (In Search Of...)
8.  Drill Sargaent (Fly or Die)
9.  Rock Star (In Search Of...)
10.  Sooner or Later (Seeing Sounds)
11.  Stay Together (In Seatch Of...)

Buy N*E*R*D's new album, Nothing....now!! (only $4.99)

The 111 Best Weezer Songs

As I was logging in to do my nightly post, I noticed this will be my 600th post?  Shit...I had no idea.  I was going to do a list for the new N*E*R*D album...but hell...this calls for something much bigger.

With two new Weezer releases...I might as well do my own "expanded list."

Buy Weezer's 2 new releases, Death To False Metal and Pinkerton Deluxe

Here are the 111 Best Weezer songs:

1. The Good Life (Pinkerton)
2. No One Else (Blue)
3. Hash Pipe (Green)
4. Why Bother? (Pinkerton)
5. Tired of Sex (Pinkerton)
6. Pork and Beans (Red)
7. Buddy Holly (Blue)
8. Photograph (Green)
9. This Is Such a Pity (Make Believe)
10. Surf Wax America (Blue)
11. Pink Triangle (Pinkerton)
12. Keep Fishin’ (Maladroit)
13. Getchoo (Pinkterton)
14. Don’t Let Go (Green)
15. In The Garage (Blue)
16. Simple Pages (Green)
17. Perfect Situation (Make Believe)
18. Take Control (Maladroit)
19. Dope Nose (Maladroit)
20. You Gave Your Love To Me Softly (Pinkerton B-Side)
21. Butterfly (Pinkerton)
22. Teenage Victory Song (Green B-Side)
23. Unspoken (Hurley)
24. We Are All On Drugs (Make Believe)
25. Possibilities (Maladroit)
26. El Scorcho (Pinkerton)
27. My Name Is Jonas (Blue)
28. Freak Me Out (Make Believe)
29. No Other One (Pinkerton)
30. The World Has Turned and Left Me (Blue)
31. If You’re Wondering If I Want You To (Raditude)
32. Where’s My Sex? (Hurley)
33. The Angel and The One (Red)
34. Fall Together (Maladroit)
35. Heart Songs (Red)
36. Say It Ain’t So (Blue)
37. Crab (Green)
38. I Just Threw Out The Love of My Dreams (Pinkerton B-Side)
39. The Damage in Your Heart (Make Believe)
40. American Gigolo (Maladroit)
41. Only In Dreams (Blue)
42. O Lisa (Green B-Side)
43. Everybody Get Dangerous (Red)
44. Ruling Me (Hurley)
45. Smile (Green)
46. I Don’t Want To Let You Go (Raditude)
47. Falling For You (Pinkerton)
48. Memories (Hurley)
49. Jamie (Blue B-Side)
50. Slave (Maladroit)
51. Knock-Down Drag Out (Green)
52. I Want To Be Something (Hurley B-Side)
53. The Other Way (Make Believe)
54. Starlight (Green B-Side)
55. O Girlfriend (Green)
56. Space Rock (Maladroit)
57. Mykel & Carli (Blue B-Side)
58. Troublemaker (Red)
59. Put Me Back Together (Raditude)
60. Brave New World (Hurley)
61. Across The Sea (Pinkerton)
62. Living Without You (Maladroit Import)
63. Hang On (Hurley)
64. Brightening Day (Green B-Side)
65. December (Maladroit)
66. Haunt You Every Day (Make Believe)
67. Island in the Sun (Green)
68. Kids/Poker Face (Red B-Side)
69. Trainwrecks (Hurley)
70. Love Explosion (Maladroit)
71. Holiday (Blue)
72. Dreamin’ (Red)
73. I Hear Bells (Raditude B-Side)
74. Pardon Me (Make Believe)
75. Slob (Maladroit)
76. Suzanne (Blue B-Side)
77. Undone (Blue)
78. Sugar Booger (Green B-Side)
79. Beverly Hills (Make Believe)
80. Glorious Day (Green)
81. Lullaby For Wayne (Blue Deluxe)
82. Cold Dark World (either version - Red)
83. Velouria (Where Is My Mind?: Tribute To The Pixies)
84. Can’t Stop Partying (Raditude)
85. Get Me Some (Raditude B-Side)
86. Waiting On You (Pinkerton B-Side)
87. The Greatest Man That Ever Lived (Red)
88. Let It All Hang Out (Raditude)
89. Brain Stew (Happy Record Store Day)
90. Smart Girls (Hurley)
91. Worry Rock (A Different Shade of Green: Tribute To Green Day)
92. I’m Your Daddy (Raditude)
93. Always (Green B-Side)
94. Run Over By A Truck (Raditude B-Side)
95. Death And Destruction (Maladroit)
96. Peace (Make Belive)
97. Trippin’ Down The Freeway (Raditude)
98. Hold Me (Make Believe)
99. Burndt Jamb (Maladroit)
100. Run Away (Hurley)
101. Christmas Celebration (Winter Weezerland)
102. In The Mall (Raditude)
103. Oddfellows Local 151 (Red B-side)
104. Miss Sweeny (Red B-Side)
105. All My Friends Are Insects (Hurley B-Side)
106. Automatic (Red)
107. The Spider (Red B-Side)
108. Thought I Knew (Red)
109. Turn Me Round (Raditude B-Side)
110. The Story of My Life (Raditude B-Side)
111. Viva La Vida (Hurley B-Side)

11 Good Albums from the Past Couple Months

Sorry I've been on hiatus as of late.  Had some family stuff come up.  Followed by the Giants unbelievably making it to the World Series...and winning.  A work crisis.  And finally topped it off with some good old fashioned stomach flu.  There's one thing I realized while having my untimely bought with the stomach flu...there's a band, an album, or a song for every situation.  As I slowly recovered from my annoying illness after wallowing on the floor in crippling pain.  I was able to get onto my computer for a few minutes to check some emails...and play some Facebook games (need to have priorites, right?).  My itunes popped on with an album I had been listening to recently...Fistful of Mercy.  For some reason, at that moment, while every noise...light...movement...shake of my body made me want to run to the bathroom and pray to an unHoly devil...that album hit the spot.  It was the perfect momentarily distraction.

The reason the album was up on my computer was because I was lucky enough to attend Fistful of Mercy's private "first live show ever" last week.  For those unfamiliar with the band, it's Ben Harper, Joseph Arthur, and Dhani Harrison.  I can't say enough good things about the band...and would have done a more formal list if this hadn't been their first album.  That said, there have been a few new albums over the past couple of months that did not get a list since there were not enough songs by the band to do a proper list yet.  Therefore, here's a nod to them.

PS.  Pardon my crappy cellphone camera picture...but that is a shot from the show.

11 Good Albums Worth Checking Out From the Past Couple Months:

1.  Fistful of Mercy - As I Call You Down
2.  Warpaint - The Fool
3.  John Legend & The Roots - Wake Up!
4.  Janelle Monae - The ArchAndroid
5.  Klaxons - Surfing The Void
6.  Efterklang - Magic Chairs
7.  Tired Pony - The Place We Ran From
8.  Crocodiles - Sleep Forever
9.  Bonobo - Black Sands
10.  The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger - Acoustic Sessions
11.  Twin Shadow - Forget

Buy these albums and more...here.