The 11 Best Songs By The X-Ray Spex

When the history of music is written, there will be the bands who are remembered, then there will be the bands who laid the foundation for those bands.  Most of them will be forgotten.  I always found the X-Ray Spex to be one of the latter.  This band that pushed boundaries and made it okay for other girl rock bands to follow in their chaotic footsteps, but never had an audience strong enough to give them the mainstream recognition they deserved.  Now with the loss of lead singer, Poly Styrene, this week, the survival of the band will be laid at the footsteps of the bands who followed them.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By The X-Ray Spex:

1.  Oh Bondage Up Yours! (7-inch single)
2.  The Day The World Turned Day-Glo (Germ Free Adolescents)
3.  I Can't Do Anything (Germ Free Adolescents)
4.  Identity (Germ Free Adolescents)
5.  I Am A Cliche (7-inch single)
6.  I Live Off You (Germ Free Adolescents)
7.  Junk Food Junkie (Conscious Consumer)
8.  Sophia (Conscious Consumer)
9.  Obsessed With You (Germ Free Adolescents)
10.  Prayer For Peace (Conscious Consumer)
11.  Art-I-Ficial (Germ Free Adolescents)

Buy Poly Styrene's new album, Generation Indigo now.

The 11 Best Songs By Joan As Police Woman

This weekend, when my parents were in town, I had on the Cure's Disintegration.  About half way through the album, my mom commented that she was really enjoying the music and wondered what it was and if it was new.  I told her what it was but did not inform her that this was the same album I used to play in high school that she used to complain about.  To her it was so dark and dreadful and now twenty years older and less open-minded, she was enjoying it.  I think a lot of it has to do with how the culture changes.  As a certain style of music becomes the norm for society at large, it becomes more acceptable.  The Cure, which was far outside the mainstream in the 80s, has now laid the foundation for so much popular music today.  A perfect example: Adele recently covered The Cure's goth love classic, Love Song.

Twenty years ago, hip-hop was not the accepted mainstream norm.  Parents hated it, kids loved it.  But now it's the norm, while rock music is struggling to keep up.  Joan Wasser accepts, and proved it when she covered multiple rap songs on her recent covers album.  And they weren't just a novelty, they were done as serious covers.  And honestly, they're pretty darn good...strangely (or maybe not) better than most of the rock songs.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By Joan As Police Woman:

1.  Holiday (To Survive)
2.  Christobel (Real Life)
3.  The Ride (Real Life)
4.  I Defy (Real Life)
5.  Whatever You Like (Cover)
6.  To Be Loved (To Survive)
7.  Magpies (To Survive)
8.  She Watch Channel Zero (Cover)
9.  Eternal Flame (Real Life)
10.  Overprotected (Cover)
11.  Ringleader Man (Cover)

Buy Joan As Police Woman's new album, the Deep Field...now!!

The Unknown: Explosions in the Sky - Live at the Grey Eagle 2007

One of the main things I love about music is how it becomes the soundtrack to our lives.  Certain songs can instantly bring me back to memories from twenty years ago.  My own brain can't even bring me back to memories from last week let alone two decades back.  Explosions in the Sky have the pleasure of the being the soundtrack to other people's lives.  Fake people at that.  I don't think I'll ever be able to remember the lives of Coach Taylor and his football team equivalent of the Bad New Bears without hearing the warbling guitar of the Explosions crew setting the backdrop.  In fact, it was the film version of Friday Night Lights that turned me onto the band.  My strongest memory from the movie is sitting there in the theater, being so wowed by the chaotic rock score, that I barely remember the actual film.  When a score is more memorable than the plot of a movie...that is some good music.  Or it's a really bad movie.

Here is Explosions in the Sky - Live at the Grey Eagle 2007:

1.  First Breath After Coma
2.  Welcome Ghosts 
3.  The Only Moment We Were Alone
4.  Great Death
5.  What Do You Go Home to
6.  Yasmin the Light
7.  Catastrophe and the Cure
8.  Memorial

Buy Explosions in the Sky's new album, Take Care, Take Care, Take Care...now!!!

The Good, The Bad, The Unknown: Record Store Day

Record Store Day did everything right by just doing everything right.  If you haven't heard yet, the 2011 Record Store Day was the most successful yet.  With over 200 exclusive vinyl releases, it did something that no one in the music industry thought was possible:  it got people to buy music. It didn't try to sell people what they wanted us to buy...they sold us stuff what we wanted to buy.  Rock Music.  The number one singles and albums were rock bands...not pop.  That should be a sign...we'll see if anyone listens.

With all the great releases, I thought I would break down some of the unique ones, since I've had the chance to hear a lot of them. I've stayed away from the re-issues...since they're already out in some form.  I wanted to highlight those releases that truly made RSD an event.

The Good:

1.  Foo Fighters - Medium Rare
2.  Deftones - Covers

- though most of the tracks are previously released, putting them together in an official package is an extreme delight.  Both bands are notorious for their unique covers and to release this is a real exclusive.

3.  Jimi Hendrix - Fire/Touch You
4.  Velvet Underground - Foggy Notion
5.  Derek & Dominoes - Got to Get Better
5.  Rolling Stones - Brown Sugar

- Four of the most elite rock stars of all time...release "unreleased" material.  It's too good to be true.  And the new songs are all surprisinlgy good...and not throwaway tracks.

6.  Decemberists - Live At Bull Moose

- an exclusive live comp featuring songs from the new album live.  Not just a couple songs...but a full solid set.


The Bad:
(okay...to be fair...none of these are truly bad...most are cool.  a better title might, I was just hoping for more.)

1.  Death Cab For Cutie - In Living Stereo
2.  Bruce Springsteen - Gotta Get That Feeling/Racing in the street

- both seem like exclusives...but their just songs that are just previews of upcoming releases.

3.  Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - Class Mythology

- in all fairness...the songs are decent.  but they're each about 2:00 long.  all four songs clock in at less than 10 minutes.  For $17, I expected more...considering it cost me more than the Foos full length vinyl.

4.  Rise Against - Join The Ranks

- cool picture...but pricey for songs we've already heard.

5.  Panda Bear - Tomboy (t-shirt bundle)

- it's record day...not t-shirt day!  okay...just including this to bring it to 5 discs.

The Unknown:

1.  White Flag 7" - Future Crimes

- A preview of the Sleater Kinney-Mary Tomony supergroup.  theyre off to a great start

2.  Guided By Vioces - Sing For Your Meat

- An expanded vinyl with 5 extra songs over the CD -when does that happen?  And it's one of those rare "good" tribute albums

3.  Regina Spektor - Four From Far

- 3 solid b-sides...and an exteremely cool live track.  the Live version of EET is one of the best vinyl songs I picked up all day.  a song this good is the reason we buy vinyl.

4. Antony and the Johnsons - Swanlights EP
5.  Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma Al Takes
6.  Fucked Up - Town Comp
7.  Black Angels - Phosgene Nightmare


- for fans only...but fans won't be disappointed by entire collections of unreleased material.

8.  kode9 - Otherman


- nevermind that there were only 100 made.  it's one of the elite dubstep gurus putting out some of his best material to date.

Now...here's youre turn:  What did you get?  What did you like, love, hate?

The 11 Best Solo Songs By Duff McKagan

With Record Store Day reporting record numbers...no pun intended, it seems like a new trend might be forming in the music world as Record Store Day Part 2 may be quickly being thrown together for May 17th.  And this time, it's not pop music pushing sales...it's good old fashioned rock n roll.  As in the past, trends that end up ruling the music industry grow from the underground through grass root campaigns.  And who ever thought that records might actually save the music industry in the digital age?

Duff McKagan may be an odd person to mention in the same paragraph as praising RSD, but before he was a financial expert (true story) he was part of two underground movements.  The metal scene of the 80s, and the Seattle scene of the 90s.  Now he may have had a bigger role in the 80s part, he is definitely well-entrenched in the Seattle world.  Recently he gave a very smart examination of the Seattle Sound.  Check it out here.

Basically, when you break it down, the Seattle scene had personality for being unique.  It didn't take multi-million dollar processors to find its sound...it found its sound in its personality.  RSD has its own distinct personality...and its not the music industry controlling it, it's the little guys...which makes it truly unique.

The 11 Best Solo Songs By Duff McKagan:

1.  I See Through You (Sick)
2.  Who's To Blame (Beautiful Disease)
3.  Just Not There (Believe In Me)
4.  Flatline (Sick)
5.  No More (Wasted Heart)
6.  Wrap My Arms (Dark Days)
7.  Mezz (Beautiful Disease)
8.  Trouble (Believe In Me)
9.  Translucent (Sick)
10.  The Slide (Sick)
11.  Seattle Head (Beautiful Disease Version)

Buy Duff McKagan's Loaded's new album, The Taking, now!!

The 11 Best Songs By Sparta

Jim Ward is truly the unsung hero of the Austin music scene.  I truly believe that Ward was the songwriting presence that made At The Drive-In the tight punk rock package that it was.  Once he was pulled out of the fray...the band became The Mars Volta, which practically threw song structure out the window.  Ward formed his own band, Sparta, which I thought had even crossover potential that ATDI had, if not more mass appeal.  They didn't take off as hoped.  Ward went in another direction with his alt. country band, Sleepercar.  That only lasted one album, until Ward gave that up for his own solo folk career.  Yep, from punk to alt. rock to country to folk, Ward has churned out fantastic overlooked songs.  What I love about Ward's career is that he just doesn't prescribe to any pre-conceived identity.  He is true to his music and it shows.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By Sparta:

1.  Taking Back Control (Threes)
2.  Atlas (Threes)
3.  Breaking The Broken (Porcelain)
4.  Air (Wiretap Scars)
5.  Mye (Wiretap Scars)
6.  La Cerca (Porcelain)
7.  Guns of Memorial Park (Porcelain)
8.  Each Brave Eye (Cut Your Ribbon)
9.  Cut Your Ribbon (Wiretap Scars)
10.  Untreatable Disease (Threes)
11.  Farewell Ruins (Porcelain B-side)

Buy Jim Ward's 3 E.p.s ( The End Begins, Quiet, In The Valley) now!!

The 11 Best Songs By Maritime

The Promise Ring was the first emo band I found myself obsessed with.  I had recently graduated college and was still clinging to the last of the grunge bands while I swam around in the rap-rock infested radio waters.  The future of rock seemed rather bleak, until I listened to Very Emergency.  It was like wandering around in a darkened room and someone suddenly turned on the lights.  Was this singer really embodying Morrissey while crooning over indie punk chords?  I was hooked.  It didn't sound produced.  It sounded out of sync, uncoordinated, disheveled...but it a beautiful mess.  It wasn't supposed to sound perfect, and that's what made it so fascinating.  The band had energy and drive...and excellent songwriting.  Yet, there didn't seem to be the least yearning for production.  And, it didn't need it.

Maritime is now two bands removed from the emo legend, but they still manage to harness Davey Von Bohlen musical vision.  In a world dominated by musical artists, who can't survive without production, it's nice to hear someone who appreciates good song writing is still around for the rest of us.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By Maritime:

1.  The Window Is the Door (Glass Floor)
2.  Young Alumni (We, The Vehicles)
3.  Don't Say You Don't (We, The Vehicles)
4.  Someone Has To Die (Glass Floor)
5.  Adios (Glass Floor)
6.  Tearing Up The Oxygen (We, The Vehicles)
7.  Be Unhappy (Heresy and The Hotel Choir)
8.  For Science Fiction (Heresy and The Hotel Choir)
9.  People, The Vehicles (We, The Vehicles)
10.  Sleep Around (Glass Floor)
11.  Guns of Navaronne (Heresy and The Hotel Choir)

Buy Maritime's new album, Human Hearts, now!!!

The 11 Best Songs By Animal Collective

The music industry has been on a roller coaster ride for the past decade, and no one, not fans, not the artists, nor the industry insiders have any clue where it's headed...or for how long.  Right now, all we can do is throw our hands in the air, scream, and hang on for the ride.  This weekend we witnessed the bi-polar yet beautiful chaotic mess that is music.

On Saturday, the old school music dinosaur that I am, pulled myself out of bed at the unGodly hour of 9AM to go stand outside a record store for 2 hours.  I was 10th in line, which made me nervous initially that I wouldn't get the over-priced 7-inches on colored vinyl containing tracks I already owned digitally.  But I was more relieved when the line ballooned to about a 100-rabid music fans, knowing I was in slightly better shape than them. No one waits in line to buy music anymore, which made this moment so much more fulfilling. Walking out of that store with my 4 top choices and 11 total pieces of an ancient art form felt like a victory. I got albums I really wanted (Foo Fighters, Decemberists, Ryan Adams, Fucked Up, and White Flag), some I didn't know I wanted (Regina Spektor, Mumford and Sons, Fistful of Mercy).  I didn't get Pinback or Deftones...but I did get the uber rare Kode9.  I went home to listen to my spoils...but something distracted me along the way...

I learned early Saturday morning that I could watch the big acts at Coachella streamed live via youtube channel.  Dubbed by the online community as "Couchella," I found myself glued to my computer enjoying my favorite bands without the obnoxious screaming of the shirtless drunk guy.  Showstealers would have to go to Mumford and Sons, The National, Arcade Fire, Cage the Elephant, and Kanye West, which made wish I had been there.  Then of course, there were the letdowns like The Strokes, Kings of Leon and She Wants Revenge...who made me glad I could just switch to another channel.

This weekend celebrated the past, the present, and the future of music.  From the record, to the outdoor festival, to the streamed live feed of the show for those too broke and without the time to spend three days in the blazing desert.  There's no telling if Record Store Day will last or the internet will eventually render it meaningless.  But for the moment...for today, they both exist in a beautiful harmony.

Animal Collective hit the tri-fecta this weekend.  A slot at Coachella...an new album by lead singer Panda Bear...and an exclusive Record Store Day release.  We may not know where the industry is headed...but it looks like Animal Collective will be definitely be one of the first to get there.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By Animal Collective:

1.      Did You See The Words? (Feels)
2.      Bluish (Merriweather Post Pavilion)
3.      Summertime Clothes (Merriweather Post Pavilion)
4.      Banshee Beat (Feels)
5.      What Would I Want? Sky (Fall Be Kind EP)
6.      My Girls (Merriweather Post Pavilion)
7.      Prospect Hummer (Prospect Hummer EP)
8.      Peacebone (Strawberry Jam)
9.      Turns Into Something (Feels)
10.   Water Curses (Water Curses EP)
11.   Kids on Holiday (Sung Tongs)

Buy Panda Bear's new solo album, Tomboy...now!!!

The 11 Best Solo Songs By Jason Isbell

I finally got my live Soundgarden CD.  I ordered it on the 24th of March and received it on the 12th of April. That's what I got for the $5.50 they charged me for the speedy delivery option.  I'm glad I didn't pick the freight price.  I wouldn't have received the CD until the next reunion tour.  Here's the kicker, I ordered this from Soundgarden's own website.  Shouldn't that have great service for the most devoted fans?  Why did I get the pony express service?  It's not like CDs are some new technology that's been invented in recent years.  They had CDs last time Soundgarden was around.  Yet, somehow the industry will blame this on internet downloading...and turn around praise Steve Jobs for saving the music industry.

I was going to buy Jason Isbell's new album from his site...but after this, I'll stick to the $5.99 price on Amazon.  At least I know I'll have the album on my computer before I even finish completing the service.

Here are the 11 Best Solo Songs By Jason Isbell:

1.  Good (Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit)
2.  The Last Song I Will Write  (Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit)
3.  Brand New Kind of Actress (Sirens of the Ditch)
4.  Streetlights  (Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit)
5.  Devil Is My Running Mate  (Sirens of the Ditch)
6.  Seven-Mile Island  (Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit)
7.  Shotgun Wedding  (Sirens of the Ditch)
8.  Into The Mystic  (Live at Twist & Shout)
9.  Dress Blue  (Sirens of the Ditch)
10.  However Long  (Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit)
11.  The Magician  (Sirens of the Ditch)

Buy Jason Isbell's new album...Here We Rest...now!!! (only $5.99)

The 11 Best songs By TV on the Radio

I had a long discussion with a co-worker at the perks of buying a CD and why it means something.  He hates CDs and thinks they're a waste of space.  Why should he buy 12 mediocre songs when he only wants the 1 good song he likes?  I suggested maybe he should stop listening to bands who only have one good song.  That didn't go over too well.  But this is my reason for buying a CD or vinyl.  Owning a CD is like owning a physical piece of the band.  It's a physical connection to the music.  It's your personal portal into the world the band created.  And that piece of the band is always mine.  No one can ever take that away.  It's almost like owning a piece or art.  As much as it means something to hold it in your hands, it's a visual companion to the music.  The pictures, the lyrics,...most of which can always be found online...but the construction of the booklet, even the CD package itself...it means something.

The era of the album isn't dead.  It'll be back.  CDs may disappear...but something will come to take their place.  Music changes and evolves...so will the industry that distributes it to our ears.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By TV on the Radio:

1.      Wolf Like Me (Return To Cookie Mountain)

2.      Dancing Choose (Dear Science)

3.      Staring At the Sun (Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes)

4.      Stork & Owl (Dear Science)

5.      Dreams (Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes)

6.      Hours (Return To Cookie Mountain)

7.      DLZ (Dear Science)

8.      New Health Rock (New Health Rock EP)

9.      Crying (Dear Science)

10.  Blues From Down Here (Return To Cookie Mountain)

11.  I Was A Lover (Return To Cookie Mountain)

Buy TV on the Radio's new album, Nine Types of Light...now!!

The 11 Best Songs By Foo Fighters of the 00s:

In the recent Rolling Stone, there's a huge article on the best new rock of 2011.  I was excited by the prospects of the article.  It's not a bad article except they forgot one important thing...they forgot the rock bands!!!  They give Adele first billing (a pop artist).  They give too more attention to rap artists (Wiz Khalifa, Odd Future, and Lex Luger).  The only real solid current rocking bands that get any attention are Pearl Jam, DBT, and Fleet Foxes.  And they give a small box to 90s influenced bands like Yuck, Cage The Elephant, and Mr. Dream.  The rest are pop artists, aging rockers, and nod to the ukulele.  How terribly disappointing of an article in a year where Bright Eyes made a solid comeback, the Decemberists resurrect R.E.M. who then in turn resurrects themselves.  The Strokes return, Soundgarden is recording, new Beastie Boys is on the way, not to mention the fact that the Foos put out their best album in 14 years. Come on RS...a deaf monkey could do better.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By Foo Fighters of the 00s:

1. The Pretender (Echoes, Silence, Patience, & Grace)
2. Come Back (One By One)
3. Low (One By One)
4. DOA (In Your Honor)
5. Halo (One By One)
6. Times Like These (One By One)
7. Erase/Replace  (Echoes, Silence, Patience, & Grace)
8. Band on The Run (Cheer Up Boys single)
9. Word Forward (Greatest Hits)
10. Best of You (In Your Honor)
11. Spill (Best of You single)

Buy the Foo Fighters new album, Wasting Light...now!!!!!

The 11 Best Songs By Low

With a huge music week...I'm kicking it off with an unlikely start.  Mainly because I have a guest poster and you can get the new album for a mere $3.99.  Presenting The X-Man or better known as E-Money.

Acompleteunknown asked me to do a guest post about one of my all time favorite bands Low.  A band who gave me goosebumps the first time I saw them in 1994 play as a duo (a female voice playing just a single snare drum along side a male voice playing a muted bass guitar) in a run down Minneapolis club.  The question to me, choose what I think Low's 11 best songs are.  

The To and Fro of Questions & Words.  
The craft of word.  The craft of the question.  If Socrates gave Western Civilization anything, it certainly wasn't answers.  It was the act of asking better questions.  Simpler, plainer, shorter questions. Usually done by whittling questions of questions of questions, until what you are left asking is a question about a base truth or a foundational point of clarity to seek real meaning.   In the Socrates Dialogs, this method of questioning takes the reader to asking the meaning of "single" words (i.e. Beauty, Art, Wisdom, Justice).  

Low's entire first Album, "I Could Live in Hope" is 11 songs titled each with a single word.  

A Note.  A Beginning
In Robert Henri's Art Spirit, he taught art students to focus on the beginnings.  To find the right beginning was critical.  For, if not started right, you cannot truly finish something; at least not well. Low obsesses on beginnings.  The drawing out of notes, chords, tones.  Each word, spoken or sung.....hangs in the air just a little longer.  

At their very best, Low's songs are just beginnings: beginning with a simple note or a plain open chord, repeated and repeated again.  As if questioning whether this could be the beginning of the song..... that is until you notice you've just reached the end.  

Here are the 11 Best Songs By Low:

1.  Death of a Salesman (The Great Destroyer)
2.  Sea (I Could Live in Hope)
3.  Don't Carry It All ( A Lifetime of Temporary Relief)
4.  A Little Argument With Myself (Trust)
5.  In the Drugs (Trust)
6.  Over the Ocean (One More Reason to Forget)
7.  Long Long Long (A Lifetime of Temporary Relief)
8.  Like A Forest (Things We Lost In The Fire)
9.  Murderer (Drums & Guns)
10.  Point of Disgust (Trust)
11.  Transmission (A Means To An End)

Buy Low's new album, C'mon, now!!!  For only $3.99

The 11 Most Exciting Releases for Record Store Day 2011

Record Store Day should be a national holiday.  It is a music fan's wet dream.  And I mean every part of the imagery that comes with.  Over 200 exclusive releases on CDs and vinyl, just for independent record stores.  Last year I got in line a half hour before the store opened and I was 25th in line, this year...I'm planning on two hours in line.  I don't think I've been this excited about new music since GNR's double album midnight sale back in 1991.  And I know I'm not the only one.  The music blogs are buzzing...fans are frothing at the mouth.  This makes Bieber Fever look like a case of mild night sweats.  All the record labels are getting involved which means they know how profitable this day is.  Last year, they sold more records on Record Store Day on single day than any other day in the history of Soundscan.  Obviously, fans still want to buy music.  Instead of playing the blame game for music sales plummeting, why don't you figure out how to harness this musical obsession that is still turning a profit.

Now everyone will have their different favorites...so instead of making a general list, these are my favorites of this coming holiday.  If you want to check out the full list...go here.  What are you favorites?

Here are my 11 Most Exciting Releases for Record Store Day 2011:

1.  The Foo Fighters - Medium Rare LP
2.  Ryan Adams - Class Mythology EP
3.  The Decemberists - Live At Bull Moose CD
4.  Fucked Up - Town Comp LP
5.  Sonic Youth - Whore's Moaning LP
6.  Fistful of Mercy - 7-inch single
7.  Guided By Voices Tribute - LP
8.  Omar Rodriguez Lopez - Telesterion 2CD
9.  Deftones - Covers LP
10.  Jimmy Eat World - Bleed American 3LP
11.  Naked and Famous - This Machine CD


Check out the official site for more information and a store near you.

The 11 Best Songs By The Raveonettes

I don't know how many time I have to talk about this.  Why does the music industry constantly cock their weapon and shoot themselves deliberately in the foot...then while they writhe around on the ground in pain, they blame illegally downloading for making them do it?

Two weeks ago I ordered the new Soundgarden on CD.  I ordered it from the band's website because it came with a bonus EP.  I'm a sucker for the bonus EP.  I ordered it on March 24th.  It didn't get processed until March 29th.  It was supposed to reach me in 5-8 business days.  I've now been waiting two weeks.  If you want to keep people  buying music...STOP MAKING IT SO HARD FOR US TO DO IT. I never order CDs online for this exact reason.  It takes two freaking weeks to get my music.  How in the world is this better than a music store?  

A new Raveonettes is out this week...what that has to do with Soundgarden...well, isn't it obvious?

Here are the 11 Best Songs By The Raveonettes:

1.  Sleepwalking (Pretty in Black)

2.  The Great Love Sound (Chain Gang Of Love)

3.  Breaking Into Cars (In and Out Of Control)

4.  Somewhere in Texas (Pretty in Black)

5.  Do You Believer Her (Whip It On)

6.  Gone Forever (In and Out Of Control) 

7.  Lust (Lust Lust Lust) 

8.  Let's Rave On (Chain Gang Of Love) 

9.  Echoes (In and Out Of Control) 

10.  You Want The Candy (Lust Lust Lust) 

11.  New York Was Great (Chain Gang Of Love)

Buy the Raveonettes new album, Raven in the Grave ...now!!!

The 11 Best Songs By Ezra Furman & The Harpoons

There's a lot to love about Ezra Furman.  He makes some of the most frantic rock music this side of the Clap Your Hands/Talking Heads line.  But that's not the only reason to love him.  On his last release, he offered some of his fans the the most exclusive thing a musician can offer a fan...a bonus song.  But not just any bonus son.  A personal song...written just for them.  Each person who order this special edition got their own personal song.  I was not fortunate enough to order in time to get one...but I respect him for at least making an attempt at such a grand undertaking.  You can find some of these songs on Youtube (check out below)...they vary from personal stories to songs about zombies and carl marx.  All I can say, is those who were lucky enough to get a private song...were truly lucky.

Zombie Track

Carl Marx

Personal Story

Here are the 11 Best Song By Ezra Furman:

1. I Wanna Be Ignored (Banging Down The Doors)
2. My Soul Has Escaped From My Body (Banging Down The Doors)
3. Mother’s Day (Banging Down The Doors)
4. Take Off Your Sunglasses (Inside The Human Body)
5. Weak Knees (Inside The Human Body)
6. Hotel Room In Casablanca (Banging Down The Doors)
7. How Long, Diana? (Banging Down The Doors)
8. Kirsten Dunst (Moon Face)
9. The Stakes Are High (Inside The Human Body)
10. Modern World (Daytrotter Session)
11. The Little Red Haired Girl (Banging Down The Doors)

Buy Ezra Furman and The Harpoon's new album, Mysterious Power...now!!

The 11 Best Songs By The Kills

When the Kills came out, they had the unfortunate luck of have a band name that was only a couple letters off a the more commercially popular Killers.  Killers fans came out in droves to accuse the band of trying to milk off the Killers success.  Those who bothered to stick around and listen for a bit, discovered they were a very different breed of band.  They fell more into the White Stripes world rather than the world of 80s throwback dance.  But that only opened another can of worms.  Now, White Stripes fans were giving them crap for trying to rip off the Stripes sound.  When Jack White recruited The Kills singer, Allison Mosshart, to join his Dead Weather wrecking crew, he legitimized them.  Ten years down the road, the Stripes are no more.  The Killers are less relevant than the 80s music their mimicking...and The Kills are still rocking.

Be sure to check out my $5 store for an updated roster of new albums...many recent releases among the classics.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By The Kills:

1. Black Balloon (Midnight Boom)
2. Cat Claw (Keep On Your Mean Side)
3. Last Day Of Magic (Midnight Boom)
4. Pull A U (Keep On Your Mean Side)
5. Rodeo Town (No Wow)
6. Tape Song (Midnight Boom)
7. Night Train (B-Side)
8. Love Is a Deserter (No Wow)
9. Goodnight Bad Morning (Midnight Boom)
10. Black Rooster (Keep On Your Mean Side)
11. The Good Ones (No Wow)

Buy The Kills new album, Blood Pressures, now!!

Free Music Friday: Foo Fighters - Wasting Light

Would you rather me write an article about something sorta music-related or would you rather get some free music?

Would you rather me write a list that you'll just complain about or would you rather get some free music?

Yeah, that's what I thought.  Here's the new Foo Fighters in its entirety streaming for free.

http://wastinglight.foofighters.com/