The Police

So The Police will be playing the Grammys and maybe going on tour. Could someone please start a petition to ensure that "Roxanne" and "Message in a Bottle" are stuck from the set list?

The Police - So Lonely
The Police - Hole In My Life
The Police - Its All Right For You

The Sixty Second Song Remix Contest

Excellent idea and genius execution.

WFUM's Beware of the Blog asked its readers to take any song and remix/melt it down to 60 seconds. In my opinion the trick is to not just fast forward the song but actually create a viable song that remains true to the original. The Stairway to Heaven version achieves just that.

Other highlights:
Do you really need to hear any more than this of In a Blob of Velveeta?
Is it necessary to make Blitzkrieg Bop any shorter?
Isn't this the true essence of James Brown?

(via Stereogum)

Isley Brothers - Get Into Something

Apparently this album kicked all kinds of ass when it came out in 1970.

This beast really gets rolling right around minute four.

Isley Brothers - Get Into Something

Dave Rabbit - Radio First Termer

I first hear Dave Rabbit in 1985 while in boarding school. No one who listened was ever sure if it was for real. Could this really be an underground radio show taped in a brothel during the Vietnam War? The tape had been duped so many times that the sound quality assured its authenticity. Now, through the joys of the internet, I know it really did happen and wasn't just some stoner in his basement as many suspected.

It seems that Dave recently discovered that others had heard those same tapes and he had a fan base out there on the www. Dave has now blown the dust of his old act and re-purposed the material for a new generation and war. More power to him.

Sure it all sounds sophomoric now but when your 16 and you love classic rock like I did it was pure genius.

You can get the full background here with tons of downloads from the original and newer shows.

Introduction to the evening's program
"We're going to let this next one roll on through..."

The Shins - Wincing The Night Away

The new Shins album is streaming on AOL's Full CD Listening Party.

Wincing The Night Away

TFUL - Mother of All Saints

Since I am still digging through my iTunes library to see if there is anything worthy of a post that I missed, I will continue with more Thinking Fellers.

From their 1992 Matador release The Mother of All Saints.

Hummingbird In A Cube Of Ice
Tell Me
Wide Forehead

TFUL282 - Strangers From The Universe

Nothing better represents the noise I listened to in the late 80s and early 90s better than San Francisco's Thinking Fellers Union Local 282. Along with Caroliner, Barbara Manning and the Shrimper label, they were the definition of found sound songs, low-fi, hi-fi, Matador and the San Francisco indie sound. Their lives shows at the Cradle were so amazing and fun that hipsters actually danced.

These two songs are from their more approachable '94 release Strangers From The Universe

TFUL282 - The Piston And The Shaft
TFUL282 - Cup Of Dreams

"I Believe This Is The End of My Catalog Copywriting Job"

Sometime soon I am going to get off my ass and post a boat load of TFUL282 songs. Until then you have this from ReallySmallTalk.

1. Swiss Mountaineer Cashmere Sweater

Remember the 1992 Swiss expedition to Mt. Everest? Got within 660 ft. of the summit? With a head full of Gin, no less. Yes, you are classic. Like this sweater…soft but tough, and stripped to the essentials. Everyone at the top of that mountain was missing the point, if you ask me…but you knew the value of twisting and lurching your way up and stopping 660 feet shy of a predictable conquer, never longing for planting a flag like the do-gooder stiffs. Granted, it got you where you are today: at the top of the middle, basically, far from any kind of peak, full of nervous ticks, and dodging calls from family. Oh, what the hell…it’s all good. Which is my point: it’s all good with the Swiss Mountaineer Cashmere Sweater…smooth, svelt, yet very substantial and never tired or baggy-looking.

J Dilla - Nothing Like This

More hotness from the late J Dilla. This is from his soon to be reissued vinyl-only 2003 release Ruff Draft.

Fiasco - Those Feelings

Anyone who has watched NYC public access late at night (is there any other time to watch it?) knows and loves The Robin Byrd Show. Here are some of the highlights with the new wave soundtrack provided by Fiasco.

Fiasco - Those Feelings
(not safe for work or where someone can look over your shoulder)

Cardinal and The Moles

Man, I have been busy. Busy at work and busy listening to all the best of last year. So much good stuff (rock on The Hold Steady!).

Cardinal is Richard Davies and Eric Matthews.

Davies was originally in the Sydney based band The Moles. They were are much like the others of that time and place (The Chills, The Clean etc). He later went out on his own, and moved to NYC, were he started pumping out Brian Wilson tinted pop. For Cardinal he recruited Matthews to further that all along. Haven't hear much from him in years which is a shame.

Cardinal - Dream Figure
Cardinal - Tough Guy Tactics
The Moles - Already In Black

Hopefully life will be back to normal next week.

Caetano Veloso - Outro

I saw that David Byrne declared Caetano Veloso's latest CD the best indie rock album of '06. If he wasn't singing in Portuguese this could be any number of bands that have sprung up in the past year.

Caetano Veloso - Outro

Annuals - Complete Or Completing

A few of us went to see Tape-n-Tapes a few months ago. The Raleigh based Annuals opened and one word summed up the show. Horrible. The sound was mush and the songs were cluttered and all over the map. After hearing this song I am amazed they are the same band.

Annuals - Complete Or Completing

(Their much blogged about song Brother is on my best of list for '07)

What gives?

I saw this today on my list of podcasts and thought NPR had finally seen the light. Now I know the name 'Song of the Day' is not at all original but with their creative staff did they really need to rip us off?

NPR - Song of the Day